17 June 2014

Ashar 3, 1421 Shaaban 18, 1435 Regd. No. DA 6238 Vol 2, No 77

TUESDAY, JUNE 17, 2014 | www.dhakatribune.com | SECOND EDITION

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TMAG | OUR RIGHTS, OUR LIVES

9 | PAKISTAN TALIBAN WARN FOREIGN

11 | NO ZUCKERBERGS HERE

WORLD CUP MATCHES

Jun 19, 2014 1AM Spain vs Chile 4AM Cameroon vs Croatia 10PM Colombia vs Ivory coast Jun 20, 2014 1AM Uruguay vs England 4AM Japan vs Greece 10PM Italy vs Costa Rica

party Shamim Osman brought Nur into AL Family, leaders backtrack EKRAM MURDER TRIAL

The seven-murder accused had to prevent Khaleda’s long march in 1998 to earn trust kar Ali Manik and Ahmed n Julfi Zayeef, back from Narayanganj Shamim Osman has always bragged that he made Nur Hossain and Motiur Rahman Moti join the Awami League.

The ruling Awami League lawmaker from a Narayanganj constituency, in fact, first revealed to party chief Sheikh Hasina at a meeting that he had convinced Nur Hossain, then a powerful leader of the BNP in the district, to join the Awami League.

Nur helped barricade the Dhaka-Chittagong Highway in Narayanganj to foil Khaleda Zia’s long march programme Nur Hossain is the main suspect of the sensational seven murders in the port city and is now in custody of Kolkata police. Moti, on the hand, has been in hiding since the murders.

According to SM Akram, former Awami League MP from a Narayanganj constituency, Shamim Osman and he were having an informal talks with party chief Sheikh Hasina on a day in the late 1990s during Hasina’s first five-year term when Shamim told her that he had “made Nur join the Awami League.”

“We were talking with the prime minister in an informal meeting when Shamim told her that he had made Nur

Hossain join the Awami League leaving the BNP,” Akram told the Dhaka Tribune.

“So far as I can recall, Shamim said: ‘Apa, I did a good work. I made one of BNP’s big fish join the Awami League.’

As the prime minister asked who he was, Shamim said: ‘Nur Hossain. He was a big activist of the BNP in Siddhirganj. I have brought him in,’” Akram said.

“The prime minister’s natural reply was: ‘You have done a good job,’” Akram said, talking to these correspondents at his residence in Narayanganj.

“I can only tell you this that Shamim Osman made Nur Hossain join the Awami League. I do not have any more information in this regard,” he said, adding that Shamim was trying to take credit for bringing Siddhirganj’s influential BNP leader and activist Nur Hossain to the Awami League.

Several months before the seven murders Nur was made the vice-president of Siddhirganj Thana Awami League.

After Nur was exposed as an underworld don or a godfather of Narayanganj following the seven murders, Shamim’s followers in Narayanganj Awami League now hesitate to talk about Nur’s joining the party and they try to hide Shamim’s role in this.

Nur Hossain has long been known as Shamim Osman’s man and the Narayanganj lawmaker even defended Nur after his name had come up as the main accused of the seven murders.  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

in this file photo, Nur Hossain, the chief accused in the Narayanganj seven-murder case, is seen standing beside local lawmaker Shamim Osman during an Awami League rally in Narayanganj COURTESY

Finally Lady Luck Mueller treble puts Ronaldo in shade smiles on Messi n AFP, Salvador RAIHAN MAHMOOD

from Rio de Janerio

Lionel Messi has scored hundreds of goals in his career and he rarely celebrates wildly after scoring which he is good at doing and accustomed to as well. However, in Argentina’s first match of this World Cup against a stout Bosnia and Herzegovina side on Sunday at the Maracana, the four time footballer of the year looked ecstatic after scoring which also triggered wild celebration among the thousands of Argentine fans in the stands.

Messi was definitely under pressure as the physical approach of Bosnian defenders and the lack of space kept him frustrated at times. He was not up to the mark in the first half, but the introduction of Higuain at the beginning of the 2nd half allowed him the space and his preferred role. Consequently he produced the magic he was expected to as he drove through the Bosnian midfield before a lovely one-two with Higuain placed him at the edge of D box and then he sprinted past couple of challenges like a venomous snake before unleashing his typically sliding left-footed drive past Bosnian goalie Asmir Begovic who dived in vain as the ball hit the inside of the post before going in to give Argentina a 2-0 lead.

Waving his hand in the air, he sped to the left hand flag and was duly surrounded by his teammates. Messi even raised his hand in acknowledgement  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

Thomas Mueller spectacularly stole the limelight from World Player of the Year Cristiano Ronaldo on Monday with a hat-trick in a stunning 4-0 demolition of 10-man Portugal at the World Cup. Bayern Munich star Mueller marked his 50th international appearance in style with a 12th-minute penalty and a first-half injury time strike.

RESULTS Germany

4 0

chael Schumacher had emerged from his lengthy coma, the three-time champions tore into Portugal.

After Ronaldo had missed his only chance of the first half and Sami Khedira went narrowly wide from 30 yards after goalkeeper’s Rui Patricio botched

clearance, Germany struck in the 11th minute.

Joao Pereira hauled down Mario Goetze and Mueller tucked the penalty kick into Patricio’s bottom right corner.

On the half-hour mark, it was 2-0  PAGE 2 COLUMN #

Portugal

Mueller 12pen, 45+, 78, Hummels 32

He then grabbed his third in the 78th minute with defender Mats Hummels having also got on the scoresheet in the first period.

Ronaldo, who was playing despite having suffered a knee injury, hardly figured as his career World Cup goals tally remained on a paltry two.

Mueller was also involved in the first half dismissal of Portugal defender Pepe after he appeared to be headbutted by the Real Madrid man.

Watched by German leader Angela Merkel and buoyed by news earlier in the day that national sporting hero Mi-

Germany forward Thomas Mueller (L) celebrates scoring with teammates during their 2014 Fifa World Cup Group G match against Portugal at the Fonte Nova Arena in Salvador yesterday AFP

INSIDE B1 | Business

The government has signed $1.18bn concessional loan deals with Japan for five development projects including a 1,200 megawatt coal-based power plant.

4 | News 15

7 | Long Form

With attention to the new world order, the piece is an attempt to analyse the implication of the new world politics on Iran-India energy relation

8 | World

Western embassies began evacuating staff from Baghdad yesterday despite Iraq’s claim it was repelling militants who have captured vast amounts of territory.

13 | Sport A Dhaka court yesterday rescheduled the date to deliver verdict in the sensational Ramna Batamul killing case of 2001. The new date is June 23.

6 | Nation

The government food procurement drive is unlikely to achieve their target this year as the process is being affected by multifarious problems.

Bangladesh did everything right in the first half of their opening one-day international against India on Sunday.

After a string of poor batting displays earlier in the year, the hosts reunited and put up an impressive 272.

Jamil Khan with n Mohammad Our Feni Correspondent It seems that the people of Feni have almost forgotten the gruesome killing of Fulgazi upazila chairman Ekramul Haque Ekram that occurred in broad daylight and in front of many in the town on May 20.

Even a week back, local people and activists of ruling Awami League were staging demonstrations and protest rallies including shutdowns to demand justice. But now they have stopped.

Not only the party supporters, but also the family members have now stopped talking about the trial. It appears that nothing has happened and everything is back to normal again.

Insiders say a top ruling party leader of the district has been able to manage the demonstrators by offering them lucrative positions in the party and huge sum of money.

The Dhaka Tribune has also published stories about it on June 4 and June 12.

The district Awami League leaders did not give any appropriate answer about their stopping the ongoing demonstrations.

Abdur Rahman, president of the district unit, told the Dhaka Tribune: “Actually, we will not stop our agitation. The police have already arrested a number of people for their involvement in the killing. Meanwhile, the investigation is also underway in the right direction.”  PAGE 2 COLUMN 4

Chances of exploring 2 deep-sea blocks flimsy n Aminur Rahman Rasel Chances of exploring oil-gas in two offshore deep-sea blocks has become flimsy after US-based energy company ConocoPhillips missed a deadline yesterday for informing the government whether it would invest in the project.

The company has not found prospects for exploring wells in block 10; found prospects for block 11 to be highly risky, and as a result have now sought a revision in the tariffs for hydrocarbon exploration, as indicated in the company’s report of a 2D seismic survey.

In June 2011, a production sharing contract (PSC) was signed between ConocoPhillips Bangladesh Exploration 10/11 Ltd and state-run Petrobangla for the exploration of offshore blocks 10 and 11, the country’s first ever deepwater hydrocarbon hunt.

“ConocoPhillips has completed two seismic acquisition projects totalling 5,900km of 2D data, and invested approximately $20m exploring offshore Bangladesh,” Managing Director of ConocoPhillips Bangladesh, Thomas J Earley, told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday.

“A prospect has been mapped in Block 11 which is a high risk feature but could be of significant size if gas is dis-

covered during exploration drilling,” he claimed.

As per the PSC, if the contractor does not commit drilling of an exploration well after geophysical survey, Petrobangla can terminate the contract after three years from the signing of the contract, a deadline which expired yesterday.

“After investing in an extensive technical and economic assessment

In 2011, ConocoPhillips and Petrobangla signed a PSC for the country’s first ever deepwater hydrocarbon hunt of Block 10 and 11, ConocoPhillips has engaged the Bangladesh government to explain the constraints associated with the current production sharing contract associated with the blocks,” Thomas said.

“We are committed to working with the Government to pursue opportunities to supply gas from deepwater Bay of Bengal to satisfy domestic demand which provide competitive returns to investors,” he added.  PAGE 2 COLUMN 4

2

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

BNP: Local MP involved with the Kalshi incident n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla BNP yesterday demanded a judicial probe into the Mirpur killings to identify the criminals involved with the violence and withdrawal of the cases filed against the Bihari people.

“Miscreants killed nine people by setting their house on fire on Shab-eBarat night. One was killed following a bullet injury. This is a barbaric incident,” BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir told newsmen at party headquarters after paying a visit to the Bihari Camp in Kalshi of Mirpur.

The party spokesman said local people have also raised their fingers at a local lawmaker for orchestrating the heinous incident.

“We believe that this illegal and immoral government has been orchestrat-

ing these incidents to divert people’s attention.”

Fakhrul said six cases were lodged centering the incident and thousands of unnamed Bihari were accused of these cases just to harass them.

“Six Biharis have already been arrested. We are demanding immediate release of the detained Biharis and withdrawal of the cases filed against them.”

The BNP leader alleged that the incident took place in the presence of the law enforcers and law enforcing agencies played the role of silent spectators during the violence.

“Locals also pointed their fingers to the local lawmaker, Ilyas Molla, and other Jubo League men who tried to grab their lands,” he said quoting local people. l

Educational institutes likely to remain off during Ramadan n Mohosinul Karim

Bihari residents of Mohammadpur's Geneva Camp block a road in the area yesterday protesting the deaths of 10 people in the capital's Kurmitola Bihari Camp on Saturday. Story on Page 3 DHAKA TRIBUNE

Foreign Ministry asked to bring back Nur Hossain Shahariar Zaman and n Sheikh Emran Hossain Shaikh State Minister for Home Affairs Asaduzzaman Khan yesterday said his ministry had sent a letter to the Foreign Ministry to take necessary steps to bring back Nur Hossain from Kolkata.

“We have sent the letter today to the Foreign Ministry and they will send it to the Indian authorities tomorrow,” he said.

The state minister said the Indian authorities are yet to officially inform

Bangladesh about his arrest. “We are in touch with them informally.”

He added: “We have taken steps to bring him back. Now we are waiting for the official documents from India.”

Meanwhile, Awami League General Secretary and LGRD Minister Syed Ashraful Islam said the government knows nothing about the arrest of Nur Hossain, the prime accused in the Narayanganj seven murder case.

“Whatever we have come to know about the arrest of Nur Hossain is by

reading newspapers,” he told reporters after inaugurating a national fruit fair in the capital’s Khamarbari area yesterday morning.

Nur Hossain was arrested along with three of his accomplices at Kaliakair under Baguhati police station in India on Saturday night.

Narayanganj City Corporation panel mayor Nazrul Islam and six others were abducted on April 27 and their bodies were recovered from the Shitalakkha River on April 30. l

Shamim Osman brought Nur into AL  PAGE 1 COLUMN 2

Nur, who began his career as a helper of a truck driver in Siddhirganj, was involved with former military dictator HM Ershad’s Jatiya Party in the 1980s.

After the fall of Ershad he joined the BNP when Khaleda Zia came to power in 1991.

By that time Nur established his influence on transport workers and on extortion and other criminal activities in Siddhirganj as he had had a long career in the transport sector.

In 1992, Nur contested in the Siddhirganj union parishad chairman election and won. He had since got a new identity among Narayanganj residents.

He had enjoyed ruling BNP administration’s support to win the election, said Chandan Seal, a Narayanganj district Awami League leader.

Through the victory in the election Nur made a major progress in politics.

After the first tenure he contested for the same post in 1997 again with support from the BNP. Nazrul Islam, the Narayanganj City Corporation councillor who was among the seven murdered, also contested the poll and he had support from the Awami League.

Nazrul was announced winner but Nur challenged the result, alleging rigging by Nazrul’s men at a few new centres. He went to the court and won the

Mueller treble puts Ronaldo in shade  PAGE 1 COLUMN 4

with Borussia Dortmund defender Hummels muscling in to head powerfully into the net off a corner from Toni Kroos.

Two minutes later uncompromising defender Pepe was sent-off for the 13th time in his career for throwing his hands into the face of Mueller who fell theatrically to the ground.

Pepe’s fate was sealed when he followed up with a headbutt on the Bayern Munich player.

Portugal were haunted by Mueller in injury-time again as the German star drove the ball past Patricio.

Mueller completed his hat-trick in the 78th minute before Ronaldo had a last-minute sighting of goal with a freekick parried away by Manuel Neuer. l

legal battle. After re-polling at those centres Nur managed to ensure his victory in the election and became more influential in the area.

Chandan, a close associate of Shamim Osman, said Nur had tried to join the Awami League since the party came to power in 1996 but had not succeeded as some committed Awami League leaders had opposed it. But Nur kept trying.

To impress and earn the trust and confidence of Narayanganj Awami League leaders, Nur even helped barricade the Dhaka-Chittagong Highway in Narayanganj to foil the then opposition leader and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s long march programme from Dhaka to Chittagong, said Chandan.

Blocking Khaleda’s motorcade on June 9, 1998 to foil the BNP long march put Shamim Osman in the centre of criticism and he was branded as a godfather by some quarters.

Chandan said they had come to know from some Siddhirganj Awami League leaders that Nur Hossain had played a role to create the traffic jam to help Narayanganj Awami League’s unannounced blockade programme to prevent Khaleda’s motorcade.

From Siddhirganj party leaders, Chandan came to know that Nur had plotted to help the Awami League. Nur had sought some buses free of cost to make the BNP’s long march successful.

But when owners denied, Nur’s men beat up some transport owners and workers.

In protest of the attack, in the early morning of the June 9, some transport owners kept their buses on the road in Simrail area of Siddhirganj, which was controlled by Nur, to block the road.

Nur had made the mission of helping the Awami League foil Khaleda’s long march through this stage-managed transport protest, said Chandan. “He did this to earn the confidence and trust of Awami League leaders so he could join our party.”

Soon Nur finally joined the Awami League.

Chandan said: “The BNP was not much strong in Narayanganj district at that time except in Siddhirganj area because of Nur Hossain.”

The Kanchpur Road and its bridge area is very important as people from some 20 districts need to use this spot

Finally Lady Luck smiles on Messi  PAGE 1 COLUMN 1

to the raucously vocal Argentine supporters.

All these meant Messi was definitely happy to break his eight year jinx as his only previous World Cup goal came against Serbia in the 2006 World Cup in Germany. Although Messi entered the 2010 World Cup on the back of a goal-laden season for Barcelona, he inexplicably failed to register his name in

the score-sheet even after playing in five matches before Argentina were shown the exit door by Germany in the quarterfinals. His uniquely prolific goalscoring form for Barcelona laid the foundation of the belief of millions of Argentina fans worldwide that he would light up the tournament and hand Argentina its 3rd World Cup triumph. But the Barcelona superstar left empty-handed, without a goal and in a flood of tears.

of the Dhaka-Chittagong Highway to enter the capital. The strategic area was under control of Nur Hossain when he was in the BNP. So, some influential Siddhirganj Awami League leaders thought if they could bring Nur in the party, the area and the whole Siddhirganj would come under their control, which would ultimately ensure the party’s supremacy in whole Narayanganj district, said Chandan.

The idea was convincing; these leaders talked with top influential Awami League leaders in Narayanganj, including the then lawmaker Shamim Osman. When everyone gave the nod Nur joined the party in 2001, said Chandan.

He said it was not like that Shamim made Nur join the Awami League but definitely leaders in Siddhirganj discussed the matter with top district leaders, including Shamim as he was the lawmaker and general secretary of the district unit.

Mojibur Rahman, the Siddhirganj Awami League president for more than a decade, could not be contacted for comments despite repeated attempts and even visit to his residence. General Secretary Yasin Mia, another accused of the seven murders, has also been absconding.

Acting general secretary Kalipada Mallik said Shamim Osman had not brought Nur in the Awami League. He, however, could not clear how and who made Nur’s joining the Awami League possible.

Kalipada admitted that Nur’s close associate Motiur Rahman Moti, president of Siddhirganj Jubo League, had been brought to the Awami League by Shamim Osman from Ershad’s Jatiya Party in the 1990s. Moti is also in hiding as some locals believe he was involved with the seven murder and demand his trial and execution.

Kalipada said Moti was a follower of Shamim Osman. He used Shamim’s picture in his posters, banners and graffiti.

But Nur did not do so; in the January 5 national election, he rather sought nomination as the Awami League candidate from Shamim’s constituency.

Many locals, including some Awami League men, think that Nur was making progress in his political career in Narayanganj with an aim to ensure his supremacy, instead of Shamim’s, in the district. l

Messi had his sympathizers though as many thought he was unlucky as Lady Luck deprived him goals on a number of occasions, particularly against Greece and Nigeria when he beat the goalie but the ball went agonizingly wide. On top of that, he also hit the woodwork once or twice. But all these could finally be put to bed on Sunday at the Maracana as he finally managed to break the jinx.

Parties asked to submit audit by July 31 n Mohammad Zakaria

The Election Commission yesterday sent letters to all 40 registered political parties, seeking audit reports of their annual incomes and expenditures by July 31.

“We have sent the letters to remind the political parties to submit the reports by the deadline,” a senior assistant secretary told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday seeking anonymity.

No letter was sent to Jamaat-e-Islami as the party’s registration was declared illegal by the High Court last August and an appeal against the High Court ruling is pending at the Appellate Division.

According to the Representation of the People Order, all registered parties

have to submit annual audit reports certified by registered chartered accountants. A party’s registration can be cancelled if it fails to submit audit reports for three consecutive years.

In their audit reports submitted last year, both the BNP and the Jatiya Party showed higher expenditures than incomes in 2012, while the Awami League reported a surplus.

The ruling party reported the highest income and expenditure – Tk10 crore and Tk9 crore – followed by its key ally JaPa with Tk4.8 crore and Tk4.9 crore, respectively.

The JaPa's income and expenditure were double the figures the BNP earned and spent in 2012. The BNP showed Tk1.8 crore as annual income and over Tk2.26 crore as expenditure. l

Ekram Murder Trial  PAGE 1 COLUMN 6

He claimed that mystery of the case was almost removed and the mastermind of the killing arrested. “So we do not want to create hassles for the people by declaring new programmes without any reason.”

Ehsanul Haque Ehsan, younger brother of Ekram, told the Dhaka Tribune: “We have to look after our existing business and other works. The man, who has gone away, will not come back.

While thinking about it [the trial], I think it is needed to carry out other tasks to save the other members of the family.

“I will be not astonished if the police investigation or the trial stops without making any progress or tracing the masterminds of the murder.”

He alleged that the incident had occurred in front of hundreds of eyewitness and “everyone knows who is responsible for the killing. But the authorities never took any action against

those responsible, rather helped their associates fleeing the country.”

After the murder, Ekram’s elder brother Rezaul Haque Jashim filed a case. It is alleged that the case’s script was written earlier and the police just took his signature on the document.

The law enforcers have so far arrested over 25 people and taken them on remand for couple of times.

According to sources, the investigators during remand and analysing the motive have found the involvement of ruling party lawmaker Nizam Uddin Hazari in the incident. But no action has been taken against him for some mysterious reasons.

Rezaul Haque Jashim, elder brother of Ekram, told the Dhaka Tribune that the trial of the case could advance only if the country’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina took any initiative. Or else, it would become another aimless case.

The Dhaka Tribune also contacted

The educational institutions across the country will be closed during Ramadan as Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday rejected a proposal placed by the Education Ministry of keeping those open until one-thirds of the fasting month.

Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid and Primary and Mass Education Minister Mustafizur Rahman will soon circular an official announcement in this regard.

The PM turned down the appeal during the informal discussion after the cabinet meeting held at the Secretariat.

In favour of the rejection, Hasina showed logic that the mothers would have to work until dawn during the Ramadan. As a result, it would be a burden for them to take their children to schools in the morning. In this situation, the ministries concerned should try to keep the educational institutes open limiting the summer vacation, said a minister seeking anonymity, who was present in the meeting. l

New office time set for Ramadan n Mohosinul Karim The government yesterday set new office hours from 9am to 3:30pm during the Ramadan. The decision was taken at a cabinet meeting held at the Secretariat chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

According to the decision, all government, semi-government and autonomous organisations will follow the time which includes a 15-minute break from 1:15pm to 1:30pm for Zohr prayer, said Cabinet Secretary M Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan after the meeting.

However, the High Court, Bangladesh Bank, the insurance companies, state-owned factories and Bangladesh Railway will remain out of the rule while those respective authorities will fix their office time as per necessity, the secretary continued. l

with Ekram’s wife Tasmina Akhter.

However, she refused to say anything with the media. Other family members of Ekram said Tasmina had been mum about the trial now to save her two children. They, however, would not say whether there had been any threat issued against her recently.

The Dhaka Tribune tried to contact MP Nizam Uddin Hazari, also the district unit general secretary, but failed as he is now in Saudi Arabia to perform hajj.

Feni model police station Inspector Abul Kalam Azad, also investigation officer of the case, claimed that there had been significant progress in the case.

“We are about to solve the mystery.

A number of killers including the mastermind have already been arrested,” he told the Dhaka Tribune.

“We are now in search of some other accused and analysing the available information which will be sorted out shortly,” the official added. l

Chances of exploring 2 deep-sea blocks flimsy  PAGE 1 COLUMN 6

On the other hand, ConocoPhillips recently refused to sign the PSC for oil and gas exploration in shallow sea block 7.

Thomas said: “During our technical assessment, it was determined Block 7, adjacent to Blocks 10 and 11, may support exploration of the primary prospect in Block 11, and ConocoPhillips was the high bidder on Block 7 in April 2013.

“With continued delays in PSC signing, coupled with rising costs, the commerciality of the PSC terms offered in Block 7 deteriorated, causing ConocoPhillips to withdraw its Block 7 bid, which was officially cancelled by Petrobangla in May 2014.”

According to the PSC, ConocoPhillips would explore the blocks for nine years, while after the initial five years of primary exploration, it would develop the well.

The two blocks – with depths of

1,000-1,500 meters – cover an area of 5,158 square kilometres, some 280km from the Chittagong port.

The country will need around 22.76 trillion cubic feet (tcf) until 2025, a Petrobangla director, seeking anonymity, told the Dhaka tribune, adding that the country currently has only 16 trillion cubic feet of gas as recoverable reserve that would last around 16 years.

The country’s energy security also depended on the exploration of deepsea blocks, the official added.

ConocoPhillips has pledged a $160m bank guarantee for the work in three phases.

“If they cannot submit work programme to invest soon, we will encash their bank guarantee,” Petrobangla Chairman Hossain Monsur told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday.

“According to the PSC, we do not have the chance to increase the tariff.

We cannot help them.” he said.

Energy and Mineral Resources Division Secretary Md Mozammel Haque Khan told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday: “ConocoPhillips delegation will meet me within a week to discuss in this regard.”

Earlier in April, ConocoPhillips informed Petrobangla that it would not invest in drilling exploration well in two deep-sea sites, terming it an investment risk due to less prospective.

“The company is interested to explore the blocks as the state-owned Bapex also invests on the blocks,” an official of Energy and Mineral Resources Division said.

ConocoPhillips would propose Bapex to invest on the offshore blocks soon, the official added.

In January this year, the US-based firm and Norway-based Statoil also jointly dropped bidding documents for exploring oil and gas in three deepsea blocks (12, 16 and 21) in the Bay of Bengal. l

He was also selected for the man of the match award and the Argentina captain looked relaxed when he arrived before the media for the first time in the post match presser. However, he did not stay more than three minutes.

This is what the little magician had to say, “It’s important that we started off on the front foot with the three points.

But we do have things we must improve on. It’s not easy with all the anxiety and

the nerves, but the important thing is the result. We had a great second half.

We had the ball much more, created several opportunities and that’s what we have to continue to do.”

Messi himself admitted the shift from five in defense to a 4-3-3 formation made it much easier for him and fellow striker Sergio Aguero. He said, “As strikers, we prefer that system as it gives us more attacking opportunities

and we suffer a bit if we don’t adopt that system.”

“I was often on my own and so was Kun [Aguero] and it was very difficult.

So there are things to improve on,” concluded the messiah. Although he suffered from injury just before the recently concluded season in La Liga, he was still in a rich vein of form as World Cup glory again beckons him with arms wide open. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Tension prevails at Kurmitola Bihari Camp n Abid Azad A tense situation has been prevailing at the Kurmitola Bihari Camp since the bodies of those killed in a recent violence were brought back to the area on Sunday night following autopsies.

Nine members of a family were burnt alive at the camp at Kalshi in Mirpur following a clash between Bihari residents, police and Bangalees from Bauniabandh. Another person injured by a police rubber bullet died later. The clash reportedly erupted over the setting off of firecrackers.

“We were shocked when we found the bodies. It is the greatest tragedy I have experienced in my entire life in this Bihari camp,” said Ajimunnesa Ashrafi, who has been living in the camp for the past 43 years.

Abur Jabbar Khan, the chief of Stranded Pakistanis General Repatriation Committee, said: “We are waiting to see what the government will do. If we do not find proper justice for the incident, we will go for a stern movement.”

Police arrest 20 Jamaat-Shibir activists in Chittagong n Tarek Mahmud, Chittagong Police in Chittagong arrestedat least 20 activists of Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing, Islami Chhatra Shibir, from different parts of Satkania and Lohagara upazilas in a special drive early yesterday.

Following on a tip-off, police forces from the two upazilas jointly conducted raids at Jamaat-dominated areas of Eaochiya, Kanchana, Madarsa and Sadahain Satkania and at Chunti and Boro Hatiyain Lohagara from midnight until 4:30am, sources said.

AKM Emran Bhuiyan, assistant superintendent of police of Satkania circle, told the Dhaka Tribune that the arrested Jamaat and Shibir men were wanted in different cases lodged with Satkania and Lohagara police stations in connection withthe violence perpetrated during the parliamentary elections in January.

The arrestees were produced before the court yesterday, the officer said. l

Meanwhile, Ain O Salish Kendra Executive Director Sultana Kamal, a representative team from the US embassy in Dhaka, and BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir visited the Kurmitola Bihari Camp yesterday and spoke to the locals.

“The failure of the police allowed the clash to become more violent and caused the deaths of 10 people,” said Sultana Kamal while talking to reporters.

She also pointed out that although it was the lack of responsible action by the police that triggered the violence, it was now senior police officials who were conducting an investigation into the incident.

BNP leader Fakhrul, on the other hand, called for a judicial investigation into the incident.

“We came to know that the [local] MP was behind the incident. For this we demand judicial investigation and exemplary punishment for the actual criminals,” he said.

Following Saturday’s violence, the

Bihari residents of the camp claimed that supporters of the local lawmaker, Ilias Uddin Molla, along with Jubo League activists were involved in the violence that ensued because the locals had allegedly refused the MP’s request to provide electricity to the “Raju Bosti,” a nearby slum.

The six cases that have so far been filed with the Pallabi police station in connection with the incident have now officially been handed over to the Detective Branch, said officer-in-charge of the station Sayed Jiauzzaman yesterday, adding the police were alert to control the area’s law and order situation.

Meanwhile, the bodies of the deceased were buried yesterday at a local graveyard following religious funeral rituals.

On the other hand, the Bihari residents of the Geneva camp in the city’s Mohammadpur yesterday blockaded three adjacent roads in the area and burned effigies of the local MP Ilias Uddin Molla, demanding that the culprits

3

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

of the Kurmitola violence be brought to justice. They also urged the government to take initiative for a permanent solution to the problems of the Bihari community.

Law enforcers remain alert in the area to prevent any untoward incident.

In Chittagong, the Stranded Pakistani General Repatriation Committee placed a memorandum – addressed to the prime minister – before the district’s deputy commissioner yesterday, to press home demands that included the arrest of the culprits and compensation for the victims of Saturday’s violence in the capital.

In a press release, the leaders of the committee also called for the formation of a new judicial probe team, headed by a retired justice, reports our Chittagong University correspondent.

Shohel Aktar Khan, zonal secretary of the committee, said the stranded Pakistanis living in camps at both Dhaka and Chittagong were faced threats by local goons and outsiders who want to grab their land. l

EC to start online correction of NID cards n Kamran Reza Chowdhury Law Minister Anisul Huq yesterday told parliament that the government was planning to introduce a provision for the people to file applications online so that they could receive duplicate copies of their national identity cards or correct them.

He hoped such move would reduce public hassles in the present process and said introduction of the online system would also enable people to get corrected national identity cards in one day.

Replying to a question from Awami League MP Abdul Latif (Chittagong), the minister said many people thronged the Election Commission’s one-stop service centre at the Islamic Foundation building in Dhaka, even though correction of the identity cards was possible at upazila level.

He said people snubbed the upazila level offices of the commission, which took at least 15 days to correct the

national identity cards while the Dhaka office through its one-stop service centre provided the same in one day, if necessary.

The minister said 10 booths of the centre in Dhaka served, on average, 1,500 people demanding duplicate national identity cards or its correction.

“To reduce public hassles, the national identity card service has spread up to the upazila level through its decentralisation. Besides this, the EC is processing the provision for submitting applications online.”

Anisul said service would be provided through virtual private network, which if put in place, would give duplicate national identity cards or correct them in one day as done in Dhaka.

Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury who was chairing the sitting tabled the ministers’ question-answer script without discussion, restricting the MPs to make any supplementary questions on the issue. l

Witness: Subhan was present during Kulnia atrocities n Udisa Islam A prosecution witness alleged yesterday that the Pakistani Army had killed his brother and sister-in-law in the presence of war crimes accused Maulana Abdus Subhan during the 1971 Liberation War. Md Abdul Matin, 76, the 13th witness from Kulnia village of Pabna sadar, told the International Crimes Tribunal 2 that the occupation force had entered their village on the morning of May 11 with around eight vehicles, while the accused was in a white car.

They started firing just after entering the village prompting the unarmed civilians to flee. “I along with my brother Shomujuddin Pramanik and sister-inlaw Rahatunnessa hid in a bush. My brother died on the spot during the firing. Rahatunnessa, also my cousin, was wounded and his uncle took her to Sadar Hospital where she died after 10 days.”

Matin, then a cloth trader, also said the army on the same day had killed his neighbours Hasina and Wazuddin.

The witness said he had heard from locals that Subhan, his cohorts and the

army later went to nearby Dogachhi and killed Haripada and Benu there.

They also set fire to the western part of Dogachhi Bazar and killed two other innocent civilians.

Matin said he knew Subhan for a long time as the accused had campaigned for Jamaat-e-Islami during 1970 election.

After his deposition, a junior defence counsel started grilling the accused. The tribunal later adjourned the trial until today keeping the cross-examination incomplete.

Jamaat leader Subhan was indicted on December 31 last year on nine charges of crimes against humanity.

The same tribunal yesterday recorded the cross-examination of two prosecution witnesses, who gave depositions on Sunday, in the case against former Jatiya Party state minister Syed Mohammad Qaisar. The trial was adjourned until today.

Ambia Khatun, 63, daughter of martyr Abdus Shaheed, and Anwara Begum, 70, widow of martyr Askar Ali, submitted their depositions against Qaisar as the 23rd and 24th prosecution witnesses. l

A man rides a motorbike with a child on his back and a toddler sleeping in front, at the capital’s Asad Gate area yesterday. Paying no respect to safety laws, such reckless behaviour poses risks to both passangers and other vehicles plying on the road SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

Rokan: Elected unopposed is not unconstitutional n Nazmus Sakib

Police escort the accused of the Ramna Batamul case out of a courtroom in the capital yesterday DHAKA TRIBUNE

Ramna Batamul killing case verdict now on June 23 n Md Sanaul Islam Tipu A Dhaka court yesterday rescheduled the date to deliver verdict in the sensational Ramna Batamul killing case of 2001. The new date is June 23.

The court was all set to pronounce the verdict yesterday, over 13 years after the incident. But the verdict has been deferred as the judgement is yet to be prepared.

Defence and prosecution counsels and a large number of journalists were present at the court. Main accused Mufti Abdul Hannan, chief of banned militant outfit Huji, and eight other accused were also taken to the court.

Five other accused in the case including Maulana Tajuddin, brother of BNP leader Abdus Salam Pintu, are on the run.

Judge Ruhul Amin of the Dhaka’s Second Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge’s Court gave the order. He said the date had been deferred since he could not complete writing the judgement.

On May 28, the court fixed yesterday

for the verdict following completion of defence arguments. Although the court will deliver verdict in the murder case, another case filed under Explosive Substances Act remains pending.

At least 10 people were killed and 50 others injured as several blasts occurred at Ramna Batamul during Pahela Baishakh celebrations in a morning of Bangla New year, 1408 (April 14, 2001). Chhayanaut, one of the country’s leading cultural organisations, organises the celebrations every year at Ramna Batamul.

Two cases – one for the killing and the other under the Explosive Substances Act – were filed with Ramna police station. The CID on December 30, 2008 pressed the charges against 14 accused in both the cases.

The court recorded statements of 61 out of 84 prosecution witnesses.

Mufti Hannan and another accused in their confessional statements before magistrates claimed that they had carried out the bomb attack since “celebrating Bangla New Year is anti-Islamic.” l

Senior Supreme Court lawyer Rokanuddin Mahmud yesterday said declaring 154 candidates elected unopposed in the January 5 election was not unconstitutional.

He said uncontested election had not been something new in Bangladesh, and that the question of constitutionality was never raised before. Such provision also exists in many other countries including India, Pakistan and the UK. If the election had not been held on January 5, an unconstitutional force would have assumed office, he said, mentioning about the army-backed 1/11 government of 2007.

Rokan expressed the view as an

Hearing on Khaleda’s pleas adjourned n Nazmus Sakib A High Court bench has adjourned until tomorrow the hearing on BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s petitions challenging the legality of two corruption cases against her as the defence did not receive the certified copies of the split orders issued earlier by two other judges.

The bench of Justice Quazi Reza-Ul Hoque yesterday also directed the section concerned of the High Court to provide the certified copies within 24 hours.

On Sunday, Chief Justice Md Muzammel Hossain assigned newly appointed Justice Reza-Ul Hoque to give a ruling so that Khaleda’s petitions questioning the legality of charging her in two corruption cases could be resolved by a majority decision.

On May 25, Justice Farah Mahbub halted for three months the trial proceedings in the two cases, while Justice Kazi Ejarul Haque Akondo summarily rejected petitions filed by Khaleda on May 12.

The former premier also challenged the legality of appointing Basudev Roy as a special judge.

Depositions in the corruption cases, involving the Zia Orphanage Trust and Zia Charitable Trust, have been deferred twice as Khaleda filed the petitions. The trial court fixed June 19 for hearing testimonies from prosecution witnesses. l

amicus curie (impartial adviser of the court) before the High Court bench of Justice Mirza Hussain Haider and Justice Khurshid Alam Sarkar.

Earlier, Dr Kamal Hossain, Shushashoner Jonno Nagorik (SHUJAN) Secretary Badiul Alam Majumder and Supreme Court lawyer Ajmalul Hossain QC put forward their views on the RPO provision that allows candidates elected unopposed.

Two other amici curiae M Amir-Ul Islam and Mahmudul Islam are yet to give their opinions. BNP leader Moudud Ahmed withdrew his name as amicus curiae citing personal difficulties.

The High Court sought opinions from the lawyers on whether the Representation of the People Order (RPO)

provision was constitutional or not following a writ petition filed on December 17 by Jatiya Party Vice-Chairman Khandker Abdus Salam.

Following a writ petition, the High Court sought opinion from seven lawyers on whether the related RPO provision is constitutional or not Rokan yesterday said the JaPa leader could not file the petition if there was no election on January 5.

The practice of uncontested elec-

tion is also seen in every type of elections of Bangladesh including upazila elections, public or private body election and other executive body election, he said.

“Is it the fault of the person [elected uncontested] that he is the only valid candidate when others’ candidatures are declared invalid after scrutiny or they withdraw their candidatures?

Rather, it is a constitutional right of the valid candidate to be declared elected as no one remains valid,” he said.

Rokan also said the judiciary could not direct parliament to amend or enact a law. “It is contrary to the Doctrine of Separation of Power.”

On “No” votes, he said the legislature was independent to make laws. l

4

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

MRP home delivery for Saudi Arabia expats n Tribune Report The government is reportedly planning to home deliver machine-readable passports (MRP) to 15 lakh expatriates in Saudi Arabia before the use of regular passport is phased out in November next year.

According to guidelines of the International Civil Aviation Organisation, the government has to convert all Bangladeshi passports to machine readable versions by November 2015.

Bangladeshi expatriates in Saudi Arabia will have to pay an extra $9, over the Tk3,000 (for normal processing) or Tk6,000 (for speedy processing), as delivery charge to get their MRPs sent to their addresses from the Bangladesh embassy in Saudi Arabia.

A senior official of the Home Ministry said 90% of Bangladeshi expa-

triates, especially those in the Middle East, do not hold machine-readable passports. The official also said Bangladesh might miss the MRP deadline if the civil aviation authority did not speed up the process.

Recently, labour secretaries of Bangladesh missions in 21 countries also expressed their concerns over the slow progress in converting passports and urged the government to expedite the process.

The Home Ministry has already sent a proposal to the cabinet committee on public purchase for the hiring of a company to home deliver MRPs to Bangladeshi expatriates in Saudi Arabia.

The proposal will be placed at the next meeting of the purchase committee.

Senior Home Secretary CQK Mustaq Ahmed confirmed that the proposal had been sent to the purchase commit-

tee for approval, adding that since this was a new type of project, it would be time consuming to have it thoroughly scrutinised.

As per the ministry proposal, MRPs would be delivered to Bangladeshi expatriates in Saudi Arabia by a foreign company. Saudi Arabia firm IRIS Corporation Berhad Consortium has reportedly obtained the highest number (96.10%) as ranked by the tender evaluation committee with a cost of Tk105.3 crore.

Sources in the Home Ministry said the firm concerned would open three mobile units each at Riyadh city and Jeddah in Saudi Arabia to give out machine-readable passports.

The government has already started to home deliver MRPs to six lakh expatriates in Malaysia, as regular passport holders may face problems from November 2015 because of the shift to MRPs. l

NO LET-UP IN GOLD SMUGGLING Police seize, destroy more contaminated fruits n Kailash Sarkar The Dhaka Metropolitan Police authorities yesterday seized and destroyed over 990 mounds of mangoes, 80 mound berries and over 1.2 lakh litchis adulterated with formalin.

Earlier, during drives between June 11 and 15, the DMP authorities destroyed over 12,200 mounds of different types of fruits and around 25 lakh litchis while collected over Tk15 lakh as fines from the traders and transport workers.

The drives were conducted through mobile courts at different kitchen markets and by setting up check posts at the city’s eight entrances.

The mobile courts operated in different city markets including those in Karwanbazar, Hatirpool, Jatrabari, Kaptanbazar and Mohammadpur areas.

Magistrates led the drives in presence of police personnel, and officials of the BSTI, health and food departments. The mobile courts also sentenced around 20 traders and transport workers to different terms, from 15 days to one year, while several hundred cases were filed. l

Nasim hails bone marrow transplantation success n Moniruzzaman Uzzal In praise of successful bone marrow transplantation (BMT) operations in the country, Health Minister Md Nasim yesterday said the success had created a history in the health sector.

Addressing a press briefing at Dhaka Medical College Hospital 2 (DMCH 2), the minister thanked and expressed gratitude to the local and international BMT experts, including doctors, nurses and others, especially Dr Bimolanshu Dey and his team members of Massachusetts General Hospital in the US, for their service.

The BMT unit of DMCH has successfully done the transplantation operation on Omar Ali on March 10 and Md Alamgir on 26 April. They were the first two BMT patients in Bangladesh who underwent the operation.

“No one except we and our family members know how we passed those horrible days. We have got a new life,” Omar and Alamgir said.

Professor MA Khan, head of haematology department and programme director of the BMT unit at DMCH, said they had successfully performed BMT operation on three patients.

“The third operation was done on Asgar Ali of Thakurgaon on June 8. He is recovering very fast,” he added. l

Four Bangladeshis shot by BSF n Our Correspondent, Kurigram Four Bangladeshis of a family were shot and wounded by the members of Indian Border Security Force at Phulbari border in the district Sunday midnight.

Border Guard Bnagladesh Nayek Makbul Hossain and police said BSF members shot four people when they were trying to enter India illegally, leaving them injured.

Later, BGB members rushed the injured to Phulbari Upazila Health Complex. l

Another 36 gold bars seized at Dhaka airport n Kailash Sarkar Amid rampant smuggling of gold and as part of its intermittent seizure, customs officials yesterday recovered a further haul of 36 gold bars weighing 4.2kg from a flight of Fly Dubai Airlines at Hazarat Shahjalal International Airport.

Assistant Commissioner Kamrul Hasan of the Customs Department said acting on a tip-off they searched the flight from Dubai immediately after it landed at the airport around 10am.

He said the gold bars were kept hidden inside a seat of the aircraft and in one of its lavatories.

The gold bars were worth around Tk2 crore, the customs official said, adding that efforts were underway to identify who smuggled the gold and the ring involved.

The seizure was made within two days within the recovery of 138 gold bars on June 14 from another flight of the same airlines bound for Shah Amanat International Airport in Chittagong.

The smuggling of gold is rife in recent times, with over 1,500kg gold seized.

A record number of gold hauls were 124kg, 109kg and 107kg seized on tipoffs at different times.

The airport officials say gold smuggling into Bangladesh through air routes became rampant after India imposed restrictions on gold import.

The restriction led the smugglers to use Bangladesh routes for sending gold to India illegally.

There are 60 gold smuggling rings working in alleged collaboration with the officials of Biman and CAAB, crew members and airport security. l

Coast Guard personnel search boats on the Naf River in Cox’s Bazar to prevent human trafficking and smuggling of goods across the border with Myanmar RAJIB DHAR

Cabinet approves draft of Bangladesh Coast Guard Act n Mohosinul Karim The cabinet has approved the draft of Bangladesh Coast Guard Act 2014, keeping a provision of capital punishment for any kind of insurgency or indiscipline in the disciplined force.

The approval was given at a regular cabinet meeting held at the secretariat yesterday with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair. The ministers and state ministers concerned were present.

After the meeting, Cabinet Secretary M Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan told reporters that even though the cabinet had given approval to the draft in principle, a number of secretaries, led by the law minister, would examine loopholes in the proposed law, if any.

After getting approval from the Law Ministry, he said, the draft act would be placed before the cabinet again for final approval.

MEKONG-GANGA COOPERATION MEMBERSHIP

‘Cambodia’s help to be sought’ n Sheikh Shahariar Zaman

Bangladesh will seek Cambodia’s assistance in becoming a member of Mekong-Ganga Cooperation when the premiers of both the countries will sit for official talks.

“Bangladesh wants to join the cooperation as we are a part of the civilisation of the Ganges river,” said a senior official of the Foreign Ministry.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen arrived in Dhaka yesterday on a twoday state visit at the invitation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The two will have a private conversation followed by official talks today.

The Mekong-Ganga Cooperation (MGC) is an initiative by six countries, namely India, Cambodia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Myanmar, Thai-

land and Vietnam, which was launched in 2000 at Vientiane in Lao PDR for cooperation in tourism, culture, education, as well as transport and communications.

As rivers, both the Ganges and the Mekong have historic significance, and the MGC initiative aims to facilitate closer contacts among the people inhabiting these two major river basins.

“Bangladesh will also request Cambodia to assist Dhaka in becoming an Asean (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Dialogue Partner,” said the Foreign Ministry official.

Bangladesh applied to become a dialogue partner but there is a moratorium on expansion of dialogue till 2016 and the proposal will be considered after that.

“The Cambodian premier is a very influential member of Asean and has influence over other member states. He

can help Bangladesh in this regard,” the official said.

China, Japan and India are the dialogue partners of the 10-member Asean, a major regional trade bloc in the world.

After the official talks, three agreements and a memorandum of understanding will be signed, said another Foreign Ministry official.

The agreements concern establishment of joint commission, promotion and protection of investment on reciprocal basis, and cultural cooperation while the memorandum of understanding will be about agricultural cooperation, he said.

Bangladesh will also raise the issue of the establishment of Joint Trade Council between with Cambodia, which will be co-chaired by the two commerce ministers, he added. l

Locals protest death in police custody n Our Correspondent, Barisal Locals of west Dumuria under Gournadi upazila in Barisal yesterday held a rally with the body of a business man, protesting his alleged death in police custody.

Following the protest, the body was buried after a Namaz-e-Janaza attended by a huge number of relatives and local people.

Family members said the body bore marks of torture by police.

They also held a procession on Sunday noon and vowed to lodge a case in the court, demanding capital punishment of the culprits.

The deceased, Shahin Molla, 22, son of Dubai expatriate Mostafa Molla of west Dumuria and owner of a photo-studio at Salta Bazar, was detained by police along with his two friends – Mukit Akon and Shah Alam – on June 8.

The three were brought to Dashar police station and SI Nazmul demanded Tk2 lakh as ransom money when the family members of the detainees contacted the police.

Mukit and Shah Alam were released as their families paid Tk51,000, while police sent Shahin to jail after putting 5 yaba tablets in his pockets on June 9, as they could not pay the money in time, family

Locals in Barisal’s Gouranadi yesterday bring out a protest procession carrying the coffin of Shahin Mollah FOCUS BANGLA members of the deceased alleged.

The victim’s mother claimed to have visited Shahin in police custody and quoted him as saying: “Police tortured me mercilessly for not giving the money when I was in custody of Dashar police station.”

Shahin was admitted at Madaripur Jail Hospital and was later shifted to Madaripur Sadar Hospital on Saturday night after his condition deteriorated.

Shahin died in hospital around 9:30pm Saturday night.

Mostafa Molla, the victim’s father, came from Saudi Arabia yesterday, after hearing about the

death of his son. There were injury marks on the body of the victim, Dr Siddikur Rahman, resident medical officer of Madaripur General Hospital, told family members while handing over the body.

Mukit Akon and Shah Alam also claimed that Shahin was tortured in police custody.

Emddul Huq, Dashar police station officer-in-charge, denied taking any bribes, and said Mukit and Shah Alam were released following a request by local elite Syed Babu. SI Nazmul Hasan also denied torturing Shahin and claimed that Shahin was a drug addict and a drug peddler. l

The cabinet secretary said the government had initiated enacting the law to make the coast guard as a disciplined force as like as Border Guard Bangladesh. The draft of the act was prepared in line with the BGB Act.

Considering the loopholes in the Coast Guard Act, the government has decided to enact a complete law There would be a provision of court martial in the law. The provisions of forming the ‘coast guard court’ such as court martial, its trial process and punishments were elaborated in the law.

Earlier, the coast guard was formed under the Coast Guard Act, 1994. The

act was incomplete.

Considering the loopholes in the law, the government had decided to enact a complete law such as BGB Act. A ‘rule’ would also be prepared to enforce the new law after its passage in parliament.

Replying to a query, Bhuiyan said there was no provision of specific punishment in the Coast Guard Act. The punishments mentioned in the BGB (previously BDR) Act were applicable for the coast guard officials or forces.

The provisions of punishment for indiscipline, fraudulence and abdication of responsibilities and others were also detailed in the new law.

The cabinet had also approved two drafts of agreements that would be signed between Bangladesh and Cambodia today. The two countries would seal the deals to form a joint commission for promoting bilateral and cultural cooperation. l

HC: Why three hospitals should not be tobacco free premises? n Nazmus Sakib A High Court bench yesterday asked the authorities of three hospitals, including Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), to explain within four weeks why they should not be directed to ensure their premises free from tobacco.

The bench of Justice Salma Masud Chowdhury and Justice Zafar Ahmed gave the order upon a writ petition, Monzur Alam, a lawyer of the petitioners, told the Dhaka Tribune.

Two other hospitals are Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College and Hospital and Government Staff Hospital.

The court also wanted to know what measures these hospitals each had so far taken to make their premises free from smoking as per the existing law in the country.

Earlier on June 8, Dhaka Ahsania Mission, UBINIG, Environment Council Bangladesh and PROGGA filed the writ petition as the three hospitals did not respond to their legal notices demanding that their premises be made free from tobacco.

Supreme Court lawyer Shahdin Malik stood for the petitioners while Deputy Attorney General Mokleshur Rahman represented the government. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

CITY WASTE MANAGEMENT

Study: Only 51% waste collected for disposal City corporation high-ups reject findings, term survey incorrect 400 tons) are dumped on the roadn Abu Hayat Mahmud side or in open spaces, 26% dumped in A recent study by the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) has concluded that the capital’s waste management service has been able to collect only 51% of the wastes produced per day for proper disposal.

Dhaka city generates approximately 3,500 tons wastes per day from residential, commercial and institutional Municipal Solid Waste (MSW), while in the Dhaka Metropolitan Development Plan (DMDP) area, that is Dhaka city along with portions of Narayanganj, Gazipur, Keraniganj and Savar, generates approximately 7,000 tons wastes per day, said the study.

The findings also concluded that around 1,800 tons of MSW, that is 51% of total wastes produced per day, are collected for disposal at two landfills at Matuil and Amin Bazar respectively of Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) and Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC).

Moreover, 11% of the wastes (about

backyards and landfills, 9% recycled by rag pickers and 3% recycled at generation point.

The survey also observed that biodegradable organic matter constitutes more than 60% of the wastes produced in the capital.

The study, “Regional Development Planning (RDP),” was conducted by a joint venture of Korean companies Saman Corporation and Han-A Urban Research Institute and local companies Dev Consultants Ltd and Sheltech Ltd, for updating Rajuk’s database for the RDP Meanwhile, the authorities of the capital’s two city corporations rejected Rajuk’s findings and termed the study as incorrect. They also blamed Rajuk for the capital’s unplanned urbanisation that has reportedly caused the waste management crisis.

DSCC Chief Waste Management Officer Captain SM Javed Iqbal told the Dhaka Tribune: “The survey report

PRIMARY WASTE COLLECTION

SECONDARY WASTE COLLECTION

Transport Household

Dustbins/ containers

Residents/NGO/CBO

SHARE OF DISPOSAL QUANTITY OF CITY WASTE

FINAL WASTE DISPOSAL

Transport

Dump yard

DCC

51% 26% 11% 9% 3%

does not reflect the reality. The DSCC collects around 2,000 tons wastes per day and dumps it at the Matuil landfill, while the DNCC’s collects around 1,500 tons per day.”

“So, the Rajuk study is not appropri-

Dumped at landfill Used in backyards and landfills Dumped at roadside and open space Recycled by the by rag pickers Recycled at generation point ate and acceptable,” he added.

Javed also said few wastes remain unattended near waste containers, but the amount cannot be 11% of the total wastes produced.

DNCC Chief Waste Management Of-

ficer Captain Bipan Kumar Saha echoed same views as Javed.

Pointing his finger at Rajuk for the capital’s unplanned urbanisation, Bipan added: “Sometimes, we are forced to place waste containers on the roads due to lack of free space.”

On the other hand, Sheikh Abdul Mannan, member (planning) of Rajuk, said: “The RDP survey is being mainly conducted to formulate the new DAP, not for find out anyone fault.”

He also said the survey was run by four private companies- two Korean companies and two Bangladeshi companies -for find out the overall condition all of sectors in the designated area.

“I think the consulting surveyor companies represented the data which they got from field visit and secondary sources,” he added.

The RDP covers an area of 1,528 square kilometres, which includes two Dhaka city corporations, Narayanganj and Gazipur city corporations, 4 municipalities, 72 union parishads in Dhaka, Narayanganj and Gazipur. l

5 HC verdict labelling Ashiyan City illegal upheld n Nazmus Sakib The top court yesterday upheld a High Court verdict that declared the Ashiyan City housing project at Dakkhinkhan and Barua Mouza illegal.

The project is situated on 230.46 acres of wet land area.

A four-member Appellate Division bench headed by Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha passed “no order” on a petition lodged by the firm seeking a stay order on the High Court ruling of January 16.

Supreme Court lawyers RafiqueUl Huq, Ajmalul Hossain QC and Rokanuddin Mahmud pleaded for Ashiyan City yesterday while Mahmudul Islam represented the writ petitioners.

Following a writ petition jointly lodged by eight organisations, a three-member special High Court bench by majority decision held the Ashiyan City project illegal.

The High Court also held illegal Rajuk’s approval for the project and the site clearance certificate given by the Department of Environment for 43.11 acres of land. The group has to pay a fine of Tk50 lakh. l

CMP to check illegal sale and use of lawmen’s tools n Tarek Mahmud, Chittagong Chittagong Metropolitan Police are all set to conduct special drive against illegal sale and use of lawmen’s uniforms and equipment.

The Police Headquarters on June 5 issued a letter signed by Assistant Inspector General (Logistic) Mohammad Sarwar to all law enforcement agencies in a bid to alert them to the robbery, mugging and other offences committed by the outlaws in the guise of lawmen.

The letter said a three-member committee was formed for every metropolitan city and divisional city across the country to carry out the drive against illegal sale and use of lawmen’s tools.

The metropolitan and divisional city committees must submit monthly report within 15th of every month to the seven-member committee led by the deputy inspector general (Finance and Development) in Police Headquarters,

according to the letter.

To monitor the task in the port city, Chittagong Metropolitan Police on June 10 formed another three-member committee led by CMP Additional Commissioner (Crime and Operation) Banaz Kumar Majumder.

Additional Deputy Commissioner Babul Akhter of Detective Branch of CMP and Assistant Commissioner Kazi Nazrul Islam of City Special Branch of CMP were also on board.

The inspection committee will launch drive in markets and shops in every area of the city and take legislative actions against the sellers and users of law enforcement agencies’ tools.

CMP Additional Commissioner (crime and operation) Banaz Kumar Majumder told the Dhaka Tribune they had already started operation to rein in abduction, mugging, robbery and other forms of crimes committed in the guise of lawmen. l

Youth robbed of Tk22 lakh in Sylhet city n Our Correspondent, Sylhet A tea garden manager’s son was robbed yesterday of Tk22 lakh which was meant as salary for the tea garden workers at Goainghatupazila in Sylhet.

Police, however, could not give the name of the manager’s son immediately.

Sylhet Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner Ejaj Ahmed said the man-

WEATHER THUNDERSHOWER WITH RAIN

TUESDAY, JUNE 17 DHAKA TODAY TOMORROW SUN SETS 6:48PM SUN RISES 5:11AM FORECAST FOR TODAY 37°

Dhaka

28°

Chittagong

33°

28°

Rajshahi

36°

29°

Rangpur

35°

28°

Khulna

36°

28°

Barisal

36°

28°

Sylhet

36°

27°

Cox’s Bazar

33°

28°

YESTERDAY’S HIGH AND LOW

38.3ºC Rajshahi

24.3ºC Chittagong

Source: Accuweather/UNB

PRAYER TIMES Fajar Sunrise Zohr Asr Magrib Esha

3:43am 5:10am 11:59am 4:40pm 6:48pm 8:16pm SourceL IslamicFinder.org

ager’s son was taking the money to Fatehpur Tea Garden about 3am after withdrawing it from a bank at Darga Gate.

He said on the way, he came under a muggers’ attack at the city’s NayaSarak area and lost all the money which was meant to be given to the tea garden workers as salary. Deputy Commissioner Ejaj said they were investigating the incident. l

Tree plantation festival in city n Tribune Report The Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) yesterday inaugurated a 15-day long tree plantation festival.

DSCC Chief Executive Officer Md Ansar Ali Khan inaugurated the festival at the Nagar Bhaban.

During the inauguration, Ansar Ali Khan planted different kinds of fruit trees in the corporation area, says a press release. l

A broken lamp post remains unrepaired on the Postogala bridge in the capital. No step has been taken to repair or remove the lamp post, despite several days have passed since it broke down. The photo was taken yesterday DHAKA TRIBUNE

Mymensingh Medical College students continue strike, boycott classes

Double murder in Bogra n Our Correspondent, Bogra

n Our Correspondent, Mymensingh

Two people were murdered by miscreants at different places of the district town yesterday. In Naruli area, a gang of muggers stabbed one Sajjad Hossain just before dawn, leaving him critically injured, said Bogra Sadar police station ASI Sufia Khatun.

He was whisked off to Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital where he died later. Earlier in Seujgari area, some miscreants confined one Abdul Majid to a room at noon to realise a borrowed amount of Tk 40,000 and at one stage, they mercilessly hit his head with sticks, leaving him dead on the spot.

In the incident, police arrested two youths in charge of having connection with the murder. l

Students and interns at Mymensingh Medical College continued their strike for the third consecutive day yesterday protesting an attack on a student of the medical college by some local goons.

The agitators gave a 24-hour ultimatum to law enforcement agencies to arrest the attackers of Reza Hasan Toki, a fourth year student of the medical college, and vowed to continue their strike until the attackers are arrested.

The students yesterday afternoon, brought out a procession from campus that ended at Baghmara medical dormitory.

Like that on previous days, the stu-

dents boycotted classes and examinations.

Expressing solidarity with their demands, teachers also joined the procession wearing black badges.

Dr Matiur Rahman, principal of the college, Dr Matiur Rahman Bhuiyan, general secretary of BMA district unit, among others, addressed the rally.

Speakers at the rally threatened that they would take tougher measures, if their demands are not met immediately.

Campus sources said a group of miscreants, numbering 5-6, had attacked him on his way to the college library from his residence in Bhatikashar around 8 am on Saturday.

The miscreants hacked away at the

student indiscriminately with sharp weapons, leaving him critically injured.

Toki was first admitted to the Mymensingh Medical College Hospital and later sent to Dhaka Medical College Hospital by a helicopter for treatment.

As the news spread, the students went on the wildcat strike around 3pm to press home their demand.

Intern doctor Tuhin announced the strike at a rally on the college campus protesting the attack on their fellow student Toki on Saturday.

Officer-in-Charge of Kotwali Model Police Station Fazlul Karim said they had arrested two youths – Alamin and Shafiqul Islam – in this connection. l

Attack on garment workers, 10 injured n Our Correspondent, Savar At least 10 garment workers were severely injured as a gang of hired goons swooped in on hundreds of workers while they were staging a demonstration in front of their factory located in Ulail area in Savar, in the outskirts of the capital yesterday.

Witnesses said hundreds of workers put the main gate of Dainamic Dhaka Sweater under lock and key and started staging a demonstration in front of the factory in the morning demanding arrears which they have not been getting for the last few months.

Then, a group of hired goons equipped with lethal weapons swooped in on the protesters, leaving 10 of them injured.

Being irritated by the incident, the agitators vandalised the factory and took to the street.

Garment workers – Uzzal, Rahim Uddin and Haidar – they have not been getting salaries for the last three months, but garment authority were reluctant to pay the arrear.

They said they were compelled to take to the street as the garment authorities did not pay heed to their repeated demands for payment of dues and implementation of a pay scale.

Confirming the incident, Director of Industrial Police Mustafizur Rahman said on receiving information police rushed to spot and brought the situation under control. Additional police have been deployed in the area to avoid any untoward incident. l

Griho Sramik Odhikar Protistha Network organises a human chain in front of the National Press Club to mark the International Domestic Workers’ Day yesterday MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

6 Councillor files GD against Hajiganj mayor for threats n Our Correspondent, Chandpur A ward councillor of Hajiganj Municipality filed a general diary (GD) against its Mayor Abdul Mannan Khan Bachhu and one of his colleagues named Siddikur Rahman for issuing threats on Sunday.

The complainant is ward no 11 Councillor Md Akbar Hossain who filed the GD with Hajiganj police station seeking security of his life.

According to the GD, Mayor Mannan and ward no 6 councillor Siddikur had long been wasting huge public money through corruption and no one dared to protest their actions.

When he (Akbar) tried to bring the corruptions to light, the mayor started threatening to harm him by any means.

Contacted, Hajiganj Municipality mayor Abdul Mannan Khan denied the allegation brought against him, claiming thast his opponents were trying to harass him with the GD as he refused to give any extra advantage to them.

Hajiganj police station OC Md Shah Alam said they would record a case if the complaint is found to be true.

In this regard, Chandpur SP Amir Zafar said he already directed two higher police officials to probe into the complaint seriously. l

12 killed in road accidents n Tribune Report

At least 12 people were killed in road accidents in Dinajpur, Sirajganj, Chittagong, Natore and Bandarban districts yesterday.

Our Dinajpur correspondent said three people, including a couple, had been killed when a bus rammed their motorcycle at Ramdubi area in Sadar upazila.

Altaf Hossain, officer-incharge of Dinajpur Kotwali police tation, said Rezaul Karim, 34, son of Shamser Ali, Mokter Alam, 65, and his wife Jahanara Begum, 55, were killed as the driver of a bus lost control over the steering and rammed two motorcycles around 8:30am.

Sirajganj correspondent said three people had been killed and two others injured in a head-on collision between a truck and a pickup van at Hamkuria area on the Hatikumrul-Bonpara road in Tarash upazila.

Emdadul Haque, officerin-charge of Hatikumrul Highway police station, said a Dhaka-bound truck collided head-on with a pickup van in the area at around 8:30am, leaving three people in the covered van dead on the spot. Identity of the deceased was not known immediately.

Chittagong correspondent said three people, including two schoolgirls, had been killed in a road accident in Sonaichhari area on the Dhaka-Chittagong highway in Sitakunda upazila.

Police sources said Jahangir Alam Babul, 40, his daughters Ananya, 10, and Raujatul Jannat, 9, students of Class III of Shishu Niketan School near Hafiz Jute Mills of the upazila died on the spot when a Chittagong-bound truck hit a CNGrun auto-rickshaw from back in the area around 10:30am.

Natore correspondent said an Ansar member was killed when a speeding truck rammed him at Berilabari in Lalpur upazila. The deceased was identified as Abdus Samad, 50, a member of Thakurgaon Ansar Battalion-13.

Police said Abdus Samad, 50, a member of Thakurgaon Ansar Battalion-13 died on the spot when a Gopalganjbound mango-laden truck ran over him around 11 pm.

In Bandarban, a schoolboy had been killed when a car plunged into roadside ditch in Lama upazila.

Pirojpur correspondent said a madrasa student died in an accident in Mathbaria upazila. Suman, 12, student of Jhatimunia Islamia Madrasa died on the spot when a trolley had run over him. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Nation

Food procurement in Magura may suffer shortfall n Our Correspondent, Magura The government food procurement drive is unlikely to achieve their target this year as the process is being affected by multifarious problems.

Millers and farmers are blaming the government policy for this situation saying that the procurement drive would be successful if prices of food grains were increased considering welfare of farmers.

According to District food office sources, the food procurement drive started on May 25 this year and it will continue till August 30.

The target of paddy procurement has been fixed at 1,192 tonnes while rice at 4,954 tonnes.

The district food office sources said they had procured only 810 tonnes of rice till yesterday while paddy procurement was nil. The price of per kilogram of paddy has been fixed at Tk20 while price of per kilogram rice Tk31.

Local sources said a syndicate of mill owners stopped supplying rice

to food warehouses saying that its market price to be higher than the government fixed price.

Traders said if the price of rice is not increased or the government does not provide necessary intensive, the target of the grain procurement drive may suffer a shortfall in the current season.

Toyeb Ali, a boro farmer in village Gopalgram under Magura sadar upazila, said the government had fixed the paddy procurement rate Tk20 per kg, this quantity of the food grain being sold in the local markets at Tk21 to Tk22 per kilogram.

“So many farmers are reluctant to sell paddy at that rate,” he said.

Nazrul Islam, a farmer of village Derua under Magura sadar upazila, said marginal farmer had to sell their paddy just after harvesting. So their storehouse was empty when food procurement had started.

“If the food procurement drive started earlier it could be successful,” he said. He alleged that a syndicate was controlling the market

of paddy and rice in the district and they were trying to hike the price of paddy showing various excuses, said sources at food office.

Being motivated by the middlemen, local growers are showing unwillingness to sell their agri-produce, said the sources, adding that consequently, the government is failing to procure paddy.

Sarwar Hossain, a miller in Nanduali area under Magura sadar upazila, said, “I am unable to supply rice under government procurement drive as I am assuming that I would get better prices selling rice at local markets.

“Despite repeated attempts I could not manage a loan from a bank. If government ensures loan facilities for millers’ rice procurement target could be achieved.”

When contacted, Food Controller Magura Selimul Azim admitted that food procurement drive was going at a slow pace.

He hoped that the drive would achieve its target by the stipulated time. l

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Jubo Dal activist shot dead n Our Correspondent, Jessore

An activist of Jatiyatabadi Jubo Dal, youth wing of BNP, was shot dead by unidentified miscreants at Sheikhati area in Jessore town Sunday night.

The deceased was identified as Maruf Hossain, 28, an activist of Juba Dal and also owner of a grocery shop at High Court Mor area in the town. He was son of Ayub Hossain and also the younger brother of Nawapara union council chairman Altaf Hossain.

Police and witnesses said there were three to four armed criminals who entered Maruf’s shop around 10:15pm while he attending his shop.

At one stage, they shot Maruf and hurled crude bombs, leaving him critically injured.

He was rushed to Jessore Medical College Hospital where the attending doctor declared him dead. Shahidul Islam, officerin-charge of Jessore Kotwali model police station, said on information police went to the spot and recovered the body.

Later, the body was sent to the hospital morgue. High officials of police visited the spot. No case was lodged and no one was arrested, said Shahidul Islam.

Ashraful Kabir Sumon, vice- president, Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, central committee told the Dhaka Tribune that Maruf was an active activist of Juba Dal. l

Minor boy killed in Kurigram n Our Correspondent, Kurigram

A minor boy was hacked to death and his mother injured by unidentified miscreants at Saddam Mor area in Bhurungamari upazila on Sunday.

Quoting locals, police said a gang of miscreants entered the house of Rokonuzzaman at night and slaughtered his son Rounak,5, with sharp weapons, leaving him

dead on the spot while he along with his mother Parvin Akter and his brother Fuad were watching television.

The miscreants also hacked Parvin Akter as she tried to resist them, leaving her critically injured. The injured was admitted to Rangpur Medical College Hospital.

Locals and police suspected that the second wife Roknuzzaman might have led to the killing over a family feud. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Long Form

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

7

Iran’s energy policy and India’s international orientation With attention to the new world order, the piece is an attempt to analyse the implication of the new world politics on Iran-India energy relation

I

n Sharif Hasan, Lam-ya Mostaque

ran is a major player in the world energy (hydrocarbon) market.

It is estimated to hold 11.1% of the world oil reserves (132 billion barrels of oil), and 15.3% of the world’s natural gas reserves (970.8 trillion cubic feet).

This provides the country with a strategic leverage in defining world hydrocarbon regime. The Iranian state draws 42.5% of its revenues from oil resources, accounting in turn for 80% of its exports. Although Iran enjoys distinct status in the hierarchy of world hydrocarbon exporters, it remains critically dependent and vulnerable to the world hydrocarbon regime because of its rentier character.

Iran has not only become a net importer of petro products but it faces serious challenge to retain its export supplies as well. This clearly means that the country might loose its global energy leverage despite its huge energy resources. Iranian state thus needs a friendly global hydrocarbon regime to augment its energy power.

The emerging Asian energy market does have potential to contribute to the recovery of Iranian energy power.

The Iranian state is looking proactively towards the Asian countries especially India. However, Iran’s energy relation with India has been influenced by the new orders that are ruled by the powers, particularly the United States.

With attention to the new world order, the present study is an attempt to analyse the implication of the new world politics on Iran-India energy relation.

Iran-India energy cooperation As reflected in the “2001 Tehran Declaration” and the “2003 New Delhi Declaration,” Iran is interested in moving ahead on commercial and energy issues with India. Iran is anxious to get its hydrocarbons out of the ground and into new markets, thus India being energy-hungry can be the best market.

Following this policy, Iran’s crude oil export to India ranges between 100,000 and 150,000 barrels per day (bpd), accounting for about 7.5% of India’s total crude oil imports (around two million bpd) in 2005, which increased to 374 thousand bpd in 2007, and reached 426,360 bpd in 2009.

Moreover, Iran has tried to export gas to India, and to achieve its strategic aims, Iran has attempted to sign an agreement with India that has been known as the Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline. Clearly, Iran’s interest is reflected by India’s gas consumption, but this aspect can also be considered as a regional project and a multilateral agreement.

Although, “... In the rapidly intensifying international energy game, Iran holds a master key to the most staggering roadblock to India’s economic growth – energy insecurity,” there are some elements which have had an impact on Iran-India multilateral energy relations. For instance, there are two main challenges in bringing the Iran-Pakistan-India project to fruition. “...The first challenge is the historic conflict between India and Pakistan, and the second and more important challenge was and still is the American perception, which most western states appear to agree upon – that Iran should not be allowed to make long-term commitments on its strategic resources with non-Western countries.”

Thus, many problems, such as India-US relations, US-Iran conflict, and India-Pakistan difference, have hindered the project and delayed it. Iran’s attempt for energy cooperation with India in Central Asia can be considered as another example. It seems that, due to the challenges faced by the massive pipeline (Iran-Pakistan-India), India needs to import gas from the central Asian countries. It is also due to its competition with China for oil and gas resources in another region. As China reached Myanmar before India and booked all the gas Myanmar had to offer, India’s energy demand from Central Asia has increased.

However, the question is: how could India have access to the central Asian oil and gas resources?

In response, it can be argued that the first way is the pipeline from Central Asia to India via Afghanistan and Pakistan. This route has faced two disadvantages. Each of these pipelines will cost $8bn dollars. In addition, Afghanistan is in a state of turmoil and will likely remain that way for a decade or so, the historical conflict between India and Pakistan still remains.

Thus, the possibility of the construction of a major pipeline seems unlikely. The second route is a Turkish route for oil from Central Asia to India via Ceyhan in Turkey, to Israel, and by tankers to India that is a non-starter.

Transit fees and handling costs alone would make this deal expensive.

India is aware that the best way to access Central Asian oil through the Arabian Sea would be the Iranian port of Neka in the Caspian Sea. Kazakhstan delivers oil to the Neka terminal today to further blend and swap it with Iranian oil. From Neka to Tehran a pipeline already exists, and has been delivering oil to the Tehran refinery for a number of years.

This pipeline may be upgraded to carry Central Asian oil to the Arabian Sea. The Iranian route, therefore, may be the easiest and possibly the cheapest gateway for Central Asian oil and gas. Iran is the best way for India to have access to the Central Asian gas resource; it seems that India has replaced the Trans-Afghanistan Pipeline (TAPI). The pipeline will transport Caspian Sea natural gas from Turkmenistan through Afghanistan into Pakistan and then to India. This could be the end of India-US relations.

It seems that India-US partnership has stopped India from following multilateral energy relations with Iran as well as the Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline. According to Kaveh Afrasiabi: “US has suggested Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) pipeline instead of Iran-Pakistan-India pipeline.”

that “India’s current relations with the United States will not weaken their own ties with Tehran.”

India’s economic reform and energy security India renewed its economy and foreign policy agenda in order to enter the era of interdependence with economic liberalisation in 1990.

The liberalisation brought reforms to foreign investment, capital markets,

India would not like to risk its growing relations with the US and the European countries to save its energy relations with Iran

It is clear that the development of Iran-India energy relation faces many obstacles. It seems that Iran’s developing political relation with India, which is another aim of Iran, has also turned out to be a problem.

Iran-India political relations The main political goal of Iran’s energy policy towards India is alleviating its international isolation and reduce pressure from the Western states, in relationship with the East and South East Asian countries. Iran has attempted to be closed to some countries including India in order to encourage them not to support US policy towards Iran.

In this policy, Iran is applying energy as the main tool. However, it seems that the Iranian attempt was not enough to gain India’s political support. India, voted three times against Tehran in its nuclear dispute with the international community during 2005, 2006 and,2009 at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), stood by the sanctions regime imposed by the UN Security Council, and openly proclaimed its opposition to an Iranian nuclear programme.

The Iranian plan to develop political relations with India failed when the new India-US relationship progressed. US-India “global partnership” has been established through increasing the cooperation in economic issues, on energy and the environment, on democracy and development, on non-proliferation and security, and on high-technology and space.

Meanwhile, the US as a new partner of India has made Iran a test case for the credibility of New Delhi’s commitment to building a long-term political partnership with Washington.” However, some Indian leaders still argue

deregulating domestic business, and the new trade regime.

The reforms made India attractive for the investors, and the flows of foreign investment to India increased.

As a result, India has emerged as one of the perfect markets for foreign investors due to its vast market base.

According to the reports, the rate of foreign direct investments rose from about $129mn in 1992 to about $2511mn in 1997. In addition, foreign investment during 1991-2000, in dollar terms, is about $67bn, at an average exchange rate of Rs40 to a dollar.

The rate of (FDI) has grown around 85.1% in 2009 to US$46.5bn from $25.1bn (2008). Moreover, liberalisation has greatly influenced the Indian economy and made it a huge consumer market. India is the world’s 12th largest economy in terms of market exchange rate and 4th largest in terms of the purchasing power parity. On the other hand, economic development increased Indian demand for energy, and India oil consumption increased from 1190.32mn bpd in 1991 to 2127.44mn bpd in 2000 and 2657.8 in 2006.

India sought long-term arrangement to ensure its energy security.

The Indian government has followed some policies such as the policy of the diversification of energy imports and the acquisition of equity oil by India’s state-owned oil companies, building up a strategic petroleum reserve (SPR) in order to cope with sudden losses after a regional crisis in the Persian Gulf, the extension of the domestic exploration, and lastly, production and fuel diversification.

Although India has sought to provide energy security, the country’s dependence on the international energy market has increased and made India more vulnerable. This is due to its

growing oil-demand. “India imports nearly 80% of its crude oil requirements in 2009, and the country spent almost $80bn to import about 160 million tonnes of crude oil. Domestic oil production has stagnated at below 35 million restment to India increased.

The rate of foreign direct investments rose from 9 million in 1992 to about $2511mn in 1997. In addition, restment during 1991-2000, in dollar terms, is about $67bn, at an exchange rate of Rs40 to a dollar. The rate of (FBI) has grown to $46.5bn from $25.1bn.

Meanwhile, the outgoing Indian Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh warned that “India’s energy demands would increase by 40% over the next 10 years, whereas the increase in domestic production is likely to be a mere 12%, leading to a huge demand-supply mismatch.”

India depends on oil import from oil exporting countries in the Middle East as possible long-term suppliers.

This policy led India to import oil from Iran and as a result Iran became the second oil supplier to India in 2009.

India is a huge consumer market because the relation with Iran is closely interlinked with Indian security and foreign policy issues.

Complex interdependence In the new world politics after the Cold War, the new Indian policy needs to cast its net on international relations as wide as possible in order to become a regional and prospective-

other powers, which has introduced new constraints on its foreign policy.

This is because India is a rising and ambitious power, while it is not in the same position compared with the great powers such as Germany, France or even China in terms of various measures of “hard-power” military strength, economy, technology, and demographics.

For instance, “India has yet to acquire the kind of economic clout that China has already acquired.

Furthermore, one of the criteria to be counted as “major power is to have the capacity to produce at home the major weapons systems needed for modern warfare-fighters and bomber aircrafts, long range artillery, tanks and so on.”

These demands have increased India’s dependence on foreign suppliers and affected its foreign policy. As it can be seen, India has avoided developing its multilateral and political relations with Iran. This is due to the conflict between the development of India-Iran relations and the US policy to isolate Iran, which is supported by the European countries.

India is aware of the Western policy and especially the sensitivity of the United States. The Western powers are following their policy towards Iran through diplomatic and economic channels, international pressure and cross-societal exchanges. India would damage its interest in relations with the West, if it develops its relations with Iran.

India’s vulnerability to complex interdependence can be seen in the

The US as a new partner of India has made Iran a test case for the credibility of New Delhi’s commitment to building a long-term political partnership with Washington ly global power. India has to develop its relations with the great powers because, “... its new role in the international system is defined by its future economic, military, and technological capabilities that are regarded as the basis for great power status in the envisioned multi-polar system of the 21st century.”

Following this new policy, India has created a series of strategic partnerships with the United States, France, Great Britain, Russia, China, the European Union, Germany and other countries.

India has probably benefited from the new complex interdependence; relationship with the great powers.

However, these relationships have increased India’s dependence on

Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline project. The pipeline issue implies further security and foreign policy considerations that touch India’s relations with the US and European countries.

The pipeline project became closely intertwined with the international debate about Iran’s nuclear programme and relations with the US as the former US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice declared her country’s opposition to it, because back in 2005, it would have ostensibly strengthened Iran’s power and thus negatively affected the US politically.

It has to be considered that the United States offered alternative energy; sources to India if the country withdraws from the IPI project. As a matter of fact, “... the civilian nuclear

deal can therefore be seen within the larger context of Indo-US relations and the endeavours of the US to support India’s energy needs whereas Iran touches relations with the US.” Moreover, the US has tried to lead India to make relations with its partners, the Persian Gulf, instead of relations with Iran. This integration combined with the fact that the Arab states of the Persian Gulf will have to face most of the security consequences of rising Iran, opens up new possibilities for the India-US strategic cooperation in the Persian Gulf.

Some US analysts recognise the parallels in the US and Indian policies in the Persian Gulf. Meanwhile, political instability and even the threat of the US or Israeli military retaliation against Iranian provocation have made Iran a less than attractive partner for India. Indian leaders have learned that they can’t rely on Iran in their energy demand. This is reflected in Indian energy supplies.

Although, India provides less than 16% of its petroleum imports from Iran, Saudi Arabia is the largest supplier of hydrocarbons to it, while Kuwait, Iraq, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are also among India’s five largest trading partners. Some Indians still believe, “despite all these difficulties, Iran still remains important to India because it is one of the very few countries which is endowed with large quantities of oil and natural gas.”

It is obvious that Iran needs the huge Indian market and India wants to get the highest benefit possible from Iran’s rich energy resources. According to the Iranian perspective, economic partnership with India, as a key regional player and emerging global economic power, can help the Islamic state to win supporters in the face of the “policy of isolation” adopted against Iran by the United States and its European partners.

Moreover, Iran has tried to increase its bilateral relations with India, both economically and politically. India, due to its high energy consumption, can get the highest possible benefit from Iranian energy. But, India would not like to risk its growing relations with the US and the European countries to save its energy relations with Iran. India, is not in the position to provide space for Iran which is limited by the US power.

Thus, Iran’s bilateral relations with India in the energy field cannot push India to create a strategic relationship with Iran due to Iran’s conflict with the West. In this case, Iran-India energy relation can be explained based on the supply and demand system. l Sharif Hasan is a working journalist. Lam-ya Mostaque is a research assistant at Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit (RMMRU).

8

DHAKA TRIBUNE

World

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

IRAQ CRISIS

West evacuates staff, US-Iran talks broached n Agencies Western embassies began evacuating staff from Baghdad yesterday despite Iraq’s claim it was repelling militants who have captured vast amounts of territory in a lightning offensive that has shaken regional stability.

The possibility of direct talks between the US and Iran, foes for decades, has even been broached in a bid to resolve the crisis that has seen key cities overrun by anti-government fighters, led by the powerful Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) jihadist group.

ISIL militants are said to have killed scores of Iraqi soldiers as they pushed an advance on the capital ISIL militants are also said to have killed scores of Iraqi soldiers as they pushed an advance on the capital, a “horrifying” massacre that has drawn international condemnation.

The diplomatic evacuation, confirmed thus far by the United States and Australia, was coupled with the announcement from Washington that the country’s sprawling embassy — which sits in Baghdad’s heavily-fortified Green Zone — would receive even more security.

It was unclear how many American embassy staff would be evacuated from the mission, but state department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said they would be “temporarily relocated” to US consulates in the southern port city of Basra, and the northern Kurdish regional capital of Arbil, both of which have been insulated from the recent unrest. Others would be flown to the US embassy in Amman, Psaki said, citing “ongoing instability.”

The move flew in the face of Iraqi government claims that it was making progress retaking territory from militants, who currently hold most or parts of four provinces north of Baghdad.

Iraq said on Sunday that security forces had killed 279 militants, and said soldiers had recaptured two towns north of Baghdad.

Fighting in Tal Afar

Officials added that security forces and tribal fighters repelled a militant assault in the strategic town of Tal Afar, which provides a critical corridor for militants to access conflict-hit Syria.

Militants took control, however, of the Al-Adhim area in Diyala province.

But as troops began to push back against militants, evidence of brutal violence against members of the security forces emerged.

The US condemned a massacre in which ISIL militants appear to have killed scores of soldiers around the conflict-hit city of Tikrit, while the burned bodies of 12 policemen were also found in the town of Ishaqi.

Photos posted online were said to show jihadists summarily executing dozens of captured members of the security forces in the Tikrit area, with tweets attributed to ISIL claiming they had killed 1,700 in all.

The photos and the claims could not be independently verified. “The claim ... is horrifying and a true depiction of the bloodlust that these terrorists represent,” Psaki said.

Washington has also deployed an aircraft carrier group to the Gulf as US President Barack Obama said he was weighing “all options” on how to support the Iraqi government.

But he has ruled out a return to Iraq for US soldiers, who left the country at the end of 2011 after a bloody and costly intervention launched in 2003.

US, Iran ‘may talk’

The US and Iran have also raised the possibility of direct engagement over the Iraq crisis, with the Wall Street Journal reporting, citing US officials, that the Obama administration may use nuclear talks starting in Vienna on Monday as a venue.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has said that Iraq had not asked for Tehran’s help, but surprised observers by adding that Iran may “think about” cooperating with Washington, with whom it has not had diplomatic relations for more than three decades. l

Clockwise from top left: An image uploaded on the jihadist website Welayat Salahuddin allegedly shows militants of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) driving on a street at unknown location in the Salaheddin province. Shiite Muslim Iraqi men, who volunteered to fight against the Jihadist militants, gather around buses in Baghdad, ahead of being transported for training at Taji infantry camp on the outskirts of Baghdad. An Iraqi man inspects binoculars at military fatigue shop in Arbil, the capital of the autonomous Kurdish region of northern Iraq. An Iraqi man displays military badges at a shop in Arbil AFP

To rejoin a war or not – Obama’s Iraq dilemma n Agencies

As a young state senator from Illinois in 2002, Barack Obama was harshly critical of what looked like an impending US-led invasion of Iraq. Speaking to an anti-war rally on the day Congress authorized war in Iraq, Obama called that prospect “dumb” and “rash.”

“What I am opposed to is the cynical attempt by Richard Perle and Paul Wolfowitz and other armchair, weekend warriors in [the Bush] administration to shove their own ideological agendas down our throats, irrespective of the costs in lives lost and in hardships borne,” he said. “What I am opposed to is the attempt by political hacks like Karl Rove to distract us from a rise in

the uninsured, a rise in the poverty rate, a drop in the median income – to distract us from corporate scandals and a stock market that has just gone through the worst month since the Great Depression. That’s what I’m opposed to. A dumb war. A rash war.”

Twelve years later and into the sixth year of his presidency, Obama is faced with the possibility that the US might have to reengage militarily in Iraq two years after the last American combat troops left that country.

He’s ordered an aircraft carrier and two other warships to patrol the waters off Iraq. Their targets, should they launch attack aircraft and cruise missiles, would be the Islamist insurgents that have taken over some Iraqi cities, government

soldiers leaving weapons and uniforms behind as they flee (dozens of them apparently captured and executed), and Iraqi civilians joining other refugees.

Obama says US military might – either direct American engagement or providing even more weaponry to Iraqi forces – is contingent on that country’s leadership making a “serious and sincere effort … to set aside sectarian differences, to provide stability and to account for the legitimate interests of all of Iraq’s communities.”

That would be a far jump for Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, whose policies have been sectarian (pro-Shiite) and authoritarian.

“His repeated refusal over long years to strike an urgently needed po-

litical accord with the Sunni minority, his construction of corrupt, ineffective and sectarian state institutions, and his heavy-handed military repression in those areas are the key factors in the long-developing disintegration of Iraq,” writes Marc Lynch in the Washington Post.

Meanwhile, Obama is getting waves of criticism and advice about Iraq. The basic criticism, coming from Republican lawmakers and other supporters of US military engagement in Iraq, is that the US pulled out its combat troops too soon.

“I blame President Obama mightily for a hands-off policy when it comes to Iraq,” Sen. Lindsey Graham, (R) of South Carolina, who sits on the Armed Services Committee, said on Sunday. l

Gunmen kill at least Palestine politicians held Russia cuts gas to Ukraine, ‘Tony Blair has 48 in attack on finally gone mad’ over missing Israeli teens flows to EU threatened Kenyan coast n Agencies in Netanyahu, has accused the Islamic The talks are bound up with the London Mayor Boris Johnson has n Reuters, Mombasa n Agenceis n Reuters, Kiev/Gorki militant group Hamas of being behind worst crisis between Russia and Ukraine launched a scathing attack against At least 48 people were killed when gunmen in two minibuses sped into a town on Kenya’s coast, shooting soccer fans gathered to watch a World Cup match in a television hall and targeting hotels and a bank, police and witnesses said yesterday.

Police said Somalia’s Al Shabaab Islamist group was most likely to blame for Sunday night’s assault on the town of Mpeketoni, which lies on the Indian Ocean coastline that runs north from Kenya’s main port of Mombasa to the Somali border.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the assault, the latest in a spate of gun and bomb attacks in recent months that have hurt Kenya’s struggling tourist industry.

Kenya had said it would be on alert during the World Cup to ensure public showings of matches were kept safe.

“The attackers were so many and were all armed with guns. They entered the video hall where we were watching a World Cup match and shot indiscriminately at us,” Meshack Kimani told Reuters by telephone. “They targeted only men but I was lucky. I escaped by hiding behind the door.”

Sunday’s assault is the worst since last September when Al Shabaab gunmen attacked Nairobi’s Westgate shopping mall, leaving 67 people dead.

After Westgate, Al Shabaab warned of more attacks, saying they were determined to drive Kenyan troops out of Somalia. Kenya, whose soldiers are deployed as part of an African peacekeeping force battling militants, says it won’t pull out.

The gunmen raced into Mpeketoni in two minibuses, the kind used as public taxis in Kenya, and hit two hotels, a bank and a police station with guns and at least one explosive device.

Witnesses said there were about 30 gunmen involved. l

Israeli troops have arrested the speaker of the Palestinian parliament and Hamas member Aziz Dweik during a wave of detentions linked to a massive manhunt for three kidnapped teenagers, The Guardian reported.

An Israeli army statement yesterday said more than 40 suspects in the West Bank, “including Hamas leadership and operatives,” had been arrested, bringing the total number of arrests in the search to at least 150.

Amani Sarahna, a spokeswoman for the Ramallah-based Palestinian Prisoners Club, said 60 people were held overnight but said the wave of arrests was “still ongoing” in the southern West Bank city of Hebron.

One Palestinian was killed on Sunday when Israeli troops clashed with Palestinians on the streets of Ramallah.

The Israeli prime minister, Binyam-

the kidnapping of three teenagers – including a US citizen – who went missing nearly three days ago. Hamas has denied responsibility, despite some of its members welcoming the kidnapping.

Among those arrested were Hamas members of the newly forged Palestinian parliament and several prisoners recently released by Israel.

The US secretary of state, John Kerry, condemned the kidnapping of the boys, issuing a statement calling for the release of Gil-ad Sha’er, Eyal Yifrach and Naftali Frankel and apparently backing Israeli claims of Hamas involvement.

“We are still seeking details on the parties responsible for this despicable terrorist act, although many indications point to Hamas’s involvement,” Kerry said. l

Russia cut off gas to Ukraine yesterday in a dispute over unpaid bills that could disrupt supplies to the rest of Europe and set back hopes for peace in the former Soviet republic.

After weekend violence that included the loss of 49 troops in the downing of a Ukrainian plane, Russia said Kiev missed a deadline for a $1.95 billion debt payment and it would now only get gas paid for in advance. It insisted that Ukraine must also ensure that it lets Russian gas flow through its international pipelines to Moscow’s clients in the European Union.

Kiev and Moscow blamed each other for the failure to agree overnight on the price of future gas deliveries and refused to abandon well established positions: Russia offering a discount and Ukraine rejecting that as a tool for political manipulation.

since the Soviet Union collapsed and rising tensions over Saturday’s shooting down of the aircraft by pro-Russian separatists in the east, an attack on the Russian embassy in Kiev and Western charges that Russia is arming the rebels.

“Thanks to the unconstructive position of the Ukrainian government, today a prepayment system was introduced,” Alexei Miller, the chief executive of Russian state exporter Gazprom, told Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev during a somber meeting at a government residence at Gorki, outside Moscow.

He said Ukraine had “adopted a position that can only be called blackmail,” adding: “They wanted an ultra-low price.” Gazprom had asked Kiev to pay almost half of a total debt which Moscow puts at more than $4 billion by Monday morning or face supply cuts and the prospect of paying up front. l

Bachelor party makes accidental discovery of three-million-year-old elephant skull n Agencies When Antonia Gradillas and his friends set off for a hike in New Mexico to celebrate a friend’s upcoming wedding they were probably expecting a certain amount of craziness – but certainly not the discovery of a three-million-year-old elephant skull.

The group chanced across the archaeological wonder in Elephant Butte Lake State Park 150 miles from the city of Albuquerque after seeing a tusk sticking out from the ground.

“As we were walking we saw a bone sticking out about one or two inches from the ground,” Gradillas, 33, told ABC news.

He and his friends started digging and soon uncovered uncovered another tusk, then a row of teeth and a massive cranium

Gradillas suspected that the skull might belong to a woolly mammoth and called a friend who worked in a museum for more advice.

The pair then got in touch with Gary Morgan, a paleontologist with the nearby New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science, who rushed to the scene the next day after seeing pictures of the find.

Morgan announced that the skull belonged to a stegomastadon; a prehistoric ancestor of the modern elephant that predated the woolly mammoth and would have lived and roamed in the area some three million years ago.

Stegomastadon look very similar to today’s elephants but have a more squat and weighty build. The creature stood about nine feet tall and weighed more than six tons, with a pair of tusks that grew as long as 3.5-metres. l

Tony Blair, declaring that the former British prime minister’s insistence that the West should exonerate itself of blame for the violence engulfing Iraq is “unhinged.” He said that he had “come to the conclusion that Tony Blair has finally gone mad.”

His comments in his Daily Telegraph column come two days after Blair penned an essay on his website saying that the escalating crisis in Iraq would still have happened without the US-led invasion in 2003. Blair instead insisted that the current situation is an inevitable result of inaction on Syria mixed with an incompetent Iraqi establishment: “We have to liberate ourselves from the notion that ‘we’ have caused this. We haven’t,” he wrote.

His views, defended in an interview on the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show, have led senior Labour figures distancing themselves from the ex-PM, while a wave of criticism from all sides of the political spectrum rains down. “[Mr Blair] tells us that Saddam was inevitably going to be toppled in a revolution, to be followed by a protracted and vicious religious civil war, and that therefore we (and more especially he) do not need to blame ourselves for our role in the catastrophe. As an attempt to rewrite history, this is frankly emetic,” Mr Johnson writes.

Mr Johnson, who voted “strongly for” the war in 2003, blamed both Blair and Bush for misleading politicians and the public into believing that a coherent and iron-clad plan was in place for Iraq’s governing structure following the toppling of Saddam Hussein. “The truth is that we destroyed the institutions of authority in Iraq without having the foggiest idea what would come next. As one senior British general has put it to me, ‘we snipped the spinal cord’ without any plan to replace it.” Johnson called Iraq a “tragic mistake” – one that Tony Blair, he says, must admit as being so. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

World

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Modi secures support from Bhutan in neighborhood push n Reuters, Thimphu Bhutan promised yesterday it will not allow its territory to be used against India, an early success for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s region-wide drive to shore up diplomatic relations with neighbors in return for stronger economic ties.

In a joint statement issued during Modi’s first foreign visit since he took office in May, Bhutan and India agreed not allow each other’s territory to be used “for interests inimical to the other,” without giving further details.

India believes armed insurgent groups from its northeastern states use the isolated Himalayan kingdom as a hideout, and in recent years has grown anxious about China seeking a toehold in the one South Asian nation seen as completely loyal to New Delhi.

Neighbors Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh have increasingly locked in financial and infrastructure assistance from China, leaving slower-footed India feeling isolated and encircled in its own neighborhood.

Wedged between Asia’s rising giants but traditionally friendly only with India, Bhutan is emerging from centuries of self-imposed seclusion and is debating whether to open formal diplomatic ties with Beijing.

Moving quickly to re-assert Indian influence in the region, Modi offered to turn Bhutan into a powerhouse of hydro-electricity three-quarters of

which India will buy to feed its energy-starved economy.

“If you walk a few steps, we too will walk with you,” Modi told a joint session of Bhutan’s parliament.

Neighbours have increasingly locked in financial and infrastructure assistance from China, leaving slower-footed India feeling isolated and encircled in its own neighbourhood “A strong, prosperous India is good for the neighborhood. The stronger India is, the stronger Bhutan will be,” he said, choosing to speak in Hindi in a departure from tradition when Indian leaders have addressed global meetings in English.

He also offered Bhutan the use of India’s space and satellite technology and suggested the two governments could work together to promote Bhutan and India’s northeast as tourism circuit.

“With Prime Minister Modi, you can be sure there will be faster implementation of projects. He believes in speed,” Indian Foreign Minister Sush-

ma Swaraj told reporters.

Modi led his Bharatiya Janata Party to power with an absolute majority, vowing to revive economic growth that has fallen to below 5 percent and bolster national security.

He has sought closer commercial ties with China too, but has also moved to beef up military and civil infrastructure along the length of the disputed border with Beijing.

In the past, insurgents fighting Indian rule in the northeast region have sought sanctuary in the jungles of southern Bhutan. They were later flushed out in joint military operations and since then both sides have kept a tight vigil on the border.

Modi’s national security adviser, Ajit Doval, has in the past said that China assisted such rebels.

Bhutan, which relied on India for guidance on its foreign and defense policy until a friendship treaty was revised in 2007, maintains diplomatic relations with about 50 countries, but not China.

In 2012, then Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao met his Bhutanese counterpart on the sidelines of a UN meeting and called for the establishment of diplomatic relations.

The meeting caught New Delhi by surprise and since then it has closely watched Chinese moves in Bhutan, parts of which straddle a narrow corridor linking India with its northeast corner. l

9 Congress reiterates claim to leader of opposition post n Agencies

Bhutanese Bhunatese King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck (L), Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (C) and Bhutanese Queen Jetsun Pema (R) pose for a photograph during a photocall in Tashichhodzong AFP

Indian National Congress has reiterated its claim to the post of leader of opposition in Lok Sabha, arguing that UPA was a pre-poll alliance and had more than adequate numbers to get the key position in the lower House.

Senior Congress leader Anand Sharma told a TV channel, “If the constitutional needs have to be fully met, then a response should be there and UPA is a pre-poll alliance and UPA together has more than the adequate numbers.

“When government formation takes place, whether NDA or UPA, its the prepoll alliance which the president of India recognises. I am only saying that they have to find a solution.”

The comment came after parliamentary affairs minister Venkaiah Naidu taunted Congress saying that people have not chosen any party for the position of leader of opposition in Lok Sabha.

Amid reports that the Narendra Modi government is not inclined to give Congress LoP status in Lok Sabha, the principal opposition party has asserted its claim to the post.

Sharma said he was not asking for throwing away precedents but one had to respond to situations like this. He also rued that even before a decision had been taken, ministers in the NDA government were making statements on the LoP issue, which was the prerogative of the Speaker. Sharma also slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying he was yet to get out of election mode. l

Pakistan Taliban warn foreign firms to leave country amid offensive n AFP, Peshawar

In this file photo taken on August 5, 2012, Pakistani Taliban patrol in their stronghold of Shawal in Pakistani tribal region of South Waziristan. The Pakistani Taliban yesterday warned foreign firms to leave the country after thousands of troops launched a long-awaited offensive in a troubled tribal district along the Afghan border AP

China aims to revamp justice system but Communist Party to retain control n Reuters, Beijing China will launch pilot programs to overhaul its judicial system and curb abuses of power by local governments without sacrificing the ruling Communist Party’s control of the courts, state media reported yesterday.

Legal reforms are a key platform for President Xi Jinping’s government to restore popular faith in the Party and judicial system amid simmering public discontent over miscarriages of justice often caused by officials’ abuse of power.

China must “improve the requirements for appointing justices and pros-

ecutors while upholding the principles of leading party officials and respecting the rule of justice,” an unnamed official in the top office in charge of judicial reforms told the official Xinhua news agency.

It did not say when the pilot programs would be launched.

To limit interference by local governments, provincial governments will pick judges and prosecutors and fix the budgets of local courts and procuratorates, Xinhua reported. The system currently gives local governments greater sway in appointments.

Panels of legal specialists at the provincial level will nominate judges and

prosecutors, but the Party must still approve their appointments.

The reforms must “uphold the Party’s leadership,” the official said, signaling a willingness by the central leadership to improve its courts as long as the Party’s overall control is not threatened.

Critics have described the leadership’s call for greater independence for courts as a hollow gesture, because judges ultimately answer to the Party.

The pilot programs will run in six places, ranging from Shanghai, the financial capital, to the southern industrial powerhouse of Guangdong, and western Qinghai province. l

China sentences three to death for Tiananmen Square attack n Reuters, Beijing China sentenced three people to death yesterday over a deadly attack at Beijing’s Tiananmen Square last October, state television reported, an incident blamed by the government on Islamist militants.

One attacker was given a life sentence, and four others received jail terms ranging from five to 20 years.

Five people were killed and 40 hurt when a car plowed into a crowd at the northern edge of Tiananmen Square

and burst into flames. Those killed included two bystanders and three people in the car.

Footage of the trial on state broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV) showed suspects in orange vests at a Xinjiang courthouse.

The court in Urumqi, the capital of the western region of Xinjiang, sentenced Husanjan Wuxur, Yusup Umarniyaz and Yusup Ahmat to death for organizing and leading a terrorist group and using dangerous methods to endanger

public security, state media reported.

Two others, who received sentences of life and 20 years in prison respectively, were charged with joining a terrorist group and using dangerous methods to endanger public security. Three more were sentenced to jail terms ranging from five to 10 years for the former charge.

The suspects formed a “terrorist group” in 2011 and plotted violent acts, CCTV reported. Between December 2012 and the following September, they acquired firearms and explosives. l

The Pakistani Taliban yesterday warned foreign firms to leave the country after thousands of troops launched a long-awaited offensive in a troubled tribal district along the Afghan border.

“We warn all foreign investors, airlines and multinational corporations that they should immediately suspend their ongoing matters with Pakistan and prepare to leave Pakistan, otherwise they will be responsible for their own loss,” said spokesman Shahidullah Shahid in a statement.

The Taliban’s main stronghold is in the North Waziristan tribal district, where the Pakistan military began its offensive on Sunday night.

It came one week after brazen insurgent attack on Pakistan’s main airport in Karachi which left dozens dead and marked the end of a troubled peace process. The Islamist group also vowed to take revenge on the government.

“We hold Nawaz Sharif’s government and the Punjabi establishment

responsible for the loss of tribal Muslims’ life and property as a result of this operation,” the statement said.

“The retaliatory actions of the Mujahedeen will make you a cautionary tale in history.”

Shahid added that the Taliban would “burn your palaces in Islamabad and Lahore” referring to the capital city and Sharif’s hometown, from where he derives his support base.

“Remember that you will once again crave for negotiations and peace, but then it would be too late,” he added.

North Waziristan is the only tribal region where the military has not launched a large military operation against militants, despite insistence from the US. The region until recently was harbouring several militant groups of local and foreign militants, including Chechens, Uzbeks, Turkmen, Tajiks and Uighurs. According to sources, many insurgents had recently vacated the main towns of the region and fled towards the rugged mountains on the border with Afghanistan. l

Sri Lankan Muslims killed in Buddhist attacks n Agencies

The miracle of floating grass billboard

At least three people have been killed and more than 80 people injured in overnight mob attacks led by Sinhala Buddhist monks in two coastal Sri Lankan towns, according to medics.

Sri Lanka’s police yesterday extended a curfew across the popular resort towns of Aluthgama and Beruwala after Muslim properties and mosques came under attack, while violence also spread to Lathugana town.

Police said they fired tear gas and widened the curfew to Beruwala, a predominantly Muslim area, after initial violence broke out in Aluthgama, 60km south of the capital Colombo.

Both areas are popular beach resorts frequented by international tourists, but there were no reports of any foreigners caught up in the violence.

Hilmy Ahmed, the spokesman of Muslim Council of Sri Lanka, told Al Jazeera that the situation was calmer now, but there was large-scale destruction of property.

“At least nine shops and up to 40 houses have been gutted in Aluthgama, while three mosques were attacked,” Ahmed said over phone from southern Sri Lanka. The army has been brought in to control the situation.

A police spokesman said trouble began on Sunday evening when a group led by Buddhist monks tried to march in an area with a sizeable population of Muslims. l

When it comes to methods of cleaning the world’s most polluted waterways, using grass probably isn’t the solution that immediately comes to mind. But an innovative partnership in the Philippines is using an 88.5-footlong floating billboard made of vetiver to purify Manila’s insanely dirty Pasig River. The hopeful message it displays as it drifts on top of the water? “Clean River Soon.”

Most people know of vetiver as the main ingredient in the classic Guerlain men’s cologne, but it turns out that the noninvasive grass, which is native to India, sprouts long, tough blades that easily mat together and have powerful cleaning abilities. Natural cosmetics

n Agencies

company Shokubutsu Hana, the Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission, Vetiver Farms Philippines, and local advertising agency TBWA\SMP teamed up to create the billboard from the plant.

According to Shokubutsu Hana’s website, the grass traps debris and absorbs nitrates, phosphates, heavy metals like lead, and agricultural chemicals from water. The company has only committed to creating personal care products that don’t poison water when they’re washed down the drain. They decided to communicate that promise in a way that also makes a difference. According to the company, the vetiver grass billboard that is stationed in the Pasig can clean up to eight thousand gallons of water per day. l

10

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Editorial

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

CODE-CRACKER

Spend more on infrastructure

I

f Bangladesh truly wishes to live up to its vision of becoming a middle-income country, it needs to take its own promises of infrastructural development more seriously. To that end, the government must increase its expenditure on investment. At present, Bangladesh’s infrastructure investment is a mere 3% of its GDP. For a low-income nation such as ours, with massive room for infrastructural growth, this is not nearly enough.

Our government has recently fast-tracked promises on massive infrastructure projects such as the highly anticipated Dhaka Metro Rail project, the Padma multipurpose bridge, and the Sonadia Deep Seaport in Cox’s Bazar.

Our economy stands to make great benefits from some of these projects, so it is imperative that investment on infrastructure is seen as a priority by the government. At present, that does not seem to be so, as we can see when we contrast our rate with China’s investment rate of 15%.

The president of the Asian Development Bank Takehiko Nakao stressed this need on his trip to Dhaka, emphasising the importance of mobilising increasing revenue towards investment, skills development, and improving the business climate of the country.

Our security is more stable than that of Pakistan, and we are not coming out of a civil war in the way that Sri Lanka is. If our investment strategy is correct, we have the chance to enhance our project implementation capacity much faster than some of our neighbours.

It’s important to mobilise increasing revenue towards investment and skills development

A solution to the gridlock

I

t is past time the government took steps to curb the rampant traffic indiscipline on the roads of Dhaka.

We have editorialised about the woes commuters face, yet the problems that lie at the heart of the traffic indiscipline have yet to be dealt with. And though a number of flyovers have been constructed, traffic congestion remains problematic.

In fact, Dhaka residents waste an average of 11 minutes at each major intersection and bus corridor. The long waits can add up to a staggering amount of wasted time and lost energy and efficiency for commuters.

Overhauling the city’s poor transportation and traffic management is key.

First off, there’s a need for more footpaths, pedestrian crossings, foot over-bridges, parking facilities, bus stations, passenger sheds and public vehicles. The ones that are available need to be better maintained and used more often.

More bus terminals need to be built as well, and the more than 87,000 unfit motor vehicles plying the roadways need to be taken off, as they pose a threat to road safety and contribute to the congestion.

The illegal occupation of footpaths by vendors, or by construction companies storing building equipment, etc needs to brought to an end, and strict disciplinary action taken.

Add to that traffic lights and countdown timers that are unused, rendering it easy for drivers and commuters to flout traffic rules.

This negligence cannot be allowed to continue. The government must step up its efforts to improve the traffic system for the benefit of all.

The government must step up its efforts to improve the traffic system

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

Tolerating the intolerable June 11

khanadil An interesting article. Inequality has always been there in most societies. But the present day inequality, a gift of a winner-take-all neo-liberalist economic policy, that receives the backing of pro-business, rent-seeking, corrupt and abusive governments, has reached an intolerable limit. Inequality is not only a moral blot on a society, in the long run, it is also an impediment to economic growth. Only people-centric policies backed by good governance can remedy the situation. But no sitting government, that itself is a direct beneficiary of the inequality equation, is likely to champion the change. Change must come from within, from the very disaffected mass that are victims of the inequality contagion.

Ronnie I still find traditional Robin Hood-economics pretty immoral and intolerable, too. “Neo-Marxist,” or not, redistributive economics in the name of greater “social justice” has always been susceptible to gross abuses of its own. It has its place, of course, but certainly requires careful delimiting by a mix of astute laws and policies that are both flexible and facilitate greater, fairer opportunities for all to do better in life.

Now, I agree that the steady skewering of the balance of “political rights,” in favour of ever-narrowing elites who wield these powers, has exacerbated levels of inequality in many countries. The answer is not for governments to reflexively start to clobber and rob the rich in order to supposedly restore greater economic “equality” in society. The “have-nots” have no more right to be undeservedly handed “free” rewards than the “haves” have the right to be completely callous about the plight of the “have-nots.” Economic justice that is both moral and sustainable must be predicated, fundamentally, on access to equal opportunity for all to a livelihood with a living wage, health, and security.

Many governments, worldwide – look no further than in our own country – have been kleptocracies masquerading as democracies. The people must press, unrelentingly, for greater transparency and accountability from their governments. Not for more taxes, more meddling, more regulations, and pummeling the rich. But for the creation of a system of genuinely representative, progressive, and accountable governance that promotes individual initiative by providing expanding opportunity for the economic advancement for all. Shaming the rich who have earned every dime they own into succumbing to moral blackmail to part with their wealth to the cause of greater “equality,” though, is the rallying cry of looters and free-loaders. And this is not necessarily the sentiment of this unabashed capitalist alone.

Cup of dreams

June 10 Madiha It is shameful how corrupt something, as essentially non-political as football, has become. The beauty of the sport is explained nicely here but it also serves to underline how important it is to make it transparent.

Amit A wonderful piece on something that everyone is a fan of, but no one really analyses much.

The section on the different nationalities was particularly powerful. Hopefully, FIFA will learn from that side of the game.

Sammy Ronnie: Well argued, my friend. Envy and envy-based populism doesn’t work. If it did, the USSR would be the world’s leading economic light, instead of being extinct.

Ronnie Sammy: Thank you, Sammy. I’m glad you find yourself mostly agreeing with my argument here. I’m aware that in a mainly still poor (albeit developing) country like ours, my strident advocacy of minimal government interference in the economy, abiding faith in and fondness for free trade and markets, being fair and respectful of the rights of the honest, hard-working wealthy in society etc are prone to be pounced upon by the collectivist/socialist-minded folks as the opinions of a typical rich capitalist looking after his own. I’d insist that isn’t true in my case.

You’re right, of course, about the eventual, inevitable failure of the collectivist, redistributive, social/economic philosophy pioneered by the erstwhile USSR. The tyranny, horrors and immorality of that totalitarian system, in pursuit of a “classless” society, has served as a stark cautionary tale for many other nations and societies around the world. In our country, populist political slogans do a tremendous disservice to the cause of mitigating “inequality” by failing to honestly address the key issues in the debate – instead conveniently and cynically railing, carte blanche, against the rich. You’re right again in pointing out how the politics of envy, and a false sense of entitlement to the wealth of others is untenable and evil. I maintain that capitalism, done right, offers the best possible combination of individual freedom, widespread opportunity, and generalised prosperity than any alternative economic philosophy I know of.

How to solve: Each number in our CODE-CRACKER grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. For example, today 8 represents H so fill H every time the figure 8 appears.

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

Some letters of the alphabet may not be used.

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

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

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.

Sammy Ronnie: Most of our intellectuals, including just about every newspaper, except the refreshingly open-minded DT, have complete amnesia about the horrors of Marxist totalitarian systems and their attendant economic, environmental, and human toll.

Ronnie Sammy: Not just amnesia, but something even worse, a hideous hypocrisy, by which these “intellectuals” continue to periodically peddle their populist platitudes and policy prescriptions, while happily milking the prevailing system for self-aggrandising, self-profiting ends.

I have got to tell you how the mere mention of that beast, ie “civil society,” in our country makes me usually wince in disgust. A sizeable segment of said society represents some of the most unprincipled, opportunistic, craven, and inept people in Bangladesh.

No consensus yet on deep sea port June 10

CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Planet (4) 5 Halt (4) 10 Stubborn animal (4) 11 Land measure (3) 12 Writing tablet (5) 13 Fastener (3) 14 Nominates (5) 16 Dwell (6) 18 Message (6) 21 Jewelled-head ornament (5) 23 Rope-splicing implement (3) 24 Pollute (5) 26 Top card (3) 27 Water hole (4) 28 Tidy (4) 29 Snow vehicle (4)

DOWN 2 Gather for oneself (5) 3 Groove (3) 4 Slim (7) 6 Ribbon (4) 7 Prayer (6) 8 Female swan (3) 9 Consumer (4) 15 Charges with gas (7) 17 Inveigle (6) 19 Nimble (5) 20 Obligation (4) 22 Notion (4) 23 Cooling device (3) 25 Everyone (3)

Vikram Khan The deep sea port will be disastrous for the marine life and the total environment of Sonadia Island and the Cox’s Bazar region.

It’s ridiculous to try to develop the already troubled tourist industry in the southern region and, at the same time, build heavy industry at the same spot.

CALVIN AND HOBBES

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTIONS CODE-CRACKER

CROSSWORD Flags in our hearts June 11

PEANUTS

VHS At least this is one month when we can engage in something that really makes us happy.

Foreign friends to get new crests June 11 vihan “The government has taken the matter seriously.”

Hahaha, that’s a good one. Hope our “foreign friends” have the same opinion when they dump the previously fouled crest into the dustbin.

SUDOKU

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Op-Ed

11

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

A naive nation?

T

n Khawaza Main Uddin he Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury attributed the price fall of potatoes in the north this season to the BNP-led movement. At the post-budget press conference on June 6, she employed all efforts to undermine the demonstration for fair polls but never admitted her government’s responsibility in any way.

An observer can cite hundreds of examples of how our politicians use public interest issues to try to fool the people. They manage to carry on and sometimes even win through campaigns to demonise the opponents.

In our boyhood, we witnessed quiz competitions during wedding ceremonies where one camp would ask the other what the Bangla translation of “I don’t know” is. When a naïve person gave the right answer, the rivals immediately claimed victory by saying that the competitors did not know the answer.

In democratic politics, however, politicians encounter difficulties in announcing a unilateral victory. Yet most ruling parties live in a fool’s paradise when it comes to assessing people’s perception of their statements. Perhaps we need an IQ test for everyone.

Abul Hossain, and neither has the World Bank who for “all the wrong reasons” – allegations of corruption – withdrew funds from the Padma Bridge project. Ah! The patriot has been dumped.

Media watchers are familiar with the expression: “I have information (that Awami League will return to power).” Yes, it was the statement by the premier’s son, Sajeeb Wazed Joy, after the AL’s defeat in all four city corporation elections prior to the general elections. We saw many people laughing at it in view of the slip in the party’s popularity, but Joy proved to be right ultimately. So, the equation stands at: Information equals to blueprint (for a manipulated ballot).

Conspiracy is a widely used word which has lost its appeal. Conspicuously, most conspiracies are designed against unpopular governments or non-functioning institutions. We were told about conspiracies of militant threats before the January 5 elections.

By now, the “militants” have disappeared but the Hasina government is focused on other conspiracies.

A vocal politician against “violence” is Information Minister Hasanul Haque Inu, whose Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal once challenged an elected AL gov-

We come up with brilliant ideas, falter soon, and finally lose the true meaning of it

What does zero tolerance imply when Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina says her government will show zero tolerance to terrorism and corruption? She promised in parliament that she would take responsibility for Shamim Osman’s family in Narayanganj, against whom there are several allegations of violence and killing.

What if she certifies someone as a patriot? Bangladeshi people have not been able to recognise the true Syed

ernment to an armed battle. Even his theory of socialism has changed after the Gano Bahini fiasco and his joining the government.

Westerners often get confused about bipartisanship, which in our case, denotes divisive politics. Godfather is another term which finds a completely different connotation in our coverage of the underworld, whereas originally it had nothing to do with terrorism.

Can we continue to be fooled?

Political activists perceive the word “reformist” as a collaborator of the military-controlled regime of 2007-08.

Last year, many online writers were scared of introducing themselves as bloggers, lest they were treated as atheists. Who is really bothered about the actual meanings of Razakar, Al-Badr, and Al-Shams, terms which people use to mean collaborators of the Pakistani occupation forces?

When someone emphasises on the spirit of the liberation war every now and then, there is no problem in ascertaining who he/she is. Unless one belongs to a particular political gharana (school of thought/camp), it is almost impossible to earn a reputation

BIGSTOCK

in upholding such spirit. It is a pity that the people are losing confidence in those who are doing business banking on this spirit.

Hallmark and Destiny are euphemistic expressions, but Bangladeshis have been presented with horrifying meanings for them. Hallmark has made a hallmark in swindling – drawing fake loans of over Tk4,000cr.

Destiny offered the clients a model of losing money. The moment people talk about tenders or the share market, they equate the two with a common word – manipulation.

A black cat was used in a television documentary by BTV to make people aware about the risks of AIDS. How-

ever, it has been synonymous with allegations of bribery against former minister Suranjit Sengupta. Black Cats are an elite security force in India, but in Bengali it indicates corruption.

Interestingly, Sengupta earlier made a pledge to remove the black cat from the railway department.

A home minister would describe a gruesome killing supposedly as an isolated incident. So, the people understand either the ruling party men are behind the incident or the government wants to divert public attention.

A section of politicians term a particular country a tested friend of Bangladesh but never raise questions about the harms caused by that country.

Economic Affairs Adviser Dr Masihur Rahman went on to ask if Bangladeshis are a civilised people when they were to charge fees for providing transit facility to a neighbouring country.

Taxes and tariffs are innovations of the civilised world, and who knows how the uncivilised society levied transit fees?

On the pledge of “Digital Bangladesh,” a Bangladeshi op-ed writer wrote from the USA: “Digital? Not Bangladesh.” We come up with brilliant ideas, falter soon, and finally lose the true meaning of it. l Khawaza Main Uddin is Dr Masihur Rahman Executive Editor at ICE Business Times.

No Zuckerbergs here

The uncertainty of Modi

n Mushfique Wadud

n Aaqib Md Shatil

W

hile I was going to the Press Club on a public bus the other day, the passenger next to me was explaining why he thought Bangladesh would not have anyone like Mark Zuckerberg who could change the world with his innovation any time soon.

At first I found his thought very weird. But as I spent some time thinking about this, I was convinced.

He believes that while the youth of other countries dream of creating new inventions, our youth think of vandalising buses or getting away with paying a lower fare as great achievements.

“You often hear students threatening a bus conductor saying ‘when your bus is in front of my university, it will be vandalised as you are not listening to us.’ As if vandalising a bus is such an accomplishment for them,” he told me.

teach the conductor a lesson. So most buses in the city have to follow an unofficial rule where students pay half of the original fare.

As a regular passenger of public busses, I have met many passengers who think this rule should be reformed. Some of them are students themselves.

The system is widely misused.

Many people who are no longer students also pay half the fare. This is a huge burden on the private transport sector. Owners often tell me that they cannot make profits because of this misused rule. They say that because of this system, they cannot provide proper services to the people.

While riding city buses, you often see that one person clearly on his way to the office giving half the fare to the bus conductor claiming he is a student. Then there is that couple going on a date, giving half the fare as they are students. Shouldn’t the half-fare

vfacilities only be available for when students are going to their college or university?

I personally think that this system is making our students dependent. They are not in the least bit concerned about finding a source of income while studying. If we want to develop this country, we must find a way for the large number of youths to be employed and independent. When they have to live on their own, they will understand the value of earning. We must change their mentality.

It is also true that a large number of students come from poor families and giving the full fare is really tough for them. The government can introduce special buses for students and a halffare card system for government-run busses. But the burden should not be on privately-run buses. l Mushfique Wadud is an education reporter at the Dhaka Tribune.

If we want to develop this country, we must find a way for the youths to be employed and independent “When students spend most of their time bargaining with conductors or planning how to vandalise a bus, how can it be possible for them to think about innovative ideas,” the passenger, who himself was a student, observed.

I spent a day thinking about this and found that he made some sense.

If you are someone who rides buses in Dhaka, you must frequently witness altercations between students and bus conductors. The issue is always the bus fare. In most cases, students give less than the fixed fare and sometimes not a single penny.

And a common threat to the conductor is: “When the bus is in front of our campus, you will see what we can do.” Sometimes the threat becomes true and students vandalise the bus to

Some get down to vandalising at the slightest provocation

MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

M

odi has won an overwhelming victory, but he will still not be able to overcome the federated structure of Indian politics and disregard the large antiBangladesh constituency in the border states.

Kaveri, an Indian river originating from Karnataka, flows through another southern Indian state, Tamil Nadu, and ends up at the Bay of Bengal. The river was the cause of the anti-Tamil riot in 1991.

Karnataka was drawing water from the Kaveri causing a decreased flow downstream. Tamil Nadu went to court for an equitable share of water from Kaveri as Karnataka refused to provide enough water to Tamil Nadu.

The Indian government constituted a tribunal to sort out the issue and the tribunal awarded Tamil Nadu with 205 billion cubic feet of water every year in 1991.

People of Karnataka retorted violently over the verdict. Politicians termed the verdict a partial one and demonstrated against it, which resulted in a communal riot against the Tamils in Karnataka as Tamil Nadu is basically a state of Tamil speaking inhabitants of India.

The violence of the riot forced hundreds of thousands of Tamils to flee from Karnataka, and no less than a hundred Tamils were killed during the riot.

The incident depicts the strength of the state governments in India as well the consciousness of Indians.

After Narendra Damodardas Modi was sworn in as the new premier of the Republic of India, some started beating the drum about sorting out the Teesta water sharing issue during his tenure as the newly elected BJP government has enough hold in the parliament.

But the fact is that the hope to resolve the river water sharing issue with India may end in vain during the Modi government.

The dreamers must know that in India it is very difficult for the central government to pursue its decisions overlooking the interest of individual states. Any decision taken by the central government regarding the

Teesta water sharing issue has to go through the office of the Chief Minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee, who previously abandoned the Bangladesh tour and refused to share the Teesta river water. It will be crucial to make Mamata Banerjee nod before the BJP government’s decision to share the Teesta water.

The bad blood between Mamata Banerjee, who walked out of the National Democratic Alliance led by BJP, and the BJP leadership is still evident. Mamata Banerjee skipped the swearing in of Narendra Modi. BJP and Trinamool Congress crossed swords on the Bangladeshi immigrant issue before the national election of India as BJP threatened to drive out the “socalled” Bangladeshi immigrants from India.

bordering area.

Moreover, NDA vehemently opposed the land swap bill which was tabled in the Rajya Sabha last December.

The Congress-led UPA failed to amend the constitution of India to facilitate the swap of land enclaves with Bangladesh. BJP’s Assam wing has always criticised the land swap with India, and BJP has always paid heed to its leaders and activists in West Bengal and Assam on this issue.

Arun Jaitley who is now serving as the finance minister of India, wrote a letter to the Rajya Sabha Chairman on this regard while he was in opposition.

In his letter he said: “Parliament has no jurisdiction to alter the territory of India.

The territory represents sovereignty

Modi in power will not help Bangladesh gain anything from Indian diplomats if Bangladesh remains irrational about their interests

On the other hand, the deadly Radcliff line, the border of India and Bangladesh where more than a thousand Bangladeshis had been killed in the last decade, may turn deadlier than before during the Modi government’s tenure.

Modi’s BJP previously declared they would be crueler towards the Bangladeshi immigrants. The Madhav Godbole Committee on Border Management in 2,000 said about 300,000 Bangladeshi immigrants enter India every year without valid papers.

Perceiving them as a threat, India started constructing a massive frontier fence, hoping that it would act as a bulwark.

The Modi government will surely continue the construction and the BSF will be sterner than before as Modi has declared to be strict over this issue.

The government of Bangladesh should ensure the safety of its citizens in the

and are both a part of the basic structure of the Constitution and thus, cannot be reduced or altered by an amendment to the Constitution.”

The expected move of BJP with an absolute majority in the Rajya Sabha on this issue will be creating a stalemate.

The modus operandi of Indian diplomats is not unfamiliar to Bangladeshis. The only thing the south block cares about is the interest of India. Modi in power will not help Bangladesh gain anything from them if Bangladesh remains irrational about their interests.

Bangladesh should rethink its policy and start negotiating with every single party for a permanent solution to all the problems. l Aaqib Md Shatil is a blogger and member of Dhaka University Model United Nations Association.

12

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Entertainment

Bappi to replace Shakib

n Shadma Malik Shakib was recently roped into a film that paired him up with Bidya Sinha Mim in “Dream Girl.” But later, he gave several excuses regarding his decision to back off from the film by citing his busy schedule and refused the offer by director Shafiuddin Shafi.

Rumour mills are buzzing with the news that the Dhallywood megastar is not only sharing on-screen chemistry with the leggy beauty Apu Biswas, but also having an off-screen camaraderie with his leading lady. It has also been

speculated that Apu did not want to share her man with Mim and that is why Shakib backed off from “Dream Girl.”

To find out the real reason behind Shakib's refusal, Dhaka Tribune caught up with the director who said: “Shakib cannot find time for the film. But we are still hoping for his green signal.”

When we expressed our curiosity about the actor replacing Shakib, the director promptly replied: “At present, Bappi Chowdhury and Shakib are the only contenders. If Shakib cannot make it, Bappi will take over.”

About casting Bappi, Shafiuddin said: “Bappi's quintessential lover-boy image will do justice to the script.”

The story is about a girl who comes from abroad and looks for an eligible bachelor to tie the knot. The male lead will be playing a passionate lover who is madly in love with Mim. “Every man dreams of having a beautiful girl in his life. Mim is a deserving actor for the role of 'Dream Girl,'” added the director.

The shooting of the film will start from November and the director hopes to release it on Valentine's day next year. l

A warm welcome to monsoon n Hasan Mansoor Chatak The first day of monsoon was celebrated at the Dhaka University premises through a vibrant cultural programme on June 15. Satyen Sen Shilpagosthi, a Dhaka based cultural organisation arranged for a day long show with music, dance, recitation, painting competition and discussion on Monsoon.

The celebration began at 7:30am in the morning at the Hakim Chattar of DU with vocal presentation of a classical raga “Miyan ki Malhar” that portrays the magnificence of monsoon, rendered by Semonty Monjuri. Noted folk artiste Abu Bakar Siddique presented the song “Ashar Maishha Pani” accompanied with traditional instruments. Singers of Satyen Sen Shilpagosthi presented a choral rendition of Tagore's “Mon Mor Meghero Shongi.”

A group dance performance at the Barsha Utsab

n Entertainment Desk The 24-year-old admitted that he found himself struggling to deal with his celebrity status and the adoring fans, reports dailymail.co.uk.

On occasion, he would even turn up to filming still drunk from a boozy session the night before. He said: “I would have benefited from not drinking as it was not making me as happy as I wanted it to. It is not a real pressure but it is the pressure of living with the thought that what if all these people are right about my career ending?

A solo painting exhibition “Unconsciously Conscious” by Md Abdul Guffar Babu is being held at the Alliance Française de Dhaka (AFD) and will continue till tomorrow. As many as forty four acrylic and mixed media paintings are on display, depicting the artist's perception. The title “Unconsciously Conscious” is a reference to a dream. Surrealistic abstract and semi abstract styles are used to relate the artworks to dreams.

“We dream in our unconscious mind. I think dreams are a form of human desire. In my paintings, dream

infused topics and sometimes unsettling forms appear; yet I draw to make a metaphorical comment and to cater to the minds that are stirred by nature and life,” said the artist.

His painting “Unconsciously Conscious” portrays a three eyed man, the third eye being a representation of the dream. Abdul's “Wakeup Call” shows a peacock, an interpretation of a dream that breaks at dawn. The portrait “Kali Das” is a narration of a stranger who appears in dreams - the face is not an invention of the mind but rather an image of a real person.

“Break Free” has been portrayed in a circle, depicting crossing lines to ex-

plore a person's strength, speed, and beauty like a stallion.

Most of these paintings are done in earthy colour, as the artist is fascinated with the colour brown.

Abdul Guffar has participated in many group art exhibitions, residency programmes and art workshops.

He has been working with different media to explore and experiment.

His medium of choice include watercolour, oil colour, pencil, acrylic, charcoal, etching aquatint, dry paint, wood-cut, lithography, installation, public art, video art, sound art, book illustrations, book cover design and mixed media. l

Moutushi Biswas and Partha Barua in single-episode play Ghumtotto. Here, the actors play a married couple who lose the charm in their relationship chasing their careers. Later, they realise what is missing in their life and struggle to bring back the chemistry once again.

Directed by Shetu Arif, the play will be aired during Eid DHAKA TRIBUNE

New mom Kelly Clarkson n Entertainmnet desk

n Entertainment Desk

n Entertainment desk George Clooney is reportedly planning to run for office in a bid to become Governor of California.

George is apparently planning to launch his political career after he marries British human rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin, 36, in September.

Sources say he has turned down several long-term film projects to free himself up for his new goal.

The actor has been approached

by US president Barack Obama’s Democrat party to make a bid for office in 2018.

George, 53, has always expressed strong political interest and rallied

for Obama in the 2012 election. He is a fierce human rights campaigner and was once arrested outside the Sudanese Embassy after a planned protest over Darfur.

In his 2011 film “The Ides Of March,” which he co-wrote, directed and starred in, he plays a presidential candidate running for office.

Clooney is an active campaigner on a number of issues and was a UN Messenger of Peace for six years until April. He has been outspoken about the Darfur crisis in Sudan and on conflicts in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. And he is not the first Hollywood star to make the move from film set to government. l

Pop music star Kelly Clarkson announced the birth of her daughter, River Rose Blackstock, Saturday on Twitter.

“Thank you everyone for all of your well wishes!” she wrote.

“Brandon and I are on cloud 9!! :).”

River Rose is the first child for Clarkson, who first shot to fame in 2002 by winning the inaugural season of the hit music talent show “American Idol.” She has gone on to become one of the country’s most recognisable and renowned singers, who has hits including “Stronger” and “Since U Been Gone.”

Clarkson married Blackstock, a talent manager in October.

Clarkson did not divulge details about the couple’s new child together, besides the fact that the baby was born on Thursday, June 12. l

Watch out for the sultry Ms Ravinder Bhogal in TLC’s cookery show “Ravinder’s Kitchen” today at 5pm on TLC. In each episode, Ravinder will take the audience on an exotic food journey as she whips up iconic cuisines from across the globe, giving her unique twist to each of the recipes! The series is a perfect melting pot of mouthwatering experiences, scrumptious delights dished out with love by the versatile Ravinder who is an award winning UK TV chef, food writer and stylist. l

TODAY IN DHAKA Exhibition: Eighteen

By Shahidul Alam, Drik Time: 3pm – 8pm Drik Gallery, Road No. 8A

SADIA MARIUM

“What if they are all going to be right and will be laughing and I will be consigned to a bunch of ‘Where are they now lists?’”

The actor, who has been teetotal since 2010, is now known for his theatrical work rather than Harry Potter.

“People don’t shout Harry Potter at me now, they tend to know my name, which is lovely... (but) I always will credit the opportunities I got for Harry Potter. I would not be a happy person if I was bitter about those 10 years of my life,” he said.l

An exotic culinary journey George Clooney heading into politics

Dancers of Spandan presented a soothing yet colourful performance synchronised with the popular Tagore number “Aji Jharo Jharo Mukhor o Badal o Diney.”

The second phase of the programme kicked off through a group recitation by Kalporekha at 5pm at the Bakultola of the faculty of Fine Arts, University of Dhaka. Surbihar, Poncho Bhaswar, Nandan and a few more cultural groups presented chorus songs followed by group dance recitals by Nataraj, Nabochetona and Nrityakkhor.

The best renditions of the programme were “Ojhoro Dharai Borsha Jhore,” “Abar Ki Elo re Badol,” “Deway Dhorilo Shawon” and more from the list of twenty-six performances.

Performers of recital organisation Kanthoshilon enriched the programme with their skillful performances of some poems narrating the exquisiteness of the unique season. l

Why Daniel Radcliffe turned to alcohol

Images of unconscious mind

n Shadma Malik

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Artistic Musings of Great Collector Nasir Ali Mamun Time: 12pm – 8pm Bengal Gallery of Fine Arts, Road No 16, Dhanmondi

Theatre: Amina Shundori Theatre Art Unit Time: 7pm – 9pm National Theatre Hall, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy

Chaak Bhanga Modhu The first production of Natyo Bindoor.

Time: 7pm – 9pm Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Sport

13

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Al Amin urges batsmen to dominate n

Bangladesh national cricket team players take part in a training session at the She-e-Bangla National Stadium yesterday

COURTESY

Disappointed Tigers look to bounce back n Bangladesh did everything right in the first half of their opening one-day international against India on Sunday. After a string of poor batting displays earlier in the year, the hosts reunited and put up an impressive 272 but the end result is what remained elusive from the Tigers.

Led by a new skipper Suresh Raina and filled with new faces, India cruised to the target with D/L also playing a

small part in their comprehensive seven-wicket win.

However, the defeat should not demoralise Mushfiqur Rahim and his troops, rather their batting performance should lift their spirit going into the second of the three-match series at the Sher-e-Bangla National stadium today.

Tamim Iqbal’s form at the top is alarming and though he is still the No. 1 choice for the opener slot, it will be interesting to see how long he takes to return to his natural being. His 11-ball duck in the series opener made

him the third Bangladeshi with most ducks (13).

22-year-old Mominul Haque, who is rated one of the most technically sound batsman in the Tigers line up, also looked rusty during his brief innings, and there’s a slight possibility he will make way for wicketkeeper Mohammad Mithun who can play as a specialist batsman.

Apart from that the bowling unit might also see a change in Taskin Ahmed replacing Al Amin Hossain.

Teenager Taskin, who impressed in the World Twenty20, is considered the fu-

ture of the Bangladesh pace attack and it is likely he will make his ODI debut today.

Mahmudullah, who has been under the microscope for his inclusion in the side, played a crucial role with the bat which must have been a relieve for his skipper while Nasir Hossain also showed glimpse of returning to form.

Meanwhile, Raina would be a pleased captain with the result of the first ODI. Robin Uthappa, returning to the side after six years on the back of a shiny IPL-7 season where he finished top

scorer, maintained his steady run with the bat and he will be looking to continue the momentum and put a strong case of being selected for India’s upcoming tour to England.

India are unlikely to tinker with their playing XI, but given the humid weather the Indian think tank might opt to rest Mohit Sharma who struggled to cope with the heat on Sunday.

Rain delayed the match by two and a half hours on Sunday. With the forecast suggesting a thunderstorm in the evening, weather remains to be a major concern for both teams. l

Eto’o could be out for rest of the World Cup

Schumacher emerges from coma

n

Formula One champion Michael Schumacher was transferred from a French hospital to a facility in Switzerland on Monday after emerging from a coma following his devastating ski accident in December.

In a surprise announcement, the retired German racing star’s spokeswoman Sabine Kehm said he had left hospital in the French Alpine city of Grenoble, where he had been treated since December 29 when he slammed his head on a rock while skiing with his son and friends.

The 45-year-old was transferred to a hospital in the Swiss city of Lausanne where he will be undergoing further treatment, hospital spokesman Darcy Christen told AFP. Stressing the hospital’s commitment to privacy, Christen said Schumacher’s

Cameroon captain Samuel Eto’o will miss Wednesday’s match against Croatia and may play no further part in the World Cup because of his on-going knee injury, both he and team officials said on Monday.

The four-time African Footballer of the Year tweeted he was out of the next Group A match against Croatia in Manaus.

“The doctors confirm! I would probably not be able to play the match vs Croatia on Wed, june18th due to an injury on my knee causing me pain,” he said on his account @setoo9.

“Eto’o has been told by the doctors he cannot play for the next 10 days,” said

the team’s media spokesman Laurence Fotso, adding an extra prognosis.

If out for 10 days, it would also mean him missing their final group game against hosts Brazil in Brasilia next Monday.

Eto’o has battled with the knee problem from the end of the English league season with Chelsea.

“For three and a half months, I have not had the time to recover. You could see that even in the build-up to the World Cup I hadn’t had a lot of practice until the friendly against Germany,” he told Cameroon state television on Sunday.

“During the match against Mexico, I tried but after consulting the medical staff we realised that I needed a rest.

Even in the ninth minute, I felt pain,” he said of Friday’s opening loss at the tournament to Mexico. l

n

family was with him “in a space created especially to ensure their intimacy and to ensure the best possible care.”

Schumacher, his wife Corinna and two children live in Switzerland in the small town of Gland. While news of his accident in the French skiing resort of Meribel attracted throngs of global media to the Grenoble hospital, his departure Monday morning was very discreet and no press conference was scheduled to further brief the media.

In a statement, the seven-time world champion’s spokeswoman Kehm said his family wanted to “thank all his treating doctors, nurses and therapists in Grenoble as well as the first aiders at the place of the accident, who did an excellent job in those first months.”

“For the future we ask for understanding that his further rehabilitation will take place away from the public eye,” she said. l

Bangladesh fast bowler Al Amin Hossain thinks their batsmen need to be more concrete in facing the opponent bowlers in the initial overs.

Bangladesh lost the opening game of the three-match series against India via D/L despite scoring 272 runs and Al Amin pointed the difference in the aggression between the home side batsmen and the visitors. Openers Tamim Iqbal and Anamul Haque struggled to handle the Indian pace attack while Robin Uthappa and Ajinkya Rahane dominated the Tigers attack with ease.

“They (Indian batsmen) charged us (Bangladesh bowlers) whenever we delivered a good bowl. This helps a batsman gain confidence and put pressure on the bowler and when a batsman plays slow, the bowler starts charging and it becomes easy to take down a wicket,” said Al Amin to the media at Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium yesterday.

“Whenever me or Mashrafe (bin Mortaza) delivered a good delivery in the game yesterday (Sunday), their batsmen tried for a boundary in the very next ball,” he added.

The seven-wicket defeat, however, is not the end of the series and with two matches remaining, the 24-yearold said they are determined to bounce back in the second ODI today. l

Sri Lanka survive dramatic session to save first Test England and Sri Lanka drew the first Test at Lord’s in dramatic fashion on Monday to leave their two-match series all square at 0-0.

Sri Lanka, set 390 to win after England captain Alastair Cook declared before play on Monday’s fifth and final day, were left clinging on at 201 for nine come the close.

BRIEF SCORE

Sri Lanka 453 & 201-9 (K. Sangakkara 61; K. Silva 57; J Anderson 4-25) England 575-9 dec & 267-8 dec G Ballance 104; Herath 4-95 Match Draw Last man Nuwan Pradeep survived the final five balls of the match from Stuart Broad, including the penultimate delivery where he was given out lbw

by Australian umpire Paul Reiffel only to successfully challenge the decision after replays confirmed an inside edge.

James Anderson led England’s attack with a remarkable return of four wickets for 25 runs in 19 overs but it wasn’t quite enough to secure a stunning win.

England piled up 575 for nine declared on the back of Joe Root’s unbeaten 200 not out – his maiden Test double century.

Sri Lanka, however, responded with 453 featuring Sangakkara’s 147 and captain Mathews’s 102 – both batsmen scoring their first hundred in a Lord’s Test.

England slumped to 121 for six in their second innings before Gary Ballance’s 104 not out, the Yorkshire batsman’s maiden Test century, took the side to 267 fot eight declared.l

Handball hopes and dreams n A group of boys, all under 15 years old, either hail from under-privileged families or belong to the lower-income sections of the society in Gopalganj, a district comprising a little over 1.1m inhabitants. They all study in Moulavi Abdul Hai Memorial School, Gopalganj and some of them never traveled outside their district, let alone making a sojourn in Dhaka, the capital city.

That they have already made trips to Spain, Germany, Denmark and Sweden might be a thing of wonder but it was only possible due to Bangla Club, a local sports body established in 2009.

Coincidentally, the president of Bangla Club, Ali Azam, also happens to be the person who founded the Moulavi Abdul Hai Memorial School in Gopalganj and the youngsters, all talented handball players, do not have to pay a single buck from their pockets for the purpose of studying or for traveling abroad to take part in youth handball tournaments. All are managed by Bangla Club and different other sponsors.

Like the Bangladesh handball team, the Bangla Club handball side also takes part in friendlies and different tournaments

at home and abroad throughout a year.

The only difference is that Bangla Club continuously strives to improve the young players and places more emphasis on youth. Thus, the national side’s future prospects are also enhanced in the process as more players are added to the pipeline.

The Bangla Club handball side is coached

by Mobassher Salam Mukti and Abdullah Parvez Munna performs his duties as the manager.

The two most important tournaments the team plays in are the Premier League in Bangladesh and the Partille Cup in Sweden, the largest youth handball competition in the world.

The Partille Cup was held for the first time in 1970 and over the years saw its interest grow at the rate of knots. In the last year, in the tournament’s 45th consecutive edition, 1,120 teams from 44 nations took part with more than 20,000 participants.

Every year, interest surrounding the Partille Cup flourishes rapidly and this time, more than 1,200 teams from 60 countries will enter the competition, an increase of 80 teams and 16 countries in a single year.

The Bangla Club handball side’s appearance in the Partille Cup last year

The Bangla Club handball side pose for a group photo during their first Partille Cup participation in Sweden in 2009

COURTESY

saw them exiting in the quarterfinal stage, a laudable performance in itself. The side scored 120 goals and conceded 97 and were it not for the absence of one of their major players through injury before the quarterfinals, they could have easily progressed beyond the quarters.

The Bangla Club handball team left the country on June 12 for Spain where they will play a string of matches before heading to Sweden to take part in this year’s Partille Cup which is set to take place from June 30-July 5.

Following the handball side’s surge in performance and continued development, Bangla Club is now looking beyond handball.

“Besides handball, we are also trying to extend our boundaries. We want to be diversified that is why we desire to add cricket, football and volleyball to our programme. We also want to form a woman’s handball team next year,” Bangla Club owner Ali Azam told Dhaka Tribune on Tuesday.

“Like us, if more and more people come forward and take initiatives to improve our young boys in any field of sports, the future will only be bright,” said Azam. l

14

Sport DHAKA TRIBUNE Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Argentina’s forward and captain Lionel Messi celebrates scoring during their Group F match against Bosnia-Hercegovina at the Maracana Stadium in Rio De Janeiro on Sunday

AFP

Messi seals solid start for Argentina

Sabella wants more

Mahmood, from n Raihan Rio De Janeiro, Brazil

Argentina coach Alejandro Sabella urged his players to raise their game after seeing them labour to overcome Bosnia-Hercegovina 2-1 in their opening World Cup match in Rio de Janeiro.

One of the pre-tournament favourites, Argentina went ahead in the third minute thanks to a Sead Kolasinac own goal, but it took a glorious 65th-minute solo effort from Lionel Messi to give them breathing space.

Even then, an 85th-minute strike by substitute Vedad Ibisevic threatened to give Bosnia a path back into the game and there was relief in the Argentine ranks when the final whistle sounded.

“If we analyse the two halves, I’d give us six out of 10,” Sabella told a press conference after Sunday’s Group F encounter at the Maracana.

“We have to improve. Part of this improvement is my responsibility.”

After seeing his side toil in a 5-3-2 formation in the first half, Sabella reverted to a 4-3-3 system at half-time and sent on Gonzalo Higuain and Fernando Gago.

A sudden spell of magic produced by none other than the mercurial Lionel Messi was enough to bring down the fortress of Bosnia Herzegovina as Argentina kicked off their Fifa World Cup campaign with a far from convincing 2-1 victory at the Maracana Stadium at Rio de Janeiro on Sunday.

The Argentine captain’s brilliant solo second half strike proved to be the ultimate difference when the fearsome attacking force comprising Sergio Aguero and Angel de Maria looked blunt in front of a spirited Bosnian defense.

Overall, it was not a performance that would have pleased Argentine mentor Alejandro Sabella as Argentina looked rusty in the first half with their 5-3-2 formation. The insertion of Gonzalo Higuain in place of Maxi Rodriguez in the second half saw

Messi coming behind the AgueroHiguain duo upfront which worked wonderfully for los albicelestes. As a result, it was a much better display from Argentian although the Balkans exerted their last drop of energy to restrict their opponents who enjoyed the formidable support of their loyal fans who constituted about ninety percent of the 74,837 official presence.

MATCH STATS Goals scored Total shots Shots on target Corners Offsides Fouls committed Yellow cards Red cards Ball possession

Argentina Bosnia 2 1 11 15 5 10 2 6 0 3 10 14 1 1 0 0 57 pct 43 pct

The match began on a dramatic note when Bosnian defender Kolasinac scored an own goal when the clock read two minutes eight seconds, beating the

previous unwanted record set by Paraguay’s Carlos Gamarra against England in 2006 who scored after 38 seconds.

Messi was in the thick of things when he supplied the left wing freekick which was flicked on by left-back Rojo before the ball came off defender Kolasinac and went into his own net before the defender could react. While ever vocal Argentine supporters continued to cheer for their team, it failed to disrupt the Bosnian defence in the first half who recovered well from that early set back and settled in well into the match.

Bosnia’s patient play meant they could produce a save in the 40th minute out of long-serving and Sabella’s trusted custodian Sergio Romero who spent the recently concluded season on the bench for Monaco. Romero saved Argentina with a superb reflex save in the 40th minute diving fully to his left to parry a Senad Lulic head to safety.

Bosnia had another half-chance in the 13th when a Pjanic through ball found Izet Hajrovic slipping through Argentina’s five-man defense but couldn’t beat goalkeeper Romero who rushed for-

Technology, French victory a win-win for football n Reuters Justice was done on all fronts in Porto Alegre on Sunday as goalline technology passed its first World Cup test with flying colours and French free-flowing football conquered the heavy-handed tactics of Honduras.

With France leading 1-0 in Group E thanks to Karim Benzema’s penalty just before halftime, the GoalControl system took centre stage three minutes into the second half.

Benzema’s shot cannoned off a post, came back across the face of goal before Honduran goalkeeper Noel Valladares inadvertently nudged the ball towards his own net.

To the naked eye it was almost impossible to tell if it had crossed the line. Adding to the confusion Benzema wheeled away in delight, while Valladares played on trying to convince Brazilian referee Sandro Ricci he had gathered the ball in time.

The system, which features 14 highspeed cameras located around the pitch, seven focusing on each goalmouth, confirmed to Ricci that the ball had crossed the line and he blew for a goal to put France 2-0 ahead.

Benzema went on to crack home another for France, giving the 1998 World Cup winners a comfortable 3-0 victory, but had the technology not been available it is unlikely the referee would

have been able to award the goal.

In 2012, FIFA President Sepp Blatter said it was “a historic day for international football” when England midfielder Frank Lampard ‘scored’ his “ghost goal” against Germany at the World Cup two

MATCH STATS Goals scored Total shots Shots on target Corners Offsides Fouls committed Yellow cards Red cards Ball possession

France Honduras 3 0 20 4 10 2 8 0 1 2 13 14 3 4 0 1 64 pct 36 pct

years earlier as it convinced him of the need for goalline technology.

While technology played its part in France’s win, ‘Les Bleus’ fully deserved the three points. Their pace, direct running and inventiveness was in stark contrast to the aggressive, confrontational approach of the Central Americans.

Coach Luis Fernando Suarez had called his side the “Cinderellas” of the World Cup but on Sunday it appeared the ‘ugly sisters’ had showed up as Honduras sought to prevent France from getting into a rhythm.

While there is a long way to go before France can exorcise the ghosts of their woeful 2010 campaign it was a positive first step in repairing their tarnished reputation. l

ward and dived in to clear the ball out of danger.

In the 52nd minute Senad Lulic cut through the left to lay the ball off to Izet Hajrovic who shot straight at Romero.

But the magical moment arrived in the 65th minute when the Maracana erupted like a volcano. The Argentine genius produced the magic he is famous for as he made a diagonal run from about 25 yards, played a lovely little one-two with Higuain before his composure, momentum and pace helped him to evade two Bosnia defenders easily on the way to rifling in an 18-yard sliding left-footed drive past the diving Begovic as the ball ricocheted off the inside of the post before landing into the net.

It was Messi’s first goal in the finals since scoring in Argentina’s 6-0 win over Serbia & Montenegro in 2006.

However, Bosnia caused a late anxiety for Argentina when Lulic slipped a pass through for Vedad Ibisevic to hit an innocuous looking low shot through Romero’s legs with six minutes left, but Sabella’s side held on to get their World Cup mission underway with a win. l

n AFP, Rio De Janeiro

The changes took Argentina back to the set-up they had used in qualifying and they proved effective, with Messi thriving amid the extra space and scoring following a one-two with Higuain.

“In the first half, we controlled Bosnia well, but we weren’t getting in behind. That’s what we managed to do in the second half. We got in behind more after Higuain and Gago came on and with Di Maria dropping deep. We were able to play our game, the one we’d played during the qualifiers.

“We played differently than usual in the first half, but it was my decision. In football, you need a balance between defence and attack. We had to give a bit more power to the attack.”

Messi in particular seemed to appreciate the switch and his goal carried all of his hallmarks -- a sudden burst of acceleration, a neat one-two, a sidestep that flummoxed two defenders, and an unerring low strike.

“Messi is the best player in the world and he doesn’t need much, but there’s always a context that can aid him a bit more,” added Sabella.

“Giving him more passes and then giving him better support makes him stronger.” l

Ronaldo looks to upstage Messi at WC n AFP, Rio De Janeiro

Cristiano Ronaldo gets the opportunity to upstage fellow superstar Lionel Messi.

Having dethroned Messi as World Footballer of the Year, Ronaldo, who has been battling a left knee injury, declared himself 100 percent fit to play in the Group G match in Salvador, comfortably the stand-out fixture of the day.

“I’d like to be 110 percent, but I am at 100 percent and ready to help the national team,” said the 29-year-old Real Madrid star.

“Obviously, I would like to play without pain, but in my entire career I have always had injuries and knocks to deal with, but I am ready to play.”

Three-time champions Germany beat Portugal 3-1 in the third place play-off at the 2006 World Cup, 3-2 in the 2008 European Championships quarter-finala and 1-0 in the first round of Euro 2012.

Other statistics weigh against Ronaldo as Germany have won all of their World Cup opening matches since 1990.

Elsewhere on Sunday, France made World Cup history by defeating Honduras 3-0 with the help of the first goal awarded through goal-line technology.

Karim Benzema’s strike early in the second half cannoned back off the inside of an upright across the goal at Porto Alegre’s Beira-Rio Stadium.

Honduras goalkeeper Noel Valladares’ tried to scoop it clear but the German-manufactured GoalControl goal-line technology system signalled the ball had crossed the line, prompting

Brazilian referee Sandro Ricci to whistle for a score.

There was a brief delay as Ricci consulted his fourth official while Honduras manager Luis Fernando Suarez angrily protested but Valladares’s own-goal stood.

“I think it is a good solution and the goal then counts,” said France coach Didier Deschamps.

The 48th-minute milestone was one of the talking points of a comfortable victory for France, whose other goals came from Real Madrid star Benzema.

France now face European rivals Switzerland in Salvador on Friday, a game which could decide who tops the group.

The Swiss snatched a dramatic lastgasp 2-1 win over Ecuador in Brasilia with Haris Seferovic netting in the fourth and final minute of injury time. l

Sport

15

DHAKA TRIBUNE Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Belgium’s young guns set to dazzle n Belgium’s vibrant young team are preparing to launch their World Cup campaign against Algeria on Tuesday with competition hotting up on the training pitch ahead of the Group H clash.

Seen as dark horses to lift the trophy, the richly talented squad is blessed with players such as Chelsea playmaker Eden Hazard, powerful striker Romelu Lukaku and Manchester City defender Vincent Kompany.

Belgium have not appeared at a major international championships since the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea but they impressed in qualifying and will fancy their chances of matching their semi-final showing in Mexico in 1986.

The sole survivor from their 2002 campaign is veteran defender Daniel van Buyten, who said there were some feisty tackles flying in during the team’s training sessions in the build-up to their match in Belo Horizonte.

“We usually train lightly before important matches so players hit their peak at the right time,” said the Bayern Munich player. “But the duels on the training pitch have become more full-blooded.”

“Every player should be ready. There are only 11 starting places and everybody wants to be in the line-up but the substitutes must be ready at any moment to make the difference.”

Coach Marc Wilmots can also call on young Manchester United sensation Adnan Januzaj and his club team-mate Marouane Fellaini as well as Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, outstanding while on loan at Atletico Madrid last season.

Lukaku, who only returned to training on Wednesday after suffering an ankle injury in a bruising friendly with Tunisia, will spearhead an attack miss-

FACT BOX Where: The Pantanal arena, Cuiaba Capacity: 42,968 When: Tuesday June 17, 18:00 local (2200 GMT/6 PM ET) Referee: TBC Probable teams Russia 1-Igor Akinfeev, 14-Vasili Berezutski, 4-Sergey Ignashevich, 22-Andrey Eshchenko, 3-Georgi Schennikov, 18-Yury Zhirkov, 19-Alexabder Samedov, 20-Victor Faizulin, 7-Igor Denisov, 17-Oleg Shatov, 9-Alexander Kokorin South Korea 21-Jung Sung-ryong, 13-Lee Yong, 3-Kwak Tae-hwi, 6-Kim Young-gwon, 22-Kim Chang-soo, 7-Ki Sung-yeung, 16-Han Kookyoung, 9-Lee Chung-yong, 14-Son Heungmin, 8-Koo Ja-cheol, 12-Park Chu-young.

Key Stats South Korea’s best finish at a World Cup was fourth place in 2002 on home soil. They became the first Asian side to reach the semi-finals after a run that saw them defeat Portugal, Italy and Spain before falling to Germany in the last four.

After the break up the Soviet Union, Russia have appeared at two World Cup finals, failing to make it out of the group stage in 1994 and 2002.

South Korea have won their last three World Cup openers, beating Poland 1-0 in 2002, Togo 2-1 in 2006 and Greece 2-1 in 2010.

Russia finished an impressive 2014 qualifying campaign top of a group that also included Portugal.

Previous meetings The only previous meeting between the teams was just before the draw for the World Cup finals, when Russia beat South Korea 2-1 in a November friendly in Dubai last year.

ing injured Aston Villa forward Christian Benteke.

Belgium, also grouped with Russia and South Korea, are expected to qualify for the knockout rounds with ease but Manchester City captain Kompany urged caution over their chances of unseating football’s superpowers.

“We have a young squad, it’s their first major tournament,” he said. “I think it’s a still a bit too early to dream of the summit. For overall victory it’s better waiting until 2016 and the Euros in France.”

V Belgium Belgium

Algeria Algeria

Estadio MineiraoBelo Horizonte (BRA) 17 Jun 2014 - 13:00 Local time (10:00 PM BST) Despite their impressive playing resources, Belgium will come up against a side looking to cause an upset of their own to go alongside their shock win over eventual finalists West Germany in 1982.

Despite that famous win, Algeria, taking part in their fourth World Cup, have never gone beyond the group stages.

Key players for the north African side include defender Madjid Bougherra, midfielders Sofiane Feghouli and Medhi Lacen, and forward Islam Slimani.

“We have a young group which has talent, but is lacking a bit of maturity,” said assistant coach Nourredine Kourichi. “Match after match this team is growing, you could see it (in friendlies) against Armenia, Slovenia and Romania ‘We know that the first match is important, not vital, but important especially for confidence. The group is lacking a bit of experience but they are fearless and they have one important weapon: speed.

“We’re going to try to trouble this Belgian team, we’re ready for it and we’ve done everything possible to prepare ourselves.” l

FACT BOX Where: The Mineirao stadium, Belo Horizonte Capacity: 58,259 When: Tuesday June 17, 1300 local (1600 GMT/1200 ET) Referee: To be announced.

Probable teams Belgium 1-Thibaut Courtois; 2-Toby Alderweireld; 5-Jan Vertonghen; 3-Thomas Vermaelen; 4-Vincent Kompany; 8-Marouane Fellaini; 10-Eden Hazard; 6-Axel Witsel; 7-Kevin De Bruyne; 20-Adnan Januzaj; 9-Romelu Lukaku.

Algeria 23-Rais Mbolhi; 22-Mehdi Mostefa; 3-Faouzi Ghoulam; 17-Liassine Cadamuro; 2-Madjid Bougherra; 12-Carl Medjani; 18-Abdelmoume Djabou; 14-Nabil Bentaleb; 19-Saphir Taider; 10-Sofiane Feghouli; 13-Islam Slimani.

Key stats Though only playing in their first finals since 2002, Belgium came to the tournament as bookmakers’ fifth favourites behind Brazil, Argentina, Germany and Spain.

The only Arab nation present in Brazil, Algeria have failed to score in their last five finals matches, a record they share with Bolivia. With 481 minutes played since Djamel Zidane netted their last goal in a 1-1 draw with Northern Ireland in 1986, the Algerians could surpass the all-time longest drought of 517 minutes, also established by Bolivia.

Exactly 60 years ago on 17 June 1954, Belgium played out the highest-scoring draw in World Cup history, 4-4 with England after extra time.

Algeria were the last African qualifiers, beating Burkina Faso 1-0 in the second leg of their play-off to advance on away goals after a 3-2 first-leg defeat.

Previous meetings The teams have played twice with Belgium winning once, the other a draw.

Last meeting Feb. 12 2003, Annaba, Algeria (friendly) Algeria 1 Belgium 3 Belgium’s midfielder Axel Witsel (front C) takes part in a team training session at the SESC Venda Nova in Belo Horizonte on Sunday AFP

Returning Russia face Korean test Chile clash ‘life or death’, n

Out-of-sorts South Korea face a Russia side desperate to prove a point in Cuiaba on Tuesday.

The Korean’s fortunes have nose dived since the heady days of 2002 when they turned the formbook on its head by becoming the first Asian side to make it through to the semi-finals.

But before reaching their eighth consecutive World Cup, they struggled in qualifying, squeaking home only on goal difference.

They also lost World Cup warm-ups to Tunisia, 1-0, and more worryingly a 4-0 drubbing by Ghana last week.

Coach Hong Myung-Bo is fretting over his Taeguk Warriors’ fate in Brazil, aware that defensive frailties will make the going tough for them in a Group H also containing favourites Belgium and Algeria.

Hong, 45, gained iconic status in Seoul after his side-footed penalty took Guus Hiddink’s side into the 2002 World Cup last four.

He insists that rather than regressing, the Korean team has made progress in

the last 12 years.

“The fact is that the quality of football in South Korea has developed a lot since 2002,” he declared.

The Koreans arrived in Cuiaba on Sunday, 24 hours before Russia.

And before a training session at a local university, defender Lee Yong took time out to forecast what lay in store for him and his colleagues.

V Russia

Korea

Arena PantanalCuiaba (BRA) 17 Jun 2014 - 18:00 Local time (4:00 AM BST) “It’s true the Russian team are quite technical and strong. Maybe the Russians are physically stronger than Asian sides like us but we are well prepared for this game, we’re focussed,” he told the hordes of Korean press.

Unlike the Koreans, who are part of recent World Cup history’s fixture and fittings, Russia make their return to the feast of football for the first time since 2002, when like in 1994 they failed to

make it out of the group stages.

Under Fabio Capello, who guided England to the last 16 in South Africa four years ago, Russia coasted through qualifying and in stark contrast to Tuesday’s opposition are unbeaten in 10 games.

They hold a psychological advantage going into the game at the Arena Pantanal as they saw off South Korea 2-1 in a friendly in Dubai last November.

Capello’s crew set off for Brazil missing one vital component of their assault on the World Cup -- captain, Roman Shirokov. The 27-year-old midfielder’s failure to recover from a knee ligament injury represented a serious blow to Capello’s plans, with Rubin Kazan’s Pavel Mogilevets stepping in to replace him.

Veteran defender Vasily Berezutskiy says the 2018 World Cup hosts are in Brazil to set the record straight.

“We have things to prove in this World Cup,” the CSKA Moscow player, who has 78 international caps to his name, said at the weekend.

“It’s been 12 years since Russia have participated in the World Cup so our objective is to play more than three games, try to qualify from our group and after that we will see.” l

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DAY’S WATCH Gazi TV, Star Sports 1 1:00PM India Tour of Bangladesh 2nd ODI BTV, Gazi TV, Maasranga TV 2014 FIFA World Cup 10:00PM Belgium v Algeria 1:00AM Brazil v Mexico 4:00AM Russia v Korea Republic Ten Cricket 7:45PM New Zealand Tour of West Indies 2nd Test Day 2

MOST LIKED PHOTO OF JUNE 16 SUHADHA AFRIN Occupation: Works at JAAGO Foundation Picture taken at JAAGO Head Office

For more info visit our FB event page ‘World Cup in Bangladesh’ Photography Contest

says Fabregas n

Spain’s next match against Chile is a matter of “life or death” for the holders’ World Cup chances, midfielder Cesc Fabregas said Sunday.

Fellow midfielder Xabi Alonso believes it was the world champions’ concentration rather than fatigue that betrayed them as they were hammered 5-1 by the Netherlands in their opening game.

Vicente del Bosque’s men now almost certainly need to win their remaining two matches against Chile and Australia to avoid the humiliation of joining

France and Italy as World Cup holders that crashed out at the group stage.

“In football every three or four days there is a game and the chance to put things right,” said Fabregas.

“This team has character and courage. It is one of the most difficult moments in the past few years, but I believe a lot in this team.”

“We know what we are playing for. It is not a unique thing in football, there are times when given the necessity to score goals or the way the opponent plays you are obliged to attack and be brave,” he said.

“We have players of very high quality and I don’t know why we can’t give a masterclass of football. l

16

DHAKA TRIBUNE

13 Disappointed Tigers look to bounce back

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

14 Messi seals solid start for Argentina

Sport

15 Belgium’s young guns set to dazzle

Mexico meeting stirs bad memories for Brazil n

FACT BOX Where: The Castelao arena Capacity: 60,348 When: Tuesday June 17, 1600 local (1900 GMT/1500 ET) Referee: Cuneyt Cakir (Turkey)

Brazil striker Hulk insists revenge is not on the agenda as the World Cup hosts bid to all but secure their place in the last 16 against rivals Mexico on Tuesday.

Mexico shattered Brazil’s dream of winning the only major prize missing from their honours list two years ago, when they stunned the South Americans 2-1 to claim the Olympic gold medal in London.

But Hulk insists there is no question of Brazil looking to settle a score as they face the Mexicans at Fortaleza’s Castelao Stadium.

Probable teams Brazil 12-Julio Cesar, 6-Marcelo, 3-Thiago Silva, 4-David Luiz, 2-Dani Alves, 8-Paulinho, 17Luiz Gustavo, 11-Oscar, 10-Neymar, 9-Fred, 7-Hulk.

Mexico 13-Guillermo Ochoa, 4-Rafael Marquez, 2-Francisco Javier Rodriguez, 15-Hector Moreno, 22-Paul Aguilar, 7-Miguel Layun, 23-Jose Juan Vazquez, 18-Andres Guardado, 6-Hector Herrera, 10-Giovani Dos Santos, 19-Oribe Peralta

V Brazil

Mexico

Key stats

Estadio CastelaoFortaleza (BRA) 17 Jun 2014 - 16:00 Local time (1:00 AM BST)

The two sides met the last time the World Cup was held in Brazil, 64 years ago. Brazil beat Mexico 4-0 in the opening match of the 1950 tournament.

The last encounter between the teams took place a year ago in the same stadium, when Brazil beat Mexico 2-0 in the Confederations Cup. Mexico have only beaten South American opponents once in the World Cup, in 2002, when they overcame Ecuador 2-1 in the group stages.

Brazil have won their last 10 matches dating back to last September.

It is the same venue where they met in the group stage of the Confederations Cup last year when Luiz Felipe Scolari’s side claimed a 2-0 victory.

That success means a measure of revenge has already been exacted, and forward Hulk insisted that Brazil will only have one thing on their minds come kick-off on Tuesday.

“In the Confederations Cup we tried to think only about winning the game and it will be the same this time. If we think about revenge it could cause us problems,” said the powerful forward, who scored in the Olympic final clash.

Nevertheless, the Olympic defeat left its mark on him, Thiago Silva, Marcelo, Oscar and Neymar, the five members of Brazil’s 2014 squad who featured at Wembley.

“Of course I was very sad. It is a medal that Brazil have never won and we lost the final. Mexico are a very good team. I just hope the Selecao, in the next Olympics (in Rio de Janeiro), can win gold,” said Oscar. l

Previous meetings The teams have played 38 times, with Brazil winning 22, Mexico 10 and six draws.

Last meeting June 19, 2013, Fortaleza, Brazil (Confederations Cup) - Brazil 2 Mexico 0 Brazilian Neymar (L) and team coach Luiz Felipe Scolari take part in a training session at the squad's Granja Comary training complex in Teresopolis, Brazil on Sunday AFP

Veron sees Messi as the key to success

from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Former Argentina and Manchester United playmaker Juan Sebastian Veron believes 2013 Fifa Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi will continue to thrust forward as expected and emulate Argentine legend Diego Maradona.

Veron, working as a commentator for Audio Canal 1, was present at the Main Press Center of the Maracana Stadium on Sunday and while he was there, we, the reporters made the most of it by asking his thoughts regarding the Albicelestes prodigy and their chances of winning the World Cup. “Messi has a door open in front of

him. He is the center of Argentina and all the hopes and expectations surround him,” said Veron who is currently working as the director of the Youth Academy of his former club Estudiantes.

“Coach Sabella’s plan also depends on him, now he (Messi) has to prove that he is the best. To reach the height of Maradona he requires a World Cup and he has the ability. I have heard a lot about Sabella’s formation but he is a versatile coach and prefers versatility,” said Veron, who at 39 still looks fit enough to put in a sliding challenge.

However, Veron also said holding on to the tempo will be crucial in this tournament. He was very surprised how the Spaniards were crushed by the Dutch and said, “I never even imagined it.”

“Spain started well but could not hold the tempo, Netherlands played in an incredible mode. It’s important to maintain the consistency in the World Cup. It’s a seven match tournament and the team which keeps the tempo on, will end up wining the trophy,” said Veron.

Veron’s professional career ended where he started from, at the La Plata club, while he played for European giants like Inter Milan, Lazio, Chelsea and Manchester United as a playmaker.

He continues to play for local amateur side Brandsen. l

Croatians impose press boycott over nude photos n

Hodgson tells Suarez to prove class at World Cup

Croatia’s players are refusing to talk to World Cup reporters after photos were published of them bathing nude in the team’s swimming pool, coach Niko Kovac said on Sunday.

Two photographers hid in the nearby bushes and took the pictures which were published by online media.

“I can’t force them to be at your disposal after what you have done to them and their families,” an angry Kovac told reporters in the team’s Praia do Forte training base.

“How would you feel if someone took naked pictures of you? I respect my players’ opinion and I also know that you have done a very professional job so far but you blew it with this one. The whole world has seen the photos.” l

n England boss Roy Hodgson raised the stakes ahead of Thursday’s potentially do-or-die World Cup clash against Uruguay by insisting that Luis Suarez has yet to prove he’s a world class striker.

The 27-year-old Liverpool star, voted Footballer of the Year for his Premier League performances, is set to return to the Uruguay team for the game in Sao Paulo after missing the 3-1 loss to Costa Rica with a knee injury.

But despite receiving generous plaudits for his 31 goals in England last season, Hodgson believes the jury is still out on the Suarez legacy.

“You can be a great player in your

league but to be recognised as one of the all-time greats you have got to do it at the World Cup,” said Hodgson.

“He has got the potential. He is a wonderful footballer.”

Like Copa America champions Uruguay, England were also losers in their Group D opener, downed 2-1 by Italy in steamy Manaus.

Those results have left both sides’ hopes of qualification on a knife-edge, but Hodgson doesn’t want his team to be distracted by the Suarez menace.

“If you are really going to put him up there with (Diego) Maradona, Pele, (Franz) Beckenbauer and (Johan) Cruyff and (Andrea) Pirlo, this is the stage you have got to do it on,” added Hodgson. l

Good morning insomnia Football made me a bad actor

n It is almost nine in the evening and I am on set for an Eid drama. Pretty normal fare in the life of an actor. Except that I am running on three hours of sleep and have been do-

ing so every day since the World Cup began.

“Don’t watch the games” could be your glib reply but then who would write articles complaining about sleep deprivation during the world’s greatest show. Seriously though, this has become a problem.

Normally I am good at prioritizing. Every day I will pick one or at most two games that are worth watching. I will either sleep, or doze in front of the TV during the rest. It’s a formula that has worked for all tournaments, except this one.

Take Sunday for example. Clearly the must watch game was the Argentina Bosnia one. And while Fajr and football are not two words I like to put in the same sentence, the plan was to get a good night’s rest and wake up with the muezzin for a dose of Messi magic.

The first mistake I made while executing this plan was to turn on the tv during

the Switzerland Ecuador game. Normally I would give a lot more meat to Ananta Jalil’s make up than a football match between these two nations. There was no way that this game was going to hold my attention.

How wrong I was. The game was frogging brilliant. End to end stuff. Classy clash of the continental styles with a late winner to boot.

Now with one game in the kitty I could have gone to bed. While Honduras has captured the hearts of all, it has been because they are who they are and not because they play the way the play.

France is a side I struggle to have sympathy for. Every tournament they enact political dramas that the best BCL office would be proud of. But the Equador and Switzerland game had me buzzing and the Hondurans are oh so lovable. So in the end I ended up going to bed at 7 in the morning with a strong commitment to act badly at 10.

Speaking of bad performance, Argentina needs to ties their laces tighter if they plan to justify the noise made by their fans in Golachipa. They either need to pick Angel Di Maria, what a name for a tattooed millionaire (hail Bruce Dickinson), as their playmaker, or show a stronger commitment in central midfield. Otherwise a lot of people will get their heartbroken in Bhurungamari.

Meanwhile I need to figure out a way to sleep, watch football, and function like a semi-adult all at the same time. Funny is only fun when you are getting a paycheck and in my current form those will stop coming in soon.

And while everything in this world can legitimately be blamed on Sepp Blatter, and that has its own charm, I would rather eat my chow and enjoy the game at the same time. Call me greedy. Call me sleepy first and then call me greedy again. l

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B3 After oil, natural gas

may be next on North American rails

B4 China’s Li flies into UK

to talk trade, seal deals worth $30bn

Bangladesh signs biggest loan deal with JICA Five projects will be implemented with the $1.18bn loan

n Aminur Rahman Rasel The government has signed $1.18bn (1,209.86bn Japanese Yen) concessional loan deals with Japan for five development projects including a 1,200 megawatt coal-based power plant.

This is the largest ever loan deal between Bangladesh and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

The biggest loan deal comes after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s recent visit to Japan.

The rate of interest of the Japanese financial package is 0.01% per annum which is payable in 40 years including a 10-year grace period.

Mohammad Mejbahuddin, Secretary of Economic Relations Division (ERD), and Mikio Hataeda, Chief Representative of JICA, have inked the deals yesterday in the city.

Finance Minister AMA Muhith, State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid, Acting Ambassador of Japan to Bangladesh Hirioki Minami and JICA President Akihiko Tanaka were present at the signing ceremony of 35th of JICA. The projects include construction of 1200MW coal-fired plant at Matar-

Telcos cash in on football fiesta n Muhammad Zahidul Islam Mobile phone operators are celebrating FIFA World Cup 2014 with different offers being made to the customers, in a bid to boost their business capitalising on the seasonal football fever.

The offers include bonuses, discounts, packages, and carnivals to be held during the football extravaganza.

Local mobile applications have also been launched on the occasion.

Among the operators, Citycell leads in making World Cup offers. The private operator has offered new routers labeled with flag colours of different participating countries.

It also offers discounts on different data packages.

Grameenphone offers 100% bonus on recharges plus dinner at a five star hotel.

Airtel, another private mobile phone company, has introduced a football prize offer as a part of its business boosting efforts cashing in on football enthusiasm.

It has adopted a slogan “Always football action” and offers FIFA World Cup 2014 theme song’s video as wakeup alert before matches and news alert.

“We are constantly pushing the threshold of innovation and redefining ourselves to stay relevant in a rapidly changing environment,” said Rajnish Kaul, chief operating officer of Airtel.

“To stay abreast of the world and customers’ satisfaction and need, Airtel has introduced football pack for its valued customers to enjoy the World Cup,” he added.

Banglalink, another private operator, has come up with “football fiesta.”

This is the first programme of its kind during the football world cup celebration in Bangladesh.

Under the “fiesta,” the mobile company organised a football carnival celebrating the opening match on 12 June. It was held at Brazil Churrasco, a restaurant in Gulshan, Dhaka.

A number of 100 winners of Facebook quiz competition were given entry pass to the football carnival. The quiz was organised on the Banglalink’s Facebook page.

The operator has also launched the country’s first mobile application on football “Plaantik.”

The mobile company said the carnival will continue till the final match of the competition.

“World Cup changes the face of the whole world as the peoples come in unity and share the spirit of the game,” said Sharfuddin Ahmed Chowdhury, head of communication of Banglalink.

He said: “We are proud to organise such a multidimensional football carnival for the country’s football lovers.”

“This is a game that is meant to be enjoyed with people, and this carnival which is a first of its kind in Bangladesh will surely bring everyone together for the games.” l

bari in Maheshkhali, natural gas efficiency improvement, inclusive city governance, haor flood management and livelihood improvement and small and marginal sized farmers agricultural productivity improvement and diversification of financing.

Under the power plant project, line, access road, township development, port development etc will be constructed. The project will get $406.22m loan from JICA. The natural gas efficiency project is to improve efficient use and supply of natural gas by providing facilities for gas supply and efficient use of gas.

It will receive $231m as loan from JICA while inclusive city governance project will get $149.47m.

Inclusive city governance project is aimed at improving public services and promoting economic opportunities in five city corporations – Narayanganj, Comilla, Rangpur, Gazipur and Chittagong.

Small and marginal-sized farmers project will be given $97.20m. The project aims to increase agricultural productivity and diversity of the small and marginal-sized farmers.

Haor flood management project will be provided $149.47m. The objective

of the project is to reduce damage from flood, improve access to basic infrastructure and increase agriculture and fishery productivity.

The works under the project include rehabilitation and construction of flood management facilities and rural infrastructures and implementation of agriculture and fishery promotion activities in haor areas in upper Meghna basin.

Japanese ODA loan (also called Yen Loan) are long-term low interest rate loans advanced to the developing countries and have the liability of being paid back. Assistance can be given to major projects of developing countries that generate larger impact on the economic growth, environmental improvement and social development of the countries, which are indispensable for achieving MDGs. The obligation to repay Japanese ODA loans gives an opportunity to the recipient countries to develop an incentive to recover the investment cost as much as possible.

This encourages the countries to make efforts to ensure the sustainability of the development projects and leads to the attainment of the MDGs and their sustenance. l

TUESDAY, JUNE 17, 2014 www.dhakatribune.com/business

IMED study: Illegal power connections restrict system loss reduction n Tribune Report

Illegal unmetered connection aided by the influential people is one of the barriers to reduce electricity system loss as identified by the Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division (IMED) of the planning ministry.

In its report on Impact of Evaluation Study on 14 completed projects in the outgoing financial year, IMED mentioned that illegal unmetered connection and illegal meter by-pass under the behest of influential people are one of the causes for electricity system loss.

IMED secretary Suraiya Begum yesterday presented the report at a six-day workshop at NEC auditorium with Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal and State Minister for Finance MA Mannan attending.

According to the report, Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company Ltd (TGTDCL) drew up two action programmes – first in 1993-94 and second in 2001- to reduce system loss to 2%. But both the programmes failed before TGTDCL taking another initiative to bringing down the system loss to 2% by 2009-10.

The project started in July 2006 and was scheduled to be completed by 2010. But the deadline has been extended to June 2011.

For failure of reducing the system losses, the study also found other reasons, including low gas pressure, inaccuracy of the metering system and equipment and leakages in the distribution net work including customer service line.

To reduce system loss, it recommended replacement of the old distribution net work including customer service line after leak test, ensuring regular supply of gas with right pressure, reducing inaccuracy of billing system and stopping illegal intervention by influential people.

At the workshop, the IMED also presented impact evaluation studies for 14 completed projects in the financial year 2013-14. Of the projects, five projects have been evaluated by IMED’s own workforce and the rest nine by the out sourcing firms.

The IMED put forward number of recommendations to implement the projects efficiently and timely.

Planning Minister said projects under annual development programme should be evaluated accurately and scientifically for efficient implementation of the projects.

“We should bear in mind that it is public money by which the projects are implementing, so that we will not take such projects that breed wastage of money and time.” l

RMG export exceeds July-May target n Ibrahim Hossain Ovi

The country’s readymade garment industry has exceeded its export target by 2.11% or US$1.45bn in the first 11 months of the current fiscal year despite having several disturbances throughout the year, partial thanks to the ongoing World Cup Football 2014 in Brazil.

In July-May of 2013-14 FY, Bangladesh earned $22.17bn against the government export target of $21.7bn for the period. Knitwear export earnings outperformed the set target by 4.87%, while woven shortly failed to reach the target by 0.43%.

Meanwhile, the RMG sector has achieved nearly 92% export target for the current fiscal year of the government-set target of $24.14bn in the first 11 months.

Industry people opined that the overall readymade garment export growth had been largely driven by the increasing demands for World Cup-related wear items.

According to Bangladesh Knitwear Manufactures and Exporters Association (BKMEA), Bangladesh exported sports items worth $1bn on the occasion of FIFA World Cup 2014.

Sports items especially jersey products partly helped Bangladesh to enhance its export earnings as the apparel makers got orders from the buyers on the occasion of the world cup, Abdus Salam Murshedy, president of Exporters Association of Bangladesh (EAB), told the Dhaka Tribune.

RMG sector people had earlier feared that the country’s export earn-

Workers at a garment factory in Dhaka ings from this sector would see a major setback following the Rana Plaza disaster, but the export earnings ruled out their fears.

Bangladesh’s exports of readymade garments soared up by 14.83% to $22.17bn during the first eleven months of the ongoing fiscal against $19.31bn for the corresponding period of the previous fiscal, according to data released by the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB).

RAJIB DHAR

Woven exports increased by 13.46% year-on-year to $11.25bn during July-May 2013-14 period, while knitwear exports soared by 16.28% to $10.91bn.

“All the credits should go to the entrepreneurs as they had maintained shipment at any cost even by using Airfreights, incurring losses in some cases, which, in fact, helped in enhancing the buyer’s overall confidence on the Bangladeshi entrepreneurs, said Salam, also former president of Ban-

Forex reserve crosses $21bn mark n Tribune Report The country’s foreign exchange reserve has crossed $21bn yesterday thanks to increased inflow of foreign funds mainly due to the local currency’s becoming stronger against dollar.

It would be enough to meet as many as seven months of import payments as it reached the new high in only two months from $20bn-mark as of April 10. The reserve was $18bn in December last year.

Despite slow growth in foreign remittance and imports accelerating lately ahead of Ramadan, the forex reserve reached the new high due to allowing short-term foreign financing in the private sector, said a senior executive of Bangladesh Bank.

Private sector loans in foreign exchange from Bangladesh Bank fund also contributed to build the reserve, he said.

The central bank measures to maintain a stable exchange rate of taka against US dollars and stimulus to exporters, including expansion of the export development fund, helped the

reserve rise to this level, said Bangladesh Bank Executive Director Mahfuzur Rahman.

The foreign direct investment and private borrowing from external sources were also among the major factors “The foreign direct investment and private borrowing from external sources were also among the major factors,” he said.

Remittance inflow continued to decline in May, following the previous month due to fall in manpower export in Middle East from where country receives highest remittance.

The country received $1.20bn remittance in May, marking a decline

from the previous month’s $1.23bn, according to the Bangladesh Bank data released recently.

The remittance inflow had dropped by 4.3% in April from $1.27bn in the previous month.

The total remittance inflow in 10 months (July to April) of current fiscal year decreased by around 5% to $11.72bn compared to $12.31bn in the same period of the previous fiscal year.

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 (yearon-year).

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 due to the increase in food and capital machinery imports. l

gladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA).

He also urged the government to provide utility services on priority basis to the factory owners to retain the growth and to provide more jobs to the jobless workers.

In the previous years, RMG sector contributed 79% to 80% of the total export, which accounted to 81% of total $27.37bn during the eleven-month period beginning from July 1, 2013. l

Naoyuki Shinohara

IMF executive to arrive in Dhaka on July 1 n Asif Showkat Kallol

Deputy Managing Director of International Monetary Fund (IMF) Naoyuki Shinohara, who had earlier canceled his scheduled visit to Bangladesh due to political unrest, will arrive in Dhaka on July 1.

According to finance division officials, Bangladesh government will discuss about a new credit line during the meeting with him as the existing Extended Credit Facility (ECF) programme will come to an end next year.

Shinohara is scheduled to hold meetings with Finance Minister AMA Muhith and Bangladesh Bank Governor Atiur Rahman to discuss conditions tied with the IMF’s ECF loan, before releasing the sixth tranche of the credit, said another official of the finance division.

The IMF executive is also scheduled to pay a courtesy call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on July 2.

“IMF has no track record to give a new loan immediately after the expiry of a credit programme, but we are hopeful that the government will successfully complete the existing ECF by next year to get a fresh loan,’’ said an official.

Before placing the proposed budget in parliament, Finance Minister AMA Muhith had earlier said: “We are looking for another credit from the IMF after completion of the existing ECF loan, which will continue till middle of 2015.

The last two ECF installments would not be delayed as the government will receive the fifth installments from the multilateral lender, it approved US$141m instalment at its board end of May, he also said.

In 2007-08, the IMF had provided Bangladesh with a fund support under its Poverty Reduction Growth Facility (PRGF) programme to help the export sector face the challenges of global recession.

IMF had approved a three-year ECF loan of $975.9 in April 2012 now being disbursed in seven installments.

The third tranche of ECF fund will be above US$100m.

The fifth installment of US$141m was released last month. l

IDRA cancels PLI MD appointment n Tribune Report

Insurance Development and Regulation Authority (IDRA) has withdrawn its earlier approval letter for appointing Sayed Tanvir Alam as managing director (MD) of Progressive Life Insurance as the company concealed necessary information about him.

The regulator decided to cancel the approval as an investigation found the authenticity of concealing the necessary information needed for appoint-

ing a company MD, said an IDRA statement issued yesterday.

IDRA conducted an inquiry against an allegation that the approval was taken hiding academic and professional qualifications of Sayed Tanvir Alam.

Following an investigation report, the authority sent the withdrawal letter to the Progressive Life Insurance on June 12.

On February 24, IDRA had earlier issued the approval letter to appoint Tanvir Alam as Managing Director of Progressive Life Insurance Company. l

B2

DHAKA TRIBUNE

3,193.61 66,486,510

Number of Contract

ly gains, market ended in red flat note. Market observed a correctional trading session which was not visible in the index, it said.

“Investors might have reiterated their preference for domestic cyclical stocks including banks, infrastructure materials and cement stocks.”

IDLC Investments said morning hype couldn’t step up further, ahead of intense selling from diverse investment clienteles. “Consequently, the bourse ended flat with marginal losses,” it said.

A number of news related to infrastructure development, like Dhaka-Chittagong four-lane highway, Padma Bridge and 67% ADP utilisation in 11 months of FY201314 influenced investors much, according to the IDLC. Resultantly, some specific scrips moved up the related sectors. Aftermath, cement gained by 4.74% while engineering led in sectoral turnover ladder, capturing 16.31% of total trade.

BSRM Steel was the most traded stocks removing Grameenphone (GP) that remained top turnover leader over the weeks.

GP came second, followed by Lafarge Surma Cement, Square Pharmaceuticals, Heidelberg Cement, Mobil Jamuna Bangladesh Ltd and Peninsula. l

Stocks closed flat yesterday amid dull trading, as risk-averse investors opted for quick profits.

The market opened on a happy note but late profit-booking selling pressure mainly on energy, textile, financial institutions, insurers and telecommunication erased early gains.

After rising almost 40 points, the benchmark index DSEX dropped almost 2 points to settle at 4,358, extending its losing streak for the third consecutive session.

The comprising blue chips DS30 witnessed fractional losses of 0.4 points to 1,618. However, the Shariah Index DSES closed at 1,009 with a marginal rise of 2 points or 0.3%.

Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) Selective Categories Index, CSCX, lost 19 points to 8,290.

Trading activities still remained poor as turnover at the DSE hovered around Tk300 crore. It stood at Tk320 crore, which was only 1.7% higher over the previous session.

Almost all the major sectors ended in red except banks that gained 0.7% after remaining under pressure for long. Five banks featured in the top ten gainers list.

Lanka Bangla Securities said after giving away most of its ear-

Company

Turnover (Million Taka) Turnover (Volume)

84,516

Traded Issues

293

Issue Gain (Avg. Price Basis)

63

Issue Loss (Avg. Price Basis)

224

Unchanged Issue (Avg. Price Basis)

6

Market Capital Equity (Billion. Tk.)

2,273.74

Market Capital Equity (Billion US$)

27.56

CSE key features June 16, 2014 Turnover (Million Taka)

228.75

Turnover (Volume)

Daily capital market highlights

6,068,642

Number of Contract

11,172

DSE Broad Index :

4358.75472

(-) 0.06%

▼

Traded Issues

212

DSE Shariah Index :

1009.79574

(+) 0.21%

▲

Issue Gain (Avg. Price Basis)

45

DSE - 30 Index :

1617.85615

(-) 0.02%

▼

Issue Loss (Avg. Price Basis)

161

CSE All Share Index:

13482.01490

(+) 0.07%

▲

Unchanged Issue (Avg. Price Basis)

5

CSE - 30 Index :

11035.25720

(+) 0.47%

▲

Market Capital Equity (Billion. Tk.)

2,196.00

8290.69130

(-) 0.23%

▼

Market Capital Equity (Billion US$)

26.62

CSE Selected Index : DSE LOSERS

Sandhani Life -A Central Insur -A Beximco Syn.-Z Progressive Life-A Wata Chemicals -A Legacy Footwear -A Shinepukur Cera-Z BD Fixed Income MF-A

-8.42 -8.33 -6.93 -5.98 -5.61 -5.58 -5.26 -5.00

Average (% change) -5.88 -5.85 -6.89 -5.98 -11.03 -4.08 -2.92 4.27

Al-Haj Textile -A AIBL 1st Is. M. F.-A

-4.99 -4.84

-1.25 4.23

Company

Closing (% change)

CSE LOSERS

Takaful Islami Insu-A Wata Chemicals -A Central Insur -A The Ibn SinaA Beximco Syn.-Z National Life I -A Sandhani Life -A Meghna Life Ins. -A

-9.39 -8.62 -8.21 -7.69 -6.00 -5.79 -5.63 -5.58

Average (% change) -9.33 -8.72 -8.14 -9.42 -6.13 -5.81 -6.16 -5.95

Apex SpinningA Bata Shoe Ltd. -A

-5.33 -5.04

-5.33 -5.04

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 363.78 71.26 42.13 521.45 122.19 270.61 2.13 356.74 374.74 0.24 70.92 66.10 6.64 323.47 14.25 26.02 72.21 289.21 122.10 77.07 0.36

Turnover in million

Daily low

Latest EPS

Latest PE

75.94 23.83 9.59 114.71 268.17 24.19 10.99 7.57

74.00 23.10 9.40 114.70 264.10 23.70 10.80 7.60

82.00 24.80 10.10 116.10 290.00 25.10 11.40 7.60

73.30 23.00 9.10 114.00 255.80 23.60 10.70 7.30

4.084 1.082 1.454 1.606 13.277 1.173 1.560 0.004

2.39 3.64 0.76 2.30 6.24 0.20 0.64 0.56

31.8 6.5 12.6 49.9 43.0 121.0 17.2 13.5

181.96 6.41

177.00 5.90

191.50 6.60

168.90 5.70

69.459 2.530

2.00 1.49

91.0 4.3

Closing average

Closing

Daily high

Turnover in million

Daily low

Latest EPS

LafargeS Cement-Z AB Bank - A Brac Bank -A Rupali Bank - A HeidelbergCement -A ICB Islamic Bank-Z Kohinoor Chem -A BSRM Steels-A Southeast Bank-A 2nd ICB M F -A

28.00 271.50 24.60 96.00 9.40 330.10 75.50 110.00

28.00 271.50 25.00 96.00 9.90 330.10 79.90 110.00

28.00 271.30 24.20 96.00 9.30 330.00 74.00 109.50

0.056 0.217 0.098 0.010 0.305 0.099 0.026 0.060

1.76 6.24 3.64 3.12 0.76 12.46 2.39 6.45

15.9 43.5 6.8 30.8 12.5 26.5 31.4 17.0

80.00 948.67

80.00 948.70

80.00 955.00

80.00 945.00

0.048 0.285

1.85 48.12

43.2 19.7

Investors might have reiterated their preference for domestic cyclical stocks including banks, infrastructure materials and cement stocks

% change 11.39 2.23 1.32 16.33 3.83 8.47 0.07 11.17 11.73 0.01 2.22 2.07 0.21 10.13 0.45 0.81 2.26 9.06 3.82 2.41 0.01

Million Taka 26.76 4.72 2.22 37.56 8.58 23.87 25.54 19.26 13.04 1.60 13.95 1.51 27.29 1.14 0.52 5.80 18.53 24.23 11.48 0.03

% change 10.00 1.76 0.83 14.03 3.21 8.92 0.00 9.54 7.20 4.87 0.60 5.21 0.56 10.20 0.43 0.19 2.17 6.92 9.05 4.29 0.01

Million Taka 390.55 75.98 44.35 559.01 130.77 294.48 2.13 382.28 394.01 13.28 72.52 80.04 8.14 350.77 15.40 26.54 78.01 307.73 146.33 88.55 0.39

Total

6.66 6.58 5.88 4.85 4.58 4.08 3.80 3.56 3.19 3.00

CSE GAINERS Company LafargeS Cement-Z AIBL 1st Is. M. F.-A Southeast Bank-A AB Bank - A Brac Bank -A HeidelbergCement -A IBBLMPB-A Rangpur Foundry -A BSRM Steels-A Intl. Leasing-B

Closing (% change) 6.92 6.78 5.41 5.37 5.08 4.59 4.46 4.00 3.66 3.45

Average (% change) 6.28 5.10 5.99 2.56 3.29 4.26 5.00 1.99 2.93 1.39 Average (% change) 6.36 6.63 3.29 3.74 6.17 3.59 4.45 4.00 2.21 1.87

Closing average 89.16 25.53 25.12 61.20 521.29 5.14 412.65 92.66 19.30 270.00

Closing average 89.15 6.27 19.14 25.25 24.78 519.48 935.86 104.00 92.84 11.97

Closing 89.70 25.90 25.20 62.70 528.00 5.10 414.70 93.20 19.40 274.30

Closing 89.60 6.30 19.50 25.50 24.80 525.90 936.00 104.00 93.40 12.00

Daily high 90.30 26.10 25.50 63.00 531.00 5.30 428.90 93.90 19.60 274.90

Daily high 90.20 6.40 19.50 25.90 25.70 529.00 940.00 104.00 94.00 12.10

Daily low 85.80 21.90 22.50 53.90 505.00 5.00 365.00 85.00 17.00 273.80

Daily low 86.40 6.00 18.80 24.00 24.00 509.20 930.00 104.00 90.00 11.70

Turnover in million 155.986 80.681 33.701 3.324 120.177 1.613 1.511 267.562 32.908 0.027

Turnover in million 18.900 0.085 0.748 7.626 1.752 5.351 0.033 0.208 17.960 0.233

Latest EPS 2.16 3.12 2.91 3.96 28.64 -1.12 9.37 4.72 3.04 33.24

Latest EPS 2.16 1.49 3.04 3.12 2.91 28.64 0.00 3.08 4.72 -1.28

Latest PE 41.3 8.2 8.6 15.5 18.2 -ve 44.0 19.6 6.3 8.1

Latest PE 41.3 4.2 6.3 8.1 8.5 18.1 33.8 19.7 -ve

News from trade server PREMIERBAN: 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 June 15, 2014.

Tung Hai Knitting & Dyeing Ltd.: All concerned are hereby informed that the IPO lottery program of Tung Hai Knitting & Dyeing Ltd. will be conducted on 19 June 2014 at 10:30 am at Seminer Hall of the Institution of Engineers Bangladesh(IEB), Ramna, Dhaka.

ISLAMIINS: Islami Insurance Bangladesh Ltd. has further informed that the 14th AGM of the Company will be held at 'Muktijoddho Smrity Milonayaton', Institution of Diploma Engineers, Bangladesh (IDEB), IDEB Bhaban, 160/A Kakrail VIP Road, Dhaka at 12:00 noon on 9 July 2014. Other information of AGM as announced earlier.

IPO Subscription: Far East Knitting & Dyeing Industries Limited subscription date 15-19 June 2014, NRB upto 28 June 2014. @ taka 27, face value taka 10 and market lot 200. Shurwid Industries Limited subscription date 08-12 June 2014, NRB upto 21 June 2014. @ taka 10, face value taka 10 and market lot 500.

DSE TURNOVER LEADERS Company BSRM Steels-A Grameenphone-A LafargeS Cement-Z Square Pharma -A HeidelbergCement -A MJL BD Ltd.-A The Peninsula CTG.-N

CSE

Closing (% change)

Saif Powertec Limited subscription date 06-10 July 2014, NRB upto 19 July 2014. @ taka 30, face value taka 10 and market lot 200. Ratanpur Steel Re-Rolling Mills Limited subscription date 13-17 July 2014, NRB upto 26 July 2014. @ taka 40, face value taka 10 and market lot 200.

Dividend/AGM DELTALIFE: 11% cash and 25% stock, AGM and EGM: 20.07.2014, Record date for AGM and EGM: 25.06.2014.

LAFSURCEML: 5% interim cash, Record date for entitlement of interim dividend: 30.06.2014.

ASIAINS: 15% cash and 5% stock, AGM: 16.07.2014, Record Date: 19.06.2014.

WATACHEM: 30% stock, AGM: 27.06.2014, Record Date: 11.06.2014.

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.

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.

MEGHNACEM: 15% cash, AGM: 29.05.2014, Record Date: 14.05.2014.

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.

BAYLEASING: 17% cash & 15% stock, AGM: 29.05.2014, RD: 12.05.2014.

Latest PE

28.00 271.35 24.60 96.00 9.49 330.07 75.07 109.95

SECTORAL TURNOVER SUMMARY Sector

Daily high

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

DSE GAINERS

DSE key features June 16, 2014

Stocks end flat with dull trading n Tribune Report

Stock

% change 11.28 2.20 1.28 16.15 3.78 8.51 0.06 11.04 11.38 0.38 2.10 2.31 0.24 10.13 0.44 0.77 2.25 8.89 4.23 2.56 0.01

Prepared exclusively for Dhaka Tribune by Business Information Automation Service Line (BIASL), on the basis of information collected from daily stock quotations and audited reports of the listed companies. High level of caution has been taken to collect and present the above information and data. The publisher will not take any responsibility if any body uses this information and data for his/her investment decision. For any query please email to biasl@bol-online.com or call 01552153562 or go to www.biasl.net

AB Bank - A Mithun Knitting -A Al-Haj Textile -A

Eastern Housing -A BD Submarine Cable-A Renata Ltd. -A Olympic Ind. -A Apex Footwear-A CSE TURNOVER LEADERS Company LafargeS Cement-Z

The Peninsula CTG.-N BSRM Steels-A Grameenphone-A BEXIMCO Ltd. -A Square Pharma -A MJL BD Ltd.-A Appollo Ispat CL -N AB Bank - A BD Submarine Cable-A HeidelbergCement -A Delta Life Insu. -A G Next Fashions-A UNITED AIR-A Meghna Petroleum -A

Volume shares 2,887,669 754,446 1,749,500 489,194 230,540 1,182,683 2,671,600 3,160,702 681,567 381,731

1,092,264 313,914 61,030 223,206 145,400

Volume shares

212,000 523,000 193,445 39,600 367,731 29,993 90,304 278,800 301,957 35,116 10,300 27,900 244,133 367,421 13,636

Value in million 267.56 232.31 155.99 138.48 120.18 104.29 95.35 80.68 76.13 69.46

67.36 56.89 51.78 49.12 49.04

Value in million

18.90 18.69 17.96 12.16 9.00 8.49 7.91 7.75 7.63 6.36 5.35 5.20 4.19 4.02 3.62

% of total turnover 8.38 7.27 4.88 4.34 3.76 3.27 2.99 2.53 2.38 2.17

2.11 1.78 1.62 1.54 1.54

% of total turnover

8.50 8.41 8.08 5.47 4.05 3.82 3.56 3.49 3.43 2.86 2.41 2.34 1.88 1.81 1.63

Daily closing 93.20 305.40 89.70 283.60 528.00 86.90 35.00 25.90 108.40 177.00

60.70 180.00 836.70 224.20 335.20

Daily closing

89.60 35.20 93.40 304.80 24.10 283.60 86.60 27.40 25.50 180.40 525.90 185.70 17.10 10.90 265.30

Price change 3.56 -0.81 6.66 1.36 4.58 -0.23 -4.63 6.58 -3.39 -4.99

Daily opening 90.00 307.90 84.10 279.80 504.90 87.10 36.70 24.30 112.20 186.30

Price change

Daily opening

-3.50 -0.61 -1.15 2.66 0.12

6.92 -3.83 3.66 -0.91 -3.60 1.43 -0.57 -1.44 5.37 -0.82 4.59 -1.49 -2.29 -1.80 -0.38

62.90 181.10 846.40 218.40 334.80

83.80 36.60 90.10 307.60 25.00 279.60 87.10 27.80 24.20 181.90 502.80 188.50 17.50 11.10 266.30

Daily high 93.90 312.00 90.30 284.50 531.00 89.50 37.50 26.10 116.00 191.50

63.70 183.70 850.00 224.90 341.00

Daily low 85.00 290.00 85.80 255.90 505.00 78.40 34.90 21.90 104.00 168.90

56.70 163.80 805.00 200.10 335.00

Daily average 92.66 307.92 89.16 283.08 521.29 88.18 35.69 25.53 111.69 181.96

Daily high

Daily low

Daily average

90.20 37.20 94.00 312.00 25.10 284.10 89.50 28.60 25.90 185.70 529.00 195.00 17.90 11.20 267.00

86.40 35.10 90.00 303.50 23.60 281.20 86.10 27.30 24.00 180.10 509.20 183.00 16.90 10.80 264.80

61.67 181.24 848.50 220.08 337.24

89.15 35.73 92.84 307.16 24.47 283.01 87.57 27.79 25.25 181.16 519.48 186.33 17.16 10.94 265.60

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Business

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

After oil, natural gas may be next on North American rails n Reuters, New York As politicians debate the dangers of a massive increase in oil carried by rail in North America, railroads and energy producers are considering the same for natural gas.

Buoyed by the unexpected success of crude by rail, companies are beginning to consider transporting natural gas as remote drilling frontiers emerge beyond the reach of pipelines, executives said.

Natural gas by rail is years away and likely to face strong public resistance after a series of explosive crude-by-rail accidents. But the potentially multibillion-dollar development could connect gas-rich regions like North Dakota with urban centers, presenting an opportunity for railroads, drillers and tank car makers already cashing in from hauling oil on trains.

It could also be a cure for environmentally unfriendly flaring, a growing problem in far-flung areas where more than $1bn of natural gas produced alongside oil is burned off each year for lack of processing plants or pipelines that can take years to build.

“Everyone is talking about moving gas by rail,” said David Demers, chief executive officer of Westport Innovations, which is developing technology for natural gas-powered locomotives.

“They see this as a large opportunity and have their pencils out to see how it could work.”

Demers said Berkshire Hathaway’s BNSF was one railroad considering the move.

BNSF declined to comment on its plans, but a spokeswoman said it would take time for any development of gas by rail.

Transporting gas by rail, most likely as cryogenic liquefied natural gas (LNG), faces obstacles. The technology is in its infancy, and so far no tank car is permitted to carry the fuel on U.S. rails. Nor are there enough plants that convert natural gas to LNG to support a robust gas-by-rail market, experts said.

More-volatile liquids like ethylene and propane already travel on the rails in growing volumes. But as concerns about the safety of crude by rail intensify, regulators are exercising extreme caution with uncertified fuels like LNG, said executives involved in developing the technology.

Crude prices rise in Asia on Iraq violence n AFP, Singapore Crude prices rose to nine-month highs in Asian trade yesterday as investors kept a wary eye on the worsening crisis in Iraq, where insurgents were advancing on the capital Baghdad.

US benchmark West Texas Intermediate for July delivery jumped 56 cents to $107.47 a barrel in afternoon trade, while Brent crude for August surged 62 cents to $113.08.

“Markets remain on high alert on developments in Iraq ... Investors are focused on Iraq and the potential for further (supply) disruptions,” Michael McCarthy, chief market strategist at CMC Markets in Sydney, told AFP. The militant offensive, spearheaded by the jihadist Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, has taken a huge swathe of predominantly Sunni Arab territory in northern Iraq since late yesterday, and was advancing on Baghdad amid grisly reports of atrocities.

The United States ordered an aircraft carrier into the Gulf on Saturday,

Irving Oil workers inspect rail cars carrying crude oil at the Irving Oil rail yard terminal in Saint John, New Brunswick Stressing that it is too early to say, many of the major Class 1 railroads that have embraced crude by rail declined to speak about specific plans for gas by rail. Calgary-based Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd, for example, was just “monitoring any discussions in this area,” a spokesman said.

Breitling Energy Corp CEO Chris Faulkner said he and other gas producers were discussing the idea, but his company was not considering it.

“I can only imagine the amount of pushback we’re going to have on transporting gas by rail,” Faulkner said. “The discussion isn’t about safety and fact, it’s about fear.”

But as railroads team up with companies like General Electric Co and Caterpillar Inc to develop technology to run locomotives on LNG, many say that hauling the fuel as cargo is the next step as a drilling revolution transforms North American energy markets.

'A lot of money'

LNG, natural gas cooled and shrunk to a liquid for shipping, already powers heavy-duty trucks and boats in the United States and Canada. A network of fueling stations is cropping up with

backing from the likes of Royal Dutch Shell Plc and Clean Energy Fuels Corp.

Small-scale refrigeration plants that can turn gas to LNG are being built in drilling regions to reduce gas flaring. In remote North Dakota, one-third of the gas produced is flared.

Now, gas by rail is emerging as a possibility. Energy producers have approached Jacksonville, Florida-based CSX Corp about moving LNG by rail, said Louis Renjel, vice president of strategic infrastructure initiatives, but the company has no plans to do so.

Westport Innovations has been approached about developing fuel systems for tank cars that would haul LNG as cargo, according to Paul Blomerus, director of the company’s high horsepower sector.

“They make a lot of money transporting oil, so it would make sense” to do the same with gas, Blomerus said.

BNSF is testing LNG-powered locomotives and million-dollar tank cars that would hold the fuel, the first step in a plan announced last year to wean trains off costly diesel.

Regulators and railroads last year established a task force to establish standards for LNG rail cars. A spokesman

REUTERS

for the US Federal Railroad Administration said there was no specified deadline for drafting actual rules.

Building these tank cars would be “a natural progression into hauling LNG, similar to what we do with crude oil,” said Ken Webster, chief accounting officer at Chart Industries Inc .

Outside North America, steps have already been taken. Chart is developing an LNG tank car in Germany in a joint venture with Hamburg-based manufacturer VTG Aktiengesellschaft.

Japan Petroleum Exploration Co began transporting LNG by train in 2000 by loading specially designed tanks onto railcars, supplying local distributors in regions beyond the reach of gas pipelines. The company says the trains have proven cheaper than trucks in supplying LNG.

Extra pressure

Crude by rail has been a lesson not just in how quickly a new transport can emerge but also in the dangers.

An unmanned train carrying crude oil from North Dakota’s Bakken region exploded and killed 47 people in the center of the Canadian town of Lac Megantic in July. l

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although US President Barack Obama ruled out sending troops back into combat.

The crisis has a direct bearing on crude prices because Iraq is the second-biggest oil exporter in the 12-nation Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) after kingpin Saudi Arabia.

Among OPEC members, Iraq ranks behind Saudi but ahead of Iran and Kuwait, and also has proven crude reserves of 140.3 billion barrels, and 3.158 trillion cubic metres of natural gas, according to cartel figures.

Washington condemned Sunday a “horrifying” massacre by militants said to have killed 1,700 Iraqi Shia air force recruits in the northern city of Tikrit. Photographs purportedly showing the executions were posted by militants online.

A roadside bombing in central Baghdad also killed at least nine people and wounded 23 on Sunday, according to security and medical officials. l

Yen firms in Asia on Iraq, Ukraine jitters n AFP, Tokyo The yen climbed against the dollar and euro in Asia yesterday as fears grow about violent unrest in Iraq and possible gas supply disruptions in Europe tied to the Ukraine crisis.

In Tokyo the dollar bought 101.73 yen compared with 102.04 yen in US trade Friday, while the euro slipped to 137.79 yen from 138.16 yen.

The European single currency was also at $1.3541 from $1.3538.

Investors are nervously tracking events in Iraq as Islamic militants sweep though the country, taking over key cities and moving towards Baghdad as US-trained Iraqi government forces crumble.

There are also fears Europe will be hit by gas supply disruptions after Ukraine failed to broker an 11th-hour deal with Russia in a feud that has stoked the worst East-West crisis since the Cold War. Ukraine hosted the talks hoping to keep an energy shortage from com-

pounding the new pro-Western leaders’ problems as they confront a two-month separatist insurgency threatening the survival of their ex-Soviet state.

The geopolitical jitters pushed traders into the yen, which tends to be bought as a safe-haven currency during times of turmoil and uncertainty.

Investors will be keenly watching a meeting of the Federal Reserve’s policy setting committee and fresh economic data, including US industrial production and housing starts, later in the week.

The US central bank is expected to further reduce its monthly asset-buying plan by another $10 billion as the world’s number one economy improves.

“The FOMC (Federal Open Market Committee) meeting on Wednesday will undoubtedly be the focus of the week ahead,” Credit Agricole said.

The dollar was mixed with other Asia-Pacific units, rising to Sg$1.2504 from Sg$1.2484 on Friday, to 1,019.59 South Korean won from 1,017.88 won and to 43.86 Philippine pesos 43.79 pesos. l

Etihad Airways announces new flight schedules to Bangladesh n Tribune Business Desk

One World Trade Center towers over lower Manhattan in New York

REUTERS

IMF cuts US growth outlook, says full employment years off n Reuters, Washington The International Monetary Fund cut its growth forecast for the United States on Monday and said the economy would not reach full employment until the end of 2017, allowing the Federal Reserve to bide its time before raising interest rates.

In its annual health check of the US economy, the IMF also urged the United States to boost the minimum wage, which is below most international standards, to fight poverty, which lingers above 15%.

The IMF forecast economic growth of 2% this year, below the 2.8% rate it predicted in April, due to a weak first quarter. It kept its 2015 forecast unchanged at 3%.

“Recent data ... suggest a meaningful rebound in activity is now underway and growth for the remainder of this year and 2015 should well exceed potential,” the IMF said.

Yet the country’s potential growth should only be around 2% going forward, below historical averages, as the population ages and productivity growth slows, it added “Given the substantial economic slack in the economy, there is a strong case to provide continued policy support,” the IMF said.

It said its forecasts show the US economy would only return to full employment by the end of 2017, with inflation remaining low, suggesting the Fed could keep rates at zero for longer than the middle of 2015.

The IMF urged the United States to increase spending on infrastructure and education and change parts of its tax system, including boosting the federal gasoline tax and reinstating the tax credit for research and development, to help spur growth.

In the future, the United States should also reform corporate taxes, introduce a carbon tax and move toward a federal value-added tax, the IMF said.

A greater reliance on growth-enhancing fiscal policies could allow the Fed to retreat more quickly from its extraordinary monetary stimulus, it added.

“This would be the best policy mix from an economic perspective but, regrettably, political agreement on such an approach remains elusive,” the IMF said.

The IMF warned that financial markets could be too complacent about possible volatility surrounding a future rate hike. Markets predict a narrow range of future policy rates, despite uncertainty about the amount of slack in the US labour market and the potential for wage and price inflation. l

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates has announced a rescheduling of flights to and from Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka for offering passengers improved connectivity to a number of destinations across the Gulf region and Europe.

As per the new schedule, effective 1 July, Etihad Airways flight EY253 from Dhaka to Abu Dhabi will now depart dai-

ly at 7.35pm local Dhaka time, and flight EY258 from Abu Dhabi to Dhaka will depart at 11.15am local Abu Dhabi time.

The new flight timings will allow easy, convenient connection opportunities to Etihad Airways destinations including New York, Berlin, Brussels, Dublin, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Geneva London, Manchester, Milan, Munich, New York, Paris, as well as to a number of destinations in the Middle East, Gulf region and Africa. l

Marico Bangladesh Ltd has announced the top 20 performers of Parachute Advansed Beliphool Stylish Hair of the Campus 2014 competition at a press conference held yesterday in Dhaka. Gazi TV’s vice chair Golam Mortuza and Marico Bangladesh Ltd’s managing director Aditya Shome were present among others

Square Textiles Ltd yesterday held its 19th annual general meeting at its factory premises in Gazipur, where the stakeholders approved the previously declared cash dividend of 20% and stock dividend of 10% for the year ended December 31, 2013. The meeting was presided over the company’s vice chair Ratna Patra

Bangladesh Bank has recently arranged a programme named “Bangladesh Bank Disaster Management and CSR Fund” in association with Bangladesh Krishi Bank with a view to provide financial assistance of Tk30,000 to 50 helpless families at Beledanga Village Tongipara in Gopalgonj Upazila. The central bank’s executive director M Mahfuzur Rahman handed over the cheques to the villagers of Beledanga

Grameenphone has inaugurated an experience centre at Jamuna Future Park Shopping Mall yesterday. The centre is a place where customers will find all GP products, services, campaigns, offers, solutions, smart devices and telecom technologies. The company’s CEO Vivek Sood, Md Nurul Islam, chair of Jamuna Group were present at the programme among others

NRB Bank recently signed an agreement with DESCO on collecting electricity bills in Dhaka. The bank’s MD and CEO Muklesur Rahman and Engr Md Shofiqul Islam, secretary of DESCO exchanged the documents after signing

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DHAKA TRIBUNE

Back Page

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Number of asset China’s Li flies into UK to talk trade, KPMG: managers to halve by 2030 n seal deals worth $30bn Reuters, London

Half of the firms in the global asset management industry will be gone by 2030 as new technology, demographic shifts and changing social habits transform the industry, consultants KPMG said in a report.

KPMG, which advises fund firms on a range of issues from technology to staffing, taxes and regulation, said many firms were outdated and at danger of being swallowed up by peers and new entrants including tech companies and retailers.

“We are on the verge of the biggest shake-up the industry has experienced; and the message to asset managers is clear – Adapt to change or your business won’t survive,” said Tom Brown, global head of investment management at KPMG. That will come amid a greater focus

n Reuters, London Chinese Premier Li Keqiang flew into Britain yesterday for the first time since taking office on a visit focused on moving the relationship beyond the political differences of the past and signing more than $30 billion of deals.

Britain’s relations with China took a nosedive in 2012 after Prime Minister David Cameron met the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan spiritual leader whom Beijing says is a separatist. Ties have recovered somewhat since, and Cameron visited China last year.

Tensions remain, however. Beijing warned London on the eve of Li’s visit not to lecture it on the subject if it wanted good economic ties, after Britain angered China in April when it criticized its human rights record in a report.

Britain is expected to take the opportunity to announce it is easing some visa restrictions on Chinese citizens, a longstanding request from Beijing which has complained current arrangements are overly lengthy, bureaucratic and opaque.

Li will hold talks with Cameron and will also meet the Queen. China’s ambassador to Britain on Friday robustly rejected local media reports that Beijing had threatened to cancel the trip if Li was not granted an audience.

In speeches to Chinese and British business people, as well as think tanks, Li is expected to make reassuring comments about slowing growth in China to try to shore up confidence in the world’s second biggest economy.

A Reuters poll in April forecast China’s economic growth could slow to 7.3% in the second quarter from a 18-month low of 7.4% in the previous quarter, with full-year growth of 7.3% in 2014, the weakest in 24 years.

Li has signaled some flexibility in achieving this year’s 7.5% growth target, but analysts say the government

on saving in the developed world and a growing ability to invest on the part of the middle classes in China, Mexico, India, Nigeria and other developing economies. The younger and more diverse client base would require new platforms and a greater focus in online and social media networks. As a result, there was a opportunity for new, techsavvy companies to enter the industry.

“Trusted brands that resonate and appeal to a more diverse client base, as well as the younger generation, may be able to build scale quickly,” said Brown.

“We could see the Apples, Googles or large retailers of the world becoming the next big powerhouses in investment management.

“As such, we expect to see mass consolidation in the industry and predict that within 15 years there will be half the number of players currently in the market.” l

EU ‘convinced’ Russia, Ukraine gas deal still possible n AFP, Brussels Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron (left) and China's Premier Li Keqiang shake hands following a signing ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing REUTERS needs to prevent growth from falling towards 7%, something that could fuel job losses and threaten social stability.

Deals

Boosting business between Britain and China is one of the visit’s main aims.

China views Britain as Europe’s most open economy and is keen for its firms to invest in nuclear and high-speed rail projects.

It also wants the government to ensure London’s Heathrow airport is expanded. Two large Chinese investment funds are expected to announce plans to plough’s new money into Britain

during the trip.

London wants to develop as an offshore yuan trading hub and there may also be deals related to that. China has said the visit should yield business deals worth a total value of over $30bn.

Ahead of the trip, Vice Commerce Minister Gao Yan said China’s investment in Britain had jumped from $840m in 2008 to $12.4bn in 2013.

“China is willing to import even more high-tech goods, services and products from Britain,” Gao said.

She said she hoped Britain would push Europe to lift curbs on exports of high-tech goods to China and said Bei-

jing wanted British help to explore an EU-China free trade deal.

Li arrived yesterday, but his main schedule is today and on Wednesday, after which he is due to fly to Greece for a June 19-21 visit. In Greece, Li is expected to focus on the debt-ridden country’s privatization programmer and the opportunities it offers Chinese firms.

He is likely to visit Piraeus port, which is being privatized and where China’s Cosco has been short-listed to buy a majority stake, and Crete, where Greece is seeking investment in a new major airport estimated to cost 1.5bn euros ($2.04bn). l

The European Commission said yesterday it was “convinced” a solution to a bitter Russia-Ukraine gas supply dispute was possible, after the latest round of EU-brokered talks finished without a deal in Kiev.

The Commission “is convinced that a solution is still possible and in the interest of all parties concerned (and) it will reflect on the next steps and on when to bring the parties together again,” a statement said.

With the Kiev talks failing, Russia warned it would cut off the gas later Monday unless Ukraine pays up-front for deliveries, a move likely to intensify the worst East-West crisis since the Cold War. A top official at Russian state-run giant Gazprom told AFP that the talks

failed to bridge differences over price and how much in outstanding payments Kiev owed Moscow.

For its part, the Commission, the European Union’s executive arm, said the EU Energy Commissioner Guenther Oettinger had put forward a compromise package in the hope of getting agreement.

This package would first require Ukraine to pay $1bn immediately yesterday, with the remainder of its unpaid bills settled by six additional payments.

All outstanding bills would be paid by year-end while future deliveries would be settled “on time” in line with the current Russia-Ukraine gas supply contract, it said.

The price would be put in a spread, between $385 per 1,000 cubic metres in the winter and $300, “or a few dollars more,” in the summer. l

China’s fine-tuning adds up to stimulus by stealth

Japanese cbank chief sticks his neck out, pressures PM Abe for action

n Reuters, Beijing

n Reuters, Tokyo

China’s piecemeal approach to loosening monetary policy this year may be discreet, but the cumulative effect is proving just as powerful as an outright cut in bank reserves.

Wary of being criticised for not doing enough to wean the world’s second-largest economy off its reliance on easy credit and heavy investment, authorities have ruled out major stimulus even as growth slowed to an 18-month low in the first quarter.

Instead, the People’s Bank of China (PBOC) has relied on four low-key adjustments that have added a total of 550bn yuan ($88bn) into the banking system, a calculation based on a Reuters poll and information from sources shows.

That is equivalent to an economywide 50 basis point cut in the reserve requirement ratio (RRR), the level of reserves that banks must hold, a splashier move which would also have released 550bn yuan in one stroke.

The four moves - two reductions in the RRR for selected banks and two big loans to commercial banks - are designed to direct cash to where its needed in the economy, and thwart speculative investment.

Characterising these changes as a “fine-tuning”, the central bank has been adamant that overall monetary policy has not changed and remains prudent.

“We need to take a holistic view about monetary easing,” said Wei Yao, an economist at Societe Generale in Hong Kong.

“The approach is called ‘fine-tuning’ because they did it bit by bit, but the accumulated impact is not small.”

More than meets the eye

Falls in the exchange rate and shortterm interest rates have further loosened monetary conditions.

The rolling monthly average for the benchmark short-term interest rate, the seven-day bond repurchase rate, has fallen 110 points since April, when the stimulus steps began, to 3.7%. And the yuan has fallen 2.5% this year.

Investment bank JPMorgan compiles a monetary conditions indicator that tracks the impact of changes in China’s credit growth, excess reserves, real exchange rate and one-year interest rates.

Liquidity has become more ample, said Zhu Haibin, an economist at the bank, with the indicator suggesting monetary conditions eased by about 20% in April from March.

Pump-priming?

The government has also made a number of fiscal policy announcements, including faster spending of budget funds, tax cuts for some industries, and infrastructure projects, but their imme-

diate impact is harder to quantify.

On April 2, the government began its stimulus by saying that it would speed up construction of rail lines and build 18% more railway tracks this year compared to 2013.

In May, authorities sent out an urgent instruction to local governments to ramp up spending and finalise 2014 budget allocations by the end of June or risk losing the funding.

The threat looks to be working. Government spending in May leapt 25% from a year earlier, with infrastructure investment jumping 16%.

Money spent on unspecified public works such as parks, the third-biggest expenditure item at 451bn yuan in the first five months of the year, bounded up by 22%.

But complicating matters is a sharp rise in outstanding fiscal deposits - or unspent government income - this year, up 19% at the end of April compared to the same time last year. This raises doubt over just how much fiscal pumppriming is really going on, said Xu Gao, an economist at Essence Securities.

For Stephen Green, an economist at Standard Chartered Bank, the changes in monetary conditions are enough to convince him policy is being eased.

“We started the year with seven-day repo rates at 5% and now it’s nearly at 3%. That’s fairly clearly loosening,” he said. l

Men hold up placards as they protests outside the 'OPEC' Headquarters during a meeting of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, 'OPEC' in Vienna, Austria on June 11. OPEC has agreed to maintain its oil production ceiling at 30 million barrels per day, Venezuelan Energy Minister Rafael Ramirez said on June 11 after the cartel met in Vienna AFP

Bank of Japan (BOJ) Governor Haruhiko Kuroda has a simple message for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe: It’s time to fire the ‘third arrow’ of reform or risk squandering the efforts of the past 18 months to revive the Japanese economy.

Kuroda, confident that the BOJ’s massive monetary stimulus is pulling Japan out of two decades of growthsapping deflation, is under no illusion that money-printing alone can underwrite a durable recovery.

A long-time critic of the BOJ’s past cautious approach to policy making, Kuroda’s bluntness has found a new target: Abe, who in 2013 hand-picked the Oxford-educated economist and former finance ministry mandarin to recharge the economy.

Specifically, Kuroda is pressing for reforms that the prime minister has promised in order to reverse the decline in prices which has crimped growth, profits, investment and consumption since the late 1990s, say sources familiar with his thinking.

He wants Abe to walk the talk.

Last month Kuroda strayed from central bank territory into the government’s remit, telling a Tokyo audience that to revive Japan’s “animal spirits”, the government must fix problems like labour shortages that are growing acute as the economy recovers.

A week later Kuroda stressed that it was critical to have “efforts beyond the realm of a central bank, like those undertaken by the government and companies” to ensure growth in the medium to long term.

Analysts say Kuroda’s unusual candour comes with risks.

“He can say these things now because the economy is on track,” said Koichi Haji, chief economist at NLI Research Institute. “But there’s always a risk it will backfire and put him under heat, particularly if inflation doesn’t reach 2%.”

The stakes are high. Abe’s “growth strategy” is expected to be unveiled around June 27.

Analysts say Kuroda’s comments were probably timed to influence discussions on the strategy, especially as supply constraints, including a shrinking workforce and weak productivity, have surfaced faster than the BOJ had anticipated.

If Abe’s package fails to rev up Japan’s paltry growth potential, the recovery may falter. Worse still, if financial markets lose faith that Tokyo will rein in the industrial world’s heaviest public debt burden, interest rates could

Bank of Japan (BOJ) Governor Haruhiko Kuroda attends a news conference at the BOJ headquarters in Tokyo REUTERS spike, wrecking the recovery and damaging the financial system.

From demand to supply

Japan’s economy has gained speed over the past year thanks to the first two arrows of rapid monetary expansion and fiscal stimulus, with inflation reaching the half-way mark of the BOJ’s goal of achieving 2% inflation next year.

The BOJ chief does not think his mission is accomplished yet, but people familiar with his thinking say he is already focusing on what happens after he hits his price goal.

There is no guarantee of success, but Kuroda’s push for the government to deregulate the economy may have come at an opportune time. Even some easy-money advocates close to Abe say the economy now needs reform more than stimulus.

“As things stand now, only prices are rising while the growth rate isn’t rising,” said a person close to the finance ministry.

“So we’re heading into a situation nobody wants, where wages don’t rise - only prices do. It’s natural for Mr Kuroda to stress the importance of the supply side.”

In Kuroda’s Tokyo speech last

DILBERT

month, he listed some economic challenges: enhancing productivity, bringing more women and elderly into the workforce, employing highly skilled foreigners and putting public finances on a sustainable footing.

These are precisely the kinds of policies Abe has promised to tackle with his ‘third arrow’ of reforms. On Friday, he unveiled a plan to cut the corporate tax rate below 30 percent, in stages, to spur growth.

Yet, outlines of the “third arrow” policies and drafts seen by Reuters offer only broad goals with few specifics. Previous reform proposals have disappointed investors as vague and ineffective.

Kuroda kept up the pressure, telling a news conference on Friday that the government has work to do. “The central bank ought to achieve price stability and the government a domestic demand-driven growth,” he said.

The issue assumes an urgency for the central bank chief as the ageing workforce shrinks and productivity ebbs.

“Simply ending deflation won’t guarantee Japan will return to the days of strong economic growth,” said Hideo Hayakawa, a former top BOJ economist who still commands attention in the central bank for his analysis. l