30 June 2014

Ashar 16, 1421 Ramadan 1, 1435 Regd. No. DA 6238 Vol 2, No 90

MONDAY, JUNE 30, 2014 | www.dhakatribune.com | SECOND EDITION

20 pages | Price: Tk12

7 | MIDWIVES LOWER MATERNAL MORTALITY

B1 | STOCKS JUMP, CAPITAL GAIN TAX GOES

WC SECOND STAGE MATCH SCHEDULE June 30, 2014 10pm France vs Nigeria July 1, 2014 2am Germany vs Algeria 10pm Argentina vs Switzerland July 2, 2014 2am Belgium vs United States

8 | IRAN ‘READY’ TO HELP IRAQ

Two killed in a ‘gunfight’ in capital Families allege police were ‘hired’ by political rivals to kill them Sakhawat and n Adil Tazlina Zamila Khan Conflicting statements have emerged about the identity of the two men killed in an alleged gunfight with law enforcers in the early hours of yesterday in the capital’s Motijheel area.

While police said they were still to be identified, the family of the two deceased had claimed that they were leaders of the ruling party’s labour front.

There are also some confusions about how they died. While police said they were killed in a “gunfight,” a wit-

Police are not yet sure about the identity of the deceased ness said policemen killed them with gunshots.

According to the witness, whose identity we are not disclosing for security reasons, around 2:15am yesterday, police cordoned off six men, travelling on two motorbikes in front of the T&T school in Motijheel.

“The bikers opened fire at police and hurled a cocktail. In reply, police also opened fire. I heard at least 40 rounds of gunshots,” said the witness, who is a resident of the adjacent AGB Colony and watched the entire incident from his bedroom window.

“After the gunfire exchange, I saw

two people fall on the road. Police left the two bodies there and took the four others on a van. A little later, police came back and took away the bodies,” the witness said.

He claimed that he had also seen police dump sand onto the road to cover the blood stains.

Yesterday, SI Nripen Kumer Bhoumik from the Detective Branch of Police filed two cases in connection with the incident.

According to one of the first information reports (FIRs), police admitted that there was a gunfight in which they fired 40 rounds, but also said they did not kill the two; rather they were killed by bullets fired from the guns of the other “criminals.”

The FIR also says police are not yet sure about the identity of the deceased.

Md Masudur Rahman, deputy commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, said: “They might have been planning a robbery. They attacked when police challenged them for gathering there at that hour and asked for identification.”

However, the families of the two deceased have already got the bodies from the Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

According to them, one is Zakir Hossain Akmal, 35, president of the Sayedabad unit of Sramik League; and the other is Ramzan Zabed, 35, general secretary of the same unit of the ruling party wing.  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

Colombia’s James Rodriguez celebrates his goal against Uruguay during their 2014 World Cup round of 16 game at the Maracana stadium in Rio de Janeiro yesterday

Double Dutch late show floors Mexico n AFP, Fortaleza

The Netherlands scored twice in the dying minutes through Wesley Sneijder and a Klaas Jan Huntelaar penalty to move into the quarter-finals of the World Cup with a 2-1 win over Mexico on Sunday.

In a match conditioned by the baking heat and humidity in Fortaleza, Giovani dos Santos looked to have Mexico on the way to their first quarter-final

Lawmakers worried about banking bugs

Details on page-15

appearance on foreign soil when he opened the scoring three minutes into the second-half.

However, Sneijder levelled with a thumping volley from the edge of the area two minutes from time before Huntelaar converted from the spot in stoppage time after Rafael Marquez

n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla

n Asif Showkat Kallol

 PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

2nd Round

had upended Arjen Robben.

Louis van Gaal’s men will now face Costa Rica or Greece in the last eight in Salvador on Saturday.

The Netherlands had been disrupted by an early injury to Nigel de Jong as he hobbled off to be replaced by Bruno Martins Indi.

Mexico’s Hector Herrera then had the clearest opening of the first 45 minutes as he collected Oribe Peralta’s pass on the edge of the area and cut inside before

Gonoshasthaya Kendra put up for auction

JS PASSES FY2014-15 BUDGET

The Jatiya Sangsad passed the Tk2,50,506 crore budget for FY2014-15 yesterday, amid lawmakers’ concerns about glitches in the country’s banking system.

On June 5, Finance Minister AMA Muhith placed the proposed budget before the House, leaving out the muchtalked-about provision for whitening black money.

However, the provision was retained in Finance Bill 2014 that was passed in parliament on Saturday.

Before the passage of the budget yesterday, ministers defended the budgetary allocation given to their respective ministries.

Up against a total of 56 allocation demands placed by the ministries and divisions of the government, an independent lawmaker and several others from main opposition Jatiya Party (JaPa) placed 249 cut motions.

However, all the proposals – most of which were token ones – for trimming allocations were rejected in voice vote.

After the finance minister placed a formal demand for higher allocation for the Bank and Financial Institution Division, independent lawmaker Tahzib Alam Siddique said if the

SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

Properties of Swadhinata Award winning organisation Gonoshasthaya Kendra have been put up for auction as the institute has gone bankrupt.

A Dhaka court on May 29 announced the auction through a newspaper advertisement saying the auction will take place on June 22 this year and the highest bidder will win the auction.

When contacted Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury, one of the founders of the Gonoshasthaya Kendra, prestigious Magsaysay award winner in 1985, however said a High Court stay order

was given over the auction notice.

The auction notice mentioned the names of the three decree holders including Mohammad Harasatullah, Sahida Jinat Ara, wife of Harasatullah and Mehraz Parvin, daughter of Harasatullah.

All of their addresses were mentioned as Jinat Bhaban, 41/1 Kazi Nazrul Islam Avenue of Kawran Bazar.

According to the auction notice the properties include over 3 acres 2 Bigha 11Katha and 13Chattak Pharmachemi Bangladesh Ltd situated in Tongi Industrial area, Tongi, Gazipur. The

dragging a right-foot shot inches wide.

Dutch keeper Jasper Cillessen was then forced into his first save of the afternoon by a long-range effort from Carlos Salcido.

The Netherlands didn’t register an effort on target until the 26th minute when Robin van Persie skewed wide form a narrow angle after collecting Stefan de Vrij’s pass inside the area.

Both sides were then handed the  PAGE 2 COLUMN 4

Nasim: Doctors only here work even on holidays n Kamran Reza Chowdhury and Moniruzzaman Uzzal

Health Minister Mohammad Nasim yesterday told parliament that Bangladesh was the only country in the world where physicians provided treatment even on holidays – a statement health experts have described as “untrue.”

According to parliamentary norms, telling lies or providing untrue statement is a serious offence. A minister of the legislature telling lies may even be forced to leave office in vibrant democracies.

Nasim, who after assuming office in January vowed to force truant doctors

 PAGE 2 COLUMN 4

Kamal Majumdar demands withdrawal of police n Kailash Sarkar

Ruling party lawmaker Kamal Ahmed Majumder yesterday led demonstrations in the capital’s Mirpur, demanding the withdrawal of three police officials who ordered the removal of makeshift archways on city roads built to mark Awami League’s founding anniversary.

Supporters of Kamal, the MP from Dhaka 15 constituency, Made a blockaded on Mirpur roads for around one and a half hour in the afternoon. He

REUTERS

called for the removal of deputy commissioner of police in Mirpur Division, Imtiyaz Ahmed, and the officers-incharge of Kafrul and Bhashantek police stations.

During the demonstrations, local Awami League activists claimed that the police had removed over a dozen archways from roads at Shewrapara, Kazipara, Mirpur Section 10, Kochukhet and Ibrahimpur areas.

Addressing a rally at Mirpur Section 10, Kamal warned of organising further road blockades from next Saturday if

the police officials were not withdrawn

by Thursday.

He also alleged that the three police officials were involved in assisting illegal trades, extortions and movement of illegal vehicles.

Meanwhile, the police officials concerned said they had removed the makeshift archways as the structures were unsafe for city roads, obstructed traffic movement and posed a risk to the public.

Talking to the Dhaka Tribune, DC Imtiyaz Ahmed said the police decided

to remove the archways considering public interest and safety.

“Those archways had been constructed creating obstruction to traffic movement, posing a hazard for city roads and also risking public lives,” the DC said.

“I had given no objection for the construction of seven arches on condition that they obtained approval from the proper authorities like the traffic department and the Dhaka City Corporation.

 PAGE 2 COLUMN 5

SHEHRI AND IFTAR TIME Day

Shehri

Iftar

Ramadan 1/June 30 Ramadan 2/July 1

– 3:42am

6:53pm 6:54pm

 PAGE 2 COLUMN 3

INSIDE 2 | News

The BNP yesterday demanded an international probe to find and punish those who siphoned money out of the country to Swiss Bank.

3 | News

A lawmaker told parliament yesterday that the Home Ministry should not have any budgetary allocation from the public exchequer as the police earn a lot extorting people.

4 | News

Mental depression suffered by a large number of diabetics remains undiagnosed and is causing the complications of the disease, claims a leading specialist of the field.

***

The initiative to enact the Public Service Act prepared in 2010 to ensure discipline in the civil bureaucracy has come to the fore. It was drafted four years ago.

6 | Nation

Beneficiaries of Mother Healthcare Voucher in Shibganj, Chapainawabganj have alleged that local government employees are asking for bribes.

5 | News

The low-lying areas of Chittagong city were submerged in waist-deep water after a heavy downpour yesterday, causing immense suffering of residents and commuters.

9 | World

Western governments are rushing to visit India’s new Prime Minister Narendra Modi, drawn by the prospect of multi-billion-dollar deals.

11 | Op-Ed

The incident of Shakib al Hassan beating up a spectator for ‘passing indecent comments’ at his wife is not only shameful, but is actually part of a much bigger conversation.

11 | Op-Ed

On the occasion of the 92nd birth anniversary of Safiuddin Ahmed, his son Ahmed Nazir has arranged for an exhibition at the Gallery Chitrak.

2

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Monday, June 30, 2014

BNP demands international Traders: More police in Ramadan, extortion probe into money laundering more n n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla

The BNP yesterday demanded an international probe to find those who siphoned money out of the country to Swiss banks and to ensure punishment for the culprits.

“Prime Minister said she would unveil the list of those who had deposited money there. We are demanding an international probe to identify theses people who siphoned money out of the country,” said the party’s acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.

Fakhrul made the demand in reply to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina who on Friday said the government knows the details of those who laundered money abroad and the money would be brought back. Addressing a progrqamme at National Press Club demanding the whereabouts of missing BNP leader Chowhdury Alam, Fakhrul said: “Who deposited what amount of money can be known if an international

probe takes place. But the government would not investigate because they are the ones who deposited money there.”

He also alleged that several ruling party men plundered money from the country’s capital markets, financial institutions and the hallmark scandal, and smuggled the money abroad.

“They used the smuggled money to construct residential areas in Canada.

Awami League leaders have built their houses there and even created second homes in Malaysia... They themselves have been laundering money and now they again question who has money in Swiss banks.”

Terming the current parliament illegal, Fakhrul said, “As there is no representation of people, so this parliament is not peoples’ parliament. Parliament leader said this house was an idle house because the opposition party played constructive role.”

He also added the illegal government has passed a budget on Sunday

where scope of whitening black money remained intact. “This budget was passed to plunder more money out of the peoples’ pocket.”

The party spokesman further alleged that the Awami League leader had been sheltering criminal godfathers and the whole country was now being turned into a kingdom of criminals.

“There are two sort of laws prevailing in the country—one for the opposition party and the other for the ruling party. We were obstructed to hold rallies and processions in the capital while the ruling party men holding processions blocking the streets.”

Fakhrul said they have failed to wage proper movement after the abduction of BNP leader Chowdhury Alam. “If we could wage tough movement against abduction since the beginning, then it would be possible to resist the trend.

Unfortunately, we failed to do so.”

Fakhrul also said the civil society members were now in fear of repression. l

Government yet to finalise shrimp policy n Mohosinul Karim

Ministry submits probe report in question leak

Despite being one of the major export sector of the country, the government has yet to finalise the national shrimp policy for the last four years. Sources said Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries formulated the policy that was not finalised without any logical reason.

Shrimp cultivators have long been urging the government to formulate the policy.

According to the Export Promotion Bureau, frozen fish and shrimp on average earn around $55 crore annually.

At the time of presenting the budget proposal for the FY 2014-15, Finance Minister AMA Muhith assured of finalising the national shrimp policy soon. l

An education ministerial investigation committee finally submitted its report yesterday, making a set of recommendations to avert any recurrence of question leaks in the country.

Additional Education Secretary Sohrab Hossain, who headed the committee, submitted the report to Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid at the ministry.

Garment workers fall ill eating lunch n Our Correspondent, Savar About 50 garment factory workers fell ill yesterday after eating lunch at their workplace in Ashulia, Savar.

The workers of Greenlane Shahria were admitted to a local hospital.

According to sources, the garment factory authority had provided rice, beef, chicken and lentil for lunch. The workers started vomiting and many of them fainted after lunch.

Doctors determined food poisoning as the reason for the illness.

The workers' condition started improving after receiving treatment.

Production activities at Greenlane Shahria were suspended for several hours after the incident which created a panic in other factories in the area.

n Mushfique Wadud

Probe committee suggests reforms for question paper setting method, preparing several sets of question papers and selecting one through lottery, and sending out those over the internet Earlier, on April 10, the ministry formed the seven-member committee with Sohrab in the lead, a day after the Dhaka Board postponed its English Second Paper examination scheduled for April 9.

The deadline for submitting the report had been extended twice as the committee had failed to submit its report within the deadline.

Speaking to the Dhaka Tribune, Sohrab said they had given a set of short term, midterm and long term recommendations, some of which need time to be implemented, in order to avoid any repetition of question leaks.

He added that some reforms had

Two killed in a ‘gunfight’  PAGE 1 COLUMN 2

The families also said Ramzan had a motor parts business and Akmal was in the cloth trade. Ramzan’s sister Yarunnessa said her brother’s political rival Saiful Islam Kokhon, alias “Blade” Khokon, might have orchestrated the killing using his connections inside police.

“My brother told us once that if anything happened to him, then we should tell the police Blade Khokon’s name,” she said.

His wife Nusrat Jahan Jhorna said: “Khokhon and Khayer have connections in DB police. Police killed my husband for money.”

Interestingly, Khokon was with Ramzan and Akmal when they were allegedly killed. In fact he was among the four taken away by police after the incident and was reportedly freed later.

Jhorna said her husband had left home with Khokon and Babu on a motorcycle around 10:30pm Saturday and never came back.

Although police said they did not know the whereabouts of the four others that they had picked up from the spot and later freed, some of them,

including Khokon, came to the DMCH yesterday to see the dead bodies of Ramzan and Akmal.

Khokon yesterday told journalists: “It seems police is involved in the matter. I do not have any conflict with Ramzan. A fair investigation is required into this incident.”

He, however, refused to make any comment on the fact that they were termed “absconding” in the FIRs. Akmal’s wife Sabina Yasmin Dulu said: “My husband is a cloth merchant and also involved with the politics of the ruling party. Everyone in the area respects him a lot... I swear upon my son, my husband did not carry any weapon. He went out alone and did not even take his motorbike.”

According to the postmortem reports, the deceased received four to six bullet wounds in the face, chest, throat and ear.

Afjal Hossain, security guard of the T&T High School, told the Dhaka Tribune that on that night, he had heard several gunshots at around 2am. But he could not gather the courage to come out of the main gate of the school see

also been suggested in terms of preparing and distributing question papers, which they believed, could reduce the risks of question leaks in the exams.

As a long term solution, the committee suggested sending out question papers via the internet, which it believed, hardly carries any risk of question leak.

When he was asked whether all the schools and colleges are equipped with internet facilities, investigation committee chief Sohrab said such facilities should be provided in the long run.

The committee also suggested making a good number of question papers to avoid question leaks and selecting the question paper through a lottery system, only on the day of examinations.

The committee, however, has not found any clue as to where the question paper was leaked from.

Investigation committee chief Sohrab was asked whether any source of question leak was found and he said a person had been arrested in this regard in Faridpur. The committee suggested lawmen grill him to elicit a clue.

He also said they had not found any other examination question paper leaks.

Seeking anonymity, a committee member said they had found out the leak of mathematics examination question paper but after learning about it, the board had changed the question paper set fixed for the examination.

Terming the English second paper question leak a black mark on his five and a half years as education minister, he told reporters after receiving the report that the ministry would do all it could to avoid any question leaks in future. l

what was going on.

DB police spokesman Masudur Rahman said: “DB police is not used by vested groups for their personal interests. The deceased are still unidentified and we are trying to dig out their identities and also criminal records.” l

Kamal Majumdar  PAGE 1 COLUMN 5

“But they constructed many more than the approved number of arches. Besides, those gates were supposed to be removed by June 25; but they did not do that even after repeated requests and warnings,” Imtiyaz said.

Despite repeated attempts to contact lawmaker Kamal for comments, the Dhaka Tribune found his phone switched off.

The agitation programme by the ruling party MP came only days after Narayanganj lawmaker Shamim Osman allegedly threatened an assistant superintendent of police for barring a local union parishad chairman from stuffing ballots during the by-poll on June 26. l

Lawmakers worried about banking bugs  PAGE 1 COLUMN 1

banks got more money, they would give out more bad loans and only worsen the situation.

In reply, Muhith admitted that there had been some frauds in the banking sector.

He said no past government had taken any steps against the top brass of government banks for giving out bad loans.

“We have talked about bringing re-

forms to the board of directors of the [state-owned] Basic Bank. You will see it implemented very soon,” he assured.

Regarding the allocation for the Home Ministry, JaPa MP Mohammad Noman said there was no point in spending more money for the law enforcement agencies as they would still continue to extort and commit murders.

In reply, State Minister for Home Asaduzzaman Khan said he had sought bigger allocations because the target

was to enhance the law enforcers’ capabilities.

The Jatiya Sangsad (JS) yesterday also unanimously passed the Appropriation Bill 2014, giving authority to the government to spend up to Tk3,82,340 crore from the consolidated fund in FY2014-15 to finance development and non-development expenditures .

The size of the Annual Development Programme has been fixed at Tk80,315 crore and the estimated deficit is

Asif Showkat Kallol and Mohammad Jamil Khan

The government has planned to deploy police in the highways across the country to stop extortion from vehicles carrying essentials to prevent prices from soaring.

However, transport owners and businessmen said the more police the government deploy on the roads and highways the more the prices of essentials will rise, since a nexus of police and business syndicates are involved in the crimes.

The Commerce Ministry sent a letter to the Home Ministry to take steps to stop extortion on the roads and highways.

The ministry also instructed 64 district commissioners to take bold steps to this end.

The prices of essentials usually go up by 40% to 60 % during Ramadan due to extortion from vehicles and business syndicates.

Commerce Secretary Mahbub Ahmed said: “We have already in-

formed the Home Ministry to take actions to stop highway extortion.”

The Intelligent agencies have identified more than 100 people involved in such crimes and police are going to take preemptive measures by busting their dens, he added.

The Commerce Ministry sources said 1kg of brinjal is now being sold at TK20TK25 in the wholesale markets of Narsingdi and it was sold at Tk60-70 (a 180% rise) in Dhaka’s kitchen markets yesterday.

Transport businessmen and traders blamed the syndicates and police for the extortion at a number of points of the Dhaka-Chittagong Highway.

The points are Khopur, Sitakundu, Daudkhandi, Eliatganj Bhobhachar Chittagong Road and Gabtoli, Aminbazar, Savar, Paturia, Arepara, Nahapara, Daulatpur, and 22 other spots on the Dhaka-Narsingdi Highway.

Toll collectors are also active at Jatrabari, Dholaikhal, Tanti Bazar More, Armanitola More in the capital.

Incidents of mugging and extortion also

happen in northern, western, and eastern parts of the country and sometimes drivers are also killed in those incidents.

Businessmen and transport owners association alleged that police trap drivers and force the transport owners to pay police on a regular basis.

Dhaka Mahanagar Transport Agency Owners Association General Secretary Dholan Barura said: “We pay police and extortionists regularly and if anyone refuses to pay, they are branded by police as illegal drug peddlers.”

Golam Mawla, general secretary of Moulvibazar Bebsayi Samity, said the more police men are posted on the highways to stop extortion during the holy month of Ramadan, the more it will happen.

Asaduzzaman Miah, deputy inspector general of the highway police, however, said: “Our members are not involved in toll collection in the transport sector.”

“If anyone can prove it, action will be taken immediately against those involved in extortion,” he added. l

Nasim: Doctors only here work even on holidays  PAGE 1 COLUMN 6

to stay in rural areas and warned of administrative actions, made the pro-doctor statement as a group of opposition lawmakers spoke against the proposed budgetary allocation of over Tk11,176 crore for the health sector in the upcoming fiscal year.

“Nowhere in the world will you find a doctor on holidays even if the patient dies. In Bangladesh, however, emergency services are available even on holidays,” Nasim said, adding that doctors in Bangladesh worked very hard.

Earlier, Jatiya Party lawmaker Mohammad Noman, Sawkat Chowdhury, Nurul Islam Milon and independent MP Rustum Ali Faraji heavily criticised doctors.

“The health sector is in a fragile state...Dhaka Medical College Hospital is the largest slum. Doctors and nurses have been busy with health business,” Noman said, opposing the proposed budgetary allocation.

“You can sense the smell of graves in hospitals. Doctors posted at upazilas go to their workplaces once a week to sign the attendance book and practise privately in towns and cities,” he said.

Noman said dishonest hospital staff

intentionally damage machines and sell medicines in the market.

Nurul Islam alleged that doctors were not interested in serving rural people. He suggested that students enrolling in the MBBS course should compulsorily live in villages for two months when they begin school. They should again return to village for a stipulated time to develop empathy for the poor rural people.

He also proposed allocating the ministry only Tk1.

Refuting the allegations, Nasim said it was not the duty of the health minister or the premier to ensure doctors’ presence at grassroots level.

Terming the Mps’ allegations illogical, he said: “As representatives of the local people, you have the responsibilities to monitor whether doctors attend workplaces.”

Experts criticised Nasim for his “untrue” statement.

“This [what Nasim said in parliament] is totally wrong,” Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury, the trusty of Gonoshasthya Kendra, told the Dhaka Tribune last night.

He said doctors for emergency ser-

vices remained available everywhere in the world, including the US, the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

“General practitioners are available round the clock, including on all religious and national days and even during Christmas holidays,” said Zafrullah, adding: “If situation demands, they even hire temporary doctors. They never leave any patient unattended.”

He said doctors would be forced to stay in villages if the government wanted.

Professor Dr Rashide Mahbub, former president of Bangladesh Medical Association, told the Dhaka Tribune: “I do not know what circumstances made the minister make such a statement.

There is no country in the world where a government and a civil society exist but doctors are unavailable.

“In developed countries, doctors can do private practice on holidays but they cannot entirely remain absent from public hospitals.”

Dr Rashide, however, said Nasim’s claim was “partially correct” for healthcare specialists. “They may remain absent on holidays in developed countries,” he said. l

Double Dutch late show floors Mexico  PAGE 1 COLUMN 6

chance to cool off for three minutes at the half-hour mark for the first time at a World Cup due to the searing temperatures.

Cillessen then made a fine stop to prevent dos Santos opening the scoring with a low effort.

However, the Netherlands were left aggrieved just a minute before the break when Robben appeared to have been clipped by Hector Moreno inside the area.

Mexico got off to a flying start in the second-half as Dos Santos held off a challenge from Daley Blind to thump home his first international goal in a competitive match for two years from 25 yards.

Oribe Peralta nearly made it 2-0 eight minutes later with a curling effort that Cillessen did well to claim at the first attempt.

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

Netherlands Mexico 2 1 14 12 8 7 10 2 1 1 8 12 0 3 0 0 55% 45%

Moments later it was Guillermo Ochoa who made an incredible stop to prevent Stefan de Vrij levelling as he turned the defender’s volley onto the post from point-blank range.

Sneijder then saw a deflected effort fly inches past as the Netherlands went

in search of an equaliser.

Ochoa had to come to his side’s rescue again 17 minutes from time when Robben escaped the clutches of Marquez but saw his low effort turned behind by the Mexican stopper.

Dutch boss Louis van Gaal then surprisingly replaced captain Van Persie with Klaas Jan Huntelaar.

However, his decision was to prove inspired as firstly Huntelaar turned Robben’s corner in the direction of the lurking Sneijder to power home from the edge of the box on.

And after Robben was adjudged by Portuguese referee Pedro Proenca to have been clipped by Marquez in the fourth minute of stoppage time, the Schalke striker coolly stroked home the resulting penalty to eliminate Mexico at the last 16 stage for a sixth consecutive World Cup. l

Gonoshasthaya Kendra put up for auction  PAGE 1 COLUMN 5

approximate value of the land is Tk2.5 crore.

The other land is Ganasastha Nagar Hospital located in Dhanmondi Residential Area. The land measuring one bigha with a six-storey building. The approximate value of which is Tk2 crore.

Another land is located on the Green road in Dhaka. The land measuring more or less 10 katha together with a two-storey building the approximate value of which is Tk50 lakh The Gonoshasthaya Kendra located at Nayarjhat of Savar was also put up for auction. The land measuring about 100 bigha with structure thereon and the approximate value of the land is Tk5 crore.

The auction notice said the properties mentioned in the notice are going to be put up for auction in a bid to col-

lect over Tk37 crore.

Interested persons can participate in the auction by June 22 and the court will decide the highest bidder and the supreme authority can reject the tender at anytime.

Zafrullah told the Dhaka Tribune that they bought the industry in the early 80s for about Tk2 crore 12 lakh.

“Phrmachemi was a chemical industry. The owner sold the industry to us as he was unable to run it. Harsatullah was the then owner of the organisation. When we went to the bank to pay off the loan the bank authority denied us the money saying the owner of the company should have to go to the bank. But the owner refused to go to the bank with us. We then asked the bank authority not to disburse money against the check we have given to the owner of the company,” he said.

The case document said when the deed was signed Zafrullah paid Tk50 lakh and the rest of the amount was said to have been paid in four installments but the installments were not paid.

After that a case was lodged against Gonoshasthaya Kendra and the Gonoshasthaya Kendra too lodged a counter case, he said.

“We have paid all the amounts including some interests on November 30, 2008,” he said adding that the property had been in their possession since 80s.

When asked about the root of the problem Zafrullah said: “They want the whole interest which the court asked to pay. Now we got a stay order for four months to fix the interest rate, be it a simple interest or compound interest.”

When contacted none of the decree holders could be reached over phone for their comment on the issue. l

Tk67,552 crore, which is 5% of the current GDP. The budget targets a 7.3% growth rate, which the World Bank said was challenging but attainable if investment grew 5% annually.

Yet another budgetary target is to bring the rate of inflation down to below 7% in the fresh fiscal year that starts tomorrow.

The revenue collection target is Tk1,82 ,954 crore, nearly 73% of the

total outlay. The government expects to raise Tk1,49,720 crore from direct taxes.

Under the appropriations approved yesterday, the Finance Division got the highest allocation of Tk44,517 crore followed by the Defence Ministry Tk16,491 crore, Local Government Division Tk15,486 crore, Education Ministry Tk15,549 crore, Primary and Mass Education Ministry Tk13,676 crore and the Home Ministry Tk11,369 crore.

The Armed Forces Division got Tk21 crore, Prime Minister’s Office Tk762 crore, Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry Tk2,256 crore, Road Division Tk6,868 crore, railway Tk6,463 crore, agriculture Tk11,147 crore, shipping Tk1,022 crore, rural development and cooperatives Tk1,516 crore, water resources Tk3,619 crore, forestry Tk911 crore, post and telecom Tk1292 crore and information and technology Tk1,027 crore. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

MP: Home Ministry needs no budgetary allocation n Kamran Reza Chowdhury The Home Ministry should not have any budgetary allocation from the public exchequer as the money police extort from people is enough to run the ministry, a lawmaker told parliament yesterday.

His remark came as the state minister for home sought an annual grant of Tk11,369 crore for his ministry.

The MPs of the Jatiya Party and independent lawmakers joined him and sarcastically proposed to allocate the ministry only Tk1 for its failure to ensure people’s safety.

Another MP said the Home Ministry now symbolises “suffering and fear.”

Law Minister Anisul Huq also drew flak from the MPs who said the ruling party members flouted laws while the poor people were being persecuted.

Health Minister Mohammad Nasim faced criticism from the MPs for seeking over Tk11,176 crore as the annual budget.

The legislature, however, rejected the “no allocation” proposal by voice vote and the ministries were allocated the money they sought as the House passed the Appropriation Bill-2014 that guaranteed the allocation.

Independent MPs Rustum Ali Faraji (Pirojpur 3) and Tahjib Alam Siddique (Jhenaidah 2), and the Jatiya Party lawmakers Mohammad Noman (Laxmipur 2), Nurul Islam Milon (Comilla 8) and Sawkat Chowdhure (Nilphamari 4) took the lead in criticising the ministries who were seeking grants.

“The Home Ministry has become the symbol of ‘fear and suffering’ instead of being the symbol of trust. The extortion of the police and other law enforcers is the bitter truth,” Mohammad Noman told the House as State Minister for Home Affairs Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal sought the annual grant.

“The ministry can be run with the money the police collect as extortion.

So, there should not be any grant for the ministry,” he said.

Rustum Ali said the ruling party leaders had become “super OCs” over the officer-in-charge (OC) at every police station. “They harass people by filing false cases,” he said.

Nurul Islam Milon said officers-in-charge (OCs) did not need their monthly salary and the Home Ministry should not be given any allocation.

“The government should chalk out some measures so that the police return to the honest path. It will enhance the image of the government,” he noted.

Sawkat Chowdhure alleged some OCs became Awami Leaguers during the daytime and BNP men at night.

Seeking the annual budget, State Minister Asaduzzaman said: “Regarding extortion, I will urge you to come up with specific information. Please, tell the IGP [inspector general of police] and he will take actions.

“Whenever we get any case of extortion, we immediately transfer them from the posts,” he said.

Rustum Ali bitterly criticised the Law Ministry. “We have numerous laws. We make laws, but do not implement them,” he said.

“Bangladesh is a unique country where the ruling party people flout laws. The laws are only for the poor.

And laws are interpreted in different ways by different quarters,” said Faraji.

The Law Ministry had failed to ensure proper implementation of the laws, he said and proposed that the ministry should get Tk1.

Refuting the allegations, Law Minister Anisul Huq told the House that the Home Ministry was in charge of implementing the laws.

“You want better service but talk against giving any allocation. This is not acceptable,” he said. l

News

Toll policy to take effect on November 1 n Syed Samiul Basher Anik

The date for the recently approved Toll Policy 2014 to take effect has been postponed by another four months in order to prevent the suffering of passengers and transport owners during the month of Ramadan and also the two upcoming Eids.

The policy, which was scheduled to come into effect tomorrow, was put off till November 1.

Toll will be Tk100 for district highways, Tk200 for regional highways, Tk300 for national highways “The postponement decision was taken as the roads suddenly see an increase in traffic in Ramadan and during both Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Azha. A section of people misuse different policies and increase the fares, creating anarchy in the transport sector,” Communication Secretary MAN Siddique told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday.

He said the date was postponed till November 1 as the celebration of both Eids will be done by then and people will not be subjected to trouble.

“On March 24, the cabinet approved the draft policy for collecting toll for using key national, regional and district highways apart from the Dhaka-Chittagong highway. The amount of toll collected will range from Tk5 to Tk1,000.

Siddique said the policy will only be applicable to the highways and bridges where toll is collected at present.

“Toll will not be collected on the newly constructed bridges or highways. If any new bridge or road is constructed which is over 200 metres long, a decision will be taken to bring that under the toll net with regard to provisions in the policy,” the secretary said.

The amount of toll will be Tk100 for district highways, Tk200 for regional highways, Tk300 for national highways and Tk400 for key national highways such as the Dhaka- Chittagong highway. l

Kerry Kennedy blames impunity culture for endemic extrajudicial killings, torture in Bangladesh n Shahidul Islam Chowdhury Extrajudicial killings and torture by law enforcement agencies have become widespread in Bangladesh due to a culture of impunity, according to Kerry Kennedy, a leading international human rights activist.

“Extrajudicial killings and torture are endemic,” Kerry Kennedy, president of US-based Robert F Kennedy Centre For Justice and Human Rights, said in an interview with the Dhaka Tribune yesterday.

“Pretrial detention, too, cannot go on as it is inhuman and horrific,” she added.

Kerry remarked that a culture of impunity develops when too much power was delegated to a law enforcement agency.

“I will not blame Bangladesh for everything. There are many human rights violation in my own country and anywhere across the world,” she said.

Kerry, a member of the famous Kennedy family in the United States, arrived in Dhaka on Saturday at the invitation of Noble Laureate Muhammad Yunus for the opening ceremony of “Social Business Day”.

During the interview at a city hotel, Kerry also recalled her late uncle, Edward M Kennedy, who was a great supporter of Bangladesh’s 1971 Liberation War. “He supported the move to stop genocide committed against the Bengali people in 1971 by the Pakistani army, and said the United States should be on the side of the freedom of

people,” she said.

Kerry said she had heard from her brother, Joe Kennedy, about the euphoria at the time, with the possibility of creating a new nation _ a place free from oppression where people would get justice amid a democratic system.

Kerry, a lawyer and a writer, also visited several victims of the Rana Plaza disaster during her brief visit.

She said governments, banks, apparel-makers and buyers needed to discharge a collective responsibility to ensure proper compensation for workers, as well as decent working

3

Monday, June 30, 2014

conditions.

“We need to make sure that people (working in textile factories) here are treated with humanity,” she said.

“The US has partial responsibility not only to the victims and the disabled, it also has responsibility towards tens of thousands of apparel industry workers,” Kerry said.

The buyers should not be happy with “only getting cheaper shirts made by persons working in unbearable and inhuman conditions.” she added.

“Banks need to see if companies are behaving according to the international human rights convention and ILO provisions and regulations,” Kerry said.

“Responsibility of the consumers is to make sure that the brands are (getting supplies from) fully compliant factories,” she said, adding, “Responsibility of the government is that the companies follow the regulations.”

Referring to her discussion with the chief executives of several leading non-governmental organisations, Kerry said: “Working space for NGOs is shrinking…Nobody is safe if you go on the wrong side of the administration.”

She said a new law to regulate NGOs was of particular concern as it would restrict their role in Bangladesh.

In reply to a question on her country’s role in deteriorating human rights by imposing war or war-like situations on other countries, such as Iraq, Kerry blamed the former US administration led by George W Bush and Dick Cheney.

“The allegation brought against Iraq on holding weapons of mass destruction and nuclear weapons were untrue,” she observed.

She also criticised another former US president, Richard Nixon, and his secretary of state, Henry Kissinger, for supporting the genocide committed by the Pakistani army in Bangladesh in 1971.

“They tried to protect an oppressive government (in 1971),” she said.

Commenting on Kissinger’s infamous statement describing Bangladesh as an international “bottomless basket case”, Kerry said: “Kissinger is not a human being.” l

A rickshaw-van puller struggles on Gobindapur Bazar road in Shanirakhra area yesterday. The road has stayed in a dilapidated state for the past few years causing sufferings to commuters MEHEDI HASAN

Razakar Hassan’s probe report in n Udisa Islam

The investigation agency of the war crimes tribunal has disclosed their probe report against Syed Hassan Ali alias Md Hassan alias Hachhen Ali of Kishoreganj for his alleged involvement in crimes against humanity during the 1971 Liberation war.

In the report, the investigators have found evidence of six offences against the fugitive war crimes suspect that include killings of 24 people, abduction and torture of at least 12 persons and looting of more than hundred houses in Tarail upazila of Kishoreganj.

Hassan, well known for his notorious offences, had also been renowned as Razakar OC or “Razakar Daroga” in his area during the war.

The probe agency during a press briefing at its safe home in Dhanmondi said they might submit the report to the prosecution today. A panel of prosecution lawyers would scrutinise the documents before pressing the formal charges.

Location in Tarail

Date

Crimes

Sachail

April 27, 1971

Loot, arson

Konavawal

August 23, 1971

Abduction, torture and murder

Shimulhati

September 9, 1971

12 murders

Borgaon

September 27, 1971

8 murders and 10 abduction, torture

Araiura

October 8, 1971

Two abduction and murders

Sachail

December 11, 1971

One murder, loot and arson

Abdul Hannan Khan, chief coordinator of the agency, said: “We are bringing six charges against this accused including murder, mass killing, abduction, confinement and arson.”

The agency has prepared a 219-page probe report and took statements of 39 witnesses. The investigation that began on June 7 last year. This is the 20th probe report by the agency and they may place some more reports next month.

Hannan said Hassan had joined the anti-liberation forces influenced by his father’s ideology and soon he became the razakar commander of Tarail area.

Hassan’s father Mosleh Uddin, a

vice-president of the Pakistan Democratic Party, had served as the chairman of Peace Committee in Kishoreganj during the war and his brother as a member of the razakar force, according to the background part of the probe report.

On April 4, the International Crimes Tribunal 1 issued warrant against the suspect but Hassan is yet to be arrested.

According to agency report, Hassan had been living in Brahmanbaria but police said he was not there anymore. Local police said they knew that the suspect was paralysed and could not move without somebody else’s help; but now they were not sure about his whereabouts. l

4

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Monday, June 30, 2014

Mentally depressed diabetics face four times greater complication n Moniruzzaman Uzzal Mental depression suffered by a large number of diabetics remains undiagnosed, causing the complications of the disease to be four times greater among the depressed patients than ones with healthy state of minds, claims a leading specialist of the field.

Professor Norman Sartorius, president of the Association for the Improvement of Mental Health Programmes and former director of the World Health Organisation’s Division of Mental Health, made the comment yesterday when speaking to the Dhaka Tribune.

Diabetologists, general physicians and psychiatrists should work together to ensure proper treatment for the diabetic patients who suffer from depression as well, he said.

United Airways to get 1 more month to pay dues

n Nazmus Sakib

The High Court has stayed for one month the validity of the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) notice that asked United Airways to clear all dues within June 29.

A High Court bench comprising justices Kazi Rezaul Haq and Akram Hossain Chowdhury issued the order yesterday, responding to a petition filed by the United Airways chairman, the petitioner’s lawyer AM Aminuddin said.

On June 26, the CAAB authority issued a letter to the private carrier asking to clear all outstanding aeronautical and non-aeronautical charges within June 29.

In case of failing to clear the dues, the airlines might face operational suspension, the notice added. Of the total Tk77 crore, Tk40 crore in outstanding amount accounted for charges and the rest for surcharges.

Following the notice, a writ petition was filed with the court yesterday, seeking more time to pay the dues. Earlier, the CAAB authority imposed a ban on sale or purchase of aircraft by United Airways until it cleared all current and outstanding charges in the next one year. l

SAGAR-RUNI MURDER

Probe report submission deferred again n Md Sanaul Islam Tipu

A Dhaka court yesterday fixed August 13 as the new date for the submission of the probe report in the sensational journalist couple, Sagar Sarowar and Meherun Runi, murder case.

Sources said the court, through setting the new date, has deferred the investigation report submission date in the case for the 26th time.

Metropolitan Magistrate Mohammad Erfanullah fixed the fresh date as the investigation officer failed to submit the report before it on the scheduled day.

Sagar and his wife Runi were murdered by unidentified miscreants at their flat in West Rajabazar in the capital on February 11, 2012. l

Claiming that doctors could easily recognise depressed patients by asking a few simple questions, Sartorius added that correct diagnosis would reduce the complications of multidisease and lower treatment costs for the patients.

Sartorius arrived in Dhaka to attend a three-day workshop titled “Dialogue on Diabetes and Depression” which ended yesterday at the city's Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) auditorium. The programme was jointly organised by the Association for Study of Mental Health in Bangladesh and Association for the Improvement of Mental Health Programme.

More than 80 doctors from Birdem, National Healthcare Network, National Institute of Mental Health and Bangladesh College of General Practitioners

participated in the programme, which was also addressed by specialists Professor Linda Gusk and Dr Abdul Javed from the United Kingdom, and Dr SK Chuturbedi from India.

Dr Golam Rabbani, president of the Association for Study of Mental Health in Bangladesh, told the Dhaka Tribune that it was not possible to solve the problem without the active participation of diabetologists and general physicians, as there are only a limited number of psychiatrists in the country.

Dr Md Waziul Islam Chowdhury, director of National Institute of Mental Health, said around 4.6% of the adult population in Bangladesh have been suffering from depression.

According to the International Diabetic Federation, around 12% people in Bangladesh suffer from diabetes. l

Two including policeman held for kidnapping attempt on Dhaka court premises Sarkar and Md Sanaul n Kailash Islam Tipu Two men, including a sub-inspector of police, were detained yesterday while allegedly attempting to kidnap Iqbal Hossain – a plaintiff of a case – from the Dhaka Session Judge’s Court premises.

The detained included Ashulia police station SI Md Shawkat – who was in plain clothes at the time of the detainment – and Mahbubur Rahman Majumder, the manager of a brick-field and also the defendant of a forgery case filed by Iqbal.

Iqbal, an expatriate residing in Germany, told the Dhaka Tribune: “SI Shawkat and Mahbub attempted to kidnap me when I had gone to the court in connection with a case related to the forgery of a cheque of Tk15 lakh given to me by Shahin Reza, the owner of the Reza-Shahzaman Brick-field, as we [Iqbal and Shahin Reza] were partners

in the business.”

Witnesses said locals, along with police personnel, caught Shawkat and Mahbub at the scene after hearing Iqbal’s cry for help.

Later, Shawkat was handed over to Dhaka district Superintendent of Police Habibur Rahman through Additional Deputy Commissioner Aminur Rahman, a prosecution officer of the Session Judge’s court, for departmental action. Mahbub was handed over to the capital’s Kotwali police station, where Iqbal also filed a case against him.

Talking to the Dhaka Tribune, SP Habibur Rahman said a committee has already been formed to probe the incident, adding that measures would be taken based on the findings of the committee.

Sub-Inspector Golam Rasul of Kotwali police station confirmed that Mahbub was in their custody and that a case had been filed against him. l

RAILWAY RECRUITMENT SCAM

Ex-GM Mridha excluded from two charge sheets n Tarek Mahmud, Chittagong Former Bangladesh Railway GM Yusuf Ali Mridha’s name has not been included in the charge sheets of two cases filed in connection with alleged irregularities during the recruitment process for posts of goods assistant and record keeper, as the Anti-Corruption Commission reportedly could not find evidence of his involvement.

The ACC submitted the charge sheets yesterday before the court of Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Moshiur Rahman, erasing the name of Mridha, who was one of the listed accused in the FIR of the cases, said court sources.

ACC counsel Advocate Mahmudul Haq Mahmud said the court has fixed Au-

gust 27 for the next hearing of the cases.

“As the investigation official did not find any involvement of Mridha in the cases, his name was not mentioned in the charge sheets,” he said.

According to the case documents, ACC Assistant Directors Sheikh Faiyaz Alam and Mostafizur Rahman lodged the two cases with Kotwali police station in February 2013, in connection with recruitment irregularities for the goods assistant and record keeper posts.

So far, the anti-graft watchdog has submitted charge sheets of six cases lodged in connection with recruitment irregularities of the BR (East); with Mridha, the former General Manager (GM) of Bangladesh Railway (BR) East Zone, sued in four previous cases. l

The clock on top of the Dhaka South City Corporation building has gone out of order for quite a long time. This picture was taken at 1:50pm yesterday MEHEDI HASAN

Subhan blamed for Bharara killings n Udisa Islam

A prosecution witness in the war crimes case against Jamaat-e-Islami leader Maulana Abdus Subhan yesterday described the killing of his uncle, in presence of the accused, on the premises of a mosque in Pabna and the torture of his father at an army camp during the 1971 Liberation War. Seventeenth witness Ali Rana Sheikh, 54, from Bharara under Pabna sadar police station, claimed that his father Rustam Sheikh had been abducted from their house and tortured.

Later he somehow managed to escape, but died after four days because of serious injuries.

He said: “Subhan came to our house on 5th Jaishthya [the second month of the Bangla calendar] and captured my father, uncles Jabbar Sheikh, Nurul Sheikh and Siraj Sheikh, and took them to Bharara Shahi Mosque. At the same

time, Subhan along with the Pakistani Army captured eight other unarmed civilians including Dilbar Sheikh, Gedom Sarder, Khokon Sheikh and Kader Sheikh, and kept them in front of the mosque.

Jabbar had been shot by the Pakistani occupation forces on Subhan’s orders since he had argued with the accused, the witness said adding that he had witnessed the incident while hiding in a bush. They also shot dead Kali Komol Paul from Bharara village there.

Rana said after killing Jabbar, the 12 other confined persons had been taken to Norpur Power Station army camp and tortured. The following day the collaborators caught more people from Debottor village under Atghoria police station.

“There they freed Siraj as he had fallen sick and took the others to a bamboo orchard and started firing. Six of them died on the spot. My father

NARAYANGANJ 5 BY-POLL

Election Commission orders to probe Shamim Osman threat n Mohammad Zakaria

Students of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University blockade the Rokeya Sarani in the capital’s Agargaon yesterday, protesting the death of a fellow student who was critically injured in a road accident on Saturday DHAKA TRIBUNE

The electoral enquiry committee of the Narayanganj 5 by-poll has been asked to probe the allegation against Awami League lawmaker Shamim Osman that he threatened a police officer on voting day.

“We have asked the committee today to carry out an investigation and submit the report. The commission will take steps after getting the report,” returning Officer Mihir Sarwar Morshed told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday.

Shamim allegedly threatened Assistant Superintendent of Police Bashir Uddin who was on duty when police foiled an attempt to occupy a polling centre on the election day.

According to the Representation of

the People Order, the enquiry committee will submit the report within three days, said an Election Commission official.

The two-member committee led by a joint district judge was formed before the election to prevent and control poll irregularities.

Selim Osman contested in the election on a Jatiya Party ticket and secured a victory by defeating independent candidate SM Akram by 16,742 votes.

According to reports and election observers, it was a fake vote-ridden poll, most of which were cast by Selim’s supporters. His brother Shamim is the MP of the Narayanganj 4 constituency.

The Narayanganj 5 constituency fell vacant following the death of Nasim Osman, Shamim and Selim’s brother, on April 30. l

luckily escaped death. Local people took him to a village named Ekdonto,” the witness said adding that he had heard about the incident from his father and uncle Siraj Sheikh.

After his deposition, defence counsel Mizanul Islam questioned him. After the cross-examination, the tribunal 2 set today for further witnesses.

Top war crimes suspect Maulana Subhan, also a Jamaat nayeb-e-ameer, was indicted on December 31 last year on nine charges of crimes against humanity.

Meanwhile, yesterday, tribunal 1 continued the recording cross-examination of the investigation officer in the trial against Jamaat leader ATM Azharul Islam, an alleged al-Badr commander of Rangpur during the war.

The defence cross examined the IO, SM Idris Ali, for the second day. Later the tribunal adjourned the trial until today. The IO testified on June 15. l

Ramna Batamul blast case documents reach High Court

n Nazmus Sakib

The High Court yesterday received the Ramna Batamul blast case documents including the verdict that ordered the hanging of Mufti Abdul Hannan, chief of the banned militant outfit Harkat-ulJihad-al Islami (Huji), and seven of his aides for killing 10 people in 2001.

A Supreme Court source confirmed that the section concerned of the High Court received the documents on June 25. A Dhaka court on June 23 handed down the judgement in the bomb blast incident during the traditional celebrations of the Bangla new year at the capital’s Ramna Batamul 13 years ago.

The court also sentenced six other Huji members in prison. As per the Code of Criminal Procedure, better known as the penal code, the Dhaka court submitted the proceedings to the HC to confirm the death sentence.

According to law, the HC will deliver its judgement after hearing both the defence and state counsels. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

5

Monday, June 30, 2014

Most of capital's footpaths remain occupied Encroachers continue to do business on the public walkways as DCC, DMP fail to implement HC order pay around Tk15 lakh every month. backed up by influential politicians of any encroachment on most of the city much as Tk50,” he added. n Abu Hayat Mahmud Talking to the Dhaka Tribune, Na“Considering that, street vendors different associate bodies of the ruling footpaths. Despite such directives from More than 65% of the capital's footpaths remain illegally occupied as authorities of the two city corporations and the Dhaka Metropolitan Police paid little attention to a High Court order to free the pathways for pedestrians.

Sources at the Dhaka North and South City Corporation told the Dhaka Tribune that around 108 kilometers of a total of 163 kilometres in walkways in the capital had been occupied in various ways by street hawkers, vendors and permanent shops.

Saying that the occupiers were being

party, they further added that around 600 kilometres out of 2,300 kilometres of roads in the capital had been illegally occupied by encroachers.

A study conducted by Work for Better Bangladesh (WBB) in 2011 revealed that only 18% of the capital's existing footpaths were suitable for walking while the rest remained unusable due to car parkings, hawkers, vendors and wastes.

On February 26, 2012, the High Court in a verdict asked the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) to take step against

the country's apex court, the DSCC authority took no noticeable steps to free the city's walkways, giving encroachers the opportunity to continue their business illegally.

Bangladesh Hawkers Federation President MA Kashem told the Dhaka Tribune that some 2.5 lakh hawkers in the capital had being paying daily tolls to politically-backed extortionists to run their business on the streets.

“The hawkers at the city’s centre points, such as Farmgate, have been paying a monthly toll or daily tolls as

pay around Tk37.5 crore as toll per month to these politically-backed extortionists. Not just the political leaders, even law enforcers of local police stations are also involved with the rackets.” said Kashem.

However, Dhaka city unit Awami League acting president MA Aziz brushed off the allegations and said organisational actions would be taken against anyone found guilty of extorting.

Besides, there are about 350 footpath stalls in the Motijheel area. According to some of the owners, they cumulatively

tional Hawkers Federation president Arif Chowdhury said several bodies of hawkers had repeatedly asked the government to introduce a legal payment system so that they do not have to pay toll to the extortionists.

“The government is losing crores in revenue due to a lack of enforcement of rules and regulations [for governing footpath business],” he added.

DSCC Chief Executive Officer Md Ansar Ali Khan told the Dhaka Tribune: “We often clear the footpaths by conducting raids, but the occupiers come

Couple commits suicide n Our Correspondent, Natore

Woman abducted by ex-husband rescued from Pirojpur n Our Correspondent, Barisal

A young couple allegedly committed suicide yesterday at Agpara-Sherkol village under Singra upazila in the district.

The deceased are Ashraful Islam, 30, and his wife Madina Begum, 24. Ashraful was the son of Ahsan Ali. Quoting family members, Singra police station Officer-in-Charge Shafiqul Islam said, “The couple went to sleep after having dinner on Saturday night. The family members did not get any response after repeatedly knocking on their door in the early hours of the next day.”

“When the broke down the door and entered the room in the morning, the family members found the couple hanging from the ceiling,” he said.

Police recovered the bodies and sent them to Natore Sadar Hospital morgue for autopsies.

Shafiqul said the couple got married 12 years ago. Ashraful had been staying in Oman for three years and had returned home just two months back. They left behind a nine-year-old son, Matiur.l

Fire burn three houses in Barisal n Our Correspondent, Barisal At least three houses including an army member’s house was burnt by a devastating fire at ward 1 under Raipasha-Karapur union of Barisal city yesterday afternoon.

Nurul Amin, chairman of the union parishad, said the fire originated from a short circuit at the Haoladar Bari in the area around 1pm yesterday.

The fire rapidly spread across the adjacent areas and gutted the houses of Rashedul Islam Ripon, a soldier of Bangladesh army, his relatives Jalil Khan and Rustam Ali Haoladar.

Jalil Khan, one of the victims, said the fire caused damages worth Tk20 lakh.

A team of Firefighters from Barisal station rushed to the spot and doused the blaze at 2pm after an hour long effort.

They were yet to assess the damages, said Md Alauddin, senior station officer of Fire Service and Civil Defence station of Barisal. l

WEATHER RAIN OR THUNDERSHOWER

MONDAY, JUNE 30 DHAKA TODAY TOMORROW SUN SETS 6:50PM SUN RISES 5:15AM FORECAST FOR TODAY 33

28

Chittagong

31

26

Rajshahi

32

27

Rangpur

31

26

Khulna

31

26

Barisal

31

26

Dhaka

Sylhet

32

25

Cox’s Bazar

30

26

YESTERDAY’S HIGH AND LOW

33.5ºC Rajshahi

24.2ºC Teknaf

Source: Accuweather/UNB

PRAYER TIMES Fajar Sunrise Zohr Asr Magrib Esha

3:48am 5:14am 12:02am 3:21pm 6:50pm 8:17pm SourceL IslamicFinder.org

back every time. Only police can take action against such activities.”

Similarly, DNCC Chief Executive BM Enamul Haque said: “We will investigate the matter and take steps against such illegal occupiers.”

DMP Joint Commissioner Monirul Islam said: “Police is not a person but an organisation. There can be complaints against one or two of its members but that does not mean the entire organisation has been involved.”

He further promised to take actions after investigating whether any police member was found involved with such extortion activities. l

A procession celebrating Rath Yatra was taken out in the capital yesterday. The photo was taken from Dhaka University area

Prices of brinjal increases by 150% ahead of Ramadan n Ibrahim Hossain Ovi The price of brinjal, a popular ingredient in iftar items, has shot up by 150 percent to Tk100 per kilogram in the market ahead of Ramadan.

While visiting different kitchen markets on the eve of the fasting month yesterday, this correspondent found brinjal selling for Tk100 per kg at Gulshan and Hatirpul and Tk95 at Mohakhali.

At Karwan Bazaar, the city's largest wholesale kitchen market, brinjal was being sold at Tk60 per kg, while it went for Tk80 just outside the market.

The retail price of the vegetable, also called eggplant, was only Tk40 per kg on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, prices of other vegetables, like cucumbers and green chillies, and other essentials used for preparing iftar items also soared in city markets yesterday.

Green chilli prices doubled to Tk80 per kg, from Tk40-50 four days ago.

Cucumber was selling at Tk60 per kg, while coriander leaves cost Tk150 per kg.

The price of both local and imported ginger also saw an unusual rise in the market. The Dhaka Tribune found one kilogram of local ginger selling at Tk 200, Indian ginger at Tk170- Tk180, Indonesian ginger at Tk190 and Chinese ginger at Tk230-240.

Last week, the government imposed a ban on exporting green chilies, brinjals, cucumbers, coriander leaves and lemons to keep prices stable and ensure smooth supply of the vegetables in the domestic market during Ramadan.

Although some wholesalers and retailers blamed shortages in supply for the latest price hikes, this correspondent did not find any dearth of fresh produce during visits to the city markets.

“Prices of some items, mostly brinjal, green chili and cucumber, has increased because of high demands and supply shortages in the market,” said Md Emran Master, president of Bangladesh Kancha Mal Arot Malik Samity.

Popular items for iftari _ snacks eaten while breaking fast - have seen unusual hikes, but the prices would come down soon, the leader of the wholesalers' association added.

Meanwhile, a mad rush for buying essential items in bulk for fear of price increases was also a reason behind the sudden hikes, Emran said.

“Prices of essentials used for iftari have increased as demands have increased more than the supply,” Commerce Secretary Mahbub Ahmed told the Dhaka Tribune.

A total of 14 monitoring teams were deployed to check the abnormal surge in vegetable prices, the secretary said, adding that stern action would be taken against those responsible.

RAJIB DHAR

A woman, who had allegedly been abducted by her former husband from Barisal, was rescued from Pirojpur Sadar upazila on Saturday night.

Abdur Razzak, OC of Pirojpur Sadar police station, said they rescued the victim, who is a Master's examinee from Government Brojo Mohan College, from the house of the alleged abductor Asadul Islam Prince and handed her over to Barisal police.

However, no arrest was made during the drive, the OC continued.

Yesterday afternoon, she gave a confessional statement before a court of Rafiqul Islam, Chief Metropolitan Magistrate of Barisal and then she was handed over to her family members.

Earlier, the victim went under a medical test at Barisal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital.

On Saturday afternoon, a gang of miscreants, led by Prince, kidnapped the woman in front of the college. In the incident, the victim's father Saiful Islam filed a case accusing Prince as well as some of his accomplices.

The couple got married in 2010.

However, their relation ended three months ago. l

Residents suffer as Chittagong goes under water in heavy rain n Tarek Mahmud, Chittagong

The low-lying areas of Chittagong city were submerged in waist-deep water after a heavy downpour yesterday, causing immense suffering of residents and commuters.

The incessant rain, which began on Saturday night and continued until noon yesterday, flooded parts of Paschim Madarbari, Bakalia, Chawkbazar, Agrabad, Halishahar, Kapasgola, Chandgaon, Shulakbahar, Enayet Bazar, Boropol, Muradpur, Sholoshahar, Bahaddarhat and Probartak intersection in the port city.

The Chittagong divisional Met Office recorded 152.60mm of rainfall in 24 hours until 3pm yesterday.

Bishwajit Chowdhury, an official at the weather office, said the heavy rain was likely to continue over the next few days due to low pressure over the

Bay of Bengal, in addition to the regular monsoon.

The continuous rain and water-logging has created large potholes on roads in the low-lying areas, hampering vehicular movement.

Rickshaws took over city roads, as cars, buses and CNG autorickshaws were hardly seen plying in the flooded areas yesterday.

Many commuters, who greatly outnumbered the available rickshaws, were seen wading through filthy water overflowing from roadside drains to reach their destinations. Office-goers and students suffered the most.

Nur Mohammad, a computer engineer, said the city's poor drainage system was mostly responsible for the water-logging.

Mayor M Manjur Alam of Chittagong City Corporation, however, (CCC) said although a few areas had gone under-

water, the water-logging condition was better than in previous years.

He also said the city corporation was trying to solve the problem permanently.

“The CCC is working to repair the affected city roads,” the mayor added.

Meanwhile, activities at Chittagong port were carried out as usual, said Mohibul Hoque, director (administration) of Chittagong Port Authority.

Due to the risk of rain-triggered landslides in the city's hilly areas, the district administration has been warning hill-side dwellers over loudspeakers to take shelter in safer places, like school buildings or cyclone centres.

Abdul Quader, additional deputy commissioner (revenue) of Chittagong, said the authorities had already moved residents from the areas that were most at risk and demolished all illegal hillside shanties to prevent casualties in possible landslides. l

'Every year, the prices of essentials rose abnormally ahead of Ramadan because of some unscrupulous businessmen' However, Kalam, a vegetable seller at Hatirpool kitchen market, said retailers did not have the means to manipulate prices, which were set by the suppliers.

“We have no influence over the prices of commodities. The prices of vegetables increased at the supply end, prompting the retailers to hike prices,” said Kalam.

“If the government agencies set a limit between farm price and wholesale price, it would help keep prices at a reasonable level,” he added.

On the other hand, consumers blamed lack of monitoring by the authorities for the price increases.

“Due to lack of government monitoring, prices of essentials have gone beyond the reach of the common people, and we are the sufferers,” Aminul Islam, a shopper at Hatirpool, said. l

The photo taken yesterday from Muradnagar intersection in the port city shows that students wade through water as waterlogging created on a road after heavy shower yesterday FOCUS BANGLA

6

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Nation

Monday, June 30, 2014

Mothers forced to bribe family planning officers Correspondent, n Our Chapainawabganj Beneficiaries of the Mother Healthcare Voucher in Shibganj of Chapainawabganj have alleged that local government employees are asking for bribes in order to provide them with what is rightfully theirs.

The health visitors at the union levels have allegedly collected Tk19 lakh as bribe from thousands of card-holding women under the voucher project.

Documents show that from JulyOctober of 2013, a total of 2,500 women were given around Tk2,700-Tk2,800 from the Shivganj government hospital.

The giveaway package included Tk2,000 cash, gift items worth Tk500 and conveyance of Tk200-Tk300.

During November 2013 to April 2014, the women were supposed to be given Tk500 cash instead of the gift items.

However, sources said these women had been having to pay around Tk200Tk300 as bribes to some union level government employees of the Family Planning Department to get the replacement cash of Tk500.

Yesterday, some of these women complained about this to Dr Abdul Haque, director of the Health Department, and Dr Mojaharul Islam, civil surgeon of Chapainawabganj, when they went to visit the area.

Right away, Abdul and Mojahar ordered the local authorities to form a three-member probe committee to look into the allegations.

Seeking anonymity, a medical officer from the Shivganj hospital said: “Forming a probe committee is just an eyewash... The union level employees of the Family Planning Department have been taking bribes since the beginning of the project. In the past, another probe committee has placed a report against their ill-doings, but no action has been taken against them.”

When contacted, Md Aminul Islam, a union level government employee, said: “The Family Planning Department has the responsibility of preparing and distributing mother healthcare voucher cards among the women. In line with government regulations, the money is being disbursed among the women through a committee.” l

Jute mill workers form human chain n Our Correspondent, Madaripur

Protest against ‘admission Law and order situation worsens in Savar trade’ in Sirajganj college n

Workers of AR Howlader Jute Mill in Madaripur formed a human chain yesterday in front of the deputy commissioner’s office, demanding the payment of due salaries and the punishment of the culprits who had been stealing and selling the factory’s equipment.

Defying the rain, the agitated workers held the human chain from 10am to 11am, which was addressed by worker leaders Abdul Hai Munsi, Azhar Bepari, Mosharof Hossain and Mizanur Rahman, among others.

The leaders warned that they would go for tougher movements if their dues were not paid and the false cases which had been filed by the owners were not withdrawn.

Sources said the jute mill was first inaugurated in 1970, but was shut down in 1991 centring a dispute between the workers and owners. In 1998, some people tried to reopen the jute mill, but could not. Since then, some unscrupulous people had been stealing and selling different equipments from the factory. Moreover, workers had filed several cases because their dues had not been paid. l

n Our correspondent, Sirajganj

The photo taken from Jhautola area in Bogra shows that a good number of rickshaws run on a road which was submerged by a heavy rainfall yesterday

Our Correspondent, Savar

The people seeking admission to the Islamia Government College of the district demonstrated yesterday against what they said was an alleged admission trade in the disciplines of science, humanities and commerce, thereby depriving meritorious students.

They said the college authorities, in association with some student leaders, were allegedly involved in the malpractice.

Earlier, the college declared June 29 to be the last date for merit-based admissions and the wait list would be considered thereafter.

According to the guardians and the admission-seeking students, the authorities were not following the admission policy properly, but were rather offering admission to those on the wait list by reportedly taking bribes.

The potential candidates vented their suppressed agony – which they

experienced all Saturday – by staging protests on the college campus yesterday.

When the newsmen appeared on the scene, hundreds of freshmen and their parents talked openly about the anomalies in the college’s first year admissions, while some so-called student leaders launched an attack on them.

Sensing the journalists’ presence, the college principal, Mahfuja Khanom, stealthily slipped out of the college along with some of her colleagues.

When asked about admission, Vice-Principal Golam Mostofa denied outright the allegations against them about the ongoing admission.

Officer-in-Charge of Sadar police station said they sent forces to tackle the situation.

District Commissioner Md Billal Hossain said: “I know nothing about the matter, but I will look into it.” l

The law and order situation in Savar has deteriorated alarmingly as nine people were killed there in just six days.

Although police could not nab the real killers, innocent civilians are being arrested, creating a sense of panic and anxiety among the locals.

There has been a prevalence of criminal acts, such as theft, robbery, shooting and mugging, in broad daylight in the upazila.

Police, however, claim they can do nothing if family feuds lead to such killings. They also say the law and order situation in Savar and Ashulia is normal.

On June 29, 40 year old Mujibur Rahman’s body was recovered from Zirabo. He was on his way to his sister’s house in Tangail when miscreants beat him up, strangled him to death and left his body beside the road.

Motaleb Hossain, 33, a fruit trader by profession, was attacked with a knife when he was on his way to Baipail by bus on June 28. Miscreants took away

Nine killed in six days, police presume family feuds behind most deaths was the son of Abul Hossain, a resident of Katlapur in Savar, and a ninth grader at Adharchandra High School.

On June 23, police recovered the unidentified body of a youth near Salihpur bridge in Aminbazar. Around the same time, another body of a man was recovered near a filling station in Zirani. Police presumed the deaths might have been caused by vehicles running over the deceased in the early hours of the day.

Local trader Abdul Halim said mur-

ders and abductions have become somewhat commonplace in the area.

“My family has been engulfed by fear. I feel anxious when my children go outside,” he said.

Mashiur Rahman, a job holder, said police were almost regularly recovering dead bodies from different areas in the upazila. “Besides, there have been incidents when people were shot in daylight and miscreants took away their money. It has really become worrisome to even go to work from home,” said Mashiur.

Officer-in-charge of Savar Model police station Mostafa Kamal, however, denied that the law and order situation had worsened.

“Often the killings happen because of a dispute in the family and police really have nothing to do in those cases,” he said.

Dhaka District Additional Superintendent of Police Ashraful Azim said police were trying to solve the mysteries behind the recent killings. We are also trying to arrest the culprits, he added. l

NEWS IN BRIEF Fire guts 17 shops in Pirojpur

1,800 rice mills lie idle for rainfall n Our Correspondent, Magura Around 1800 of the district’s rice mills have remained inoperative over last few days due to the heavy downpour.

The suspension of rice production at the mills has left around 15,000 workers jobless.

Magura Rice Mills Owners Association sources said the paddy could not be dried as there has been catastrophic rainfall in the district for the last 10 days.

In this situation, the workers of the mills are living hand-to-mouth. They get money on a daily basis. If there is no work at the mills, they do not get money.

For now, they have no work and they have not received payments in days.

When contacted, Jamila Khatun, a rice mill worker of Magura Notun Bazar area said: “We are passing our days half fed and unfed. We have to suffer until the weather improves.”

Shampa Das, another worker of a rice mill in Katakhali area under Magura Sadar upazila said: “We are having a hard time because of the lack of payment. Finding no other alternative, I have taken a loan from the local money lender at a high interest rate.”

Worker Marzina Khatun from Sadar upazila said: “The workers should be given appointments on a monthly salary basis.”

Mill owner Sarwar Khan said: “As there is no produce, we are unable to afford the workers.”

The supply of rice has also fallen short in local markets since the mills are inoperative.

Consequently, the price of rice has gone up in the markets. Rice of a coarse variety is being sold at Tk35 per kg against last week’s rate of Tk30, while rice of medium quality is priced at Tk40 per kg against last week’s Tk36.

The price hike of rice is causing suffering for the people with limited income in the district. l

his money and threw his body off the bus.

The body of a schoolboy was recovered from Bangshi River in the area on the same day. Ataur Rahman, 16, went missing on Friday afternoon after going out to play football with friends. He

DHAKA TRIBUBE

At least 17 shops were gutted early on Saturday in a devastating fire at Pirojpur's Mothbaria. Mothbaria police station Officer-in-Charge Nasir Uddin said the market's security guard had informed fire service after seeing the fire. Locals, fire fighters and law enforcers tamed the fire after three hours of efforts. Fire Service Station Officer Abdul Karim said the fire might have originated from an electric short circuit. Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md Ahsan Habib said the gutted shops included a library and general, cosmetics, and electronics stores. Estimating the total loss be around Tk1.5 crore, the market's General Secretary Shamsul Haque said businessmen had stocked goods in their shops ahead of the Eid-ul-Fitr, and all these had been burned to ashes.

– Our Correspondent

Two arrested with 200 Yaba tablets

Firefighters try to douse a fire that broke out at Raipasha in Barisal yesterday

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Police had arrested two people on Saturday night from Atlora area of Gazipur's Sreepur and recovered 200 pieces of Yaba from their possession. Sreepur police station Officer-in-Charge Mohsinul Kadir said Salma Akhter, 33, the wife of Kabir Polan, and Rajib Sarker, 20, the son of late Aman Ullah from Joydebpur's Baghia village, had

been detained. Acting on a tip-off, a drive was conducted in Salma's residence and the Yaba was recovered from her house.

Rajib was also detained in this connection from the spot, the OC added. The arrested were sent to the court, police said.

– Our Correspondent

Lighting kills farmer in Meherpur A farmer was killed by lighting yesterday afteroon at Meherpur sadar upazila’s Amjhupi village. Abdul Majid, the son of late Shamsuddin, was struck by lighting when he was working at a paddy field in the village amid the rainfall. He died on the spot.

– Our Correspondent

Killing of college girl protested in Munshiganj

A human chain was formed yesterday in Munshiganj town, demanding capital punishment of the killers of Afroza Akter Shanta, an honours student at Government Haraganga College, Munshiganj.

The human chain was formed at Kachari from 10am to 11am, where students, teachers of the college, journalists, lawyers and cultural activists all participated. Shanta was allegedly kidnapped on June 7 and murdered on June 9 by Nazmul Hasan and his mates.

– Our Correspondent

Health complex struggling with one doctor per 59,000 people Correspondent, n Our Chapainawabganj

A health complex in Chapainawabganj is struggling because they have far fewer numbers of doctors in comparison to the number of patients.

Sources say the upazila accounts for around six and a half lakh people and Shibganj Upazila Health Complex has only been appointed 11 doctors so far against 36 physician posts. This means the upazila

has one doctor for around 59090 people.

They added that some of these doctors are shirking their duties and so the patients are not getting proper medical services at the health complex.

Dr Mostafizur Rahman is the junior consultant for men while Dr Khandker Soheli Nasrin Lina (gynaecology) is the consultant for women.

There are three medical officers at the hospital. Of them, Dr Papia Sultana is on maternity leave and Dr Kushal Ku-

mar Bandhya and Dr Shahdat Mahfuz are usually out of office and busy with their own patients.

Junior Orphopaedic consultant Dr Abdus Sobhan, junior Padaetric consultant Dr Md Abul Hossain and Dental surgeon Dr Shahin Ahmed alternate their duties between Shibganj Upazila Health Complex and Chapainawabganj General Hospital.

However, they are regularly present at the Shibganj Upazila Health Complex.

Statistics Officer at Shibganj Upazila Health Complex Abdus Sattar says they have tried time and again to fill up the remaining 25 posts for the last 10 years, but the efforts have gone in vain.

He adds that patients with ear, nose, throat and heart problems go back upset often after going there for treatment because there are no specialists there.

When this correspondent visited the hospital in person yesterday, several patients, including those with children,

alleged harassment by the nurses.

Acting Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer Dr Tarit Kumar Saha says: “It has become tough to run this hospital smoothly due to the lack of adequate number of doctors and other manpower.”

“The health director has already been sent a note detailing the vacancies and other problems here,” he says, adding: “ Doctors are having to do excess duty as there is a large number of patients here.” l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Long Form

Monday, June 30, 2014

7

Midwives: The missing link in lowering maternal mortality

They both displayed a strong grasp of the importance of their work and the difference they can make in their communities.

However, it was clear that attending the DMP programme was also beneficial for the students themselves.

Zakia described a huge increase in her confidence since she started school.

Her neighbours and relatives already look to her as an expert and approach her for help.

The students seemed proud to attend a programme of international quality, and excited about the opportunities that such a degree can open up for their future careers. Being a product of the Bangla medium schooling system, Zakia and Neha spoke little English when they started the

A

n Farzana Nawaz ccording to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), everyday, over 800 women die during pregnancy or childbirth.

Almost 90% of these deaths happen in the developing countries in Africa and Asia. Childbirth, however, is no deadly disease, and the tools for preventing maternal mortality have been available to us for years.

Maternal mortality is not just a women’s problem; its impact is felt on the family and society. There is evidence that infants who lose their mothers are much more likely to die before reaching their second birthday.

Moreover, untreated complications, such as obstetric fistula, can leave long-term effects on women’s health and well-being, and keep them from being productive members of society.

BIGSTOCK

The concept of professional midwives however, is fairly new to Bangladesh. In 2010, the government of Bangladesh made a commitment to the UN to produce 3000 midwives by 2015.

The government has thus far developed curricula for midwifery, and has provided short training courses on some midwifery skills for several thousand community based birth attendants.

However, a lot more still needs to be done to develop fully professional midwives who are capable of providing the range of services that these roles entail.

What does a professional midwife do?

In Bangladesh, there is still widespread confusion and lack of understanding about what a midwife actually does. In most cases, they are assumed to be the same as traditional birth attendants such as dais or dhatris – poorly educated women who lack

A midwife: • Monitors the physical and psychological well-being of the mother through the childbearing cycle • Provides mothers with education and information on prenatal and newborn care • Provides hands-on assistance during labour and deliver • Provides post-partem support • Identifies and refers women who require obstetrical attention to hospitals (Source: Midwives International) It is, therefore, hardly surprising that reducing maternal and child mortality were singled out as key priorities within the Millennium Development Goals.

Among developing countries, Bangladesh has made significant improvements in this area in recent years. The maternal mortality rate has dropped from 574 in 1990, to 170 per 100,000 live births. However, compared to neighbours in the region, such as Sri Lanka (30 deaths per 100,000 live births) and Malaysia (42 per 100,000), Bangladesh still has a long way to go.

Evidence from around the world tells us that the presence of skilled birth attendants is the single most effective way to reduce maternal mortality. Skilled birth attendants can be doctors or nurses trained in obstetrics; however, in recent years professionally trained midwives have taken an increasingly important role in providing high-quality and cost-effective maternal care. Midwives have been a key to success in developing countries such as Sri Lanka and Malaysia that have achieved dramatic improvements in this area. Even in developed countries like the United States and the United Kingdom, midwives have taken on a more prominent role in maternal health.

A shift in culture within the medical community also needs to take place so that midwives are accepted in the medical community as highly skilled professionals alongside doctors and nurses. Such recognition would also create jobs and career opportunities for midwives, which is essential for this profession to be sustainable.

Development experts say that maternal mortality rates in a country tend to reflect the position of women within their culture. The better women are treated in a society, the less likely they are to die during childbirth.

Bangladesh has made considerable strides in recent years in improving the position of women in our society, which is demonstrated by rising levels of education and employment

credible information on maternity and whose interventions sometimes even cause birth complications.

A professional midwife however, is an advanced and complex medical role. A midwife does far more than just assist with birth. According to the International Confederation of Midwives, a midwife is: “… recognised as a responsible and accountable professional who works in partnership with women to give the necessary support, care and advice during pregnancy, labour and the post-partum period, to conduct births on the midwife’s own responsibility and to provide care for the newborn and the infant.”

The key here is that the midwife provides her services in the communities, therefore making the care a lot more accessible to pregnant women.

According to experts, the assistance of professionally trained midwives significantly reduces the need for emergency interventions since problems can be detected early and managed or referred before they become life threatening. The use of midwives has been proven to reduce incidence of birth injury, trauma, and caesarean section. Midwives, therefore, not only provide a much easier childbearing experience for women, but also

reduce the overall cost of maternal healthcare.

Training professional midwives in Bangladesh One of the first initiatives to train professional midwives in Bangladesh is being undertaken by the BRAC Institute of Global Health (BIGH) at BRAC University. The three-year-long Diploma in Midwifery Programme (DMP) has been developed to train young women based on global standards of midwifery education.

DMP is a direct entry programme after students complete their higher secondary education. The 36 month long residential programme includes 155 hours of instruction. The theoretical component through classroom teaching makes up 40% of the curriculum, while 60% of the instruction focuses on lab-based and practical work through clinical and community-based learning. Moreover, the students undertake a 1 year supervised internship in selected Comprehensive Emergency and Obstetric Care (EOC) facilities in the third year of the program. Each student has to attend well over 20 deliveries to be accredited.

The DMP curriculum has been developed to provide students comprehensive knowledge and skills on maternal health. In addition to anatomy, physiology, ante and postnatal care, it includes modules on basic sciences, community health, family planning, health communication, midwifery ethics and regulatory law, microbiology and infection prevention, sexual and reproductive health rights, sexually transmitted diseases and HIV/ AIDS, and advocacy and human rights in midwifery practice, among others.

The DMP programme is being run in collaboration with six local health NGOs, and all the partner organisations follow a common standard curriculum, faculty, training facilities, and assessment of the students. This ensures that a high level of quality is maintained in the instruction while adopting it to the local context of Bangladesh. Moreover, the strict focus on maintaining global standards also opens the door for students to continue further studies and advance their careers.

The first batch of 180 midwifes are expected to graduate in 2015.

Building better public health leaders at the community level According to a 2011 Bangladesh Health Watch report, inequity in maternal health care services is particularly acute in rural areas and among the poor. Access and utilisation of professional medical care during pregnancy and birth varies widely among socioeconomic groups in Bangladesh.

While most pregnant women in the upper end of the socio economic spectrum utilise professional care, among the poorest in the socioeconomic stratum, the rate of use of professional

care can be less than 10%.

To address this problem, the BRAC Institute of Global Health emphasises a community-based approach in all their public health curricula. As Dr Sadia Afroze Chowdhury, the executive director of the institute stressed, to build better public health leaders you cannot just work in Dhaka.

The DMP students are recruited from remote and underserved areas of Bangladesh with high maternal and

Midwives have been a key to success in developing countries such as Sri Lanka and Malaysia that have achieved dramatic improvements in this area

Midwifes to be receiving training in one on the programs neonatal health needs. It is expected that upon graduation, the students will return to live and practice in their respective communities and bring competent and compassionate care to women who need it the most.

In order to make the DMP programme accessible, all students accepted into the programme are given a 100% scholarship which covers tuition, accommodations, meals, course materials and supplies and transportation costs for community and clinical visits. They are also given a monthly stipend of Tk500 for all 3 years.

I spoke to some of the students who are currently in the second year of the programme. Niha, a student in the DMP programme in Dinajpur, described helping fellow women and mothers in her community as the most important motivation for her studies. Her opinions were echoed by Zakia who is a DMP student in Khulna.

programme a year ago. However, with the help of intensive English courses provided by BRAC University, in merely a year, they are now able to conduct their studies entirely in English.

By bringing high quality education and training to the local level, the DMP programme is truly helping to build a broad base of public health leaders among young women.

Recognition of midwives is crucial not only for better maternal health, but also for development However, education alone, even through a world-class programme such as DMP, is not enough to ensure that professional midwifery can succeed in Bangladesh. As Dr Chowdhury pointed out, a supportive environment is needed to ensure that midwives are recognised as qualified and critical professionals. This would require official accreditation and licensing of midwives by the government.

COURTESY

among women and girls. However, the rate of maternal mortality still remains unacceptably high, and it shows that a lot more work still needs to be done.

The development of a professional cadre of midwives can not only drastically improve the maternal mortality rate, it also allows young women to take a leadership role in solving a critical public health problem.

The BRAC Institute of Global Health has already taken a huge step forward in this regard through their DMP programme. Such an initiative deserves a supportive environment from the government and the public at large so that professional midwifery can thrive in Bangladesh.

Farzana Nawaz is governance expert currently working in media. You can write to her at farzana.nawaz@gmail.com or follow her on Twitter @farzana_n.

8

DHAKA TRIBUNE

World

Monday, June 30, 2014

Iran ‘ready’ to help Iraq against militants n Reuters, Dubai Iran is ready to help Iraq fight an armed revolt using the same methods it deployed against opposition forces in Syria, an Iranian general said, suggesting Tehran is offering to take a larger role in battling Sunni militias threatening Baghdad.

Iranian leaders to date have said they would help defend Shi’ite Muslim shrines in neighbouring Iraq if necessary, but have also said Iraqis are capable of doing that job themselves.

To help Iraq, Iran would monitor the situation in the region, as it had done ‘in Syria and other troubled areas in the region’ Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamanei on June 22 also said he rejected intervention in Iraq by Washington or any other outside power against Sunni militants from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) militia.

ISIL has seized a broad swathe of territory in northern and western Iraq in recent weeks in their quest to topple the government of Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, a Shi’ite backed by Iran, and to set up an Islamic caliphate.

Brigadier General Massoud Jazayeri, deputy joint chief of staff of the armed forces and a senior Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) officer, told Iran’s al Alam television that Iran’s response to the militias would

NEWS BITES

Earth-like planet discovered 16 light years away

be “certain and serious.”

Jazayeri’s remarks late on Saturday did not provide details on the assistance Iran could give Baghdad, beyond saying Iran could help with what he called popular defence and intelligence.

“Iran has told Iraqi officials it is ready to provide them with our successful experiments in popular all-around defence, the same winning strategy used in Syria to put the terrorists on the defensive ... This same strategy is now taking shape in Iraq - mobilising masses of all ethnic groups,” he told the television station.

“A response is certain and serious,” he said. “With Syria, too, we announced we would not allow terrorists in the hire of foreign intelligence services to rule and dictate to Syrian people. We will certainly have the same approach with Iraq.”

Shi’ite Iran has spent billions of dollars propping up its ally, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, in what has turned into a sectarian proxy war with Sunni Arab states.

The help has included hundreds of military specialists, including senior commanders from the elite Quds Force, the external and secretive arm of the IRGC, according to Iranian sources familiar with deployments of military personnel, Syrian opposition sources and security experts. Assad has also received battlefield support from fighters of the Lebanese Hezbollah movement, which Tehran also backs.

Jazayeri said Iran would deal with Iraq on defence, security, border control and fortifications. To help Iraq, he said, Iran would monitor the situation in the region, as it had done “in Syria and other troubled areas in the region.” l

n AP, Cairo

Researchers have found a potentially habitable planet, located just 16 light years away, which is among the top three most Earth-like exoplanets ever discovered, the PTI reported.

An international team of researchers discovered the “super-Earth” planet, GJ 832 c, which takes 16 days to orbit its red-dwarf star, GJ 832, and has a mass at least five times that of Earth.

It receives about the same average stellar energy as Earth does, because red dwarfs shine more dimly than our Sun, and may have similar temperatures to our planet. These characteristics put it among the top three most Earth-like planets, according to the Earth Similarity Index developed by scientists at the University of Puerto Rica in Arecibo.

The research team, led by Dr Robert Wittenmyer in the University of New South Wales School of Physics, reported their finding of the planet in the Astrophysical Journal. Team member and Head of UNSW’s Exoplanetary Science research group, Professor Chris Tinney, said that if the planet has a similar atmosphere to Earth it may be possible for life to survive, although seasonal shifts would be extreme. l

Egypt’s military has said that a device it claimed it invented to cure AIDS and hepatitis C needs six more months of testing.

The army had earlier promised to reveal the technology to the public this coming Monday after making what experts dismissed as an outlandish claim last February.

At a news conference then, the head of the army’s Engineering Agency said the military had produced an “astonishing, miraculous” set of inventions that could detect AIDS, hepatitis and other viruses without taking blood samples and also purify the blood of those suffering from the diseases.

The claim caused uproar among scientists and the public, with many pointing out that the technology had not been properly verified. It was also lampooned in a famous satirical program that has now been taken off the air.

The assertion hit a sensitive nerve in Egypt, where Hepatitis C is an epidemic. Some studies estimate that up to 10% of 86 million Egyptians have it, making it the country with the highest prevalence in the world.

In a press conference held in a military hospital in Cairo Saturday, a military doctor said the blood purification device needed further tests before it could be released to the public.

“Scientific integrity mandates that I

n AP, Nairobi UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon capped off a week of high-level UN discussions on the environment by “adopting” a 6-month-old lion cub Saturday. The young lioness, which was found abandoned in Nairobi National Park, will be raised by the Nairobi Animal Orphanage. Ban named the cub Tumaini, which means “hope” in Kenya’s language of Kiswahili, after his “hope that all people around the world will be able to live harmoniously with nature.”

“I sincerely hope this lion will grow healthy, strong and even fierce,” Ban said, drawing parallels with his hopes for the environment after this week’s first UN Environment Assembly.

The assembly was the highest-level UN body ever convened on the environment. More than 1,200 participants from 193 member states spent the week in Nairobi, where the UN Environment Program is headquartered. Ban said he hopes to see UN member states adopt a climate change deal during formal talks in Lima in December. International environmental crime and terrorism ranked high on the assembly’s agenda. l

Iraqi security forces patrol after clashes with the predominantly Sunni militants from the radical Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in the town of Dalli Abbas in Diyala province REUTERS

Saudi king, in Ramadan message, vows to crush Sunni militants n Reuters, Dubai Saudi King Abdullah, in a Ramadan message on Saturday, vowed to crush Islamist militants threatening the kingdom, the state news agency reported, saying the world’s top oil exporter would not tolerate “a band of terrorists.”

The remarks came two days after the monarch ordered all necessary measures to protect the country against potential “terrorist threats” resulting from turmoil in neighbouring Iraq, where Sunni Islamist militants have captured some cities from the govern-

ment of Shi’ite Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.

“We will not let a band of terrorists who have taken religion as a disguise behind which they hide private interests to terrorise the protected Muslims, to touch our homeland or any of its sons or its protected residents,” King Abdullah said in a message at the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Saudi Arabia crushed al Qaeda after the Islamist militant group began a campaign of bombings and attacks on vital installations and expatriate compounds in the kingdom.

The US-allied kingdom has been rattled by a lightning advance through Iraq by Sunni militants spearheaded by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) - aided by other Sunni Muslim militants, tribal leaders and remnants of Saddam Hussein’s Baath Party which seized swathes of the country this month.

Saudi Arabia shares an 800-km (500-mile) border with Iraq.

The birthplace of Islam, it sees itself as a champion of pure Sunni Muslim values and regards Shi’ite Iran as its main regional foe. l

A jihadist group in Syria has publicly executed and crucified nine men, eight of them rebels fighting both President Bashar al-Assad’s regime and the jihadists, a monitor said yesterday.

The report comes amid fierce clashes on the outskirts of Damascus between the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, which is spearheading a major offensive in Iraq, and rebels, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

“ISIS executed eight men in Deir Hafer in the east of Aleppo province” on Saturday because they belonged to rebel groups that had fought against the jihadists as well as Assad’s forces, it said.

ISIS then “crucified them in the main square of the village, where their bodies will remain for three days,” the Britain-based monitor said.

Also in Aleppo province, a ninth man was executed and crucified in AlBab town near the border with Turkey.

ISIS first emerged in Syria’s war in late spring last year and was initially welcomed by some Syrian rebels who believed its combat experience would help topple Assad. But subsequent jihadist abuses quickly turned the Syrian opposition, including Islamists, against ISIS. Rebels launched a major anti-ISIS offensive in January 2014, and have pushed them out of large swathes of Aleppo province and all of Idlib in the northwest.

However, ISIS remains firmly rooted in Raqa, its northern Syrian headquarters, and wields significant power in Deir Ezzor in the east near the border with Iraq.

Activists say the group’s Iraq offensive and capture of heavy weapons — some of them US-made — appears to have boosted its confidence in Syria.

East of Damascus, “fierce clashes broke out early Sunday between rebels from the Army of Islam and ISIS near the town of Hammuriyeh,” the Observatory said. l

Egypt’s army says ‘virus Marking end of Europe’s violent century cure’ needs more tests

n Agencies

UN chief ‘adopts’ lion cub in Kenya

ISIS crucifies 9 men in Syria’s Aleppo n AFP, Beirut:

delay the start of the public release until the experimentation period is over, to allow for a follow up with patients already using it,” Egypt’s state news agency MENA quoted Maj. Gen. Gamal el-Serafy, director of the Armed Forces Medical Department, as saying.

El-Serafy said doctors had already started testing one of the machines, the so-called “Complete Cure Device,” on 80 Hepatitis C patients who were also being treated with medication.

Saturday’s news conference notably dropped any mention of the device as a cure for AIDS, only referring to hepatitis. None of the research involved has been published in a reputable journal.

The original claim in February raised concerns that the military’s offer of seemingly inconceivable future devices would draw Egypt back into a pattern of broken promises by successive rulers who would frequently announce grand initiatives that failed to meet expectations.

Generals working on the project and pro-military media adopted a defensive stance over the matter, insisting that the inventions would be released to the public and that any criticism of them was part of a foreign plot to rob Egypt of a major scientific victory.

El-Serafy said the armed forces will set up a medical center to treat the viruses in the Suez Canal province of Ismailia to carry out the tests and declare results. l

JK Rowling Twitter abuse was work of British spies! n Agencies The online abuse aimed at the Harry Potter author JK Rowling after she donated £1m to the Better Together campaign may have actually been the work of British spies, a senior Scottish politician has claimed. The backlash against Rowling saw Twitter users call her a “w***e,” “b****,” “traitor” and “c***,” with the comments largely attributed to apparent supporters of Scottish independence.

But writing in a local newspaper, the SNP’s Christina McKelvie reportedly suggested that there was no link whatsoever between the accounts which sent the author abuse and “anything to do with the Yes campaign.” Instead, McKelvie gave credence to what she described as “interesting” theories of MI5 attempts to discredit nationalists, in comments closely resembling those of veteran campaigner

Jim Sillars earlier this month.

According to the Telegraph, Ms McKelvie wrote: “The attacks on JK Rowling for her donation to Better Together were, in fact, down to a very few people whose accounts no one could trace back to having anything to do with the Yes campaign.

The MSP, who chairs Holyrood’s European and External Relations Committee, added: “Whoever made them - there are interesting conspiracy theorists who think it might all have been down to secret service plants should be totally condemned. I have no time for this kind of small-minded viciousness.”

The “personal insults” were condemned by leading figures on both sides of the independence debate, but Sillars claimed that it was “naive” to think that the security forces were not involved in seeking to influence the outcome of September’s ballot which could see the break-up of the UK. l

Clockwise from top: A man walks past a mosaic depicting Gavrilo Princip, the Bosnian-Serb nationalist who assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand in 1914 igniting the start of WWI. A couple walk past a poster of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie. Tourists pose for photos inside a replica of the ‘Graf & Stift’ car, parked in front of a museum at the historical street corner in Sarajevo AP

n AP, Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina Artists and diplomats declared a new century of peace and unity in Europe on Saturday in the city where the first two shots of World War I were fired exactly 100 years ago. On June 28, 1914, the Austro-Hungarian crown prince Franz Ferdinand was assassinated in Sarajevo, where he had come to inspect his occupying troops in the empire’s eastern province.

The shots fired by Serb teenager Gavrilo Princip sparked the Great War, which was followed decades later by a second world conflict. Together the two wars cost some 80 million European their lives, ended four empires — including the Austro-Hungarian — and changed the world forever.

Visiting the assassination site Saturday, Sarajevan Davud Bajramovic, 67, said that in order to hold a second of silence for every person killed just during WWI in Europe, “we would have to stand silently for two years.”

A century later, Sarajevans again crowded the same street along the river where Princip fired his shots. And the Austrians were also back, but this time with music instead of military: The Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra was scheduled to perform works of European composers reflecting the century’s catastrophic events and conclude with a symbol of unity in Europe — the joint European hymn, Beethoven’s “Ode of Joy.” The orchestra wanted to pay tribute to the history of Sarajevo, a place where religions meet, said the first violinist, Clemens Hellberg. Austrian President Heinz Fischer said Europeans “have learnt that no problem can be solved by war.”

The continent’s violent century started in Sarajevo and ended in Sarajevo with the 1992-95 war that took 100,000 Bosnian lives. “If anything good can be found in this repeating evil, it’s more wisdom and readiness to build peace and achieve peace after a century of wars,” said Bosnia’s president, Bakir Izetbegovic.

The splurge of centennial concerts, speeches, lectures and exhibitions on Saturday were mostly focused on creating lasting peace and promoting unity in a country that is still struggling with similar divisions as it did 100 years ago. The rift was manifested by the Serbs marking the centennial by themselves in the part of Bosnia they control, where a performance re-enacted the assassination.

As Austrian conductor Franz Welser-Moest raised his baton in Sarajevo, an actor playing Gavrilo Princip descending from heaven on angel’s wings, raised his pistol in the eastern town of Visegrad, at the border to Serbia, to kill Franz Ferdinand again in a spectacular performance designed for the occasion.

For the Serbs, Princip was a hero who saw Bosnia as part of the Serb national territory at a time when the country was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. His shots were a chance for them to include Bosnia into the neighboring Serbian kingdom. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

World

9

Monday, June 30, 2014

T H E H O LY M O N T H O F R A M A DA N B EG I N S A RO U N D T H E WO R L D

2

3

4

1

(1) Pakistan: A vendor arranges praying beads which worshippers buy for Islamic holy month of Ramadan in Peshawar. (2) Kenya: Children recite the Quran at the start of Ramadan at a madrassa, or Islamic school in Nairobi. (3) Nagpur: A vendor arranges stack of colourful sawaiyan (sweet vermicelli) on the eve of Ramadan at Mominpura. (4) Palestines: A vendor sells dates for Ramadan at a market in the West Bank city of Jenin ahead of Ramadan AP

Eye on defence deals, western powers rush to court Modi n Reuters, New Delhi: Western governments are rushing to visit India’s new Prime Minister Narendra Modi, drawn by the prospect of multi-billion-dollar deals, as the government prepares to open the nascent defence industry to foreign investment.

Senior politicians from France, the United States and Britain arrive in quick succession over the next nine days as Modi prepares to accelerate the modernisation of the country’s mostly Soviet-era weaponry.

Modi intends to build up India’s military capabilities and gradually turn the world’s largest arms importer into a heavyweight manufacturer — a goal that has eluded every prime minister since independence in 1947.

On the table is a proposal circulated within the new government to raise caps on foreign investment — with one option to allow complete foreign ownership of some defence projects.

Modi intends to build up India’s military capabilities and gradually turn the world’s largest arms importer into a heavyweight manufacturer “All the countries are trying to make their case, especially as there is the sense that the Indian market will undergo a shift,” said Harsh Pant, professor of international relations at King’s College London.

“They get a sense from their dealings that something dramatic is going to happen and they want first-mover advantage,” said Pant, who specialises in Indian defence.

First to arrive in New Delhi will be French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius, whose top priority is to close a stalled deal to sell India 126 Rafale fighter jets, built by Dassault Aviation, for an estimated $15bn.

Fabius, who arrives on Monday, will meet Modi as well as his most powerful minister, Arun Jaitley, who holds the twin portfolios of defence and finance - and can therefore decide both whether to sign the deal and when to release the money.

US Senator John McCain is also due in India next week. McCain, whose Arizona constituency includes weapons makers such as Boeing and Raytheon, told the Senate on Thursday that Washington should seek to bolster India’s economic and military rise.

“This is an area where US defence capabilities, technologies, and cooperation — especially between our defence industries — can benefit India enormously,” McCain said of India’s drive to modernise the armed forces.

UK still hopeful on fighter jet

In the second week of July, Britain is likely to send in Foreign Secretary William Hague and finance minister George Osborne, a British government source said on Friday.

Britain has drawn some cheer from the slow progress of the negotiations for the Rafale deal. The Eurofighter Typhoon was shortlisted along with the Dassault fighter before India announced the French jet was the winner.

Cost escalations and disagreements about building the Rafale in partnership with India’s state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited have complicated talks with France, and London has never entirely given up hope that it will return to the race. However, on Thursday, one source at the Indian defence ministry said the deal was likely to be finally closed during Fabius’ visit and could be signed this year. A French foreign ministry source said talks were ongoing, but refused to provide more detail.

Russia, for years India’s top weapons supplier, pipped all three countries to the post, sending Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin to visit the new government in Delhi two weeks ago.

Washington last year replaced Moscow as India’s top defence supplier, according to IHS Jane’s.

The Western nations will have noted that India’s foreign minister expressed displeasure with Russia’s recent offer to sell Mi-35 attack helicopters to India’s arch-rival Pakistan.

“I don’t think it’s a competition,” US Assistant Secretary of State Nisha Biswal said after an early post-election visit to New Delhi. “India will have strong and positive relationships with a variety of countries and that is to be encouraged,” said Biswal. “We want to see India taking on a stronger and a leadership role in the region and around the world so we welcome that.”

$6 billion spree

India spent some $6bn last year on weapons imports. It makes few of its own weapons, beyond ballistic missiles and assembly lines for foreign jets.

On Thursday, the government signalled it was in the mood for liberalisation by allowing manufacturers to build more defence components without licences, making it easier for Indian firms to partner foreigners.

At present foreign companies can only invest 26% in Indian defence projects without committing to technology transfer, which has put off many investors.

Before the election, sources in Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party said there was a plan to increase the cap to 49 per cent.

“For higher-tech intellectual property we would want to go over 50% to be in a position to share technology that we have significant investments in,” said Phil Shaw, chief executive of Lockheed Martin India Pvt Ltd. “An uplift from 26 to 49% maintains the status quo and may not be sufficient incentive to make an investment here.”

Lockheed Martin already has a 26 per cent investment in an Indian joint venture with Tata Advanced Systems that manufactures airframe components for the C-130J Super Hercules cargo lifter.

India’s Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion has circulated a discussion document that proposes allowing up to 100% foreign direct investment, or FDI, in defence production, two government officials told Reuters. l

India urges Switzerland to share info on secret accounts n Agencies

Beijing to boost police gun training amid security threats

India has made a fresh request to Switzerland seeking bank details and names of Indians having unaccounted money in Swiss banks, as the government expands its efforts to combat the menace of black money.

The latest request has been made by the finance ministry after a Swiss government official recently said that Switzerland was ready to cooperate proactively with India to share details on a ‘spontaneous’ basis about persons and entities suspected to have untaxed assets in Swiss banks.

“We have written to the Swiss authorities seeking details in this regard.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitely had promised that such a step will be taken,” a senior finance ministry official told PTI. The official said that the request letter has cited the existing bilateral treaties and global protocols applicable to the two countries for getting information about bank and other details of Indians holding untaxed funds or hidden wealth. l

n Reuters, Beijing China will boost gun training for police in its capital Beijing, a senior security official said, as it braces for what it calls an upsurge in militant violence around the country.

The vice minister of public security and head of Beijing’s Public Security Bureau, Fu Zhenghua, urged officers to increase security in the city as he visited police stations and SWAT checkpoints along Beijing’s main thoroughfare, Chang’an Avenue, on Saturday.

Police must be ready to “deal a deadly blow to enemies at the critical time,” the official Xinhua news agency cited Fu as saying in a report on Sunday.

Chinese police do not always carry firearms, but top leaders have warned that security threats are mounting.

Police in Beijing have already stepped up armed patrols after five people were killed and 40 hurt when a

car plowed into a crowd and burst into flames near Tiananmen Square last October. The dead included three people in the car identified by authorities as Islamists from the western region of Xinjiang.

Xinjiang is the home of Muslim Uighurs who speak a Turkic language.

China has blamed previous attacks on Islamists it says seek to establish an independent state there called East Turkestan.

Around 200 people have died in attacks blamed on Xinjiang militants in China in the last year or so, and the authorities have launched a campaign to stop the unrest, detaining hundreds and executing many others.

China will host an APEC summit on the outskirts of Beijing in November.

This will draw heads of state and government from around the Asia Pacific region in one of the highest profile events to be held there since the 2008 Olympic Games. l

Last day of Hong Kong democracy poll n AFP, Hong Kong Hong Kong citizens voted in the final day of an unofficial referendum on democratic reform yesterday, days before a record number of people are expected at an annual pro-democracy protest.

The 10-day poll has seen voters choose how the southern Chinese city’s leader should be elected, but it has enraged Beijing with state-run media describing the ballot as “an illegal farce.”

More than 760,000 people have voted since the poll opened online earlier this month, as fears grow that Beijing will backtrack on its promise to allow Hong Kong universal suffrage.

Tensions are running high in the

former British colony with upwards of 500,000 people expected to participate in a pro-democracy rally on Tuesday, the anniversary of Hong Kong’s handover to China.

Organisers expect this year’s July 1 march to be the largest since Britain returned the Asian financial centre in 1997, with Beijing promising direct elections for the city’s leader in 2017.

Hong Kong’s leader is currently appointed by a 1,200-strong pro-Beijing committee and residents are guaranteed civil liberties not enjoyed on the mainland, including free speech and the right to protest.

Turnout for the informal referendum, organised by pro-democracy activists, has exceeded expectations

with some 50,000 people casting their vote at polling stations on one day alone.

“Every Chinese should have the right to vote,” a 90-year-old voter, who only gave his surname as Fu, told AFP as he waited for a polling station to open outside in the Tsim Sha Tsui district Sunday morning.

“Although people can’t do it in China, we can do it in Hong Kong,” he added. Another voter, William Chu, said: “We should send a strong message to the government.”

Concerns are rising in Hong Kong that Chinese influence over the semi-autonomous city is increasing and activists hope the high turnout will put a stronger case for reform. l

NEWS BITES

Man sets self afire in Tokyo in apparent protest

n AP, Tokyo

A man set himself on fire at Tokyo’s busy Shinjuku railway station yesterday in an apparent political protest. The man, who appeared in his 50s or 60s, was taken to the hospital after suffering serious injuries, said Daiji Kubota, an officer at the Shinjuku police station. He said the reason for the self-immolation was under investigation.

Shots of the incident on Twitter and other social media showed a man clad in a suit and tie sitting on a small mat along the metal framework above a pedestrian walkway with two plastic bottles of what looked like gasoline beside him.

Witnesses were quoted as saying the man spoke through a megaphone to protest the government’s moves to change Japan’s defense policy, doused himself with gasoline and set himself alight as hundreds of people watched from below and from nearby buildings. The national broadcaster NHK showed firefighters using hoses to extinguish the flames. l

2 buildings topple in India, killing at least 20

n AP, New Delhi

Police in southern India detained two construction company directors yesterday as rescuers using gas cutters and shovels searched for workers believed buried in the rubble of a building that collapsed during monsoon rains. It was one of two weekend building collapses that killed at least 20 people. The 12-story apartment structure the workers were building collapsed late Saturday while heavy rains and lightning were pounding the outskirts of Chennai, the capital of Tamil Nadu state.

Police said 28 construction workers had been pulled out so far and the search was continuing for more than a dozen others.

Four of the workers died on the spot and another five succumbed to injuries later in a hospital, said police officer George Fernandes. Thirteen injured workers have been hospitalised, while six others were allowed to go home after medical attention on Saturday night. l

North Korea fires more short-range missiles

n AP, Seoul

Visitors take aim with rifles at a military base during an open day event of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) in Hong Kong, ahead of the 17th anniversary of the establishment of the Special Administrative Region AP

North Korea fired two short-range Scud missiles into its eastern waters Sunday, a South Korean official said, in an apparent test just days after the country tested what it called new precision-guided missiles. A South Korean military official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, citing department rules, said the missiles were fired from Wonsan and are presumed to be short-range Scud ballistic missiles.

The official added that the military is determining what kind of Scud missiles the projectiles were. South Korean media quoted officials as saying the missiles are presumed to be Scud-C missiles, the same as ones fired in March. North Korea fired the missiles without designating no-sail zones, which the South Korean military views as provocative.

North Korea regularly test-fires missiles and artillery, both to refine its weapons and to express its anger over various developments in Seoul and Washington. l

10

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Editorial

Monday, June 30, 2014

CODE-CRACKER

Remembering the true spirit of Ramadan

T

he holy month of Ramadan is here. For Muslims in Bangladesh – indeed the whole world – Ramadan is a month of restraint, discipline, patience, and prayer. It is a month when we leave behind some of our more undesirable habits and cultivate better ones through silent reflection to get closer to God. The true spirit of Ramadan is supposed to bring out the best side in people – it should be a time when we hold ourselves to a higher moral standard and refrain from engaging in unethical and unfair behaviour, a time for Muslims to follow the directives of God and ask for His mercy and blessings.

In practice, the sacred teachings of the spirit of fasting and self-control often get drowned out in the hustle and bustle of daily life. Soaring food prices, irregular hours at public services, and unbearable traffic jams add to the trials of our citizens, testing our mettle.

However, we as a nation should not be swayed by these hardships.

Instead, we should try to better the lives of those around us and alleviate these difficulties with patience and fortitude. Whether one is fasting or not, Muslim or non-Muslim, may we all take inspiration from this month to be more peaceful and civil to one another. We wish our readers a fulfilling Ramadan-ul-Mubarak.

May we all take inspiration from this month to be more peaceful and civil to one another

BSF killings not helping

O

nce again, a border killing incident has increased tensions over India-Bangladesh relations. It is disheartening to see that this news comes just as Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj leaves Bangladesh with a message of goodwill and friendship between the two countries.

A Bangladeshi citizen was beaten to death by members of the Indian BSF along the Putkhali frontier in Jessore on Saturday. The deceased, Mohammad Sharif, 38, was picked up by BSF members when some traders were herding cattle back into Bangladesh territory early in the morning. Sharif’s dead body was found left on the frontier, bearing numerous marks of the treatment he received.

This is not the first time this has happened. Killings at the border have been happening at an alarming frequency. The nature of these killings are strongly suggestive of the brutality present in the way Indian border officials treat Bangladeshis. There have been repeated negotiations with the Indian government, and in spite of their many assurances, this callous killing of unarmed Bangladeshis continues. We are certain that this is anathema to the Indian government and that they are equally appalled by such actions. But now is the time to take whatever steps are necessary to resolve this serious matter.

In 2011, the Felani killing made headlights and brought these horrific border killings into sharp focus. Three years later, violence on innocent Bangladeshis continue. If the newly formed Indian government is sincere in its desire to repair relations with Bangladesh, it should make it a priority to stop the killings immediately.

Now is the time to take whatever steps necessary to resolve this serious matter

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

Issue licenses to motorised rickshaws and withdraw restrictions June 25

Md Ashraf Hossain Nine million people, belonging to the lower-middle and working class, are the most significant driving force for development in Bangladesh. However, the decision-makers in the government appear least bothered to solve their transport problem.

These people do not own their own vehicle, nor do they get a vehicle from their employers. The public transport system is very inadequate. Whatever bus service is available does not cover all desired destinations, if at all. Taxi cabs are out of their reach, owing to exorbitant fares. Auto-rickshaws are not available as well and their rates far too costly.

Two decades past, human-pulled rickshaws plied on most roads in the capital, and commoners could travel to their destinations affordably. The government has since made one road after another off-limits to rickshaws, supposedly to ease traffic congestion, without arranging for any suitable alternatives.

Recently, DC motors and gears have been

We want justice

June 25 ZA Our judiciary needs a serious bolt to the joints; they are getting complacent.

The sitting ducks

June 25

Jay It is just unfortunate that the Biharis are stuck in the camps in horrible conditions. Whatever the previous generation has done is not the fault of the young people who were born in the Bihari camps. They are Bangladeshi citizens and they should not be singled out as the odd ones. I agree with the writer that, as they are born Bangladeshis, they should be have the general rights like the other people to get proper food, housing conditions, education, and the chance to contribute to the development of the country.

I gnash my teeth as others munch June 26

Fareed Wakil Liverpool’s captain sank England at the World Cup. There’s a lot Liverpool has to answer for – one way would be for Liverpool fans to settle down.

incorporated into traditional rickshaws, which are energised by rechargeable batteries, making the rickshaws operate like easy bikes. This change has increased their speed and returned human dignity to the rickshaw pullers. But our authorities have not encouraged the modernisation of rickshaws in any way. Besides, these rickshaw-pullers charge the same fare as they do for traditional rickshaws, making it affordable for most city dwellers. The electric batteries, around Tk20 each, are charged overnight, and can power a rickshaw for approximately 8 to 10 hours.

Thus, to promote the use of the aforementioned vehicles, Dhaka South City Corporation and Dhaka North City Corporation should issue licenses to motorised rickshaws to ply on the streets of their respective areas, and the traffic department should withdraw all restrictions on the movement of motorised rickshaws on the streets. Moreover, human-pulled rickshaws should be barred and their licenses not renewed further.

June 21

Hamidullah Babu This is great news.

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.

June 24 Sammy It would appear that the DT is slowly moving away from its principled stance that the Jan 5 elections were a farce; otherwise, why would they be asking the BNP to accept the results of the elections and do nothing?

Zero-Agenda Sammy: I think DT has made it perfectly clear through past editorials and op-ed pieces how utterly farcical they believe the Jan 5 elections to have been. This editorial is more geared towards how hartals and other such agitations programs do more bad than good, for both the public and the BNP’s image. They are not asking Ms Zia to roll over.

Bangladesh-born Briton calls for jihad June 25

riazo Have the British authorities arrested him yet?

VK Unbelievable! He gets the golden opportunity to go to the UK and that’s all he can think of doing??

June 24

New gas field found in Narayanganj

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

No more agitation, please

The people’s right to know

Jay T It is very true that most people do not know that the RTI Act allows all citizens to monitor the activities of the government or to check their abuse of power. In this digital era, information is power. So the public should use this act in their favour.

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

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

Some letters of the alphabet may not be used.

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

CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Embellishes (6) 4 Cut grass (3) 7 Sheeplike (5) 8 Abstract (6) 11 Fastener (3) 12 Remaining (4) 13 Probability (4) 15 Praise highly (5) 16 European capital (5) 20 Church service (4) 23 Wavelike flow (4) 24 Humour (3) 25 Fit to be eaten (6) 26 Spicy fragrance (5) 27 Precious stone (3) 28 Hid (6)

DOWN 1 Copious (5) 2 Clergymen (7) 3 Tolerable (4) 4 Look after (4) 5 Responsibility (4) 6 Raining (3) 9 King (L) (3) 10 Newt (3) 14 Writer of daily record of events (7) 17 Plunder (3) 18 Sick (3) 19 Frozen shower (5) 20 Deep mud (4) 21 Minute particle (4) 22 Close up (4) 24 Oscillate (3)

When Dhaka beau meets Kolkata beauty

June 24 tamim How come we have Khan as a Bangladeshi surname?? He doesn’t look like a Pathan. I guess nowadays it has become fashionable to adopt fake surnames to gain popularity.

CALVIN AND HOBBES Political party’s name in foreign language June 27

PEANUTS

A Bangladeshi In your issue of June 23, a commentator, going by the moniker of “Someone,” really deserves congratulations for pointing out the non-Bangla name of the main political party, that too in two foreign languages!

The Awami League established Bangladesh, a new country. “Awami” is an Urdu word, meaning “of the people,” while “League” is a common English word which means a collection of like-minded people or party. Our national language is absent from the name of this party. Maybe the meaning of the name of this party will recall the two nations, Britain and Pakistan.

May be now, the party may think about changing its name to Bangla, our national language. This was very interesting and curious information from the writer, which I believe escaped everyone’s notice!

Malaysia’s top court: ‘Allah’ for Muslims only June 24

Vikram Khan Does the name of Allah or God really “belong” to anyone?!

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTIONS CODE-CRACKER

CROSSWORD

SUDOKU

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Op-Ed

11

Monday, June 30, 2014

Beat the system, not the spectator n Syeda Samira Sadeque

T

REUTERS

Exit orchestra, enter heavy metal Football 2014 is about fast breaks and some individual genius

I

n Quazi Zulquarnain Islam

t was a moment that typified the modern parlance of football – the yellow of Colombia searing down the length of the pitch. Three quick passes brought the ball from right to left as the Uruguayans struggled to get enough men back.

From the left, a cross swung beyond far post to the runner breaking free from deep and as Juan Cuardado sent a majestic cushioned header into the six yard box, you already knew that this would be a goal. James Rodriguez, fast becoming the star of the World Cup, applied the finish to what is likely to be the benchmark team goal of the Brazil World Cup. In some ways though, this was also its signature.

In South Africa in 2010, football was all about possession. Spain, still on the upsurge of a wave that would see them become the most successful national side in football history, tiki-taka’d opposition to death, a collection of quick-moving, small, mobile midfielders playing minute passing triangles around the hulking opposition – it was the footballing equivalent of downing the school bully.

But like other things, football too evolves, and ever steadily Barcelona and Spain’s dominance dwindled. A revolution was coming, and one led by a volatile coach in hipster glasses and a baseball cap. “If Spain’s football is like the orchestra, ours is like heavy metal,” said Jurgen Klopp, after Borussia Dortmund’s manic-pressing, quick transition style wowed first the Bundesliga and then the rest of the world in an almost fairytale Champi-

S

E

R

ons League run. “There is no defence,” Klopp once said, “to something done fast and accurately.”

In Spain, another similarly hearton-sleeve man took note.

Diego Simeone usually wore all black but in Atletico Madrid, he too was building a side that was replicating the Dortmund way – fast vertical passes, fast vertical sprints, furious closing down on space in the opponent half.

No wonder then that in late 2012, when asked about who would win the Champions League, Simeone’s answer was a wry if left-field one. “Dortmund,” he said, much to the reporter’s surprise.

Bangladeshis love nothing more than a collective game being reduced to single acts of individualism

But it became quickly evident that both sides were onto something.

During their Champions League run in 2012-13, Dortmund collectively sometimes covered an astonishing 10-12kms more in ground than their opposition. And in 2013-14, Simeone’s Atletico was doing much the same.

But unlike the past, this hard running was not being done by the famously styled “water-carriers.” Instead, Klopp and Simeone’s teams included players

P

E

like Ilkay Gundogan and Koke – smart, well-built, mobile, yet superbly technical midfielders who could attack and defend well in equal measure. The trick, as they both discovered, was to move fast, not just with ball but also with men.

Across the city, Carlo Ancelotti, ever the pragmatist, took note. He discarded with Real’s use of a playmaker in Mesut Ozil and converted previous winger Angel di Maria into a box-tobox midfielder. And then in tandem he fielded the frighteningly fast Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo. They were supplemented by Karim Benzema, a mobile French forward, who is as good at scoring as he is at passing and combination. The writing was on the wall – the specialist doesn’t exist anymore.

Real, of course, won the Champions League. Atletico, the Spanish league.

The trend has continued into the World Cup and in general the teams who have succeeded are the ones who are accomplished at pulling off the quick transitions.

Step forward Colombia, but also the Dutch who showed how effective their fast break style could be against the bastions of possession football. Chile too, until their heartbreaking exit to Brazil, and even though Germany have been nowhere near as effective, their fast transitions too are the reason why they troubled Portugal to such an extent. More surprisingly, France too have dominated, with their midfielders like Paul Pogba and Blaise Matuidi experts at the quick control and release. Maybe their coach, the famous “water-carrier” Didier Deschamps is onto something.

In 2010, passmasters like Xavi and

N

T

Andreas Iniesta ruled the roost. Four years on, the stars of the World Cup have been fast, skillful players like James Rodriguez and Arjen Robben.

And of course, Neymar and Lionel Messi. But neither Brazil nor Argentina, the two favorites coming into the tournament, have displayed anything in keeping with the character of the teams that have been so far successful.

Both teams look quite disjointed.

Brazil, seemingly under tremendous pressure, are generally happy to leisurely scruff it out among their center backs. Argentina goes even one step further – their center backs seem even afraid of the ball. But both teams possess a genius each and the tactics of both seem to focus on the mantra – “get the ball to Neymar/Messi, and let us hope he does something with it.”

Purists may be rolling in their graves, but Bangladeshis love nothing more than a collective game being reduced to single acts of individualism. And as Messi and Neymar have shown so far, sometimes that is more than enough.

Both leads the scoring chart and somehow are still in with a chance of meeting in a dream final.

But perhaps what you need is a team that combines both? A genius and a quick transition style? Colombia certainly fit the second bill, and with his goal on Sunday, James Rodriguez can certainly be the former. How amazing would it be that in a World Cup full of surprises, we have a brand new world champion?

Don’t count on it though. l

Shakib further enhanced the very fundamental practices and beliefs of a strong patriarchal system

He encouraged a system where the attackers and saviours both are male, with the female wedged in between, stuck from both ends. And it is this mentality we have to get out of. It is this mentality that needs to be addressed in our society.

This, contrary to what is often believed, is no form of chivalry. Beating someone up is as unacceptable as passing lewd remarks is. If Shakib really was so enraged by what had happened, he should have used his popularity for a positive change in our society. Our rape statistics are appalling, harassment is prevalent everywhere – from the narrow alleyways to the marital bed.

So if the incident disturbed Shakib so much, he should come forward to make a statement to the society, to his followers, and beat the system that allows men to harass and/or pass comments at any women passing by. l The author is a journalist at Dhaka Tribune.

You can follow her on twitter @Samideque.

MUMIT M

A quicker, more aggressive brand of football?

he incident of Shakib al Hassan beating up a spectator for “passing indecent comments” at his wife is not only shameful given his national status, but is actually part of a much bigger conversation.

According to reports, the cricketer beat up a spectator a few weeks ago when he heard that the spectator had allegedly harassed his wife. Shakib wasn’t even present at the scene when this “harassment” took place, but was quick to get there and … well, react.

There are varying accounts. Some reports don’t really specify it as an account of “harassment.” Some others do. There appears to be a web of confusion as to what really happened, what was really said to his wife, and whether or not that would count as “indecent” or “harassment.” Yet, the fact that it was so easy for us to conclude that it was harassment and that the remarks were indecent says something about our society as a whole.

It shows a society where passing indecent remarks at girls/women is so common that it is often the most natural conclusion. Whether or not something is done about it is a whole other matter, but the fact that this consideration is always on our radars as an issue shows our awareness of, and yet a latent complacency with, the whole matter.

What Sakib did is unacceptable on a number of grounds.

He abused both his power in the field as well as his class status to react to a matter which is apparently personal to him, though, as explained above, it speaks volumes about the public sphere we live in.

He took the law in his own hands, which is not expected from people in a civilised society, whether they are a cricket hero or an average Joe. And last but not least, he acted in what is often seen as and/or promoted to be a “heroic” act. This kind of act is often seen as acceptable or even applauded because pop culture and mass media promote the image of the “hero” who shuts up or beats up the guy who is

passing lewd remarks at the girl.

But in promoting these images and acting in accordance with them, Shakib further enhanced the very fundamental practices and beliefs of a strong patriarchal system.

Beating up the guy who passes the comment is not much different from actually passing the comment. In doing so, Shakib implicitly enhanced a system where this is allowed, where a girl being harassed ought to be “rescued” by “heroic” acts by yet another guy.

Quazi Zulquarnain Islam is a freelance sports writer.

I

N

E

D

E

N

One police officer versus Goliath n Towheed Feroze

I

n a season of World Cup football where minnows are standing up to giants, often killing them or sometimes giving them the scare of their lives, we come face to face with a challenge of a different sort.

However, there are similarities with the never-say-die attitude and the will to stick to one’s guns, usually adopted by the smaller teams in a World Cup match.

This time, the premise is the field of rural Bangladesh where a young police officer, ASP Bashir, instead of playing to the vulgar tunes of the time, decided to take a stand of his own – a position which has brought some pride to that uniform that he dons.

Surely, even a policeman who has been forced to become a political pawn will feel a sense of pride.

We hardly find positive things to write about the men in uniform tasked with upholding the law. No matter what the rhetoric about the efficacy of the police – as stated by the politicians who have conveniently made it an institution of furthering their interests – within the masses, the force

does not enjoy full trust or unalloyed confidence.

Time and again, the uniform has been tainted because the law enforcement agency has been turned into a political instrument.

In the latest incident, where ASP Bashir resisted the false voting in a centre, we see, once more, the hideous face of politics in Bangladesh.

Just imagine: A chairman, who is a contestant, threatening a law enforcer to leave the area so that false votes can be cast. Now there are several dimensions to the episode – first, the question about the ethical values of the chairman himself.

When a person feels that he has the right to go to power by rigging and feels that shooing away the law is his prerogative, what development work can be expected of him?

Obviously, his political ideology is based on one philosophy – strengthen your own base and make money because once you have power and the wealth, the world can be bought.

To an extent, that squalid philosophy topped by coarse behaviour and boorish manners is proving to be the right credo of the time.

If there had been some other officer who is more shrewd and willing to compromise ideals of the uniform to advance his career, then there would not be any incident at that voting centre.

Everything would have proceeded peacefully, like clockwork. The top administration would have said with brazen assertiveness: “See!” What a spontaneous outpour of democratic impulse. But Bashir is not clever. He is not astute enough to understand the convoluted layers of power. He still believes that wearing that uniform of his means, at least in some cases, he cannot turn a blind eye.

I am not saying Bashir is the perfect example. In this world, where subtle forces of power always dictate the outcome of affairs, it’s difficult to adhere to the principles that come with the post of a social guardian.

Yet, there are some places where compromise means a total rejection of all moral compunctions.

As a young officer, still fresh and unjaded, Bashir could not accept that all that he learnt in training just a few years ago means nothing in real life.

Hence, he defied.

But where does he stand now?

The media is behind him, millions of social network users have lauded him. Surprisingly he hasn’t received any public accolades from the government. We haven’t seen any top government official who has said unequivocally that what he did was right.

Even in our cynical outlook, we feel like seeing some good old ideals enjoying a win or two Reportedly, malicious efforts are being made to link the officer to an Islamist party.

A video clip where the officer alleges that Shamim Osman, MP, asked him to leave the voting spot on behalf of the chairman, and later used abusive language, has gone viral. In that clip, there is one line from the officer which stands out from the rest.

The interviewing journalist from Somoy TV asks: “Then you did not have permission from your authority to leave the voting spot?” To this the officer replies bluntly: “Permission or no permission, as a police officer, I cannot leave a voting centre in the hands of false voters.”

The task of a police officer is plainly stated there, sans the euphemisms.

Unfortunately, Bashir now feels insecure because he has realised that the opposing force is a massive one with too many tentacles.

Politicians and the squalor of politics rule the game here – law enforcers have been consumed by this beast.

It’s a bit like the line in the song Hotel California – you can check in anytime you like, but you can never leave it.

Most likely, he will be removed from the area and be sent to some other place. Meanwhile, with Ramadan setting in, priority will soon shift from politics to abstinence, and then Eid. In a few months, Bashir will be forgotten by most.

However, since he was instrumental in opening this can of worms in public, the villains will wait in the shade, look-

ing for their chance to strike back. No, Bashir won’t be harmed physically, but he may be given harsh treatment within his profession, possibly stunted from advancing in his career.

Or, here’s what we would like to see – top administration of the country, plus the home minister, stepping forward and defending the policeman’s action, saying to the nation: “Look, the uniform still isn’t fully tarnished.”

But expecting that would be naïve.

Yet sometimes, even in our cynical outlook, we feel like seeing some good old ideals enjoying a win or two – just like the World Cup matches, when small teams prevail over the superstars, we believe that miracles, though short-lived, can happen.

Bashir did something which was aligned to his role as a police officer – we can either break his spirit by alienating him, or we can unite to give him a pat on the back with the line: “You did the right thing.” No, doing this won’t defeat that mighty Goliath, but at least as a nation we will feel we are not rotten to the core. l Towheed Feroze is a journalist working in the development sector.

12

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Entertainment

Marking Safiuddin Ahmed's 92nd birth anniversary

Monday, June 30, 2014

Sporshia wants to play rockstar n Hasan Mansoor Chatak

n Shadma Malik On the occasion of the 92nd birth anniversary of Safiuddin Ahmed, his son Ahmed Nazir has arranged for an exhibition at the Gallery Chitrak. The artworks on display include the works of Nazir himself, exclusive pieces of the maestro Safiuddin Ahmed and pieces done by his teachers, and friends.

These are the artists of 30's and 40's who created a cultural impact on the art arena of Bengal. The reason behind installing such work is to showcase Safiuddin's interaction with these artists and his observation of their creative process. Artwork by Ahmed Nazir The diverse collection of artworks make the exhibition a valuable experience his life, he was not able to sign his pension note.

So, he use to give thumb impressions instead of for art lovers of the country.

Through the exhibition, Nazir takes the spec- signatures.” Nazir also paid tribute to his father's tators on a visual journey into the life of a great studio and his graveyard in his work. A young Safimaster. The series of artworks, mostly on digital uddin can be seen at the exhibition through one print includes a portrait of the great master. The of his art pieces. The artist has also incorporated work has been completed with Bangla and English a portrait of the maestro on the artwork and have come up with a masterpiece truly worthy of praise. fonts.

“Great men never die, they will always be alive About the piece, the artist said: “These are the texts which have been taken from several write- within us,” said Nazir.

“The master's existence is no more, but ups on Safiuddin's life and work.” One print shows a piece of a newspaper where the master's face ap- his work will remain an entity that will have a pears faded and another consists of the fingerprint significant contribution in the compulsion of the society.” of his thumb.

The exhibition will remain open till July 5. l About the piece, Nazir explains: “At the end of

Newcomer Sporshia is about to appear in a villainous role for the upcoming TV play “Prem Ashe Prem Jay.” Dhaka Tribune caught up with the actor to learn about her new role and much more.

Model/actor, which introduction do you prefer?

Definitely an actor. Although I came to the limelight through modeling, acting is my passion and I want to establish myself in the field.

Which one is your favourite character till date?

I am lucky to have gotten the opportunity to present myself as various characters in my short acting career. Aneeka of “Ujan Ganger Naiya” is my favourite till date. If the character I portray is different what I am in real life, I feel very enthusiastic about the role.

What is your dream role?

Portraying a rockstar in a film is my dream role.

Who was your first celebrity crush?

Johnny Depp stole my heart.

Do you have any plans to act on the big screen?

Yes, of course. I am thinking of taking up roles in the big screen when my studies are finished.

Are you enjoying your time in acting?

Yes, I am. People believe that working in the film industry is very hard, whereas it is far better than what they portray it to be.

What do you enjoy doing in your free time?

I enjoy drawing, spending time with my mother and my friends. Sometimes, I just sit on my bed and enjoy isolation.

Tell us about your recent ventures.

We just finished shooting a drama titled “Prem Ashe Prem Jay” directed by Mahfuz Ahmed. It will be aired during Eid on Channel i. I have signed with Redoan Rony for the upcoming Eid. Besides three serials of mine are being aired, including BBC Media Action’s “Ujan Ganger Naiya” on BTV, “Icche Ghuri” on NTV and “Amader Choto Nodi” on Channel i. One of my new serial titled “Family Pack” will be aired next month on NTV. Orchita Sporshia came to the spotlight modeling for Parachute and Airtel. She is now pursuing her education in Media Studies and Journalism in ULAB. l

Dhaka University students to present Hamlet

TODAY IN DHAKA Film

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

Celebrities style evolutions portrayed n Entertainment Desk “Celebrity Style Story” tells the story of one celebrity’s style evolution through their unforgettable hair, make-up and fashion choices. From the highs and lows of their career and how that affected their look, to how their personal relationships influenced their out-fit choices. The show covers all the major

fashion hits and misses throughout the decades.

Alongside archival celebrity interview clips, vibrant red carpet footage and photos, a panel of expert hairstylists, makeup artists, fashion stylists, designers and fashion journalists weigh in on the celebrity’s looks and transformation from each stage of their red hot career. The show will be aired on TLC today at 4:30pm. l

n Entertainment Desk The students of the Dhaka University’s Theatre and Performance Studies are bringing to stage William Shakespeare’s renowned play “Hamlet.” The four day programme will start on July 4 and will continue till July 7 at the Edward M Kennedy Centre (EMK). Directed

by Shamsur Rahman, the play will feature students from the 2nd, 5th and 6th semesters.

“It is very challenging to direct a critical and timeless play like ‘Hamlet.’ The roles of Hamlet, Claudius, Gertrude, Polonius and Ophelia were performed by some of the biggest names in theatre, making it more challenging for us,” says Ashiq Rahman, assistant professor of Theatre and Performance Studies.

The play set in Denmark recounts how prince Hamlet exacts revenge on his uncle Claudius, who murdered Hamlet’s father, the King, and then takes the throne and marries Gertrude, Hamlet’s mother. The story vividly charts the course of real and feigned madness—from overwhelming grief to seething rage—and explores themes of treachery, revenge, incest, and moral corruption. l

I get paid very well, have no complaints: Kareena n Entertainment Desk

Courteney Cox gets engaged

Actor Kareena Kapoor, who has worked with some of the biggest banners, says that she has no complaints about the remuneration structure in the film industry as she is paid really well.

While Vidya Balan and Priyanka Chopra feel there is disparity in the remuneration system compared to actors in Bollywood, Kareena shares a different opinion.

"I get paid very well and I have no complaints. If it's a big budget film, they can afford and what works for another actor might not work for somebody else," the actor told reporters in a group interview.

"I feel each and every actor is different. For example, I can never do 'The Dirty Picture.' I don't have that courage and boldness but for me it's a challenge to be a part of 'Golmaal 3' and still have a great role.

It's an honour for me to be a part of 'Singham' and that works for me. It's unfair to draw any comparisons," she added.

However, the 33-year-old was of different opinion in the year 2012 when at an event she shared how Vidya's National Award-winning performance in the 2011 released film "The Dirty Picture" has given actors the hope for a brighter tomorrow in the Indian film industry.

It was during that time Kareena said that she will fight for "equal pay cheques" for both male and female actors. l

n Entertainment Desk

Shakila Zafar to appear in cookery show n Entertainment Desk Singer Shakila Zafar will be present in a culinary and iftar show titled “Vim Jhotpot Ranna” which will be aired on ATN Bangla throughout the month of Ramadan at 4:10pm. The programme is anchored by Rumana Malik Munmun.

Traditional iftar recipes will be presented in different ways. Nutrition facts of the dishes will be provided while a quiz session is placed to make the show more communicative with the audience.

In the month-long programme, two guests will be present in every episode. Singers including Badhon, Mila, Samina Chowdhury, Kona, Ruksana Mumtaz, Asgar Alim, Kabir Bakul, Dinat Jahan Munni, Ulka Hasan and Lopa Hossain will be appearing as celebrity guests on the show. l

Courteney Cox, who stars in a TV show titled “Cougar Town,” just got engaged to her much younger boyfriend.

Cox, 50, is set to marry Johnny McDaid, 37, the guitarist and backup singer for the British rock band Snow Patrol.

Both Cox and McDaid announced the news on Twitter after posting a pretty darned adorable selfie of the two of them.

“I’m engaged to him!”

Cox posted.

“I’m engaged to her!”

McDaid posted.

It has been a fairly quick romance. The New York Daily News says the two were first spotted together last November at Jennifer Aniston’s holiday party, where they were introduced by singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran. Earlier this month,

Us Weekly says, the couple looked serious as they celebrated Cox’s 50th birthday in Turks and Caicos.

“Courteney looked amazing,” a source told Us Weekly. “Johnny was staring at her and smiling. You could see how much he loves her.” l

Beyonce and Jay Z will ‘lead separate lives’ on tour

Vidya Balan loves watching Messi play n Entertainment Desk

n Entertainment Desk

National Award winning actor Vidya Balan confessed her love for football is just limited to Argentinian forward Lionel Messi's good looks.

"I just know Messi because he is good looking! My friends tell me when Messi's game will be telecast, that time I switch on the TV and watch...or else I don't have any interest," she admitted to reporters while promoting her forthcoming release "Bobby Jasoos".

The movie is a detective comedy that revolves around a female character. While Vidya plays the female lead, Ali Fazal plays the male lead. The film is directed by Samar Shaikh and is co-produced by actor Dia Mirza and her beau Sahil Sangha. "Bobby Jasoos" will hit the theatres on July 4. l

The couple - whose marriage has been the subject of speculation that it’s in crisis kicked off their joint “On the Run” concert series this week but they are said to be only seeing one another on stage, as they travel separately and stay in different hotel rooms.

A source said: “They might be sharing a stage, but while on tour they’ll live practically separate lives.

“Tensions between them are worse than ever, meaning they will be travelling between venues independently, staying in different hotel suites and even having separate entourages.

“They’ll also have individual dressing

rooms, so the only times they’ll be together will be while they’re performing.”

The couple - who have two-year-old daughter Blue Ivy together - have both been the subject of rumours of infidelity and the

insider admits they are struggling to trust one another.

The source told Grazia magazine: “They’ve both been dreading the tour. Cancelling wasn’t an option, so on the surface it’s going to be business as usual, but they’re both struggling with trust issues after the spate of cheating allegations.

“Jay’s given Beyonce unlimited access to his texts and emails to try and keep the peace, but a lot of their communication will be through assistants.”

Despite the claims, the pair have seemed comfortable on stage with one another and even treated fans to previously-unseen footage from their wedding. l

Sp rt DHAKA TRIBUNE Monday, June 30, 2014

13

Hail Cesar! ‘keeper revels in change in fortunes “I have experienced some great joys in my career but this is special after 2010.”

Before the last World Cup, Julio Cesar was at the peak of his powers, having just helped Jose Mourinho’s Inter Milan win a domestic double as well as the Champions League.

But at club level his career has gone downhill in the intervening period. A move to Queens Park Rangers turned sour and he found himself frozen out at the London outfit, having to buy his own gloves and train in a local park just to maintain his fitness.

Even a move to Major League Soccer side Toronto FC has seen him make only seven appearances, but Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari made him his first choice at last year’s Confederations Cup. He was named that tournament’s outstanding goalkeeper as Brazil lifted the trophy, and now he is hoping for a repeat performance in the one competition that really matters to this proud footballing nation of 200 million people.

“I am a professional who is very happy with his career,” he insisted on Saturday. “What would crown this would be to lift and kiss the World Cup.” l

Labelled the villain after Brazil bowed out of the 2010 World Cup, Julio Cesar broke down in tears as he was toasted as a nation’s saviour after the hosts scraped past Chile on Saturday.

The 34-year-old goalkeeper saved penalties from Mauricio Pinilla and Alexis Sanchez to set Brazil up for a 3-2 shoot-out win against their South American rivals in Belo Horizonte that took them through to the quarter-finals of their own World Cup. Before that he produced a superb save to deny Charles Aranguiz in the second half to help ensure a nerve-jangling tie remained level at 1-1 after 90 minutes and through extra time.

That Brazil avoided the humiliation of being eliminated before the quarter-final stage for the first time since 1990 and maintained their record of never having lost at home to Chile in 27 meetings was in large part down to the goalkeeper.

“This match proves that if you have a dream you must chase it,” he said after collecting his man of the match award at the end of an emotionally draining afternoon.

He was applauded out of the press room at the Mineirao Stadium and dominated the front pages of the Brazilian press on Sunday morning, being described as ‘Our King’ and Brazil’s ‘Saviour’.

The enormity of the occasion had got to the goalkeeper even before the penalty shoot-out as he broke down in tears. And he did so again during a television interview at the end of the match.

“I cried because several of the players came to give me their support and tell me positive things and I couldn’t contain myself,” he admitted.

It was quite a turnaround from four years ago, when he came for a Wesley Sneijder cross and missed as Brazil threw away the lead and lost 2-1 to the Netherlands in the quarter-finals in Port Elizabeth.

“A lot of questions were asked when I was called up,” he explained. “I prepared myself well physically and psychologically and I want to thank the staff and my team-mates for having confidence in me.

“It was difficult to come out of the 2010 World Cup labelled as a villain but I have always had their backing.

Departing Chile earn hero status despite Brazil jinx

Alexandra Jhedelin: personifying Willian breathes a sigh of relief, barely ‘explicit’ journalism

Chile’s so nearly conquering heroes are sure of an incredible welcome on their return from a World Cup where they eliminated champions Spain but were cruelly knocked out by Brazil for the fourth time in their history.

“The dream is over, but not the applause,” said La Tercera newspaper in a chorus of praise round the nation. “Dry your tears and come back to Chile to be received with full honours.”

One of the strongest Chile teams seen at a World Cup, ‘La Roja’ (The Red) lit up the tournament from swashbuckling wins over Australia and Spain to a heart-breaking loss on penalties to Brazil after a pulsating 1-1 draw in the last-16 clash.

It was a desperately harsh outcome for Chile, who had matched the hosts for 120 minutes of normal and extra time, and could so easily have snatched it at the death when Mauricio Pinilla smashed a glorious shot against the crossbar.

A few centimetres lower, and Chile would have overturned a painful history of defeats by Brazil, who knocked them out of the 2010, 1998 and 1962 World Cups.

As it was, the ball bounced to safety, Brazil held their nerve for a 3-2 penalty shootout win at Belo Horizonte’s Mineirao stadium, and the old nemesis did it for a fourth time. l

It was a crowded media center at Stadium de Minearos of Belo Horizonte where Brazil and Chile were pitted to face off in the crucial round of 16 World Cup tie. Normally ties involving Brazil and Argentina attract most of the journalists but no desks were empty this time, even two hours before the kickoff. Suddenly one corner of the media center became a center of attraction and a mob of photographers and reporters gathered within minutes to experience a brief but savory exhibition of ‘Explicit’ Journalism.

It was Alexandra Jhedelin Nuñez Hernandez, the reporter of Canal 13 of Chile. She was supporting Chile and Globo TV transmitted live while she talked about her aspirations. If Alexandra wasn’t looking exotic enough in her red shirt resembling the Chilean team and a white half pant exposing her long legs, her pencil-heeled shoes and crimson lips surely fulfilled that deficiency as she danced and kissed the presenter while talking with him. She even occasionally raised her shirts amid loud applause!

I asked a fellow Spanish journalist what she said. It was my only way to know as very few can speak in English.

I was fortunate that the Spanish journalist could speak in English. “I love Alexandra Jhedelin poses at the media box after Sanchez scored for Chile against Brazil on Saturday INTERNET

Serena crashes in nine-year low World number one and five-time champion Serena Williams crashed to her earliest defeat at Wimbledon for nine years on Saturday while Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Maria Sharapova sailed smoothly through.

Williams, the top seed, lost her third round tie to French 25th seed Alize Cornet 1-6, 6-3, 6-4 in a Court One clash which had been held up for over four hours because of torrential rain which saw 45 matches wiped off the schedule.

Serena could have no complaints about an embarrassing defeat which continued a disappointing campaign for the 17-time Grand Slam champion, who has failed to get beyond the fourth round at any of the three majors so far this year.

It was her earliest exit from the All England Club since 2005 when she lost

to fellow American Jill Craybas at the same stage.

Cornet, 24, goes on to face Canadian 13th seed Eugenie Bouchard on Monday in what will be her first appearance in the second week of Wimbledon at

the eighth attempt and only her second career fourth round appearance at a Grand Slam.

In stark comparison, Nadal, Federer and Sharapova all secured fourth round spots playing under the Centre Court roof.

Nadal, 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 over Kazakhstan’s Mikhail Kukushkin, who had never won a Wimbledon match before this year.

But in front of a Royal Box containing such sporting glitterati as retired Indian cricket master Sachin Tendulkar and ex-England football captain David Beckham, Nadal regained his composure to race away with the win, courtesy of 41 winners and just 12 unforced errors.

7 time champion Federer breezed past Santiago Giraldo of Colombia, 6-3, 6-1, 6-3 and next faces Tommy Robredo of Spain.

Sharapova, the 2004 champion, remained on course for a rare French Open and Wimbledon double after moving into the fourth round with a 6-3, 6-0 victory over American Alison Riske.

The world number five next faces German ninth seed Angelique Kerber who beat Kirsten Flipkens of Belgium, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2. l

Chile and I hope Chile will beat Brazil.

I love Chile from deep in my heart (and that’s why she raised her shirt to show her heart) and Chile is the best in the World Cup,” she said.

I later learned that Alexandra has her own style while presenting her report and she mixes it with a certain degree of carnal appeal which makes her hugely popular in the region.

It was a new experience for a lot of journalists who had come in Brazil to cover the World Cup. Just after the live transmission, she was approached by reporters of different TV channels from across the world, and a Japanese TV chaneel, an Australian TV channel and a number of Spanish and local channels managed to interview her.

However, she wore a devastated look after Chile’s defeat in the penalty shoot-out. Both the exotic appearance and the pencil heel were missing. She was seen talking with her cameraman and did not show any interest to communicate with others.

With only about a thousand female journalists among a plethora of journalists from across the world present in Brazil to cover this World Cup, Alexandra stands out undoubtedly because of her unique personification of ‘Explicit’ Journalism by mixing carnal appeal while reporting. She is probably the sexiest football reporter in the world. l

Jamal extend lead Sony Norde netted a brace as Sheikh Jamal DC cemented their place at the top of the Nitol-Tata Bangladesh Premier Football League points table after overcoming Muktijoddha 4-3 in a thrilling encounter at the Sheikh Fazlul Haque Moni Stadium in Gopalganj yesterday.

Haitian international winger Norde continued his amazing run of form by putting Jamal ahead in the ninth minute before he doubled the lead in the 23rd minute. Nigerian striker Sunday Chizoba pulled one back in the 32nd minute but Wedson Anselme extended the margin again six minutes into the second half.

Sunday made it 3-2 as he scored again in the 53rd minute from the penalty spot before skipper Mamunul Islam grabbed Jamal’s fourth goal in the 64th minute.

With the victory, Jamal moved 12 points clear of Abahani at the top of the points table with 51 points while Muktijoddha remained at fourth with 34 points.l

They all cried more or less. It was tears of joy in case of Julio Caesar who was earlier receiving encouragement from teammates before the start of the shoot-out. Hugging coach Scolari, Neymar cried too after such an energy draining encounter. But one Brazil player still continued to cry even after most of the Brazilian players have left the field to celebrate their victory against Chile at Belo Horizonte on Saturday and it was none other than midfielder Willian, who saw his penalty kick miss the target.

With the score locked at 1-1, Willian replaced his Chelsea teammate Oscar with 15 minutes of action left in the match. But he could not exert his usual dominating presence and failed to score from the shoot-out. Although Chile custodian Bravo dived the wrong way, Willian’s right-footed shot went wide near the right post.

And since missing the penalty, Willian never looked a free man till the end. While he was trudging back to his players with his head down, David Luiz, who scored from first spot-kick, rushed to him and gave him a close hug to console which eventually helped Willian to recover.

But Willian erupted in joy when Gonzalo Jara hit the left hand post of Caesar to miss Chile’s last spot kick. Surprisingly he again became subdued moments later and opted to isolate himself from others while the rest of the team was busy celebrating. He was rather pointing to the sky, possibly asking God why he had to endure such a nerve-wrecking agony.

The 25-year old winger was crying by raising his hands towards the heaven.

While most of the players left, Willian was still sitting on the line of the mid-circle. A management staff then approached him and asked him to go with him and Willian obliged. We may never know what actually was going through his mind. But we can only speculate whether it was the regret of missing the penalty or expressing gratitude to the God for saving him from being vilified. l

Taijul, Likhon included in Tigers preliminary squad SQUAD Ahead of the tour of the West Indies this August, Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) on Saturday announced a 25-member preliminary squad where two entirely uncapped players in the form of leftarm spinner Taijul Islam and Bangladesh Under-19 right-arm leg spinner Jubair Hossain Likhon were included.

Taijul’s inclusion hardly comes as a surprise as his consistent performances in the domestic circuit as well as in the Bangladesh A team’s recent tour of the West Indies were able to draw the attention of the national team selectors while 18-year old Jubair, a regular in the U-19 side, earned a place in the squad for his displays in the nets. According to sources, Jubair’s leg-break impressed many of the national team batsmen who recommended him to the selectors for selection.

Mushfiqur Rahim, Mominul Haque, Mahmudullah, Shamsur Rahman, Tamim Iqbal, Muktar Ali, Shohag Gazi, Rubel Hossain, Anamul Haque, Sabbir Rahman, Shakib al Hasan, Taskin Ahmed, Nasir Hossain, Arafat Sunny, Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, Mithun Ali, Shafiul Islam, Taijul Islam, Abdur Razzak, Marshall Ayub, Imrul Kayes, Jubair Hossain Likhon, Al-Amin Hossain, Shuvagata Hom, Robiul Islam Bangladesh will play two Tests, three ODIs and one T20 international in their month-long tour of the Caribbean. The 25 cricketers have been asked to report to national strength & conditioning coach Mario Villavarayan at Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium on July 1. The 25 members of the preliminary squad will start training from tomorrow. l

14

Sp rt DHAKA TRIBUNE Monday, June 30, 2014

Baby-faced Rodriguez

makes Colombia forget Falcao Sensational Colombia midfielder James Rodriguez struck twice in a 2-0 win over Uruguay in the last 16 on Saturday to move top of the World Cup scorers’ list and stake a claim for being player of the tournament.

When Colombia arrived in Brazil without injured forward and talisman Radamel Falcao, few would have counted on baby-faced Rodriguez, who has now scored in all four games at the tournament, to successfully replace him.

But he has taken the World Cup by storm, netting five times and winning three man-of-the-match awards as Colombia advanced to a mouth-watering quarter-final against hosts Brazil on Friday.

It seems Rodriguez was made for the biggest stage of all and, with the player turning 23 the day before the World Cup final in Rio de Janeiro, few would now bet against him giving himself the greatest belated birthday present.

Rodriguez has also delivered two assists for his team mates as the South Americans are hitting top form at just the right time, thanks largely to him.

On Saturday he stunned fans at the Maracana stadium and millions of television viewers when he thundered in an unstoppable volley to give Colombia the lead while sur-

rounded by five Uruguay players.

He followed that up with a smart close-range finish early in the second half to banish any lingering thoughts about the missing Falcao as Colombia made the World Cup’s last eight for the first time.

The left-footed Monaco attacking midfielder, who is married to Colombia goalkeeper David Ospina’s sister, had kicked off his first World Cup in style when he led Colombia to a 3-0 romp over Greece, scoring in the process. He was again on target in their 2-1 win over Ivory Coast before needing just 45 minutes off the bench to help take Japan apart in their final group game.

After coming on at halftime with the score at 1-1, he guided his team to a 4-1 win with an electric performance that suggested he has the potential to become one of the world’s top players.

He was one step ahead of the Japanese as he set up two goals for Jackson Martinez before capping the performance with his own masterpiece in the final minute.

After cutting his teeth in Europe with Portugal’s Porto for three years he joined wealthy French club AS Monaco in 2013 for 45 million euros ($61.27 million). After his performances in Brazil Europe’s big clubs would no doubt love to add him to their ranks, though Monaco have no need to sell the man who is already looking forward to playing Brazil. l

TOP SCORERS

Players James Rodriguez (COL) Thomas Mueller (GER) Lionel Messi (ARG) Neymar (BRA) Karim Benzema (FRA) Arjen Robben (NED) Robin van Persie (NED) Xherdan Shaqiri (SWI) Enner Valencia (ECU)

Rodriguez ‘like Maradona’, says Tabarez Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez likened James Rodriguez to Diego Maradona after his sublime volley inspired Colombia to a 2-0 victory in the World Cup last 16 on Saturday.

“For me, special talents are those who do things that are completely out of the ordinary,” said Tabarez, whose side were beaten by two Rodriguez goals at the Maracana stadium.

“Diego Maradona, Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, James Rodriguez -- they do things because they have certain gifts that make them special.”

Rodriguez, 22, opened the scoring in the 28th minute with a sensational goal, chesting the ball down and hammering a

volley in off the crossbar from 25 yards.

He doubled his tally early in the second half, sweeping home Juan Cuadrado’s knock-down to move to the top of the Golden Boot standings with five goals.

“I believe he’s the best player at the World Cup,” Tabarez added. “I don’t think I’m exaggerating. He’s a young player. We tried to limit his influence, but he kept going and made his presence felt.

“Hopefully he’ll continue to progress, because he’s very young. Football needs players with these characteristics.”

Colombia’s victory means that they will face hosts Brazil in the quarter-finals in Fortaleza on July 4.

Colombia coach Jose Pekerman, who led an Argentina side containing

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

Colombia Uruguay 2 0 10 16 8 9 3 5 1 1 19 17 1 2 0 0 55% 45%

Messi to the quarter-finals in 2006, said that Rodriguez was a player with rare and unusual gifts.

“In my long experience in football, I’ve had extraordinary footballer players

Sampaoli proud of Chile’s effort What comes to our mind when we visualize an international football coach? Handsomely clad in a suit signifying strong personality, well mannered and tactically sound. There are a lot of them who are blessed with those attributes but when you see Jorge Sampaoli, the Argentine coach of Chile national team, your thoughts will take a sharp U-turn.

Sampaoli is different. He is aggressive and never remains static in one place.

When many other coaches opt for formal outfit, Sampaoli opts for a close-fitting trouser and a polo shirt with the name Chile printed at the back and it was no different before Chile’s second round clash against Brazil on last Saturday. A pair of sneakers perfectly suits him to keep his continuous movement on and off the field. On Saturday he entered the field ahead of his team and waived to the La Roja supporters and asked them to cheer the team up.

The trademark of Sampaoli is he never sits in the dugout and constantly shouts his instructions across to his players while occasionally throwing his arms in the air.

While standing beside the sideline, he was seen having a jibe at Brazilian players as they moved forward with Oscar and Neymar being the targets. But his lips remained immobile when Chilean players were in possession of the ball. He almost hit Alexis Sanchez once on the face while reacting to a referee’s call as Sanchez was coming near the sideline to collect a drink.

During the early minutes, he ran to the fourth referee protesting loudly against a decision but continued to argue with the assistant referee even after being signaled to return to his den. Movement of his hands never stopped, always vocal and full of endless energy.

Sampaoli became headline by criticizing the pitch conditions of Arena de Sao Paulo before Chile’s match against Netherlands in the group stage. “The pitch in the stadium is in a bad state. We don’t want to destroy it more. Tomorrow we will have a match in the stadium on a pitch that does not meet our expectations,” complained Sampaoli.

Sampaoli had to temporarily suspend a practice session when Globo’s, a Brazilian news channel, helicopter flew over the team’s base on Thursday, two days before the Brazil match. Hector Olave, the team’s communication director said he asked Globo not to broadcast any of the images. Sampaoli was worried ‘because he was working on tactics and didn’t want them to know how he plans to approach the match.’ Olave later revealed that the private broadcaster apologized for this spying.

However, Sampoli’s heart always beats for the Chilean national team. “This is the best generation of Chilean footballers in our history. Our team is stronger than any other team we have seen before in our country.

That miss right at the end has been really hard to accept. We so nearly won, it was harsh,” said Sampaoli, still recovering from the shock of exit in the post match presser.

“If we had scored, we would have made history for ever. It would have been the Mineirazo,” he said referring to Brazil’s shock defeat to Uruguay, which is known as the ‘Maracanazo’, at the Maracana stadium in Rio de Janeiro in 1950 World Cup. “I’m very proud of my players. I’m proud for Chile. Everyone was against us in the stadium but we have given everything. We fought hard,” concluded the 54 year old Argentine. l

in my teams, elite players of a very high technical level,” said the Argentine.

“I placed James in the centre of everything, because I saw the extraordinary ability that he had.

“What’s most surprising is that at his young age, he doesn’t have any problem taking responsibility for doing things that some footballers take many years to understand.

“He’s a technical player who has everything to be a top player at a world level, both in terms of helping his team-mates to play and in taking the time to evaluate situations to see what needs to be done as a team.

“I have great praise for what he’s doing. I never had any doubts that this would be his World Cup.” l

Goals

Brazil sweat on Neymar, Luis Gustavo suspended Brazil were left to count the cost of Saturday’s World Cup last-16 victory over victory as Neymar suffered a thigh knock and midfielder Luis Gustavo picked up a second yellow card.

“We need to evaluate it but we should have three, four or five days to try and make sure he can play the next game,” said Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari of Neymar, who took a heavy knock to the thigh after a crunching challenge from Charles Aranguiz with the match just four minutes old.

“I don’t understand how you can do that and not be booked,” added Scolari

of a challenge that left Neymar requiring treatment.

Neymar at least managed to complete the game and avoid receiving a yellow card that would have ruled him out of next Friday’s quarter-final against Colombia.

However, Brazil will have to do without another key player in that match after midfielder Luiz Gustavo was booked for the second time in the competition.

The Wolfsburg player has been one of the hosts’ best performers so far and Scolari may now be forced to recall the under-fire Paulinho, who was dropped from the starting line-up against Chile.l

Three more steps before we reach heaven: Scolari In an emotional post-match conference following the round of 16 clash against Chile at the Estadio Mineirao, Belo Horizonte on Saturday, Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari urged the fans to continue the awesome support for the home side and dubbed his squad as the best in the world right now.

Big Phil is no doubt like a father figure to the whole squad and it was clearly evident when Neymar broke into tears while embracing the 2002 World Cup winning tactician. And Julio Cesar, hero of the penalty shootout, hugged Felipao remaining still for a long time, reminiscent of a father consoling his sons.

After the dramatic win that was achieved in the tie-breaker, Scolari celebrated by jumping into the air, a rather odd approach for a man who is 65 years old.

“People had criticised me on many occasions regarding the team. It’s normal that a coach’s selection may not please everyone but today (Saturday) Julio Cesar repaid the faith that I showered onto him.

I am saying my team is the best at the moment and for the awesome support the fans had extended, I thank them,” said Scolari.

He was philosophical while explaining the tough encounter. “We took upon ourselves this mission that we must be champions. If you make a promise you must deliver. This is what the players are doing. We have crossed four steps and there are three more before we can reach heaven,” he added.

Scolari praised Chile, who nearly won the engrossing encounter in the second half of extra-time with a last-ditch shot

from Mauricio Pinilla cannoning off the crossbar, and said Brazil must improve if they are to keep progressing. “In every match, the difficulties are escalating. The World Cup has shown that teams are very balanced. If you cannot exploit one or two or three chances, as we didn’t today, then you might pay the price for that and go out. Chile were brilliant. They are a wellorganised team and it was a very balanced game,” said Scolari.

He slammed English referee Howard Webb for missing the incident when Neymar was kicked on the thigh.

“I don’t know why people do it. Back in the 2006 World Cup, I remember [Cristiano] Ronaldo receiving a similar kick against England in the 15th minute (of the quarterfinals) when I was the Portuguese coach. Neymar has a big bruise. We’ll have to work hard to make him fit for the quarterfinals,” he added.

The expressive coach admitted that he had to go through a lot of tension during the entire game against their South American counterparts. “This is a new team and even the most experienced players feel pressure. If you say you don’t, you are lying. Now let’s see if we can make less mistakes in the next matches because if we make errors we will give away chances and might not be so lucky,” said Scolari.

When asked to describe the strength of their last eight opponents, Big Phil was quick to react. “There are different schools. Colombia play a quick game and rely on tactics but Uruguay are compact, physical and tough,” he added without

knowing who they are up against in the quarterfinals as the round of 16 tie between Colombia and Uruguay was yet to get underway by the time the postmatch presser ended. The Colombians later defeated Uruguay 2-0 at the Maracana, Rio de Janeiro courtesy a James Rodriguez double.

Brazil will now take on Colombia in an all-South American affair at the Estadio Castelao, Fortaleza on July 4. l

Sp rt DHAKA TRIBUNE Monday, June 30, 2014

15

Revamped France face Nigeria test After flashes of magnificent football in the group phase, France will look to confirm their World Cup credentials in Monday’s last-16 tie against Nigeria.

In previous World Cups, France have always reached at least the semi-finals after qualifying from the group phase, but circumspection has become the order of the day in the French camp this week.

While Didier Deschamps’s side garnered plaudits by sweeping past Honduras 3-0 and crushing Switzerland 5-2, a much-changed team could only draw 0-0 in their final Group E fixture against Ecuador on Wednesday.

Both Bacary Sagna and Morgan Schneiderlin suggested that France were potential champions after the stalemate at the Maracana, but centre-back Laurent Koscielny has since introduced a note of caution as Les Bleus prepare for Monday’s game in Brasilia.

Nigeria’s preparations for the game were disrupted by a dispute over bonuses -- an issue which delayed the squad’s arrival at last year’s Confederations Cup -- but the matter was resolved following the reported intervention of Nigerian president Goodluck Jonathan.

Brazil fan dies of heart failure after Chile match

Chelsea forward Victor Moses missed the Argentina game due to a muscular complaint, but he trained with the squad in Brasilia on Saturday.l

V France

Nigeria

Estadio Nacional, Brasilia (BRA) 30 Jun 2014 - 13:00 Local (10:00 PM BST)

KEY STATS France have had more attempts at goal, 62, in their three matches than any other team at the World Cup. Karim Benzema has scored all his three goals with his right foot.

Nigeria are aiming to reach their first World Cup quarter-final. They have twice made the last 16, in 1994 and 1998. On both occasions they were beaten in the second round by European opposition. Italy in 94 and Denmark in 98.

French players attend a training session at Santa Cruz stadium in Ribeirao Preto, northwest of Sao Paulo on Saturday

This is the first time two Africans nations (Nigeria and Algeria) have reached the knockout stages of a World Cup.

There was no bite, says Suarez described as a bite or attempting to bite happened.”

Television images of the incident in last Tuesday’s Group D game in which Uruguay beat Italy 1-0 showed clear bite marks in Chiellini’s shoulder.

Suarez has served two previous bans for biting.

The FIFA commission on Thursday banned Suarez from any football activity for four months, suspended him for nine international matches and ordered him to pay a 100,000 Swiss francs (83,000 euros/112,000 dollar) fine. The Uruguayan government and football association has reacted with outrage to the sanction.

But the disciplinary commission gave a damning assessment of Suarez’s actions in its final report in Spanish which was leaked to various media.

It said “the offence was carried out

A 69-year-old Brazilian fan died of heart failure while watching his country’s World Cup penalty shootout win over Chile, media reported Saturday.

The man was watching the tense encounter, which Brazil won on spotkicks after the sides were locked 1-1 after extra-time, in a nearby bar when he complained of feeling unwell.

The fan, who was diabetic, died shortly after being taken to hospital, web news portal G1 and the website of Estado de Minas newspaper reported.

The paper added local health officials had to treat some 100 people during the game, including a 50-yearold woman for a heart problem during the penalties and a young man whose nose was fractured in a fight. l

Shamed Uruguayan star Luis Suarez insisted he lost his balance and did not bite Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini, according to a FIFA report on the assault which led to him being expelled from the World Cup. But the FIFA disciplinary commission which banned 27-year-old Suarez from all football for four months said in a report seen by AFP that he had acted “intentionally and without provocation.”

Suarez’s statement to the commission, which was included in their report, said: “I lost my balance and ended up falling on my opponent (Chiellini)”.

“At that moment, my face hit the player (Chiellini) leaving a small bruise and sharp pain in the teeth.”

He added: “In no case what has been

Woman killed after Colombia celebratory gunfire

Uruguay hang Suarez kit as World Cup tribute

A 25-year-old woman died Saturday after she was struck by a stray bullet fired in celebration at Colombia’s World Cup win over Uruguay.

Authorities said that after Colombia beat Uruguay 2-0 to set up a World Cup quarter-final against hosts Brazil, someone celebrated by firing into the air, which killed the young woman and injured another person in Bosa, in the south of Bogota.

“We have to be more cautious,” acting Bogota mayor Ricardo Bonilla told reporters, still wearing his yellow jersey.

Taking to Twitter, police chief Rodolfo Palominos agreed: “Let’s not have the joy of this victory turn into tears. Let’s celebrate with caution.”

When Colombia beat Greece in the earlier round, celebrations left nine people dead. The deaths took place despite Colombia’s ban on alcohol sales and increased policing during the matches. l

Uruguay paid tribute to disgraced star Luis Suarez ahead of their World Cup clash with Colombia on Saturday by hanging his kit in their dressing room.

Suarez’s number nine shirt and kit were laid out in the Maracana changing rooms even though the Liverpool forward is back in Uruguay with his family.

The official Uruguay Football Association Twitter account posted a pic-

ture of Suarez’s shirt, lined up in place between those of Abel Hernandez and Diego Forlan, who wear the numbers eight and 10 respectively.

The picture was accompanied by a message: “Uruguay team’s changing room at the Maracana. Luis Suarez’s place is intact. Come on Uruguay!”

Suarez was sent home from the World Cup for biting Italy’s Giorgio Chiellini in Uruguay’s final Group D match. l

directly against an opposing player, while the ball was not being disputed, and it was done deliberately, intentionally and without provocation.”

It added that “intentionally causing physical injury to an opposing player, through a bite ... is completely alien to football (and) obviously violates the principles of fair play or sporting ethic.”

Suarez on Saturday thanked fans for the support they have shown.

The goalscorer has taken refuge with his family since being expelled from the World Cup. The 27-year-old Liverpool striker posted a Twitter statement “to give thanks for the outpouring of love and support I am receiving.

“Myself and my family really appreciate it,” he added. “Thank you very much for being by my side. I want all of us to support my teammates in today’s match against Colombia.” l

Costa Ricans pass doping tests Costa Rica’s players who had drug tests after two World Cup games all produced negative results, their federation said Saturday.

Argentina legend Diego Maradona joined the Costa Rican federation in hitting out at world governing body Fifa when seven players were subjected to doping controls following their 1-0 win over Italy. The two matches were Costa Rica’s 3-1 win over Uruguay and the success against Italy. 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 France v Nigeria 2:00AM Germany v Algeria Star Sports 1, 4 4:30PM & 6:00PM Wimbledon Championship Ten Cricket West Indies v New Zealand 3rd Test, Day 5

REUTERS

Student, North South University

For more info visit our FB event page ‘World Cup in Bangladesh’ Photography Contest

Penalty shootouts: Tricks of the trade LOOK AT ME Watch for goalkeepers with wobbly legs and a goal-line jiggle, all intended to distract the striker. The tactic is also helped by fluorescent or bat-winged jerseys and outsized gloves, designed to make the keeper look bigger and the goalmouth smaller.

SEEING RED

slightly off centre – no more than 10 centimetres (four inches) off the centre of the line – give a subconscious prompt to the striker as to where to place the ball.

The kicker is 10 percent likelier to go for the slightly wider side of the goal mouth, giving the keeper a useful predictive advantage.

DO YOUR HOMEWORK Scientists say red – associated with danger or anger, which is why at times Prep work can be a neat guide to the of stress we pay more attention to it -- is taker’s preferences or a goalkeeper’s the most effective colour for keepers. weakness.

Experiments at Chichester University, In the 2006 World Cup, German keeper southern England, found that a keeper Jens Lehmann cunningly tucked a let in only 54 percent of penalties when piece of paper down his sock from his wearing red, compared to 69 percent coach ahead of a quarter-final shootout for yellow, 72 percent for blue and 75 against Argentina. The note successfully percent for green. predicted which way each striker liked BE MY FRIEND to angle the short (low left, high right A keeper classic: Go up and shake the and so on). The crumpled paper later striker’s hand in a sporting gesture, pick fetched a million euros ($1.35 million) up the ball and stroke or pat it – and for charity. then put it back slightly off-centre. All ALL IN GOOD TIME this takes control away from the striker, Time favours the striker. Researchers forcing him to look at the keeper and have found that if he takes the penalty abandon his preparatory rituals to within three seconds after the whistle readjust the ball. has blown, he gets an element of PUT IT OVER HERE surprise; if he waits at least 13 seconds, Dutch researchers found that goalkeepthe agonising delay unsettles the ers who positioned themselves just keeper.

16

DHAKA TRIBUNE Monday, June 30, 2014 DHAKA TRIBUNE Monday, June 16, 2014

13 Personifying ‘explicit’ journalism

14 Rodriguez makes forget Falcao

Sport

15 Revamped France face Nigeria test

Algeria fight for revenge against Germany If revenge is a plate best served cold, Algeria will hope to dish it out to Germany in their World Cup Round of 16 match today 32 years after one of the most shameful games in the tournament’s history.

KEY STATS Striker Miroslav Klose came off the bench to score a record-equalling 15th World Cup goal during Germany’s 2-2 group stage draw against Ghana.

With four goals, Thomas Mueller is the tournament’s second joint top scorer with Neymar and Lionel Messi Appearing at their fourth World Cup, Algeria have reached the second round for the first time.

Algeria’s fourth goal against South Korea in their Group H match in Porto Alegre on Sunday made them the highest-scoring African side in a single World Cup match.

Until they scored against Belgium in their opening match, Algeria had not netted a World Cup goal for 28 years.

Previous meetings

The two teams have met twice before, including once in the 1982 FIFA World Cup, with Algeria surprisingly winning on both occasions.

In all likelihood, however, a powerful Germany side will bring the Desert Foxes’ run to an end and deprive them of retribution and further glory. But it might not be easy.

The Germans, champions in 1954, 1974 and 1990, arrived in Brazil as one of the favourites. They showed their credentials by demolishing Portugal 4-0 in their opening game but stumbled slightly against Ghana, drawing 2-2.

They then dismissed the United States with a strong performance that still left some room for improvement, although Thomas Mueller showed again what a lethal striker he is.

Algeria, masterminded by the wily French Bosnian coach Vahid Halilhodzic and carrying the hopes of the Arab world with them, have impressed with their tenacity and ball skills.

After losing their opening match to Belgium, they overwhelmed South Korea 4-2 in an epic match in Porto Alegre.

In their crucial final group game, a headed goal by Islam Slimani brought them back from 1-0 down against Russia to secure a draw, sending them through to the last 16.

Algeria have beaten Germany in the World Cup before, defeating the thenWest Germany 2-1 in Spain in 1982. But what followed was a travesty.

So the stage is set for a grand show in Porto Alegre’s Beira Rio stadium on Monday, with the winner’s reward a quarter-final against France or Nigeria.l

V Germany Germany’s Thomas Mueller (L) winks and gives a thumbs-up beside his teammates Mesut Ozil and Roman Weidenfeller (R) as they arrive in the town of Santa Cruz Cabralia on Saturday REUTERS

Age is just a number In Brazil’s case, it’s number 9

Aging is a problem in Brazil. One does not have to be a genius or use Google to be able to tell this. All you have to do is look at the Brazilian spectators during this World Cup. The same young buxom lady who famously flashed us during halftime of the Brazil Argentina game in 1990 can still be seen in the stands. Only now she is wear-

ing an oversized Neymar jersey and resting a somnolent grandchild on her lap.

Seriously, if I see another close shot of an octogenarian painted yellow and screaming maniacally at the camera, I will bite someone.

Observations made with the fond glasses of hindsight are often inaccurate, but in this case are bourn out by facts.

Brazil does indeed have one of the biggest elderly populations in the world. To be fair, they have one of the biggest populations in the world as a whole so any subset is likely to figure at the top of the list. Nonetheless the percentage of old people is impressive

BRAZIL’S OVER-RELIANCE ON NEYMAR MAKES HIM A TARGET

Luiz Felipe Scolari told a story after Brazil’s game against Chile going back to when he was Cristiano Ronaldo’s manager with Portugal. “I remember we were playing against Holland and, in the fifth minute of the game, their defender, Khalid Boulahrouz, came through and pretty much broke Cristiano Ronaldo in half. Ronaldo had to go off 10 minutes later and – here’s the thing – when I saw Neymar after the game today I remembered that.” The Brazil coach was convinced Chile had deliberately set out to nobble his best player, in the form of Gary Medel’s introductory challenge inside the opening five minutes. Neymar played on but his thigh was bruised and swollen – “this big!” Scolari exclaimed, hands apart – and he could be seen limping through parts of the match.

The problem for Scolari is that he cannot always rely on the same player to carry the team’s hopes. Neymar does it well but it is probably not a figment of Scolari’s imagination if he suspects opposition teams have cottoned on and started identifying the Barcelona player for special treatment.

as well. Seems like, over the last three decades, improvements in Brazil’s healthcare system have led to fewer and fewer people dying before sixty. That coupled with a robust population control campaign has lead to an unexpected rise in the demand for dentures.

I am no expert but fewer people dying and less seeds being successfully sown both seem like positive things. Experts, however, tell me otherwise. Apparently having millions of increasingly fit people walking around in canes is not always a good thing. You have to feed them and clothe them, and when the retirement

money runs out, you have to give them jobs. For a country that is expecting a youth driven economic revolution, this might be an unforeseen burden. By all accounts, however, the Brazilian government has been equal to the task at hand, and has taken several positive measures to include seniors in the country’s march towards a golden future.

Generally, football is not kind to aging.

Just ask Xavi, Villa, or Gerrard. Pirlo is the only exception, but he is an exception in almost all cases. There is increasing of youth over maturity in the “beautiful game”.

Unless you are a freak like Giggs, you are

done by 35. Given Brazil’s massive engagement with football, the aging problem that faces the nation as a whole is bound to hit the sport as well. It is touching to see the Brazilian coach, Big Phil, tackle the problem head on. He could have easily left the seniors hanging out to dry citing the need for younger legs but he has refused to do so.

Instead Philip Scolari, rising to the challenges of aging like Leonidas, has insisted on playing Fred. The veteran features for Brazil in the starting line-up. In every game.

Playing Fred is a trying decision, since a cross to him is like a cross to the bar.

Excepting the very rare accident, the ball will ricochet to the wrong side of the field or out of play.

Like most others, I too was harsh in my assessment of Scolari’s tactics in playing a real number nine who is a false number

5 TALKING POINTS FROM SATURDAY

ARE BARCELONA REALLY ABOUT TO SELL SÁNCHEZ?

The Chile forward was a snapshot of anguish in Belo Horizonte on Saturday, after he was one of those to miss from the penalty spot for his country in the last16 shootout defeat to Brazil. But Sánchez could hold his head high, after bowing out with an eye-catching performance. He had starred at the group phase and, on the grand stage against Brazil, he not only scored but was behind almost all of Chile’s forward surges. His pace was electric while his touch was ever inventive. Sánchez was not always an automatic choice at Barcelona last season, which did not please him, and it is believed that the Catalan club are ready to sell him. His explosiveness would be well suited to the Premier League, where Liverpool and Arsenal are prominent among his admirers.

COLOMBIA, NOT CHILE, COULD END UP BRAZIL’S NIGHTMARE OPPONENTS

Scolari had made great play of the threat posed by Chile in the buildup to Brazil’s last-16 tie, with all those concerns justified over the intriguing 120 minutes and penalty shootout that ensued. The hosts limped away from that success as relieved as they were elated.

Hopefully their evenings will not have been ruined by glimpses of Colombia easing beyond Uruguay, normally such rugged, awkward opponents, back in Rio de Janeiro. Inspired by James Rodríguez, but with the attacking talents of Jackson Martínez, Juan Cuadrado and Teófilo Gutíerrez working effectively in unison around their 22-year-old playmaker, the Colombians are coming. José Pékerman’s side travel north to Fortaleza for Friday’s quarter-final fresh and confident after 11 games unbeaten. They are playing under no pressure, with this already the furthest they have ever progressed at a World Cup. There is a vibrancy to their play which all-comers will struggle to snuff out.

A team that started the finals as dark horses for the latter stages actually feel like favourites going into a tie against the hosts. Certainly, the Brazilians will have to be sharper up front and more assured at the back if they are to avoid a distinctly uncomfortable occasion on the north-east coast.

Algeria

Estadio Beira-Rio, Porto Alegre (BRA) 30 Jun 2014 - 17:00 Local (02:00 AM BST)

nine for all the wrong reasons. That is until I read about Brazil’s aging challenge. Once I learned about Brazil’s problem with seniors, I started tearing up in admiration instead of frustration every time I saw Fred in yellow.

Scolari has made a great sacrifice to part of the solution to one of his country’s most pressing problems. He has jeopardized personal glory for the sake of national development, and for the happiness of one of Brazil’s largest demographic subsets.

Watching Fred’s old legs bumbling around tiredly on the field must bring hope and joy to the millions of elder Brazilians looking for inspiration in their bid to make a comeback in life. It must make that lady who made us so happy in 1990 feel like she still has something left in the tank. If playing Fred as a false number eleven pleases her, I say “right! Play Fred”. l

WHAT NEXT FOR URUGUAY AND SUÁREZ?

WEBB UPSTAGED BY A VERY EAGLE-EYED ENGLISH LINESMAN

On a night when Edinson Cavani failed to live up to his billing and the ageing Diego Forlán was unable to step into the shoes of Luis Suárez, the question of what on earth Uruguay are going to do without their talisman for the next eight competitive matches hung heavily over Óscar Tabárez’s team. This group of players peaked four years ago in South Africa and, if he stays in his post, Tabárez has something of a rebuilding job on his hands. He will have to do it without Suárez.

Afterwards, “the professor” was magnanimous in defeat and full of praise for Colombia in general and James Rodríguez in particular. But he would not be drawn on whether he would remain in the job. Meanwhile Suárez and Liverpool have some big decisions to make over the coming weeks.

Howard Webb’s performance in the Brazil v Chile game was far from perfect, and there were periods – particularly in the first half – during which his unwillingness to remove his notebook from his pocket seemed only to encourage rampant niggly fouling.

But what caught the eye was the performance of Webb’s assistant Michael Mullarkey, who was responsible for the game’s two outstanding eagle-eyed spots. The first, he noticed the top of Hulk’s right arm flex with the impact of the ball as he controlled it before beating Claudio Bravo in the 55th minute, leading to a disallowed strike and a great deal of comment. Just under 20 minutes later Hulk had the ball again, this time on the left wing, and he crossed towards Jô, who was attacking the far post. As the ball arrived, the Chile defender Eugenio Mena flung out a leg, and the ball diverted from its path and rolled out of play. It took several slow-motion replays for most viewers to be sure that Mena had not touched the ball, but that he had perhaps distracted Jô enough for the striker to miss his kick. Mullarkey, with no replays at all, correctly awarded Chile a goal-kick. Perhaps it’s fitting that the man most proudly waving England’s flag in Brazil is a professional flag-waver.

Editor: Zafar Sobhan, Published and Printed by Kazi Anis Ahmed on behalf of 2A Media Limited at Dainik Shakaler Khabar Publications Limited, 153/7, Tejgaon Industrial Area, Dhaka-1208. Editorial, News & Commercial Office: FR Tower, 8/C Panthapath, Shukrabad, Dhaka 1207.

Phone: 9132093-94, Advertising: 9132155, Circulation: 9132282, Fax: News-9132192, e-mail: news@dhakatribune.com, info@dhakatribune.com, Website: www.dhakatribune.com

B3 BIS: New compass needed for global economy

B4 With new tech tools,

precision farming gains traction

MONDAY, JUNE 30, 2014 www.dhakatribune.com/business

FDR rate falls Stocks jump as capital gain tax goes due to sluggish investment n Tribune Report

n Jebun Nesa Alo The interest rate banks offer against fixed deposits has come down as the banks are reluctant to mobilise more funds due to the lack of expected credit demand in the wake of the ongoing sluggish investment scenario.

The rate of FDR (fixed deposit receipt) dropped 1% on short-term deposits in May from December last year, according to the Bangladesh Bank data.

The commercial banks are now offering highest 11.50% and lowest 7% interest rates against short-term deposits, which was 12.50% and 8.50% respectively in the same period.

Deposit growth in the banking sector also remained slow from December last year as the credit demand dropped amid political turmoil over January 5 national polls.

The deposit growth was declined by 0.2% to 8.22% in January this year from 8.42% in the previous month of December and the growth rate still continued to remain slow.

As the banks could not utilise their existing fund properly due to the prolonged political instability, the amount of excess liquidity marked a sharp rise, which virtually forced the banks to cut their FDR rates, Golam Hafiz Ahmed, Managing Director of NCC Bank, told the Dhaka Tribune.

Although the banks are offering slightly lower interest rate against the

deposits in comparison with the last several months, no bank is discouraging the depositors in depositing their money, he said.

“The deposit rate will be increased with the growing lending rates as we expect the fund utilisation will be increased in the new fiscal year.”

He, however, noted that the lending rates also came down along with the deposit rates as Bangladesh Bank undertook many steps to put pressure on the banks to cut their lending rate.

The average lending rate in the banking sector stood at 13.25% in April from 13.45% in December last year, according to the central bank’s latest data.

The deposit growth of the bank stood at 11.89% to Tk599,654 crore in April compared to the growth of 13.12% to Tk518,850 crore in the same period of the last year.

The growth rate was 10.98% in March and 9.89% in February compared to 11.84% and 10.25% respectively in the same period of the last year.

The credit growth rate recorded 10.6% in December 2013 compared to 16.6% in the same period of the previous year.

The growth rate stood at 11.1% in January, 10.7% in February, 11.5% in March this year compared to 14.8%, 14% and 12.7% respectively in the same period of the year 2013.

The amount of excess liquidity stood at Tk138,201 crore in March from Tk79,440 crore in June last year. l

Stocks jumped yesterday, as investors cheered up with the removal of proposed capital gain tax from the finance bill passed in parliament on Saturday.

The benchmark DSEX ended at 4,487 with a gain of over 77 points or 1.8%. This was the steepest daily gain in the last six and half months. The rally also broke its modest rally for the fourth straight session.

The Shariah index DSES rose 11 points or 1% to 1,017. The comprising blue chips DS30 was up 22 points or 1.4% to close at 1,639.

Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) Selective Categories Index, CSCX, ended at 8,541 with a rise of 140 points.

‘Investors gladly welcomed the news, and their positive sentiment was clearly reflected in the stocks, setting the market in a vibrant mode’ Analysts said the government’s decision to withdraw from the capital gain tax which was earlier proposed in the FY15 budget definitely played a staggering role leaving a positive mark on the market.

“Investors gladly welcomed the news, and their positive sentiment was clearly reflected in the stocks, setting the market in a vibrant mode,” said one of them.

Trading activities also take a lift as the total turnover at DSE stood at Tk390 crore, which was 29 % higher over the previous session.

Investors are seen at a brokerhouse placing orders to execute trades recently IDLC Investments said market started the week on a positive note following the government’s decision to drop capital gain tax for individual investors.

All the sectors ended in green except telecommunication as the largest sector in the market edged lower.

Non-banking financial institutions and food posted gains of more than 4% and 3% respectively. They were followed by banks which closed over 2%

higher, power 1.6% and pharmaceuticals 1.3%.

Zenith Investments said leaving a bundle of opportunities for capital market, especially for investors, the Finance Bill 2014 was passed on Saturday.

“Withdrawal of proposed capital gain tax stimulated investors very positively. Besides, tax rebate seekers’ investment continued flowing to the market, adding an additional boost to

Mobile operators begin Ramadan business n Muhammad Zahidul Islam

A view of a mobile application

The country’s leading mobile phone operators have begun their Ramadan business with offering different services, recharge bonus while mobile application developers are offering ‘Ramadan’ app just ahead of the holy month of Ramadan, which begins today.

All the four leading mobile phone operators Grameenphone, Banglalink, Robi and Airtel are now trying to woo their customers by offering various special services through strong media campaign during the last couple of days.

With further media campaign, the other mobile operators are also planning to join the Ramadan-related trade race, informed the market sources.

Going through the content of the media campaign, it is found that Sehri and Iftar are the very common services for the operators and apps also, which could very be helpful for the absent

minded users.

The market leader Grameenphone has also launched a group of Islamic welcome-tune including Ajan while Banglalink, the second largest operator interns of subscribers, has launched 10-minute free reciting from the holy Quran if anybody takes its bundle offers.

As Banglalink has launched an Islamic portal, the subscribers can enjoy the reciting from the holy Quran, Hadith and also other religious programmes in Bangla language.

Banglalink is also offering mobile TV for Islamic programs as like as Peace TV, which broadcasts live from Mecca and Medina.

Robi is offering traditional bonus offers while Airtel is also offering mobile TV programmes with Islamic programs.

According to mobile phone operators, just after launching the Ramadan-related services, they are also pre-

$82m ADB loan to fight climate change impact in coastal belts n Tribune Report Asian Development Bank has provided $82m in loans and $12m in grants to protect coastal towns from the ravages of natural disasters and climate change.

Climate change and variability are critical development issues for Bangladesh, particularly in its low lying coastal areas naturally exposed to sea level rise, storm surges, and more frequent and intense storm events.

The government, in its Sixth FiveYear Plan, has targeted assistance to vulnerable coastal populations with improvements in climate resilient water supply, sanitation, drainage, urban roads and bridges, solid waste management, slum improvements, and transport facilities and flood protection infrastructure.

To achieve the target, Joint Secretary of Economic Relations Division (ERD) Saifuddin Ahmed and ADB Country Director, Bangladesh Kazuhiko Higuchi signed the agreements on behalf of their respective organisations at ERD in Dhaka yesterday, says an ADB press release.

The assistance will support eight

vulnerable secondary coastal towns to build up their climate resilience and disaster preparedness.

The towns are Amtali, Galachipa, Mathbaria, Pirojpur, Barguna, Bhola, Daulat Khan, and Kalapara.

The towns were selected based on their needs, population size and density, and level of past investments.

Of the $82m ADB loan, $52m is from the concessional Asian Development Fund (ADF) resources while the rest $30m comes from the ADB Strategic Climate Fund (SCF).

The ADF loan will have a 25-year term, including a grace period of five years, and an interest rate of 2% per annum during the grace period and thereafter.

The SCF loan will have a 40-year term, including a grace period of 10 years, and an annual service charge of 0.10%.

The ADB-SCF is also providing $10.4m in grant for the project. The Sanitation Financing Partnership Trust Fund (the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation) under the Water Financing Partnership Facility will provide another grant equivalent to $1.6m.

The government will provide

$23.1m equivalent for the project.

The project is estimated to cost a total of $117.1m, and scheduled to be completed by 2020.

The Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives, acting through its Local Government Engineering Department and the Department of Public Health Engineering, will be the executing agencies for the project.

“The project supports towns in need of assistance as identified under the government’s Coastal Development Strategy and Strategic Program for Climate Resilience,” said ADB Country Director.

The support will be in two stages – for infrastructure required for climate resilience, and economic infrastructure; the pace of these supports will be aligned with the progress in various municipal planning and services.

Coastal areas of the country, with a population of over 38 million, are heavily exposed to cyclones, storm surges, and sea level rises, which are expected to become more frequent and extreme with the onset of climate change. l

paring for the upcoming Eid festival.

Ahead of Eid, some handset brands are also planing to launch few programmes withing a week or two, informed the sources.

With further media campaign, the other mobile operators are also planning to join the Ramadan-related trade race Meanwhile, application developer company Multimedia Content & Communications Ltd. installed an application yesterday containing full of Ramadan-related Islamic activities.

The application includes a full cal-

endar for the month of Ramadan, with the facility to set alarms for Sehri and Iftar timing.

There is an in-built compass to help find the correct Kebla direction.

The rules for praying Tarabi namaj are also included.

Apart from that, an e-Tasbih has already been introduced to use during namaj or at any other time.

Application has made the Quran available and one can listen the reciting of the famous Kuwaiti Qari Sheikh Mishary Bin Rashid Alafasy, informed the MCC. The app also provide Quran recitations with both Bangla and English translations, the Hadith and Hamd Naat and much more.

Users are requested to download this app during Ramadan from the Google Play Store (completely free) at- https://play.google.com/store/apps/ details?id=com.mcc.ramadan. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

market activities.”

Out of 296 issues traded, 236 advanced, 44 declined and 16 remained unchanged.

Lafarge Surma Cement topped the liquidity chart with turnover of Tk34.5 crore. It was followed by Beximco Ltd, Grameenphone, United Airways, Square Pharmaceuticals, Bangladesh Submarine Cable Company Ltd and Eastern Housing Ltd. l

DSE shortens trading hours for Ramadan n Tribune Report Share trading at Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) will be held for only three hours during the holy month of Ramadan beginning today.

The trading will begin at 10:30 am and will close at 1:30 pm, instead of the regular four hours trading period from 10:30 am to 2:30 pm.

The DSE office will remain open from 9:30 am to 4 pm during the month.

DSE trading and office will get back to normal trading hours after the month and the holiday for Eid-ul- Fitr.

The same timing will be followed by the other exchange, Chittagong Stock Exchange, said the bourse’s website yesterday. l

49 countries give duty-free access n Tribune Report

Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed yesterday said some 49 countries allowed duty-free access of Bangladeshi products to their markets.

The country will get duty-free access of all products to Chile from January 1 next, he said, replying to a written question from treasury bench member Begum Pinu Khan in parliament.

The duty-free markets are 28 EU countries, Australia, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland (except arms and military equipment), Japan (except arms, military equipment and some specific goods), Turkey (except arms, military equipment and readymade garments), Canada (except arms and military equipment, poultry and dairy products and egg) and Russia allowed duty-free access of 71 products and Belarus 71 products under the Generalised System of Preference (GSP) to Bangladesh.

Tofail said South Korea has given duty-free access of 4,820 products under the Preferential Tariff for Least Developed Countries and China 4,788 products under duty-free treatment grants.

Bangladesh has got duty-free access of all prod-

ucts except tobacco and drugs to India under the SAFTA, while other SAARC countries Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Nepal, Pakistan and the Maldives have given such facilities under the SAFTA and SAPTA. Thailand has allowed duty-free access of 299 products under BIMSTEC, and Malaysia 297 products.

The minister said discussions are underway to realise duty-free access of Bangladeshi products to different Southeast Asian countries and Latin American nations like Brazil, Mexico and Argentina and CIS countries and South Africa.

“The government’s efforts are continuing to get duty-free access of Bangladeshi products from countries having export-potential by signing Free

Trade Agreement,” he said.

In response to another question from Awami League lawmaker Morshed Alam, he said Bangladesh fetched US$27bn in 2012-13 fiscal year by exporting 737 products.

The products included oven garments, knitwear, home textile, frozen food, shrimp, leather and leather goods, footwear, agri-produces, bicycle, chemical products, pharmaceutical and ceramic goods, paper and paper products, rubber carpet, cap, handicrafts, tea, dry food, wood and wood products, manmade filaments, computer services, jute and jute goods, specialised textile, cotton and cotton goods, engineering products, cement, petroleum by-products, plastic goods and printed materials. l

B2

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Company

Turnover (Million Taka)

AGM: 29.05.2014, RD: 12.05.2014.

JMISMDL: 15% cash, AGM: 24.07.2014, RD: 22.05.2014.

SUMITPOWER: 15% stock, AGM: 30.06.2014. RD: 18.05.2014.

PREMIERLEA: No dividend, AGM: 26.06.2014, RD: 25.05.2014.

SPPCL: 10% cash & 10% stock, AGM: 30.06.2014. RD: 18.05.2014.

AZIZPIPES: No dividend, AGM: 26.06.2014, RD: 21.05.2014.

RDFOOD: 10% stock, AGM: 29.05.2014, RD: 08.05.2014.

BGIC: 12% cash, AGM: 26.06.2014, RD: 12.05.2014.

EASTERNINS: 20% cash, AGM: 24.06.2014, RD: 15.05.2014.

PREMIERBAN: 10% stock, AGM: 28.05.2014, RD: 11.05.2014.

RANFOUNDRY: 22% cash, AGM: 25.06.2014, RD: 15.05.2014.

PARAMOUNT: 10% stock, AGM: 25.06.2014, RD: 11.05.2014.

CONFIDCEM: 27.50% cash, AGM: 25.06.2014, RD: 14.05.2014.

PLFSL: 10% stock, AGM: 26.06.2014, RD: 15.05.2014.

DHAKAINS: 20% cash, AGM: 26.06.2014, RD: 14.05.2014.

FEDERALINS: 11% stock, AGM: 26.06.2014, RD: 19.05.2014.

BDWELDING: No dividend, AGM: 26.06.2014, RD: 19.05.2014.

MARICO: 50% final cash, AGM: 19.08.2014, RD: 02.07.2014.

ASIAPACINS: 12% cash, AGM: 14.08.2014, RD: 08.05.2014.

GHCL: 10% cash dividend for the shareholders except Directors, AGM: 09.07.2014, RD: 15.05.2014.

ARAMIT: 50% cash, AGM: 26.06.2014, RD: 07.05.2014. l

3,901.23

Turnover (Volume)

103,930,420

Number of Contract

100,047

Traded Issues

297

Issue Gain (Avg. Price Basis)

238

Issue Loss (Avg. Price Basis)

53

Unchanged Issue (Avg. Price Basis)

6

Market Capital Equity (Billion. Tk.)

2,315.01

Market Capital Equity (Billion US$)

28.06

CSE key features June 29, 2014 Turnover (Million Taka)

325.64

Turnover (Volume)

Daily capital market highlights

10,871,140

Number of Contract

14,812

DSE Broad Index :

4487.07318

(+) 1.76%

▲

Traded Issues

225

DSE Shariah Index :

1017.17358

(+) 1.09%

▲

Issue Gain (Avg. Price Basis)

191

1638.9007

(+) 1.38%

▲

Issue Loss (Avg. Price Basis)

29

CSE All Share Index:

13820.75760

(+) 1.60%

▲

Unchanged Issue (Avg. Price Basis)

4

CSE - 30 Index :

11375.76650

(+) 1.56%

▲

Market Capital Equity (Billion. Tk.)

2,218.30

8540.83730

(+) 1.66%

▲

Market Capital Equity (Billion US$)

26.89

DSE - 30 Index :

CSE Selected Index : DSE LOSERS

Active Fine Chem.-A GeminiSeaFood-Z Savar Refractories-Z Central Insur -A AIBL 1st Is. M. F.-A Imam Button -Z BD Fixed Income MF-A Samata LeatheR -Z

-4.10 -3.77 -3.65 -3.54 -2.78 -2.53 -2.47 -2.18

Average (% change) -1.94 -7.14 -3.33 -4.99 -1.39 -2.88 0.00 -2.07

Modern Dyeing -Z Al-Haj Textile -A

-2.16 -2.15

-4.35 -1.52

Company

Closing (% change)

CSE LOSERS

Pragati Gen. I -A Midas Financing-Z Apex SpinningA Imam Button -Z Rupali Life Insur.-A Premier Leasing-Z Active Fine Chem.-A Daffodil Computers -Z

-9.32 -7.19 -4.82 -3.95 -2.95 -2.63 -2.59 -2.52

Average (% change) -9.32 -7.19 -4.82 -3.95 -2.95 -1.07 -0.02 -2.27

Federal Insu.-A Grameen M F One-A

-2.40 -1.87

-2.22 -1.28

Company

Closing (% change)

ANALYST

Closing average

Closing

Bank NBFI Investment Engineering Food & Allied Fuel & Power Jute Textile Pharma & Chemical Paper & Packaging Service Leather Ceramic Cement Information Technology General Insurance Life Insurance Telecom Travel & Leisure Miscellaneous Debenture

DSE Million Taka 396.34 162.67 51.15 357.90 168.50 300.74 2.20 308.22 522.89 0.43 111.53 38.45 22.37 474.48 24.68 36.99 72.57 296.28 191.20 361.09 0.56

Turnover in million

Daily low

Latest EPS

Latest PE

64.05 130.00 58.00 24.17 7.09 7.77 8.00 27.00

63.20 130.00 58.00 24.50 7.00 7.70 7.90 26.90

67.00 130.20 58.00 24.70 7.40 8.10 8.10 27.20

61.00 130.00 58.00 23.70 7.00 7.70 7.70 26.90

58.538 0.052 0.003 0.029 0.397 0.167 0.020 0.162

3.72 -11.90 0.52 3.64 1.49 -1.85 0.56 0.09

17.2 -ve 111.5 6.6 4.8 -ve 14.3 300.0

76.52 156.65

76.90 154.70

77.10 161.70

75.10 150.00

0.088 26.548

1.61 2.00

47.5 78.3

Closing average

Closing

Daily high

Turnover in million

Daily low

Latest EPS

Fine Foods A National Housing Fin.-B Union Capital -A Shinepukur Cera-Z BEXIMCO Ltd. -A Rangpur Dairy-N BD Finance-A In Tech Online -A National Bank - A Fu-wang Ceramic-A

39.90 14.20 75.00 7.30 65.80 7.40 63.90 11.60

39.90 14.20 75.00 7.30 65.80 7.50 66.70 12.00

39.90 14.20 75.00 7.30 65.80 7.40 63.50 11.60

0.056 0.021 0.015 0.022 0.066 0.156 3.687 0.082

2.52 -6.91 1.85 -1.85 5.33 0.12 3.72 0.68

15.8 -ve 40.5 -ve 12.3 61.8 17.4 17.1

20.29 42.27

20.30 42.00

20.40 42.80

20.20 42.00

0.041 0.254

1.36 3.40

14.9 12.4

Market started the week on a positive note following the government’s decision to drop capital gain tax for individual investors % change 10.16 4.17 1.31 9.17 4.32 7.71 0.06 7.90 13.40 2.86 0.99 0.57 12.16 0.63 0.95 1.86 7.59 4.90 9.26 0.01

Million Taka 32.62 13.33 4.43 34.70 9.44 22.22 24.95 23.19 5.67 8.19 6.67 2.37 43.61 2.92 0.65 4.15 25.86 38.53 39.11 0.02

% change 9.52 3.89 1.29 10.13 2.76 6.48 0.00 7.28 6.77 1.65 2.39 1.95 0.69 12.73 0.85 0.19 1.21 7.55 11.25 11.42 0.01

Million Taka 428.96 176.00 55.58 392.60 177.95 322.96 2.20 333.17 546.07 6.09 119.72 45.12 24.74 518.09 27.60 37.64 76.72 322.14 229.73 400.20 0.58

Total

9.93 9.67 9.27 9.17 8.33 8.19 8.00 7.20 6.73 6.67

CSE GAINERS Company Fine Foods A Aziz PipesZ National Housing Fin.-B BD Finance-A In Tech Online -A Rangpur Dairy-N BEXIMCO Ltd. -A Shinepukur Cera-Z National Bank - A SummitAlliancePort.-A

Closing (% change) 9.93 9.38 9.12 8.87 8.80 8.77 8.33 8.20 7.62 7.20

Average (% change) 7.68 9.24 7.68 6.39 9.11 6.07 7.12 5.91 5.72 4.49 Average (% change) 9.16 9.20 9.66 8.01 8.83 7.14 9.14 7.25 5.08 6.49

Closing average 15.29 29.44 22.14 12.82 32.95 18.18 13.24 13.27 11.09 15.82

Closing average 15.37 14.00 29.86 13.35 13.44 18.30 32.97 12.87 10.96 24.94

Closing 15.50 29.50 22.40 13.10 33.80 18.50 13.50 13.40 11.10 16.00

Closing 15.50 14.00 29.90 13.50 13.60 18.60 33.80 13.20 11.30 25.30

Daily high 15.50 29.50 22.50 13.20 34.10 18.70 13.60 13.50 11.40 16.20

Daily high 15.50 14.00 30.10 13.60 13.70 18.80 34.00 13.40 11.40 25.50

Daily low 12.70 26.00 18.50 10.80 28.10 15.50 11.30 12.00 9.40 13.50

Daily low 13.00 14.00 29.00 12.70 13.10 17.60 31.10 12.40 10.40 24.00

Turnover in million 3.240 4.601 10.484 6.614 265.617 18.239 3.915 2.220 38.604 11.402

Turnover in million 0.564 0.002 0.911 0.451 0.551 1.504 30.886 0.896 6.226 3.504

Latest EPS -1.01 2.32 2.08 0.64 0.59 1.12 1.22 -0.80 0.92 0.49

Latest EPS -1.01 0.68 2.32 1.22 -0.80 1.12 0.59 0.64 0.92 1.08

Latest PE -ve 12.7 10.6 20.0 55.8 16.2 10.9 -ve 12.1 32.3

Latest PE -ve 20.6 12.9 10.9 -ve 16.3 55.9 20.1 11.9 23.1

News, analysis and recent disclosers ORIONINFU: Credit Rating Agency of Bangladesh Limited (CRAB) has announced the entity rating (surveillance) of the Company as "BBB3" based on audited financial statements of the Company up to June 30, 2013; bank liability position as of September 30, 2013 and other relevant quantitative as well as qualitative information up to the date of rating declaration.

GRAMEEN1: Grameen Fund, the Trustee of Grameen Mutual Fund One, has informed that at the meeting of the Unit holders of the Fund held at 11 AM on June 26, 2014 the Unit holders elected to extend the tenure of the scheme for another 10 years term from July 01, 2015 to end on June 30, 2025 under the relevant provisions of the SEC (Mutual Fund) Rules 2001. Notwithstanding anything contained in any other document of the scheme or the fund, as the said Rules provides for the time being, the scheme may not be eligible for any further extension. In other separate motions, the Unitholders also re-confirmed continuation of the appointment of Grameen Fund as the Trustee and AIMS of Bangladesh Limited as the Asset Manager of the scheme for the extended period.

DSE TURNOVER LEADERS Company LafargeS Cement-Z BEXIMCO Ltd. -A Grameenphone-A UNITED AIR-A Square Pharma -A BD Submarine Cable-A Eastern Housing -A

CSE

Closing (% change)

IFIC: BSEC is not in a position to consider the application of IFIC Bank Ltd. for extension of time as applied for as the Company has failed to comply with the rule 7(1) of the Securities and Exchange Commission (Rights Issue) Rules, 2006 regarding submission of application for issuing rights share along with the offer document which was required to furnish to the Commission for approval within 15 working days of approval of such issue by the shareholders of the Company in a general meeting.

PROVATIINS: The Company has informed that it has credited the bonus shares for the year ended on December 31, 2013 to the respective shareholders' BO Accounts on June 26, 2014.

RENATA: The Company has informed that it has credited the bonus shares for the year ended on December 31, 2013 to the respective shareholders' BO Accounts on June 26, 2014.

KPCL: The Company has informed that it has credited the bonus shares for the year ended on December 31, 2013 to the respective shareholders' BO Accounts on June 23, 2014. The Company has also informed that

the cash dividend including the payment of sale proceeds of fractional shares will be disbursed to the respective bank account of the shareholders and whose bank accounts are not found, dividend warrants will be issued and dispatched to the registered address of the shareholders through courier within stipulated time.

CMCKAMAL: The Company has further informed that the 19th AGM of the Company will be held on June 30, 2014 at 11:30 AM at Factory Premises of the Company at Kaicha Bari, Bashbari, Ashulia (Savar), Dhaka.

NTC: The Company has further informed that the 36th AGM of the Company will now be held on July 12, 2014 at 11:00 AM at 'Hotel Purbani' 1, Dilkusha C/A, Dhaka.

NORTHERN: The Company has informed that the Registered Office of the Company will be shifted to Navana DH Tower, Plot-06, Panthapath, Tejgaon Dhaka-1215 with effect from 14th July 2014.

NHFIL: The Company will be placed in "A" category from existing "B" category with effect from June 30, 2014 as the Company reported disbursement of 12.50% cash dividend for the year ended on December 31, 2013. l

Latest PE

39.90 14.20 75.00 7.30 65.80 7.42 64.90 11.63

SECTORAL TURNOVER SUMMARY Sector

Daily high

Monday, June 30, 2014

DSE GAINERS

DSE key features June 29, 2014

Upcoming AGMs RECKITTBEN: Interim cash @ 275% , Record date for entitlement of interim dividend: 07.07.2014.

BDSERVICE: 15% stock, AGM: 25.08.2014, Record Date: 14.07.2014.

NATLIFEINS: 20% cash and 38% stock, AGM: 21.07.2014, Record Date: 03.07.2014.

MEGHNALIFE: 20% cash and 10% stock, AGM: 17.07.2014, Record Date: 30.06.2014.

DELTALIFE: 11% cash and 25% stock, AGM and EGM: 20.07.2014, Record date for AGM and EGM: 25.06.2014.

LAFSURCEML: 5% interim cash, Record date for entitlement of interim dividend: 30.06.2014.

ASIAINS: 15% cash and 5% stock, AGM: 16.07.2014, Record Date: 19.06.2014.

WATACHEM: 30% stock, AGM: 27.06.2014, Record Date: 11.06.2014.

MBL1STMF: 3% cash, Record date: 02.06.2014.

AIBL1STIMF: 5.5% cash, Record date: 02.06.2014.

PURABIGEN: 15% stock, AGM: 29.06.2014, Record date: 21.05.2014.

SALVOCHEM: 10% stock, AGM: 27.08.2014, Record date: 25.06.2014.

CMCKAMAL: 12.50% stock, AGM: 30.06.2014. Record Date: 29.05.2014.

RUPALIBANK: 15% stock, AGM: 31.05.2014, Record date: 14.05.2014.

MEGHNACEM: 15% cash, AGM: 29.05.2014, Record Date: 14.05.2014.

MONNOSTAF: 10% cash, AGM: 26.06.2014, Record Date: 19.05.2014.

INTECH: 10% stock, AGM: 23.06.2014, Record Date: 15.05.2014.

ISLAMIINS: 15% stock, AGM: 09.07.2014, RD: 12.05.2014.

BAYLEASING: 17% cash & 15% stock,

Stock

% change 10.11 4.15 1.31 9.25 4.19 7.61 0.05 7.85 12.87 0.14 2.82 1.06 0.58 12.21 0.65 0.89 1.81 7.59 5.41 9.43 0.01

Prepared exclusively for Dhaka Tribune by Business Information Automation Service Line (BIASL), on the basis of information collected from daily stock quotations and audited reports of the listed companies. High level of caution has been taken to collect and present the above information and data. The publisher will not take any responsibility if any body uses this information and data for his/her investment decision. For any query please email to biasl@bol-online.com or call 01552153562 or go to www.biasl.net

BSRM Steels-A BSC-A Appollo Ispat CL -N

HeidelbergCement -A ACI Limited- A Active Fine Chem.-A Mercantile Bank -A Meghna Petroleum -A CSE TURNOVER LEADERS Company BEXIMCO Ltd. -A

LafargeS Cement-Z UNITED AIR-A Grameenphone-A BD Submarine Cable-A The Peninsula CTG.-N Appollo Ispat CL -N BSRM Steels-A BSC-A National Bank - A AramitCementA Familytex (BD) Ltd.-A G Next Fashions-A Eastern Housing -A Keya Cosmetics -A

Volume shares 4,124,520 8,060,346 655,762 10,053,810 388,149 538,682 1,537,630 1,050,506 150,275 2,600,200

145,250 259,655 913,997 3,723,100 199,480

Volume shares

936,827 355,000 1,980,156 49,600 58,811 325,600 375,000 98,280 13,470 568,207 132,000 237,500 301,836 74,778 188,010

Value in million 344.35 265.62 193.94 135.13 107.80 102.34 96.34 90.47 79.56 73.72

72.87 69.99 58.54 56.29 53.10

Value in million

30.89 29.61 26.61 14.67 11.18 11.18 10.60 8.45 7.14 6.23 6.11 5.83 5.48 4.68 4.55

% of total turnover 8.83 6.81 4.97 3.46 2.76 2.62 2.47 2.32 2.04 1.89

1.87 1.79 1.50 1.44 1.36

% of total turnover

9.57 9.17 8.24 4.55 3.46 3.46 3.28 2.62 2.21 1.93 1.89 1.81 1.70 1.45 1.41

Daily closing 83.30 33.80 294.70 13.70 277.10 188.50 62.00 85.40 531.00 28.30

505.00 265.70 63.20 15.00 266.00

Daily closing

33.80 83.00 13.70 293.70 188.80 34.20 28.30 85.40 531.30 11.30 46.70 24.30 18.20 62.10 24.40

Price change 0.85 8.33 -0.81 5.38 0.22 -0.68 4.03 4.02 1.68 3.66

Daily opening 82.60 31.20 297.10 13.00 276.50 189.80 59.60 82.10 522.25 27.30

Price change

Daily opening

1.61 0.38 -4.10 0.00 1.41

8.33 0.48 5.38 -1.24 -0.58 0.59 3.28 4.15 2.17 7.62 1.08 -0.41 0.00 3.50 5.63

497.00 264.70 65.90 15.00 262.30

31.20 82.60 13.00 297.40 189.90 34.00 27.40 82.00 520.00 10.50 46.20 24.40 18.20 60.00 23.10

Daily high 84.30 34.10 298.90 14.00 279.20 193.50 64.00 87.50 543.00 28.70

506.90 272.40 67.00 15.50 268.00

Daily low 82.80 28.10 290.00 11.70 265.00 175.00 53.70 79.40 513.50 27.60

497.00 250.00 61.00 13.50 240.00

Daily average 83.49 32.95 295.75 13.44 277.73 189.99 62.66 86.12 529.40 28.35

Daily high

Daily low

Daily average

34.00 84.10 13.90 302.00 192.50 34.70 28.70 87.50 541.00 11.40 46.90 25.10 18.30 63.50 24.60

31.10 82.10 12.90 293.00 188.10 34.10 27.60 84.00 511.00 10.40 45.60 24.20 18.00 61.70 23.80

501.71 269.57 64.05 15.12 266.21

32.97 83.42 13.44 295.85 190.15 34.33 28.26 85.94 530.39 10.96 46.28 24.56 18.15 62.62 24.20

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Business

BIS: New compass needed for global economy

Japan consumer price growth at 32-year high n UNB

n AFP, Geneva

Countries must dramatically rethink strategies for avoiding and dealing with financial crises, the Bank for International Settlements said yesterday, urging far more focus on fighting debt.

The Swiss-based BIS - dubbed the central bankers’ central bank - warned in its annual report that while the global economy was showing some encouraging signs of recovery from the crushing 2008 financial crisis, the factors that sparked it were still very much in play.

If governments fail to make the necessary policy adjustments to ward off similar crises and crashes, “the global economy may be set on an unsustainable path,” the report said, warning that “at some point, the current open global trade and financial order could be seriously threatened.”

BIS voiced deep concern over the stark contrast between the euphoria currently seen in many financial markets and the continued weak investments being made in the real economy, especially at a time when the geopolitical outlook remains “highly uncertain.”

“A new compass is badly needed,” Claudio Borio, who heads BIS’s monetary and economic unit, insisted to reporters ahead of the report launch.

Central banks’ bid to help spark growth by among other things slashing interest rates has helped create more appetite for short-term, high-risk investments on stock markets, and froth in property and corporate bond markets, the report found.

But at the same time, economies that had been hard-hit by the crisis had not done enough to sanitise balance sheets and root out the debt-dependency that got them in trouble, while

Consumer prices in Japan rose at an annual rate of 3.4% in May, the fastest pace in 32 years, as the effect of the sales tax hike started to be felt.

Japan raised its sales tax rate from 5% to 8% on 1 April, reports BBC. The price growth in May follows a 3.2% jump in April and is a big boost for Japan’s attempt to trigger inflation.

Japan has been battling deflation, or falling prices, for best part of the past two decades and that has hurt domestic demand and stifled growth.

The Japanese government has taken various steps over the past few months to try and reverse this trend, and the country’s central bank has set a target of a 2% inflation rate.

The measures, which include boosting the country’s money supply, have

Traffic flows in front of the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) in Basel countries spared last time were showing growing signs of financial vulnerability, the report found.

Ditch debt as key growth engine

This was especially true in emerging markets that have seen their economies boom amid an abundance of cheap credit in recent years, it said, stressing that clear policy shifts were needed “in all major economies, whether or not they were hit by the crisis.”

As a clear sign of the troubled road, Borio warned that both private and public sector debt was rising steadily

“even as the capacity to pay for it is diminishing.”

“It is essential to move away from debt as the main engine of growth,” he insisted.

To overcome the legacy of the global financial crisis, policymakers need to go beyond their traditional narrow focus on business cycles, and take on financial cycles, which are far longer but also cause far more damage when they contract, according to BIS. “Focusing our attention on the shorter-term output fluctuations is akin to staring at the ripples on the ocean

B3

Monday, June 30, 2014

REUTERS

and losing sight of the more threatening underlying waves,” Borio warned.

The BSI report called for policies aimed at aggressively warding off financial booms, but also at dishing out fewer growth incentives during busts to avoid inspiring more debt-taking.

“The road ahead is long,” Borio acknowledged, saying it was all the more important to “start the journey sooner rather than later.”

“The current upturn in the global economy is a precious window of opportunity that should not be wasted,” he said. l

started to have an impact and consumer prices in the country have now risen for 12 months in a row.

Policymakers have been hoping that once prices start to rise, consumers and business will be encouraged to start spending and not hold back on purchases, as they may have to pay more later on.

Multiple impact?

The tax hike in April was the first in 17 years.

The increase comes as Japan is facing rising social welfare costs due to an ageing population.

At the same time, the country is trying to rein in its public debt – which at nearly 230% of its gross domestic product (GDP) is the highest among industrialised nations. The tax hike is expected to help ease some of the financial burden of the government. l

Global ICC elects Latifur Rahman as executive board member n Tribune Business Desk Latifur Rahman, vice-president of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), Bangladesh and chairperson of Transcom Group has been unanimously elected as a member of the executive board of the Paris-based ICC for a threeyear term from July 2014.

Global ICC, an organisation of businesses, announced the new members of its executive body at its 202nd council held in Geneva on June 27.

Latifur Rahman has served in many important national bodies with various

capacities. He was the president of Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Dhaka (MCCI) for several terms, president of Bangladesh Employers’ Federation (BEF) for two terms and executive committee member of Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FBBCI), Bangladesh Jute Mills Association and Bangladesh Tea Association.

In 2012, Rahman was awarded “Oslo Business for Peace Award” by the Business for Peace Foundation, Oslo and Business Executive of the Year 2001 by the American Chamber of Commerce in Bangladesh. l

Jobs, cars seen cementing US spring rebound n Reuters, Brussels The United States can firmly consign its weather-beaten start to the year to history this week with June vehicle sales and jobs data expected to show a strong end to the second quarter.

The US economy contracted at a 2.9% annual rate, the sharpest decline in five years, in the Jan-March period, figures showed last Wednesday.

An exceptionally bitter winter, the expiration of long-term unemployment benefits and a marked slowdown in restocking by businesses combined to drag down the world’s largest economy, but these factors should have faded by April.

Monthly jobs data, arguably the most important gauge for both the Federal Reserve and the American people, is expected to show US firms are continuing to hire at a solid pace as a virtuous circle of economic activity and growth takes hold.

US employment already returned to its pre-recession peak in May, with non-farm job gains of 217,000. Economists polled by Reuters on average expect that to dip by a modest 4,000 to 213,000 in June.

That would be a fifth straight month of job gains above 200,000, a run un-

matched since the Sept 1999-Jan 2000 period, just before the dot-com bubble burst.

“If we settle at a 215-220 (thousand) pace that would be consistent with a transition to a faster pace of growth of around 3%,” said Lewis Alexander, US chief economist at Nomura.

Alexander said he recognised risks, including rising oil prices from the conflict in Iraq and Iraqi conflict and a possible messy end to China’s housing boom.

“An impact is possible, but I don’t think all that likely. It would have to go very badly to materially impact the US outlook,” he said.

The jobs figures on Thursday, also set to feature a steady 6.3% unemployment rate, will conclude a shortened week for the United States, which breaks for Independence Day on Friday.

The week will also feature auto sales, seen pulling back slightly in June after surging in May by its strongest pace since February 2007.

Meanwhile forecasts for the influential ISM (Institute for Supply Management) manufacturing and services reports point to a further acceleration of growth, with respectively a fifth and fourth consecutive rise in the monthly indices.

Meghna Bank Limited recently held its first annual general meeting in Dhaka. The bank’s chair HN Ashequr Rahman presided over the meeting

prompting some economists to cut their estimates for second-quarter growth to as low as a 2.2% pace from as high as 4% before.

No ecb fireworks

People use computers at a job fair in Detroit, Michigan James Knightley, senior economist at ING, believes the data will support his view that growth could top an annualised 5% in the April-June period due to a rise of inventories, a rebound of investment and a boost from trade.

Less optimistic economists suggest

REUTERS

the jobs, car and ISM reports should at least provide a counterbalance to muted consumer spending in May, reported last week.

Such spending rose by just 0.2% in the month, half the level forecast, and following a flat reading in April,

Modhumoti Bank Limited’s executive committee recently held its 13th meeting. The committee’s chair Barrister Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh presided over the meeting

Across the Atlantic, the European Central Bank meets again, a month on from its unleashing of a far-reaching package of measures to keep the euro zone economy from slipping into a Japanstyle deflation.

The ECB cut interest rates to record lows - the deposit rate to below zero - and strengthened its pledge to keep them low well into the future by extending banks’ unlimited access to central bank money to the end of 2016.

It also plans to hand out more ultracheap long-term loans to encourage banks to lend more freely to euro zone companies, but the details for such operations still need to be worked out.

Overall, 27 of 53 ECB watchers polled

by Reuters said the central bank has probably done enough for now. Many among those who disagree say a quantitative easing programme is required for any lasting impact on the strong euro currency and inflation.

This Thursday’s meeting is expected to be uneventful, followed by what could be one of the shortest news con-

ferences in ECB history.

Preceding its meeting, euro zone inflation is forecast to hold steady at 0.5% after its unexpected fall to that level in May all but sealed the case for the ECB to act.

If confirmed, June would be the ninth consecutive month of inflation in the ECB’s “danger zone” of below 1%.

Stability, modest growth

Outside the United States, purchasing managers’ indices (PMIs) steady for manufacturing on Tuesday and services on Thursday are expected to show a picture of growth or at least stability despite geopolitical tensions around Ukraine and Iraq.

Figures for the euro zone are seen unchanged for June, while those for Britain are seen pulling back from very high levels of May, when hiring in its dominant service sector matched a 17year high.

In China, more comprehensive PMIs for manufacturing and services are expected to confirm the world’s second largest economy is stabilising thanks to Beijing’s measures to shore up growth.

Factory activity expanded in June for the first time in six months as new orders surged, according to the HSBC/ Markit flash PMI released last Monday. l

Rupali Bank recently shifted its branch to a new building at Sylhet Agriculture University.

Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid was chief guest at the event where the bank’s chair Dr Ahmed Al-kabir was the special guest

Social Islami Bank Limited’s board of directors has unanimously extended the tenure of the board’s current chair Major (retd) Dr Md Rezaul Haque in its 314th meeting. Rezaul Haque is the second founding sponsor director of the bank. He is also sponsor director of United Hospital Limited and director of SIBL Securities Ltd. He had received his MBBS degree from Chittagong Medical College under Dhaka University The Dhaka Mercantile Co-operative Bank Limited recently opened its 103rd branch at Munshigonj. Md Mohiuddin, administrator of Munshigonj Zilla Porisod attended the event as chief guest along with the company’s chair Belayet Hossen

Dutch-Bangla Bank Limited (DBBL) has recently opened Fast Track at Rajshahi University campus in Rajshahi. The university’s vice chancellor Professor Dr Muhammad Mizanuddin inaugurated the ATM at the presence of the bank’s managing director KS Tabrez

B4

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Back Page

Monday, June 30, 2014

With new tech tools, precision farming gains traction n AFP, Warwick At Little Bohemia Creek Farm, the tractor pretty much drives itself, weaving through rows of corn using GPS technology as it injects carefully dosed amounts of fertilizer.

Farm employee Andrew Isaacson sits in the cab - his main job is to monitor computer screens that control the vehicle and sprayer.

“I just turn it around at each end,” he says.

With computers guiding field operations “it makes it easier in some ways but at the same time it makes it harder.

You have to put more information in”.

The farm on Maryland’s eastern shore is part of a growing “precision agriculture” movement that uses hightech tools to replace seat-of-the-pants farming.

GPS auto-steered tractors cut down or eliminate overplowing and overlap that wastes fuel and time. Other technologies can sense just how much water is needed in a field to cut irrigation costs.

At Little Bohemia Creek, the tractor’s sensors gauge the health of various segments of a field to deliver fertilizer and other chemicals more efficiently, which has an environmental benefit.

“This technology allows for more intricate data collection to make decisions,” says Rich Wildman of the agricultural consulting firm Agrinetix, which provides technology advice at the farm.

This permits the farmer to “do more fertilization or seed planting to match the needs of a field within an inch variation,” he said.

Various studies suggest farmers can save between 10 to 20% on fertilizer and chemicals, while improving yields.

Farming in the cloud

Little Bohemia Creek owner Jon Quinn, 48, is using for the first time this year the system called GreenSeeker, from California tech firm Trimble.

“I don’t know if I’m using less nitrogen, but I’m putting it in the right place,” Quinn explained.

Bring in the drones

Farm employee, Andrew Isaacson watches from a tractor in a corn field as screens show where he has fertilised at the Little Bohemia Creek farm in United States If that holds true, the fertilizer will mainly be absorbed by the corn instead of running off into nearby rivers.

Paul Spies of the Chester River Association, an environmental group, said Quinn is one of a handful of farmers in the pilot project, which aims to show the benefits of this technology.

“You’re asking farmers to alter what they have been doing for years,” Spies said. “They want to see proof that it will work.”

Quinn also participates in a “precision planting” project with Monsanto,

using data from his field to determine how seeds fare in different soil types.

“I download it to my iPad, and it goes to the cloud so they can see it,” he said.

These technologies mean farmers need to crunch big data.

“The real power is when you can take that data so farmers can see how different parts of the field yielded and think about (crop) management changes,” said Joe Foresman, a specialist with the DuPont precision farming division Pioneer.

Jess Lowenberg-DeBoer, a Purdue University agricultural economist, said that in the past 15 years, technologies such as GPS and auto-steering have become the norm in mechanized farming in the United States and other countries, from Australia to Kazakhstan to Sweden.

“The economics are incredibly clear,” he said. “You make gains either with higher yield or lower costs, and sometimes with improved quality.”

Purdue researchers found more than 80 percent of US farm equipment

AFP

being sold includes these technologies, which would mean hundreds of thousands of farms.

For newer technologies like soil and crop sensors, mapping and analytics, Lowenberg-DeBoer said the picture is mixed, because specialized training is needed to reap benefits. Just seven percent of US farm dealers offered sensor-driven equipment in 2013, Purdue researchers found.

“It will transform agriculture but it’s not clear now exactly how it will do it,” he said.

Also on the horizon is the use of drones to provide real-time data to farmers to pinpoint crop problems in time to fix them.

“We can detect plant problems before they are detectable through the naked eye,” said Dennis Bowman, a University of Illinois crop specialist who tests drones for farm use.

But drone use is limited while US authorities study safety issues -- an issue clouded by the more prominent drone applications for military and intelligence purposes.

“We would like to see common sense rules that look at the situation in agriculture,” Bowman told AFP. While corn and other grains have been the main focus of precision agriculture, Florida-based AgerPoint seeks to do the same for fruit trees and vineyards, using laser scanning to give producers data on plant health, and early hints on diseases and other problems.

“This next generation of growers want real-time access to all the data on their crops,” said AgerPoint president Thomas McPeek. “The more informed the growers become, the better decisions they make and the more money they make.”

The advances mean farmers need to consider upgrading equipment like tractors and combines, which give them real-time data to view on smartphones.

“They’re all skeptical at first,” says Bryan Peterman, a sales manager at Atlantic Tractor in Delaware.

“But this is a generational issue. You have the younger generation who use smartphones and iPads who are quick to use this. But we have to show the farmers that it is user-friendly and that it saves money.”

Dale Blessing, who farms on several thousand acres in Milford, Delaware, said he decided to add a harvesting combine with auto-steering which sends data to the cloud and makes it available to him in real time.

“It’s just more efficient,” he said.

“You can make more with less.” l

ECB monitors impact of anti-deflationary measures Minister: New sanctions n AFP, Frankfurt The European Central Bank is unlikely to make new policy moves at its monthly meeting next week, focusing instead on monitoring the impact of last month’s unprecedented package of measures.

After cutting rates last time round and pre-announcing new liquidity measures in its battle to prevent the single currency area from slipping into deflation, the ECB will “sit tight” at its meeting on Thursday, central bank watchers predicted.

“The ECB is clearly going to sit tight for now at least while the interest rates and liquidity measures it announced at its June meeting increasingly kick in,” said Howard Archer at IHS Global Insight.

“Indeed, a number of senior ECB policymakers have indicated that the bank is unlikely to act again in the near term at least, as it will take time for its recent announced package of measures to take full effect,” the expert continued.

At its June meeting, the ECB entered uncharted waters, taking one of its key interest rates into negative territory for the first time.

It lowered its benchmark refinancing rate to 0.15% and cut the deposit rate, the rate at which the central bank pays commercial banks for depositing their unused cash, to minus 0.10%.

This means that banks will be charged for parking funds at the ECB, in the hope they might lend it on to businesses and consumers instead.

ECB chief Mario Draghi also unveiled plans to pump more liquidity into the financial system later this year via the Targeted Long-Term Refinancing Operation.

These are different to the liquidity measures it took at the end of 2011 and the beginning of 2012.

At that time, banks did not lend the cash on to the small and medium-sized companies that form the backbone of the eurozone economy and so this time, the ECB is targeting the loans to encourage banks to lend to households and non-financial corporations.

Other measures up sleeve

With regard to further follow-up action, Draghi promised in early June that the ECB would “if required ... act swiftly with further monetary policy easing.”

But he admitted that in terms of interest rate cuts alone, there was no further room for action.

“For all the practical purposes we have reached the lower bound,” he said.

Analysts therefore believe the ECB has other possible measures up its sleeve, even so-called quantitative eas-

'The ECB is clearly going to sit tight for now at least while the interest rates and liquidity measures it announced at its June meeting increasingly kick in' ing (QE) - widescale purchase of sovereign debt practised by other central banks, but which the European bank has steered clear from imitating so far.

“The ECB has indicated that it is prepared to take further action if the risk of prolonged too low inflation morphing into deflation persists,” Archer at IHS Global Insight said.

“And the ECB will likely want the market to keep thinking that further policy action is a very real possibility so as to keep downward pressure on the euro and market interest rates.”

Capital Economics economist Jennifer McKeown also believed that the ECB “is very unlikely to unveil additional policy support at its policy meeting on July 3 as it waits to judge the effect of the raft of measures announced in June.”

She expected Draghi to reiterate that interest rates should be on hold for a long time yet.

“He will probably also explain that a broader programme of quantitative easing involving government bond purchases is within the ECB’s mandate. But he will claim that inflation expectations are well anchored and that such steps are not necessary for now,” she said.

Commerzbank economist Michael Schubert said the ECB “will probably want to wait and see what impact the steps taken so far will have.

“At the same time, ECB president Draghi is set to leave the door wide open for QE at the press conference,” he suggested. l

on Russia could ‘seriously’ impact growth n AFP, Moscow A new round of Western sanctions on Russia over the crisis in Ukraine could seriously impact its already stalled economy, Economy Minister Alexei Ulyukayev said Saturday.

The minister said Russia has prepared for three possible scenarios in the event of tougher economic sanctions.

The less severe one presumes sanctions on “luxury products, caviar, furs, etc,” while the worst “includes the whole complex: metals, fertilisers, oil, gas, and so forth, taking into account prices and volumes.”

In this case, “economic growth rates go seriously into the negative,” he was quoted as telling the Rossiya channel, though he added that the economy can still “support” this outcome.

“Investment rates go into more negative territory, incomes decrease, inflation grows, state reserves shrink,” he said.

German minister eyes possibility of breaking up Google

Honda’s first jet takes to the skies

n AFP. Berlin

Honda’s first business jet has logged its maiden flight ahead of its expected certification and delivery next year, the Japanese company said in a weekend press release.

The 84-minute flight of the first production HondaJet took place on Friday near the world headquarters of Honda Aircraft, the aviation subsidiary of the automobile giant, in Greensboro in the US state of North Carolina, the statement said.

“With this first flight, the HondaJet programme has entered the next exciting phase as we prepare for delivery,” Honda Aircraft president and CEO Michimasa Fujino said.

“Today’s celebration is the culmination of extensive engineering and production efforts, and this is an important achievement in bringing the world’s most advanced light jet to market.”

The HondaJet is currently offered for sale in North America and Europe through the HondaJet dealer network, the statement said.

The plane, which seats up to five passengers in a standard configuration, flies at a maximum cruise speed of 483

Germany’s justice minister says the possibility of dismantling Google should be considered if the Internet giant abuses its dominant position, in a newspaper interview to be published Saturday.

“Just imagine an energy company that covers 95% of the whole market.

The cartel authority would act quite quickly,” Heiko Maas told Saturday’s Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.

“Such conditions are, in market terms, not sensible, not healthy,” he said according to a pre-released copy of the interview.

“So yes, if Google misuses its domi-

DILBERT

nant position to systematically push aside competitors, then as a last means something like a dissolution should be considered,” he said.

Maas said the digital era had long left behind national borders and rules and there was now a need for an “international network law”. Defiance is strong in Germany over the US Internet search engine’s dominant position.

German-based media giant Axel Springer is among a group of players in Europe’s digital markets which has lodged a complaint with the European Commission against what it alleges are new anti-competitive abuses by Google. l

Ulyukayev’s comments come on the heels of Ukraine’s signing of the Association Agreement with the European Union on Friday, and a decision by President Petro Poroshenko to extend a shaky truce with separatist fighters in eastern Ukraine by three days.

The signing of the agreement - a 1,200-page document defining the political and trade terms under which Kiev will slip from the Kremlin’s embrace - drew threats of retaliation from Moscow.

Western leaders have warned President Vladimir Putin of tougher sanctions on entire sectors of the Russian economy if his policy on Ukraine, notably the alleged material support of the pro-Russian rebels, does not change.

To date, EU and US sanctions have targeted specific individuals and entities, but the so-called “phase three” of the sanctions would deliver a sweeping blow to the economy at a time when Russian growth is already flatlining. l

n AFP, Tokyo

Honda Motor's aviation subsidiary Honda Aircraft's first production HondaJet during a test flight at Greensboro, United States miles per hour (777 kph) and has a maximum altitude of 43,000 feet (13,106 metres), it added.

Priced at $4.5 million, it has received more than 100 orders from businesses and affluent customers, Japanese me-

AFP

dia said. In 2006, Honda announced its plan to commercialise business jet production. l