27 oct, 2014

Kartik 12, 1421 Muharram 2, 1436 Regd No DA 6238 Vol 2, No 203

MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014 | www.dhakatribune.com | SECOND EDITION

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B1 | BUSINESS

7 | SPECIAL

11 | OP-ED

13 | SPORT

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THE UNREPENTANT MAN

THREE ‘M’S ENABLE HOSTS TO SLENDER LEAD

SC judge slams HC bench for bailing militants

MEET OPTIMUS PRIME DESHI

In July an HC bench granted bail to two Huji and JMB militants who confessed their crimes n Ahmed Zayeef An annoyed judge of the Supreme Court yesterday said two judges of a High Court bench should be put on trial for granting bail to two identified notorious Islamist militants in July.

Justice AHM Shamsuddin Choudhury Manik made the unprecedented observation yesterday when the four-member Supreme Court bench, headed by Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha, was hearing arguments of appeals against the bail orders of the High Court bench in two separate cases.

‘They have no commitment to the state or to the society’ The apex court eventually cancelled the HC bail orders and asked the militants to surrender.

On July 8, an HC bench of Justice Borhanuddin and Justice KM Kamrul Kader granted bail to Abu Sayeed, a member of banned militant outfit Harkat-ul-Jiahd-al Islami (Huji), who was accused in a case filed in connection with an attempt on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s life by exploding bombs in Sylhet in 2001.

Abu Sayeed was in jail and confessed to his crime by giving a judicial statement. The case has been pending with a trial court in Sylhet. He was freed on the bail granted by the HC bench.

The explosion took place at night on September 26, 2001 in Sylhet’s Fazil Chist

area when several youths were making bombs – hours ahead of a pre-poll rally of Awami League President Sheikh Hasina at the Alia Madrasa ground. The Fazil Chist area is 2km off the venue.

Two of the bomb-makers were killed in the incident.

The day after Sayeed had been granted bail, the same HC bench granted bail to another militant Mainuddin alias Moiz, a member of another banned outfit Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB). He was convicted and awarded 15 years in jail and his appeal against the trial court verdict had been pending with the HC. When Moiz was granted bail, he had already been in jail for five and a half years in a criminal case, but was freed thereafter.

At the hearing on the appeals against the HC bail orders yesterday, Justice Shamsuddin expressed disappointment after learning the background of the cases against the militants.

Justice Shamsuddin said: “They [the HC judges] have no commitment to the state or to the society. These judges themselves should be put on trial if they do not hesitate to grant bail to people who had attempted to kill the prime minister and other VIPs. “How can they remain totally oblivious to the fact that only the other day, some JMB militants were picked up in India’s West Bengal for trying to make explosive weapons to kill VVIPs in Bangladesh and create a reign of terror.”

In the Sylhet blast case, three accused – Huji leader Mufti Abdul Hannan,  PAGE 2 COLUMN 6

It may be hard to believe but this chunk of metal, which looks remotely like a human haulier, is actually carrying passengers in the streets of Rayer Bazar in the capital. The photo was taken yesterday SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

All Padma graft case accused cleared n Md Sanaul Islam Tipu

A Dhaka court yesterday exonerated all the seven accused, including former Bridges Division secretary Mosharraf Hossain, in the Padma Bridge Project corruption case.

Dhaka Senior Special Judge Md Jahrul Haque passed the order following the final report submitted by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).

The other acquitted persons are Superintendent Engineer of Bangladesh Bridge Authority Kazi Mohammad Ferdous, Executive Engineer of Roads and Highways Department Reaz Ahmed Zaber, former local agent of SNC Lavalin Mohammad Mostofa and its ex-officials

DB: Jihadists planned to set up base in Satkhira n Mohammad Jamil Khan

ConocoPhillips pulls out of deep-sea blocks 10, 11

Bangladesh Jihadi Group, the newly formed militant platform consisting of several banned outfits, had plans on setting up its main base at Satkhira as the district would provide an easy escape route to bordering India in case of an emergency.

After carrying out acts of anarchy, the militants planned on using the Satkhira base as a hideout for the Jihadi Group – which included members from the JMB, Huji-B and Ansarullah Bangla Team. The site for the base had already been selected and preparation to set it up had been under way, said Monirul Islam, joint commissioner of the Detective Branch of police.

The DB official said the information was extracted during the remand session of four Bangladesh Jihadi Group militants – also members of the Harkat-ul Jihad Al Islami Bangladesh (Huji-B) – who were arrested on Saturday during separate raids in the capital and in Narayanganj.

The arrestees are Maulana Mohammad Rafiq Ahmed alias Sajid, Md Umar alias Foyzul alias Roby, Md Nadim Ahmed alias Sumon and Md Salahuddin Ahmed – all aged between mid-20s

In the wake of a nagging primary energy crisis, US energy company ConocoPhillips, after six years of negotiation, has finally informed the government that it will not invest in drilling exploration wells in two deep-sea hydrocarbon blocks in the Bay of Bengal.

ConocoPhillips officially informed state-run Petrobangla about its decision through a presentation at the latter’s Dhaka office yesterday, terming the drilling work as a risky investment because of what it saw as little business prospect.

An official said ConocoPhillips would write to Petrobangla about the matter in a day or two.

According to the existing contract, the company was supposed to inform the government by June 2014 about

 PAGE 2 COLUMN 4

n Aminur Rahman Rasel

what its plans were. Upon application, the government allowed the company six more months – that is up to December – to clarify its stance.

The company, after having conducted 2D seismic surveys, said blocks 10 and 11 had aggregate recoverable gas reserves of two trillion cubit feet.

“They do not think that investment will be commercially viable for them,” a director of Petrobangla told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday.

The Dhaka Tribune Correspondent dispatched an e-mail to ConocoPhillips yesterday asking for details of the presentation that they had given to Petrobangla.

In reply, ConocoPhillips Bangladesh’s Managing Director Thomas J Earley wrote: “The initial phase of the PSC will terminate on December 15,  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

INSIDE

5 | News

9 | World

4 | News

6 | Nation

Housing and Public Works Minister Engineer Mosharraf Hossain announced that the Hatirjheel-Begunbari lake would be connected with the Gulshan-Banani lake under an ongoing development project.

Jatiya Party chief HM Ershad yesterday said there is no democracy in the country, calling it a one-party system. The ‘democracy’ that exists in the country does not accommodate all parties. It accommodates only one party,

A Dhaka court yesterday exonerated all the seven accused, including former Bridges Division secretary Mosharraf Hossain, in the Padma Bridge Project corruption case.

Some 35 influential locals grabbed a government land by setting up bamboo-made structures along BaligaonTaltola canal in Tongibari upazila. The incident took place next to Baligaon Bazar.

Mohammad Ismail, Ramesh Shah and Kevin Wales.

ACC Deputy Director Mirza Jahidul Alam, also the chief investigation officer of the case, submitted the final report to the Dhaka chief metropolitan magistrate court on September 14.

The investigation officer submitted the report saying that the charges brought against them could not be proved.

The anti-graft watchdog in the report also said they could not find any involvement of former communications minister Syed Abul Hossain and former state minister for foreign affairs Abul Hasan Chowdhury in the scam.

On September 3 this year, the ACC

cleared all, including Abul Hossain and Abul Hasan, from the Padma bridge corruption charges.

On June 29, 2012, the World Bank cancelled its $1.2 billion funding for the bridge project citing that it had proofs of a corruption conspiracy involving Bangladeshi officials, executives of a Canadian firm and some individuals.

The anti-graft body filed the case with Banani Police Station in the capital on December 17, 2012, excluding the names of Abul Hossain and Abul Hasan.

According to the case statement, Mosharraf Hossain dissolved the evaluation committee four times between  PAGE 2 COLUMN 6

Two-thirds fail in medical, dental admission tests n Moniruzzaman Uzzal The directorate general of health services yesterday announced that a mere third of test takers passed the admission test to study medicine and dentistry.

The Dhaka Tribune has learned that most of the selected candidates on the merit list were taking the exam for the second time.

The admission test pass rate for both public and private medical colleges was 34%, State Minister for Health  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

2

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Monday, October 27, 2014

PM to negotiate with UAE to open up labour market Shahariar Zaman and n Sheikh Rabiul Islam Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is set to negotiate with UAE Vice-President and Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum today to open up the country’s labour market to Bangladesh.

“We are still negotiating on the points of the joint statement to be signed tomorrow,” Foreign Secretary M Shahidul Haque told the Dhaka Tribune from Abu Dhabi yesterday evening.

Hasina arrived in Abu Dhabi on Saturday on a three-day bilateral visit following an invitation from the UAE prime minister.

“Both the prime ministers will have a substantial bilateral meeting tomorrow [today] where the issue will be resolved,” Shahidul said.

Meanwhile, the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET) yesterday signed a memorandum of understanding with Amala, a UAEbased company, to send domestic workers to the gulf state.

UAE hosts over a million Bangladeshis who remit billions of dollars home every year.

The gulf state, however, stopped recruiting Bangladeshis in a mass since August 2012 following allegations that some were involved in criminal activities.

UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan called on

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday and later held a bilateral meeting with Bangladesh Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali. “Both foreign ministers agreed to sign three agreements,” the foreign secretary said adding, that they also discussed issues of mutual interest.

The respective agreements concern security cooperation, transfer of sentenced persons and handing over a plot to the UAE embassy in Dhaka, he said.

Meanwhile, the agreement between the BMET with Amala would pave the way to send domestic workers to the gulf state.

“The MoU between BMET and Amala has already been signed,” Expatriates’ Welfare Secretary Khandoker Showkat Hossain told the Dhaka Tribune over the phone from UAE yesterday.

A three-member delegation, led by Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Khandker Mosharraf Hossain, accompanied the prime minister.

A senior official at the Expatriates’ Welfare Ministry said Amala was an agency under the Interior Ministry of the UAE and will place the requirement for female workers.

While preparing the draft agreement, Amala had verbally made a request for 1,000 housemaids, he said, adding that they had agreed to send 200 workers.

As per the agreement, Amala would

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina discusses issues of mutual interests with UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan at the St Regis Hotel in Abu Dhabi yesterday FOCUS BANGLA ask the employers to place demands for housemaids and later would inform the BMET about it.

The official said aspirant female migrants would be able to go to the UAE free of cost and one would get Tk18,000 a month while the experienced female migrants would draw Tk20,000.

The official said a fresh data-base of

female migrants would be created and advertisements would be published to register female migrants, the official added.

According to BMET website, 54,878 female workers went to different countries, including the UAE, Jordan, Lebanon and Oman, between January and September this year.

Of them, 16,691 female workers went to the UAE during the period.

Hasina visited UAE in 2009 and 2011 to attend two multilateral events and met her counterpart at two sidelines events. The last bilateral visit took place in 2006.

She is scheduled to return to Dhaka today. l

Govt to procure 350k tonnes Aman Islamist parties’ hartal n passes off peacefully Mohosinul Karim

The government is likely to procure around 3,50,000 tonnes of Aman paddy and Aman rice this year from local producers to provide incentive to farmers and ensure food security as well.

The decision will be finalised today at a meeting of Food Planning and Monitoring Committee (FPMC) under the Food Ministry.

The meeting will also finalise the target of local procurement and fix the price of Aman paddy and Aman rice considering the production cost of this year estimated by the Agriculture Ministry, Joint Secretary of the Food Ministry Ataur Rahman yesterday said Food Planning and Monitoring Unit under the Food Ministry will conduct the meeting.

FPMU Director General Naser Farid, also member secretary of the FPMC,

denied making any comment on the meeting.

Chairman of the FPMC and Food Minister Kamrul Islam will chair the meeting while committee members – ministers for finance, commerce, agriculture, LGRD and disaster management and relief – will attend the meeting.

Among bureaucrats cabinet secretary, secretaries for finance, internal resource and statistics and Informatics divisions and food, women and children affairs, disaster management and relief, health, agriculture and fisheries and livestock ministries will also join the meeting.

According to the Agriculture Ministry, the production costs of Aman paddy and Aman rice have increased this year due to price hike of fertilizer and fuel for irrigation, labour cost and milling charge.

Production cost of per kg Aman paddy this year is around Tk18, a rise of

Tk0.98, and as for Aman rice it is Tk28, a rise of Tk2.58.

The production cost of Aman paddy was Tk17.02 and Aman rice Tk25.42 in the previous Aman season, Agriculture Ministry’s Senior Assistant Chief Sayemur Rashid Khan told the Dhaka Tribune last week. The Food Ministry officials claimed FPMU may suggest Tk19-20 as the price of Aman paddy and Tk31-32 as the price of Aman rice.

During the previous Aman season the ministry bought Aman paddy at Tk18 and Aman rice at Tk30 considering the production cost in accordance with the agriculture ministry estimation.

The target of Aman production this year was set at 12.996 tonnes this.

Last year the target was 13.2 tonnes while the actual production stood at 13.023 tonnes.

The Aman paddy and rice procurement may start from November 1. l

n Tribune Report The hartal, called by Sammilito Islami Dalsamuho, an alliance of Islamist parties, was observed yesterday with no untoward incidents reported from any place, including Dhaka and Chittagong.

Vehicles and people moved normally in the capital and Chittagong. Businesses functioned as usual.

Sammilito Islami Dalsamuho had called the hartal demanding capital penalty to former posts and telecommunications minister Latif Siddique who made controversial comments on hajj and tabligh in New York last month.

They took out processions in several areas, including Lalbagh, Kamragircar,

Mirpur-1, 2, 11, Shyamoli, in the capital yesterday. In the afternoon, they held a press conference and claimed that law enforcers had arrested 300 of their activists from various places in the country.

They then also announced that they would stage demonstrations across the country on Friday to press home their same demand.

Sammilita Islami Dalsamuho Secretary General Muhammad Zafrullah Khan, who spoke at the press conference, demanded that all the arrested activists be released immediately.

Hefazat-e-Islam, Bangladesh Khelafat Andolon, Khilafat Majlish, Khilafat-e-Islam, Islami Oikya Jote, Nejam-e-Islam and Muslim League are among the parties of the Sammilita Islami Dalsamuho. l

Unidentified Rana Plaza victims’ families to be compensated n Tribune Report The Labour Ministry has decided to reach out to the families of unidentified victims of Rana Plaza collapse in order to have them compensated.

“We will send letters next week to the deputy commissioners and intelligence agencies to identify the victims, who could not be identified through DNA test,” Joint Secretary of the ministry Md Faizur Rahman told the Dhaka Tribune at his office last week.

Their families will be included in the compensation programme, he added.

On April 24 last year, the eight-storey building in Savar crumbled, leaving over 1,100 people dead and over 2,000 injured.

The building housed five RMG factories.

According to the Labour Ministry, 291 unidentified victims were buried at Jurain graveyard after collecting DNA samples.

The government identified 206 victims by DNA tests but some 85 could not be identified despite the test.

The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association has a list of around 150 victims whose family have claimed that they are still missing. l

Armed muggers beat up insurance professional n Aminul Islam Babu Police found an insurance official in a bloodied state as armed muggers beat him up after robbing him of a gold chain and Tk30,000 and left him on the street near Shapla Chattar area in the capital yesterday evening.

Mohammad Sohel, 35, a senior executive at Rupali Life Insurance Company, was waiting for transport to Begunbari around 7:45pm and saw a microbus looking for passengers, said SI Kamal Hossain of Motijheel police.

“He and four others got into the vehicle, and soon the others took pointed a gun at the driver and robbed Sohel,” the sub-inspector said.

“Finding Sohel with no money, they forced him to withdraw Tk30,000 from an ATM booth. Then they beat him and left him on the street in front of Alico office in Motijheel,” he said.

Police later found him and took him to Dhaka Medical College Hospital. l

Two-thirds fail in medical, dental admission tests

DB: Jihadists planned to set up

SC judge slams

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Zahid Malek said yesterday. This year’s cohort is roughly half male and half female.

This means more than 44,000 students of the 66,987 who appeared for the admission test on Friday failed to secure the minimum pass mark of 40 points required to apply for admission to MBBS and BDS courses.

Bangladesh Private Medical College Association President Dr Moazzem Hossain told the Dhaka Tribune he was concerned about the number of candidates who scored 40 on the test.

“We will propose to withdraw the pass mark bar. We want at least 45,000 candidates to be eligible to apply to be admitted at private medical and dental colleges. Last year, the ministry kept the option open for more than 50,000 students,” Zahid added.

The state minister for health said the test took place peacefully and without any controversy. He thanked health ministry and health directorate officers and employees as well as journalists for helping to hold a fair admission test.

This is first time the health directorate has announced the medical and dental admission test results in the presence of journalists.

Several high officials of both the health ministry and the health directorate told the Dhaka Tribune it was true that the number of previous test-takers on the selected merit list was much higher than the number of first-time test-takers. But they could not provide exact figures.

Huge numbers of new students who had double GPA 5 marks failed the test but older students who had a combined GPA of 8 or higher got a chance this year, officials said.

Iffap Kamal Bappy, who had appeared from Chittagong Medical College test centre scored 181.50 points, the highest mark among all aspiring MBBS students, the Dhaka Tribune learned.

Rifat Tanjim who appeared from Dhaka Dental College test centre scored the highest, 167.25 points, among BDS aspirants. The lowest marks for medical and dental admissions were 158.25 and 152.50 points, respectively.

Sources in the medical education section of the health directorate said the highest marks last year for public medical and dental college admissions were 196.50 and 176.75 points, respectively.

DGHS sources said 29,650 students

got 40 points in the previous admission test. There was no minimum score for that test so any candidate scoring 120 out of 200 was eligible to apply. Of the 200 marks, 100 is calculated based on the candidate’s SSC and HSC results – 60% HSC score and 40% SSC score – and the rest comes from the admission test.

This year, however, no student will be allowed to apply if he does not obtain a minimum mark of 40 on the written test.

Some 22,759 students are eligible for admission to medical and dental colleges on the basis of the merit list. Of the successful candidates, 11,446 students are male while 11,313 are female.

When asked whether the health ministry would relax the pass mark barrier if private medical and dental colleges cannot fill their seats, Health Secretary MM Niazuddin said: “Let us see. We will let you know later. We don’t want to comment on it right now.”

He said the government would fix a ceiling on tuition fees at private medical and dental colleges.

The admission of selected candidates to all public medical college will start on October 30 and continue until November 15. l

and mid-30s. They are now on a six-day remand. The militants were planning to launch destructive activities in Dhaka, Rajshahi and Chittagong before hiding out at their new base in Satkhira from where they would easily be able to enter India if necessary, Monirul said.

Asked about Jamaat-e-Islami’s involvement in setting up the base in Satkhira – a known stronghold of the Islamist political party, he said: “It might be possible; but as we do not have any valid proof at this stage, we cannot comment on it right now.”

Talking to the Dhaka Tribune at his Minto Road office in the capital, the DB joint commissioner also said another reason for choosing to set up the base in a district near the border was because of a plan on sharing intelligence experience with Indian militant groups.

“The militant members, especially Huji-B members, are not only present in India but also a number of their supporters are in Pakistan and keeping a smooth contact with one another.

However, we have not received any information on whether any supporter has ever gone to Syria or other places to join the so-called Jihad.”

Monirul added that detectives

strongly believed that the local militant outfits had already successfully established connections with Indian and Pakistani militant outfits.

Without providing any detail, the DB chief said detectives interrogated the arrested men to find out the names of two financiers – both Bangladeshi citizens – who promised funding for the Bangladesh Jihadi Group.

The new militant platform’s threepronged plan included recruiting members, carrying out targeted attacks on individuals, and orchestrating a mass killing to draw the attention of international militant outfits, said Monirul.

He added that the police were also trying to determine whether the activities of the recently arrested militants were linked to a recent explosion in India’s West Bengal – an incident which had suspected involvement of the JMB. The police were also waiting for details about British citizen Samiun, who was arrested last month while trying to recruit members for militant outfit Islamic State. The British Embassy had contacted the police about providing the arrestee with his consular access, Monirul said, adding that the embassy was yet to take any initiative on taking back the British national. l

M Tamim, professor of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Engineering at Buet, told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday: “When the company took part in bidding [for blocks 10 and 11] in 2008 and inked the deal in 2011, it knew the terms of the then model PSC. But, proposing to increase the price of gas now is totally unethical and irrational.

“The government would have been able to take action against the firm if there was any clause in the PSC regarding what to do when a firm is unwilling to work. But now the firm is going away without taking the project any further.

However, the data from its seismic survey will be helpful in case the government decides to invite fresh tender,” Prof Tamim said.

According to ConocoPhillips, it had completed two seismic acquisition projects totaling 5,900km of 2D data and

invested approximately $20m.

In September last year, the government amended the model PSC to raise the tariff to $6.50 per mcf. There were allegations that the revision was made under pressure from the international oil companies (IOCs) operating in Bangladesh.

Asked what might happen if the government decided to increase tariff to keep ConocoPhillips, Prof Tamim said it would open a floodgate. “All the other IOCs operating in Bangladesh will then press the government for revising the terms of their PSCs as well,” he said.

Petrobangla is now gearing up to invite fresh tenders for new oil and gas blocks in the Bay of Bengal by proposing a multi-plan 2D seismic survey of the country’s underwater hydrocarbon resources.

“If anyone does not want to stay, we can not make them stay,” Petrobangla Chairman Istiaque Ahmad told the

Maulana Abu Sayeed and Shakil Ahmed alias Sumon – gave confessional statements before magistrates.

Abu Sayeed admitted that he and his accomplices got training from Taliban in Afghanistan and had been planning to kill Sheikh Hasina, the case statement reads. l

All Padma graft  PAGE 1 COLUMN 5

January and June 2010 in a bid to award the consultancy job to the company of his choice. In violation of the World Bank’s Consulting Services Manual 2006, he became the head of the fourth evaluation committee.

The manual states that all members of such a committee should have 10 years’ experience in the relevant field, which the secretary lacked.

He along with the six accused hatched the conspiracy, says the case statement. They provided SNC Lavalin with secret information on the tender and finally managed to award the job to SNC Lavalin. Abul Hossain held several meetings with SNC Lavalin officials. Abul Hasan arranged those meetings. l

ConocoPhillips pulls out of deep-sea blocks 10, 11  PAGE 1 COLUMN 3

2014 unless ConocoPhillips commits to drilling one exploration well. Based on the results of the geological and geophysical work and our inability to migrate to the new deepwater PSC terms needed for a commercial development, we are unable to justify drilling an identified prospect. We have therefore decided not to continue petroleum operations and the PSC will terminate on December 15, 2014.”

In June 2011, ConocoPhillips Bangladesh Exploration 10/11 Ltd and Petrobangla signed a production sharing contract (PSC) for hunting hydrocarbon in the two blocks. However, progress have been very slow.

For two years, ConocoPhillips conducted 2D seismic surveys but have not properly disclosed the findings. The price quoted for every million cubic

foot (mcf) of gas was $4.5 in the contract, but sources said ConocoPhillips had been looking to double that price.

Another Petrobangla official said: “Offshore exploration involves much higher investment and therefore demands better prices than onshore exploration. The company does not like the business prospects of drilling exploration wells in blocks 10 and 11. So, now they have sought tariff revision.”

In several recent meetings with Nasrul Hamid, state minister for power, energy and mineral resources, ConocoPhillips top bosses have put forward requests for higher tariff.

Nasrul Hamid yesterday told the Dhaka Tribune: “We will make a decision after receiving the letter from ConocoPhillips.”

Meanwhile in January, ConocoPhillips and Norway-based Statoil ASA

jointly submitted bidding documents to explore hydrocarbon in three other deep-sea blocks namely 12, 16 and 21.

But because the deals for blocks 10 and 11 did not work out well, the government is now not quite sure about awarding these three blocks to the duo.

ConocoPhillips MD Earley wrote in e-mail: “We are in continuous contact and discussions with the Government. We wish to emphasise that our decision on Blocks 10 and 11 is based on the technical and commercial merits of the blocks and PSC terms only and does not reflect any change in ConocoPhillips’ strong interest in continued investment in exploration in Bangladesh and in the development of any commercial discovery that may be made. We look forward to the award of Blocks DS 12, 16 and 21 and to commencing exploration on these blocks with our partner Statoil as soon as possible.”

Dhaka Tribune yesterday.

In October, 2013, Sangu, the first offshore gas field in the country under shallow block 16, run by Australian IOC Santos, was shut down permanently with its reserves running out fast.

ConocoPhillips has recently refused to sign the PSC for oil and gas exploration in shallow sea block number 7.

A left-leaning citizens’ platform for “preserving the country’s oil, gas, mineral resources, electricity and ports” have always opposed the government’s deals with the IOCs saying they were not beneficial for the country’s interests.

Although bidding for deep-sea blocks 10 and 11 began in 2008, the then emergency government did not pen any deal. Eventually, three years later, the Awami League government inked the PSC. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

3

Monday, October 27, 2014

Police launch investigation into the rape of Munshiganj girl Victim’s father doubts effectiveness of police investigation n Mohammad Jamil Khan Police have launched an investigation into the rape of a girl in Munshiganj.

Police are now trying to trace Sumon, the so-called friend of the college girl from Munshiganj who reportedly raped her during her visit to the capital to meet him on Friday.

Talking to the Dhaka Tribune yesterday, the victim’s father said some police members from New Market police

‘Forensic and other lab tests of the victim indicate that she was sexually assaulted’ station had visited her daughter at hospital to take her statement yesterday.

“We have almost given up hope of a police investigation and stopped contacting anyone from the police authorities. But today some policemen from New Market police station came to the hospital and took my daughter’s statement,” he said.

However, he expressed doubt over the effectiveness of police investigation.

“They told us that they would find and arrest the culprit, but we will only believe it after they show progress with

Alal, 6 others on 3-day remand n Md Sanaul Islam Tipu A Dhaka court yesterday placed Jubo Dal President Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal and six others on a three-day remand in a case filed on charges of planning to carry out subversive activities during yesterday’s general strike.

Metropolitan Magistrate Md Asaduzzman Nur gave the order when they were produced before the court seeking 10 days’ remand. The court also sent the remaining 56 accused to jail rejecting their bail plea.

In the remand prayer, the investigating officer said the accused were involved in conspiring to create panic by exploding crude bombs during the strike.

He also said the accused needed to be quizzed to know about others who had escaped from the place of arrest with explosives and other such materials.

On Saturday, police conducted a raid on Alal’s Lalmatia residence in the capital and arrested the 63, including Alal.

Mohammadpur police on the day lodged a case against the arrestees under the Special Powers Act. l

the case,” he told the Dhaka Tribune.

The victim, from Vaggokul village in Munshiganj’s Sreenagar upazila, had never been to the capital before her visit on Friday. She came to Dhaka on the invitation of her “friend” Sumon, who claimed to be employed at the Parliament.

Taking the girl to a house Sumon claimed was his brother’s, he raped her and later sent her back to Munshiganj by bus.

She is currently undergoing treatment at One-Stop Crisis Centre (OCC) in Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

Dr Bilkis Begum, coordinator of the OCC, told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday that the victim’s forensic test was done.

“We have run the forensic and some other laboratory tests of the victim, and the reports indicate that she was sexually assaulted. The report will be sent to police to support shortly,” she said.

Talking to the Dhaka Tribune, Abdur Rahim, sub-inspector at New Market police station, said: “We have gotten the victim’s statement are now analysing it to trace the location of the house where she was taken.”

Primarily, a general diary was filed in this regard, but it would be turned into a sexual assault case once the police got a lead in the investigation, the police officer said. l

The dawn-to-dusk hartal called by some Islamic parties hardly make a mark as a large number of vehicles are seen plying in capital’s Karwan Bazaar yesterday

Freedom fighter accuses Jabbar of murders n Udisa Islam

A new prosecution witness in the trial of former Jatiya Party lawmaker Abdul Jabbar yesterday claimed that razakars ordered by the accused had killed 22 villagers including his father during the 1971 Liberation War. Freedom fighter Tikendra Nath Majumder, 61, appeared before the Inter-

Supreme Court to hear Khaleda’s appeal on November 6 The Appellate Division yesterday fixed November 6 for hearing a leave-toappeal petition by BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case, revising the date previously set by a chamber judge.

The five-member Appellate Division bench led by Chief Justice Mozammel Hossain passed the order based on a petition from the Anti-Corruption Commission that sought to modify the order of a chamber judge, who on October 16, had fixed November 27 for hearing Khaleda’s leave-to-appeal petition.

Yesterday, Advocate Joynul Abedin represented Khaleda at the court, while Advocate Khurshid Alam Khan stood for the ACC. Earlier, the BNP chief had filed the leave-to-appeal petition against a High Court order that rejected Khaleda’s petition challenging the legality of the

appointment of a judge conducting two corruption cases against her.

Meanwhile, a Dhaka court has yet again asked Khaleda to appear before it in the Zia Orphanage and the Zia Charitable Trust graft cases. The court also adjourned the hearing of the cases until November 9. Judge Bashudev Roy of Dhaka Special Court 3 passed the order after Khaleda’s counsel informed that because of security-related grounds, the BNP chairperson could not comply with an earlier order that had asked her to appear before the court yesterday.

The recording of deposition against Khaleda and other accused in the cases was scheduled to be held yesterday, but the defence counsel filed four petitions: two for adjournment of recording deposition and two more for Khaleda as she could not appear before the court.

The court granted the pleas and deferred the trial proceedings, while based on a plea from the defence – it

With patronisation of bird lover Monsur Sarker Kaleem are bred in Kunjobon village under Mahadebpur upazila of Naogaon. Monsur hands seven healthy Kaleem birds from his research organisation to officials of Wildlife Management and Nature Conservation Division of Rajshahi Forest Department yesterday AZAHAR UDDIN

Sangram editor, 3 others apologise to ICT n Udisa Islam A war crimes tribunal yesterday fixed November 20 for further hearing on a contempt petition issued on August 3 upon four persons including Abul Asad, editor of Jamaat-e-Islami mouthpiece the Daily Sangram.

The three other contemnors are M Nuruzzaman, its Rangpur correspondent, Ekramul Haque Dulu, former unit commander of Badarganj Muktijoddha Sangsad, and Azizur Rahman Sarker Ranga, former president of Bangladesh Chhatra League’s Rangpur unit in 1971.

national Crimes Tribunal 1 as the 16th prosecution witness.

“Instructed by Jabbar, then chairman of Peace Committee, around 100150 razakars stormed our village in Mothbaria and nearby Angulkata areas around 11:30pm on October 6, 1971.”

Hiding from a bush, the witness saw that the razakars beating up his family members including his grandfather and

GRAFT CASES

n Tribune Report

All of them, except Ranga, submitted their replies yesterday through counsels and sought unconditional apology to the International Crimes Tribunal 1.

Ranga later told newsmen that the reporter had met him to know about some historic facts. But what the newspaper published had been done “according to the reporter’s will,” he claimed. Ranga also apologised to the tribunal.

The “contemptuous” reports came to the tribunal’s attention when a defence witness for war crimes accused ATM Azharul Islam had tried to exhibit them during trial proceedings. Pros-

RAJIB DHAR

ecutor Zead-Al-Malum prayed to the court not to accept them as evidence.

After submission of the replies, the tribunal fixed the new date for hearing as junior defence counsel Gazi HM Tamim pleaded for an adjournment.

The vernacular daily published the reports on December 27 last year and January 26 when the trial against Azhar, a senior Jamaat leader, was under way. The reports quoting Dulu and Ranga claimed that the allegations brought against Azhar had been baseless and that there had been no student leader named Azhar from 1969-74. l

also directed armed police to not stay inside the court. Khaleda’s counsels also argued that the proceedings of the graft cases should be adjourned as two petitions filed by Khaleda – regarding legality of the framing of charges against her in the cases – have been pending with the Appellate Division.

Hearing on those petitions would be held on November 6, the defence counsel, Barrister Mahabub Uddin Khokon, told the court during yesterday’s hearing.

However, the ACC’s acting chief prosecutor Musharraf Hossain Kajal argued that the trial court could record the deposition of the witnesses as no document from the higher court regarding any restriction on the trial was produced by the defence.

The ACC had filed the two cases in 2008 and 2011 against Khaleda, Tarique and seven others on charges of raising funds illegally for two charities and embezzling the amount. l

father, and taking them away. In response to queries by the female members, the razakars said the duo would be taken to the police station as ordered by Jabbar.

On way to Suryamoni village, the collaborators also picked up some other villagers. The very next day the witness had learnt that all the 37 detained people, including his grandfather, father and two uncles had been killed.

He also said the perpetrators had released seven abducted villagers in exchange of money.

“I was targeted by the razakars for being a freedom fighter. So I could not take any necessary step to rescue them,” the witness told the tribunal.

After his deposition, the tribunal adjourned the trial keeping the cross-examination incomplete. l

Probe body finalises charges against Forkan Mollik n Udisa Islam Five charges of crimes against humanity has been prepared by the investigation agency of the International Crimes Tribunal against Md Forkan Mollik, an alleged razakar commander of Mirzaganj in Patuakhali.

They are likely to submit the report to the prosecution today after a press conference at their Dhanmondi office.

The tribunal earlier fixed November 3 for submitting formal charges.

Forkan, 62, is a resident of Chhailabuina village in Mirzaganj. The probe body has found proof of his crimes including genocide, murder, rape of Hindu women, conversion, looting and arson committed in Deoli, Subidkhali and different places of Patuakhali during the 1971 War of Independence.

Investigation Officer Satyaranjan Saha began the probe last year and found the suspect’s involvement in at least five crimes.

The local-level razakars were very ferocious in executing the orders of

their seniors, he added.

Prosecutor Mokhlesur Rahman told the Dhaka Tribune: “We visited the places of occurrence. Forkan was the most notorious local razakar I have ever heard of. He was very cruel to the Hindu women during the Liberation War.” Forkan was arrested by the Detective Branch of Police in the Rupatoli bus stand area of Barisal on June 25 in a case filed with Mirzaganj police for killings in Patuakhali.

The prosecution produced him before the International Crimes Tribunal 2 on July 3 when the court sent him to jail. The tribunal also sought a progress report from the prosecution on the investigation.

In 2009, Abdul Hamid, a villager from Mirzaganj, filed a war crimes case with the local police station accusing Forkan of killing people and torturing women in 1971. Forkan had remained fugitive since the case was filed.

On March 31, the case documents were sent to the tribunal. l

4

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

HM Ershad: No democracy in the country n Manik Miazee Jatiya Party (JaPa) chief HM Ershad yesterday said there is no democracy in the country, calling it a one-party system.

The “democracy” that exists in the country does not accommodate all parties. It accommodates only one party, he said at a views exchange meeting with Jatiya Sromik Party held at Banani in the capital.

The incidents, like murders, disappearance and road accidents, were taking place and being reported in the

Seven critically injured in two fire incidents in capital n

Tribune Report

Seven workers of two factories suffered burn injuries in two separate fire incidents at Keraniganj and Kadamtoli in the capital yesterday.

Of them, five were said to be in critical condition.

All of them were sent to the burn unit of Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH).

In Keraniganj, a fire broke out at Giasuddin Embroidery Factory at Telghat when its boiler exploded around 1:30am. All the factory staff were asleep inside, police said.

Three workers of the factory - Sujan, 20, Awal Hossain, 30, and Badsha, 17 - were rushed to the DMCH in critical condition.

Later, with the help of locals, firefighters doused the blaze.

In a separate incident, a boiler exploded at a small steel re-rolling mill at Kadamtoli in the capital, leaving four workers critically injured.

The fire broke out around 1:30am at Salam Steel Re-rolling Mills, where workers were working night shift.

Bulbul, Motin, Mahbub and Sayeed received severe burn injuries. They were rushed to the DMCH. All the workers got more than 80% of their bodies burnt. No cases were filed in connection with the incidents. l

USAID’s Assistant Administrator for Asia visits Bangladesh n Tribune Report Assistant Administrator for Asia at the US Agency for International Development (USAID) Anne Aarnes arrived in Bangladesh today on a four-day visit.

During her stay in Bangladesh, Aarnes would visit development projects in Khulna, Jessore, Bagerhat and Munshiganj.

Aarnes is responsible for USAID’s development programmes throughout Asia, except Afghanistan and Pakistan, including programmes in more than 20 countries, reaching more than half of the world’s population.

Prior to taking up her current position, Aarnes served as USAID Mission Director in Pakistan and Jordan and USAID Deputy Mission Director in Egypt and Bangladesh.

In Washington DC she was posted as USAID’s Senior Deputy Assistant Administrator for the Middle East.

The United States Government, through the USAID has provided over $6 billion in development assistance to Bangladesh since 1971. In 2014, USAID provided nearly $200 million to improve the lives of people in Bangladesh.

USAID supports programmes in Bangladesh that promote democratic institutions and practices, expand food security and economic opportunity, improve health and education services, and increase resiliency to climate change through adaptation and low carbon development. l

media everyday, Ershad said.

“But this situation is not improving. Nor does the government have any headache about it,” he said, adding: “The country cannot be run in this way.”

Criticising both the BNP and the Awami League, the JaPa chief said both of the major parties were passing busy hours about going to state power, not taking a blind bit of notice of what were on the other hand happening in the country.

“I had kept the population growth under control in the country. But now

this growth rate is high,” he said.

“However, our prime minister had said the population would be turned into power,” the JaPa chief said, pointing out that the population cannot be turned into power without establishing industries and thus jobs for them in the country.

“We promised to people to ensure job for all, but now every home has jobless people,” he said.

People were going abroad illegally for jobs risking their lives, said Ershad, because there were no adequate number of jobs in the country. l

State minister warns land officials n Tribune Report State Minister for Land Saifuzzaman Chowdhury Javed yesterday came down heavily on officials and staff of land acquisition department while visiting the office in Chittagong following the recovery of around Tk58 lakh meant for bribing LA officials.

He warned that corruption would not be tolerated in his department.

The authorities concerned have already installed six CCTV cameras in a bid to prevent anomalies in the office.

Police filed a case under the Money Laundering Act while the district administration transferred 12 employees of the LA department following the recovery of Tk57.92 lakh from a person named Md Elias Bhuiyan, 32, on the

Chittagong Court Building premises on October 14.

During interrogation, the arrestee confessed that the money was supposed to be handed over to a staff of the LA department as bribe, police sources said.

“We will launch a drive to oust the brokers from the office area very soon,” he said adding that necessary measures would be taken to ease hassles of the people.

Javed also asked the officials to distribute compensation cheques amongst the victims on the spot while acquiring land to stop corruption.

Divisional Commissioner Mohammed Abdullah and Deputy Commissioner Mezbah Uddin Ahmed were present during the visit. l

Domestic help kills herself n Tribune Report Police recovered hanging body of a domestic help from a house in the capital’s Badda area yesterday afternoon.

The deceased was identified as Farida Akhter, 15, the daughter of Md Chand Mia from Netrakona. Farida used to work at the house of Md Mofizul and Minara Begum.

MA Jalil, officer-in-charge of Badda police station said: “Although the employers are saying Farida committed

suicide but we found injury marks on her head. Family members of the houses claiming that Farida committed suicide by hanging herself by a scarf in the bathroom.”

Police recovered the body around 3am and sent it to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital morgue for autopsy.

No cases regarding the death were filed with the police station till filing of this report. Details in this regard will be revealed after the postmortem report is received, said the OC. l

Monday, October 27, 2014

Accident kills one, another drowns n FM Mizanur Rahaman A college student was killed in a road accident on the Dhaka-Chittagong Highway in Mirsarai upazila of Chittagong yesterday.

Md Abdullah, 20, second year student of Baraiarhat Degree College in Mirsarai, died as a covered van hit a CNG autorickshaw was carrying him from behind around 11am, said Jorarganj police station Sub-Inspector Md Mainuddin. Abdullah died on the spot.

Meanwhile, a youth drowned in the Foy’s Lake in Chittagong yesterday.

Police said Obaidur Rahman Babu, 25, son of Abdus Sattar, of Morolganj of Bagerhat, jumped into the lake after being chased by a man and his associates.

Babu had made an indecent proposal to the man’s wife a week ago.

Babu drowned in the lake, said the police.

They recovered the body and sent it to the CMCH morgue for an autopsy. No one was arrested in this regard, said SI Manosh. l

Bangladesh Girl Summit 2014 today n Tribune Report Bangladesh Girl Summit, first of its kind in Bangladesh, will be held today at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium in city.

With the theme “ending child marriage and empowering girls,” the day-long summit will feature dialogue to chalk out collective pathways to end child marriage in Bangladesh.

State Minister of Ministry of Women and Children Affairs Meher Afroze Chumki will grace the summit as the chief guest. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Monday, October 27, 2014

Hatirjheel to join with Gulshan lake soon Housing minister inaugurates clean-up campaign in the lake area n Abu Hayat Mahmud Housing and Public Works Minister Engineer Mosharraf Hossain yesterday announced that the capital’s Hatirjheel-Begunbari lake would be connected with the Gulshan-Banani lake under an ongoing development project.

He made the announcement after inaugurating a cleanliness campaign at the Hatirjheel-Begunbari Integrated Development Project area.

Mosharraf started the campaign by sweeping a portion of a road himself to raise awareness on waste management at the newly developed thoroughfare and recreational place.

“The Hatirjheel lake will be connected with the Gulshan-Banani lake development project, for which Tk400 crore has already been allocated,” said Mosharraf Hossain.

The minister, however, made no comment on removal of illegal structures from the water body.

Saying that rules introduced to ensure cleanliness of the recreational area were not being followed, he said: “Awareness among the public for following the rules needs to be created. Visitors should be used to dumping waste at specific points.”

Mosharraf said the cleanness campaigns will also introduced in other parks and recreational places of the capital so that visitors can move freely and comfortably there.

The long-awaited Tk2,300 crore Hatirjheel-Begunbari project was

Housing and Public Works Minister Engineer Mosharraf Hossain inaugurated a cleanliness drive in the Hatirjheel -Begunbari lake area yesterday. The minister said the lake would be connected with Gulshan lake ABU HAYAT MAHMUD made open to the public in January last year.

However, the lake lost its appeal due to the continuous dumping of wastes and sewage water, which turned the canal water pitch black and filled the area with a strong stench.

Although the initial design of the Hatirjheel-Begunbari lake development project includes setting up of a waste treatment plant, the plant has not been installed over the past two years.

Separate road accidents claim 4 lives in Munshiganj n Our Correspondent, Munshiganj Four people were killed and at least 25 people were injured in separate road accidents in Mushiganj yesterday.

Police sources said two men were killed and 25 others injured when a passenger bus fell into a roadside ditch in Moddhom Farazikandi area under Gazaria upazila.

The deceased are Masud Rana, 18, and Khadem Ali, 23. The bodies were kept in Voberchar police outpost till filing of this report.

Sergeant Md Saiful Islam, in-charge of Voberchar highway police outpost said: “The Chittagong-bound bus fell into a roadside ditch when its driver lost his control over the steering.”

However, the driver managed to flee the scene immediately after the accident. Preparation for lodging a case in this connection was underway, added the official.

In another accident, two people died and several others injured when a Dhaka- bound micro-bus and a Comilla-bound bus collided at 2:15pm on Dhaka-Chittagong highway in Gazaria.

Police could not identify the deceased immediately.

Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Gazaria police station Ferdous Hasan said: “The wounded were sent to nearest private clinics.” l

WEATHER THUNDERSHOWER WITH RAIN

MONDAY, OCTOBER 27 DHAKA

TODAY SUN SETS 5:23PM

TOMORROW SUN RISES 6:02AM

FORECAST FOR TODAY 28 29 27 29 27 26 27 31

Dhaka Chittagong Rajshahi Rangpur Khulna Barisal Sylhet Cox’s Bazar

21 23 19 19 21 21 19 23

YESTERDAY’S HIGH AND LOW

33.2ºC Sitakunda

21.2ºC Chuadanga

Source: Accuweather/UNB

Meanwhile, the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) has not been able to shift two religious establishments and a two-storey building from Hatirjheel-Begunbari lake although the Dhaka deputy commissioner’s office had already arranged alternative land for these structures.

Earlier, the city planner had announced to evict these structures to preserve the environment and beauty of the water body after the DC of-

14 lakh people infected with eye disease in a year n Our Correspondent, Barisal Around 14 lakh people across the country are infected with different types of eye disease every year and many patients are at risk of becoming completely blind because of lack of awareness, speakers said at a discussion marking World Sight Day 2014.

They also said the number of eye patients was increasing day by day and 80% of the blindness in the country was caused by developing

cataract, which can be cured by inserting lenses through an operation.

They emphasised on mass awareness to prevent untimely blindness.

The discussion organised by Brac’s Vision Bangladesh Project Phase 2 and the district civil surgeon office, was held at the health division’s training centre in Barisal yesterday.

Citing a Birdem report, they said 27% diabetics were affected with retinopathy.

These diabetics should go to the doctor at least once a year for an

Fajr Sunrise Zohr Asr Magrib Esha

4:46am 6:01am 11:42am 3:46pm 5:23pm 6:39 pm SourceL IslamicFinder.org

eye check up, said Eye Specialist Dr Bhavesh Chandra Roy. Dr Mizanur Rahman, Barisal Sadar upazila health and family planning officer, presided over the discussion which was also addressed

by Dr Bhavesh Chandra Roy of Islamia Eye Hospital, Abul Kalam Azad, regional manager health, nutrition and population project of Brac, Fakhrul Islam, project officer of district civil surgeon office, Ripan Chandra Manadal, district in charge of Brac among others. l

BSF picks up labourer from Panchagarh border n Our Correspondent, Panchagarh

RAB members seized 57 crude bombs and two kilograms of gunpowder from Octroy intersection area in Rajshahi city yesterday AZAHAR UDDIN

57 crude bombs, 2kg gun powder recovered n Our Correspondent, Rajshahi Members of the Rapid Action Battalion seized 57 crude bombs and two kilograms of gunpowder from Octroy intersection area adjacent to Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology (Ruet) campus in the early hours of yesterday.

Senior Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Mirza Golam Sarwar said: “Acting on a tip-off, a team of RAB 5 recovered the 57 crude bombs and 2kgs

of gun powder inside a bag in an abandoned condition during a raid in the area around 1am.

A huge quantity of explosives were brought in the district for creating anarchy during strike called by Islamist parties demanding arrest of Latif Siddique, he said.

He said the bombs and explosives were handed over to police for necessary prosecution.

However, no one was arrested in this connection. l

Mystery shrouds death of housewife in Sylhet n Our Correspondent, Sylhet

PRAYER TIMES

fice manages alternative land.

Rajuk has conducted several eviction drives on different occasions since 2007 when the Hatirjheel and Begunbari canal development project began but could not move the respective structures elsewhere considering religious sentiments.

Besides, Rajuk failed to take action against the 15-storey building of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) because of legal complications. l

A newlywed housewife died mysteriously in Gutatikor area under Moglabazar police station in Sylhet on Saturday night.

The deceased was identified as Lutfa Akther Sonali, 19, wife of Jahangir Hasan Mitu, a CNG run auto-rickshaw driver.

Police detained Mitu along with his father Ruhul Amin for interrogation.

Police sources said, Sonali married Mitu three months ago without his parents’ permission. Three days ago Sonali went to her father-in-law’s house at Shahjahan Mia Colony, where she died on Saturday night.

Shofiqul Islam, officer-in-charge of Moglabazar police station, said on hearing the news, police rushed to the spot and found her body, which was sent to Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College morgue for an autopsy. l

A Bangladeshi day-labourer was allegedly taken away by the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) from Jaigirjote frontier area in the Tetulia upazila yesterday.

The victim was identified as Biplab, 28, son of Dimalo Mohammad, of Goalgach village in the upazila.

Sources said the incident took place around 3:30pm when a patrol team from the nearby Hatiram BSF camp dragged Biplab from the area while he was carrying stone from a local river crossing the Indo-Bangla border pillar. l

One held with firearm in Chittagong n Tribune Report The Rapid Action Battalion in a drive arrested a youth in possession of a foreign-made pistol and lethal weapons from Mirsarai upazila in Chittagong on Saturday night.

Assistant Director (media) Shohel Mahmud of RAB 7 said acting on tip off a team had conducted a drive in Bhangarpul area around 9pm and arrested Imran Hossain Roni, 25, son of Shah Alam of Dakkhin Wahidpur area, with a 7.65 mm foreign-made pistol, five rounds of bullet, two machetes, one blade and Tk22,000 in cash from his possession. l

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DHAKA TRIBUNE

Nation

Monday, October 27, 2014

BIWTA land grabbed Jubo League leader shot dead in Chapainawabganj overnight n Our Correspondent, Munshiganj Some 35 influential locals grabbed a government land by setting up bamboo-made structures along Baligaon-Taltola canal in Tongibari upazila.

The incident took place next to Baligaon Bazar at a period between Friday night and Saturday morning.

The men grabbed some other lands inside the market a few months ago.

Timber traders said they had been failing to load and unload goods since

Saturday, when some people grabbed this land and set up structures blocking their way to the canal.

Those owning shops in the market said the lands they took lease from the BIWTA were grabbed on the same day.

Baligaon Bazar Committee Secretary Manjurul Islam said: “I protested their illegal activity and so they have threatened to set fire to my house."

Tongibari Upazila Assistant Commissioner Rahela Rahmatullah could not be reached for comment. l

Tk10 lakh looted from cold storage, 6 injured n Our Correspondent, Joypurhat Robbers looted Tk10 lakh from a cold storage in Boiragirhat area of Kalai upazila in the district yesterday after shooting six workers.

Jayanta Kumar, accountant of South Pole Cold Storage, said a gang of armed robbers, numbering 15/20, stormed the cold storage and held some of its workers, including a woman, hostage at gunpoint around 1.30am.

As other workers tried to resist the robbers, they opened fire on them leaving Sirajul Islam, Shah Alam, Mamunur Rashid, Ahedul Islam, Mojammel Haque and Farzuara injured.

The robbers then broke open the office room of the cold storage and looted Tk10 lakh from the vault and fled the scene. The injured were first taken to Joypurhat General Hospital and then to Bogra Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital. l

Class boycotted in nursing college n Our Correspondent, Mymensingh Mymensingh Nursing College students yesterday declared to boycott classes and exams for an indefinite period demanding removal of the principal and hostel housekeeper.

President of the Student Welfare Association of the college Md Rasel said Housekeeper Najmunnahar beat up three students on October 18 over sit allocation at the dorm.

When the students informed Principal Monoeara Khatun about the incident, she did not take any action against the housekeeper, he added. l

Correspondent, n Our Chapainawabganj Local Jubo League leader and treasurer of Sonamasjid Land Port Clearing and Forwarding (C&F) Agents Association Monirul Islam was allegedly murdered by his co-workers in Shibganj upazila of Chapainawabganj on Friday.

In protest of the killing, port workers and C&F agents continued demonstration for the second day yesterday halting all kinds of export-import activities through the port.

Manirul’s wife Rahima Khatun Baby yesterday filed a murder case with Shibganj police station against 13 identified and seven to eight unidentified people.

Two of the three arrested in this connection – Vice-President of the Port C&F Agents Association Sirajul Islam Munci and secretary Tohurul Islam Tutul – yesterday confessed to the Chapainawabganj Chief Judicial Magistrate court of being directly involved with the murder, said Investigative Officer of the case

Abul Kalam Azad. Senior Judicial Magistrate Nur Nabi recorded their statements.

Police have filed petition seeking seven-day remand for the other detained Akhirul Islam, president of the Sonamasjid Land Port Clearing and Forwarding Agents Association.

Islam was shot dead around 7 pm on Friday while returning from a wedding ceremony.

Shibganj police recovered the body and sent it to Chapainawabganj Sadar Hospital morgue for autopsy. l

Protest over attack on Awami League leader n Our Correspondent, Gazipur Jubo League men in Sreepur upazila of Gazipur staged a demonstration Saturday evening at the Awami League office in the upazila protesting an attack on it’s Organising Secretary Nurul Islam Shimul.

The meeting was presided over by upazila Juba League President Kamar Uddin. Among others, Sreepur upazila Awami League President Advocate Shamsul Alam Prodahn, it’s General Secretary Mostafizur Rahman Bulbul, it’s Organising Secretary Advocate Zakir Hossain Khan Mamun. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Special

7

Monday, October 27, 2014

Become your own apothecary n Nupu Press “The first wealth is health.”

– Ralph Waldo Emerson

W

hen visiting my darlingest friend earlier this month in New York, she took me to her country’s oldest apothecary’s, CO Bigelow, in Greenwich Village. We had already decided that (a) apothecary is our favourite word of all time, and (b) we love rummaging through these traditional pharmacies. And it was delightful, though a far cry from what it must have been like when it opened in 1838.

Apothecaries were the chemists of yesteryear. Now with medicine mostly taken over by pharmaceutical giants who profit from selling patented drugs to the masses, these individualised old-school mixers and dispensers of herbs and oils have largely disappeared in the Western world and are tucked away in corners elsewhere, except perhaps China.

First aid Most of us have a first-aid kit and I’m no exception. Because of severe allergies, I am never without various pharmaceutical wonders on my person at all times. But natural, un-patentable items have replaced everything else.

It was ten years ago when I was moved to distraction from a toothache while on a film shoot in Goa. I didn’t have time to visit a dentist. A local assistant gave me a vial of clove oil and told me to put a few drops on a cotton ball and tuck it against the troublesome tooth.

Sceptical of all things herbal, I did it out of sheer desperation. The pain disappeared within hours, whereas fistfuls of extra-strength painkillers had had no effect for days (though I dread to think of the pills’ load on my poor liver).

Another grisly pain-on-a-film story: I was once so stressed on a shoot that two of my toenails fell off. Apparently major stress can do that. And if that wasn’t charming enough, I also had fungus growing on another toenail.

I went to see a chiropodist (also called a podiatrist, a licensed practitioner for the feet, available on every high street in London; I’m explaining this as they’re uncommon in the US).

She had me use a commercial antifungal ointment for a year. Did it help? No. So I turned to tea tree oil, applying it neat daily with a clean Q-tip, and the fungus was gone in a month.

I’ve since become a convert and now keep a few oils at home.

• 10ml or 20ml (0.33oz to 0.67oz) bottles are available. A little goes a very long way.

• Usually packaged in dark glass jars, if stored in a cupboard away from sunlight and heat, they should last for years.

• I prefer pure (organic where possible) oils that have not been diluted.

If there’s any mixing to be done, I’d rather don the apothecary hat myself.

• As with any medication, there may be adverse reactions and contraindications, so please use judiciously.

These are the oils I like: • Clove oil: analgesic, antiseptic, antimicrobial, antifungal. It should be used prudently as it’s powerful.

It can also be used internally and on the skin, but its unbeatable effectiveness with dental pain alone

BIGSTOCK

makes this worth having. Avoid your tongue touching the oil – one taste and you will hate me forever.

• Tea tree oil: antimicrobial, antiseptic and antifungal. Works best diluted (with water) on a range of skin ailments such as dandruff, lice, acne and cuts; 100% neat on those dratted toenail fungal infections.

boys in case of possible hormonal disruption.

And my daily drug I’ve previously written about using oil for the face, but I’ll mention my current personal favourite for this list too – rosehip seed oil – because it’s the

that ageing and dark skin colour are shaming. Because they are yet another fear-inducing ploy to taunt women (and increasingly men) about never looking good enough. Because nothing can make us actually reverse ageing or lighten our skin tone without resorting to frightening tactics, ending with frightening results – see Michael Jackson.

Powders over pills

Sceptical of all things herbal, I did it out of sheer desperation. The pain disappeared within hours, whereas fistfuls of extra-strength painkillers had had no effect for days

It’s toxic if ingested, so steer clear of using it around the mouth.

• Lavender oil: antiseptic and relieves pain. Its scent soothes the nervous system, helping with anxiety and even depression (dab on a handkerchief and sniff periodically). It’s also a popular sleep aid (put a few drops on your pillow, or on an oil diffuser).

Antibacterial, it’s used for acne, lice, dandruff and skin cuts, though best to start using it in a diluted form.

For eczema, add a few drops to coconut oil for topical application.

To be avoided by pre-pubescent

Manufactured healthcare products will never be a match for the natural un-patented items BIGSTOCK

only medically-proven treatment for scars, both old and new. I don’t mind scars (I have plenty of ’em, some pretty gruesome too) but for those who do, this would be worth considering.

• Rosehip seed oil: anti-inflammatory and antioxidant, with essential fatty acids and beta-carotene. A “dry oil,” it sinks quickly into the skin without leaving a greasy residue, except on very oily skin. Soothes itchiness and dryness, helps acne and eczema, rejuvenates skin, evening out raised scar tissue and hyperpigmentation.

Organic and cold-pressed is best.

To use this (or any other oil) on the face, put drops on the tips of three or four fingers on an upturned hand.

Rub against the fingertips of the other hand, then pat over the face to evenly distribute the oil. This is the only non-washable product I put on my face now. It replaces: eye makeup remover, serum, eye cream, day cream and night cream.

A side note: as for that vomit-inducing term – anti-ageing – rosehip seed oil is ever-present in those overpriced potions sold by multinational corporations. That’s because it also helps to keep wrinkles and lines at bay. Beauty writer Sali Hughes wrote in the Guardian in August: “Oil, more than any other product, will give the impatient woman the visible results she craves.” I recommend bypassing the commercially packaged products with fillers and preservatives, and go straight to the pure oil.

A second side note: in the West, it’s all about “anti-ageing.” In the East, it’s “skin-lightening” (also called “fairness” – ironically enough). Both are as ghastly and damaging as each other.

Because they perpetuate the notion

Traditional apothecaries also knew the potent healthy and healing properties of herbs, spices, roots and seeds. In ancient China, doctors were paid to keep a patient healthy, and would not be paid if/when the patient fell ill, as this meant the doctors were not doing their job.

The chances of this happening in our time are inconceivable. Nevertheless, let’s do what we can to keep ourselves healthy.

When I’m in Dhaka, I start the day with my own homemade “multivitamin” of sorts. I was introduced to this by a family friend who had even more severe allergies and health problems than I do. She slowly weaned herself off all her other medication (with her doctor’s blessings).

I take my version before breakfast every morning: • ¼ teaspoon raw, ground turmeric (unadulterated dried powder is also fine) • Pinch of ground black pepper • ¼ teaspoon freshly grated ginger (dried ground ginger also works)

Note: turmeric can stain teeth, so it’s best to chase this with more water, or a quick gargle.

Properties and benefits: • Turmeric: its primary compound curcumin is anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral, antiseptic and antioxidant. No wonder it’s used in cooking in hot countries, where the risk of food going off is higher. It’s believed to purify the liver, improve memory, bolster heart health and possibly even help prevent cancer.

• Black pepper: magnifies the benefits of turmeric by making the curcumin dramatically more bio-available. It’s also an anti-inflammatory in its own right.

• Ginger: provides relief to stomach ailments, aids absorption of nutrients, and its warming qualities help bolster the body’s immune system.

(Ginger is not to be taken alongside blood thinners.)

• Lemon/lime: helps purify and strengthen the liver, its vitamin C is an antioxidant and helps strengthen the immune system against symptoms of the common cold.

• Honey: antibacterial, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, it has niacin, calcium, riboflavin, magnesium, iron and a whole host of other vitamins and minerals in small quantities.

Raw, unheated honey works best, which is why mixing it in hot water will make it lose its benefits. If having honey, keep the water tepid, or have separately.

• Black cumin seeds (also called

Traditional apothecaries also knew the potent healthy and healing properties of herbs, spices, roots and seeds. In ancient China, doctors were paid to keep a patient healthy, and would not be paid if/when the patient fell ill

laughter at the very thought) but this much, even I can do.

Multivitamins and supplements are commonly known as “expensive pee” because much is excreted without being absorbed (note the colour and there’s your evidence…). Moreover, I’m not convinced extracting the “active ingredient” from a plant necessarily works in isolation, even if in triple strength.

My morning concoction, on the other hand, is not costly, is made using fresh or freshly ground ingredients that are widely available year-round, and makes me feel as if I get ill less often.

Plus, it’s definitely fun being my own apothecary.

“The more you know, the less you need.” – Aboriginal saying

Related Recommendations Documentary: Watch “Fire in the Blood,” made by my dear friend, Dylan Mohan Gray. This multiple-award-winning documentary looks at how the American pharmaceutical industry manipulated patent laws, resulting in the unnecessary deaths of tens of millions of people in Africa. It’s narrated

by William Hurt, and has interviews with Bill Clinton, Desmond Tutu, Joseph Stiglitz and many others. One of the few films I can say is unmissable.

And once watched, unforgettable.

Shop: One of my most favoured shops, and the closest thing I’ve found to an old-school apothecary’s in Britain (and now beyond) is Neal’s Yard Remedies.

In addition to their popular packaged skincare products, they have a wide range of dried herbal goodies in jars behind the counter that you can purchase by weight. When I was in London recently, I spent some blissful hours sighing over its many delights.

Podcast: Watch Jamie Oliver give his 2010 award-winning TED talk, “Teach Every Child About Food.” It’s just as relevant to adults, especially when he talks about sugar in our contemporary food culture. l Nupu Press is a writer and film producer. This article is from her blog on nupupress.com

• Squeeze of lemon or lime • ½ to 1 teaspoon of honey (which I don’t usually add, though it’s fine if sweetness doesn’t suck you into a sugar-craving vortex) • Swirl them all together (they don’t dissolve) in a glass of warm water and gulp down.

• I also take a ½ teaspoon of whole black cumin seeds (though its oil, which I haven’t yet been able to source, is even more beneficial). As the seeds mix poorly in water, I take that separately.

Nigella Sativa seeds, or “kalonji” in South Asia): used widely by every ancient civilisation, it is believed to reduce tumour growth, boost the immune system, and lessen allergic reactions, amongst its many heroic qualities.

Preparing this is marginally more complicated than taking a factory-processed pill from a bottle, but the benefits are vastly superior. I’m not at all a virtuous health-conscious type (anyone who knows me will howl with

8

DHAKA TRIBUNE

World

Monday, October 27, 2014

Top US health official warns of Ebola quarantine risks n Reuters, Washington/New York

Kurdish refugees from Kobane watch as thick smoke covers the Syrian town of Kobane during fighting between Islamic State and Kurdish Peshmerga forces

Iraqi forces seize four villages after victory near Baghdad

REUTERS

IS says has 100 suicide bombers ready; insurgents, govt forces prepare for new battle

n Reuters, Baghdad Iraqi government forces retook four villages yesterday near a mountain ridge overlooking Islamic State supply lines, security officials said, in a campaign which has struggled to make advances against the Sunni Islamist insurgents.

Iraqi security forces backed by Shi’ite militias gained some momentum on Saturday in their bid to loosen the grip of Islamic State, which controls large swathes of territory in the north and west of the country.

After months of fighting they drove Islamic State militants out of Jurf alSakhar, just south of Baghdad, while Kurdish fighters regained control over the town of Zumar in the north.

Sunni insurgents have been moving fighters, weapons and supplies from western Iraq through secret desert tunnels to Jurf al-Sakhar, Iraqi officials have said. Now it appears government forces may be able to disrupt that network.

Iraqi security forces backed by Shi’ite militias launched an assault on Saturday on areas around the Himreen

mountains, a hotbed of militant activity 100 km (60 miles) south of the oil city of Kirkuk.

Yesterday they seized control of four villages in the area, security officials said, adding that it was very difficult to accelerate efforts to capture more territory because of roadside bombs and booby-trapped houses.

“We have decided to make slow advances. We hold the ground, set up watch towers, clear the explosives and build sand barriers to prevent the armed men from returning,” army major Ahmed Nu’aman told Reuters by telephone.

Protracted fighting

The operation is designed to isolate Islamic State fighters controlling the towns of Jalawla and Saadiya and cut off the areas they seized northeast of the city of Baquba, which is held by Iraqi security forces and Shi’ite militias.

Government forces and Kurdish peshmerga fighters have been trying for months to take over Jalawla and Saadiya, located northeast of Baghdad.

Islamic State swept through northern Iraq in the summer, facing little resistance from US-trained government troops.

The al Qaeda offshoot then declared a caliphate and threatened to march on Baghdad, rattling the Shi’ite-led government and intensifying sectarian bloodshed.

While US airstrikes on Islamic State targets in Iraq and Syria may have disrupted their operations, it is hard to tell whether the campaign can defeat the insurgents who want to redraw the map of the Middle East.

Much may depend on whether the performance of Iraq’s army and security forces improves.

Yesterday, a suicide bomber in a truck packed with explosives killed three soldiers at an Iraqi army gathering on a highway west of former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein’s home town of Tikrit, military sources said.

Government forces and Shi’ite militias also attempted to advance on a village near Tikrit held by Islamic State, the sources said. But they failed in the

face of roadside bombs, landmines and sniper fire. Clashes raged in the area all day.

The next major security operation is expected to target the town of Amriyat al-Falluja, located in the Sunni heartland of Anbar province, just 40 km (25 miles) from Baghdad.

The Sunni insurgents have been surrounding it for weeks. Security officials said government forces are preparing to try and break the siege, security officials said.

Islamic State fighters also appear to be gearing up for battle.

Militants in the nearby town of Falluja, an Islamic State bastion and former al Qaeda stronghold under the US occupation of Iraq, used loudspeakers attached to police vehicles they captured to address supporters.

They were told to expect good news from Amriyat al-Falluja.

“Don’t be afraid. Don’t worry about what happened in Jurf al-Sakhar. The mujahideen will be back,” was the message conveyed over loudspeakers, a witness told Reuters from Falluja. l

Quarantines imposed on travelers coming from Ebola-affected countries in West Africa who have had contact with the disease could discourage American health workers from going there to help fight the epidemic, a senior US medical official warned yesterday.

“I don’t want to be directly criticizing the decision that was made but we have to be careful that there are unintended consequences,” Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said of the measures imposed by New York, New Jersey and Illinois.

“The best way to stop this epidemic is to help the people in West Africa, we do that by sending people over there,

Egypt postpones talks on Gaza’s future n Reuters, Egypt Egypt announced yesterday it was postponing talks in Cairo on cementing the Gaza war ceasefire after closing its border with the Palestinian enclave in response to deadly attacks in the Sinai peninsula.

Two attacks on Friday in Sinai, which borders the Gaza Strip and Israel, killed at least 33 Egyptian security personnel in some of the worst anti-state violence since former army chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi ousted Islamist President Mohamed Mursi of the Muslim Brotherhood last year.

Citing “the state of emergency in the border area between Egypt and Gaza” and the closure on Friday of the Rafah crossing, a senior Egyptian diplomat said indirect talks between Israel and Palestinian factions would not resume in the coming week. No new date for the negotiations was announced.

The talks, focused on preserving the Aug. 26 truce that ended the five-week Gaza war and on opening the borders of the Egyptian and Israeli-blockaded territory, adjourned in late September for Jewish and Muslim holidays.

The ceasefire has been holding. An easing of frontier restrictions is crucial

Canada gets ‘useful’ data after attacks n Reuters, Ottawa Canada’s financial intelligence agency asked institutions to quickly report suspicious transactions in the wake of two deadly attacks this week and has received data “useful to our intelligence efforts,” a spokesman said on Friday.

The Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre (FINTRAC) was set up in 2000 to combat money-laundering and ensures the compliance of 31,000 financial entities doing business in Canada. It sent a message to all 31,000 on Wednesday - the day of the second fatal attack - stressing the need for quick reports.

Asked whether FINTRAC had noticed any suspicious transactions linked to the attacks this week, spokesman Darren Gibb said: “What we have received from businesses following our message has been useful to our intelligence efforts.”

He declined to give more details. Reuters reviewed a copy of the message that

was sent by FINTRAC to the institutions.

“We would like to remind you of the importance of reporting suspicious transactions to FINTRAC in a timely fashion, particularly those transactions potentially related to terrorist financing,” it read.

“These reports may be invaluable in assisting police and national security agencies in preventing a terrorist attack in Canada and abroad,” it added.

Gibb said suspicious transactions were a priority and noted that agency officials had recently held briefing sessions for institutions in financial centers such as Toronto and Montreal.

The Canadian government is promising to introduce tough anti-terrorism legislation after the deadly attacks by suspected Islamic extremists in Quebec and Ottawa.

In the fiscal year ended March 2013, the agency passed on 1,143 cases to law enforcement bodies out of 81,735 potentially suspicious transactions reported by institutions, FINTRAC’s Director Gerald Cossette said on Monday. l

An Egyptian court jailed 23 young activists for three years yesterday for violating a law banning protests without a permit, judicial sources said, in a case rights group say reflects an increasingly repressive climate in the country.

The activists were arrested in June while demonstrating against the law.

Passed last year after the army toppled elected Islamist President Mohamed Mursi, the law tightly restricts protests – the vehicle Egyptians used to topple autocrat President Hosni Mubarak in 2011 and to express discontent with Mursi in 2013.

Four days after their arrest, the public prosecutor swiftly ordered the

defendants to trial. In addition to the charge of violating the protest law, the defendants were convicted of blocking off a road during the demonstration, damaging public property and using violence “with the aim of terrorizing citizens.” Rights groups have called the charges baseless.

Amnesty International deemed it another example of a series of “show-trials” based on scant evidence. The group said in a September statement that such trials appear intended to warn citizens against defying government policies.

A security crackdown launched after army chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi overthrew Mursi of the Muslim Brotherhood initially targeted Islamists demanding the reinstatement of Mursi. l

for reconstructing tens of thousands of homes in the Gaza Strip that were damaged or destroyed in the fighting between Israeli forces and Palestinian militants.

Israel wants security arrangements that will ensure such material is not used by Hamas to rebuild cross-border tunnels or to manufacture rockets, whose firing at southern Israel triggered the Israeli offensive.

Palestinian officials say 2,100 people, mostly civilians, were killed in the summer conflict. Israel put its death toll at 67 soldiers and six civilians.

No group has claimed responsibility for Friday’s attacks in Sinai. Similar operations have been claimed by Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis, Egypt’s most active Sinai-based jihadi group.

Egypt has accused Hamas in the past of aiding Islamist armed groups in Sinai - an allegation denied by the Gaza movement, an offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood.

“We are against the shedding of a drop of Egyptian blood. We wish Egypt security and stability,” said Fawzi Barhoum, a Hamas spokesman in Gaza.

He said Egypt had informed the group that negotiations would not be held as planned on Monday. l

Ukraine votes in poll likely to elect pro-West assembly n Reuters, Kiev

Tunisians show their ink-stained fingers after casting their votes, in Tunis. Tunisians voted yesterday in parliamentary elections that bring full democracy finally within their reach, four years after their revolution cast out autocrat Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali REUTERS

Egypt jails 23 activists Tunisians vote for new parliament, for violating protest law hope for full democracy n Reuters, Cairo

not only from the USA. but from other places,” Fauci told NBC’s “Meet the Press,” adding such quarantines were “a little bit draconian.”

The three states imposed 21-day mandatory quarantines in the last two days for anyone arriving with a risk of having contracted Ebola in Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea. They are the three West African countries that have borne the brunt of an epidemic that has killed nearly 5,000 people. The policies were abruptly imposed after a New York City doctor was diagnosed with the disease on Thursday after coming home from treating patients in Guinea. A nurse who returned on Friday through New Jersey’s Newark airport after working in Sierra Leone with Ebola patients, strongly criticized the quarantine polic l

n Reuters, Tunis Tunisians voted yesterday in parliamentary elections that bring full democracy finally within their reach, four years after their revolution cast out autocrat Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali. The moderate Islamist party Ennahda and rival secular alliance Nidaa Tounes are favoured to win most seats in Sunday’s vote, only the second free election in Tunisia since Ben Ali fled into exile in Saudi Arabia.

Tunisia has fared better than its neighbours who ousted their own long-ruling leaders during the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings, largely avoiding the polarisation between competing de-

sires for Islamist and more secular rule.

Where the role of Islam in politics dominated the first election in 2011, now jobs, economic opportunities and Tunisia’s low-intensity conflict with Islamist militants are the main concerns of a country heavily reliant on foreign tourism.

After overcoming a political crisis that threatened to scuttle its fledgling democracy, Tunisia approved a new constitution at the start of the year and won praise as a model for a region struggling with chaos and violence.

The large number of parties taking part in Sunday’s election, from conservative Islamist Salafist movements to Socialists, means a coalition government is the probable outcome. The

217-member assembly will choose a new prime minister.

“I always felt bad when I saw other countries freely voting and we couldn’t. Now we have the chance and the freedom to do so and I hope we get complete democracy and liberty,” said Wahid Zamely, 57, first in line to vote in the well-off Soukra neighbourhood in the capital Tunis.

Early turnout at six polling stations around Tunis looked constant and orderly, with only a few complaints from voters who had registered but found their names were not listed. Out of more than 12,000 voting centres nationwide only five remained closed yesterday for security reasons in Kasserine. l

War-weary Ukrainians voted yesterday in an election that is likely to install a pro-Western parliament and strengthen President Petro Poroshenko’s mandate to end separatist conflict in the east, but could fuel tension with Russia.

People wrapped up warmly on a cold, clear day to vote in the first parliamentary poll since protests in the capital Kiev last winter forced Moscow-backed leader Viktor Yanukovich to flee and ushered in a pro-Europe leadership under Poroshenko.

In eastern regions controlled by the army, soldiers armed with automatic rifles and wearing bulletproof jackets guarded polling stations under the yellow and blue Ukrainian flag.

There was no voting in areas held by pro-Russian rebels who will underline their autonomy with a separate election on Nov 2.

“There was shelling all yesterday as we were preparing the voter lists,” said Nadezhda Danilchenko, a member of the election committee at a polling station in Volnovakha, a town about 50 km (30 miles) south of Donetsk in east Ukraine.

“Either they (the separatists) are practising their shooting or they’re trying to intimidate us.”

Poroshenko, a 49-year-old billionaire confectionery tycoon, went to a town in the Donetsk region held by the army to show support for the troops after a relatively calm night in the east under a shaky ceasefire in force since Sept 5.

A loose political grouping that backs Poroshenko is expected to become the leading force in the 450-seat assembly, giving him a mandate to pursue his peace plan for the east and carry out deep reforms sought by Ukraine’s European Union partners.

Poroshenko said in a televised address on Saturday he wanted a majority to emerge that would see through laws to support a pro-Europe agenda and break with the country’s Soviet past. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

World

9

Monday, October 27, 2014

mullah Poor health systems in Asia cause for Ebola alarm Afghan jailed for 20 years

n AP, Singapore The longer the Ebola outbreak rages in West Africa, the greater chance a traveler infected with the virus touches down in an Asian city.

How quickly any case is detected — and the measures taken once it is — will determine whether the virus takes hold in a region where billions live in poverty and public health systems are often very weak. Governments are ramping up response plans, stepping up surveillance at airports and considering quarantine measures. Still, health experts in the region’s less developed countries fear any outbreak would be deadly and hard to contain.

“This is a non-treatable disease with a very high mortality rate. And even a country like the United States has not been able to completely prevent it,” said Yatin Mehta, a critical care specialist at the Medanta Medicity hospital near New Delhi. “The government is trying. They are preparing and they are training, but our record of disaster management has been very poor in the past.”

More than 10,000 people have been infected with Ebola and nearly half of them have died, according to the World Health Organization. The Ebola epidemic in West Africa is the largest ever outbreak of the disease with a rapidly rising death toll in Guinea, Liberia and

are up to 1,700 Filipino workers in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea, plus more than 100 peacekeeping troops in Liberia.

The Department of Health is suggesting a 21-day quarantine period before its citizens leave those three countries, but doesn’t know how it will pay for that, said spokesman Lyndon Lee Suy.

Medical workers wearing protective suits, treat a mock patient during a training exercise on dealing with a suspected Ebola case at a hospital in Guangzhou in south China’s Guangdong province AP Sierra Leone. There have also been cases in three other West African countries, Spain and the United States.

Early symptoms of Ebola include fever, headache, body aches, cough, stomach pain, vomiting, and diarrhea, and patients aren’t contagious until those begin. The virus requires close contact with body fluids to spread so health care workers and family members caring for loved ones are most at risk.

UK ends combat operations in Afghan province n AP, London Britain has ended combat operations in the Helmand province in Afghanistan, defense officials said Sunday.

They said UK troops have witnessed the lowering of the Union flag for the last time at the Camp Bastion complex in Helmand.

Britain suffered 453 fatalities during the campaign, the vast majority of which happened in Helmand province US and Afghan soldiers also observed the ceremony, which marked the end of operations for the Southwest Regional Command, a US and UK coalition operating under Nato’s International Security Assistance Force, British officials said.

Camp Bastion has been the center of UK operations in Afghanistan since 2006. The handover of the base to Afghan control ends an important chapter in the 13-year Afghan campaign, which started after the terrorist attacks

Indonesia’s new president unveils his Cabinet n AP, Jakarta Indonesia’s new president unveiled his Cabinet yesterday, a compromise lineup featuring technocrats in key finance roles who will need to push painful reforms to fix the country’s slowing economy, but also including politicians who supported his spectacular rise to power.

Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, a 53-yearold former furniture salesman who was sworn in as president last week amid high hopes of progressive leadership in the world’s fourth-largest country, had promised to promote professionals to top posts rather than party officials, who in Indonesia have a reputation for corruption and laziness.

Jokowi took the unprecedented step of asking the country’s anti-corruption commission to vet Cabinet candidates, a process that reportedly involved several being rejected at the last minute.

Dubbing it the “Work Cabinet,” Jokowi named former state-owned enterprises minister Sofyan Djalil coordinating minister of economics. Bambang Brodjonegoro, a respected economics academic who has worked in government ministries before, was named finance minister.

Those appointments are likely to be broadly welcomed by investors, but ministers will need to quickly take steps to reassure the market they have the clout to cut politically sensitive fuel subsidies that are a drag on economic growth and speed up infrastructure projects in the country of 250 million people. l

on the United States in 2001.

UK Defense Secretary Michael Fallon said in a statement that the end of combat operations is being announced “with pride” and that Britain has helped give Afghanistan “the best possible chance of a stable future.”

But he told BBC’s Andrew Marr show that there is “no guarantee that Afghanistan is going to be stable and safe.”

He said the mission has succeeded in the sense that Afghanistan is no longer a safe haven for terrorists planning atrocities against Britain and the rest of Europe.

Fallon said Britain’s commitment to support Afghanistan will continue “through institutional development, the Afghan National Army Officer Academy, and development aid.”

Britain plans to withdraw its final combat troops from Afghanistan by the end of the year and is planning to give Afghan forces control of a base in Kandahar, the country’s second most populous city.

Military advisers and trainers are expected to stay in the capital Kabul.

Brigadier Rob Thomson, senior UK officer in Helmand, said Afghan National Security Forces are “more than ready” to assume responsibility for the country’s security. l

Asia, home to 60% of the world’s population, scores higher than West Africa on most development indexes and includes emerging or developed countries like Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea and Japan. But countries like India, China, the Philippines and Indonesia have vast numbers of poor, many of whom live in crowded slums, and underfunded health systems. The Philippine government estimates there

The only way of ensuring that the virus doesn’t spread into a country is enforced quarantine for people coming from countries with an outbreak or, even more effective, a total travel ban “The DOH is doing its part, but it is downstream, it is on the receiving end,” said Dr. Antony Leachon, president of the Philippine College of Physicians. “What is important is that Ebola shouldn’t be able to enter. Since we have 10 million migrant workers, we have problems containing that.”

Indonesia has put 100 hospitals that have experience of treating patients suffering from bird flu on standby for

It had all the elements of a classic coup: thousands descending on the capital, clashing with police outside parliament and commandeering state TV to demand the ouster of a civilian leader who had locked horns with the military in a country with a long history of turmoil and dictatorship.

But when the tear gas cleared in Islamabad in August, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif remained in office with the support of the entire parliament, the troops were still in their barracks, and the protesters had dwindled to a few thousand, their “revolution” confined to a festive, shrinking tent camp.

The uprising led by former cricket star Imran Khan and cleric Tahir-ul-Qadri failed to overthrow Sharif, but it did rattle the conventional view of Pakistan as a tottering state perpetually leaning on an all-powerful army. “Parliament’s unanimous support for Nawaz Sharif played a key role in saving democracy in Pakistan,” political analyst Mahdi Hasan said.

Khan and Qadri had accused Sharif of massive fraud in the 2013 election that brought him to office in Pakistan’s first-ever democratic transfer of power. International monitors reported irregularities in the vote, but have not questioned the outcome.

Beyond the voting allegations, Khan and Sharif are longtime political opponents, while Qadri holds Sharif personally responsible for the deaths of 14 of his supporters in clashes with police in Lahore in June.

At the peak of the protests in August some 70,000 people thronged the heart of the capital. On Aug. 30 the demonstra-

for rape n AP, Kabul

An Afghan court has sentenced a mullah to 20 years in prison after finding the religious teacher guilty of raping a 10-year-old girl.

The sentence, passed by a Kabul judge on Saturday, has been welcomed by family as well as women’s support groups as a rare victory in their fight for justice for female victims of sex crimes.

Rape is often treated as adultery in Afghanistan, and victims can face prison themselves.

Hassina Sarwari, who runs a shelter for women in northern Kunduz province, where the rape took place, said Sunday that if the trial had not been transferred to Kabul the result would probably have been very different.

The rape took place in May in the girl’s home village near the provincial capital, also called Kunduz.

“If the case would have not been transferred to Kabul, we were so worried that the mullah would have not been punished in Kunduz for his crime,” said Sarwari. When she saw the girl, Bershna, who like many Afghans only uses one name, for the first time in the hospital she was in a bad condition and required transfer to Kabul for additional treatment. l

HONG KONG PROTESTS CONTINUE

Cutout pictures of Chinese President Xi Jinping are displayed at the occupied area by the pro-democracy protesters outside the government headquarters in Hong Kong’s Admiralty.

The organizers of Hong Kong’s pro-democracy protests yesterday canceled a vote on what the next step should be in their monthlong street occupation, saying they hadn’t properly consulted with the public before calling the referendum. The Chinese read ‘Free to take’ AP

In Pakistan, a coup that wasn’t n AP, Islamabad

Ebola, said Tjandra Yoga Aditama, head of the Health Ministry’s research and development board.

The only way of ensuring that the virus doesn’t spread into a country is enforced quarantine for people coming from countries with an outbreak or — even more effective — a total travel ban. But those measures would mean that doctors and other experts trying to beat the virus at its source in West Africa would be less willing or unable to help, making the outbreak worse.

Airports in Asia have stepped up their defenses: screening passengers who have travelled from affected countries, taking any with high temperature for observation and trying to keep contact them with for 21 days — the incubation period. Even assuming these measures are carried out effectively, people can and do lie about their travel history, and common drugs like Paracetamol are effective in reducing fever.

Authorities in China say 8,672 people have entered southern Guangdong province from Ebola-ridden areas since Aug 23.

“Asia is very diverse in its capacity, and there are some countries with people that travel a lot that may not have the best infrastructure and are at greater risk,” said Fisher, who has twice been to Liberia to assist in the WHO’s response. l

tors burst through security barricades and clashed with police outside parliament.

The police fired tear gas and rubber bullets.

Three people were killed in the melee and another 500 — including police — were wounded.

The protests have not been a complete failure. In August Sharif announced the formation of a judicial commission to probe the vote rigging allegations The military, which had troops deployed to back the police, might have chosen that moment to side with the protesters and push for Sharif’s ouster. The army overthrew Sharif in 1999, ending his previous stint as prime minister. More recently the army had clashed with him over his decision to bring a treason case against Pervez Musharraf, the general who had ousted him, and his support for a private TV channel that accused the country’s spy chief of trying to kill its top anchor.

But instead of sweeping Sharif from power, Pakistan’s powerful army chief Gen. Raheel Sharif met with the protest leaders to try to convince them to resolve the impasse.

Critics of the protesters say the military should have intervened to disperse them.

Defense analyst Talat Masood said the army’s “reluctance to forcefully resolve the

crisis encouraged the demonstrators.”

The army says it deployed troops to protect government buildings but that it was up to the 30,000 police and paramilitary groups — who take orders from government — to handle crowd control.

In the end, most of the protesters left on their own. Qadri officially ended his sit-in in Islamabad this week. Khan’s supporters remain, but it’s unclear whether the crowds of mainly college students that swell in the evenings are drawn there for political reasons or to hang out and hear popular singers who regularly perform at the rallies.

Sharif’s government has said it is ready to let Khan use an open-air theater to “entertain their supporters.”

Most of Khan’s supporters in parliament, where his Tehreek-e-Insaf party had been the third largest bloc, have resigned from the assembly. And Javed Hashmi, who was president of Khan’s party, broke with him over the decision to march on the prime minister’s house on Aug. 30. Like other critics, he raised the specter of military involvement in the protests, alleging Khan had endangered democracy. Both Khan and Qadri have denied conspiring with the military.

The protests have not been a complete failure. In August Sharif announced the formation of a judicial commission to probe the vote rigging allegations. Khan and Qadri have rejected the commission, but Ishaq Dar, the chief government negotiator in talks with the protesters, says Sharif will step down if the commission finds that the election was fraudulent.

“We will have no moral authority to remain in power if the commission finds us guilty of rigging the elections,” Dar said. l

At UN, China asked to back human rights case against N Korea n Reuters, United Nations The chief UN investigator into human rights cases in North Korea said on Wednesday he has appealed to China to support calls to refer Pyongyang’s actions to The Hague on suspicion of crimes against humanity.

Western diplomats say China, North Korea’s principal protector on the UN Security Council, will likely use its veto power there to knock down any attempt to refer North Korea to the International Criminal Court.

But Michael Kirby, a former Australian judge who led the independent UN inquiry into alleged human rights abuses in North Korea, told reporters at UN headquarters that it was by no means certain Beijing would block an ICC referral.

“I don’t think a veto should be assumed,” Kirby said. “China is a very great power with great responsibilities as a permanent member. Veto is not the way China does international diplomacy. China tends to find another way.”

“We continue to (work) in hopes that China, as a great power, will act as a great power should,” he added.

Kirby emphasized that China has only 10 vetoes, the lowest number of any of the five permanent members. That is a fraction of the dozens of times Russia and the United States have vetoed resolutions in the 15-nation council.

Kirby chaired the UN Commission of Inquiry on North Korea, which in February produced a 372-page report.

It detailed wide-ranging abuses, including prison camps, systematic torture, starvation and killings comparable to Nazi-era atrocities. The report’s publication prompted calls among Western states and their allies for punitive action against Pyongyang.

Speaking later at a meeting of UN member states, North Korean delegate Kim Song called Kirby’s report “confrontational” and a “product of political conspiracy of the United States and hostile forces” seeking to overthrow North Korea’s political and social system.

The issue will soon be discussed in the UN General Assembly’s Third Committee, which focuses on human rights.

A draft resolution prepared for the Third Committee by the European Union and Japan, seen by Reuters, urges the 193-nation assembly to recommend the referral of North Korea to the ICC for crimes against humanity.

Pyongyang responded by proposing its own draft resolution praising its human rights record.

“The United Nations is about to meet a moment of truth,” Kirby said.

“The essential question will be whether the United Nations will stay the course and adhere to making the principle of accountability of great crimes a reality.” l

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DHAKA TRIBUNE

Editorial

Monday, October 27, 2014

CODE-CRACKER

Labour rights start at home

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draft Domestic Worker Protection Act and Domestic Worker Protection and Welfare Policy are still in abeyance even after a High Court ruling in July asked the government to explain why it should not be directed to implement effective policies to protect domestic workers’ rights.

The drafts contain common sense directives on working hours, stopping the employment of child workers, providing entitlements to leave, pay, training, and medical care, and protecting domestic workers from physical, mental, and sexual harassment.

It is deeply concerning that there is still no clear indication on their implementation.

The need for protecting domestic workers’ rights is obvious.

There are over 2 million domestic workers in Bangladesh. Despite continuing incidents of abuse, torture, and even murder, their rights still fail to get the attention they deserve.

Moreover, a significant proportion of domestic workers remain underage. Shockingly, one study of 849 domestic child workers in well-to-do parts of Dhaka last year found that 83% had suffered physical abuse from their employers and 17% have been sexually abused. Even if the figures in this study were atypical, it indicates a clear need for changes in public attitudes towards domestic workers.

The best way to bring this about is for the government to implement and enforce clear laws to protect people in domestic service.

Employers and employees alike will benefit from a clear framework that guarantees minimum rights and protection for domestic workers.

Domestic workers’ rights deserve more attention. A clear framework is needed to guarantee protection

Virtuous economic growth requires virtuous policies

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angladesh’s economy is growing, but not as fast as it could or as it should.

According to a recent World Bank report, despite growing consumer confidence and demand, economic growth is being held back by infrastructure bottlenecks and political uncertainty.

In the next two decades, we need to create many more highervalue jobs to sustain our growing population and make proper use of the nation’s potential.

A cycle of growth stuck around the 6% mark is not sufficient for the scale of this task. This is evident from signs of stunted competitiveness and low rates of private investment. It is expected that this year Myanmar will attract $5bn of FDI, which is over three times the level of overseas investment in Bangladesh, despite our much larger population.

The government needs to remove the barriers which inhibit our cycle of economic growth from rising above 7%, which we have to achieve to make the best use of our demographic dividend.

Our nation needs an investment boom to end corruption and facilitate a virtuous cycle of economic growth.

The government needs to focus much more on improving infrastructure, especially energy and transportation, to encourage more investment. It also has a duty to facilitate dialogue with the BNP in order to guarantee the more conducive political environment craved by the public and investors.

If we are truly serious about being stronger economically, then we must be equally serious about finding better solutions to remove the obstacles that hold us back.

Remove the barriers which inhibit economic growth from rising above 7%

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

Indelible stamp

October 16 does not overdo the clichés being spouted ever since the award was announced. This was the perfect satire – funny, scathing and very, very accurate. Well said.

Osmania The writer’s joke about the Nobel committee outsourcing to cut costs makes zero sense. A quick look at Wikipedia will tell you that the Nobel foundation (which started with 37m krona) has assets worth over $500m. And anyone can submit nominations … not that I care about this prize, as it has been discredited at least since the days of Henry Kissinger.

But why the hate, dude? Malala and Kailash are deserving people and not responsible for the US hegemony about which you complain. Lame, sir, lame.

Ashik It is easy to be pedantic or dismissive but that would be missing the point of a rare satirical article that presents the public sentiment after the winners were announced this year eloquently, and makes some excellent points at the same time.

I think it applies to past years and winners closer to home too. The cynicism is shown brilliantly and humorously. If we read it all the way to the end, we realise that the counter-argument is also given. The emphatic ending is poignant. Hope is necessary and the greater good is the most important thing.

Abellard the Greek-Lover The subtle humour in this piece is greatly appreciated. A nice change of pace from other pofaced commentary surrounding this event. amit As a regular reader of this writer’s pieces, I had hoped he would tackle the latest Nobel Peace blunder because I knew he wouldn’t write the usual vitriol of “she is seventeen” or “she is un-Islamic” that is already out there. I am happy to say I was not disappointed.

Cutting straight to the point, with a subtle reference to the lobbying that has earned so many distinguished – and occasionally deserving – names their Nobels, he makes a compelling case for what should be a question of integrity, while maintaining an actual sense of humour. I sincerely hope this is not lost on other readers.

Madiha This was brilliant! Wonderful to see a piece that

5 killed in Tangail road accident October 17

Tees Maar Khan Oh yes, a very simple accident! Uff, far from it!

CALVIN AND HOBBES

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

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

Some letters of the alphabet may not be used.

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

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

Sarika Chowdhury My appreciation for the writer has been eloquently expressed by some of the other comments here. I simply wish to add that this was definitely the most enjoyable piece I have read on this topic since its announcement. Thank you.

Osmania Sarika Chowdhury: Do you think Malala is an egomaniac who lives to pleasure the West? That could be one of the inferences of the article. I don’t see anything witty or clever about that. Whatever you take from it, the article is so bound up in the author’s (self) hatred of the West, like this or not, it gives comfort to the Taliban.

Sarika Chowdhury Osmania: As you said, it is one of the inferences.

The point of satire, and of any good writing, is that it can be interpreted in different ways. The fact that a lot of comments seem to take this to be a positive thing would imply that this is not what the writer has intended. (On a side note, satire is exaggeration anyway, so the whole idea of Malala’s “egomania” as you put it is part of the humour.)

I also don’t see why any criticism of Malala or the Nobel committee must automatically mean this is somehow Islamist or pro-Taliban. That, my dear, is far more reductive than your claims regarding what the writer is saying.

Osmania Sarika Chowdhury: Fair enough, you like the article and so do others. But my question was a plain one.

I won’t ask you to answer it, as enough time has been spent on this thread, but will clarify why I asked it.

Namely, there are people out there, not yourself, I’m sure, or the author, but others, who have an irrational and/or fundamentalist dislike of Malala.

And it is they I suggested who would “take comfort” from the article. There is a distinction between inadvertently giving comfort to Taliban and actually being a supporter.

Sarika Chowdhury Osmania: That I will agree with. Apologies if I was out of line; it seemed like you were insinuating that whoever agreed with this article was of that same ilk. There are far too many people who view the world as black-and-white, and it is nice to have a debate with someone who does not share that simplistic view. (Apologies again for any rudeness, I misinterpreted your intentions.)

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

CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Male sheep (3) 3 Morse element (4) 6 Ship’s company (4) 7 Tree (3) 9 Discharge (4) 10 Large deer (3) 11 Subtle emanation (4) 13 Backbone (5) 16 S American mountains (5) 18 Merriment (4) 19 Liable (3) 20 Pretended (4) 21 Equip (3) 23 Yield (4) 24 Singer (4)

25 Acceptance (3) DOWN 1 Emits fumes (5) 2 Boring tool (3) 4 Operatic air (4) 5 Colour (3) 6 Pancake (5) 8 American state (5) 9 For nothing (4) 12 Beneath (5) 14 Tree (4) 15 Supple (5) 17 Wise men (5) 18 Way of walking (4) 20 Mineral spring (3) 22 Frozen treat (3)

Govt to appoint 189 factory inspectors October 16 rose It is good to know that the factory inspectors have been appointed by the government to check factory conditions and their overall development.

It is indeed a sensible step being taken, and I hope this is just the beginning of more sensible steps.

Nahid: NU will be decentralised October 17 RR

“Nahid: ‘This decentralisation will reduce the pressure of the university and improve the quality of education.’”

After cancelling DU’s second admissions attempt, you’re now hiding behind NU’s skirt?

I suggest you take a hard look at where the priorities in education should be, and let your actions follow through accordingly.

Hasina, Putin for stronger Bangladesh-Russia ties

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTIONS CODE-CRACKER

CROSSWORD

October 17

PEANUTS

SUDOKU Sherazur Rahman “Both the leaders also hoped that the member states of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) would put emphasis on working together for the development of the two regions of the globe.”

We generally hope for a strong relation with Russia, as it is a neighbouring friendly nation, globally speaking, and we expect to increase economic ties and trade with them.

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Op-Ed

11

Monday, October 27, 2014

Saying goodbye n Khawaza Main Uddin

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SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

The unrepentant man n Tanvir Haider Chaudhury “Oh, but you who philosophise disgrace and criticise all fears / Bury the rag deep in your face / For now’s the time for your tears.” – Bob Dylan, The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll.

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y now, all the drama surrounding Ghulam Azam’s namaz-e-janaza and burial is over and done with. The last rites were performed at our national mosque, attended by many of his admirers, and he lies in eternal rest at his family graveyard in Moghbazar. There are reports of someone throwing a sandal at his coffin somewhere along the way, but that would possibly have been a small hiccup in a ceremony performed for the most part with the gravitas such an event demands.

Mr Azam would have been 92 in November 7. That, by any measure, is a long life, in which he achieved many of the things he set out to. He held high office in his chosen area, serving as general secretary of Jamaat-e-Islami in the erstwhile East Pakistan and then Nayeb-e-Ameer of the same party in the sovereign state of Bangladesh, in an unofficial capacity to begin with, from his return to the country in 1978 to 1991, and then officially from 1991 to 2000.

But it is also what he failed at that defines Mr Azam’s career. In 1971, he did his utmost to ensure the liberation movement led by the Mukti Bahini – freedom fighters – that led to the formation of Bangladesh did not succeed. He was instrumental in forming the razakar paramilitary force and the al-Badr militia, forces which

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worked hand-in-hand with the West Pakistani military in their campaign of murder, rape, arson, and looting throughout East Pakistan, all to stop the East Pakistani Awami League, who had legitimately won the 1970 general elections, coming to power.

Azam went to his grave thinking his choices were the right ones

He was a true believer, our Mr Azam.

He didn’t stop his anti-Bangladesh activities after the country’s independence. He kept at it until 1978, the time of his return to the country under a Pakistani passport, after Bangladesh’s political landscape had been drastically altered. From ’72 to ’78, based out of Pakistan, he organised committees and parties and took part in conferences seeking to reunite Bangladesh with his beloved adopted land. These activities took place in Saudi Arabia, Libya, UK, USA, Turkey – heck, all over the globe.

There is not the least bit of controversy regarding the veracity of these events, by the way. It is all well documented, and there are still many around who remember these events vividly. Besides, Mr Azam didn’t really

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bother to deny most of it. He went to his grave thinking his choices were the right ones.

With all the things he failed at, Mr Azam did have one notable success.

In September 1971, he met with Major General Rao Farman Ali of the West Pakistani army and drew up a list of East Pakistani educationists, physicians, journalists, writers – all the prominent individuals who espoused secular/progressive ideals. Over the next months, many of these people were rounded up, tortured, and murdered – most of them just two days before the independence of Bangladesh, when it was apparent that Azam’s cause was lost.

Now I began this note saying Mr Azam lived a long and eventful life.

These individuals whose deaths he was responsible for – women and men whose main characteristic was a love of and pride in their own heritage – were cut down in the middle of their lives, however. Munier Chowdhury was 46, Shahidullah Kaiser 44, Dr Alim Chowdhury 43, Sirajuddin Hossain 42, Selina Parveen 40, Jyotirmoy Guhathakurta 51. Along with so many others. So much of life still left to live.

My father, Mufazzal Haider Chaudhury, was 45 years and 5 months old.

Roughly 18 months younger than I am now.

I can almost understand what drove the redoubtable Mr Azam to do the things he did. He held firmly to a certain set of ideals, and did not flinch from monstrous actions in the service of his cause. This does not make him any less culpable, of course, but there is a certain consistency in the way he lived his life, and the fact that there was never any trace of contrition in him.

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What is harder to explain, however, are the actions of us independent Bangladeshis. The fact that we allowed him to return to the country he conspired against. The fact that he was allowed to stay here for 16 years – from 1978 to 1994 – on the passport of a foreign country and practice politics, when he did not even have a valid visa. The fact that he was allowed to, informally and then formally, head a political party – the same party that did not believe in the sovereignty of this country, incidentally – from 1978 to 2000.

The fact that formal charges were not brought against him for his many crimes until three years ago, and then clemency was shown when he was found guilty under the law of the land.

The fact that, from most accounts, he was allowed to live out his days in relative comfort in the nation’s top public medical facilities.

In these morally uncertain times, we talk a lot of the shades of grey that exist between the black and the white.

We teach ourselves not to think in terms of absolutes; try to see things from the other person’s point of view.

All of this is very commendable. None of it changes the fact that there is evil and there is good in this world, however, and that sometimes there simply is no ambiguity in the choices we have to make. And none of it changes the fact that Ghulam Azam was evil incarnate.

How will we explain what we did to future generations? l Tanvir Haider Chaudhury has spent most of his career as a banker and is now running a food and beverage company. He is avowedly Bangali and unabashedly opinionated.

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ot always do we understand the presence of a friend, unlike how we feel the absence of one, who is by then proven a friend indeed.

As poet Kahlil Gibran wrote: “Your friend is your needs answered.” I see the value of friendship in our dependability, with trust and affection.

Once we lose a loving friend for good, we have to live with the unbearable nostalgia.

Last week, we lost a friend named Md Al-Amin, a middle-aged journalist who passed away suddenly from cardiac arrest. The professional newsman, who had published many obituary news items, was not shown prominently on newspaper pages. No regrets – he was not a newsmaker.

The death of Al-Amin, who we used to call Khokon, has at the least shaken many of our humble friends. The soft-spoken, introverted character was loved so much that everyone in his circle, be it at university or office, felt his presence.

Alas, nobody close to him could have anticipated the inevitability of life.

Still, Al-Amin has left behind a lot of bright memories. There were innumerable messages of condolence and eulogies given. Friends rushed to console each other, ultimately reaching his family.

With tears and broken hearts, we had to say goodbye to our friend, the innocent boy who had come from the town of Gaibandha many years ago. His departure was shocking, not merely because he left us so early, but more importantly for his simplicity, his integrity, and the deeds which surrounded him.

I can’t imagine what else he could have been in his life. To us, he was an extraordinary friend who had never insulted a companion or a colleague.

Isn’t his a great life blessed with great qualities?

I am paying tribute to that sojourner, not because he was a classmate, a buddy, a colleague, and a family friend, but because he deserves to be mentioned as someone ideal to be followed.

All our friends in Dhaka, elsewhere in the country, and in different parts of the world cried out in disbelief the moment each of them came to know of his demise. That was his destiny, that he would die at the age of 46. Many promising people have died at younger ages.

He deserves to be mentioned as someone ideal to be followed

As human beings, near and dear ones wondered why and how it happened.

A reckless life? No, he had a fairly disciplined lifestyle. Family failure?

Not at all, as he was a good family man.

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As a student, he was not very good at mathematics, but maintained a clean record in life’s accounting – nobody had any complaints of any kind.

The death of Al-Amin has, at the least, shaken many of our humble friends

It was perhaps the disease known as stress that silently started killing him over a period of time. It’s the stress which came out of his extreme level of sincerity and his devotion to his work.

Such stress, friends from other professions agree, is not a problem within journalism alone, rather, it is the system of competition which we have developed that burns out individuals these days.

Even accepting the realities, families and friends may raise questions about the sufferings of people like Al-Amin, through no fault of their own, but for heart ailments and diabetes, lifestyle diseases created by modern civilisation.

Many Al-Amins are sacrificing their lives for the unjust and humanlyimpossible task of always being on their toes.

Yet, in such a life, Al-Amin, one of the representatives of the prodemocracy generation of the late 80s and 90s, showed his humility, romanticism, and his unspoken love for others.

He always worked with friends, beginning at The Daily Star when he was a student of International Relations at Dhaka University, as one of the pioneering figures in launching the country’s first online news portals, then joining and leaving the Daily Sun as part of a team before spending his last days at an online news portal maintaining and building more friendships.

During the remembrance meetup at DUCSU Bhaban this weekend, his friends – classmates, both junior and senior, and colleagues – became nostalgic.

You can replace a leader, but if you lose a friend, the loss will always remain. In the absence of the selfless Al-Amin, his friends said his daughter Sandhi and son Olind are their children now.

During his university days, AlAmin’s favourite song was Manna Dey’s “Coffee house-er sei adda ta aaj ar nei aaj ar nei / kothai hariye gelo shonali bikel gulo sei aaj ar nei” (our rendezvous at the coffee house is no more today / where have those golden afternoons gone?), written by Gouri Prasanna Majumdar.

Could he have ever known that he would be the flower which drops from the tree so fast? We will miss you, Khokon. l Khawaza Main Uddin is Executive Editor at ICE Business Times.

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Move away, flag-stand cars are coming n Towheed Feroze

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ere is a personal experience from last week: I was driving out of a roadside alley in Gulshan area near the Shooting Club. While on the move, I spotted a flag-carrying car coming from my right and another similar vehicle on the other side of the road, moving from the opposite direction. I swiftly crossed the road, allowing a clear way for the one on my right, and noticed the vehicle on the other side was still a hundred yards away, giving me ample space to get to the main road.

Obviously, uniformed men in the motorcade accompanying the flag-carrying car were upset to find another car suddenly in front of them. It seems that of late, such motorcades, moving with sirens and whistles gone wild, have the least amount of patience for any hindrance.

Coming back to the scene, a private car taking a turn when a flag car was on the move was too hard for the

lawmen to digest. So, a few craned their necks to release a volley of abuse at me. Who knows, this bravado may spur the process for their long-stuck promotions …

Sorry, I was not intimidated. After all, 21 years in journalism has taught me one thing – never back off when you are in the right.

So I shout out: “Raasta montrir ekaar naa” (the road does not belong to the minister alone). Some sycophant sitting in the car didn’t like the line and wanted to stop the car and come down. No problem from my side, but maybe somebody put some sense in him and the motorcade drove away, menacingly brushing aside everyone on the road.

In recent times, several papers have published photos of government cars carrying mostly officials, blatantly breaking traffic laws to use, rather imperiously, the wrong side of the road to move about town. Of course, there is the common excuse: Flag-waving cars carry important persons who

are always in a hurry and therefore, cannot waste time stuck in the right traffic lanes.

Instead of exploding emotionally, let’s contemplate that line rationally.

Well, there is logic in it.

We accept that ministers and other government officials are busy people and often need to arrive at a function or a program in the shortest possible time. While this is a fact, it’s also correct that the common people on the roads are also pressed for time. It’s the worst form of contempt to even insinuate that apart from government officials, all other people can waste hours stuck in traffic.

The vulgar culture of disregarding road laws has now widened, with other government vehicles without flags flouting traffic rules with impunity.

Meanwhile, what can the traffic police do? They can either look on with flummoxed expressions or salute right and left. Sycophancy in all forms has made a permanent place in our lives.

But I can also remember an incident

near the Ruposhi Bangla Hotel about a year ago when a top traffic official took to the streets and firmly stood in front of a RAB vehicle trying to muscle its way through the traffic signals.

Common people on the roads are also pressed for time

The traffic official refused to give way, ordering some other government vehicles to follow the rules. The incident was covered by a Bangla paper and since I was in a running CNG, I could not get a snap of the episode.

Obviously, we do understand any effort to bring government motor cars within some legal traffic framework has to be practical, not stringent. If high-ups are so busy then the authority can create a special VIP lane which cannot be used by others. It’s similar to cycle or bus lanes in London. Or, how about special train service within the city?

Reportedly, when several newspapers printed photos of different government agencies breaching laws to use the wrong side, only the military sent an apology, proving that the institution still puts discipline above all else.

On the other hand, some government officials have reportedly defended the reckless road usage in their typical cavalier language.

The point is, if, instead of acting like cowboys, they had said: “We know we have broken the rules and ask forgiveness, but since we have important duties to attend to, hopefully other road users will treat

our use of the wrong side with a degree of understanding,” the entire issue would have attained a certain amount of acceptability.

I am sure when hundreds of cars are stagnant on one side, the dismissive approach to traffic laws by government cars hardly augment the image of public servants. They are public servants, right? At least that is the term used widely, laced with endless platitudes, during election hustings.

Sometimes, the drivers with empty government cars also act like top officials. Now I know “montrir driver arek montri” (the minister’s driver is another minister) is not a vacuous line. Wonder what all the super-important officials will feel once they are on the other side of the road, with the common people, in a regular vehicle without a flag stand. Come on, history has taught us many times … no privilege is forever. l Towheed Feroze is a journalist currently working in the development sector.

12

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Entertainment ROBIN WILLIAMS’ final movie may not debut on big screen n Entertainment Desk

I will direct a film or two every year TANIA AHMED talks about her debut directorial venture baby to a mother. Before a film gets So what’s the story of the film? n Shadma Malik released, a director’s nerves stay in I don’t think it will be wise to reveal Actress, choreographer and model, 42-year-old Tania Ahmed is now a director too. The actress has recently made her first foray into filmmaking with “Good Morning London,” an Impress Telefilm venture now in its post-production phase and likely to hit theatres in mid-2015.

What does the title “Good Morning London” mean?

“London” is the catchword here, encapsulating the general mood of the film. With the word in the title, it should also create an impression on many of the viewers. The film was shot both in London and Bangladesh.

Why did you choose to film in London?

There are many beautiful and shoot-worthy locations in the country. It’s also very resourceful, considering from the perspective of a director. But selecting London for filming was a random choice initially.

What was it like to direct a movie?

A film to a director is like a

a constant state of tension and you worry all the time about how the audience will react to it – whether they will accept it or not. Right now, this is what’s happening with me.

Doing ‘Good Morning London’ was fun, to say the least, and it was great working with a group of people who are equally spirited and fun-loving.

I guess coming from a filmy family background made my job easier; I got support from my uncles who have been in the industry for long.

Tell us something about your cast?

Bidya Sinha Mim is the female lead in the movie. We needed a glamorous girl for her character and Mim was a perfect fit. She got the looks and the perfect height. There are established actors like Mir Sabbir and Nisho, as well as newcomer Sazzad, the champion of last year’s “Handsome the Ultimate Man” pageant.

Monday, October 27, 2014

the plot yet. But it’s going to be of the action/romantic comedy genre, with music, dance, songs and all that. The movie has an interesting story.

Did you also act in the film?

I preferred not to. Behind the camera, you can dress casually and have all sorts of things going on around to deal with. It’s totally different in front of the camera, with your looks and moves being meticulously taken care of. I just wanted to concentrate on making a film this time.

Do you want to establish yourself as a director?

Being a performer is very easy. Everything is ready for an actor. But directing is a challenging task. I will continue my acting career, and will probably make a film or two every year.

You worked in a number of projects with late Humayun Ahmed. Any influence of him on your movie?

I learnt to love by reading his books.

I worked with him for eight to nine years. Sir was like a father-figure to me. He had his own style of directing a film. Mine is completely different. l

Rocket Singh

Sony Max, 1:30pm

One of Robin Williams’ final movies “Drama Boulevard” may never be shown on the big screen, after it failed to find a mainstream backer, it has been revealed.

A source said that it was really sad but it was looking impossible that “Drama Boulevard” will ever see the light of day now as it had proved to be a struggle for it to find the support it needs to be released, the Mirror reported.

The late 63-year-old actor played the role of a man that struggles to come to terms with being gay late in life.

Williams was found dead at his mansion in Tiburon, California, on August 11, 2014 and it later emerged the actor had been suffering from severe depression. l

Harpreet Singh’s illustrious academic results never stopped him from dreaming of an adventurous career.

The Terminal Zee Studio, 7pm

An eastern immigrant finds himself stranded in JFK airport, and must take up temporary residence there.

KUHOKJAL to be staged today

n Entertainment Desk

The Theatre’s latest production, “Kuhokjal” will be staged today at the Shilpakala Academy as part of the ongoing Bat-Tola Rongomela theatre festival that features new plays.

The play knits a sad tale involving murder, abduction and betrayal. It addresses the anarchies in society, the prevailing gender disparities and the religious frictions.

The play, directed by Tropa Majum-

der, premiered on August 16 at the National Theatre Hall of BSA. Veteran actor and theatre activist Ramendu Majumder plays the role of a priest who wants to destroy a locality in order to built a church. The central character of the play is a young Muslim man named Ghuron Shordar. His friend Tamokh converts to Islam and is killed brutally because of that. The murder is witnessed by Ghuron who becomes taumatised.

Later he involves, again, in a complecated relationship with his past love

A scene from Kuhokjal

HAIDER wins People’s Choice Award at Rome Film Festival

Exhibition

Stones

By Hamiduzzaman Khan Time: 11pm to 8pm Gallery Kaya, House 20, Road 16, Sector 4

Theatre

Ajker Boithok

Time: 7pm – 8pm EMK Center, MIDAS Center House 5, Road 16 Shunagoriker Shondhane

By Loko Natyadal Time: 7pm – 8:30pm Studio Theatre Shilpakala Academy

Film

Annabelle Kistimaat , Amra Korbo Joy Into The Storm, Hercules 3D Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 3D, Valkyrie Most Welcome 2’ Blockbuster Cinemas Jamuna Future Park

Pipra Bidda How to Train Your Dragon 2 Guardians of the Galaxy Million Dollar Arm Tarzan Star Cineplex Level 8, Bashundhara City 13/3 Ka Panthopath

A BLOOM IN VAIN: Dia’s melodious tribute to four master poets n Mosabber Rahman n Entertainment Desk Bollywood actor Shahid Kapoor is on a roll these days - after having many a hearts with his role in Vishal Bhardwaj’s “Haider,” the movie has also bagged People’s Choice award in the Mondo Genere (World genre) category at the Rome Film Festival.

Made with Kashmir as its backdrop, the film was honoured at the fest, which concluded Saturday.

Shahid Kapoor tweeted about the film’s achievement and said it was first for any Indian movie.

“People’s choice in the main category at the Rome film festival .. A first for an Indian film . #haider . Proud and humbled,” he tweeted.

Actress Shraddha Kapoor, who played Shahid’s love interest in the movie also shared the good news with her fans. “We Won! #Haider – the 1st Indian film to win the main category of people’s choice award at Rome film festival! So humbled, grateful & proud!”

Haider which was released on October 2 has been going steady on the box office. Since the word-of-mouth was strong in India, the Rs 22 crore-film did good business too. l

“A Bloom in Vain” is not something you can instantly deep-fry, it is something you need to bake slowly.

At first I thought it was an album of Tagore songs covered by a new singer. In reality, it’s an album of four pairs of tracks by a quartet of composers – Rabindranath Tagore (RT), Atulprasad Sen (AS), Dwijendralal Roy (DR), and Rajanikanta Sen (RS).

This is Dia Chakravarty’s debut album. However, she does not sound like this is her first album, she sounds like she has been doing this all her life. Her voice lacks

pretension, and she has the sincerity of a schoolgirl preparing for the final exam. It is amazing to discover a brilliant singer who, in her professional life, is a Political Director of the TaxPayers’ Alliance in UK. There is no discernible common theme, but quite a few of the songs are bhajan-like songs. All the eight songs in the album are good, but among them my favourites are the ones by Atulprasad.

The ones by Tagore sounded the most contemporary, after all, like Elvis, he is the king, albeit a different type of king, the amra-shobai-raja type. It’s silly to rank the songs, but if I must do it, I would put them in the following order: 8. Ami Shokol Kajer Pai Hey Shomoy (RS) 7. Tomar Kotha Hetha Keho To Bolena (RT) 6. Koto Bhabe Birajicho Bishomajare (RS) 5. Ami Shara Shokalti Boshe Boshe (DR) 4. Shey Keno Dekha Dilo (DR) 3. Shokhi Vabna Kahare Bole (RT) 2. Tumi Kobe Ashibe (AS) 1. Bodhuya Nid Nahi Akhipate (AS).

The album was arranged by Prattyush Banerjee and recorded in Kolkata in Usha Uthup’s music studio “Studio Vibrations.”

It was released here by Laser Vision Ltd, with hardly any promotion, plus, it’s not widely available like the other albums released between the two Eids. The album can also be found online at iTunes and Amazon.com under the title “A Bloom in Vain and Other Songs.”

An interesting fact is that Dia, having studied law at Oxford University, chose songs of such composers, who, except for Dwijendralal, studied law, including Tagore who eventually dropped out; and except for Rajanikanta, every one of them went to England for higher studies. l

interest, Chandura, where the lady seeks his shelter after being rejected by her husband, a politician, while she is pregnant. After giving birth to a baby boy, the husband calls her back.

With a broken heart, Ghuron sets off in search of solidarity. He meets a vibrant Somani who is a dance teacher to the indigenous people of the region and an activist supporting the ignored minorities from being exploited by Father Thomas (Ramendu Majumdar).

One day, Somali disappears.l

KHAN HASAN MD RAFI

SCARLETT to play a machine n Entertainment Desk It’s not official yet, but it’s looking very likely that action vixen Scarlett Johansson will star in the live-action adaptation of “Ghost In The Shell.” Deadline reported that Johansson was offered the lead role and $10 million dollars.

If she takes it, Johansson will play the role of Major Motoko Kusanagi, a cyborg. an incredibly life-like and sexy cyborg. Major Kusanagi, the leader of Public Security Section 9, is a relentless warrior who fights against computer hackers who hijack cyborg brains for evil purposes.

Slash Film reports that the new “Ghost In The Shell” is an adaptation of the manga

by Masamune Shirow, not the 1995 animated film by Mamoru Oshii. Exactly what that means for the script is unclear, although some fans are wondering if the

film will be an Americanized version of the beloved manga, since the producers are courting a non-Asian actress.

Johansson definitely has the action movie chops for the role, though. She’s on quite the spree, playing Black Widow in “The Avengers” back in 2012, as well as reprising the role in the upcoming sequel “The Avengers: Age of Ultron.”

Johansson has some experience with non-human and not-quitehuman characters too: 2014’s “Lucy” saw her as a hyper-evolved warrior, and in the film “Her” she was, well, an operating system. Surely then, a take-no-prisoners kind of cyborg will be a piece of cake. l

Did you know?

Cristiano Ronaldo has scored in his last 11 games, his best scoring run for Real Madrid

Sport

Monday, October 27, 2014

14 Suarez laments

‘bittersweet’ debut defeat

15 Keeping the

legacy of long throw-ins

DHAKA TRIBUNE

13

15 Ruthless Serena

downs Halep to win WTA Finals

Casual approach costs heavily again n Mazhar Uddin

Bangladesh’s Mominul Haque finds himself short of the crease during the second day of their first Test against Zimbabwe at Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium yesterday

Three ‘M’s enable hosts to slender lead n Minhaz Uddin Khan The sunrays hardly made it through the cloudy skies of Mirpur while Bangladesh were batting in their first innings of the first Test match against Zimbabwe in the second day at Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium yesterday.

Most of the day’s proceedings were played under artificial lights but there were occasions when the Bangladesh batsmen brightened the stadium and entertained the decent weekday crowd with the willow.

However, all the celebrations proved to be shortlived as a half-hearted and casual effort against the Zimbabwean bowling attack saw the home side taking a slender 14-run lead. Replying to Zimbabwe’s first innings total of 240, Bangladesh were all out for 254.

On a day when the fall of wickets at regular intervals were a common phenomenon, Bangladesh skipper Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah and Mominul Haque grafted hard to add some respectability to the total. However, a lack of effort from the other batsmen led to their

downfall as the hosts lost their last six wickets for 76 runs, capitulating from 178/4 to 254 all out.

In addition to unpredictable bounce, there was some moisture in the wicket due to the overnight rain but that did not stop the trio – Mushfiq (64 off 126 balls), Mahmudullah (63 off 160 balls) and Mominul (53 off 112 balls) – from batting with composure. The fact that Bangladesh took the lead was largely down to the efforts of the triumvirate.

Zimbabwe seamer Tinashe Panyangara, like premier Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib al Hasan, came back to the national side after serving a suspension due to disciplinary reasons. And just like Shakib, Panyangara was also successful scalping 5/59.

After dismissing Bangladesh opener Tamim Iqbal in the opening day, the right-arm paceman made early inroads in the second day accounting for the wicket of Shamsur Rahman (eight).

Alongside Mominul, Mahmudullah started the recovery act as the third wicket pair added 63 runs.

But just when it appeared Bangladesh were on course to taking a substantial lead, a moment of madness ensued. Mominul and Shakib (five) were both run

out leaving the hosts in a spot of bother.

Mominul was caught short of the crease by a direct hit from Sikandar Raza but the diminutive left-hander is to be partly blamed as he did not drag his bat over the crease.

Shakib, meanwhile, was the victim of a poor call by Mahmudullah from the other end of the crease as an athletic Tendai Chatara dived to collect the ball and dismantled the bails with a back-hand flick – all of which happened in a swooping motion.

Then it was Mahmudullah and Mushfiq’s turn to steady the ship. The fifth wicket duo put on 64 runs before Mahmudullah departed, trapped in front off part-timer Raza.

There was also a third run out, that of paceman Shahadat Hossain who was carefree while grounding his bat. For a Bangladesh supporter it was a bitter pill to swallow.

Panyangara went on to dismiss Mushfiq, tail-enders Taijul Islam and Al Amin Hossain to register his maiden five-wicket haul in his seventh Test.

The Zimbabwe openers – Vusi Sibanda and Regis Chakabva put on five runs on the board without any loss, cutting the lead from 14 down to nine. l

MUMIT M

Panyangara’s royal return n Mazhar Uddin The first of three Test matches between hosts Bangladesh and Zimbabwe has witnessed the comebacks of two cricketers from suspensions owing to disciplinary reasons.

First it was the turn of ace Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib al Hasan to make a heroic return to international cricket as the left-armer scalped his 12th five-wicket haul or more in the opening day. In the following day, it was Zimbabwe seamer Tinashe Panyangara who registered his maiden five-wicket haul in his seventh Test.

While everyone is more or less aware of Shakib’s indiscretions, Panyangara came under the microscope recently after he shared a video of Australian fast bowler Mitchell Johnson’s

The under pressure Bangladesh side are eager to end their 19-month run without a win as they look to entertain the Rajshahi crowd and clinch the SS Steel International Friendly Series by beating Sri Lanka in their second and final match at Muktijuddho Smrity Stadium today. The match will kick off at 3pm and Channel 9 will telecast the match live.

The hosts were held to a 1-1 draw despite staging a dominating display in the first of the two-match series in Jessore that eventually raised fingers on the misfiring forward line. As a result Bangladesh coach Saiful Bari Titu is considering shuffling his playing XI from the penultimate encounter.

Titu hinted placing expatriate footballer Jamal Bhuiyan in the line-up as a defensive midfielder while Nasir is also likely to return to the starting line-up.

Rising starlet Hemanta Vincent Biswas will undergo a late fitness test and he too has a strong possibility of making it into the starting XI while striker Mithun Chowdhury might be sitting out with all the changes taking place.

Home advantage is keeping Bangladesh ahead against their comparatively weaker opponents but having not won any international match since March 2013 is also working as a pressure, quipped Titu.

“We are under pressure. We should have won the first game but we failed

to take the chances. We must take lessons from that game and pressure is good only when you take it as a motivation,” said the coach yesterday.

“It is a friendly match and though winning is important it is also important not to play defensively and turn the match into a boring encounter. I want

Bangladesh coach Saiful Bari Titu (L), captain Mamunul Islam (R) and manager Amirul Islam Babu (2L) travel to Muktijuddho Smrity Stadium in an auto-rickshaw yesterday. They had to avail the ride due to the day-long strike throughout the country SHISHIR HOQUE

action in mobile messaging application WhatsApp with his teammates.

In his comeback Test, Panyangara displayed glimpses of his aggression, starting off with the beautiful dismissal of Bangladesh opener Tamim Iqbal in the opening day. Despite the SBNS predominantly being a spin-friendly wicket, the right-arm paceman took the wicket of Tamim off a bouncy delivery that was always rising before kissing the edge of the southpaw’s willow.

The 29-year-old picked up another four wickets in the second day and subsequently expressed his delight in the post-day press conference yesterday.

“To get a five-for is a bonus but a five-for is a five-for, especially getting a Test fivefor is always good. Our spinners did okay in some parts. The positive thing is they can still improve,” said Panyangara. l Zimbabwe’s Tinashe Panyangara (R) celebrates one of his five wickets with a teammate during the second day of their first Test against Bangladesh at SBNS yesterday MUMIT M

Nothing but a win in Bangladesh’s sight n Shishir Hoque from Rajshahi

Zimbabwe were not excellent, but alert on the field as Bangladesh paid heavily for their casual approach in the first innings yesterday. Despite restricting the visitors to 240 on the opening day on Saturday, three run-outs on the second day deprived the hosts from taking a big lead.

The three Ms of the Bangladesh side – Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah – batted brilliantly until reaching their 50s but perished sluggishly while the run-outs of Mominul, Shakib al Hasan and Sahadat Hossain added salt on the cut.

The former Bangladesh vice-captain Mahmudullah, who was promoted up the batting order at No 4, showed excellent skills in surviving on the pitch that troubled with both invariable pace and inconsistent bounce and scored 63 before getting out LBW attempting an unnecessary paddle sweep. Though the umpire nodded against the decision at first, but the Decision Review System suggested otherwise which ended his 214-minute stay in the middle.

Mominul (53) also looked comfortable and set for a big score during his 63-run stand with Mahmudullah in the early hours of the second day. But a silly mistake cost the left-handed his wicket as a direct hit from Sikander

two things – entertaining the crowd and winning the match,” added Titu who also praised the Lankans for their off-the-ball running and quick change in positions.

Skipper Mamunul also echoed the coach’s sentiments and said, “There is always pressure to win at our home ground. The way we dominated in the last 45 minutes in the first match, we did not do that in the last three-four years. Our target is to win tomorrow (today) for the people of Rajshahi and Bangladesh.”

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka’s Serbian coach Nikola Kavazovic is expecting a similar game today while he also praised his counterpart Titu and his team.

“The same two teams are playing two games within three days. Probably it’s going to look like the first match.

I expect very, very similar game. We saw almost perfect performance from the home team and Titu is an excellent coach, he saw our weaknesses so we must play faster, one-two touch football, better offensive-defensive transition,” said Kavazovic. l

Raza found him short of the crease and it appeared he would have been safe if he dragged the bat rather than casually running for safety.

Later, Shakib returned for five following a silly misunderstanding with Mahmudullah. Shakib advanced too much after Mahmudullah, who played at cover, sent him back as even a dive could not save the south paw. Shahadat was the last victim of a run out when a clever Craig Ervine at short-leg broke the stumps finding the tall batsman on the line.

“No, my personal opinion is none of the run outs are acceptable especially at this level of cricket. Yes a bit of it is due to the casual approach. If we were a bit more concerned these mistakes would not have happened,” said Mahmudullah.

The match is evenly poised between the two bottom ranked sides of Test cricket and with three more days left Mahmudullah feels they will be facing trouble if Zimbabwe sets them a target of above 250.

“Depends on the wicket, how it behaves, we can understand accordingly what kind of a wicket there will be on the fifth day. If it goes to the fifth day we might be in trouble. So we will try our best to restrict them to as less as possible. It might be 150 or 200,” he said. l

BD v ZIM, 1ST TEST, DAY 2 Zimbabwe first innings 240 (Sikandar Raza 51; Shakib Al Hasan 6-59)

Bangladesh first innings (overnight 27-1) Tamim c Masakadza b Panyangara 5 Shamsur c Chigumbura b Panyangara 8 Mominul Haque run out 53 M. Mahmudullah lbw b Raza 63 Shakib Al Hasan run out 5 Mushfiqur c Ervine b Panyangara 64 Shuvagata c Chigumbura b Kamungozi 14 Taijul Islam b Panyangara 19 Shahadat Hossain run out 0 Jubair Hossain not out 7 Al-Amin Hossain b Panyangara 9 Extras (lb6, w1) 7

Total (all out; 98 overs) 254 Fall of wickets 1-10 (Tamim), 2-29 (Shamsur), 3-92 (Mominul), 4-114 (Shakib), 5-178 (Mahmudullah), 6-209 (Shuvagata), 7-226 (Mushfiqur), 8-226 (Shahadat), 9-244 (Taijul), 10-254 (Al-Amin)

Bowling Panyangara 23-5-59-5 (w1), Chatara 22-1127-0, Chigumbura 14-6-34-0, Nyumbu 151-65-0, Kamungozi 21-5-51-1, Raza 3-0-12-1

Zimbabwe second innings: V. Sibanda not out R. Chakabva not out Extras:

5 0 0

Total (for no wicket, two overs)

5

Bowling Shahadat 1-0-5-0, Shakib 1-1-0-0 Zimbabwe trail by nine runs with 10 wickets in hand

Rajshahi all set to catch football fever n Shishir Hoque from Rajshahi It has been three years since a district or divisional football league match was last played at Muktijuddho Smrity Stadium in Rajshahi. The last time an international match – the AFC Under-19 Championship Qualifiers - took place was more than a decade ago.

After a long hiatus, football fever is returning to one of the seven divisions of the country. Following two weeks of preparation work, the venue in the north-western district got into shape and is all set to host the Fifa international friendly match between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka today.

Ticket sale has been no different than Sylhet and Jessore as interest among the locals is sky-high. The organisers, however, could not give an exact idea of the stadium’s capacity and the number of tickets they have put up for sale. Rajshahi District Sports Association (DSA) general secretary Rafius Shams Paddy informed that around 18,000 tickets have already been sold till yesterday morning

Crowd gathered throughout the day at the stadium looking to buy a match ticket out of a total capacity of 22,000. Rajshahi District Football Association general secretary Sirajul Islam Siraj on the other hand said they have printed 25,000 tickets and most of them have been sold out.

The stadium, however, has better fencing that will keep the spectators away from the playing area. The ongoing renovation work will require three more months while there is also no dressing room in the venue. The office room of Rajshahi District Women’s Sports Association and the meeting room of DSA will be used as dressing rooms for today’s match. l

14

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Sport

Monday, October 27, 2014

Late Van Persie strike denies Chelsea n AFP, London Robin van Persie’s goal deep into stoppage-time snatched a 1-1 draw for Manchester United against Premier League leaders Chelsea at Old Trafford on Sunday.

Chelsea were on the brink of going six points clear at the top of the table when defender Branislav Ivanovic was sent-off late on for a second bookable offence.

From the ensuing Angel di Maria free-kick, Marouane Fellaini’s header was well-saved by impressive Chelsea goalkeeper Thibault Courtois but van Persie followed up to score.

It had seemed Didier Drogba, making his first start in the Premier League this season, had struck the decisive blow when, in the absence of injured forwards Diego Costa and Loic Remy, he powered in a 53rd minute header which went in off van Persie to give the veteran Ivory Coast forward his first English top-flight goal since March 2012.

RESULTS

Man United

1-1

Van Persie 90+4

Burnley

victories for the first time in nearly eight months.

Emmanuel Adebayor’s 18th-minute header gave Tottenham the lead but just six seconds after the break, Newcastle were level when Sammy Ameobi, a half-time substitute, chased down a long ball from Jack Colback and beat Spurs’ goalkeeper Hugo Lloris.

And their comeback was complete when Ayoze Perez, making his first Premier League start, expertly headed in a cross to the back post from Remy Cabella, another half-time substitution

by Newcastle manager Alan Pardew, in the 58th minute.

“It was good to get on -- I actually

told Jack Colback to get the ball into the corner from the kick-off,” said Ameobi.

“To get out of the relegation zone gives us a great lift.”

Victory saw Newcastle climb to 14th place and had the added bonus for their fans of dropping north-east rivals Sunderland into the bottom three.

Elsewhere, veteran Cameroon striker Samuel Eto’o scored twice for Everton in a comfortable win at Turf Moor.

Promoted Burnley fell behind in just the fourth minute after Eto’o headed in Leighton Baines’s cross.

But Burnley gave the home crowd something to shout about with a 20th-minute equaliser.

Everton striker Romelu Lukaku gave the ball away inside his own half to Burnley’s Lukas Jutkiewicz, who slid a pass through to Danny Ings.

The Burnley striker then maintained his composure to round Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard before slotting the ball into an unguarded net.

But Lukaku went from villain to hero by restoring the visitors’ lead in the 29th minute when, after his initial effort was blocked, he struck from close range.

Eto’o then made it 3-1 with a superb curling shot from the edge of the box four minutes from time and only the post then denied him a hat-trick.

Everton manager Roberto Martinez hailed Eto’o’s display by telling Sky Sports: “I think what he brings is a real know-how, a real experience.”

Eto’o added: “I am happy for my performance, for the two goals, but I am more happy for the team performance.”

Meanwhile Burnley manager Sean Dyche said they had to match the forward power of Everton if they were to avoid a quick return to the second-tier Championship.

“Samuel Eto’o is a player who has been doing it for many, many years; fantastic player and they bought Lukaku so they have that kind of edge and we’re still finding that,” said Dyche. l

Chelsea Drogba 53

1-3

Ings 20

Everton Eto’o 4, 86, Lukaku 29

Tottenham Adebayor 18

1-2

Newcastle Ameobi 46, Perez 58

This result left Chelsea four points clear of second-placed Southampton and ensured honours were even between Jose Mourinho and Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal, under whom the Blues boss worked when the Dutchman was in charge of Barcelona.

Earlier, Newcastle United climbed out of the bottom three with a 2-1 win away to Tottenham Hotspur while winless Burnley remained rooted in the relegation zone after a 3-1 loss at home to Everton.

Fresh from their first victory of the season, at home to Leicester last weekend, Newcastle came from behind at White Hart Lane to enjoy back-to-back

Llorente breaks duck as Juventus go clear of Roma n AFP, Milan Fernando Llorente broke his league duck as Juventus pulled three points clear of Roma at the top of Italy’s Serie A following a 2-0 win over Palermo on Sunday.

Chilean international Arturo Vidal broke the deadlock on 32 minutes when he lashed Carlos Tevez’s smart layoff past Stefano Sorrentino and inside the ‘keeper’s far post.

A spell of Palermo pressure before then had Gianluigi Buffon on tenterhooks when Paulo Dybala’s mazy run created space for Franco Vazquez to force the Juve ‘keeper to tip the forward’s drive over the crossbar.

Juve are now three points ahead of Roma following the Giallorossi’s scoreless draw on Saturday at Sampdoria, who dropped to fourth after Antonio Di Natale inspired Udinese to a 2-0 win over Atalanta which sent the northerners the other way.

Resurgent Genoa, meanwhile, moved up to seventh place thanks to a 2-1 win over 10-man Chievo.

Chievo took a 36th minute lead through defender Ervan Zukanovic, but the match turned in Genoa’s favour in the final 20 minutes.

A minute later, Ivan Radovanovic saw red for a foul in the area but Francesco Bardi did well to save Mauricio Pinilla’s spot kick. l

RESULTS

Chievo

1-2

Genoa

Zukanovic 36

Juventus

Matri 72, Pinilla 84

2-0

Palermo

Vidal 32, Llorente 64

Udinese

2-0

Atalanta

Di Natale 6, Thereau 36

On Saturday Empoli

0-4

Cagliari

Sau 31, Avelar 36, 38-P, Ekdal 45+2

Parma

1-3

Cassano 78

Manchester United striker Robin van Persie (R) celebrates after scoring the equaliser against Chelsea during their English Premier League match at Old Trafford yesterday

Suarez laments ‘bittersweet’ debut defeat n AFP, Madrid

Rampant Real riding high after ‘Clasico’ triumph

Barcelona striker Luis Suarez described his return to action from a four-month ban for biting as bittersweet after the Catalans suffered their first league defeat of the season 3-1 away to Real Madrid on Saturday.

“I am very happy to return to playing, it is a great relief to have this time behind me,” said Suarez, who was substituted after 68 minutes.

“The feeling is bittersweet because of the result, but this team has lifted itself many times before.”

It took the Uruguayan just three minutes to make an impact as he set up Neymar for the opening goal.

“Obviously what everyone wants on a debut is a victory, even more so in a game of this magnitude. I think that we did everything we could to get a good result, but it wasn’t to be,” added Suarez.

“We need to forget this game and think about our next opponents.

“After they equalised to make it 1-1 we controlled the game, we had chances to score and it’s always difficult if you don’t take your chances. We have to move on and think about our next opponent, we are still a point ahead of Real Madrid.”l

Real Madrid’s decision to sell midfielders Xabi Alonso and Angel Di Maria left many scratching their heads and consecutive La Liga defeats as well as a reverse to Atletico Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup set alarm bells ringing at the Bernabeu.

Toni Kroos, who joined from Bayern Munich while Alonso went the other way, was seen as a poor substitute for the experienced Spain midfielder, while James Rodriguez, top scorer at the World Cup finals in Brazil with six goals, seemed to lack Di Maria’s intensity and eye for a killer pass.

A couple of months later and the picture is an altogether different one.

Real have come into the kind of form that propelled them to a record-extending 10th European title last season in coach Carlo Ancelotti’s first term in charge.

Recent performances, including Saturday’s 3-1 win at home to Barcelona in the La Liga ‘Clasico’, suggest Ancelotti has successfully completed the integration of Kroos and Rodriguez into a side that is fearsome in attack and mean in defence.

Since they were beaten at home by

n Reuters, Madrid

Atletico in La Liga on Sept. 13, Real have scored 38 goals in nine outings in all competitions and conceded a mere six.

Portuguese World Player of the Year Cristiano Ronaldo is in the form of his life and has netted a jaw-dropping 16 goals in eight La Liga appearances, including the equaliser from the penalty spot on Saturday.

The victory lifted Real to within a point of leaders Barca after nine matches and they are virtually assured of passage to the Champions League knockout round after winning their opening three group games.

“We’re in very good form, I don’t know if I’ve found the perfect formula,” Ancelotti told a post-’Clasico’ news conference.

“We’re also in good mental shape,” added the Italian.

“We still have the same idea as last year. We’re trying to improve our play and everything is coming off well.”

Barca, by contrast, are licking their wounds after their defensive frailty was again exposed on Saturday and they squandered a number of chances after Neymar had put them ahead in the fourth minute.l

REUTERS

Sampdoria

Sassuolo Floccari 20, Acerbi 23, Taider 52

0-0

AS Roma

Valencia celebrate Classy PSG make imminent Lim takeover with win Bordeaux pay penalty Bordeaux had reason for early cheer n Reuters, Valencia n AFP, Paris on 27 minutes when Gregory van Der Valencia celebrated their imminent takeover by Singapore billionaire Peter Lim and underlined their fine early-season form with a rousing 3-1 victory at home to Elche in La Liga on Saturday.

RESULTS Valencia

3-1

Mustafi 13, Parejo 18, Lomban 64-og

Cordoba

Jonathas 92

1-1

Xisco J. 87

Eibar

Elche

Real Sociedad Martinez Berridi 22

1-1

Boveda 37

Granada Nyom 8

A beaming Lim, whose bid for the debt-ridden club is close to being finalised after 12 months of talks, was at a festive Mestalla as strikes from Shkodran Mustafi and Dani Parejo and an own goal by David Rodriguez lifted Valencia within two points of leaders Barcelona, beaten 3-1 at Real Madrid.

Lim’s takeover hinged on striking a deal with Spanish lender Bankia on the club’s debts of 320 million euros ($405 million), agreement on which was finally sealed late on Friday.l

Two penalties by Lucas Moura and a clever chip by Ezequiel Lavezzi helped champions Paris Saint Germain beat Bordeaux 3-0 in Ligue 1 on Saturday and put pressure on leaders Marseille.

In later matches, eight-times former champions Nantes, back in the top flight since last year, climbed to third on 19 points after their 1-1 home draw with Reims.

And last season’s runners-up Monaco beat Bastia 3-1 away to climb to sixth on 17 points despite a long injury list.

Bordeaux coach Willy Sagnol had promised to take the game to the champions and his outfit went into the game level on points with the Parisians.

But with Brazilian international centre-back pair Thiago Silva and David Luiz holding firm, Paris always looked superior in that part of the pitch.

With Edinson Cavani suspended and Zlatan Ibrahimovic injured, PSG coach Laurent Blanc started with a makeshift front three of Javier Pastore, Lucas and speedy youngster Jean-Christophe Bahebeck.

Wiel delivered a wild studs-up kick to Wahbi Khazri’s heel with the ball gone and the referee right behind him. He was sent off, but the numerical advantage would last a mere ten minutes.

Andre Poko’s complete miss as he

RESULTS PSG

3-0

Bordeaux

0-2

Nantes

Lucas 45+3-P, 50-P, Lavezzi 81

Evian

Veretout 42-P, Bammou 75

Reims

1-0

Montpellier

1-3

Monaco

Moukandjo Bile 90

Bastia Maboulou 21

Caen

Germain 5, Kondogbia 78, Ferreira-Carrasco 84

2-1

Nangis 3, Duhamel 53-P

Lorient J. Ayew 24-P

swung at a stray ball would have been comical if the Bordeaux midfielder hadn’t ended up connecting with Marco Verratti’s knee, and while he was unfortunate, he had to walk too.

Sagnol was furious with the red card decision against Poko.l

Five things revealed from El Clasico

MORE TO COME FROM SUAREZ

MADRID DIDN’T MISS BALE

NEYMAR WAS LETHAL, MESSI WASN’T

SAME OLD DEFENSIVE DEFICENCIES

A BIG NIGHT FOR CASILLAS

The Uruguayan was starting his first competitive match in four months since biting Giorgio Chiellini at the World Cup and made an instant impact as he teed up Neymar for the opening goal. There were a few more flashes of brilliance as Lionel Messi should have tucked away another fine cross to make it 2-0, whilst he turned the Real defence on numerous occasions after the break without finding the final finish or pass. All positive signs for Luis Enrique’s men on what was ultimately a disappointing day.

A muscle injury robbed Gareth Bale of taking part in the biggest week of Madrid’s season to date, but they haven’t missed him whilst firing six goals past Barca and Liverpool in the past four days.

Bale’s absence allowed Ancelotti to use the 4-4-2 system that guided Los Blancos to victory against Barca in the Copa del Rey final in April with Isco’s work rate and guile in midfield more than compensating for the lack of Bale’s pace on the counter-attack.

The Brazilian registered his 11th goal this season in as many games with his only clear chance in the match as he ghosted inside Dani Carvajal and Pepe to slot into the far corner.

And the result might have been very different had Messi been so precise with his big opportunity as Iker Casillas spread himself well to prevent the Argentine doubling Barca’s lead and becoming the joint top La Liga goalscorer of all-time.

The game was decided by two goals in the second-half which came from corners as Barca continued to suffer from the defensive problems that dogged their trophyless campaign last season.

Pepe powered Madrid in front as, the Catalans were caught napping at a set-piece. Then, in their haste to equalise, Barca were caught on the counter-attack from a corner of their own as a mix up between Andres Iniesta and Mascherano prompted a lightning quick move finished off by Benzema.

Ever since playing his role in Spain’s disastrous World Cup campaign, Casillas has come under fire to justify his place in the team from the Madrid fans amongst others.

However, he rewarded Ancelotti’s faith in him with two fine stops at crucial points in the match as he spread himself to deny Messi before flying to his right to prevent Jeremy Mathieu a stunning equaliser just after Madrid had gone in front.

DHAKA TRIBUNE

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Younis keeps his case against PCB Senior Pakistan batsman Younis Khan, who capped a memorable Test against Australia in Dubai with hundreds in both innings, said he had thought of skipping the two-match series after being dropped from the 50-over squad.

The former captain, who will turn 37 next month, had criticised the selectors and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) after being dropped for the ODI series against Australia. And on Sunday he refused to give credit to the board or the selectors and only thanked Zimbabwean Grant Flower, the team’s batting coach, and trainer Grant Luden for his stellar performance. “Yes I thought about skipping the Test series because I was not in proper frame of mind and struggling. And we are playing against a top side like Australia,” Younis said after Pakistan’s 221-run win.

–Reuters

Marquez seals record 12th win in Malaysia Recently crowned world champion Marc Marquez broke another record by romping to his 12th win of the season in an eventful Malaysian Grand Prix on Sunday. The Spanish Honda rider was followed by Yamaha teammates Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo, while his own teammate Dani Pedrosa crashed out. Marquez, who completed the Sepang circuit in 40minutes 45.523 seconds, now equals Australian Mick Doohan’s record of 12 wins in a season.

The youngest world champion - who started from pole, his record 13th of the season - said victory did not come easy with Rossi at his heels on the sweltering circuit in the tropical Southeast Asian country. “I think the strongest opponent today was the weather, besides Rossi of course. I didn’t get off to a great start after making a mistake in the first corner, and I was also worried about my tyre life because of the heat,” the 21-year-old said.

–AFP

Murray edges Ferrer to reach Valencia final Andy Murray took a huge step towards sealing his place in the ATP World Tour finals as he beat top seed David Ferrer 6-4, 7-5 to reach the Valencia Open final on Saturday. Murray has put himself in prime position for a seventh consecutive appearance at the season-ending tournament in London with a run of 17 wins in his last 19 matches, including victory over Ferrer in the final of the Austrian Open last week. The Scot and Ferrer are currently eighth and ninth in the race to London with four places still up for grabs following Rafael Nadal’s decision to withdraw to have his appendix removed on Friday.

Murray can move as high as fifth in the standings with his third title in little over a month when he faces Tommy Robredo in Sunday’s final.

–AFP

Sport

Keeping the legacy of long throw-ins n Shishir Hoque How often do you see “long” throwins putting the opposition defence in trouble? Well, there are not many players in world football who hold the capability of sending the ball in the danger zone accurately from the sidelines, but the sight is quite familiar in the Bangladesh team.

Earlier in the 1990s, Alamgir was popular for his throw-ins from the sides which were rated as good as a corner-kick. The former Abahani Limited defender was always hugely cheered on his strides while taking the throwins and after his era came Belal, the right-back who mostly played for Muktijoddha SKS during his league career.

Sheikh Jamal DC right-back Rayhan Hasan is the latest in the line who created enough panic in the Sri Lanka tent with his insertions in the first friendly match between the two sides in Jessore.

Sri Lanka coach Nikola Kavazovic termed Rayhan’s throw-ins as “dangerous” and said, “His (Rayhan) throw-ins are like corners and sometimes caused more trouble than corners.” Even at the pre-match conference yesterday in Rajshahi, the Serbian was found concerned in keeping away Rayhan’s throw-ins.

Born in England, Irish national footballer Rory Delap, a midfielder who called it a day last year, was renowned for his long throw-in ability in the English Premier League (EPL). Delap was a talented javelin thrower in his youth who later put his throwing ability to

maximum effect during the games as his throw-ins were considered an integral part behind the success and promotion to the EPL of Stoke City.

In the last Saff Championship in Kathmandu, Emily scored the only goal

DAY’S WATCH Channel 9 3:00PM International Friendly Bangladesh v Sri Lanka

Gazi TV 9:30AM Zimbabwe tour of Bangladesh 1st Test, Day 3

Star Sports 2 2:00AM English Premier League QPR v Aston Villa

n Reuters, Dubai

FILE PHOTO

Pakistan spinners Zulfiqar Babar and Yasir Shah took nine wickets in the second innings as the hosts beat Australia by 221 runs in the first Test on Sunday to take a 1-0 lead in the two-match series.

Australia, resuming on 59 for four, put up stiff resistance throughout the fifth day and managed to drag the match into the final session but were finally all out for 216.

Left-armer Babar took his maiden five-wicket haul in his third Test match while debutant leg-spinner Shah chipped in with four as Australia’s batsmen showed a familiar vulnerability against spin bowling on slow wickets.

Both spinners took seven wickets each in the match while part-time off-spinner Mohammad Hafeez also got a wicket in the first innings.

Steve Smith (55) and Mitchell Johnson (61) scored dogged fifties to delay the inevitable as Pakistan completed a morale-boosting win, sweetened by the fact that they did not have the services of leading bowlers Saeed Ajmal and Junaid Khan.

Smith, who batted for 175 delieveries, added 65 for the eighth wicket with Johnson and the duo thwarted Pakistan’s bowlers for 90 minutes in the second session before the former was out caught at short leg off Yasir.

Pakistan had multiple chances to break the partnership but failed to make the opportunities count. Babar was the unlucky bowler on most occassions.

Wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed failed to collect the ball with Smith on 37 while captain Misbah-ul-Haq dropped a tough chance at cover with the batsman on 44.

Australia fought hard in the morning

to keep Pakistan at bay for more than 80 minutes but lost three quick wickets once the resistance was broken. s last recognised batsman to join Smith, did not last long either and went for a duck as Babar breached his defence to disturb the stumps. l

SCORECARD, DAY 5 Pakistan Ist innings 454 (Sarfraz Ahmed 109, Younis Khan 106, Asad Shafiq 89, Misbah-ul Haq 69, Azhar Ali 53; M. Johnson 3-39)

Australia 1st innings 303 (D. Warner 138, C. Rogers 38; Yasir Shah 3-66, Rahat Ali 2-55, Zulfiqar Babar 2-81)

Pakistan 2nd innings 286-2 dec (Ahmed Shehzad 131, Younis Khan 103 not out; S. O’Keefe 2-112)

Australia 2nd innings (Overnight 59-4) C Rogers b Khan D Warner st Ahmed b Babar A Doolan lbw b Babar M Clarke lbw b Shah N Lyon lbw b Shah S Smith c Shafiq b Shah M Marsh c Ali b Babar B Haddin b Babar M Johnson st Ahmed b Shah P Siddle c Azhar b Babar S O’Keefe not out Extras: (b4, lb1, nb2)

Total: (all out; 91.1 overs)

43 29 0 3 0 55 3 0 61 15 0 7

216

Fall of wickets 1-44 (Warner), 2-44 (Doolan), 3-49 (Clarke), 4-49 (Lyon), 5-92 (Rogers), 6-101 (Marsh), 7-105 (Haddin), 8-170 (Smith), 9-213 (Johnson)

Bowling Khan 7-2-22-1, Rahat 13-4-36-0, Hafeez 154-29-0, Babar 31.1-7-74-5, Shah 25-6-50-4 Pakistan won by 221 runs

Ruthless Serena downs Halep to win WTA Finals n Reuters, Singapore Serena Williams destroyed Romania’s Simona Halep 6-3 6-0 on Sunday to win the WTA Finals championship in Singapore, proving once again why she remains the most formidable force in women’s tennis.

Williams avenged her “embarrassing” loss to Halep in the group stage of the season-ending tournament with a ruthless display, overpowering her pintsized opponent at every opportunity.

Halep shocked Williams 6-0 6-2 in the group stage of the elite event but was unable to repeat that performance as the American reminded everyone why she is the number one player in the world.

“I made so many errors in our last game. I knew for a fact I couldn’t make

that many errors,” Williams said.

“I had to play more Serena style tennis and just do what I do best: enforce myself. That’s what I was trying to do.”

For Williams, it was her third successive win in the WTA Finals, second only in prestige to the four grand slams, and her fifth overall, tied for second with Steffi Graf.

Only Martina Navratilova, with eight titles, has won more, but with Williams showing no signs of slowing down at the age of 33, it is not inconceivable the American could overhaul her.

The odds were stacked against Williams winning in Singapore after she pulled out of two events in China because of a knee injury then lost to Halep in the group stages.

But, as she has shown time and time again throughout her illustrious career,

Williams has a knack for raising her game when it matters, as Halep learnt the hard way at Singapore’s National Indoor Stadium.

“It was an amazing week for me so I cannot be sad that I lost,” said Halep.

“Congratulations to Serena - you are the best.”

Just as she did in their previous encounter, Halep made a confident start, holding her first service game to love and putting Williams under early pressure.

She broke Williams’ second service game to lead 2-1 but failed to consolidate her early advantage as the American responded by taking her game up a notch.

Williams thumped two forehands past Halep to set up her first break point then levelled the scores at 2-2 when the Romanian dumped a fore-

hand into the net.

Staring down Halep with each point she won, a fired-up Williams quickly began to assert her authority, and broke her opponent again to lead 4-2 when Halep hit a backhand long.

“I expected a tough match. I knew that she will play better. And yeah, it happened,” said halep, who ends the year ranked third in the world.

Halep won only seven points in the entire second set, that lasted just 25 minutes, before Williams sealed her win with her 26th winner and raised her arms in triumph as she captured her 64th career title and just over $2 million in prize money.

“I didn’t expect to end the year on this note,” said Williams, who won her 18th grand slam singles title at the U.S. Open last month but then injured her knee. l

12-game streak as Mirza, Black stun title favourites

Rodgers happy with misfiring Balotelli Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers said Mario Balotelli’s workrate has improved despite the striker yet again failing to find the net in a goalless Premier League draw with Hull City at Anfield on Saturday. The Italy forward has scored just once for the Reds in 11 appearances since his £16 million ($26 million, 20 million euros) pre-season move from AC Milan and has yet to do so in the Premier League for his new club. Balotelli, who has carried the weight of Liverpool’s goalscoring burden in the absence of injured England striker Daniel Sturridge recently, had a couple of opportunities in a frustrating stalemate against Hull. The former Manchester City man has been criticised for his poor work ethic since he arrived on Merseyside, but Rodgers praised the 24-year-old’s efforts against Hull. “I thought Mario worked very well,” Rodgers said. “He maybe thought he wasn’t going to play. But he is working hard and he is doing his best. “I thought he kept going, kept getting into the areas and I thought him and Rickie Lambert worked very well. Performance wise, I thought we did very well.”

–AFP

Babar, Yasir spin Aussies out to give Pakistan lead

of the match against Pakistan in the group stages from Rayhan’s long and accurate throw. The coaches involved with the national team should plan something extra for Rayhan in order to benefit from his deadly deliveries. l

Rayhan Hasan

15

Monday, October 27, 2014

n AFP, Singapore

Cara Black of Zimbabwe (R) and Sania Mirza of India hold the Martina Navratilova Trophy after defeating Su-Wei Hsieh of Taiwan and Shuai Peng of China in the doubles final of the Women Tennis Association Finals in Singapore yesterday AFP

Dilly-dallying frustrates Gazi n Minhaz Uddin Khan National off-spinner Sohag Gazi blamed the cricket operations committee of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) for not providing him with enough support in his procedure of rectifying his bowling action. The procedure is vital for the 23-year-old who was recently banned by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for illegal bowling action.

The BCB did arrange a two-week long special rehabilitation camp for Gazi to work on his action with former Bangladesh fielding coach Mohammad Salahuddin in Malaysia, but the off-spinner is frustrated with the delay as he is yet to get his visa.

The ICC banned the young spinner after a test revealed that Gazi extends his elbow more than 25 degrees whereas the limit in 15 degrees.

“It is better to work on my own rather than going abroad,” said Gazi to the reporters yesterday. “I am yet to obtain my visa so I am not sure of when I am going or not.”

With the 2015 ICC World Cup in Australia-New Zealand scheduled to get underway in February, Gazi is eager to work on his action and make a return to international cricket. But the delay is simply annoying him and he feels the cricket board is less concerned as he is not a part of the national team now. “It looks like everyone is busy and everything regarding my remedial process needs to be completed by me,” he added.

When queried, BCB cricket operations committee chairman Akram Khan admitted of the delay in obtaining the Malaysian visa for Gazi, but also assured the job will be done in due time though he could not set a time-frame. l

Sania Mirza and Cara Black reeled off 12 straight games to stun defending champions Hsieh Su-wei and Peng Shuai by the record score of 6-1, 6-0 in the WTA Finals doubles final Sunday.

The Indian-Zimbabwean team, playing their last match together, lost the first game against the favourites but then put together the phenomenal streak to lift the Martina Navratilova trophy in Singapore.

It was the heaviest defeat ever witnessed in the end-of-season competition’s doubles final which dates back 41 years to 1973, the year the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) was founded.

And it sealed an amazing turn-

around after Black and Mirza saved four match points en route to the final, including three in their semi-final against Kveta Peschke and Katarina Srebotnik.

With just under an hour played, Black sealed the title with an overhead through the centre of the court and then turned to embrace Mirza, who will partner Hsieh next season as both pairs split.

“When we won that first match, honestly we were both almost were like, ‘Okay, maybe that’s a sign. Maybe we’re going to win it,’” Mirza told reporters.

“It was great -- we saved the best for the last. I think today was our best match. One of our best matches at least, and one of our best matches we played against them.” l

Clinical Federer eases past Goffin to clinch Basel crown n Reuters, Basel Home favourite Roger Federer barely broke sweat as he beat David Goffin 6-2 6-2 to win the Basel Indoor title for the sixth time on Sunday.

The Swiss maestro needed only 51 minutes to claim the title and fuel his late charge to end the year as world number one. Federer, 33, is now only 500 points behind Novak Djokovic in the ATP rankings with a combined 2,500 points available at the Paris Masters and ATP World Tour Finals in London.

Belgian Goffin has been the form player of the last quarter of the season, winning 43 of his 45 matches since Wimbledon, including Challenger events, but was no match for a fired-up Federer. l

East West Intra Soccer kicks off n Tribune Desk The East West University Intra Soccer Championship kicked off at the Army Museum Field in Bijoy Sharani yesterday. Participated by 11 academic departments the three-day tournament is organised by the EWU Sports Club.

Department of Social Relations and Department of Economics played two matches each and were the first among the other departments to book a place in the quarter-finals. Borshon of Department of Social Relations was the stand out performer on the opening day that saw 20 goals scored from eight matches.

Faculties of different departments were present throughout the day. The final of the tournament will be played tomorrow at the same venue. l

Defending champions BBA department pose for a photo prior to their match in the East West University Intra Soccer Championship at Army Museum Field yesterday COURTESY

16

DHAKA TRIBUNE

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Monday, October 27, 2014

Drive against unfit vehicles, unlicensed drivers from Nov 10 n Tribune Report The government has decided to launch a countrywide special drive against unfit vehicles and unlicensed drivers on November 10.

Another drive will be conducted in the offices of the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority across the country to ensure hassle-free service and remove middlemen and frauds.

The decision came at a coordination meeting on road safety, road transport and overall activities yesterday at the BRTA office in the capital.

Headed by Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader, the meeting was also attended by BRTA Chairman Md Nazrul Islam and officials from both the ministry and the BRTA. According to BRTA sources, there are currently around one million buses, mini-buses and trucks plying around the country, of which nearly 300,000 are unfit.

The BRTA has issued around 1.43 million licences. However, it does not have any statistics on unlicensed drivers, sources said.

Saudi returnee killed in city n Tribune Report

A Bangladeshi expatriate living in Saudi Arabia was shot dead by unknown assailants in his house at Nababganj upazila of Dhaka early yesterday.

The victim was on a vacation to to visit his family members.

He was identified as Shahid Khan, 40, son of Bahadur Khan who returned home in Raypur village of Koilail Union from abroad one and a half months back.

His brother Jahir khan told reporters at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) that around 2am some 25-30 armed and masked assailants broke open the wooden gate before they entered the house. They beat up Sahid and his wife Hamida Begum, he said.

“They were asking for the key to an almirah. They thought that my brother had brought a large amount of money and gold ornaments from abroad.”

At one stage an assailant shot him at point-blank range as he denied handing over the key to almirah. Hearing the sound of firing locals came out to their rescue but by the time they fled the scene, he said.

His relatives rushed him to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) around 3:35am where doctors declared him dead on arrival.

Contacted, Officer-in-Charge of Nababgabj Police Station Sayeedur Rahman said they were investigating whether it was an incident of robbery or an outcome of previous enmity.

“We are not also ruling out possibility of involvement of his relatives or family members in the incident. We have visited the spot in the morning and already talked to some people,” he said.

A case will be filed in this connection, he added. l

OC chants Joy Bangla slogan

n Our Correspondent, Brahmanbaria A policeman in Brahmanbaria has spawned controversy after he said “Joy Bangla, Joy Bangabandhu” at a meeting.

Akul Chandra Biswas, officer-incharge of Brahmanbaria Sadar police station, was addressing a meeting of the local development coordination committee at the sadar upazila auditorium yesterday when he chanted the slogan.

The attendees, including government officials, in the room responded with a grin. Brahmanbaria Sadar’s Upazila Nirbahi Officer Dr Ashraful Alam presided over the crucial meeting of the upazila administration. Local MP RAM Obaidul Muktadir Chowdhury was the chief guest at the meeting, which was also attended by upazila officials and union chairmen.

A number of attendees said the UNO had invited Akul to talk about the overall situation and the policeman concluded his speech with the slogan.

After the meeting, Akul said he had uttered the slogan but urged this correspondent not to quote this part of his speech. l

Following the tragic Natore accident on October 20, a mobile court raided the depot of Keya Paribahan in the capital’s Kallyanpur area and charged the bus service a Tk1 lakh fine for 15 unfit vehicles.

An executive of the bus service was sentenced with two months of prison as well.

Talking to reporters, the minister said a number of middlemen and frauds had already been fined and sentenced with prison time at different BRTA offices.

A mobile court sentenced an office assistant at BRTA’s Khulna office with three-month jail sentence for associating with middlemen, he said.

The minister said the BRTA had been given digital number plates to distribute in all 64 districts. Under the same project, the setting up of 12 RFID (radio frequency identification) stations in Dhaka metropolitan area is complete, and addition of 450,000 retro-reflective number plates is also finished.

He also said an updated Road Transport Act 2014 was being formulated, and the draft would be placed before the cabinet within three months. The revised act draft will have proposal to increase fine and punishment, the minister said. l

Students of South Rajapur Government Primary School have to attend classes under a makeshift shed in the local market area as their school building was destroyed by the erosion of the Meghna River this year. The photo was taken yesterday FOCUS BANGLA

Washington asks Dhaka to join anti-IS coalition n Sheikh Shahariar Zaman Washington has formally asked Dhaka to join its coalition in the war against Islamic State (IS), the jihadist movement that has established a tyranny of terror in parts of Iraq and Syria.

“They asked us to join the fight through a formal communication,” said a senior official of the Foreign Ministry.

A US-led coalition of about 50 countries including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates is doing battle against IS, which has occupied vast tracts of Iraq and Syria.

Dhaka’s position is that it condemns all forms of terrorism and believes in the territorial integrity, independence

and sovereignty of Iraq and Syria.

Bangladesh will only engage in Syria and Iraq if a UN-led humanitarian assistance programme is undertaken for the countries, the Foreign Ministry official said, adding that Bangladesh’s position was conveyed to the US. Dhaka expects that the question of joining the coalition will be raised again at the third Bangladesh-US partnership dialogue to be held on October 28-29, the official said.

Meanwhile, another senior Foreign Ministry official said terrorism and IS issues would be discussed during the visit of the prime minister to Dubai.

IS, which has taken control of large portions of Iraq and Syria, has prompted

a military retaliation from a US-led coalition in which the UAE is a major partner.

Counter-terrorism fund

Bangladesh has joined the Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund, an initiative to counter violent extremism. Bangladesh was actively engaged with other countries to join the global fund to combat violent extremism at the community level.

“Dhaka has become a member of the advisory board of the fund which is expected to be formally launched next month,” said another official of the foreign ministry. Foreign Secretary M Shahidul Haque attended a preliminary meeting of the fund in Washington in

February this year.

The fund is a public-private partnership to help communities become resilient to the threats of violent extremism, he said. The global fund, suggested by US Secretary of State John Kerry and supported by Turkey at the UN General Assembly in September 2013, was joined by over 20 countries and a group of famous corporations and has plans to raise $200 million to support pilot projects. Bangladesh has met all of the criteria to get money from the global fund, said the official.

Money from the fund will go to non-governmental organisations of developing countries which face the threat of extremism and Bangladesh fulfils all the requirements, he added. l

Girl’s plight highlights child marriage prevalence n Abid Azad

A wedding that was to be forced upon a 14-year-old Dhaka girl was thwarted by the intervention of her school principal, but the case highlights the difficulty in combating child marriage.

According to a fact sheet on child marriage from BRAC, Bangladesh has the highest rate of child marriage in South Asia at 65% and ranks fourth in the world for the prevalence of the practice.

Pinky Akter, a student of Class 6, was to be wedded to a 30-year-old man in a marriage arranged by her parents despite prohibitions contained in the Child Marriage Restraint Act, 1929. Her parents had scheduled the nuptials for April 11 this year in the capital’s Malibagh neighbourhood.

She wrote this letter of desperation to her parents: “Dear Father and Mother, Take my salam. Tomorrow will be my Gaye Holud. I did not agree to this marriage but you wanted it. Now I am

Pinky Akter at her residence in capital’s Malibagh yesterday going to such a place where I will die.

If you want what is good for me, please stop this wedding. All of you will be responsible for my death.”

On April 10 Zahirul Islam, the principal of Khilgaon Government Colony

RAJIB DHAR

Secondary High School, where Pinky studies in class 6, learned about the wedding plans and informed members of BRAC’s Safe Citizenship for Girls (MEJNIN) programme.

Together with police, neighbours

and social workers, Zahirul went to Pinky’s home around 8pm during her Gaye Holud, a pre-marriage ritual, and asked her parents to stop the wedding.

Her parents consented to stop the marriage after considering the advice given by police and social workers.

Pinky’s parents, Majnu Mia and Shahida Begum, signed an agreement to allow Pinky to continue her education and to abide by it under pain of legal action. Zahirul said: “Since then the school authorities have provided her with a free education. She can continue her education properly.”

“Poverty and a lack of social security affect parents’ decision making.

They allow and even encourage child marriages because they think it is best for the child,” said Kazi Shahana, senior sector specialist of the Gender Justice and Diversity Division at BRAC of which MEJNIN is a part.

The first ever Bangladesh Girl Summit 2014 will take place at Dhaka’s Osmani Memorial Auditorium today. l

LPG plant gets nod from cabinet committee n Tribune Report The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs yesterday approved in principle an Energy Division proposal to set up a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) bottling plant in Chittagong’s Kumira under a public-private partnership initiative.

After a meeting of the committee yesterday, State Minister for Power and Energy Nasrul Hamid told the Dhaka Tribune that the next step in the initiative would be to seek out private investors.

Finance Minister AMA Muhith also said the government had decided to set up the LPG plant in Chittagong to ease the pressure on the pipeline gas supply.

Sources in the Energy Ministry, however, claimed that the move to set up the plant comes without any survey for assessing the growth of consumer demand in the coming years.

According to the Energy Division proposal, the new LPG plant will have import facilities and storage tanks.

The government has already allocated Tk22.08 crore to acquire 10 acres of land at Kumira. As per the proposal, another plant will also be set up at Tangail’s Elenga to manufacture LPG cylinders and necessary accessories.

According to the proposal, the government is supposed to allocate Tk284.41 crore to implement the project. Of the total, Tk181.60 crore will come as foreign currency while the working capital is estimated at Tk78.10 crore.

The demand for LPG increased by 60% in the last couple of years since the government suspended new gas connections to households in July 2010. The government, however, started giving new gas connections to businesses last year. l

SC museum opens today with obscure exhibits Biman to drop Frankfurt, start fourth flight to London n Ahmed Zayeef

n Kamran Reza Chowdhury Biman Bangladesh Airlines has decided to suspend its flights to Germany’s Frankfurt from November 1 this year, only seven months after the resumption of the flight after a gap of 10 years.

Instead, the national flag carrier is set to start a fourth flight to London from Dhaka on October 31, according to a report of the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism sent to a parliamentary watchdog that asked Biman to close the loss-incurring Dhaka-Frankfurt flights.

The report – a copy of which has been obtained by the Dhaka Tribune – will be placed at the scheduled meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Civil Aviation and Tourism for discussion today.

The working paper further says Biman is likely to launch two weekly flights to Tokyo by 2015, provided the route becomes profitable in the upcoming market survey.

The national operator also initiated the process to start flights to Kunming and Guanxu of China, Colombo, Sri Lanka and Male, the capital of the Maldives.

The Biman record shows that it resumed two weekly flights to Frankfurt via Rome from Dhaka on April 1 this year, with a brand new Boeing 777-300 aircraft. But the passenger response has been very poor as no market survey was done before the relaunch of the flight.

On September 25, the Biman board of directors decided to stop the Frankfurt flights from November 1, says the working paper. The board also decided to start operation of the fourth flight to London, a profitable route for Biman.

In 2004, the government cancelled the flights to Frankfurt due to insufficient number of passengers.

Biman operates flights to 18 destinations. The national flag carrier incurred a loss of over Tk594 crore in 2011-12 and over Tk191 crore in 2012-13 fiscal years. l

The Supreme Court is set to inaugurate a museum of its own today with some furniture and other objects which no one can trace back to their historic value.

Chief Justice Md Muzammel Hossain will open the museum in a one-storey building in the administrative area of the Supreme Court at 4:30pm.

The museum was found to be full of dust yesterday afternoon – the antique objects littered on the floor and a few workers painting the room with the exhibits uncovered.

The antiques included two decorated wooden chairs, a wooden couch, two wooden tables, three wall clocks, an old typewriter and a silver trophy.

SM Kuddus Zaman, acting registrar of the Supreme Court, told the Dhaka Tribune over phone that he did not know about the details of the furniture.

Deputy Registrar 1 Md Nazrul Islam said the museum aimed at presenting a concept of the judicial system’s history.

He said the objects had been salvaged from stores and others places of the SC.

“The furniture furniture was used by judges,” he said; but when asked which objects belonged to whom and when, he said they did not know these details.

The Supreme Court authority has planned to open the museum for students first.

Nazrul, however, could not say how students would learn the history if the exhibits did not include any labels.

“We are trying to find out the history of each of the objects,” the deputy register said.

The Supreme Court authority has formed a five-member committee headed by Justice Nazmun Ara Sultana, and has written to the former chief justice and other judges as well as senior lawyers to enrich the museum by donating historical objects, if they have any. l

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B4 Senior Japan official calls

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for Abe to delay salestax hike

Substantial fall on aid reliance n Tribune Report

Bangladesh’s dependency on foreign assistance has substantially decreased since the Independence of the country, said Finance Minister AMA Muhith.

He said the foreign assistance reduced from 12% of gross domestic product in 1977 to only 1.8% now.

The minister was speaking as chief guest at the launching ceremony of a homegrown online aid portal called Bangladesh Aid Information Management System (AIMS) at the National Economic Council’s auditorium in Dhaka yesterday.

Muhith said the reduced aid dependency has been possible thanks to the rise in internal resources. According to him, the situation would have been even better if the capacity to use foreign funds improved further.

The new portal is to provide a single entry window for all foreign assistance-related information in Bangladesh and, properly tracking and managing the aid flows.

Economic Relation Division with support from its Aid Effectiveness Project has developed the AIMS software for the country.

MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014 www.dhakatribune.com/business

Shield Asian economies from possible setback like recession Experts put forward a charter of recommendations to protect the region at the ICC international conference on global economic recovery

Speakers seen at a session of ICC International Conference on ‘Global Economic Recovery: Asian Perspective’ at a city hotel yesterday

The overall foreign aid disbursement since the independence till the fiscal year 201213 totalled $59.3bn, including $24.7bn in grants

n Kayes Sohel

The trial version of the software was launched earlier in March this year.

Later, several consultations were held with government agencies, development partners and civil society organisations to ensure that the design is suited to the needs of future users and local stakeholders.

Different kinds of AIMS software such as Development Assistance Database (DAD) and Aid Management Platform (AMP) have already been deployed in over 40 countries.

However, Bangladesh is one of the few countries to deploy a homegrown system.

Once fully developed, AIMS will act as a one-stop-shop for all information related to foreign.

Prime Minister’s Economic Affairs Adviser Mashiur Rahman also attended the launching ceremony of the portal with ERD secretary Md Mejbahuddin in the chair.

He said although foreign investment has not risen as per expectation, the savings and remittance have increased over the years.

Mashiur hoped the country’s foreign investment along with other investments would increase to a suitable level.

The ERD data shows the overall foreign aid disbursement since the independence till the fiscal year 2012-13 totalled $59.3bn, including $24.7bn in grants.

The loans were $34.7bn against the commitment of $81.1bn, according to the papers titled “Flow of External Resources into Bangladesh” released by the ERD. l

A two-day international conference on Global Economic Recovery and Asian Perspective ended here yesterday with a series of recommendations and call for measures accordingly by the Asian countries.

The recommendations were made in the areas of trade, investment, regional cooperation, finance, governance, environment and political dimensions as precautionary measures to avoid possible financial recession like that of 2008 the world witnessed and suffered.

The International Chamber of Commerce, Bangladesh (ICC,B) president Mahbubur Rahman described the outcome made in the two-day international conference on Global Economic Recovery and Asian Perspective at a press conference in a city hotel.

“Political cooperation, regional integration and robust fiscal measures are the keys to taking the Asian countries forward,” he said.

MEHEDI HASAN

Asian recovery will be driven by continental growth, but its sustainability will depend on recovery in the rest of the world, he said.

He said consumption expansion in China and India and relationship between these two countries will be critical in shaping the Asian agenda in the future.

Under trade segment, the recommendations include promoting inter-regional Asian exports, formulation of South Asian customs union to facilitate trade integration by reducing tariff and non-tariff barriers in South Asia, development of value chains for enhancing competitive capacities and coherence in global system.

In the area of investment, the recommendations include attracting more investment from the region, massive investment in research and development, wooing quality investment in bridging finance deficit from which Asia suffers and SME (small and medium enterprise) promotion.

In regional cooperation, the rec-

ommendations include Asian regional cooperation for recovering from the ongoing global growth slowdown and tackling possible future recurrence of global financial crisis, better connectivity to promote productivity in the region, providing opportunities for other countries by emerging economies for enhancing exports, domestic consumption of developing and emerging economies for Asian recovery, infrastructure, connectivity and energy cooperation.

In financial sectors that are now under stress in some Asian countries, the recommendations focus on forming regional bond markets to harness savings into real sector investment, holding Asian regional dialogues to broaden the windows of concessional lending to lower income economies to help protect their debt sustainability, presenting a new unified financial architecture at the global forums for ensuring financial stability, working together among Asian countries in carrying forward their significant attainments in

promoting inclusive financing towards equitable socioeconomic progress and cushion providing resilience-lending to the growth acceleration framework.

Under the governance segment, the recommendations include less government and more governance, enabling environment created by the government to flourish business, institutional and bureaucratic reforms, inclusive political culture to reduce democratic deficiency and woman’s employment.

On environment, the recommendations include tackling climate change, committing to a new transformative growth paradigm and on political dimension, the recommendations are recognising the shifts towards China and India in the 20th century, good governance and inclusive politics and Chain-India relationship Developing Asia’s growth was largely driven by the growth of two economies, China and India, which were also an important driving force of the world economy. l

day international conference, which came to an end yesterday.

“Trade generates growth and growth generates jobs,” said Jhon Danilovich, ICC Secretary General.

He also noted that trade was the life board of economy and economic growth as international trade contributes to prosperity of economy pushing economic growth up. Stressing the need for signing Trade Facilitating Agreement (TFA), he said: “80% demands of products are met by multinational companies, while rest 20% by small and medium.”

“The post Bali agenda did not see profess and ICC will be there in next meet and I hope they would put emphasis on implementation of fullfledged package,’’ he added.

n Tribune Report

alities and Challenges, with former finance adviser to the caretaker government Mirza Azizul Islam in the chair.

“Politics should not be in business and business should not be in politics,” said MA Taslim, a professor of economics at Dhaka University.

He said relationship between the democracy and the economics must be kept separate, otherwise, both will be at risk. “Unfortunately, in major parts of the Asia, including Bangladesh, the democracy is at risk because of political conflicts.”

He noted that business should be allowed to operate freely on the basis of market forces (demand and supply) without any intervention by the political forces.

“If this does not happen, economy

n Asif Showkat Kallol The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) is expected to start lending its member countries within mid-December next year.

The interest rate would be competitive as compared to the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF), said State Minister for Finance MA Mannan, who signed

The last ministerial meeting of World Trade Organisation in Bali, Indonesia has failed to take any measures for the Least Developed Countries in the wake of distrust of the negotiation process, experts told a conference in Dhaka yesterday.

They observed that developed countries dominate the negotiation process in any contracts, thereby hardly taking into account the interests of LDCs. The observation came at a session titled “Trade: does the Bali outcome hold promise for the future?”

The session was organised as part of a two-day ICC International Conference on “Global Economic Recovery: Asian Perspective” at a city hotel.

The experts said LDCs need to develop their expertise to debate at such platforms as to achieve goals.

The Bali package created a hope to us and then it turned to anger and disappointment, said Barbara Meynert, director of Fung Global Institute, Hong Kong.

The World Trade Organisation (WTO) should be a platform where people can negotiate, Barbara added.

In his address, Bangladesh International Arbitration Centre (BIAC) Chief Executive Dr Toufiq Ali said the multilateral trade rules are designed only for the developed countries and so in trade negotiations, the interests of developed countries are taken care of as they dominate.

“The developing countries, however, have now major shares in trade and so they need to develop expertise to take advantage from such discussions.”

Bangladesh needs to be very careful at multilateral discussions and is required to develop its expertise to achieve goals, said Toufiq, also former ambassador and permanent representative of Bangladesh to UNCTAD, WTO. The last ministerial meeting of WTO at Bali apparently reached consensus on some issues, but even these seem to be in risks now.

There has been an explosion of bilateral and regional preferential and free trade agreements that are at once both causes and consequences of the long-drawn process at WTO.

Experts for boosting Political conflicts push Asian trade to sustain growth economies at risk n Ibrahim Hossain Ovi Experts from home and abroad have underscored the need for enhanced trade and cross-border infrastructures to maintain sustainable growth in the Asian region.

They also stressed on ensuring accountability and effective governance, smooth political transition, commodity market regulation and proper use of human potentials.

The observations were made at the plenary session on “Global Economic Recovery: Asian Perspective” organised by International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), Bangladesh at a city hotel yesterday.

Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed presided over the session of the two-

 B3 COLUMN 4

Political conflicts might put economic growth of Asian countries, which have already been badly shaken by the global recession, under serious risks, trade experts and economists feared yesterday.

To take the region a leap forward, they emphasised on economic integration and massive investment in developing infrastructure and also on human resources.

The observations were made by the country’s heavyweight 10 economists at the concluding day of a two-day international conference, organised by the International Chamber of Commerce, Bangladesh (ICC,B) at a city hotel.

The deliberations were made in the business session on Asian Growth: Re-

New Asian bank to start lending by December 2015

MA Mannan

WTO Bali package offers little hope for LDCs n Syed Samiul Bashar Anik

a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the China-backed new bank for Bangladesh. Twenty other Asian countries also signed the MoU in Beijing on Friday.

“We will not take loan from the bank if the interest rate is not moderate,” he told the Dhaka Tribune in an interview at his Planning Ministry office in Dhaka yesterday.

“We will find a new source of global financial assistance which will be good for us.”

Besides, the World Bank’s financial assistance, further foreign assistance and aid will be required as the government mulls over turning every road into four lanes and constructing another Padma Bridge, added Mannan.

“We need big investment in power sector, river dredging and social sector development too.”

The AIIB is near our home and there is no barrier between clients

and the bank like other multilateral lenders, he said.

The state minister said the interest rate of World Bank ranges between 1% and 0.75%.

Australia, Indonesia and South Korea skipped the launching ceremony of AIIB. The United States said it had concerns about the AIIB. Mannan said despite the Chinese government invitation, they did not take part in the programme apparently because of the US influence. He added that Bangladesh is a founding member of the bank and will enjoy some extra facilities when the infrastructure bank kicks off.

The proposed bank, whose capital is said to be $100 billion, will provide Asian countries with an alternative source of funds.

The Chinese government including 20 other countries will provide 75% of the paid-up capital.

Most of the fund will come from

the Chinese government while the rest from investment fund from different countries.

The investors will profit from the Chinese-backed infrastructure bank as well. As a member of the bank, Bangladesh will provide $2 billion to contribute to the AIIB’s paid-up capital, he said.

“Regarding the signing ceremony the state minister said on behalf of Bangladesh I signed the MoU first, and the Chinese finance minister took our opinions earlier.”

The plan to form such a bank was first announced by Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang during their visit to the South East Asian countries in October last year, he said.

Following the MoU, 20 members of AIIB selected its interim Secretary General Le GIM Chim who earlier worked in World Bank and also in multilateral agencies.

The head office of the Chinese infrastructure bank will be Beijing, said the state minister.

He adds that the Chinese president and finance minister at the ceremony informed AIIB members that the infrastructure bank is an all-inclusive financial institute and all of its members will have right to raise their voice.

The Chinese leaders said they are not against any countries or multilateral lenders and what they want is working together for development of the Asian countries.

The state minister said the bank will have human resources from its member countries that will also have hiring authorities.

Mannan said: “Look-east policy is good for our economy following the collapse of Soviet Russia and we want to come out of a unipolar world and so took the initiative to join the AIIB.” l

 B3 COLUMN 1

will not be stabilised in the region,” Taslim said.

The political conflicts starting from the West to East have already jeopardised the world’s economy, he added.

Echoing Taslim, eminent economist and sociologist Hossain Zillur Rahman said: “Politics in the developing nations have now become a ‘crony business’ leading to abuses of taxed-money by a group of people loyal to the party in power.”

Hossain Zillur, also a former adviser to the caretaker government, also noted that the growth acceleration is now emerged as the key issue in the developing nations including Bangladesh simply due to the misuses of political power and the poor governances.  B3 COLUMN 3

B2

Stocks fall over sagging confidence n Tribune Report

Investors continued their cautious trading behavior as corporate earnings started to hit on the screen The Shariah index DSES lost 11 points or 0.89% to end at 1,205 points. The comprising blue chips DS30 also went down by 17 points or 0.86% to close at 1,927 points.

Out of 303 traded issues, 82 advanced, 190 declined and 31 remained unchanged.

Since the injections of fresh fund was not observed, turnover at the premier bourse shrank to Tk530 crore, which was 7.5% lower than the previous session.

“Investors continued their cautious trading behavior as corpo-

DSE LOSER Closing (% Change)

Beacon Pharma Ltd.-Z SAIF Powertec-N Shinepukur Cera-Z Khulna Printing-N CVO PetroChem RL-A Zahintex Ind.-N Bangladesh Welding -Z Zeal Bangla Sugar -Z MeghnaCement -A Daffodil Computers -Z

-8.05 -7.40 -6.45 -6.12 -5.78 -5.74 -5.07 -5.06 -4.89 -4.76

CSE LOSER Company

Closing (% Change)

Continental Insur. -A Beacon Pharma Ltd.-Z City G Insu.-A Takaful Islami Insu-A Khulna Printing-N AMCL 2nd MF-A IFIC 1st MF-A Shinepukur Cera-Z LR Global BD MF1-A Shurwid Ind. -N

-8.88 -7.33 -6.94 -6.56 -6.09 -5.56 -5.26 -5.06 -5.00 -4.98

5111.63969

(-) 0.82%

1926.89105

(-) 0.86%

15780.11660

(-) 0.85%

13091.62890

(-) 0.68%

9614.97140

(-) 0.65%

Average (% Change) -6.23 -0.30 -4.56 -3.34 -4.54 -3.77 -4.99 -5.06 -2.12 -2.85 Average (% Change) -8.73 -5.08 -4.56 -6.49 -3.09 -5.76 -4.39 -4.58 -5.00 -4.80

ANALYST

ClosingAvg. 13.99 66.74 15.06 26.94 617.94 19.91 13.33 7.50 137.55 14.33

ClosingAvg. 23.63 14.19 20.09 28.52 26.95 5.07 5.45 15.21 5.70 38.91

Closing

Bank NBFI Investment Engineering Food & Allied Fuel & Power Jute Textile Pharma & Chemical Paper & Packaging Service Leather Ceramic Cement Information Technology General Insurance Life Insurance Telecom Travel & Leisure Miscellaneous Debenture

DSE Million Taka 529.36 325.96 54.75 537.51 111.05 1138.81 3.12 274.61 640.35 73.92 136.52 131.51 66.23 245.36 38.01 25.22 394.65 327.61 70.94 166.88 2.23

▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼

DHIGH

13.70 63.80 14.50 26.10 606.00 19.70 13.10 7.50 134.10 14.00

Closing

15.00 70.90 15.90 28.30 645.00 20.60 13.80 7.60 143.50 14.70

DHIGH

23.60 13.90 20.10 28.50 26.20 5.10 5.40 15.00 5.70 38.20

114,481,703

24.00 15.30 20.10 29.00 27.80 5.20 5.50 15.60 5.70 39.80

98,488

Traded Issues

304

Issue Gain (Avg. Price Basis)

84

Issue Loss (Avg. Price Basis)

214

Unchanged Issue (Avg. Price Basis)

6

Market Capital Equity (Billion. Tk.)

2,736.42

Market Capital Equity (Billion US$)

33.17

CSE key features October 26, 2014 Turnover (Million Taka)

385.65

Turnover (Volume)

9,942,395

Number of Contract

13,412

Traded Issues

221

Issue Gain (Avg. Price Basis)

53

Issue Loss (Avg. Price Basis)

166

Unchanged Issue (Avg. Price Basis)

2

Market Capital Equity (Billion. Tk.)

2,640.45

Market Capital Equity (Billion US$)

32.01

Turnover in Million

DLOW 13.60 63.20 14.00 25.80 598.00 19.60 13.10 7.50 133.70 13.70

23.40 13.80 20.00 28.00 25.90 5.00 5.40 15.00 5.60 37.50

Latest EPS

13.068 94.533 2.380 73.068 32.751 6.929 1.406 0.027 18.583 1.221

Turnover in Million

DLOW

% change 10.00 6.16 1.03 10.15 2.10 21.51 0.06 5.19 12.09 2.58 2.48 1.25 4.63 0.72 0.48 7.45 6.19 1.34 3.15 0.04

Million Taka 28.26 18.65 2.65 70.93 15.42 73.00 37.73 37.39 20.22 15.59 15.23 5.95 18.13 10.46 0.96 2.02 21.91 15.14 20.24 0.06

CSE

% change 6.57 4.34 0.62 16.50 3.59 16.98 0.00 8.78 8.70 4.70 3.63 3.54 1.38 4.22 2.43 0.22 0.47 5.10 3.52 4.71 0.01

0.04 1.63 0.50 1.31 -3.16 0.82 0.34 -30.63 9.10 0.68

Latest EPS

0.035 2.114 0.050 0.060 7.938 0.028 0.005 0.210 0.131 2.373

Million Taka 557.62 344.61 57.40 608.45 126.48 1211.81 3.12 312.35 677.74 94.14 152.11 146.74 72.18 263.48 48.47 26.18 396.67 349.52 86.08 187.12 2.29

Fareast Finance-Z Shahjibazar Power-N Agni Systems -A 7th ICB M F-A BD. Thai Alum -B EBL NRB M.F.-A Alltex Industries -Z Modern Dyeing -Z ICB -A ACI ZERO Bond-A

Closing (% Change) 10.00 9.97 7.75 7.65 7.12 6.67 6.25 6.20 6.18 6.10

CSE GAINER

3.10 0.04 2.04 1.50 1.31 0.99 0.72 0.50 0.64 0.75

Latest PE 349.8 40.9 30.1 20.6 -ve 24.3 39.2 -ve 15.1 21.1

Total

Company Samata LeatheR -Z Fareast Finance-Z National Polymer -A BD. Thai Alum -B Agni Systems -A NCCBL Mutual Fund-1-A ICB -A ACI ZERO Bond-A Quasem Drycells -A ACI Formulations-A

Closing (% Change) 9.82 9.24 8.39 7.97 7.96 6.67 6.23 6.17 5.76 4.64

Average (% Change) 9.33 10.03 2.89 7.35 6.49 4.75 2.73 5.30 5.81 5.99 Average (% Change) 9.82 8.24 9.74 6.95 6.08 7.20 7.13 5.70 4.80 4.73

ClosingAvg. 13.13 143.40 29.90 87.33 38.89 6.40 8.28 84.24 1,593.22 1,140.23

ClosingAvg. 24.60 12.88 62.77 39.23 30.88 6.40 1593.50 1131.04 43.71 167.17

Closing 13.20 143.40 30.60 87.20 39.10 6.40 8.50 83.90 1,611.50 1,147.50

Closing 24.60 13.00 62.00 39.30 31.20 6.40 1593.50 1136.00 44.10 166.80

DHIGH 13.20 143.40 31.00 88.90 40.00 6.40 8.70 86.80 1,612.50 1,148.00

DHIGH 24.60 13.00 62.90 40.00 31.40 6.40 1593.80 1136.50 44.50 170.00

DLOW 12.00 143.40 27.00 84.00 33.00 6.40 8.00 81.70 1,539.00 1,100.00

DLOW 24.60 11.30 61.00 36.80 30.00 6.40 1593.00 1100.00 42.20 161.00

Turnover in Million 12.471 25.152 20.245 0.131 83.237 0.003 1.879 0.358 33.883 1.984

Turnover in Million 0.012 3.433 4.394 8.316 1.177 0.006 0.717 0.027 0.602 9.487

Latest EPS 1.08 3.00 1.27 12.01 0.84 0.85 -1.24 1.56 35.69 0.00

Latest EPS 0.09 1.08 2.11 0.84 1.27 0.43 35.69 0.00 1.55 3.36

Latest PE 12.2 47.8 23.5 7.3 46.3 7.5 -ve 54.0 44.6 -

Latest PE 273.3 11.9 29.7 46.7 24.3 14.9 44.6 28.2 49.8

News, analysis and recent disclosers FUWANGCER: 10% stock, AGM: 28.12.2014, Record Date: 10.11.2014. EPS of Tk. 0.49, NAV per share of Tk. 13.18.

MODERNDYE: 8% cash, AGM: 11.12.2014, Record Date: 13.11.2014. EPS of Tk. 1.56, NAV Tk. 15.23 million.

FEKDIL: 5% cash and 15% stock, AGM: 29.11.2014, Record Date: 06.11.2014. EPS of Tk. 2.66, NAV per share of Tk. 21.73.

ANLIMAYARN: 10% cash, AGM: 23.12.2014, Record Date: 10.11.2014. EPS of Tk. 1.04, NAV per share of Tk. 12.04.

MICEMENT: 30% cash, AGM: 24.12.2014, Record Date: 13.11.2014. EPS of Tk. 4.54, NAV per share of Tk. 38.22.

ZAHINTEX: 10% stock, AGM: 29.12.2014, Record Date: 05.11.2014. EPS of Tk. 0.82, NAV per share of Tk. 31.70.

HAKKANIPUL: 5% cash dividend on other than Sponsors share (Public share) and 3% on Sponsors share, AGM: 07.12.2014, Record Date: 10.11.2014. EPS of Tk. 0.40, NAV per share (with revaluation reserve) of Tk. 30.07, NAV per share (without revaluation reserve) of Tk. 11.43.

TITASGAS: 38% cash, AGM: 23.12.2014, Record Date: 06.11.2014. EPS of Tk. 10.38, NAV per share of Tk. 53.13.

STANCERAM: 10% cash dividend for the Public Shareholders only, AGM: 28.12.2014, Record Date: 05.11.2014. EPS of Tk. 0.62,

NAV per share of Tk. 15.82.

Unaudited Financials: MTB: (Q3): NPAT= Tk. 565.34 million with consolidated EPS of Tk. 1.84 as against Tk. (107.73) million and Tk. (0.35) respectively.

RELIANCINS: (Q3): NPAT= Tk. 169.47 million with EPS of Tk. 2.84 as against Tk. 178.74 million and Tk. 2.99 respectively.

FAREASTFIN: (Q3): NPAT= Tk. 129.49 million with EPS of Tk. 0.81 as against Tk. (96.30) million and Tk. (0.60) respectively.

FASFIN: (Q3): NPAT= Tk. 105.88 million with consolidated EPS of Tk. 0.95 as against Tk. 2.95 million and Tk. 0.03 respectively.

PRIMEFIN: (Q3): NPAT= Tk. 228.43 million with consolidated EPS of Tk. 0.84 as against Tk. 151.95 million and Tk. 0.56 respectively.

UNITEDINS: (Q3): NPAT= Tk. 87.34 million with EPS of Tk. 2.18 as against Tk. 67.64 million and Tk. 1.69 respectively.

ULC: (Q3): NPAT= Tk. 245.10 million with EPS of Tk. 1.75 as against Tk. 193.25 million and Tk. 1.38 respectively.

APEXFOOT: (Q3): NPAT= Tk. 172.80 million with EPS of Tk. 15.36 as against Tk. 238.45 million and Tk. 21.20 respectively.

UCBL: (Q3): NPAT= Tk. 2,370.17 million with consolidated EPS of Tk. 2.83 as

against Tk. 1,526.93 million and Tk. 1.83 respectively.

ISLAMIBANK: (Q3): NPAT= Tk. 1,271.91 million with consolidated EPS of Tk. 0.79 as against Tk. 1,570.05 million and Tk. 0.98 respectively.

RUPALIBANK: (Q3): NPAT= Tk. 320.22 million with consolidated EPS of Tk. 1.53 as against Tk. 802.19 million and Tk. 3.84 respectively.

AZIZPIPES: (Q3): NPAT= Tk. -1.37 million with EPS of Tk. -0.28 as against Tk. 2.13 million and Tk. 0.44 respectively.

BDSERVICE: (Q3): NPAT= Tk. 23.99 million with EPS of Tk. 0.28 as against Tk. 33.61 million and Tk. 0.40 respectively.

SIBL: (Q3): NPAT= Tk. 722.13 million with consolidated EPS of Tk. 1.03 as against Tk. 338.22 million and Tk. 0.48 respectively.

BDLAMPS: (Q3): NPAT= Tk. 7.99 million with EPS of Tk. 0.85 as against Tk. -5.48 million and Tk. -0.58 respectively.

IFIC: (Q3): NPAT= Tk. 1,113.57 million with consolidated EPS of Tk. 2.54 as against Tk. 946.38 million and Tk. 2.16 respectively.

APEXSPINN: (H/Y): NPAT= Tk. 3.58 million with EPS of Tk. 0.43 as against Tk. 2.24 million and Tk. 0.27 respectively.

MARICO: (H/Y): NPAT= Tk. 867.89 million with EPS of Tk. 27.55 as against Tk. 752.49 million and Tk. 23.89 respectively.

Latest PE 7.6 354.8 9.8 19.0 20.6 5.1 7.6 30.4 8.9 51.9

Investors’ shaky confidence assisted to lower market participation, shedding another 42 points

SECTORAL TURNOVER SUMMARY Sector

5,294.60

Number of Contract

Weekly capital market highlights DSE Broad Index : DSE - 30 Index : CSE All Share Index: CSE - 30 Index : CSE Selected Index :

Company

Turnover (Million Taka) Turnover (Volume)

Monay, October 27, 2014

DSE GAINER

DSE key features October 26, 2014

rate earnings started to hit on the screen,” commented LankaBangla Securities in its market analysis.

The market turnover was not as much as vibrant like few weeks ago as investors are still eying on corporate earnings, the stock broker said.

In its regular market commentary, IDLC Investments said despite favorable corporate earnings disclosure, the fear of downturn sustained in the market.

“Investors’ shaky confidence assisted to lower market participation, shedding another 42 points,” the merchant banker said.

According to its analysis, since most of the earnings disclosure remained due, investors were indecisive on further fresh funds injection.

Among the large cap sectors, non-banking financial institutions posted the highest gain by 2.59%. while the telecommunications gained by 0.66%.

But the cement sector declined 3%, followed by fuel and power 0.7%, engineering 10%, banks 0.78%, power 0.38%, pharmaceuticals 0.10% and food and allied 0.18%.

Grameenphone, which posted a 0.8% gain, topped the turnover’s chart with Tk29.58 crore worth of liquidity.

Shahjibazar Power Company, up by nearly 10%, was the highest gainer of the session, while Beacon Pharma was the worst loser with stock price shedding by 8%. l

Investors’ shaky confidence sent the key indices of the Dhaka Stock Exchange down yesterday despite good corporate disclosures.

The benchmark general index, DSEX declined 42 points or 0.82% to finish the first trading session of the week at 5,112 points.

Company

Stock

DHAKA TRIBUNE

DSE TURNOVER LEADERS Company

% change 9.74 6.02 1.00 10.63 2.21 21.17 0.05 5.46 11.84 1.64 2.66 2.56 1.26 4.60 0.85 0.46 6.93 6.11 1.50 3.27 0.04

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

Popular Life Insu. -A Grameenphone-A Titas Gas TDCLA Khulna Power-A MJL BD Ltd.-A Social Islami. B-A Square Pharma -A Summit Power -A ACI Formulations-A BEXIMCO Ltd. -A

LafargeS Cement-Z Jamuna Oil -A Ratanpur Steel -N Apex Footwear-A SAIF Powertec-N CSE TURNOVER LEADERS Company Ratanpur Steel -N BEXIMCO Ltd. -A MJL BD Ltd.-A Khulna Power-A Titas Gas TDCLA Grameenphone-A SAIF Powertec-N Summit Power -A ACI Formulations-A BD Submarine Cable-A

LafargeS Cement-Z BD. Thai Alum -B Khulna Printing-N The Peninsula CTG.-N UNITED AIR-A

VolumeShares 1,519,500 778,400 2,727,884 3,663,464 1,123,673 12,535,759 590,913 3,446,676 749,430 3,003,468

Value in Million 320.50 295.85 245.07 242.39 170.00 169.11 163.69 148.44 125.25 120.06

% of TotalTurnover 6.05 5.59 4.63 4.58 3.21 3.19 3.09 2.80 2.37 2.27

VolumeShares

Value in Million

% of TotalTurnover

886,500 417,283 1,294,600 189,200 1,416,400

365,600 423,817 101,945 212,983 140,900 33,200 168,800 239,164 56,750 66,400

69,500 211,960 294,500 236,000 656,056

115.07 105.85 103.16 96.81 94.53

30.17 16.97 15.49 14.10 12.69 12.60 11.23 10.32 9.49 9.32

9.03 8.32 7.94 7.56 6.60

2.17 2.00 1.95 1.83 1.79

7.95 4.47 4.08 3.71 3.34 3.32 2.96 2.72 2.50 2.45

2.38 2.19 2.09 1.99 1.74

ClosingP 220.30 377.70 88.60 65.50 148.90 13.40 276.90 43.10 166.90 39.20

127.70 252.40 79.00 503.30 63.80

ClosingP

78.60 39.50 149.10 65.60 89.50 377.00 64.00 43.00 166.80 139.70

128.00 39.30 26.20 31.50 10.00

Change % -2.65 0.77 -1.56 0.00 -2.30 0.00 -0.04 2.62 4.38 -4.16

-3.04 -0.39 -1.37 4.14 -7.40

Change %

-2.24 -3.42 -1.84 0.15 -0.89 0.72 -6.98 1.65 4.64 -1.62

-3.76 7.97 -6.09 -3.67 -0.99

ClosingY 226.30 374.80 90.00 65.50 152.40 13.40 277.00 42.00 159.90 40.90

131.70 253.40 80.10 483.30 68.90

ClosingY

80.40 40.90 151.90 65.50 90.30 374.30 68.80 42.30 159.40 142.00

133.00 36.40 27.90 32.70 10.10

DHIGH 224.80 384.90 93.00 67.20 155.40 13.60 280.00 44.00 170.50 43.00

133.50 256.30 82.00 520.80 70.90

DLOW 209.00 375.00 81.00 60.00 138.00 12.40 253.00 37.80 153.00 37.00

127.10 235.00 78.30 500.00 63.20

DHIGH

DLOW

85.00 41.10 156.80 67.50 92.90 385.00 70.00 43.70 170.00 143.60

78.00 39.30 147.00 65.00 88.40 374.00 63.50 42.30 161.00 139.00

135.00 40.00 27.80 32.80 10.20

127.60 36.80 25.90 31.30 9.20

AvgPrice 210.93 380.07 89.84 66.17 151.29 13.49 277.01 43.07 167.13 39.97

129.81 253.66 79.68 511.65 66.74

AvgPrice

82.51 40.04 151.93 66.20 90.08 379.38 66.51 43.16 167.17 140.29

129.91 39.23 26.95 32.02 10.05

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Business

South Asia needs to arrest FDI challenges Lack of infrastructure, poverty, environmental hazards, poor governance are the core hurdles price for electricity while the gas qual- at Policy Research Institute, said the n Tribune Report ity is poor, and even lots of legal com- South Asian countries lack social and Speakers at a programme yesterday said the South Asian countries have a number of challenges to face to attract foreign direct investment.

They cited lack of infrastructure, poverty, environmental hazards, poor governance, infrastructural gap and lack of regional and global integration are the core issues that are keeping FDI from the South Asia.

The observation was made at a session titled “Promoting Investment in Asia,” held as part of a two-day long ICC International Conference on “Global Economic Recovery: Asian Perspective” at a city hotel.

South Korea’s Youngone Corporation chairman Kihak Sung said the FDI flows to countries which have business friendly laws and regulations and favorable geographical locations, many of which are not available in Bangladesh.

“In Bangladesh, infrastructure is not well as port is congested, and it took 1214 hours to reach from Dhaka to Chittagong through highway,” said Sung who has been running businesses in Bangladesh from 1980.

He said people have to pay high

plications prevail in Bangladesh.

Johannes Zutt, World Bank’s country director in Bangladesh and Nepal, said issues like poverty, environmental challenges and infrastructural gaps are the key issues that South Asian countries are now facing.

“42% of the world’s poverty live in Asia and the current pace of poverty reduction in South Asia is not fast enough to meet global targets,” he said.

The most dramatic sustainability issues faced by South Asia are related to urbanisation and lack of capacity to manage environmental assets, he said.

Zutt said South Asia will need $2.5tn by 2020 to cover up infrastructural gap.

Ravi Ratnayake, director at trade and investment division of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) said the least developed countries are not doing well in drawing FDI due to physical or policy level constraints.

Political stability, good governance, infrastructure and private sector participation are four key important factors for encouraging FDI, he said.

Ahsan H Mansur, executive director

German keen to fund RMG reforms n Tribune Report German has expressed its interest to provide funds to upgrade standards of the country’s RMG sector to ensure workplace safety.

Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed yesterday came up with disclosure while talking to the reporters after a meeting with visiting German Parliamentary State Secretary and also the Governor of the Asian Development Bank Hans Joachim Fuchtel at his secretariat office in the capital.

“German, which is one of the largest exporter of apparel products, has proposed to provide us with fund for conducting a survey for ensuring fire, building and electrical safety,” said the minister.

In the fiscal year 2013-14, Bangladesh exported products worth US$4.7bn, while it imported products of $594m from Germany.

Expressing his satisfaction over export performance, Tofail said: “Bangladesh has taken initiatives to enlarge its export volume as well as value. l

physical infrastructures.

“Public sector investment is needed at infrastructure development to encourage private investments,” he said.

Quoting an Asian Development Bank estimation, he said $8tn will be needed by 2020 only to develop the infrastructure.

“Every Asian country will face political and currency and land risks as there is no risk management.”

He added: “We need to focus on strengthening economic systems, making our capital more reliable, and develop financial bonds to make Asia develop its own potential investment market.”

The session was chaired by Binod K Chaudhary, president of Chaudhary Group, Nepal. Chaudhary is the first billionaire from Nepal.

Myanmar’s deputy minister for commerce Dr Pwint San, under secretary of Nepal’s commerce and supplies ministry Shankar Prasad Poudel, Centre for Policy Dialogue research director Fahmida Khatun and Standard Chartered Bangladesh’s managing director and head of corporate and institutional clients Abrar A Anwar also spoke. l

Such arrangements in the package put the trade and commerce of excluded nations at disadvantage, thus reducing the benefits of liberalised trade.

Taffere Tesfachew, director of the division on Africa, Least Developed Countries and Special Programmes, said a transparent and predictable system along with timing is needed to help LDCs in Bali agreement.

Policy Research Institute (PRI) of Bangladesh Chairman Dr Zaidi Sattar said there are two oncoming mega trade and investment partnership agreements - Trans Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) and Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP).

“Along with the two, Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) is a possible opportunity for Bangladesh and this is what Bangla-

desh should look to,” he said, adding that RSEP is going to be a partnership between ASEAN and 10 countries including India and China.

Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) Executive Director Mustafizur Rahman said trade facilitation in WTO mainly focuses trade and customs facilitation, but it does not talk about infrastructural facilitation which is actually necessary.

“The trade facilitation does not focus infrastructure which is needed for trade facilitation. So, there is hardly any coherence and the need is to ensure coherence in global system. We just do not talk about WTO only, but also other global multilateral systems,” he said.

“Where are compensatory mechanisms we need in WTO system for LDCs ?” Mustafizur Rahman posed a

Chemtrek Industries Bangladesh Limited has signed a contract with an Australian company, Good Living Australia Pty Ltd for marketing its products in Australia and New Zealand. Chairperson of Chemtrek, and Aldo Biscontin, managing director of Good Living Australia Pty Ltd were present at the signing ceremony

Union Bank Ltd has recently opened its Cox’s Bazar branch for providing shariah based modern banking services. The bank’s managing director, Md Abdul Hamid Miah inaugurated the branch

Five-year-olds learn coding as Britain eyes digital future n AFP, London “Miss! We made it breathe out fire!” exclaimed 10-year-old Joe, pointing at the laptop on his desk, where he has programmed his animated dragon to belch flames into the face of the Greek hero Heracles.

Gasps of excitement ripple across the classroom, as the children at Launcelot school in south London try to work out the string of commands that Joe used to create their own virtual battles.

This is no special class -- it is a scene being recreated across England, which in September became the first major world economy to make coding a compulsory subject for children in publicly-funded schools from the age of five.

The government overhauled the computing curriculum after industry figures warned that children were not learning the skills they needed to compete in the 21st century.

And now these pupils are not just playing computer games, but learning how to make them.

Jemimah, a softly spoken 10-year-old in an immaculate blue and black uniform, smiles with satisfaction as she, too, manages to make her dragon breathe fire.

“At the first lesson I wasn’t really sure how to do it. I had to have lots of help but I’ve been really getting it now,” she says.

For many people, the word coding conjures up nightmarish images of lines and lines of text on a computer screen, written by hunched figures typing furiously.

But the students are using basic animation software that gives them a choice of command phrases - move forward or back, lift a shield - that can be arranged in sequence to make the brightly coloured characters come to life.

In another classroom, younger pupils are learning coding through an iPad programme called “Daisy the Dinosaur”.

“It’s fun because you get to tell them what to do,” said six-year-old Ashley, as he swipes his finger to create a list of words such as “Spin” and “Jump” and then presses play to watch Daisy dance across the screen.

Six-year-old Feza is almost breathless as she demonstrates how to make Daisy “bigger, and bigger and bigger!”

“It has made the computer curriculum more exciting, engaging for the children.

And it’s not actually that difficult,” said teacher Amy Riley. “When you come down to it, it’s a set of instructions.”

Using, not just consuming Britain has a fast-growing digital sector, from e-commerce to robotics and gaming, which accounts for about five percent of the country’s growth, according to the “Tech City” industry organisation.

But like in many developed nations, the workforce is not keeping pace.

In a survey last year by research firm GfK, 45% of tech business leaders in London said a shortage of skilled workers is the biggest challenge they face.

The government has now replaced the old computing curriculum, with its focus on word processing and spreadsheets, with one that gives children an understanding of how computers work.

“In the 21st century, the ability to code and program a computer is no longer a niceto-have, it’s an essential,” Finance Minister George Osborne said earlier this year.

Alex Hope, the managing director of leading British visual effects company Double Negative, has been outspoken on the need for Britain to improve the skills of its workforce.

“I think it’s tremendous that coding is recognised as a vital skill, not just for the creative industries but for British industry in general,” he told AFP. His company won an Oscar for the effects in Hollywood movie “Inception” and currently employs more than 1,000 people worldwide working on other films, but has had to recruit many from overseas.

He highlights Israel as an example of how to teach coding in schools, but says all countries have to raise their game.

“If you want to be a developer of what computers can do, if you want to use them as a tool rather than a passive consumer of other people’s technology, you need to be able to code yourselves,” he said.

Although the government has allocated some funding for training, the teachers at Launcelot school taught themselves how to use the coding applications used in class. l

Political conflicts push Asian economies at risk  B1 COLUMN 6

“Resilience is an achievement by the nations including Bangladesh and we have to expand and come out of the cycle of around 6% economic growth.”

American Chamber in Bangladesh (AMCHAM) President Aftab-ul-Islam said Asia involved in political problems.

“India-Pakistan conflict is one of them and such type of clashes lead to the mistrust among the nations,” he said.

Taslim also put emphasis on the investment in the field of infrastructure, education, trainings and anti-environment pollution including impact of climate changes.

Policy Research Institute of Ban-

WTO Bali package offers little hope for LDCs  B1 COLUMN 6

B3

Monday, October 27, 2014

question.

“WTO should become a part of solutions, not a part of problems.”

Former Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association President Anwar-Ul-Alam Chowdhury pointed that the ready-made garments is not getting access with duty free quota system.

“Some 8,600 products were given duty free, but not those of RMG in which we hold strong position in export. That has been done intentionally. The LDC countries have potentialities that should be taken into consideration. There should not be any eyewash,” he said.

Sunil Bahadur Thapa, commerce and supplies minister of Nepal, who chaired the session.

He said timing is important for such agreements. l

gladesh (PRI) vice-chairman Sadiq Ahmed, however, said: “Developing Asia has been doing better than the rest of the world on the growth front despite slowdown in global economy.”

With its rising share of world income and trade, still there are good prospects that Asia will lead the way for global recovery, he said.

Terming the basic fundamentals of China and India are strong, Ahmed said: “With concerted domestics reforms, it is expected that growth will recover to 6-7% in India and stabilise at around 7-8% in China.”

He said along with restoration of stability and growth in advanced economics in the range of 2-3%, these per-

formances can be an important pushing factor for global recovery.

Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) distinguished fellow Debapriya Bhattacharya said: “Asia has three types of trends in terms of economic indicators ---dazzling, dancing and the dazed economies.”

He also noted that the Asian economies had been growing in terms of its share in the global economy.

Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) President Md Atiqul Islam said, “Bangladesh has adequate room for expanding its exports to both in the Asia and the rest of the world.”

Citing the McKinsey report on Ban-

gladesh’s garments, BGMEA chief opined that Bangladesh now needs five Ps’ (people, power, place, port and politics) for boosting its exports to US$40bn.

Councillor member at the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Bangladesh Adeeb Hossain Khan said Asia should now focus on its own market the region and their respective domestic markets following squeezes in the growth outside the Asia.

The function was addressed, among others, by former governor of Bangladesh Bank Salehuddin Ahmed, executive director of the BRAC Institute of Governance and Development Sultan Hafeez Rahman. l

Experts for boosting trade to sustain growth  B1 COLUMN 3

Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed urged the global leaders and representatives of UNCTAD to raise their voices against the developed countries to implement Bali package to ensure trade facilities under the package.

“Though many countries are providing us duty free access to their market but few developed countries are not providing the duty free access as per the package,” said Tofail.

Mentioning the mew Silkway, which connects Europe, SecretaryGeneral of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Mukhisa Kituyi said, “Substantial growth in cross border trade infrastructure is needed for economic growth as it reduces production cost.”

Mukhisa termed regional integrity as the means of regional leadership as

Akij Foods and Beverage Ltd has recently held the finale of Speed sponsored Go-cart competition, Speed Track Master Racing along with its prize distributing ceremony at Extreme Racing Fantasy Kingdom

First Security Islami Bank Limited has held a meeting of the bank’s managing director with its managers, executives and officers of Chittagong zone, in Chittagong. The meeting was presided over by the bank’s managing director, AAM Zakaria

it is needed for economic and social development. Strengthening domestic and regional market will be essential for maintaining the high growth rates in upcoming day and for that high growth countries have to orient growth objectives with social and environmental priorities, Mukhisa added.

UNCTAD Secretary-General said the Asia region should develop a strong foundation based on creating sustainable job opportunity and reducing domestic and regional inequality.

He also stressed on flow of foreign direct investment (FDI) for economic growth saying that China is now exporter of FDI, which reached peak of growth through it.

Political transition of some countries has created uncertainty about mid and long term vulnerability over the economic growth and vulnerability

of neighboring counties, which needs to address properly, Mukhisa added.

“These adversities roughly mirror those in the North American and European economies, but the distresses by way of corporate and personal insolvencies in our region were less severe, partly because of timely and appropriate intervention by fiscal and monetary authorities, but perhaps mainly because of much lower levels of indebtedness and higher reliance on equity and savings ingrained in the general cultural attitude of our region,” said Atiur Rahman, governor of Bangladesh Bank.

“True success of the economic growth comes from fine enlightened balance between farsighted regulatory mechanism, which allow the free market to operate in just and free and equitable mange,” said Mahfuz Anam, editor of the Daily Star. l

NRB Global Bank Limited has recently launched Xpress Money services at its branch outlets in association with BRAC Bank Ltd. Head of retail banking at BRAC Bank Limited, Firoz Ahmed Khan and Zulfiker Ahmed Khan, head of international division of NRB Global Bank have signed an agreement on this regard

RFL has recently arranged “World Tour Programme” for its 17 dealers along with their family to Australia. Takbir Rahman, GM (sales) of RFL accompanied the dealers during the tour

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DHAKA TRIBUNE

Back Page

Monday, October 27, 2014

Senior Japan official calls for Abe to delay sales-tax hike n Reuters, Tokyo A top Japanese government official said Prime Minister Shinzo Abe should delay a planned sales-tax increase, the strongest sign yet that economic weakness is causing concern among those close to the premier ahead of the difficult tax decision.

“I think it should be delayed” by a year and a half to April 2017, the prominent official told a small group of people in a recent conversation on condition of anonymity. He expressed concern that raising the national sales tax too soon after a damaging April hike could derail an economic recovery.

Powerful interests like the Finance Ministry, the Bank of Japan and major corporations want Abe to raise the tax as planned next year to keep Japan’s promise to reduce the biggest debt burden in the industrial world. But the economic and political environment is making it harder for Abe to make unpopular policy choices.

Recovery in the world’s thirdbiggest economy is struggling, Abe’s popularity has taken a hit with two Cabinet ministers resigning in political scandals, the US Treasury Department is pushing Tokyo not to go too fast on budget-balancing and Abe’s party faces tough regional elections next April.

An 18-month delay in the tax hike would be in line with recommendations from Etsuro Honda, a University of Shizuoka professor and a prominent outside architect of Abe’s policies to revive growth and banish deflation.

“There’s a great danger from the next sales tax hike given the current situation where the positive effects of ‘Abenomics’ and the negative impact of April’s sales tax hike are offsetting each other,” Honda told reporters on Wednesday after meeting a group of more than 40 ruling party lawmakers

Sri Lanka cuts taxes, boosts subsidies before snap poll

n AFP

Sri Lanka’s president cut taxes and increased salaries, subsidies and welfare spending on Friday in a populist budget ahead of a troubled bid to win a third term.

Mahinda Rajapakse made no direct reference during the budget announcement to his plans to seek a third term at an election that the government says will be held in January, two years ahead of schedule.

But he hinted at confidence in the polls, saying, “I can’t see any elephant who can cause trouble for the government” - a reference to the main opposition United National Party, whose symbol is the elephant.

Rajapakse, who is also the finance minister, painted a rosy picture of the country’s economy and said it was on track to reach per-capita income of $4,000 by 2015 - a year ahead of schedule.

“There is a significant reduction of poverty levels in the country during the past 10 years,” he said, adding that the country’s overall debt had fallen.

Rajapakse advanced the 2015 budget by a month to give his government more time to implement tax cuts and subsidies ahead of the election.

In a widely anticipated move, he announced he would increase the salaries of 1.2 million public sector employees by 3,000 to 15,000 rupees ($23 to $117) from January 2015 and offered motorcycles and cheap loans to public servants.

He also ordered supermarkets to reduce their prices by 10% across the board.

“The recent reductions in electricity and energy prices and tax cuts should allow supermarkets to effect this reduction,” he said, without specifying how the reduction would be enforced.

He capped income tax for public and private sector employees at 16%, down from 24%, and offered a host of subsidies for agriculture and exports including tea, Sri Lanka’s main export commodity.

Small shopkeepers and farmers were exempted from tax altogether, in a populist move aimed at the rural electorate. Political analysts say Rajapakse, who oversaw the crushing of the Tamil Tiger rebel movement in 2009, faces a challenge to cling onto power as public gratitude fades.

His United People’s Freedom Alliance only narrowly won last month’s election in the southeastern Uva province, the party’s worst performance since the president came to power in 2005.

Sri Lanka has posted impressive annual growth rates of around eight percent in the years since the end of the Tamil separatist war in 2009, but the government’s popularity has declined in the past year. l

A security guard salutes at the entrance of the Bank of Japan building in Tokyo who are growing wary about the next tax hike.

Abe raised the sales tax to 8% from 5% in April, the first of a planned twostage increase that is the boldest attempt in nearly two decades to curb public debt that is well over twice the size of the economy.

That hike walloped personal spending, knocking the economy for an

unexpectedly deep 7.1% annualized contraction in the second quarter, the worst fall since the global financial crisis in early 2009.

Abe has said he is “neutral” over his December decision whether to proceed with the plan to raise the tax to 10% in October 2015 - doubling the tax rate over just 18 months. He has stressed the need for both fiscal reform and con-

REUTER

tinued recovery.

The prime minister this month told the Financial Times that while it is necessary to raise the tax for the benefit of future generations, it would be “meaningless” if this inflicted too much damage on the country’s economy. This was largely a repetition of Abe’s position.

The two-step tax increase was de-

Fed to enter new ‘normal’ with expected QE stimulus end n AFP, Washington The US Federal Reserve is likely to make a final push into the post-crisis era this week with a decision to finally wind up its six-year-old economic stimulus operations.

A few worrisome clouds over the global economy might be expected to give Fed Chair Janet Yellen’s Federal Open Market Committee pause when they meet on Tuesday and Wednesday.

But after repeatedly signaling the end this month of the bond-buying program known as quantitative easing, the Fed is unlikely to change course, analysts say.

The Fed is currently adding $15bn in cheap funds to the economy per month under QE, down from $85bn last December.

Injecting tens of billions of dollars each month into the economy to repress longer term interest rates has had less and less real impact, while generating what some worry are fresh bubbles in stock markets.

And despite deflation worries in Europe and a surge of concern over the global economy generally, QE3 - the third edition of the operations - has already been tapered to the point that continuing would be symbolic.

The chance that the FOMC might

hold off remains. Last week James Bullard, head of the Fed’s St Louis branch and a former FOMC member, said QE should continue until the data is more clear.

US inflation expectations are dropping, Bullard told Bloomberg TV. “And that is something that a central bank cannot abide ... we could go on pause on the taper at this juncture and wait until we see how the data shakes out into December.”

But analysts point out that the Fed does not act on one or two months’ data, but looks at the trend, which has been steady if modest improvement in the US economy.

“The decline in the inflation expectations will undoubtedly take the center stage of FOMC discussions,” said economists at BBVA in a client note.

“At the same time, the focus of the committee’s discussion is expected to progress beyond the timing to end QE3.”

More important, they said, is what the FOMC says about the next phase of policy: the initial increase in the benchmark fed funds interest rate, which has been held at zero since the end of 2008.

Right now that is not expected until mid-2015. But any change in FOMC guidance language could give a start to rate-sensitive markets.

Back to normal

For the Fed the move signals the beginning of policy “normalization” after six years of a crisis stance.

In all since 2008, the Fed has pumped into the economy around $3.5tn of easy money through QE operations, buying Treasury and mortgage securities to push down long-term interest rates to encourage investment and spending.

That was achieved, but with limited impact in part because while the Fed injected cash into the system, the government has slashed spending for the past three years.

One clear result though has been to reinflate the value of stocks, property and other assets that collapsed during the crisis. Now US stocks have soared to record levels, sparking recent calls for caution, including from the International Monetary Fund, that QE operations have overheated markets.

But at the same time, the IMF and others have warned the Fed to be extremely careful gearing down for the turbulence that could come with rising interest rates around the world.

Despite Bullard’s view, said Chris Low of FTN Financial, “we expect the committee will stick to its guns and shut the controversial program down after Wednesday’s FOMC meeting.” l

IMF head: Gulf states risk deficit as oil price falls n AFP Oil-dependent Gulf states will face budget shortfalls if the recent decline in oil prices persists, International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde warned Saturday.

A sustained decline of $25 a barrel in the oil price would reduce the revenues of most Gulf countries by eight percent of gross domestic product, “and put many of them into a fiscal deficit situation,” Lagarde told reporters.

But the six nations of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have built up fiscal buffers to cope with the immediate impact of the reduction in revenues, she said after a meeting with regional finance ministers and central bank chiefs.

The combined GDP of the GCC last year reached $1.64tn, so in this scenario the annual revenue of the six nations could plunge by roughly $130bn.

The total revenue of the GCC states – 90% of which come from oil - more than doubled from $317bn in 2008 to $756bn in 2012.

It declined slightly to $729bn last year, according to IMF estimates.

The GCC groups Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, which together

International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Christine Lagarde listens during a ceremony to inaugurate the Middle East Center for Economics and Finance (CEF) in Kuwait City AFP pump 17 million barrels of crude oil per day and depend on oil for about 90 percent of public revenues.

Oil prices have slumped by about 25% since June because of a production glut, weaker demand and a gloomy world economic outlook.

The US benchmark West Texas Intermediate declined to about $81 a bar-

rel on Friday on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

Lagarde called on GCC states to implement reforms and stressed the urgent need for fiscal consolidation an appeal echoed by Kuwait’s finance minister.

Anas al-Saleh urged steps to tackle rising public spending, mainly on wages and subsidies, as well as efforts to boost the role of the private sector.

“Comprehensive economic reforms, including reforming distortions in the public finances, should be enforced,” he said. Saleh said the Gulf states must diversify their economies and “reduce dependence on oil”.

Forecasts indicate a healthy economic growth for the six GCC nations averaging 4.5% in 2014-2015, Saleh said.

“But these forecasts should be treated with caution in light of fast-paced regional and international developments, particularly the drop in oil prices which has started to impact the public finances of GCC states,” the Kuwaiti minister added.

Benefiting from high oil prices for more than a decade, the GCC states have built fiscal reserves estimated at $2.45tn by the International Institute of Finance. l

cided by major parties and written into law before Abe came to power in 2012, but it requires the prime minister to certify that the economy is strong enough to withstand a further hike.

“What country has ever raised tax by 2 percentage points just a year and a half after a tax hike?” the senior official said. “The logic that (the government must proceed) because the law was al-

ready decided doesn’t hold up.”

Respondents in a Reuters poll last week largely expect Abe to proceed with the tax hike as scheduled, though not all think it’s a good idea. “Given the prospects of a slower global growth, it would be difficult for the prime minister to risk another tax-hike slump on the economy,” said economist Stefan Grosse at NORD/LB. Abe’s government last week cut its economic assessment for a second straight month and lowered its assessment of industrial output for the first time in five months as weak consumption following April’s tax hike causes companies to cut production.

The BOJ’s closely watched tankan survey this month showed that sentiment in the services sector worsened in the third quarter as the economy struggled to shake off the tax hike.

And as the recovery falters, Abe finds himself in an unaccustomed political pinch.

His government’s approval rating has slumped to 53%, still solid for a Japanese leader, but down 9 points in less than a month, according to an opinion poll on Sunday in the Yomiuri newspaper, Japan’s largest.

The survey found 71% against raising the sales tax on schedule, versus 26% in favor.

Proponents of the tax hike - including BOJ Governor Haruhiko Kuroda, whose central bank buys some 70% of new Japanese government bond issuance - fear that a delay could shake investor confidence in Japan’s fiscal reform, causing a dangerous spike in Japanese government bond (JGB) yields.

But Tokyo University economist Shin-ichi Fukuda said, “As long as the BOJ is buying large amounts of JGBs, a short-term rise in yields isn’t a big concern.” The 10-year JGB yields less than 0.5%. l

The EU budget, who pays what and why? n AFP, Brussels British premier David Cameron’s furious refusal of Brussels’ demand that he pay 2.1bn euros in back-dated budget contributions has left some wondering what all the fuss is about.

Herewith background information on how the European Union budget is put together based on contributions from the 28 member states.

How are payments calculated?

How much any single member state must pay into the annual EU budget, now running at around 135bn euros ($175bn), depends on the size of their economy.

The principle is simple - the bigger the economy, the more a member state pays, with Germany therefore leading the way, followed by France and Italy.

Britain is a large net contributor but also benefits from a special budget rebate won by the late Margaret Thatcher in 1984 currently worth some 3.8bn euros.

Many of the smaller, poorer and newer member states do not pay in at all but are net recipients of EU funds designed to bring them up to par with their richer peers as soon as possible.

Why did they change the rules?

Agreeing the EU budget is traditionally one of the most fraught and difficult negotiations in the bloc.

To make that process fairer and more transparent, the EU agreed in 2010 to review member states’ economies, going back to 1995, to ensure all were put on the same standard of measurement.

The resulting headlines were dominated by how the authorities were now including previously off-limit and often illegal activities such as prostitution, smuggling or drugs in the figures, which they did.

But they also included activities such as research and development, new forms of investment and new emerging service industries.

The review showed that some economies were considerably larger than previously believed, especially

DILBERT

those with a large services sector such as Britain, which accordingly would have to pay more.

Should britain have already known?

On that basis, the EU’s demand for an extra 2.1bn euros from Britain should not have come as any surprise, even if the amount is quite large.

At the same time, the Netherlands, a much smaller country, will also have to cough up nearly 650m euros.

Cameron was livid at what he saw as Britain being punished for its economic success, especially when the French economy has done so badly in the past year that Paris will get a rebate worth nearly one billion euros.

Even Germany gets a credit, of nearly 800m euros.

Professor Iain Begg, an expert on EU economic governance at the European Institute of the London School of Economics, said the prime minister should not have been surprised since Britain had signed up to the changes.

“Not only has Britain signed up to it and agreed to it but Britain has been one of the strongest advocates of maintaining this particular way of funding the EU budget,” Begg told AFP.

What are britain’s options now?

Britain’s options appear limited but the best might be for Cameron to make common cause with other aggrieved member states such as the Netherlands and negotiate some sort of reduction or repayment schedule.

Of course, Cameron could also decide not to pay at all but that would likely lead to a very long-drawn out legal battle with an uncertain outcome.

“At the moment it’s not possible to get out of the European Commission an exact prescription of how these numbers have been arrived at. At the moment they are publicly saying that they are estimates,” he said.

European Commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso said Friday that Britain’s questions would be answered, and there would be a meeting of finance ministers on the topic, but ruled out a change in the new regulations. l