29 June 2014

Ashar 15, 1421 Shaaban 30, 1435 Regd. No. DA 6238 Vol 2, No 89

SUNDAY, JUNE 29, 2014 | www.dhakatribune.com | SECOND EDITION

20 pages | Price: Tk12

8 | DRONES GUARD US INTERESTS IN IRAQ

5 | WOMEN BUS SERVICE ‘NEGLIGIBLE’

Using US air assets to target the leaders of the Sunni-led insurgency is one of the options being prepared for President Barack Obama

WC SECOND STAGE MATCH SCHEDULE Jun 29, 2014

10pmNetherland vs Mexico Jun 30, 2014

2am Costa Rica vs Greece 2am France vs Nigeria

11 | BUSINESS WITH MEANING

Black money provision stays

B1 CHANGES IN TAX PROPOSAL The whitened money can also be used for purchasing land and residential apartments during FY2014-15.

Finance Minister AMA Muhith has said multiple times before and after announcing the proposed budget earlier this month that the provision is no good as it never lived up to the revenue expectations.

Undisclosed money stands for the money, wealth or property that individuals and organisations have not included in their tax returns. The idea is that the government will not grill anyone if they took advantage of the provision.

However, as economists understand, the same does not apply to black

or criminal activities.

According to the budgetary provision, black money can be whitened in the same fashion, but that does not guarantee indemnity from law.

During the passage of the Finance Bill 2014 in parliament yesterday, Muhith, who was strongly against it only a few days ago, said the provision was necessary for maintaining a balance in the taxation system.

According to a 2011 study endorsed by the Finance Ministry, black money accounted for 62.75% of the total GDP of 2009. In 1973, black money accounted for only 7% of the then GDP. Mostafizur Rahman, executive director of the Centre for Policy Dialogue, told the Dhaka Tribune: “The GDP may have accommodated a major portion of the said amount of black money. Only that generated from activities such as illegal arms trade, trafficking and smuggling, might have been left out.”

Economists have often hinted at a parallel economy in Bangladesh which is nearly equal in size to the mainstream economy. The income generated from that economy never gets registered in the official mechanisms, consistent with the concept of black money.  PAGE 2 COLUMN 5

2am Germany vs Algeria 2am Argentina vs Switzerland July 2, 2014

10pmBelgium vs United States

‘A group of Biharis tried to kill their own people’ n Tazlina Zamila Khan

Sanchez were denied by Cesar before Charles Aranguiz and Marcelo Diaz netted their respective spot-kicks. Jara missed the fifth and final shot hitting the right-hand post to send Chile crashing out of the World Cup. With just five minutes into the game, Chilean defender Eugenio Mena brought down Neymar with a scything

A group of Biharis allegedly made an attempt to kill their own community people by setting fire to a house at Mirpur Purbo Kurmitola Bihari camp in the early hours of yesterday.

Riaz Uddin Ahmed, senior vice-president of Bangladeshi Bihari Rehabilitation Assembly, Kurmitola Branch said: “Bhantu Chairman’s men Raju, Selim and four others locked the door of Feku’s house around 3:00 am and then tried to set fire to the house. The criminals confined Feku and two others in the house and tried to kill them by setting fire to the house.”

Later, the police went to the spot, broke the lock and rescued the victims, he added.

Jalaluddin Bhantu, chairperson of Kurmitola Relief Committee, was made the main accused in a case filed

by Riaz on June 12 with Pallabi police station over Bhantu’s illegal electricity business.

After filing the case, Bhantu’s men were issuing threat to Riaz and the community people as they raised voice against him, said Riaz.

Victim Fazlul Haque Feku told the Dhaka Tribune: “I was asleep at that time. My wife and sister-in-law were at the house. I don’t know why they were trying to kill us. Yesterday I filed a case with Pallabi police station in this connection.”

Neaz Ahmed Khan, chief patron of BBRA said: “Bhantu is now trying to kill us. He is issuing threat to withdraw the case.”

 PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

 PAGE 2 COLUMN 4

Study shows untapped income amounted to 62.75% of the GDP in 2009 money, which stands for money or n Syed Samiul Basher Anik wealth accumulated through unlawful The government has finally decided to keep the provision for allowing whitening of undisclosed money although it was left out of the proposed budget.

Finance Bill 2014, which was passed in the parliament yesterday, has retained the provision for legalising undisclosed money in productive and income-generating sectors through payment of 10% penalty and the regular 25% tax.

July 1, 2014

Brazil goalkeeper Julio Cesar saves a shot from Chile’s Alexis Sanchez during the penalty shootout in their 2014 World Cup round of 16 game at the Mineirao stadium in Belo Horizonte yesterday REUTERS

Super Cesar saves Brazil in epic clash from Belo Horizonte, Brazil The colours yellow and green are still shining brightly as hosts Brazil reached the quarterfinals of the World Cup yesterday edging past a spirited Chile 3-2 in the tie-breaker after the stipulated and extra time failed to separate the two sides with the scores locked at 1-1.

At the Estadio Mineirao, Belo Hori-

zonte, the Chileans threatened to spoil the party of the home side as their indomitable spirit never vanquished throughout the entirety of the game until right-back Gonzalo Jara’s spotkick hit the right-hand post of Brazilian goalkeeper Julio Cesar. The stadium erupted in a thunderous roar as the Brazilian players ran off in wild celebrations.

In the shoot-out, David Luiz, Marcelo and Neymar scored from the spot for Brazil while Willian and Hulk missed.

For Chile, Mauricio Pinilla and Alexis

2nd Round

Details on page-15

2

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Sunday, June 29, 2014

PM: JaPa’s role in House ‘constructive’ n Emran Hossain Shaikh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has again highly praised the lawmakers of HM Ershad-led Jatiya Party for their role as opposition in parliament.

“Now the opposition is criticising the government constructively which will be helpful for the people,” the premier told the parliament during the budget discussion yesterday.

Mentioning about Leader of the Opposition Rawshan Ershad’s statement in the parliament, Hasina said the JaPa leader had criticised the government “constructively” due to public interest.

Praising Rawshan, a senior presidium member of JaPa, for joining the 10th parliamentary election, Hasina said: “We thank you for taking a wise decision in time.”

The leader of the house, on the other hand, slammed the role of BNP-led opposition in the ninth parliament.

“The role of previous opposition was very disgraceful.”

“Their behaviour – offensive speech, display of muscle power, throwing files, papers and chairs and breaking microphones – was shameful for our democracy...that situation does not exist now.”

Hasina said: “The present situation has been made to create scope for exercising democracy for the countrymen, especially our young and next generation.”

She alleged that the BNP-Jamaat alliance had tried to impede the advancement of democracy by killing people in the name of stopping the January 5 election.

Terming the proposed budget for 2014-15 fiscal year timely, the prime minister claimed that the present government would be able to implement it like the previous tenure.

“Our socio-economic situation will be improved if the budget can be implemented. People will enjoy better life,” she said.

Responding to criticisms that the budget had a major deficit, Hasina said 5% deficit was not a matter of concern.

“Many countries, even the developed ones, have proposed budgets with deficit,” she said.

Claiming that the proposed budget was “pro-people,” the premier said most of the stockholders including the BNP-Jamaat did not have any points to criticise the budget.

Hinting at the TV talk-show participants, she said there was a certain quarter who always tried to find “but” in everything. “...I do not know what pleasure they get from criticising at midnight without sleep.”

The premier claimed that Bangladesh would become a middle-income country before 2021. “Political stability is essential for economic development,” she said.

The Awami League president also said the government would bring back the money deposited in Swiss Banks.

“We will draw up a list of Bangladeshi people who have money in the Swiss Banks. We will try to bring back the money as much possible and utilise it for the development of the country,” she said.

The premier in her speech said her government would increase the salary for government officials after getting report of the Pay Commission in December.

Hasina proposed imposing surcharge for mobile phone calls and suggested spending the money for education, health and infrastructure development. She also asked the finance minister to reduce the proposed tax in some sectors. l

Formalin, pollution concern Rawshan n Kamran Reza Chowdhury

Leader of the Opposition Rawshan Ershad yesterday said the insects would not help decomposing the corpses of Bangladeshis due to excessive consumption of food-borne formalin deposited in the bodies over the years.

While winding up her budget speech, the Jatiya Party leader said the responsibility of checking the pervasive use of carcinogenic formalin in food lied with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Rawshan also demanded that the people using formalin and other chemicals in food should face execution or life sentence as China did following the melamine scandal. She also advised the premier to visit Dhaka-Mymensingh highway in disguise at night to understand the gravity of pollution that made the common people’s lives miserable.

Her over half an hour speech on the proposed budget mainly focused on food adulteration and pollution coupled with scandals in the banking sector.

“We have been consuming formalin to such an extent that our dead bodies will not decompose in graves; even the insects will not eat our corpses. We will emerge as saints [traditional belief says the bodies of saints do not decompose in graves],” the opposition leader told parliament, amid desk thumbing of the MPs. “The insects will be afraid of eating our bodies; if so, they will die,” she said.

Referring to an incident, Rawshan said the doctors in Singapore had tested the corpse of a retired judge to apply formalin in the body mainly to stop decomposition while sending it back home.

“The test detected that the body contained formalin to a level that his body would not decompose in five years,” she said. Rawshan said people were helpless as they contained poison from the air, water and food.

“Only 80 crore people in the world get pure water. The prime minister consumes good water. But please ask the other minister [about the extent of water pollution],” she said. l

A sewerage line overflows and floods a road in city's Mirpur 10 yesterday causing immense sufferings to commuters and posing serious health risks to residents

1 killed in Kanchan municipality poll n Tribune Report An elderly person was shot dead and 30 others injured, including 10 with bullets, during a gunfight between the supporters of Awami League and BNPbacked mayoral candidates at a polling centre in Kanchan municipality under Rupganj, Narayanganj yesterday.

The deceased was identified as Sukomol Datta, 55, a betel leaf trader. He lived at Tarail Paschimpara.

Twenty more people were injured in a separate clash between the supporters of two chairman candidates at another centre around 10:30am.

The people of Kanchan municipality

tackle as the signal was clear from the outset that it would be a fiercely-contested tie. The muscular and stocky Chilean players were there to make life hard for the Brazilians.

However, following the initial pressure, Brazil began to invade the Chilean territory and in the 13th minute Hulk was appealing for a penalty as the opposition defenders brought him down after he succeeded in orchestrating a slaloming run through the defence.

Three minutes later Neymar fooled none but himself. He dashed past two defenders and found Chilean goalkeeper Claudio Bravo stranded alone at the middle of the box but the star forward neither took a shot towards goal or passed the ball to Fred and Marcelo who were free in both the flanks.

But the constant pressure being piled upon the Chilean defence ultimately took its toll in the 18th minute when Neymar’s curled corner from the right-hand flag was flicked by Thiago Silva towards the far post where David Luiz tapped it home sparking boisterous celebrations in the stands.

In the 29th minute Neymar was challenged by Arturo Vidal but it was the Chilean midfielder who required

medical attention. The Brazilian backline’s sudden lapses in concentration were clearly evident after the final group game against Cameroon as Eduardo Vargas soon stole the ball in the right flank and cut a low cross for the efficient Alexis Sanchez, who was un-

MATCH STATS Goals scored Total shots Shots on target Corners Offsides Fouls committed Yellow cards Red cards Ball possession

Brazil 1 23 13 9 2 28 4 0 49%

Chile 1 13 5 5 3 23 3 0 51%

marked. Stroking the ball into the far post was not more than a childish act for the fit and skillful Sanchez as Chile brought parity.

Brazil were ruing the squandered opportunities late in the first half when Neymar’s header on a neat cross from Oscar landed just beside the side post while in the 40th minute an out-ofsorts Fred missed an open net from the middle of the box after Neymar had

supporters of BNP-backed mayoral candidate tried to resist Mohon’s men.

In another incident, around 10:45am, the supporters of ruling ALbacked chairman candidate Rafiqul Islam went to Hatabo Government Primary School and tried to grab the polling centre. At that time, the supporters of BNP-backed candidate Mojibur Rahman Bhuiyan and independent candidate Dewan Abu Bashar obstructed them.

The groups then locked into clashes, blasted bombs and fired bullets. Police later scattered them by firing blank shots. After the clash, the injured were admitted in different hospitals. l

Kerry Kennedy talks Fake votes cast in 30% polling on women’s rights centres in Narayanganj in Bangladesh votes, said the report that was unveiled n Tribune Report at a press conference at the National Esha Aurora n No incidents of violence took place in Press Club in the capital yesterday.

Kerry Kenney, the president of the Robert F Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights and who is now visiting Dhaka, yesterday stressed the need for proactive citizens to help the government, NGOs and civil society implement laws on human and women’s rights.

She spoke at a dialogue on “Women’s Human Rights in Bangladesh: Achievements, Challenges, Opportunities” held in the capital’s Bengal Café.

“The process of democracy in Bangladesh should remain healthy,” said Kerry, who is the daughter of Robert F Kennedy and Ethel Skakel Kennedy.

Kerry is an author and lifelong supporter of Human Rights amongst other things.

Kerry hoped that this meeting will help facilitate the dialogue between state actors and non- governmental organisations on how to address the violations of human rights properly. l

Super Cesar saves Brazil in epic clash  PAGE 1 COLUMN 5

voted after 11 years to elect a mayor and councillors.

According to witnesses and police, supporters of Awami League-backed councillor candidate Mohon tried to grab the polling centre in Tarail Government Primary School around 10:30am.

They sprayed bullets indiscriminately and blasted 10-12 crude bombs.

Sukomol died being hit by bullets.

Later police and BGB members went to the spot and fired blank shots to bring the situation under control.

Additional Superintendent of Police in Narayanganj Md Zakaria said the gunfight had ensued when the

won the duel against the Chilean defenders. Fred just had to tap the ball in, instead he placed the ball over.

Hulk then saw his goal overruled by English referee Howard Webb in the 57th minute when he brought down a David Luiz cross and kept his balance to poke it into the far post but the referee signaled for handball and dished out a yellow card to the striker.

Fred was replaced by Jo but the tall forward fared little better in the 76th minute as he failed to place a Hulk cross to the back of the net.

Hulk was denied again by Bravo in the 82nd minute when his cracking rightfooter was superbly parried away by the inspirational captain of Chile.

In the very beginning of the second half of extra time, Jo headed a Neymar corner over the crosspiece as Chile adopted a defensive strategy. However, the Chileans came agonisingly close to a brilliant winner in the 119th minute as substitute forward Pinilla picked up a superb through pass from Sanchez only to see his effort thwarted by the crosspiece. Right before the conclusion of the high-voltage tie, Pinilla’s shot would have shown the exit door to Brazil but stupendous heroics from Cesar ensured a place in the quarters for the hosts. l

MEHEDI HASAN

Yunus talks tough against changing GB’s founding principles n Tribune Report Grameen Bank Founder Muhammad Yunus yesterday warned that anyone involved in making unwarranted changes to the founding principles of the bank will not be spared from consequences.

“We have founded the Grameen Bank with the ownership of the poor and it isoperated by them. We will continue to protest if deviations are made from the basic principles,” Yunus told journalists after the launching of the fifth Social Business Day in the capital.

Yunus hoped that the integrity of the bank would be maintained. At the function, Yunus introduced the nine women directors of the Grameen Bank as “brave and most courageous women” and said, “They are trying to protect their bank. They are also trying to maintain the integrity of the bank”.

Grameen Bank Director Tahsina Khatun hoped that goodwill of the government will prevail and unwanted interference in the bank will be stopped.

She said the borrowers have been holding 75% share of the bank and the government owns only 25 per cent.

‘But there is a move to ‘governmentalise’ [not nationalisation] the bank by changing the laws while keeping us in the dark,” Tahsina alleged.

“There is a move to change rules by keeping us in dark and elect the directors,” she said adding: “These changes will induce politics, grouping and conflict within the bank, which will be detrimental for the institution.” l

recently held Narayanganj 5 by-polls but a huge number of vote rigging incidents occurred during the polls.

Around 30% polling centres in Narayangaj 5 by-election witnessed huge fake votes, said Election Working Group (EWG).

“The polls was mostly held in peaceful manner, but incidents of casting fake votes in large number were reported,” said a report of EWG, an alliance of 29 civil society organisations works for ensuring transparency and accountability in electoral process.

However, average voter turnout rate was 43.5% which does not reflect the accurate statistics because of huge fake

The report also said incidents of fake votes casting occurred at 18 polling centres out of 60 which were observed

by EWG representatives.

A group of people entered a polling station under ward 11 and forcibly took 8-10 ballot papers and put into the ballot boxes after sealing. The law enforcers and election officials didn’t take any action against them, said the report.

Meanwhile, the EWG deployed 60 observers to 60 polling stations out of 141 on the polling day to monitor the election. The report was prepared on the basis of EWG’s observers’ information.

However the report did not mention the people who cast the fake votes.l

A group of

Black money provision stays

 PAGE 1 COLUMN 6

BBRA office vandalised

Md Nasim, publicity secretary of BBRA, said Bhantu chairman’s men Raju and Abid on Friday threatened them for filing the case against him (Bhantu).

He said: “Bhantu’s men stormed into our office and vandalised furniture.

They also tore up our organisation’s flag.”

Nasim yesterday filed a general dairy against Bhantu and his men with Pallabi police station. Counter case against Riaz and Nasim.

Bhantu also filed a case against Riaz and Nasim on charge of beating a Bihari woman. He said: “Riaz and Nasim on Thursday harassed and beat up a women. So, we filed the case against them last night.” He, however, admitted that Neaz’s men filed a case against him.

Bhantu alleged that they tried to kill themselves for filing a false case against him. “They are doing so as they did not get electricity. I have a list of camps where their names are not included. So, I ordered to cut off electricity.”

However, he denied the allegation brought against him.

“They were taking illegal power lines to their houses and shops. Most of them do not reside here rather they live in Mirpur 10.” Confirming the matter, Officerin-Charge of Pallabi police station Ziauzzaman told the Dhaka Tribune that they were investigating the incident.

“Such incidents are taking place at the camp every day. Both groups yesterday filed case and general dairy with Pallabi police station,” he added. l

 PAGE 1 COLUMN 2

“India have in the past introduced the provision on a one-time basis and many people whitened their illegal money, generating huge revenue. But the Indian government was strict to warn people that any illegal money tapped after the expiry of the provision would be dealt with severe consequences,” Mostafizur said.

“The same provision has been there in Bangladesh for years but has failed to translate into any significant revenue... However, because of lax enforcement, instead of being injected into the economy, the illegal money is siphoned abroad in bulk,” he added.

Former NBR chairman Mohammad Abdul Majid told the Dhaka Tribune that the provision must be unconditional.

“With the provision, the government has to ensure... that businesses will not face any hassle after legalizing their undisclosed incomes. In addition, the government has to maintain a fixed deadline or time frame for attracting undisclosed money to boost investments,” he added.

According to the aforementioned study by the Finance Ministry and titled “Underground Economy of Bangladesh: An Econometric Analysis,” there was untapped money worth Tk5,64,543 crore in the economy in 2011, which was 62.75% of the Tk8,99,670 crore GDP figure.

Statistics compiled by the National

Board of Revenue (NBR) showed that only Tk9,683 crore had been whitened from 1971 to 2009.

The report also said a large chunk of black money is siphoned abroad and only a little went into fixed deposits, while the black money holders spent the rest on maintaining a high standard of living.

According to the Global Financial Integrity Report 2013, during 20092013, more than Tk2,098 crore was whitened in Bangladesh, against which the revenue authority received only Tk279 crore in taxes.

The report added that $2,805m was sent abroad from Bangladesh through illicit flight in 2011.

Abdus Salam Murshedy, president of the Exporters’ Association of Bangladesh, said: “We all know that bribery and corruption are the realities in Bangladesh. There will always be black money as long as these two are there. If the conditions are strict for disclosing black money, then the money will slip underground and will not benefit the economy.”

Among the major updates in the Finance Bill 2014, it incorporated a 1% surcharge, withdrew advanced income tax and reduced customs duty on mobile handset import. The existing Tk10,000 ceiling for tax-free dividend income, which was set at Tk15,000 in the proposed budget, was finalised at Tk20,000 in the bill passed yesterday. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Amendment to tribunal Act underway n Udisa Islam The government has taken an initiative to amend the International Crimes (tribunals) Act, 1973 again, one year after the previous revision, with a view to try Jamaat-e-Islami as an organisation for its role during the 1971 Liberation War. Draft of the proposed law is almost complete and it may be placed in the cabinet meeting next month.

No officials concerned agreed to speak on the issue on record terming it “very sensitive.”

From the beginning of the trial of alleged war criminals, there was doubt about trying any organisation under the Act. In February last year, the government passed an amendment to the law in parliament paving way to bringing any group or organisation, apart from only individuals, to book for committing crimes against humanity.

However, the amendment was questioned since the law did not have any specific provision of punishment.

In the meantime, the investigation agency of the tribunal conducted probe into the allegations against Jamaat and submitted the report to the prosecution. Chief Prosecutor Golam Arif Tipoo formed a seven-member team which almost completed preparing formal charges against the “criminal organisation.”

The prosecution was set to seek to the International Crimes Tribunal for ban, fines and confiscation of property of the party, its associate bodies and other organisations.

But their work stopped after the law minister and later the prime minister said trying Jamaat was not possible right now due to legal complications.

Law Minister Anisul Huq said the Act did not allow trying any organisation. He also said it would not be right to start legal procedure against Jamaat for crimes against humanity since an appeals case over Jamaat’s party registration was pending with the Appellate Division for disposal.

The minister said the government wanted to wait until the registration case was solved.

The High Court in August last year cancelled the registration of the Jamaat since its party charter was contradictory with the country’s constitution and the election laws. Later Jamaat filed an appeal against the order.

When contacted, the minister yesterday declined to comment on the matter.

Anisul told the Dhaka Tribune that he would brief journalists about the issue after the budget session ended.

Prosecutor Shahedur Rahman said since the Law Ministry had realised that the Act needed amendment, “then it is obvious that they have started working on this. There is no ground to delay. We hope to get an amendment with clear directives about the punishment matter.”

A senior official of the Law Ministry seeking anonymity said the government wanted to try Jamaat under the Act and to the changes are necessary to avoid any controversy afterwards.

Law Ministry sources confirmed that the proposed law was with the drafting department and the officials were scrutinising which part of the law needed to be amended.

However, a group of prosecutors are confident that it is possible to try Jamaat under the present framework.

Prosecutor Tureen Afroz thinks the ambiguity has already been solved. l

News

DMP smells ‘conspiracy’ against n anti-formalin drive

BNP delighted after Sushma meeting

n Mohammad Jamil Khan

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) yesterday claimed that the campaign and statements being issued against the formalin measuring device “Formaldehyde Meter Z-300” was nothing but a conspiracy of a vested quarter.

“This kit has been bought two years ago and no one raised question at that time, but since DMP started big operation against formalin, this vested group has trying to foil it by spreading misleading information,” said DMP Commissioner Benazir Ahmed while

addressing a press briefing on security arrangements during Ramadan, at DMP Media Centre in the capital.

Benazir further added that the DMP check posts and mobile court would continue their operation against formalin.

Claiming that police had been successful in decreasing the use of formalin through its continuous drives, he further pinned hopes that the government would implement a strict law regarding the use of formalin.

On the issue of checking formalin concentrations, Benazir said besides

police check posts and mobile court, a principal decision has already been taken on setting up around 236 permanent booths in all kitchen markets of the capital to check use of formalin in foods.

“Students from different private and public college and universities would work in these booths during their free times, which would also give them an opportunity to earn,” he informed.

The police commissioner further urged businesspersons not to use chemical on foods that could harm the public.

Earlier On June 11, the DMP

launched a drastic anti-formalin drive in the capital, armed with Formaldehyde Meter Z-300, and has so far seized and destroyed a huge amount of contaminated fruits after assessment.

However, the drive faced severe criticism from several experts from their field of chemistry and biochemistry who termed the device, Formaldehyde Meter Z-300, as a hand-held instrument to measure concentration of chemicals or gases in the air, not in food.

The experts also termed the anti-formalin drives as “unethical” using the device. l

A traffic police takes rest on the central reservation after toppling a rickshaw on the middle of the Banglamotor Link Road to punish the rickshawpuller in a bizzare way for entering a VIP road in the capital yesterday. He is completely oblivious that his action can create traffic congestion on the busy road RAJIB DHAR

ASP Bashir ‘hailed a hero for his act of conscience’ Islam Shaon and n Ashif Ahmed Zayeef

“Keep it up for the good nation. We salute you Bashir. We are proud of you,” this was a comment on Assistant Superintendent of Narayanganj district police Mohammmad Bashir Uddin’s facebook wall appreciating him following the telephone conversation in which lawmaker Shamim Osman allegedly threatened the police official with action.

The comment on the facebook wall was written by Bashir’s teacher MMA Hashem, Professor, Department of Computer Science and Engineering at Khulna University from where Bashir graduated.

Like MMA Hashem more than a hundred people congratulated and appreciated him for his brave act. His steps on the day of Narayanganj 5 by poll went viral on social network. A number of facebook pages posted his photo and made captions hailing him.

Many facebook users were also found anxious about the safety of him

and his family. There were police and government officials, his friends, classmates and junior fellows of the university among his well-wishers.

Bashir had barred a local union parishad chairman from grabbing a poll centre and so he allegedly received threat from lawmaker Shamim Osman.

Shamim Osman, the brother of Selim Osman who won the election, threatened him with further consequences.

Bashir said holding the line, Shamim called someone over another phone, presumably the prime minister’s personnel secretary one (PS-1) Malek.

However, the top police officials of the district are keeping mum on such a big incident while the Election Commission said it would not intervene in the issue.

“I saw his statement on TV and I am not surprised. I know him since our university life,” said Mehedi Hasan Babu, ex-general secretary of Bangladesh Chhatra League, KUET unit. Bashir was the president on that committee which was formed in 2004.

Mehedi told the Dhaka Tribune over phone he knew him as a gentleman. “I must say he is honest, dynamic and was popular on the campus,” he claimed.

Some of his university mates also hold the same opinion about Bashir.

“He could not tolerate any unethical issues. He also retorted everybody that talked against his favourite political party. We saw some debate among Bashir and other officers who were BNP-minded,” a police official of BCS 30 batch said, recalling his memories during the training period at Bangladesh Police Academy in Sarda, Rajshahi. The police official preferred to be unnamed.

Bashir was recruited in the BCS 30 batch. After completing his training and probationary period in Manikganj he joined the Naraynganj district police on February 17, 2014.

“As far as I know, he worked at Tech Valley Networks Ltd before the police job and his recruitment was not political,” he said.

On the other hand, another police official of the same batch told the Dha-

ka Tribune he was known to Bashir when they were training.

“We went to his marriage ceremony probably in the third month of this year. There were some top-level Awami League leaders and lawmakers present on the occasion,” he said.

Born on May 30, 1983, Bashir passed the SSC in 1998 from Hazi Abdul Jalil High School Ashuganj and HSC from Notre Dame College in 2000.

After the incident on Thursday, Bashir told the Dhaka Tribune “I could not do what he asked me to do while I was in uniform. I cannot open a poll centre for vote rigging. I told Shamim bhai what he was planning to do would only tarnish the image of the party and the government as a whole.”

“I barred them from doing so on my own conscience,” he said.

His colleagues, batch mates and party men think he could stand up to the influential and controversial lawmaker's undue behaviour because he had a BCL background and was a man of good character. l

FM: Mamata positive about Teesta deal Modi assures Hasina of Sari diplomacy dominates Sushma Swaraj visit boosting bilateral ties n Sheikh Shahariar Zaman Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali said his Indian counterpart Sushma Swaraj told him that the West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was positive about Teesta water sharing agreement.

In an interview with The Indian Express, Mahmood said: “She [Sushma] has indicated that (West Bengal Chief Minister) Mamata Banerjee is positive.”

Sushma visited Dhaka from June 2527 and both the ministers had official talks on Thursday.

The Indian government had started work on building internal consensus and hoped to get it through soon, Mahmood said, when asked if he thought the Indian government was capable of signing the treaty.

When contacted with the Foreign Ministry, it confirmed that the minister made the remarks.

Bangladesh and India have been negotiating on Teesta water sharing agreement for four decades. The deal was scheduled to be signed in 2011 during the visit of the then Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, but

3

Sunday, June 29, 2014

it could not be inked due to strong opposition from Mamata.

About the land boundary agreement, the minister said Sushma had expressed her resolve to get it through.

“New members will be appointed for the parliamentary committee. We hope it will get cleared very soon. And the BJP has an overwhelming majority, so it will not be a problem,” Mahmood quoted the Indian foreign minister as saying.

Bangladesh and India signed LBA in 1974 and Dhaka ratified it in the same year, but New Delhi is yet to do so.

A constitutional amendment bill was placed before Rajya Sabha – the upper house of Indian parliament – to pave the way for ratifying the LBA, but the bill is yet to be passed.

BJP during the election campaign took stance not to hurriedly ratify the LBA.

Sari diplomacy

However, diplomacy got the feminine touch during the visit of Indian Foreign Minister to Dhaka when Bangladeshi leaders, mostly women, met Sushma Swaraj and presented her with saris.

During her three-day official trip, Sushma called on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, Opposition Leader Rawshan Ershad, sister and daughter of the prime minister Sheikh Rehana and Saima Wazed Putul respectively.

Sheikh Hasina and Sushma discussed issues of connectivity, security, visa – all wrapped in sari – as the prime minister presented her with a beautiful Dhakai Jamdani sari.

Bangladesh promotes Jamdani sari, a heritage of this country, and often gives it to foreign dignitaries as gift.

Khaleda Zia also presented the Indian leader with several exquisite saris.

Rawshan Ershad followed the path of the two women leaders too and greeted Sushma with saris.

The foreign minister did not take part in sari diplomacy, but ensured that members of the Indian delegation returned home with Jamdani saris.

The Indian delegation was comprised of Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh and Joint Secretary Sripriya Ranganathan, who is in charge of Bangladesh and Myanmar wing at the External Affairs Ministry. l

n Sheikh Shahariar Zaman Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has assured his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina of accelerating bilateral engagement between the two countries.

“My government will apply itself to further accelerating our engagement and strengthening the framework of our relationships,” Modi said in a letter sent to Hasina. During her visit to Dhaka, Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj on Thursday handed over the letter to Hasina.

The Indian prime minister hoped for a new era of cooperation and connectivity across the South Asian region.

Modi said he was convinced that the well-being of each nation is linked to its neighbourhood and he places special emphasis on India’s engagement with its neighbours, according to the news on the website of the Indian Prime Minister’s Office.

“I sincerely hope we can all work together to foster a new era of cooperation and connectivity across the South Asian region which will ignite our collective surge to prosperity,” Modi said.

The Indian premier emphasised that for India, Bangladesh is “not merely

a neighbour, but a nation with which it shares history, culture, civilisation, and enduring links between people.

“The ideals of democracy, secularism, pluralism and the rule of law also serve as a link between India and Bangladesh.”

Modi thanked Hasina for her letter of felicitations on his assumption of office and accepted Sheikh Hasina’s invitation to visit Bangladesh.

He also extended an invitation to Sheikh Hasina to visit India at her earliest convenience. l

Mohammad Al-Masum Molla

BNP has said it is “happy” with the outcomes of Friday’s meeting between Khaleda Zia and Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj propelled by the belief that the talks will open up “new doors.”

Party’s acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said the BNP chairperson had not “complained” about anything to Shushma.

“The recent visit of the minister of external affairs of India to Bangladesh, although only 40 hours long, is certainly of great significance for the formulation of Indo-Bangla relationship.

“This has been indicated by the Indian minister and her entourage in more than one ways. That fact that she decided to meet Begum Khaleda Zia, branded by the government as a ‘nobody’ in Bangladesh’s politics, goes to show that our neighboring country knows who the real leader of the people in Bangladesh is; does not matter if she is in the government or in opposition,” Abdul Moyeen Khan, a standing committee member of BNP, said.

“In fact, the Indian foreign ministry statement about not interfering in the internal affairs of Bangladesh is also an important signal that indicates at a shift in the Indian government’s foreign policy towards its neighbour,” Moyeen said.

“For, in the past, right before the farcical and fraudulent election of January 5, we saw how the then congress government interfered... Going even to the extent of saying that an election participated by maximum political parties was acceptable to India; thus trying to back the Awami government in Bangladesh,” he said.

BNP Vice-Chairman Shamsher Mobin Chowdhury said: “There is no question of success or failure. It [Khaleda-Sushma meeting] was basically an initial contact. We hope that a new door has been opened and it will remain open.”

The BNP told the visiting Indian foreign minister on Friday that there was no democracy in Bangladesh and the “so called” parliament did not reflect people’s will.

“Regional development will be hampered in the absence of democracy in Bangladesh. We believe development is impossible without democracy and therefore, it must be restored,” Moyeen quoted Khaleda Zia as telling the Indian minister.

From a rally on Friday in the capital, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina asked the BNP chief to stop complaining to foreigners about the country. “It [boycotting the January election] was your [Khaleda] mistake... Now you are crying before foreign lords.

They will not put you in power...

The Awami League does not believe in [the power of] foreign lords. Rather, we believe in the power of people and they have put the Awami League in power several times.”

Fakhrul told journalists yesterday that the BNP chief had only briefed the Indian minister about the turn of events after the national election that the BNP had boycotted.

Fakhrul also told journalists that Khaleda Zia’s meeting with Sushma was a courtesy call. “Various bilateral issues were discussed in the meeting.” l

Ramadan begins tommorow n Tribune Report The new moon was not sighted anywhere in Bangladesh on Saturday The month of Ramadan, the ninth month in the Islamic calendar, will begin tomorrow in Bangladesh.

The National Moon Sighting Committee made the announcement yesterday evening.

In a statement, the committee said no report of a sighting of the new moon was received from the various moon sighting committees across the country.

The beginning of the month depends on the first sighting of the crescent moon. As the Islamic lunar year is 354 or 355 days long, Ramadan starts approximately 10 days earlier in each Gregorian year. l

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DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Sunday, June 29, 2014

E-health service yet to gain popularity Lack of publicity blamed n Moniruzzaman Uzzal The Health Ministry introduced e-health service in 2011 to ease the process of making health-related complaints and suggestions to the authorities concerned but the lack of adequate publicity has prevented the service from gaining popularity.

Most of the people are not even aware of the service which they can use

There were allegations that hospital authorities do not respond to complaints immediately not only to make complaints but also suggestions regarding services at the public hospitals, several health officials told the Dhaka Tribune.

In the beginning, the MIS (Management Information System) department under the Directorate General of Health Services would receive a few complaints and suggestions but the number has now risen to 10-50 a day as feedback is even sent from upazila hospitals.

MIS Director Professor Dr Abul Kalam Azad told the Dhaka Tribune that the service was part of the initiative to digitize healthcare services and would ensure accountability and transparency in the sector.

“Using the service, any patient

from anywhere can send us complaints as well as suggestions through mobile messages. We attend all the complaints and try to solve problems within the shortest time possible,” said Azad.

He said the media can play a crucial role in letting people know about the service across the country and urged people to lodge complaints using mobile phones.

Officials told the Dhaka Tribune that there was a signboard on the premises of every public hospital containing all the necessary information on how to use the service.

In the message option of his mobile phone, a person needs to type CMP and the hospital code, separated by a space, and then the complaint or suggestion preceded by another space, and send the message to 01733-077774.

In the past, complaints in most cases were only lodged with the authorities of the specific hospital which is why the central authorities could not know about that, said officials.

Moreover, there were allegations that hospital authorities do not respond to complaints immediately, they added.

Dr Azad said: “In the e-health service, the complainant is contacted over phone for the details and the authorities concerned are then contacted to solve the problem. Most of the complaints are resolved on the day those are made.” l

Protesters form a human chain in front of the National Press Club yesterday demanding rail links in Kurigram

MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

DIFE non-cadre officer recruitment to end by July n Mohosinul Karim

The recruitment of non-cadre Class I and Class II factory inspectors for the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments (DIFE) is likely to be completed by July as the Public Service Commission (PSC) has begun recruiting from the qualified Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) candidates.

The PSC started the hiring recruiting of almost 265 non-cadre officers after the Public Administration Ministry had issued gazette notification amending the non-cadre recruitment (special) rules on June 16.

The initiative to amend the rules was taken to recruit officers for the department to fulfill conditions set

by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the US in order to have the generalized system of preferences (GSP) restored.

Labour Secretary Mikail Shipar told the Dhaka Tribune the ministry had already sent requisition letter to the PSC to recruit officers for the department as the hiring process had been stalled for long due to lack of rules.

“They have responded positively and initiated hiring from the qualified BCS candidates who were selected earlier for cadre posts. The PSC will have to take no-objection clearance from them before they take the non-cadre posts, and the process has already begun,” he said.

He said it might take up to mid-July

to complete recruiting Class I non cadre factory inspectors. 43 such inspectors are expected to be recruited as 25 out of 67 have already been hired. One of the 25 has quit which is why the number of fresh recruits is 43.

The provision of appointing qualified BCS candidates for Class I and Class II non-cadre posts was incorporated in the amended non-cadre recruitment (special) rules.

Although the provision of appointing Class II non-cadre officials was also included in the rules, it will take time to start recruitment for the posts as the authorities will first try to fulfill the posts of Class I officers. Recruitment of 222 Class II non-cadre officers will begin once that of Class I officials ends.

It thus may take the PSC the month of July to complete recruiting all 265 non-cadre Class I and Class II factory inspectors according to the requisition of the department and the Labour and Employment Ministry.

The department’s Inspector General Syed Ahmed told the Dhaka Tribune amendment of the rules paved the way for recruitment of Class I and Class II factory inspectors.

“We have to appoint them soon to get GSP facilities back. It was a condition of the ILO. The department is now waiting for the recruitment order from the PSC. 25 Class I inspectors were appointed following amendment to the provision in March this year,” he added. l

Yunus calls for reform in education system n Tribune Report

Sufi Bards hold a demonstration protesting the recent attack on one of their fellows in front of the National Press Club yesterday MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus urged the government to reform the country’s education system by encouraging young people to pursue entrepreneurship and create jobs for others, instead of seeking job for themselves.

Addressing the inauguration of the fifth Social Business Day at a hotel in the capital yesterday, he said: “The entire education system is wrong. It limits people’s objectives and allows them to use only a fraction of their capacity,” he said. “This system requires huge transformation.”

He asked: “What kind of a society do we belong to? What kind of economic system do we have, keeping the potential of young people limited and making the world obsolete and unusable?

“Young people feel very frustrated in the present system and it is human problem,” he said.

Hosted by the Yunus Centre, the

event saw the participation of more than 275 delegates from 31 countries, in addition to local delegates from different sections of the society.

Kerry Kennedy, president of Robert F Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights, was the keynote speaker at the event. She said the challenge of democracy is when the elections are anything but free and fair.

On social business, she said it is not for material gain for self, but living for others which is so much meaningful.

Ambassadors of the US, Egypt, South Korea and Australia in Dhaka also spoke at the programme.

Representatives from Albania, Haiti, Nepal, Columbia and Bangladesh presented six social business projects and experts gave their opinion about the prospect and limitations of those projects.

Sophie Eisenmann, co-founder of Yunus Social Business, presented a social business idea dedicated to provide

Dilal, Shamim made CJFD president, GS Tk143.68 crore NU n budget approved UNB

The daily Shokaler Khabor Chief Reporter Saif Islam Dilal and the daily Sun Senior Reporter Shamim Jahangir have been elected President and General Secretary respectively of Chittagong Journalists’ Forum Dhaka (CJFD) for one year.

Chief Election Commissioner and senior journalist Anis Alamgir announced the 13-member new committee of CJFD after its AGM at Jatiya Press Club on Friday. The other office bearers are vice president Mujib Masud (daily Jugantor), joint general secretary Shibu Kanti Das (daily Purbokone), finance secretary Tawhidur Rahman (ETV),

office, publicity and publication secretary AKM Moinuddin (UNB) and sports and cultural secretary Momena Akhter.

Executive members of the committee are Mustafa Kamal (UNB), Anup Khastagir (BSS), Kader Gani Chowdhury (daily Amar Desh), Jihaj Uddin Nipun, Moazzem Hossain Rokon (BSS) and M Saim Tipu (daily Kaler Kontho). l

National Hover Exhibition held at IUB n

Tribune Report

First National Hover Exhibition was held at Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB)’s Bashundhara, Dhaka campus yesterday.

Engineering Students Association of Bangladesh organised the exhibition

where Nasrul Hamid, State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources, attended as the chief guest and A Quayum Khan, member of its board of trustees and Prof M Omar Rahman, its Vice Chancellor as the special guests.

Student teams from the university as well as Ahsanullah University of Science

and Technology, BRAC University, American International University, Military Institute of Science and Technology, Daffodil International University and Runway 32 Group participated in the exhibition.

In the programme, Quad Falcon team secured the first position while Dero Dron took second place. l

Correspondent, n Our Gazipur The Syndicate of National University (NU) has approved Tk143.68 crore budget for the fiscal year 2014-15 on Saturday.

The 16th senate session presided over by NU’s Vice-Chancellor Dr Harun-arRashid approved the budget.

The budget will be allocated for implementing various development programmes, including introduction of in-campus course, re-initiation of the Liberation War, Bangaband-

hu and Bangladesh Research Institute, introduction of online admission test under self-arrangements, formulation of Master plan of the National University Campus, creation of GIS map of affiliate colleges, modernisation of Teaching Aid (digital model of the lectures), e-Library, introduction of MPhil and PhD programs.

Among others, NU ProVC Aslam Bhuiya, Abdul Kuddus MP, Principal Kazi Faruk Uddin, Muntasir Mamum and Ramendu Mazumder were present during the senate session. l

Project tenure expires for drilling 4 wells at Titas Gas Field n Aminur Rahman Rasel Four onshore development wells at Brahmanbaria’s Titas Gas Field were to have been drilled by an international oil company between January 2010 and June 2014 but Bangladesh Gas Fiels Company Ltd (BGFCL) are yet to do it.

The gas project, Gas Seepage Control and Appraisal & Development of Titas Gas Field, had aimed at meeting the mounting natural gas demand by raising its output in the country.

The Asian Development Bank is financing a major part of the project cost. The total project cost is Tk 1000 crore.

BGFCL Managing Director Md Nurul Absar told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday: “The tenure of the project has been extended by one year and two more years might be needed to complete the project.”

Project Director Md Ali Moktazer, also BGFCL deputy general manager, said: “We have not been given the money allocated for the project on time and so we have failed to begin and implement the project within the

stipulated time.

BGFCL Managing Director Md Nurul Absar told the Dhaka Tribune: “However, we are working to complete the project but to fulfill conditions of donor agency the tenure of project have to be extended.”

The BGFCL invited tender from global firms to drill the four onshore gas wells in the gas field last year. As per bid, two international oil company (IOC) Russian stateowned Gazprom and China’s Sinopec had submitted tender documents for drilling.

On May 15, this year BGFCL has sent the

technical bid document to ADB for approval which may be approved next month.

After approval, one international oil and gas exploration firm will be recruited as a contractor to drill four Titas wells -- 23, 24, 25 and 26 -- as per a condition of the ADB. BGFCL aims at drilling Titas these wells to produce 120 million cubic feet per day (mmcfd) of gas.

Currently Russian Gazprom is the lone international oil and gas company engaged in drilling of wells on contract basis in Bangladesh. l

clean and cost-efficient energy sources such as cooking stoves and solar lamps in Haiti.

Birkha Nath Yogi of Nepal presented a project to provide porridge, bread and cookies with added nutrients at a fair market price in his country.

Bangladeshi engineer Sarkar Ardhendu presented a project to provide biomass power solutions and fly ash bricks in rural areas.

Leonore Kleinkauf presented a project named Seniors House to provide quality service to elderly people at an affordable cost.

Eriab Kiiza of Uganda presented a project on production and sale of charcoal briquettes and fuel-efficient cooking stoves.

New entrepreneur Mohammad Yeasin, a college student from Chandpur district, presented a demonstration on making commercial production of carrom boards, an indoor game popular in Bangladesh. l

JU passes Tk114.65cr budget n JU Correspondent The senate of Jahangirnagar University passed university’s proposed budget of Tk114.65 crore with a deficit of around Tk21.8 crore for 2014-15 fiscal year.

Tk87.05 crore and 76 percent of the total budget would be spent on salaries of teachers, officials and other staff in this year. However, the authorities increased the allotment in 33 sectors of the total budget, sources said.

However, Tk 10.30 crore were allotted for education and research purposes in this fiscal year which is only 8.99% of the total budget. l

ADVERTISEMENT

A Colourful Meritorious students accorded reception and prize giving ceremony was held at Milestone College main campus on saturday, 28th June-2014. It was presided over by the Principal of Milestone college Prof. Md. Shahidul Islam, the function was attended by the Dhaka Education Board Chairman Professor Taslima Begum as chief guest. Examination controller of Dhaka Education Board Professor Dr. S.M Wahiduzzaman and Senior Vice principal of Milestone College L.Colonel M. Kamaluddin Bhuiyan (Retd) also attended the function as special guests. on the occasion and a thanksful speech was given towards students and guests by the Founder and Adviser of Milestone college Colonel Nuran Nabi (Retd).

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

5

Sunday, June 29, 2014

BRTC 'women only' bus service remains 'negligible' n Abu Hayat Mahmud Women in the capital are yet to reap the benefits of the BRTC's woman-only bus service as the facility had failed to meet expectations over the years.

Although the service was introduced to put an end to the hardship that female commuters face every day in the city, most commuters have alleged that the number of buses on the roads had been negligible and the timings and bus stops of the service remained unclear.

Sources inside BRTC said the Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) authority had slashed the number of special buses on different routes stating huge losses. Two years ago, eight woman-only buses were introduced on three routes, however, the number has now been reduced to five.

“I usually travel by bus. But, I have never been heard or seen the special women bus service,” said Chaiti Islam, a resident of Azimpur who works for a private bank in Motijheel.

“If the BRTC wants to introduce such services in the capital, it should increase the number of buses and routes,” she added.

Despite directives from Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Communications Minister Obaidul Quader to increase the number of buses under the scheme, the state-run BRTC has, for unknown reasons, done the opposite.

Sources also added that the Rampura-Badda-Khilgaon-Motijheel route was allocated four buses, but now there are three. The Tongi-Motijheel route had two buses, which has been

3 RU teachers accused of tampering student’s result n RU Correspondent

cut down to one. The Mirpur 12-Motijheel route had two buses, but only one bus is currently plying on the route.

Most of these buses had been providing single trips per day.

“I usually travel in the service.

Sometimes, I have to wait for hours for the buses to arrive. Even when it does, it becomes very hard for one to board one due to the huge rush of passengers,” Halima Akhter, resident of Mirpur, told the Dhaka Tribune.

Reduction of busses from the service occurred as authorities tried to fill up shortages “I would like to urge the authorities concerned to increase the number of women bus as the current service exist by name only,” she said.

Meanwhile, many other commuters told the Dhaka Tribune that most choose not to use these special service buses due to its poor conditions.

Many have alleged that most buses had no reservations for the elderly, ill and handicapped and air ventilation within the buses are very poor.

An BRTC official, seeking anonymity, said the reduction of busses from the service occurred as authorities tried to fill up shortages in staff buses for its own employees.

He said many BRTC buses have been damaged during political violence in different times, which he also termed as a prime reason behind the reduction

A passenger boards a state-owned BRTC women-only bus in the capital yesterday of daily trips per day.

When contacted, BRTC General Manager (Operation) Md Rafiqul Islam Talukder, denied the allegation

4-LANE DHAKA-CHITTAGONG HIGHWAY

Obaidul not happy with Sinohydro Corporation n Tarek Mahmud, Chittagong

Three teachers of the Fine Arts Department at Rajshahi University have been accused of tampering the result of a student of the department.

The three are Professor Shusanta Kumar Adhikari, Humayun Kabir and Nazneen Akter.

Nargis Parvin, who appeared in the master’s examination in 2010, raised the allegation against the three yesterday at a press conference at the university cafeteria. Result of the examination was published on December 11 last year.

Shusanta was the chairman of the exam committee while the other two were members of the committee.

Nargis also filed a writ petition with the High Court on March 19 this year in this connection.

The court, in light of the petition, asked the authorities concerned to reply.

The student alleged that the three made unauthorised changes to the result deliberately to deprive her from securing first class marks. l

Communication Minister Obaidul Quader expressed his dissatisfaction over Sinohydro Corporation’s reluctance to repair the dilapidated portions of the Dhaka-Chittagong Highway yesterday in Chittagong.

“Sinohydro, the firm working on the Four-Lane Dhaka-Chittagong Highway project, is not complying with the contract,” he alleged in the city’s Sarak Bhaban. Addressing an emergency view-exchange meeting to ease traffic congestion on the highway as well as other district and city roads ahead of Ramadan and Eid-ul-Fitr, he expressed his frustration over the contractor company.

“As per the contract, the company has to repair the dilapidated parts of the highway. But they are unwilling

to do it because of the monsoon,” the minister said. The Chinese state-owned hydropower engineering and construction company won the contract for the project in 2010 was supposed to complete expanding around 140km of the highway by December last year.

Regarding the traffic congestion, the minister said a concerted effort was a must to ease the traffic on the highway during the monsoon as well as during Ramadan and before Eid. He urged all concerned to work sincerely and responsibly. He also called upon the transport owners not to overload their vehicles during Ramadan and to counsel their drivers. A roundthe-clock monitoring office, housed at the Roads and Highways Department in Chittagong, would also be open from today. l

and claimed that the service had been introduced in most routes within the capital and adjoining areas.

“A total of 15 buses are plying in

n Mohammad Jamil Khan The Dhaka Metropolitan Police has taken an all-out initiative to cover the entire capital with security blanket ahead of the Ramadan and the Eid ul-Fitr.

“The regular forces of DMP along with a large number of community police will work together to ensure security so that the city people can observe the Ramadan with due religious fervour,” DMP Commissioner Benazir Ahmed said while addressing the media yesterday.

As part of security measures, special forces would be deployed to sensitive points, including shopping malls, during Tarabi and Sehri since the beginning of Ramadan, said Benazir.

No Iftar and fruit shops would be allowed to emerge on footpaths as these contribute to traffic jam, he said, urging

Four members of a motorcycle stealing gang were arrested in Chittagong city by the Detective Branch of Chittagong Metropolitan Police in separate drives between Thursday and Saturday.

Police also recovered from their possession eight sets of motorcycle keys, two motorcycles and a large number of tools used for theft.

Babul Akhter, additional deputy commissioner of the DB, said police were tipped off about a theft attempt and caught Nurul Islam alias Sultan,

DHAKA TODAY TOMORROW SUN SETS 6:50PM SUN RISES 5:15AM

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PRAYER TIMES Fajar Sunrise Zohr Asr Magrib Esha

3:47am 5:14am 12:02am 3:21pm 6:50pm 8:17pm SourceL IslamicFinder.org

as many would opt to go to their native villages to celebrate the Eid. He also suggested setting anti-theft alarm system to vehicles to prevent theft.

The DMP police commissioner said the shopping malls should have fake note identification machines.

Asked why taking special security measures during the month of Ramadan only, Deputy Commissioner of DMP media Masudur Rahman said the month of Ramadan sees a rise in shopping and this effort will facilitate observing Eid ul-Fitr with due religious fervour.

Asked about the recent incidents of mugging from Bikash centres and elsewhere in the capital, he said each and every incident is being investigated.

According to the crime statistics of DMP, at least 21 incidents of mugging have taken place on an average every month over the last five months. l

38, and Mohammad Asadullah alias Asad, 30, in the act near the Metropolitan Hospital around 11:30pm on Thursday. The motorcycle keys and one of the motorbikes were found in their possession.

Following information from the duo, police arrested Mohammad Anwar, 30, and Mohammad Kaiyum, 26, from different parts of the port city, along with the other motor bike and the tools, said the deputy commissioner.

The interrogations revealed interesting stories about how the arrested came to be motorcycle thieves. l

BU Students boycott exams

FORECAST FOR TODAY

Rajshahi

the city dwellers not to buy Iftar from those makeshift shops.

Additional Commissioners Abdul Jalil Mandol, Ibrahim Fatemi and Maruf Hannan were also present during the press briefing.

Benazir called upon the businesspersons to refrain from hiking price as the markets were flooded with products ahead of the month of restraint.

He asked the city people to purchase their necessaries from nearby markets rather than travelling across the city because it would only cost their time and put them to suffering in traffic jam.

He further asked the vehicle owners to line up their motorcars in front of shopping malls to allow the public transport to pass through the roads easily.

About ensuring home security, Benazir said the capable homeowners should install CCTV in their dwellings

n Tarek Mahmud, Chittagong

SUNDAY, JUNE 29

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He further claimed: “There is no bus shortage in any route; rather sometimes we are not get passengers in few routes.” l

4 motorcycle lifters held

OCCASIONAL RAINS

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different routes- Motijheel-Kallayanpur-Mirpur, Motijheel-Khilgaon Taltala, Gazipur-Dhaka, Narayanganj-Demra-Dhaka,” he said.

DMP to beef up security throughout Ramadan, Eid

WEATHER

Dhaka

MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

n Our Correspondent, Barisal A slum dweller burst into tears after a devastating fire gutted her shanty at the Mirpur 10 slum in the capital yesterday

MEHEDI HASAN

Mirpur slum fire guts 400 shanties 1,000 people under open sky fession, was crying with a partially n Kailash Sarkar burnt bundle of money. He said it was Around 400 shanties in a slum in Jhut Potti of Mirpur 10 were completely destroyed in a fire yesterday, leaving more than 1,000 people homeless.

The fire broke out around 12 noon and six firefighting units put out the flame after over two and a half hours but almost all their belongings were reduced to ashes by then.

Most of the slum dwellers were low-income people, with the males working as rickshaw-pullers and the females as housemaids or garment workers.

Chan Miah, who is a mason by pro-

all he had saved, hoping for a better future.

“As soon as I knew about the fire, I returned to the slum but I couldn't save anything. The fire destroyed everything I had,” he said.

Like Chan Miah, several hundred people were wailing as they searched in the ashes for anything that might not have been damaged in the fire.

The shanties in the slum were built primarily of bamboo sticks and sheets of corrugated iron on a wetland where people had been residing in an unhygienic environment.

Abu Saleh, a dweller of the slum, said he did not know the cause of the fire. He also could not say whether anybody had set fire to the slum.

“Immediately after the fire broke out, it engulfed the entire slum in a few minutes,” he said, adding: “I just have saved the lives of my family members.”

Zahirul Amin, deputy director of the Fire Service and Civil Department, said none were hurt in the fire.

“How the fire originated cannot be said without investigation,” he added.

Ziauzzaman, officer-in-charge of Pallabi police station, said they had no information if anybody had set fire to the slum. l

Students of Barisal University (BU) yesterday announced their boycotting of second year semester final examinations demanding withdrawal of case lodged by BU authorities against the students and deferring of examination dates due to lack of preparations caused by police harassment.

BU office sources said second semester final examinations of different departments started from 10am yesterday.

However the students of management and marketing departments, boycotting their examinations, rushed to the office of the concerned chairs and demanded shifting of examinations dates as BU authorities had lodged cases against more than 50 students of different departments which led to the police harassment creating problems in their smooth studies, said Javed Khan, one of the accused students.

Professor Abdullah-al-Masum, chairman of management department and Professor Wahidur Rahman of Marketing

department acknowledged the news.

Tanvir Qaisar, general secretary of BU teachers’ association, acknowledging the facts said students of sociology department also boycotted examinations on same causes.

However, examination to all other departments were held duly, said Tanvir. BU authorities will hold a meeting soon for taking decisions about the demands of the students, Tanvir added.

Professor Dr Harunor Rashid Khan, BU vice-chancellor, said the case was lodged after a seven-member probe committee led by BU syndicate member Professor Md Hanif, along with representatives from teachers’ association, officers-staff solidarity council, submitted its eport on June 6 on the recent vandalism by BU students on the campus.

M A Qaium, lecturer of marketing department, alleged the VC for creating unstable situation in the campus by politicisation and autocratic rule. His administration is also marked by nepotism, corruption and irregularities, Qaium added. l

6

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Nation

Sunday, June 29, 2014

Sea fish population under threat n Our Correspondent, Barguna Sea fish resources is under threat as spawns (renu pona) are being caught illegally and randomly from at least 50 points of Bishkhali, Burishwar and Paira rivers estuaries on the Bay of Bengal in Barguna.

Illegal current nets are being used in catching the spawns of shrimps Bagda and Golda, but the fries of other varieties of sea fish are also getting caught in those nets.

The spawns of other varieties of sea fish, which are being netted, are however not being released back into the river from where they are being caught everyday.

For that reason, thousands of young fish of other varieties are dying everyday, which will eventually affect the stock of sea fish in the Bay of Bengal.

Those who are catching the spawns from the estuaries of the rivers on the Bay of Bengal have admitted to doing so by managing fisheries department, police and ruling party leaders in the locality.

An estimate, provided by those engaged in netting spawns in the rivers, say the spawns worth around Tk 50 lakh are being smuggled to Khulna from Barguna district every day.

Three to four trucks of spawns are smuggled to Khulna from Barguna Sadar, Taltali and Patharghat upazila every

day. Each truck of spawns is worth Tk 10 to 15 lakh.

Spawn trader Imran, who is from Bogi village at Taltali upazila, says: “Spawns are caught and brought to Gulbunia by trawler at midnight every day and then taken to Khulna by truck.

All these things are done in collusion with fishing officers and police.”

Seeking anonymity, a spawn trader, from Golbunia itself, says: “Fishermen catch Bagda spawns by setting their current nets against the current of the rivers.

Other varieties of spawns also get caught in the nets, but they are thrown away rather than being released back into the rivers and so thousands of sea spawns die every day.”

Several locals and spawn traders, from Bakerganj-Betagi highway area, seeking anonymity, says: “Spawns are smuggled into Khulna through this route every day.

“Though police seize trucks of spawns, but free them for money or on an underhand dealing.”

District Fisheries Officer Bankim Chandra Biswas says: “We are continuing special drives against catching and trading spawns along with coast guards despite our lack of strength in manpower and other logistical support.”

He added that they had meanwhile seized and released 90 lakh spawns into the rivers. l

PBCP leader killed in shootout n Our Correspondent, Satkhira

Farmers reap benefit from Tulshiganga re-excavation

Tk62 lakh antique Vishnu idol found in Dinajpur

n Our Correspondent, Naogaon

Members of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) recovered an ancient idol of Hindu lord Vishnu in a drive worth around Tk62 lakh in the international market.

It was recovered from the house of an artefact trafficker at Sayedpur village in Birganj upazila here yesterday. However, no arrest was made in the drive.

BGB 2 battalion commander Lieutenant Colonel Khalid Hasan said a team of BGB members, on a tip-off, conducted a drive on the house of one Shahjahan Ali, son of Mukhlesur Rahman, in the

A regional leader of the outlawed Purba Banglar Communist Party was killed in a shootout between police and his accomplices at Shantinagar area Thukra village under Dumuria upazila in Khulna district yesterday.

Officer-in-Charge of Dumuria police station M Moshiur Rahman said deceased Litu Sarder, 38, the leader of the PBCP, was accused of at least 13 cases including two murders.

He said a team of police had conducted a drive at the residence of Litu and arrested him at midnight.

Acting on his confessional statement, police personnel took Litu to Shantinagar area the village to recover hidden arms and arrest his accomplices.

When they reached to the area, outlawed members of the PBCP opened fire on the law enforcers who also returned fire. Later he died in the hospital. l

Thousands of farmers reap the benefit from re-excavation of a river under a rainwater reservation project undertaken by Barind Multipurpose Development Authority (BMDA) in Naogaon.

Sources said BMDA re-excavated the Tulshiganga River in Naogaon, which dried up around 10 years ago and lost its navigability, under the rainwater reservation and irrigation project at a cost of Tk2.2 crore in the last fiscal year.

It also planted 20,000 fruit-bearing, indigenous, and medicinal trees on each side of the river.

The river regained its natural flow from last year's rainwater and farmers have cultivated winter crops like Aush paddy this year in around 10,000 hectors of land by irrigating the river wa-

Current nets are being used in catching the spawns of shrimps in the Paira river estuary on the Bay of Bengal in Barguna

ter, said the sources.

Enamul Haque of village Boalia, Rashedul Islam of village Mangalpur, and Khademul Islam of village Ka-

Situations have vastly changed this year after the completion of the project as the farmers have been cultivating winter crops with the river water doa, the farmers from Sadar upazila of Naogaon told the Dhaka Tribune that each year the adjacent villages were inundated even after brief rain spell and consequently the river was considered

as a curse by the locals before its reexcavation.

But these situations have vastly changed this year after the completion of the project as the farmers have been cultivating winter crops with the river water.

The river is also a source of local fishes and many families are earning extra income through rearing goose, the farmers added.

When contacted, Mostafizur Rahman, assistant engineer Sadar upazila unit of BMDA, said there is a widespread change in the socio-economic condition of this agro-based area after the re-excavation.

Around 10,000 farmers of 30 villages are producing crops through irrigation from the river water. The trees on the banks of the river are also largely contributing to the preservation of environment in the area, the officer added. l

Four NGO officials killed in road accident n Our Correspondent, Tangail

Authorities are building a toilet adjoining the Shaheed Minar (martyrs’ plaque) of Kholahati Government Primary School drawing ire from people in Gaibandha Sadar Upazila DHAKA TRIBUNE

Husband kills wife n Our Correspondent,

Ashulia wholesaler hacked to death by muggers

A housewife was allegedly killed by her husband at Char Anupnagar area in Sadar upazila yesterday.

Sadar police station Officer-inCharge, Jasim Uddin said locals spotted the body of Fatema Begum, 38, wife of Alauddin at noon and informed police.

Later, law enforces recovered the body and sent it to Sadar Hospital morgue for an autopsy. Alauudin went into hiding after the incident. l

n Our Correspondent, Savar

Chapainawabganj

A gang of muggers allegedly hacked a wholesaler to death when he tried to save himself from the mugging on the Nabinagar-Kaliakoir highway in Baroipara area in Ashulia yesterday.

The victim, Motaleb Hossain, 33, a fruit wholesaler of the area, came from Nagorpur of Tangail district.

Witness sources said several mug-

gers moved in to snatch money from Motaleb in the morning and at one stage, they stabbed him when he tried to prevent them, leaving him critically injured.

Later, pedestrians whisked him off to a local hospital where on duty doctors declared him dead.

In this regard, Ashulia police station OC Sheikh Badrul Alam said he unofficially heard of the killing. l

At least four NGO officials were killed and one person was injured when a truck rammed into a pick-up on the Dhaka-Tangail Bangabandhu Bridge Highway at Jokarchar in Kalihati upazila of the district yesterday.

The deceased were identified as Abdul Hamid, 48, executive director of a nongovernment organisation named Ananya in Sujanagar upazila of Pabna district, its deputy director Mohammad Azim Uddin,46, employee Mokhlesur Rahman,45, and driver Mostafa Hasan,40.

The injured was deputy assistant director of the NGO, Mohamamd Alauddin, 47.

The accident took place around 8 am when a truck from Dhaka hit a Dhakabound pick-up from Pabna, leaving four riders of the pick-up killed on the spot and another injured, said Mohammad Akheruzzaman, officer-in-charge of Bangabandhu Bridge east police station.

Razibul Islam Babu, assistant director of ‘Ananya’, confirmed the death of the two directors and two staff of the NGO. Police recovered the bodies and kept those at Bangabandhu Bridge east police station. l

n Our Correspondent, Dinajpur

DHAKA TRIBUNE

village at the crack of dawn and recovered the touchstone-made idol weighing 62kg. During the raid, the family members fled the house sensing the presence of the border guard members.

The idol might have been kept in the house to traffic elsewhere, the commander continued. A case was launched with Birganj police station in this connection. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Career

7

Sunday, June 29, 2014

Pitch fast, not hard! n Career Desk

Example: “I visit each university separately, and review each course individually, to find out exactly what is expected off my applications, unlike other developers.

"While this may take longer, it ensures that my clients are happy with the first version of the application I write for them.”

A

n “elevator pitch,” which does not necessarily have to be inside an elevator, is a short summary used to quickly and simply define a person, position, product, service, organisation, etc. The name reflects the idea that the pitch should ideally be possible to deliver in the time span of an elevator ride, approximately 30 seconds to a minute.

The term comes from a scenario of an accidental meeting with someone useful. If the pitch inside the elevator, in those few seconds is interesting and of value to the listener, the conversation will continue after the elevator ride and result in an exchange of business cards, or in particularly successful cases, a scheduled meeting.

An elevator pitch is ideally brief and persuasive, and used to spark interest.

The agenda behind it is to create interest in a project, idea, product, or yourself. The perfect elevator pitch is interesting, memorable and concise, while explaining what makes the organisation, product or idea unique.

It is a misconception to assume that elevator pitches are only for sales people to pitch their products and services.

In reality, elevator pitches are more useful when it comes to, for example, introducing your organisation to potential clients or customers, or selling a new idea to your CEO, or to inform colleagues about your new project.

Creating a perfect elevator pitch that sounds natural and not rehearsed will be difficult and you will likely go through many versions before landing on one that is compelling. Use the following step-by-step method to perfect your pitch, but, as it should go without saying, keep in mind to change your pitch as fits your situation:

Ask a question

Nothing engages a listener like a question. Prepare a number of questions that you will use to make your pitch a two-way one.

At the same time, make sure you are prepared to handle questions that may come your way.

Example: “What kind of remote applications does your organisation use?” “Are you satisfied with their performance?” “How are your employees responding to them?”

Practice

Identify the goal

Think about the objective of your pitch.

Is it to tell potential clients about your organisation? Is it to introduce a great new product idea? Or will a simple and engaging conversation about your work suffice?

Introduce yourself

Start the pitch by explaining what your organisation does, or what you do. Focus on problems that you solve and how

BIGSTOCK

it helps people. It is best to lead with a statistic that shows the impact of what you do. For example, a seminar you organised has lead to 20 villages receiving workshops on disaster preparedness.

Make sure that what you are pitching excites you, first and foremost.

If it doesn’t interest you it won’t in-

terest the person you’re pitching to.

Your pitch should seem passionate, so that even if the audience does not remember much of what you said, they will remember your passion and enthusiasm.

A boring introduction: “I write applications for online courses of differ-

ent universities.”

A memorable introduction: “I write applications university students use to remotely connect to their lectures.”

The latter is much more interesting, memorable and explains the value you provide and impact you have on your clients.

Point out your USP

The most important part of your elevator pitch is pointing out your unique selling proposition or your USP. Your USP makes you, your organisation, or your idea unique. You should point out your USP after you have discussed what it is that you do.

Just like you did back in school for presentations, when you have prepared for each section of your pitch, bring it all together and practice.

Practice in front of a mirror and use a stopwatch to time yourself – your pitch introduction should not run longer than 30 seconds or you risk losing the person’s interest.

While practicing, make necessary edits and leave out things that don’t need to be there. You have already covered what you are going to say, but how you’re going to say it is just as important.

You do not want to sound too fast, or sound like you have been practicing the pitch, or sound unnatural.

You want your pitch to be a smooth conversation, not an aggressive sales pitch. Pitch it fast, not hard. Vary your pitch from time to time so it doesn’t start to sound too formulaic.

Example: “I write applications university students use to remotely connect to their lectures. I visit each university separately and review each course individually, to find out exactly what is expected off my applications, unlike other developers.

"This takes longer, but it ensures my clients are satisfied with the first version of my app.

“What kind of remote application is your organisation using?” l

Manage time like the professional you are

BIGSTOCK

n Ahsan Sajid “What is important is seldom urgent and what is urgent is seldom important.”

– President Dwight D Eisenhower

T Best time management practices take into account the importance of being effective as well as efficient. Managing time effectively and getting everything done means spending time on things that are important, and not just urgent

he quoted maxim which describes Eisenhower’s beliefs gave rise to a method of organising tasks called the Eisenhower Principle, or the Eisenhower Matrix, a matrix that helps you manage time effectively and not just efficiently, and that is used by professionals from all fields.

For the purposes of this article, let us say that the difference between important and urgent is that: “important” activities have an outcome that leads to the achievement of one’s goals, whether these are professional or personal while “urgent” activities demand immediate attention, and are often associated with the achievement of someone else’s goals.

Best time management practices take into account the importance of being effective as well as efficient. Managing time effectively and getting everything done means spending time on things that are important, and not just urgent. Urgent activities are usually the ones we concentrate on; they demand attention because the consequences of not dealing with them are immediate.

Step-by-step use of the matrix

The Eisenhower Matrix is a fresh approach to priorities which helps you overcome the natural tendency to focus only on urgent, immediate activities so that

you can clear enough time to focus on what’s important in the long run. Draw the matrix as shown in the figure. Follow the step by step method provided below to plot all your priorities in the matrix. n On a blank piece of paper, list out all the activities and projects that you have to do at work, no matter how unimportant. n On a scale of 1 to 5, assign importance level to each of the activities.

This is a measure of how important each activity is in meeting your goals and objectives, so don’t worry about urgency at this stage. n After assigning importance, evaluate the urgency of each task. Once you’ve done this, plot each task on matrix according to the values you’ve given it. n Study the matrix and schedule your priorities accordingly.

Strategies for each quadrant

Urgent, Important: Urgent and important activities are ones that you could not foresee and others that you left to the last minute. Avoid last-minute activities by planning ahead and avoiding procrastination. Crises cannot always be foreseen; the best approach is to leave some time in your schedule to handle unexpected issues and unplanned important activities or to re-

schedule other events.

If you have a lot of urgent and important activities, identify which of these could have been foreseen, and think about how you could schedule similar activities ahead of time, so that they don't become urgent.

Urgent, Not Important: Urgent but not important activities stop you achieving your goals, and prevent you from completing your work. Ask yourself whether these tasks can be rescheduled, or whether you can delegate them. A common source of such interruptions is from colleagues or your supervisor.

Sometimes it's more appropriate to say "No" or to encourage them to solve the problem themselves.

Not Urgent, Important: These are the tasks that help you achieve your personal and professional goals, and complete important work. Make sure you have plenty of time to do these things properly, so that they do not become urgent.

Not Urgent, Not Important: These activities are just a distraction, and should be avoided if possible. Some can simply be ignored or cancelled.

The Eisenhower Matrix helps you identify the activities you should focus on. By prioritising using the Matrix, you can deal with urgent issues while working towards important goals. l

BIGSTOCK

Smooth transitions n Career Desk

T

here are certain attitude adjustments and expectations to manage when starting a new job.

Whether you are a fresh graduate on you first job, or a senior-level executive switching to a new organisation, starting a new job brings with it many of the same challenges and conflicts.

It pays to understand the culture of your organisation, and finding your niche in it, which can be a very time-consuming process. Following are a few suggestions that may help you accelerate the development.

Don’t hit the ground running

This trait is as common in job starters as it is in seasoned workers – when starting a new job in a new company the pressure to impress leads one to go all out and chase assignments from day one. While this isn’t a bad thing and it certainly impresses the boss, it can get one in trouble.

You are bringing experience, connections, and a plethora of other intangible assets, but you don’t know the culture or the players. Your actions may alienate colleagues, disrupt the method and pace the company is comfortable with, or have long term repercussions you cannot yet fully see. Take time to do the groundwork and figure out the company. Ask for your colleague’s perspectives instead of just your boss. You won’t get a second chance.

Say less, learn more

The first few days, take advantage of being silent and observe and listen to your colleagues in different circumstances.

Process and analyse all the information that you collect from conversations and try to figure out who you can trust and

who you need to be wary of.

The less you say, the better you position yourself to learn how the company works. This doesn’t mean you should be rude or shy; it means not to volunteer opinions or information unless they are asked for.

Build a diverse circle

It is easy to talk to colleagues in your department or work with colleagues who are just around you, but to excel at your new job you must build a diverse circle of trust comprising of people in different functions in the organisation.

When you socialise with more than just your immediate colleagues you gain a more holistic understanding of your company and the way it works.

Furthermore, when you have people to count on throughout the company, you have multiple sources feeding your important information, fresh pair of eyes for any problems that may arise, and ease of operations for projects requiring interdepartmental collaboration.

Let go of the past

Engage fully at your new position by showing loyalty and appreciation. The longer one spends at a job the more used to one gets to it; when starting a new job, let go of all your previous work habits, customs and team dynamics.

Differences in practice will be clear to you, but do not even mention your previous job unless asked about it. If you constantly bring up “At my old job, we did things this way” or “At my old job, I undertook this many projects” your new colleagues will soon tire of you, creating unnecessary friction.

You earn the right to critique your new workplace once you’ve been there long enough to understand it. l

8

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Iraqi parties in talks after call for a new premier n Reuters, Baghdad Iraqi party leaders planned delicate talks that could end Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s divisive rule after a top Shi’ite cleric called for a new premier to be chosen without delay to tackle Islamist rebels threatening to tear apart the country.

Major powers are pushing for a new inclusive government, rather than one pursuing Shi’ite sectarian domination, to be formed fast to counter the insurrection that has spilled across the border with Syria and could menace the wider Middle East.

In a striking political intervention on Friday that could signal the demise of Maliki’s eight-year tenure, influential Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani urged political blocs to agree on the next premier, parliament speaker and president before a newly elected legislature meets in Baghdad on Tuesday.

“The next 72 hours are very important to come up with an agreement..., to push the political process forward,” said a lawmaker and ex-government official from the National Alliance, which groups all Shi’ite Muslim parties.

The lawmaker, who asked for anonymity due to political sensitivities, said he expected internal meetings of the various parties and a broader session of the National Alliance including Maliki’s State of Law list to be held through the weekend. Some Sunni Muslim parties were to convene later on Saturday.

Sistani’s entry into the fray will make it hard for Maliki to stay on as caretaker leader as he has since a parliamentary election in April. That means he must either build a coalition to confirm himself

NEWS BITES

US: No more antipersonnel landmines

n

Reuters, Washington

The United States said on Friday it would no longer make or buy anti-personnel landmines and that it would strive to eventually join the global treaty banning the weapons, but it stopped short of agreeing to destroy its stockpile of 3 million mines. The decision was hailed by arms control groups as a small yet significant step forward. But Representative Randy Forbes warned that it would threaten security on the Korean peninsula, and Representative Buck McKeon, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, said it was “bad for the security of our men and women in uniform.”

A US delegation made the announcement at a review conference of the Mine Ban Treaty in Mozambique, and the White House later confirmed the decision. l

Ukraine extends ceasefire by 72 hours until Monday

n Reuters, Kiev

Ukraine on Friday extended a government forces’ ceasefire against separatist rebels by 72 hours until 10 p.m. on Monday, the website of President Petro Poroshenko said. The announcement came shortly after Poroshenko returned to Kiev from Brussels where he signed a landmark free trade deal at a European Union summit.

The ceasefire extension had been undertaken, it said, in line with a deadline set by EU leaders for Ukrainian rebels to agree to ceasefire verification arrangements, return border checkpoints to Kiev authorities and free hostages including detained monitors of the OSCE rights and security watchdog. l

CNN launches research for drones in journalism

n AFP, Washington

CNN has said it was launching a research project with the Georgia Institute of Technology on how drones could be used for news-gathering by media organizations.

The research will evaluate the technology, personnel and safety needs to operate effectively and will share its findings with the Federal Aviation Administration.

“Our hope is that by working cooperatively to share knowledge, we can accelerate the process for CNN and other media organizations to safely integrate this new technology into their coverage plans,” said David Vigilante, CNN senior vice president. l

in power for a third term or step aside.

Sistani’s message was delivered after a meeting of Shi’ite factions including the State of Law coalition failed to agree on a consensus candidate for prime minister.

The embattled Maliki accused his political foes of trying to prevent parliament from meeting on time and whipping up violence to interfere with the political process.

“They worked to postpone the elections... and now they are working to postpone the first session of the council of representatives... but if they are not able to pressure us to postpone, they will go for inciting security incidents in Baghdad,” he said during a televised meeting with commanders.

Since early June, ISIL militants have overrun most majority Sunni Muslim areas in the north and west of Iraq, capturing the biggest northern city Mosul and late dictator Saddam Hussein’s hometown of Tikrit.

ISIL aims to set up a medieval-style Islamic caliphate erasing regional borders and they deem all Shi’ites to be heretics deserving death. They have boasted of executing scores of Shi’ite government soldiers captured in Tikrit.

On Saturday, Iraqi troops were trying to advance on Tikrit from the direction of Samarra to the south that has become the military’s line in the sand against an ISIL charge southwards to within an hour’s drive of the capital Baghdad.

US President Barack Obama has ruled out sending ground forces back to Iraq, where they were for eight years after invading to oust Saddam, but has sent up to 300 advisers, mostly special forces, to help the government take on ISIL. l

World

Iraq launches push for militant-held northern city n AP, Baghdad Iraqi troops backed by helicopter gunships launched an operation early yesterday aimed at dislodging Sunni militants from the northern city of Tikrit, one of two major urban centers they seized in recent weeks in a dramatic blitz across the country.

After watching much of Iraq slip out of government hands, military officials sought to portray the push that began before dawn as a significant step that puts the army back on the offensive. They said the operation includes commandos, tanks and helicopters, as well as pro-government Sunni fighters and Shiite volunteers. Tikrit residents reported clashes in the city, but the extent of the fighting was unclear.

Jawad al-Bolani, a security official in the Salahuddin Operation Command, said the immediate objective is Tikrit, the hometown of former dictator Saddam Hussein and one of two major cities to fall in recent weeks to the al-Qaida breakaway Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant and allied Sunni militants. He said there was no concrete timeline for the operation to conclude.

Helicopter gunships conducted airstrikes before dawn on insurgents who were attacking troops at a university campus on Tikrit’s northern outskirts, Iraqi military spokesman Lt. Gen. Qassim al-Moussawi said. There was no immediate word on casualties. Government troops established a bridgehead on the sprawling campus early Friday after being ferried in by helicopter.

A Tikrit resident confirmed that air raids took place at the University of Tikrit around dawn Saturday. He reported clashes between the Islamic State and Iraqi forces to the southeast as well, but said militants are still patrolling the city. He spoke on condition of anonymity out of concern for his safety. l

‘US fueling Ukrainian crisis’ n AP, Moscow Russia’s foreign minister yesterday accused the United States of encouraging Ukraine to challenge Moscow and heavily weighing in on the European Union.

Speaking in televised remarks Saturday, Sergey Lavrov said that “our American colleagues still prefer to push the Ukrainian leadership toward a confrontational path.”

He added that chances for settling the Ukrainian crisis would have been higher if it only depended on Russia and Europe.

Lavrov spoke after Friday’s European Union summit, which decided not to immediately impose new sanctions on Russia for destabilizing eastern Ukraine,

but gave the Russian government and pro-Russian insurgents there until Monday to take steps to improve the situation.

Ukraine on Friday signed a freetrade pact with the EU, the very deal that angered Russia and triggered the bloodshed and political convulsions of the past seven months that brought Russia-West relations to their lowest point since the Cold War times.

In November, under pressure from Moscow, a former Ukrainian president dumped the EU pact, fueling huge protests that eventually drove him from power. Moscow responded by annexing the mainly Russian-speaking Crimean Peninsula in March, and pro-Russian separatists soon rose up in Ukraine’s eastern provinces. l

‘Russia economy would shrink if hit by sanctions’ n Reuters, Moscow The Russian economy would contract should the West introduce wide-ranging sectoral sanctions over Ukraine but that would not be a “dramatic” situation, Economy Minister Alexei Ulyukayev was quoted on Saturday as saying.

The United States and the European Union have repeatedly called on Moscow to do more to help stop fighting in eastern Ukraine - where Kiev is struggling against a separatist pro-Russian rebellion - or face harsher sanctions.

Ulyukayev told the “Vesti on Satur-

Sunday, June 29, 2014

day with Sergey Brilev” TV programme that the Russian government has worked out an economic outlook scenario envisaging sectoral sanctions.

They would hit Russian exports from luxury goods like furs and caviar under a relatively lenient option to metals, fertilisers, gas and oil under the harshest one, he said. “The economy withstands such a scenario. The pace of economic growth, of course, retires to a negative area. The pace of investment if even worse, revenues are reduced, inflation accelerates, government reserves shrink,” Ulyukayev said. l

A US official points to downtown Baghdad on a screen of the newly-unveiled control system for unmanned drones. Pentagon yesterday said the US had started flying armed drones over Baghdad to protect US civilians and military forces in the Iraqi capital AP

Pentagon: Armed drones on guard to protect US interests in Iraq n AP, Washington The US has armed drones flying over Baghdad to protect US troops that recently arrived to assess Iraq’s deteriorating security, the Pentagon said. The military for more than a week has been flying manned and unmanned aircraft over Iraq, averaging a few dozen sorties daily for reconnaissance. The decision to arm some of the drones follows the deployment to Baghdad of troops who will advise and assist Iraqi forces.

“The reason that some of those air-

EU moves to assuage Cameron after outvoting him on Juncker n Reuters, Brussels European Union leaders nominated Jean-Claude Juncker for their bloc’s most powerful job on Friday over the fierce objections of British Prime Minister David Cameron, who said the decision would make it harder for him to keep Britain in Europe.

Fellow leaders immediately sought to assuage Cameron – and an increasing eurosceptic British electorate – by promising to address London’s concerns about the EU’s future and to review the process for choosing future European Commission presidents.

Cameron forced an unprecedented vote at an EU summit to dramatise his opposition both to the way the former Luxembourg prime minister was chosen and to his suitability to head the EU’s executive that proposes and enforces EU laws.

He was outvoted 26-2 on a show of hands.

“The job has got harder of keeping Britain in a reformed EU,” Cameron said after his defeat. “The job has got harder, the stakes are higher.”

In a Europe crying out for reform, leaders had gone for a “career Brussels insider,” the career British politician said. Juncker, 59, a veteran deal-broker at EU summits for more than two decades, will now go before the European Parliament for a confirmation vote on July 16. l

Sufi faithful raise a stink over sultry perfume ads n Reuters, San Francisco A sultry ad for a perfume created by Roberto Cavalli has touched a raw nerve with followers of Islamic Sufism, who claim the Italian design house has inappropriately used a symbol sacred to practitioners of their mystical faith.

Commercials for the scent Just Cavalli, featuring the scantily clad daughter of rock star Mick Jagger, have provoked demonstrations outside stores in cities as far flung as San Francisco and Beverly Hills in California and Dusseldorf, Germany. More protests are planned this weekend in Chicago and London.

Followers of the M.T.O Shahmaghsoudi School of Islamic Sufism, which counts some 500,000 adherents worldwide, say the logo of the Just Cavalli

line resembles a trademarked sacred emblem and they want it removed.

The logo in question is a stylized “H” lying on its side. Sufis say it is based on their centuries-old upright symbol of an Arabic word that spells “Allah” and represents peace and harmony.

“To use something that means so much to us for corporate profit cheapens our sacred symbol,” said one of the campaign organizers, Nasim Bahadorani, a doctoral student and ethnic Iranian born in San Diego. “It’s disrespectful, offensive and degrading.”

The Roberto Cavalli company, which has used the logo since 2011, says the symbols are neither similar nor mistakable. Last month, the European Union’s trademark and design authority, the Office for Harmonization in the

Internal Market (OHIM), agreed, and rejected an official request by the Sufis to invalidate the Just Cavalli logo.

“Roberto Cavalli SpA is deeply saddened by the distress expressed by the Sufist School students, but hopes that the sentence emitted by a competent authority such as the OHIM, will convince the Sufist religion of the complete good faith and the groundlessness of their requests,” the company said this week in a statement.

Undeterred by the EU decision, Sufi followers have taken matters into their own hands. In recent weeks they stepped up their campaign with a Facebook page, YouTube videos, a #TakeOffJustLogo Twitter drive and a series of demonstrations outside stores selling Cavalli fashion, shoes and other products. l

craft are armed is primarily for force protection reasons now that we have introduced into the country some military advisers whose objective will be to operate outside the confines of the embassy,” the Defense Department’s press secretary, Navy Rear Adm. John Kirby, told a Pentagon press conference Friday.

Using US air assets to target the leaders of the Sunni-led insurgency is one of the options being prepared for President Barack Obama as he considers what support to provide to Iraq, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff,

Gen. Martin Dempsey, said in a radio interview. Protection of critical infrastructure is part of that option, he said.

“We’re flying a great deal (of) manned and unmanned ... intelligence and reconnaissance assets, and we’re building a picture so that if the decision were made to support the Iraqi security forces as they confront (ISIS), we could do so,” Dempsey said. So far, 180 of 300 troops promised by Obama have arrived in the country. That’s 90 advisers and 90 who are setting up an operations and intelligence analysis unit. l

‘The birthplace of Islam’ in Britain reopens

The mosque at 8 Brougham Terrace opened in 1889

n Agencies The first mosque founded in England, which has stood as a derelict shell for many years, has been refurbished and reopened to Merseyside’s 20,000 Muslims, BBC reported. But how did it come to be there in the first place?

The mid-terrace house in Liverpool, with its broken windows and peeling paint, had given no clue it was, as one of the men behind its renovation put it, the “birthplace of Islam in Britain.”

The building, in Brougham Terrace, was once owned by Abdullah Quilliam, who opened it as Liverpool Muslim Institute in 1889. A prominent English solicitor who had been educated on the Isle of Man and the son of a Methodist preacher, William Henry Quilliam converted to Islam two years earlier, taking the name Abdullah and claiming to be the first native Englishman to embrace the religion.

The Abdullah Quilliam Society’s Jahangir Mohammed says it is difficult to underestimate the importance of the man or the courage he showed in becoming a Muslim, a step he took while on a trip to Morocco. “On his way, he saw some Hajjis, who had been on pilgrimage, and was intrigued at how peaceful they were when he saw them praying,” he said.

“A Muslim colleague explained that Islam was simply a continuation of previous faiths, Judaism and Christianity. It all seemed logical to him so he became a Muslim at that point. When he came back, he decided that he wanted to promote Islam. At the time, it was seen as the religion of the Devil here, so it was a very brave step to take.”

‘First media Muslim’ Quilliam’s work was met in some quarters by anger and hatred, which Mr Mohammed says intensified after the founding of the mosque and his conversion successes.

“He converted 200 locals and 600 people in the whole of the UK and spent a lot

WIKI

of his time persuading people about the merits of Islam and how it wasn’t the evil religion it was presented to be,” he said.

“Because he was successful and Christians were converting to Islam, that produced a lot of hostility. People would come in here and attack him. They would throw pigs’ heads, razor wire, stones. Some were incited by priests, some were incited by the media, but he stood up to that.”

More than simply facing down his detractors, Mr Mohammed says Quilliam turned to the instruments being used to denigrate him and became “the first media Muslim.”

Building in disrepair In Liverpool, the institute grew to incorporate an orphanage, college, madrasa, hotel, museum and library. But the religious intolerance which Quilliam and his converts faced proved too much for him and in 1908, he left England for Istanbul, returning much later under the name Haroun Mustapha Leon and settling in Woking, where he died in 1932.

Quilliam’s departure saw 8 Brougham Terrace change and from 1908, the buildings were used as council registry for births, deaths and marriages, including records of the marriage of John Lennon and his first wife, Cynthia. Later the building fell into disrepair. In 1999, a group of Muslims from Merseyside set up the Abdullah Quilliam Society in order to preserve his legacy and a year later, they took over responsibility for the building, which was in a poor state.

The restoration project has seen the society raise more than £400,000 from donations and it plans to eventually spend £3.8m restoring the buildings and setting up a museum and heritage centre.

Mr Mohammed says Quilliam’s vision deserves nothing less. “It’s very important because this is the first mosque in Britain.

It was the centre of Islamic activity in Victorian times and the birthplace of Islam in Britain. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

World

9

Sunday, June 29, 2014

Thai coup leader Clash of values mires Thailand in cycle of coups denies conspiracy n with protesters AP, Bangkok

n AFP, Bangkok Thailand’s junta-leading Army Chief has dismissed allegations he plotted to seize power for years before May’s coup, issuing an apparent rebuke to the leader of the protests that crippled the former government.

“It is not true” General Prayut ChanO-Cha said, addressing accusations that he had discussed uprooting the divisive Shinawatra clan from politics with firebrand protest chief Suthep Thaugsuban. “I did not join any process or take part with any side.”

While Prayut did not directly reference Suthep, he was prodded into the denial after reports that the protest figurehead told a charity dinner that he had been in talks with the army chief since 2010.

Shortly after Prayut’s comments, Suthep took to Facebook to say he would cancel all future fundraisers – starting on Saturday.

Supporters of ousted premier Yingluck Shinawatra have blamed a coalition of establishment-linked forces – including the army and judiciary – for colluding to overthrow the government, the second such army putsch in eight years.

But Prayut has been at pains to package his power grab as a necessary evil to restore peace and order after

Pakistan family slits throats of young couple over love marriage n Reuters, Lahore A young couple in Pakistan were tied up and had their throats slit with scythes after they married for love, police said yesterday.

The 17-year-old girl and 31-year-old man married on June 18 without the consent of their families in eastern Pakistan’s Punjabi village of Satrah, police said.

The girl’s mother and father lured the couple home late on Thursday with the promise that their marriage would receive a family blessing, said local police official Rana Zashid.

“When the couple reached there, they tied them with ropes,” he said.

“He (the girl’s father) cut their throats.”

Police arrested the family, who said they had been embarrassed by the marriage of their daughter, named Muafia Hussein, to a man from a less important tribe.

Cultural traditions in many areas of Pakistan mean that killing a woman whose behavior is seen as immodest is widely accepted.

Immodest behavior that sparked recent killings included singing, looking out of the window or talking to a man who is not a relative. For a woman to marry a man of her own choice is considered an unacceptable insult by many families.

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan said 869 so-called “honor killings” were reported in the media last year - several a day. But the true figure is probably much higher since many cases are never reported.

The weak Pakistani government, battling with a troubled economy and a Taliban insurgency, does not collect centralized statistics and has no strategy to combat the killings.

Pakistani law means that even if a woman’s killer is convicted, her family are able to forgive the killer.

Many families simply nominate a member to do the killing, then formally forgive the killer.

That’s what happened earlier this week, a lawyer said, when a tribal council in central Pakistan’s Muzaffargarh district sentenced another young couple to death for marrying for love.

The couple’s lawyer, Zia Kiyyani, said the two had appealed for police protection after their marriage on June 21, but had not received any.

The 19-year-old girl’s family came to take her from her husband’s family, swearing on the Koran that they would not harm her and would hold a proper wedding ceremony, he said.

“During this the girl shouted, cried and mourned for her life and her husband’s life because she knew that they will kill both of them,” he said.

The girl, named Mehreen Bibi, was shot by a member of her family when she returned home, police said. Her husband went into hiding and her father registered the murder complaint so he could forgive the killer, Kiyyani said.

“That will end the case,” he said. l

several months of protests by Suthep’s supporters paralysed the government.

Twenty-eight people died and hundreds more were wounded in political violence linked to the protests, which also deflated the kingdom’s once-buoyant economy.

The stern-faced general toppled the government on May 22, a fortnight after Yingluck was booted out off office by a controversial court ruling.

He has imposed martial law on the kingdom, suspended the constitution, muzzled dissent and detained or arrested hundreds of people – mainly supporters of the former government.

“Political talks, fund-raising (activities) are forbidden.... it is a violation of martial law,” Prayut warned in his regular Friday television speech.

Two senior members of the anti-government protests contacted by AFP refused to comment.

Yingluck’s billionaire brother – also a former premier – Thaksin Shinawatra sits at the heart of Thailand’s trenchant political divide. He was toppled in a 2006 army coup and now lives in self-exile to avoid a corruption conviction he contends was politically motivated.

Meanwhile, fleshing out his roadmap for Thailand’s political future, Prayut also confirmed that an interim constitution had been drafted and will likely take effect next month. l

Over the past decades, Chalad Worachat has resisted military regimes and dictatorial legislation by staging hunger strikes, five of them. Now the 71-year-old onetime parliamentarian is back on water and honey, despondent that after so many years and so much bloodshed, Thailand has been unable to break out of a cycle of military coups to achieve true democracy.

“We are not moving toward full democracy. We’re going backward to dictatorship,” he said on the 25th day of his sixth fast, which he vows to continue until the latest military regime adopts democratic principles. Sallow-faced and dressed in black, he reclined on a mat spread over a curbside across the street from the Parliament building, now empty.

Chalad has lain there before, sometimes to protest against individuals, at other times to stop moves like a 1983 bill that would have allowed unelected bureaucrats and military officers to become prime minister.

But basically he has been fighting the same battle again and again.

“Thais have never learned about democracy, never really compared democracy with dictatorship to see which is better,” he says.

“They just look at what’s in front of them and see a hero, but a hero never lasts long.”

A military man has led Thailand for 54 of the 82 years since the Southeast Asian country ended absolute monarchy in 1932.

It continues to bounce between coups and fragile democratic governments despite numerous advantages over many of its neighbors normally regarded as conducive to liberal democracy, including a vibrant

Chalad Worachat lies on the ground during a hunger strike outside the Parliament in Bangkok. Over the past decades, Chalad has resisted military regimes and dictatorial legislation by staging hunger strikes, five of them AP economy, no rigid class structure and virtually no war on its soil in almost 250 years.

This while once power-grabbing militaries have returned to their barracks in South Korea, Taiwan, Indonesia, the Philippines — even Myanmar to some extent.

At the heart of the instability is a clash of core values that has been with Thailand’s constitutional monarchy from the beginning. The traditional Hindu-Buddhist culture — emphasizing deference to authority in a hierarchical system, acceptance of one’s fate and avoidance of confrontation — runs against emerging individualism, egalitarianism and rule of law. The old values also breed power brokers who dole out rewards

to subordinates whose loyalty flows to them rather than to state institutions.

“Patronage relations dominate all aspects of Thai society and have a crippling effect on democratic institutions and political culture,” said Marc Saxer of the Friedrich-Ebert Stiftung, a German foundation promoting democracy.

For more than a decade, Thai politics has been a bitter struggle between two sides that have both resorted to undemocratic means, leaving genuine democrats within all camps largely marginalized. On one side are former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his supporters, who have won every Thai election in the 21st century.

D I S P L AC E D PA K I STA N I S Q U E U E FO R R E L I E F S U P P L I E S

Thaksin, now living in self-imposed exile in the United Arab Emirates to avoid a prison sentence for corruption, is popular among the rural poor but hated by many wealthier Thais for his winner-take-all methods.

As prime minister, Thaksin gutted agencies designed to curb executive power, stocked key positions with his relatives and attacked the media. The most recent elected government — led by his sister, Yingluck Shinawatra — began to crumble late last year after it tried to push through an amnesty bill that would have allowed Thaksin to return home.

The main opposition, the Democrat Party, has not won an election in more than 20 years but managed to gain power at times by siding with the traditional order.

Yingluck’s government was weakened by longtime Democrat leaders who orchestrated massive demonstrations, and by institutions widely regarded as lacking impartiality.

Coup leader Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha, who took over May 22, said late Friday that general elections would be held around October 2015 after an appointed reform council and drafting committee write a long-term constitution. He has warned all groups not to oppose the military.

Even some who disagree with military intervention say that after six months of crippling political deadlock, an economic downturn and sometimes violent street demonstrations, Thailand had no Plan B on offer.

“It’s deja vu. Times have changed, but we Thais have not yet found a way acceptable to most people to solve our political problems,” said Sainarong Siripen Rasananda, a retired, Cambridge University-educated businessman. l

NEWS BITES

China says it will never seek regional hegemony

n AP, Beijing

Chinese President Xi Jinping said yesterday his country will never seek hegemony no matter how strong it becomes, even as his neighbours worry about Beijing’s actions in several territorial disputes. Xi made the comments as he hosted leaders of India and Myanmar to commemorate 60 years since their countries agreed to principles of peaceful coexistence.

At the same time, China is quarreling with several neighboring countries, including India, over territory and is challenging US power in the region. In November, China declared an air defense identification zone over much of the East China Sea, where it is disputing several islands with Japan.

Tensions also flared up with Vietnam after China deployed oil rigs in waters claimed by both countries, and with the Philippines, where Beijing has asserted its sovereignty in the South China Sea close to Philippine shore. l

Filipinos to receive disaster alerts on cellphones Displaced Pakistani tribal people stand in queue to receive relief at a relief distribution center in Bannu, Pakistan. The rugged Pakistani region of North Waziristan emerged as a hotbed of polio infections after Taliban militants in the isolated area banned immunizations. Now the Pakistani government’s offensive against the militants has sent a half-million refugees fleeing the territory, creating both perfect conditions for the disease to spread and a golden opportunity to immunize many thousands of people AP

Taliban mount major assault in Afghanistan

Modi to MPs: Use social media to spread govt message

n Agencies

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday gave tips to the newly-elected MPs of BJP on how to maintain standards in public life and take the message of good governance to the people.

After inaugurating a two-day workshop for over 150 newly elected Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs of BJP, Modi guided them on how to nurture their respective constituencies and make use of the media, especially the social media in spreading the party message.

BJP leader Venakiah Naidu told re-

In one of the most significant coordinated assaults on the government in years, the Taliban have attacked police outposts and government facilities across several districts in northern Helmand Province, sending police and military officials scrambling to shore up defenses and heralding a troubling new chapter as coalition forces prepare to depart.

The attacks have focused on the district of Sangin, historically an insurgent stronghold and one of the deadliest districts in the country for the American and British forces who fought for years to secure it. The Taliban have mounted simultaneous attempts to conquer territory in the neighboring districts of Now Zad, Musa Qala and Kajaki. In the past week, more than 100 members of the Afghan forces and 50 civilians have been killed or wounded in fierce fighting, according to early estimates from local officials.

With a deepening political crisis in Kabul already casting the presidential election and long-term political stability into doubt, the Taliban offensive presents a new worst-case situation for Western officials: an aggressive insurgent push that is seizing territory even before American troops have completed their withdrawal from Afghanistan.

The battle in Helmand is playing out as, about 1,500 miles to the west, Iraq is losing ground to an insurgent force that advanced in the shadow of the American withdrawal there. The fear pulsing through Afghanistan is that it, too, could fall apart after the Nato-led military coalition departs in 2016.

Already, areas once heavily patrolled by American forces have grown more violent as the Afghan military and the police struggle to feed, fuel and equip themselves. The lackluster performance of the Afghan Army so far in Helmand has also evoked comparisons with Iraq, raising questions about whether the American-trained force can stand in the way of a Taliban resurgence.

Officials in Helmand say the answers may come soon enough. “The Taliban are trying to overrun several districts of northern Helmand and find a permanent sanctuary for themselves,” said Hajji Mohammad Sharif, the district governor for Musa Qala. “From there, they pose threats to the southern parts of Helmand and also pose threats to Kandahar and Oruzgan Provinces.”

Officials from the government and the international military coalition flew to Helmand on Friday to assess the situation. l

n Agencies

porters that the workshop was organised for the first-time MPs of the party to train them in parliamentary procedures and make them aware of the BJP ideology.

Naidu said the PM guided the MPs on how to “maintain standards in public life, how to take the message of good governance to the people, the message of BJP and in turn of Modi to people.”

BJP leader Jagdish Mukhi, who is in charge of party affairs in Haryana, said the prime minister told them that their responsibilities as members of the ruling party are different and they should behave accordingly. l

More Indians held captive in Iraq, report says n Agencies More reports are emerging of Indians in Iraq being held at their workplace against their will. The latest instance coming to light is in Karbala where, according to UK-based NGO Justice Upheld, 231 young Indian men are being held captive at their workplaces by Iraqi nationals whose identity is not yet clear.

On being tipped off and, the Times of India called up one Manpreet Singh,

a youth stuck in Karbala, who said, “We are given dates and some rice to eat once or twice a day, but not allowed to step out of the company premises.

A few days ago an armed man came at night and asked us to hand over our passports to him but we refused.”

Last week, Amnesty International reported that hundreds of Indian construction workers working in Najaf had been held virtually captive by their employers. l

n AP, Manila

The Philippines has passed a law that requires cellphone companies to send warnings to millions of people in the path of deadly typhoons, volcanic eruptions and earthquakes in an effort to reduce the high number of fatalities that occur almost every year.

The measure was in response to one of the deadliest typhoons ever to make landfall — Typhoon Haiyan, which killed over 6,300 people and displaced 4 million in the central Philippines last year.

The Free Mobile Disaster Act, which was signed last week by President Benigno Aquino III but announced on Friday, directs cellphone operators to send out alerts about storms, tsunamis or other calamities whenever required by national disaster agencies. Similar early warning systems are in place in a number of other countries, including Japan. l

Monsoon flooding kills 11 in India, maroons many

n AP, Gauhati

Authorities are rushing food and drinking water to thousands of people marooned by monsoon rains and mudslides that have left at least 11 dead in India’s remote northeast. Magistrate Chinmoy Phukan says nearly 60 millimeters (2.3 inches) of rain on Thursday night badly flooded Assam state.

Residents waded through waist- and knee-deep water in several parts of the state capital, Gauhati. Loose patches of earth rolled down the hills around Gauhati as a light rain continued on Saturday.

India’s monsoon season lasts from June to the end of September. l

10

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Editorial

Sunday, June 29, 2014

CODE-CRACKER

Check price hikes for Ramadan

R

ecent reports about escalating prices in many areas of the country are already painting a dismal picture for consumers this Ramadan. Every year, food prices shoot up during this month owing to laidback monitoring by the authorities concerned, making things hard for the common people.

Of course there is a rise in demand for such goods this time of the year, but the drastic price hikes do not truly reflect the increased demand. The elevated prices are often consequence of corrupt traders taking advantage of the expected rise in demand, and market manipulation. Such shameful profiteering is not only immoral, it violates the very spirit of Ramadan.

While we recognise that the government does not control commodity prices fully, they do have a responsibility to monitor market operations.

Implementation of a monitoring system that could effectively protect the market against hoarders and middlemen in the supply chain is essential.

If such an operation is not put into place right away, the situation will only get worse. The authorities must remain vigilant about market manipulators, and intervene when necessary.

Like every other year, our commerce minister has repeated his assurances of keeping food prices in check. We hope this time the government takes the required steps to ensure that Bangladeshis are not cheated by fraudulent traders out to make some easy profit.

Implementation of a monitoring system against hoarders and middlemen in the supply chain is essential

Make sure unions are legit

I

t is a matter of concern that most of the recently registered RMG trade unions of the country are affiliated with a single US-based NGO, Solidarity Centre. Furthermore, close to 20 leaders of those RMG federations were controlling the entire sector.

We should bear in mind that a foreign group will ultimately work to serve the interests of its own country. The interests of American workers – and the bodies that represent those interests – may not be aligned with those of Bangladesh.

We acknowledge the need for trade and labour unions – legitimate unions can be a force for good.

However, there is a danger here – Solidarity Centre is not accountable to anyone in Bangladesh.

Unions are an important part of our society. We want them to negotiate with employers and ensure that workers are fairly treated. It is a matter of great concern if they answer to a foreign organisation with motives that do not align with our national interests. For example, if a union member affiliated with Solidarity Centre engages in vandalism, there may not be an easy way to hold the body accountable.

To have questions about the legitimacy, operation, and accountability of unions is good. We must see to it that unions go through due process and gain registration through our Department of Labour, without undue influence of foreign interest groups.

The interests of American workers – and the bodies that represent those interests – may not be aligned with those of Bangladesh

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

British by birth, shackled by custom June 23

Omarion First of all, there is a difference between forced and arranged marriages. The latter gives a person enough freedom to decide whether to accept the proposal or not. Secondly, one should also question love marriages, as most people fall in love because of looks and body shape (love makes you blind).

Moreover, some westerners are losing their faith in marriage, as they are likely to end up in a costly divorce. In South Asian traditions, a marriage brings two families together. However, it does not mean that parents do not want the best for their child: The character of the bride/groom plays an important role in the decision-making process. I am not denying there are problems, but one should not exaggerate, as many unhappy cases of western couples are not reported in the media.

Rodders One has to understand the psyche of the British Bangladeshi community in order to get to the root of this forced marriage problem that is prevalent over there. The vast majority of them are of Sylheti stock, and anyone who has dealt with them will know that not only are they socially conservative, even by Bangladeshi standards, but also they are very insular, and they deeply mistrust anyone outside their Sylheti communities. One has to remember, a lot of them migrated during the 60s and 70s. Over the last 40 years, a lot of Bangladeshis have evolved and socially became more progressive, but the Bangladeshis in Britain have remained stuck in the 60s, with regards to their world outlook. Engage with a typical thirdgeneration British Bangladeshi, and also the older folk, and you will find how shocked they are to see how liberal and progressive many Bangladeshis are, even those who are not from Dhaka. They also genuinely despise those Bangladeshis who go over to Britain for higher studies, because of their relatively modern outlook to life, and also because most of them are non-Sylhetis. With that mindset, you can understand why the typical family patriarch will forcibly marry off his daughters, to avoid the chance they will become corrupted by typical liberal values. Unless that mindset doesn’t change, this problem will continue to exist in their community.

Ronnie Rodders: Your brief depiction here, in just one paragraph, of the nature of the problems associated with the cultural attitudes and practices of the British-Bangladeshi (overwhelmingly Sylheti) community in the UK are, in my view, very insightful and entirely apt. I’d readily admit to having always largely avoided these Sylheti Bangladeshis in Britain. I find it nearly impossible to relate to

Rain, rally increase woes of Dhaka commuters June 24

SM Tahidul Islam This is the real face of development in our nation.

This is the success of our government. Bravo and congratulations!

How to solve: Each number in our CODE-CRACKER grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. For example, today 12 represents N so fill N every time the figure 12 appears.

You have one letter in the control grid to start you off. Enter it 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

them at all. One can be socially “conservative,” as plenty of educated, tolerant, perfectly decent, and likeable Bangladeshis are, both home and abroad. However, the conservatism of the Sylheti community in Britain, in general, borders on a disturbingly regressive, almost medieval worldview.

The community’s continuing cultural segregation, both forced and self-imposed, in bleak ghettos only perpetuate their sorry plight.

Imzy Ronnie: You obviously have no knowledge whatsoever of the Sylheti community today, and their history in the UK, with the racist violence they had to deal with from the 70s. The regressive white British population who imposed these ghettoes, for fear of their lives Sylhetis banded together. Don’t talk about what you don’t know.

As for our plight, we’re doing fine. Look at Bangladesh if you want, with your nationwide issues.

Rodders The general British people today are amongst the world’s most tolerant and open minded, yet they won’t leave the sanctuary of their ghettos. Worse, they have made it a no-go area for outsiders with their blatant discriminatory attitudes.

And yea, we are looking at Bangladesh, and can’t help but be optimistic. Despite a succession of undesirable governments, and having to deal with corruption, as well as the various problems many developing countries face while moving up the economic ladder, the country has gone stronger and stronger. A decade’s worth of very strong economic growth, even in the face of the worldwide economic recession, is evidence to that.

Towheed Feroze First of all, this piece was not meant to hurt anyone. We are all Bangladeshis. However, no community is without its flaws – which one has the most is irrelevant. The facts are – forced marriage is a concern in the UK and the Consular section at the High Commission, and at one point in 2009, was deluged by regular calls for help from victims. That’s why a hot-line was introduced – 01730303625.

As the person in charge of the press section of the British High Commission and the DFID, I had the chance to interact with many of the rescued girls, who later found happiness in arranged marriages, to which they gave their consent without coercion.

The point is, there is always unjust pressure in some South Asian Brit communities to have their sons or daughters married off without their consent. Yes, I also was part of a drive to save a Sylheti man who was being hounded in Sylhet as the “gem” from London.

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.

CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Mend (3) 3 S-shaped moulding (4) 6 Smart and fashionable (4) 7 Fresh (3) 9 Blue dye (4) 10 Female deer (3) 11 Parched (4) 13 Rescued (5) 16 Riverside embankment (5) 18 Innermost part (4) 19 Spirit (3) 20 Hybrid (4) 21 Convict (3) 23 Harbour town (4) 24 Pipe (4) 25 Wager (3)

DOWN 1 Money penalties (5) 2 Frozen treat (3) 4 Virtuous (4) 5 Finish (3) 6 Younger son (5) 8 Falter (5) 9 Extending far (4) 12 Riotous feast (5) 14 Drug-yielding plant (4) 15 Let in (5) 17 Disease of rye (5) 18 Association (4) 20 Pithy saying (3) 22 Copy (3)

War crimes verdict in Nizami case today June 24

Tangled Abstract Fallacy We want this maniacal murderer to be hanged. He is responsible for genocide and atrocities, beyond the pale of any existing human conduct.

CALVIN AND HOBBES

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTIONS CODE-CRACKER

Schools to remain closed from June 29-Aug 6

CROSSWORD

June 24

PEANUTS

Taslim Some English-medium schools have passed a notice to remain open till the 10th day of Ramadan. In an earlier discussion meeting, one of the English-medium schools told its students to attend classes wearing casual dress. This just seems to be akin to showing the thumb to the government circular.

Farheena We fasted and went to school and only got the usual Eid holidays off.

Fasting while going to school is, in my opinion, character building. Also, doesn’t this make the already incredibly short school year in Bangladesh shorter, meaning students have to cram even more into a shorter school year?

SUDOKU

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Op-Ed

11

Sunday, June 29, 2014

Don’t you know that you’re toxic? n Mehrin Chowdhury

A

BIGSTOCK

Business with meaning

W n Mari Sako

orld Social Business Day was celebrated in Dhaka on June 28, and in this article I want to highlight how the social business revolution pioneered by Nobel laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus has become increasingly popular in my home country Japan.

Indeed, the export of an innovative business model from Bangladesh to one of the richest and most sophisticated economies in Asia, and the third largest in the world, is something few would have forecast. Japanese enthusiasm is underlined by the fact that Fukuoka in Japan was declared a social business city that encourages zero dividend businesses that focus on social problems. Moreover, in October 2011, Kyushu University set up a Yunus and Shiiki Social Business Research Centre headed by Executive Director Masaharu Okada.

One can define three main models where Japan has embraced the social business concept. Firstly, Japanese business investing in Bangladesh.

This model has proven most popular among large Japanese companies.

Perhaps the most well-known example of this is a Grameen Uniqlo, a joint venture between a Japanese clothing giant, Fast Retailing, and Grameen, as a company that manufactures garments in Bangladesh that enables Grameen ladies to earn commissions on clothing sales, and provides low cost, high quality clothing that is affordable for the poorer segments of society.

This might be defined as an extension of corporate social responsibility

by Fast Retailing, but with the important distinction that is helping create a sustainable growth business.

Collaborating with Grameen is one of the ways for Japanese companies to enter Bangladesh social business, since they can use Grameen’s networks of knowledge to make it succeed.

Grameen has also made a JV with Japanese food company Yukiguni Maitake Co Ltd (YMC) to form Grameen Yukiguni Maitake (GYM). GYM now trains people in Bangladesh to grow beans more efficiently. It has created 8,000 local jobs, provided highly nutritious beans to local people at a low rate, and also provided YMC with a new source of import, after China raised their prices.

We Japanese must acknowledge one of the most important exports Bangladesh has made to Japan, the concept of social business Another noteworthy example of Japanese business investing in Bangladesh is Ajinomoto. Founded in 1909, the company’s original product was an umami seasoning that is also known as monosodium glutamate. They now have $15.1bn in global turnover, having diversified into a wide range of food products.

In January 2013, Ajinomoto Bangladesh Ltd was established, to sell seasonings and processed foods to Bangladeshi consumers and set up a factory in Gazipur. What was interesting was that it was established more as purely commercial business than for targetting the Bottom of the Pyramid (BOP) or 20% poorest consumers

rather than a social business, although later, the company acknowledged that they could be considered a social business.

But their primary goal in entering Bangladesh was to develop a BOP expertise and product knowledge that would help them expand into other developing countries. Uniqlo has also expanded their original JV with Grameen we discussed earlier with a similar goal of using the Bangladesh business which was originally a CSR activity to become a commercial test case for their broader push into EM. So social business objectives and commercially focused strategy are increasingly intersecting.

A second model for manufacturing products in Bangladesh for export to Japan is best illustrated by the example of Eriko Yamaguchi and her Motherhouse brand. Eriko founded Motherhouse in 2006, having spent two years as a graduate student at Brac University and then interning at Mitsui & Co in Dhaka. She began designing and manufacturing handbags from Jute and now has a wide range of premium handbags made of leather and other natural fibres that retail in their Japanese stores at up to $400.

This allows Motherhouse to pay their workers in Bangladesh wages that are double of those of comparable companies. But perhaps a greater achievement was being able to establish a high quality and premium brand that was made in Bangladesh and hence captured more of the value addition that manufacturing for international brands typically had done in the RMG sector, where Bangladesh captures 15-20% of value addition.

It also illustrated the willingness of Japanese consumers to pay a premium for a product where the benefits go to the poor, and is a much more effective model for poverty reduction. She has

also written a number of best-selling books in Japan that have also spread the concept of social business, and was awarded the Social Entrepreneur of the Year Award in Japan in 2010.

A third model has been the emergence of social businesses within Japan itself, and particularly in response to the nuclear disaster at Fukushima.

A report on Japan in the Social Enterprise Journal in 2011 said that “money-driven business culture is slowly being broken down as people look for something more meaningful.” Claudia Calhane, writing for The Guardian noted that the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster “created new challenges for the country, but the sector has strengthened to catch the debris. Large worker and consumer co-ops are working extensively to rebuild lives, communities and neighbourhoods. And, energetic social enterprises are now crystallising in the worst hit areas.”

The Ministry of Economic, Trade and Industry (METI) of Japan promote social business as an alternative way to solve the social problem of local community by providing subsidies for social business entrepreneurs or companies. Nowadays, many new social businesses are born in Fukushima and all over Japan.

In conclusion, even as we consider greater Japanese FDI to support Bangladesh’s economic growth, we Japanese must also acknowledge one of the most important exports Bangladesh has made to Japan, namely the concept of social business. Let’s hope that future Japanese social business initiatives can create new commercially attractive export opportunities that will support Bangladeshi economic growth, which remains the primary source of poverty alleviation. l

We all want safe foods, for it is one of our basic rights In Bangladesh, the current demand for formalin may be 100 tonnes, used in the medical industry, chemical factories, plastic and tannery industry, etc. But around 11,500,000 tonnes of formalin are being imported under various names such as formaldehyde and para-formaldehyde. Where is the rest of the import going? Who are using them and for what purpose?

The request from the people of our nation to the government would be to seek out the culprits and take strict measures against them, strongly highlighting the penalty so that future perpetrators think twice before poisoning anyone else’s food. Alternative and healthy solutions to food preservation must be looked in as well, since the problem needs to be addressed from the root.

As citizens, our responsibility would be to form groups and educate the general public about the alarming circumstance and the ways to fight against it. We can go to our own hometowns and teach local farmers about the scary output of formalin and preservatives. This is an initiative that needs to be performed through the participation of all. We all want safe foods, for it is one of our basic rights. l Mehrin Chowdhury is a freelance contributor.

RAJIB DHAR

The Fukushima diasaster created new challenges for Japan

braham Maslow, in the year 1943, proposed a theory on human motivation where he anticipated the idea of a few tiers of needs which humans need to meet in order to live and remain motivated enough to live. The basic tier, as we all know, comprised of the age old physiological needs amongst which food scored second after breathing.

There are many criticisms of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, and the most recent one may be that he forgot to mention safe foods, since poisoned foods never motivated anyone in any way. Food adulteration seems to be a common topic in all family gatherings here in Bangladesh. People today are highly concerned regarding the toxicity of their food, but nevertheless the anxiety limits itself to momentary distress and then life returns back to its own pace.

We are unable to eat anything in this country without being subjugated to the innumerous unethical traders and farmers of the country who sell us off for a minimum amount of profit.

Have we ever asked ourselves: “Why the poisoning?” If you ever found yourself wondering all the time what you had done to anger the farmers who seem to be holding a personal vendetta against you and your family, you are not alone. This is happening to everyone, and perhaps even the farmers’ own families as well.

There are many causes behind this, but the most likely may be illiteracy.

The majority of farmers applying formalin on their products do not know formalin’s frightening side effects.

Then there is of course the issue of maximisation of profits.

Formalin acts as a preservative and helps in the long-term storage of almost anything, including food products. In foreign countries there are large cold storages where farmers can store their fruits and vegetables to keep them from rotting. In our country the large amounts of produce, which are not sold off immediately, rot away to the utmost horror of the poor farm-

ers who invest almost all their earnings into farming and production.

A lack of ethics is the third and the most daunting and possibly the most sinister reason why the illiterate farmers are being utilised as pawns. These are unethical traders who encourage the farmers to use formalin to keep their products fresh, and then sell the chemical to them perfectly knowing its side effects.

Sako Mari is an entrepreneur in the cosmetic and skincare sector.

The crisis in Syria: Civil war, global threat n Ban Ki-moon

T

he horrific war in Syria continues to worsen and bleed beyond its borders. A cold calculation seems to be taking hold: That little can be done except to arm the parties and watch the conflict rage.

The international community must not abandon the people of Syria and the region to never-ending waves of cruelty and crisis.

The death toll may now be well over 150,000. Prisons and makeshift detention facilities are swelling with men, women, and even children. Deaths by summary executions and unspeakable torture are widespread. People are also dying from hunger and once-rare infectious diseases. Whole urban centres and some of humankind’s great architectural and cultural heritage lie in ruins. Syria today is increasingly a failed state.

The United Nations has tried hard to address the conflict’s deep roots and devastating impact. Our humanitarian and other efforts are saving lives and reducing suffering. But our fundamental objective -- an end to the conflict

– remains unmet. The bleak prospects for peace have darkened further with the flare-up of violence and sectarian tensions in Iraq. The cohesion and integrity of two major countries, not just one, is in question.

The following six points can chart a principled and integrated way forward.

First, ending the violence: It is irresponsible for foreign powers to give continued military support to parties in Syria that are committing atrocities and flagrantly violating the fundamental principles of human rights and international law. I have urged the Security Council to impose an arms embargo. The sides will have to sit across from each other again at the negotiating table. How many more people must die before they get there?

Second, protecting people: The United Nations continues to manage a huge humanitarian relief effort. But the Government continues to impose unconscionable access restrictions, it has removed medical supplies from aid convoys and deliberately starved and collectively punished communities it regards as sympathetic to the

opposition. Some rebel groups have acted similarly. Moreover, the international community has provided barely a third of the funding needed for the relief effort. I continue to appeal for an end to the sieges and for unfettered humanitarian access across internal frontlines and international borders.

The greatest obstacle to ending the Syria war is the notion that it can be won militarily

Third, starting a serious political process: The warring parties systematically blocked the relentless initiatives of two of the world’s leading diplomats, Kofi Annan and Lakhdar Brahimi.

The presidential election earlier this month was a further blow, and failed to meet even minimal standards for

credible voting. I will soon name a new special envoy to pursue a political solution and a transition to a new Syria. Regional countries have a special responsibility to help end this war. I welcome recent contacts between Iran and Saudi Arabia and hope that they will build confidence and reverse a destructive competition in Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, and elsewhere. Syrian civil society groups are making courageous efforts to maintain the fabric of society and keep open channels of solidarity and communication.

Fourth, ensuring accountability for serious crimes: Last month, a resolution that aimed to refer the conflict to the International Criminal Court failed to pass the Security Council. I ask those Member States that say no to the ICC, but say they support accountability in Syria, to come forward with credible alternatives. The Syrian people have a right to justice and action against impunity.

Fifth, finishing the destruction of chemical weapons in Syria: The United Nations and the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons have worked together to destroy or remove

from the country all of the declared materials in a once-large arsenal. Many Member States have provided critical resources and support for this challenging task, which was undertaken in an active war zone, and which will now be completed at various destruction facilities outside Syria. While almost all of the killing in Syria is being done with conventional weapons, it has been essential to reinforce the global norm banishing the production and use of chemical weapons.

Sixth, addressing the regional dimensions of the conflict, including the extremist threat: Foreign fighters are in action on both sides, increasing the level of violence and exacerbating sectarian hatreds. While we should not blindly accept the Syrian government’s demonisation of all the opposition as terrorists, neither should we be blinded to the real threat of terrorists in Syria. The world must come together to eliminate funding and other support for Jabhat al-Nusra and the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham. The ISIS is also a threat to all communities in Iraq; it is crucial for the region’s leaders -- political and religious -- to call for

restraint and avoid a spiral of attack and reprisal.

For the moment, the greatest obstacle to ending the Syria war is the notion that it can be won militarily. I reject the current narrative that the government of Syria is “winning.”

Conquering territory through aerial bombardments into densely populated civilian neighbourhoods is not a victory. Starving besieged communities into surrender is not a victory. Even if one side were to prevail in the short term, the devastating toll will have sown the seeds of future conflict.

Dangerous sectarian tensions, massive movements of refugees, daily atrocities, and spreading instability make the civil war in Syria a global threat. All the values for which we stand, and all the reasons for which the United Nations exists, are at stake across the devastated landscape that is Syria today. The time is long past for the international community, in particular the Security Council, to uphold its responsibilities. l Ban Ki-moon is the Secretary-General of the United Nations.

12

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Entertainment

Every actor secretly dreams of being a director

Sunday, June 29, 2014

Bidya faints during shoot n Entertainment Desk

n Shadma Malik Rokeya Prachi has experimented in varied ranges of art forms from small screen to directorial venture. A human rights activist, the actor has made as many as twenty TV plays and three documentaries moslty based on historical events in Liberation War, Language Movements and many others. Her début directorial series drama “Shelai Poribaar” has finished filming thirteen episodes. A research-based series, drama “Shelai Poribaar” is an endeavour to depict the conditions of the garment workers from a social perspective. Writer and director Prachi has expressed her dream of a country free from poverty and oppression, bought on through social justice, equality and human rights for all. The story of “Shelai Poribaar” talks about women empowerment. A person leaves her home town and arrives at the capital for a better future. Making a life-changing decision doesn't come easy. Their co-workers become their family members. The story shares their personal experience and brings forth their emotions. Besides the rocky economic condition, the drama also portrays physical intimacy among the partners working together at the garments factory.

Rokeya said: “Based on true stories, we emphasise on women’s empowerment. Showcasing their life from dawn to dusk and how they struggle and yet manage to smile. Besides, the actors in the story have spent time with the real life characters to uphold their role in the truest manner. We tried to make this feel as realistic as possible.”

About shifting her focus from acting to directing, the versatile personality said: “Every actor has a hidden dream to be a director. I worked with such filmmakers such as Tareque Masud, Murshidul Islam and many others who left a mark in my career and influenced me to be a director. It is always my urge to work in a big canvas and I believe directorial will give me that platform.”

About making film, Prachi said: “The concept of the film is still in the development stage. I hope to work on this in the coming year. All I can say, it will be a women centric film, representative of the present status.

Prachi gained appreciation for her role in Abu Sayeed's feature film "Swapnodanay." l

Film “Tarkata” actor, Bidya Sinha Mim caught the audience’s attention with her gorgeous look and confidence towards attaining a slim figure.

However this affected her health and she even fainted on the set while shooting for Tonmoy Tansen's film “Padma Patar Jol.” She was sent to the hospital immediately and the doctor prescribed complete bed rest for two weeks. Mim said: “I am not in a condition to work. After two weeks, if my health permits me, I will be on my wheels again.”

According to Mim's mother, Chhobi Saha said: “To be in 'pencil thin ' Mim did not eat for months and as a result became weaker. It will take time for her to recover. At this moment, she cannot take any stressful job.”

All her projects have become postponed. l

Best birthday gift

TODAY IN DHAKA Film

Noah 3D Tarkaata Godzilla 3D Ami Shudhu Cheyechi Tomay Mr Peabody & Sherman 3D Jamuna Future Park, Blockbuster Cinemas, Ka- 244, Pragati Avenue, Kuril

Transformers: Age of Extinction3D X-Men: Days of Future Past 3D NonStop(2D) Walking with Dinosaurs Time: 10am – 10pm Star Cineplex, Level 8 Bashundhara City 13/3 Ka Panthopath

Exhibition

Second Sight Time: 12pm – 8pm The Daily Star Centre 64-65, Kazi Nazrul Islam Avenue Artistic Musings of Great Collector Nasir Ali Mamun Time: 12pm – 8pm

Bengal Gallery of Fine Arts, Road No 16 Dhanmondi Shadow of Concave Time: 12pm – 8pm Gallery Shilpangon

World Music Day celebration concludes

n

Entertainment Desk

Popular TV actor Ziaul Faruq Apurba’s first child was born on June 27, which makes the birthday of the father and son on the same day.

He wrote on his Facebook page: “27th June... I can’t express how I’m feeling. Today I got the best birthday gift ever! Thanks to Nazia Hassan that she gave me the best gift, my Son (AYYASH) ... N thank you Allah!!! Pls pray for both of them... N thanks everyone for your best wishes.. Love u all..”

Apurba and Nazia got married in July, 2011. They named their son Zayyan Faruq Ayyash. l

Bollywood's 2nd highest opener of 2014 n Entertainment Desk

SADIA MARIUM

n Entertainment Desk Alliance Francaise de Dhaka, supported by the Embassy of France in Bangladesh, celebrated “Fête de la Musique 2014,” globally known as World Music Day, with a two day long concert that ended on June 27 at the La Galerie, Alliance Francaise de Dhaka.

In the first part of the second day’s program, melodious instrumental performances were presented by the students of Ecole de Musique, Alliance Française de Dhaka. The concert started with the piano players taking the stage and playing some famous pieces led by the coordinator of piano class Shirajus Salekin. Then

the students of Western Classical Guitar took the stage for around 50 minutes of mellifluous guitar recital, which was well managed by it’s coordinator, Iftekhar Anwar. Afterwards, the audience swayed to the tunes of renowned pieces performed on the flute, piano and guitar.

The second part featured several solo and group performances presented in Bangla, English and French.

Earlier on the evening of June 21, 2014, Olivier Litvine, Director, Alliance Francaise de Dhaka formally opened this year’s music festival followed by a special concert performed by internationally acclaimed French-Lebanese musician Abaji and local Baul musicians. l

Theatre troupe Prangonemor staged Syed Shamsul Haque's play 'Irsha' on Fridy at the National Theatre Hall of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy. Directed by Ananta Heera, the play reolves around three characters in a complex love triangular. The play focuses on the inherent feeling of jealousy that every lover is acquainted with SADIA MARIUM

Amy Adams gives up airplane seat to soldier n Entertainment Desk The Hollywood actor was traveling on an flight from Detroit to Los Angeles aboard a Delta flight when she saw a uniformed soldier and offered to trade seats. She then settled into her coach seat as the soldier enjoyed first class amenities.

ESPN’s Jemele Hill was on the scene and emailed this from aboard the flight: “When we

were waiting to board, I saw her glance the soldier’s way and then she said something to the person she was traveling with. Once we boarded, I saw she was in first class. I was upgraded to first class and she was a couple rows behind me. I think she must have said something to the flight attendant, because before we took off she had vacated her seat and the flight attendant brought the soldier to her seat. I just thought it was incredibly classy and thoughtful.”

She also took to her Twitter account to say, “Just saw actress Amy Adams do something incredibly classy. She gave her 1st class seat to an American soldier. I’m an even bigger fan now.” l

“Ek Villain,” starring Sidharth Malhotra and Shraddha Kapoor, has got off to a stupendous start at the box office. The film also starring Riteish Deshmukh went on to become the second highest opener of 2014, after Salman Khan’s “Jai Ho.” The romantic-thriller managed to earn Rs 160 million on the opening day.

Film critic and trade analyst Taran Adarsh tweeted: “#EkVillain Fri 16.72 cr nett. India biz. Second highest opener of 2014. In terms of screen average, it’s Highest. Awesome!”

Taran had earlier tweeted that the movie had thunderous start and the opening day figures would come as a “shocker” for many.

“Ek Villain” team was seen celebrating the film’s success at director Mohit Suri’s office in Mumbai. One of the villains from the film, Riteish Deshmukh took to Twitter to post the celebration pictures.

Mohit Suri's “Ek Villain,” is an intense love story. The director, who has helmed nine projects so far, has always stayed away from typical Bollywood candyfloss romance in his previous films like “Zeher,” “Woh Lamhe,” “Awarapan,” “Murder-2” and “Aashiqui 2.” l

Alia Bhatt proposes to Varun Dhawan n Entertainment Desk Alia Bhatt had a surprise up her sleeve at a recent award show, where she and Varun Dhawan were promoting their upcoming film, “Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania.”

While he brought the house down with his live performance to the party number “Saturday Saturday,” she too matched steps with him. They also showed their crackling chemistry as they slow-danced on their movie’s other track, “Samjhawan.”

But the highlight of the event, which will also be aired on television, was when Alia down on her knees and proposed to her co-star on stage, in front of the live audience. This impromptu act had everyone cheering for her.

Produced by Karan Johar, “Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania” is Varun and Alia’s second outing together. l

Sp rt DHAKA TRIBUNE Sunday, June 29, 2014

13

Van Gaal wants water breaks for Mexico clash Netherlands boss Louis van Gaal wants Portuguese referee Pedro Proenca to allow water breaks during his side’s World Cup last 16 encounter with Mexico in Fortaleza on Sunday.

Temperatures for the 1pm kick off local time (1600GMT) are expected to reach 30 degrees Celsius with intense humidity also likely to drain players on both sides.

“We hope that we get breaks to drink, otherwise we will put bottles around the pitch for the players,” said Van Gaal, who will take over at Manchester United after the finals.

“Dehydration is an element we have looked at in our training. Every people is different, but some can lose up to four kilos during the match, so you have to keep them hydrated as much as possible.

“We hope that the referee will referee in a sensible way.”

And Van Gaal admitted that the heat and humidity would be an advantage for the Mexicans at a World Cup where teams from central and south Ameri-

Liverpool will stand

by Suarez: Dalglish Liverpool won’t turn their back on Luis Suarez, according to Kenny Dalglish -the man who brought him to Anfield in the first place -- despite the Uruguay forward’s latest ban for biting.

It is the third time Suarez has been suspended for biting an opponent and many within English football have urged Liverpool to have nothing more to do with the player.

But Dalglish, widely regarded as Liverpool’s greatest player, said the 27-year-old Suarez was deserving of the club’s backing.

“It is my belief that when you bring a player to a football club, he becomes your responsibility. You don’t just turn your back on a player because he has done something wrong,” Dalglish wrote in his Daily Mirror column on Saturday.

“I think you will find that Liverpool will not turn their back on Suarez, whatever the ban FIFA have decided he must serve. Of course it will be a heavy blow if the club has to do without him for the opening months of the season.

“You can’t really ask any one person why what happened against Italy happened, because there is only one person who knows and that is Luis – some people have injuries you can’t see.” l

can sides have generally outperformed their European counterparts.

“That is the reason we tried to get the players as fit as possible. I am quite conscious that it will also affect the Mexican team, but they are much more used to it.”

The Netherlands did, though, score one of Europe’s few victories over south American opposition with a 2-0 win against Chile in their final Group B game to ensure they won the group with a 100 percent record.

And he is expecting a similar test against Mexico, although he acknowledged El Tri lack the individual star power of the likes of Alexis Sanchez and Arturo Vidal.

“I think Mexico is comparable to Chile.

The difference with Chile is that we could have been faced with two fantastic players. (Arturo) Vidal didn’t play so that was obviously a big advantage for us.

“But I think Mexico as an entire team is a better team. I believe that they play according to their qualities, their skills and they have great determination to win. For me Mexico is the most determined team we’ve faced.”

Dutch captain Robin van Persie will come back into the side having missed the win over Chile due to suspension. l

France’s national team player Mathieu Valbuena (R) challenges teammate Patrice Evra during a training session at the Botafogo football club’s Santa Cruz stadium in Ribeirao Preto, 336 km (208 miles) northwest of Sao Paulo on Friday REUTERS

Nadal shines as rain swamps Wimbledon Effects of Ramadan Rafael Nadal overcame an early blip to defeat Kazakhstan’s Mikhail Kukushkin and reach the Wimbledon last 16, shining beneath the Centre Court roof on Saturday as heavy rain swept away the action outside.

The 2008 and 2010 champion dropped the opening set for the third time in three matches before turning things around in a 6-7 (4/7), 6-1, 6-1, 6-1 victory.

The second seeded Spaniard blitzed world number 63 Kukushkin, who had never won a match at Wimbledon before this year and had only ever beaten one top 10 player.

Nadal, the 28-year-old winner of 14 Grand Slam titles, won 17 of the last 19 games and goes on to face either Australia’s rising star Nick Kyrgios or Jiri Vesely of the Czech Republic for a place in the quarter-finals.

They had played just 15 minutes of their third-round match out on Court 17 before rain halted all action on the uncovered courts and forced All England Club organisers to cancel 24 doubles and junior matches by mid-afternoon.

Nadal had dropped the first set to Martin Klizan and Lukas Rosol in his

first two rounds and Kukushkin, playing in his 21st tournament of the year, employed the same free-swinging tactics to bludgeon his way through the opener.

But in front of a Royal Box containing such sporting glitterati as retired Indian cricket master Sachin Tendulkar, ex-England football captain David Beckham and former Tour de France winner Bradley Wiggins, Nadal regained his composure to race away with the win.

From 1-1 in the second set to 3-0 in the fourth set, Nadal won 14 of 15 games and only faced his first break points of the tie at 2-0 in the fourth.

Kukushkin, a rare example of a player coached by his own wife, stopped the rot by getting on the board at 1-3.

But it was a brief respite as Nadal stormed to victory with 41 winners and just 12 unforced errors.

“At the beginning he was playing pretty long, no mistakes, very aggressive and I made few unforced errors with that second serve,” said Nadal who has reached the second week for the first time since 2011.

“In the tie-break, I didn’t serve my best and that was the real thing -- without serving your best in a tie-break against a player who is playing well, it is impossible.”

Nadal said he was looking forward to the second week after a first round loss in 2013 and second round exit 12 months earlier.

Seven-time men’s champion Roger Federer and 2004 women’s winner Maria Sharapova were guaranteed to finish their third round matches as they were completing the Centre Court programme.

Federer tackles Colombian world number 35 Santiago Giraldo, who he defeated in their one previous meeting in straight sets, at the 2011 US Open. Giraldo had never got beyond the second round at Wimbledon until this year.

Sharapova, who won the first of her five majors at Wimbledon as a 17-yearold in 2004, faces Alison Riske of the United States, who she beat on grass in the semi-finals in Birmingham in their only other previous clash in 2010.

“I feel like her game matches up with grass extremely well. She stays down really low, hits really flat from both sides, has had steady results on the surface. It’s going to be a challenge.

Yeah, I look forward to playing her,” said French Open champion Sharapova.

On Court One, five-time women’s champion Serena Williams and Alize Cornet of France were 1-1 in the first set before rain halted their third round clash. l

discussed in World Cup

Fasting during the holy month of Ramadan has turned into a topic of discussion in the World Cup as several World Cup squads with Muslim players take the Islamic tradition into account in their preparations.

Nigeria, Algeria, and France are the three World Cup teams that have Muslim players in the squad and most of them, if not all, are expected to practice the tradition of day-long fasting.

However, there are different opinions among everyone on the extent of the impact fasting can have on a player’s

ability to compete.

Former Manchester City player Ali Benarbia, an Algerian practising the religion of Islam, has given some interesting information on Ramadan saying allowances can be made in exceptional cases like sport and travel.

“Due to the climate, the heat, and the physical effort, players generally don’t do Ramadan on matchdays and they make it up at the end of the Ramadan month.

That’s what all Imams advise, and that’s even laid out in the Quran, in terms of exceptional cases,” said Benarbia.

Benarbia opined that the players have to protect the body from dehydration and other physical problems. “It could possibly be practised in a place like Russia, for example, but here in Brazil, with the heat and humidity, it would be counter-productive. As the Quran says, one shouldn’t do harm to one’s body. So in this case, the days missed can be caught up at the end of Ramadan,” said Benarbia.

Brazil’s days are usually longer and the weather is extremely dry. As a day progresses, temperature falls down significantly. However, it is the players who are their own best teachers in terms of taking their own decisions. l

Neymar has his groupies, the ‘Neymarzetes’ “First comes God, then family and then Neymar,” says Rayellen Andrade, 17, wearing the yellow Brazil team jersey with her idol’s name across the back.

She’s among the tens of thousands of groupies known as “Neymarzetes,” who worship the Brazil and Barcelona forward on both sides of the Atlantic as if he were a Justin Bieber in football cleats.

“Neymarmania” is sweeping across Brazil ahead of the team’s World Cup last-16 clash with Chile on Saturday.

The face of Neymar, who changed haircuts and hair colour during the tournament before sporting a blond top, is everywhere: On advertising billboards, television commercials and in the hearts of his admirers.

His female fans scream when they see him, collect any Neymar souvenir, scan the Internet for the latest details of his life and talk about him in web chatrooms.

With long reddish hair and nails painted

in green, Andrade comes from a middle-class family living in Brasilia.

She has covered her bedroom with posters of the striker. She collects folders filled with newspaper articles about him.

Unable to score tickets for Brazil-Cameroon in Brasilia this week, she went to the pre-game practice hoping to get his attention.

“He knows I exist. My biggest dream is to kiss him and tell him I love him, that if he has a problem I will always be by his side,” she says.

Watching the game at home, she welled up after Neymar, the World Cup’s joint top scorer, netted in the 4-1 victory.

Her passion for Neymar began five years ago after an epileptic crisis.

“I wasn’t interested in any particular player but when I turned 12, I became very sick,” she says.

She was unable to walk or go school and risked being paralysed.

Spending hours at home on the Internet,

Andrade found comfort in Neymar, who played for Brazilian club Santos at the time.

“I didn’t see anybody. I had no friends. I became passionate about him,” she says.

“I started reading books, doing

searches about him and his family. I bought everything about him. His joy of life took away my sadness of having no contacts,” Andrade says.

She has overcome her illness but the

passion has remained.

“We Neymarzetes must know everything about him to hit back at critics,” she says.

She follows the star on Twitter and sends him several messages.

“Sometimes we think that he could spend more time with us but he has to work, he has a son and his family,” the fan says.

Neymar knows about the Neymarzete movement and regularly addresses them.

“He responded to one of my messages once during the London Olympic Games.

I had written ‘good luck, ready to score a goal?’ and he replied: ‘Not just one, but two.’

That night, he scored two goals,” Andrade says.

Brazil lost to Mexico in the Olympic final, taking home the silver medal. But Neymarzetes believe he can lead Brazil to a record-extending sixth World Cup. “He will become the best player in the world back in his homeland,” Andrade says.

His transfer to Barcelona last year broke the hearts of many fans who wanted him to

keep playing closer to them in Brazil.

“We hoped that he would stay. We were crushed when he announced his departure,” Andrade says. “But then he did an interview in which he said ‘I will never abandon my Neymarzetes.’”

Andrade has a boyfriend but she insists he’s not jealous of her crush.

When it comes to Neymar’s model-girlfriend, Bruna Marquezine, Andrade tries to be gracious.

“I respect her because she makes my idol happy. I’m not a fan of her but I respect her.”

Andrade’s mother supports her daughter’s obsession.

“I like her happy. When we have to take her somewhere for Neymar, I go with her,” Marlene Andrade says.

But she has set ground rules.

“At school, during breaks, I look at Neymar stuff but I have to work during classes,” Rayellen says. “My mother said, ‘If you don’t have a passing grade, Neymar is over.’ So I study hard.” l

14

Sp rt DHAKA TRIBUNE Sunday, June 29, 2014

Loew impressed with Bayern triumvirate Joachim Loew has hinted he will stick with a Bayern Munich-based midfield for Monday’s last 16 World Cup clash against Algeria after Bastian Schweinsteiger’s full return impressed the Germany coach.

The Germans finished top of Group G by grinding out a 1-0 win over the USA on Thursday with Thomas Mueller’s winner leaving him joint top-scorer with four goals.

The victory pits the Germans against Algeria in Porto Alegre on Monday for a place in the Rio de Janeiro quarter-final against Nigeria or France next Friday.

Loew was particularly delighted with Schweinsteiger’s return to the starting line-up alongside captain Philipp Lahm in Germany’s defensive midfield.

The Bayern pair linked well with their club team-mate Toni Kroos in the attacking midfield role against the Stars and Stripes. “Schweinsteiger was very strong, all things considered,” said Loew, who kept Sami Khedira on the bench against the USA.

Goal-line technology to be used at Euro 2016: Blatter Uefa president Michel Platini will introduce goal-line technology at the 2016 European Championship in France, Fifa president Sepp Blatter said on Friday.

Platini, the former France midfielder and national coach, has been a staunch opponent of the system in his seven years as Uefa chief. The system is being used by Fifa at the World Cup for the first time.

Platini has made no secret of his opposition to video technology determining whether the ball has crossed the line or not, but Blatter said in an interview on FIFA’s website that Platini had changed his mind.

“I have spoken to Uefa president Michel Platini who said he will introduce goal-line technology at the next European Championship in France in 2016,” said Blatter, once an opponent of the system himself.

Platini was not immediately available for comment. Blatter changed his mind about using technology in 2010 after England’s Frank Lampard had a goal disallowed against Germany in the World Cup in South Africa. l

“The midfield with Kroos, Schweinsteiger and Lahm was very good, always ready to play the ball and varied the tactics well.”

Schweinsteiger spent the opening two World Cup games on the bench after suffering from tendinitis of the knee at the end of the season.

Having played for 76 minutes against the USA, Schweinsteiger made way for Bayern team-mate Mario Goetze as Loew boosted his attack in the closing stages.

While Lahm said he would welcome Schweinsteiger again as his midfield partner, even Khedira praised his rival’s performance in the Number Six position.

“Basti is getting fitter all the time and had a strong match,” said Real Madrid’s Khedira.

“I am in a good position with the coach and my spell on the bench did me good with regards to the rest of the tournament.

“We can also play well together,” he added, with a clear hint in Loew’s direction, as Lahm could return to his customary right-back position. l

Germany’s national team attends a training session in the village of Santo Andre north of Porto Seguro on Friday

REUTERS

Suarez a ‘scapegoat’: Uruguay coach Tabarez Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez said on Friday that Luis Suarez had been made a “scapegoat” for biting an opponent at the World Cup, lashing out at the “excessive severity” of his four-month ban.

“Many times you forget that the scapegoat is a person, who has rights,” said Tabarez, who read out a pre-prepared statement during a press conference ahead of Uruguay’s last-16 game against Colombia on Saturday.

“In this specific case of Luis Suarez, despite the faults he may have committed, he has made significant contributions to football from the pitch.”

Tabarez, who refused to take questions from journalists, also claimed the punishment was “more focused on the opinions of the media”.

Suarez was handed a nine-game international ban and suspended from all football-related activity for four months by FIFA on Thursday after sinking his teeth into the left shoulder of Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini during a Group D game in Natal on Tuesday.

Tabarez was given a round of applause by Uruguayan journalists after reading his statement during the press conference at Rio de Janeiro’s Ma-

racana Stadium.

He also announced that he has decided to step down from his position on FIFA’s technical study group and strategic committee over the affair.

It is the third time that Suarez has been banned for biting an opponent, after previous incidents with Ajax and

his current club, Liverpool.

Uruguay captain Diego Lugano claimed on Wednesday that Suarez had been unfairly targeted by the British media and Tabarez echoed the centre-back’s words.

“After we saw the images, we saw that there was a possibility that the par-

Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez carries his son Benjamin as he waves to supporters from the balcony of his house in Solymar, outskirts of Montevideo on Friday REUTERS

ticipants in that act – Giorgio Chiellini, the Italian footballer, and Luis Suarez – would both be punished,” said the 67-year-old.

“But we never thought we would learn what we found out about the details of the decision reached, which was of an excessive severity.

“And a decision which obviously is much more focused on the opinions of the media, who took that as the only topic of the (post-match) press conference.

“I don’t know what nationality they were, but they all spoke English.”

Tabarez also alleged that Suarez had been the victim of “media attacks” and “harassments”, which had “concentrated above all on his background”.

He added: “On the basis of these very exaggerated and severe decisions, are we to avoid all excesses, all aggressions?

“I sincerely doubt it, because in this tournament, before and after the Suarez-Chiellini episode, we’ve seen things measured with a completely different scale.

“I don’t think one shouldn’t punish or sanction, but always, always between human beings, one must always give an opportunity to one who commits a mistake. That’s why I don’t agree with the theory of a scapegoat.”l

Fifa lifts ban on World Cup winner Beckenbauer A 90-day provisional ban by Fifa on World Cup-winning player and coach Franz Beckenbauer has been lifted after only 15 days with world soccer’s governing body saying on Friday the German was now welcome at the tournament.

German football association (DFB) president Wolfgang Niersbach welcomed the move and said he could not understand why FIFA had taken such a drastic step in the first place against someone who had done so much for international soccer.

Beckenbauer, one of the world’s best known former players, had been banned two weeks ago after refusing to cooperate with an investigation into the award of the 2022 World Cup to Qatar.

The 68-year-old is a former member of the Fifa executive committee which controversially awarded the World Cup to Qatar in 2010, and had received “repeated requests” to provide information, Fifa said in a statement at the time of the ban. l

WORLD CUP OFFERS BIG CLUBS PLENTY TO CHOOSE FROM

ENNER VALENCIA (Ecuador)

DIVOCK ORIGI (Belgium)

MATT BESLER (United States)

JUAN CARLOS PAREDES (Ecuador)

MEMPHIS DEPAY (Netherlands)

The 25-year-old scored three goals in three games in Brazil and looked much sharper than compatriot Antonio Valencia. Only came into the squad last year but described by coach Reinaldo Rueda as a gift from God. The Pachuca player had form already as the Mexican league’s top scorer.

Sure to feature on a lot of European clubs’ lists now and a big money offer could be too much for Pachuca to resist.

As Belgian coach Marc Wilmots said after his late goal in the 1-0 win over Russia: “No-one knew who he was before, everyone knows who he is now.” The youngest player (19) to score at Brazil 2014 was a surprise selection but now looks a natural in the squad after three appearances as a substitute. Plays for French club Lille but Premier League interest already evident.

Something of a late developer at 27, the psychology graduate made his international debut last year and is now a key defender in a free-flowing U.S. team. Stood out in the 2-2 draw with Portugal and started all three group games. Linked to Premier League in the past, contracted to Sporting Kansas City.

Defender with Ecuador’s Barcelona, the 26-year-old ‘Ant’ has been busy burnishing his reputation in Brazil with some solid performances. Has been linked in the past with a move to Serie A, most recently with English Championship (second tier) Watford. Could yet attract a bigger club.

Precocious 20-year-old PSV Eindhoven forward whose father is from Ghana. Scored twice in the group stages, including the winner against Australia.

Very much a star of the future and already talked of as someone who could accompany Dutch coach Louis van Gaal to Manchester United despite long-term contract with his current club.

AHMED MUSA (Nigeria)

SERGE AURIER (Ivory Coast)

GUILLERMO OCHOA (Mexico)

JOEL CAMPBELL (Costa Rica)

KOSTAS MANOLAS (Greece)

Currently with CSKA Moscow, after a stint at VVV Venlo in the Netherlands, but surely destined for a bigger stage. Still only 21, the speedy winger has been a key factor in steering his country through to the second round for the first time since 1998. Stand-out performance with two goals against Messi’s Argentina in their final Group F game.

Brought up in France and currently with Toulouse in Ligue One, the 21-year-old right back has been linked to Arsenal in the British media. Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, who is in Brazil, needs a replacement for Bacary Sagna and Aurier’s performances will have done him no harm. Other Premier League clubs may also now be interested.

The youngest, at 28, of Mexico’s three goalies but the most capped and with reason. ‘Memo’ kept clean sheets against Cameroon and, more impressively, Brazil. One of the saves, a dramatic dive to the right, that denied Neymar against the host nation was compared by no less a figure than Pele to Gordon Banks’ great 1970 leap against Brazil. Has spent three years at AC Ajaccio in France but is now listed as a free agent.

Signed for Arsenal in 2011 but has been out on loan ever since in France, Spain and currently Greece. Already caught the eye in the Champions league when he scored for Olympiakos against Manchester United.

Will return to London for the pre-season but another European loan move cannot be ruled out with AC Milan said to be interested.

Currently with Olympiakos but already a transfer target before the World Cup. The 23-year-old’s performances in helping Greece to the second round will have heightened interest. Came close to signing for Everton in 2012, and has since been linked with other Premier League sides.

Sp rt DHAKA TRIBUNE Sunday, June 29, 2014

Costa Rica wary of Greek catenaccio Costa Rica are determined to score first when they tackle Greece in the World Cup last 16 in Recife on Sunday.

Greece have developed a reputation over the years of being extremely hard to break down, particularly if they take the lead.

They have almost perfected the classic Italian system of catenaccio (boltlock) in which teams would play in an ultra defensive way and hope to score a single goal on the counter-attack to take a lead they would then defend.

And Los Ticos technical assistant Luis Marin said his team need to score early to prevent Greece from taking the lead and then shutting up shop.

“It’s crucial for us to score early in the game, especially as Greece are known to tighten up at the

Belgium seek quick recovery of injured defenders Belgium are hoping for a quick recovery over the weekend from first choice defenders Vincent Kompany and Thomas Vermaelen as both remain doubtful for their World Cup match against the United States on Tuesday.

Anthony Vanden Borre was ruled out of the tournament on Friday after a scan revealed a crack in his fibula (calf bone) and back-up defender Laurent Ciman is also on the injury list as the team prepare for their last 16 match in Salvador.

Vanden Boore will be out for at least six weeks, said coach Marc Wilmots in a tweet.

His fellow right back Ciman has an adductor strain.

Captain Kompany missed Thursday’s last group match against South Korea, where Wilmots made wholesale changes after the Belgians had already secured qualification, and also sat out training at their team base in Mogi das Cruzes on Friday.

Kompany continues to be troubled by a groin problem which Wilmots said he hoped would improve with rest over the weekend.

Vermaelen has a hamstring strain and trained lightly on his own on Friday with the assistance of medical staff.

“I’m happy we have had an extra day’s rest because we won our group,” said Wilmots, whose team would have played on Monday rather than Tuesday had they finished runners-up in Group H. “We still have four days. I hope most of them will be fit then.”

But he said he had already figured a solution if that proved not the case. “(Nacer) Chadli can play at right back and (Mousa) Dembele on the left of defence. I don’t see a problem. But I hope that as many as possible are available,” he told reporters.

Vanden Borre was one of the seven changes the Belgians made for their 1-0 win over South Korea in Sao Paulo, making his World Cup finals debut, but was injured right at the end of the game. l

back once they score,” said Marin.

“But we know it’s going to be a tough game all round. Although they lost to Colombia (3-0), the goals they conceded were down to simple mistakes. Greece are also potent on the counter-attack.”

He added: “Penalties could play a role at some point. They are a part of the game and although we hope it doesn’t happen, we have to prepare for every scenario.

V Costa Rica

Greece

Arena PernambucoRecife (BRA) 29 Jun 2014 - 17:00 Local (02:00 AM BST) “We’ve been practising shooting from the penalty spot.”

Costa Rica emerged as one of the form teams of the group stages, stunning Uruguay and then Italy before drawing with England to finish top of Group D. Greece only just squeezed into the knockout round by the skin of their teeth, Giorgios Samaras converting a late penalty to hand Fernando Santos’s men a decisive 2-1 win over Ivory Coast to book their first ever last 16 appearance. It was only Greece’s second goal in three matches.

Can USA win it? Yes we can, says Klinsmann USA coach Jurgen Klinsmann on Friday urged his players to believe they could win the World Cup -- and told his squad to book flights home for the day after the July 13 final.

Klinsmann was criticised by sections of the US media on the eve of the finals for stating that the Americans were not realistic contenders for the trophy.

But after battling through Group G ahead Portugal and Ghana into the knockout rounds, the German World Cup winner is instilling a positive mindset.

The United States face Belgium in Salvador next Tuesday where the prize will be a place in the quarter-finals.

Klinsmann said his team plan on staying longer in Brazil.

“I think if everybody goes to his own personal limit in the context of the team, we’re going to go further in this tournament,” Klinsmann told reporters.

“But you’ve got to realise that moment. So I asked everybody, all the players to make sure that all their flights are booked after July 13.

“That’s just how you have to approach a World Cup, no matter what happens now. You can always change your flights, so start with the end in

mind. The end is July 13.”

Klinsmann admitted USA lacked the consistency to compete at the top level year-round. But he said in a knock-out competition, they had a chance.

“Every single day we’re going to have on the knock-out stage, can we do it? Yes we can,” he said.

“This is now one of the benchmarks.

We want to be one day in the top 10, top 12 of the world. So if we want to be there, this is now the moment,” Klinsman added.

Klinsmann, a veteran of penalty shootouts including semi-final wins over England at the 1990 World Cup and Euro 1996, said his team had already been practising spot-kicks for weeks.

“It’s just part of normal preparation.

You have to be prepared for things. You prepare set-pieces, you prepare penalties,” he said.

“You tell the players how to approach a penalty. It’s a mental moment.

If you’re not prepared for that mental moment, to walk from the halfway line in front of 60,000 to the penalty spot and get the job done, I think it’s wrong.

“You just have to walk them through that process and now in every training we will practise penalties. Hopefully they’re ready and they’re calm enough to put it in their favourite corner.” l

WORLD CUP IN BANGLADESH PHOTOGRAPHY CONTEST

Send us your photographs to WorldCupBD@dhakatribune.com

DAY’S WATCH BTV, Maasranga TV, Gazi TV 2014 World Cup 10:00PM Mexico v Netherlands 2:00AM Costa Rica v Greece Star Sports 1, 4 4:30PM & 6:00PM Wimbledon Championship Ten Cricket West Indies v New Zealand 3rd Test, Day 4

FAHINAZ FERDOUS Dhaka

For more info visit our FB event page ‘World Cup in Bangladesh’ Photography Contest

15

FACT BOX Probable teams: Costa Rica

1-Keylor Navas; 16-Cristian Gamboa, 3-Giancarlo Gonzalez, 4-Michael Umana, 7-Christian Bolanos, 6-Oscar Duarte, 17-Yeltsin Tejeda, 15-Junior Diaz; 5-Celso Borges, 10-Bryan Ruiz; 9-Joel Campbell

Having steered Greece to their first ever appearance in the knockout stages, Santos said unfancied Costa Rica would be a force to be reckoned with.

“We have to pay a lot of attention to this game, they came out top in the ‘Group of Death’. As a result we can’t afford to underestimate them,” said the Portuguese.

As well as their potent attack, Costa Rica can boast a tight defence – having conceded just once, to an Edinson Cavani penalty during their 3-1 defeat of Uruguay, in the tournament so far.

“If we have a good point, it’s our defensive system, which isn’t just the four or five defenders,” said coach Jorge Luis Pinto. Our defence is balanced, tough and very efficient.” l

Greece

1-Orestis Karnezis; 15-Vassilis Torosidis, 19-Sokratis Papastathopoulos, 4-Kostas Manolas, 20-Jose Holebas; 18-Giannis Fetfatzidis, 10-Giorgos Karagounis, 2-Yannis Maniatis, 8-Panagiotis Kone, 7-Giorgos Samaras, 9-Kostas Mitroglou Key stats

Costa Rica are appearing in the knockout stages for the first time since 1990. That team featured Brazilian-born Alexandre Guimaraes, whose son Celso Borges is expected to start in midfield against Greece.

Greece qualified for the knockout stage of the World Cup for the first time in 2014 thanks to a last-gasp penalty from Giogios Samaras, which gave them a 2-1 win over group rivals Ivory Coast.

Greece’s record of two goals scored in the group phase is the lowest total of any of the teams in the last 16. They are also the only team to qualify for the knockout stage with a negative goal difference (minus two).

With four goals, Costa Rica tied with Belgium for the lowest number of goals scored by a group winner.

Previous meetings

There have been no previous meetings between Costa Rica and Greece.

Early World Cup exits a lesson for Asia, says AFC head The winless World Cup showing by Asia’s four teams is a wakeup call for the region, the head of AFC said on Friday, but the lacklustre showing has not deterred calls for extra places at the finals from his members.

South Korea exited on Thursday after a 1-0 loss to Belgium condemned them to last place in Group H, the same position Japan, Iran and Australia managed in their four team pools as the region managed only a collective three points in Brazil.

It was the first time since the 1990 tournament in Italy that Asia didn’t win a game at the finals, with the AFC the only Confederation competing in Brazil not to have a representative make the last 16.

“This World Cup serves as a lesson to all Asian nations,” Asian Football Confederation President Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa said in a statement.

“Asia must acknowledge its shortcomings, but at the same time we must believe in our own ability.

“The AFC is determined to unlock the full potential of Asian football, and that can only be achieved through hard work, dedication and unwavering

Too much emotion in Suarez verdict, say FIFPro Emotion played a part in FIFA’s decision to hand out a four-month ban to Uruguay striker Luis Suarez for biting Giorgio Chiellini at the World Cup, with a period of reflection needed, World Players’ Union FIFPro said.

FIFA handed out the biggest penalty ever imposed at a World Cup, which included a nine match ban, to the 27-yearold on Thursday after he bit the Italian defender near the end of Uruguay’s 1-0 win over Italy in Group D on Tuesday.

“FIFPro believes all affected parties may benefit with more time to remove the emotion, reflect and re-establish the facts in a calm and considered setting,” the body said in a statement sent to Reuters on Friday.

FIFPro said the penalty should have included help for the Liverpool forward, who had twice before been punished for biting when playing in England and the Netherlands.

“Luis Suarez deserves all the support he needs including legal support in the appeal case in order to achieve a reduction of the sanctions,” they said.

“The fact that Suarez is prohibited from working for a long period must be addressed as it directly infringes his right to work. Also the fact that Liverpool FC is affected needs to be an important issue. l

support in AFC’s efforts to have equal and sustainable football development across the continent.”

Asian teams have won just 14 matches at the World Cup since Indonesia - then the Dutch East Indies - first competed at the 1938 tournament in Italy. In comparison, South America’s six representatives in Brazil have 13 wins already in the 2014 edition.

Only six Asian sides have made it through the first stage of a World Cup, with South Korea’s fourth place at their home 2002 tournament looking a distant memory after the Brazil showing.

However, Fifa Vice-President Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein, who has accused Sheikh Salman of playing politics in trying to take his role at the world governing body, believes Asia should see an increase to their four-and-a-half slots.

“Asia definitely deserves more spots for many reasons,” the Jordanian Football head told Reuters earlier in the tournament.

“Two thirds of the global population and footballers are from Asia, it’s the largest continent, we have 46 Members Associations and, most importantly, Asian football has taken impressive strides towards development. The future of football is Asia.” l

16

DHAKA TRIBUNE Sunday, June 29, 2014 DHAKA TRIBUNE Monday, June 16, 2014

13 Neymar has group, the ‘Neymarzetes’

14 Suarez a ‘scapegoat’: Uruguay coach

Sport

15 Costa Rica wary of Greek catenaccio

FACT BOX Probable teams: Netherlands

1-Jasper Cillessen; 7-Daryl Janmaat, 3-Stefan de Vrij, 2-Ron Vlaar, 4-Bruno Martins Indi, 5-Daley Blind; 6-Nigel de Jong, 8-Jonathan de Guzman; 10-Wesley Sneijder, 9-Robin van Persie, 11-Arjen Robben.

Mexico

13-Guillermo Ochoa; 7-Miguel Layun, 15-Hector Moreno, 4-Rafael Marquez, 2-Francisco Rodriguez, 22-Paul Aguilar; 18-Andres Guardado, 21-Carlos Pena, 6-Hector Herrera; 10-Giovani Dos Santos; 19-Oribe Peralta.

Key stats:

With 10 goals, the Netherlands were the highest scorers among teams in the 2014 World Cup group stage.

Dutch players Robin van Persie and Arjen Robben have scored three goals each at the tournament, putting them among the top scorers behind Germany’s Thomas Mueller, Argentina’s Lionel Messi and Brazil’s Neymar with four goals.

Mexico have only made it past the round of 16 twice, both times when it was the host country of the World Cup, in 1970 and 1986

Netherlands’ Robin van Persie (L) greets Brazilian former soccer star Zico (2L) as Dirk Kuyt (2R) and Nigel de Jong watch on after a training session in Rio de Janeiro on Thursday

REUTERS

Mexico were one of three teams to concede only one goal in the group stage along with Costa Rica and Belgium.

Previous meetings

The teams have faced each other six times, with the Netherlands winning three matches, Mexico two and one match was drawn.

Last meeting

May 26, 2010, Freiburg, Germany, friendly - Netherlands 2 Mexico 1

Van Persie back to terrorise Mexico Robin van Persie returns to the Dutch attack to face Mexico in the second round of the World Cup on Sunday while Mexican defender Hector Moreno will lock horns with his former mentor Louis van Gaal.

Van Persie was suspended for the Netherlands’ 2-0 defeat of Chile in their final group match but will be back to partner Arjen Robben in the tournament’s deadliest attacking duo.

The pair scored three each during the group stage as the Dutch romped into the last 16 with three victories and 10 goals, more than any other team at

Kaka wants Brazil-Germany World Cup final Brazilian midfield maestro Kaka wants his country and Germany to feature in the final of the World Cup. While walking towards the dressing room of the Brazilian national side yesterday, the 32-year old gave his assessment and said Brazil are playing well but there is still room for improvement. “I hope with the span of time Brazil will get more united as a unit. It happens in the World Cup. The more you go up the more you get united. I hope Brazil continue the trend,” said the AC Milan star.

Though Kaka was left out of the final 23-man squad, he has been an inspirational figure for the national side. He inspires the players before the game, talks with them and motivates them to put up their best and said he was not regretting his omission. “I don’t think about that. It was the coach’s choice.

All I hope is for Brazil to emerge as champions,” said Kaka.

When queried about Brazil’s toughest opponent Kaka categorically stated the name of Germany. “Germany are playing well and showing the teamwork which is very important in the World Cup. They have demonstrated team spirit. I will not be surprised to see Germany move to the final and I have every hope that Brazil will be their opponent,” opined the skillful midfielder. l

the World Cup. That rich vein of form makes them favourites against the Mexicans but their previous clashes have been remarkably even.

In six meetings, the Dutch have won three and the Mexicans two. Of the 22 goals in those matches - an average of nearly four a game - both sides scored 11, and their only previous meeting at the World Cup, in 1998, ended in a 2-2 draw.

Van Persie’s return means Dirk Kuyt is likely to be relegated to the bench after starting against Chile, but if he does play, either from the outset or as a substitute, the 33-year-old will win his

100th international cap.

At the other end of the age spectrum, 20-year-old forward Memphis Depay is also likely to start on the bench despite scoring twice in his two appearances.

V Netherlands

Mexico

Estadio Castelao, Fortaleza (BRA) 29 Jun 2014 - 13:00 Local (10:00 PM BST) “I must be realistic,” he told reporters at the Dutch training camp.

“With incredible players like Rob-

ben and Van Persie, it’s logical that I sit on the bench. If you see what Robben can do with dribbling the ball it’s unbelievable.”

The Mexicans are largely injury free and were impressive in the group stage, beating Croatia and Cameroon and holding Brazil to a goalless draw in Fortaleza’s Castelao arena, the setting for Sunday’s showdown against the Netherlands.

Their defender Moreno played under Van Gaal at Dutch side AZ Alkmaar and knows a thing or two about the talent in the Netherlands squad.

“They were young guys like me and they were just starting their careers

when I was there,” said Moreno, who now plays his club football at Espanyol in Spain.

“They’ve grown up under the guidance of Van Gaal. With the players they have up front it’s going to be a very difficult match.”

Moreno said he hoped to hug the Dutch coach twice on Sunday - once before kickoff as a gesture of friendship and again after the final whistle to commiserate him in defeat.

The winners will face either Costa Rica or Greece in the quarter-finals and either side would fancy their chances of reaching the last four of the competition. l

Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff shrugged off the apprehension of being jeered in the World Cup concluding ceremony as she made it clear of being present during the occasion.

As per tradition the leader of the host nation gets the honour of handing over the World Cup trophy to the winners, but it was widely reported Rousseff will be absent from the ceremony as Brazilian super model Gisele Bundchen will feature alongside the Fifa supremo Sepp Blatter.

In October 2010, Rousseff became the first woman to be elected president of Brazil, but opinion polls suggest that

A 90-day provisional ban by FIFA on World Cup-winning player and coach Franz Beckenbauer has been lifted after only 15 days with world soccer’s governing body saying on Friday the German was now welcome at the tournament.

German football association (DFB) president Wolfgang Niersbach welcomed the move and said he could not understand why Fifa had taken such a drastic step in the first place against someone who had done so much for football.

Beckenbauer had been banned two weeks ago after refusing to cooperate with an investigation into the award of the 2022 World Cup to Qatar. l

Uruguay appealing Suarez ban, FA tells Fifa

President Rousseff not bothered by verbal protest her popularity has declined over the past year, though she is still the front-runner in October’s presidential poll.

It was the first time in two decades that a head of state had not addressed the opening match of the World Cup as chants against Rousseff were heard during the opening ceremony and the second-half of the match between hosts Brazil and Croatia. World Cup organisers Fifa was also made target of the abuse.

However, the general secretary of Fifa Jerome Valcke confirmed that Rousseff will be present next to the organisation’s president Blatter while delivering the trophy to the captain of the winning team while Rousseff said, “I won’t let verbal aggression bother me. I won’t be intimidated by insults that children and families shouldn’t be hearing.”

In the Confederations Cup last year, also at the Maracana, Rousseff was not at the stadium after being booed at the opening ceremony in Brasilia. Hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets across the country last year to protest against perceived overspending and corruption in preparations for the World Cup and the Olympics, which Rio de Janeiro will host in 2016.

The trophy will enter the Maracanã led by Gisele Bundchen and Carles Puyol, captain of the defending champions Spain, symbolising the passage of the cup from the old to the new world title holder. l

Fifa lifts ban on Beckenbauer

Brazilian footballer Neymar and model Gisele Bundchen appeared in this month’s cover of Vogue Brazil. Bundchen will be present during the closing ceremony of the World Cup on July 13 INTERNET

The Uruguayan Football Association (AUF) has notified Fifa that it itends to appeal against striker Luis Suarez’s punishment for biting Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini in their World Cup group stage match.

A FIFA spokesperson said the world governing body received a formal, written, ‘intention to appeal’ from the AUF on Friday.

The Uruguayans now have until next Sunday to submit their written reasons for the appeal.

Suarez was banned on Thursday for Uruguay’s next nine competitive international matches and from any involvement in football for four months after biting defender Giorgio Chiellini in their 1-0 Group D win over Italy.

The appeal will be handled by FIFA’s Appeal Committee, which is chaired

by Larry Mussenden of Bermuda and which is a separate body to the Disciplinary Committee.

Suarez’s ban remains in place throughout the appeal process which rules out any chance of him quickly returning to action during the World Cup in Brazil.

On Friday, Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez accused FIFA of “excessive severity” with the ban and said Liverpool striker Suarez had been made a “scapegoat”. l

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SUNDAY, JUNE 29, 2014 www.dhakatribune.com/business

Capital gain tax proposal goes as Finance Bill passed n Tribune Report The individual stock investors have been exempted from the proposed capital gain tax as the parliament passed the Finance Bill 2014 yesterday.

The tax-free dividend income ceiling has also been increased to Tk20,000 from the proposed Tk15,000, increasing from existing Tk10,000.

The bill was passed in presence of opposition Jatiya Party with some other changes in tax and customs duties.

Stakeholders have been demanding the withdrawal of the gain tax since Finance Minister AMA Muhith placed the

FY15 budget in parliament on June 5.

Muhith told the house that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina recommended not to imposing the gain tax to help improve the stock market and encourage more investments by individuals.

“Considering the prime minister’s recommendation as an instruction, I am requesting the parliament to keep the investors’ capital gain fully exempted from paying any taxes,” he said.

The proposed budget had earlier recommended the government to incorporate capital gain tax on individual investors for the first time at a rate of 3% for Tk10 lakh while 5% for capi-

tal gain over Tk20 lakh, which sparked huge criticism from different quarters.

Other major changes from the proposals included continuation of legalising undisclosed money, withdrawal of the proposed 5% Advanced Income Tax (AIT) from mobile handsets import, and imposition of 1% surcharge on mobile handset imports etc.

Tax on flats or buildings: The government has finalised imposing tax on flats, buildings or structures at a rate of Tk600 per square meter instead of the proposed Tk90 per square feet.

According to the proposed budget placed in parliament on June 5, the

government proposed new tax rates for transferring of land, any structure, building, flat, apartment or floor space on the land at the rate of Tk90 per square feet.

The other changes in the bill are rice bran oil producing industries while Cineplex would enjoy tax holiday facility until 2019 if established in any city corporation area or in the divisional headquarters excepting Dhaka and Chittagong, withdrawal of cost and management accountants (CMAs) from the list of the taxpayer examiners and withdrawal of 5% advance income tax on mobile handset import. l

DUTY ON SOME PRODUCTS SEES CHANGES INCREASED

Product Existing duty Proposed duty Finalised duty

HYBRID CAR (1800 TO 2500CC)

IRON

TRANSFORMER

No duty 60% 45%

25% cd 25% 10%

5% rd 5% No duty

cd= customs duty

DECREASED FABRICS RAW MATERIAL

TYRE

(RIM SIZE UP TO 16INCH)

TRAVEL AGENCIES

10% cd 10% 25%

10% vat 10% 7.5%

5% cd 5% No duty

rd= regulatory duty

AH MAMUN/DT INFOGRAPHIC

Govt plans to buy more shares in Unilever, IFIC Bank n Asif Showkat Kallol

The government plans to invest around Tk334 crore in the upcoming fiscal year to increase its shares in Unilever Bangladesh and IFIC Bank, which deposit huge profits to the public coffers every year, officials said yesterday.

The finance division is preparing a letter for the banking and financial institutions division with a proposal to inject funds for acquiring right shares in the two private companies, they said.

The government, which currently holds 39.25% of shares in Unilever, is keen to have more stake in the profitable Anglo-Dutch multinational, the

officials said.

Unless the government invests in buying right shares, valued at Tk58 crore, its stake in Unilever would fall to 36.8%, they added.

The consumer goods company deposited Tk108 crore to the government exchequer as dividend payout between 2007 and 2012.

The government also has 32.5% of shares in the International Finance Investment and Commerce (IFIC) Bank Ltd, a first generation private commercial bank in the country.

The bank had sought Tk286 crore from the finance division last year to augment the government’s stake in it,

sources said.

The government also made a move in the 2013-14 fiscal to inject more funds in the two companies, but failed to get clearance from the Bangladesh Security and Exchange Commission (BSEC) because of improper procedure, sources at the capital market regulator said.

“Proposals for pumping funds in IFIC Bank and Unilever Bangladesh were rejected in the outgoing fiscal year. But this year, we are proceeding carefully in line with the securities rules for increasing stakes in the two companies,” banking secretary M Aslam Alam told the Dhaka Tribune.

To buy more shares in the companies, the government will spend from the Tk11,160 crore set aside as non-development capital expenditure in the budget for the new financial year, which begins on Tuesday.

In July 16, 2013, the BSEC rejected an application for right issues by IFIC as it did not apply properly.

The bank’s board of directors in 2012 decided to offer three right shares, against the existing four, at an issue price of Tk20, including a premium of Tk10.

Right shares are offered by a company to existing shareholders to raise funds. l

1% surcharge imposed on mobile phone handsets import n Muhammad Zahidul Islam The government has imposed 1% surcharge on the price of imported and locally manufactured mobile phone handsets as the parliament yesterday passed the Finance Bill 2014.

This is for the first time such surcharge was imposed under the name of Information and Communication Technology development fund.

Before passing the bill, Whip Md Shahiduzzaman Sarker placed a correction on the bill about imposing the surcharge for creating a Information and Communication Technology development fund.

According to the parliamentary document, National Board of Revenue (NBR) will gazette it and formulate a guideline about the procedure.

Before passing the bill, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Finance Minister AMA Muhith had created confusions over the surcharge.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in her speech said, “Finance Minister can impose surcharge on mobile phone uses.

And funds raised from this surcharge will be spent on education and health.”

The prime minister also requested the finance minister to reduce VAT on handsets as she thinks it is much higher and will create a burden for the consumers.

However, NBR sources said the finance minister discussed with them about the issue as he decided to in-

troduce the surcharge on the price of imported and locally manufactured mobile handsets.

The finance minister had also proposed 2% surcharge on mobile phone uses in the budget proposal for 2012-13, but cancelled amid huge criticism.

A parliamentary standing committee on Post and Telecommunication Ministry last year also recommended surcharge for building the Padman Bridge on own costs, but government did not accept it.

Taking part in the budget discussion, Sheikh Hasina said the import tax on mobiles were somewhat higher.

She said: “You (Muhith) may consider reducing tax on import of mobile phones.”

In his speech Muhith proposed to reduce 5% import duties from existing 10% and fully withdraw 5% advance income tax (AIT) as he had proposed for the fiscal 2014-15.

He, however, did not mention anything about the proposed 15% VAT on the handsets that implies it is being imposed in the next fiscal.

Before passing the budget, prices of various mobile phone handsets have already witnessed an upward trend in the retail markets across the country, marking sharp rise at a range between 10% and 16%.

Industry insiders said the measure might cause increasing smuggling of handsets and losing revenue. l

EU: Labour rights in Bangladesh must be extended to EPZs

JICA: Economic zones to bring Japanese investment

n Tribune Business Desk

n Tribune Business Desk

European Commissioner for Trade Karel De Gucht has said improvements in labour rights must be extended to the Export Processing Zones in Bangladesh.

“Of course, the reality is that there’s still much more to do. Most urgently, implementing regulations on labour reform must be enacted soon.

Improvements in labour rights must be extended to the Export Processing Zones,” he said.

Gutch said all the enabling conditions must be in place, not only in law but in practice, for workers to organise into trade unions and make their voice heard at the factory level.

The EU Trade Commissioner said this while addressing an informal ministerial meeting of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) - Rana Plaza Aftermath in Paris on Thursday, reports UNB. The government of Bangladesh, the European Union and the International Labour Organisation launched the Sus-

tainability Compact for Bangladesh to improve labour rights and factory conditions in the garment industry and much of that programme has been put into practice.

“Over the coming weeks, the European Commission will be working on a full assessment of where we stand today. Once that is done we hope to call a meeting this autumn of all parties

to the Compact as well as other stakeholders to get their perspective and set the agenda going forward,” Gutch said.

He said the European Union had an obligation to act because it grants duty-free and quota-free tariff preferences to Bangladesh which have been a boon to the country’s export performance.

“The European Union was - and still is - the largest client of Bangladesh’s garment business. We imported over 9 billion euros worth in 2013,” Gutch added.

Bangladesh has amended its labour law improving labour rights. It has also upgraded its system for inspecting factory safety and begun the recruitment process of hundreds of new inspectors.

Gutch said Bangladesh’s labour law still needs to address restrictions on trade union formation and membership, no later than in the next iteration of the labour law reform.

The recruitment of labour inspectors needs to be accelerated, inspections need to proceed and their results published, he added. l

The development of economic zones in the country will attract more Japanese investment, Chief Representative of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in Bangladesh Mikio Hataeda said yesterday.

He said Japanese investment will help technological development of industries in Bangladesh.

Hataeda was addressing a seminar on “Economic Zones Development for Japanese Investors” at a hotel in the city, reports UNB. JICA Bangladesh and Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA) organised the seminar in association with Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO) to sensitise Japanese investors about the recent developments in economic zones scenario, rules, regulations as well as incentives offered by the government in promoting foreign direct investment (FDI).

Prime Minister’s principal secretary Abdus Sobhan Sikder, Jetro representative Jei Kawano and Bangladesh Eco-

Grameen One Fund wants 10-year extension n Tribune Business Desk The tenure of Grameen Mutual Fund One, a closed ended private mutual fund, has been proposed to be extended by 10 years.

The unit holders of the fund came to the decision at a meeting held on June 26.

The fund was scheduled to be redeemed on June 30 next year. Now it will end on June 30, 2025 under

relevant provisions of the SEC (mutual fund) Rules 2001, if the fund is extended.

The extension is, however, subject to be approved by the regulatory authorities.

Unit holders of the fund also confirmed the continuation of the fund’s currently appointed trustee, Grameen Fund along with the same asset manager, AIMS of Bangladesh Limited.

The fund’s closing price last week was Tk41.6 per unit while its net asset value under current market price stood at Tk34.28 per unit as on June 19.

The unit’s trading at a premium over its asset value shows the current unit holders would likely to incur erosion of value if the redemption were to take place.

The fund’s sponsor is Grameen Bank, which has provided an initial capital of Tk1.65 crore.

The fund has total assets of Tk87 crore under management as on June 19, according to a disclosure made by the fund manager on June 22.

The fund has recently outperformed the sector in terms of increasing its net asset value over the past four weeks, data shows. The increase is 1.4% excess return over DSEX, shows a weekly mutual fund sectoral report of a brokerage in the capital l

nomic Zones Authority (BEZA) chairman Fakhrul Islam also addressed the seminar.

The JICA representative said the implementation of the Bay of Bengal Industrial Growth Belt (BIG-B) plan would play a big role in promoting Bangladesh-Japan’s economic cooperation.

“BIG-B is a grand design to promote industrial agglomeration and take full advantage of the vibrant economic growth from Pacific to Indian Ocean.”

He said economic zones for Japanese investors would be a primary trigger for the prospective industrial agglomeration and international trade under the BIG-B initiative.

The other speakers observed that though Bangladesh with its huge potentials is being regarded as “Next 11” country in the world economy, it has failed to attract much FDI from Japan and other countries while ASEAN countries like Vietnam, Indonesia are successful in this field.

Some Japanese investors said they found high operation cost in business, non-friendly regulatory measures and

critical financial issues as major impediments for Japanese investment.

They suggested the BEZA to showcase the incentives they are offering to foreign investors.

The seminar was told that about 180 Japanese firms are now doing business in Bangladesh.

‘BEZA should showcase the incentives they are offering to foreign investors’ Reiterating the government’s strong commitment towards improving investment climate, Abdus Sobhan said the number of Japanese companies may increase rapidly if they take benefit of low production cost compared to other countries in the world.

BEZA chairman said the government has been developing five economic zones to attract FDI.l

B2

Stocks pass flat week with limited activities n Tribune Report

ter the previous week’s 80-point.

The central bank raised the cash reserve requirement (CRR) for banks from 6% to 6.5% last week. “But increase in the CRR did not have much impact on the capital market as there was already excess liquidity in the banking system,” said Lanka Bangla.

IDLC Investments said substantial profit booking tendency reversed and subsequently turned into a motivation for investment last week.

Most of the individual investors started positioning in the hope of getting tax rebate on their income, it said adding that they preferred selective lucrative issues as their safe investment.

“The market absorbed a significant downhill in last several sessions and bargain hunters started stepping forward and re-assessed significant upside potentials.”

Gainers outnumbered losers in the past week, as out of 305 issues traded, 210 advanced, 79 declined and 16 issues remained unchanged at the DSE. All the major sectors edged up except telecommunication as the heavyweight sector lost 0.56% in the past week.

Banks were the main market mover. It advanced 2.7%. Fuel and power, and NBFIs gained almost 2% each, and pharmaceuticals 1%.

Lafarge Surma Cement topped the past week’s turnover chart with shares worth Tk12.5 crore changing hands followed by Grameenphone, BSRM Steels, Square Pharmaceuticals and Bangladesh Submarine Cable Company Ltd. l

Stocks witnessed flat week amid limited trading activities, as risk-average investors were in quick profit-booking mood ahead of final budget approval in the parliament yesterday.

Modest rally in banks, non-bank financial institutions (NBFIs) and power sectors offset profit-booking losses on telecommunications and cement sectors.

In the week ended Thursday, the benchmark DSEX gained more than 81 points or 2% to close at 4,409, feebly recovering from previous week’s five-month low.

The comprising blue chips DS30 Index was up by 13 points or 1% to 1,616. The DSE Shariah Index, DSES, rose 13 points or 1% to 1,006.The Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) Selective Categories Index, CSCX, rallied 136 points or 1.7% to 8,401.

The week’s daily average turnover still remained poor to stand at Tk287 crore, registering a slight increase of almost 3% over the previous week’s average of Tk279 crore.

Lanka Bangla Securities said: “Recent gains in the market can be called volatile. Only few fundamental stocks grasped the interest of investors.”

Market resilience remained weak due to edginess hovering around the aftermath of the post-budget economic condition in the capital market, it said.

It said the benchmark index got some attraction of value investors as stocks were available on discount af-

Weekly capital market highlights DSE Broad Index : DSE - 30 Index : CSE All Share Index: CSE - 30 Index : CSE Selected Index : DSE LOSERS Company

Closing (% change)

Delta Life Insu. -A Asia Insur. Ltd.-A Salvo Chemicals-B 3rd ICB M F-A Stylecraft -A Al-Haj Textile -A Linde (BD) Ltd. -A Aftab Auto.-A Desh Garments -B 7th ICB M F-A

-19.40 -16.12 -9.57 -8.56 -5.84 -5.56 -5.45 -5.07 -4.77 -4.76

CSE LOSERS Company Midas Financing-Z Delta Life Insu. -A Asia Insur. Ltd.-A Salvo Chemicals-B Marico BD Ltd-A Aziz PipesZ Popular Life Insu. -A Paramount Insur-A Prime Insur -A Rahima Food -Z

Closing (% change) -18.62 -18.60 -17.01 -9.05 -9.01 -8.57 -7.94 -7.69 -7.32 -7.27

4409.42614

(+) 1.87%

1616.57467

(+) 0.82%

13603.4872

(+) 1.66%

11200.9122

(+) 2.10%

8401.3704

(+) 1.65%

Average (% change) -18.27 -17.87 -9.41 -8.83 -5.84 -6.35 -4.94 -5.15 -4.89 -0.99 Average (% change) -10.00 -18.13 -17.43 -8.50 -9.01 -8.43 -7.92 -7.69 -7.32 -5.70

ANALYST

Closing average 150.74 19.95 18.96 227.92 1065.00 159.06 836.58 76.79 110.80 100.00

Closing average 15.30 150.76 19.90 19.15 1,010.00 12.82 182.00 18.00 19.00 45.85

Weekly closing 149.60 20.30 18.90 226.50 1065.00 158.10 834.90 76.70 109.90 100.00

Weekly closing 15.30 150.50 20.00 19.10 1,010.00 12.80 182.00 18.00 19.00 45.90

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 1625.58 412.21 232.65 1304.71 501.37 1172.97 6.65 1244.21 2210.92 1.07 203.89 94.18 83.57 1594.65 72.53 158.24 414.00 1464.60 561.07 1003.06 5.34

▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ Weekly high 190.90 21.50 20.90 230.30 1065.00 171.60 870.00 81.00 119.80 101.10

Weekly high 17.00 186.50 22.30 21.00 1,010.00 14.90 193.00 18.10 20.50 48.50

DSE GAINERS

DSE key features June 22-26, 2014

Company

Turnover (Million Taka)

14,367.47

Turnover (Volume)

358,506,752

Number of Contract

367,186

Traded Issues

305

Issue Gain (Avg. Price Basis)

214

Issue Loss (Avg. Price Basis)

88 3

Market Capital Equity (Billion. Tk.)

2,280.53

Market Capital Equity (Billion US$)

27.64

CSE key features June 22-26, 2014 Turnover (Million Taka)

1,207.49

Turnover (Volume)

37,588,668

Number of Contract

52,872

Traded Issues

245

Issue Gain (Avg. Price Basis)

163

Issue Loss (Avg. Price Basis)

77

Unchanged Issue (Avg. Price Basis)

4

Market Capital Equity (Billion. Tk.)

2,194.32

Market Capital Equity (Billion US$)

26.60

Turnover in million

149.20 18.30 16.60 225.00 1065.00 148.00 810.00 67.50 109.00 97.50

Weekly low

172.604 9.423 40.836 0.695 0.107 112.692 14.737 122.091 24.358 0.549

Turnover in million

15.30 149.10 18.20 18.80 1,010.00 12.70 182.00 17.80 19.00 45.00

0.016 16.908 0.604 5.729 0.051 0.048 0.188 0.063 0.012 0.441

Jute SpinnersA AIBL 1st Is. M. F.-A BD. Thai Alum -B BEXIMCO Ltd. -A Beximco Pharma -A BSC-A Beximco Syn.-Z Standard Ceramic -A UNITED AIR-A CMC Kamal Tex. -A

Closing (% change) 21.99 18.03 17.37 15.99 14.36 13.59 13.40 12.75 10.17 10.09

CSE GAINERS

Unchanged Issue (Avg. Price Basis)

Weekly low

Sunday, June 29, 2014

Latest EPS 2.92 1.56 1.16 22.19 47.83 2.00 36.20 2.69 0.96 12.01

Latest EPS -6.91 2.92 1.56 1.16 43.99 0.68 17.00 1.64 0.92 -1.01

Latest PE 51.6 12.8 16.3 10.3 22.3 79.5 23.1 28.5 115.4 8.3

Latest PE -ve 51.6 12.8 16.5 23.0 18.9 10.7 11.0 20.7 -ve

Company Standard Ceramic -A Sandhani Life -A AIBL 1st Is. M. F.-A BEXIMCO Ltd. -A BD. Thai Alum -B Beximco Syn.-Z Beximco Pharma -A BSC-A Shinepukur Cera-Z UNITED AIR-A

Closing (% change) 20.47 18.41 17.74 16.85 16.20 13.68 12.94 12.60 10.91 10.17

Average (% change) 22.13 19.63 14.55 11.69 11.35 12.66 9.83 12.95 7.31 8.16 Average (% change) 19.91 27.63 17.74 12.35 11.38 10.49 9.42 12.19 9.19 7.14

Closing average 65.13 7.19 24.40 30.20 43.67 519.72 10.73 45.18 12.63 23.59

Closing average 45.71 89.34 7.30 30.21 24.56 10.53 43.22 517.61 12.00 12.60

Weekly closing 64.90 7.20 25.00 31.20 44.60 522.25 11.00 45.10 13.00 24.00

Weekly closing 45.90 89.40 7.30 31.20 25.10 10.80 44.50 520.00 12.20 13.00

Weekly high 66.50 7.40 25.50 32.00 45.10 526.00 11.20 46.50 13.30 24.50

Weekly high 45.90 93.90 7.40 31.50 25.70 10.90 44.90 524.00 12.40 13.20

Weekly low 54.60 6.00 19.70 24.10 34.60 454.50 9.20 38.00 10.20 20.00

Weekly low 39.90 83.00 6.10 25.10 20.20 9.00 38.00 454.00 10.00 11.30

Turnover in million

Latest EPS

0.365 14.147 33.811 744.329 256.006 201.507 14.386 2.472 313.081 87.093

Turnover in million

-43.81 1.49 0.84 0.59 3.60 23.48 0.76 1.32 0.77 1.32

Latest EPS

0.689 1.087 12.556 102.053 2.571 2.405 11.237 26.847 1.343 58.655

1.32 2.39 1.49 0.59 0.84 0.76 3.60 23.48 0.64 0.77

Latest PE -ve 4.8 29.0 51.2 12.1 22.1 14.1 34.2 16.4 17.9

Latest PE 34.6 37.4 4.9 51.2 29.2 13.9 12.0 22.0 18.8 16.4

Weekly news from trade server MEGHNALIFE: The Board of Directors has recommended 20% cash dividend and 10% stock dividend for the year ended on December 31, 2013. Date of AGM: 17.07.2014, Time: 10:30 AM, Venue: "Muktijuddha Smrity Auditorium", Institution of Diploma Engineers, Bangladesh, 160/A, Kakrail VIP Road, Dhaka. Record Date: 30.06.2014.

NATLIFEINS: The Board of Directors has recommended 20% cash dividend and 38% stock dividend for the year ended on December 31, 2013. Date of AGM: 21.07.2014, Time: 11:00 AM, Venue: Auditorium, NLI Tower, 54, Kazi Nazrul Islam Avenue, Karwan Bazar, Dhaka-1215. Record Date: 03.07.2014.

RECKITTBEN: The Board of Directors of the Company has declared interim cash dividend @ 275% for the year ending on 31 December 2014 after considering the performance of the Company from 1 January 2014 to 31 May 2014 and the retained earnings up to 31 December 2013.

The Board has also declared profit after tax of Tk. 71.95 million and EPS of Tk. 15.23 for the period ended on 31 May 2014. Record date for entitlement of interim dividend: 07.07.2014.

BDSERVICE: The Board of Directors has recommended 15% stock dividend for the year ended on December 31, 2013. Date of AGM: 25.08.2014, Time: 6:00 PM, Venue: Ruposhi Bangla Hotel, Dhaka. Record Date: 14.07.2014. The Company has also reported EPS of Tk. 0.33, NAV per share of Tk. 19.52 and NOCFPS of Tk. 0.84 for the year ended

on December 31, 2013.

Audited/unaudited Financial Reports: AFTABAUTO: (Q3): As per un-audited quarterly accounts for the 3rd quarter ended on 31st May 2014 (Mar'14 to May'14), the Company has reported consolidated net profit after tax (excluding non-controlling interests) of Tk. 43.60 million with consolidated EPS of Tk. 0.46 as against Tk. 70.76 million and Tk. 0.74 respectively for the same period of the previous year. Whereas consolidated net profit after tax (excluding non-controlling interests) was Tk. 193.82 million with consolidated EPS of Tk. 2.02 for the period of nine months (Sep'13 to May'14) ended on 31.05.2014 as against Tk. 257.60 million and Tk. 2.69 respectively for the same period of the previous year.

Fixed Assets/Right/Investment: MICEMENT: The Company has informed that the Board of Directors of the Company has decided to purchase 392 decimals of land at west Mukterpur, Panchasor, Munshiganj at a cost of Tk. 15.56 crore only (approx.) including the registration cost.

QSMDRYCELL: The Company has informed that the Board of Directors of the Company has approved the signing of Marketing and Distribution Agreement with Bhutan Agro Industries Ltd. As per agreement Quasem Drycells Ltd. is appointed as Sole Marketing and Distribution Agent in Bangladesh for their "Royal Bhutan" brand various products like Fruit Juice, Fruit Drinks, Jam and Marmalades, Canned Fruits/vegetables & Juice, Fruit Squashes and Cordial, Mountain Spring Water etc.

MALEKSPIN: BSEC has given consent under the provisions of the Securities and Exchange Commission (Issue of Capital) Rules, 2001, for raising the paid up capital of Salek Textile Limited (transferee) from Tk. 40,00,00,000.00 to Tk. 48,26,08,700.00 through issuance of 8,26,087 ordinary shares of Tk. 100 each totaling Tk. 8,26,08,700 to the shareholders of Titas Spinning & Denim Co. Limited (transferor) in course of Amalgamation at a ratio of 1:4.6 (1 share of STL against 4.6 shares of TSDL). Salek Textile Limited and Titas Spinning & Denim Co. Limited, both are subsidiaries of Malek Spinning Mills Ltd. TRUSTBANK: BSEC has given consent under the provisions of the Securities and Exchange Commission (Private Placement of Debt Securities) Rules, 2012, for raising of capital by Trust Bank Limited through issuance of Fully Redeemable Non-Convertible Un-secured Subordinated Bond of Tk. 200.00 crore only through private placement to other than existing shareholders of the bank. The consent has been accorded subject to the condition that the Company shall comply with the relevant laws and Regulatory Requirements, and also shall adhere to the conditions imposed by BSEC under Section-2CC of the Securities and Exchange Ordinance, 1969.

TRUSTBANK: The Company has further informed that the purpose of issuance of the Trust Bank Limited Fully Redeemable Non Convertible Un-secured Subordinated Bond is to strengthen Tier II capital of the Bank.

Recent gains in the market can be called volatile. Only few fundamental stocks grasped the interest of investors

SECTORAL TURNOVER SUMMARY Sector

Stock

DHAKA TRIBUNE

% change 11.31 2.87 1.62 9.08 3.49 8.16 0.05 8.66 15.39 0.01 1.42 0.66 0.58 11.10 0.50 1.10 2.88 10.19 3.91 6.98 0.04

Million Taka 123.35 32.18 24.15 119.20 45.65 76.31 0.00 124.84 126.43 35.60 13.78 45.36 7.56 138.77 7.43 4.45 24.20 124.67 109.36 130.59 0.06

CSE

% change 9.39 2.45 1.84 9.07 3.47 5.81 0.00 9.50 9.62 2.71 1.05 3.45 0.58 10.56 0.57 0.34 1.84 9.49 8.32 9.94 0.00

Million Taka 1748.92 444.39 256.80 1423.91 547.03 1249.27 6.65 1369.05 2337.35 36.66 217.67 139.54 91.13 1733.41 79.96 162.68 438.20 1589.27 670.44 1133.66 5.40

Total

% change 11.15 2.83 1.64 9.08 3.49 7.97 0.04 8.73 14.91 0.23 1.39 0.89 0.58 11.05 0.51 1.04 2.79 10.13 4.28 7.23 0.03

Prepared exclusively for Dhaka Tribune by Business Information Automation Service Line (BIASL), on the basis of information collected from daily stock quotations and audited reports of the listed companies. High level of caution has been taken to collect and present the above information and data. The publisher will not take any responsibility if any body uses this information and data for his/her investment decision. For any query please email to biasl@bol-online.com or call 01552153562 or go to www.biasl.net

DSE TURNOVER LEADERS Company LafargeS Cement-Z Grameenphone-A BEXIMCO Ltd. -A Square Pharma -A BD Submarine Cable-A ACI Limited- A UNITED AIR-A BSRM Steels-A UCBL - A Beximco Pharma -A CSE TURNOVER LEADERS Company BEXIMCO Ltd. -A LafargeS Cement-Z Grameenphone-A BD Submarine Cable-A UNITED AIR-A Square Pharma -A The Peninsula CTG.-N AramitCementA BSRM Steels-A BSC-A

Volume shares 15,293,000 3,116,176 25,670,945 2,597,726 2,814,166 1,397,778 25,763,578 3,480,017 10,294,133 6,077,935

Volume shares 3,531,443 1,057,500 213,800 320,619 4,820,292 194,376 1,386,400 790,810 360,896 54,290

Value in million 1252.37 935.35 744.33 719.20 529.25 374.43 313.08 293.33 280.96 256.01

Value in million 102.05 86.89 64.28 60.39 58.66 53.82 47.92 35.66 30.27 26.85

% of total turnover 8.72 6.51 5.18 5.01 3.68 2.61 2.18 2.04 1.96 1.78

% of total turnover 8.58 7.30 5.40 5.08 4.93 4.52 4.03 3.00 2.54 2.26

Weekly closing 82.60 297.10 31.20 276.50 189.80 264.70 13.00 82.10 26.60 44.60

Weekly closing 31.20 82.60 297.40 189.90 13.00 277.90 34.00 46.20 82.00 520.00

Price change 1.10 -1.00 15.99 -0.40 6.09 1.42 10.17 -4.53 -0.37 14.36

Weekly opening 81.70 300.10 26.90 277.60 178.90 261.00 11.80 86.00 26.70 39.00

Weekly high 84.50 305.80 32.00 281.10 195.40 279.00 13.30 92.00 28.10 45.10

Weekly low 78.10 285.00 24.10 251.00 163.00 239.00 10.20 78.00 24.10 34.60

Weekly average 82.66 298.45 30.20 276.94 190.96 266.35 12.63 82.38 26.62 43.67

Price change 16.85 1.85 -1.62 6.09 10.17 0.04 -1.45 7.94 -4.76 12.60

Weekly opening 26.70 81.10 302.30 179.00 11.80 277.80 34.50 42.80 86.10 461.80

Weekly high 31.50 85.30 308.90 195.90 13.20 281.00 36.00 47.40 86.80 524.00

Weekly low 25.10 77.80 294.30 178.60 11.30 274.70 33.90 42.10 81.70 454.00

Weekly average 30.21 82.69 298.93 191.09 12.60 278.20 34.13 46.07 82.36 517.61

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Business

B3

Sunday, June 29, 2014

Ramadan rush: Mega-rich shoppers Jeep to enter India market in 2015 descend on London n Reuters

n AP, London

From Harrods in Knightsbridge to the glittering diamond stores in Mayfair, London has long attracted big spenders. But every year around the holy month of Ramadan, which starts this weekend, a wave of spectacularly rich Middle Eastern shoppers arrives and takes retail therapy to a whole new level — complete with an entourage of bodyguards, chauffeurs, and Gulf-registered Rolls-Royces and Ferraris flown in just for the occasion.

Retailers call the boost in business the Ramadan Rush: A hugely lucrative and fast-growing market driven by wealthy Arabs who travel to Britain to escape the desert heat and indulge in buying luxury gifts before flying home for a month of fasting and increased religious observance. Another surge takes place during the Eid holiday, which marks the end of Ramadan.

The spike in shoppers during the summer months has been so regular and noticeable on London’s streets that some have jokingly dubbed the phenomenon the “Harrods Hajj,” after the traditional Islamic pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca.

“London is the place in Europe where the Middle Eastern visitor shops the most. It is almost their second home,” said Gordon Clark, UK manager at Global Blue, the Switzerland-based retail research firm. The company estimates that pre-Ramadan sales last July jumped 60% compared with the previous year.

Although tourists from the oil-rich United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Qatar make up only a small percentage of total visits to Britain compared with those from the U.S. and Europe, they tend to be much more lavish spenders on average. Official figures show that Middle Eastern tourists ranked just 19th in terms of numbers of people last year, but came second in to-

Many brands have responded to the trend by rolling out VIP services just for Ramadan tal spend — 888m pounds ($1.5bn).

The Kuwaitis are the biggest spenders, shelling out some 1,340 pounds ($2,275) per transaction last July, Clark said.

That corresponds with data from the London Luxury Quarter, a group that represents some of the highest-end businesses in central London. It said the average spend from Middle Eastern shoppers last year came just behind the Chinese, its top customers.

Unsurprisingly, the best sellers are exclusive designer handbags and shoes, watches and jewelry, though a Harrods spokeswoman said food gifts like luxury fruit baskets and extravagantly packaged dates and cocoa-dusted almonds also sell briskly.

Ramadan falls on the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar. Muslims around the world fast from dawn to sunset for a month, starting from Saturday.

The weeks surrounding the month offer retailers an opportunity they can’t

afford to miss, and many brands have responded to the trend by rolling out VIP services just for the period.

“We have been working with luxury retailers who offer exclusive products during pre-Ramadan,” said Myf Ryan, marketing director at west London’s Westfield shopping center.

“Dior has limited-edition exotic skin handbags, and Louis Vuitton and Burberry are offering private client services.”

The Westfield mall — one of Europe’s largest — hopes to bring in record sales with the help of extra Arabic-speaking concierges and personal chauffeurs.

For the really prolific shoppers, there is a “hands-free” service, which involves helpers who collect the shopping bags and help pack them in the car.

Other cosmopolitan cities, such as Paris or Dubai, also see their share of pre-Ramadan shopping. But analysts say London has become the favourite destination.

AP

Language is one reason — most of the shoppers can speak English. But that’s just part of it.

“London has got the cultural aspects, the history, and it’s a wonderfully inclusive city to visit,” Ryan said.

“The temperature’s comfortable. And because the Middle Eastern customer is so important, hotels and the tourism industry are also very adept at making them comfortable.”

All that may leave the average British or American shopper feeling a bit left out. But the Ramadan Rush does bring one direct benefit to the masses: Earlier sales.

Many of Britain’s department stores and fashion brands have been adjusting their summer sales schedule to make sure the high rollers get to shop new stock when they arrive.

“They’re not interested in sales, because the stores are too busy,” Clark said. “It’s not a good shopping experience for them.” l

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles will begin selling Jeep, the SUV brand central to its global expansion, in India in 2015, the brand’s chief, Mike Manley, said on Thursday.

Manley said the original plan was for Jeep to enter the India market in late2013, but that was delayed because he did not feel the brand would enter the market strongly at the time.

By 2020 India will be the world’s third-largest auto market, behind China and the United States, with sales nearly doubling to about 6 million vehicles, according to consultancy IHS Automotive.

Manley, speaking at a Fiat Chrysler test track event in southeast Michigan, said the mid-sized Cherokee and the rugged Wrangler SUV will be the first models sold in India. But those models, which are two core vehicles for the brand, are expected to corner only a small fraction of the massive Indian market because of their relatively lofty price, which will be escalated by the import duty.

“If we’re going to be successful with Jeep, you’ll have to localize a vehicle in India,” he said.

Jeep could start local production at a Fiat-Tata Motors Ltd joint-venture plant, but there is little spare capacity as Fiat just refreshed its lineup in India, Manley said. He would not discuss future production plans.

Fiat has about 115 dealers in India, but no Jeep dealers. At the launch of Jeep sales, Manley said he wants 15 to 20 dealers there.

On track for 1 million jeep sales

Manley also told reporters that Jeep is on track to meet Fiat Chrysler Chief Executive Officer Sergio Marchionne’s ambitious goal of selling 1 million vehicles globally this year, up 37%.

“Last month helped us a lot, hitting 100,000 vehicles around the world.

Intel showcases mobile solutions

Wall Street’s S&P 500 to hit 2,000 mark for first time by end of 2014

n Tribune Report

n Reuters, New York

Intel Bangladesh has showcased its mobile solutions across the full range of form factors and features, powered

by Intel Atom processor and Intel Core processor, with a focus on what’s in store now, and also a glimpse into the future on what is coming.

Intel-level performance is powerful enough to allow users to move between apps with ease They arranged a Mobility Roadshow at a city restaurant yesterday. The participants had the opportunity of hands-on mobility experiences to help them understand how Intel is delivering mobile innovations that might transform everyday lives. Intel Bangladesh celebrated the Mobility with high-performance, energy-efficient tablets at their

Mobility Roadshow.

They said Intel is going to introduce new devices which could easier the lifestyle. Speaking at the event, Zia Manzur, country business manager for Intel in Bangladesh, said: “Though previously they were focused on laptops and desktop computers, currently they also concentrated with mobile devices and their processors are very well functioned in different mobile handsets also.”

He said their devices deliver Intellevel performance that is powerful enough to run multiple applications simultaneously, allowing users to move between apps with ease, thus optimising their investment and experience.

Intel Bangladesh claimed generation of Intel Atom processors delivers energy-efficient performance to power a range of computing devices ranging from thin, light smart phones and tablets, intelligent cars, innovative healthcare devices, smart city infrastructure monitoring and high-performance micro servers for the cloud. l

Wall Street’s Standard & Poor’s 500 .SPX index will hit 2,000 for the first time before the end of 2014, having already set a series of record highs this year on optimism that interest rates will remain low, a Reuters poll showed on Thursday.

The median forecast of 41 strategists polled in the past week would represent an 8 percent rise in the benchmark index from the end of 2013.

Last week, US Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen said interest rates could be “well below longer-run normal values at the end of 2016.”

Some of the largest US money managers interpreted that as a green light to further stock-market gains despite the S&P 500’s climb of 6% this year on top of a 30% jump in 2013.

“There’s a basic floor that’s been set by the Fed, and I expect another leg up as money goes out of bonds and into equities,” said Mark Grant, managing

director at Southwest Securities in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

He expects the S&P 500 to be at 2,100 by year-end.

If the index rises to 2,000 as anticipated, equities offer a more attractive return than other assets.

An average S&P 500 dividend yield is around 2%, compared with 2.62% from a 10-year Treasury note.

Even if the market closed the year at current levels, it would still mark the best three-year run for US stocks since the 1997-1999 period.

“The Fed’s continued easy money is the No 1 impact on stocks, bar none, and it will be reflected in higher stock prices, especially for financials, which have yet to fully recover from 2008,” said Adam Sarhan, chief executive officer of Sarhan Capital in New York.

The S&P financial sector index .SPSY is up almost 5% so far this year.

“The Nasdaq, Nasdaq 100 and semiconductors are all below their lifetime

highs, and money is looking to rotate into areas that still look undervalued, as these do,” Sarhan said.

While the US economy suffered in a weak first quarter, contracting at an annual rate of 2.9%, economists say the effects of an unusually bad winter will fade.

Expectations for US corporate profit growth have also improved.

Analysts expect S&P 500 earnings to increase by 9.1% this year, up from an April 1 forecast of 8.7% growth, according to Thomson Reuters data.

By mid-2015, the S&P 500 is expected to rise to 2,053, up around 5% from current levels, the poll showed.

The Dow Jones industrial average .DJI is expected to be at 17,275 by the end of 2014 and 18,000 by mid-2015, up from 16,868 currently.

The CBOE Volatility index .VIX is seen rising to 16 by December, based on VIX futures, up 37% from its current level but still well below its longer-term average of 20. l

It was a really big milestone,” Manley said.

Whether Jeep hits the 1 million target will largely depend on continued strong Cherokee sales in North America, the success of the ongoing launch of Cherokee in Australia as well as the ramp-up of sales of the Renegade in Europe before the end of the year, Manley said.

Manley also told reporters that Jeep is on track to meet Fiat Chrysler Chief Executive Officer Sergio Marchionne’s ambitious goal of selling 1 million vehicles globally this year, up 37%

Renegade, the subcompact SUV to be produced in Italy, will be launched in Europe in the fourth quarter and in the United States in early 2015, Manley said.

While the Wrangler and larger Grand Cherokee SUV are the best-selling Jeeps, it was through models like the smaller Renegade that Fiat Chrysler hopes to expand the brand outside North America.

Manley has said the small-size SUV market will grow to 2 million vehicles worldwide by the end of 2015.

In China, Manley said, the first Jeep Cherokee models are on track to be produced there by the end of 2015.

Jeep has about 240 dealers in China, and 360 Fiat dealers. l

Oil prices ease in Asian trade n AFP, Singapore Oil prices edged lower in Asia Friday following lacklustre US economic data that has fuelled bearish sentiment about demand in the world’s top crude consumer.

US benchmark West Texas Intermediate for August delivery was down 23 cents to $105.61, while Brent crude eased 16 cents to $113.05 in afternoon trade.

The US Commerce Department said Thursday that consumer spending rose a mere 0.2% in May after flattening in April, raising questions about economic recovery in the world’s biggest economy.

“This has cast doubt on the growth outlook for the second quarter of this year, particularly after a wider-thanexpected contraction in the first quarter,” Desmond Chua, market analyst at CMC Markets in Singapore, said, referring to weak GDP figures released Wednesday.

The report comes after the Energy Information Administration on Wednesday reported an unexpected build in US crude inventories last week. l

Thai Airways names new acting president n Reuters, Bangkok

Diamond World has recently inaugurated its showroom named Diamond World Life Style in Yunusco City Center, GEC Circle in Chittagong. The company’s managing director Dilip Kumar Agarwal launched the showroom

Muhammad Aziz Khan (centre), chair of Summit Group and Md Arif Al Islam (left), managing director of Summit Communications Ltd are seen receiving an award titled “Best Emerging Market Initiative” at Asia Communications Awards 2014 from TianUnp Ping (right), assistant vice president of Mobility, Starhub in Singapore recently for the company’s outstanding contributions

The board of Thai Airways International Pcl has appointed Air Chief Marshal Siwakiat Jayema as acting president from July 1 as the country’s military rulers reshuffle and restructure the loss-making carrier hit by months of political unrest.

Siwakiat, also a board member, replaced Chokchai Panyayong, who had resigned from the acting post while maintaining his job as senior executive vice president in charge of corporate strategy and sustainable development, the airline told the Stock Exchange of Thailand on Friday.

This month the airline said other board members, including former

chairman Ampon Kittiampon, would step down. Air Chief Marshal Prajin Juntong, who is overseeing economic matters for the junta, remains chairman of Thai Airways to help turn around the state-controlled airline after the junta refused his resignation.

Prajin said previously he was worried about revenue, but added the airline’s aircraft purchasing plan would not be reviewed. It is due to take deliveries in the next five years.

Thai Airways, which also suffered from fierce competition from low cost and regional rivals, is implementing strategies to boost revenue, cut operating costs and scrap some benefits of the 15 members of the board. l

Singer introduces Eid offers n Tribune Business Desk EXIM Bank has opened its 82nd branch at Dohazari in Chittagong yesterday. The bank’s managing director Dr Mohammed Haider Ali Miah inaugurated the branch as chief guest

Jamuna Bank Limited recently celebrated its 13th anniversary at a hotel in Dhaka. The bank’s chair Shaheen Mahmud and its managing director Shafiqul Alam were present at the event

Singer Bangladesh Limited recently launched its new campaign named “Singer-e Housefull Eid Offer on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr.

Its customer under the campagin

can get upto 100% discount its particular products through scratch cards from any Singer Mega, Singer Plus or Singer Pro Outlet across the country, said a press release.

The offers will be valid till the day of Eid-ul-Fitr. l

B4

DHAKA TRIBUNE

WB says trade protectionism leveling off The increase started to appear since the Great Recession in 2008 6.6% of imports, followed by the n Reuters, Washington United States - the world’s biggest

Back Page

Be brave, be complex! n Tasnova Moktadir We’ve all heard of the pejorative saying: Jack of all trades, master of none. It implies that by trying to learn many things, you give up mastering any one of them. We all have that one person in our lives, especially at our workplaces, who is either a “know all,” or is actually good at in almost everything.

We have special names for them too – “matbor,” “pakna,” and whatnot. However, no matter how much we can’t stand them, deep down we all have a sense of respect for this type of person too. Why? Because we know that he always has an answer to the problems being the “all-rounder.”

Are the days of Da Vinci, Ranbindranath Tagore dead? Is it possible to be a worldclass painter, engineer, scientist, and more at the same time? Some would say: “No way! Those times are long gone.” The best you can do is pick your field and master it.

So, what exactly is mastery? Does it mean you have nothing left to learn? Is it even possible to be a jack of all trades, and a master of many? Sometimes we overestimate the time needed to master a skill, and confuse mastery with perfection. It’s not about how perfect you are – nobody can be perfect – but it’s about being good at everything that you do in the best possible way.

The central counter-argument for learn-

Barriers to imports in major economies are starting to recede after a rash of protectionism during the global financial crisis, World Bank figures showed on Thursday.

Group of 20 countries had fewer antidumping duties and other barriers to imports in place in 2013 than in 2012, a report showed, although some - such as the United States - continued to announce new trade investigations that could end in duties.

“The increase in import protection that began alongside the Great Recession in 2008 may be leveling off,” the World Bank said, adding the peak may have been in 2011-2012.

India had the most temporary trade barriers in place in 2013, covering

import market - with 6.4% and Peru at 5.7%.

The United State had removed some import barriers since 2012, when it was in first place, including duties on salmon from Norway, steel plate from Italy and Japan, honey from Argentina and orange juice from Brazil.

The United States had the most new trade investigations in 2013 of the 28 countries and regions covered in the report, taking the volume of imports into account.

The countries which had the largest share of exports affected by temporary trade barriers were Latvia, largely due to US antidumping duties imposed on steel concrete rebar, China and Ukraine. l

Amazon and Infosys to help India’s small businesses get online

Google starts ‘forgetting’ things in Europe

n Reuters

Amazon.com Inc’s Asia unit will provide back-end support in a venture with an Indian private investment firm formed by Infosys Ltd co-founder NR Narayana Murthy that aims to help get Indian companies online.

Catamaran Ventures’s partnership with Amazon Asia will target smalland medium-sized firms, Arjun Ramegowda Narayanswamy, who heads the private investment company, said in an email to Reuters on Friday.

Access to mobile devices and betterquality broadband has boosted India’s online shopping scene, where Amazon is jostling with home-grown companies like Flipkart and Snapdeal for market share.

An official from Amazon’s India unit, who did not want to be identified as details of the deal are not public, told Reuters Amazon will support the venture with logistics and technology know-how. He declined to give details.

Online sales of retail goods totaled $2bn in 2013, according to research firm Forrester. Technopak forecasts sales are expected to reach $76bn by 2021.

The venture, which is already operational, is expected to help offline sellers and small and medium businesses in India to supply to a fast-growing set of online customers in the country, he said.

Industry surveys say e-commerce could contribute up to 4% to India’s economy by 2020 from less than 1% now.

India’s Economic Times newspaper first reported the partnership on Thursday.

Catamaran will hold a majority stake in the new company, said Taurus Business And Trade Services Pvt Ltd, the legal name for the partnership that is yet to be branded. l

n AFP, San Francisco Google on Thursday said that it is “forgetting” things in Europe to comply with a legal ruling granting people the power to have certain information about them removed from searches.

“This week, we’re starting to take action on the removal requests that we’ve received,” Google said in an email response to an AFP inquiry.

“Each request has to be assessed individually and we’re working as quickly as possible to get through the queue.”

The California-based Internet search colossus continues to work with data protection authorities to refine processes and standards regarding what information about people merits removal and which deserves to remain in the best interests of the public.

A Google spokesman said the world’s leading search engine received 12,000 requests from people seeking to be “forgotten” the day an online form went live in May. Google set up the form page to allow Europeans to request the removal of results about them from Internet searches.

In May, the European Court of Justice ruled that individuals have the right to have links to information about them deleted from searches in certain circumstances, such as if the data is outdated or inaccurate.

Google has said that each request would be examined individually to determine whether it met the ruling’s criteria.

Privacy versus censorship

The ruling on the right to be forgotten comes amid growing concern in Europe

Sunday, June 29, 2014

about individuals’ ability to protect their personal data and manage their reputations online.

“The court’s ruling requires Google to make difficult judgments about an individual’s right to be forgotten and the public’s right to know,” a Google spokesman said in a previous statement.

Google created an advisory committee to help strike a balance between freedom of information and people’s rights when it comes to not being haunted by untruths or acts from the past on the Internet.

The group includes former Google chief Eric Schmidt, Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales, Oxford Internet Institute ethics professor Luciano Floridi, Leuven University law school director Peggy Valcke, former Spanish data protection agency director Jose Luis Pinar and UN envoy on freedom of expression Frank La Rue. Links will only be removed in Europe, where a message accompanying search results will indicate that they have been modified to comply with legal requirements there.

Any links removed from searches in Europe would continue to appear in Google results displayed as they typically would in other geographic regions.

The court ruling has raised concerns about online censorship and how Internet search works in various countries.

Worries also arose that letting people edit their online histories could hamper investigative journalism.

The case highlights growing concerns about so-called online reputation management, which has spawned an industry that helps eliminate or minimize damaging information online. l

ing is that, any learning comes with an opportunity cost. Learning about Great Plains, SCM, or other accounting software might very well take up time that you would otherwise use for studying, suppose Maslow’s theory. But knowing a little of everything can often be better than having one expert skill set. Learning isn’t a zero-sum activity.

There is no end to learning. If you’re not convinced yet, Cole’s many arguments support the view that you can be a generalist or take a multi-disciplinary approach and still do great work.

In the modern world, the one who specialises is the one who survives and thrives.

There is no place for Renaissance men/ women or starry-eyed amateurs. Diversity of intellectual playgrounds breeds confidence instead of fear of the unknown. It also breeds empathy with the broadest range of human conditions and appreciation of the expansive range of human accomplishments.

The alternative is the defensive xenophobia and smugness uniquely common to those whose identities are defined by their job titles or single skills, which they pursue out of obligation and not enjoyment. I have seen people study both corporate law and ACCA together, or taking multiple majors.

Why? Because today, jobs are extremely demanding and those require you to exhib-

it extensive flair of qualities to stay ahead in the competition.

In a world of dogmatic specialists, it’s the generalist who ends up running the show. Is the CEO a better accountant than the CPA? Was Steve Jobs a better programmer than the iTunes’ vice president of engineering?

No, but he had a broad range of skills and saw the unseen interconnectedness. As technology becomes a commodity with the democratisation of information, it’s the big-picture generalists who will predict, innovate, and rise to power fastest. There is a reason military “generals” are called such.

Boredom is failure. Lack of intellectual stimulation, not superlative material wealth, is what drives us to depression and emotional bankruptcy. Generalising and experimenting intellectual skills can prevent this, while over-specialisation guarantees it. There are some typical lots who claim that some things take a lifetime to learn.

Hogwash. Based on other’s experience and research, it is possible to become a worldclass expert in almost any skill within one year.

The specialist who imprisons himself in self-inflicted one-dimensionality – pursuing impossible perfection – spends decades stagnant or making imperceptible incremental improvements while the curious generalist consistently measures improvement in

quantum leaps. It is only the latter who enjoys the process of pursuing excellence. The jack of all trades maximises his number of peak experiences in life, and learns to enjoy the pursuit of excellence unrelated to material gain, all while finding the few things he is truly uniquely suited to dominate.

Don’t put on experiential blinders in the name of specialising. It’s both unnecessary and crippling. Those who label you a “jack of all trades, master of none” are seldom satisfied with themselves. Why take their advice?

Here is a description of the incredible Alfred Lee Loomis, a generalist of the highest order who changed the course of World War II with his private science experiments, here taken from the incredible portrait of his life, Tuxedo Park: “Loomis did not conform to the conventional measure of a great scientist. He was too complex to categorise – financier, philanthropist, society figure, physicist, inventor, amateur, and dilettante – a contradiction in terms.”

So, be too complex to categorise. Look far and wide, because there are worlds to conquer. l Tasnova Moktadir currently works at ACNABIN Chartered Accountancy firm. The article was originally published in the LightCastle Blog (lightcastlebd.com/ blog).

Soccer fever helps Nike score strong sales in North America, Europe n Reuters

Nike Inc reported better-thanexpected quarterly results, as demand for its apparel and footwear rose in North America and Western Europe after the company spent heavily on marketing ahead of the 2014 soccer World Cup. Shares of the world’s largest sports wear maker rose 3.2% to $79.37 in extended trading. Nike, known for its distinctive ‘swoosh’ or tick logo, gets more than half of its total revenue from North America and Western Europe.

Revenue from North America rose 10% in the fourth quarter ended May 31, while revenue from Western Europe jumped 18%, excluding the impact of currency fluctuations.

“Nike is the number one brand in each of the top 10 cities in Western Europe,” Nike Brand President Trevor

Edwards said on a post-earnings conference call.

The company has been giving tough competition to Germany’s Adidas AG on the hotly-contested European turf.

Nike has been “putting a lot of trendright products into the marketplace, so there’s very high demand,” Edward Jones analyst Brian Yarbrough said.

Nike maintained its share of the Western Europe sportswear market at about 12% in 2013, while Adidas’s share shrank to 12.6% in the year from 13.2% in 2012, according to Euromonitor International data. The soccer World Cup, hosted by Brazil, marks the first time that Nike is sponsoring more national teams than Adidas.

Nike signed up soccer legends Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar Jr., Eden Hazard and Wayne Rooney for commercials to promote its merchandise ahead of the much-watched event. Its “Win-

ner Stays” commercial attracted over 82 million views on YouTube.com.

The company said its marketing expenses rose 36% in the fourth quarter, mainly due to expenditure related to the World Cup. Nike’s marketing expenses are expected to increase by 30% in the current quarter as it looks to grab the attention of soccer fans, a company executive said.

Nike launched shoes branded Mercurial Superfly, Magista Obra, the Nike Hypervenom 2014 World Cup Boot and the Nike Tiempo Legend V World Cup Boot between March and May. Ronaldo, declared the world’s best footballer after he won the coveted Ballon d’Or, is wearing the Nike Mercurial Superfly in the World Cup. “There are more players wearing Nike boots in the World Cup than all other brands combined,” Nike’s Edwards said. l

German inflation edges higher in June n AFP, Frankfurt Inflation in Germany, Europe’s biggest economy, edged fractionally higher in June after reaching its lowest rate in four years the previous month, preliminary data showed on Friday.

According to a flash estimate calculated by the federal statistics office Destatis, German inflation rose to 1% this month from 0.9% in May, its lowest level since February 2010.

Inflation is currently unusually low across the 18-nation eurozone, fuelling concerns the region could be on the brink of deflation - a sustained and widespread drop in prices.

While falling prices may sound good for consumers, deflation is actually dangerous for the economy because it can trigger a vicious spiral where busi-

DILBERT

A visitor watches system of Toyota Motor's new fuel cell vehicle (FCV) on display at the company's showroom in Tokyo, Thursday, June 26. The new model will go on sale in Japanese market with a sticker price of about 7m yen ($68,690) before April 2015, and preparations are underway for launches in the US and European markets in the summer of 2015 AP

nesses and households delay purchases, thus throttling demand and causing companies to lay off workers.

Such concerns persuaded the European Central Bank to cut interest rates at its monthly policy meeting earlier this month and launch a series of other measures to ease monetary conditions in the single currency area.

Using the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP) - the yardstick used by the ECB - inflation in Germany picked up to 1% in June from just 0.6% in May. The ECB defines price stability as annual inflation of just below 2%.

Preliminary German inflation data are calculated on the basis of cost-ofliving statistics of six out of Germany’s total 16 regional states.

Final data based on all 16 states are scheduled for publication on July 11. l