18 Sep, 2014

Ashwin 3, 1421 Zilqad 22, 1435 Regd No DA 6238 Vol 2, No 167

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2014 | www.dhakatribune.com | SECOND EDITION

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TMAG

8 | WORLD

11 | OP-ED

B1 | BUSINESS

BOND - ING IT OUT!

PAKISTAN’S PM THREATENS TO CLEAR PROTESTERS

NO MORE TIGERS ANYMORE

PM: REAP BENEFITS FROM LIBERAL INVESTMENT POLICY

SC saves war criminal Sayedee’s life Jamaat leader’s death penalty commuted to imprisonment; defence to seek review, state confused n Julfikar Ali Manik The agonising wait of millions of justice seekers and victims of 1971 war crimes ended yesterday with a shock as the Supreme Court in the appeals case of Delawar Hossain Sayedee handed down imprisonment until natural death overturning the death sentence given by the tribunal.

Frustrated by the apex court verdict, they promptly raised question why the death sentence was not upheld even though apex court had found the Jamaat-e-Islami leader guilty of most heinous war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity.

“I am very shocked at the verdict,” a victim of Sayedee’s war crimes, Gouranga Chandra Das, 69, said when contacted over phone for his reaction to the verdict.

“What else have I to say after the Supreme Court’s final verdict? Now I have nothing to expect, except for my death,” he told the Dhaka Tribune.

Majority judges of the five-member apex court bench found 74-year-old Sayedee guilty of murder, abduction, confinement, torture, rape, persecution and abatement of torture, looting, forceful religious conversions and setting homes ablaze in rural areas of his home district Pirojpur during the war.

Now in the condemned cell of Kashimpur Jail, the war criminal was found to be relieved possibly after learning about the verdict, say officials.

After the copy of the verdict reached the jail authorities, he will be shifted from the condemned cell, where death row convicts are kept.

Out of the 20 charges brought against Sayedee, the International Crimes Tribunal 1 found him guilty in eight. As the tribunal gave him death sentences in two charges, it did not give any punishment in the six other charges. Against the judgement, Sayedee appealed for acquittal while the state sought punishment in the six proven charges.  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

TRIBUNAL VERDICT Guilty

APPELLATE DIVISION VERDICT Acquittal

Capturing Nurul Islam and handing him over to Pakistani Army. His house looted and set on fire

Guilty

10 years

Instigated killing of Ibrahim Kutti. Mofiz Poshari taken to army camp and tortured

Guilty (death)

12 years

OFFENCES Looting of valuables including over 22kg gold and silver from Makhanlal Saha's shop

Torching 25 Hindu houses in Umedpur. Bisabali tied to a tree Guilty (death) and shot dead by accomplice

SAYEDEE VERDIC TS

n Manik Miazee

er Molla, who was originally sentenced to life, could later be hanged.

But yesterday’s gathering of the Gonojagoron Moncho was different on many counts.

First of all, unlike previous gatherings, they were divided in several groups, although their demand was the same – everybody wanted the Supreme Court Appellate Division to uphold the death sentence handed down to war criminal Delawar Hossain Sayedee by the tribunal.

Second, the attitude of law enforcers was different as well. Police yesterday used force to disperse the gatherings when the protesters burst out in anger after the apex court reduced Sayedee’s punishment.

The rank and file of the Jamaat-e-Islami seemed content with the Supreme Court verdict that commuted party Nayeb-e-Ameer Delawar Hossain Sayedee’s death sentence to ‘imprisonment until death’ yesterday.

This correspondent butted into the informal conversation of several Jamaat-e-Islami leaders who appeared to be relaxed after the verdict.

They, however, did not explicitly express their pleasure.

A former president of the Islami Chhatra Shibir, also now a central leader of Jamaat, was found at his office in Paltan having fun with some other party leaders and activists.

This was in contrast to the display of emotions following the death sentence of Jamaat central leader Abdul Quader Molla where this correspondent found the same people frustrated and dejected.

When this correspondent asked one of them about the significance of calling hartal as the death sentence was reduced to “imprisonment until death” he quipped: “You journalists know everything. Why are you asking. Don’t you understand?”

Another one said: “Hartal was called for hartal’s sake. We just had to call it.”

On the other hand when the Dhaka Tribune asked for their reaction over the judgement they expressed dissatisfaction over the verdict.

The Jamaat-e-Islami yesterday in a press release called countrywide shutdowns on Thursday and Sunday each for 24 hours demanding Sayedee’s unconditional release.

 PAGE 2 COLUMN 4

 PAGE 2 COLUMN 6

Jail until death

Capture and torture of Abdul Mazid Howlader, looting cash, jewellery from his house

Guilty

Acquittal

Rape of a Hindu woman

Guilty

Acquittal

Abduction of three women, handing them over to army who raped them in confinement

Guilty

Jail until death

Conversion of 100-150 Hindus of Parerhat

Guilty

Jail until death

Sayedee’s son Masood all smiles after verdict

Gonojagoron Moncho sees dark side of the moon

n Ahmed Zayeef

Azad and Arif Ahmed in n Abid Dhaka and Tarek Mahmud

Masood Sayedee, son of war criminal Delawar Hossain Sayedee, was all nervous in his seat in a corner of the Appellate Division yesterday. Continuously shaking legs and tapping on the back of the bench in front with his mobile phone, Masood was seen talking to himself. He looked at the clock in the courtroom from time to time. The judge had not yet arrived.

However, Masood became absolutely normal as the judge pronounced the verdict. Masood even flashed a smile.

The sentence of imprisonment until death apparently pleased him.

The court session was supposed to start at 9am, but the judges arrived at 10:05am.

Masood Sayedee, who is also the upazila chairman of Zianagar in Pirozpur, sat in the fourth row of the defence benches along with lawyers.

A few of the lawyers shook hands with Masood after the verdict had been pronounced.

P3 CALM IN PIROJPUR Masood then called someone on his mobile phone and left the courtroom.

Pleased inside the courtroom, Masood, however, expressed dissatisfaction outside.

“We did not get justice. We proved in papers that my father is not guilty.

We will submit a review petition after getting the full judgement,” he told reporters. l

from Chittagong Every time the International Crimes Tribunal or the Supreme Court delivered a verdict against a war criminal,

P16 PROBE AGENCY REGRETS they gathered at the capital’s busy Shahbagh intersection, anticipating the highest punishment.

When they get their desired outcome, they rejoice. A less than satisfactory verdict is met with protests.

It was in fact due to their overwhelming protests in February last year that the government amended an existing law so that war criminal Quad-

Jamaat seems happy, calls routine hartal

Constitution amended: JS gets back authority to impeach judges Reza Chowdhury and n Kamran Emran Hossain Shaikh Sheikh Hasina’s government yesterday amended the constitution to restore an article to empower the legislature to remove Supreme Court judges for “misbahaviour and incapacity”, reversing her father’s decision to curtail parliament’s authority to make the judiciary “accountable.

The Awami League-led parliament unanimously passed the Constitution (Sixteenth Amendment) Bill-2014 to re-

insert the article 96 of the constitution of the original 1972 constitution with a margin of 327-0 vote in the 350-strong unicameral legislature.

The passage of the law will abolish the existing Supreme Judicial Council headed by the chief justice. The Supreme Judicial Council was introduced by military ruler Ziaur Rahman in 1978.

At present, the Supreme Judicial Council can remove the apex court judges for “misbehaviour and incapacity”. Two other senior judges are the members of the council. From now on

the government will investigate the alleged “misbahaviour and incapacity of the apex court judges.

The probe report would come to the legislature, which would recommend the president for the removal of the accused judges by adopting a resolution with a two-third majority. The judges in question are supposed to get chances to defend themselves.

After it comes into effect, in addition to the judges of the apex court, parliament can also remove the chief election commissioners and commissioners of

INSIDE

7 | Special

Top land forces military officials from the Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean region met in Bangladesh for the 38th Pacific Armies Management Seminar (PAMS), a multinational military seminar from September 14- 17.

3 | News

Political parties yesterday expressed mixed reactions to the Supreme Court verdict commuting war criminal Delawar Hossain Sayedee’s death penalty to imprisonment until death with the ruling party expressing respect to the court and left parties in its alliance showing frustration.

4 | News

The government feels that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to the UN General Assembly in New York will create an opportunity to consolidate and portray its success stories at a global level.

13 | Sport

Bangladesh Under-23 faces Uzbekistan Under-23 in their crucial Group B game in the Asian Games football at Incheon, Korea today.

5 | News

With Hajj being less than a month away, the Ministry of Religious Affairs has received over 700 applications that say the original applicants cannot perform hajj due to various reasons and want others to take part in the holy pilgrimage in their stead, according to sources at the ministry.

6 | Nation

Several influential quarters have allegedly continued to lift sand at different spots in Moulvibazar’s Srimangal, defying the existing government restriction on sand lifting and transportation.

8 | World

The world is holding its breath but mostly hoping Scotland will vote “No” to independence from Britain in today’s historic referendum.

the Election Commission, the chairman and the members of the Public Service Commission, chairmen and the commissioners of the Anti-Corruption Commission, and the Comptroller and Auditor General on similar grounds.

The articles establishing the Election Commission, Public Service Commission, the Anti-Corruption Commission, and the office of the Comptroller and Auditor General stipulate that the holders of the constitutional posts would be removed according to the procedures applicable to the

removal of the Supreme Court judges.

On January 25, 1975, the Awami League-led parliament of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman carried out a massive overhaul of the constitution to introduce the presidential form of government, vesting the legislature’s power of removing the judges in the president who became the centre of all power.

The Awami League moved to restore the original article 96 of the constitution terming the Supreme Judicial Council against the basic principle of the state.

Defending the bill, law minister Anisul Huq told parliament that making the judiciary accountable to the legislature would in no way result in the interference into the independence of the judiciary.

How the sitting starts

The House started at 7.02 pm with the Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury in the chair. At the outset, 295 out of the total 350 MPs turned up in the sitting.

The presence shot up to 323 as the  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

2

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Thursday, September 18, 2014

Campaigners: People’s wishes ignored in verdict Islam and n Udisa Samiul Basher Anik War crimes trial campaigners are dissatisfoed with the verdict against Sayedee, saying the judgement had failed to reflect people’s wish. They said it could neither be denied nor accepted and termed the situation a “dilemma.”

Muntassir Mamoon, vice-president of Ekattorer Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee, inquired could people tell before the verdict that they knew what the court would do. Expressing disappointment, Mamoon, also a professor of history at Dhaka University, said the process might have been influenced.

“We have to obey the verdict, but we are angry, hurt and disappointed,” he said, adding that the ghatak dalal nirmul committee held a similar view.

“The judges are very merciful. I think they were not in the country in 1971; so they were able to show mercy,” he said. Mamoon claimed that the verdict would be a curse for the govern-

ment in the future.

Minutes before the verdict, Dr Anwar Hossain, a freedom fighter and former VC of Jahangirnagar University, had told media that people were expecting the highest punishment as the crimes were “common knowledge.”

In his immediate reaction, Anwar – who was present at courtroom – said the judges did not consider people’s wishes while delivering the verdict against Sayedee, who had “certainly committed war crimes” in 1971.

“We expected that the death sentence would be upheld; but that did not happen and this will result in frustration among people as their expectations did not come true... Earlier, we have been hurt many times, and the verdict will be added to that list,” he added.

On the other hand, Akku Chowdhury, a trustee of Liberation War Museum, said: “We need to rethink 1971.

What a shame! What can the martyrs do but be gloomy and dark?” l

Activists of Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir bring out a procession in the capital’s Fulbaria yesterday, protesting the verdict against Jamaat leader Delawar Hossain Sayedee (left); Khandaker Mahbub Alam, a counsel for Delawar Hossain Sayedee, addresses reporters on the Supreme Court premises following the verdict against the war criminal yesterday (right) MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU/ RAJIB DHAR

Judiciary now accountable to legislature  PAGE 1 COLUMN 6

House proceeded to pass the 16th constitution amendment bill.

The House first had a 30-minute question-answer session for the prime minister. The speaker then suspended all other businesses of the House and asked the law minister to propose adoption of the bill as recommended by the parliamentary standing committee on law ministry.

The speaker then gave floors to the MPs proposing to send the bill to elicit public opinion and send the same to the parliament’s Select Committee for a delay in the passage.

JaPa chairman HM Ershad and his MPs Kazi Feroz Rashid, Ziauddin Ahmed Bablu, Abdul Hannan, Roushan Ara Mannan, Peer Fazlur Rahman, Nurul Islam Mion, (JaPa), Yahiya Chowdhury, Mayeen Uddin Khan Badal of the Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal, SM Abul Kalam Azad of the Bangladesh Nationalist Front, independent MPs Rustum Ali Farazi, Tahjib Alam Siddiqui, and Hazi Mohammad Selim spoke in favour of their demand for eliciting public opinion and send the bill to the parliament’s Select Committee.

The proposal was then put into vote.

The voice vote rejected the proposals.

The JaPa MPs including the opposition leader Rawshan and Ershad shouted “no” like the Awami League MPs. Next came the discussion on the amendment proposals of the MPs. Besides, the aforesaid MPs, Work-

ers’ Party lawmakers Fazle Hossain Badsha, Mustafa Lutfullah, Tipu Sultan, Sheikh Hafizur Rahman and Yasin Ali, Nazmul Haque Pradhan and Shirin Akhter of the Jatiya Samajtatrik Dal spoke in favour of their amendment proposals.

The speaker then gave floor to the law minister to respond. Anisul Huq declined to accept the amendment proposals.

As parliamentary rule, the speaker put the proposals into vote and a big “no” trashed the amendment proposals.

The speaker then asked the MPs to sign documents kept at the lobbies showing their consent to the contents of the bill and amendment proposals.

She once asked the MPs to sign another documents substantiating the passage of the constitution amendment law.

The House then shouted with huge “yes” as the speaker urged the MPs to say “yes” if they wanted the bill to be passed. The procedure for the passage of the bill started at 7:40pm and ended at 11:10pm.

According to the directives of the Supreme Court, the Awami League government on June 30, 2011 passed the 15th constitution amendment law to restore the provisions of the original constitution framed in 1972. The constitution dropped the provision of non-party caretaker government for holding the general elections.

Many of the MPs demanded restora-

tion of the original 96 of the constitution, empowering the legislature to impeach the apex judges for misconducts and inabilities.

But the government refrained from doing so, apparently not to antagonize the judiciary.

On June 5, 2012, the Jatiya Sangsad and the judiciary had a face off over the comment of Justice AHM Shamsuddin Chowdhury who ruled that the then Speaker and now President Abdul Hamid committed “seditious offence” by making a comment on the judiciary.

The constitution stipulates that no court can take the proceedings into congnisance.

The MPs then demanded the govern amend the constitution to make the judiciary accountable to the legislature.

But the Awami League government refrained from doing so.

The speaker gave a ruling and said the Chief Justice should decide about it. But nothing happened.

Tasked by the parliamentary standing committee on law ministry, the law commission in April sent a set of proposals to speed up the disposal of the pending cases.

That proposal said the government should restore the article 96 of constitution to make the judges accountable.

In line with the law commission, the authorised body to suggest the government on legal reform, the cabinet approved the proposal to restore the article 96 of the 1972 constitution. l

Gonojagoron Moncho sees dark side of the moon  PAGE 1 COLUMN 5

Yesterday, the anger did not come right away.

The protesters began the day chanting slogans, but upon hearing that Sayedee’s sentence was reduced to life in prison, the immediate reaction was one of shock. For a while, there was utter silence. Even the most vocal and outspoken of the protesters lost words.

But they took moments to recuperate with new slogans: “We want Sayedee hanged,” and “We reject the verdict.”

Freedom fighter Dabirul, who had come to Dhaka from the northern district of Thakurgaon a couple of days ago for treatment, could not help join the Moncho yesterday despite his illness.

He was furious after hearing the verdict: “This is not justice. Sayedee should be hanged. That is what the people of the country demand. For a freedom fighter, the trial is nothing but a farce.”

Because they were divided in several groups, yesterday’s protest by the Gonojagoron Moncho looked nothing like the intense protest that succeeded the tribunal verdict against Quader Molla.

The protesters looked disorganised, and unlike some of the previous protests, no eminent personality was there.

Soon after the appellate division pronounced the verdict, hundreds of protesters blocked the Shahbagh intersection by lying on the road. Police used tear gas cannisters and water cannons to disperse the protesters. At least 50 were injured in the clashes. Police

Supreme Court saves war criminal Delawar Hossain Sayedee’s life  PAGE 1 COLUMN 1

Of the eight charges, the Supreme Court, by a majority, convicted Sayedee in four charges and partially in another.

The court acquitted him in three charges and part of another charge.

The apex court gave Sayedee imprisonment until death in charges 10, 16 and 19. “Imprisonment for the rest of his natural life,” Chief Justice Md Muzammel Hossain said during the pronouncement of the short verdict.

Sayedee’s death penalty in charge 10 was commuted to life imprisonment.

Though found guilty, he had not been given any punishment in charges 16 and 19 by the tribunal.

In the other one and a partial charge, the majority of judges of the bench gave Sayedee 10 and 12 years’ rigorous imprisonment.

Of these, the tribunal awarded him the death sentence in charge number eight, which has two sections – the killing of Ibrahim Kutti, and the abduction and torture of Mofizuddin Poshari. In this, by a majority, the apex court altered the death sentence to 12 years’ rigorous imprisonment and acquitted the war criminal in another part.

The Appellate Division awarded Sayedee 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment in charge number seven, which was proved but not punished by the tribunal.

The chief justice did not elaborate on the difference in judgement during the pronouncement of the verdict.

But later on, many lawyers in the court were seen talking among themselves on this issue.

They said three of the five judges – the chief justice, Justice SK Sinha and Justice Hasan Foez Siddique – gave Sayedee life imprisonment. Of the two other judges, Justice AHM Shamsuddin Choudhury Manik awarded Sayedee death sentence while Justice MA Wahhab Miah acquitted him.

Specific information in this regard will be known officially when the full judgement is released, the lawyers said.

After the verdict Attorney General Mahbubey Alam said: “I hoped the death sentence given by the tribunal would be upheld. I feel sorry since it did not happen.”

Sayedee’s one is the second verdict by the Appellate Division bench in war crimes appeals cases. In its maiden verdict, the court enhanced the punishment of another notorious war criminal Abdul Quader Molla. The Jamaat leader was awarded life-term imprisonment by the International Crimes Tribunal 2.

Though Quader Molla’s case was the first one disposed of by the apex court and he was executed in December, Sayedee’s case was the first war crimes case to get rolling at the tribunal.

A notorious war criminal and Jamaat’s Nayeb-e-Ameer (vice-president) Sayedee was a 30-year-old grocer in 1971. He was not involved in politics during the war. He could speak Urdu well as he had obtained an Alim degree from a madrasa.

At Parerhat Bazar of Pirojpur, Sayedee welcomed the Pakistani army which along with its local collaborators killed more than three million Bangalees and raped over 250,000 women. More than 10 million people had to flee to India to take refuge while millions of others were displaced inside the country.

Sayedee himself converted Gouranga, who still lives in Parerhat, his other family members and many others from Hinduism to Islam saying that it was a requirement to stay in the then East Pakistan.

Sayedee also tortured and violated many Hindu girls, said Gouranga, who was one of the witnesses in the case.

The old man is now in severe hardship. He said: “I have no earning

source. My wife died months back while suffering from fear that we may be victimised again as I gave deposition against Sayedee.

“I am not happy after learning about the verdict. He [Sayedee] should have been sentenced to death for committing heinous crimes,” he said. “My comments have no meaning now, everything is over.”

“Tell the prime minister about my hardship and wounds over the Supreme Court verdict, and ask the prime minster to ease my pains,” he said.

In a packed court room, the chief justice pronounced the sentence within a few minutes of commencing business at 10:07am. The five judges sat on the bench two minutes before starting the pronouncement of the short verdict.

More than an hour-long wait of several hundred people including lawyers, journalists, justice seekers, local and foreign observers and Sayedee’s son in the court room, there were some fresh speculations at the last minute about the outcome of the legal battle which began 18 months ago when Sayedee’s appeal was filed.

Following the tribunal verdict on February 28 last year, Jamaat and its student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir and Sayedee’s followers orchestrated widespread violence in many parts of the country for several days, killing dozens of people and destroying public and private property.

But after the verdict yesterday, it was relatively calm. Many Jamaat lawyers, who were involved in the case, and Sayedee’s son Masood Sayedee, who was present in the courtroom, seemed visibly relieved as they smiled and shook hands with each other.

However, Maood Sayedee told the Dhaka Tribune: “We did not get the expected verdict. We expected his acquit-

tal from all the charges. We will file a petition for reviewing the judgement.”

However, the attorney general said he would not appeal for a review.

There is fear that if the incumbent government is changed, the convicted war criminal might get released from jail through presidential mercy or other means.

According to Attorney General Mahbubey, no government can act against this judgement to make him free if people remain alert about war criminals.

In late March last year, Sayedee filed an appeal with the Supreme Court seeking acquittal from all the charges.

On the other hand, the state on behalf of the victims of Sayedee’s crimes filed an appeal petition pleading to uphold the tribunal’s death sentence and also to punish him on the six proven charges in which the tribunal did not give any sentence.

The chief justice yesterday said the judges had allowed both appeals in part by majority.

Sayedee, according to the tribunal judgement, was a member of the razakar force – an auxiliary force of the Pakistani Army, and formed the local Peace Committee during the war.

Known as Deilya Razakar at that time, he actively took part in atrocities on civilians, Hindus and the pro-liberation people committed by Pakistani occupation forces and the razakars.

Elected as a lawmaker twice – during 1996-2001 and 2001-2006 terms, Sayedee is also known for his religious sermons (waaz) in and outside the country. He has a few thousand fans. He uses titles like “Allama” and “Maulana.”

Speculations and rumours over the final verdict were mounting up as it took more than a year to complete the appeals hearing. Since Sayedee filed the appeal at the end of March last year

also scattered other protesters from the Doel Intersection on the Dhaka University campus.

Removed by police, the activists staged a sit-in near the Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH).

Imran H Sarker, convenor of one of the factions of Moncho, who was given first aid at the Dhaka Medical College Hospital after suffering minor injuries after clashinbg with the police, said the reduction of Sayedee’s punishment was a result of a deal between the government and Jamaat-e-Islami.

He also said: “Our countrymen have been betrayed. We urge all to join us in the protest against Sayedee’s verdict.”

Later in the day, that faction announced two programmes protesting the verdict. Blogger Arif Jebtik announced the programmes because their regular spokesperson Imran still had not recovered.

On Friday, the Moncho will organise a protest rally from 4pm-10pm at the Shahbagh intersection.

Chittagong

In the port city, soon after the apex court bench pronounced the verdict, the Chittagong unit of the Gonojagoron Moncho gathered at the Cheragi Pahar intersection.

Activists said the verdict had frustrated the people of the country, who may end up in a mass agitation programme.

Begum Mustari Shafi, wife of a liberation war martyr, said: “Sayedee will

while the verdict remained pending for the last five months.

The apex court had disposed of the first appeals case of Quader Molla in six months.

High security measures were taken on and around the Supreme Court premises as well as across the country to ensure security, keeping in mind the atrocities Jamaat-Shibir men had carried out after the tribunal’s verdict.

Except for some scattered incidents of vandalism, the situation remained relatively calm yesterday, though the Jamaat has called a hartal for today and Sunday in protest against the verdict.

Three charges: Jail until death

Though the tribunal awarded the death sentence in charge 10, the apex court commuted the punishment to imprisonment until death. On June 2, 1971, Sayedee’s armed associates, under his leadership and accompanied by the Pakistani Army, burnt 25 houses at a Hindu locality in Umedpur village under Indurkani police station. At one stage, a victim, Bisabali, was tied to a coconut tree and was shot dead by Sayedee’s accomplices.

In charge 16, the tribunal found Sayedee guilty but did not specify any punishment.

In the course of the war, Sayedee led a group of 10 to 12 armed razakars and Peace Committee members who surrounded the house of Gouranga Saha of Parerhat Bandar under Pirojpur sadar.

Subsequently, Sayedee and the others abducted three women and handed them over to the Pakistani Army in Pirojpur where the victims had been confined and raped for three days before being released.

Similarly, in charge 19, Sayedee was found guilty, but the tribunal did not give any punishment.

During the war, Sayedee, being a

come out of jail if another party comes to power in future.”

After the rally, a procession was brought out which ended in front of the Chittagong Press Club. l

Jamaat  PAGE 1 COLUMN 6

A central Jamaat leader in return for anonymity said the party central committee instructed their leaders and activists to stage only demonstrations and hold rallies and not to engage in clashes with law enforcers. The party’s lenient attitude is contrary to the violent protest that erupted soon after death sentence pronounced by the tribunal against Sayedee on February 28 in 2013.

On 28 February 2013 when the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) announced the verdict against Sayedee, Jamaat-Shibir men ran amok across the country. Communications between 16 districts and 33 upazilas and the capital remained snapped.

According to government officials, at least 37 people died in the unprecedented violence on the first day and several dozens more including six law enforcers in the next few days while the Jamaat put the number to 200.

Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher, a central leader of the party said: “Our supporters and activists believe that our party leaders are totally innocent.

They are being indicted due to political vendetta.” l

member of the razakar force and exercising his power over the Hindu community of Pirojpur, converted 100 to 150 Hindus of Parerhat and other villages to Islam, and compelled them to go to the mosque to offer prayers.

Jail in different terms in one and a half charges

The tribunal had given Sayedee death sentence in charge number eight but the Appellate Division altered it to 12-years’ rigorous imprisonment in a part of this charge. The court in another part of the charge acquitted Sayedee.

However, it did not pronounce the two parts separately. Court sources say the Jamaat leader was acquitted in the charge of killing Ibrahim Kutti while sentenced for the abduction and torture of Mofiz Poshari.

On May 8, 1971, Sayedee and his accomplices accompanied by the Pakistani Army raided the house of one Manik Posari at Chitholia under Pirojpur sadar and caught his brother Mofizuddin and one Ibrahim Kutti. The attackers torched five houses there. On the way to the Pakistani Army camp, Sayedee instigated the members of the occupation force to kill Ibrahim by gunshot and dump his body near a bridge.

On the other hand, Mofizuddin was taken to the camp and tortured.

In charge number seven, the tribunal found Sayedee guilty but did not specify punishment. The Appellate Division bench gave Sayedee 10-years’ rigorous imprisonment.

On May 8, 1971, Sayedee led a team of the Pakistani Army to the house of Nurul Islam Khan and identified him as an Awami League leader and his son Shahidul Islam Selim as a freedom fighter. Sayedee captured Nurul and handed him over to the army personnel, who tortured him. His house was then looted and finally set on fire. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

3

Thursday, September 18, 2014

AL accepts Sayedee verdict, left parties unhappy, BNP silent Hayat Mahmud and n Abu Manik Miazee Political parties yesterday expressed mixed reactions to the Supreme Court verdict commuting war criminal Delawar Hossain Sayedee’s death penalty to imprisonment until death with the ruling party expressing respect to the court and left parties in its alliance showing frustration.

The BNP, which is the key ally of the Jamaat-e-Islami in the 20-party alliance, did not come up with any reaction as it did on previous occasions of verdict in war crimes trial against Jamaat leaders.

At a press briefing at the Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina’s political office in Dhanmondi, leaders of the ruling Awami League said the verdict did not reflect the expectations of the people and the alliance but they accepted it.

“The people and the 14-party alliance had expected that the apex court would uphold the death sentence of convicted war criminal Delawar Hossain Sayedee.

But, we respect the court’s decision,” said 14-party spokesperson Mohammad Nasim.

When journalists asked him about the hearsay that the verdict was the outcome of an entente between the government and Jamaat, Nasim said: “There is no question of any entente.

The court is independent and there was no interference.”

About Jamaat’s hartal, he said Jamaat had called shutdowns earlier but people did not support it and they would not support it this time, too. “Law enforcers will tackle them [hartal supporters] as the law takes its own course.”

Left political parties expressed dissatisfaction over the verdict.

The president and secretary general of the Workers Party of Bangladesh, a component in the Awami League-led alliance, in a press statement said people had no got what they wanted.

Sayedee was the main organiser of the Razakar forces which were directly

involved with the genocide during the war of independence in 1971, the statement said, adding that Sayedee also took part in the conspiracy against Bangladesh after its liberation.

The Workers Party was unhappy with the verdict and wanted Jamaat to be banned as a communal political party, said the joint statement of party President Rashed Khan Menon and Secretary General Fazle Hossain Badsha said.

The Communist Party of Bangladesh and the Socialist Party of Bangladesh (Basod) also expressed dissatisfaction, saying the judgement did not fulfil people’s expectations.

In a joint statement, CPB President Mujahidul Islam Selim and Basod General Secretary Khalequzzaman said: “The tribunal had sentenced Sayedee to death and the people were waiting for the implementation that judgement. But when the judgement was being delayed people became doubtful. Today’s judgement has deepened people’s frustration.”

ASM Rab, president of Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (Jasad), said: “Many think the reduced sentence is the result of a secret entente between the government and Jamaat.”

When contacted, several senior leaders of the BNP did not agree to talk on the verdict immediately. They said they would come up with a formal reaction after going through the details of the verdict.

A few leaders said the court had given sentences that it deemed fit.

BNP Standing Committee member Lt Gen (retd) Mahbubur Rahman said: “We should not make any comment on a verdict given by the Supreme Court.”

When journalists asked BNP Standing Committee member MK Anwar in a programme at the Dhaka Reporters Unity, he said: “I have no comment on the verdict. If you want know further, I suggest you contact Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to know about the relaxation of Saydee’s punishment.” l

Police use water canons and tear gas cannisters to disperse Gonojagoron Moncho activists yesterday at the capital’s Shahbagh intersection, where they gathered to protest the apex court verdict commuting war criminal Sayedee’s sentence MEHEDI HASAN

Uneasy calm at Sayedee’s hometown n Our Correspondent, Barisal

An unsettling calm prevailed in Pirojpur, hometown of Jamaat-e-Islami Nayebe Ameer Delawar Hossain Sayedee, after the Supreme Court handed down its sentence on Wednesday.

Reports received from Zia Nagor, Sayedee’s native upazila town, said the roads looked deserted from early Wednesday morning.

Offices of the Awami League, its front organisations and Muktijoddha Sangsad in Zia Nagor were either locked or empty and their leaders were out of reach, suspending their mobile phone connections.

Leading activists of the ruling party, its front and like-minded pro-liberation organisations from different sections and sectors of Barisal divisional city assembled in front of Ashwini Kumar Hall in the morning.

Most of them rejected the verdict

of the Supreme Court and demanded the death sentence for war criminal Sayedee urging the government to immediately file a review petition against the verdict.

Jamaat-Shibir activists Pirojpurbrought out a procession in the Bypass area yesterday protesting the verdict; demanding Sayedee’s release.

Abdur Razzak, Pirojpur Sadar police station officer-in-charge, said Manik Poshari and Mahbubul Alam, two complainants and other witnesses in the case were given police protection.

Former upazila Muktijoddha commander Mahbubul Alam of Tengrakhali village and a complainant of one the cases, said he was frustrated at the judgement.

Sultan Mahmud, a prosecution witness in the case against Sayedee said he was living in fear even though he was under police protection.

Law and order will be maintained at any cost, said A K M Shamsul Huq Sid-

After verdict, insecurity grips witnesses

TIMELINE OF EVENTS

n

Sayedee arrested

Udisa Islam and Syed Samiul Basher Anik

Panic has gripped the families of prosecution witnesses Manik Poshari and others in the case against convicted war criminal Delawar Hossain Sayedee as they fear further persecution by the Jamaat leader’s supporters as the final verdict in the appeals case delivered yesterday.

Dissatisfied with the verdict of “imprisonment until death,” they think the lenient judgement did not ensure justice for the victims of atrocities committed by Sayedee and his men in Pirojpur during the 1971 Liberation War. They expected death penalty for the war criminal who had actively participated in persecution against the Hindus and other pro-liberation people in the area as a razakar force member and founder of local Peace Committee unit.

Their concern for security has been amplified considering last year’s mayhem on state properties, law enforcers, Awami League men and the Hindus across the country, carried out in a planned way by the supporters of Jamaat-e-Islami, its student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir and common

Sayedee followers.

“I have already lost my house, my job and everything. My family members may be killed any time since I was one of the key witnesses,” Manik said. “Now that the court has given its final verdict, we do not have anything to say.”

‘After giving deposition in the case, we lost our friend Mostafa Hawlader while some pro-Jamaat men attacked my house too’ He was the sixth prosecution witness in the case and testified on charge number eight which states the abduction and torture of his brother Mofizuddin Poshari and killing of Ibrahim Kutti. Sayedee was given death penalty by the tribunal in this charge while the punishment has been commuted by the Appellate Division to 12 years’ imprisonment.

“As a witness, I cannot be happy with it. The judiciary has announced what it has found proper. Who cares whether

we are happy or unhappy!” he said.

Another witness Mostafa Hawlader was hacked indiscriminately allegedly by the Jamaat-Shibir men during the trial. Two days later, he died while undergoing treatment.

His son was not ready to make a comment on the judgement as he thinks now the family has become more vulnerable to attacks. “The situation is changing. Those who killed my father can do anything to us too. So it is better not to speak up this time.”

A son of the convicted war criminal Masood Sayedee has recently been elected chairman in Zianagar upazila election. Moreover, Pirojpur is considered to be a safe heaven for the Jamaat-Shibir men.

Mahbubul Alam Hawlader, the first witness of the case, now seeks security from the government. “After giving deposition in the case, we lost our friend Mostafa Hawlader while some pro-Jamaat men attacked my house too.

“The conviction has been changed at the Appellate Division today [yesterday]. Now who will assure us that they will not attack me and my family again?

I am frustrated with the verdict and I have nothing to say.” l

June 29, 2010:

November 2, 2010:

Shown arrested in war crimes case May 31, 2011:

Probe report submitted July 11, 2011:

Prosecution submits formal charges July 14, 2011:

Tribunal accepts charges October 3, 2011:

Sayedee indicted on 20 counts November 20, 2011:

Opening statement by prosecution December 7, 2011:

First witness

April 8, 2012:

28th and last prosecution witness

September 2, 2012:

First defence witness October 23, 2012:

17th and last witness November 5, 2012:

Prosecution starts argument

November 6, 2012:

Contempt notice issued on three defence counsels

kar Ali Manik and Udisa n Julfi Islam Delawar Hossain Sayedee is a unique example of how a war criminal can easily hide in plain sight by establishing himself as a religious “leader,” “orator,” and “politician.”

Although yesterday’s verdict by the apex court frustrated millions of justice seekers, it served a key purpose: the judgement gave a final endorsement that Sayedee was none other than a notorious person who committed heinous genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.

The issue was emphasised by Attorney General (AG) Mahbubey Alam in his post-verdict reaction. Although he expressed disappointment over the verdict, the AG added: “Sayedee presented himself as a great religious leader, but the Supreme Court judged him a killer and rapist.”

Meanwhile, during the pronouncement of the verdict yesterday, Chief Justice Md Muzammel Hossain repeatedly said “Allama” before Sayedee’s name, even though the controversy over this title was cited in Sayedee’s brief account in the judgement handed down by the International Crimes Tribunal 1.

Citing allegations by the prosecution, it was told in Sayedee’s account: “After passing Alim examination, he did not obtain any degree nor a doctorate in any Islamic subject.

He is therefore not legally entitled to use the title ‘Allama’ or ‘Maulana’ with his name.”

The trial court’s judgement also focused on the importance of trying war criminals like Sayedee, saying: “Justice in the future cannot be achieved unless injustice of the

January 13-17, 2013:

Prosecution starts fresh argument January 20-28, 2013:

Defence starts arguments

January 29, 2013:

Tribunal puts case for verdict February 27, 2013:

November 15, 2012:

Tribunal fixes February 28 for verdict

November 18, 2012:

Death penalty pronounced

December 6, 2012:

Appeals filed with apex court

Prosecution ends arguments Defence starts argument

February 28, 2013:

March 28, 2013:

Argument ends, case kept for verdict

September 24, 2013:

December 13, 2012:

April 16, 2014:

January 3, 2013:

September 17, 2014:

Tribunal 1 reconstituted Sayedee’s petition seeking retrial rejected

Verdict finally exposes Sayedee’s hidden face past is addressed.”

With the injustices during 1971 remaining unaddressed, over the past four decades, war criminal Sayedee managed to secure a foothold in the society as a so-called Islamic scholar and orator, spreading hatred against Hindus and other religions and secularism, democracy and modern education. He also succeeded to secure parliament membership twice.

The tribunal judgement narrated Sayedee’s fortune, mentioning that from the recorded evidence they had found that Sayedee – in his early life – had a very low profile with no significant social or political status in society.

“He was simply a grocery shopkeeper who sold oil, salt, onions, pepper etc at Parerhat Bazar. His was not financially sound,” the tribunal judgement had said.

“He became rich adopting illegal means and now owns huge properties including multi-storey buildings in Dhaka and Khulna,” read the judgement.

In 1971, he welcomed the Pakistani Army at Parerhat Bazar and formed the local peace committee. Subsequently Rajakar Bahini member, he actively participated in the atrocities committed by Pakistani Army and rajakars targeting civilians, the Hindu com-

diki, deputy commissioner of Pirojpur.

Three platoons of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) had been deployed in the town. At least 25 Jamaat-Shibir activists were arrested on Tuesday night and early yesterday from the district, said Abid Hassan, Pirojpur district police superintendent.

Kajal Ghosh, city organiser of the Sector Commanders Forum, said all pro-liberation forces were frustrated with the verdict.

Leaders and activists of seven organisations jointly brought out a silent procession and held a rally near the hall urging the government to file review a petition against the sentence.

On the other hand Jammat-Shibir men staging demonstrations in the Natun Bazar area of the city, demanded Sayedee’s unconditional release.

A huge contingent of police were deployed at different strategic points of the city with RAB patrolling the city roads round the clock. l

munity and pro-liberation people.

The tribunal judgement had said the trial was being held against Sayedee, a 30-year-old in 1971, who had commissioned crimes against humanity about 41 years back in Pirojpur.

“We should remember an important aspect of the case - we are not holding the trial of an ex-MP or nayeb-e-ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami named Allama Delawar Hossain Sayedee, a renowned Oazin [orator] popularly known throughout the country for his gift of the gab,” said the tribunal.

Meanwhile, when Sayedee was first elected as an MP in 1996, his defeated opponent late Shudhangshu Shekhar Halder filed a case accusing the Jamaat leader of vote-rigging to win the polls.

Although Sayedee lost the legal battle in Election Tribunal and the High Court; the apex court saved his parliament membership as the Appellate Division exempted him from the charge.

This time, the Appellate Division saved Sayedee’s life, reducing the death sentence pronounced by the tribunal in the war crimes case; but found him guilty of heinous crimes such as murder, rape, looting, abduction and torture of people during the Liberation War in 1971. l

Hearing begins

Case kept for verdict Final verdict

Sayedee says ‘Alhamdulillah’ n Mohammad Jamil Khan

War criminal Delawar Hossain Sayedee, nayeb-e-ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami, who is now in the condemned cell at the Kashimpur jail in Gazipur, has reportedly expressed satisfaction after learning that the apex court has commuted his punishment.

Although the jail authorities have not yet said anything to the war criminal, he learned about the verdict from the jail warden.

Seeking anonymity, a high official of the jail told the Dhaka Tribune that he had talked to the warden and learned that upon hearing the news of the verdict, Sayedee had said “Alhamdulillah” - an Arabic phrase which means all praises go to Allah.

Quoting Sayedee, the official also said: “I instructed my lawyers beforehand to file a review petition with the Supreme Court challenging the verdict because I believe that my innocence will be proved in the court Inshallah [meaning Allah willing] if the trial is impartial.

“I am not happy because my family members and followers know that the trial was politically motivation. Moreover, nobody can keep me in the condemned cell if I have not done anything wrong,” Sayedee reportedly said.

Mohammad Mizanur Rahman, senior superintended of the Kashimpur Central Jail 1, told the Dhaka Tribune: “Jamaat leader Delawar Hossain Sayedee is still in the condemned cell. We are yet to receive any official order regarding the verdict until Wednesday evening.

“We will not give him any news until we get a copy of the verdict. Then we will also decide whether to keep him here [in Kashimpur] or send him to other jail. We will follow the athorities’ directives,” the jail super said.

A condemned cell is a prison cell where a person sentenced to death awaits execution. Sayedee was taken there after the first International Crimes Tribunal in February last year sentenced him to death for killing Ibrahim Kutti and Bisa Bali in Pirojpur in 1971. The tribunal found him guilty on six other charges of wartime offences.

The Supreme Court Appellate Division yesterday commuted the death sentence to imprisonment until death. l

Over 100 arrested, 30 injured n Tribune Report Over a hundred Jamaat-Shibir activists were arrested and 30 others injured during countrywide violence centring yesterday’s Appellate Division verdict that commuted war criminal Delawar Hossain Sayedee’s death sentence to to imprisonment until death.

The activists brought out processions, torched tires, vandalised vehicles and clashed with law enforcers and ruling party activists in different districts protesting the verdict.

In the capital, the Jamaat-Shibir activists brought out brisk processions in Badda, Gulistan, Jatrabari and Mirpur areas, triggering sporadic clashes with the law enforcers.

Our Comilla correspondent reported that 10 people, including a police constable, were injured in a police-Shibir clash in Monohorganj area following the verdict.

Around 20 people were injured in a clash between Awami League and Jamaat activists in Habiganj’s Nabiganj yesterday, while police arrested 27 people in this connection, our correspondent reported.

Meanwhile, around 27 people, in-

cluding Kushtia district Jamaat leader Yunus Ali, have been arrested during several police drives at different parts of the district since Tuesday night.

Police arrested 21 Jamaat-Shibir activists In Jhenaidah two in Rajshahi.

In Sylhet, Jamaat-Shibir activists brought out seven brisk processions at different points of the city.

In Jhalokati, police arrested nine people, suspecting them as JamaatShibir activists, while a group of activists were setting tires on fire in Kalibari area of the city yesterday afternoon.

Our Thakurgaon correspondent reported that police had sent 15 Shibir activists, who were arrested on Tuesday night at different Shibir messes in the city, to court yesterday.

But several Awami League allegedly requested police to release some of the arrestees, claiming them to be Chhatra League activists.

The leaders, however, could not clarify when asked what the Chhatra League activists were doing in Shibir messes that night.

Seeking anonymity, one official said people who made the requests include one ruling party lawmaker. l

4

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Thursday, September 18, 2014

PM to highlight government’s success stories at UN General Assembly n

Sheikh Shahariar Zaman

The government feels that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to the UN General Assembly in New York will create an opportunity to consolidate and portray its success stories at a global level.

“This UNGA is the first after the government assumed power in January,” Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali said at a press briefing at the Foreign Ministry yesterday.

The prime minister will leave Dhaka on September 21 and stay in New York city till September 28.

The theme of the 69th session of the UNGA is “Delivering on and Implementing a Transformative Post-2015 Development Agenda”.

On the sidelines of a series of meetings, she will also have meetings with head of governments of India, Nepal, Qatar, Belarus, Chile and other countries.

When asked about a media report on the exclusion of a statement by UN Secretary General Ban-ki Moon’s in the supplement published by the government in different newspapers, Director General of External Publicity of the Foreign Ministry Noor-e-Alam Helal said: “We received the UN secretary general’s statement yesterday, but we

JU admission test rescheduled n JU Correspondent The authorities of Jahangirnagar University (JU) have rescheduled admission tests of 2014-15 academic session for D, E and G units due to the twoday long general strike declared by Jamaat-e-Islami over the verdict of war criminal Delwar Hossain Sayedee.

University source said the admission test of D unit under the faculty of life science faculty will be held on September 24, Wednesday and the admission tests of E and G units under the faculty of business studies and institute of business administration will be held on September 25 Thursday.

The decision was taken at an emergency meeting of central admission test conduct committee of the university, source added. The tests of other units will be held according to previous schedule. l

PM gives away prizes to children at a special event organised by the Foreign Ministry and UN at Osmani Memorial Auditorium in the capital yesterday FOCUS BANGLA did not have time to publish it.”

The government published a supplement on Bangladesh’s 40th anniversary at the UN as it joined the global body on September 17, 1974.

Mahmood Ali said the prime minister would deliver her speech in Bangla at the UNGA on September 27.

“In her speech, she will speak about

international peace and security, democracy and good governance, migration, women empowerment, poverty alleviation, climate change, progress of MDGs, Bangladesh’s position on sustainable development goals and other issues,” the minister said.

When asked about the latest status of post-2015 SDG negotiations at the UN,

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam said: “The Foreign Ministry does not deal with such an issue. The Planning Commission can give you the answer.”

Hasina will attend the Climate Summit 2014 and speak about climate change adaptation in Bangladesh and the need for finance, technology and capacity in this regard.

The United States is going to arrange a Peacekeeping Summit on September 26 where Hasina will be one of the cochairs. The other co-chairs are US Vice President Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Rwandan President Paul Kagame.

She will also attend a programme of the Global Education First Initiative as Bangladesh is one of the champion countries of GEFI members.

The Bangladesh mission in the UN will organise a programme at the UN headquarters to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Bangladesh’s membership in the UN. Foreign, finance, health, expatriate, environment and food ministers as well as parliament members, including former foreign minister Dipu Moni, senior government officials, eminent citizens, including journalists, and a business delegation will accompany the prime minister. l

Police sue 241 Shibir men at CU n CU Correspondent Chittagong police yesterday filed two cases naming 209 Jamaat-Shibir activists in connection with the recovery of petrol bombs, explosives and lethal weapons from two student dormitories of Chittagong University over past two days.

In the two separate cases, police accused 32 others, but their names were not mentioned. However, police said all the accused were Shibir activists.

At least 14 people, including ten teachers, were injured in a bomb attack on two Chittagong University teachers’ buses at Chararhul of Hathazari upazila on September 10 Md Ismail Hossain, officer-in-charge of Hathazari police station said Sub-Inspector Abdur Razzak filed a case against 125 persons, including CU unit Islami Chhatra Shibir president, in connection with the recovery of petrol

bombs and gun powder from Abdur Rab Hall of CU. SI Arifuzzaman of the same station filed another case accusing 116 activists of the Jamaat student wing in connection with the recovery of lethal weapons from the university’s AF Rahman Hall and Allol Hall, the OC added.

On Tuesday, police seized 18 petrol bombs, five chocolate bombs, one kilogramme of gun powder, one machete, 200 sticks, 10 iron rods and two sacks of stones after conducting an hour long raid at Abdur Rab dormitory.

In another drive on Monday night, 10 machetes, two sacks of stones, Jihadi books and iron rods were seized from AF Rahman dormitory.

At least 14 people, including ten teachers, were injured in a bomb attack on two CU teachers’ buses at Chararhul of Hathazari upazila on September 10, during an indefinite strike at the campus.

The continuous strike that began on August 31, was allegedly enforced

by Shibir under the banner of General Students of CU, demanding to reopen Shah Amanat Hall and Suhrawardy Hall at the campus which were closed after clashes between Shibir and BCL men broke out.

Campus sources said the two dormitories were dominated by Jamaat-Shibir. l

CIP card ceremony criticised Wife and in-laws main suspects n Rabiul Islam

The expatriates’ welfare and overseas employment ministry is set to spend Tk110,000 from the wage earners’ welfare fund to arrange a CIP card distribution ceremony for commercially important non-resident Bangladeshis.

The card distribution ceremony is scheduled to be held today at the ministry conference room at Probashi Kalyan Bhaban.

CIP cards are being given to non-resident Bangladeshis (NRB) who have contributed to the national economy by sending remittances or importing commodities from Bangladesh.

Some of the officials concerned asked why the migrants’ fund “was being used for such a silly purpose.”

They said it was a waste of wage earners’ hard earned money. The fund,

created with money deposited by workers, was supposed to be used for the welfare of the workers.

One official, seeking anonymity, asked: “What is the need for such a costly ceremony?”

Despite repeated attempts to contact the expat affairs secretary Khondaker Showkat Hossain by mobile telephone, he could not be reached for comments.

“I have not heard that so much money is being spent, and if it is the case, I will look into it,” expat affairs minister Khandker Mosharraf Hossain told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday.

The minister suggested that the director general (DG) of the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET) be asked for her comments.BMET DG Begum Shamsun Nahar was also not available for comment. l

in CHT judge murder n Tarek Mahmud, Chittagong Four people including the wife of a dead Chittagong judge were placed on five-day remand yesterday under suspicion of their involvement in the judge’s murder.

Additional District Session Judge Kazi Abdul Hasib Mohammad Sayeed of Naogaon district is believed to have been murdered by his wife and in-laws, according to the police.

The remanded accused are the victim’s wife Sanjida Ahmed Mishu, 19, mother-in-law Laki Akhter, 38, brother-in-law Imran Hossain, 21, and the domestic help at his in-law’s residence Rima, 15, said Sub-Inspector (SI) Mohammad Oliullah of Halishahar

police station.

SI Oliullah is the investigating officer (IO) of the case.

The court of the Fourth Metropolitan Magistrate, Nowrin Akhter Kakon, passed the remand order while police pleaded for 10-day remand, according to court sources.

Halishahar police station SI Mukul Mia yesterday lodged a murder case accusing Sanjida, Laki, Imran, Rima, father-in-law Nasir Ahmed, who is absconding, and unidentified persons in connection with the murder of the judge at his in-laws’ residence in the Mollapara area of the city on Tuesday.

On Tuesday evening, Sanjida brought Sayeed to Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH) in an uncon-

scious state where the on-duty doctors pronounced him dead.

Sanjida told CMCH police outpost personnel that her husband had locked himself inside a bedroom and hanged himself.

But police discovered a bruise on the victim’s head according to the inquest report, the IO said.

Police arrested the judge’s wife, mother-in-law, brother-in-law and his in-law’s domestic help as murder suspects and produced them before the court seeking a 10-day remand.

Additional Deputy Commissioner Tanvir Arafat of Chittagong Metropolitan Police West Zone said police had not yet found a motive for the murder. l

A new trend, SUVs used for smuggling drugs n Tarek ahmud, Chittagong A person was arrested yesterday in Karnaphuli area of Chittagong when the he was attempting to transport 1,000 litres of locally-made liquor to Bandarban District on a sports utility vehicle (SUV).

Department of Narcotic Control (DNC) said many illegal substance smugglers are now using luxurious vehicles to carry contraband items to evade law enforcers.

Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Karnaphuli Police Station Mohiuddin Ahmed said a police team, led by Sub Inspector Mostak Ahmed, conducted a drive at Moijjartek area at 4:00am following up on a tip-off and chased the SUV. The OC said “Sensing the presence of police, the driver accelerated the ve-

Suraiya Morshed’s Qulkhwani tomorrow

n Tribune Report

The Qulkhwani of Suraiya (Daisy) Morshed, wife of former foreign secretary Barrister Ali Kaiser Hasan Morshed will be held at 4:30pm on Friday at her residence in Gulshan in the capital. Her children Waleed, Lamiya and Fazeela request family, friends and well-wishers to attend the dua mahfil and pray for the departed soul. Suraiya passed away on Sunday, September 14. l

hicle to a point where it spiraled out of control and hit a roadside tree. After the crash, the driver and Md Nazrul managed to flee the scene but police managed to capture Imran Khan Babu, 24.

Police found 20 plastic jars, each containing 50 litres of liquor from the vehicle which is worth Tk 6 lakh, said the OC. During the initial interrogation, Imran admitted his crime.

A case was lodged with Karnaphuli Police Station in this connection.

In a different incident on August 9, Kotwali police arrested Abul Hossain, 21, and Nasir Uddin, 21, with 5,600 pieces of Yaba tablets worth Tk 11.20 lakh from Chittagong city’s Kotwali area who were also using a Toyota Prado SUV.

DNC Superintendent of Chittagong Metro Region Chowdhury Imrul Hasan said luxurious vehicles are usually used by high officials, ministers and parliamentarians which are not suspected by the police hence the usage of SUVs by the smugglers.

DNC and other law enforcing agencies have seized Pajero, Prado, Hiace, Land cruiser and many other types of luxurious vehicles that were being used for smuggling drugs.

CMP Acting Commissioner Banaz Kumar Majumder said they have tightened their vigilance on luxury vehicles.

They have also increased their watch on the entrance points of the city especially Shah Amanat Bridge area where vehicles enter the city from Cox’s Bazar and Bandarban districts. l

With Eid-ul-Azha less than three weeks away, cattle owners in Rajshahi district have started showcasing their locally bred cows in Rajshahi City Cattle Market. The display has yet to attract customers despite the low price. However, traders across the country are likely to take advantage only to sell the cows at high price before Eid. The photo was taken at the cattle market yesterday AZAHAR UDDIN

Heart attack after termination threat Correspondent, n Our Gopalganj The headmaster of a primary school in Gopalganj suffered a heart attack after allegedly being threatened with job termination by a primary education officer on Sunday.

Montu Lal Hajra, acting headmaster in Nolua Government Primary School in the district’s Kotalipara upazila, was rushed to

Gopalganj General Hospital in critical condition.

“The upazila education officer, Kazi Shahidul Islam, was angered because one of the recently selected teachers’ representatives in the school was a junior female teacher,” Montu Lal said while talking to the Dhaka Tribune at the hospital.

“He asked for me to see him in his office on Sunday afternoon,

where he verbally abused me and threatened to fire me.

When I begged for his forgiveness, he said he would fling me from the second floor of the office building.

At one point, I fell ill and was given treatment at a local facility.

When my condition deteriorated, I was taken to Gopalganj General Hospital on Monday afternoon,” he said. l

German aid for Rana Plaza victims n Afrose Jahan Chaity The German government will provide 2.5 million euros to rehabilitate Rana Plaza victims, who suffered long-term injuries, in order to help with their future lives.

Under the project, the German Development Cooperation Agency GIZ in collaboration with Torongo which provides training to disadvantaged women in Bangladesh and will implement the project in which 120 Rana Plaza victims would be trained.

In the first phase, 67 Rana Plaza survivors, who are struggling with unemployment and mental trauma for more than a year, have

already been provided training.

Dr Ferdinand von Weyhe, Chargé d’Affaires of the German Embassy in Dhaka said this while visiting a handicraft exhibition in the German Club of the capital.

“This new initiative demonstrates our commitment to facilitate the rehabilitation and reintegration in the working process of Rana Plaza victims. We will continue to cooperate with Bangladesh to improve the working conditions in the RMG sector” he said.

About the grant, he said this initiative will not only empower women entrepreneurs, but also help Rana Plaza victims generate income through alternative means. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Ministry receives 700 applications for proxy hajj n Moniruzzman Uzzal With Hajj being less than a month away, the Ministry of Religious Affairs has received over 700 applications that say the original applicants cannot perform hajj due to various reasons and want others to take part in the holy pilgrimage in their stead, according to sources at the ministry.

Mizanur Rahman, director of the Hajj Office under the ministry, confirmed it to the Dhaka Tribune and said they had received a total of 723 such applications, on the grounds of death and severe illness.

“In most applications, direct relatives have been nominated to take the place of the original applicants, while there are a few that name candidates with no blood relations to the original applicants,” he said.

“As they original applicants had already paid for the pilgrimage in full, and there is no scope for a refund now, we are allowing the proxy applicants to take part in hajj, on humanitarian grounds,” he added.

All of the applications included the required documents – ie death certificates, medical certificates, etc – from respective local public representatives to get the permission from the minis-

try, the ministry official said, adding that some of the secondary applicants had already flown off to Saudi Arabia.

When asked how many hajj applicants had died this year, Mizan said: “It is difficult to say the exact number, as there are 835 agencies, through whom the pilgrims have applied this year.”

Meanwhile, the Saudi Arabian Embassy rejected more than 100 hajj visa applications, when the ministry officials had assured that there would be no problem in getting the visa, according to several agencies.

In this regard, the Hajj Office director said the number could not be more than 60, and those applications had been rejected due to technical problems.

“We have already spoken with the embassy, and they have been instructed to submit the applications again, saying they would approve them within due time,” he said. “We have already asked the hajj agencies to submit the details required for the applications,” he added.

Sources said more than 58,000 Bangladeshi hajj pilgrims have already reached Saudi Arabia. A total of 98,683 Bangladeshis are expected to perform hajj this year. Among them, only 1,508 are being sent by the government, and the rest are going with the help of private hajj agencies. l

News

Thursday, September 18, 2014

5

P R O T E S T E R S TA K E O V E R A R O A D

Auditors from different parts of the country form a human chain, possessing a major portion of the road in front of the National Press Club. The protesters gathered under the banner of Auditors Welfare Association, demanding upgraded designation along with increased salary yesterday SADIA MARIUM

MoU signed to build flyover, develop Jhilmil n Tribune Report

Police say Uttara sibling Regional cooperation to fight terrorism deaths probably suicide n

Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk), the development authority in the capital, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) yesterday with BNG Global Holdings, a Malaysian company, to develop the Jhilmil residential project.

Rajuk Chairman GM Joynal Abedin and BNG Global Holding’s Dr S Sabrina signed the agreement at the conference room of the Ministry of Housing and Public Works at the Secretariat.

According to the agreement, the company will build 10,000 flats in the project and 13.5km flyover connecting Shantinagar to the project, under the government’s public-private partnership (PPP) programme.

The project’s drinking water supply, sewerage and drainage system will also be constructed, on build, operate, own and transfer (BOOT) basis or government-to-government basis, according to the agreement.

The company will also work to develop a well-planned Kamrangirchar area under the same programme, sources said.

Housing and Public Works Minister Mosharraf Hossain, Ministry Secretary Golam Rabbani and other senior ministry officials were present at the signing ceremony. l

Police say preliminary investigations into the deaths of a brother and sister in the capital's Uttara neighbourhood suggest they died by hanging, indicating that the siblings committed suicide.

The investigating officer of the case, Sub-Inspector Harun-ur-Rashid of Uttara West police station, said: “The signs indicate that they committed suicide. We have not found any marks on the victim's bodies that suggest that they were first killed and then hanged from the ceiling in order to disguise murder.”

The two teenaged siblings hung themselves from the ceiling of their separate rooms in the capital's Uttara area on Monday. The deceased are Chirosree Zaman Munmun, 18, and her younger brother Mohammad Alimuzzaman, 15. They lived on the 5th floor a building at Gharib-e-Newaz avenue in Uttara sector 13. The bodies were recovered around 12am on Monday.

Mushfique Wadud

n

Tribune Report

The investigating officer said: “We have interrogated many people. On that day, no one came to visit the house. Munmun left the house around 12pm to buy cigarettes.”

Their mother, Joyshree Zaman, has been working at Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) since 2009. She spoke on the phone with her children around 9:30pm on the night they took their own lives. At around 11:30pm, after returning home, she discovered their bodies hanging from the ceiling in two separate rooms that were locked from the inside.

The police say that frustration and despair over their parents' separation might have been the reason for the double suicide.

“The children were addicted to drugs. We found marijuana in Alim’s bag. They committed suicide due to depression,” SI Harun said. The post-mortem report will provide more details, police said.

As yet, none of their father's family members have contacted the police. l

The four-day long 38th Pacific Armies Management Seminar (PAMS) came to an end yesterday with participants underscoring the need for greater regional cooperation to fight traditional and non-traditional threats.

The next seminar will be held in Indonesia, officials said.

The information was disclosed at the closing day of the international seminar held at Radisson Blu Water Garden Hotel in the capital.

Bangladesh Army, in cooperation with US Army Pacific (USARPAC), organised the seminar for the second time.

Speaking at the closing ceremony, General Iqbal Karim Bhuiyan, chief of Bangladesh army staff said, the seminar had boosted the relationship among the land forces in the region.

“In my opinion, the most significant achievement of PAMS XXXVIII is that we have become more close-knit. We can also claim to be good friends now,” he said.

The army chief also said such sem-

n Mohosinul Karim

THUNDERSHOWER WITH RAIN

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 18 DHAKA TODAY TOMORROW SUN SETS 5:59PM SUN RISES 5:46AM FORECAST FOR TODAY 34 32 34 34 32 32 33 31

27 26 26 26 26 26 25 26

YESTERDAY’S HIGH AND LOW

36.4ºC Chuadanda

24.6ºC Sylhet

Source: Accuweather/UNB

PRAYER TIMES Fajar Sunrise Zuhr Asr Magrib Esha

4:30am 5:45am 11:53am 4:17pm 5:59pm 7:15pm SourceL IslamicFinder.org

and multinational cooperation, the essential elements for future stability” and “Building response capacity of land forces for issues of environmental security”.

Emphasis was put on increased regional cooperation to fight terrorism and environmental threats. The speak-

'Today the entire human race is facing common enemies like hunger, disease, natural disasters and illegal drugs' ers underscored the urgent need for mutual knowledge sharing and effective cooperation. On the closing day, leaders of the delegates of each country were handed over a crest.

The four-day-long seminar began on Sunday with the theme: “A New Focus on the Asia-Pacific Region: Opportunities and Challenges for Land Forces.” About 120 delegates from 25 countries participated in the seminar to discuss contemporary issues of common concern. l

Four-hour power failure at secretariat

WEATHER

Dhaka Chittagong Rajshahi Rangpur Khulna Barisal Sylhet Cox’s Bazar

inars would help the countries ensure peace and stability. He urged military leaders to give up minor differences for wider cooperation.

“Today the entire human race is facing common enemies like hunger, disease, natural disasters and illegal drugs.

When we all fight against a common set of enemies on a single front, we have no other means but to cooperate among ourselves. It will only be possible if we brush aside our minor differences and join our hands together.”

Addressing the programme, Vincent K Brooks, the commanding general of the US Army Pacific said, the region had ample opportunities and they had touched upon new areas of cooperation in the seminar.

In the last day of the program, syndicate groups gave a presentation sharing the content and outcome of the discussions of the last four days.

The major topics of discussion included: “Practicing cooperation, developing interoperability of concepts for non-traditional security”, “Balancing requirements for meeting traditional and non-traditional threats”, “Civil-military

A mahout, the person who drives the elephant, uses his elephant to extort money from the shop owners of Elephant Road in the capital yesterday. The mahout took position in front of a shop and refused to drive the elephant away until he was paid Tk10 by the shop owner RAJIB DHAR

RMG workers fall sick n Our Correspondent, Gazipur

About 50 workers of a sock manufacturing factory in Gazipur fell sick after having lunch at workplace yesterday.

Workers of Glove & Gloves Manufacturing Bangladesh Limited said, they returned to work after having lunch as usual. After a while, a female worker came out of toilet and started to have breathing problems following a seizure.

Seeing her sickness, other workers also began to show the same symptoms.

Some also started to bleed through their nose. A total of 41 workers, out of

600 of the factory, fell sick one by one.

Duty doctor of Rajendrapur Modern Hospital and Diagnostic Centre, Mithun Sutradhar said, many of the workers admitted that they were suffering from respiratory problem. He said, the sickness could have been caused by Carbon Monoxide gas poisoning. 15 workers, after first aid, had been shifted to Gazipur Sadar Hospital.

Shaheen Reza, HR and admin official of the factory said, 10 workers could have fallen sick due to the heat.

The factory was declared closed for a day yesterday. l

Two buildings of the secretariat suffered power outage for four hours yesterday due to technical glitch.

The supply of electricity in the buildings was hampered from 9am.

Later, the power supply stabalized at 1pm, said an official concerned.

Secretariat’s Power Distribution Executive Engineer In-Charge Shamsul Alam said: “The power supply system of building number four and nine collapsed around 9am due to technical glitches.

“Four other buildings also faced power disruptions several times that affected the regular work at the secretariat.”

The power disruption occurred due to voltage fluctuation, he claimed.

“But, we kept the lifts of the buildings

operational during the power disruption."

Officials and employees of the affected offices told the Dhaka Tribune that they had to leave their offices during the outage as it was too hot inside the buildings.

He further said: “Usually power is supplied to the secretariat from north and west grids. But as the north grid was not functioning, it led to the power disruption in building number four.”

The employees of the Power Division of the PWD immediately started working to repair the power supply system, the official said.

He said: “The prime minister will visit the Land Ministry tomorrow [today]. So, the employees took time to fix the problems taking time to avoid any untoward situation during the premier's visit.” l

RCC mayor for city government system n Our Correspondent, Rajshahi Mayor of the Rajshahi City Corporation Mosaddeque Hossain Bulbul suggested launching a city government system for making all the service oriented jobs more effective and people-oriented.

The city government is a system where the Rajshahi Wasa, the Rajshahi Development Authority, Rajshahi Medical College Hospital, Department of Roads and Highway, Department Public Health Engineering and Local Government Engineering Department will work in coordination with each other, said the

mayor. The mayor came up with the demand while addressing a press conference to mark his one-year in office at the Nagar bhaban in the city yesterday.

The mayor said the government should promote the system for making all the service delivery activities infrastructural development, water, health and sanitation run on time.

The city corporation also has a plan to implement three other major projects involving Tk800 crore which are in the pipeline.

We are implementing all the projects in a planned way as per the commit-

ment of making the city green, clean and healthy, the mayor said.

The city corporation is implementing five major projects involving Tk427.31 crore aimed at bringing a qualitative change in the field of infrastructural and environmental elevation in the city corporation area.

Panel Mayors - Anwarul Azim, Nuruzzaman Tito and Nurun Nahar Begum, Chief Executive Officer Ajahar Ali, Secretary Masuduzzaman, Chief Revenue Officer Syeda Zebinnissa Sultana, among others, were present at the press conference. l

6

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Nation

Thursday, September 18, 2014

Illegal sand lifting continues despite legal action n Our Correspondent, Moulvibazar Several influential quarters have allegedly continued to lift sand at different spots in Moulvibazar’s Srimangal, defying the existing government restriction on sand lifting and transportation.

Moreover, some groups have continued to lift sand using machines, putting the environment of the area at risk.

And the lifted sand is being deposited by the main roads that has been hampering the vehicular movements in those areas.

Experts opined transparent tender and strict regulations could save revenues A mobile court recently recovered 200 trucks full of sand and nabbed three people in this connection at different sand lifting spots at Srimangal upazila.

The detainees, Molla Kabir Ahmed, 45, Tenu Mia, 42, and Moksud Mia, 48, were fined a total of Tk5 lakh in connection and on default they were awarded with different terms of imprisonment.

The mobile court, comprising of Moulvibazar’s Additional District Executive Magistrate Faruk Ahmed, Assistant Commissioner and Executive Magistrate Mehedi Hasan, passed the

order at the office of Srimangal upazila assistant commissioner’s (land) office on Sunday night. Faruk Ahmed said the three were nabbed during drives at Satgaon Bazar, Lochhna, Muraichhora and Amrail, adding that the recoveries were worth Tk6 lakh.

Meanwhile, reports were found that sand lifting resumed in the upazila’s Udnachhora area within just 16 hours of the drives, while sand lifting was on at over 30 spots in Mirzapur, Bhunbir, Satgaon, Sindur Khan, Srimangal sadar, Kalapur and Ashidrone areas.

Assistant Commissioner (land) Md Nurul Huda said tenders were asked for 31 sand lifting spots at Srimangal, adding that no one had the right to lift sand till the tender procedure was completed.

Nurul Huda said although several people had taken permission for different sand lifting spots from the Mineral Resources Ministry, they were not given the permission to lift sand yet.

However, many of them have started lifting sand without considering the threat to roads, bridges and river bank erosion. Besides, some people have been lifting sand, being allegedly sheltered by influential politicians, though their lease tenures have already expired.

Experts opined that transparent tender system and strict regulations could save revenues worth crores every year. l

Poor quality of fertiliser a bane for Natore farmers n Our Correspondent, Natore About 50,000 sacks of urea fertiliser have remained uncared for on the premises of a buffer stock godown in Natore.

Consequently, a large quantity of fertiliser is becoming unusable as they solidify under the pressure of upper sacks.

Farmers said they were not getting accurate weight of fertiliser as much of the agri inputs kept in sacks have been washed away by rainwater.

Moreover, the godown authority has kept 14,000 tonnes of urea fertiliser in an 8,000-capacity godown haphazardly, threatening the quality of the fertiliser.

Farmers said they did not expect positive results after applying fertilisers on their crops.

Abdur Rashid, dealer of Dighapatia Bazar, said when they tried to sell the fertiliser, farmers did not want to buy it.

“Moreover, the godown authority threatened us that if we do not buy the

Transport strike in south-western routes from September 21 n Our Correspondent, Jessore

Sand lifting continues unabated in Moulvibazar district. The picture shows sand is being deposited by the bank of a river DHAKA TRIBUNE

NEWS IN BRIEF One killed, three injured in clash

A man died and three others were injured in a clash between two groups of people over establishing dominance in Bhuapur upaizla of Tangial district yesterday morning. The deceased was identified as Abdul Kuddus, 28, from Megharpotol village of the upazila. Police quoting locals said the two groups clashed around 7am over controlling the sand business in Kalipur area beside the Jamuna river. Abdul Kuddus, a labourer, was shot dead on the spot and three others were injured. The injured were admitted to Tangail Medical College Hospital. – Our Correspondent, Tangail

23 crude bombs recovered from Chapainawabganj

Members of RAB-5 conducted a drive in Chamagram area of Baroghoria union in Chapainawabganj and recovered 23 crude bombs yesterday. Commander Major Kamruzzaman of RAB-5 said upon receiving secret information a team of RAB-5 recovered those crude bombs from a crop field in front of a petrol pump in Chmaagram. He also said they think the crude bombs were supposed to be used for creating

wet fertiliser, they will not sell us the quality fertiliser.”

Sadek, general secretary of Natore Fertiliser Dealers’ Association and Aminul Haq, president of Natore chamber of commerce and industries, said there are 64 fertiliser dealers in the district facing problems and count losses regularly.

They urged the government to construct more godowns to ease sufferings of dealers.

Engineer Nazrul Islam, in-charge of Natore Buffer godown, said the government had preserved fertilisers there to supply Natore, Rajshahi and Chapainawabganj.

Alhaz Uddin, DD of Agriculture Extension, said: “When Natore godown was constructed, there were only 40,000 to 50,000 hectares of cultivable land. But, farmers are now cultivating around 1.50 lakh hectares of land.” He said they would look into the matter immediately. l

panic after the verdict in Delwar Hossain Sayedee’s case. – Our Correspondent, Chapainawabganj

Two robbers held after gunfight with police in Comilla

Police held two bullet ridden robbers after a gunfight in the Burichang area of Comilla yesterday. They were preparing a robbery by blocking a road with a tree trunk. The arrested were Cherang Hossain, 25, and Ibrahim Khalil, 20. Wahid and Mujibur, two police constables, were injured during the clash. Sub-inspector of Burichang police station Nasir Uddin said police started chasing the robbers when they were preparing for the robbery. When the robbers started shooting at police, they fired back and detained the two robbers who suffered bullet wounds, while the others managed to escape. Police recovered two knives, a cutter and a machete from the detained robbers. – Our Correspondent, Comilla

Contaminated beef seized in Jhalakathi

Police recovered 2.5 maunds of beef, suspecting that the beef was collected from cows which were not

properly processed, from different butcher shops in Rajapur upazila of Jhalakathi yesterday. Police conducted the drive around 10pm after the locals informed them, and recovered that meat from fridges of different shop owners. Police sources said the beef was sent to the civil surgeon’s office in the district and police would take action against the proprietors responsible for selling that meet after receiving report from that office. – Our Correspondent, Jhalakathi

10 Jamaat-Shibir activists held in Brahmanbaria

Police arrested ten Jamaat-Shibir activists from different upazilas of Brahmanbaria, fearing vandalism before the verdict on the party’s Nayeb-e-Ameer Delwar Hossain Sayedee. The arrested were Ziauddin, 22, Nadimul, 22, Kawsar, 25, Syed Hossain, 36, Shimul, 24, Hridoy, 25, Shamsu Mia, 40, Azizul Haq, 40, Khalil Mia, 45 and Md Alam, 27. District Intelligence Officer Main Uddin Khan said three Shibir activists were held during a meeting in the house of Sarwar, secretary of Jamaat’s city unit. Later, the others were arrested from different upazilas of the district.

– Our Correspondent, Brahmanbaria

Primary school headmaster arrested for sexual assault Correspondent, n Our Brahmanbaria

Police arrested the headmaster of Gholkhar Poshchimpara Government Primary School in Brahmanbaria’s Akhaura upazila yesterday on allegations of sexually harassment of a female student.

The arrest was made after the victim’s mother filed a case under the Women and Child Repression Act with Akhaura police station yesterday.

The case statement says Headmaster Abdul Aziz harassed the victim sexually on August 13 inside the school premises. Following the incident, the victim’s mother filed a written complaint to the school managing body who ordered the headmaster to not come to school for two months. l

Indigenous mother tongue demanded in education Correspondent, n Our Bandarban

Indigenous students in the district brought out a procession yesterday demanding their rights including the use of their mother tongue in primary education.

Under the banner of Pahari Chhatra Parishad (PCP), the students gathered in front of Press Club where the PCP vice-president Nittalal Chakma, Uting ha Marma and Azit spoke on the ocassion. l

Jessore District Road Transport Association has threatened to enforce an indefinite strike in 18 routes of the south-western region of the country from September 21.

They gave the warning at a press conference yesterday to push home their five-point demand including the

banning of illegal Nasiman, Kariman, Mahindra, easy bike and other locally-made vehicles. They also demanded the restoration of Jessore-Khulna and Jessore-Narail road and to stop passenger harassment at Daulatdia.

President of the association Ali Akbar said the illegal plying of locally-made vehicles defying High Court ban had posed great risk on highways. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Special

7

Thursday, September 18, 2014

Pacific Armies Management Seminar XXXVIII

T

op land forces military officials from the Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean region met in Bangladesh for the 38th Pacific Armies Management Seminar (PAMS), a multinational military seminar from September 14- 17.

Bangladesh co-hosted PAMS 38 for the second time in the history of the event. In January 1994, Bangladesh co-hosted the PAMS seminar with over 150 representatives attending from 35 countries.

With the theme “A New Focus on the Asia-Pacific Region: Opportunities and Challenges for Land Forces” this year’s seminar focused on exploring new areas of cooperation. Nearly 120 delegates from 25 countries discussed contemporary issues of common concern at the Radisson Blu Water Garden Hotel.

The multinational military seminar,

which began in 1978 with a meeting of the top army staff of nine nations, is now a platform for 36 nations from the Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean region.

Since its inception, PAMS has played a significant role in strengthening bonds among the region’s armies.

Senior officials ranked between Lieutenant Colonel and Lieutenant General attended the seminar organised by the Bangladesh Army in cooperation with US Army Pacific (USARPAC).

Bangladesh Army demonstrated its military capabilities, along with showcasing the richness of the country’s people, their culture and history to the attendees.

Bangladesh Chief of Army Staff General Iqbal Karim Bhuiyan and Commanding General of US Army Pacific General Vincent K Brooks inaugurated the three-day programme. l

Chief of Army Staff, Bangladesh Army General Iqbal Karim Bhuiyan and Commanding General US Army Pacific General Vincent K Brooks pose for photograph with the participants of Pacific Armies Management Seminar 38 at Hotel Radisson on Sunday last/ISPR (Top) Bangladesh Army demonstrated its military capabilities, along with showcasing the richness of the country’s people, their culture and history to the attendees/DHAKA TRIBUNE (Above and Right)

Theme of PAMS 38 A new focus on the Asia-Pacific region: Opportunities and challenges for land forces General Iqbal Karim Bhuiyan, psc Chief Of Army Staff, Bangladesh Army General Iqbal Karim Bhuiyan, psc was born on June 2, 1957 in Comilla, Bangladesh. The General joined Bangladesh Military Academy on March 19, 1976 and was commissioned on November 30, 1976 in the Corps of Infantry.

He has attended several professional courses both at home and abroad. His foreign courses include Company Commander’s Course in Malaysia, Course on Peace-keeping for Decision Makers in the Defence Institute of International Legal Studies in Rhode Islands USA. He is graduate of Defence Services Command and Staff College, Mirpur and Command and General Staff College, USA. Besides, he took part in a workshop on Initiative for Conflict Management in JFK School of Government, Harvard University and Logistic Support Issues in Freetown, Sierra Leone.

General Karim has a fine mix of all three types of appointment available in the army ie, Staff, Instructor and Command. He commanded three Infantry Battalions, and Infantry Brigade and three Infantry Divisions. As staff he served as Colonel Staff in an Infantry Division, Chief of General Staff and Quarter Master General of Bangladesh Army at the Army Headquarters. He was Platoon Commander in Bangladesh Military Academy, Directing Staff of Defence Services Command and Staff College and Commandant of Defence Services Command and Staff College and School of Infantry and Tactics.

General Karim actively took part in Counter Insurgency Operation in Chittagong Hill Tracts, Bangladesh and participated in “Operation Desert Storm” where he received Liberation of Kuwait Medal. He also served as Commander Sector-4 of UNAMSIL in Sierra Leone.

General Karim has widely travelled around the globe that includes countries like Canada, China, Congo, Ethiopia, Guinea, Ghana, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Ivory Coast, Japan, Kuwait, Kenya, Liberia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arab, Singapore, Sierra Leone, Sudan South Sudan, Thailand, USA, UAE and UK. He is happily married to Begum Tahmina Karim and has two daughters and one son. The general is presently serving as Chief of Army Staff, Bangladesh Army.

Gen Vincent K Brooks, Commanding General US Army, Pacific (USARPAC) General Vincent K Brooks is the Commanding General of US Army Pacific (USARPAC), the Army service component of the United States Pacific Command (USPACOM). The command exercises administrative control over all US Army forces in the PACOM area of responsibility (AOR), provides trained and ready, combat enabling forces, and performs theater security programmes with 36 countries from the Asia-Pacific Regions of Alaska, Japan and Korea.

On July 2, 2013 he took command of US Army Pacific. The command is home-based at Fort Shafter, Hawaii with portions of the command-forward deployed throughout the Asia-Pacific Region.

General Brooks graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1980. During his 33 years as a commissioned officer, he served in command and staff positions in the United States; in Germany during the Cold War; in Korea; in Kosovo; and in the Middle East. His tours of duty with fighting units include the 82d Airborne Division as a lieutenant; the 1st Infantry Division (Forward) as a captain; the 1st Cavalry Division as a major and again as a brigadier general; the 2d Infantry Division as a lieutenant colonel; the Third Army Central (with duty in Headquarters, Coalition Joint Task Force – Kuwait) and the 3d Infantry Division (with duty in North Atlantic Treaty Organization-Kosovo Forces) as a colonel; Headquarters, United States Central Command; Headquarters, 1st Cavalry Division (with duty as Headquarters, Multi-National Division-Baghdad) and Headquarters, III Corps and Fort Hood as a brigadier general; Headquarters, 1st Infantry Division (with duty as Headquarters U.S. Division - South) as a major general; and most recently as the Commanding General of Third United States Army/US Army Central (ARCENT) continuously deployed to the Middle East countries of Kuwait, Qatar, Afghanistan, Bahrain, Jordan and United Arab Emirates.

General Brooks served at the national-level in the Pentagon. Within Headquarters, Department of the Army, he fulfilled staff duties as aide-de-camp to the Vice Chief of Staff of the Army, and later as the Army’s Chief of Public Affairs. Within The Joint Staff, he fulfilled duties as Deputy Director (J5) for Political-Military Affairs for the Western Hemisphere, and later as the Deputy Director (J5) for the War on Terrorism.

General Brooks is married to Dr. Carol P. Brooks, an educator and physical therapist. Both the general and his wife are from career military families.

During PAMS, seminar participants discussed topics that related to: • Practicing cooperation, developing interoperability of concepts for non-traditional security • Balancing requirement for meeting traditional and non-traditional threats • Civil-military and multinational cooperation, the essential elements for future stability • Building response capacity of land forces for issues of environmental security

PAMS in brief

P

acific Armies Management Seminar (PAMS) is a US Army Pacific (USARPAC) initiated multinational military seminar which aims at facilitating and enhancing interactions among the armies of the Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean region. Each year, the seminar is jointly co-hosted by the USARPAC and another member country from among the Pacific nations.

The purpose is to provide an academic forum for the senior-level (Lieutenant Colonel to Lieutenant General, or national equivalents) ground forces’ officers to discuss contemporary issues of common concern. PAMS has proven itself as a solid contributor to the shared goal of regional stability.

This year, Bangladesh Army co-hosted PAMS XXXVIII along with USARPAC at Dhaka from September 14 to 17.

Nearly 120 persons from 24 countries participated in the seminar.

History If we trace back the history, PAMS-1, started its journey with only nine nations at Honolulu, Hawaii in 1978.

Today, it has expanded more than three times and now twenty five nations from different parts of the world are attending PAMS-38 in Bangladesh.

Objectives The purpose of conducting PAMS is to accomplish the following program goals: a. To annually assemble current and future leaders of regional armies and security forces, developing and enhancing interpersonal relations among attendees, and practicing openness and transparency in a non-attribution setting. b. To contribute to regional security and stability through cooperative approaches, including the exchange of information on the agreed theme and topics, and to foster team-building in a syndicate-based environment. c. To enable the co-host country to demonstrate its military capabilities, and to expose attendees to the rich-

ness of its people, culture and history.

Conduct This time, the seminar is organized around a theme and four related topics. The main program will include: a. Central lectures/presentations and panel discussions from a combination of academic, senior diplomatic and selected delegates. Delegates are encouraged to address the guest speakers in plenary session on any area of their presentation. b. At the more detailed level, participants are divided into syndicates/ break-out groups (20-25 delegates in each syndicate) under the supervision of a local Facilitator. During break-out sessions, the members will engage in a more informal group discussion in a syndicate-room setting on the same topics as that of the central lecture. Besides, there will be number of sub-topics to regulate the discussion towards specific enabling objectives. On the last day of the seminar syndicate members will present the outcome of their discussions.

Theme of PAMS 38 “A New Focus on Asia-Pacific Region: Opportunities and Challenges for Land Forces.” Here the need for developing an integrated approach towards addressing issues of common concern should be emphasized. At the end, the participants should be able to identify the prevailing opportunities and chal-

lenges of the region and recognize the need for enhanced cooperation among the land forces in fostering regional and global peace.

Topic-1: Practicing Cooperation, developing interoperability of concepts for non-traditional security The aim of this part of the seminar is to emphasize the need for increased cooperation among the regional land forces towards developing common modalities of countering non-traditional security threats. The participants should develop a better awareness of the nature and dynamics of the prevailing and emerging non-traditional threats. The purpose of this intellectual engagement is to promote the notion of collective security against non-traditional threats through mutual exchange of information, ideas and concepts.

Topic-2: Building Response Capacity of Land Forces for issues of Environmental Security The aim of this part of the seminar is to raise awareness about the role and importance of environment within the overall framework of human security. The participants should develop a clear understanding of the prevailing and emerging environmental hazards. The discussions should focus on capacity building by the land forces to intervene effectively during all phases of environmental disasters to reduce risk, vulnerability and loss.

Topic-3: Balancing Requirements for Meeting Traditional and Non-Traditional Threats The aim of this part of the seminar

is to help the participants ascertain if or not the conventional security apparatus is adequate to address the non-traditional security challenges.

The lectures should also enable a better understanding of the special requirements of dealing with non-traditional threats. The participants should broadly identify those aspects of traditional security concepts and instruments which needs modification to fit equally well into the non-traditional security framework.

Topic-4. Civil-Military and Multinational Cooperation, the essential elements for future stability (Panel discussion) The aim of the panel discussion is to promote the idea of creating a wider network of cooperation among the diverse range of stakeholders towards the shared goal of achieving regional stability. The idea is to look beyond the traditional concepts of state-centric security in favor of a more inclusive and dynamic approach towards ensuring regional peace and stability. The participants should also recognize the inevitable need for civilian inputs in developing holistic peace strategies.

Other events Apart from the plenary and breakout sessions, the conference shall have formal opening/closing ceremony.

There will also be some socio-cultural events to introduce the delegation members with the rich culture of Bangladesh. l

Participating Countries Afghanistan

Indonesia

Papua New Guinea

Australia

Japan

Philippines

Bangladesh

Korea (ROK)

Singapore

Brunei

Malaysia

Tonga

Cambodia

Maldives

USA (USARPAC)

Canada

Mongolia

United Kingdom

Chile

Nepal

Vanuatu

China

New Zealand

Vietnam

8

DHAKA TRIBUNE

World

Thursday, September 18, 2014

World holds its breath as Scots vote on independence Major powers quietly pray UK will hold together, some EU states fear consequences for their own cohesion

n Reuters, Paris The world is holding its breath but mostly hoping Scotland will vote “No” to independence from Britain in today’s historic referendum.

For reasons of self-interest and geopolitics, major powers from Beijing to Washington and Moscow to New Delhi are quietly praying the United Kingdom holds together and does not create a contagious precedent of state fragmentation in unstable times.

US defence officials have aired concerns about the practical complications of dealing with an independent Scotland, which builds Britain’s aircraft carriers and hosts its only nuclear submarine base Among London’s European Union partners, Germany has said openly it would prefer Britain to stay together while other countries, notably Spain, Belgium and Italy, are hoping the Scottish vote does not create or exacerbate problems for their own national cohesion.

Russia and China, often at loggerheads with Britain in the United Nations Security Council, have strong domestic grounds to avoid wishing for the old imperial nation’s discomfiture, since both are keen to stifle separatism at home.

Almost the only groups around the globe rooting for Scottish sovereignty are peoples without a separate state of their own, from Catalans in Spain to Kashmiris in India and Kurds scattered across Turkey, Iraq and Iran, many of whom yearn for self-determination.

Iraqi army launches offensive on Islamic State in three cities n Reuters, Baghdad Iraqi forces launched an intense military operation against Islamic State insurgents in three cities in central Iraq yesterday, fighting to regain control of lost ground, security sources said.

The offensives in Ramadi, Falluja and Haditha in the western province of Anbar started before dawn. Sunni tribes revolted in these areas in late 2013 when Iraq’s former prime minister Nuri al-Maliki moved his forces into the cities to suppress a year-long anti-government protest movement.

Islamic State insurgents then entered the cities and became the dominate force over the course of several months’ fighting against the Shi’ite-led government.

Security sources said the Iraqi Army’s 8th division hit areas in western Ramadi with mortars, artillery and rocket fire. Government-aligned Sunni tribal fighters also clashed with Islamic State in Ramadi, leaving eight people dead, a hospital source in Ramadi said.

In Falluja, heavy shelling and Iraqi air force strikes hit the al-Sujur district on the edge of the city, killing 12 civilians, medics in Falluja said. l

Ukrainian MP thrown into bin outside parliament house

n Agencies

Extraordinary footage has emerged of a Ukrainian MP being chucked in to a bin by protesters, according to a report by The Independent. Vitaliy Zhuravskiy can be seen wearing a suit and holding his briefcase as he’s ushered to the large refuse bins by a handful of men before being thrown in head first. The incident happened outside the building of the Ukrainian parliament with Zhuravskiy stuck in the wheelie bin, while was also being angrily pushed in it by activists.

A second video shows the latter half of the incident where camouflaged police appear to come to his rescue as dozens of people jostle to film and photograph the melee. Zhuravskiy is understood not to have made a formal police complaint, reports local Ukrainian news outlets. According to RT.com, MPs were dumbfounded by the actions of the activists because Zhuravskiy was behind the drafting of a lustration bill that the protesters had gathered to support. l

The Catalan regional government in Barcelona wants to call its own non-binding independence referendum for Nov. 9, but Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy on Wednesday described this and the Scottish vote as “a torpedo below the waterline of the European spirit.”

The United States has made clear it wants Britain to remain a “strong, robust, united and effective partner,” in President Barack Obama’s words, while saying it was Scotland’s choice.

London has long been Washington’s most loyal and willing ally in the Nato defence pact and in military interventions in the Middle East and beyond, although that activism was called into question last year when the British parliament voted against joining proposed air strikes against Syria.

“The US has really hoped it wouldn’t need a policy on this and that the independence issue would just go away,” said Fiona Hill, a former US National Intelligence Council specialist on Europe now at the Brookings Institution think-tank.

“No one really believed it was a possibility until the last few weeks. Now they are really having to start thinking about it,” she said.

A large opinion poll lead for opponents of Scottish independence has shrunk dramatically over the summer and the “no” side is now only marginally ahead in most surveys.

US defence officials have aired concerns about the practical complications of dealing with an independent Scotland, which builds Britain’s aircraft carriers and hosts its only nuclear submarine base. US diplomats also fear a break-up of the United Kingdom would weaken both parts economically and make a British exit from the EU more likely, weakening Washington’s influence inside the bloc.

If Scotland votes to go its own way, Washington will want it in the EU and Nato, Hill said. l

Clockwise from top: Pro-independence campaigners rally in central Glasgow, Scotland, on September 17, on the eve of Scotland’s independence referendum. A woman waves a Scottish Saltire at a ‘Yes’ campaign rally in Glasgow. A campaigner holds a ‘Yes’ banner amidst ‘No’ supporters after a ‘No’ campaign rally in Glasgow AFP/REUTERS

Gaza widow offers insight US may send ground troops, IS into world of spies video threatens to kill them n AP, Beirut/Washington

In this November 5, 2006 file photo, Palestinian Islamic Jihad masked gunmen hold up their guns as they display one of two men whom they alleged were Palestinian collaborators for Israel in Gaza City AP

n AP, Gaza City The 48-year-old Palestinian woman’s husband was shot to death in 2012 by militants in the Gaza Strip for spying for Israel. A mother of seven, she herself was jailed by Gaza’s Hamas rulers for aiding and abetting a spy — her husband.

The widow’s account to The Associated Press gave a rare look into the secret espionage side of the war between Israel and the Hamas militant group.

According to her, Israeli security agents took advantage of her late husband’s financial troubles a decade ago, luring him into collaborating by offering him a permit to work in Israel. She was later recruited when she was allowed to take one of their children to Israel for medical treatment.

“Our life was hell. We were scared,” she said of their years feeding Israel information. “I used to look over my shoulder when I am out in the market, get scared when I see a police car.” The woman, who was released in December, spoke on condition of anonymity because Hamas does not allow freed collaborators to talk to the press.

Israel has historically relied on collaborators against Palestinian militants and activists, recruiting them with methods ranging from entrapment and blackmail to cash and perks. Hamas, in turn, has done whatever it can to stop collaborators — particularly by killing them in public as a deterrent to others — since it holds them responsible for helping Israel assassinate dozens of its top figures.

The issue emerged again with the latest round of fighting in Gaza, which ended late last month. During the war,

militants gunned down 22 suspected spies, almost all of them on a single day after three senior Hamas military operatives were killed in an Israeli airstrike apparently guided by collaborators.

Palestinians human rights groups sharply criticized Hamas for carrying out extra-judicial killings. “It was a terrifying message to society and a deterrent to other collaborators,” Salah Abdel-Atti of Gaza’s Independent Commission for Human Rights said.

But rights concerns win little sympathy among Palestinians, who widely see informing for Israel as unforgivable treason — even among Gazans opposed to Hamas’ iron fisted control of the territory since 2007.

Ramiz Abu Jazar, a Gazan whose brother was killed by Hamas in intra-Palestinian fighting in 2007, said he’s all for killing collaborators. They are “like cancer in society,” he told the AP. “They sold their souls to the devil.”

There have been instances of Palestinians collaborating out of political conviction. Most embarrassing to Hamas, the son of the group’s co-founder Sheik Hassan Youssef spied for Israel between 1997 and 2007, dubbed “the Green Prince.” Now in the US, Mosab Yousef later wrote that he did so in part out of revulsion at Hamas’ actions.

But the large majority of collaborators are believed to do so because of blackmail or financial gain. “Everything starts and ends with money,” said an operative from Israel’s domestic intelligence agency, Shin Bet, which runs Palestinian informants. Many are recruited at Erez, Israel’s border crossing with Gaza. l

Hours after the US raised prospects of sending ground troops to fight Islamic State, the militant group released a video threatening to target them.

The 52-second video entitled ‘Flames of War’ shows militants blowing up tanks, wounded US soldiers and others about to killed.

It then shows a clip of Obama saying that combat troops will not return to Iraq, ending with a text overlay that reads “fighting has just begun.”

The video’s timing, released Tuesday, suggests it was a response to General Martin Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who said in testimony to the Senate Armed Services Committee that if the current Iraq strategy doesn’t prevail, he may recommend the use of ground troops.

American ground troops may be needed to battle Islamic State forces in the Middle East if President Barack Obama’s current strategy fails, the nation’s top military officer said Tuesday as Congress plunged into an election-year debate of Obama’s plan to expand airstrikes and train Syrian rebels.

A White House spokesman said quickly the president “will not” send

ground forces into combat, but General Martin Dempsey said Obama had personally told him to come back on a “case by case basis” if the military situation changed.

American ground troops may be needed to battle Islamic State forces in the Middle East if President Barack Obama’s current strategy fails “To be clear, if we reach the point where I believe our advisers should accompany Iraqi troops on attacks against specific ISIL targets, I will recommend that to the president,” Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, declared in testimony to the Senate Armed Services Committee. He referred to the militants by an alternative name.

Pressed later by Democratic Sen. Carl Levin, the panel’s chairman, the four-star general said if Obama’s current approach isn’t enough to prevail, he might “go back to the president and

make a recommendation that may include the use of ground forces.”

Dempsey’s testimony underscored the dilemma confronting many lawmakers as the House moves through its own debate on authorizing the Pentagon to implement the policy Obama announced last week.

In Iraq on Tuesday, the US continued its expanded military campaign, carrying out two airstrikes northwest of Irbil and three southwest of Baghdad. Democrats in Washington spoke of a fear that the United State might inevitably become dragged into yet another ground war on the heels of Afghanistan and Iraq.

“We must ... ask ourselves if we can truly ‘vet’ these rebel groups beyond their known affiliations, and ensure we are not arming the next extremist threat to the region and the world,” said Democratic Rep. Pete Visclosky.

The same question came up at the Senate hearing, and Hagel said the US will monitor closely to ensure that weapons don’t fall into the wrong hands. “We have come a long way” in our ability to vet the moderate opposition, and the US has learned a lot as it has funneled non-lethal aid to the rebels, Dempsey said. l

Obama’s Ebola response: Is it enough? n AP, Washington President Barack Obama declared Tuesday that the Ebola epidemic in West Africa could threaten security around the world, and he ordered 3,000 US military personnel to the region in emergency aid muscle for a crisis spiraling out of control. The question was whether the aid would be enough and was coming in time. An ominous World Health Organization forecast said that with so many people now getting infected with the virus, the number of Ebola cases could start doubling every three weeks.

“If the outbreak is not stopped now, we could be looking at hundreds of thousands of people affected, with profound economic, political and security implications for all of us,” Obama said. He called on other countries to join in quickly supplying more health workers, equipment and money. By day’s end the administration asked Congress to shift another $500m in Pentagon money to the effort, meaning the US could end up devoting $1bn to contain the outbreak.

“It’s a potential threat to global security

if these countries break down,” Obama said, speaking of the hardest-hit nations of Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea. At least 2,400 people have died, with Liberia bearing the brunt. The US is promising to deliver 17 hundred-bed treatment centers to Liberia, where contagious patients often sit in the streets, turned away from packed Ebola units.

“This massive ramp-up of support from the United States is precisely the kind of transformational change we need to get a grip on the outbreak and begin to turn it around,” said WHO Director-General Margaret Chan. Doctors Without Borders, which has sounded the alarm for months, also welcomed the US effort but said it must be put into action immediately — and that other countries must follow suit because the window to contain the virus is closing.

But some lawmakers questioned if the heightened US response will be enough.

Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., said, “My math says we’re going to be behind the eight ball on Day 1 because we won’t have enough beds.” l

Ebola in Africa On 15 Sept*

2,461 deaths 4,985 cases *9 Sept for Liberia

SENEGAL GUINEA LIBERIA

NIGERIA

SIERRA LEONE Liberia Guinea

1,296 595

936

Sierra 562

Leone

Nigeria 8

2,407

1,620

/ 21

Senegal: One case, survived Source: WHO

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Indian villagers shave their heads to mourn dead monkey n Agencies Nearly 200 Indian villagers have shaved their heads to mourn the death of a monkey from their local temple, according to a report by BBC. The macaque drowned when it fell into a pond after being chased by dogs.

Afraid that its death may bring them bad luck, the villagers held a funeral procession and cremated the animal according to Hindu rituals. Another 700 villagers shaved their beards off.

Monkeys are considered sacred by Hindus and there are temples dedicated to monkey god Hanuman across India.

Hanuman is generally depicted with a human body, a red monkey’s face and a tail and his followers believe that worshipping him will liberate them from fear and danger.

The dead monkey was one of a pair that lived near a small Hanuman temple in Dakachya village in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, village resident Mithun Patel said.

It drowned on September 2 and its body was discovered by the villagers the next day.

“The village elders said a monkey dying inside the village is very inauspicious. We were afraid it might bring us bad luck, a natural calamity,” Patel said.

“So we decided to propitiate the monkey’s soul to ensure nothing untoward happened in our village.”

After the monkey was cremated, the local men shaved their heads and beards as a sign of mourning.

A group of villagers also travelled to the Hindu holy town of Haridwar to immerse the monkey’s ashes in the holy river Ganges.

The customary “11th-day feast to pray for the monkey’s soul” was put off by a day and held on Sunday so that school children could also attend, Patel said. l

World

9

Thursday, September 18, 2014

Xi sees factory China and back What is about N Korea that’s so attractive to office India as global engine Border rows, nuclear, railways top Beijing-Delhi talks

Americans?

n Reuters, Ahmedabad

n AP, Seoul, S Korea

The “world’s factory” and the “world’s back office” could together drive global economic growth, Chinese President Xi Jinping said as he began a rare visit to India yesterday, playing down mistrust that has long kept the Asian giants apart.

India’s new prime minister, Narendra Modi, is determined to build closer relations with the world’s second-largest economy, whose leader arrived on Modi’s 64th birthday armed with pledges to invest billions of dollars in railways, industrial parks and roads.

“As the two engines of the Asian economy, we need to become cooperation partners spearheading growth,” Xi wrote in a column in The Hindu newspaper before landing in India, where he received a warm and carefully choreographed welcome.

He said that, together, China’s strong manufacturing base and India’s software and scientific skills had massive potential both as a production base and for creating a consumer market.

Xi flew with his wife directly to Ahmedabad, the main city in Modi’s home state of Gujarat, where the Indian prime minister greeted him with a handshake and a bouquet of lilies.

Modi is keen on Chinese investment to help balance $65bn in annual trade that is heavily tilted in China’s favour. He is also seeking more access for India’s IT services and pharmaceuticals to China.

The visit coincides with a slowdown in China’s economy, which has prompted Chinese companies to look abroad for growth opportunities.

A $6.8bn deal to set up two industrial parks for Chinese investment in India was on the cards, a senior Chinese official said in New Delhi, at a separate event where another $3.4bn worth of agreements was signed between Chi-

One shouted about God’s love as he crossed a frozen river, clutching a Bible.

Another swam, drunk and naked. Several US soldiers dashed around land mines.

Time and again, Americans over the years have slipped illegally into poor, deeply suspicious, fervently anti-American North Korea, even as it has become increasingly easy to enter legally as a tourist. It’s incomprehensible to many, especially since tens of thousands of desperate North Koreans have crossed in the opposite direction, at great risk.

On Tuesday night, a US citizen apparently tried to swim across a river separating the Koreas, eager to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, local media reported. And on Sunday, a young American who entered as a tourist but then tore up his visa was sentenced to six years of hard labor on charges he illegally entered the country to commit espionage.

Sneaking into autocratic, cloistered North Korea has proven a strange and powerful temptation for some Americans.

Sometimes the spur is deep religious conviction. Sometimes it’s discontent with America and a belief that things will be different in a country that can seem like its polar opposite. Quite often, analysts say, it’s mental or personal problems — or simply a case of a person acting upon a very, very bad idea.

Whatever their reasons, Americans detained in North Korea, including three currently in custody, are major complications for Washington, which must decide whether to let a US citizen languish or to provide Pyongyang with a propaganda victory by sending a senior US envoy to negotiate a release.

In the Cold War, a handful of US soldiers, some of whom knew little about life in the North, fled across the Demilitarized

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi presents a bouquet to China’s President Xi Jinping (L) before their meeting in the western Indian city of Ahmedabad REUTERS nese and Indian firms.

Indian airline IndiGo, the country’s largest by market share, said it had sealed a $2.6bn agreement on the sidelines of the summit with Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) to finance more than 30 new aircraft.

Further deals worth tens of billions of dollars were expected to be announced on the three-day visit, dwarfing the $400m invested by China in India over the past 14 years.

The leaders may also discuss working together on civilian nuclear programmes and seek a solution for a long-running travel visa row, Indian officials said.

Dragon and elephant

Modi hopes the leaders of the world’s two most populous nations will establish a personal rapport to match the

warmth he shares with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who wished him happy returns in a phone call on Wednesday morning.

But beyond the smiles and the commercial embrace, ties between nuclear-armed India and China are marked by competition for energy and regional clout as well as a festering border dispute that led to a brief war 52 years ago.

Days before the two leaders shook hands and smiled in Ahmedabad, friction emerged over an alleged Himalayan border incursion by China and over a pact between India and Vietnam to explore for oil and gas in parts of the South China Sea claimed by Beijing.

In his column, Xi said the “Chinese Dragon” and the “Indian Elephant” both cherished peace and shared one of the most dynamic and promising bilateral relations of the 21st century. l

Zone and later appeared in North Korean propaganda films.

Charles Robert Jenkins, of North Carolina, deserted his army post in South Korea in 1965. He was allowed to leave North Korea for Japan in 2004.

Other defector soldiers had problems in their military units or issues with family at home. One was reportedly lured north by a female North Korean agent.

In the decades after the war, some Americans harbored “glamorous notions of North Korea as a socialist paradise,” said John Delury, an Asia expert at Yonsei University in Seoul. “But that’s just not part of the mix any more. Even in the furthest fringes of American online culture, you don’t find that notion.”

Mental health issues have often played a part, Delury said. “It’s seen as a forbidden country ... a place that’s perceived in the American mind as being locked down,” Delury said. “To cross the border, in some ways, could be alluring” to people looking to break social rules.

Evan C. Hunziker had reportedly been drinking with a friend in 1996 when he decided to swim naked across the Yalu River between China and the North. Hunziker, who was released after about three months, had drug, alcohol and legal problems. He was later found dead in Washington state in what was ruled a suicide.

Religion has provided a powerful impulse for some to cross.

North Korea officially guarantees freedom of religion, but outside analysts and defectors describe the country as militantly anti-religious. The distribution of Bibles and secret prayer services can mean imprisonment or execution, defectors have said.

“It is one of the last frontiers to spread the Christian faith, so there are people who would take unimaginable risks” to evangelize there, Delury said. l

New al Qaeda wing in S Pakistan’s PM threatens to clear protesters Asia claims major attack n Reuters, Islamabad

n Reuters, Islamabad Al Qaeda’s South Asia wing has claimed responsibility for hijacking a Pakistani naval ship and trying to use it to fire rockets at US vessels in the Arabian Sea, in the first major assault by the newly created group.

The SITE monitoring service quoted its spokesman, Usama Mahmoud, as saying a group of militants had succeeded in seizing control of the Pakistani frigate PNS Zulfiqar and tried to use it to attack nearby US vessels.

“These mujahideen had taken control of the Pakistani ship, and they were advancing towards the American fleet when the Pakistani army stopped them,” he said.

“As a result, the mujahideen, the lions of Allah and benefactors of the Ummah, sacrificed their lives for Allah, and the Pakistani soldiers spoiled their hereafter by giving up their lives in defence of the enemies of the Ummah the Americans.”

SITE said Mahmoud’s statement also provided a picture and a detailed layout of the PNS Zulfiqar.

The navy and the army’s press wing were not immediately available for comment. The naval yard on Pakistan’s Arabian Sea coast is a strategically important facility at the centre of US-Pakistani security, anti-terrorism and anti-trafficking cooperation.

Jackie Chan’s son formally arrested in drug case n AP, Beijing Police in Beijing have formally arrested the son of Hong Kong martial arts film star Jackie Chan on suspicion of allowing other people to consume drugs, a charge that carries a maximum sentence of three years’ imprisonment, prosecutors said yesterday.

The Dongcheng district prosecutor’s office said it had given approval for the formal arrest of actor Jaycee Chan following a request from police a week earlier.

Jaycee Chan, 31, became the highest profile celebrity to be ensnared in an anti-drug crackdown by Chinese authorities when he was detained on August 14 along with Taiwanese movie star Ko Kai. Police said a few days later that both actors had tested positive for marijuana and admitted using the drug, and that 100 grams of it were taken from Chan’s home. l

The foiled attack comes at a time when regional powers are already concerned about stability as US-led forces continue to withdraw from neighbouring Afghanistan, potentially creating a security gap for insurgents to exploit.

The attack, which lasted several hours, also shows just how much the Islamist militants are capable of striking at the heart of Pakistan’s vast security apparatus and raises questions about the nuclear-armed nation’s ability to guard its installations.

The Pakistani Taliban, closely allied with al Qaeda, had earlier said that the Sept. 6 attack was carried out with the help of insiders. Pakistan later arrested a number of navy personnel on suspicion of collaborating with the attackers.

Al Qaeda announced the formation of the new group on Sept. 4, with its chief, Ayman al-Zawahri, promising to spread Islamic rule and “raise the flag of jihad” across South Asia, home to more than 400 million Muslims.

Analysts say the move is part of al Qaeda’s plan to take advantage of the planned withdrawal of US-led forces from Afghanistan and boost its influence in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region as well as India. It also comes against the backdrop of a full-scale operation launched by Pakistan’s military against Taliban militants in the lawless region of North Waziristan. l

Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, weakened by weeks of demonstrations calling for him to resign, threatened yesterday to clear a protest camp established more than a month ago outside government offices in Islamabad.

Protesters led by Imran Khan, a former cricket star, and Tahir ul-Qadri, a firebrand cleric, have been locked in a bitter stand-off with the government since mid-August, refusing to leave their camp until Sharif steps down.

The protest leaders accuse Sharif of rigging last year’s election which brought him back to power in a landslide.

“Up until now, we have tolerated all this and acted with decency and patience,” Sharif said in televised remarks.

“Otherwise it’s no hard task for us to clear the way and clear the streets.”

Pakistan’s opposition leaders ordered thousands of their supporters this weekend to resist any government attempt to quash their protests, prolonging a political crisis in the coupprone country.

Khan’s party said it had not backed down from its demand that Sharif quit and was ending dialogue with the government after 100 activists were jailed over the weekend.

“We have not withdrawn our demand for the resignation of the prime minister,” said Jehangir Tareen, the party’s secretary general. “There is no

In this September 16 photo, supporters of the chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) political party, Imran Khan, listen to his speech during what has been dubbed a ‘freedom march’ in Islamabad REUTERS point in continuing the dialogue with the government after the crackdown on our workers.”

The confrontation turned violent last month, with thousands trying to storm Sharif’s house and briefly taking

Pakistani Islamists use floods to turn opinion against India n Reuters, Multan, Pakistan Hafiz Saeed, widely considered one of South Asia’s most dangerous militants, has no doubt who is to blame for devastating floods that have submerged swathes of Pakistani countryside and claimed hundreds of lives.

“India irrigates its deserts and dumps extra water on Pakistan without any warning,” the bearded Saeed told Reuters, as he surveyed a vast expanse of muddy water from a rescue boat just outside the central city of Multan. “If we don’t stop India now, Pakistan will continue to face this danger.”

His comments will surprise few in India, where Saeed is suspected of helping mastermind the 2008 Mumbai massacre which killed 166 people, a few of them Americans. Saeed, who also has

a $10m US bounty on his head, denies involvement. But his presence in the flood-hit area is part of a push by Pakistani Islamists, militants and organisations linked to them to fill the vacuum left by struggling local authorities and turn people against a neighbour long viewed with deep mistrust.

Water is an emotive issue in Pakistan, whose rapidly rising population depends on snow-fed Himalayan rivers for everything from drinking water to agriculture. Many Pakistanis believe that rival India uses its upstream dams to manipulate how much water flows down to Pakistani wheat and cotton fields, with some describing it as a “water bomb” designed to weaken its neighbour.

There is no evidence to prove that, and India has long dismissed such accusations as nonsense. Experts say this

month’s floods, which also hit India’s part of the disputed Kashmir region, were caused by the sheer volume of rainfall. In fact, some Pakistanis accuse their own government of failing to invest in dams and other infrastructure needed to regulate water levels through wet and dry seasons.

But others agree with the narrative pushed by Saeed and Syed Salahuddin, head of the militant anti-Indian Hizbul Mujahideen group and also one of India’s most wanted men. “India wants to turn Pakistan into an arid desert,” Salahuddin told Reuters in a telephone interview, describing another scenario feared by some Pakistanis - that India will cut off supplies of water in times of shortage.

“If this continues, a new Jihad will begin. Our fighters are ready to avenge Indian brutality in whatever form.” l

the state television channel off the air.

Violence in the usually quiet capital has alarmed many people in a nation where power has often changed hands though military coups rather than elections.

Some ruling party officials have accused the military of instigating the unrest in order to destabise Sharif so that it can exert more influence over him.

The army has denied it was meddling in civilian affairs, saying it is neutral. l

Angry Pakistani passengers throw politician off plane n Reuters, Islamabad Fed up with constant delays and flight cancellations, disgruntled Pakistani passengers prevented a senior politician from boarding an airplane after he turned up at least two hours late for the flight.

A video posted online on Tuesday shows a group of passengers shouting “Shame on you” as they blocked Rehman Malik, an influential former interior minister, from entering the plane and then chasing him back to the terminal building.

The plane, operated by state-run Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), eventually took off from the port city of Karachi

for Islamabad without Malik on board.

An airline spokesman could not immediately be reached for comment.

Another politician, Ramesh Kumar Wakwani, was also barred from boarding the aircraft after turning up late.

Malik defended himself, saying he was not responsible for the delay. “(W)ho shd be blamed for this delay? PIA or me? Obviously PIA,” he wrote on his Twitter page.

The state airline, plagued by financial losses and often criticised for its inefficiency, is known for delaying flights to accommodate the schedules of important politicians, sometimes making ordinary passengers wait for hours to take off. l

10

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Editorial

Thursday, September 18, 2014

CODE-CRACKER

Respect the courts

T

he Supreme Court’s decision in giving Jamaat-e-Islami leader Delawar Hossain Sayedee imprisonment until death for committing crimes against humanity during the Bangladesh Liberation War must be respected.

It is not up to either the government or the public to pass sentences.

Five Supreme Court justices on the Appellate Division have duly reviewed the death sentence passed last year on the defendant by the International Crimes Tribunal, for two counts of crimes against humanity. Their verdict should be respected as a fair resolution of this trial.

Judges cannot and must not be moved by popular opinion, however heartfelt and wellmeaning. We understand how many people may wish to have seen a death sentence carried out on this individual. However, to suggest that this is an unsatisfactory verdict which is somehow the government’s fault is insulting both to the government and the judiciary.

It is clear from the fact that the Supreme Court has judged the defendant guilty of serious crimes against humanity, including mass killings and religious persecution, that it was right for this person to have been brought before the ICT. The guilty verdicts are an important part of ending the impunity for war crimes, which has cast a shadow over our history and politics.

By commuting a death sentence, the judges have acted with due judicial regard for the facts before them. They need not be concerned that neither the defence nor prosecution are happy with their ruling.

It is not up to either the government or the public to pass sentences

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

Learning beyond 2015 September 10

Ayan Rahman “According to Unicef, the gross enrolment ratio of boys in pre-primary school from the year 20082012 was 26.8% and girls’ enrolment was 26.1% in Bangladesh.”

The MDG target seems “facts and figures”

Outlaw marital rape

I

Fahmida Islam *trigger warning* “Efforts to curb sexual abuse in the country, such as the Women and Children Repression act in 2010, are badly undermined by loopholes and misogynist attitudes embedded in old laws.”

Bridget Kustin Dhaka Tribune takes another brave and critical stand.

Married only to be trafficked

September 9

t is regrettable that the police have used water-cannons and fired rubber bullets and tear shells on Gonojagoron Moncho activists rallying in protest at the Appellate Division’s verdict in the Sayedee case.

Strong emotions by people seeking a tougher sentence are perfectly understandable in this case.

Citizens have a right to express their opinions and to demonstrate to express their views on judicial verdicts.

That is their constitutional right.

However, there is no place for disruptive activities or protests which breach the peace.

The judiciary has to take congizance of the law and the facts before them, not the opinions of members of the public. Cases have to be tried in courts of law and not on the streets.

While supporters of Gonojagoron Moncho do not need to be happy with the verdict, they should respect it, if for no other reason than that they do not want to give the defendant an excuse to claim that justice was influenced by a mob.

That would be ruinous to the credibility of the process, which needs to be upheld in order to meet the invaluable aim of ending impunity for war crimes.

Certainly there is no justification for violence in protest at this verdict. We find it concerning then that Jamaat-e-Islami has called for hartals in protest at the entire process, not least because of their track record in inciting violence.

For Jamaat to call new protests seems irrational and unwarranted. The courts have duly undergone an open judicial process. It should be respected and not challenged on the streets.

There is no place for protests which breach the peace

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

SUDOKU September 9

No place for street justice

oriented. But shouldn’t our education go beyond the statistics as well? Of course there’s an extreme need for more initiatives to reach out for more students, but in the mean time, let us not forget that we need to update our books too. Our books should be made more socio-culture-centric, rather than just a bundle of theories. We need to do a lot more research in those developed nations and try to find out how they are dealing with pedagogy.

Still, our teachers explain math in a way that seems like this is magic, cannot be understood by all, and they have no practical use in our lives.

I hope our government inspects our education system more closely, so that their resources are properly used by these teachers.

How to solve: Each number in our CODE-CRACKER grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. For example, today 14 represents N so fill N every time the figure 14 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.

Sheikh Jinat Mahmid What should be the punishment for such crimes?

PB Only the death penalty. #trafficking of #women to #India has been a very profitable #business.

Sexual harassment: Another life lost

September 9

SM “Mitu has no one else before her to blame, but her father. ‘What kind of a father are you – you could not save my sister?’ she wailed as the dead body of her sister was brought to their school in the capital’s Khilgaon area. Mitu’s sister Ritu killed herself after being hounded by stalkers.”

This news really made me sad.

Judges’ impeachment bill: Kamal-led body fumbles September 10 tanzeeba alam “Former adviser to the caretaker government, Barrister Moinul Hossain, accused the government of trying to ‘kill’ democracy for the second time in Bangladesh’s history, adding that the government should be announced illegal and unconstitutional as they were not elected in a ‘proper way.’”

The caretaker government rejecting Moinul Hossain’s comments is not surprising. He needs to substantialise his claims as to why the government is illegal and what is the reason behind the global communities’ acceptance of the present regime.

Not a single country has taken steps to stop operations of embassies or conclude trading relations with Bangladesh.

Either we are all stupid or only one failed politician is saying this out of jealousy of his brother.

Scotland’s dreaming September 10

Obscure Mohsin No money, no solution, according to Bangladeshi regulations.

Kazi Moon Uff!! I hope God punishes them.

Audit says defence spending not realistic, logical September 9

Lutfur Arif “Refund of the unspent funds could have been utilised in other sectors.”

I think, this will never come to be … but it should be.

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

CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Principal (4) 3 Swarms (5) 8 Wicked (4) 9 Given shoes (4) 11 Peruvian animal (5) 12 Back of the neck (4) 14 Lair (3) 15 Bird (5) 18 Stop (5) 19 And not (3) 21 Period of time (4) 24 Desert dwellers (5) 26 Colour (4) 27 Form walking surface (4) 28 Glossy, as hair (5) 29 Stupefy (4)

DOWN 1 Table-shaped hill (4) 2 Golf club (4) 4 Slippery fish (3) 5 Dodge (5) 6 Mute entertainment (4) 7 Jargon (5) 10 Fish (4) 11 Letting contract (5) 13 Supplicates (5) 16 Tide of least height (4) 17 Breaks suddenly (5) 18 Beg for (5) 20 Spoken (4) 22 Fissure (4) 23 Outer covering (4) 25 Insect (3)

Osmania “There’s only one way that Scotland can leave the United Kingdom. If a majority of voters living in Scotland say ‘Yes’ in the referendum on September 18, then March 26, 2016 is the target date to conclude negotiations on Scotland’s emergence as an independent country.”

March 26 is the target date eh? That’s our independence day. Our leader will never allow it.

AK Khandaker sued

CALVIN AND HOBBES

September 10

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTIONS CODE-CRACKER

CROSSWORD

PEANUTS

Kas I remember well that there were a lot of allegations against the Mujib Bahini in 1971. Air Marshall Khandaker would have been well-placed to know details, and should be allowed to speak the truth. His credentials as a freedom fighter are impeccable. Let us not demonise him in order to gain currency with an AL leadership that does not compare very favourably with such men.

India and Pakistan floods: Death toll rises September 10

naimulhaque Mr Modi is responsible for the flood in Pakistan.

Here’s why. First India opens the gates to flow its water into Pakistan, and then asks Pakistan for help for the floods? How can Pakistan accept his offer after this?

SUDOKU

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Op-Ed

11

Thursday, September 18, 2014

Love Jihad n Garga Chatterjee

M

It is the Scottish who will make the final call

REUTERS

Eyes on Scotland

T

n Sarwar Jahan Chowdhury he historic Scottish referendum is taking place today, but interestingly it didn’t get enough media attention globally. The “Yes” outcome, which has a 5050 chance now, will have weighty consequences in some sense though.

A “Yes” vote would mean the breakup of historic first world country Great Britain/UK, and the reduction of both to basically an English domain. It would certainly mean the rebirth of an old independent state called Scotland.

It is often considered that the nationalist sentiment in Western Europe is a thing of the past. Western Europeans themselves, and people all around the world, think that Europe has become mature enough through its bloody nationalist conflicts of past centuries to not use that divisive tool anymore. Yet, from what we are seeing in Scotland of UK, Catalonia of Spain, and in Northern Italy – could we now be sure of that?

A large part of the history of the British island is about the bittersweet relationship between the English and the Scots. There is a lot of historical difference between these two great nations of the island.

The English, often referred to as Anglo-Saxons by historians and anthropologists, are basically a mixture of two emigrating German tribes: Angles and Saxons, who fought their way in the island in the period of migration of European history in late antiquity.

They forced the ancient Celtic people gradually towards further West and North.

The Scots, Welsh, Irish, and Cornish

are the modern Celtic people who live in this Anglo-Irish archipelago and are well aware of their history.

We all know the struggle of William Wallace, Robert the Bruce, and so on of Scotland in the medieval ages for the independence of Scotland against English invasion.

Their right to choose cannot be resisted through undemocratic means. Could the same be true in the developing world?

The Irish had their own history against English subjugation and eventually gained independence as late as the early 20th century. But again, there were a lot of mutual reconciliations, corporations, and collaboration between the English and the Scottish.

The English invited Scottish King James VI to take over their throne, and he did. That’s how the dynastic union was done.

The Scots maintained a lot of distinctiveness in terms of laws, traditions, etc. They also had great contributions in the modern liberal thoughts, economic ideas, scientific inventions, and industrialisation. But why didn’t the Scottish go the Irish way? There were several reasons. The

Scottish weren’t foolish enough to let the pie of the British Empire go by through mistimed conflict with the English. Again, both the English and the Scottish are largely protestant nations that dislike papal influence, whereas the Irish are historically Catholics.

Now, why are the Scots pondering about independence so late? Are they taken over by an unlikely nationalist fervour? The truth is, a new party called Scottish Nationalist Party (SNP) under their charismatic-yet-shrewd leader Alex Salmond, gained political strength that forced Westminster to devolve a lot of power to a newly formed Scottish Parliament back in 1997 through a referendum. Initially, the Labour Party won the Scottish election, but the SNP, in the last one, got a clear majority and has since forced this issue of independence referendum.

Interestingly, the SNP’s core argument isn’t Scottish nationalism; rather it’s that an independent Scottish parliament will do better service and deliver better governance to the citizens of Scotland. The appeal is more social democratic than right wing. Alex Salmond’s economic argument implicitly hinges around the huge North Sea oil reserve discovered recently, which largely falls within Scotland’s EEZ. Alex Salmond has cleverly vowed that the queen would remain the figurehead of an independent Scotland, forcing Buckingham Palace to take a neutral position. The monarchy also has some acceptability among certain loyalist quarters in Scotland.

The main debate revolved around currency though: What currency the independent Scotland would adopt.

The most desired option is to carry on with the sterling, for which Alex Salmond wants a currency union with the rest of UK. But there are complex issues involved, and if that doesn’t happen, the Scottish economy may take a downturn.

As per opinion polls, the results may go either way. If Scotland becomes independent, it won’t really be a disaster for the UK or England, because Scotland counts up to only 8% of Britain’s population and is situated in the northern mountainous third of the island.

But for many British, it would definitely be a psychological shock. Most Scots actually want more devolution of power than independence, which, interestingly, isn’t a choice in the ballot this time around due to the agreement between the politicians. In case of a “No” in the referendum, more power would be devolved – David Cameron has already announced.

The best thing to notice here is the civility of Western nations. As the SNP made a case for independence by winning the Scottish election, London politicians have unreservedly acknowledged that it’s the Scottish people who will make the final decision.

Nothing can be imposed on them, nor can their right to choose be resisted through any undemocratic means.

Could the same be true in the developing world scenario? Here lies the true difference between the levels of civilisational progression. l Sarwar Jahan Chowdhury is the Head of Operations in Brac Institute of Governance and Development (BIGD), Brac University.

He is also a member of the Regional Studies Research Cluster in the same institute.

No more tigers anymore

SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

n Faruque Hasan

T

he tiger census held in 1997 estimated the number of adult Bengal tigers in the Bangladeshi part of the Sundarbans to be 362. On the other hand, according to the same tiger census held that year, the number of adult tigers in the West Bengal part of the forest was 263.

The Bangladesh part of the forest is about two-thirds of the total forest area, of about 10,000sq-km. The Sundarbans is the largest mangrove forest as well as the largest home to wild

tigers in the world. In this forest, the density of the tiger population is the highest in the world.

There are four indirect techniques to count tigers in a forest: The pugmark technique, scratches on trees, radio tracking (or radio-telemetry technique) and camera traps. Among these four techniques, the first one is frequently used, especially in the Sundarbans, for conducting a census. This technique is based on impressions of pugmarks left on the ground by tigers.

Walking in this forest, even for a short distance, is impossible without

coming across pugmarks of a tiger.

Tiger pugmarks may stay unaltered for about two weeks, but a fresh pugmark can be differentiated from an old one.

An experienced person can tell how old the pugmark is.

The pugmarks of one tiger are distinguishable from those of another.

Hind pugmarks are used for the purposes of a census, because the front pugmarks of both male and female tigers are almost square in shape; but the hind pugmarks of a male tends to be square, and rectangular for females. This difference in the shape of pugmarks helps in counting male and female tigers separately.

Pugmarks of a tiger cub under six months of age may be confused with that of a leopard. But as a tiger cub always moves with its mother, a small pugmark unaccompanied with bigger ones can be taken as that of a leopard.

The depth of the pugmark on the ground helps determine the weight of a tiger; and the distance between the pugmarks of the hind and front legs helps to get the measure – from the tip of the nose to the tip of the tail – of a tiger. The forests in other parts of India, except the part of the Sundarbans in West Bengal, are home to around 3,750 Bengal tigers. In Bhutan, this

subspecies of tigers counts at around 240. There are 230 in Myanmar, 220 in Nepal, and 35 in China. Out of 5,000 zoo tigers around the world, 4,000 are Bengal tigers.

If we count all these figures together, we find that the present Bengal tiger population in the world is around 9,000. Only at the turn of the 20th century was their number about 100,000.

Of them, 40,000 probably used to live in the South Asian subcontinent.

The condition of the other subspecies of tigers, from the viewpoint of their numbers, is much more miserable.

To date, the surviving Chinese tigers count at less than 30, and Siberian tigers, found in Russia, China and, North Korea, are at no more than 400.

Tigers seen in the vast tracts of China, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam tally up to around 1,780. Of the eight subspecies of tigers, three – the Balinese tiger, Caspian tiger, and the Javanese tiger – have become totally extinct in the 20th century. The way the number of tigers has been decreasing in the Sundarbans, soon this natural habitat will have no tigers at all. l Faruque Hasan is the author of The Royal Bengal Tiger of the Sundarbans.

ost human cultures in the subcontinent and around the world consider marriage (or socially-sanctioned variants of the concept) to be the purest expression of human love in the form of permanent coupling between individuals. Whether it is the idea of love as espoused by society, or its self-styled “radical” and voluntary outcastes, it does not run blind in most cases.

If one looks at marriage, the only socially-sanctioned coupling institution with permanence as an avowed goal, it will be clear that religion, class, caste, ethnicity, language, or a combination of these factors, matter in most instances.

Some may dislike this state of affairs for whatever private preferences, but this is how it is for society-at-large.

The coupling patterns of the so-called rebels and radicals also bear out the same private prejudices, their shrill public radicalism notwithstanding.

White men and women born in Christian families, whose lives, ideals, and philosophies inspire certain brown urban yuppies, mostly marry white people from Christian families.

Let’s not take shelter in fashionably “cosmopolitan” fantasies and pretend that it is otherwise. Undercounting the majority and over counting the minority is a tactic straight out of the playbook of the fox without a tail.

There is a reason why Aesop’s fables are as persistent, as they grew out of human experience.

Let us get a few things clear, given that trans-religious, trans-ethnic, or trans-linguistic marriages are somehow thought to represent some supposedly “higher” form of companionship in certain circles. An overwhelming majority of all people marry people from their own family religion. “Love Jihad” is a phenomenon where Muslim men allegedly target non-Muslim women to romance, rape, kidnap, marry, or do all of these with the objective of conversion to Islam or dishonouring non-Islamic women.

As far as the word of law in the Indian Union goes, any single man is technically free to marry any single woman

While this is a common occurrence in Pakistan (especially in Sindh), reports of this have come from the United Kingdom too. In the Indian Union, there have been sporadic allegations of this from Kerala, Karnataka, and more recently Uttar Pradesh. Uttar Pradesh, known for its history of communal animosity, is now agog with Love Jihad as a “chayer dokan” political issue.

Police probes into individual cases found no clear evidence that such a thing was happening as some broader conspiracy. In the Indian Union, there is nothing that prevents a Muslim man to romance, convert, and marry a non-Muslim woman.

Similarly, there is nothing preventing a Hindu man to romance, convert, and marry a Muslim woman. Whether an instance of such happenings occur with the covert intention of preying on a woman of a different religious background requires mind-reading techniques that are in the realm of science fiction.

However, cases of deception (a

man feigning to be non-Muslim to lure a non-Muslim woman) do point to unholy intentions. Even if there are few instances of criminal deception, simply that cannot be the basis of speculation that a wider phenomenon exists or that it doesn’t.

‘Love Jihad’ is a phenomenon where Muslim men allegedly target non-Muslim women to romance, rape, kidnap, marry

But clarity on this matter is of utmost importance, given the politicisation that some of the alleged instances are receiving. When information is wanting, rhetoric, rumour, and prejudice rule the roost. That is a dangerous game to play. And it is a game with real consequences in blood and gore.

As far as the word of law in the Indian Union goes, any single man is technically free to marry any single woman. A natural corollary of this system is that the number of Hindu man-Muslim woman marriages should be roughly equal to the number of Muslim man-Hindu woman marriages. This pattern should hold at the state-level and at the district level.

If the data shows one kind of pairing to be far commoner than the other, it may be a hint of something wider. At lower levels, the data may be too sparse for useful analysis. One wonders why no comprehensive data exists for this – given the explosive political potency that this issue is assuming. Talking heads on each side seem to confirm or deny the existence of a phenomenon without substantive data. That is both unfortunate and irresponsible, to say the least.

Demographic anxiety is a real thing, and so is communal politics. Muslims have regularly been at the receiving end of “Hum Paanch, Humare Pachchees” type of propaganda, a reference to the Qur’anic allowance of polygamy that Muslim personal law in the subcontinent upholds. The available data on polygamy incidences in the Indian Union however shows that, according to the 1961 census, the proportion of Hindus practising bigamy (5.8%) was marginally more than Muslims (5.7%), though it must be mentioned that polygamy was legal for Hindus in the Indian Union till 1955 and hence the Hindu numbers could reflect a bygone reality.

While the charge of disproportionately high rates of polygamy by Muslim men persists, there is no data. This is also true for Kulin Brahmins, much maligned for their erstwhile practice of polygamy. Some Kulins no doubt had many marriages. But sex ratio in a human society with rampant female foeticide puts a hard mathematical limit on how common Kulin polygamy was.

Only a miniscule minority could have ever indulged in this abhorrent practice. Inventing conspiracies and ignoring conspiracies are equally criminal. The debate around Love Jihad is only the most recent instance. Why do states shy away from collecting data?

Social realities inform public debate in a positive way. A political discourse based on prejudice-based rumours does the exact opposite. Let data rule our judgements when the question is about numbers. l Garga Chatterjee is a freelance contributor.

He can be followed on twitter @gargac.

BIGSTOCK

12

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Entertainment

DiCaprio turns UN Messenger of Peace

Pipra Bidya nominated for two film festivals

My body has influence of Michael Jackson, Bruce Lee: Akram Khan

n Entertainment Desk

n Entertainment Desk Mostofa Sarwar Farooki's unreleased feature film “Pipra Bidya” has been nominated for two international festivals - the Asian Pacific Screen Award and the Busan international film festival.

This is the second time Farooki will attend the Asia pacific Film festival. His last film “Television” won a grand jury award at the festival.

n Hasan Mansoor Chatak Akram Khan, the internationally acclaimed dancer and choreographer currently touring Bangladesh with his award-winning solo “Desh” (Homeland), thinks he has a way about himself that resembles more the styles of Michael Jackson and Bruce Lee than a typical kathak dancer. “The way I do kathak isn’t exactly what you’d see in an Indian kathak dancer. My body has the influence of Micheal Jackson, Bruce Lee and Bangladeshi folk dance.”

The 40-year old British dancer of Bangladeshi descent was talking at a panel discussion on “Why are the arts important to developing countries like Bangladesh?” at the British Council-Bangladesh headquarters on Tuesday.

Akram trained in kathak at an early age. The classical dance form owes its origin to India where, he said, dance gurus advise against “releas-

ing it from body.”

“But I am inspired by what Birju Maharaj (a leading Indian dance exponent) said, ‘Everything you are doing is kathak. Maybe its not the way you always expect it to be. You can not out kathak from your body.’”

But how does his production – which, as a dance critic put it, merges the kathak tradition of storytelling with the technical dazzle of Western stagecraft – relate to a Bangladeshi audience? Akram’s was an honest reply. “I have no idea. I guess you have to ask the audience.

For me, the reason behind pursuing arts is personal; I perform to my soul’s satisfaction. If the work goes universal then somehow it will connect. Is it relevant to the people? I don’t know, but I think it will inspire them.”

The discussion then revolved around cultural decadence in the context of Bangladesh. Akram thinks tradition and culture are not unalter-

able. “I think tradition will change whether we like it or not. My child is half-Japanese and half-Bengali, and I cannot expect him to live for what I do, what I learned from my mother.

And talking about the technological aspects, I think my parents’ generation was ‘we’-centric while this generation is all about ‘I’, and hence you have this i-max, i-phone, i-pad, etc.

The common denominator is ‘I’.”

Akram also talked about his childhood and the influence he had on himself. “I grew up in a community in London where the children are highly obsessed with education. I had that obsession too, but I was inspired by my mother to look back and connect to my ancestral tradition.”

“Desh” – an eighty-minute production that received favourable reviews internationally before it came to Bangladesh, where Akram earlier said it “belonged” – will be staged today at the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy. l

Whitney Houston's LIVE ALBUM coming soon

Indian model-actress Sheena Chohan in a scene of Pipra Bidya “Pipra Bidya” has also been nominated for Busan International Film Festival under the “Windows on Asian Cinema” category. In the festival, significant films from all over Asia will be screened. The festival is set to begin from October 2.

The film stars Sheena Chohan, Noor Imran Mithu, Mukit Jakaria, Mou Debnath, RJ Sabbir and others. To introduce the débutante hero, Noor Imran Mithu, a short video titled “Hero Hoite Ar Ki Laage” is part of a promotional campaign before Pipra bidya (Ant Story) gets its theatrical release on October 24. Band Chirkutt made a song for the video which will uploaded on the Facebook page of Chabial any day soon.

“Piprabidya,” is about unemployed young people who live in Dhaka city, a city which they think of as a “big pie” and are desperate to have a share of. l

n

Whitney Houston's long-time friend and producer, Clive Davis, announced on Tuesday that Legacy Records will release the late singer's first live album, “Whitney Houston Live: Her Greatest Performances,” by the end of 2014.

"Stemming from the '80s and '90s, she, without question, is the greatest vocalist in the world.

I want history to know that," Davis shared with Today. "This CD/ DVD will establish that there was no one like her. It's a phenomenal album."

Davis, who was often present for her "incredible live performances," said: "It was a marvel that she was as powerful and as incredible as she was. But bittersweet that she died too young."

“This is her legacy,” Davis said of Houston. l

Entertainment Desk

Aditya Roy Kapur is busy promoting his upcoming film “Daawat-e-Ishq” with co-star Parineeti Chopra. But, the Bollywood actor took some time out to while the promotions to buy a ring for his alleged girlfriend Shraddha Kapoor.

A source quoted to a leading Indian newspaper that the actor went to a diamond jewellery store in order to pick up a ring for Shraddha,

but there was 15,000 strong crowd that is why he couldn't enter the shop.

However, Aditya called another jeweller to his hotel room and bought a diamond-studded ring for Shraddha.

The camaraderie between the “Aashiqui 2” stars Shraddha Kapoor and Aditya Roy Kapur was for all to see on TV show “Koffee With Karan” as they could not stop gushing about each other. Though the alleged lovebirds said a big “no” to dating rumours, Aditya clearly declared, “I and Shraddha are very, very close”.

Moreover, Shraddha Kapoor recently has also visited Siddharth Roy Kapur’s house. Making your ladylove meet your family is always the most important step in a relationship. It seems Aditya has just been following the love rules. l

Onno Mon Maasranga 7:50pm

The single-episode play is about a girl who has just completed her higher study in US and comes back to Bangladesh before three days of her schedule date that is known to her family. Secretly she spends the three days with a guy with whom she developed a friendship through email. Rakhi and Kalyan are the lead actors of the play.

Initial D HBO Hits 11:45pm

Essence of Nature on display at AFD n Entertainment Desk

ENTRY CALL FOR TAREQUE MASUD FILM FEST n Entertainment Desk

a BFA in Painting an MFA in Graphic Design from University of Development Alternative. In 2003, her solo

Hollywood actor and environmental activist Leonardo DiCaprio has been named a United Nations Messenger of Peace, a post he will use to raise awareness about climate change, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Tuesday.

DiCaprio will address a UN summit meeting on climate change on September 23, a day before the UN General Assembly's annual gathering of world leaders begins. Many leaders from the 193 member states of the United Nations are expected to attend the climate session.

"Leonardo DiCaprio is not just one of the world's leading actors," Ban said. "He has also a long-standing commitment to environmental causes, including through his foundation."

In 1998, the actor established the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation, whose mission is protecting Earth's last wild places and building a more harmonious relationship between humanity and the natural world, the United Nations said in a statement. The organisation has contributed funds toward protecting tigers in Nepal, elephants in the wild, and marine animals, including sharks.

"I feel a moral obligation to speak out at this key moment in human history—it is a moment for action," DiCaprio said. "How we respond to the climate crisis in the coming years will likely determine the fate of humanity and our planet." DiCaprio, 39, added that it was an honour for him to accept the post.

The UN's Messenger for Peace moniker is meant to distinguished individuals, carefully selected from the fields of art, music, literature and sports, who have agreed to help focus worldwide attention on the work of the United Nations."

Past title holders include George Clooney and Edward Norton. l

Aditya buys diamond ring for Shraddha?

n Entertainment Desk

A painting exhibition titled “Essence of Nature” by N S Chowdhury Dancy, has begun at Alliance Française de Dhaka, Dhanmondi, (AFD) and will be open until September 29. A total of 36 artworks are on display at the exhibiton.

A graphic designer, Dancy prefers mixed media for her artworks. She believes her technique of mural-making is quite innovative. She uses acrylic, paper, and other objects that are prerequisites for mural-making. The artist has chosen “flowers” as the only theme of her 3-dimensional murals as it is the source of beauty and colour.

Dancy has used bright colours in her paintings.

In recent years, she has started working with metals. Her works represent the traditional jewellery of Bangladesh.

N S Chowdhury Dancy has obtained

Thursday, September 18, 2014

art exhibition was held at the Braddy Centre in 2009 and at the Harrow Arts Centre, both in London. l

On the occasion of the birth anniversary of filmmaker Tareque Masud, a short film contest is being organised by Tareque Masud Memorial Trust. The theme of this year's edition of the contest is “My Freedom, My Fight” while the entries can be either fiction, documentary or animation and should not be more than 10 minutes long.

Interested individuals can submit their entries within November 15. The jury includes Catherine Masud, Morshedul

Islam, Khusi Kabir and Prosun Rahman.

The first 10 films will be screened in the festival to be held on December 5 and 6 in the capital. A Tareque Masud Young Filmmaker Award will be handed to the best young filmmaker. l

The story of a young delivery boy who becomes a drift-racing legend.

I, Robot

Star movies 7pm

In 2035 a technophobic cop investigates a crime that may have been perpetrated by a robot, which leads to a larger threat to humanity.

Did you know?

Juventus striker Carlos Tevez has scored his first Champions League goal since April 2009 (a period of 1003 mins of play)

Sport

Thursday, September 18, 2014

14 Gerrard rescues

Reds as Arsenal suffer

14 Sheikh Russel

depart for Sri Lanka today

DHAKA TRIBUNE

13

15 Ivanovic beat

Azarenka in Pan Pacific Open

Bangladesh face uphill task against Uzbeks n Raihan Mahmood

Bangladesh Under-23 football team’s Dutch head coach Lodewijk de Kruif (R) instructs his charges alongside assistant coach Rene Koster in Incheon yesterday

COURTESY

Bangladesh Under-23 faces Uzbekistan Under-23 in their crucial Group B game in the Asian Games football at Incheon, Korea today. Charged up with the 1-0 victory over Afghanistan, the first win in 28 years in the Asian Games for Bangladesh, the Red and Greens are eager to stage another good performance against the superior Uzbeks who are one of the strong title contenders.

Head coach Lodewijk de Kruif conducted a full fledged practice session yesterday with the presence of winger Jahid Hossain who flew in as the replacement of Atikur Rahman Meshu, while injured midfielder Omar Faruk Babu is yet to recover and take

Benn spins Tigers to more misery

SCORECARD West Indies 1st Innings - 380 Bangladesh 1st Innings - 161 West Indies 2nd Innings - 269/4 dec Bangladesh 2nd Innings Tamim Iqbal c Gabriel b Benn 64 Shamsur Rahman c Edwards b Taylor 39 Anamul Haque c Ramdin b Benn 0 Mominul Haque c Gabriel b Benn 56 Mahmudullah lbw Gabriel 0 Mushfiqur Rahim b Taylor 11 Nasir Hossain lbw Benn 2 Taijul Islam c and b Benn 4 Shafiul Islam b Roach 14 Robiul Islam lbw Taylor 0 Al-Amin Hossain not out 0 Extras (lb-1, w-1) 2 Total (77.4 overs, all out) 192 Bowling Taylor 13-4-39-3, Roach 15.4-1-43-1, Benn 32-6-72-5, Blackwood 2-0-4-0, Gabriel 11-2-24-1, Johnson 4-0-9-0.

Result West Indies won by 296 runs

n AFP, Gros Islet Spinner Sulieman Benn took five wickets and Jerome Taylor reached the milestone of 100 Test wickets as Bangladesh crumbled to a 296-run defeat late on the fourth day of the second and final Test against the West Indies at the Beausejour Stadium on Tuesday.

Set an improbable target of 489 after the home side declared their second innings at 269 for four, 45 minutes into the day, the tourists crashed from 158 for two to be dismissed for 192 just before a shower swept across the ground.

Opening batsman Tamim Iqbal (64) and Mominul Haque (56) held up the

West Indies for over three hours with a second-wicket partnership of 110, but when Tamim skied an attempted sweep off Benn to midwicket it was the trigger for the collapse.

It was completed when Kemar Roach breached the defence of Shafiul Islam to set off the West Indies victory celebrations in their 500th Test and a 2-0 sweep of the series.

“This is unbelievable,” said an overjoyed West Indies captain Denesh Ramdin, who waited until senior batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul completed his 30th Test hundred in the morning before declaring.

“It’s a wonderful feeling but we know that there are greater challenges ahead.”

Captain Mushfiqur Rahim was the last hope for Bangladesh taking the

match into the fifth day after Tamim and Mominul departed.

However he was bowled for the second time in the match, falling to Taylor who then promptly trapped Robiul Islam leg-before to become the 20th West Indian to claim 100 wickets in Test cricket.

“We showed some resistance for a while but that’s not good enough,” said a crestfallen Mushfiqur.

“We need to play better for longer periods if we want to be competitive going forwards.”

Chanderpaul was named Man of the Match while his teammate, opening batsman Kraigg Brathwaite, took the Man of the Series honours.

Following unbeaten innings of 85 and 84 previously in the series, Chan-

derpaul’s unbeaten 101, together with 66 not out from Jermaine Blackwood, allowed Ramdin to close his side’s innings inside the first hour.

Bangladesh got off to a flying start in the 15 overs they faced to the interval, Shamsur Rahman taking on Taylor and hooking the fast bowler for successive sixes over square-leg.

Taylor had the last laugh however when, in attempting to repeat the shot, Shamsur found Kirk Edwards on the square-leg boundary and departed for 39.

Benn, 33, then removed new batsman Anamul Haque to a catch at the wicket but Mominul displayed admirable discipline and dedication alongside Tamim, only for all their good work to be in vain when they fell to the left-arm spinner. l

Same old, painful Bangladesh A win by six wickets story for Bangladesh n after 14 years in Tests BRIEF SCORE Mazhar Uddin

n Mazhar Uddin It has been 14 years since Bangladesh played their inaugural Test match against India at the Bangabandhu National Stadium. The Tigers lost that match by nine wickets and since then, there has been a paucity of good memories for the Bangladesh cricketers. And if the recent two-match Test series against the West Indies away from home is anything to go by, it is clear that the Tigers have struggled to acclimatise themselves to the five-day game. Following a convincing 10-wicket humbling in the first Test, Bangladesh succumbed to another humiliating 296-run defeat in the second and final Test.

Bangladesh’s travails in Test cricket have been well-documented over the years. Including the second Test in the Caribbean, the Tigers have so far played 85 matches winning only four. Bangladesh have suffered the ignominy of losing 70 times among which they went down to innings defeats 34 times. The rest of the matches - 11- were drawn.

Most of the times it was observed that Bangladesh fared well in one innings only to play horribly in the next. Along with displaying a poor level of patience, the Bangladesh batsmen played unusual shots that often proved to be their undoing.

To sustain and succeed in the fiveday game, it is absolutely necessary for the batsmen to be patient and apply themselves according to the situation.

However, despite two or three Bangladesh batsmen possessing the required qualities, they are found to be highly inconsistent most of the times.

The latest example was clearly evident in the second Test against the West Indies in which the Bangladesh batsmen capitulated like a house of cards, whereas, on the same pitch, the hosts showed it is possible to score 380 and 269/4 (declared) provided the batters abided their time at the crease. The Tigers, however, failed to learn from their past mistakes as they were dismissed for 161 and 192 respectively.

It was painful to watch one Bangladesh batsman after another perishing after playing rash and unnecessary strokes. The main job of a batsman is to occupy the wicket for a long time and one of the best examples came in the form of Shivnarine Chanderpaul, whose patient, unbeaten knock of 84 from 198 balls in the first innings was followed by another undefeated century in the second innings.

Tamim Iqbal, on the other hand, exhibited quite the opposite qualities.

The opener appeared well-set in both the innings after scoring 48 and 64 but throwing away his wickets hardly helped matters as the visitors suffered batting collapses when they looked good to kick on and make substantial totals.

Tamim’s example is just one among the many comedy of errors committed by different Bangladesh batsmen in their 14year journey in Test cricket. And the most shameful aspect of the ongoing Test match were the laughters and chuckles of the West Indian fielders after the quick departures of the Bangladesh batsmen.

Surely, it did not make for pleasant viewing for a Bangladeshi cricket fan following their beloved team on television. l

Tests played

Won

Lost

Drawn

Innings defeat

85

4

70

11

34

When the national team just completed another win less series in 2014 away from home, the Bangladesh A side gave something to cheer for the cricket fans as the second string national side picked up a six-wicket win against Zimbabwe A at the Sheikh Kamal International Cricket Stadium yesterday.

Saqlain Sajib, who registered a record figure of 9/82 in the first innings, appeared as the nemesis for the visitors once again as his 6/50 in the second innings crumbled the Zimbabwe side to a mere 108.

The hosts chasing 104 to win resumed the last day on 43/1 and lost further three wickets before skipper Naeem Islam and Forhad Hossain remained unbeaten on 15 and 16 respec-

tively to land the win.

The half centurion from the first innings Liton Kumar Das scored highest 42 while Marshal Ayub (13) and Raqibul

Zimbabwe A 206/10 and 108/10 Brian Chari 23, Vusi Sibanda 19 Saqlain Sajib 6/50 Jubair Hossain 4/18 Bangladesh A 211 and 105/4 Liton Kumar Das 42 Bangladesh A won by six wickets Hasan (10) returned cheaply.

Skipper Naeem Islam (15) and Farhad Hossain (16*) guided the second string national side to the victory in the first session of the day to take the home

Army lift rugby championship n Raihan Mahmood Bangladesh Army emerged as the champions in the Walton Motorcycle 4th National Rugby Championship beating Narail 44-10 in the final held at the Paltan ground yesterday.

The winners strolled to victory as they led the first-half 30-10. Jashim Mollah of Narail was adjudged as the best player in the tournament.

Shibnath Roy, the secretary of National Sports Council, distributed the prizes as the chief guest. FM Iqbal bin Anwar Dawn, the additional director of Walton, was also present as the special guest. Mousum Ali, the general secretary of Bangladesh Rugby Union and tournament director Saeed Ahmed and other federation officials also graced the occasion. l

The Bangladesh Army team pose with the trophy after winning the Walton Motorcycle 4th National Rugby Championship at the Paltan ground yesterday COURTESY

side 1-0 ahead in the two match series.

Through the win, Saqlain broke and made couple of records under his name. After breaking another left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak’s 9/84 against Chittagong Division at the 2012-13 National Cricket League season, Saqlain’s 15-wicket haul in the match saw him surpass the same Razzak as a Bangladeshi bowler. Previously Razzak claimed 15 wickets at the expense of 193 runs in a domestic first-class game against Barisal in 2012, Saqlain gave away 132 runs.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board named two changes in the squad for the second and final four-day match with national discards Shahriar Nafees and Mithun Ali replacing all-rounder Mukhtar Ali and the run getter in this match Liton. l

part in practice.

Against the tactically and technically superior Uzbeks, Bangladesh will apply the same strategy used against the Afghans – contain and counter. Coach de Kruif is also expected to make a couple of changes in the starting XI. As per Amirul Islam Babu, the manager of the team, Bangladesh will place five defenders and four midfielders to foil the attacking aspirations of the opponents.

A draw would be more than a good result for Bangladesh as it will take their point tally four with one match remaining. Bangladesh will play their last match against Hong Kong who earlier drew 1-1 with Uzbekistan in their opening match.

However, in the last edition of Asian Games in 2010 in Guangzhou, Bangladesh lost 3-0 against Uzbekistan while the Bangladesh U-22 side also lost 2-1 to the same opponents in AFC U-22 in Kathmandu, Nepal. l

Al Amin to fly to UK on October 1 n Minhaz Uddin Khan

National paceman Al Amin Hossain will fly to the United Kingdom on October 1 to undergo tests on his bowling action in Leicestershire after being reported by match officials following the first Test against the West Indies recently. The right-arm pacer’s tests will take place at the Loughborough National Cricket Performance Center on October 3.

Al Amin is likely to be accompanied during his short visit. Questions have recently been asked as to why Sohag Gazi left Dhaka yesterday all by himself to attend tests on his suspected bowling action in Cardiff, Wales.

In order to avoid such a scenario, the Bangladesh Cricket Board is all set to appoint a Bangladeshi expatriate living in England to look after Al Amin during his short stay.

Al Amin is the latest among several cricketers to be summoned for a suspect bowling action. The International Cricket Council has been clamping down on illegal bowling actions in recent times.

Pakistan spinner Saeed Ajmal was banned from international cricket last week after his deliveries were found to have exceeded the 15-degree level of tolerance permitted under the regulations.

Ajmal’s ban came hot on the heels of New Zealand’s part-time spinner Kane Williamson, Zimbabwean spinner Prosper Utseya and Sri Lanka’s Sachithra Senanayake also being reported for illegal bowling actions.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh paceman Rubel Hossain will come in for Al Amin in the final 15-man squad for the 17th Asian Games cricket tournament.

Shakib al Hasan earlier replaced Gazi in the Asiad squad. l

14

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Sport

Thursday, September 18, 2014

Gerrard rescues Reds as Arsenal suffer Real, Juventus start with win as Olympiakos stun Atletico “We had signs of anxiety. We are not Praet put the away side ahead. n AFP, Paris In Liverpool’s group, Real Madrid at the level we were at last year yet, but Steven Gerrard was Liverpool’s hero with a stoppage-time penalty as the Reds marked their return to the Champions League with a win on Tuesday, while Arsenal endured a torrid evening against Borussia Dortmund.

Gerrard struck from the spot right at the death to hand Liverpool a 2-1 win in their Group B opener against an awkward Ludogorets Razgrad at Anfield.

Meanwhile, goals just either side of half-time by Ciro Immobile and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang gave 2013 runners-up Dortmund a 2-0 win against Arsenal in Germany in Group D, and the hosts were unlucky not to win by more.

The evening’s big winners were the reigning champions Real Madrid, who crushed Swiss title-holders Basel 5-1 in Group B, while last season’s beaten finalists Atletico Madrid suffered a 3-2 defeat against Olympiakos in Greece in Group A. Liverpool were making their first appearance in the Champions League since 2009 and were widely expected to start with a victory against Bulgarian debutants Ludogorets.

Brendan Rodgers’s side laboured for long spells but when Mario Balotelli put them in front in the 82nd minute to open his Anfield account, they appeared to have the job done.

Spanish substitute Dani Abalo stunned the hosts when he equalised in the first minute of stoppage time, but there was to be another twist as Javi Manquillo was fouled inside the box, allowing Gerrard, so often a scorer of crucial late goals in the past, to convert a 93rd-minute spot-kick.

“To get the result was excellent.

They showed great character to keep going,” said Rodgers.

that will come with time.”

Arsenal were torn apart by a typically high-octane Dortmund performance at the Westfalenstadion. The hosts had 15 attempts on goal in the opening half but had to wait until the 45th minute to get the breakthrough when Immobile

RESULTS Olympiakos (GRE)

3-2

At Madrid (ESP)

2-0

Malmö (SWE)

2-1

Ludogorets (BUL)

Arthur Masuaku 13, Afellay 31, Mitroglou 73

Juventus (ITA) Tevez 59, 90

Liverpool (ENG) Balotelli 82, Gerrard 90+3-P

Real Madrid (ESP)

Mandzukic 38, Griezmann 86

Abalo 90

5-1

Basel (SUI)

Suchy 14-o.g., Bale 30, Cristiano Ronaldo 31, Rodriguez 36, Benzema 79

Benfica (POR) Monaco (FRA) Moutinho 61

Dortmund (GER)

Gonzalez 38

0-2

Zenit (RUS) Hulk 5, Witsel 22

1-0

Leverkusen (GER)

2-0

Arsenal (ENG)

1-1

Anderlecht (BEL)

Immobile 45, Aubameyang 48

Galatasaray (TUR) B. Yilmaz 90+1

Praet 52

ran 60 yards before slotting past Wojciech Szczesny.

Aubameyang then exchanged passes with Kevin Grosskreutz before rounding the goalkeeper and making it 2-0 in the 48th minute, and the Gabon striker hit the bar soon after as Arsenal lost their opening Champions League game for the first time in 11 years.

Arsenal will look to bounce back in two weeks when they entertain Galatasaray, who came from behind to draw 1-1 at home to Anderlecht in Istanbul, Burak Yilmaz’s stoppage-time strike rescuing a point after Dennis

bounced back from successive La Liga defeats to outclass Basel in the Spanish capital with Gareth Bale, Cristiano Ronaldo, James Rodriguez and Karim Benzema all on target after Marek Suchy put through his own net.

Derlis Gonzalez got a consolation for the Swiss side, who host Liverpool in a fortnight.

“The reaction of the team today was good,” said Real boss Carlo Ancelotti.

“We pressed very well in the firsthalf and created a lot of chances. Not everything is resolved just yet, but I liked the reaction of the team.”

Fresh from winning the Madrid derby at the weekend, Atletico came up against an Olympiakos side coached by former Real star Michel and started their bid to reach a second successive final with a defeat.

Arthur Masuaku, Ibrahim Afellay and Kostas Mitroglou all found the net for the Greek champions, with summer signings Mario Mandzukic and Antoine Griezmann replying in vain.

Elsewhere in Group A, Juventus eased to a 2-0 victory over Malmo in Turin thanks to a brace by Carlos Tevez, who ended a five-year wait for a Champions League goal.

In Group C, Benfica were undone by their old nemesis Andre Villas-Boas, the former Porto coach taking his Zenit St Petersburg side to Lisbon and coming away with a 2-0 win.

Former Porto star Hulk and ex-Benfica midfielder Axel Witsel got their goals either side of a red card for home goalkeeper Artur. Monaco also started with a win, Joao Moutinho’s second-half strike securing a 1-0 victory at home to Bayer Leverkusen.

The pick of the ties on Wednesday sees Bayern Munich host Manchester City in Group E. l

Be patient with Welbeck: Wenger n Reuters

Olympiakos Piraeus Kostas Mitroglou (L) and teamates celebrate scoring against Atletico de Madrid during their group A Champions League match in Piraeus on Tuesday AFP

Atletico undone by missed chances: Simeone n Reuters, Madrid Failure to take their chances in the first half scuppered Atletico Madrid in their 3-2 reverse at Olympiakos Piraeus in Tuesday’s Champions League Group A opener, according to Atletico coach Diego Simeone.

“I thought the team attacked well,” Simeone told a news conference after the game in Athens.

“They had some very clear chances

in the first half but Olympiakos were efficient going forward,” added the Argentine, who had warned against getting carried away after Saturday’s 2-1 victory at Real in La Liga.

“Olympiakos were effective in front of goal and we were not with the chances we had. It was a difficult match, we knew that from the start.”

Atletico will be looking to bounce back when they host Juventus in their second Group A outing on Oct. 1. l

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has asked fans and critics for patience with England striker Danny Welbeck and his team after a forlorn display in their 2-0 Champions League defeat at Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday.

“It’s very difficult to go into any individual assessment of any player because as a team we were not at the requested level,” said Wenger.”They were very, very strong in midfield, yes, stronger than us in midfield,” he said.

Wenger, who has guided Arsenal into the Champions League group stages for 17 successive years, was reluctant to dwell on his team’s defects until he has seen videos of the game again, but defended Welbeck, a 16 million pounds transfer window deadline day signing from Manchester United.

“Danny will improve - we don’t have to make a problem of that,” he told reporters. “He had a very lively first half. He had two or three good chances, but couldn’t finish them. There was one obvious one...

We have to be patient with him.”

Welbeck wasted his easiest of three chances in the first half when, with the score still goalless, he turned on to a pass from Aaron Ramsey, but steered his shot wide. l

Liverpool’s English midfielder Steven Gerrard celebrates scoring from the spot in injury time during their Uefa Champions League Group B match against Ludogorets Razgrad at the Anfield stadium in Liverpool on Tuesday AFP

Yes or No for Celtic in Europa League n AFP, Paris Celtic face a tough trip to Salzburg on Thursday, the day of Scotland’s independence referendum, while Everton host Wolfsburg and Tottenham go to Partizan Belgrade as the epic quest for the Europa League reaches the 48team group phase.

The pick of the round however sees holders Sevilla host Dutch outfit Feyenoord in Group G with the pair boasting five titles between them in the competition.

Feyenoord beat Tottenham 4-2 in 1974 before their classic 3-2 win, at their home stadium, over Borussia Dortmund in 2002.

British bookmakers feel a Celtic win is even less likely than a “Yes” vote for Scottish independence, a national referendum taking place the same day which will massively overshadow the game, with the odds heavily stacked against in both cases.

Celtic bagged a 2-1 win over Aberdeen at the weekend after a rocky patch without a win since August 16.

New boss Ronny Deila was however able to field new signings Aleksandar Tonev, Stefan Scepovic and Swedish striker John Guidetti, on-loan from Manchester City, in their morale boosting win.

But pressure is mounting on the 1994 finalists Salzburg too, as their coach Adolf Hutter has overseen three straight defeats with club owner and energy drink magnate Dietrich Mateschitz looking for a return on his investment.

In Group C, Spurs will put their stadium delay worries out of mind as Mauricio Pochettino takes his side to Belgrade.

A late own-goal denied Tottenham a win at Sunderland at the weekend as Pochettino called for a killer instinct against Partizan Belgrade.

Danish midfielder Christian Eriksen in a free, attacking midfield role has been on brilliant form for Spurs and Sunderland boss Gus Poyet described them as the best side they’d played this season.

Everton face Germany’s Wolfsburg, who are as yet winless in the Bundesliga, and can count on new signing, the Cameroon striker Samuel Eto’o, coming back from injury for the game.

Russian league club FC Krasnodar suffered an unexpected 2-0 home defeat on Sunday at the hands of newly-promoted Ufa ahead of their Europa League encounter with French side Lille.

Elsewhere Greek giants Panathinaikos face Russian big shots Din-

amo Moscow, Germany’s Borussia Monchengladbach take on Spain’s Villarreal and Napoli host Sparta Prague.l

FIXTURES M’gladbach v Limassol v Club Brugge v Copenhagen v P Belgrade v Besiktas v Salzburg v D Zagreb v PSV v Panathinaikos v Qarabag v Dnipropetrovsk v Std Liege v Sevilla v Lille v Everton v Young Boys v Napoli v St Bucharest v Rio Ave v PAOK v Fiorentina v Metalist v Legia Warsaw v

Villarreal FC Zurich Torino HJK Helsinki Tottenham Asteras Tripolis Celtic Astra Giurgiu Estoril D Moscow Saint-Etienne Inter Milan Rijeka Feyenoord FC Krasnodar Wolfsburg S Bratislava Sparta Prague Aalborg Dynamo Kiev Dinamo Minsk Guingamp Trabzonspor Lokeren

Ancelotti pleased n AFP, Madrid

Juventus forward Carlos Tevez celebrates after scoring against Malmo during their Uefa Champions League match at ‘Juventus Stadium’ on Tuesday AFP

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti hailed the reaction of his side to their disappointing start in La Liga as they thrashed Basel 5-1 in the opening game of their Champions League defence on Tuesday.

A 2-1 derby defeat to Atletico Madrid at the weekend on the back of a 4-2 loss to Real Sociedad had led to Los Blancos being booed by their own supporters less than four months after lifting the European Cup for a record 10th time.

However, their crisis of confidence was eased as goals from Gareth Bale, Cristiano Ronaldo, James Rodriguez, Karim Benzema and an own goal from Marek Suchy handed them a comprehensive win to start their European campaign.

“The reaction of the team today was good,” said Real boss Carlo Ancelotti.

“We pressed very well in the first half and created a lot of chances. Not everything is resolved just yet, but I liked the reaction of the team.”

Ancelotti insisted he hadn’t been

struck by the backlash to Real’s recent form from the fans and media in the Spanish capital despite his success during his first season in charge.

And he is hoping for more of the intensity he saw from his side after calling on them to show a consistent performance for 90 minutes before kick-off.

“When you lose a derby it is normal to get nervous. It is not usual to lose two consecutive games at Real Madrid and that is a good thing,” he added.

“The game was easy because we started very well the first 30 minutes with pressure, velocity; we scored lots of goals and then we could control the game.”

Next up for Real in Europe is a visit into the unknown as Bulgarian champions Ludogorets Razgrad host their first ever Champions League match at home to the most successful club in the competition’s history. Ludogorets were only denied a sensational point away at Liverpool by an injury-time Steven Gerrard penalty on Tuesday and Ancelotti insisted Real won’t be complacent as they look to solidify their place at the top of Group B. l

Real Madrid midfielder Gareth Bale (R) shoots to score next to FC Basel’s Walter Samuel during their Champions League match at Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid on Tuesday REUTERS

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Sport

15

Thursday, September 18, 2014

Hughes replaces injured Clarke in Pakistan series

QUICK BYTES Top seed Dewani reaches semis Top seed Ali Dewani of Bahrain continued his winning streak in the quarterfinal of the Bengal Group Asian Under-14 tennis tournament defeating Bangladesh’s Naimul Islam 6-2, 6-1 at the National Tennis Complex yesterday. Mohammed Ishtiak of Bangladesh trounced compatriot Reday Hasan 6-2, 6-1 in the second quarterfinal while Shadheen Hasan ousted Mehedi Hasan 6-4, 6-3 in the third quarterfinal. With two local players earning the tickets of the last-four slots, the remaining berth was grabbed

by Michael Francis Eala who outplayed Frauk Hossain of Bangladesh 6-4, 6-0.

Meanwhile in the girls’ category, top seed Adithya Karunaratne of Sri Lanka beat Sanjida Sohana of Bangladesh 6-0, 6-1 in the first semifinal and will take on Bangladesh’s Lamisa Suchona Fabiha in the final.

Fabiha beat compatriot Ety Akhter 6-2, 6-1. The girls’ final will be held tomorrow.

–Raihan Mahmood

NZ great Crowe reveals return of cancer Former New Zealand cricket great Martin Crowe revealed Wednesday his cancer has returned, 15 months after announcing it was under control. “After a brilliant year of self discovery and recovery I have more work to do,” he tweeted. “My friend & tough taskmaster Lymphoma is back to teach me.” The 51-year-old was first diagnosed with lymphoma in 2012, but after months of chemotherapy he said doctors had told him the cancer had shrunk to safe levels, although there was always the possibility of a relapse. Crowe said he will now have to undergo further treatment.

A cousin of Hollywood star Russell Crowe, Martin Crowe is widely regarded as the best batsman to have represented New Zealand. He averaged 45.36 in his 77-Test career, which included 17 centuries.

–AFP

Trott ready for England return

n AFP, Sydney

Bangladesh Football Federation president Kazi Salahuddin (C) speaks in the press conference of Sheikh Russel’s AFC President’s Cup mission at the BFF House yesterday

Sk Russel depart for SL today n Shishir Hoque With one eye on the final, top-flight Bangladesh football side Sheikh Russel KC will leave here for Colombo today to take part in the final round of the AFC President’s Cup which is scheduled to kick off on September 20.

This is the first time a Bangladeshi club will play in the final round of the AFC President’s Cup. Russel, who won the treble including the league title last season, also became the first Bangladeshi side to qualify for the latter stages of the competition. The treble winners will begin their campaign against seven-time Mongolian league champions Erchim FC on Saturday.

Russel will play their last Group

B match against Rimyongsu Club of North Korea on September 24. Both the games will take place at Sugathadasa Stadium in Colombo.

The winners of Group B will take on the top-placed team of Group A in the final on September 26.

Mercantile Bank is sponsoring Russel in the tournament. A press conference was held at the BFF House yesterday when Bangladesh Football Federation president Kazi Salahuddin was present.

“Sheikh Russel made the second round of the tournament which is a first for a Bangladeshi club. I hope this is a trait which will be repeated soon. I thank Mercantile Bank for sponsoring Sheikh Russel,” said the BFF chief.

The Managing Director of Mercantile Bank M Ehsanul Haque hoped Bangladesh football will flourish in the near future. “We stepped ahead to see

Newcastle United midfielder Jonas Gutierrez on Wednesday thanked fans for their support after flying home to Argentina for testicular cancer treatment.

“Thanks for all the messages. Always looking forward,” the 31-year-old said on Twitter after revealing his illness in a television interview in Argentina on Tuesday.

“I detected a tumour in a testicle. When I confirmed the cancer, I went home crying,” he told TyC Sports. “I came here and I assumed the costs, despite having a contract with Newcastle. “Money is not important. What is important is health.

I had to start chemotherapy.” Gutierrez joined Newcastle from Spanish club Real Mallorca in July, 2008. He has made 177 league appearances and scored 10 goals.

Gutierrez was on loan at relegated Norwich City last season, but has not played in 2014-15.

–Reuters

DAY’S WATCH

Sheikh Russel perform well in the final round of the AFC President’s Cup. Their success means Bangladesh’s success,” said Ehsanul.

Russel started their preparation camp on August 20 and coach Jakaria Babu is fully confident that his charges will overcome all odds en route to the final.

“If my boys can follow my instructions and implement the things that they had done in training then I hope we can play in the final,” Babu said before adding, “We had a few obstacles.

But the players that we have are capable of overcoming those obstacles.”

The coach also talked about the opponents. “I have watched videos of both the clubs. The club from North Korea is seemingly a bit better while the club from Mongolia is similar to us.”

Captain Mithun Chowdhury said

n AFP, Tokyo

Ana Ivanovic of Serbia reacts after her point against Victoria Azarenka of Belarus during their women’s singles second round match at the Pan Pacific Open tennis tournament in Tokyo yesterday AFP

Top-seeded Angelique Kerber of Germany beat Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina 6-4, 6-4 Wednesday to reach the quarter-finals of the $1 million Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo.

Kerber, the world number eight, grabbed two straight games after the pair were 4-4 in the first set and overcame a 1-3 deficit in the second set to defeat the 35th-ranked Svitolina in 86 minutes.

In the quarter-finals, Kerber will take on Slovakia’s sixth-seeded Dominika Cibulkova who outlasted American Coco Vandeweghe 7-6 (7/5), 7-5 in the round of 16.

“It’s always tough to play your first match in a tournament,” said Kerber, who has won four WTA titles.

“But I’m happy about my game, about how I played. It’s nice to be back because I have great memories from last year.”

Kerber finished runner-up to Czech Petra Kvitova in last year’s Pan Pacific.

In a much touted second-round match, seventh-seeded Lucie Safarova battled back to beat wild card Belinda Bencic 3-6, 6-4, 6-2, spoiling the Swiss teenager’s upward momentum this year.

The 27-year-old left-handed Czech lost three straight games after the pair were 3-3 in the first set, but in the second she broke Bencic’s serve in the third game and delivered five aces.

In the decisive set, Safarova broke the 17-year-old in the first and fifth games before conceding no point in the eighth game, finishing her off with two

straight aces, her ninth and 10th of the match.

Bencic, fresh from her run to the quarter-finals at the US Open two weeks ago which boosted her world ranking, said: “I can just take the positive out of this match and I didn’t think it was too bad.”

Ranked 34th in the world, she added: “I was playing great in the first set but to be in the top 15, you have to hold that level over three sets.”

Safarova, who reached the semi-finals at this year’s Wimbledon, faces third-seeded Ana Ivanovic of Serbia in the round of eight.

Ivanovic, 10th in the world, beat former world number one Victoria Azarenka of Belarus, the 2012 and 2013 Australian Open champion, 6-3, 6-4.

Azarenka is ranked 25th. l

World’s top coaches reject the idea of 2018 World Cup boycott n AFP, Saint Petersburg Coaches from some of the world’s top teams have played down chances of a sporting boycott of Vladimir Putin’s showpiece 2018 football World Cup as a penalty for stoking the crisis in Ukraine.

Leaders of the 28-nation European Union earlier this month asked the European Commission, the bloc’s executive arm, to draw up new sanctions in response to claims that Russia has sent troops into neighbouring Ukraine.

Spain coach Vicente del Bosque, speaking at a post-2014 World Cup

technical conference at Saint Petersburg poured cold water on the chances of sanctions.

“The idea of a boycott of the 2018 World Cup in Russia will never garner support from the family of football coaches,” Del Bosque said.

“We’re trying to unite people, not to separate them. We’re athletes. We’re not going in for politics. We support all those who play football.”

Francois Blaquart, technical director of the French Football Federation, told AFP he does not believe in the possibility of a World Cup boycott.

“I don’t believe it for a moment,” he

said. Germany coach Joachim Loew, who guided his team to World Cup victory in Brazil in July, refused to be drawn on the question of sanctions, adding that Russia coach Fabio Capello would prepare a competitive squad for their home tournament.

“I have no intention of commenting on any of the politicians’ calls and statements,” Loew told the press.

“Russia has a great desire and every possibility to hold the World Cup at a very high level.

“I have no doubts that Capello will prepare a very strong team for the next World Cup.” l

Star Sports 1, 3

Spanish coach Vicente Del Bosque speaks with the media at the post-2014 FIFA World Cup Brazilô Technical Conference in St Petersburg yesterday AFP

McIlroy becomes PGA of America’s year-best

8:30PM Champions League T20 Kings XI Punjab v Hobart Hurricanes UEFA Europa League 2014/15 Ten Acton

n Reuters

11:00PM Partizan Belgrade v Tottenham Hotspur 1:00AM Everton v VfL Wolfsburg Ten Sports 11:00PM Dnipro v Internazionale 1:00AM Sevilla FC v Feyenoord Rotterdam Ten HD 11:00PM Monchengladbach v Villarreal 1:00AM Napoli v Sparta Prague

playing the qualifiers at the same ground would give his side an added advantage.

“This is Bangladesh we are playing for.

Since we have played the first round matches on the same ground, I can say we can play in the final.

“No other Bangladeshi team qualified for the final round. Our hard work made it possible. And we can do it in the final round too,” added the Russel forward.

The club’s director-in-charge, Ismat Zamil Akand Lablu, confirmed the players they recently recruited from Mohammedan Sporting Club Limited and Abahani Limited are flying with the team after resolving the misunderstandings with the concerned clubs. Only Janid Hossain will miss the tournament due to his sudden national Under-23 call-up for the 17th Asian Games. l

Kerber reaches QFs, Azarenka out

England batsman Jonathan Trott said Tuesday he was ready for an international recall. Trott dramatically quit the Ashes tour of Australia last year following the first Test in Brisbane, citing a stress-related illness, and has not played for England since. However, the 33-year-old South Africa-born right-hander has returned to county duty with Warwickshire, although a recurrence of the illness in April led to another break from cricket. But since coming back again with the Midlands county in June, Trott has been in fine form for Warwickshire with four centuries -- two each in the County Championship and the 50-over One Day Cup. However, his time away from the international scene meant Trott was not awarded a central contract by the England and Wales Cricket Board last week.

–AFP

Gutierrez thanks fans after flying home

MUMIT M

Batsman Phil Hughes will replace injured captain Michael Clarke in next month’s one-day series against Pakistan, Cricket Australia said Wednesday, giving him a chance to state his case for a Test recall.

Clarke was ruled out on Tuesday after scans revealed the hamstring injury that cut short his Zimbabwe tour was worse than first thought and included tendon damage.

Hughes, 25, will take his place in the three-game series in the United Arab Emirates.

“I know the guys in front of me and how well the Test side is going -- just to be that spare batter and around the squad, that has always been my plan over the last 12 months,” Hughes said.

“If a spot comes up I feel very ready to take it... but I’m happy to bide my time.”

Hughes had already been named in the Test squad to play Pakistan and was set to travel to the UAE earlier than his teammates to work on his batting against spin with coaching consultant and Sri Lankan great Muttiah Muralitharan.

The batsman, who has scored well for Australia A and South Australia, said it had been tough being in and out of the national side.

“But I understand that when I was in there, I wasn’t consistent enough. Going forward it’s about consistency and looking to score as many runs as possible,” he said.

“That is something that I have been working on and I’m probably doing it better over the last 12 months than the previous years.”

The three-game one-day series against Pakistan, the last for Australia before it hosts the World Cup next year, starts on October 7 with the first of two Tests not until October 22.l

The jubilant West Indian team celebrate with the trophy after winning the two-Test series against the visiting Bangladesh side 2-0 at St Lucia on Tuesday WICB

Rory McIlroy won recognition for his stellar campaign on Tuesday when he was named winner of the 2013-14 PGA of America Player of the Year award and the Vardon Trophy for lowest scoring average.

For the 25-year-old Northern Irishman, who has two major titles among his four wins worldwide this year, it marked the second time in three seasons that he has captured both awards.

McIlroy won consecutive majors at the British Open and PGA Championship, sandwiched around his win at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, in the 2013-14 season and finished number

one on the tour money list.

The world number one posted an adjusted average of 68.82 through 66 complete rounds, edging Sergio Garcia (68.95), who completed 61 rounds, for the Vardon Trophy.

Masters winner Bubba Watson was a distant second to McIlroy for Player of the Year, which is based on a points system. U.S. Open winner Martin Kaymer was third followed by three-times tour event winner Jimmy Walker.

McIlroy is widely regarded as the front-runner to scoop PGA Tour player of the year honours, which will be announced before the tour’s 2014-15 season-opening Frys.com Open on Oct. 9. l

16

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Khaleda asked to appear in court n Md Sanaul Islam Tipu

A Dhaka court yesterday asked BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and seven others to appear before it on September 22 in the Zia Orphanage and Zia Charitable Trust graft cases.

Judge Bashudeb Roy of the Dhaka Special Judge’s Court-3 passed the order after rejecting the petition filed by the defence counsel seeking adjournment of hearing in the cases.

Soon after the rejection of the adjournment plea, the courtroom plunged into chaos and the prosecution and defence counsels engaged in an altercation and a scuffle also occurred between them in the courtroom.

At one stage, Judge Bashudeb Roy left the courtroom halting proceedings. The court resumed after an hour when the atmosphere calmed down. But soon after its resumption, counsels from both sides got involved in further altercations.

Yesterday was the scheduled date for the court to start trial against Khaleda and others in the cases. But the defence filed two petitions – one for adjournment of the hearing and the other for Khaleda’s failure to appear before the court.

The defence in a plea sought adjournment of hearing until the Supreme Court decides on the leave-toappeal petition filed by Khaleda against the charge framing in the cases.

The court granted the time petition

by Khaleda but it rejected the plea for adjournment of trial proceeding.

The court fixed September 22 for the trial to start and asked all accused including Khaleda to appear before the court on the day. During the proceedings, the BNP chief was not present at the makeshift court in Bakshibazar.

On March 19, the judge indicted Khaleda, her son and BNP Senior Vice-Chairman Tarique Rahman and seven others in the cases filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission.

The ACC in July 2009 filed the Zia orphanage graft case against Khaleda, Tarique and four others for embezzling over Tk2.1 crore through the “fake” trust.

Four other accused are former BNP lawmaker Kazi Salimul Haque, businessman Sharfuddin Ahmed, former principal secretary Kamal Uddin Siddiqui and Momenur Rahman – a nephew of BNP founder Ziaur Rahman.

On August 8, 2011, the ACC lodged the Zia Charitable graft case against Khaleda and three others for abusing power in setting up the charity.

Other accused are Harris Chowdhury, Khaleda’s former political secretary, Ziaul Islam Munna, assistant private secretary (APS) of Harris, and Monirul Islam Khan, APS of former DCC mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka. l

Back Page

Thursday, September 18, 2014

THE HANGING EXPRESS

Commuters risk their lives as they travel by trains, merely hanging on to the locomotive. Although railways authorities recently started evicting illegal establishments beside rail tracks to ensure safety of citizens, they are yet to take substantial measures against such reckless passengers. The photo was taken on Tuesday in the capital’s Gendaria SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

Consultant’s error Khandker resigns from Sector Kamaruzzaman appeal verdict any day raises Dhaka airport At one point, Justice AHM Sham- he perpetrated genocide, gave deposiCommanders’ Forum n Ahmed Zayeef suddin Choudhury reminded Shahja- tions. We think it will bring fruitful reupgrade costs Dhaka Tribune, adding that Khandker The Appellate Division of the Supreme han that he was supposed to produce a sults for us. We hope that the Appellate Tribune Report n Division will uphold the tribunal verwas resting and would talk about the Court will deliver its verdict any day Bangla calendar of 1971. n Asif Showkat Kallol Shahjahan said he had not found dict that awarded him death sentence.” on the appeal filed by war criminal and Air Vice-Marshal (retd) AK Khandker issue later.

The cost of upgrading Dhaka airport has been raised by Tk36 crore because the consulting firm did not notice before that there was a four-feet deep layer of clay under the taxiway which must be removed.

On January 30 last year, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the upgradation project for Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. The project was supposed to be completed within two years of commissioning.

The Civil Aviation Ministry proposal, signed by its Secretary Khorsad Alam Chowdhury, to raise the cost will be placed at today’s meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Public Purchase.

Civil Aviation Minister Rashed Khan Menon told the Dhaka Tribune that the project would be completed within the stipulated two-year time frame.

According to the original proposal, the airport is being upgraded by the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh at a cost of Tk445 crore, provided by the Danish International Development Agency as a grant. The government has exempted around Tk85 crore in duties on the import of equipment.

The proposal says the additional Tk36 crore will be needed by South African contractor Munch Asphalt for removing the clay from the taxiway and replacing it with suitable sand to reconstruct the pavement.

The proposal also says that Danish consultant Ramboll did not notice the clay when preparing the plan. l

resigned as chairman of Sector Commanders’ Forum (SCF) yesterday, citing old age as the reason behind his decision. His resignation, however, came on the heels of controversies surrounding his recently published book on the Liberation War. The forum’s acting secretary general Harun Habib confirmed the news of Khandker’s resignation. Khandker has also withdrawn himself from the primary membership from the SCF. When contacted, Khandker’s wife also said age was the reason that prompted him to step down from the SCF role.

“He has served the organisation for long. Now, other people should take over the responsibility,” she told the

Recently, the deputy commander of the Liberation War created controversy by claiming in his book “1971: Bhitore Baire” that Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had mentioned “Joy Pakistan” at the end of his historic March 7 speech in 1971.

Following the book’s publication, the SCF had issued a statement saying the views in the book were entirely Khandker’s own and did not agree with the principles and ideology of the organisation.

However, in his resignation letter, Khandker “did not mention a single word about the book,” said Habib. The forum would decide on the issue at a scheduled meeting of the central working committee today, he added. l

Jamaat leader Muhammad Kamaruzzaman challenging the death penalty awarded to him by the war crimes tribunal for his wartime offences.

After the 16th day of hearing, the four-member Appellate Division bench yesterday kept the appeal waiting for verdict as both sides finished placing their arguments.

The hearing started around 12 noon and soon after Attorney General (AG) Mahbubey Alam placed and read out his written submission before the court.

At the end of hearing, the AG said: “Death sentence should be awarded considering the merit of this case.”

After him, Kamruzzaman’s counsel SM Shahjahan summed up his legal argument before the court.

any such calendar in the market.

At the end of his submission, Shahjahan said: “Fortunately, the hearing has finished successfully. But it is very unfortunate that the appellant did not find any better lawyer than me.”

Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha, who leads the bench, said: “Mr Shahjahan, what is the point of saying this? There is nothing like that. We depend on you.

We questioned our conscience. We sat session after session together. Then we announced the verdict.”

At the end of the hearing, Mahbubey Alam said: “Kamruzzaman was the commander of the al-Badr force.

He was in charge of a number of alBadr camps. Widows from Shohagpur [known as the village of widows] where

Shahjahan Ali said: “We tried to convince the judges that there was no reliable witness in this case. We provided logical arguments using the evidence placed by the tribunal. It is a case of no evidence.”

On May 9 last year, the second International Crimes Tribunal delivered death penalty to the Jamaat leader in two out of the seven charges brought against him.

He was given the death penalty for genocide at Sohagpur and murder of Golam Mostafa.

The tribunal at that time said: “It would not be fair, if Kamaruzzaman was not penalised with capital punishment.”

On June 6, Kamaruzzaman’s lawyers filed an appeal petition, challenging the tribunal verdict. l

Case filed a month after speech impaired girl was raped in Chandpur

Large cache of weapons found in Habiganj again

n Our Correspondent, Chandpur

n Our Correspondent, Habiganj

A 14-year old speech-impaired girl was raped in Chandpur by her own uncle on August 1. But the victim's mother filed a case with the Women and Child Repression Prevention Special Tribunal on September 15, after well over a month.

Md Ohidur Rahman Bhuiyan, 55, of Haimchar upazila, took advantage of the disability of his niece and raped

her. A local woman rescued the girl upon hearing noise from a nearby betel leaf plantation. The perpetrator however managed to flee.

The victim's mother Khushida Begum said advised by local people who assured her of justice, she did not file any case at that time. When over a month lapsed, she decided to lodge a complaint with the Haimchar police station, but the police refused to reg-

ister her case. Having no alternative, she approached the special tribunal.

A powerful quarter was still trying to bury the incident, she said.

Officer in-Charge of Haimchar police station, Md Moniruzzaman told the Dhaka Tribune that they had not received any directive to investigate the case.

He denied the allegation that the police had not registered the case. l

Members of the Rapid Action Battalion yesterday dug out a huge amount of ammunition from a bunker in the Satchhari hill of Chunarughat upazila.

The 15-sack armoury included 112 rocket-propelled grenades and rocket chargers, said RAB’s Media Wing Commander Mufti Mahmud Khan in a press briefing held on the spot.

He said a tipped-off RAB 9 team conducted a drive at Tripura Palli of the area and recovered the sophisticated arms and ammo stored in an underground bunker on the homestead of a person named Ajit Das Barma.

A case was filed in this connection.

On June 3 and September 3, RAB recovered arms and ammunitions from the same area. Two cases were filed in connection with the incidents. l

Prosecution sees no failure, probe agency regrets

Both sides disappointed

n Udisa Islam

n Udisa Islam and Ahmed Zayeef

The prosecution of the war crimes tribunal does not want to face any criticisms about their performance in the case against Delawar Hossain Sayedee who has been acquitted by the apex court yesterday in 15 out of 20 charges brought against him.

The prosecutors claim that they did their best without any negligence.

Though, personally, many of them were discontent over the probe agency’s work. None of the prosecutors admitted to any fault or inefficiency in them.

When people were shocked upon hearing the final verdict, the prosecutors left the court room laughing while Mohammad Ali, conducting prosecutor in the trial against executed war criminal Abdul Quader Molla, passed a comment: “So far, I am the Hero.”

Another prosecutor Shahidur Rahman said: “We placed evidence, the tribunal gave the death penalty and finally the court convicted the accused.”

Hours after pronouncement of the final verdict, prosecutors of the case were seen chatting at the chamber of Syed Haider Ali, the main conducting prosecutor. They were happy with the verdict since the sentence did not bother them.

One of the members Abdur Rahman

Attorney General Mahbubey Alam replies to reporters’ queries at a press conference at his Supreme Court office after the verdict against Sayedee yesterday RAJIB DHAR Hawlader mocked saying that his wife had called him after the verdict and asked him not to return home since Sayedee was not given the death penalty. She suspected that there were dealings under the table.

The whole prosecution team was complacent echoing the attorney general who said: “Sayedee’s mask has been unveiled following the verdict even though he presented himself as a very religious and innocent person at all times.”

One of the prosecutors quoting Sayedee said the Jamaat-e-Islami leader

had claimed on the day of indictment that he was facing the greatest lie of this century. “But we have unveiled his face at least as it has been proved now that Sayedee forcefully converted Hindus to Islam and was involved in rape and torture of women during the 1971 Liberation War.” After the pronouncement of the final verdict, the prosecution was not ready to face the media saying that the full verdict was yet to be published.

They also declined invitations to speak on talk shows on television channels.

For their callous presentation, the

prosecution has been facing criticism from the beginning of the trial.

Recently, even the apex court criticised the prosecutors during the hearing in the appeal case of Muhammad Kamaruzzaman.

When the attorney general failed to answer some questions of the Appellate Division bench, Justice SK Sinha reacted sharply saying: “I am really shocked to see your condition. Why do you allow such incompetent prosecutors?

Bring some competent persons in.”

War crimes campaigners have long been demanding a reshuffle in the prosecution team so that competent counsels could run the cases, which to trial after more than 40 years of independence.

The case’s investigator, Md Helal Uddin, admitted that they had been immature during the probe. “It was the first case of the tribunal and we were not matured enough. We tried our level best.

“If we had started this case now, there would have been a different outcome.”

Sanaul Haque, senior official of the investigation agency, said his team had done a lot though and faced many “problems” to conduct the probe. He said: “Whatever mistakes we did, we will correct them in the future. We will be cautious in the next cases.” l

Top legal minds of the country yesterday expressed their disappointment at the Appellate Division's verdict in the Sayedee appeals case, but noted that the verdict would have to be accepted.

The defence, meanwhile, also expressed a different disappointment at the verdict, claiming that they had hoped that Sayedee would be cleared of all charges.

Commenting on the verdict from his personal viewpoint, Law Minister Anisul Haque said he was a “little disappointed.” He, however, added that he respected the court's judgement.

In a press brief after the verdict was read, Attorney General Mahbubey Alam said: “I feel sorry. We did not get the judgement as per our expectation. I expected the death sentence to stand.”

The attorney general, however, said he was happy as the prosecution had been able to unmask Sayedee's representation of himself as a religious and innocent person. Now it was proved that Sayedee had forced people to convert religion and was involved in the rape and torture of women during the Liberation War, he added.

Asked if the defence could file any review petition against the verdict, Mahbubey Alam replied: “There is no

scope for filing such a petition as the trial was run under a special law.”

However, earlier at a press briefing on the court premises, the defence had claimed that they would file a review petition after getting the full verdict.

Commenting on the verdict, former law minister Shafique Ahmed said there was nothing to say when the apex court had delivered the judgement after considering all the evidence and hearing the arguments.

Prosecutor Dr Tureen Afroz denied commenting on the verdict, saying that they could comment only after getting a copy of the full judgement.

Haider Ali, conducting prosecutor of the team, also said they were waiting for the full verdict. Claiming that the team had put its best efforts and had faith in the apex court, Haider said everyone would have to accept the verdict. He added that they were able to prove the crimes of Sayedee.

On the other hand, Advocate Tajul Islam, one of the counsels for Sayedee, said they would surely file for a review against the verdict.

In a press release, the defence also listed some points and said they were not happy with the verdict as they expected Sayedee to be acquitted of all charges in the final verdict. l

Editor: Zafar Sobhan, Published and Printed by Kazi Anis Ahmed on behalf of 2A Media Limited at Dainik Shakaler Khabar Publications Limited, 153/7, Tejgaon Industrial Area, Dhaka-1208. Editorial, News & Commercial Office: FR Tower, 8/C Panthapath, Shukrabad, Dhaka 1207.

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B3 China central bank injects $81bn into major banks to support economy

B4 China, Singapore

slowdown weighs on Q3 Asia business sentiment

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2014 www.dhakatribune.com/business

Roadmap for joint strategy with donors unveiled Next JCS will also focus on achieving the post-2015 development agenda and sustainable development goals

n Tribune Report Economic Relations Division yesterday unveiled a roadmap for the next “Joint Cooperation Strategy (JCS)” which will be signed next year between the government and development partners for the period of 2015-20.

The present JCS, signed between the government and the development partners back in 2010 for a five-year period, is set to expire in 2015.

The new JCS for the 2015-20 period is going to be formulated by the ERD. A proposed theme and way forward of the planned JCS was shared with the government high officials and the development partners at the local consultative group plenary meeting at the NEC Conference Room in the capital yesterday, according to an ERD statement.

Cabinet Secretary M Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan, ERD Secretary Md Mejbahuddin and UN Resident Coordinator in Bangladesh Neal Walker were present at the meeting, among others.

Mejbahuddin said the planned JCS will be aligned with the government’s upcoming seventh Five-Year Plan to ensure appropriate support from the development partners in implementing it.

He said the next JCS will also focus on achieving the post-2015 development agenda and sustainable development goals while also emphasising the quality of aid rather than the quantity.

The new JCS will explore the opportunity for a greater role of the private sector in development cooperation while also focusing on other sources of

development financing including remittances, domestic resources, said the government representatives and the development partners at the meeting.

The next JCS will also provide additional space for enhanced cooperation with the emerging donors as well as facilitating the policy platform for increased voice of civil society organisations in the development cooperation activities.

The meeting was also told that the Aid Information Management System (AIMS) developed by the ERD would go for full launching by the end of October.

The internationally compliant homegrown aid data base is currently accessible online on a trial basis.

Once operational, anyone will be able to access all sorts of information related to the inflow and disbursement of foreign aid in Bangladesh through visiting the AIMS website.

In this way, Bangladesh is set to become one of the few countries in the world to have its own homegrown aid database.

“Having a system like AIMS will allow us to increase aid transparency, strengthen accountability, improve aid coordination and enable more efficient aid management,” said the ERD Secretary.

A number of development partners including World Bank, ADB, EU, Australia, DFID, JICA, South Korea, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, USA, France and the UN system (UNEP, UNHCR, UNDP, IFAD, UN Women and UNFPA have already registered for the system. l

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina addresses the inauguration of a day-long International Investment Forum at Sonargaon Hotel, Dhaka yesterday

PM: Reap benefits from liberal investment policy n Tribune Business Desk

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday urged foreign investors to take advantage of the country’s open and favourable regulatory regime, skilled workforce, and strategic location in Asia to expand their businesses, reports UNB. “The government of Bangladesh is committed to stay on its upward course to attract FDI and maintain investment-friendly environment for our economic development… select Bangladesh for making investment,” she said.

Prime Minister was inaugurating the day-long International Investment Forum-2014, organised by the Board of Investment (BoI) at Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel in Dhaka.

She along with the guests at the dais also launched the Investment Facilitation and Regulatory Guidebooks by BoI and BUILD. Organised by the BoI, a total of 273 investors from 21 countries, including Bangladesh, attended the daylong seminar aiming to attract local and for-

eign investment.

Sheikh Hasina said the traditional trade and investment paradigms are shifting with a view to accumulating higher degree of south-south cooperation.

“A dynamic private sector can take advantage of this change, with the support of their respective governments, to ensure a robust and sustainable economic growth.”

Bangladesh offers the most liberal FDI regime in South Asia, allowing for 100% foreign equity, unrestricted remittance policy, and repatriation of profits and incomes, technical assistance fee and royalty fee, she said.

She listed various concrete steps taken by her government and substantial reform initiatives in recent years to address issues raised by the business community and showing Bangladesh’s commitment to tackle major investment constraints.

The government has so far finalised the setting up of five economic zones while steps have been taken to establish another 13 economic zones, she said.

n Jebun Nesa Alo

A tax official seen helping the visitors on e-TIN registration process at the Income Tax Fair in Dhaka yesterday

MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

Tax officials struggle to serve enthusiastic taxpayers n Tribune Report The income tax officials have been struggling to ensure smooth services for taxpayers converging on the tax fair venues from across the country.

With 51,223 individuals at the venues nationwide on the very first day, the second day, Wednesday, witnessed a huge rush of people assembling at the fair venues to seek their tax-related services.

A total of 92,016 service seekers received services yesterday.

According to the National Board of

She said the existing eight EPZs have so far attracted $3.2bn while the present government is committed to expanding the future potential for private investment zones, taking huge strides in the “Digital Bangladesh” process such as simplifying the investors services including entry process through online systems for registration of investment projects, companies registration, TIN, land, intellectual properties (patent, design, trademarks).

Prime Minister said the Bay of Bengal Growth Triangle can help trigger economic breakthroughs with an increase in trade and investments amongst the South and East Asian neighbours, as well as with China and Japan.

“Our interests are directly linked with the sea. The major obstacle till recently was the unresolved issue of maritime boundary with India and Myanmar. My initiatives on this have now resulted in the delimitation of boundaries with our neighbors who have got its rightful share in the Bay of Bengal,” she said.

“Now Bangladesh can explore nat-

ural resources up to 354 nautical miles from the coast lines, the blue economy has opened up of immense possibilities of mobilising sea resources, which are boundless, the government has already started working with some of these major economies, building strategic relationships and setting up high-level government teams to work together to develop regional value chains.”

“This is the way to the future and most major economies have benefited from integrated production bases and collaborative growth models. Asian countries need to catch up,” she added.

Hasina said South Asia remains one of the least integrated regions in the world with almost a quarter of the world’s population, the region accounts for only 2% of the world’s FDI. Compared to the global average of $643, the region attracts less than $20 of FDI per capita.

“Intra-regional FDI is even less significant, amounting to an average of about $300m per year. It thus accounts for just about 1% of overall investment into the region.” l

Rating agency leaks local financial info abroad

Muhith okays appointing SA Chowdhury as Janata chairman n Tribune Report Finance Minister AMA Muhith has approved a proposal of Bank Division to appoint SA Chowdhury, a former banker, as chairman of state-run Janata Bank for three years.

Officials said the division will issue a circular on the appointment after having consent from the central bank. SA Chowdhury retired as chief executive officer and managing director of the state-owned Sonali Bank during the last caretaker government.

Prof Abul Barakat completed his tenure as Janata Bank chirman on 8 September.

Meanwhile, the government is yet to form a search committee to appoint managing director for the bank. l

FOCUS BANGLA

Revenue (NBR) officials, the tax fair across the country experiences a positive response from people and more visitors are expected to arrive next day and Saturday.

During a visit to the Officers Club, the fair venue in the capital, the correspondent found many taxpayers waiting in the queue for receiving services.

Mainly, the taxpayers and the service seekers were found in crowded places on the Khelaghar premises where e-TIN and the payment-related booths were opened.

“I had to wait at the booths for around 20 minutes only to talk to the tax officials registering for the e-TIN. As the fair is witnessing a huge rush, the board should construct more booths to serve the taxpayers,” said Faizullah Al Mahmud Kabir, a taxpayer who was there to re-register for e-TIN. According to the NBR data, 2,383 new taxpayers registered for e-TIN while some 1,141 individuals re-registered for the electronic system.

Asked about opening more booths to facilitate services, a number of NBR

officials, however, said they cannot do that as the renovation is going on in the ground floor of officers club.

“There is no more place to hire. Last year, we booked the entire building, but this year it has not been possible. We have already occupied the tennis court, the first floor of main building and the Khelaghar premises,” a tax official said.

As of yesterday, the board has received Tk475.40crore from the fair from 16,593 income tax returns, the NBR data reads.  B3 COLUMN 2

Bangladesh Rating Agency Limited (BDRAL) has been found guilty for leaking financial information abroad, grossly violating the licence conditions issued by Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC).

A Bangladesh Bank investigation report has recently detected gross irregularities, which also includes leaking financial information, committed by the rating agency. The investigation was conducted on June 8-9 this year.

According to the Bank Company Act 1991, restriction has been imposed on leaking information, documents and records of banks outside of the country in any manner.

The BDRAL, however, stated that the activities on exchange of information supply are approved by its parent company and also by Register of Joint Stock Companies (RJSC), according to the investigation report.

The investigation report noted that BDRAL was instructed to use local database to preserve and control information but the agency used the database, which was centrally preserved and controlled by New Delhi, India. As a result, the agency does not have any local control on the information system.

The BDRAL stated in the report that it would set up a server locally by next six months.

The company has been leaking information of the banks to the Indian business enterprises. Against such a backdrop, the central bank made a policy decision to cancel the license of

the agency, said a senior executive of Bangladesh Bank.

But the decision could not be implemented as a section of a high official of the central bank strongly opposed the decision.

As contacted Bangladesh Bank governor Atiur Rahmna said some irregularities were found in the BDRAL rating activities. The central bank would take action against the agency as per bank company act.

Some irregularities were found in the BDRAL rating activities.

The central bank would take action against the agency as per bank company act In the ownership structure of BDRAL, nine banks and financial institutions share, which bias the rating activities of the company, said the report.

BDRAL evaluated the clients of NCC and MTB, though these two banks holds 5% and 4% respectively share in the respective rating company.

The rating agency licensed only for SME rating but the central bank investigation found that the company has rated a corporate client named Integra International, which was not under SME. BDRAL Chief Operating Officer Abhijit K Saha denyed to make any comments in this regard. l

MoU likely in October to join new Asian bank n Tribune Report The government has decided in principle to join the China-proposed Asian Infrastructure Bank (AIB), aimed at developing infrastructures in the Asian countries.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) will be signed between Bangladesh and Chinese govern-

ments in October paving the way for this new initiative.

Economic Relation Division (ERD) Secretary M Mejbahuddin came up with the disclosure yesterday while talking to reporters after an inter-ministerial meeting held at the finance ministry, with Finance Minister AMA Muhith in the chair.

“We have decided in principle to join Chinese Asian Infrastructure Bank and will sign a MoU in October this year.”

In response to a question, ERD secretary also reminded that a total of 23 countries including India and South Korea have expressed their keen interest to join the proposed bank. Authorised capi-

tal of the Chinese AI Bank will be US$100bn.

There is a huge demand for cheaper foreign credits for the economic development of Bangladesh, although the country is unable to properly utilise 45% of its Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) and credits under Annual Development Programs (ADP), AB

Mirza Azizul Islam, former adviser to a caretaker government, told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday.

He also noted that a country like Bangladesh would be financially more benefited from the cheaper foreign credits only if the lender was refrained from imposing any sort of conditions on its credit programmes. l

B2

Stock

DHAKA TRIBUNE

DSEX hits eightmonth high

DSE key features September 17, 2014

DSE GAINER

Turnover (Million Taka)

n Tribune Report

Number of Contract

ACI Formulations-A Modern Dyeing -Z Anlima Yarn -A SummitAlliancePort.-A 2nd ICB M F -A GPH Ispat Ltd-A Active Fine Chem.-A Unique Hotel RL - A Brac Bank -A ACI Limited- A

months since July 16 last year and more than 15% higher over the previous session.

The banking issues, the market’s heavyweight sector that remained under pressure for long, bounced to positive return with 1% rise.

Non-banking financial institutions gained 1.6%, with cement and pharmaceuticals 1% each.

Telecommunications posted the highest gain with more than 2% rally, driven by Grameenphone.

Lanka Bangla Securities said Matijheel stocks jumped with trading the day, remaining above 4,800 level as bull raced over following the market with fresh fund.

It said some actively traded stocks, which took a pit stop in previous sessions, have discovered a new high level at the end of trading, following strong buying interest among the investors.

Zenith Investments said market gambled its way higher, thanks to humongous volume that has been rising with each passing day, as more cash was being pumped into stocks for good.

The total turnover volume crossed the Tk900-crore mark as more and more investors are injecting their funds into the market which have recently created a lot of buzz with its ongoing rally.

GP was the most traded stocks with shares worth Tk48.6 crore changing hands, followed by Mobil Jamuna Limited, Beximco Pharmaceuticals, BSRM Steel, Lafarge Surma Cement Ltd Bangladesh, Beximco Ltd, Delta Life Insurance and ACI Formulations. l

Weekly capital market highlights

27.57 62.00 5.60 14.72 41.99 26.37 6.50 85.67 402.04 730.41

Closing

DHIGH

26.50 61.80 5.50 14.60 40.60 26.10 6.50 85.20 400.30 709.60

29.40 62.00 5.60 15.20 44.90 27.50 6.50 87.10 407.20 790.00

607.91

Turnover (Volume)

14,208,613

Number of Contract

19,621

Traded Issues

228

Issue Gain (Avg. Price Basis)

121

Issue Loss (Avg. Price Basis)

100

Unchanged Issue (Avg. Price Basis)

7

Market Capital Equity (Billion. Tk.)

2,452.90

Market Capital Equity (Billion US$)

29.73

Turnover in Million

DLOW 26.30 61.70 5.50 14.50 40.10 26.00 6.50 85.00 398.00 701.20

Latest EPS

62.264 0.217 0.056 2.752 55.637 0.331 0.013 0.921 2.171 46.382

2.27 4.68 -1.33 2.33 0.75 0.08 0.81 4.95 4.20 -3.16

Latest PE 12.1 13.2 -ve 6.3 56.0 329.6 8.0 17.3 95.7 -ve

155.00 80.90 28.30 30.00 263.00 45.40 61.00 62.10 26.00 390.00

DHIGH

35.90 28.20 171.40 53.70 70.80 56.30 15.90 59.30 73.00 41.30

DLOW

35.90 28.20 172.40 54.30 71.90 57.50 16.00 60.90 74.50 41.50

Turnover in Million 246.219 0.024 9.084 108.370 0.013 123.410 185.150 238.877 114.448 213.057

Turnover in Million

33.00 27.50 165.30 50.00 66.30 53.00 15.80 57.90 70.00 35.20

Latest EPS

Latest PE

3.36 1.61 0.80 0.96 33.24 2.80 3.30 2.98 2.91 9.22

Latest EPS

7.706 0.492 10.105 3.564 8.532 0.529 0.049 0.136 9.702 9.053

51.1 49.7 35.4 36.2 7.9 18.8 20.8 24.5 10.5 47.4

Latest PE

0.96 0.80 3.36 2.80 3.30 2.84 2.40 6.47 2.98 3.54

36.3 35.2 51.0 18.7 20.9 19.6 6.6 9.2 24.5 11.5

News, analysis and recent disclosers From TradeServers: ICBISLAMIC: ICB AMCL Islamic Mutual Fund (closed-end) managed by ICB Asset Management Company Limited will complete its 10 (ten) years tenure on December 28, 2014. As per Rules, the closed-end fund will be de-listed and trading of the units of the fund will be discontinued from December 29, 2014. As per Rule 50 (ga) of Securities and Exchange Commission (Mutual Fund) Rules, 2001, "if at least three-fourth unit holders presented in the Extra ordinary meeting may propose the conversion of the scheme, subject to approval of BSEC, the scheme or the schemes of the closed-end mutual fund may be converted to open-end scheme". The Trustee Committee of the Fund has decided that the said closed-end fund may be converted to open-end scheme subject to approval of BSEC, upon receiving consent from required no. of unit holders of the fund in the meeting for the conversion of the fund.

The date, time and venue of the meeting of unit holders will be notified later.

TUNGHAI: (H/Y): As per un-audited half yearly accounts as on 30.06.14 (Jan'14 to

June'14), the Company has reported net profit after tax {including other income/ (loss) of Tk. (7.58) million} of Tk. 36.72 million with EPS of Tk. 0.77 as against Tk. 33.44 million and Tk. 0.74 for the same period of the previous year. However, EPS {excluding other income/(loss)} was Tk. 0.93 as on 30.06.14 (Jan'14 to June'14).

Whereas net profit after tax {including other income/(loss) of Tk. (7.69) million} was Tk. 24.47 million with EPS of Tk. 0.49 for the period of 3 months (Apr'14 to June'14) ended on 30.06.14 as against Tk. 21.84 million and Tk. 0.48 respectively for the same period of the previous year.

However, EPS {excluding other income/ (loss)} was Tk. 0.65 as on 30.06.14 (Apr'14 to June'14).

DHAKAINS: Credit Rating Information and Services Limited (CRISL) has announced the CPA (Claim Paying Ability) Rating of the Company as "A" in consideration of audited financials of the Company up to December 31, 2013, unaudited financial up to 30th June, 2014 and other relevant quantitative as well as qualitative information up to the date of rating declaration.

FIRSTSBANK: BSEC is not in a position to consider the application of First Security Islami Bank Limited regarding approval of rights issue as the Company has failed to comply with the requirement of rule 3(f) of the Securities and Exchange Commission (Rights Issue) Rules, 2006.

Dividend/AGM CENTRALPHL: 5% cash and 15% stock, AGM & EGM: 23.10.2014, Record date for AGM & EGM: 29.09.2014.

DBH: 25% cash, AGM: 25.11.2014, Record date: 25.09.2014.

DESHBANDHU: 10% stock, EGM & AGM: 19.10.2014, Record date for AGM & EGM: 21.09.2014.

SINGERBD: 160% interim cash, Record date for entitlement of interim dividend: 17.09.2014.

MHSML: 25% stock, AGM: 30.10.2014, Record date: 25.09.2014.

FARCHEM: 20% stock, AGM: 09.10.2014, Record date: 11.09.2014.

SAIHAMCOT: 10% cash, AGM: 23.10.2014, Record date: 17.09.2014.

BSCCL: 10% cash, AGM: 12.10.2014, Record date: 04.09.2014.

CHANGE OF DSE BROAD INDEX VS SECTORAL INDEX 4%

Pharma & Chemical Index

DSE BroadIndex

3% 2%

16

09

0%

02

1%

26

5.1 41.1 50.9 12.1 17.8 55.5 12.2 14.2 32.6 16.4

19

4.57 1.90 0.20 2.27 1.43 0.75 1.70 1.28 3.20 2.08

12

0.012 0.023 0.015 4.551 0.076 7.517 0.088 0.064 0.365 0.709

05

23.30 78.00 10.10 26.60 25.10 40.50 20.70 18.00 103.00 33.40

Latest PE

29

23.30 78.00 10.20 30.00 25.80 44.50 20.80 18.50 108.00 34.50

Latest EPS

22

23.30 78.00 10.20 26.90 25.40 40.80 20.70 18.00 103.00 33.60

Turnover in Million

DLOW

15

DHIGH

08

23.30 78.00 10.17 27.58 25.43 41.64 20.67 18.16 104.23 34.09

Closing

01

ClosingAvg.

24

Average (% Change) -9.34 -7.64 -7.38 -6.13 -5.61 -5.60 -5.92 -3.92 -3.49 -1.56

ClosingAvg.

Turnover (Million Taka)

34.83 28.14 171.27 52.41 68.93 55.71 15.90 59.26 73.00 40.87

DLOW

173.00 81.00 28.30 36.10 263.00 55.10 71.50 75.00 31.40 457.10

Closing

17

Average (% Change) -6.42 -7.03 -6.67 -6.60 -5.81 -5.21 -5.80 -5.63 -5.12 -4.03

CSE key features September 17, 2014

ClosingAvg.

DHIGH

173.00 80.90 28.30 35.90 263.00 54.10 70.40 73.80 30.80 448.10

10

-9.34 -7.69 -7.27 -6.60 -5.93 -5.56 -5.48 -4.76 -4.63 -4.55

(+) 0.80%

30.91

171.76 80.00 28.30 34.73 263.00 52.56 68.65 73.02 30.51 436.58

27

ICB AMCL 1st NRB -A GreenDeltaInsu -A ISN Ltd. -Z Mozaffar H.Spinning-N BDCOM Online-A Shurwid Ind. -N Islami Ins.BD-A Prime Insur -A Rangpur Foundry -A S. Alam CR Steel -A

8934.11710

Market Capital Equity (Billion US$)

Closing

03

Closing (% Change)

(+) 0.51%

2,550.19

9.79 9.73 9.31 8.27 7.93 6.83 6.00 5.89 5.64 5.63

ClosingAvg.

20

Company

12001.34970

Market Capital Equity (Billion. Tk.)

SummitAlliancePort.-A Anlima Yarn -A ACI Formulations-A GPH Ispat Ltd-A Active Fine Chem.-A AFC AgroBiotech-A MutualTrust Bank-A 6th ICB M F-A Unique Hotel RL - A Summit Power -A

13

CSE LOSER

(+) 0.84%

8

06

-7.99 -7.21 -6.78 -6.41 -6.24 -6.12 -5.80 -5.75 -5.59 -5.18

14820.57410

Unchanged Issue (Avg. Price Basis)

Average (% Change) 7.60 10.18 11.16 6.57 4.80 5.89 6.00 5.82 6.18 4.42

Closing (% Change)

Company

29

Mozaffar H.Spinning-N Reliance Insur -A Meghna PET Ind. -Z ICB AMCL IslamicMF-A Shurwid Ind. -N BD. Autocars -Z BD Fixed Income MF-A Prime Islami Life -A Libra Infusions-A CVO PetroChem RL-A

(+) 1.12%

154

22

Closing (% Change)

1879.29725

▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲

Issue Loss (Avg. Price Basis)

CSE GAINER

15

Company

(+) 0.82%

138

01

DSE LOSER

4798.39606

Issue Gain (Avg. Price Basis)

9.98 9.77 9.69 9.12 7.52 7.34 7.32 7.11 6.94 6.59

08

DSE Broad Index : DSE - 30 Index : CSE All Share Index: CSE - 30 Index : CSE Selected Index :

300

25

The Dhaka Stock Exchange benchmark index, DSEX, rose 39 points down to 4,798 -- its highest since February 9 this year.

The Shariah index, DSES, rose 10 points to 1,136. The comprising blue chips DS30 closed at 1,879 with a rise of 21 points or 1.2%.

Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) Selective Categories Index, CSCX, surged 70 points to 8,934.

The DSE turnover remained vibrant as it stood at Tk966 crore, which is the highest in the last 14

Traded Issues

18

Matijheel stocks jumped with trading the day, remaining above 4,800 level as bull raced over following the market with fresh fund

167,327

11

Stocks rallied for the second session in a row yesterday with the benchmark index DSEX hitting nearly eight-month high and turnover crossing Tk900 crore for the first time this year.

Investors put fresh funds mainly into banks, non-banking financial institutions, telecommunications and cement, making the market buoyant, analysts say.

195,371,417

Average (% Change) 10.58 9.10 10.68 7.13 7.62 6.05 4.67 5.95 7.13 7.01

Closing (% Change)

Company

9,664.26

Turnover (Volume)

Thursday, September 18, 2014

-1% -2% -3% -4% -5%

ANALYST

Market gambled its way higher, thanks to humongous volume that has been rising with each passing day, as more cash was being pumped into stocks for good

SECTORAL TURNOVER SUMMARY Sector 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 662.42 547.51 89.73 1349.84 310.65 1294.31 1.24 676.62 1723.95 55.99 179.97 52.87 45.01 616.94 219.52 83.91 373.00 544.76 339.83 496.07 0.14

% change 6.85 5.67 0.93 13.97 3.21 13.39 0.01 7.00 17.84 1.86 0.55 0.47 6.38 2.27 0.87 3.86 5.64 3.52 5.13 0.00

Million Taka 43.19 30.03 3.24 75.76 13.38 65.38 54.67 84.28 14.47 10.90 9.27 6.98 58.22 15.81 2.37 21.45 52.13 27.72 46.36 0.02

CSE

% change 6.79 4.73 0.51 11.92 2.10 10.29 0.00 8.60 13.26 2.28 1.72 1.46 1.10 9.16 2.49 0.37 3.37 8.20 4.36 7.29 0.00

Million Taka 705.61 577.54 92.96 1425.60 324.03 1359.69 1.24 731.29 1808.23 70.46 190.87 62.14 51.99 675.17 235.33 86.28 394.45 596.89 367.55 542.43 0.16

-6%

DSE TURNOVER LEADERS Company

Total

% change 6.85 5.61 0.90 13.84 3.15 13.20 0.01 7.10 17.56 0.68 1.85 0.60 0.50 6.56 2.28 0.84 3.83 5.80 3.57 5.27 0.00

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

Grameenphone-A MJL BD Ltd.-A Beximco Pharma -A BSRM Steels-A LafargeS Cement-Z BEXIMCO Ltd. -A Delta Life Insu. -A ACI Formulations-A Golden Son -A Unique Hotel RL - A

ACI Limited- A Orion Pharma-N Summit Power -A Active Fine Chem.-A IDLC Finance -A CSE TURNOVER LEADERS Company Grameenphone-A LafargeS Cement-Z BEXIMCO Ltd. -A BSRM Steels-A MJL BD Ltd.-A Beximco Pharma -A Delta Life Insu. -A Orion Pharma-N Golden Son -A UNITED AIR-A

Tung Hai Knitting -N UCBL - A ACI Formulations-A Appollo Ispat CL -N HeidelbergCement -A

VolumeShares 1,363,755 3,452,252 6,422,581 3,723,431 2,734,500 8,222,838 1,778,068 1,433,465 4,919,821 3,271,361

Value in Million 485.54 477.26 408.46 398.49 389.88 361.90 309.96 246.22 243.28 238.88

% of TotalTurnover 5.02 4.94 4.23 4.12 4.03 3.74 3.21 2.55 2.52 2.47

VolumeShares

Value in Million

% of TotalTurnover

488,011 4,027,740 4,923,049 2,696,870 2,590,259

124,200 287,500 934,830 233,495 176,722 355,334 95,798 324,480 285,442 1,059,093

508,000 378,576 59,000 367,800 17,300

213.06 207.45 200.81 185.15 176.48

44.10 41.15 41.07 24.91 24.38 22.68 16.90 16.68 14.12 12.84

11.90 10.45 10.11 9.88 9.70

2.20 2.15 2.08 1.92 1.83

7.29 6.81 6.79 4.12 4.03 3.75 2.80 2.76 2.33 2.12

1.97 1.73 1.67 1.63 1.60

ClosingP 353.60 139.30 64.40 106.60 140.70 43.40 173.80 173.00 49.70 73.80

448.10 51.50 41.10 70.40 68.00

ClosingP

353.70 141.40 43.50 106.80 138.50 64.60 174.50 51.30 49.70 12.00

22.80 27.50 171.40 26.60 549.30

Change % 2.29 0.65 2.38 -0.28 1.30 0.00 4.01 9.98 4.41 7.11

6.59 3.83 4.58 7.32 2.41

Change %

2.67 1.51 0.46 0.09 0.00 2.38 5.06 3.85 4.19 1.69

-2.98 2.61 9.31 -2.21 -0.27

ClosingY 345.70 138.40 62.90 106.90 138.90 43.40 167.10 157.30 47.60 68.90

420.40 49.60 39.30 65.60 66.40

ClosingY

344.50 139.30 43.30 106.70 138.50 63.10 166.10 49.40 47.70 11.80

23.50 26.80 156.80 27.20 550.80

DHIGH 360.10 141.00 65.60 108.90 144.90 45.00 182.00 173.00 50.00 75.00

457.10 52.70 43.20 71.50 69.50

DHIGH

359.70 146.00 44.90 109.00 140.50 65.90 181.90 52.40 50.00 12.50

24.70 28.30 172.40 27.60 566.00

DLOW 320.00 124.70 57.00 98.00 139.00 39.10 151.00 155.00 45.00 62.10

390.00 45.00 36.00 61.00 60.00

DLOW

345.50 139.30 43.20 104.50 134.00 62.20 169.90 49.20 48.00 11.90

22.60 26.70 165.30 26.40 545.00

AvgPrice 356.03 138.25 63.60 107.02 142.58 44.01 174.33 171.76 49.45 73.02

436.58 51.50 40.79 68.65 68.13

AvgPrice

355.04 143.14 43.93 106.70 137.94 63.81 176.44 51.42 49.45 12.12

23.43 27.60 171.27 26.87 560.84

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Paira seaport sees shift from PPP The shipping ministry proposal goes to cabinet committee today n Asif Showkat Kallol Shipping ministry has decided to complete the remaining part of Paira seaport construction works in Patuakhali with government funding instead of public-private partnership initiative.

The partial works were completed earlier under the PPP financing.

But later the ministry failed to find any private investor to complete the remaining works, the estimated cost of which is nearly Tk350 crore, according to official sources.

Private firms were only willing to invest in construction of terminals and running commercial operation of the port The ministry has already sent a proposal in this regard to cabinet committee on economic affairs for approval, not only citing the failure to find investor but also describing the PPP a complex and time-consuming process. The proposal goes to the cabinet today.

It said private firms were only willing to invest in construction of terminals and running commercial operation of the port, which the investors think could be viable for them.

The ministry made made the decision at an inter-ministerial meeting on June 5.

Besides, the cabinet committee on economic affairs has already given consent to construction of a deep seaport at Sonadia in Cox’s Bazar at a cost of Tk50,000 crore under the government funding arrangement.

The Paira seaport is expected to reduce the pressure on the country’s two seaports - Chittagong and Mongla.

It is also expected to ensure economic and social development of the country’s southern and central areas, said Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan.

Chittagong Port Authority provided interest-free loan worth Tk49.6 crore in November 2013 to Paira Port Authority for land acquisition and development, and constructing pontoon and other infrastructures.

On November 19, 2013, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina formally opened the operation Paira seaport partially, which is located at Ramnabad of Kalapara upazila in the district.

The distance of Ramnabad channel from the sea is 31 kilometres, 316 km from Chittagong port, 130 km from Mongla port and 340 km from the capital.

The Chittagong seaort has a capacity to handle an aggregate volume of 1.6 million twenty -foot equivalent units (TEUs) of containers annually while the Mongla port haqs the capacity to handle 6.5 million tones of goods and 50,000 TEUs of containers every year .

The first –ever port( Paira) built in the country after independence would open up a new dimension in the import –export and goods transportation activities. l

Business

B3

Thursday, September 18, 2014

China central bank injects $81bn into major banks to support economy n Reuters China’s central bank is injecting a combined 500bn yuan ($81.35bn) of liquidity into the country’s top banks, according to media reports, a sign that authorities are stepping up efforts to shore up a faltering economy.

Global shares and commodity prices rose on the reported move, although local money market rates climbed on the day, reflecting continued tightness in liquidity.

The Wall Street Journal, citing an unnamed Chinese bank executive, said the People’s Bank of China (PBOC) is pumping in 100 billion yuan each into China’s top five banks via standard lending facility in the form of 3-month loans.

When contacted by Reuters, a PBOC spokesman said: “We will make an announcement if we have any news.”

The central bank may be worried that an expected tightening in liquidity ahead of the quarter-end as well as a series of upcoming initial public offerings could trigger a sharp rise in short-term rates, as was seen in June last year, when they surged to around 30 percent and roiled global markets, traders said.

Analysts say the amount is equivalent to a 50-basis-point cut to banks’ reserve requirement ratio – the level of cash commercial lenders must carry on deposit with the PBOC. However, an RRR cut would have a longer-lasting and larger impact across the economy.

“We think the latest SLF is mainly aimed at providing liquidity to preempt potential liquidity shortages in the banking system in the coming weeks,” Jian Chang, China economist at Barclays Capital in Hong Kong, said in a research note.

Still, a liquidity injection of this scale does have the effect of easing overall credit conditions and helps to stabilize a shaky economy after a weak start to the year. Some analysts believe the reported move shows the PBOC’s continued willingness to use targeted steps, rather than large-scale stimulus or interest rate cuts, to support growth.

A woman rides past the headquarters of the People's Bank of China, the Chinese central bank, in Beijing “This (SLF) is consistent with our view that targeted easing measures will be used in view of the deceleration in economic activities as reflected by recent data,” Credit Agricole said in a research note.

Bloomberg, which quoted an unnamed government official, said the move follows deep concern over the economic slowdown.

The reports come after a series of soft data underlined the headwinds confronting the economy, which suffered its weakest growth rate in 18 months in the first quarter. A sharp slowdown in the housing market, which accounts for more than 15% of China’s annual economic output, has also become an increasing drag on the broader economy.

Data out at the start of the week

showed China factory output grew at the weakest pace in nearly six years in August, raising fears that the economy may be at risk of a sharp slowdown unless Beijing implements fresh stimulus measures.

China’s leaders have repeatedly said they would use a period of anticipated slower growth to carry out structural shifts, including efforts to wean the economy off dependence on external demand and investment spending.

Still, the drumbeat of weak data has heightened speculation that Beijing would be forced to do more to keep the economy on an even keel.

Concerns of a deeper downturn in the world’s second-largest economy have buffeted global markets in recent months, and other major central banks such as the European Central Bank and

REUTERS

the Bank of Japan are expected to ease further to support their economies.

The US Federal Reserve, however, is expected to start raising rates at some point next year as growth there gathers momentum.

The benchmark seven-day bond repurchase agreement opened at 3.25% but the weighted average rate crept back up to 3.38% by late session, compared with 3.33% the previous day.

Stocks ended firmer, with both the CEI300 index of top Chinese companies and the Shanghai Composite Index rising 0.5%.

Pboc reluctant to use big-bang measures

The PBOC launched Standing Lending Facility in 2013 to supplement other monetary policy tools such as open market operations. l

GIZ's new income JCI to honour young entrepreneurs Ministry awaits permission initiatives for Rana Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed is existing business through innovative n Tribune Report expected to join the programme as the problem-solving strategy while adher- for rice export to Sri Lanka Plaza victims Junior Chamber International Bangla- chief guest while State Minister of ICT ing to the principles of Corporate Social in the past, but this would be the firstdesh is going to award Bangladeshi cre- Zunaid Ahmed Palak will also attend as Responsibility (CSR). n Asif Showkat Kallol n Tribune Report It looks for young innovative entrepreever shipment of non-fragrant rice as ative young entrepreneurs tomorrow a special guest.

The German Development Cooperation through its development agency GIZ and in collaboration with TARANGO displayed new collection of bags made out of recycled cement bags and jute fabrics for both the local and international markets.

The products were made by the victims of Rana Plaza, who are are currently unable to back to the RMG factory work due to their injuries and trauma. These handicrafts were exhibited for sale at a show held at the German Club in Dhaka yesterday.

GIZ in collaboration with TARANGO has launched a project titled “Promotion of Social and Environmental Standards in the Industry” (PSES), with an aim at developing entrepreneurial skills of vulnerable women workers in the RMG industry especially for the victims of Rana Plaza, who are unable to join the formal garment sector. l

for their outstanding and innovative ideas to solve business challenges.

Like the previous year, Junior Chamber International Bangladesh (JCI) arranged the “Creative Young Entrepreneurs Award 2014” where Bangladeshi creative young entrepreneurs will be awarded for their outstanding performance in solving business challenges.

The award-giving ceremony will be held at Hotel Westin tomorrow.

The valued partners of the event are Green Delta Insurance, National Finance Limited and RR Cables Limited.

JCI is an organisation of young active citizens dedicated to creating positive change.

JCI CYEA programme is designed specifically to recognise, honor and celebrate exceptional young entrepreneurs who have started a business, using creativity or have improved an

neurs that have started a new business using creativity in product and service development and in their approach to the market. JCI is one of the world’s largest youth organisations present in 120 countries with 200,000 active members.

The aim of JCI is to provide development opportunities through empowering young people to create a positive change. In Bangladesh, there are almost 600 members in JCI. l

Tax officials struggle to serve taxpayers  B1 COLUMN 4

The NBR is organising the fair at all seven divisional headquarters and 57 districts. All the fairs have e-TIN registration booths, re-registration booths, e-payment booths, income tax return filing booths, help and inquiry desks to

facilitate tax fairs.

Janata Bank and Sonali Bank also have booths to facilitate financial transactions. The fair remains open for the visitors from 10am to 5pm.

In the first two days, the revenue board has collected Tk612.34 crore in

income tax from the fair as 31,044 people submitted their returns and a total of 1,43,239 people received services across the country.

The taxmen issued a total of 4,214 new e-TINs and replaced 2,137 old TINs with e-TINs. l

The Food Ministry has sought special permission from the government to export 50,000 tonnes of coarse rice to Sri Lanka as there is a ban on non-fragrant rice export till June 2015.

The proposal to export the coarse rice is likely to be placed at today’s meeting of the cabinet committee on economic affairs.

The warehouse price of the rice has been estimated at $455 a tonne, but the export price will finally be $493 that includes insurance and freight charges.

The earning from the possible rice export is $2,27,50,000, according to the proposal.

Rice was selling at $430-$455 a tonne on August 16 in the international markets, including India, Pakistan, Thailand and Vietnam, according to a report of the Food Ministry.

Bangladesh exported aromatic rice

Colombo expressed interest to import rice from Dhaka on an emergency basis.

The ministry data shows rice imports jumped 13 times to 3.75 lakh tonnes, with private importers going on a buying spree between July and May. On August 27, food reserve increased to 14.19 lakh tonnes from 3.36 lakh, compared to the same period last year. Of the latest reserve, 10.84 lakh tonnes are rice and the rest of the amount wheat.

The country’s food stock stood at 12.6 million tonnes when Awami League first assumed power in 2009.

On February 28, 2012, the food stock stood at 14.31 million tonnes. Of them, 11.70 million tonnes are rice while the rest wheat.

Usually, the government sets 15 lakh tonnes of food grains aside for tackling any emergency situation. l

EXIM Bank has recently signed a corporate medical service agreement with United Hospital. The bank’s MD and CEO, Dr Mohammed Haider Ali Miah and Dr Dabir Uddin Ahmed, clinical operation director of United Hospital have signed the agreement ACI Limited has recently launched its CASE construction equipment at the presence of its MD, Dr Arif Dowla and its other officials

Shaheen Mahmud, chairperson of Jamuna Bank Limited has recently handed over two cheques (service benefit of an employee) to Khurshid Jahan, wife of late Faiz Ahsan, ExSVP and head of the bank’s Dilkusha branch

Standard Bank Limited has recently been recognised as the maximum income tax payer organisation furing the fiscal 2013 and 2014 consecutively. The bank’s MD and CEO, Md Nazmus Salehin received the award from the Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith

Bank Asia has recently opened an agent-banking booth at Birahimpur Bazar of Senbag in Noakhali district. The bank’s executive committee’s chair, Rumee A Hossain inaugurated the booth

Prime Exchange Co Pte Ltd Singapore, a fully owned subsidiary of Prime Bank Limited has recently signed a PESO Drawing Agreement with BDO UNIBANK in Manila, Philippines to facilitate Non-resident Philippine nationals living in Singapore to send money to the Philippines. Deputy managing director and chief of emerging market of Prime Bank Limited, Habibur Rahman and CEO of Prime Exchange Co Pte Ltd Singapore, Mostafa Hasan, and SVP & Head of Remittance Distribution Geneva T Gloria, VP & Head of Business Development Ferdinand C Bacungan of BDO UNIBANK were present at the signing ceremony

B4

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Back Page

Thursday, September 18, 2014

China, Singapore slowdown weighs on Q3 Asia business sentiment

Google: Government data requests up 150% in 5 years n AFP, Washington

n Reuters, Mumbai Business sentiment among Asia’s top companies fell sharply in the third quarter, weighed down by worries about China’s slowing economy, a possible end to the US Federal Reserve’s stimulus policy and a decline in the outlook for regional economic hubs like Singapore, a ThomsonReuters/INSEAD survey showed.

The ThomsonReuters/INSEAD Asia Business Sentiment Index fell to 66 in the third quarter from 74 in the previous quarter, its steepest decline in three years. A reading above 50 indicates an overall positive outlook.

Companies in India were the most positive with a maximum score of 100 for the second consecutive quarter after pro-business leader Narendra Modi was elected prime minister.

In contrast, Taiwanese businesses were the most negative, with a score of 33.

“While growth is still robust across Asia, businesses are grappling with a number of challenges, including worries about rising interest rates as the Fed begins to press the brakes,” said Frederic Neumann, the Hong Kongbased co-head of Asian economic research at HSBC. He also said business conditions in China had become more uncertain amid a softening real estate market.

Chinese companies polled were neutral about their prospects, which led China’s score in the third quarter to drop to 50 from 67. China’s economy is expected to grow 7.3 percent this year, its weakest pace in 24 years, a Reuters poll of analysts shows.

Singapore also turned in a thirdquarter reading of 50, a sharp drop from the previous quarter’s score of 67.

The index surveyed 200 of the AsiaPacific region’s top companies in 11 economies across sectors including financials, property, resources and technology.

Companies participating in the survey included Australian construction materials firm James Hardie Industries Plc, Japan’s Fast Retailing Co Ltd and Indian drugmaker Lupin Ltd, among others.

The poll, conducted by ThomsonReuters in association with INSEAD, a global management and business school, was compiled from Sept 1-12.

It showed global economic worries, rising costs and other risks including currency volatility and regulatory uncertainty were the key business concerns.

Of the 120 companies that respond-

A woman in a wedding gown and a tourist (2nd R) pose for photos with the skyline of the financial district of Singapore at Marina Bay ed, 64% reported a neutral outlook, while 34% said they had a positive outlook and 1.67% were negative.

India bullish, china slips

Business sentiment in key Asian economies India and Thailand benefitted from political change.

In India, Prime Minister Modi’s election has helped lift the stock market to record highs, while the end of months of political unrest in Thailand and the establishment of a military government has eased businesses concerns.

All 15 Indian firms surveyed were positive about their outlook. Thailand was the second-most positive, with a score of 90.

“One hundred-plus days into the Modi government and sentiment seem to be improving, albeit gradually,” said Girish Vanvari, co-head of tax at KPMG in India. “We are certainly in for a period of gradual sustainable growth.”

Indian drugmaker Lupin also said it was positive about the domestic business environment.

“The new government’s affirmative and positive stand on important issues like economic policy, manufacturing reforms and easing of foreign investment norms has reaffirmed confidence in India’s growth story,” said Shamsher Gorawara, director of corporate communications at Mumbai-based Lupin.

Politics also helped businesses in Indonesia, Southeast Asia’s largest economy, to achieve an overall positive score of 75 in the third quarter. Indonesians recently elected President Joko Widodo, who is believed to be more business friendly than his predecessor.

Slowing growth in Asia’s largest economy China, however, weakened business sentiment in the third quarter. All companies polled from China were neutral about their outlook and most listed global economic uncertain-

ty as their greatest risk.

Apart from China, sentiment in South Korea and Singapore also slipped to neutral from positive in the second quarter. Taiwan was the only country in the region in negative territory with a score of 33.

Sentiment in the Philippines, which had posted a maximum score of 100 in the second quarter, dropped sharply to 83 as some companies lowered their bullish views on the outlook and employment levels.

Corporate sentiment among Australian companies also fell to 75 from 79 in the second quarter, while Japan edged higher to 59 from 56. Export-driven South Korea maintained its neutral reading of 50, the same as the second quarter.

Autos positive, property down

By sector, autos, resources, pharmaceuticals and food were the most positive

REUTERS

across the region with readings of 75.

Sentiment among Asian automakers improved for the third consecutive quarter, while the shipping, building and financials sectors were the least optimistic, each with a neutral reading of 50.

The property sector recorded a sharp decline in sentiment, with the sector’s score falling to a more than two-year low of 63 from 79 in the second quarter.

Many companies lowered their outlook to neutral as China’s property sector faces a deepening slowdown.

“Property is central to the Chinese economy. The softening real estate market primarily impacts construction activity, with businesses directly involved in the sector feeling the biggest pinch,” HSBC’s Neumann said.

Asian builders also showed lower optimism with all respondents reporting a neutral outlook, compared with a 75 reading in the second quarter. l

Google said Monday that worldwide government requests for user data rose 150% over five years, as the Internet giant renewed its call for reforms to allow for greater disclosure.

Updating the company’s twice-yearly “transparency report,” Google legal director Richard Salgado said “we’ve seen a 15% increase since the second half of last year, and a 150% jump since we first began publishing this data in 2009.”

In the US, the increases were 19% and 250%, respectively, and do not include orders from a secret Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court or “national security letters” from the FBI. “This increase in government demands comes against a backdrop of ongoing revelations about government surveillance programs,” Salgado said.

“Despite these revelations, we have seen some countries expand their surveillance authorities in an attempt to reach service providers outside their borders.”

Salgado added that while governments “have a legitimate and important role in fighting crime and investigating national security threats” reforms are needed for greater oversight and transparency “to maintain public confidence in both government and technology.”

Google said it received 31,698 government data requests in the last six months of 2013, affecting some 48,000 accounts. The company said it provided some data in 65 percent of the cases.

The United States produced the largest number of requests, 12,539, followed by Germany (3,338) and France (3,002), the report said.

The report covers requests from law enforcement agencies and court orders. But Google is not allowed to release detailed figures on US national security requests.

Google and other tech companies have gone to court to win the right to publish more detailed figures, and have been urging lawmakers to join this effort.

The report comes with US tech companies under pressure following revelations of secret government programs that scoop up vast amounts of data from Internet firms. Tech firms including Microsoft, Google and Facebook have been seeking to release more information on government data requests, in the belief this would reassure customers.

Google said it supports a proposal pending in the US Senate that would prevent the bulk collection of Internet metadata and allow for more details to be published about the demands. l

ECB invites banks to tap new funds it China’s overseas investment soars as FDI drops again hopes will pep up euro zone

Fed, China policy speculation bolster emerging Asia currencies n Reuters, Frankfurt The European Central Bank invited n Reuters, Singapore banks on Tuesday to bid for a fresh Most emerging Asian currencies rose yesterday helped by doubt over the timing of a US interest rate rise and on media reports saying China’s central bank is providing liquidity to support the economy.

Regional units pared some of their earlier gains with the dollar broadly firm as investors awaited the US Federal Reserve’s latest guidance on interest rates later in the day.

Worries about an earlier-than-expected rate hike by the Fed eased after the Wall Street Journal’s Fed watcher said the US central bank may keep the words “considerable time” in its policy statement after the Tuesday-Wednesday meeting.

Malaysia’s ringgit gained as investors covered short positions ahead of inflation data later in the day. The country’s central bank is also set to review monetary policy today, with economists divided on a further rate hike.

The South Korean won ended local trade higher against the dollar amid market talk of demand from a major US asset management company for twoyear monetary stabilisation bonds.

Against the yen, the won hit a sixyear high. South Korea’s foreign exchange authorities were suspected of intervening to stem the won’s strength, traders said.

Indonesian’s rupiah edged up as Jakarta shares rose 1.2%, far outperforming Southeast Asian peers.

The Thai baht showed little reaction after the Bank of Thailand left interest rates unchanged, as widely expected.

The Singapore dollar bucked the regional appreciation trend despite stronger-than-expected August exports data as shipments to major economies slowed. l

round of long-term loans it hopes will stimulate lending to businesses and reinvigorate the euro zone economy but which may see only modest take-up.

The program is a key plank of ECB efforts to stave off the threat of deflation and breathe life into the euro zone economy, which stagnated in the second quarter. At 0.3%, inflation is running well below the ECB target of just under 2%.

The ECB will announce how much it is granting banks in the new loans at around 5:15 am EDT today, doling out the fresh cash just as the cheap threeyear long-term loans - or LTROs - that it issued in late 2011 and early 2012 approach expiry.

The new targeted funds, or TLTROs, will also offer banks long-term funding at interest rates close to zero, but will be tied to lending to the mostly smaller firms that are the euro zone’s economic backbone.

Analysts are skeptical the operation will boost lending. “It doesn’t matter how much liquidity you give banks. They will still not lend,” said Fabio Ianno, a banking expert with ratings agency Fitch.

Fitch believes the weak state of many companies in southern Europe and subdued demand means banks have little appetite to issue corporate loans in the region.

ECB President Mario Draghi said earlier this month he wanted the TLTROs, together with a new ECB assetpurchase program, to swell the central bank’s balance sheet - an exercise aimed at freeing up the flow of credit and stimulating the economy.

Draghi said he wanted the balance sheet to get back to levels seen in early 2012 - up to a trillion euros higher than its present size.

“If the name of the game here is big-

n AFP, Beijing

Malaysian ringgit bank notes of different denominations are seen in this picture illustration taken in Kuala Lumpur REUTERS ger balance sheet, I’m sceptical we’ll get much,” RBS economist Richard Barwell said of the initial TLTRO operation.

First shot

This week’s operation is banks’ first shot at the TLTROs. Under the plan, they can borrow up to 400bn euros ($517.67bn) at tenders this week and in December at a slight premium to the ECB’s regular funding operations, with opportunities running through to mid-2016 to take additional loans.

A Reuters poll of 20 money market traders pointed to banks taking over three quarters of the sum on offer, snapping up 133bn euros at today’s offering and a further 200bn on Dec. 11.

“That doesn’t feel like it would be a game-changer for the balance sheet, which then puts more pressure on the program Draghi announced earlier this month,” said Barwell.

Under that program, the ECB plans to buy asset-backed securities (ABS) and covered bonds to help ease credit conditions in the euro zone.

Under the TLTRO plan, banks that

have shown positive net lending between April of this year and the new funding operation can borrow up to three times their net new lending in that window and keep the money until 2018, so long as they beat a certain benchmark for lending set for them.

The terms of the plan do not stipulate, however, that banks must devote all the ECB loans to new lending.

The idea is that one or more of three things will happen. Banks may use the money to lend to households and businesses, thereby directly helping to revive the economy, or take the money and buy assets themselves, or use the funds to substitute for issuing their own debt.

The latter two could lower the funding costs for all banks, even those who don’t take the ECB’s money, and spill over into looser conditions in the broader corporate credit market, making money cheaper and easier to access.

Making the TLTROs more attractive, the ECB cut interest rates to record lows at its Sept 4 meeting and said it would not reduce them any further - so later shots at the TLTROs would not come at more favorable terms. l

China’s outbound investment more than doubled in August to $12.62bn, data showed yesterday, far outstripping foreign direct investment (FDI) into the country, which fell to a fouryear low.

China has been actively acquiring foreign assets, particularly energy and resources, to power its economy, with firms encouraged to “go out” and make overseas acquisitions to gain market access and international experience. Officials have said overseas direct investment (ODI) could exceed FDI this year.

The 112.1% year-on-year increase in ODI announced by the commerce ministry was a dramatic contrast to the 14% fall in FDI, which sank to $7.2bn. Both sets of figures exclude investment in financial sectors.

FDI was also less than July’s $7.81bn and was the lowest since July 2010, when it stood at $6.92bn.

Commerce ministry spokesman Shen Danyang denied any link to Beijing’s multiple probes into foreign companies.

Chinese authorities have in recent months launched anti-monopoly, pricing and other inquiries into scores of foreign firms in sectors ranging from auto manufacturing and pharmaceuticals to baby milk.

The investigations have raised concerns among investors that Beijing is

DILBERT

targeting overseas companies.

But Shen denied any connection between the investigations and the fall in FDI. “They are not related,” he said, declining to comment further.

But he added that China plans to revise three laws governing overseas companies and Sino-foreign joint ventures.

“By revising the laws, we hope to ... create a more stable, transparent and predictable legal environment for foreign investment in China,” he told reporters.

Hans Dietmar Schweisgut, the new European Ambassador to China, said that he doubted whether it made sense to “judge this on the basis of one or two cases”.

But he added that it is not in China’s interests to “single out foreign companies and scare them away”.

“Quite honestly, I think when you look at the policy objectives and the need to bring about ... a more balanced economy, it will not really make much sense to scare away foreign investors and foreign economic actors, which I think can make important contribution to achieving this change,” he said.

For the first eight months of the year, China’s ODI was up 15.3% at $65.17bn.

In that period, investment into the EU soared 257.1%, leaped 116.7% into Japan, and increased 73.3% into Russia, the ministry said without giving totals.

It climbed 16% into the US, reaching $3.26bn. l