01 Sep, 2014

Bhadro 17, 1421 Zilqad 5, 1435 Regd No DA 6238 Vol 2, No 150

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2014 | www.dhakatribune.com | SECOND EDITION

20 pages plus 8-page tabloid Opinion Poll | Price: Tk12

B1 | BUSINESS

7 | LONG FORM

11 | OP-ED

13 | SPORT

RUPOSHI BANGLA SHUTS TO BE REBORN AS INTERCONTINENTAL

CAN IS BE STOPPED?

THE URANIUM CONSPIRACY

SUNNY FLIES TO WI TOMORROW

Most people satisfied with government n Tribune Report In a dramatic turn of public opinion, three-fourths of the population are more or less happy with the performance of the current government led

by Sheikh Hasina which came to power through a one-sided election eight months ago.

A significant majority also believes that the country is heading in the right direction, according to a Dhaka Tribune opinion poll conducted last month.

Around 53% said the next election should be held after this government completes its full term in office But, in an earlier opinion poll conducted immediately after the January 5 election, more than three-fourths of the respondents wanted fresh elections as early as possible, or within a year. In last month’s poll, only a fourth of the respondents wanted fresh election.

A few months back in December, just before the parliamentary election, seven out of 10 people thought that the country was headed in the wrong direction.

However, no matter how satisfied

the 75.3% respondents may be with the current government’s performance, an almost equal percentage (71.5%) do not support Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s stance about not sitting in a dialogue with the BNP. On behalf of the Dhaka Tribune, a reputed polling company conducted the survey between August10-22, in which a total of 1,217 were interviewed over phone using mostly structured questionnaires.

When asked what the most important issue for the government was right now, the responses were rather limited.

Just over 21% said it was law and order, 16.2% said controlling price hike and 13.8% said retrieving democracy.

Nearly two-thirds of the respondents said the government had been successful in controlling the law and order situation in the country; only 11.1% said the government had totally failed.

Interestingly, six months ago, holding a free and fair election and stopping hartal and violence were clearly the two biggest challenges for the government.

The respondents were aged 18 years or above, including both rural and urban men and women, spanning across all socio-economic classifications.

Around 53% said the next election should be held after this government completes its full term in office.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE POLL

HOW DO YOU RATE BNP’S PERFORMANCE IN THE LAST 6 MONTHS?

75.3%

53%

Are satisfied with the government’s performance in its first 6 months

Want the current government to complete its full tenure

69.4%

51.8%

36.2%

Are not satisfied with BNP’s performance

Are satisfied with BNP’s performance

71.5%

30.9%

Said the country is headed in the right direction

Dissatisfied

Satisfied

Do not support PM’s stand on dialogue between two parties

Highly Satisfied

Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied

35.1%

Highly dissatisfied 16.7%

12%

5.3% HOW DO YOU VIEW BNP’S THREAT TO LAUNCH AN AGITATION MOVEMENT?

SHOULD BNP CUT ITS TIES WITH JAMAAT?

Leave Jamaat Don't know/ Can't say

55.5%

Don't leave Jamaat

37.6%

6.9%

77.9%

Strongly Agree 8.4%

Do not want any agitation movement Disagree 48.6%

Agree 11.6%

Strongly Disagree 29.3%

Indifferent 2.1%

Don't know/ Can't say 0.1%

 PAGE 2 COLUMN 2

Myanmar agrees to repatriate Rohingyas

n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla

n Sheikh Shahariar Zaman

except for the two-year tenure of the army-backed interim government in 2007-08, the BNP has never been out of parliament since the country returned to democracy in 1990.

The party has been in power thrice: in 1991-96; a very brief term following a controversial election that the Awami League boycotted in February 1996; and in 2001-06.

Following success in a number of local government elections in the past few years, many BNP leaders were hoping for another victory had it taken part in the January 5 election.

Since the provision for non-partisan polls-time government was scrapped through the 15th amendment to the

constitution in 2011, the BNP and the Awami League have been at loggerheads.

While the Awami League was determined to hold the 2014 national election under a partisan arrangement, the BNP had been in the streets for more than two years, demanding restoration of the caretaker provision. The BNP claimed that a fair election was possible only under a non-partisan government.

BNP’s street movement took an extremely violent turn after it had failed to press home its demand and the Awami League government looked all set to hold the election.  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

Myanmar, in a breakthrough agreement, has agreed to start the repatriation process of verified Rohingyas stranded in two camps in Cox’s Bazaar within two months.

“We agreed to start work towards repatriation of verified Myanmar nationals within two months,” Foreign Secretary M Shahidul Haque said at a press conference yesterday.

He was talking about the outcome of the 8th foreign secretary level talks which he led from Bangladesh side while Deputy Foreign Minister U Thant Kyaw led the Myanmar side.

“I think it is a breakthrough as no repatriation has taken place after 2005,” he said.

A working group will be formed to start the process in the next two months and after that they will be repatriated, he said.

In 2004-05, a total number of 2415 were verified, and now they have children and the working group will adjust them for repatriation, he explained.

“We have long been demanding for their repatriation and this time the Myanmar delegation has come here with proper preparation,” the foreign secretary said.

Since 1991 over 0.25 million Rohingyas illegally entered Bangladesh and over 0.23 million of them were repatriated to Myanmar till 2005, when the process halted.

The foreign secretary said Bangladesh had flagged the issue of undocumented Myanmar nationals living outside the two camps.

“The Myanmar side said let’s start the repatriation process and then gradually we will look into the issue, which I think is very good step.”

About 0.3 million to 0.5 million undocumented Rohingyas are living in Bangladesh illegally.

“We informed them that we are conducting a census on Rohingyas in Bangladesh and we will hand over the report to them,” he said.

“I had tete-e-tete with Myanmar deputy foreign minister and discussed candidly on the hiccups that emerge timeto-time between our relationships. He was also very open on how to resolve the problems,” Shahidul said.

The secretary said the Border Guard of Bangladesh and Border Security Police of Myanmar are in regular contacts and now both the countries are thinking of having home secretary level talks in addition to the foreign office consultation.

About holding the first Joint Commission meeting of the two foreign ministers, Shaidul said Myanmar president is likely to visit Bangladesh early next year to have the meeting.

Both the countries agreed to have  PAGE 2 COLUMN 5

 PAGE 2 COLUMN 2

Qualitative change

The foreign secretary said there is a qualitative change between seventh and eighth foreign secretary level talks.

“The Myanmar government wants to alleviate the relationship to a higher level,” said the secretary who had a tete-e-tete with Myanmar deputy foreign minister before the official talks which continued for about four hours.

Foreign Secretary: It’s a breakthrough; repatriation process stalled since 2005

4 | News

Education Ministry’s fear of losing a share of authority has created uncertainty over the formation of a Higher Education Commission proposed by Minister Nurul Islam Nahid.

The Gram Adalat, an alternative dispute resolution system, is severely underutilised in the Union Parishads of Moulvibazar district. Salish, the traditional system of arbitration, is more preferred by UP chairmen and justice seekers in rural areas than the Gram Adalat.

5 | News

The Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) has failed to meet several deadlines for the completion of projects involving construction and repair of roads and footpaths in Mirpur area of the capital.

8 | World

Crowds sang and danced in the streets of a seaside neighbourhood in Liberia on Saturday as the government lifted quarantine measures designed to contain the spread of the deadly Ebola virus.

12 | Entertainment

Anjan Dutt was more popular as a musician than as a film personality to the Bangaldeshi audience until very recently – since when DVDs of Tollyganj films have been readily available here.

Myanmar losses 9 million in census, Rohingyas denied recognition n Tribune Desk Myanmar’s first exercise to determine the size and composition of its population in over 30 years has produced worrying results, with 9 million people missing.

Figures extrapolated from the last census in 1983 estimated the current population to be in the neighbourhood of 60 million people.

But the new census in Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, showed the country had just 51.42 million people.

The country’s state-run media announced the preliminary results on Friday, saying complete results, expected to include detailed information about religious and ethnic minorities, would be released next year.

Conducted with help from the UN Population Fund, the census was carried out from March 30 to April 10.

Correspondents said the poll ran smoothly everywhere except Rakhine state in the west of the country, and Kachin state in the north.

Rakhine’s long-persecuted 800,000 member Muslim minority were denied the right to identify themselves as “Rohingya,” Al Jazeera reported.

In parts of Kachin state controlled by rebels, some people were not counted, the AP news agency reported.

Question number eight on ethnicity was the most controversial on the census.

Rejecting UN calls to include “Rohingya” as an option in the questionnaire, the 41-question census offered 135 possible ethnic identities to choose from, but Rohingya was not one of them.

Myanmar contends that Rohingyas

INSIDE

6 | Nation

More than half of the respondents of a Dhaka Tribune opinion poll have said they were not happy with the BNP’s performance since January, but said the ruling party should engage in a dialogue with the opposition party which does not have any representation in the current parliament.

Nearly 52% of the respondents said they were not satisfied with BNP’s performance while 36.2% said they were satisfied.

However, despite the dissatisfaction with the BNP’s performance, a significant majority of 71.5% believe that the ruling Awami League should conduct a political dialogue with the BNP. A reputed polling firm conducted the survey from August 10-22 on behalf of the Dhaka Tribune during which they interviewed a total of 1,217 people – both urban and rural male and female – over telephone using structured questionnaires.

Nearly four-fifths of the interviewed said they disagreed with the BNP’s threat to launch an agitation movement. Of them, 29.3% strongly disagreed with the BNP’s stance. Only 20% of the respondents said they believed that the BNP should go for agitation.  PAGE 2 COLUMN 2

36th founding anniversary not the happiest for BNP The last time the party boycotted national elections during the rule of a military dictator, it got the upper hand to win the next. However, another boycott nearly three decades later, when there is democracy in the county, has done the exact opposite.

With a directionless movement, frustrated grassroots, ever worsening fund crunch and little democracy within, the BNP – one of the two most popular political parties in Bangladesh – is now heading towards an uncertain future, which is seen as the deepest crisis in 36 years of its existence.

Until the 2014 national election and

People not happy with BNP, but they want dialogue n Tribune Report

DT NATIONAL OPINION POLL

SLH/DT INFOGRAPHIC

Six months ago the majority wanted fresh election soon

15 | Sport

Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray stayed on course for a mouth-watering US Open quarter-final showdown Saturday as five-time women’s champion Serena Williams stood alone as America’s last singles title hope.

2

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Monday, September 1, 2014

Blue Economy Workshop begins in capital

JS goes into third session today

n Sheikh Shahariar Zaman

Parliament’s third session, which is likely to see the tabling of the constitutional amendment bill for empowering the legislature to impeach the apex court judges, starts today.

The House is set to start at 5pm preceded by the Business Advisory Committee meeting that will decide the tenure of the third session of the 10th parliament.

Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury will chair the meeting at 4pm to be attended by both Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the opposition leader Raushan Ershad.

“We have been informed that the constitution amendment bill will be placed in the upcoming session, though the draft law is yet to reach the parliament secretariat,” Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury told the Dhaka Tribune at her office.

The Jatiya Party has already decided

A two-day international workshop on the blue economy will begin today to discuss smart, sustainable and inclusive growth and employment opportunities in Bangladesh.

“We want to identify courses of action to develop a maritime policy and a strategy for Bangladesh. We need the help of foreign experts to do this,” Foreign Secretary M Shahidul Haque told the Dhaka Tribune.

The government emphasises the preservation, protection and utilisation of ocean resources as Bangladesh exercises its right to explore marine resources in the Bay of Bengal, he said.

The settlement of a maritime boundary delimitation dispute with India and Myanmar has awarded Bangladesh a territorial sea covering 118,000 square kilo-

MOGHBAZAR TRIPLE MURDER

One more placed on remand n Md Sanaul Islam Tipu A Dhaka court yesterday sent Jakir Hossain alias Jony on a five-day remand in Moghbazar triple murder case filed with the Ramna police station.

Metropolitan Magistrate Muhammad Tareq Moinul Islam Bhuiyan passed the order after Investigation Officer Bahauddin Faruk, sub-inspector of Ramna police station produced him before the court seeking a 10-day remand for interrogation.

Police arrested Jony from Dhaka Medical College Hospital on Saturday night.

The same day another Dhaka court sent Faruq Hossain and Sohel Khan, two close associates of the prime accused of the case Kala Babu, on a fiveday remand.

On Thursday, unidentified criminals gunned down three people including a woman and injured another at a house in Sonalibagh of Moghbazar area following rivalry with local land grabbers and extortionists.

The deceased were identified as Ranu Akhter Brishti, 28, Munna, 20, and Billal Hossain, 25.

Later, Brishti’s brother Kalachand filed a case with Ramna police station accusing 15 people including Kala Babu on Friday night. l

metres and an exclusive economic zone extending out to 200 nautical miles.

The country was awarded undeniable sovereign rights over the sea bed extending as far as 354 nautical miles from the Chittagong coast on the Bay of Bengal, including both living and non-living resources.

“Bangladesh wants to establish links and build relations with countries and organisations working in the field of ocean research and resources,” Shahidul said.

Thirty-two experts, academicians and government officials from 20 countries are taking part in the international workshop. “We want to explore the resources with the help of international players,” he said.

Discussions at the workshop would be aimed at mapping out the work already done and identifying further projects that need to be undertaken to

secure inclusive and balanced promotion, protection and conservation of marine resources, he said.

The Bay of Bengal will be Bangladesh’s “super highway” for boosting trade and investment, and ensuring security, he added.

The ocean offered business potential in areas including fisheries, energy, transportation, aquaculture, tourism and health care products.

The workshop has three working sessions - Ocean Resources For Sustainable Development, Access To Acquire Ocean Resources, and Unclos: The Framework For A Sustainable Ocean-Based Economy.

The inaugural programme will be attended by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina while the concluding session will be chaired by Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali. l

n Kamran Reza Chowdhury

The fruits of the decision to boycott the election were heavily dependent on the success of what the party called the “election resistance movement.”

Eventually, failing to resist the election and prevent Awami League from forming a government for the second time on the trot meant that the BNP, which had already been out of power for five years, was now out of the parliament because of the boycott.

In 1996, the Awami League, through a strong “non-cooperation” movement, toppled the BNP government soon after it had come to power through a “unilateral” election.

The situation might have been similar to that of 1996 to a large extent, but the BNP is in the middle of nowhere at the moment, especially in terms of the organisational strength required for staging a strong movement, let alone coming to power anytime soon by toppling the current government.

The failure of the so-called election resistance movement was largely attributed to the leaders and activists of the Dhaka city unit, who were scared to come out on the streets fearing arrest. Most of the top central leaders of the party, who were wanted in scores of political cases, were not on the streets either out of the same fear.

Many young leaders and activists of the BNP, who worked with dedication in the streets across the country over the past few years, got frustrated. Their family lives were in tatters because of the cases filed against them. Many of them had been put behind bars.

But the senior leaders were nowhere to be found. Most of them remained in safe hideouts when dedicated grassroots leaders and activists were facing the wrath of the law enforcers on the streets.

That especially hurt the momentum of the so-called election resistance movement because those on the streets lacked the guidance that the senior leaders could have given them.

All these coupled with the already existing frustration associated with being away from power for seven years.

Five Chhatra League activists were injured in a clash between two factions of the ruling party’s student wing at a rally in the capital’s Suhrawardy Udyan yesterday.

Chhatra League activists of Amar Ekushey Hall unit and Fazlul Huq Hall unit of Dhaka University got into an argument with Jagannath University Chhatra League men over occupying seats in the front row at the rally.

During the clash, they broke some chairs. The situation later became normal when senior leaders intervened.

Meanwhile, Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed left the rally quickly as the organisers did not arrange any special seating arrangement for him.

Chhatra League General Secretary Siddiqui Nazmul Alam denied this, saying Tofail was not on the list of the invited guests.

“He left after receiving an emergency phone call,” he said. l

Most people satisfied with government

Myanmar agrees to repatriate

 PAGE 1 COLUMN 2

 PAGE 1 COLUMN 5

Nearly half of the respondents said infrastructure development was the biggest success of the government in its first six months.

However, there is not much to choose between the replies when asked what the biggest failure of the government was. The highest 17.7% said corruption, 16.7% said uncontrolled law and order situation, and

15.3% said price hike.

With a margin of error of 3%, the data collected is quantitative. The respondents were selected on the basis of multi-stage sampling. The sampling frame was the mobile users of the country and the current market share of the mobile phone service providers were used for sample distribution.

A little over 60% of the respondents said the government’s economic per-

formance over the last six months had been fairly successful; 18.7% said the government had not been successful enough, and a meagre 4.1% thought the government was not economically successful at all.

When asked about BNP’s threats about launching an agitation movement, nearly four-fifths of the respondents said they did not want any such movement at the moment. l

Myanmar losses 9 million in census  PAGE 1 COLUMN 6

are illegal migrants from Bangladesh and calls them “Bengalis.”

The UN has said everyone in Myanmar ought to be allowed to choose their own ethnicity and has described the Rohingyas as the most persecuted minority in the world.

Myanmar officials told Muslim Rohingya they must identify themselves as Bengali or they would not be registered.

The Myanmar government views

Rohingyas as immigrants and denies them citizenship.

The Rohingya say they are part of Myanmar and claim they are being persecuted by the state.

Buddhist hostility towards Rohingyas has come to a head in recent years, leading to full-scale violence in 2012 that depopulated Rohingya settlements in Rakhine state and contributed to a growing refugee crisis.

Violence has continued and interna-

tional aid agencies working in the state came under attack last week.

The ethnicity question on the census proved to be a flash point in the ethnically fractured province, with Buddhist Rakhines pledging to boycott the poll if the Rohingya ethnicity was recognised on the census.

“If a household wants to identify themselves as ‘Rohingya’, we will not register it,” the BBC reported government spokesman Ye Htut as saying. l

Regarding BNP’s ties with Jamaat-e-Islami – a party often blamed for committing war crimes as an organisation during the 1971 Liberation War – more than half of the respondents said they were against it.

Some 55.5% said BNP should leave Jamaat, but 37.6% believe that the two parties should remain together. The respondents were also asked about what they thought about BNP’s longstanding

It is particularly frustrating for the supporters of a party that was formed when its founder Gen Ziaur Rahman was already in power.

BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir told the Dhaka Tribune: “It is true that the BNP is in the deepest crisis ever. More than anything else, it is due to the fascist behaviour of and the repression by the autocratic government.”

From Fakhrul’s point of view, the situation in 1986-88 and the situation now are completely different. Although it was a regime of a non-democratic ruler, the level of repression at that time was nowhere near what the current Awami League government is doing. “As of today, a total of 300,000 leaders and activists of the BNP have baseless cases against their names.

Even I have 26 cases against my name.”

Little democracy within

For a political party, holding regular councils at all levels is not only an important indicator of its organisational strengths, but also a key to keeping up the morale of those at the grassroots.

The BNP held its last national council more than five years ago on December 8, 2009, contrary to its charter that stipulates holding of the councils every three years. Mirza Fakhrul has been serving as the acting secretary general of the party since his predecessor Khandakar Delwar Hossain died in March 2011. Because there has been no council, the party has not got the opportunity to elect a full-time secretary general.

The party has not held the councils of its local level committees such as those at the thana, upazila, district, divisional and city levels for many years.

The Dhaka city unit has not seen a new committee in 17 years. Only recently, the party has formed a convening committee tasked with forming the full committee for the city unit.

Just like the central executive committee, those at the local levels have not seen the much needed change of leadership for years, giving rise to widespread grievances and organisa-

Gas import

Dhaka has requested Nay Pye Taw to export gas to Bangladesh.

“Myanmar in principal agreed to share gas if they find any new reserve,” the secretary said.

The Myanmar side in the meeting said that nobody in their team had enough knowledge on the issue but they would welcome if a team from Bangladesh visits Myanmar.

However, they also said their energy demand is also growing and now they are in a deficit, he said.

A consortium of China, India, Myanmar and Daewoo of South Korea has developed Shwe gas field in Rakhine state and about 800-km long pipeline was installed to supply gas from Rakhine state to Kunming in China in 2013.

Connectivity

demand for immediately holding what it said was “free and fair election.”

More than half that is 53% said the next parliamentary election should be held after the current Awami League government, which came to power through a unilateral election on January 5, completes its tenure.

A little over 17% said fresh election should be held within a year, 8.4% said as soon as possible and 1.7% said with-

in three years.

In the last Dhaka Tribune opinion poll conducted right after the January 5 election, roughly 77% said they wanted a fair and fully participatory election as early as possible or within the year.

Nearly 44% said they were dissatisfied with the January 5 election, and 43.8% said holding fresh election was the most pressing issue facing the country. l

tional gridlocks. And because there has been no council, the grassroots have not got the opportunity to let the central leadership know about their complaints and suggestions.

That has eventually led to an ever widening gap between the top brass and the grassroots which can be detrimental to any organisation that calls itself democratic.

In March this year, BNP Vice-Chairman Hafizuddin Ahmed slammed leaders and activists for chanting anti-government slogans from inside an air-conditioned auditorium.

He said: “Why are you chanting slogans here inside the room against the arrest of BNP leaders? Have we arrested them? Why are you not going to the PM’s residence Ganabhaban? Do not shout slogans like ‘direct action’ from inside the room. You should go out on the streets and chant slogans there.

“I fervently request you, the young leaders and activists of the BNP, to take to the streets, show all your strength and enthusiasm there. The BNP should not wait for the Almighty’s wrath to descend upon the oppressive Sheikh Hasina government. Rather, the party should wage a movement to bring an end to the oppression.”

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia has talked about forming a “legal aid committee” that would help leaders and activists from all levels to fight political cases. However, the committee has never been formed.

Besides, the noted lawyers associated with the BNP have been busy fighting cases for the stalwarts instead of the grassroots leaders, who need the help most.

Tareque Shamsur Rahman, professor of international relations at Jahangirnagar University, said: “[The lack of democratic practice] is seen virtually in all political parties. It is a fact that BNP’s politics revolves around Khaleda Zia and Tarique Rahman. The political parties in Bangladesh rarely practice democracy themselves.”

years old, stays ill most of the times and hence cannot regularly attend political programmes and gatherings.

Most recently, she missed the BNP-led 20-party alliance’s rally in the capital’s Suhrawardy Udyan earlier last month.

BNP Senior Vice-Chairman Tarique Rahman, Khaleda’s eldest son, who is thought to be the next chief, has been away from the country for nearly seven years. He has several corruption and criminal cases against his name.

Party insiders said since the time Tarique surfaced strongly in politics about a decade ago, there appeared to be two centres of power within the party – Khaleda Zia and Tarique. His controversial political office Hawa Bhaban, which is said to have been the alternate centre of power during BNP’s 2001-06 rule, has been associated with many crimes and conspiracies in recent years.

This has allowed a section of ex-bureaucrats-turned-politicians to gain prominence in decision making, eclipsing some of the career politicians.

In recent times, the ex-bureaucrats, who are not hardened politicians, are surrounding the party chief and making her take imprudent decisions.

Many have said Khaleda’s decision to not meet Indian President Pranab Mukherjee when he came to Dhaka before the January 5 election was motivated by these ex-bureaucrats.

allies organised rallies and black-flag processions across the country to protest against the broadcast policy and the Israeli atrocities in Gaza, none of which are strong national political issues in true sense.

Analysts say the BNP is now trying to raise voice regarding genuine pro-people issues to regain its connections with the public.

Not that the party is failing to press strongly at the government only now; it failed to capitalise on many issues and mistakes made by the Awami League government over the past five years or so.

One such incident was in 2010 when the government evicted Khaleda Zia from her cantonment residence. The government cleverly timed the eviction right before an Eid vacation. The BNP stepped into that “trap” and its agitation programmes such as hartals backfired badly because they made homebound people suffer.

Professor Tareque Shamsur Rahman said: “The BNP should present a roadmap before the nation. More importantly, it should present a roadmap for its leaders and activists, telling them what they should do in the changed situation. This is because, only toppling a government through a movement is not good for politics. The BNP needs a vision for cheering up its leaders and activists.”

Directionless movement

Fund crunch

People not happy with BNP, but they want dialogue  PAGE 1 COLUMN 6

joint commission meeting in 2011 but no meeting has yet been taken place.

Bangladesh and Myanmar have agreed to revive the negotiation to have road connectivity between the two countries.

The secretary said it was great achievement as the negotiation was suspended till 2008.

A Bangladeshi team will soon visit Myanmar about the proposed road connectivity and find out if there is any other alternative route, he said.

About BCIM initiative, he said the next working group meeting of the initiative will be held at the end of October and Myanmar agreed to join

36th founding anniversary not the happiest for BNP  PAGE 1 COLUMN 3

that they will in principle oppose the 16th amendment to the constitution.

Ten bills tabled in the previous two sessions have been awaiting passage in the legislature.

Shirin Sharmin said more bills would come to the next session, which may be shorter in nature unless serious issues came into the fore. “But everything will be decided at the business advisory committee meeting,” she said.

The opposition MPs hinted that the upcoming session would be serious for the country as they were set to discuss the impeachment of the judges by parliament and the national broadcast policy.

Since its first sitting on January 29, two sessions have so far have taken place. The second session started on June 3 and ended on July 3.

According to the constitution, the president must convene a session within 60 days of the last day of the last session and the first day of the next session. l

5 hurt in BCL factional clash n Tribune Report

Dominance of ex-bureaucrats

Party chief Khaleda Zia, who is now 69

Over the last few months, the BNP has been talking about a strong movement to press home its demand for non-partisan polls-time government.

Before Eid-ul-Fitr in July, the party leaders, including chief Khaleda Zia, said they would wage a strong movement after the vacations. However, it has been more than a month after Eid and the party is still to “wage a strong movement.”

After the vacations, leaders said they were still reorganising the party ranks from the top to the grassroots to gain the organisational strength for a so-called strong movement.

In the recent weeks, the BNP and its

With prospects of coming to power again anytime soon looking bleak, the party is now faced with an acute fund crunch.

The BNP has recently submitted its yearly financial report to the Election Commission which showed that its expenditure was way more than its income.

Because the party has not been in power for many years, its income sources are gradually narrowing down.

The expenditures associated with years of street protests have apparently had their toll on the party’s income statement.

Mirza Fakhrul told the Dhaka Trib-

the meeting.

“They are also planning to hold a BCIM Forum meeting in February next year in Myanmar.”

Framework Arrangement

Bangladesh has floated an idea to have broader collaboration framework between the two countries.

“We shared a document on Framework Arrangement on Trust and Cooperation for Development with the Myanmar side,” Shahidul said.

The arrangement has eight components and it is the same cooperation model that Bangladesh has with India and the US, he said.

The eight components are strengthening trust; security and cooperation dialogue; trade and connectivity; energy, environment and natural disaster; agriculture and rural development; education, health and culture; sub-regional cooperation; and collaboration in the Bay of Bengal.

Myanmar said they would analyse the proposal by Bangladesh and it would be reviewed in the joint commission meeting next year, he said.

Hasina-Sein meeting

Bangladesh has shown interest in having a bilateral meeting with Myanmar President Thein Sein at the sideline of the UN general Assembly.

“Our foreign minister has already expressed that if Myanmar president goes to UNGA, our prime minister is interested in having a bilateral meeting with him,” Shaidul said. l

une: “It is very normal for a democratic political party. Basically, our party is run by members’ subscription fees, donation from expatriates and proceeds from the sale of nomination papers. As we could not hold the national council [in time] and boycotted the national election, there is a little fund crisis; but it is not severe at all.”

Image crisis

BNP’s decision to form an election alliance with Jamaat-e-Islami – often accused of committing war crimes as an organisation during 1971 Liberation War – turned out to be a good one after the partnership won a landslide victory in the 2001 election.

But before the 2008 election, the Awami League banked on the war crimes trial issue in its campaign and the ties with Jamaat badly hurt BNP’s image. The result this time was a landslide defeat for the party.

The trial of top Jamaat leaders on war crime charges and the subsequent street violence staged by Jamaat-Shibir men did not help BNP’s cause either although it remained almost entirely silent on the issue.

Moreover, widespread allegations of corruption, patronising militancy and the role of Hawa Bhaban during its 2001-06 tenure earned the BNP huge bad names and it is still paying for it.

Much later in 2013, BNP’s decision to extend support to the fanatic Islamist group Hefazat-e-Islam, which gave rise to massive anarchy in the capital, also did not go in its favour.

Months of street protest that preceded the January 5 election, in which scores of people were killed and hundreds of vehicles were destroyed in arson attacks, also had a massive contribution in further worsening its image.

A founding member of the BNP and now the chief of the Liberal Democratic Party, Col (retd) Oli Ahmed said: “After Ziaur Rahman’s death, the BNP saw both good and bad times under the leadership of Khaleda Zia. Things have been particularly tough for the party after 2007. But I believe the party will eventually come out of the crisis.” l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Monday, September 1, 2014

Faruqi murder suspect list prepared Police narrow down the possible motives behind killing; two arrestees placed on two-day remand business. We are yet to find any proof plea.

On the other hand, Deputy Com“Primarily, we considered around n Tazlina Zamila Khan and Md Defence counsel Md Mahadul Hos- against him.” missioner of Detective Branch of Police ten motives; but we have narrowed it Sanaul Islam Tipu

Police have created a list of 20 people suspected of being involved with the killing of Shaikh Nurul Islam Faruqi, a popular TV presenter and leader of Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat.

Wahidul Islam, additional deputy commissioner of Tejgaon division, told the Dhaka Tribune: “Around 20 people are in the suspect list. Already we have been successful in arresting three people.”

However, Biplob Kumar Sarkar, deputy commissioner of DMP’s Tejgaon division, admitted that the police have not yet found the motive behind the killing.

down. Now we are assuming that the killing might have happened because of family and business-related disputes or because of opposition to his religious ideology.”

“We already questioned around 100 to 150 people in this case. We found some names who might be involved in the killing. Police are searching for the prime suspect who is now staying out of the capital. So, our mobile team is also working inside and outside of the capital. We might arrest a person very soon,” Biplob said.

However, he did not mention the name of the prime suspect as the investigation was ongoing.

(west) Nazmul Alam told the Dhaka Tribune: “It was a cold-blooded murder.

The killer had planned the murder for a very long.”

He also did not mention the name of the suspected killer.

Meanwhile, a Dhaka court yesterday granted a two-day remand against two people for their alleged involvement with the murder of Faruqi.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Md Waez Kuruni Khan Chowdhury placed Mahmuda Khatun and Md Shariful Islam under remand after Investigation Officer Md Julhas Uddin Akand, also a DB inspector, produced them before the court with a seven-day remand

sain Sikder filed a remand rejection petition before the court, claiming that the accused were not involved with the incident but were only victims of circumstances.

On Saturday, law enforcers detained Mahmuda, who visited Faruqi’s house only hours before his murder last Wednesday, and detained Shariful from the Murapara area in Narayanganj’s Rupganj. Another suspect, Abu Yusuf, has also been held from Nayapara area of Chauddagram upazila of Comilla.

Sher-e-Bangla Nagar police station Sub-Inspector Munshi Sabbir Ahmed told the Dhaka Tribune: “26-yearold Abu Yusuf owns a dish [cable TV]

On Wednesday night, unidentified armed assailants slaughtered Faruqi, a presenter of religious programmes on Channel i, at his residence in the capital’s Purbo Rajabazar area.

On Thursday, Faruqi’s son Faysal Faruqi filed a case with Sher-e-Bangla Nagar police station, accusing 10 unnamed people.

Faruqi was a Presidium member of the Islamic Front Bangladesh as well serving as the international affairs secretary of Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat – an organisation known for opposing the views of Jamaat-e-Islami and Hefazat-e-Islam. He was also the imam of Supreme Court mosque. l

NARAYANGANJ SEVEN MURDERS

Probe body questions Dhaka DIG Mahfuzul n Mohosinul Karim

A government probe body, formed as per a High Court directive, yesterday questioned Dhaka Range Police DIG Mahfuzul Haque Nuruzzaman in connection with Narayanganj seven murders.

The questioning lasted from 2:30pm-4pm in the Secretariat office of the chief of the probe body.

The seven-member committee, led

by Additional Secretary to the Ministry of Public Administration Shahjahan Ali Mollah, comprises of representatives from the Home, Law and Public Administration Ministries.

Nuruzzaman later told reporters: “They asked me about the actions and directives I took as the supervising officer of the law enforcement agency. I have told them everything I know.

“The probe body also wanted to know my suggestions and recommendations for preventing such incidents.”

Meanwhile, the probe body chief Shahjahan Ali Mollah told reporters: “He told us in detail. We will examine the information that he has provided us,” he added.

Saying that more time will be required to conclude the probe report despite having sufficient information, he also added: “It is a critical and sensational cases. So, we are moving forward slowly. We are getting new information at every step of the investigation. So, we will seek four weeks more after submitting our progress report on September 9.”

The investigators are also set to question Dhaka Divisional Commissioner Zillar Rahman at 10.30am Tuesday this week regarding the case.

Meanwhile, State Minister for Home Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal told the media yesterday that the prime ac-

cused of the case, Nur Hossain, will be brought back from the Indian city of Kolkata soon as the government has already began the process in this regard.

“Nur Hossain will be brought back to the country. You will see that soon because the government is serious about his repatriation.”

Earlier, Nur Hossain was arrested

by Kolkata police for illegally entering India.

“The meeting of home secretaries of Bangladesh and India will begin from September 2 in Dhaka. The issue of Nur’s repatriation tops the list of discussions from the Bangladesh side, he added.

“A legal process needs to be completed to get him back to Bangladesh.

We are trying to complete the process.

We can get him back even after his conviction in the illegal entrance case. He will be brought back soon without any condition.”

When asked if the condition of repatriation will be an exchange of prisoners, he said: “India did not request us to return any prisoner in exchange of Nur Hossain. So, despite having an extradition treaty between the two friendly countries, there is no question of exchanging prisoners.”

On May 6, as per the High Court directive, the public administration ministry formed a seven-member probe body to investigate the abduction and killing of the seven people in Narayanganj.

Narayanganj City Corporation panel mayor Nazrul Islam and noted lawyer Chandan Sarker, along with five others, were abducted on April 27. Later, their bodies were found floating in River Shitalakkhya on April 30.

Nazrul’s wife filed an abduction case against Nur and four others on April 28. l

Vehicles and pedestrians have to be really careful when they cross this massive pothole on a road at Pallabi in the capital’s Mirpur. The photo of the dilapidated road was taken yesterday MEHEDI HASAN

PM: People loyal to Yahya still out there n Emran Hossain Sheikh

There are still people in the country who are subservient to Yahya and their collaborators are still active, said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

We need to be careful about them, she said yesterday while addressing a discussion organized by Chhatra League at Suhawardy Udyan in the capital. It was organized to mark the 39th death anniversary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who along with other family members were assassinated on August 15, 1975.

Hasina, also the Awami League president, said: “Those who had a hand in the August 15 and August 21 killings still want to destroy the country’s independence and impede the prosperity.”

She said Ziaur Rahman established a reign of terror following the killing of Bangabandhu.

“He [Zia] brought back the perpe-

trators and returned the al-Badr men their voting rights through military orders,” Hasina said.

Speaking of the March 7 speech of Bangabandhu, the premier said: “Before delivering the speech, my mother told my father that thousands of people would be in front of him and he would lead them by saying what he had in mind.”

“The speech inspired the countrymen. It has been branded as one of the best speeches in the history of 2,500 years,” she said.

Hasina said Bangabandhu formed Chhatra League in 1948 for establishing Bangla as the state language.

“Chhatra League was involved in every movement that helped the country achieve independence. That is why Bangabandhu said Chhatra League is the history of the Bangalees,” she said.

Referring to Chhatra League activists, she said they have to be in politics with a mentality to sacrifice.

“The history did not remember those who joined politics driven by the greed for wealth, and those who will do so in the future will face the same fate,” the prime minister said.

She suggested that Chhatra League men strengthen the organisation.

Hasina talked about her role in restoring democracy in the country from the rule of the previous army-backed caretaker government. She said she was able to restore democracy in 2009 but the conspiracy for destroying the democratic practice was still on.

“Efforts were made to foil the 10th parliamentary polls and destroy democracy. However, the election was held and we were able to form the government,” the prime minister said.

Communication Minister Obaidul Quader, Chhatra League leader Siddiqui Nazmul Alam and several others addressed the programme chaired by Chhatra League president HM Bodiuzzaman Shohag. l

Five DU students thrown out of hall for refusing to join BCL rally n Arif Ahmed

Local people try to evacuate the employees of Cordial Fashion in the capital’s Mirpur yesterday after the readymade garment factory catches fire MEHEDI HASAN

Members of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) on Saturday night threw five female students out of Begum Fazilatunnesa Mujib Hall at Dhaka University for refusing to join its rally yesterday.

The students who were thrown out used to reside in Room No 105 of the residential hall. Their names could not known immediately.

Witnesses said BCL activists were reportedly asking students to join the rally at the hall on Saturday, when these five female students told them that they would not be able to attend the rally only to be physically assaulted.

They just did not stop there. They also locked up the room of the five students and then threw them out of the hall.

Provost Sabita Rezwana Rahman confirmed the incident and said the room was opened at around 11am by contacting the proctor. Moreover, the dispute on a trivial matter had also been settled between them.

Fazilatunnesa Mujib Hall BCL unit General Secretary Nabila Marufa however denied the involvement of any BCL activist in the incident.

Other halls have not experienced such unpleasant things, but general

students of those halls were on Saturday night asked to join the BCL rally at Suhrawardy Udyan yesterday. They were also warned that they would be made to leave hall in case they failed to join the rally.

Seeking anonymity, a Mohosin Hall unit BCL activist said: “We went to each and every room to tell all the students that they must attend the rally. We even registered the names of the students who were at the hall on Saturday night to see who skips the rally.”

Preferring anonymity, a masters student who lives at at Sir F Rahman Hall said: “I had to hide myself to ensure that I would not have to go to the rally. Leaving my studies, I did not even run personal errands, let alone join the BCL rally.”

A BCL central committee organisation secretary, preferring not to be named, said: “We wanted to hold a mammoth rally and so some allegations of forcing the students to join the rally have cropped up.’

DU BCL unit President Mehadi Hasan Mollah and General Secretary Omar Sharif said it was true that all the halls units leaders were asked to urge every student to join the rally. But it was not that they were asked to force the general students to join the rally.

They added that action would be taken against any student found guilty

of forcing the students to join the rally.

Thousands of leaders and activists of BCL from different parts of the country stayed at the hall without the permission of the hall or university authorities on Saturday.

According to the university ordinance 1973, if an outsider wants to stay with any student as guest, he/she must be permitted by the hall provost or university vice-chancellor.

But none of them (who came on the occasion of the rally) took the permission from the hall administration, even the hall authorities neglected this.

Sir F Rahman Hall Provost Abdul Aziz said: “It has been going on for 35 years.

However, I admit that nobody should enter the hall without being permitted by the hall authority.

“However, it is not possible for me alone to implement this rule. The university authorities should also come forward in doing this,” he added.

Dhaka University Vice Chancellor AAMS Arefin Siddique had several times announced that no outsider would be allowed in the hall. However, he was yet to take any action regarding this.

When the vice chancellor was phoned about this, he said he was at a programme and so could not talk about it right then. l

3 Actor ATM Shamsuzzaman’s son gets life for killing brother n Md Sanaul Islam Tipu A Dhaka court yesterday awarded life imprisonment to actor ATM Shamsuzzaman’s younger son, ATM Khalequzzaman Kushol, 36, for murdering his elder brother.

Dhaka Speedy Trial Tribunal 1 Judge Shahed Nuruddin pronounced the verdict in the presence of the convict.

Terming the murder heinous, the court awarded Kushol life-time rigorous imprisonment. The court also fined him Tk50,000, in default of which he would have to serve another year.

On March 13, 2012, Kabir, then 35-years-old, the eldest son of Shamsuzzaman was stabbed to death by his youngest brother, ATM Khalequzzaman Kushol, then 33-years-old, at the family residence in Dhaka’s Sutrapur neighbourhood.

On June 25, 2012, police submitted charge sheet and on October 31 of the same year, the court indicted Kushol.

ATM Shamsuzzman filed a case with Sutrapur police station following the murder. Shortly after the incident, police arrested Kushol from the house.

ATM Shamsuzzaman gave a deposition before the court against his own son on January 30, 2013.

“It was around 2:30 or 3pm when I heard a sound at the entrance to our residence and rushed to find a locksmith picking the lock.

“When I asked who had for sent him, he said it was Kabir. I found Kamal [Kabir] standing by the entrance and told him that this would have been unnecessary had he simply knocked.

“I had a quarrel with Kabir. He was in a foul mood and started insulting me. At one stage, I slapped him, and he knocked me over. Kushol came out of his room and asked him [Kabir] why he had raised his hand against me.”

“At one stage of the quarrel, I found Kabir on the bed bleeding profusely. I fainted.”

“Then I heard Kushol saying ‘I will not escape, save the life of Kabir bhai,” Shamsuzzman said. l

‘Walkout, if necessary, in protest of judges impeachment bill’ n Kamran Reza Chowdhury The main opposition Jatiya Party (JaPa) yesterday decided that it would, in principle, oppose the 16th constitution amendment bill that would authorise the legislature to impeach the judges of the Supreme Court for misconduct, charter violation or incapability.

While discussing its role in the third session starting today, the JaPa decided that it would examine the bill thoroughly and walk out of the House, if necessary, to protest the government decision on judges impeachment and the national broadcast policy.

The JaPa is very conservative in violent protest in the assembly and hardly stages walkouts since it started playing the role of opposition since 1991.

During the last 23 years, JaPa staged at best 10 walkouts and never boycotted the parliament. They staged the only walkout on March 23 in the two sessions of the current 10th parliament.

“We have decided to oppose the bill (the 16th constitution amendment) in principle, as the opposition parties do.

After getting the copy of the bill we will examine every proposal and strongly oppose. Even we would walkout, if necessary,” Tajul Islam Chowdhury, the chief whip of the opposition, told the Dhaka Tribune after the meeting at the parliament building.

But, he said his party would also support the government if the bill contained something good.

“Our ideal position is to oppose the bill and the national broadcast policy,” Mashiur Rahman Ranga, state minister for local government, told the Dhaka Tribune.

In parliamentary practices, a minister cannot oppose a government decision as the decisions are collective in nature.

The government decides to restore the original article 96 of the constitution that authorised parliament to impeach the judges with a two-third majority. After the assassination of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Gen Ziaur Rahman introduced a new mechanism, the Supreme Judicial Council that is the authorised body to impeach the judges for offence and charter violation and incapability.

Chief justice is the head of the council having two senior judges as its members.

AKM Mayeedul Islam, another lawmaker, told the Dhaka Tribune the JaPa opposed the government decision to hold talks with the stakeholders while implementing the national broadcast policy. l

4

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Monday, September 1, 2014

Ministry’s unwillingness blamed for Higher Education Commission limbo n Mushfique Wadud Education Ministry’s fear of losing a share of authority has created uncertainty over the formation of a Higher Education Commission that was proposed by Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid two years ago.

Seeking anonymity, some University Grants Commission officials made the claim to the Dhaka Tribune.

They said the Education Ministry did not want a Higher Education Commission as they feared that the ministry’s power might be shared.

UGC officials claimed that the Higher Education Commission was in limbo mainly because of the unwillingness of the Education Ministry.

Under the present structure, Edu-

cation Ministry mainly takes decision regarding universities, however, the UGC can make recommendations to the ministry, they said.

Although on September 16, 2012, Nahid said in parliament that the government had planned to set up a higher education commission in order to widen the scope of higher education in the country, such an organisation is yet to see the light of day.

Meanwhile, the minister has spoken about the commission in many of his speeches at different times.

Despite his assurance, little progress has been made regarding the commission so far.

Earlier University Grants Commission (UGC) submitted a draft proposal of the commission to the ministry,

following which, Nahid held a meeting with the top brass officials of UGC on Thursday to discuss the modifications made in the draft.

Source in the meeting said UGC had objected some of the modifications claiming that under such structure the Higher Education Commission could not function properly.

UGC officials said by the modification, power of the commission was curtailed. Upon their objection Nahid requested them to state the objections in a written form.

So far the ministry have discussed the draft with UGC officials several times but nothing was finalised.

On the other hand, UGC, that was formed at a time when there were a few public universities and no private uni-

versities, is currently struggling to monitor 79 private and 37 public universities.

At present, the commission is operating with the same structure it was born with.

UGC chair AK Azad Chowdhury said they were facing difficulties to properly monitor universities as the higher education sector had expanded over the years.

He said he was hopeful that the Higher Education Commission would be set up soon.

Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid said the process was delayed because the ministry was extra careful about it.

“It is delaying as we are extra careful. We are working on it and it will be set up soon,” Nahid said while speaking at a conference last week. l

Protests over fisherman’s death by BSF in Panchagarh n Our Correspondent, Panchagarh Locals formed a human chain in front of the district press club yesterday protesting the recent killing of a Bangladeshi fisherman by a team of Indian Border Security Force (BSF).

The human chain followed a discussion programme where the speakers demanded exemplary punishment for the BSF men who were involved in the brutal killing that took place along the Shing road border area in Sadar upazila on August 22.

In the event, they urged upon the government to take necessary steps immediately to lodge a complaint with the BSF high-ups for bringing the al-

Scholastica team awarded at the 6th Odyssey International 2014 n Tribune Report

1.65 crore Indian rupees seized at Dhaka airport n Tribune Report Customs Intelligence officials yesterday held a man with 1.65 crore of Indian rupees at Shahjalal International Airport in the capital.

The detainee, Khalil Bepari, 35, came from Dubai on an Emirates Airlines flight around 7:45am, customs sources said. The seized rupees were worth Tk2.06 crore.

Director General of Customs Intelligence Mainul Islam said: “Khalil brought the money from Karachi, Pakistan via Dubai. He hid the rupees inside a pillow, a blanket, a woman’s bag and a paper packet in a total of 164 bundles.”

“After examining his passport we noticed that he had travelled in the Dhaka-Dubai route 14 times,” he added.

Khalil told the customs officials that he was not the owner of the money. He just brought it from Dubai. However, he did not disclose the name of the real owner to the officials. l

A team of five Scholastica students received an award in the category of best aesthetics at the 6th Odyssey International 2014 organised by City Montessori School, Lucknow.

The five class IX students were from Scholastica’s Mirpur campus in the capital. A total of 70 schools from 13 countries participated in the prestigious event which took place from August 23 to August 26.

The students participated in exciting contests such as philharmonic (song), la-mascarade (skit) and a ramp show titled ‘Galactica’. The team achieved award for the ramp performance.

The objective of Odyssey is to widen the importance of English language and relationships, irrespective of cultural and language barriers. Odyssey provides a platform for children to enhance both their literal as well as linguistic skills so that they develop an aptitude for English which will help them in future endeavors. l

Locals besiege Savar Titas office n Our Correspondent, Savar Savar and Ashulia residents yesterday laid siege to the local Titas gas office, demanding cutting off gas illegal connections to ensure uninterrupted gas supply in the areas.

The hour-long incident took place at 11 am at the Titas regional office situated in Jaleshwar area of Savar.

Sources said locals from Jamgora and Simultola areas brought out separate processions in the morning. The participants united and held a human chain programme along the Dhaka-Aricha highway after ending the siege.

Protesters alleged that gas pressure required to light up stoves properly has decreased significantly for the several months due to above 800 illegal gas connections given by corrupt Titas officials.

The angry demonstrators blockaded the highway, as well as the Abdullahpur bypass road, and insisted they would not budge unless the illegal collections are disconnected without any delay. l

leged Indian border force members to book.

Hundreds of villagers of the district also joined the programme to express their solidarity with the demand.

On August 21, a patrol team from BSF Sakati camp 14 picked up fisher Akhtarul Islam, 30, a resident of Prodhanpara village in the upazila, from the border before dawn while he was catching fish and they did not return him despite requests from the local BGB camp authorities.

On the following day, locals spotted Akhtarul’s body afloat on the Chhoto Jamuna River, which bore many injury marks. l

Police regret assault on DU teacher n DU Correspondent A schoolboy ducks to pass a bamboo barricade used to separate a portion of the capital’s Agargaon Road used by Dhaka Metropolitan Police for dumping abandoned vehicles. This picture was taken yesterday MEHEDI HASAN

Green groups demand stop to Bt brinjal cultivation n Abu Bakar Siddique

Environment activists yesterday demanded the cancellation of the government’s decision to move extensively for further demonstrating genetically modified brinjal. known better as Bt brinjal, at the farmers-level as the farmers who cultivated the variety last season faced a huge financial lose.

“The government should not decide on promoting the Bt brinjal varieties further as it has already proved harmful for the farmers and did not get any good output regarding production,” said Syeda Rizwana Hasan, chief executive of Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA).

She made the remark in a press conference at Dhaka Reporters Unity auditorium, jointly organised by different

civil society organisations led by BELA. In February this year, Bangladesh Agriculture Research Institute (BARI) distributed seedlings of four Bt brinjal varieties among 16 farmers in four different regions – Gazipur, Jamalpur, Rangpur and Pabna – to cultivate on one bigha each; however, most of the farmers produced poor results.

Out of 16 farmers who cultivated Bt brinjal last season, seven farmers joined yesterday’s press conference and expressed the difficulties they had to face by cultivating Bt brinjal.

“I received huge financial loss by cultivating Bt Brinjal as I could produce brinjal worth only Tk5,000 by spending Tk8,000 [provided by the government] and all of my labour,” said Babul Khan, a farmer from Melandeh of Jamalpur.

Allegations of Bt brinjal’s various

production challenges were also admitted by BARI Director General Rafiqul Islam Mondol, who told the Dhaka Tribune a few days ago that farmers experienced some difficulties including dead seedlings and pest attacks near the end of season last year.

However, Mondol said the government planned to extensively demonstrate Bt brinjal at field level in the upcoming season to make the product popular among farmers.

BARI would also try to distribute seedlings to around 100 farmers for one bigha of land each in four districts during October-November, which is the appropriate season for brinjal cultivation.

The government failed to maintain the labelling of Bt brinjal – a major condition set by the bio-safety committee regarding the variety’s release – while

marketing it last October, said Syeda Rizwana. She also alleged that the government was yet to confirm the health and environmental hazards of the trans-genetic variety.

The activist groups also said the government had violated the constitution and two international protocols – Convention on Biological Diversity and Cartegena Protocol – by releasing four genetically modified (GM) brinjal varieties at farmers-level.

“The article 18 of the constitution states that the government has to protect the biodiversity and natural resources; however, it [the government] fails to follow the guideline of the bio-safety rules and international conventions while releasing the varieties,” said Pavel Partha, a biodiversity and ecology researcher, while addressing the programme. l

Human trafficking MoU with India on the cards Showkat Kallol and n Asif Rabiul Islam

A mobile court fines 17 brokers after arresting them from Rajshahi Passport Office yesterday. These brokers have been cheating people seeking a passport for a long time AZHER UDDIN

The government is planning to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with India to prevent human trafficking and bring back woman and child victims of trafficking, official sources have said.

The Home Ministry’s proposal for the MoU is likely to be placed before the cabinet committee today. According to the proposal, Bangladesh and India would form a joint task-force to stop human trafficking.

Sources at the Home Ministry said the MoU would be signed during home secretary-level meetings that are set to be held in Dhaka from September 2-4.

State Minister for Home Asaduzzaman Khan told the Dhaka Tribune: “We have already received assurance from our Indian counterparts on bringing back human traffickers under this MoU, who have stayed in India prisons for a long time.”

Some children and women victims of human trafficking would also be brought back after penning the MoU, he added.

According to the proposed draft, the authorities concerned from the two neighbouring countries would provide protection, security and ensure proper human dignity for victims of human trafficking. The authorities would also take legal action against human traffickers and work under a standard operating procedure as per the MoU. The draft of the MoU also read that the deal would limit human trafficking practices between the two countries as the governments would raise the number of border guards and improve cooperation between countries’ public and private stakeholders.

If the proposed MoU is penned, human trafficking victims, especially women and children, would be rehabilitated by the authorities of their respective countries Meanwhile, the Finance Ministry has recommended to the Home Ministry to include in their mid-term budget, the request for extra allocation needed for operations of rescue, recovery, repatriation and integration of victims of human trafficking under this MoU. l

Four members of the police force regretted their actions for assaulting a professor of Dhaka University (DU).

The police officials met with the DU vice-chancellor yesterday morning and admitted that the act was a mistake.

Officer in-Charge of Badda police station MA Jalil along with Ramna zone ADC Shibli Noman, AC Anwar Hossain and Officer in-Charge of Shahbag police station Sirajul Islam went to see the vice-chancellor with a written statement, in which they termed their act incorrect and inhumane and regretted the misdeed.

Shibly Noman told this correspondent that there had been a sheer misunderstanding and he hoped that the subject was settled.

He, however, denied the claim of asking for a pardon in the statement.

On August 6, Samina Lutfa, assistant professor of Sociology Department, was physically assaulted when she went to express solidarity with the Tuba garment workers, who were on hunger strike demanding due wage. l

5th death anniversary of Khurshed Alam

n Tribune Report Today is the fifth death anniversary of fiction writer and former additional secretary Khurshed Alam.

He was a BCS admin cadre (1982 batch).

Alam passed away at the age of 53.

He wrote a total of 19 books.

All are requested to pray for his departed soul. l

SCC office declared smoking free n Our Correspondent, Sylhet The authorities of Sylhet City Corporation (SCC) yesterday announced its premises to be smoking free.

Mayor Ariful Haque Choudhury made the declaration in a programme arranged jointly organized by the SCC and an NGO named Simantic Tobacco free project in its conference hall.

In the event, the mayor said the process on the way to make the whole city corporation areas smoking free has just started with the move, where many distinguished personalities of the district were present. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

5

Monday, September 1, 2014

Dhaka North yet to finish facelift projects Dreadful condition of streets in Mirpur causes pedestrians and commuters to suffer intolerably

Locals demand construction of a concrete road

n Abu Hayat Mahmud

n Our Correspondent, Barisal

The Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) has failed to meet several deadlines for the completion of projects involving construction and repair of roads and footpaths in Mirpur area of the capital.

Its officials are yet to issue a time frame by which the projects would be completed.

The dreadful condition of most of the streets, parts of main roads and footpaths in Mirpur causes pedestrians and commuters to suffer intolerably. There are frequent potholes on the roads and the poor condition of the drainage system results in waterlogging during the rainy season.

Indiscriminate parking of vehicles and the ever-increasing traffic have also added to the woes of people.

“The condition of most of the roads in Mirpur area is too bad to describe.

Bumpy and dilapidated roads make it difficult for both vehicles and pedestrians to move. The locals have been living with the ordeal for a very long time,” said Md Sabuj, a resident of Pallabi in Mirpur 12.

“The city corporation dug the roads and footpaths three to four months ago but are yet to finish the work,” he added.

The Mirpur area has seen no renovation for a while allegedly because of negligence and a lack of sincerity on the part of the city corporation authorities.

n FM Mizanur Rahaman

The teachers’ association of Shahjalal University of Science & Technology (SUST) shifted yesterday’s work abstention and black badge programme to today because of Sunday’s hartal.

The teachers were scheduled to observe the programme yesterday to protest the assault on the association’s vice president and professor of social work department Dr Niaz Ahmed by a student.

Professor Faruk Uddin, general secretary of the association and associate professor of social science department, confirmed the matter to the Dhaka Tribune.

He said: “As part of the programme, we will hold a rally around 11am wearing black badges and also submit memorandum to the vice-chancellor.”

On August 28, Oyes Ahmed, a Master’s student, stabbed Professor Dr Niaz Ahmed leaving him critically injured.

He is now receiving treatment at Osmani Medical College and Hospital.

A case had been filed with Jalalabad thana in this regard. A 3-member committee had also been formed to look into expelling Oyes from the university and cancelling his Honours certificate. l

WEATHER

DRIZZLE MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 1 DHAKA TODAY TOMORROW SUN SETS 6:17PM SUN RISES 5:40AM FORECAST FOR TODAY Dhaka

32

26

Chittagong

31

25

Rajshahi

31

25

Rangpur

31

25

Khulna

30

25

Barisal

30

25

Sylhet

34

24

Cox’s Bazar

30

25

YESTERDAY’S HIGH AND LOW

23.3ºC Dinajpur

Source: Accuweather/UNB

PRAYER TIMES Fajar Sunrise Zohr Asr Magrib Esha

Roads in block A, B and D under section 11 in Mirpur were found to be in need of immediate repair. Other roads found to be in similar conditions include Manikdi Road, Paris Road, Benaroshi Palli Road, and also roads in Bihari Palli in section 10 and 11.

Two repair projects in Mirpur were

initiated in October and December last year, and were scheduled to be completed by June this year. However, the implementation of both are still underway.

Besides, another project undertaken to give the capital a facelift before the ICC T20 World Cup has not finished yet. More than four months have gone

by since the curtain fell on the event but the beautification work in Mirpur is still going on at a snail's pace.

The road stretching from Mirpur 11 to Kalshi was regularly used by visitors staying at the Radisson and Regency Hotel to reach Mirpur stadium during the world cup. However, the project to

CU crippled by students’ indefinite strike

SUST teachers to observe work strike today n Our Correspondent, Sylhet

33.5ºC Sylhet

Bricks are kept on a roadside as the Dhaka North City Corporation is yet to finish the facelift work in Mirpur area of the capital. The beautification project began before the ICC World Cup tournament in January this year ABU HAYAT MAHMUD

widen and repair the road has not finished yet, with the deadline expiring in about six months ago.

Alim, who lives in Kalshi, said: “Negligence on the contractor's part and the lack of supervision by the city corporation are to be blamed for the unnecessary delay.”

The beautification work was initiated in early February, following approval from the government on January 19, and was supposed to be completed by March 8.

Under the project, 23km road was supposed to be widened, lampposts and traffic signs were to be installed on 23.5km road, and 20.5km road was to be beautified.

The Local Government Division is implementing the Tk115 crore project, with Tk92 crore from the government exchequer and the remaining amount from DNCC funds.

DNCC chief engineer Brigadier General Md Gazi Firoz Rahman could not be reached for comment on the delay in the implementation of the projects.

On June 1 this year, DNCC former chief engineer Brigadier General Md Abul Khair told the Dhaka Tribune: “We were given only four to five weeks before the world cup to implement the beautification project. We did not have enough time which is why we could not complete the whole project on time.”

Interestingly, Khair told the Dhaka Tribune in February that he was confident about the implementation of the projection by the March 8 deadline. l

4:23am 5:39am 11:59am 4:29pm 6:17pm 7:34pm SourceL IslamicFinder.org

The academic and administrative activities of Chittagong University (CU) were on hold yesterday on the first day of an indefinite strike enforced by residential students and countrywide halfday hartal enforced by Islami Chhatra Sena, a student wing of the Islamic Front Bangladesh.

The residential students of Shah Amanat and Suhrawardy Hall observed that strike under the banner of “General Students of CU” with a call to reopen two dormitories which were closed after clashes between two student organisations.

The protesters also demanded arrangement for accommodation for the

residential students of Shah Jalal hall.

They also alleged that the Bangladesh Chhatra League activists had occupied the hall after driving out them.

Administrative sources said no class and examination was held and the campus-bound shuttle train services also remained suspended from the morning. No teachers’ bus plied city routes, said CU transport sources.

The CU sources said a section of students brought out a procession from the Central Student Union building area in the morning.

Meanwhile, two crude bombs were exploded from another procession in the CU College area at 12 noon.

On receiving information, police

rushed to the spot and recovered an unexploded bomb from there, said Md Moin Uddin, officer-in-charge of CU police outpost.

Earlier, a section of activists of Chhatra Sena, CU unit halted a campus bound shuttle train and locked the room of the station master in the morning at Sholoshahar Railway Station.

Md Shahbuddin, station master of Sholashahar Railway Station, said a numbers of students also threatened that they would attack the train, if its service continues. Later, considering the entire situation the train services were suspended, he said.

CU Proctor Siraj Ud Dowla said they would not tolerate further unrest on

campus. “We will take all kind of steps to run the campus smoothly,” he said.

The CU had closed the Suhrawardy Hall after a gunfight which took place between the ruling party student’s wing men and Shibir on 24 August.

The Shah Amanat Hall was closed on January 12 after another fierce fight between the activists of BCL and Shibir that left Mamun Hossain, a 4th year student of Soil Science department and also the hall unit president of Shibir, killed.

The two closed halls were dominated by Islami Chhatra Shibir while Shah Jalal is under control of ruling party students’ wing Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), said campus sources. l

Locals formed a human chain at Dharmadi-Raipasha intersection in Barisal demanding to turn a 200-year old muddy road into a concrete road.

Hundreds of locals of Raipasha-Karapur union under Barisal Sadar upazila participated in the programme organised by the local union parishad.

The rally was presided over by Khadiza Begum, female member of local union parishad.

The speakers said two kilometers road from Mollar Bazaar of Purba Dharmadi to Raipasha has been dilapidated for the last 200 years even it was located near Barisal City Corporation area, causing immense suffering to commuters.

Hundreds of people of ward 5 and 6 of the union have to use the old muddy road as it is the only way to connect to

'Students had to keep two-set of clothes to cross the dilapidated road as they often fall onto mud' outer world, including union parishad, educational institutions, business enterprises, working places, government and non-government offices at district and divisional city.

Every year during the monsoon season, the road becomes unusable not only for transport but also for pedestrians.

The participants said they had submitted applications to several ministries to construct the road, but failed to convince them about the necessity of a concrete road.

“I often fail to go to work on time as I have to cross the marooned road every day, said Ekhlas Ali, a day labour.

Among the participants, Kabir Hossain, a local resident, said school students were worst affected by the dilapidated road.

Many students of the locality have stopped going to school mainly because of the state of the road, he said.

Naim, a class III student, said they failed to attend school on time due to the severely damaged road.

Sumaiya Begum, a student of class IV, said students had to keep two-set of clothes to cross the dilapidated road as they often fall onto mud. l

Updating of DCC voter list starts today n Rafe Sadnan Adel The Election Commission will start updating t6he voter list of Dhaka City Corporation from today.

Supervisors will start making doorto-door visits and the process will continue until September 10.

The process for taking photographs of new voters of Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) and Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) will start from September 18, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmed said at a press conference in his office yesterday.

He said: “It is a continuous process.

If anyone fails to update his information within the deadline they can update that after the session. And Bangladeshi nationals who are residents in foreign countriescan also enlist themselves anytime before the election by going to the upazila or thana election offices in they happen to be in the country.”

The CEC confirmed that during the first phase of updating, 181 upazila have

already been covered and now they are in the third phase where they are going to start updating information of voters in 120 upazilas. Ninety-two upazilas are yet to be covered under the second phase, he said.

CEC warned everyone to avoid having dual voter enlistment. Anyone found doing so would be penalised.

The Election Commission has found that the number of female voters are decreasing daily.

Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmed said the reasons behind this are, firstly parents tend to avoid mentioning the age of their daughters, secondly most of the rural female voters are conservative and thirdly, some of them deny being photographed because of religious reasons.

Day labourers will not be included in this updating process as they create confusion while providing permanent address. The local governments have been informed about the issues, he said.

According to CEC’s statistics, 3,082,287 new voters have been enlisted so far of whom 17,59,233 are male l

Indigenous leader Bichitra Tirki, centre, who has been tortured by a group of land grabbers recently, being taken to home after she was released from hospital yesterday AZAHAR UDDIN

Most battery-run auto-rickshaws stay off streets 67 vehicles seized on first day of eviction drive shaws till 4pm adding that the rick- AKM Shahidur Rahman said additional n Tarek Mahmud, Chittagong shaws would be given back to the own- traffic inspectors and sergeants were The first day of eviction drive against battery-run auto-rickshaws could not achieve its expected results as most of these vehicles remained off the city roads to avoid penalty.

The joint team of Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP), Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA), Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) and Chittagong district administration, seized a total of 67 battery-run rickshaws in the port city on the first day of the eviction drive yesterday.

Deputy Commissioner (traffic-north zone) Faruk Ahmed of the CMP said they had seized 67 battery-run rick-

ers after removing their motors and batteries.

The owners and drivers of battery-run rickshaws in Chittagong city have been instructed to run their vehicles on the city roads after removing the battery and motor within August 30 according to the order of the ministry concerned and the High Court.

The authorities concerned after a meeting on August 25 announced that they would seize battery-run vehicles if those ply road after the deadline.

CMP Additional Commissioner (traffic, finance and administration)

deployed at 26 points to conduct the drive.

About one hundred thousand battery-run rickshaws are now plying the port city streets under 13 different associations. Apart from them, 70,000 rickshaws were licensed by the Chittagong City Corporation.

Meanwhile, the plying of battery-run auto-rickshaws was remarkably low on the first day of eviction. While visiting different points of the city, it was found that most of the battery-run auto-rickshaws stayed off the streets.

Talking with a number of rickshaw-pullers, Dhaka Tribune found

that they did not ply their rickshaws because of drive.

Asked whether they are obeying the authorities’ instruction, Vice President Firoz Alom of Chittagong Rickshaw and Battery-run Rickshaw Malik Sangram Parishad said they did not ply their rickshaws because of the hartal.

On Saturday, they issued 48-hour ultimatum to the CCC Mayor M Monjur Alam to resign from his post. They also threatened to siege CCC Office, on August 3 if their seven-point demands were not met within 48 hours.

The seven-point demands include providing license to the rickshaw-owners and stopping the harassment of rickshaw-drivers. l

Worker electrocuted in Chittagong n Tribune Report A worker was electrocuted at Fakirhar area under Sitakunda upazila in Chittagong early yesterday.

The deceased was identified as Md Roni, 25, the son of Monir Hossain, from Faridganj upazila of Chandpur district, said police sources.

Nayek Jahangri Alam of Chittagong Medical College (CMCH) police outpost said the youth came in contact with a live wire when he was lifting sand at Kalushah area of Fakirhat.

Co-workers rushed him to CMCH where the doctors on duty declared him dead around 4am, said Nayek Jahangir. l

6

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Nation

Monday, September 1, 2014

Gram Adalat dysfunctional in Moulvibazar UP chairmen and justice seekers prefer the traditional system of arbitration n Rajat Kanti Goswami, Moulvibazar The Gram Adalat (village court), an alternative dispute resolution system, is severely underutilised in the Union Parishads (UP) of Moulvibazar district.

Salish, the traditional system of arbitration, is more preferred by UP chairmen and justice seekers in rural areas than the Gram Adalat.

Locals allege that UP chairmen and members of Moulvibazar spend a significant amount of time each week attending salish but not many cases of Gram Adalat.

Talking to various concerned people, The Dhaka Tribune found many reasons behind the unpopularity of Gram Adalat. Among them worth men-

tioning are the lack of knowledge of merit and importance of Gram Adalat, poor outreach among rural people, interference of so called local heads, inadequate infrastructure, and disinterest of UP chairmen in the system.

Most of the UP offices in different upazilas of Moulvibazar are running without a trial room for Gram Adalat.

According to Union Parishad sources, of the 12 UP under Moulvibazar sadar upazila, trial rooms have been set up in only four UP offices.

Stressing on the importance of the system, Mizanur Rahman, Sylhet Divisional Coordinator of the Mass Line Media Centre, an NGO working with local government, said: “The rural people could

benefit a lot by Gram Adalat. It could help dispense justice at the door steps of the villagers without going through a longdrawn formal legal process.”

The procedure to seek justice to Gram Adalat is not a very complicated one. One has to just lodge a written complaint to the UP chairman and pay Tk4 fees for civil matter and Tk2 for criminal matter. Upon receiving the application, the UP chairman will issue notices to the parties involved in the dispute to attend the Gram Adalat on specific date and time for hearing.

According to the Gram Adalat Ain formulated in 2006, the highest penalty it can impose is Tk25,000. Any aggrieved side of the case, however, can

appeal against the verdict of the Gram Adalat to a first class magistrate court for criminal cases and in the assistant judge court for civil cases.

Sujit Kumar Das, chairman of Amtoil UP under Sadar upazila said: “The objective of the Gram Adalat is to save the rural people from expensive and time-consuming traditional justice system.” He further added that the justice seekers in rural areas in most cases habitually depend on salish as it was more informal and quicker than the Gram Adalat.

In the meantime, the Jatiya Sangsad passed an amendment to the Gram Adalat Ain on September 2013 with a provision to incorporate several new

clauses into the existing act for the smooth carrying out of judicial activities at the village level.

Clash, theft, damaging of crops, harming livestock, breach of monetary deal, and poisoning fish in ponds etc. can be settled in the village court as per the law. The amended act strengthens the institutional sustainability of the Gram Adalat and increases the pecuniary jurisdiction of the court from Tk25,000 to Tk75,000.

Describing the inception of Gram Adalat as a praise-worthy initiative, Rumel Ahmed, chairman of Mostafapur UP laid emphasis on bolstering the outreach of Gram Adalat for the system to become popular and widely used. l

A former union parishad member has been shot dead by miscreants at Ramhari Para in Naniarchar upazila early Sunday.

The deceased was identified as Shanti Kumar Chakma, a former member of Ghilachhari union parisahd.

Ghilachhari UP Chairman Omar Jibon Chakma said a group of miscreants called Shanti out of his house around 12:30am and shot him dead near his residence. Locals and Shanti’s family members noticed the body early hours on Sunday and informed police.

Naniarchar police station second officer Abdul Awal told the Dhaka Tribune that they have sent police force to recover the body. l

n Our Correspondent, Rangpur

n Our Correspondent, Feni Robbers have looted three idols of a Hindu goddesses, gold ornaments and furniture from Lemua Jaladash para temple in Feni.

Officer-in-Charge of Feni model police station Mahbub Morshed said the incident took place early Sunday. The looters broke the lock of the temple and took all the valuables. President of the temple committee Nandi Das said police did not reach the place as of 1:50pm. The incident has created anxiety among the people of the Hindu community in the locality.

In-charge of Bogdadia police outpost, Motahar Hussain said he heard about the incident and his force was preparing to visit the spot when the report was filed. l

Robbers tried to loot Brac Bank of Natun Bazar branch yesterday in Mymensingh by breaking its vault.

Police sources said the robbers entered the bank by making a hole in the wall behind it and tried to loot all the money.

In the morning, the guards of the bank went to the office and found the vault broken. On information, police went to the spot. No one was arrested in this connection. A general diary was filed.

Kotwali police station Officer-inCharge Fazlul Karim said the police tried to investigate into the cause of the matter. l

n Our Correspondent, Bhola

51 sent to jail

Idols, valuables looted

n Our Correspondent, Mymensingh

Experimental gas extraction begins from Shahbazpur gas field

Former UP member shot dead n Our Correspondent, Rangamati

A district court in the district yesterday sent 51 alleged criminals to jail rejecting bail prayers. Sources said police arrested them on special drive from Saturday night to Sunday morning.

They were produced before the court in the morning. Kotwali police station Officer-in-Charge Abdul Kader Zilany said they were accused of several cases, including murder, mugging, robbery, and smuggling. l

Robbers attempt to loot Brac Bank

State-owned Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration and Production Company Limited starts extracting gas yesterday from the third well of Shahbazpur gas field in Bhola on an experimental basis DHAKA TRIBUNE

The state-owned Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration and Production Company Limited (Bapex) started extracting gas yesterday from the third well of Shahbazpur gas field in Bhola on an experimental basis.

Bapex Project Director Abdul Halim said, Bapex had completed the drilling with its own initiative and technology.

He hoped that formal gas extraction would begin within a few days.

Shahbazpur gas field was discovered in 1994 with an estimated reserve of 0.465 trillion cubic feet of gas, out of which 0.35 trillion cubic feet is extractable from the first and second well.

Bapex Asisstant Manager Shahadat Hossain said: “The gas already extracted is supplied to the 34.5MW rental power plant of Bhola’s Venture Energy Resource Ltd. And the third well is being prepared as more gas would be needed once the 225MW power plant in Borhanuddin begins operation.” l

Fake dentists posing health hazard Abducted bank official n Our Correspondent, Gopalganj A number of fake dentists are running businesses in Gopalganj.

Claiming themselves as “doctors,” they are operating chambers in different upazilas under the district without legal registration or approval.

According to Gopalganj health department, at least 30 such illegal dental clinics are in operation in the district where services like tooth scaling and polishing, filling etc are delivered in an unhygienic environment.

Same unsterilised equipments are used to treat a number of patients, exposing them to being infected with Hepatitis B and C virus.

On Sunday a mobile court led by Executive Magistrate SM Manjurul Haque and medical officer for the Gopalganj Civil Surgeon Office Dr

Humayun Kabir raided different areas of the city to nab the fake dentists.

Sensing the raid, many of the fake dentists fled, closing down their chambers.

One fake dentist admitted to treating patients in an unhygienic environment The mobile court sentenced Sukumer Sarker in Arambagh area with two months imprisonment and charged Tk20,000, in default to serve an extra month in jail while Tapas Hira of Borashi village was charged Tk10,000, in default to serve one month imprisonment.

Requesting anonymity, one fake dentist admitted to treating patients in an unhygienic environment. He said he had no idea about proper medicine and drugs and could not even write down a prescription.

He said there were many doctors who abused antibiotics.

Dr Humayun Kabir said none of these fake chambers could properly sterilise medical utensils. Also, there was no alternative arrangement for sterilisation either.

Now there is a high chance that patients might get infected with Hepatitis B or C, he said.

“These doctors are cheating people.

Because of their wrong treatment, other diseases are affecting the patients. Health department is active in dealing with them,” said the medical officer. l

rescued in Sirajganj n Tribune Report

Detective Branch of police in a drive rescued a bank official and from Jhaoil area in Kamarkhanda upazila on Saturday night, two days after his abduction by miscreants.

The DB also arrested two of the alleged abductors during the drive.

The arrested are: Sumon, 28, son of Saiful Islam of Kandapara village and Salauddin, 27, son of Jamat Ali of Chakli village in Sadar upazila.

Officer-in-charge of Sirajganj DB Nasir Uddin said a group of miscreants abducted Mahbubur Rahman, 28, an official of Trust Bank’s Enayetpur Branch and son of Akmal Hossain of Chak Binod village in Kahalu upazila in Bogra district, at gunpoint from Kaddar Mor area in Sa-

dar upazila around 4am on Friday.

Later, the abductors demanded a ransom of Tk 10 lakh from the victim’ s family members over phone.

On a tip-off, a team of DB police conducted a drive at Jhaoil area around 10:00 pm on Saturday.

Sensing the presence of the law enforcers, the criminals opened fire towards the police, forcing them to retaliate. Two of the abductors, Sumon and Salauddin were injured during the gunfight and arrested by the DB. Later, the law enforcers rescued the bank official from the spot.

However, other members of the gang managed to flee the scene.

Four policemen - sub-inspectors Tozammel and Benu, and constables Kamal and Shafi -were also injured and admitted to Sirajganj Sadar Hospital. l

Police officials differ over the escape of an accused n Our Correspondent, Gazipur High level police officials in Gazipur gave contradictory statements regarding an incident of an accused fleeing from a police van yesterday.

Sources said the accused Delwar Hossain, fled from the police van while he was being taken to Kaliakoir upazila on Saturday night.

'Why would he [the accused] be in the police station? He has fled and there is no hiding it. I have ordered the OC to rearrest him as soon as possible'

Local people at Sidhirganj in Naraynganj bring out a procession in the area yesterday demanding punishment to the killers of Delwar Hossain Morsalin, who has been killed by miscreants recently DHAKA TRIBUNE

Acting on a tip off, police detained Delwar and Liton with 300gm of cannabis at Baliadi Bazar area on Friday night.

Later, a mobile court led by Kaliakoir upazila Assistant Commissioner Jinat Jahan sentenced them to six months’ imprisonment. They were sent back

from Gazipur jail due to some issues with legal papers. Delwar fled from the van while being taken to Kaliakoir around 10pm.

Kaliakoir police station Officerin-Charge Omor Faruk had earlier confirmed the incident. However, when contacted in the morning, he said: “The accused did not flee, he is in jail.”

On the other hand, endorsing the incident, Superintendent of Police Harun-Ur-Rashid said they were trying to rearrest the escaped accused.

Gazipur Additional Superintendent of Police Delwar Hossain said: “I had visited Kaliakoir police station as per the order of the police super soon after the incident but I did not find the accused there.”

About the OC’s statement, he said: “Why would he [the accused] be in the police station? He has fled and there is no hiding it. I have ordered the OC to rearrest him as soon as possible.”

Senior Jail Super of Gazipur District Jail Shubhash Chandra Ghosh said: “In spite of having a system of separate arrest warrants for different accused, police had brought only one arrest warrant for the two of them.” l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Long Form

7

Monday, September 1, 2014

Can IS be stopped?

A masked Islamic State militant holding a knife speaks next to man purported to be US journalist James Foley at an unknown location in this still file image from an undated video posted on a social media website. Britain is close to identifying a suspected British national shown beheading American journalist James Foley in a video released by Islamic State militants REUTERS

T

n Faiz Sobhan he Islamic State or IS, and until recently known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) or the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), has stunned and alarmed both governments and people all over the world by its sudden and meteoric rise.

Leaders from around the globe have voiced their fear and concern about the serious danger IS poses to the international community in general and to Iraq and Syria, in particular.

The US president, Barack Obama has remarked, and it has become even more apparent in recent months, that the Islamic States’ “extreme ideology poses a medium and long-term threat” to citizens of the United States.

the Syrian civil war has helped to make the IS stronger and larger than any other rebel group involved in the conflict.

The appeal of the IS has rapidly gone global. Young men from all over the world are flocking to join its ranks in Iraq and Syria. This has sent shock waves all over the world, particularly in the United States and Europe, since many of those joining the IS are citizens of the United States, the United Kingdom and several European countries.

An estimated 2,000 to 3,000 of its fighters are said to be of European origin. It is however unclear the actual number of fighters the IS has in Iraq and Syria. In Iraq alone, the IS is estimated to have more than 15,000 fighters together with militias allied to them. In Syria, they are thought to have at least 6,000 to 8,000 fighters.

President Obama correctly stated that the United States cannot ‘play whack-a-mole’ and send its troops to all the countries where the IS emerges

After the fall of Mosul, Iraq’s second largest city, in June, the leader of the Islamic State, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, declared that he had established the Caliphate and re-branded the group as the “Islamic State.” The New York Times estimates that the group now controls 90,000 square kilometres of land in an area that stretches from Aleppo in Syria to Diyala in Iraq.

Most recently, it captured the alTabqa air base in the Raqqa province in Syria, bordering Turkey. IS today has artillery, tanks, fighter planes and other military equipment that it has acquired in various ways. Much of this has been taken over or seized from the Syrian and Iraqi armed forces.

In fact, the IS has been steadily growing for the past few years, right under the nose of the Iraqi government.

Unfortunately, Iraq’s former prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki, was too busy developing his own myopic agenda for Iraq, and supporting his fellow Shiite constituency, at the expense of the interests of the Sunni population.

As a result large sections of the Sunni community have been forced to pledge their support to the Islamic State in the large swathes of land they have captured thus far. Additionally,

Al-Baghdadi, who emerged as the leader of the IS in 2010, can today assume the credit for making the IS the world’s most dangerous terrorist organisation. Al-Baghdadi, in comparison to his old friend and mentor, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, who headed al-Qaeda in Iraq until he was killed

by US forces in 2006, is considered a far more intelligent, and pragmatic individual.

Unlike Zarqawi, al-Baghdadi is also said to be highly educated and has a PhD in Islamic theology. A large part of his strength lies in the support he has secured from a group of old Baath Party officials who served under Saddam Hussein.

The IS is estimated to be the richest and most powerful terrorist group in the world today. Defeating them or degrading their strength will be a formidable task for any country. After the capture of Mosul, the IS looted the central bank of $429m (500bn Iraqi dinars) in cash. In addition, the group generates income from collecting taxes from the local areas under its control and reportedly sells 40,000 barrels of oil a day.

Furthermore, millions of dollars in donation have come from Saudi

Arabia, Qatar and other Gulf States in the past few years. Due to their large resources in the areas under their control, the IS has continued to pay local workers and even offers social security benefits. The group’s earnings are estimated at $1-$4m a day. It is believed that IS today controls more than $2bn.

In the short-term, the following options may be required in order to contain the IS:

Military option While the US air strikes have temporarily checked the advance of IS forces in Iraq, it is evident that air strikes alone can only serve as a short-term measure. While the IS fighters have acquired a number of sophisticated weaponry, including its recent capture of SA-16 MANPADS at the al-Tabqa air base in Raqqab, they are not as well-trained or fully equipped as the US, European or some other military forces in the region. However, recent events have shown that IS forces are highly motivated and will not be easy to defeat.

Support to Sunni tribes Iraq’s new Shi’ite Prime Minister, Haidar al-Abadi would need to repair much of the damage done by his predecessor and bridge the ever-expanding gap between the Shiites and Sunnis in Iraq. What has been viewed as a positive development by many observers is the fact that several Sunni tribes have stated that they are willing to negotiate with Prime Minister al-Abadi. It is evident though that if the IS is to be weakened and eventually defeated, Shiites and Sunnis need to come to terms and agree to work together.

Bolstering allied forces US President Obama correctly stated that the United States cannot “play whack-a-mole” and send its troops to all the countries where the IS emerges.

The United States and its partners can instead help to bolster their allies in the region such as Turkey and Jordan, especially the Iraqi armed forces, to enable them to effectively confront the forces of the IS.

Diplomacy The United States and its European allies, fully aware of the threat from the IS, need to turn to their partners in the Middle East to get their full support and help. This means persuading those countries that have been funding the IS to stop channelling funds to the group. Those states would also need to pledge their support of reaching out to their contacts and networks in Iraq and Syria to try and

Islamic State

The jihadist group now controls large areas of Syria and Iraq TURKEY

Ar Rai Aleppo Latakia

Idleb

Tabqa

Raqa

Bukamal

Quneira

Dama

Sharqat

Arbil

Makhmur

Rawa

Samarra

Jalawla Baquba

BAGHDAD

IRAQ

IRAN

Karbala Najaf

The rise of the IS

2006 Created in Iraq at alQaeda’s instigation

Amarah

100 km

July 2011 Spreads to Syria

Feb 2014 Is disavowed by al-Qaeda. At war with al-Nusra Front (al-Qaeda’s official branch in Syria)

June 2014 Launches offensive in Iraq, seizes Mosul.

Declares creation of caliphate in territories it controls

Islamic State jihadists Kurdish peshmerga fighters Iraqi government forces Syrian government forces Other rebel groups

Kirkuk Suleiman Amerli Beg

Fallujah Rutba

Area controlled by:

Hawija

Haditha

SYRIA DAMASCUS

Sinjar Mosul

Deir Ezzor

Hama Homs

Autonomous Kurdish region

Mosul Dam

Syria

Abou Bakr al-Baghdadi IS leader

Nasiriyah

Iraq

Fighters (estimate)

50,000

inc. 20,000 foreigners (from the Gulf, Chechnya, W. Europe)

Aug 2014 Beheads US journalist James Foley

work together to stop the onslaught of the terror group. The sharing of any intelligence between these countries will also play a critical role in the fight against the IS.

The role of the international community In the final analysis, the IS can only be contained and ultimately defeated if the United States and their allies have the absolute resolve and political will necessary to vanquish this extremely violent and dangerous group. While it is positive news that the United States has begun surveillance flights over Syria which may be a prelude to air strikes, it has tough decisions to make in the coming weeks and months including whether to work with the

25%

8,000 to 10,000

Funding

inc. 3,200-4,000 foreigners

Territory controlled

Basra

40%

Assad regime; an idea not particularly favoured by Obama and members of his administration. Equally important will be the role played by Iran, Russia and China. The United States will need to reassess its policies towards all these countries in the larger interest of forging a global coalition.

The need for an effective counter radicalisation policy

However, a major factor that could help to erode the strength of the IS will be for the Sunni tribes in Iraq and Syria to withdraw their support for IS, which will then lose a major source of its lifeblood and potentially decline over time. Equally important for the international community will be to develop an effective counter radicalisation policy. Central to such a policy

5%

95%

Extortion, oil smuggling, ransoms, Mosul banks

Gulf States

will be to ensure that Muslims whether in the United States, Europe, in OIC member states, or indeed all over the world, do not become extremists and militants, who then end up not simply rallying to the cause of the IS but actually join its ranks as fighters. l Faiz Sobhan writes on international affairs.

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DHAKA TRIBUNE

World

Monday, September 1, 2014

Iraqi forces break two-month siege of Amerli n Agencies Iraqi security forces backed by Shi’ite militias yesterday on Sunday broke the two-month siege of Amerli by Islamic State militants and entered the northern town, officials said.

The mayor of Amerli and army officers said troops backed by militias defeated fighters from the Islamic State (IS) to the east of the town. Fighting continued to the north of Amerli.

“Security forces and militia fighters are inside Amerli now after breaking the siege and that will definitely relieve the suffering of residents,” said Adel al-Bayati, mayor of Amerli.

‘I’m very happy we got rid of the Islamic State terrorists who were threatening to slaughter us’ “I can see the tanks of the Iraqi army patrolling Amerli’s street now. I’m very happy we got rid of the Islamic State terrorists who were threatening to slaughter us,” said Amir Ismael, an Amerli resident, by phone.

The advance of the Iraqi forces comes after the US military carried out air strikes overnight on IS militant positions near the town and airdropped humanitarian supplies to the trapped residents there, Reuters reported.

President Barack Obama had authorized the new military action, broadening US operations in Iraq amid an international outcry over the threat to Amerli’s mostly ethnic Turkmen population.

US aircraft delivered over a hundred bundles of emergency supplies and more aid was dropped from British,

French and Australian planes, officials said, signaling headway in Obama’s efforts to draw allies into the fight against Islamic State.

On Saturday, Iraqi army and Kurdish forces closed in on Islamic State fighters in a push to break the Sunni militants’ siege of Amerli, which has been surrounded by the militants for more than two months.

Armed residents of Amerli have managed to fend off attacks by Islamic State fighters, who regard the town’s majority Shi’ite Turkmen population as apostates. More than 15,000 people remain trapped inside.

“At the request of the government of Iraq, the United States military today airdropped humanitarian aid to the town of Amerli, home to thousands of Shia Turkmen who have been cut off from receiving food, water, and medical supplies for two months by ISIL,” Rear Admiral John Kirby, the Pentagon press secretary, said, using an alternative name for Islamic State.

“In conjunction with this airdrop, US aircraft conducted coordinated air strikes against nearby ISIL terrorists in order to support this humanitarian assistance operation,” he said, adding that a key objective was to prevent a militant attack on civilians in the town.

Warplanes hit three Humvee patrol vehicles, a tank and an armed vehicle held by militants in addition to a checkpoint controlled by the group, according to the military’s Central Command, which runs US operations in the Middle East. “All aircraft safely exited the area,” it said in a statement.

When Obama ordered the first air strikes and air drops in Iraq earlier this month, he justified the military operation in part to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe for thousands of ethnic Yazidis trapped by Islamic State militants on Sinjar mountain in northern Iraq. l

Residents of West Point celebrate the lifting of a quarantine by the Liberian government. Crowds sang and danced in the streets of the seaside neighbourhood of West Point in Monrovia as the government lifted quarantine measures designed to contain the spread of the deadly Ebola virus REUTERS

Celebration in Liberia slum as Ebola quarantine lifted n Reuters, Monrovia/Conakry Crowds sang and danced in the streets of a seaside neighbourhood in Liberia on Saturday as the government lifted quarantine measures designed to contain the spread of the deadly Ebola virus.

Faced with the worst Ebola outbreak in history, West African governments have struggled to find an effective response. More than 1,550 people have died from the hemorrhagic fever since it was first detected in the forests of Guinea in March.

Residents of the impoverished seaside district of West Point in Monrovia

were forcibly cut off from the rest of the capital in mid-August after a crowd attacked an Ebola centre there, allowing the sick to flee.

The quarantine sparked protests and security forces responded with tear gas and bullets, killing a teenaged boy.

But at dawn on Saturday, the community woke up to find the soldiers and barricades gone.

“I tell God thank you. I tell everyone thank you,” said Koffa, a female resident of West Point. Others danced in the streets chanting slogans like “we are free” while others rolled about on the asphalt pavement in celebration.

President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, a US-educated Nobel Peace Prize winner, has sought to quell criticism of the government’s response by issuing orders threatening officials with dismissal for failing to report for work or for fleeing the country, and has ordered an investigation into the West Point shooting.

Liberia, where infection rates are highest, plans to build five new Ebola treatment centres each with capacity for 100 beds, government and health officials said on Saturday.

In neighbouring Sierra Leone, President Ernest Bai Koromo dismissed his health minister Miatta Kargbo on Friday

over her handling of the epidemic which has killed more than 400 people there.

Her replacement Abubakarr Fofana on Saturday confirmed that a third doctor in the county had died from Ebola, further hampering its ability to respond to the outbreak.

“It is with a deep sense of sadness that we have lost one of our finest physicians in the line of duty at a time like when we need a lot of them to help in out fight against Ebola,” he said.

Physician Dr. Sahr Rogers caught the disease while treating outpatients in the same hospital where a doctor died last month. l

Israel appropriates West Bank land for possible settlement use n Reuters, Jerusalem

A Palestinian woman takes part in a rally celebrating what organizers say was a victory by Palestinians in Gaza over Israel following a ceasefire, in the West Bank city of Ramallah REUTERS

Polls say Scotland will spurn independence, but are they right? n Reuters, London Opinion polls, financial markets and bookmakers are unanimous - Scotland will reject independence in a historic referendum next month and the United Kingdom will endure. But what if, as Scots nationalists believe, the polls are wrong? Experts say it is a possibility.

The September 18 vote, the first of its kind in British history, has thrown up unique circumstances which make forecasting the outcome unusually difficult. Surveys are consistent on trends but diverge when it comes to the size of the gap between the two campaigns.

Few are ready to exclude an upset.

“Pollsters are particularly nervous given the disparity between them,” John Curtice, a professor at Strathclyde University and a leading authority on polling, told Reuters. “Some of the polls are definitely wrong because they don’t agree.

We just don’t know which ones yet. This is a pretty tough call for the polling industry.”

Scots pollsters recall 2011, when the pro-independence Scottish National

Party confounded expectations to win its first overall majority in the Scottish parliament. That election was conducted using a different electoral system to the referendum, but the memory of what was a major political shock lingers.

Pollsters are also haunted by two occasions when they called national Britain-wide elections spectacularly wrong - in 1970 and 1992, won by Edward Heath and John Major respectively.

“The dates are etched on pollsters’ hearts,” said Curtice. Yet the current picture, if averaged out, looks unambiguous.

The most recent “poll of polls,” on Aug. 15, based on an average of the last six polls and excluding undecided respondents, put support for independence at 43% against 57% for staying in the United Kingdom, a hefty 14-point gap.

And only one poll in the last year, in August 2013, gave the pro-independence campaign a lead over the anti-independence side (by a slender 1%). The validity of that survey, regarded as an outlier, was questioned by some experts. l

Israel announced yesterday a land appropriation in the occupied West Bank that an anti-settlement group termed the biggest in 30 years and a Palestinian official said would cause only more friction after the Gaza war.

Some 400 hectares (988 acres) in the Etzion settlement bloc near Bethlehem were declared “state land, on the instructions of the political echelon” by the military-run Civil Administration.

Israel Radio said the step was taken in response to the kidnapping and killing of three Jewish teens by Hamas militants in the area in June. The notice published by the military gave no reason for the decision.

Peace Now, which opposes Israeli settlement activities in the West Bank - territory Palestinians seek for a state, said the appropriation was meant to turn a site where 10 families now live

adjacent to a Jewish seminary into a permanent settlement.

Construction of a major settlement at the location, known as “Gevaot,” has been mooted by Israel since 2000. Last year, the government invited bids for the building of 1,000 housing units at the site.

Peace Now said the land seizure was the largest announced by Israel in the West Bank since the 1980s and that anyone with ownership claims had 45 days to appeal. A local Palestinian mayor said Palestinians owned the tracts and harvested olive trees on them.

Israel has come under intense international criticism over its settlement activities, which most countries regard as illegal under international law and a major obstacle to the creation of a viable Palestinian state in any future peace deal.

Nabil Abu Rdainah, a spokesman for Western-backed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, called on Israel to

Putin calls for talks on ‘statehood’ for eastern Ukraine n AFP, Moscow Russian President Vladimir Putin yesterday dramatically raised the stakes in the Ukraine conflict by calling for the first time for statehood to be considered for the restive east of the former Soviet state.

“We need to immediately begin substantive talks ... on questions of the political organisation of society and statehood for southeastern Ukraine

with the goal of protecting the lawful interests of the people who live there,” Putin was quoted as saying by Russian news agencies on a TV show broadcast in the far east of the country.

Russia has previously only called for greater rights under a decentralized federal system to be accorded to the eastern regions of Ukraine, where predominantly Russian-speakers live.

In the programme, taped on Friday, Putin did not directly address addition-

al Western sanctions on Russia.

Putin however blamed the crisis in Ukraine on the West, accusing it of supporting a “coup” against pro-Kremlin president Viktor Yanukovych in February.

“They should have known that Russia cannot stand aside when people are being shot almost at point-blank,” said Putin, adding that he did not have in mind “the Russian state but the Russian people.” l

15 Russians swapped for 63 Ukrainians n Reuters, Moscow/Mariupol Ukraine and Russia swapped soldiers who had entered each other’s territory near the battlefield in eastern Ukraine, where Kiev says Moscow’s forces have come to the aid of pro-Russian insurgents advancing for an assault on a major port.

Ukrainian troops and local residents were reinforcing the port of Mariupol on Sunday, the next big city in the path of pro-Russian fighters who pushed

back government forces along the Azov Sea this past week in an offensive on a new front.

The new rebel advance has drawn increasing concern from Ukraine’s Western allies, who say its success is a result of reinforcement by armoured columns of Russian troops.

European Union leaders agreed on Saturday to draw up new economic sanctions against Moscow, a move hailed by the United States, which is planning tighter sanctions of its own

and wants to act jointly with Europe.

Some residents of Mariupol have taken to the streets to show support for the Ukrainian government as the pro-Russian forces gain ground. Many others have fled from the prospect of an all-out assault on the city of nearly 500,000 people.

“We are proud to be from this city and we are ready to defend it from the occupiers,” said Alexandra, 28, a post office clerk wearing a ribbon in blue and yellow Ukrainian colours. l

cancel the appropriation. “This decision will lead to more instability. This will only inflame the situation after the war in Gaza,” Abu Rdainah said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu broke off peace talks with Abbas in April after the Palestinian leader reached a reconciliation deal with Hamas, the Islamist movement that dominates the Gaza Strip.

In a series of remarks after an open-ended ceasefire halted a seven-week-old Gaza war with Hamas on Tuesday, Netanyahu repeated his position that Abbas would have to sever his alliance with Hamas for a peace process with Israel to resume.

Israel has said construction at Gevaot would not constitute the establishment of a new settlement because the site is officially designated a neighbourhood of an existing one, Alon Shvut, several km (miles) down the road. l

NEWS BITES

Lesotho’s deputy premier in charge after PM flees ‘coup’

n Reuters, Maseru

Lesotho Prime Minister Thomas Thabane accused Deputy Prime Minister Mothetjoa Metsing of helping to plan a coup by the army that forced the prime minister to flee the country. Metsing took charge of the government once Thabane had fled the country for neighbouring South Africa. Thabane left on Saturday, after the army surrounded his residence and police stations in Lesotho’s capital, Maseru. ID:nL5N0R003Z].

Gunshots were heard in Maseru on Saturday, where one policeman was shot dead and four others wounded, said senior police superintendent Mofokeng Kolo. But the army denied trying to force out Thabane, saying it had moved against police suspected of planning to arm a political faction in the small southern African kingdom. Diplomats in Maseru told Reuters the army was largely seen as loyal to the deputy prime minister and the police force mostly supported the prime minister.

Regional power South Africa condemned the army’s actions and invited the deputy prime minister to talks there. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

World

9

Monday, September 1, 2014

PA K I S TA N O N F I R E : 3 P E O P L E K I L L E D A N D N E A R LY 4 0 0 WO U N D E D A S A N T I - P M P R OT E S T S T U R N E D V I O L E N T

Clockwise from top left: A Pakistani supporter of Canadian cleric Tahir ul Qadri (C) returns a tear gas shell towards police during clashes with security forces near the prime minister’s residence in Islamabad on August 31. Pakistani riot police try to chase the supporters of cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan during clashes near the prime minister’s residence. Tahir ul Qadri addresses supporters at the protest site following clashes with security forces. Protesters rest on the lawn at the Parliament premises following clashes with police in Islamabad. A protester uses a slingshot to lob a stone towards riot police during clashes with security forces near the prime minister’s residence. Story on page 1 AFP

China rules out open Hong Kong poll

Indo-China border, Arunachal Pradesh

China sets tight nomination rules on 2017 election, democrats plan mass protests

n Reuters, Beijing/Hong Kong China’s parliament said yesterday it will tightly control the nomination of candidates for a landmark election in Hong Kong in 2017, a move likely to trigger mass protests in the city’s Central business district by disappointed democracy activists.

The Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC) said it had endorsed a framework to let only two or three candidates run in a 2017 vote for Hong Kong’s next leader. All candidates must first obtain majority backing from a nominating committee likely to be stacked with Beijing loyalists.

The relatively tough decision by the NPC - China’s final arbiter on the city’s democratic affairs - makes it almost impossible for opposition democrats to get on the ballot.

“This is a legal, fair and reasonable decision. It is a dignified, prudent decision, and its legal effect is beyond doubt,” Li Fei, the deputy secretary general of the NPC standing committee, told reporters after the decision.

Hundreds of “Occupy Central” ac-

tivists, who demand Beijing allow a real, free election, will this evening hold a small protest to formally launch their campaign of civil disobedience, that will climax with a blockade the city’s business district.

Senior Chinese officials have repeatedly warned activists against their ‘illegal’ protests and say they won’t back down Political reform has been a constant source of friction between Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement and the mainland since the former British colony was handed back to Communist Party rulers in 1997.

In nearby Macau, another special administrative region, leader and sole candidate Fernando Chui was “re-elected” on Sunday by a select panel of 400

largely pro-China loyalists in the tiny but wealthy former Portuguese colony.

Girding for action

The activists in Hong Kong stressed that they wouldn’t paralyze the Central district immediately but would this evening lay out plans for smaller actions in the coming weeks leading up to a full-scale protest in the main business district.

Scores of police vehicles and hundreds of officers were deployed outside Hong Kong government headquarters as people began to gather, some chanting slogans.

Key government buildings, including the Chief Executive’s office and a People’s Liberation Army barracks nearby, were also ringed by high fences and barricades.

“It (the NPC decision) leaves no room for us to fight for a genuinely democratic system, and we will begin our campaign for peaceful, non-violent struggle,” said Joseph Cheng, the convenor of the Alliance for True Democracy, a coalition of groups advocating universal suffrage in Hong Kong.

“We want to tell the world we haven’t given up. We will continue to fight,” he said.

On the surface, the National People’s Congress’ decision is a breakthrough that endorses the framework for the first direct vote by a Chinese city to choose its leader. Beijing is already hailing it as a milestone in democratic reform.

However, by tightly curbing nominations for the 2017 leadership poll, some democrats said Beijing was pushing a Chinese-style version of “fake” democracy.

The NPC statement said all nominations would be carried out according to “democratic procedures” and each candidate would need “the endorsement of more than half” of a nominating committee that will be similar in composition to an existing 1,200-person election committee stacked with Beijing loyalists.

The proposed electoral framework will still have to be endorsed by twothirds of Hong Kong’s 70-seat legislature. With pro-democracy lawmakers holding more than a third of the seats, the proposal will likely be shelved. l

N Korean leader’s money manager defects in Russia n Reuters, Seoul

Fukushima fallout: Resentment grows in nearby Japanese city

A senior North Korean banking official who managed money for leader Kim Jong Un has defected in Russia and was seeking asylum in a third country, a South Korean newspaper reported on Friday, citing an unidentified source.

Yun Tae Hyong, a senior representative of North Korea’s Korea Daesong Bank, disappeared last week in Nakhodka, in the Russian Far East, with $5m, the JoongAng Ilbo newspaper reported.

The Daesong Bank is suspected by the US government of being under the control of the North Korean government’s Office 39, which is widely believed to finance illicit activities, including the procurement of luxury goods which are banned under UN sanctions.

The bank was blacklisted by the US Treasury Department in 2010.

The newspaper said North Korea had asked Russian authorities for cooperation in efforts to capture Yun. It was not clear how Yun traveled to Russia or what he was doing before he defected. Russia and North Korea share a 17-km (10.5 miles) land border.

South Korea’s Unification Ministry, which handles inter-Korean relations, told Reuters it had no knowledge of the matter.

Kim Jong Un, in his early 30s, came to power in December 2011 when his father, Kim Jong Il, died of a heart attack, leaving him little time to consolidate his powerbase and prepare for succession. l

Like many of her neighbours, Satomi Inokoshi worries that her gritty hometown is being spoiled by the newcomers and the money that have rolled into Iwaki since the Fukushima nuclear disaster almost three and a half years ago.

“Iwaki is changing - and not for the good,” said Inokoshi, 55, who echoes a sentiment widely heard in this town of almost 300,000 where the economic boom that followed the worst nuclear accident since Chernobyl has brought its own disruption.

Property prices in Iwaki, about 60 km (36 miles) south of the wrecked nuclear plant, have jumped as evacuees forced from homes in more heavily contaminated areas snatch up apartments and land.

Hundreds of workers, who have arrived to work in the nuclear clean-up, crowd downtown hotels.

But long-time residents have also come to resent evacuees and the government compensation that has made the newcomers relatively rich in a blue-collar town built on coal mining and access to a nearby port.

Locals have stopped coming to the entertainment district where Inokoshi runs a bar, she says, scared off by the nuclear workers and their rowdy reputation.

“The situation around Iwaki is unsettled and unruly,” said Ryosuke Takaki, a professor of sociology at Iwaki Meisei University, who has studied the town’s developing divide. “There are many people who have evacuated to Iwaki, and there are all kinds of incidents caused by friction.”

n Reuters, Iwaki, Japan

A girl lights candles during a candlelight memorial held in remembrance of victims of the March 11, 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Iwaki REUTERS

Hosts weary, guests frightened Residents across Fukushima prefecture hailed the first wave of workers who arrived to contain the nuclear disaster in 2011 as heroes. Cities like Iwaki also welcomed evacuees from towns closer to the meltdowns and explosions. At the time, Japan’s stoicism and sense of community were praised around the world for helping those who survived an earthquake and tsunami that killed nearly 19,000 and triggered explosions at the nuclear plant.

But that solidarity and sense of shared purpose has frayed, according to dozens of interviews. Many Iwaki residents say they have grown weary of hosting evacuees in temporary housing. And the newcomers

themselves are frightened, says Hideo Hasegawa, who heads a non-profit group looking after evacuees at the largest temporary housing complex in Iwaki.

“When they move in to an apartment, they don’t talk to neighbours and hide,” said Hasegawa, who works from a small office located between rows of grey, prefabricated shacks housing the evacuees.

“You hear this hate talk everywhere you go: restaurants, shops, bars. It’s relentless.”

The 2011 nuclear crisis forced more than 160,000 people in Fukushima prefecture to evacuate and leave their homes. Half of them are still not allowed to return to the most badly contaminated townships within 20 kms (12.4 miles) of the destroyed plant known as the exclusion zone. l

What dispute? India and China ignore land squabble n AP, New Delhi For more than 50 years, it has pitted India against China — a smoldering dispute over who should control a swath of land larger than Austria. Two militaries have skirmished. A brief, bloody war has been fought. And today, thousands of soldiers from both countries sit deployed along their shared frontier, doing little but watching each other.

But as Beijing confronts countries across the South China and East China seas, displaying its diplomatic and strategic strength in a series of increasingly dangerous territorial disputes, the India-China standoff results in almost nothing beyond regular diplomatic talks and professions of international friendship.

Because the last thing the world’s two most populous countries want right now is war with each other. Not when things are going so well.

“The territorial issues and the sovereignty issues have not gone away,” said Sujit Dutta, a China scholar at New Delhi’s Jamia Millia Islamia University.

“But the Chinese are not pushing further (into the disputed regions) and neither are the Indians.”

“Today, India and China have a new context for their relationship,” he said.

That context comes down to two key components: An understanding that the disputed land has lost its strategic luster. And money.

Just a couple decades ago, India and China were dismissed as nations hobbled by widespread poverty and hopelessly lagging behind the West. Today, China has the world’s second-largest economy, an immense, well-equipped military, an increasingly educated population and a vision for itself as one of the leading nations on earth. India, while economically far behind China, has become a global center for information technology and sees itself as a major player in Asia and elsewhere.

If both countries still struggle with widespread internal troubles — poverty, corruption, ethnic divisions, grow-

ing class divisions — the rest of the world can no longer write them off.

When it comes to turf wars, Beijing today is largely focused on expanding its maritime influence in East Asia and Southeast Asia, with its vast untapped mineral reserves and importance to global trade.

So in the East China Sea, China created an air defense perimeter to back up its claims to a speckling of uninhabited islands also claimed by Japan.

In the South China Sea, Beijing temporarily moved an oil rig into waters also claimed by Vietnam, setting off a series of naval confrontations.

At first glance, the Himalayan border that India and China share seems ideal for similar clashes. China says the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh, an immense territory of nearly 84,000 square kilometers, is part of China. India, meanwhile, insists China is illegally occupying the region of Aksai Chin, a rocky and largely empty 37,000-square-kilometer region far to the east.

The two fought a monthlong border war in 1962 that left some 2,000 soldiers dead following a surprise Chinese attack that still embarrasses India, and skirmishes along the frontier continued into the 1970s. While border squabbling occurs every year or so, there have been few serious showdowns since the late 1980s.

While experts believe diplomatic infrastructure has helped keep things calm — there are now regularly scheduled border talks, military hotlines and designated meeting areas deep in the Himalayas to ensure that unexpected incidents do not flare into warfare — both countries have more to gain by increasing trade and cooperation.

However, China’s military presence along the border with India has been growing for years, and India has recently rushed to catch up: refurbishing air strips, deploying more armored units and frantically constructing new roads high in the Himalayas.

It’s not what you’d expect from true allies. And, many note, that’s not what India and China are. l

10

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Editorial

Monday, September 1, 2014

CODE-CRACKER

Bread and butter issues count

A

round three-quarters of people have expressed satisfaction with the economic performance of the government over the last six months.

Dhaka Tribune’s nationwide opinion poll conducted this August found 77.2% of respondents saying they were more or less satisfied with the economy and nearly seven in 10 (69.4%) say the country is heading in the right direction.

This represents a reversal of the findings of our pre-election survey, when 71% of the population said the country was headed in the wrong direction.

Economic factors and the more peaceful political environment, compared to the violence in the run up to the January 5 election, appear to be the biggest factors influencing this turnaround.

While infrastructure development is cited by 43% as the biggest success of the government’s first six months, a greater number (63.8%) said they are satisfied with initiatives to control law and order.

This indicates that public relief, that the violence and economic disruption caused by strikes and blockades has declined, may be as big a factor as any particular economic policy behind the improved government ratings.

It highlights the importance of guaranteeing law and order and economic progress as the public’s top priorities. Controlling law and order and price hikes are the top two concerns noted by the survey.

This tallies with past survey findings showing that an overwhelming majority reject violence in politics and demand more improvements in law and order. All parties should take note of the public’s abhorrence for violence and its desire for a prosperous and peaceful society.

All parties should take note of the public’s desire for a prosperous and peaceful society

Public demands peaceful dialogue

F

or the first time since the January 5 election, around half of the population (53%) want to see the government serve out a full five-year term.

Since February, the proportion of people wanting to see a fully participative election within the year or as early as possible has declined to around 25% from 77%.

However, this does not mean the public does not also want the government and BNP to swiftly renew constructive dialogue. While there is some satisfaction that the law and order climate is not as bad as it was late last year, and there is more confidence in the economy, the public also wants a fully participatory democratic process.

Regardless of their satisfaction with the current government’s performance, some 71.5% of the public disagree or strongly disagree with the PM’s no dialogue stance. This hardly differs from the 77% who previously said that elections without the BNP are unacceptable.

The public clearly wants both the two largest parties to engage in peaceful dialogue. It has no appetite for the accusatory and divisive rhetoric in which both major parties frequently indulge.

Both parties must take heed of lessons from the survey. Over 77.9% of respondents indicated that they do not want any agitation movement by the BNP and around 56% want it to cut ties with Jamaat.

Likewise, the AL needs to demonstrate that it will put acting in the interests of the country ahead of partisan issues. It must rethink actions which limit democratic space and freedom, and as the ruling government, should take a statesmanlike lead in creating a conducive atmosphere for dialogue.

The country deserves and demands politicians to act in the common interest to take the country forward.

Both parties must act in the common interest to take the country forward

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

PM: Media don’t run without policy August 28

Ahsan Habib In a free-market, the government does not dictate policy. Media creates its own policy and the people decide if it is acceptable or not. Let the people of Bangladesh decide what kind of media it patrons. Let the government stay out of it.

Jahangir Khan Ahsan Habib: Fundamentalists and alleged razakars own a lot of the media. Misinformation and lies are told constantly. You don’t want “dosho chakre bhagaban bhoot.”

Rupok Kabir Ahsan Habib: is it possible to speak or write illogically about the UK government or the British media? If not, then first stop it there and then come here to tell us. Thanks.

No mercy for the fake journalists.

Ahsan Habib Writing for a newspaper is no different than speaking in public anywhere. If anyone spreads falsehoods, he or she can be legally challenged.

But the way the Bangladesh government is misusing the legal and judicial system, this unnecessary new law will give them an extra weapon.

In the USA, anything which is true can be written against the president or the government.

Many governors and congressmen are in jail for their wrongdoings reported in the press.

Can you name one single politician in Bangladesh in prison for corruption or misuse of power? So there is no use saying that this is done in the UK, so we are no different. We never imitate the admirable cultures and practices of the West, but cite those that help our ulterior motives.

How to solve: Each number in our CODE-CRACKER grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. For example, today 1 represents S so fill S every time the figure 1 appears.

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

Some letters of the alphabet may not be used.

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

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

SUDOKU How to solve: Fill in the blank spaces with the numbers 1 – 9. Every row, column and 3 x 3 box must contain all nine digits with no number repeating.

E-Govt: Bangladesh ranked 5th in Saarc

The shattered dream August 27

August 25

Zubair Ahmed “Bangladesh has been outstripped by Bhutan in the Saarc region.”

There must have been sabotage involved!!

SK Sri Lanka has a knowledge-based economy and hence can implement things better and easier. So let us educate ourselves better, please.

HC A lot to improve and it will happen, insha’allah.

‘Rice bucket challenge’ an India charity chain August 26

Salim Aurnab Very often, developed countries raise their voices against extrajudicial killings in other countries, and even take strict steps to put an end to such violations of human rights. In early 2014, the United States refused to train any Bangladeshi Rab official because of the spate of allegations of human rights violations against the force.

JU employees demand favourable admission rules for their children August 27

Depressed Town Excellent report Mahadi Al Hasnat. There have been incidents of office staff and even professors wanting their children to take the seats offered for deserving students. It happens at RU too.

Nahid: Quality of education still not up to the mark SM “The rice bucket challenge is an ‘Indian version for Indian needs.’”

They’ve caught on to it really too fast!

Touhid Akram It’s a great initiative.

CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Partly open (4) 3 Put away (4) 7 Monkey (3) 8 Top card (5) 11 Dry (4) 12 Intended (5) 13 Correct (5) 15 Small drinks (4) 18 Covering for wound (4) 19 Indian monetary unit (5) 20 Sheeplike (5) 21 Cat’s contented sound (4) 23 Thick (5) 24 Greek letter (3) 25 Precious stones (4) 26 Timber-dressing tool (4)

DOWN 1 Real (6) 2 Keen insight (6) 4 Sailor (3) 5 Narcotic (6) 6 Marry (3) 9 Wise counselor (6) 10 Cushion (3) 11 Bring into accord (6) 14 Very small (6) 16 Laid bare (6) 17 Calm (6) 19 Disencumber (3) 21 Laundry item (3) 22 Male sheep (3)

August 27 RI Mr Minister, you have something more important to do. Start fact-finding and researching so that the problems can be analysed thoroughly and solutions implemented. Giving thousands of students A+ won’t make our country educated.

Drive against battery-run rickshaws in Chittagong

CALVIN AND HOBBES

August 26

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTIONS CODE-CRACKER

PEANUTS

Sanzida Rahman “If the authorities find any battery-run rickshaw, they will seize its battery and motor and take legal actions after the deadline.”

The government is doing it only because they can get more revenue from petrol; otherwise, autorickshaws are more safe for the environment. The government should develop them and make them safer for the roads.

CROSSWORD

First Hajj flight leaves Dhaka for Macca August 28

Shorif Uddin Fi’amanillah! Wish them a safe flight.

Families demand missing persons’ list August 25

Sheikh Jinat Mahmid It’s already been one year and four months since the Rana Plaza disaster!

SUDOKU

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Monday, September 1, 2014

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The uranium conspiracy

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n Towheed Feroze

tep into the murky world of Jason Bourne – not in some freezing, exotic European city, but right here in cacophonous Dhaka. The issue at the centre of interest is reportedly a leather bag containing uranium. Sounds intriguing? You bet.

We hear that the police have already arrested 11 persons who have admitted that they acquired the leather box containing the highly sought after material from a UN official.

Must admit, with the UN reference, the plot takes an international twist.

Meanwhile, there is belief that a doctor is also involved. Blimey! Talk about a cold war espionage thriller unfolding right here in Bangladesh. Someone get George Smiley.

Gone are the days when the most talkedabout swindle in town was the hurried sale of low-quality lungis

The doctor in question is in hiding in Bogra, where the pouch was handed over to the group of 11 in a hotel to be sold to the right bidder for crores.

Now this has all the angles of a saucy spy thriller. Of course, if the material inside the pouch is found to be a harmless substance, then a very novel method of swindling has to be looked into.

However, we now know that the pouch has instructions written in both English and Russian. How delectable!

Where is my Walther PPK? Maybe someone would like to make a link to the war-torn region of Ukraine. How about this for a possible

premise – in the war-ravaged zone, a person with rights to access guarded areas comes across a box containing uranium and decides to take it.

Since Bangladesh is not under the gaze of international espionage operations, he or maybe she (why not let the imagination go wild?) decides to bring it to Bangladesh.

If someone from customs asks what the bag holds, the credible answer can be – an under-research vaccine which may prove effective against Ebola. The official is not convinced? Hand him your duty-free Jack Daniels bag.

Then, a group is hired in the country to get a buyer. All this sounds exciting, though Bangladesh is not a place where one can go around shouting: “Uranium lagbo ni bhai, uranium?”

Or maybe post an online advert: “Ha bhai, ashen, gala sale of uranium, buy it and make a bomb in your home and remain radioactive for life!”

Whatever the case, the bag itself seems to have all the right equipment – anti-radiation masks and gloves, a metal container, a radiation measuring instrument, and so on.

Have I seen it? Nope. But the newspaper report was very particular about describing the container. In the middle of the box, a leather bag was placed, which reportedly carried the substance integral to making a nuclear device. Some papers have said that the uranium is in powder form whereas others have mentioned capsules.

For arguments sake, let’s first take this to be a genuine case. If this is the real McCoy then a serious investigation is essential because taking advantage of the absence of specialist knowledge about nuclear substances, the country can be used as a safe selling point. Extend the range of thoughts, and the fanatic link won’t seem far off.

But then, chances are very high that this whole set up was elaborately planned to fool people into parting with a substantial amount of money.

Reportedly, the gang was caught after it had swindled a large amount

Fraud taken to another level? from certain people, allegedly luring them with the line that once they had the so-called uranium, they would be able to sell it for 100 times more the amount paid to the original seller.

One cannot deny, there is a sort of John Le Carre appeal to the offer. An educated man who has read too many spy novels might be tempted to part with a few lakhs to buy it in the hope of selling it for crores in the end.

This is exactly what happened, and once law enforcers received several complaints they went into action and nabbed the gang. If this is proved to be a hoax, then hats off to the man who planned it in the first place. Is it the elusive doctor from Bogra? Or is it someone who has spent all his/her life

MEHEDI HASAN

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The comeback of the coup d’etat?

MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

n Abdul Matin

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here was a time when the coup d’etat was an apparently acceptable form of change of government, particularly in Asia, Africa, and Central America. According to one source, 33 countries experienced 85 such transitions, 42 of them in western Africa between 1952 and 2000. Once in full control, it was easy for the new regime to get recognition from the international community. One superpower (no names mentioned) was very liberal in extending such recognitions.

It was common for military dictators to blame the civilian politicians when they came to power. They promised to restore democracy as soon as possible but in the process they ruled, by hook or by crook, as long as they could. Most of them were indulged in corruption and nepotism, and are now looked down upon in history.

At the beginning of the 21st century, military rule practically disappeared even though dictatorship in other forms prevailed in some countries. A preference towards changing governments through democratic means was evident in many countries which once experienced traumatic military dictatorships.

We, however, noticed some ominous signs recently. Mohamed Morsi was the first civilian to be democratically elected president of Egypt since the revolution of 1952. He was in power for only one year. Following the protests in June 2013, he was ousted

by Field Marshal Abdel Fattah el-Sisi who later resigned from the army and was elected president. He took office on June 8, 2014.

Like Egypt, Thailand has had a turbulent history since 1932 with frequent takeovers of the civilian administration by the military. The latest coup

d’etat took place on May 20, 2014. On August 21, the national assembly elected the army chief, General Prayuth Chan-ocha as prime minister. Among other countries, Fiji has been under military rule since 2006.

Pakistan was under military rule for nearly 30 out of 67 years of its existence. Former East Pakistan emerged as independent Bangladesh through a bloody war in 1971, when Pakistan’s military dictator General Yahya Khan carried out genocide in its eastern part.

Plagued with terrorism and ethnic violence, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif of Pakistan, who helped to depose former military dictator General Pervez Musharraf, is under threat by two opposition political parties to leave office. Protesters have camped outside the parliament claiming that the election which swept him to power last year was rigged.

A nervous Nawaz Sharif met the army chief twice recently. The army chief now occupies the centre stage as the arbitrator between the government and the opposition. It is speculated that a “soft coup” has perhaps already taken place. The world is eagerly waiting to see the fate of civilian rule in Pakistan.

Bangladesh, which always fought against military dictatorship, has also had its share of military rule under Khandaker Moshtaque Ahmed, Abu Sadat Mohammad Sayem, Ziaur Rahman, and HM Ershad. Their regimes were declared illegal by the highest court in the country. The usurpers are now liable to be tried for treason as per existing laws.

The recent comeback of military dictatorship may send the wrong signal to many countries, particularly to those with bitter experiences of such rule. The support of any superpower to a new military regime encourages other aspirants to stage similar coups, and this may be a matter of concern to the civilian rulers in some coup-prone countries like Pakistan.

Coup d’etat is a menace which should be nipped in the bud by all people who love and cherish democracy. Last but not the least, no military regime deserves any recognition or support from any democratic government, in particular from a superpower claiming to be the custodian of democracy in the modern world. Without their support, no military regime can survive for too long. l Abdul Matin is a former chief engineer of Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission.

cerns. The police were informed after some people were duped, and not by a person who thought it to be his/her duty to stop an illegitimate transaction from taking place.

The moral of the story: As long as we harbour the desire to make a swift buck, irrespective of the nature of the method, confident tricksters will carry on orchestrating complex (read plausible) plans.

Today it’s uranium, tomorrow someone may come to the market with the offer to sell stolen Coltan at a low rate. Just to refresh your memory, Coltan is a dull, black, metallic product used in almost all electronic devices, including mobile phones. A highly sought-after product, this has resulted

reading Frederick Forsyth and Robert Ludlum?

One thing is certain – if proven a scam, the law needs to look out for an educated fraudster. Meanwhile, a sociological analysis of current day ideology becomes a must, since learned people are tilting towards crime.

However, there are two categories of criminals here – one which planned the whole thing, and the other which, tempted to make a quick million, was motivated to fall for the scam. Naturally, the latter parted with money with the view of making a huge bumper.

Beyond the jocular dimension to the whole issue, we come across what can be deemed a social more, where fast profitmaking supersedes all con-

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in sustained conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Fraud is slowly coming of age in Bangladesh. Long gone are the days when the most talked-about swindle in town was the hurried sale of low-quality lungis with an eye catching bag and cover in Gulistan.

In this new age of trickery, suave people conjure up the most appetising of backdrops. Surely in a few days, scams will almost always have a sensuous touch. For the time being, the current uranium brouhaha just needs a feminine involvement to turn it into a super-delicious episode. l Towheed Feroze is a journalist currently working in the development sector.

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Merdeka reflections n Ifti Rashid

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eartiest felicitations to all our Malaysian friends on their 57th Independence Day. On August 31, 1957, the Federation of Malaya gained its independence from the British. Malaysia today is a vibrant and modern multi-cultural country – in fact, it is a model of economic growth for other developing countries like Bangladesh.

For those of us who have lived in Malaysia, this great country will always hold a special place in our hearts.

I was born in Malaysia and lived in Kuala Lumpur cumulatively for over a decade as an expatriate child and teenager. Every time I visit Malaysia, I realise it is not my “second home” but in fact “home” for a 3CK (third culture kid). There is no doubt that our core values have been shaped by our lives in Malaysia, including a deep appreciation for multicultural diversity (not to mention rendang, dumplings, and paratas, maybe all in the same meal).

“To all visitors, welcome to Malaysia; and, to all Malaysians, welcome home.” After all, I can identify with both groups addressed by the pilot.

Malaysia Airlines has just announced its restructuring plans to overcome its current woes. As a frequent traveller, I reiterate my loyalty to Malaysia Airlines. The fact is, MH has one of the best safety records in the world, notwithstanding the tragedies this year. It is has given us frat service, carrying us afar and bringing us back home, it is natural we stand by it during this difficult time. I am not giving up on MH, I hope others will do the same.

To all my Malaysian friends, I hope you will come together to celebrate your rich diversity and remarkable achievements as a nation. Having grown up in Malaysia, I have no doubt that the next generation of Malays, Chinese, and Indians will stand proud of their nation and consider themselves as Malaysians first. Malaysians must stand up against extremists in respective communities who want to divide the country and harm its social fabric.

There are bigots in every society, but they must not get any political space.

Is everything perfect in Malaysia?

Of course not. The truth is, there is no country in the world where everything is rosy, and that includes Malaysia. It is inevitable that there will be challenges in the nation-building process for any country, particularly the diverse ones.

What is important is that the people must come together as a nation to address those challenges and emerge stronger from it.

I hope my Malaysian friends will look at the glass as half full rather than half empty – the future looks bright for you to build an even more inclusive and dynamic society, but you have to unlock the power in each and every one of you to make that happen. Malaysia must remain united amidst its diversity – you should never forget that multiculturalism isn't your weakness, but your greatest strength as a nation.

Merdeka, Merdeka, Merdeka!

Saya Cinta Malaysia! l Ifti Rashid is a political and security analyst, currently pursuing a PhD in the Faculty of Arts, Monash University, based in the National Centre for South Asian Studies.

The future looks bright for Malaysia to build an even more inclusive and dynamic society

I was lucky to grow up in the Malaysia of the 90s, characterised by growth, harmony, and unity under a visionary political leadership. Former Malaysian Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad followed a development model of peace, stability, and continuity for national progress. Other developing countries, like Bangladesh, can do the same.

It has been a tough year for Malaysia, with the MH370 and MH17. I would like to dedicate my Merdeka wishes specifically for Malaysia Airlines, the national airliner. The all-familiar greeting after Malaysia Airlines lands in KL has always been extra special for me:

Despite recent adversity, Malaysia stands tall

REUTERS

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DHAKA TRIBUNE

Entertainment

Monday, September 1, 2014

MADONNA’S new song slams Gaga n Entertainment Desk

I’m not here to make a bizarre film: Anjan Dutt

KHAN HASAN MUHAMMAD RAFI

n Punny Kabir

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njan Dutt was more popular as a musician than as a film personality to the Bangaldeshi audience until very recently – since when DVDs of Tollyganj films have been readily available here. Many of us might not be aware of he fact that the living icon of contemporary Bangla music, actually began his career as an actor through Mrinal Sen’s 1981 film “Chalchitra.”

Later, with the legendary song “Bela Bosh,” in his first album “Shunte Ki Chao, Anjan Dutt-er Gaan,” he evolved as one of pioneers who wrote the history of contemporary Bangla music.

Anjan, who, through his directorial projects like “The Bong Connection,” “Ranjana Ami Ar Ashbona,” “Dutta Vs Dutta” to name a few, made his mark as one of the most demanded directors for the urban audience of Kolkata, is here in Bangladesh to direct a new flick titled “Mon Baksho.”

The film is going to be an entirely Bangladeshi production in which quite a few of Dutt’s close co-workers and singers from Kolkata will work along with Bangladeshi actors, singers, and crewmen.

Dhaka Tribune had the opportunity talk with the accomplished artiste in his visit to Dhaka.

What made you make a film in Bangladesh?

I was getting bored of making Kolk-

ata based films, and was thinking of making films outside Kolkata. I even thought of making a film in Bollywood.

That is when Tushar Abdullah approached me with his script. The script itself convinced me to do so. It has many shades of gray and a director like me is always allured by such features in a script.

Is it going to be an ‘arthouse’ urban film?

I’m not here to make a bizarre film, which will be praised in festivals only.

I make films for my audience who are modern, who welcome experiments and also look forward to being entertained in the theatre.

Not a typical art film. I admit that Rituparno’s films inspired me to make films like “The Bong Connection.” And if you observe Ritu’s films, those are not typical arthouse films. There is a fine blend of commercial and artistic elements. Just like Suman or my songs did in the early ‘90s. No one questioned about the artistic value, and our albums sold over a million copies.

Similarly, in my films you will find big stars beside good actors, meaningful lyrics with funky music, sensible story with amusing presentation. I term my films “commercial art.”

Why don’t you do music in your own films?

I always assign my son Neel with the task because he knows how to make commercial music for films. Films al-

ways have a commercial interest, and I don’t want to fail my producers.

How could a group of modern, offbeat film-makers create a market in Kolkata?

It is because there was a huge gap in the market, the audience identified it, and they demanded for the “change.” From my realisation, the demand should be addressed by the audience first, then you can make a difference. The next level is how you are making the mixture of the mainstream way of entertainment and your original thought.

Do you think such change is possible in Bangladesh too?

Yes, ovbiously. I saw a few brilliant Bangladeshi films, like Matir Moyna and Bachelor. A bunch of talented directors are here, and how the urban audience here loves our films prove that there is a growing demand of such a chage. Its just a matter of time.

The Queen of Pop, Madonna, 56, has recorded a song called “Two Steps Behind Me” which appears to be directed at Lady Gaga, 28, calling her a copycat.

“You’re a copycat, Where is my royalty?

You’re a pretty girl, I’ll give you that. But stealing my recipe, it’s an ugly look,” she sings. “Did you study me hard enough?

You’re never gonna be, you’re just a wannabe me. Like a sister all messed-up, who’s gonna help you out? In your fantasy, you can try it all. But you can’t be me.”

The pop divas started feuding when Madonna criticised Lady Gaga, saying her song “Born This Way” was a rip off of her song “Express Yourself.”

The stoush even dragged in Elton John, who has named Lady Gaga the godmother to his children, who hit out at Madonna for being jealous.

“She’s such a nightmare. Her career is over, I can tell you that,” he said. “Her tour is a disaster and it couldn’t happen to a bigger crap.”

Lady Gaga however isn’t the only person Madonna attacks on her upcoming 13th album with ex-husband Guy Ritchie also getting a dressing down on her song “Heartbreak City.” She accuses the Layer Cake director of only being with her for the fame. “...You said I was your queen.

I tried to give you everything.

And now you want your freedom,” she sings. l

Durotto talks about social imposition grants, this drama series is a window n Entertainment Desk to the life of those individuals who Oblivion

Star Movies 11:59pm

The exchange between Bangladesh and Kolkata is always a hot topic in the media. What is your opinion?

We speak the same language, and our artistic orientations are also similar.

This, obviously, demands exchange that benefits both sides of the border.

But the governments of the two countries stick to some issues that are not helping the exchange. We really want governments to solve the issues, and create a larger market. l

In a spectacular future, Earth has evolved beyond recognition, one man’s confrontation with the past will lead him on a journey of redemption and discovery as he battles to save mankind.

Mega serial “Durotto” will be aired today at 8pm on ATN Bangla. The TV serial features Syed Hasan Imam, Masud Ali Khan, Laila Hasan, Arefin Shuvo, Bidya Sinha Mim, Hasan Masud, Khaleda Akhter Kolpon and others.

The story talks about distance in relationships. It shows the life of hardworking Bangladeshi immigrants whose remuneration is contributing to the overall improvement of the country’s economy. People wants to know about the life of immi-

stay away from friends and family in order to provide a better life to their

loved ones.

Written by Fazlul Karim and directed by Ehsanul Haque Selim, the series will be aired from Sunday to Tuesday every week. l

Chamber Orchestra’s powerful and convincing act wows audience n Hasan Mansoor Chatak

Last Saturday, Classical Music Academy (CMA) arranged a show in the Chhayanaut auditorium. For the first time in Bangladesh, a chamber orchestra rendered a story on stage through music. The musical was fragmented into two portions: Visiting musician Ricardo Elias Rodriguez’s solo performance with his violin, and a production of orchestra theatre titled “Raham Ali’r Putul Nach.”

Ricardo Elias Rodriguez, a music professor who teaches the violin in University of Veraruz in Mexico, commenced his performance with three classical music pieces followed by renditions of Bangla songs including “Gram Chara Oi Ranga Matir Poth” and “Khanchar Bhitor Ochin Pakhi.”

Ricardo made an immediate impression, drawing a soft, glowing, almost gauzy sound from his string section in the concert’s opening bars. Later, he and the Chamber Orchestra played a DL Roy track “Dhono Dhanne Pushpe Bhora.” Ricardo came to Bangladesh,

at the invitation of CMA, to conduct a performance workshop with the students of the academy earlier this week.

After the Ricardo’s solo performance, the audience saw the rendition of an orchestra theatre titled “Raham Ali’r Putul Nach” by the Classical Music Academy Chamber Orchestra; Ricardo also joined the orchestra. Narrator of the story Heera Chowdhury commanded the audience’s attention to the story of Raham Ali, a man who recently arrived at Dhaka from his village, where he used to do puppet shows.

His venture to the big city does not turn out as expected, thanks to forgery, mistrust and other traumatising experiences. He returns to his village and continues his puppet show as before. His brilliant work draws the attention of newspapers, but he denies name and fame, choosing to stay in the village to continue to do what he loves.

Written by Iftekhar Anwar, Md Akash and Smaron Prottoy, the story is accompanied by music created by the chamber orchestra for the entire 40 minutes of the show. l KHAN HASAN MUHAMMAD RAFI

Special request placed for Kashmiri audience n Entertainment Desk

New flick ‘Haider’ prompted the demand of a cinema hall in Kashmir

Bollywood filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj hopes to bring a movie theatre to Kashmir for the screening of his upcoming release “Haider.”

A request for special screenings of his adaptation of “Hamlet” in the valley is now with the state’s Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in the lead up to its global release on October 2. The film was shot in Kashmir.

“We have sent a proposal to Omar Abdullah because there are no working theatres in Kashmir and I really want Kashmiris to experience this film on a bigger screen,” Bhardwaj told PTI during a visit to London this week.

“We are proposing a kind of moving theatre which can be set up in an outdoor location where Kashmiris can catch maybe one show a day once it’s dark. I really hope the proposal gets accepted,” added the writer-director-musician.

“Haider” was shot during “chillai kalan” (40 coldest days in December and January in Kashmir) with many of the locals doubling up as part of the crew.

The film completes Bhardwaj’s Shakespearean trilogy, following “Maqbool” (2003), adapted from “Macbeth,” and “Omkara” (2006) which was based on “Othello.”

Shahid Kapoor plays the lead role of “Haider” based on Shakespeare’s tragic Danish prince. l

‘I’m not comfortable romancing girls on designer clothes’ board. With Shekhar’s help, I am trying to make n Entertainment Desk my character in ‘Paani’ believable.”

Sushant, who with just three films, has prepared a roster of character-portraits rather than star-vehicles for his career, is all set to make a 110-year journey in the course of two films.

While in Dibakar Banerjee’s “Detective Byomkesh Bakshy,” Sushant Singh Rajput plays a detective in Kolkata in the 1940s, and in Shekhar Kapoor’s “Paani,” he is cast as a ghetto-boy from Mumbai in the year 2050.

The cultural and chronological leap is tremendous.

And Sushant is revelling in every bit of the challenge.

Sushant said: “I’m ready to make a 110-year leap from my last film to the next. In ‘Detective Byomkesh Bakshy’ though, I had to go back in time to the 1940s, I had solid reference points. I watched a lot of films from that era. Then of course, Dibakar was there to guide me. With ‘Paani,’ there are no reference points. I’ve the freedom to interpret my character in any way I like. In the rehearsals and workshops, Shekhar Kapoor has allowed me complete freedom to do what I like with the character. Such supreme freedom is also a kind of captivity, as you tend to go over-

“I don’t think I’d be comfortable playing the typical lover-boy romancing pretty girls in designer clothes. I’d die if I’ve to play stereotypical characters. I may fail with some of my unconventional choices. But I’d rather die with spectacular failures than mediocre successes.” l

Did you know?

Fernando Torres took 39 games to score four PL goals for Chelsea; Diego Costa has reached that total in three matches

Sport

Monday, September 1, 2014

14 Balotelli makes

winning debut as Reds rout Spurs

15 Zimbabwe record

famous win over Australia

Sunny flies to WI tomorrow n Mazhar Uddin Bangladesh left-arm spinner Elias Sunny will be leaving for the West Indies tomorrow ahead of the two-match Test series scheduled to begin on September 5 at Kingstown. Sunny will replace off-spinner Shohag Gazi in the Test squad.

Gazi’s bowling action was recently called into question by the International Cricket Council after the conclusion of the second ODI against the West Indies and will now be scrutinised at the Metropolitan University in Cardiff on September 19.

Sunny has scripted his comeback to the Test side after more than a year.

The last of his four Test matches came against Sri Lanka in Galle last year in March when he remained wicketless which will no doubt keep him under pressure if given the opportunity to perform.

“Obviously there will be some pressure and it will be quite challenging for me to return to international cricket after a while. Recent performances will also add extra pressure upon me,” Sunny told Dhaka Tribune yesterday.

The 28-year old spinner though will have fond memories of the upcoming opponents as it was against the Windies that he made his Test debut at home three years ago. Sunny made the occasion a memorable one as he was awarded the man-of-the-match after picking up seven wickets on his debut, including a career-best 6/94 in

the first innings.

“Facing the West Indies will give me confidence as I was successful against them on my debut. I am hopeful of repeating my performance this time,” he said.

Although a tough task awaits the bowlers, Sunny believes Bangladesh will be able to perform to their potential in the Test series. “I am confident that we can make a good comeback in the Test series after struggling in the one-day series but we have to play good cricket,” he said.

However, there is a possibility that young left-arm spinner Taijul Islam might get the nod to play ahead of Sunny. Taijul was successful in picking up regular wickets during the Bangladesh A team’s recent tour of the Caribbean and was also one of the best bowlers in domestic cricket last season.

Sunny though was quietly confident and said he will give his best provided he gets the chance in the playing eleven. “I am not thinking about who will be playing the first Test but whenever I get the opportunity I will try to give my best shot,” he added.

Meanwhile, Mashrafe bin Mortaza, Taskin Ahmed, Abdur Razzak and Mithun Ali will reach Dhaka today after taking part in the limited-over leg of the tour – three ODIs and a lone Twenty20 international. Robiul Islam, Shafiul Islam, Taijul Islam and Shuvagata Hom Chowdhury have replaced the quartet for the Test matches. l

Wicketkeeper-batsman Mithun Ali will be one of the cricketers returning to Dhaka after the first phase, the three-match ODI series and the one-off Twenty20, of the Tigers’ ongoing tour of the West Indies.

However, what separates him from his fellow returnees is that he is flying back home without playing a single game for the Tigers.

Bangladesh, in the first phase of the 38-day long tour, have already played four limited-over matches - three ODIs and a Twenty20 international. The tour began with the ODI series in which Bangladesh were whitewashed 3-0.

After the first two straight defeats, it was expected that the selection panel will make change to the playing XI with Mithun replacing either Imrul Kayes or Shamsur Rahman at the top of the Tigers’ batting order as Imrul could only score 10 runs in the two games while Shamsur managed only 12 from the same number of games.

But that wasn’t what it actually turned out to be as Mithun missed the third game too and although the 24 year old’s wait was over after he made it to the playing XI for the lone Twenty20 game, his luck ran out as heavy rain led to the abandonment of the match.

Finally, the bell of his departure tolled once and for all which now sees

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15 Djokovic, Murray

sail on as Serena stands up for US

Mushfiq, Nasir shine in warm-up n Tribune Desk

Bangladesh skipper Mushfiqur Rahim plays one over the long-on region during their first day of the three-day game against St Kitts & Nevis at Warner Park yesterday COURTESY

Luck – Mithun’s nemesis? n Minhaz Uddin Khan

DHAKA TRIBUNE

him return home without getting an opportunity to justify his selection for the tour.

With Mithun withdrawn, chief of national selection panel Faruk Ahmed said,“Both Imrul and Shamsur scored a century each in Bangladesh’s last Test against Sri Lanka in January this year.

How can they be replaced?”

Imrul scored 115 while Shamsur scored 106, in his second Test for Bangladesh, which helped the Tigers draw the game and avoid a series sweep against Sri Lanka at hoome.

But then again, both Imrul and Shamsur’s poor score in the limited-over games illustrate that they are not in the best of form and this might have been a good time to replace either of them with someone new like Mithun.

But that’s not how the system runs necessarily. Experts believe in giving players chances and being persistent with them for a certain period of time so that they can be nurtured and turned into ‘key members’ of the squad.

Mithun got his first call in the national team for the ICC World Twenty20 in 2009. But it took another five years for him to make his ODI debut for Bangladesh – against India in June this year at home when regular wicketkeeper and captain Mushfiqur Rahim suffered a finger injury in early 2014. l

VH Basketball begins n Raihan Mahmood Kainans overpowered Mavericks 4517 in the VH Basketball Championship which got underway at the Dhanmondi Basketball Gymnasium yesterday. Suad Khan of the winners was adjudged as the best player. In the other match of the day Blitzkriegs outplayed Renegades 47-28 with Tamzeed Amin producing an exhilarating performance for the winners. The tournament in its second edition has seen more teams than the last and students and players cheered the atmosphere up. l

Kagawa returns to Dortmund n AFP, Berlin Japanese international Shinji Kagawa has re-signed for former club Borussia Dortmund for a reported fee of 8million euros ($10.5million, £6.3million) ending an unhappy two year spell with Manchester United German publication Bild claimed on Sunday.

The 25-year-old midfielder - who played 71 games for United including 39 in the Premier League after moving there for 16million euros - has signed a four year contract with the German giants, with whom he won the 2012 domestic double as well as the 2011 league title. l

Middle-order batsman Nasir Hossain returned to runs as he shared a 144-run seventh wicket partnership with Bangladesh skipper Mushfiqur Rahim to reconstruct their innings and land a decent total on the first day of their threeday warm-up match against Saint Kitts & Nevis on Saturday.

Bangladesh won the toss but made a stumbling start losing three wickets with only 60 runs on the scorecard. Looking to guide the ball to fine-leg, Shamsur Rahman (10) was the first to depart caught down the leg in the fourth over.

Tamim Iqbal’s patient stay in the middle soon ended as he to walked back after a modest 20 runs. Mominul Haque and Mahmudullah returned cheaply before Imrul Kayes (44) and Shuvagata Hom (48) put up some resistance.

However, after both Imrul and Shuvagata fell before reaching their fifties, suddenly the visitors were reeling at 186 for six before Mushfiqur and Nasir took charge. The duo assured they don’t suffer any more casualties on the day as Bangladesh finished on 330 for six.

In the process, Mushfiqur was unbeaten on 82 off 126 balls with five boundaries and three sixes while Nasir complimented him with an unbeaten 78 that saw him strike six fours and two over boundaries.

Fast bowler Quinton Boatswain and Jeremiah Lewis were the main trouble maker for the Tigers as they finished the day with 2-35 and 2-36 respectively.

In one significant event, 20 years and 156 matches after his Test debut, Shivnarine Chanderpaul made his debut for St Kitts & Nevis with this game.l

Ansar bag boxing titles n Tribune Desk

Bangladesh Ansar were crowned champions in both Walton Refrigerator National 13th Men’s Intermediate and 1st Women’s Junior Boxing Championship yesterday.

In the last and final day of the four-day event, Ansar bagged a total five medals, four gold and one silver, to become the champions in the intermediate men’s group while BKSP finished runners-up with two gold and one silver medal.

Meanwhile in the women’s junior boxing event, Ansar clinched four gold and one bronze medal to secure the ti-

tle with Golabaria Jubo Sangha finishing second with only one gold medal.

Shamima Akter, who took part in the 45kg event, was adjudged as the best female boxer in the tournament while gold winner Azharul Islam of BKSP was named the best male boxer in the 49kg event.

Zahid Ahsan Russel, chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on Youth and Sports Ministry, distributed the prizes among the winners as chief guest. Walton’s additional director and head of games & sports FM Iqbal Bin Anwar Dawn and Shibnath Roy, secretary of National Sports Council (NSC) were also present on the occasion as special guest. l

Zahid Ahsan Russel (5L), chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on Youth and Sports Ministry and Walton additional director FM Iqbal bin Anwar Dawn (6R) pose with the winners of the National Men’s Intermediate and Women’s Boxing C’ship yesterday

Di Maria learns money doesn’t always talk in Premier League n Reuters

National Sports Council secretary Shibnath Roy, Citycell HR director Suman Bhattacharjee, Citycell head of corporate communications and PR Taslim Ahmed and Bangladesh Basketball Federation general secretary Lt. AK Sarker (retd.) hand over prizes to the Citycell 3on3 Basketball Championship winners Dhaka All Stars at the Dhanmondi Indoor Basketball Gymnasium on Saturday COURTESY

There was little fanfare but a few lessons perhaps learnt as the most expensive player in the history of English football - Angel di Maria - lasted 70 minutes on his Premier League debut for Manchester United in their goalless draw at Burnley on Saturday.

Although Di Maria, a British record 59.7 million pounds ($99 million) signing, showed a few flashes of his undoubted talent on Saturday, United again looked disjointed and lacking in confidence against a determined Burnley, who earned their first point since returning to the Premier League.

For the Argentine midfielder, who was a Champions League winner with Real last season, his Premier League debut was a reality check.

Naturally he was heralded by United’s travelling support among the wooden seats in the Cricket Field stand at Turf Moor, but his first misplaced pass was greeted with jeers from the Burnley fans and later mistakes led to mocking chants from them of “What a waste of money”.

The spotlight will shine the brightest when Di Maria faces the title-chasing teams from the top end of the table but the Argentine will have learnt on Saturday that even the most modest clubs in the English top flight will not roll over - as he discovered when he left the field after what his manager called

a “kick to the calf”.

In this transfer window, so far, United have spent 132 million pounds on new players - Burnley have invested four million.

But on Saturday, Burnley showed that, sometimes at least, for 90 minutes, the working class can match the super rich. Burnley midfielder Scott Arfield, who plays a similar role to Di Maria, was signed for nothing by Clarets manager Sean Dyche after Huddersfield Town released him just over a year ago.

The difference in resources between the two clubs will show in the end - as will Di Maria’s quality. Arfield will wake up with his adrenalin still pumping while Di Maria will have a sore calf as a reminder of his first trip to East Lancashire.l

14

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Sport

Monday, September 1, 2014

Reds rout Spurs, Arsenal held

Costa must respect opponents, says Martinez n Reuters, London

The result saw Liverpool bounce back from a 3-1 defeat at Manchester City in their previous outing and means that they have now scored 12 unanswered goals in their last three encounters with Spurs.

After former City striker Balotelli had tested Hugo Lloris with an early header, Liverpool went ahead in the eighth minute.

Daniel Sturridge released Jordan Henderson with a ball down the right flank and the England midfielder played a low cross across the box that Sterling tucked away at the far post.

Gerrard doubled the visitors’ lead from the penalty spot in the 49th minute after Eric Dier had held back Joe Allen and Moreno sealed victory on the hour with a memorable first Liverpool goal.

The Spanish left-back, a close-season arrival from Sevilla, dispossessed Spurs substitute Andros Townsend on halfway and surged into the box before drilling a shot into the bottom-right corner.

With Olivier Giroud sidelined by a broken tibia, Yaya Sanogo started up front for Arsenal at promoted Leicester and he played a central role in the visitors’ 20th-minute opener.

The French striker could not find a way past Kasper Schmeichel from Santi Cazorla’s dinked pass, but Alexis Sanchez followed up to slam home his first league goal since signing from Barcelona.

Arsenal’s lead was to last only two minutes, however, as Jeff Schlupp motored down the left wing before delivering an inviting cross that Leonardo Ulloa powered past Wojciech Szczesny with a firm header.

Arsenal centre-back Laurent Koscielny hurt himself in a clash of heads with Schlupp when the score was still 0-0 and he made way for Calum Chambers shortly after Ulloa’s goal.

Leicester came closest to scoring a winner, but Ulloa clipped an effort into the side-netting after cutting inside Chambers and Szczesny produced a diving save to thwart substitute Jamie Vardy.

The result left Arsene Wenger’s side four points below leaders Chelsea in seventh place in the table, while Leicester moved up to 15th.

In the day’s other game, Aston Villa won 2-1 at home to Hull City to maintain their unbeaten start to the campaign and climb to third place in the early-season standings. l

Chelsea striker Diego Costa needs to learn to show respect to opponents after the Spaniard goaded Everton players during their pulsating 6-3 English Premier League win on Saturday, Toffees coach Roberto Martinez said.

New signing Costa taunted Seamus Coleman after the Irish defender’s own goal put Chelsea 3-1 ahead at Goodison Park which prompted an angry reaction from a number of Everton players, in particular American goalkeeper Tim Howard.

“There are certain foreign players who come to the Premier League who need to understand the ethics and the culture,” Everton boss Martinez told reporters.

“The behaviour in the British game is unique. The last thing you want to see is disrespect from a player to another player and I am sure he will learn that very quickly.

“There is a real professionalism and respect in the league so you can understand why the players weren’t happy with that, in the same way as trying to buy free kicks with the way he plays.”

Costa has been impressive in firing Chelsea to the top of the table after scoring four goals in his first three games since signing from Spanish champions Atletico Madrid in the close season.

But he has also been accused of gamesmanship. Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho thought his Brazilian-born striker was being unfairly targeted.

“To be chasing cards against a player who once more had good behaviour and was just here to play football is disappointing,” the Portuguese said.

“At the end of the story, Diego is maybe the best player in the Premier League in the first three matches and he has two yellow cards - one against Burnley where he didn’t simulate, it was a penalty, and one against Everton, when everyone was chasing him to get him in trouble. That is disappointing.” l

I must get best out of Torres: Inzaghi n Reuters

Van Gaal demands more Atletico struggle past Eibar for first win RESULTS from spluttering United n

n AFP, London

Liverpool reasserted their Premier League title credentials with a breezy 3-0 win at Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, but Arsenal were held to a 1-1 draw at Leicester City.

Raheem Sterling, Steven Gerrard and Alberto Moreno scored the goals for Liverpool at White Hart Lane to give Brendan Rodgers victory in his 100th game as manager and end Tottenham’s 100 percent record.

Mario Balotelli made his Liverpool debut after his £16 million ($26.5 million, 20.1 million euros) move from AC Milan on Monday and he produced an enterprising display before being withdrawn in the 61st minute.

RESULTS Leicester

1-1

Ulloa 22

Aston Villa Agbonlahor 14, Weimann 36

Tottenham

Arsenal Sanchez 20

2-1 0-3

Hull Jelavic 74

Liverpool

Sterling 8, Gerrard 49-P, Moreno 60

Filippo Inzaghi is hoping he can bring back the glory days for Fernando Torres when the Spaniard completes his twoyear loan move to AC Milan, the club’s new coach said on Saturday.

The 30-year-old Chelsea striker has yet to pass a medical and agree personal terms at the San Siro but Inzaghi is keen to start working with the Spanish international who had a disappointing 3-1/2 year spell at Stamford Bridge.

“I’ve spoken to Torres even if he still has to do the medical,” the former Italy forward told the club website.

“I found out what kind of person he is and it all seems very positive. It is up to me to get him back to the levels he is capable of and I will study his best position.”

Torres, pictured on the Milan website wearing the club’s red and black number nine jersey, said he was looking forward to joining the seven-times European champions.

“It’s an honour and a privilege to wear this shirt,” added the former Liverpool and Atletico Madrid player.

“I want to take the side back into the Champions League and perhaps stay here for many years. I know the history of the club and it is illustrious. I want to make the fans happy. I can’t wait to arrive and start the new season.”

Milan, who finished eighth in Serie A last term, launch their campaign at home to Lazio on Sunday.l

Liverpool’s Raheem Sterling (C) celebrates with teammates Alberto Moreno (L) and Joe Allen after scoring the opening goal during their English Premier League match against Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane in London yesterday REUTERS

AFP, Madrid

n AFP, Burnley Louis Van Gaal admitted Manchester United are playing well below the standards he demands after his spluttering side were held to a 0-0 draw

by Burnley on Saturday.

Van Gaal heads into the international break still waiting for the first victory of his United reign after two draws and a defeat in the Premier League, as well as a humiliating loss at third-tier Milton Keynes Dons in the League Cup. Managers often complain about the first international break, resenting the intrusion that interrupts their schedule and momentum before it has barely had chance to pick up speed.

But van Gaal could be forgiven for relishing the opportunity to refine his plans for United over the next two weeks following their latest lacklustre effort against a Burnley team, who cost just £5 million ($8.3m) to assemble, at Turf Moor on Saturday.

The former Netherlands boss had already warned it will take several months at least to fix the fallen giants following the ill-fated reign of David Moyes and he offered a distinctly unimpressed review of United’s current status after they failed to break down newly-promoted Burnley.

Van Gaal, whose team will Queens

Bayern Munich players pose during a photo call for a sponsor in Munich yesterday

Park Rangers on September 14, admitted: “We don’t look world-class at the moment.

“We shall have to wait and believe it will happen. We shall see where we are in a month or so.”

However, having scanned the fixture list to reveal games against Leicester City and West Ham United before the end of September, the Dutchman will expect his team to have hoisted themselves towards the right end of the table sooner rather than later.

By then he should have been joined by compatriot Daley Blind, the 24-yearold Ajax star who was a key part of van Gaal’s Netherlands team at the World Cup and is expected to sign imminently for around £14 million.

Blind’s arrival will continue van Gaal’s £150 million overhaul of the United squad following the debut of Angel Di Maria on Saturday.

The Argentina midfielder, who cost a British record £59.7 million from Real Madrid, lasted 69 minutes before making way for Anderson after taking a kick to his calf. Di Maria showed one or two nice touches at Turf Moor, but van Gaal said: “He was not the world-class player we have seen in Madrid.

“He needs to adapt to English culture and the English way of playing. And his team-mates need to adapt as well.”

At least there was no further defeat for van Gaal to face.l

REUTERS

La Liga champions Atletico Madrid recorded their first victory of the campaign with a hard-fought 2-1 win over newly-promoted Eibar on Saturday.

First-half headers from Miranda and Mario Mandzukic ultimately proved decisive, but Atletico were given a scare after Abraham’s brilliant strike had brought Eibar back into the game.

The visitors had a great chance to level the game three minutes from time, but Angel’s effort trickled inches past the far post as Atletico held on.

“Games at the beginning of the season are always difficult,” said Atletico boss Diego Simeone, who was serving the second of an eight-match touchline ban.

“The start of the match was good, we went in front but we lacked rhythm after that.

“In the second-half we were anxious to get the three points and they were the better side.

“We are aware that we have to work and improve. I didn’t like the game, but it is always good to win.”

Simeone’s men had been held 0-0 at local rivals Rayo Vallecano in their league opener on Monday, but normal service appeared to have been resumed by two set-piece goals inside the first 25 minutes.

Earlier, Athletic Bilbao celebrated their qualification to the group stage of the Champions League with a comfort-

able 3-0 win over Levante.

Two-goal hero from their triumph over Napoli in midweek, Aritz Aduriz headed home the opener just after the half-hour mark.

Ander Iturraspe doubled the Basques’ advantage just after the break before Iker Muniain rounded off the scoring. Celta Vigo also continued their unbeaten start to the campaign despite the absence of departed coach Luis Enrique as they drew 1-1 at Cordoba. l

Cordoba

Cartabia 59

Athletic Bilbao

1-1

3-0

Celta Vigo

Orellana 52

Levante

Aduriz 32, Iturraspe 51, Muniain 76

Atletico Madrid Miranda 11, Mandzukic 25

Espanyol Stuani 61

2-1 1-2

Eibar Abraham 33

Sevilla Bacca 33, Iborra 56

Atletico Madrid’s Mario Mandzukic (L) celebrates his goal against Eibar during their Spanish first division match at Vicente Calderon stadium in Madrid on Saturday REUTERS

Pellegrini expects better from beaten Man City

Chelsea seal deal for striker Remy n AFP, London

n AFP, Manchester

France international striker Loic Remy has joined Chelsea from Queens Park Rangers on a four-year contract, the two Premier League clubs announced on Sunday.

The announcement came a day after Chelsea reportedly triggered a £10.5 million ($17.4 million, 13.3 million euros) release clause in the 27-year-old’s contract, prompting him to withdraw from QPR’s squad to face Sunderland.

“I feel very happy and very proud,” said Remy, who was pictured on the Chelsea website posing with a club shirt.

“When I heard Chelsea wanted to sign me I said ‘Let’s go’ straight away, because they are one of the best clubs in the world.”

Remy has been signed to replace Fernando Torres, who has joined AC Milan from Chelsea on a two-year loan deal, and to provide competition for fellow strikers Diego Costa and Didier Drogba. l

Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini said his side were entering the international break dissatisfied with their start to the season following a surprise 1-0 home defeat by Stoke City.

City were well short of the form that delivered the Premier League title to the Etihad Stadium last season, falling to a fine second-half goal from former Manchester United forward Mame Biram Diouf in Saturday’s game.

“It is always serious to lose three points at home,” he said. “It was very important for our team to try and win nine points before the international break.

“It is not good to start this break with a defeat, but these types of game happen once a year and it has happened to our team. We will continue playing and working the same way we

are doing now. Exactly the same.”

While goalkeeper Joe Hart appeared to allow Diouf’s shot to pass between his legs too easily, Pellegrini refused to blame the England international, but he did admit that his team had lacked their usual creative spark.

“I don’t analyse players in particular,” said the Chilean when asked about Hart’s attempt to save Diouf’s effort.

“I analyse as a team and, as a team, they all could have done more. We were very patient and tried to create space, but Stoke defended very well.

We couldn’t create space and had a bad day in our creative play.

“I don’t think we could lose this game 1-0. It was too easy, the way they scored their goal: a counter-attack from a corner in their own box, and (Diouf) ran 70 metres to score the goal.

“In these games you have to be patient and try to create space until the last minute.”l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

QUICK BYTES

World Cup will decide who’s number one, say Clarke

Sport

15

Monday, September 1, 2014

Zim clinch famous win over Aussies SCORECARD Australia A. Finch b Nyumbu P. Hughes c Nyumbu b Utseya M. Clarke not out G. Bailey b Williams G. Maxwell b Waller M. Marsh c Utseya b Tiripano B. Haddin c Waller b Tiripano J. Faulkner c Nyumbu b Utseya M. Starc b Williams B. Cutting run out N. Lyon not out Extras (2lb, 3w) Total (9 wkts, 50 overs)

Next year’s Cricket World Cup will decide the kings of the 50-over game whatever happens in the race to top the ICC world rankings between now and then, according to Australia captain Michael Clarke. Australia top the rankings going into Sunday’s triangular series match against Zimbabwe in Harare but, depending on results, could be overhauled this week by India or South Africa, who they face on Tuesday.

Clarke believes that the definitive ruling on the best one-day side will not come until Australia and New Zealand host the World Cup from Feb. 14-March 29 next year. “Whoever wins that tournament will be seen as the number one one-day team in the world,” Clarke told the Cricket Australia website in Zimbabwe.

“That’s the way I’ve always looked at one-day rankings. I guess you love being number one in any form of the game but ... you get a great indicator who is the number one team in the world in six months time playing in a World Cup. –Reuters

Mitroglou set to re-join Olympiakos Greek champions Olympiakos Piraeus are set to re-sign Kostas Mitroglou on loan from English second tier club Fulham after the striker arrived in Athens for talks on Sunday. An Olympiakos spokesman told Reuters the Piraeus club were scheduled to hold talks with their former player and that an agreement could be completed within 24 hours. Mitroglou signed for Fulham on the last day of the January transfer window for a reported fee of £12.4 million pounds ($20.6 million) after scoring three hat-tricks at the start of the Greek campaign and firing his country to the World Cup. But injuries hampered his spell in London and he was rarely used by Fulham coach Felix Magath, starting only one match as the side slumped to relegation from the Premier League in May. According to reports, Fulham want a £2.5 million loan fee for the 26-year-old.

–Reuters

Kalou joins Hertha Berlin from Lille Ivory Coast international striker Salomon Kalou signed for Bundesliga side Hertha Berlin from French Ligue 1 outfit Lille for a reported fee of between 2.5 and 3million euros ($3.2-3.9million) on Sunday. The 29-year-old -- a Champions League winner with Chelsea in 2012 -- signed a three year contract and will be paid 3million euros a year according to local media. “It is done.

Salomon Kalou is now a ‘Herthaner’.

Welcome,” tweeted Hertha manager Michael Preetz. Kalou, who had been at Lille since 2012 after a six year spell with Chelsea, will fill the vacuum left by the departure of Colombian striker Adrian Ramos to Borussia Dortmund.

Kalou, who opted to play for the Ivory Coast after he failed to receive Dutch citizenship while playing for Feyenoord, enjoyed a successful time with Chelsea winning the FA Cup four times and one Premier League title. Hertha have just one point after two games of the season, losing 4-2 to Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday.

–AFP

Kramer left with no memories of World Cup final

Germany midfielder Christoph Kramer has admitted he will probably never regain his memory of the time he spent on the field before coming off with concussion during the World Cup final. “The doctors are certain that my memories of that part of the World Cup final will not come back,” the Borussia Moenchengladbach player said in an interview with the weekly magazine Focus. Kramer, 23, was brought into Germany’s starting line-up to play Argentina at the Maracana at the last minute to replace the injured Sami Khedira but lasted just 31 minutes before a violent collision with the shoulder of Ezequiel Garay left him concussed. He had to come off and was left with no recollection of the first half hour. The match referee, Italy’s Nicola Rizzoli, told media after the final - which Germany won 1-0 - that Kramer had come to see him after the incident and asked him: “Referee, is this the final?”

–AFP

Zimbabwe captain Elton Chigumbura is mobbed by teammates after wining their ODI match against Australia at the Harare Sports Club yesterday

n Reuters, Harare Captain Elton Chigumbura hit a fluent half-century as Zimbabwe secured a shock three-wicket win over Australia in the triangular series on Sunday.

Zimbabwe’s only previous success against the world’s top-ranked 50-over side came in their very first meeting in Nottingham in 1983 and since then have endured 27 defeats and one abandoned match.

After Australia elected to bat, the tourists were restricted to 209 for nine in their 50 overs, a target Zimbabwe chased down with two overs to spare.

Chigumbura came to the wicket

with his side floundering on 106 for five at the halfway point of their innings, and along with number nine Prosper Utseya (30 not out), added 55 in an unbeaten eighth wicket partnership.

The Zimbabwe skipper was unbeaten on 52 from 68 balls and provided the anchor for the win.

Utseya scored the winning runs by belting a six off Mitchell Starc that prompted a field invasion by jubilant fans who had never seen a day like it at the Harare Sports Club.

Adding to Australia’s misery, skipper Michael Clarke had to battle through the pain barrier to score an unbeaten 68 after he suffered a recurrence of his

hamstring injury.

Clarke, returning to the side after missing Australia’s first two games of the series, retired hurt in the 43rd over as he battled with his hamstring, but returned for the final two balls of the innings to ensure the tourists were not bowled out.

Wicketkeeper Brad Haddin scored 49 to help the visitors pass 200 as he put on 50 with Clarke before the latter retired hurt, and 51 with number 10 Ben Cutting (26).

The home spinners managed to both contain and pick up wickets, with Sean Williams recording excellent figures of two for 21 in his 10 overs, as Australia stuttered to their lowest ever score

against Zimbabwe of 209 for nine in 50 overs. Utseya finished with two for 45 in his 10 overs.

Zimbabwe took a patient approach to their reply but looked in trouble as they slipped to 106 for five before Chigumbura grafted to get his side home.

Nathan Lyon used the conditions well to record figures of four for 44 in 10 overs, with all of the regular bowlers economical in restricting the home batsman.

The fifth match of the series will be on Tuesday when Australia face South Africa at the same venue. South Africa lead the table with nine points, Australia second on five and Zimbabwe with four. l

Fall of wickets 1-11 (Finch), 2-38 (Hughes), 3-39 (Bailey), 4-57 (Maxwell), 5-97 (Marsh), 5-147 (Clarke, retired not out), 6-147 (Faulkner), 7-150 (Starc), 8-201 (Cutting), 9-202 (Haddin).

Bowling Chatara 8-0-56-0, Nyumbu 10-1-30-1, Utseya 10-0-45-2, Tiripano 6-1-34-2, Williams 10-2-21-2, Waller 6-0-21-1.

Zimbabwe T. Mawoyo b Lyon 15 Sikandar Raza c sub (Smith) b Lyon 22 H. Masakadza b Starc 18 B. Taylor b Lyon 32 M. Waller c & b Maxwell 11 S. Williams c Clarke b Lyon 4 E. Chigumbura not out 52 D. Tiripano b Starc 3 P. Utseya not out 30 Extras (2b, 3lb, 18w, 1nb) 24 Total (7 wkts, 48 overs) 211 Fall of wickets 1-42 (Sikandar Raza), 2-44 (Mawoyo), 3-100 (Masakadza), 4-102 (Taylor), 5-106 (Williams), 6-142 (Waller), 7-156 (Tiripano).

Bowling Starc 10-3-41-2, Marsh 4-2-13-0, Cutting 6-0-18-0, Faulkner 7-0-28-0, Lyon 10-144-4, Finch 2-0-19-0, Maxwell 8-0-41-1, Clarke 1-0-2-0.

Result Zimbabwe won by 3 wickets

Pakistan’s defeat sparks Djokovic, Murray sail on as Serena World Cup fears stands up for America n AFP, Karachi

Former cricket greats said Sunday they fear Pakistan’s one-day defeat in Sri Lanka will hurt preparations for the World Cup just five months away.

Pakistan were beaten by seven wickets in the third and final one-day international against Sri Lanka in Dambulla on Saturday after being bowled for a mere 102, losing the three-match series 2-1.

They also lost the preceding twomatch Test series 2-0.

Ramiz Raja, who took the catch that won Pakistan the 1992 World Cup, criticised preparations for next year’s tournament.

“I don’t think team’s preparations for the World Cup are in the right direction,” the former skipper said. “We need to find new talent if we want to succeed. It seems our batsmen have forgotten how to stay at the wicket and no one has consistency in his performance.”

Former captain Rashid Latif said the one-day defeat would hurt World Cup preparations.

“The Pakistan cricket board relied on old players for the last two years in their preparations for the World Cup and they simply don’t trust young play-

ers - and that’s why our (performance) graph is going down with every series,” he told AFP. Latif said he feared Misbah-ul Haq, appointed captain until the World Cup, would come under pressure.

“I think Misbah’s future is in doubt.

He didn’t perform in seven innings of the tour and his captaincy was defensive,” said Latif of the one-day and Test captain.

Pakistan next play a Twenty20 international, two Tests and three oneday internationals against Australia in the United Arab Emirates in October, before taking on New Zealand in three Tests, five one-dayers and two T20s.

“Maybe Shahid Afridi will replace Misbah as one-day captain,” said Latif, who thought four to five players may be changed for the next series.

Another former captain, Mohammad Yousuf, also criticised Misbah’s captaincy.

“If the captaincy remained with Misbah you can’t expect improvement in results,” said Yousuf. “He has been the captain for four years and has not been able to find a proper combination.”

“I think it is imperative we have Afridi as captain who is aggressive and can lead in a better way.” l

n AFP, New York

Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray stayed on course for a mouth-watering US Open quarter-final showdown Saturday as five-time women’s champion Serena Williams stood alone as America’s last singles title hope.

But as the heavyweights of the sport eased into the fourth round, the women’s draw was blown open again when Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova became the fifth top 10 seed to exit in the first week.

Djokovic, the 2011 champion, brushed aside Querrey for the eighth time in nine meetings, with a 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 win taking the world number one into the fourth round at a major for the 22nd consecutive time.

Wimbledon champion and seven-time major winner Djokovic will next face Germany’s Philipp Kohlschreiber who ended US hopes with a 7-6 (7/4), 4-6, 7-6 (7/2), 7-6 (7/4) win over Isner despite the American 13th seed firing 42 aces and 77 winners. Williams racked up her 75th victory at the US Open when she eased past her third successive

American compatriot, Uzbekistan-born left-hander Varvara Lepchenko, 6-3, 6-3 and will tackle tough Estonian Kaia Kanepi for a quarter-final berth.

Murray, the 2012 champion, hit 47 winners in a 6-1, 7-5, 4-6, 6-2 victory over Russia’s Andrey Kuznetsov, the world 96, to book a seventh appearance in the fourth round and goes on to face French ninth seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga who beat Pablo Carreno-Busta of Spain, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4.

Third seeded Stan Wawrinka, the Australian Open champion, reached the fourth round without hitting a ball when Slovenian opponent Blaz Kavcic withdrew with a right foot injury.

Women’s third seeded Kvitova lost her third round tie 6-4, 6-4 to pintsized Serbian, 21-year-old Aleksandra Krunic, who came through qualifying.

Also going through to the last-16 of the men’s singles for a third successive year was Canadian fifth seed Milos Raonic who beat Victor Estrella Burgos, the 34-year-old tournament debutant from the Dominican Republic, 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (7/3).

He will face Japanese 10th seed Kei Nishikori who reached the fourth round for the first time since his 2008 debut with a 6-4, 6-2, 6-3 victory over Leonardo Mayer of Argentina. l

Imperious Marquez wins 11th race of the season n AFP, Silverstone

DAY’S WATCH Ten Sports, Ten HD US Open 2014 9:00 PM Day 8: Day session Round of 16 5:00 AM Day 8: Night session Round of 16

AFP

11 10 68 1 13 15 49 0 3 26 8 5 209

Honda MotoGP rider Marc Marquez (C) of Spain celebrates winning the British Grand Prix with second placed Yamaha rider Jorge Lorenzo of Spain (L) and third placed Yamaha rider Valentino Rossi of Italy at the Silverstone Race Circuit yesterday REUTERS

Runaway world championship leader Marc Marquez made it 11 wins from 12 races this season on Sunday as he won the British MotoGP at Silverstone.

The 21-year-old Spanish Honda rider - who on Saturday claimed his 10th pole position of the campaign - prevailed in a stunning duel with compatriot and two-time world champion Jorge Lorenzo on a Yamaha.

Lorenzo’s team-mate Italian legend Valentino Rossi was third in what was a record 246th MotoGP appearance while Marquez’s fellow Honda rider Dani Pedrosa, who won the Czech GP last time out, was fourth. It was the third successive race Yamaha had filed the minor podium placings.

Marquez has 288 points with Pedrosa, who signed a two year extension with Honda, second on 199 and Rossi, who has also committed himself for another two years to Yamaha, third on

189 while Lorenzo has 157 with six races remaining.

Lorenzo got a terrific start shooting into the lead ahead of Marquez, whose weakest part of his armoury has been his starts, while Pedrosa got an awful one dropping to sixth.

After four laps Marquez started eating into Lorenzo’s lead while Rossi moved seamlessly past compatriot Andrea Dovizioso into third.

Pedrosa continued his recovery from the poor start by passing Dovizioso and pressurised Rossi, who he succeeded in getting past with 11 laps remaining and set off after the leading two who were almost three seconds clear.

Lorenzo kept Marquez at bay toying with him at times forcing the younger Spaniard to go out wide and costing him ground but Pedrosa was unable to make any inroads into their lead and indeed was four seconds down with eight laps to the chequered flag. l

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Flood situation remains static in 3 districts Brahmaputra in Sherpur and Padma in Shariatpur see a fresh rise n Tribune Report Flood water in two districts has risen with river erosion taking heavy toll on arable land and properties while in two other districts it has remained static.

Our correspondent from Sherpur reports that rise of the water level in the Brahmaputra river and river erosion continues in the district.

Water was entering through the damaged part of the flood controlling dam near the Sherpur sadar upazila. If the rise in the water level continues like this, the diversion of the Sherpur-Jamalpur road would be submerged within two days, which would leave the district disconnected from the northern districts and Dhaka.

Charpakkhimari UP Chairman Akbar Ali said villages on the bank of the Brahmaputra river were inundated and people in those villages were marooned. He also informed that rice cultivated in the huge area of Shatpakia Bil went under water.

Shuvash Chandra Debnath, assistant director of agricultural development corporation in the district, said 350 hectares of rice fields were submerged by the flood water.

Our correspondent from Shariatpur reports that many villages were inundated in the district and many schools were closed down because of the flood.

Water Development Board sources said onrush of water from the upstream raised the water level in the Padma river, where the water is flowing 38cm above the danger level. Over the last 24 hours, more than 200 villages were inundated.

Sources from the district’s education office said flood water entered 83 educational institutions, 20 of which were closed down.

The Headmaster of Kedarpur High

Flood-affected people in Bogra’s Sariakandi upazila wade through waist-high waters yesterday to collect drinking water from higher grounds near the Chandanbaisha embankment FOCUS BANGLA School Abu Taleb Miyan said the school was closed since Saturday.

Meanwhile, river erosion continues due to the heavy current in the Padma river. Over the last 15 days around 500 families in Naria and Uttar Tarabunia upazilas became homeless after their houses were devoured by the river.

Additional District Magistrate Asib Ahsan told the Dhaka Tribune five tonnes of rice was distributed among the flood victims in the area and 55 tonnes more was allocated by the administration.

Meanwhile UNB reports: The flood

situation in Bogra, Sirajganj, Faridpur has remained unchanged yesterday with two major rivers – Padma and Jamuna – still flowing above the danger mark.

In Bogra, the Jamuna was flowing 82cm above the danger level yesterday although the water level in the mighty river saw a 6cm fall.

About 200 villages of Sariakhandi, Dhunat, and Sonatala upazilas have been inundated by flood water, said sources at the district administration.

Meanwhile, 225 metric tonnes of rice and cash Tk 4 lakh have been allocated for the affected people of the

three upazilas.

In Sirajganj, despite a fall in the water level of the Jamuna, the flood situation has seen no improvement.

The river in the district was still flowing 37cm above the danger mark while its tributaries were also swelling yesterday morning.

As a result, surging water from the river has left several lakh people of five upazilas in the district marooned.

Alongside flood, continuous rainfall on Saturday night added to the woes of the flood-hit people.

Gushing water entering through

breached portion of Meghai Ring Embankment inundated freshly three villages of Kazipur upazila.

Academic activities at more than 100 schools remained suspended due to flood.

In Faridpur, onrush of water from upstream hills has caused the Padma River to swell further, inundating fresh areas of the district.

Sources at the WDB office in Faridpur said the water level in the river saw a 5cm rise in the last 24 hours and it was flowing 27cm above the danger level at Goalandu point.

The low-lying areas of Sadar, Char Bhadrasan and Sadarpur upazilas have remained submerged by flood water over the last two weeks, marooning thousands of people.

In Chandpur, the Town Protection Embankment has developed a crack at a point creating threat of erosion among locals.

WDB in Chandpur has taken immediate measures to prevent the dyke from developing cracks.

In Rangpur, though the flood water started receding, erosion by the Teesta River has taken a serious turn in Gangachara upazila rendering about 350 families homeless and eating away vast tracts of arable land over the last few days.

The affected areas are Alambiditor, Luxmitary Nohali, Kolkond, Gojoghonta, Mornea and Gangachara Sadar.

The homeless people have now taken shelter on high lands or safer places.

A portion of the flood protection embankment at Mohipur point has also been eroded by the river, creating panic among the local people.

Locals said though the Water Development Board is dumping sand bags and setting bamboo pilings, the Teesta erosion goes on unabated. l

Survey: Only 13% of international migrants live below poverty line

Militia says it 'secured' US compound in Libya n AP n Rabiul Islam An Islamist-allied militia group has "secured" a US Embassy residential compound in Libya's capital Tripoli, more than a month after American personnel evacuated from the country, one of its commanders said yesterday.

An Associated Press journalist walked through the compound yesterday after the Dawn of Libya, an umbrella group for Islamist militias, invited onlookers inside.

A commander for the Dawn of Libya group, Moussa Abu-Zaqia, told the AP that his forces had entered and been in control of the compound since last week, a day after it had seized control of the capital and its strategic airport. Abu-Zaqia said the rival militia was in the compound before his troops took it over.

A video posted online showed men playing in a pool at the compound. In a message on Twitter, US Ambassador to Libya Deborah Jones said the video appeared to have been shot in at the embassy's residential annex.

She also said it appeared the compound was being "safeguarded" and was not "ransacked. l

A recent survey has concluded that international migration not only plays a significant role in reducing poverty but also contributes to local development, which includes employment and living standards.

The study, conducted by the Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit (RMMRU) based at Dhaka University, was unveiled at a workshop on “Impact of Migration on Poverty and Local Development” at Brac centre in the capital yesterday.

According to the survey, only 13% of the international migrants live below the poverty line whereas 40% of non-migrants live below the poverty line in the country. As per national data, 26 percent of people live below the poverty line.

The survey was conducted in 17 districts, representing all seven divisions, and interviewed 5,084 individuals from 102 villages.

RMMRU Chairperson Tasneem Siddiqui presented the key findings of the study while Dhaka University Economics Department faculty Selim Raihan

presented another paper at the programme.

The report also claimed that international migrants create new employment opportunities for non-migrants of their respective neighborhood by offering a section of their land for share cropping.

‘Are intermediaries gobbling a handsome amount? We know that in some places 12% to 13% is charged for sending remittance whereas some countries charge only 4%’ At the same time, they also employ workers from non-migrant families to help manage their poultry farms, livestock and other small-scale enterprises.

It also concluded that a total of 79 percent of the areas with high international migration rates regularly experienced inter-district seasonal migration.

The report also includes many other

components including living standard, ownership of homestead and agricultural land, education and healthcare where international migrants have done better in comparison to non-migrants.

Speaking as the guest of honour, World Bank's lead Economist Zahid Hussain observed that the findings are not conclusively established.

“We need to ask who are these migrants? How do they finance?” he asked while saying that those who cross the age of 40 have less than 10 percent chance for migration.

The poor people have no direct access to international migration, Zahid said adding the average migration cost was between Tk 2,00,000 and Tk 3,00,000.

According to the survey, average migration cost is Tk 2,65,000.

Speaking as chief guest, Expatriate Welfare Secretary Khondaker Showkat Hossain said: “We have to establish discipline in migration sector.”

“If we cannot manage this properly, the workers' money would go to someone else's pockets,” he noted.

During the panel discussion, Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS) Research Director Binayak Sen

said things should be examined closely.

He, for example, citing the findings said international migrants had been donating to madrasa, mosques, and temples.

“Do such donations encourage a conservatism outlook?” he asked.

Centre for Policy Dialogue Executive Director Mustafizur Rahman said: “We should do something about returnee migrants.”

“What are these returnee migrants doing? How can we use their skills?

However, there is no data concerning returnee migrants,” he said.

Brac Executive Director Mahabub Hossain said: “We should look into the additional costs for sending remittance.”

“Are intermediaries gobbling a handsome amount? We know that in some places 12% to 13% is charged for sending remittance whereas some countries charge only 4%,” he said.

Former advisor to the caretaker government Hossain Zillur Rahman suggested exploration of new labour markets.

“Around 18 to 20 hundred thousand new jobs seekers are entering the labour market every year,” he informed. l

Conflicting laws weaken the environment court n Kamran Reza Chowdhury The Environment Ministry and the parliamentary watchdog on the ministry yesterday agreed that the environment courts could not be effective because of conflicting laws.

The environment act and the environment court act conflicted each other on the question of the authority to file cases on charges of damaging environment.

The Forest Conservation Act 1995 permits any aggrieved person to file cases against environmental damages while the Environment Court Act 2010 authorises the Department of Environment to file lawsuits, Hasan Mahmud, chairman of the parliamentary watchdog, told the Dhaka Tribune after a meeting at the parliament building.

“So, we have recommended making the two laws uniform. The aggrieved persons should be allowed to file lawsuits for environmental damages,” he said.

The 10-member Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Environment and Forest Ministry also discussed the implementation of the brick kiln regulation act that came into effect on July 1. The law strictly prohibits the operation of traditional brick kilns with polluting chimneys.

According to a report of the department of environment, around 40% of the 10,000 kilns have been turned into environment-friendly zigzag chimneys that reduced pollution drastically.

The brick kiln owners do not want to invest more money for installing zigzag chimneys.

“Our recommendation is that there is no scope for giving further concession to the brick kiln owners. The Department of Environment will send letters to all deputy commissioners asking them to execute the act. l

DU ADMISSION TEST

46 candidates to compete for one seat n DU Correspondent

Around 46 applicants will compete for each seat at the upcoming admission test of Dhaka University in the 2014-15 academic session, sources said.

A total of 301,138 students will appear in the test for 6,582 seats in five units for the first-year Honour’s courses.

Last year, the ratio of applicants against seats were around 39:1, with 262,907 applicants competing for 6,668 seats at the university.

Professor AAMS Arefin Siddique, vice-chancellor of the university, gave the statistics at a press conference at the university’s Old Senate Building yesterday at 2pm.

A total of 81,948 students seat in the admission test for 1,640 seats in Ka unit, 42,417 students for 2,221 seats in Kha unit, 49,976 students for 1,170 seats in Ga unit, 111,665 students for 1,416 seats in Gha unit, and 14,755 students for 135 seats in Cha unit.

The admission test of Ka unit will be held on September 12, Kha unit on September 19, Ga unit on September 05, Gha unit on September 26, and Cha unit on September 13, 2014. l

Anti-PM protests in Pakistan leave three dead, 400 wounded n AP, Islamabad Thousands of anti-government protesters tried to raid the official residence of Pakistan's prime minister, sparking clashes with police that killed three people and wounded nearly 400 amid cries for the premier to step down, officials said yesterday.

The overnight violence has raised the stakes in the two-week sit-in led by opposition politician Imran Khan and fiery cleric Tahir-ul-Qadri, which earlier saw demonstrators march past roadblocks to set up camp outside of Pakistan's parliament. They demand Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif step down over their allegations of massive voting fraud in the election that brought him into office last year.

Backed by parliament and many political parties, Sharif has refused to step down as negotiators tried to convince Qadri and Khan to end their protests.

When the crowd started removing shipping containers used as barricades, police fired salvoes of tear gas that

forced the crowds back. Authorities said they had no choice but to use force.

Islamabad police chief Khalid Khattak said protesters were armed with large hammers, wire cutters, axes and even a crane.

The protesters started regrouping at daybreak yesterday and made repeated attempts to make their way through heavy deployment of police and barricades to reach the premier's residence.

Police strengthened their lines and responded by lobbing tear gas canisters.

Nearly 400 people — including women, children and police officers — were admitted to local hospitals, officials said. The injured had wounds from tear gas shells, batons and rubber bullets, said Dr Javed Akram, who heads the capital's main hospital.

One person drowned in a ditch after he was in a crowd bombarded with tear gas while two others died from wounds related to rubber bullets, said Dr Wasim Khawaja, a senior official at the hospital.

Police also beat local journalists covering the protests with batons, in-

juring some, Railways Minister Saad Rafiq said. Rafiq said he intervened to stop the police assault and said that he would ask the government to investigate the officers' conduct.

The protests began with a march from the eastern city of Lahore on Pakistan's Independence Day on August 14.

Khan described the police action against the crowd as illegal. Qadri said he'd been up all night praying for a resolution.

"If they think their brutality will force us back, they are wrong," he said in a choked voice.

The demonstrations signify the starkest threat to Sharif's third term as prime minister. His previous term ended with a military coup and his eventual exile. Sharif vowed Saturday he would not step down.

"The biggest question: Can Nawaz Sharif survive? The answer, in these frantic hours, must surely be a miserable, despondent no," read an editorial in Dawn, one of the country's leading English-language newspapers. l

Water overflowing from the sewer just outside their school premises has been a constant difficulty faced by students of Kuril-Kuratoli Model High School for the past one month. The photo was taken yesterday MEHEDI HASAN

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Problem bank flouts rules to lend lawmaker n Jebun Nesa Alo A section of officials of the state-run Bangladesh Commerce Bank Ltd has allegedly violated credit rules to lend Tk102.95 crore to a Jatiya Party lawmaker, according to an investigation by the central bank.

Shawkat Chowdhury, MP from Nilphamari-4 constituency, borrowed the amount in phases from Bangshal branch in Dhaka from April 2013 to April 2014.

The loan was taken in favour of his company Jamuna Agro Chemical.

Branch manager Habibul Gani allegedly helped the MP get the money which even exceeded single borrower exposure limit.

BCB has already suspended its eight officials, including Additional Managing Director Mohammad Assaduzzaman and Bangshal branch manager Habibul Gani, over the alleged irregularities.

The Bangladesh Bank is conducting an investigation into the alleged fraud and prepared a primary report. The Dhaka Tribune has obtained a copy of the report.

BCB, which has been making losses for years and identified as a problem bank, sent a letter to Anti-Corruption Commission to launch investigation into the incident.

A board meeting held on April 17 this year also discussed the matter in presence of a central bank observer.

On May 06, the observer requested the Department of Bank Inspection-1 of the central bank to inspect the loan account of Jamuna Agro Chemical and prepare a report. But the inspection is yet to be made even though three months have passed since the request.

Bangladesh Bank has now decided to ask BCB authorities to submit a detailed report on the alleged loan forgery.

The BB observation report said BCB approved revolving LC (letter of credit) limit of Tk12 crore including LTR (loan against trust receipt) of Tk10 crore on April 16, 2013 to Jamuna Agro Chemical.

Ruposhi Bangla shuts to be reborn as InterContinental It is scheduled to be reopened after 16 months from now n Muhammad Zahidul Islam

But Bangshal branch gave money beyond that limit to the lawmaker several times and the total amount stood at Tk102.95 crore as of April 10, 2014.

This loan figure is 28.53% of the bank’s capital worth Tk361.44 crore though single borrower exposure limit is 15% of the capital. The report said the branch manager worked beyond his authority to give the loan.

Furthermore, the manager paid back four FDR worth Tk30 crore of Shawkat although he (the manager) was supposed to retain them against the loan.

The MP, who imports fertiliser, was allowed to withdraw Tk31 crore government subsidy against fertiliser import. But the subsidy amount was supposed to be adjusted with the loan.

Shawkat Chowdhury denied any irregularity and claimed that the amount was less than Tk102.95 crore.

He has filed a writ petition with High Court challenging the bank’s claim and is waiting for court order.

“The bank is demanding a huge amount. I didn’t take it. I will repay as the court orders,” Shawkat said.

The MP said he gave “sufficient collateral” to the branch against the loans.

When contacted, BCB Managing Director Abu Sadek Md Sohel denied making any comment.

The bank has failed to make profit in past 14 years since its launch in 1999.

The bank has been identified as “problem bank” since 2004 by the central bank due to its continued losses.

The capital shortfall of the bank, however, reduced to Tk38.56 crore in June this year from Tk130.83 crore in 2013 and Tk211.97 crore in 2012, according to a central bank statement.

The bank also suffered a provision shortfall of Tk5.35 crore in June, falling from Tk71.28 crore in 2013 and Tk56.63 crore in 2012.

Classified loans also dropped to Tk108.79 crore in June from Tk191.82 crore in 2013 and Tk155.30 crore in 2012.

Of the total 43 branches of the bank, eight branches are incurring losses. l

State-owned five star hotel Ruposhi Bangla, previously known as Hotel Sheraton, will be closed from today for 16 months for renovation purpose.

The country’s one of the oldest hotels will remain shut for the entire renovation work with a cost of above US$43m before it begins its new journey as InterContinental Dhaka from January, 2016.

The renovation work will start as per a 30-year management deal, which was signed between its owner, the state-run Bangladesh Services Limited (BSL), and Intercontinental Hotels Group in February, 2012.

Since the beginning of its journey in 1966, the hotel is going to face closure from tomorrow for the first time although it remained open even during the liberation war in 1971, said a senior worker, who has been working before liberation war.

Meanwhile, the new management has imposed embargo on the employees of the hotel not to talk with the media about the hotel renovation work.

After the renovation work, InterContinental will have 231 guestrooms instead of the existing 272, and the room size will also be expanded from 26 to 40 square metres, said am official of the hotel.

According to the deal, BSL needs to renovate the hotel rooms and the work should start form July, 2013. But later on, the renovation work was shifted to May, 2014 and it is again rescheduled for September, 2014.

Although the workers of the Ruposhi Bangla had earlier demanded partly renovation of the five-decadeold hotel, the management outright rejected their plea.

“We need to change every pipe, every cable, every toilet [fitting] and every bathtub to turn this hotel into a world-class one. It is impossible to offer the service and carry out the renovation work at the same time,” James P. McDonald, General Manager, earlier clarified his position.

As the proposal went to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s table, she finally gave nod in favour of complete shutdown of the hotel for the

The government is spending US$47m only for interior renovation of the hotel before handing over its operations to InterContinental. A dummy kept at the lobby shows the exterior to remain unchanged RAJIB DHAR renovation work.

As yesterday was the last day service of the Ruposhi Bangla hotel, there were only 28 guests although the hotel has earned huge revenue in August, according to sources.

Though management decided to shut down the hotel services from to-

morrow, it has so far failed to award the renovation work to any company till today.

“As it will take eight more weeks for awarding the renovation work, by this time we will continue asset disposal and office reallocation process,” a senior executive told the Dhaka Tribune.

“After the closure, the hotel will take six weeks for asset disposal and office reallocation. Then we will start the physical renovation work,” Sahidus Sadiq, manager, marketing and communication of Ruposhi Bangla, told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday.

He said the permanent employees and officials of the hotel will be rehabilitated to Ruposhi Bangla’s subsidiary companies that operate Bangabandhu International Conference Centre and Balaka Lounge.

In this regard, a contract signing ceremony was held yesterday at the hotel to give relief to the anxious workers.

The contract was signed between Ruposhi Bangla Hotel Management and the Ruposhi Bangla Hotel Sramic-O-Karmachari Union for ensuring the employees of their continued employment, salary, service charge and other benefits of the employees in the light of the endorsement of the BSL Board.

James McDonald and executive committee of the hotel signed on behalf of the management while Shofi Uddin, president of the union, signed the contract on behalf of the employees. The other members of a 14-member committee signed the contract.

The dining hall and the swimming pool will be relocated under the renovation plan, which will offer some added services and benefits.

BSL earned Tk19 crore profit from Ruposhi Bangla in 2013 while the figure was above Tk47 crore in 2012 and Tk40 crore in 2011. The hotel earned more than Tk20 crore revenue during the last two months, an executive also informed.

InterContinental had earlier ran the state-owned hotel in between 1966 and 1983. In late 1983, Sheraton took over its operations and management for the next 25 years, ending its tenure in December 2008.

The agreement with Sheraton was extended up to April 30, 2011 as Starwood, owner of Sheraton, and BSL disagreed over renovation issues.

After the disagreement, the BSL took over the operational charge of the hotel with the name of Ruposhi Bangla. l

Investor appetite for mutual funds continues to lose ADP begins with poor show n Kayes Sohel Investors continued to lose appetite for mutual funds during last three years, despite the stock regulator’s efforts to make them popular by giving enough leeway.

Currently, more than 70% of 41 listed closed-end mutual funds are being traded below their face value, according to the Dhaka Stock Exchange.

Net asset value (NAV) of most of them has also gone below their face value, meaning they incurred accumulated losses and thus lost capability to give dividend payout to their unit holders.

A mutual fund is a professionally managed collective investment scheme that pools money from many investors and invests them in stocks, bonds and short-term money market instruments.

Analysts and fund managers say investors invested virtually no new money on the mutual funds over the years, as their confidence eroded over the funds due to inefficiency of fund managers and ongoing dull market.

Return from the stock market is not higher than the bank interest rate, forcing them to divert their fund, according to fund managers.

Minimum dividend declaration this year also failed to bring buying enthusiasm among the investors. Almost all the mutual funds except LR Global Asset Management declared dividend this year after two years.

Former chairman of Bangladesh

UNIT PRICE OF MUTUAL FUNDS AS A PERCENTAGE OF ITS NET ASSET VALUE Fund name

Price /NAV

Fund name

Price /NAV

1JANATAMF

53%

GREENDELMF

48%

1STICB

57%

ICB1STNRB

101%

1STPRIMFMF

143%

ICB2NDNRB

76%

2NDICB

86%

ICB3RDNRB

60%

3RDICB

59%

ICBAMCL2ND

57%

4THICB

65%

ICBEPMF1S1

57%

5THICB

62%

ICBISLAMIC

99%

6THICB

78%

ICBSONALI1

70%

7THICB

79%

IFIC1STMF

51%

8THICB

71%

IFILISLMF1

55%

ABB1STMF

52%

LRGLOBMF1

47%

AIBL1STIMF

51%

MBL1STMF

47%

AIMS1STMF

75%

NCCBLMF1

53%

DBH1STMF

54%

NLI1STMF

64%

EBL1STMF

57%

PF1STMF

60%

EBLNRBMF

50%

PHPMF1

49%

EXIM1STMF

57%

POPULAR1MF

51%

FBFIF

64%

PRIME1ICBA

57%

GRAMEEN1

105%

RELIANCE1

64%

GRAMEENS2

75%

SEBL1STMF

63%

TRUSTB1MF

55%

Securities and Exchange Commission Faruq Ahmed Siddiqui said mutual fund remained unprofitable for long, making investors’ confidence to erode.

Expertise and professionalism fail to grow up to the mark so far, as most of the mutual funds hit in the market in 2010— the time when the market boomed.

Like any other investors, mutual fund investors took a jolt of market debacle in early 2011, he said.

“There remained a high level of skepticism about the rally of mutual funds and skepticism was bullish.”

Managing Director of AIMS of Bangladesh, Yawer Sayeed said: “Mutual fund industry has been passing difficult time over the last three years.”

He said if you look at the history of dividend payout, you will find that almost all the mutual funds failed to give any dividend over the last two years.

But this year they declared minimum dividend, which is almost equal to the bank interest rate. Return from stock market should be much higher than bank interest to attract investors.

“NAV at cost of mutual funds is higher than the current market value, indicating that its prospect is questionable in the long run,” he said.

He, however, said sound operation of mutual funds also depend on fund mangers’ ingenuity, capability and alertness.

Prime Finance Asset Management Company Limited Managing Director and CEO Moin Al Kashem said mutual fund is yet to get recognition to our investors who always want to get windfall profit.

“It is a fund that always ensures moderate profit with moderate risk but not higher profit. It’s not a cup of tea.”

Yesterday, out of 37 mutual funds traded at the DSE, 27 were being traded below their face value.  B3 COLUMN 6

n Kayes Sohel The government has spent only 2% of its ADP (annual development programme) in the first month of the new financial year.

The figure is one percentage point lower compared to the same period a year earlier when it was 3%.

Poor development expenditure in July was traditionally attributed to the preparatory work by the different ministries and divisions, analysts say.

But this year additional causes, including recent heavy downpour across the country and dealing with big projects like Padma Bridge construction, is behind the sharpest fall in expenditure, they viewed.

Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal earlier said it is normal to see lower ADP implementation in the first month of a new fiscal year, as ministries remain busy taking preparation for starting the development work during the period.

Traditionally in the country, the implementation of ADP remains sluggish in the first month due mainly to delay in fund release and appointment of project staff and land acquisition. But it becomes faster with the final months of a fiscal year approaches, making room for wastage of public money, according to officials and experts.

Out of the total ADP outlay of Tk 80,315 crore for the current fiscal year, 55 different ministries and divisions spent only Tk1,847 crore in July, accord-

ing to data of Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division (IMED).

The actual ADP size, however, was Tk80,315 crore without own financing of the corporations and autonomous bodies.

Of the total July spending, Tk1,458 crore or 3% was spent from government exchequer and Tk389 crore or 1% from foreign loans and grants, the IMED data showed.

Civil aviation and tourism ministry spent the highest amount of 30% from its allocation, followed by finance division with 13% and fisheries and livestock ministry with 11%.

Only 15 ministries and divisions spent 2% or more of their respective allocations and 30 ministries and divisions like railway, health, water resources, science and technology, education, primary and mass education ministry, and roads division, failed to spend even 1% of their total allocation for the new financial year, data showed.

Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies research director Zaid Bakht said delay in fund release, preparatory work like appointment of project staff and land acquisition in the beginning of the fiscal year were behind the reason of slow progress in ADP implementation.

But this year delay in dealing with mega projects like Padma Bridge Construction is the additional cause for poor development expenditure, he said. l

Bangladesh to get ITPEC membership today n Tribune Report Bangladesh is set to avail the membership status of Information Technology Professional Examination Council today.

Japan-based Information Technology Promotion Agency, a regulatory body for evaluating the Information Technology Engineers Examination (ITEE), will confer Bangladesh the membership at a function to be held at

Bangladesh Computer Council (BCC).

Post, Telecommunications and Information Technology Minister Abdul Latif Siddique, came up with the declaration at a press briefing hosted by the BCC yesterday.

Latif said once Bangladesh avails itself of Information Technology Professional Examination Council (ITPEC) membership, it will be able to conduct ITEE examinations every year and award internationally recognised certif-

icates to the IT professionals and graduates.

The state-run institution has already initiated such kind of examination in April this year.

At the event, Bangladesh will sign memorandum of understandings (MoU) with the current ITPEC member countries including Philippines, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam.

An agreement with the Japan government will also be signed. Zunaid Ahmed Palak, state

minister for ICT division, said the ITEE plays an important role in building confidence in IT engineers for contesting IT jobs worldwide.

ICT Division Secretary Nazrul Islam Khan and BCC Executive Director Asraful Islam were present at the press conference.

The IT examination is conducted twice a year, sometime in April and in October. It is one of the largest national qualification examinations in Japan. l

B2

Stocks slide for 2nd day in dull trade n Tribune Report

A few multinational companies on the other hand showed nifty gains at the last moment The Shariah index, DSES, dropped almost 9 points or 0.9% to 1,057.

The comprising blue chips DS30 closed at 1,713, falling 12 points or 0.8%.

Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) Selective Categories Index, CSCX, shed 74 points to 8,584.

Trading activities took a jolt as turnover at DSE dipped below Tk500 crore mark and stood at Tk494 crore. It was the lowest in the last two weeks and was 21.9% lower over the previous session.

DSE LOSER Closing (% Change)

FarEast Knitting -N ICB AMCL 1st NRB -A Kay & Que (BD) -Z National Tea -A EXIM Bank 1 MF-A Agni Systems -A BDCOM Online-A Salvo Chemicals-B BD Submarine Cable-A Renwick Jajneswar-A

-8.81 -6.32 -6.25 -5.86 -5.71 -5.36 -5.04 -4.89 -4.72 -4.46

CSE LOSER Company FarEast Knitting -N Agni Systems -A Salvo Chemicals-B Safko Spinning-A Fu-wang Ceramic-A EXIM Bank 1 MF-A BD Submarine Cable-A Beacon Pharma Ltd.-Z FAS Fin. & Inv. Ltd-B AMCL 2nd MF-A

Closing (% Change) -9.31 -5.71 -5.29 -5.13 -4.82 -4.62 -4.45 -4.23 -4.17 -4.00

4549.5191

(-) 0.62%

1713.82636

(-) 0.73%

14039.9021

(-) 0.90%

11420.3139

(-) 1.97%

8584.0158

(-) 0.86%

Average (% Change) -6.44 -6.24 -6.25 -5.90 -5.71 -3.74 -5.25 -0.86 -3.83 -5.37 Average (% Change) -7.42 -4.10 -1.08 -2.09 -2.45 -4.62 -3.78 -3.25 -4.17 -4.98

ANALYST

ClosingAvg. 42.59 23.75 12.00 781.05 6.60 27.27 24.91 21.84 145.67 249.98

ClosingAvg. 42.19 27.15 21.98 22.96 15.92 6.20 145.70 13.69 16.10 4.77

Closing

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 219.09 151.20 60.99 802.34 197.15 637.25 1.36 632.66 817.76 69.65 96.88 35.13 24.10 204.54 92.35 53.81 37.74 214.54 91.96 499.86 0.30

DHIGH 45.00 25.30 12.20 790.00 6.60 28.30 26.00 22.80 151.00 256.50

DHIGH

40.90 26.40 21.50 22.20 15.80 6.20 143.70 13.60 16.10 4.80

118,818,184

44.70 28.50 23.00 23.50 16.40 6.20 152.00 15.00 16.10 4.90

116,540

Traded Issues

298

Issue Gain (Avg. Price Basis)

87

Issue Loss (Avg. Price Basis)

205 6

Market Capital Equity (Billion. Tk.)

2,400.54

Market Capital Equity (Billion US$)

29.10

CSE key features August 31-2014 Turnover (Million Taka)

351.39

Turnover (Volume)

10,500,697

Number of Contract

16,038

Traded Issues

220

Issue Gain (Avg. Price Basis)

58

Issue Loss (Avg. Price Basis)

151

Unchanged Issue (Avg. Price Basis)

11

Market Capital Equity (Billion. Tk.)

2,298.72

Market Capital Equity (Billion US$)

27.86

Turnover in Million

41.10 23.00 11.80 775.00 6.60 25.50 23.60 20.30 136.00 245.10

91.190 0.285 0.036 0.742 0.017 46.075 1.904 43.493 64.061 5.312

Turnover in Million

DLOW 40.60 26.10 21.30 22.00 15.60 6.20 143.50 13.50 16.10 4.60

7.41 7.00 6.15 5.98 5.69 4.41 4.18 4.08 4.07 4.00

CSE GAINER

Unchanged Issue (Avg. Price Basis)

DLOW

Mozaffar H.Spinning-N Dacca Dyeing-A Marico BD Ltd-A FAR Chemical-N SummitAlliancePort.-A Asia Pasific Insu. -A Reckitt Benckiser -A BD. Autocars -Z Janata Insur -A BATBCL -A

Closing (% Change)

Latest EPS 2.13 4.57 -1.24 -27.68 1.28 1.27 1.43 1.10 2.42 3.92

Latest EPS

25.697 1.171 4.714 0.331 1.290 0.003 8.860 0.487 0.008 0.045

2.13 1.27 1.10 1.06 0.49 1.28 2.42 0.04 0.52 0.99

Latest PE 20.0 5.2 -ve -ve 5.2 21.5 17.4 19.9 60.2 63.8

Latest PE 19.8 21.4 20.0 21.7 32.5 4.8 60.2 342.3 31.0 4.8

Company FAR Chemical-N Alltex Industries -Z Mozaffar H.Spinning-N Sonargaon Tex -Z Marico BD Ltd-A Bata Shoe Ltd. -A SummitAlliancePort.-A Dacca Dyeing-A AB Bank 1st Mutual Fund-A AMCL (Pran) -A

Closing (% Change) 8.70 8.57 7.76 7.14 6.25 5.75 5.33 4.95 3.08 2.52

Average (% Change) 6.56 6.18 6.16 4.29 5.67 3.67 4.59 1.92 3.30 6.54 Average (% Change) 4.82 4.39 6.42 3.40 6.25 5.75 4.50 6.68 2.77 1.58

ClosingAvg. 34.44 21.32 1,125.11 57.91 31.49 21.18 1,013.00 24.93 17.86 2,734.10

ClosingAvg. 57.85 7.61 34.17 8.81 1125.70 1057.53 31.35 21.25 6.67 224.00

Closing 34.80 21.40 1,133.50 58.50 31.60 21.30 1,012.60 25.50 17.90 2,737.10

Closing 58.70 7.60 34.70 9.00 1125.70 1057.50 31.60 21.20 6.70 224.00

DHIGH

DLOW

35.20 21.70 1,134.50 58.90 32.30 21.80 1,020.00 25.80 18.10 2,750.00

32.90 19.50 1,085.00 55.70 27.50 20.20 975.10 24.50 17.00 2,677.00

DHIGH

DLOW

59.10 7.70 34.90 9.00 1125.70 1062.50 32.30 21.70 6.70 224.00

54.90 7.40 33.00 8.60 1125.70 1050.10 30.40 20.80 6.30 224.00

Turnover in Million 96.214 33.686 13.220 111.389 61.399 2.393 1.013 0.349 0.891 36.637

Turnover in Million 8.591 0.266 8.492 0.168 0.056 0.317 4.956 3.026 4.874 0.045

Latest EPS 2.27 2.08 59.28 3.92 0.96 2.26 36.36 0.08 1.00 95.74

Latest EPS 3.92 -1.24 2.27 -0.96 59.28 40.74 0.96 2.08 0.64 5.85

Latest PE 15.2 10.3 19.0 14.8 32.8 9.4 27.9 311.6 17.9 28.6

Latest PE 14.8 -ve 15.1 -ve 19.0 26.0 32.7 10.2 10.4 38.3

News, Analysis and Recent Disclosers From TradeServers: SAIHAMCOT: The Board of Directors has recommended 10% cash dividend for the year ended on April 30, 2014. Date of AGM: 23.10.2014, Time: 11:30 AM, Venue: Mill Premises, Noyapara, Saiham Nagar, Madhabpur, Habigonj. Record date: 17.09.2014. The Company has also reported EPS of Tk. 1.48, NAV per share of Tk. 24.17 and NOCFPS of Tk. 8.93 for the year ended on April 30, 2014.

EXIMBANK: The Company has further informed that due to unavoidable circumstances the 9th EGM of the Company will now be held on September 21, 2014 at 11:00 AM at Emmanuelle's-Banquet Hall, House No. 4, Road No. 134-135, Gulshan-1, Dhaka instead of EXIM Bank Training and Research Academy (EBTRA), BGMEA Complex (2nd Floor), 23/1 Panthapath Link Road, Karwan Bazar, Dhaka.

Other information of the EGM will remain unchanged.

COMPANY NEWS: Tung Hai Knitting & Dyeing Limited: Trading of the shares of Tung Hai Knitting & Dyeing Limited will commence at DSE from September 01, 2014 under 'N' category. DSE Trading Code for Tung Hai Knitting & Dyeing Limited is "TUNGHAI" and DSE Company Code is 17463.

FARCHEM: As per Regulation 30 of DSE Listing Regulations, the Company has informed that a meeting of the Board of Directors will be held on September 01, 2014 at 3:30 PM to consider, among

others, audited financial statements of the Company for the year ended on June 30, 2014.

IPO Subscription: Khan Brothers PP Woven Bag Industries Ltd. subscription date 24-28 August 2014, NRB upto 06 September 2014. @ taka 10, face value taka 10 and market lot 500. Western Marine Shipyard Limited subscription date 10-14 August 2014, NRB upto 23 August 2014. @ taka 35, face value taka 10 and market lot 100.

Right Share: MIDASFIN: Subscription period for rights issue will be from 01.09.2014 to 30.09.2014. Record date for entitlement of rights share: 03.08.2014.

ICB: Subscription period for rights issue will be from 07.12.2014 to 30.12.2014.

Record date for entitlement of rights share: 09.09.2014.

Dividend/AGM BSCCL: 10% cash, AGM: 12.10.2014, Record date: 04.09.2014.

PRAGATILIF: No dividend, AGM: 30.09.2014, Record date: 14.09.2014.

GPHISPAT: 15% cash and 5% stock, AGM: 10.11.2014, Record date: 22.09.2014.

Dividend of Mutual Funds: 1JANATAMF: 12.50% 'Re-Investment' Units.

EXIM1STMF: 12% 'Re-Investment' Units.

IFIC1STMF: 9% 'Re-Investment' Units.

FBFIF: 10% 'Re-Investment' Units.

TRUSTB1MF: 10% Re-Investment Units.

EBL1STMF: 7% cash dividend. PHPMF1: 10% Re-Investment Units.

EBLNRBMF: 10% Re-Investment Units.

ABB1STMF: 10% Re-Investment Units.

POPULAR1MF: 12% Re-Investment Units.

DBH1STMF: 0.60% cash dividend.

GREENDELMF: No dividend.

GRAMEENS2: 15% reinvestment units, GRAMEEN1: 30% reinvestment units.

AIMS1STMF: 50% 'Re-Investment' Units as dividend, RELIANCE1: 11% cash dividend . Record date. Record date: 01.09.2014.

APEXFOODS: 20% cash, AGM: 28.09.2014, Record date: 21.08.2014.

APEXTANRY: 45% cash, AGM: 23.09.2014, Record date: 27.08.2014.

DELTASPINN: 10% cash, AGM: 30.08.2014, Record date: 14.08.2014.

NAVANACNG: 15% cash, AGM: 25.09.2014, Record Date: 10.08.2014.

SUNLIFEINS: 5% stock, AGM: 15.09.2014, Record Date: 07.08.2014.

SQURPHARMA: 30% cash and 15% stock, AGM: 25.09.2014, Record Date: 26.08.2014. NAV of Tk. 22,277.52 million, EPS of Tk. 8.36.

APEXSPINN: 20% cash, AGM: 28.09.2014, Record date: 07.08.2014.

EPS Tk. 2.24, NAV per share of Tk. 49.75.

SANDHANINS: 25.50% stock, EGM and AGM: 06.09.2014, Record Date for EGM and AGM: 16.07.2014.

SALVOCHEM: 10% stock, AGM: 27.08.2014, Record date: 25.06.2014.

Some major stocks which bullied the market for quite some time, were severely hammered by the profittaking activities of the investors

SECTORAL TURNOVER SUMMARY Sector

▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼

41.40 23.70 12.00 781.40 6.60 26.50 24.50 21.40 143.30 246.20

4,940.64

Number of Contract

Weekly capital market highlights DSE Broad Index : DSE - 30 Index : CSE All Share Index: CSE - 30 Index : CSE Selected Index :

Company

Turnover (Million Taka) Turnover (Volume)

Monday, September 1, 2014

DSE GAINER

DSE key features August 31-2014

Rally in textile, food and allied, and telecommunication saved the market from falling sharply.

Profit booking took place in bank, non-banking financial institutions, cement, energy and pharmaceuticals stocks.

Lanka Bangla Securities said the market lost 28 points amid weaker participation by investors.

This lower participation by investors can be attributed to the half-day nationwide strike, it said.

IDLC Investments said since scrip-wise swings sustained for second consecutive session, with 59 of the total traded scrips changing more than 3%, investors extended their meticulous tone.

Zenith Investments said market trimmed gains from early morning trade.

Some major stocks which bullied the market for quite some time, were severely hammered by the profit-taking activities of the investors, it said.

It said a few multinational companies on the other hand showed nifty gains at the last moment, but failed to create any significant impact on the overall market.

Beximco Limited continued to top the turnover chart for the eight straight sessions with shares worth Tk40 crore changing hands, followed by Beximco Pharma, Mobil Jamuna Limited Bangladesh, Golden Son, Bangladesh Building and Grameenphone. l

Stocks dropped for the second consecutive session yesterday in dull trading.

The market was in positive territory in the first session, but profit-taking selling pressure particularly large cap issues pulled down the market.

The benchmark DSEX was down 28 points or 0.7% to 4,549, hitting highest 4,594 in the morning and lowest 4,549 in the final session.

Company

Stock

DHAKA TRIBUNE

% change 4.43 3.06 1.23 16.24 3.99 12.90 0.03 12.81 16.55 1.96 0.71 0.49 4.14 1.87 1.09 0.76 4.34 1.86 10.12 0.01

Million Taka 15.68 7.95 8.61 41.83 12.67 27.20 66.77 43.63 20.57 6.52 7.07 2.43 15.05 18.37 2.22 1.87 17.41 15.49 51.99 0.01

CSE

% change 4.09 2.07 2.25 10.91 3.31 7.10 0.00 17.42 11.38 5.37 1.70 1.84 0.63 3.93 4.79 0.58 0.49 4.54 4.04 13.56 0.00

Million Taka 234.77 159.15 69.61 844.18 209.83 664.45 1.36 699.43 861.39 90.22 103.39 42.20 26.53 219.59 110.72 56.04 39.61 231.96 107.44 551.85 0.31

Total

% change 4.41 2.99 1.31 15.86 3.94 12.48 0.03 13.14 16.18 1.69 1.94 0.79 0.50 4.12 2.08 1.05 0.74 4.36 2.02 10.37 0.01

Prepared exclusively for Dhaka Tribune by Business Information Automation Service Line (BIASL), on the basis of information collected from daily stock quotations and audited reports of the listed companies. High level of caution has been taken to collect and present the above information and data. The publisher will not take any responsibility if any body uses this information and data for his/her investment decision. For any query please email to biasl@bol-online.com or call 01552153562 or go to www.biasl.net

DSE TURNOVER LEADERS Company BEXIMCO Ltd. -A Beximco Pharma -A MJL BD Ltd.-A Golden Son -A BD Building Systems -A Grameenphone-A BSRM Steels-A LafargeS Cement-Z FAR Chemical-N Appollo Ispat CL -N CSE TURNOVER LEADERS Company BEXIMCO Ltd. -A FarEast Knitting -N Khulna Printing-N Golden Son -A Appollo Ispat CL -N UNITED AIR-A BD Submarine Cable-A LafargeS Cement-Z Beximco Pharma -A FAR Chemical-N

VolumeShares 9,468,032 4,235,005 2,057,802 4,313,619 2,319,100 467,498 1,442,725 1,166,060 1,923,500 3,416,800

Value in Million 403.35 240.59 237.41 218.19 155.25 150.48 139.86 123.22 111.39 103.64

% of TotalTurnover 8.16 4.87 4.81 4.42 3.14 3.05 2.83 2.49 2.25 2.10

VolumeShares

Value in Million

% of TotalTurnover

1,024,254 609,000 439,500 226,875 352,400 796,853 60,811 83,000 152,392 148,500

43.80 25.70 14.81 11.41 10.68 9.91 8.86 8.78 8.71 8.59

12.57 7.37 4.25 3.27 3.06 2.84 2.54 2.52 2.50 2.47

ClosingP 41.70 55.70 115.10 49.40 65.70 323.70 97.50 105.30 58.50 30.30

ClosingP

41.90 40.90 33.90 49.30 30.10 12.30 143.70 105.80 55.70 58.70

Change % -3.25 -4.13 3.79 -2.18 -0.30 0.81 2.96 -1.03 5.98 2.71

Change %

-3.68 -9.31 1.19 -2.38 1.69 -2.38 -4.45 -1.67 -3.97 8.70

ClosingY 43.10 58.10 110.90 50.50 65.90 321.10 94.70 106.40 55.20 29.50

ClosingY

43.50 45.10 33.50 50.50 29.60 12.60 150.40 107.60 58.00 54.00

DHIGH

DLOW

46.00 60.00 117.00 52.00 68.00 325.80 98.70 107.80 58.90 30.70

38.90 52.30 100.00 46.00 60.00 300.00 85.30 99.00 55.70 29.70

DHIGH

DLOW

44.10 44.70 34.40 51.80 30.60 12.90 152.00 107.90 59.00 59.10

41.50 40.60 33.00 48.80 29.70 12.20 143.50 105.00 55.50 54.90

AvgPrice 42.60 56.81 115.37 50.58 66.94 321.89 96.94 105.67 57.91 30.33

AvgPrice

42.76 42.19 33.71 50.30 30.30 12.43 145.70 105.78 57.16 57.85

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Business

B3

Monday, September 1, 2014

What’s Europe’s best hope for avoiding a second euro crisis? n Anatole Kaletsky This week’s theatrical resignation threat by Manuel Valls, the French prime minister, combined with deep European anxiety about deflation, suggest that the euro crisis may be coming back. But a crisis is often an opportunity, and this is the hope now beginning to excite markets in the eurozone.

Investors and business leaders are asking themselves three questions: Will European governments and the European Central Bank recognize the unexpected weakness of the eurozone economy as an opportunity to change course? If they do, will they know how to grasp it? And will they be allowed to do what is necessary by the true economic sovereign of Europe, German Chancellor Angela Merkel?

First, the opportunity. Europe still has a chance to save itself from a Japanese-style lost decade of stagnation and deflation. And this may well be a last chance, because a lost decade in Europe could produce some very unJapanese social rebellions and political upheavals. Europe, after all, lacks Japan’s social consensus, national unity and financial cohesion. It is far from clear that Europe could survive 10 years of recession without up the eurozone breaking up and even perhaps the European Union.

Second, what must Europe do to save itself from stagnation and disintegration? The obvious answer is to follow something similar to the “three arrows” program popularised (though not genuinely implemented) by Japan’s prime minister, Shinzo Abe. Abe’s “three arrows” were: aggressive monetary stimulus; fiscal easing requiring suspension of deficit and debt targets, and struc-

tural reforms to correct long-term weaknesses in both supply and demand.

Judging by ECB Chairman Mario Draghi’s speech at Jackson Hole, Wyo., all three of these policies are becoming feasible. The central bank is hinting at more growth-oriented monetary policy, the European Commission seems willing to interpret its fiscal rules more flexibly, and national governments are promising to undertake more structural reforms.

The problem is that all these hints and promises are hedged with too many conditions, uncertainties and caveats. Even if the ECB decides to experiment with U.S., British and Japanese-style quantitative easing, or QE, its record suggests that it will probably do too little, too late - just enough to prevent a collapse of the euro but not nearly enough to pull the European economy out of its slump.

The prospects for fiscal and structural reforms are even more discouraging, judging by this week’s political upheaval in France. President Francois Hollande responded to his prime minister’s resignation threat by sacking Arnaud Montebourg, the left-wing economy minister, along with several allies. But Montebourg was calling for budget flexibility and fiscal reflation, policies very similar to those suggested by Draghi. And Montebourg rightly stressed the importance of “sequencing” monetary, fiscal and structural reforms correctly, a fair point also made

by Draghi and before him by Christine Lagarde, head of the International Monetary Fund. What matters is not just the policies that governments and central banks implement, but the order in which they do so.

Misguided sequencing has arguably

been a root cause of European’s economic malaise. Monetary expansion, for example, is much more effective if it is combined with fiscal stimulus, either through temporary tax cuts or injections of public spending. But if monetary expansion is contradicted by premature fiscal consolidation, both policies can be doomed to failure.

Structural reforms are very slow to act and cannot generate growth in the short-term. They should thus be viewed as complementary to macroeconomic policy, not as a pre-condition for monetary and fiscal expansion.

Major reductions in public spending,

which reduce growth in the short term even though they may increase longrun efficiency, should come at the end of the reform process, instead of being “front-loaded” ahead of tax cuts, as the European Commission and the German government tend to demand.

For all these reasons, and many others, skepticism is certainly justified about Europe’s willingness to pull itself out of stagnation. That raises the third and most important issue: Will Merkel allow Europe to save itself?

To judge by Merkel’s public statements, the answer is “no.” Officially, the German government refuses even

to discuss any loosening of the EU budget rules. Nor does it accept the economic logic of sequencing espoused by the IMF, the United States, Japan, China and every other major economy. But is that really her position - and even if it is, can she sustain it much longer?

With the German economy weakening due to the recession in France and southern Europe, as well as sanctions against Russia, Merkel is becoming less adamant about imposing German ideas. At the same time, the pressure for change coming from France, Italy and Spain is growing as Hollande, Matteo Renzi and Mariano Rajoy all face

New valuations for equity sale proceeds of non-residents n Tribune Report Bangladesh Bank will follow three new valuation approaches instead of audited financial statements to repatriate funds of non-residents after selling equity of the unlisted companies.

Bangladesh Bank will accept fair value of the shares as of the date of sales based on appropriate combination of three valuation approaches.

The approaches include asset value

approach, market value approach and discount cash flow approach depending on the nature of the company, said a BB circular yesterday.

Currently, the sale proceeds of nonresidents’ equity investment in unlisted companies and private limited companies can be repatriated abroad with prior approval from Bangladesh Bank to the extent of net asset value of the shares as of the date of sales based on latest audited financial statements. l

Air Arabia launches Ctg-Ras al-Khaimah flights n Tribune Business Desk Air Arabia will operate three flights per week from its new hub in the UAE’s Ras al-Khaimah to Chittagong from tomorrow.

A 2015 Ford Mustang is on display during the Moscow International Automobile Salon in Krasnogorsk outside Moscow

REUTERS

Carmakers force the smiles at Russian car show n AFP Hostesses in cocktail dresses and high heels fawn over the cars as they do every year, and sober-suited executives boast about the newest features, but the smiles seem somewhat forced at this edition of the Moscow International Automobile Salon.

More than one million people are expected to visit the show, which closes on September 7, but Russians are doing more looking than buying, to the disappointment of carmakers.

In recent years Russia has become an important growth market for many automakers, and in 2012 it became Europe’s number two market behind Germany, with 2.9 million vehicles sold.

Carmakers were already expecting a fall in sales as Russia’s oil-fuelled growth boom of the previous decade exhausted itself. But the conflict in Ukraine has sent the market into free fall.

Rising tensions between Moscow and the West have pushed the Russian economy to the brink of recession, and as the uncertainty persists consumers are hesitating before making big purchases.

Sales plunge

The slow slide of the ruble is also pushing up prices on foreign cars.

According to the Association of European Businesses (AEB), which compiles car sales figures in Russia, sales plummeted by 23% in July from the same month a year ago.

No-one is expecting a quick rebound and carmakers are instead looking further into the future: Russia’s emerging middle class is still under-equipped for wheels.

The situation is “very challenging, but we believe in a recovery in the demand in the future,” said YongKey Koo, who heads up operations for South Korea’s Hyundai Motors in former Soviet states.

Opel, the German unit of US auto giant General Motors (GM), says Russia is key to its ambitions to become Europe’s number two carmaker by 2022.

“Our objectives in Europe cannot be achieved without Russia,” said Matthias Seidl, Opel’s executive sales director for central and eastern Europe.

“Russia continues to play a vital role in our strategy despite the recent market challenges,” he added.

A number of foreign companies have invested in assembly lines in Russia in recent years, both to insulate against swings in the value of the ruble and offer models adapted to the local climate and tastes.

Opel unveiled a new model of its Insignia saloon, its most popular vehicle in Russia. Ford displayed a “made in Russia” version of the Fiesta, a top-selling subcompact in the rest of Europe, which it hopes can help lift sales which are at just half the level of last year.

Renault-Nissan, in addition to its own factories, also assembles its models on assembly lines of the top Russian carmaker Lada, which it recently took over.

The alliance is resurrecting its lowcost brand Datsun, which will sell only vehicles produced locally.

“The car industry is nervous,” acknowledged Vincent Cobee, who is leading the global revival of Datsun.

He said the current situation over Ukraine is “anxiety-provoking”, but expressed hopes it would be temporary “as everyone has an interest in seeing things stabilise”.

A strategic market

Even in the worst-case outlook, Russia is still predicted to remain Europe’s second-biggest market and the only question is when it will take over the top spot.

“Yes, the Russian market will grow and become the largest in Europe,” said Nissan’s Guillaume Cartier. “When?

That is where the uncertainty is.”

Meanwhile, factories have been shifted into a low gear. GM has halted operations at its facility until mid-September, according to Russian media.

Citroen has also extended the summer break at its factory in Kaluga to the south of Moscow as sales are down for first time since the French carmaker set up in Russia five years ago.

“Russia remains a strategic market ... which will continue to develop strongly in the coming years even if there is a heavy price to be paid today,” said Jean-Louis Chamla, the brand’s director in Russia.

On Thursday, the government announced a new cash-for-clunkers programme to jump-start sales. l

Chittagong, Bangladesh’s secondlargest city with a population of over 6.5m, is located on the country’s coastline and becomes the 98th destination serviced by Air Arabia worldwide and second in Bangladesh. l

challenges to their leadership. In this sense, the rebellion against Hollande could be a useful cautionary tale for Merkel. If she remains too obstinate, she could lose all her allies and face some truly frightening hostility from openly anti-German politicians such as Marine Le Pen, Montebourg and Silvio Berlusconi. This is not a legacy Merkel will want.

It is thus quite possible that this week’s political upheaval in France was actually coordinated, at least informally, by Hollande and Merkel. Let us assume that Hollande and Merkel finally recognize, because of the recent slump in European economic indicators, that fiscal and monetary reflation are urgently necessary for Europe. For Merkel, this would be a very difficult concession since she has vehemently opposed any loosening of EU budgetary targets and expressed deep reservations about monetary “experiments” such as QE. To avoid losing face, she would require a diversionary tactic.

Montebourg’s demand for fiscal reflation, which he combined with an attack on Merkel’s domination of European economic policy, provided a perfect distraction.

By sacking Montebourg, Hollande was able to signal that he would accept German economic dominance and abide by the EU fiscal rules. Having done this favor for Merkel, he could then go ahead and discretely break the rules. It is a measure of the EU’s political and economic dysfunctions that such twisted Machiavellian logic now offers Europe its best hope. l Anatole Kaletsky is an award-winning journalist and financial economist. The article was initially published at Reuters.

Investors’ appetite  B1 COLUMN 1

Total market capitalisation of mutual funds accounts for only 1.6% or Tk37bn of the total DSE market capitalisation.

Presently, 17 asset management companies are operating 41 closed-end mutual funds. Race Asset Management is the market leader, managing 45% of the total mutual fund industry, followed by LR Global at 18%, ICB AMCL at 14% and AIMS of Bangladesh at 13%.

In January last year, Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission allowed mutual funds to give stock dividends to their unit holders by bringing amendment in the Mutual Fund Rules 2001.

Under the rules, fund managers are allowed to pay out at least 70% of their profits as dividends. Stock dividends, popularly known as bonus dividends, is a payment made in the form of additional shares in place of a cash payout.

The commission also brought down the mutual funds’ mandatory investment quota in the stock market to 60% from the existing 75%, with the remaining 40% to be invested in the money market. l

India’s Arun Jaitley sees economic growth speeding up

n Reuters, New Delhi A day after the best economic growth figures in more than two years greeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s first three months in office, the finance minister on Saturday predicted faster growth to come.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said he expected GDP growth higher than the 5.7% it clocked in the three months until June as a series of government measures take effect.

The GDP numbers were released on Friday.

“With the long-term impact of all the initiatives we have taken, I am sure, the impact in the coming quarters will be much larger,” Jaitley said, citing rising manufacturing orders and renewed investor interest in India.

Since taking office in May, the government has loosened restrictions on foreign investment in defence, moved to reduce red tape for business and started tentative labour reforms.

Speaking late on Friday, Modi said the measures had resulted in economic stability and India would “very soon” achieve “greater heights”.

Jaitley said inflation was on a downward trend and that he was more confident now of meeting a tough fiscal deficit target of 4.1% set in the budget in July, despite having breached the target in the first four months of the year.

“What was then accepted as a challenge, with the first quarter (GDP) results, I think, it is something that is certainly achievable,” he told reporters.

“My confidence today of achieving this target is much more.” l

Rupali Bank has recently held its half yearly business conference. The bank’s chairperson, Dr Ahmed Al-Kabir was present at the conference as chief guest along with its managing director M Farid Uddin

First Security Islami Bank - Children Science Congress has recently been opened at National Museum of Science and Technology. The inaugural programme was presided over by Md Humayun Kabir Khan, general manager at National Museum of Science and Technology

BRAC Bank has recently signed a scholarship agreement with BRAC University for providing financial support to meritorious but financially challenged students to pursue higher education at the university. The bank’s managing director Syed Mahbubur Rahman and Sukhendra Kumar Sarkar, treasurer of BRAC University exchanged the agreement documents after signing

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Monday, September 1, 2014

Why risk and uncertainty are not the same n KM Saqiful Alam I have made it a habit to talk about risk and uncertainty in many social and academic gatherings over the span of the last two years, when the contemporary and relatively new theories of risk management became areas of great interest to me. But the more I talk, the more I feel the necessity to truly understand the difference between risk and uncertainty. Let’s think of a simple example that I picked from the book Flaw of Averages by one of my favorite writers - Dr Sam L Savage.

We say “beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” proponents of this idiom give the following example: Imagine being in the middle of an inaccessible woods, a very rare and a beautiful flower blooms, and there is no one to see it. Would it still be beautiful? A good topic to debate over, but let’s not deviate. I will give a similar example. Let us consider the same inaccessible woods, where right in the middle there is a tall oak tree, and on the branch of the tree sits a coin, hanging precariously in balance, ready to drop any time. Which of its two sides will be facing up? Either heads or tails. That’s uncertainty - the possible range of things that can happen. But does anyone care? Since it’s inaccessible, we may never know whether it’s heads or tails; and we will also not be much interested as none of our financial and non-financial gains or losses are tied to the outcome.

Now consider this scenario: I have a bet with you that if the facing up side is heads, I get Tk10 from you, and you get the amount from me if it’s tails.

Now I would be very interested at the outcome, as I risk losing money if tails comes up and I am compensated for taking this risk with the gaining of money if heads come up.

This example highlights the difference between risk and uncertainty.

Uncertainty refers to the possible set of outcomes for any scenario. But if we have nothing to lose in these uncertain outcomes, then this uncertainty does not lead us to be at risk. And this brings us to one very important principle of risk management - the objective is to minimise risk not uncertainty, by a clear understanding of the possible uncertain outcomes. And the latter part of the previous sentence is the hardest

thing to achieve.

The identification of all possible outcomes should be the most important exercise for any risk manager, whether that risk be financial or non-financial. As best-selling writer Nicolas Nassim Taleb puts it in his famous book The Black Swan, the biggest challenge is to identify these outcomes, as sometimes we may never know some of the outcomes unless it really takes place, and in which case it will be too late already. And more than any set of fancy calculations, any intricate set of models, detailed software, I believe the first and the most fundamental step of risk management is to take a step back, look at the picture as a whole, and try and identify all the possible (no matter how unlikely) outcomes of any scenario. After all, a calculation or a model based on false assumptions will lead to an unreliable result.

The principle discussed in the last paragraph brings up another very important set of questions: why minimise risk only? Why not uncertainty? Isn’t uncertainty bad as well? Not necessarily. See, uncertainty is just the possible set of outcomes and their probabilities.

As in the coin in the tree branch example, if you have nothing to do with these outcomes, then the uncertainty means nothing to you. But what if you have financial or non-financial assets tied to the uncertain outcomes. Even then, uncertainty is not something that is always bad, given that you have taken proper precautions to protect yourself from the possible outcomes.

Let’s take a very simple example: Say you own a piece of land, which may or may not have oil underneath it.

You can dig up the land, and then know whether the oil is there or not. Here lies the uncertainty, in the possible presence of oil, and the risk is the cost of digging, which you risk to lose if you do not find oil. But we can do better. We can lease our land to a company, which is in need of oil and can afford to dig for it. Let’s say we lease it for five years. So what are the scenarios now? Either the company finds oil and enjoys the profits for first five years, after which the profits become yours, plus the amount you generated from the yearly lease amount. Or, the company digs and does not find anything, in which case, you do not lose the cost of digging.

In fact, you stand to gain money in

Worried EU leaders call jobs, growth summit for October n Reuters, Brussels European Union leaders are set to hold an emergency summit on promoting growth and jobs in October at the suggestion of Italy, highlighting their concerns over the fragile economic recovery in the 28-country bloc.

“In recent weeks economic data have confirmed that the recovery, particularly in the euro area, is weak, inflation exceptionally low and unemployment unacceptably high,” read the statement issued after all 28 EU leaders met in Brussels late on Saturday.

The emergency summit will focus on “employment, especially youth employment”, which remains a big thorn in Europe’s side as it seeks to revive a stagnating economy.

'Europe must be more than the (bond) spread, rules and economic budgets'

Risk uncertainty and planning a new journey as a businessman walking on a tight rope that getets tangled and shaped as a question mark as a metaphor for confusion at the road ahead as a business concept of finding solutions to change for success BIGSTOCK the form of lease payment. So, here the uncertainty does not bother you, as you are in a situation that leads to your gains in both possible outcomes.

In fact, there can be cases where uncertainty can actually be good, where you can gain from uncertainty. Such is the field of hedging, financial options, real options, and derivatives. A word of caution though, before being blinded by the outcomes these fancy names

give you, be wary of understanding all the possible future states and their probabilities. Because only knowledge of future outcomes can help you prepare for the uncertainty, and if possible, take advantage of that uncertainty.

This article was more based on the fundamental side of the real difference between uncertainty and risk. And through this differentiation, we looked into the true essence of risk manage-

ment - not only to minimise risk, but to understand and identify the possible outcomes that any event can have, and then make proper plans for all these outcomes. l KM SaqifulAlam is a lecturer (risk and operations management) at the business school of North South University, who holds an MSc degree in operations, projects and supply chain management.

Italy has been at the forefront of calls for greater flexibility from strict EU rules on budget deficits, alongside countries such as France, arguing that an excessive focus on German-style austerity has hampered Europe’s recovery.

“Europe must be more than the (bond) spread, rules and economic budgets,” Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi told reporters after the meeting in Brussels.

The latest inflation data for the euro zone showed that the single currency area was inching ever closer to zero inflation, a worrying situation considering its double-digit unemployment rate, stuttering growth and increasing signs of reform fatigue among euro zone governments.

A spokesman for Renzi said the emergency summit to tackle the economic situation would be held on Oct. 7.

A separate summit for the 18 euro zone members would also be held in the autumn. l

Indian start-up launches shoes that show you the way n AFP, New Delhi

Electric cars crowd the bus lane (left) during the morning rush hour towards Oslo

AFP

Booming electric car sales under fire in Norway n AFP Ministers in Norway - a major and rich oil-producing country - are under increasing public pressure to reduce perks and tax breaks for booming electric car sales.

“It’s become a problem,” said Erik Haugstad, a bus driver in the Oslo region who complains about the numerous electric cars clogging bus lanes, which they have the right to use in Norway.

The cars are also exempt from urban toll payments or fees at public parking spaces, where they can recharge batteries without cost.

But above all, they are exempt from Norway’s sky high sales taxes and VAT. Norway brought in the generous incentives to cut back on greenhouse gas emissions from traffic, which accounts for 10 percent of total emissions in the Nordic nation.

The policy has been so successful that 32,000 electric cars are now on the road - by far the highest rate per capita in the world, in a country with a 5.1 million population.

“I’m a bus driver and I want to transport my passengers as quickly as pos-

sible. So, I’d like electric cars to leave the bus lanes, where they’re getting in my way,” Haugstad said.

“These delays have a cost for society. Time lost by thousands of our passengers in traffic is far greater than that gained by a few dozen electric car drivers.”

He said the cars can create a vicious circle - tired of being stuck in traffic, bus users could be tempted to buy an electric car themselves, worsening the congestion problem.

13% of sales

Electric cars already represent 85% of traffic in bus lanes during rush hour, according to a study by the Norwegian Public Roads Administration on a busy stretch of road outside Oslo.

“It’s a subject we discuss very often with colleagues during lunch break.

Many of them are far more aggressive and don’t measure their words as much as me,” Haugstad said.

No decision has been made so far, but it looks increasingly likely that authorities will take action to unclog congested areas - especially during rush hour.

In the meantime, electric car sales keep growing. From the popular Leaf

by Japan’s Nissan to high-end US-made Tesla S, they have accounted for 13% of new car sales since the beginning of 2014, far ahead of the rest of the world.

In March, the Tesla became the highest selling car in a single month in Norway’s history, despite its relatively high price.

Although a basic model costs about 60,000 euros ($79,000), it still sounds like a bargain considering that a price including taxes would be roughly double.

The popularity of electric cars has caught the authorities off guard, as they expected to keep the incentives in place until 2017, or until they number 50,000.

At the current pace, that figure could be reached in the beginning of 2015, forcing the government to rethink its costly policy.

The tax exemptions alone account for up to 4bn kroner (500m euros, $650 million), according to the state’s own estimates. m”We might make lowering adjustments in the future,” Prime Minister Erna Solberg recently told Norwegian newspaper VG. “But I can promise drivers that there will still be fiscal advantages to driving an electric car.” l

“Wizard of Oz” heroine Dorothy only had to click her ruby red slippers together and they would spirit her home to Kansas.

Now, an Indian high-tech start-up is promising to do the same in real life with a new, GPS-enabled smart sports shoe that vibrates to give the wearer directions.

The fiery red sneakers, which will also count the number of steps taken, distance travelled and calories burned, will go on sale in September under the name LeChal, which means “take me along” in Hindi.

The shoes come with a detachable Bluetooth transceiver that links to a smartphone app to direct the wearer using Google maps, sending a vibrating signal to indicate a left or right turn.

They are the brainchild of 30-yearold Krispian Lawrence and Anirudh Sharma, 28, two engineering graduates who founded their tech start-up Ducere in a small apartment in 2011 with backing from angel investors and now employ 50 people.

“We got this idea and realised that it would really help visually challenged people, it would work without any audio or physical distractions,” said Lawrence in an interview with AFP. “But then we were trying it out on ourselves and suddenly we were like, ‘wait a minute, even I would want this,’ because it felt so liberating not having to look down at your phone or being tied to anything.”

“The footwear works instinctively.

Imagine if someone taps your right shoulder, your body naturally reacts to turn right, and that’s how LeChal works.”

Growing sector

Smart shoes aimed at specific demographic markets - such as dementia sufferers and children whose parents want to keep track of their movements - are already commercially available.

But Lawrence and Sharma believe theirs will be the first to target massmarket consumers, and have focused on creating stylish rather than purely functional footwear.

As well as the red sneaker, they are

marketing an insole to allow users to slip the technology into their own shoes.

“Earlier, wearable technology was always seen as machine-like, nerdy glasses or watches, but now that is changing,” said Lawrence.

They say they have 25,000 advance orders for the shoes, which will retail at between $100 and $150.

Demand has so far mostly been through word of mouth and through the lechal.com website. But the company is in talks with retailers to stock the shoes ahead of the holiday season in India and the United States.

It forecasts it will sell more than 100,000 pairs of the shoes, which are manufactured in China, by next April.

Wearable technology is a growing global sector. Market tracker IDC forecast in April that sales would triple this year to 19 million units worldwide, growing to 111.9 million by 2018.

The industry’s rapid growth has given rise to fears about privacy, although Ducere says it will record no data on users and maintains robust security.

The company still hopes its product will be useful for visually impaired people, and experts at the L.V. Prasad Eye Institute in the southern city of Hyderabad are testing its suitability.

“It’s a perfect intuitive wearable item. You may forget to wear a belt or a helmet, but shoes you can never leave the house without,” said Anthony Vipin Das, a doctor at the institute.

“LeChal solves orientation and direction problems, it’s a good assistant to the cane.”

Possible problems include battery failure or loss of Bluetooth connectivity, which Das says could be fixed by providing a live feed of a user’s position to a friend or relative, with their consent. l

Chief Executive Officer of Ducere Technologies, Krispian Lawrence poses with the inner soles (L) and a pair of GPS-enabled smart sports shoes, to be marketed under the name 'LeChal' - which means 'take me along' in Hindi - in his office in Hyderabad AFP

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