04 Nov, 2014

Kartik 20, 1421 Muharram 10, 1436 Regd No DA 6238 Vol 2, No 211

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2014 | www.dhakatribune.com | SECOND EDITION

20 pages | Price: Tk12

B1 | BUSINESS

7 | LONG FORM

11 | OP-ED

13 | SPORT

FIVE FACTORS DELAYING FOREIGN-FUNDED PROJECTS

REVISITING THE ‘PEACE PROCESS’: JORDAN-ISRAELI RELATIONS

AIMING TO BE AVERAGE

TAMIM TONES DOWN AGGRESSION TO GUIDE HOSTS

SC confirms death for Kamaruzzaman The key organiser of al-Badr force to die for mass killing, rape at Sohagpur village

Blackout probe committee to visit Bheramara sub-station today

n Julfikar Ali Manik

n Aminur Rahman Rasel

The Supreme Court’s final verdict in war criminal Muhammad Kamaruzzaman’s appeal case has come as an overwhelming decision for the victims and justice seekers of the 1971 Liberation War as the apex court yesterday upheld a war tribunal’s death sentence to the key organiser of infamous killing squad al-Badr.

This comes only a month and a half after another verdict of the apex court that shocked the nation by reducing notorious war criminal Delawar Hossain Sayedee’s death sentence to imprisonment until natural death. In February 2012, the International Crimes Tribunal sentenced Jamaat leader Sayedee to death for the crimes he had committed against humanity in 1971.

“We are very happy to get justice, for which, we had to wait 43 long years,” Mohammad Jalaluddin, a victim of Kamaruzzaman’s war crimes at Sohagpur village in Sherpur, told the Dhaka Tribune over phone.

Sohagpur village has come to be widely known as the “Bidhoba Palli” or the village of widows, following a mass killing of 1971 when all men in the village were killed making all the married women widowed overnight.

Kamaruzzaman has been found guilty of that massacre for which the apex court also handed down capital punishment upholding the tribunal’s verdict.

On May 9 last year, the tribunal 2

For the war criminal, being a journalist was a privilege n Julfikar Ali Manik Sixty two-year old war criminal Muhammad Kamaruzzaman enjoyed a journalist’s status for more than three decades including a membership of the National Press Club.

With yesterday’s verdict, Kamaruzzaman became the second Jamaat-e-Islami leader whose death penalty got final confirmation from the Supreme Court, following his party colleague Quader Molla, who was executed in December last year.

For decades, Molla also enjoyed a journalist’s status and all the facilities of the National Press Club, becoming a member of which has always been hard even for professional journalists.

Molla got allotment of a plot in the  PAGE 2 COLUMN 4

KAMARUZZAMAN VERDICT CHARGES

Shohagpur mass murder and rape Abduction, torture and killing of Badiuzzaman Torturing Syed Abdul Hannan Abduction, torture and killing of Golam Mostafa Talukder Killing of eight Repression Killing of Dara and five

TRIBUNAL VERDICT APPEAL VERDICT

Death

Death

Life

Acquitted

10 years Death

10 years Life

Acquitted Acquitted Life

Acquitted Acquitted Life

in its verdict awarded death sentence to Kamaruzzaman for committing heinous crimes against humanity during the 1971 Liberation War. He appealed against the judgement after a month.

Seventeen months after filing of the appeal, a four-member Appellate Division bench of the Supreme Court yesterday pronounced their judgement in a packed courtroom.

“I have always had faith in Allah that the culprit [Kamaruzzaman] must get punished some day for his offences,” said Jalal, who lost seven male members of his extended family including his father and an uncle in Sohagpur.

Jalal said the Pakistani Army had no

idea about the village. “It was the local razakars and the al-Badr men who brought them to our village. Kamaruzzaman was their commander.”

He thanked Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for ensuring justice even after 43 long years of independence. Since 1971 the victims of Sohagpur village have been carrying colossal and unspeakable trauma.

Naturally, Kamaruzzaman’s lawyers and family members expressed disappointment over the verdict and said they would file a petition seeking review of the judgement. However, the attorney general said there was  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

Sohagpur widows now Confusion remains over want to see execution scope of review n

Our Correspondent, Sherpur

“I could not have died before I saw my husband and son’s killers hanged. Today, the death sentence for Kamaruzzaman removed a heavy burden from my heart,” said Jatiran Bewa, wife of martyr Khejur Ali, who was killed in the infamous Sohagpur genocide.

P3 HE APPEARED ‘CALM’ In 1971, eight members of Jaritan’s family, including her husband and son, were gunned down.

“They dragged my husband out of our house to the yard and shot him six times. When he wanted water, they shot him again and he breathed his last. They brought my treasure trove,

my son Hashem, threw him on his father’s dead body and killed him as well.

Then they stabbed my brother-in-law with a bayonet and eventually killed him shooting inside his mouth,” Jaritan thus described her dreadful experience 43 years back.

Jabeda Bewa, widow of another martyr Fazar Ali, said: “Kamaruzzaman, the leader of those who killed our men, has been sentenced to death.

That is the least solace that we could have expected for our heavy hearts.”

Bewa is a title given to widows in some areas of Bangladesh.

Nure Maan Bewa, wife of martyr Jasimuddin, said: “The Pakistani soldiers did not know the area. Razakars and al-Badr members showed them  PAGE 2 COLUMN 4

n

Ahmed Zayeef

Debate surfaces again whether there is any scope for filing a review petition against the Supreme Court verdict that yesterday upheld the war crimes tribunal’s death sentence handed down to Jamaat-e-Islami leader Kamaruzzaman.

After the verdict was delivered, the defence said it would file a review petition after getting the full copy of the judgement. On the other hand, Law Minister Anisul Huq said there was no scope of review since the petition for filing a review had been cancelled in the case of executed war criminal Quader Molla.

“As per law, the verdict must be expected within 21-28 days after pro-

nouncement,” the law minister said at his residence yesterday.

Arguments and counter-arguments dominated earlier too when the apex court gave death sentence to war criminal Abdul Quader Molla on September 17 last year.

On that day, a five-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Md Muzammel Hossain revised the tribunal’s life-term imprisonment, sentencing Molla to death.

After the full text of the verdict was released, the tribunal issued death warrant for the Jamaat leader on December 8. However, as the Dhaka Central Jail authorities were preparing to hang him on December 10, Molla’s counsels rushed to the chamber judge  PAGE 2 COLUMN 2

The investigation committee charged with determining the factors that caused Saturday’s countrywide power failure will visit Bheramara HVDC grid sub-station today, sources said. Some officials believe the site is crucial to explaining the unexpected grid failure.

“We will visit the High Voltage Direct Current grid sub-station at Bheramara in Kushtia and collect data on the incidents of last Saturday,” Dhaka Power Distribution Company (DPDC) Managing Director Nazrul Hasan, also an investigation committee member, told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday.

The investigation committee was formed to probe the massive blackout that switched the country off on Saturday.

The Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources formed the eight-member probe committee headed by additional secretary Ahmed Kaikaus.

The duty of operating and maintaining the HVDC grid sub-station falls to the state-run Power Grid Company of Bangladesh (PGCB).

“We yesterday collected from the PGCB the total list of power plants which were operative before the collapse, reasons for low system frequency and the status of auxiliary power at each power plant,” Mohammad Hossain, director general of the Power Cell and member secretary of the investigation committee, told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday. The committee will also collect information from the Indian side of the cross-border power transmission line, he said.  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

H O L I D AY All offices of the Dhaka Tribune will remain closed for today on the occasion of Ashura. Therefore, there will be no issue tomorrow. However, our online www.dhakatribune.com will keep you updated.

2 Holy Ashura today n UNB The holy Ashura, commemorating the martyrdom of Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA), will be observed in the country today with due religious fervour and solemnity.

On this day in 61 Hijri, Hazrat Imam, the grandson of Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH), along with his family members and 72 followers embraced martyrdom in the hands of soldiers of Yazid at Karbala desert for the supremacy of justice and righteousness.

The day is a public holiday.

President Abdul Hamid, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia have issued separate messages on the occasion.

In his message, the president said: “On this day, I wish unity, solidarity and continued progress of the Muslim Ummah alongside establishing a society based on equality and justice.”

The prime minister urged all to reflect the teachings of the holy Ashura in establishing truth and justice in the national life resisting all injustice and unjust.

23 public holidays in 2015 n Tribune Report The cabinet yesterday approved 23 public holidays for the year 2015.

The approval was given in a regular meeting of the cabinet at Bangladesh Secretariat with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.

Out of those public holidays, 15 days will be general public holidays on the occasion of various national days and religious functions of different communities. The remaining eight public holidays will be observed through the executive order.

However, 15 public holidays include nine weekly holidays and eight public holidays of executive order will include three weekly holidays, said Cabinet Secretary M Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan while briefing the press at the Secretariat.

According to the Hijree calendar year, the country will have two Eid-e-Miladunnabis next year, he said.

The first Eid-e-Miladunnabi holiday falls on January 4, 2015, while the second one on December 24, that year. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Delhi responds to Dhaka’s queries on Bardhaman blast n Sheikh Shahariar Zaman New Delhi has responded to the queries made by Dhaka over the blast in Bardhaman that shocked the Indian administration over alleged links of Indian politicians with anti-Bangladesh activities.

“We asked them for information, and they responded,” Foreign Secretary M Shahidul Haque told the Dhaka Tribune. “They shared some information with us. The whole matter is unclear to them as well.”

Bangladesh sent a note verbale to India on October 8 seeking information over the Bardhaman blast as allegations of the incident having links with anti-Bangladesh components surfaced.

Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali had an hour-long meeting with Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pankaj Saran and discussed the issue yesterday afternoon.

After the meeting, Pankaj declined to talk when approached by reporters.

The foreign secretary quoted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as saying both governments were exchanging information and working on the issue.

On October 8, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam said Dhaka had sought information from New Delhi about the bomb explosion on October 2, in the West Bengal district.

The explosion took place at a house in Khagragarh area in Bardhaman, killing two persons, Shakeel Ahmad and Sovon Mondol, on the spot.

Dhaka asked for information because it was primarily assumed that one or more of those involved might be Bangladeshi citizens and were identified as members of JMB. In an interview with an Indian newspaper, Hasina warned against patronising terrorism and anti-Bangladesh activities in the neighbouring country.

A recent development in the investigation of Saradha scam unearthed that an Indian politician funded Bangladesh Jamaat to create instability in here. l

Confusion remains over review  PAGE 1 COLUMN 5

and got a stay order on the execution until 10:30am the next day, saying that they would seek a review of the death sentence.

On December 11, the Appellate Division bench received two review petitions – one of which challenged the death sentence. The petitions were rejected the following day clearing the way for executing Molla.

The full copy of the judgement on Molla’s review petition is yet to be published, Supreme Court sources say. As a result, the decision of the apex court in the this regard is still unknown.

Some law professionals say Kamaruzzaman has the right to file the review petition as per article 105 of the constitution.

The provision states: “The Appellate Division shall have power, subject to the provisions of any Act of Parliament

and of any rules made by that division, to review any judgement pronounced or order made by it.”

Attorney General Mahbubey Alam yesterday said: “I do not think there is scope to file a review petition. The International Crimes (Tribunals) Act of 1973 is a special act and there is no provision for filing a review plea.”

Defence counsel Tajul Islam said: “Once we file the review petition, there will be a hearing and the judges may decide its fate either way. The petition may be scrapped if it is not maintainable.”

He said filing a review was a constitutional right. “The prosecution has been saying that a review is not possible after the apex court verdict. But there was a review in Quader Molla’s case.”

Kamaruzzaman’s elder son Hasan Iqbal said: “We did not get justice. We will file a review petition as soon as the copy of the verdict is available.” l

Prime Minister and Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina and her party leaders place wreaths at the graves of the four national leaders in observance of the Jail Killing Day yesterday FOCUS BANGLA

Sohagpur widows now want to see execution  PAGE 1 COLUMN 3

the way. They are the ones who did the massacre, made us widows and killed our relatives. They told the Pakistan soldiers that there were freedom fighters in our village. Kamaruzzaman was their leader. The death sentence will give us blood for blood. We are happy.”

That infamous mass killing turned the Sohagpur village in Nalitabari of Sherpur “manless.” After that, just like uncountable other villages across the country, Sohagpur also came to be known as a “village of widows.”

These widows have all testified against Kamaruzzaman in the war crimes case.

Jalaluddin, son of 1971 martyr Safir Uddin, said they were happy with the verdict and scared too. “Kamaruzzaman’s followers have been threatening us.

They said they would teach us a good lesson when there is a change in power.”

On July 25, 1971, Pakistani soldiers ran a massacre in Sohagpur village on the Indian border – some 36km from Sherpur district town. On that day, they, along with their Razakar and alBadr collaborators, killed at least 187 men in just six hours.

They broke into people’s houses and brutally killed innocent peasants and labourers. Jamaat leader Kamaruzzaman, then a leader of Jamaat-e-Islami’s student front Islami Chhatra Sangha, was at the forefront.

A total of 34 widows of Liberation War martyrs live in the village today.

For most of them, the only sources of income are the meagre allowances from the government and a few private banks which by no stretch of imagination are reasonable.

Many people from greater Sherpur area testified as prosecution witness against Kamaruzzaman before the In-

ternational Crimes Tribunal, which handed down death sentence to the war criminal in May last year. The Supreme Court yesterday upheld that verdict after hearing Kamaruzzaman’s appeal petition.

One of them was Manwar Hossain Khan alias Mohan Munshie. “I wanted to be a freedom fighter. But Kamaruzzaman forced me to become the security guard of a torture cell that he had set up in the house of Suren Babu.”

Another witness Mojibur Rahman Panu said: “In 1971, Kamaruzzaman and his men picked me up from my house and took me to the Ahmadnagar camp. There they lined up many people and opened fire on them. I survived miraculously.”

Jamaat Assistant Secretary General Kamaruzzaman was sent to the gallows on seven counts of crimes against humanity including murder, genocide, torture and forced deportation. l

Blackout probe committee to visit sub-station

Being a journalist was a privilege

 PAGE 1 COLUMN 6

 PAGE 1 COLUMN 1

ny in 2000 from the capital’s Moghbazar.

Kamaruzzaman, originally from Sherpur, was a student when he committed crimes against humanity during the Liberation War in the greater Mymensingh area. Father of five sons and a daughter, Kamaruzzaman was arrested as a suspected collaborator soon after the birth of Bangladesh.

Iqbal claimed that his father had been released from jail later and got a bachelor of arts (pass course) degree from the Dhaka Ideal Collage in 1973.

Three years later, he obtained post graduation in journalism from Dhaka University. He was a boarder of the Salimullah Hall dorm.

As a student of DU, he started his career as the university correspondent of daily Sangram, Jamaat’s mouthpiece, Iqbal said. The Jamaat assistant secretary general joined monthly Dhaka Digest as editor after passing out. In 1981, he joined Sonar Bangla, a weekly publication of Jamaat-e-Islami.

Kamaruzzaman came back to Sangram as the executive editor and stayed

there until 1993. Iqbal said his father had again joined Sonar Bangla as the editor and worked there until he had been arrested in 2011 as an accused war criminal.

Following the Shahbagh uprising, the National Press Club authorities said last year that they had cancelled both Quader Molla and Kamaruzzaman’s memberships.

“We did not get any formal letter from the National Press Club authorities regarding the cancellation of membership of my father. We just read about the matter in newspapers,” Iqbal said.

Apart from these two, another convicted war criminal Chowdhury Mueenuddin was also known as a journalist.

But the difference was that Mueenuddin committed war crimes in 1971 as a reporter of the then Bangla daily Purbodesh, while Molla and Kamaruzzaman came to be known as journalists after committing crimes against humanity during the Liberation War. Mueenuddin left Bangladesh a few days before the war ended and now lives in London as a British citizen. l

conversion of Hindus and deportation.

Several hundred people including lawyers, journalists, justice seekers and observers gathered on the Supreme Court premises yesterday morning amid Jamaat’s hartal.

The shutdown was called in protest against the tribunal’s death sentence to notorious al-Badr chief Motiur Rahman Nizami, now chief of Jamaat.

After Kamaruzzaman’s verdict, Jamaat called hartal again for tomorrow and Thursday.

The tribunal 2 judges – Chairman Obaidul Hassan, Justice Md Mozibur Rahman Miah and Justice Shahinur Islam in their full judgement said: “We deem it just and appropriate to pen our finding that the accused [Kamaruzzaman] was a perpetrator in white gloves who deserves the highest penalty.”

On the Sohagpur massacre, the tribunal said: “The fierceness of the event of the attack was launched in such grotesque and revolting manner in which the helpless victims, the unarmed hundreds of civilians, could not save their lives and honour.

“The act of massacre and devastation of human honour was diabolic and detrimental to basic humanness.”

Kamaruzzaman by his acts and conducts had participated to the perpetration of such horrendous attack

that resulted in murder of hundreds of unarmed civilians constituting the offence of crimes against humanity, the tribunal verdict states.

It also observed that undeniably the act of indiscriminate sexual invasion committed on women, in conjunction of the event of mass killing at Sohagpur village, shocks the conscience of humankind and aggravates the pattern of the criminal acts and liability of Kamaruzzaman as well.

Three rape victims, who also lost their husbands in the Sohagpur massacre, standing on dock of the tribunal narrated the trauma and demanded justice for causing extreme dishonour and sexual invasion to them.

He and his accomplices brought Mostafa and one Abul Kasem to Serih Bridge and gunned them down.

Quasem survived jumping into the river but suffered injuries in his fingers.

Mostafa died on the spot.

The tribunal in its order said Kamaruzzaman be convicted and condemned to a single sentence of death for these two crimes. “He be hanged by the neck till he is dead” as per the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act of 1973.

On Ramadan 27, Kamaruzzaman accompanied by 15-20 armed al-Badr members abducted one Tepa Mia and his elder son Zahurul Islam Dara from Golapjan Road in Mymensingh. They were taken to the al-Badr camp at District Council Bungalow.

The next morning, the father and the son along with five others were lined up and shot on the bank of the Brahmaputra River. Tepa Mia managed to escape by jumping into the river, but the six others were killed on the spot.

Media outlets speculated that the reason for the outage was a malfunction on the Indian side of the India-Bangladesh power transmission line that links up with the Behramara HVDC grid sub-station.

“We yesterday visited the National Load Despatch Centre (NLDC) in Aftab Nagar in the capital to determine if NLDC operations, including staff readiness, was functioning properly, the Power Cell director general said.

“We will also look at the reason why power synchronization did not occur between the power plants when the national grid collapsed,” Hossain added.

An official of PGCB, asking to remain anonymous, said he had learned of two possible reasons for the collapse, a fault at the sub-station and the inability of NLDC officials, responsible for electricity transmission across the country, to adequately respond to the problem.

The official said: “If the NLDC officials did their jobs correctly, such a major shut down would probably not have

taken place.”

The high-voltage, direct current (HVDC) electric power transmission system uses direct current for the bulk transmission of the electrical power imported from India, in contrast with the more common alternating current (AC) systems used elsewhere in the national distribution network. For long-distance transmission, HVDC systems are preferred because they may be less expensive and suffer lower electrical losses than the alternative.

Bangladesh and India signed a Memorandum of Understanding in January 2010 on power sector cooperation.

Bangladesh began importing electricity from India in October 2013 through a 400-kilovolt transmission line that runs from Baharampur in the Indian state of West Bengal to the southwestern Bangladesh town of Bheramara.

After a nine month delay, the grid interconnection project was completed.

The project, which aims at purchasing 500MW electricity from India, was scheduled to be completed by Decem-

ber 2012 at a cost of Tk10.79 billion.

The cost of the project increased to Tk15.79bn from the original outlay of Tk10.79bn.

German company Siemens AG built the sub-station and Spanish company Cobra Instalaciones Y Servicios SA built the transmission line.

The project includes 100km of 400kV double circuit (D/C) transmission line between Bheramara in Bangladesh and Baharampur in India, a 400kV switching station at Baharampur and a 500MW back-to-back high voltage direct current (HVDC) sub-station (400/230kV) at Bheramara.

“The incident could have resulted from using substandard machinery or because of the mismanagement of the HVDC sub-station officials operating the equipment,” BD Rahmatullah, former director general of the Power Cell, told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday.

“We do not have the expertise among our sub-station staff to face such situations and training is badly needed,” he said. l

SC confirms death for Kamaruzzaman  PAGE 1 COLUMN 3

no scope of reviewing verdicts in war crimes appeal cases.

This debate is likely to be solved after the release of the full judgement, said some Supreme Court lawyers who gathered at the court to witness the delivery of the historic judgement yesterday.

Majority judges of the apex court bench found 62-year-old Kamaruzzaman, the senior assistant secretary general of Jamaat-e-Islami, guilty of mass killing, murder, abduction, torture, rape, persecution and abetment of torture in greater Mymensingh district in 1971.

Kamaruzzaman has been in the condemned cell of Kashimpur prison since the tribunal awarded him death sentence and he will remain there until implementation of execution, a prison official said.

Out of the seven charges brought against him, the tribunal found him guilty on five and acquitted on two charges. The Supreme Court found Kamaruzzaman guilty on four charges.

Of these four charges, the tribunal gave Kamaruzzaman death sentence on two charges – for the mass killing at Sohagpur and the abduction and killing of Golam Mostafa.

All the four judges of the Appellate Division bench also convicted Kamaruzzaman for the mass killing at

Sohagpur village where more than 200 people had been killed and many women raped. But majority (three) judges awarded Kamaruzzaman death sentence for the mass killing.

Though the presiding judge of the bench, during pronouncement, did not say who gave descending punishment, later many lawyers in the court were seen talking among themselves on this issue.

They said Justice MA Wahhab Miah gave life-term imprisonment on this charge while Justice SK Sinha, Justice Hasan Foez Siddique and Justice AHM Shamsuddin Choudhury gave capital punishment.

Meanwhile, the bench awarded the Jamaat leader life-term imprisonment (until death) for the abduction and killing of Golam Mostafa by majority – commuting the tribunal’s death sentence.

The apex court by majority upheld the tribunal’s sentences to Kamaruzzaman on two other charges – torturing Sherpur College’s Principal Hannan and killing Dara and five others.

The tribunal had given Kamaruzzaman 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment for torturing Hannan and life-term imprisonment for killing Dara.

The war tribunal also gave Kamaruzzaman life-term imprisonment on another charge – abduction, torture and killing of Badiuzzaman. But the

Supreme Court judges acquitted him from the charge.

Kamaruzzaman’s one is the third appeals case verdict by the Appellate Division bench. In its maiden verdict, the court enhanced the punishment of another notorious war criminal Abdul Quader Molla. The Jamaat leader was awarded life-term imprisonment by the tribunal 2. Molla was executed in December last year.

On the other hand, top Jamaat leader Delawar Hossain Sayedee is serving his rigorous jail term until death in Kashimpur jail. He was given death penalty by the tribunal.

In 1971, Kamaruzzaman was a top leader of greater Mymensingh unit Islami Chhatra Sangha, then student wing of Jamaat. He was also the office secretary of East Pakistan unit Chhatra Sangha.

He played the role of a key organiser in the formation of al-Badr force with the selected students belonging to Chhatra Sangha. Infamous al-Badr was involved in killing Bangalees systematically and widely known for planned killing of the best brains of Bangalees to intellectually cripple the nation.

Al-Badr and other auxiliary forces also collaborated with the Pakistani occupation forces during the war for committing genocide mass killing, raping women, looting, destroying properties, forceful

journalist colony at Mirpur in Dhaka during BNP founder Maj Gen Ziaur Rahman’s regime, but later sold it out, said Hasan Iqbal, the eldest son of convicted war criminal Kamaruzzaman.

Iqbal said his father had not got allocation from the government; rather he had purchased senior journalist Matiur Rahman Chowdhury’s plot, who got it from the government. Matiur is now the chief editor of daily tabloid Manabzamin.

Ruhul Amin Gazi, president of a housing cooperatives society of journalists, told the Dhaka Tribune: “As far as I remember, Quader Molla was offered a plot but he never took it. But it is true that Kamaruzzaman purchased the plot from Matiur Rahman Chowdhury.”

Gazi also said the process of plot allotment began during Zia’s regime, the plots were registered to the allotee journalists by the Ershad government and handed over to them during Khaleda Zia’s 1991-1996 rule.

Iqbal said their family had moved to their own residence in the journalist colo-

Death on two charges

On July 25, 1971, Kamaruzzaman advised members of al-Badr and razakar forces to commit a large-scale massacre in association with the Pakistani troops at Sohagpur village of Nalitabari in Sherpur. The collaborators murdered 164 unarmed civilians, 44 of whom have been named, and raped many women.

Life imprisonment on two charges

On August 23, 1971, on Kamaruzzaman’s instructions, collaborators took Golam Mostafa of Gridda Narayanpur village in Sherpur to an al-Badr camp.

10 years on one charge

In mid-May, 1971, Kamaruzzaman and his accomplices inflicted inhumane torture on pro-liberation intellectual Syed Abdul Hannan, then principal of Sherpur College, by compelling him to walk naked through the town under constant whipping. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

3

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Jamaat’s second-round slack hartal ends Hasina: Khaleda’s curse becomes blessing for Bangladesh n Tribune Report Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has claimed that BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s curse works as a blessing for Bangladesh and also for the Awami League.

“When Khaleda Zia curses Bangladesh it works as a blessing for Bangladesh. She finds everything illegal as her party was once illegally formed by assuming power through illegal means,” Hasina said yesterday while addressing a rally at the capital’s Suhrawardy Udyan to mark the Jail Killing Day.

Panic spreads in Ray Saheb Bazar area in Old Dhaka as unruly hartal supporters blast crude bombs during the second day of Jamaat-enforced countrywide 48-hour hartal yesterday (Left); Police arrests one in connection with the blasts from the scene (Right)

Soon after the killing of the national leaders, the country came under the reign of killers

MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

n Tribune Report The last day of the second-phase countrywide 48-hour hartal, enforced by Jamaat-e-Islami protesting the death sentence of its chief Matiur Rahman Nizami for war crimes during the 1971 Liberation War, passed off yesterday without major incidents of violence.

In the capital, hartal supporters blasted some crude bombs sporadically in Mirpur, Malibagh Chowdhurypara, Jatrabari and Tejgaon areas and vandalised at least a dozen vehicles. No injuries were reported.

Police arrested at least 26 Jamaat activists and some leaders of its student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir from these areas. The arrestees also included activists from the Bibirbagicha, Dhanmondi, Dakkhinkhan areas who had some anti-war crimes tribunal and hefty Jihadi books with them.

In the Tejgaon industrial area, police found three crude bombs abandoned on a street around 8:30am which a bomb disposal team later defused.

In Hatirjheel, three Shibir activists were sentenced two months in jail by a mobile court for igniting a road by pouring petrol, said Ramna police sta-

Moncho demands quick execution

n Tribune Report

Gonojagoron Moncho activists have demanded that war criminal Kamaruzzaman’s verdict be executed soon. They also called for rapid sentencing of other war criminals and execution of verdicts.

Moncho spokesman Imran H Sarker at a gathering in Shahbagh said execution of Kamaruzzaman’s verdict would remove the frustration grew after Delawar Hossain Sayedee’s verdict.

“The distrust that people have on the government will go if a review petition is filed against the tribunal’s verdict that which sentenced Sayedee to life imprisonment,” Imran said. Moncho activists gathered at Shahbagh in the morning and were waiting for Kamaruzzaman’s verdict. They chanted slogans demanding death penalty for the Jamaat-e-Islami. After the verdict was delivered, the activists carrying national flags brought out procession. l

Correction On Page 3 of yesterday’s edition of the Dhaka Tribune, a story titled “Prosecution: Another step towards repaying debt” mentioned Zead-Al-Malum as the chief prosecutor of the International Crimes Tribunal. Actually, he is a prosecutor in the war crimes case against Mir Quasem Ali, not the tribunal’s chief prosecutor. l

tion SI Md Manju.

Our Chittagong correspondent reports: There was no sign of hartal impact nor any untoward incident in the port city. Public life was as usual as a normal day.

Public transports and other vehicles were found plying the streets. Trains left the station without any disruption while the long-route buses had police protection.

Government, non-government offices and others business establishments remained open although the educational institutions were closed during the hartal considering the safety of the pupils.

In Sylhet, at least 37 Jamaat-Shibir activists were detained from the city and its adjacent areas by the SMP. In Comilla, a clash ensued on the Dhaka-Chittagong highway in Chouddagram uapzila town around 10am when police tried to foil a blockade move of hartal supporters. The unruly activists exploded several crude bombs. Police fired about 25 rounds of rubber bullet to finally disperse them.

In Barisal, pro-hartal activists brought out sudden processions in Kawnia, C and B Road, Sagordi and

Kashipur areas of the city and tried to block the road by felling trees. On being informed, police rushed to the spot and dispersed them, said Kotwali police station OC Shakhawat Hossain.

UNB reports: Jamaat-Shibir activists brought out processions in Charmatha, Upashahar and Sargram areas of the Bogra town in support of the hartal, whereas earlier, police arrested 14 activists from the town.

In Natore, pickets set fire to tyres on the Natore-Bogra highway and fled the spot.

The second phase of hartal ended

He was ‘calm’ in condemned cell as he was ‘prepared’ n Ashif Islam Shaon Yesterday’s Supreme Court verdict that upheld the tribunal’s death penalty did not seem to affect war criminal Mohammad Kamaruzzaman, who is now in the condemned cell of the Kashimpur jail in Gazipur.

Md Jahangir Kabir, senior jail super of the Kashimpur jail, told the Dhaka Tribune that the death row convict heard the news on a one-band radio that his family had given him and the authorities had allowed.

“He did not appear to be nervous.

He ate and slept as usual. But it is hard to tell what was going on in his mind,” the jail super said.

The war criminal has been in the condemned cell since May last year when a war crimes tribunal handed him death sentence for the crimes he had committed against humanity in 1971.

Arrested in July 2010, Kamaruzzaman had been transferred to the Kashimpur jail in June 2011.

“We will notify him about the Supreme Court verdict after receiving the formal documents,” the jail official said.

Apart from Kamaruzzaman, there are a total of 104 death row convicts in the Gazipur prison.

Jail official and Kamaruzzaman’s eldest son Hasan Iqbal confirmed that the death row convict had remained ‘calm’ even after hearing the verdict Kamaruzzaman’s eldest son Hasan Iqbal also confirmed that his father had remained “calm” even after hearing the news.

“Jail sources have told us that he was normal. It could be easily guessed that the court would deliver a verdict of this kind. So, he was mentally prepared,” Iqbal told the Dhaka Tribune over phone.

The family members will visit the war criminal in jail on November 14, he said. l

at 6pm yesterday when the party had curtailed its ongoing shutdown for 12 hours to observe Ashura.

However, the party announced another 24-hour hartal for tomorrow protesting the Supreme Court verdict upholding the death penalty of International Crimes Tribunal 2 against its leader M Kamaruzzaman.

Earlier, Jamaat called another 24hour hartal for Thursday protesting the death sentence to its leader and financier Mir Quasem Ali for committing crimes against humanity during the bloodiest Liberation War of 1971. l

Mourning the killings of four national leaders inside Dhaka Central Jail in 1975, the prime minister said Bangladesh would ensure justice for every killing and complete the trial of all war criminals.

“It was our commitment to the people to try the culprits of 1971 for their crimes against humanity during the Liberation War. We have begun their trial and execution of the verdicts has started. We will implement all judgements Insha Allah on this country’s soil to free the nation from stigma,” she said.

The premier called upon Khaleda to cut ties with war criminals, terrorists and militants, saying there will be no place for them in the country.

“It is good to wage movement along with the people. But you will have to sever ties with terrorists, militants and war criminals and there will be no

room for them on this country’s soil,” she said.

In this connection, Hasina mentioned the silent role of the BNP chief and compared her present condition to a snake with a frog stuck in its mouth. “The snake neither can swallow nor release it, and Khaleda Zia can neither speak in favour of the trial nor can she oppose it.”

Hasina, also the Awami League president, said Bangabandhu had begun trying the alleged war criminals after the Liberation War. But after the assassination of Bangabandhu, Ziaur Rahman attempted to destroy all the achievements, distort the history and values of the bloodstained war.

The premier said: “Zia not only did that, he rewarded the killers of Bangabandhu and those who acted against the Liberation War...The military dictator rewarded the killers by providing them with lucrative posts.”

The dictators, who subsequently emerged following the killing of Bangabandhu and the four leaders, rewarded the killers by politically rehabilitating them, even making them ministers, Hasina said.

“Soon after the killing of the national leaders, the country came under the reign of the killers,” she said, adding that Zia had politically empowered the killers by bringing them back to the country.

Hasina not only Zia but also Ershad sheltered the killers of Bangabandhu.

Hasina alleged that the political parties formed by dictators always disrupted the development initiatives undertaken by any Awami League government.

During the tenure of Khaleda, the BNP ruined the country with corruption as it ran a parallel government based in the so-called Hawa Bhaban, Hasina said. She also questioned how the Zia family could have amassed such an amount of money if not by corrupt means. l

Witnesses from Sohagpur happy Islam Shaon and n Ashif Ahmed Zayeef

Over the last four decades since independence, the widows and orphans of Sohagpur village in Nalitabari of Sherpur waited and prayed for one thing – trial of the killers of their husbands and fathers, and justice. But with the lapse of time, their hopes for justice faded gradually.

Even when the war crimes tribunal was set up in 2010, they did not believe that Jamaat-e-Islami leader Kamaruzzaman would be brought to book someday. He was the infamous al-Badr chief and leader of Islami Chhatra Sangha of then greater Mymensingh, who along with his accomplices, led the Pakistani Army to the village on July 25, 1971.

They became hopeful only after people from the village started testifying at the International Crimes Tribunal in the case filed against the top Jamaat leader. They were relieved after the tribunal delivered its judgement in May last year sentencing Kamaruzzaman to death.

Supreme Court’s final verdict yesterday in the appeal case somewhat eased them of their psychological agonies as the notorious war criminal enjoyed impunity for long.

“We knew that the Supreme Court will not break our hearts. After we, from the village, deposited against Kamaruzzaman in the tribunal, we were

sure that no one will deny the truth, no one will strangulate our hopes,” said Mohammad Jalal Uddin, son of martyr Safir Uddin of Sohagpur. He was the 10th prosecution witness in the case.

Jalal told the tribunal how his father and paternal uncle had been killed on that day along with at least 245 others and the large number of rape incidents.

Following the massacre, Sohagpur (village of love) was renamed as Bidhoba Palli (village of widows).

“Our village is still one of the poorest villages of the country. In 1971, they [Pakistani occupation forces and collaborators] killed most of the bread-winners forcing their dependants to beg and starve. We are yet to come out of the curse,” he said.

Jalal was happy to hear that the ring leader of the collaborators would be hanged. “Baka Bura, Nasa and Kadir Daktar were razakars while Kamaruzzaman was their chief. They committed the atrocities after bringing the Pakistan Army members into the village,” the 62-year-old witness said.

“The Pakistani Army along with razakars and al-Badr men came to Sohagpur village around 7am. My brother and I hid on hearing the news.

“After sometime, when the shooting stopped, I saw four bodies on the east side of Suruj Ali’s house. When I rushed to my house, I saw 11 bodies in the yard – my father Safir Uddin, my paternal

uncle Kitab Ali, my cousin Monnas Ali, and Mohammad Ali, Momin Mia, Kutum Uddin, Rejot Ali and Iman Ali and some other unnamed people,” Jalal added.

Another witness Mosharraf Hossain Talukder, whose elder brother Golam Mostafa had been caught by the al-Badr men and executed, said: “My brother’s soul will finally rest in peace. I pray so that I can live until he [Kamaruzzaman] is hanged.

“I was feeling unsafe after I gave deposition at the tribunal. But later the tribunal verdict gave me relief. Now we all are waiting for his execution,” Mosharraf said.

His brother was taken to the al-Badr camp on the night of August 23, 1971.

Mostafa, then an HSC examinee, had gone out to buy batteries for his radio as he used to listen to the Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra, a pro-liberation radio station broadcast from the Indian territory.

Mostafa also received training in India.

His uncle Tofail Islam met Kamaruzzaman, then a leader of Islami Chhatra Sangha – Jamaat’s student wing, and pleaded for the release of Mostafa.

Mosharraf said later that night, Kamaruzzaman and some al-Badr men took Mostafa to the nearby Sheri Bridge area where he was first tortured and then shot dead. The collaborators also cut one of his knees off with a bayonet and tore off flesh from the other. l

Bergman shown the door in court n Ahmed Zayeef

A judge of the four-member Appellate Division bench that upheld war criminal Kamaruzzaman’s death penalty yesterday, ordered Bangladesh-based British journalist David Bergman to leave the courtroom for using his mobile phone there.

Just after the verdict was delivered, Bergman was working on his phone inside the courtroom which was against the rules.

Having noticed that, Justice AHM Shamsuddin Choudhury Manik asked him to leave the court. “You are not supposed to use mobile phone in the court. Using mobile phone in the courtroom is prohibited,” he said.

Bergman was still sitting although rules suggest that when a court says something to someone, that person must stand up. Then some lawyers present in the court advised Bergman to stand up.

The judge then told Bergman: “Stand up and show respect to the court.” He then stood up and said something that could not be heard at

the back of the packed courtroom.

The court then said: “You committed the same offence in the past. You have been warned but you do not seem to care.”

Informing Bergman that a notice put up outside the courtroom explains everything about mobile phone’s usage in court, Justice Shamsuddin asked him to leave.

Bergman, who is criticised by justice-seekers and campaigners for his controversial comments on the war crimes trial process, then left the courtroom and immediately posted a status on Facebook terming the incident his “own personal drama.”

He said in the status: “...out of habit, I took my phone out of my pocket, and suddenly within a few seconds of it being in my hand, Justice [AHM Shamsuddin Choudhury] Manik, one of the appellate court judges shouted at me for doing so, telling me that no phones were allowed in the court. I had been warned earlier, he said.

“I said ‘Your honour, I had not been warned earlier.’ I was then told there

was a notice outside the court. It was then intimated that I should leave the court.”

Towards the end of the status, Bergman wrote: “...I think just about everybody had one [mobile phone] in their pockets, since the guards were not checking at the door, and I am not sure many, or any, are aware of the notice, or abide by it. Anyway, I was just the fool who took it out of his pocket!!”

When contacted, SM Kuddus Zaman, acting registrar of the Supreme Court, told the Dhaka Tribune: “According to the court’s order, using mobile phones in the courtroom is prohibited. The notice has been put up at the entrance of every courtroom.”

Bergman is facing contempt charges at the International Crimes Tribunal.

In April, one of the tribunals decided to hear the charges against Bergman for contesting the number of people who died in the Liberation War. In his blog, Bergman wrote that there was almost no evidence that supported the official number, three million, of Liberation War martyrs. l

Members of Gonojagoron Moncho bring out victory procession in the capital’s Shahbagh area yesterday after the Appellate Division gave death penalty to Jamaat-e-Islami leader and former al-Badr man Kamaruzzaman for committing crimes against humanity during 1971 Liberation War RAJIB DHAR

4

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Bangladesh against joining anti-IS military intervention n Sheikh Shahariar Zaman Bangladesh has been engaged with other countries in combating global terrorism, including the threat of the Islamic State (IS); but it does not want to be involved in any military intervention, the foreign secretary has said.

“We are engaged with many countries including the US and the UAE, as Bangladesh has zero tolerance towards terrorism,” Foreign Secretary M Shahidul Haque told the Dhaka Tribune.

‘Bangladesh is not considering military intervention, but will take part in any UN-led humanitarian assistance programme’ Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina discussed terrorism and the IS issue with UAE Vice-President and Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum in Dubai last month.

Also last month, the foreign secretary discussed the issue with US Under Secretary for Political Affairs Wendy Sherman during a partnership dialogue.

“Bangladesh is not considering military intervention, but will take part in any UN-led humanitarian assistance programme,” Shahidul said.

The Islamic State, a threat to peace and security in the Middle East, IS has

wrested control of a vast tract of Iraq and Syria. A UN Security Council resolution on foreign fighters and financing was adopted on September 25 and is binding on all member states.

“I discussed the issue with the US side during the dialogue and they assured me that Washington would not impose anything on Dhaka,” he said.

Washington was ready to share information if Dhaka asked for it, the foreign secretary added.

Bangladeshi foreign policy condemns all forms of terrorism irrespective of who carries it out, and is for upholding the territorial integrity, independence and sovereignty of Iraq and Syria, Shahidul said.

A US-led coalition of about 50 countries including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain and UAE are fighting against the IS. A joint statement issued after Hasina’s visit to the UAE read: “In regard to peace and security, the two sides discussed the situations in the Middle East and underscored the need for the maintenance of peace and stability for the sustainable development of the region.”

The foreign secretary said the UAE, a major regional participant in the US-led coalition against the IS, wants Bangladesh on its side as it fights against the malice in Iraq and Syria.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh has turned down a US request to join the military coalition it was leading against the IS, saying that it would only join a UN-led humanitarian intervention. l

In observance of the 39th Jail Killing Day, Awami League central leaders and families of the slain placed wreaths at the busts of the four national leaders at Dhaka Central Jail yesterday DHAKA TRIBUNE

Ashraf: Jail killings carried out at the behest of Zia n Rafe Sadnan Adel

On 39th Jail Killing Day yesterday, the general secretary of the ruling Awami League named BNP founder Ziaur Rahman as the orchestrator of the killings-in-custody of four national leaders in 1975.

AL General Secretary and LGRD and Cooperatives Minister Syed Ashraful Islam said yesterday that the four national leaders were killed inside Dhaka Central Jail on November 3, 1975 at the directive of BNP founder Ziaur Rahman.

“August 15 and November 3, 1975, the two most heinous killings in the history of the country, were carried out at the behest of the same killer,” he said.

Syed Ashraf made the statement after paying tribute to the four national leaders by placing wreaths at their graves at Banani Graveyard.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina also

paid tribute to the country’s founding president Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman yesterday morning by placing wreaths at his portrait in front of Bangabandhu Memorial Museum in Dhanmondi in the capital.

After placing a wreath at the portrait of Bangabandhu, she offered fatiha and munajat for the eternal salvation of the departed souls.

The prime minister said the target of the conspirators was to destroy the spirit of the Liberation War and leave the nation without leaders. The PM said the conspirators planned to have the Awami League removed from Bangladesh forever. Calling the custodial assassinations an “unprecedented killing,” she said it was a continuation of what had begun with the assassination of her father, Bangabandhu.

A written speech from President Md Abdul Hamid said: “Their killers want-

ed to erase the ideals of the Liberation War from the minds of the new generation and set up an undemocratic dictatorship in Bangladesh … Jail Killing Day will forever remain a dark chapter in our national history.”

Senior leaders of the party including Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed, Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury, Shipping Minister Shahjahan Khan and Food Minister Kamrul Islam were present, among others.

In the afternoon, the prime minister at a remembrance rally organised by her party at Suhrawardy Udyan said: “The ruler at that time sent those conspirators to different parts of the world to represent Bangladesh as ambassadors. That is a shame for the nation.”

She warned those who are a threat to the spirit of the independence of the country that her government would punish them no matter who they are.

Highest applications submitted for 35th BCS exam

Complaint against Hanif dismissed

n Tribune Report

n Md Sanaul Islam Tipu

Bangladesh Public Service Commission (PSC) has received a record number of applications from aspirants willing to obtain civil service (cadre) positions in the 35th BCS examination.

Terming the number as the highest in the history, AEM Nesaruddin, examination controller (Cadre) at the commission, said the total number of applicants in the scheduled BCS exam was 244,107.

The number of applicants in the first

phase of the examination was 221,575.

Deadline for application submission was at 6pm on Thursday, but the PSC received the application fees up to 72 hours after the deadline.

The PSC also disclosed the number of applications for each centre. Dhaka received the highest number of applications, with 155,244 applicants wanting to appear in the exam in Dhaka.

The numbers for the others centres are: 21,873 for Rajshahi, 20,469 for Chittagong, 14,078 for Khulna, 5,729

for Barisal, 9,858 for Sylhet and 16,856 for Rangpur.

The preliminary test of 35th BCS exam would likely be held at the end of December, depending on the availability and management of exam centres to accommodate such a large number of applicants, PSC sources said, adding that the PSC aims to conduct the examination in all the centres at the same time.

Previously, 46,250 candidates appeared in the written test of 34th BCS exams, which was held on March 24-31. l

A Dhaka court has dismissed a complaint filed against Awami League Joint General Secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif, who said BNP Senior Vice-Chairman Tarique Rahman had links with al-Qaeda and was an ISI agent.

Metropolitan Magistrate Md Rased Talukdar dismissed the complaint around 1pm yesterday, around two hours after it had been filed by BNP Organising Secretary of Bogra district unit Mir Shah

Alam. The complaint was filed with Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Court.

According to the complaint, Hanif described Tarique as an agent of the ISI while talking to reporters after distributing relief goods among families affected by riverbank erosion at Daulatpur upazila in Kushtia on September 6.

Hanif said the decision to turn Bangladesh into an al-Qaeda stronghold might have come through Tarique’s links with the militant organisation, or he might have had a link with the decision. l

Three Chhatri Sangstha activists held at DU n DU Correspondent

Portraying utter impatience, a few men try to get on the rooftop of a running bus at capital’s Shahbagh intersection after attending the public rally organised by the Awami League at the Suhrawardy Udyan yesterday RAJIB DHAR

Three activists of Islami Chhatri Sangstha were detained in Shamsunnahar Hall at the University of Dhaka early yesterday.

The detainees are Umme Kulsum Joli, a third-year student of World Religion and Culture department, Fahmida Akter, a fourth-year student of English department, and Saimun Akter, a firstyear student of Journalism Department.

Acting proctor of the university Amzad Ali told the Dhaka Tribune the students had books on Jihadi, Maududi and other similar subjects with them.

“They have active involvement in such issues. Another student Israt Jahan, who is also involved in these, fled

sensing the presence of the authorities,” he said.

The proctor said actions would be taken against the three after investigation.

“We did not hand them over to the police as they are females,” he added.

Shamsunnahar Hall Provost Sajeda Banu said the three were detained at the prayer room around 5am based on information from the Chhatra League unit of the hall and other students.

“They were found carrying books and documents of Islami Chhatri Sangstha. They will lose their dorm seats temporarily before we hand them over to their guardians,” she added.

Sources said the girls ran activities of Islami Chhatri Sangstha in the dorm. l

CU admission test dates Another probe body formed to reshuffled for hartal investigate BSEC fire n FM Mizanur Rahaman The Chittagong University authorities have reshuffled the dates for two admission tests again because of Jamaat’s hartal.

Written test of C unit under BBA faculty will be held on November 8 (Saturday) instead of November 5 while the written test of B unit under Arts and Humanities faculty will be held on November 7 (Friday) instead of November 6.

The decision was taken in an emergency meeting chaired by CU Vice-Chancellor Professor Anwarul Azim Arif at his office on campus

around 11pm yesterday.

CU Deputy Registrar SM Akbar Hossain, who is also the member secretary of CU Admission Committee, said the venue of exams and shuttle train schedule would remain the same.

Earlier, the B unit written examination was reshuffled for the same reason.

More detail of the tests will be found at the university’s website www.cu.ac.bd Jamaat-e-Islami has called countrywide hartal for Wednesday and Thursday in protest against the death penalty for its leader Kamaruzzaman for committing crimes against humanity during the Liberation War of Bangladesh in 1971. l

n Tribune Report Another probe body came into being to investigate the fire incident at the Bangladesh Steel and Engineering Corporation (BSEC) building in capital’s Karwan Bazar area on October 31, that burnt the offices of vernacular daily Amar Desh and two other private firms.

Bangladesh Ministry of Industries formed the five-member probe committee yesterday with its Additional Secretary Md Forhad Uddin as the convener and officials from BSEC, Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) and Fire Service and Civil Defence as members.

The committee is directed to submit

an investigation report by November 15 along with recommendations for averting repetitions of such incidents.

Fire-fighters suspected that an electric short circuit during the shifting of Amar Desh office equipment might have started the flame Two other five-member committees – one by the BSEC and another by Fire Service and Civil Defence – formed on

the day of the incident are already investigating into the mishap.

After a devastating fire that broke into the centrally air-conditioned 11-storey building in 2007, experts made a number of recommendations, including installation of at least two fire exits and an auto ventilation system which were not seen by fire-fighters while engaged in dousing the flames.

As for the cause of the fire, fire-fighters suspected that an electric short circuit during the shifting of Amar Desh office equipment might have started the flame, but, Amar Desh executive editor Syed Abdal Ahmed claimed that “this was not a fire under normal circumstances.” l

The national flag and party flag were lowered to half mast at the Awami League’s headquarters and offices across the country to observe the day.

Different political parties including the ruling Awami League and its allies in the grand-alliance government, associate bodies and other pro-liberation parties and socio-cultural and professional organisations paid homage to the slain four national leaders, who were also close associates of Bangabandhu, in observance of the day.

In Rajshahi, the AL organised special prayers and milad mehfils at Qamruzzaman’s grave.

On this day in 1975, four leaders of the wartime national government—acting president Syed Nazrul Islam, prime minister Tajuddin Ahmed and cabinet ministers M Mansur Ali and AHM Qamruzzaman—were brutally killed inside Dhaka Central Jail. l

Supradip Chakma made new envoy to Mexico n Rafe Sadnan Adel The government has appointed Supradip Chakma, the current Bangladesh ambassador to Vietnam, as the country’s new ambassador to Mexico.

Kakoli Saha, assistant secretary (media) at the external publicity wing of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, confirmed the government’s decision through an e-mail yesterday.

A career diplomat, Supradip belongs to the 1985 batch of Bangladesh Civil Service (Foreign Affairs) Cadre.

He earlier served in the Bangladesh Embassies in Rabat, Brussels, and Ankara and the Bangladesh High Commission in Colombo in various positions.

Supradip studied Marketing at the University of Dhaka. l

169 Jamaat men sued under speedy trial tribunal act n Our Correspondent, Bogra Some 169 local activists of Jamaat-e-Islami have been sued in a case filed with Adamdighi police station under the speedy tribunal act yesterday.

Delwar Hossain, secretary of Adamdighi Sadar union unit AL, lodged the case against the activists on charge of attacking a procession of anti-hartal supporters on Sunday morning.

The accused include Adamdighi upazila unit jamaat ameer Ataur Rahman and an arrested Shibir leader named Edris Ali. Adamdighi police station OC Md Moslem Uddin confirmed the incident of case filing, saying several people were injured in the attack-counter attack incident between the activists. l

DU ‘Ka’ unit viva from November 28-30

n DU Correspondent The viva voce for Dhaka University “Ka” unit admission test for 2014-15 session will take place from November 28-30 at the dean office of Biological Science faculty.

The test will be held in two sessions – 9am to 12noon and 2pm to 4pm.

Candidates are asked to bring their original grade sheets of SSC and HSC, admit card of the admission test, circular for Honours first year admission test downloaded from the admission website, and copy of candidate’s subject choice list on the day of the test. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

5

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Repair of Farmgate footbridge yet to start Delay in the renovation work forces pedestrians to cross the street amid risk

n Our Correspondent, Jamalpur

n Abu Hayat Mahmud The Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) has yet to start the renovation of a vulnerable footbridge in Farmgate area which has been closed off for public use since July, causing pedestrians to brave huge risk to cross one of the busiest roads in the capital.

The DNCC authorities shut down the reinforced concrete footbridge when a team of experts from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) assessed and declared it unstable, also suggesting that the authorities carry out a feasibility study for its renovation, officials at the DNCC said.

Several commuters claimed that the delay in the renovation work was “forcing” pedestrians to cross the street in the city’s busiest intersection – the footbridge connects the western point of Kazi Nazrul Islam Avenue near Ananda Cinema Hall in Farmgate to its eastern point near Tejgaon Government Girls High School – though there are two other footbridges in the area.

Suman Saha, a resident of East Rajabazar, said: “Though there are two other footbridges nearby, a huge number of people come to the intersection for buses when offices close in the evening. This rush is too big for those footbridges to accommodate.

“Due to the rush, I go to the intersection by walking across the busy road with speeding vehicles, fearing for my life,” he said.

The authorities concerned had taken no initiative to repair and open the footbridge for public use since they shut it down more than three months ago, he claimed.

Shahara Islam, resident of Nakhalpara, said: “We heard the city corporation would repair the footbridge, we have yet to see anything happen. Every

Indigenous man rescued 10 days after abduction Police rescued an indigenous man from Melandah upazila of Jamalpur yesterday, 10 days after his abduction.

The victim is Robi Dalboter, a member of Garo ethnic community of Sankhanpara Tilpara village in Bakshiganj bordering area.

The law enforcers also arrested three people in connection with their involvement in the abduction, said Superintendent of Police (SP) in Jamalpur at a press briefing yesterday.

Two days later, Dulal made phone calls demanding Tk3 lakhs as ransom from the victim’s wife

Declared unstable, the Farmgate footbridge lies closed for more than three months now in the capital’s busiest intersection day we have brave crossing the road through heavy, speeding traffic.”

She also claimed that women, children and elderly people faced most difficulties in crossing the road.

When contacted, Syed Kudratullah,

additional chief engineer at the DNCC, told the Dhaka Tribune: “The metro rail project covers Farmgate, so before taking any final decision for the footbridge, we have to consider that project.”

He also said the DNCC authorities had contacted the Buet experts to conduct a feasibility study on the footbridge. “The final decision will taken after we receive the Buet experts’ recommendations,” he said.

NASHIRUL ISLAM

However, an expert from Buet shot down Kudratullah’s excuse of the metro rail project impeding the footbridge’s repair work.

“It is a baseless excuse,” he told the Dhaka Tribune, seeking anonymity. l

The arrested are Alimul Raji Choudhury Roni, Langar Kobiraj alias Dulal Kobiraj, and his driver Abdus Salam.

Robi Dalboter remained untraced since October 25 when Dulal Kobiraj took the Garo man in a micro bus saying that they would go searching for some medicinal herbs in the hilly areas, the SP said.

Two days later, Dulal made phone calls demanding Tk3 lakhs as ransom from the victim’s wife Sherula Khaksy, he said quoting Sherula.

Introducing him as one Anik Kabiraj, Dulal threatened Sherula that her husband would be killed in case of her failure to pay the ransom, he added.

Later, the abductor stopped phone communication as the victim’s wife could not meet the demand.

Yesterday, Sherula informed the SP about her missing husband and sought help to rescue him. l

Unesco delegation meets DU VC n Tribune Desk

‘Stop impunity for crimes against journalists’

Husband set fire on wife’s body for dowry

A delegation of United Nations Organization for Education, Science and Culture (Unesco) led by its consultant Prof Paulin Djite called on Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr AAMS Arefin Siddique at the latter’s office yesterday.

Among others, coordinator, Asia Pacific Program of Education for All (APPEAL) unit Unesco, Bangkok Min Bista and director general of International Mother Language Institute Prof Dr Jinnat Imtiaz Ali were present on the occasion, reports UNB. During the meeting, they discussed various bi-lateral issues especially about language, education, research, culture and other important aspects of collaborations among Unesco, International Mother Language Institute (IMLI) and Dhaka University (DU).

Prof Arefin Siddique stressed undertaking project by the (IMLI) to identify and safeguard the disappearing languages of the world.

He said the Language Institute should become a global language centre for all mother languages of the world. l

n Tribune Desk

n Our Correspondent, Gazipur

WEATHER DRY WEATHER LIKELY

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4 DHAKA TODAY TOMORROW SUN SETS 5:18PM SUN RISES 6:07AM FORECAST FOR TODAY 31 30 30 30 31 31 32 31

Dhaka Chittagong Rajshahi Rangpur Khulna Barisal Sylhet Cox’s Bazar

22 24 19 19 20 20 20 24

YESTERDAY’S HIGH AND LOW

34.2ºC Situakunda

18.5ºC Chuadanga

Source: Accuweather/UNB

The United States yesterday said ending impunity for crimes against journalists is both a moral imperative and a practical necessity in creating free, open, and stable societies around the world.

“Impunity for those who threaten, beat, and murder journalists isn’t only unjust. It sets a dangerous precedent and creates a culture of impunity,” said John Kerry, secretary of State of the United States, in a statement marking International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists.

“Journalists shouldn’t be muzzled from asking tough questions. They should be empowered to seek the truth

Fajr Sunrise Zohr Asr Magrib Esha

4:49am 6:05am 11:42am 3:41pm 5:18pm 6:35 pm SourceL IslamicFinder.org

an end to impunity for those who use violence to silence their critics. “We demand answers on behalf of all the journalists and their families who still have not seen ustice served. And above all, we stand in awe of the courage of those who risk their lives to tell the stories the world needs to hear.”

He also mentioned that the danger that journalists face in pursuing and publishing the truth was really driven home for him earlier this year when he visited Kyiv. “As we all know, knowledge is power - and truth the great antidote to impunity. That’s why the United States co-sponsored the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists,” Kerry added. l

A housewife has been struggling for life at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) since Sunday after being burnt by “a fire set by her husband” at Bir Uzoli village under Kapasia upazila in Gazipur.

The victim is Runa Aktar, 20, daughter of Dulal Miah of Panchua village of the upazila. She has a one year old son.

Victim’s family members said Runa got married with Hazrat Ali, 26, son of Shahjahan of Bir Uzoli village of the upazila about two years ago.

After their marriage, Hazrat Ali was creating pressure on her for dowry and they used to lock into altercation over

the issue, they alleged.

On Sunday morning, Runa’s husband set fire on her by pouring Kerosin following an altercation over bringing Tk10,000 from her father as dowry, they said.

Hearing her scream, locals came to the spot and sent her to Kapasia Upazila Health Complex in a critical condition.

The on-duty doctors referred her to DMCH as most of her body was burnt and she was in a critical condition, they added.

Officer-in-Charge of Kapasia police station Ahsan Ullah said no one filed any complaint in connection with the incident. l

Entrance fee for visitors introduced at SBMCH n Our Correspondent, Barisal Barisal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital authority has introduced a visitor-fee system aimed at checking the rush of visitors.

The SBMCH sources said the authority recently in a meeting had taken the decision that entrance fee would be imposed on visitors from November 1, and the fee for each visitor has been fixed at Tk10.

At least 12 staffs of the hospital were deployed at the three entrance gates of hospital to collect the visitor-fee.

On average, about 1,100-1,300 patients remain under treatment at 35 wards of the hospital.

The hospital would be able to earn Tk10,000 daily and Tk3 lakh in a month from the newly-introduced system.

But many employees of the hospital are not happy with the system. They said the system would create opportunities of corruption for many dishonest staff.

Most of the visitors to the public hospital come from lower income group of rural areas. It is difficult for them to be already paying for medical fees; the entrance fee will just combine the proble, said Anowar Zahid, a health right activist.

Dr Mizanur Rahman, former resident medical officer of Barisal General Hospital, a unit under SBMCH and member-secretary of Bibhagio Swartha Sangrakkhan Committee, said the SBMCH also tried to introduce this system at General Hospital, but they failed.

Dr Kamrul Hasan Selim, director of the SBMCH, acknowledged that collection of visitor-fee had been introduced from November 1 and authority would introduce free attendant-card to control visitors and take care of the patient.

He also claimed that proper use of visitor-fee would enhance development of medicare services at hospital, but failed to give details about the collected amount, heads of expenditure and exact balance of the deposits. l

Workers of Hamim Sports Wear stage protest in front of the National Press Club yesterday demanding clearance of their dues

BSS

Government fertiliser sold on black market in Barguna n Our Correspondent, Barguna

PRAYER TIMES

without fear of reprisal,” he said.

Kerry observed that abuses are happening in far too many places and they have seen them in horribly brutal and painful ways this year in Syria. “We see them in the ISIL-controlled areas of Iraq and throughout Syria, where the regime and ISIL continue to censor the media through vicious and heinous attacks, including disappearing and kidnapping journalists to stop the vital flow of information to the outside world.”

He said the United States is committed to working with the Iraqi Government to bring the perpetrators to justice. “We call on all parties to the Syrian conflict to protect journalists in Syria.”

The US Secretary of State demanded

About 200 tonnes of fertilizer allotted as subsidy for the farmers in Brguna district were allegedly sold on the black market by unscrupulous dealers.

Sources said AKM Yusuf Ali of Nuruizannat Enterprise in Amtoli union, Fazlul Haque Akond of Bhai Bhai Traders in Koraibaria union, Siddikur Rahman of Satata Traders in Kukua union, Zasim Duari of Duari Traders in Attharogachia union, Habibur Rah-

man of Habibur Rahman Traders in Chaora union, Nurul Hque of Haque Traders in Kalomegha union, Masuma Akter of Rafa Moni Enterprise in Nishanbaria union, Nannu Khan of Ruma Enterprise in Pochakorali union, Asif of Asif Traders in Taltoli union, Zesmin Akter of Nurnabi Traders in Chotobigi union, Nasir Sarder of Sarder Traders in Pathorghata and Yusuf of Haolader Enterprse in Kakchira union sold the fertilizer on black market instead of providing it among the farmers

An official of Agriculture Extension Office said 200 tonnes of non-urea fertilizer had been allotted for the farmers in the area but the dealers had sold it on the black market.

A trader of Noapara on condition of anonymity said that they also bought fertilizers from the dealers in previous years.

When asked, the owners of Messers Bhai Bhai Satata Traders in Amtoli, Duari Traders in Attharogachia union, Habibur Rahman Traders in Chaora un-

ion could not show any sacks or documents of the fertilizers as they had sold it on the market.

An official of Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation on condition of anonymity said some corrupted dealers sold the fertilizer on black market depriving the farmers.

When asked, Masuma Akter, dealer of Rafa Moni Enterprise said: “I do not know about the fertilizer.”

“My husband Dulal Farazi, the UP chairman of Nishanbaria can say about

the incident,” he said.

Dulal also said that he did not know about the incident.

“The union parishad secretary Zakir Hossain can talk about the fertilizer,” he said.

When Zakir was tried to reach with cell phone, he did not answer.

Agriculture Extension Office Deputy Director Askok Kumer said : “I do not know about the incident as I had been absent in the office for few days due to sickness.” l

6

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Nation

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

WORKING FOR FAULTY VEHICLES

Health and life of children at risk n Our Correspondent, Mymensingh Around 400 children have put their health and life at risk while working as helpers and drivers of locally-assembled faulty and unauthorised vehicles in Mymensingh.

More than 100 of them are found to have been suffering from breathing, hearing and skin diseases.

They regularly operate their mobile court drives. Big initiatives would be taken on large scale in future to root out this menace Sources said locally-assembled Nasiman, Kariman and Bhatbhati vehicles are two-stroke diesel engines.

They contribute to air pollution with excessive levels of smoke emission and to sound pollution with making excessive amount of noise on public roads.

Most of the locally-assembled vehicles either do not have any hydraulic

Main accused of robbery case arrested n Our Correspondent, Khagrachari Zibon Chakma, the main accused in a robbery case in the district was arrested in Kalapani area yesterday.

SI Idris of Guimara police station said on a tip-off, a team of police arrested Zibon in the morning.

He along with his associates committed a robbery on the highway in the area on recently, the SI said.

He was the main accused of the incident and he had been absconding, he added. l

Traditional Jagadhatri Puja ends in Kalaskathi n Our Correspondent, Barisal The three-day celebration of Jagadhatri Puja in the Kalaskathi of Bakerganj upazila ended yesterday, with the Hindus celebrating the puja with fervour.

A village fair was also organised which brought a festive mood at Kalashkathi viilage.

The Puja and fair observed in Kalaskathi since more than last 200 years and devoted to Mother-Jagadhatri who is known as another form of Shakti, the supreme mother goddess of the Hindus, informed Tarun Ganguly, president Kalaskathi Kalibari Puja Mandop.

He said district administration as well as law enforcers had helped them a lot to arrange the puja.

This year Jagadhatri Puja was observed at nine puja-mandops in Kalaskathi without any patronisation from government funds, said Tarun Krmakar, secretary of Mandir committee.

The ruling to perform the special puja of the goddess on the ninth lunar day of the light fortnight in the month of Kartik has been referred in ‘Krityatattarnab’ by Srinath Acharyachuramoni of the 15th-16th century. l

brake or gear or any backside signal light. Many child workers are said to have been maimed in road accidents involving such vehicles.

Though children aged between eight to 16 work as helpers and drivers of these vulnerable vehicles, they get a shockingly low amount of wages every day. They get as helpers Tk50 to 60 and as drivers Tk100 to 150 per day.

Nasiman helper Rafiqul hails from Tangab village in Gafargaon upazila.

An under-12-year-old child, he suffers from breathing problems. He could not continue at school after passing Class-1. He had to start work as a helper of a Nasiman vehicle.

Like him, Bulbul, 11, Nayon, 10, Kanchon, 9, Monir, 9, Shahid, 12 and Liton, 15, work as helpers or drivers of Nasiman, Kariman and Bhatbhati. They all are driven by poverty to come to this deadly profession.

Deputy Commissioner Mustakim Billah Faruki was asked about this all, he said each upazila nirbahi officer had long been asked to run their mobile courts along with police in preventing hazardous child labour in the district.

They regularly operate their mobile court drives. Big initiatives would be taken on large scale in future to root out this menace, he said. l

Child workers are engaged in spreading bricks at a brick field at Godagari in Rajshahi. Thousands of children are working at different brick fields in the district

Rundown Kheya Ghat Road puts commuters in miseries n Our Correspondent, Bhola The Kheya Ghat road, which is the gateway of Bhola, is in a sorry state, causing much sufferings to several thousand people of the island district.

Big cracks and potholes has developed on the four kilometre road making it almost unsuitable for the plying

of vehicles as has not been repaired for long time.

Talking to the Dhaka Tribune, many commuters termed the road a death trap as accidents and malfunctioning of vehicles are regular phenomena on the road.

Commuters have to pay unusual extra fare as drivers of light and small ve-

hicles, including rickshaw, do not want to ply their vehicles on the road due its poor condition, they said.

“In addition to immense sufferings, we have to pay double fare,” said Saleh Ahmed, a regular commuter on the road.

Ibrahim Hossain, a driver of Nasiman, an improvised three-wheeled human hauler, said they have to ply their

More and more farmers Three get life term for murders in Netrakona going organic in n Jessore region Our Correspondent, Netrakona

n Our Correspondent, Jessore Farmers are increasingly turning to vermicompost, which is made by providing organic waste as a food source to earthworms and then collecting their excrement, relying less on chemical fertilisers in the greater Jessore region.

They are using this organic manure after practically learning that it increases land fertility resulting in a better yield.

Farmers from Jessore Sadar upazila’s Sheikhhati, Ghurulia, Madhugram, Khajura, Basundia, Rupdia, Jhenidah’s Barobazar, Chuadanga’s Alamdanga and various areas in Kushtia collect and use this manure on their farmland.

Farmer Abdur Razzak who lives at Jessore Sadar upazila’s Ghrulia village, said he uses vermicompost on his 40 percent of IRRI paddy land and on 13 percent of his vegetable land, resulting in a bumper output. According to him, the vermicompost guarantees poison-free food in the world.

Farmer Jalaluddin who lives at Madhu village said he used vermicompost on his cabbage and cauliflower land and so has got a better yield this year compared to the previous years when he used to use chemical fertilisers and other inputs.

Besides, the colour, size and taste of the vegetables grown with organic manure are better, which is why he could sell his cabbages and cauliflowers per piece at Tk2 more than the average marker prices, he said.

Farmer Jalal said he would like to apply this organic manure in his vegetable land from next year on.

Farmer Abu Hossain, who lives at Jessore Sadar upazila’s Sheikhhati, said he used vermicompost on his three bighas of land but found only five to six kgs of paddy with no rice this inside it while it was 40kgs of such paddy last year.

AZAHAR UDDIN

Besides, paddy output was better and vermicompost is less costly, he said, adding that he would use the organic manure this year too.

These farmers collect this organic manure from Aminul Islam Litu who has been doing organic manure business since he set up a vermicompst plant beside the district’s downtown HMM Road on the bank of the Bhairab river in 2012.

Talking to the Dhaka Tribune, Litu said a farmer needs to spend Tk4500500 for chemical fertilisers for growing crops on 33 decimals of land, but this cost can be cut down to Tk2600 only by applying the organic manure on such an area of land twice in a season.

In an upsetting tone, he said: “I applied to the government for permission to go for commercially producing vermicompost and doing its business but have not yet got any response.”

Vermicomposter Helaluddin of Moheshwarchada village in Jhenidah’s Kaliganj upazila is the pioneer of this organic manure in the region. Litu is one of around 4000 people who have learnt about the method of making vermicompost from him in the region.

Regional vermicompost pioneer Helal told the Dhaka Tribune: “We are being forced to eat poisonous food by growing our food crops with chemical fertilisers and other inputs “The government should promote the vermicompost at every nook and corner so that we can take poison-free food easily.”

Regional Agriculture Research Centre official Monirul Islam said: This manure has become popular in the region for a few years. Farmers are increasingly using it every year.” “Researchers have not yet found any bad side in the vermicompost and so they all are positive about its use,” he said. l

Housewife strangled for dowry in Sirajganj Correspondent, n Our Sirajganj A housewife was strangulated to death allegedly by her husband at Dhulirchar in Belkuchi upazila in the early hours of yesterday.

Police said Mukta Khatun, 19, daughter of late Motiar Rahman of Khukni village married Faruq Hossain in August this year.

Since the beginning of their marriage, Faruq and his family members used to torture her over dowry.

Yesterday Faruq was locked in altercation with Mukta and strangled her.

A case was filed in this connection. l

Two local courts here yesterday sentenced life term of imprisonment to three people in separate cases filed for killing about nine years ago.

Netrakona Additional District and Session Judge Md Abdul Hamid alone pronounced the verdicts in his separate courts in the morning.

Besides, the courts also fined them Tk50,000 each and in default, they will have to suffer five years more in jail.

According to the statement of first case, a man named Yahia, a resident of Mauati village in Barohatta upazila,

hit his mother with axe at one stage of brawling with her over family matter on the 23th September of 2007, leaving her dead on the spot.

Later, the victim’s husband filed a murder case with the local police station, in which the court after examining all witness and evidence handed down the judgement to Yahia for matricide.

In another case filed on December 21 in 2006, the court pronounced the verdict to Khairunnahar Doli, wife of Jahangir Alam, of Asiol village in the upazila, and her extramarital lover Sohel Miah for strangulating to death the husband together. l

vehicles with passengers or goods by taking risk their lives.

Md Akbar, an executive engineer of Local Government Engineering Departent in Bhola, said the road has been damaged due to plying of heavy vehicles on it. The road was constructed mainly for plying light and small vehicles, he said. l

30 injured in AL factional clash n Our Correspondent, Magura At least 30 people were injured in a clash between two groups of Awami League in Balidia village under Mohammadpur upazila of the district yesterday.

Mohammadpur police station Officer-in-Charge Motiar Rahman said the supporters of local AL leader Mofijur Rahman and Eunush Shikder locked in a clash in the morning over supremacy in the area, leaving 30 persons including five police men critically injured.

Of the injured, Taham Shikder, 26, Mosharraf Hossain, 40, Rezaul, 45, Mujib, 20, Anwar, 30, Abu Bakkar, 60 , Ahmed, 22, Alamgir, 40, Shujan ,20, and Akash, 25, were admitted to Mohammadpur Upazila Health Complex. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Long Form

7

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Revisiting the ‘peace process’: Jordan-Israeli relations

The sense of separateness cultivated by Israel prevents many in the Arab world from seeing Israel as a potential partner in regional development

O

n HRH Prince El Hassan bin Talal ver the last year, we have heard much about the possibility of a long and just peace between Israel and Palestine. By contrast, far from peace-building, the conversation surrounding the harrowing scenes we witness coming out of Gaza and the West Bank – or recently out of Jerusalem – continues to focus on attributing blame to one side or the other.

The international complacency with the continued non-resolution regarding a Palestinian state has generated widespread nihilism permeating “zones of order and disorder.” It is a trigger for both Zionist extremists, who, unsatisfied with Palestine alone, yearn for the penetration of the whole Middle East, and for Islamist extremists, who, like ISIS, are pursuing their own expansionist agendas.

The international community effectively violated the cardinal principle of self-determination, which was at the very core of the League of Nations’ Covenant and subsequent Charter

When the Balfour Declaration of 1917 was incorporated into the preamble of the Palestine Mandate, created with the authority of the League of Nations, the international community effectively violated the cardinal principle of self-determination, which was at the very core of the League’s Covenant and subsequent Charter. The repercussions of this violation have been felt ever since, above all in the cycles of violence in Israel and Palestine, which continue to destabilise the entire region.

Arabs and Israelis have arrived at a crossroads: either we move further away from one another, pursuing self-interests that will inevitably bring about destructive regional Balkanization, or we move closer together and, taking our common humanity as the starting point, realise a sustainable peace process founded on President

Woodrow Wilson’s guiding principle of self-determination.

Success will be predicated on dealing first with the obduracy of extremists, whether the hardline Israelis who insist on a God-given right to the land roughly encompassing the whole of the southern Levant, or those who conversely are intent on “drive(ing) the Jews who live in their midst into the sea” and who between them currently block any possibility of successful negotiations in the near future.

Rather than reinvent the wheel, a good starting point might be to re-examine the strengths and weaknesses of previous initiatives (many of which were prematurely cast aside).

While Jordan does not negotiate on behalf of Palestinians, it is intimately involved because the peace process has profound political, security, economic and demographic ramifications for the country. Hosting the largest number of Palestinian refugees, Jordan’s “carrying capacity” is becoming increasingly limited, especially in the light of recent mass waves of refugees from Iraq and Syria. Israel’s refusal to comply with the humanitarian responsibilities outlined in Resolution 237 serves as a reminder that Jordan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity should not be secondary to that of Israel.

Throughout Jordan’s official involvement in the peace negotiations, Israelis, regardless of party affiliation or ideological position, maintained that Jordan had no claim to the West Bank. The annexation of the West Bank by Jordan in 1950, they argued, was recognised only by Britain and Pakistan. And, yet, as I used to say to Israel’s negotiator, “That’s two more than recognised yours.” Nevertheless, the legal status of the territory remained unresolved.

A number of options by both sides that offered pragmatic compromises were all eventually discarded in favour of the Camp David formula of “gradual autonomy” over a five year transition period.

Moderates on all sides have been overpowered by those with extreme religious convictions and have been left to address the absorptive capacity of the land which we all inhabit. These same extremists in their beliefs have ignored the vulnerability and fragility of this region, whilst working towards our Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD) instead of being committed to our Mutually Assured Survival (MAS).

The refugee problem, along with

the status of Jerusalem as described in the Jordan-Israel Peace Treaty, is a trans-boundary issue. Economic and social developments demand an integrated and agreed approach between the stakeholders. The exploitation of natural resources, and the growing demand for energy are all areas of critical imbalance which will be the root cause of future conflict.

Minimum consensus, which, in itself, is dangerous as it inevitably falls short of sustainable peace, dictates that there can be no territorial compromise except in return for a conventional peace treaty. This posits the following three questions: First, if two conventional peace treaties – between Egypt and Israel and between Jordan and Israel – have been inadequate to resolve the crises in the West Bank and Gaza, how and when can we expect Israel to initiate meaningful talks with the Palestinians and its Arab neighbours?

Second, if Israel insists that Jerusalem cannot be re-divided and must remain the capital of Israel, what common ground is there between Palestinians and Israelis, or between Jews, Christians and Muslims of Arab cultures? Nationalist politics on all sides have poisoned the atmosphere between these peoples who lived happily together in the Fertile Crescent for centuries.

In his testimony before the Anglo-American Committee of Enquiry on Palestine in 1946, Chaim Weizman stated “I wouldn’t like to do any injustice: the Muslim world has treated the Jews with considerable tolerance.

The Ottoman Empire received the Jews with open arms when they were driven out of Spain, and the Jews should never forget that. On the other hand it’s no use blinking the fact that these great humanitarian traditions are now under the pressure of modern nationalisms.”

The spiritual significance of Jerusalem for Judaism, Christianity, and Islam places it above regional geopolitics. One way or another, Jerusalem must be shared once again among all the Abrahamic faiths for there to be a peaceful region.

Third, how can comprehensive peace ever be achieved when no international conference (such as the Congress of Berlin or Vienna) that involves all the super powers, or even key regional players, is ever seriously considered? Given that the exclusionist policies of the Security Council are predicated on Israeli exceptionalism and committed to shielding Israel’s

AFP

Nationalist politics on all sides have poisoned the atmosphere between these peoples who lived happily together in the Fertile Crescent for centuries

expansionist and discriminatory practices, from illegal settlements to systematic abuses of civil rights, comprehensive peace seems more obscure and elusive than ever. This should be a major cause for concern.

We need a new regional architecture, not unlike that of Europe following the Helsinki Accords: a constructive, inclusive conversation, not in competition with the West, but, recognising the gravity of the situation, in a spirit of mutual respect and partnership. Within this architecture any progress, in the present conditions, must be sought slowly, gradually, incrementally and organically, and with an emphasis on the concrete issues of the conflict.

Even while seemingly ceaseless time, energy and news coverage is dedicated to the problem, any suggestion today that we consider a process with a revised quartet that includes Russia, is greeted with apprehension and a marked lack of statesmanship.

Yet such a process would strengthen those in Israel who accept a Jewish state within a more compact territory vis-à-vis those who, fearful of the Arabs, demand an ever larger Israel.

It is perhaps stating the obvious to say that no number of fences or shields can provide long term security.

Ultimately, the conflict comes down to control over the region, and its resources. To ensure self-determination for the Arab people and non-exploitation of their resources, the Arabs must be involved in any peace process conversation, so that their concerns and interests are heard. As my friend, the former Turkish President Turgut Ozal, God rest his soul, told me once, “When there is a peace conference, it is far better to be at the table than on the menu.”

It is undeniable that the sense of separateness cultivated by Israel and those in Washington who reward Israeli belligerence, admittedly aided by the intellectual intimidation practiced by militant Islamist extremists, prevents many in the Arab world from seeing Israel as a potential partner in regional development.

This situation is further exacerbated by Zionists’ racist argument of carrying the white man’s burden in Palestine, whereby Israel inhabits the role of the “civilising” white man in the region. But the citizens of the world, many Arabs and Israelis, recognise this for the shameful colonial rhetoric that it truly is. A unitary democratic state should be established in Arabia where people, irrespective of race and religion, can work and live in harmony.

Israel must acknowledge its own role as a stakeholder in regional stability and development by committing to peace along the lines laid down in UN Resolutions 242 and 338. Furthermore, Jordan, along with its neighbours, must be included in talks and negotiations pertaining to the peace of our region. Only then, can we move forward inclusively to address the possibility of the long and just peace we all so desperately seek. l

8

DHAKA TRIBUNE

World

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Egypt journalists defy editors on freedoms n AP, Cairo Several hundred Egyptian journalists have rejected a recent policy declaration by newspaper editors pledging near-blind support to the state and banning criticism of the police, army and judiciary in their publications, arguing that the move was designed to create a one-voiced media.

In a statement posted Sunday on social media networks, the journalists said fighting terrorism was both a duty and an honor but has nothing to do with the “voluntary surrender” of the freedom of expression as outlined in the editors’ Oct. 26 declaration.

“Standing up to terrorism with a shackled media and sealed lips means offering the nation to extremism as an easy prey and turning public opinion into a blind creature unaware of the direction from which it is being hit or how to deal with it,” said the statement.

Khaled el-Balshi, a board member of the Journalists’ Union who initiated the move, said the statement came out of a meeting Saturday in which journalists discussed the future of the local media. El-Balshi, who edits a news website, said at least 300 journalists

have so far signed the statement online. The number rose to 350 by Sunday evening.

“It is an attempt to make newspapers speak with one voice,” he told The Associated Press. “The move by the editors of the newspapers was like establishing a political party in support of the regime. They want to end diversity.”

Last week’s statement by editors pledging support to the government appeared like a throwback to the days of longtime autocrat Hosni Mubarak or the charismatic but authoritarian Gamal Abdel-Nasser who ruled in the 1950s and 1960s. But it also appeared to be in synch with the mood of a nation fatigued by turmoil, bloodshed and an economic meltdown in the three years since Mubarak’s ouster.

The dispute between the journalists and their editors is the latest episode in Egypt’s struggle between authorities and their loyalist media who give security precedence over nearly all else and a small but vocal pro-democracy camp made up mostly of secular and leftist youth groups.

The dispute is rooted in the recent erosion of many of the freedoms Egyptians won when they rose up against

Mubarak in a stunning, 18-day uprising. At the top of that list is the freedom to protest; a law adopted in November 2013 criminalizes any street demonstration without prior police permission.

This rollback of freedoms has run in parallel with crackdowns against secular pro-democracy activists as well as Islamists. In the backdrop is a country of nearly 90 million people that

tions since the law on street protests was enforced.

A much harsher and wider crackdown targets members of the Muslim Brotherhood, the now-banned Islamist group that has been labelled a terrorist organization by the state. Authorities have killed hundreds of Islamists and jailed thousands since the military ouster in July 2013 of Islamist President Mohammed Morsi.

‘Fighting terrorism was both a duty and an honor but has nothing to do with the “voluntary surrender” of the freedom of expression as outlined in the editors’ Oct 26 declaration’ appears to be steadily moving to the right, with jingoism and xenophobia dominating the media as the army and police battle Islamic militants waging a campaign of violence against them in the Sinai Peninsula.

Dozens of activists, some as young as 20, have been tried, convicted and sentenced to jail for organizing or taking part in peaceful demonstra-

Early on Sunday, police released from custody a Cairo University professor, Heba Raouf Ezzat, and four others, after holding them for questioning for several hours in an apparent misunderstanding. The group had been participating in an event celebrating volunteerism held at the city’s medieval Saladin citadel and wearing T-shirts that bore impressions of children’s

handprints in different colors. One of the handprints was yellow, prompting police to mistake it for the symbol used by Morsi supporters after their sit-in protest outside Cairo’s landmark Rabaah al-Adawiya mosque was stormed by security forces last year, killing hundreds.

The Brotherhood’s yellow “Rabaah sign,” shows four fingers, while the handprint impressions on the T-shirts had five. Ever since last fall, any public display of the four-fingers symbol has been grounds for arrest.

Egypt’s media, meanwhile, is targeting civil society groups and activists who played a key role in the 2011 uprising, accusing them of being foreign agents on the payroll of sinister foreign organizations.

The declaration by the newspaper editors came in response to a call

by Egypt’s president, Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, for Egyptians to rally behind him in the face of terrorism following the killing last month by suspected Islamic militants of 30 soldiers, the deadliest attack on the army in decades.

El-Sissi, who took office in June after a landslide election victory the previous month, says the law mir-

Kiev claims ‘intensive’ movements of troops crossing from Russia n

AFP, Kiev

The Ukrainian military on Sunday reported “intensive” movement of troops and equipment from Russia into the separatist controlled parts of eastern Ukraine.

“There is intensive deployment of military equipment and personnel of the enemy from the territory of the Russian Federation onto territory temporarily controlled by insurgents,” Ukrainian military spokesman Andriy Lysenko told a briefing in Kiev.

In Donetsk, the main rebel-held city in Ukraine’s industrial south-east, AFP reporters saw about 20 trucks, some carrying anti-aircraft guns, heading towards the government-held airport, although it was not clear whether these were new forces.

Several Western news outlets reported witnessing heavy movement of troops near Donetsk.

Among them, reporters for the news sites buzzfeed.com and mashable.com tweeted that they had seen a large military column. Buzzfeed’s Max Seddon wrote: “31 unmarked Kamazes (military trucks) just drove past towards Donetsk. Anti-aircraft weapons, ammunition boxes, radar systems, a bus of gunmen.”

Mashable’s reporter Christopher Miller tweeted having seen more than 40 trucks headed toward Donetsk “with anti-aircraft guns, fighters.”

Video footage that appeared on YouTube and was rebroadcast on Ukraine’s

Channel 5 – but which could not be independently authenticated – showed a huge column of green trucks snaking slowly through an unidentified city.

Russia has repeatedly denied accusations from Kiev, Western governments and the Nato alliance that it is fighting on the side of pro-Russian separatists who have taken over a swathe of Ukraine’s industrial south-east.

However, Moscow openly supports the two self-declared rebel statelets politically and said it would recognise the validity of elections being held there Sunday.

The rebels, who also deny receiving help from Russia, have large amounts of sophisticated, heavy weaponry and no apparent problem in procuring ammunition. They have told journalists that some of their weapons are captured from Ukrainian forces.

A ceasefire was declared on September 5 in Ukraine but is violated daily in the conflict zone which runs along the Russian border. Rebel leaders say they intend to expand their territory as far as the Azoz Sea port of Mariupol.

Russian troops already occupy Ukraine’s southern province of Crimea, which has been declared a part of Russia.

The province was taken over almost without a fight when large numbers of heavily armed men in unmarked uniforms quickly surrounded demoralised Ukrainian troops in March. The troops, widely dubbed “little green men,” were later confirmed to have been Russian regular troops. l

Merkel warns UK’s Cameron over EU immigration n Agencies

Smoke rises above from Syrian Kurdish town of Kobane, also known as Ain al-Arab, as seen from the Turkish border town of Suruc, in Sanliurfa province on Sunday AFP

IS claims second Syrian gas field n Reuters, Beirut

Islamic State fighters in Syria said on Monday they had taken control of a gas field in the central province of Homs, the second gas field seized in a week after battles with government forces.

The hardline Sunni Islamist group posted 18 photos on social media showing the Islamic State flag raised in the Jahar gas field as well as seized vehicles and weaponry, according to the SITE jihadist website monitoring service.

Reuters could not independently

confirm the events due to security restrictions.

Islamic State fighters, who now hold up to a third of Syria as well as swathes of Iraq and have declared a ‘Caliphate’ on the territories they control, took the larger Sha’ar gas field on Oct. 30.

“So after the (Sha’ar) company and the (positions) surrounding it became part of the land of the Caliphate, the soldiers advanced, conquering new areas, and all praise is due to Allah,” Islamic State said in the message.

“Yesterday they tightened control over Jahar village and the Mahr gas

pumping company, and nearly nine (positions) supported by heavy weaponry such as tanks, armoured vehicles, and heavy machine guns of various calibres,” it added.

The report said Islamic State had seized two tanks, seven four-wheel drive cars and several heavy machine guns.

A US-led coalition has conducted air strikes against Islamic State since September. The United States says it is not coordinating with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s forces to combat the Islamist group. l

Abbas’ condolence outrages Israel n AFP, Jerusalem

Daredevil Nik Wallenda performs his blindfolded walk along a tightrope between two skyscrapers suspended 500 feet (152.4 meters) above the Chicago River in Chicago, Illinois on Sunday REUTERS

UN urges civilian transfer in Burkina Faso n Agencies The United Nations has threatened to impose economic sanctions on Burkina Faso, if the army does not hand over the power to civilian rule.

The army stepped into the power vacuum left by President Blaise Compaore, who was forced to resign in the wake of violent street demonstrations over his 27-year-rule that some have

likened to the Arab Spring.

UN envoy for West Africa, Mohamed Ibn Chambas, said on Sunday he had pressed the demand in a meeting with the country’s top military brass.

If the army refuses, “the consequences are pretty clear,” he said. “We want to avoid having to impose sanctions on Burkina Faso,” he added.

The US State Department also called on the military to immediately transfer

rors similar regulations in the West and is meant to restore law and order.

El-Sissi led the ouster of Morsi, Egypt’s first freely elected leader, amid street demonstrations by millions demanding his removal.

The Oct. 26 declaration said editors would take measures to halt what it called the “infiltration by elements supporting terrorism” in their publications. Significantly, the editors also stated their “rejection” of what they called attempts to cast doubt on state institutions, basic policy choices and criticism of the army, police or judiciary that “may reflect negatively on their performance.”

Other media have taken similar stands in public, with one private TV channel saying it intended to bar certain guests from its political programs on charges of being “rumor mongers” — parlance for government critics. Several talk show hosts have meanwhile either been briefly taken off the air in the middle of their programs or prevented altogether from hosting their shows.

“You can never counter terrorism by suspending freedoms,” warned Rehab el-Shazli, a freelance journalist who signed the statement. l

power to civilian authorities, while the European Union urged the army to respect the people’s right to peaceful protest.

On Sunday, the army vowed to install a unity government after tightening its control over the landlocked country. Troops moved into Place de la Nation in the capital Ouagadougou and took over the national television headquarters in a show of force. l

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas has outraged Israeli leaders by calling the attempted assassin of a Jewish ultra-rightwing rabbi a “martyr” and the soldiers who killed him “terrorist gangs.”

Abbas on Sunday sent a letter of condolence to the family of 32-yearold Muataz Hijazi, killed by Israeli police who said he had tried to murder Yehuda Glick.

The US-born Glick, who was seriously wounded in the shooting attack, is an ultranationalist whose demand that Jews be allowed to pray at the Al-Aqsa compound in east Jerusalem outrages Muslims.

The compound – which Jews call the Temple Mount – is the third holiest site in Islam and regarded as the holiest in Judaism as the location of the first and second temples.

In his letter, which AFP has seen, Abbas expressed his “anger and condemnation after news of the criminal, despicable assassination by the Israeli occupation army’s terrorist gangs of Muataz Ibrahim Khalil Hijazi, who died a martyr defending the rights of our people and the holy places.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a statement released late on Sunday, condemned the Palestinian leader’s remarks.

“While we are trying to calm the

situation, Abu Mazen (Abbas) sends his condolences on the death of a man who tried to commit a despicable act,” he said.

The Israelis and Palestinians accuse each other of fanning the flames over east Jerusalem, the occupied Arab sector of the Holy City conquered by the Jewish state in the 1967 Six-Day War and later annexed.

Glick was leaving a debate on the status of the flashpoint compound late last Wednesday when he was shot by a man Israeli police said was Hijazi.

Abbas was ‘a partner of terrorism, terrorists and murderers’ Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said the letter of condolences to Hijazi’s family showed that Abbas was “a partner of terrorism, terrorists and murderers.”

Justice Minister Tzipi Livni, a cabinet moderate who was Israel’s chief negotiator in abortive US-brokered peace talks with the Palestinians, told public radio that Abbas was “playing with fire.”

“You can’t on the one hand go round saying you condemn violence and on the other hand send letters encouraging it,” she said. l

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has warned Britain’s David Cameron that putting limits on immigration from other European Union nations would be a “point of no return” that could sharply increase the risk of Britain leaving the EU, a magazine said.

The weekly Der Spiegel, citing unnamed sources in Merkel’s office and the German foreign ministry, reported on Sunday that Merkel was becoming worried for the first time that a British exit from the EU - dubbed “Brexit” was a real possibility.

Under growing pressure from the anti-EU UK Independence Party (UKIP) ahead of a May 2015 national election, Cameron’s Conservatives have said they would try to cap immigration from the rest of the EU if re-elected.

Both Merkel and the European Commission in Brussels have said this would violate a fundamental EU principle that allows citizens of the bloc to live and work in any member state.

Spiegel cited sources in Berlin saying that if Cameron does insist on limiting the number of immigrants from other EU states, “there will be no going back.”

“Should Cameron persist [in this plan], Chancellor Angela Merkel would abandon her efforts to keep Britain in the EU. With that a point of no return would be reached,” it quoted the sources as saying, adding: “That would be it then.”

There was no suggestion that Germany, the EU’s biggest economy and most powerful member, would itself push Britain towards the exit. l

Key function of crashed spacecraft deployed early n Reuters, Mojave Calif An investigation into the deadly crash of a Virgin Galactic spaceship has found that a function to help the craft descend into the atmosphere was deployed early, according to federal safety officials, adding pilot error could not be ruled out.

SpaceShipTwo’s rotating tail boom, a key safety feature for re-entering the atmosphere, rotated early, Christopher Hart, acting chairman of the NTSB, said late on Sunday, though he said it was too early to say whether this had caused the crash.

Virgin Galactic is the fledgling space tourism company of billionaire entrepreneur Richard Branson.

NTSB’s Hart told a news conference that investigators had determined the “feathering” system, which helps it descend into the atmosphere from space, should have been deployed when the vehicle was traveling about 1.4 times the speed of sound.

Instead, the feather began rotating when the rocket-powered vehicle was traveling at Mach 1, he said, using a technical term for the speed of sound at a given altitude.

Hart said the feathering system, which folds the vehicle in half to create more atmospheric drag, was unlocked early by the co-pilot, according to video from the spaceship’s cockpit. About two seconds later, the spaceplane’s tail section began to fold. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

World

TTP splinter groups claim Wagah attack; 61 dead, 20 arrested n Agencies An improvised explosive device (IED) was found from parking area of the Wagah border on Monday, a day after at least 61 people were killed following the flag-lowering ceremony at the main India-Pakistan land border crossing. Outlawed outfits Jundullah and Tehriq-e-Taliban-affiliated Jamaat-ul-Ahrar claimed responsibility for the attacks seperately, Dawn of Pakistan reported.

The Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) was called to the site for inspection after the IED was recovered. The BDS then launched search operations surrounding Wagah border, The Nation newspaper reported.

Meanwhile, security agencies arrested about 20 suspects from the India-Pak border area.

Ten women, eight children and three security personnel were among the 61 people who have died in the attack that took place on Sunday when a suicide attacker detonated a powerful bomb at Wagah.

Over 100 people were injured in the incident and are being treated in different Lahore’s hospitals where emergency has been declared, reports Times of India.

The blast took place when a large

number of people were returning after attending the flag-lowering ceremony at the main India-Pak land border crossing, which is heavily guarded by the Punjab Rangers.

A young suicide-bomber blew himself up near the main exit gate of Parade Avenue at 6.03pm (local time), causing colossal devastation.

“The death toll of the devastating suicide attack at Wagah border has risen to 61. The condition of some injured is still critical and the doctors are battling to save their lives,” Punjab Emergency Services Rescue spokesman Jam Sajjad told PTI. About 43 bodies have been handed over to the families while the remaining are yet to be recognised, Sajjad said.

“We have sought the help of the National Registration Database Authority (Nadra) for recognition of 18 bodies,” he said.

Punjab police chief Inspector General Mushtaq Sukhera told AP that the bomb exploded outside a restaurant near a paramilitary soldiers’ checkpoint at Wagah border on the outskirts of Lahore city. He also added that the explosion could have been the result of a suicide blast.

Lahore police chief Amin Wains confirmed it was a suicide attack.

“People were returning after watching the parade at Wagah border when the blast took place. Ball bearings were found at the scene,” he said.

The law enforcement agencies have launched operation in the residential areas in Wagah and taken about 20 suspects into custody, Lahore police spokesman Niyab Haider Naqvi said.

“A joint investigation team of police, rangers and intelligence agencies have started its probe into the incident. The army and rangers along with police will provide security to Ashura processions in Lahore and they have been put on high alert in the wake of Sunday’s attack,” he said.

Punjab Interior Minister Col (Retd) Shujah Khanzada said the target of the suicide bomber was the venue of the flag-hoisting ceremony.

Emergency has been declared at all hospitals in Lahore. Prime Nawaz Sharif has taken notice of the explosion and called for a report on the incident.

An Indian security official told Reuters that the Indian side of Wagah border is “safe” after blast on Pakistani side.

Wagah is the only road border crossing between the Indian city of Amritsar and the Pakistani city of Lahore. l

9

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

BJP not to form govt in Delhi, expects fresh polls by February next year n Agencies Delhi on Monday night appeared headed for assembly elections with BJP, AAP and Congress expressing themselves against formation of a new government and seeking a fresh mandate to end the eight-month-long political uncertainty.

Indications are that Lt Governor Najeeb Jung, who met leaders of the three political parties, may send his recommendation to the President for dissolving the assembly any time.

While BJP declined the LG’s offer to form a government, AAP and Congress made it clear that they were in favour of immediate elections.

The LG held consultations in the wake of the Supreme Court putting the issue on the fast track and giving him time till November 11 to explore the possibility of forming a government.

The court was hearing AAP’s petition seeking early dissolution of the Assembly which has been under suspended animation since February after the fall of the AAP government.

Satish Upadhyay and Jagdish Mukhi of BJP, Haroon Yusuf of Congress and AAP’s Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia met the Lt Governor. “All the above parties expressed their inability to form the government. The Lt Governor would be sending his report to the Hon’ble President,” a Raj Niwas release said.

Currently BJP, along with ally Akali Dal’s lone MLA, has 29 legislators and would require the support of five more MLAs to prove majority in the 67-member Assembly.

BJP had emerged as the single largest party in the December Assembly polls winning 31 seats but fell four seats short of a simple majority. It had refused to form government then, saying it will not resort to any “unfair means” to take over the reins.

AAP had formed the government in Delhi with the support of Congress.

The government led by Kejriwal had resigned on February 14 after the party’s pet project, the Janlokpal Bill, could not be passed due to opposition from BJP and Congress.

President’s Rule was imposed on February 17.

Earlier on Monday, L-G called all parties for a meet. Delhi Congress leader Mukesh Sharma, meanwhile, batted for the dissolution of the assembly and fresh elections - a stand time and again reiterated by the AAP. Jung’s decision to hold talks with all parties came against the backdrop of the Supreme Court recently criticising his and the Centre’s role over the delay in taking a call on government formation.

The L-G has been under fire over the issue, with Kejriwal training his guns on Jung. The former Delhi chief min-

ister had accused Jung of “promoting horse-trading.”

Kejriwal and his party had stressed since the BJP does not have the numbers to form a stable government, inviting it would lead to “horse-trading.” The AAP had also accused the BJP of running away from fresh elections fearing defeat.

In the 70-member Delhi House, the BJP and its ally Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has 29 MLAs - down from 32 after its legislators Harsh Vardhan, Ramesh Bidhuri and Pravesh Verma were elected to the Lok Sabha. The AAP has 27 members, while the Congress has eight.

A lot is at stake for the AAP in Delhi.

After its dismal showing in the AprilMay general elections - the party contested more than 400 seats and won just four - it is desperate to retain its foothold in Delhi. Positive response to Kejriwal’s recent rallies is believed to have given the AAP a shot in the arm.

The Delhi BJP, which won all seven Lok Sabha seats in Delhi in the 2014 elections, seems upbeat following the party’s pan-India success story - the most recent chapters of which were scripted in Maharashtra and Haryana.

Jung had last month sent a report to President Pranab Mukherjee seeking permission to invite the BJP. The Centre last week informed the Supreme Court that the President allowed Jung to invite the single largest party. l

Spy agencies averted more deaths in Pakistan-India border bomb n Reuters, Wagah

Indian and Pakistani intelligence agencies both picked up plans for an imminent strike on their Wagah land border

ahead of a suicide blast that killed 57 people on Sunday, and heightened security possibly averted a more devastating attack.

Pakistani police on Monday said

they had recovered a “huge” cache of weapons and explosives near the border, where thousands of Indians and Pakistanis gather at dusk every day to watch a flamboyant ritual parade by

their security forces.

Pakistani police spokeswoman Nabeela Ghazanfar said the latest death toll was 57 after the bomber detonated explosives in a car park 500 me-

The Wahga Border Flag Ceremoney took place yesterday despite the bombing. This file photo shows the usual scenario that takes place at Wagah everyday

Like Bangladesh, South Africa plunges into darkness

n Agencies

Four major cities in South Africa have suffered power cuts due to a huge loss in output after a coal storage silo collapsed. Blackouts on Sunday were reported in Johannesburg, South Africa’s economic capital, Pretoria, Port Elizabeth, and Cape Town, and could run through the whole week, the stateowned power supplier Eskom said.

Eskom lost 1,800 megawatts due to a loss of capacity at its Majuba power station in Mpumalanga in northern South Africa. A crack in a silo that held more than 10,000 tonnes of coal on Saturday caused the loss, Eskom said, warning of blackouts between 8am and 10pm.

Tshediso Matona, CEO of Eskom, said the incident would exacerbate an already “tight system.”

“An investigation is already under way into the cause of the incident, but it appears that this is an isolated incident specific to the coal infrastructure at Majuba.” South Africans with access to the internet took to social media to express their outrage with the outages.

Eskom has also called on residential users to turn off geysers and pool pumps until 10pm, and switch off non-essential lighting.

It feared that if there are any other supply interruptions, there could be widespread blackouts with a heavy cost to the economy, local media said. l

NTEMUR/WIKI COMMONS

ters (yards) from the border gates and parade ground, just as hundreds of spectators were returning from the ceremony.

Pakistani and Indian agents, who are arch-rivals and do not share intelligence, gave conflicting accounts of whether the bomber’s true intention was to cause casualties on the Indian side of the border and stir up tensions between the nuclear-armed nations.

“It appears the bomber wanted to target ground zero where Pakistan and India border officials stand together to perform the flag ceremony but he could not enter due to tight security on the last gate,” a Pakistani intelligence official told Reuters.

“Had he managed to reach the place, there would have been the worst scenario at both sides.”

If successful, such an attack would likely have severely tested ties between India and Pakistan, already frayed after weeks of shelling further along the border killed 17 people in October.

Another source said a second suicide vest had been found in a field near the explosion site, suggesting there might have been another bomber.

“The target - the border facility that symbolizes trade and interaction between India and Pakistan - is a tempting one for extremist Pakistani groups that want conflict with India and oppose any detente or cooperation with New Delhi,” said Bruce Riedel of the Brookings Institution, a former adviser on South Asia to US presidents.

Every day, thousands of Indians and Pakistanis flock to watch the elab-

orate show where border security officials kick their feet high and grimace in mock aggression in a peacock-like display of patriotism. It is one of the only chances regular citizens from the two countries get to observe each other.

India said the daily flag-lowering ceremony would be suspended as a mark of respect for the dead, but a spokesman for Pakistan’s paramilitary Rangers said later they had decided to go ahead with the parade to send a message to the militants.

“The top Rangers leadership has decided to continue with the flag ceremony to convey ... to the terrorists that we are not afraid of them,” spokesman Major Mohammad Ijaz said by phone from the border. “I can see a large number of people, including women and children, and they are extremely enthusiastic today.”

Under the new government of Hindu nationalist Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has stepped up its response to perceived aggression from neighbors Pakistan and China, with which it has long-standing border disputes.

Modi, who is reviled by some Islamist groups, condemned Sunday’s attack as a “dastardly act.”

“My condolences to the families of the deceased. Prayers with the injured,” he said on Twitter.

India regularly alleges the involvement of Pakistani security agencies in militant attacks on its soil, including the 2008 Mumbai attacks in which 166 people were killed when Pakistani militants went on a three-day rampage in India’s financial capital. l

Cold water on the idea of Xi-Abe talks

Obama to reboot administration to save presidency?

n Reuters, Beijing

n Reuters, Washington

China’s official Xinhua news agency on Monday poured cold water on the idea that the leaders of China and Japan could have formal talks on the sidelines of next week’s Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit.

Expectations have been growing in Japan for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping for an ice-breaking chat at the gathering of Asia-Pacific leaders.

A meeting of the two leaders would be a symbolic breakthrough in ties between the world’s second- and third-biggest economies, which have turned frigid in the past two years over a territorial row, regional rivalry and the bitter legacy of Japan’s wartime occupation of China.

Abe had “spared no efforts” in seeking to meet with Xi, Xinhua said in an English-language commentary.

“His wish will be fulfilled, since Beijing, the host of this forum, will undoubtedly receive the Japanese leader with etiquette and hospitality, despite chronic territorial rows and a historical feud with Tokyo,” it said.

“However, that does not nec-

essarily mean Abe’s long-sought formal talks with Xi during APEC would come true, which demands Abe extend good faith and take real action to create the proper atmosphere.”

But Japan has not made such efforts in bilateral ties, which have been constantly troubled by its attempts to wash off its war-time atrocities, Xinhua added.

Xinhua commentaries are not official government pronouncements, but can be read as a reflection of official thinking.

The commentary said that though bad ties benefited neither country, Japan had “launched a string of provocations” last month, including visits by government ministers to the Yasukuni Shrine, which China sees as a symbol of Japan’s past militarism.

Yasukuni honors millions of war dead, including wartime leaders convicted as war criminals by an Allied tribunal.

“In short, it seems nothing more than a mere clumsy political stunt for the island country to advocate dialogue and fence-mending with neighbors on the one hand, while sticking to the bigoted course of fomenting strife and misgivings on the other,” Xinhua added. l

A reshuffling of President Barack Obama’s staff looks all but certain after Tuesday’s congressional elections, which are likely to bring humbling losses to his Democratic party and could add to pressure on him to reboot his presidency.

Forecasters say that Republicans, who have made Obama’s unpopularity a top issue in the elections, are in a strong position to capture the six seats they need to take over the Senate from Democrats. They are also expected to expand their majority in the House of Representatives.

But current and former White House aides say that even if those predictions prove correct, Obama will likely resist calls to clean house for the final two years of his administration, a departure from the dramatic makeovers quickly ordered by many of his predecessors after similar setbacks at the ballot box.

Even slow-motion staff turnover could add some new talent to an inner circle that has been criticized as too insular. But it remains to be seen whether new blood would be enough to help a diminished president overcome Washington gridlock and push through new initiatives to burnish his legacy.

At the same time, there are doubts whether Obama will respond with what many see as an even more critical remedy: altering his cloistered leadership style to

deal with the new reality on Capitol Hill and cascading crises abroad.

The president, known for his cautious “no-drama Obama” persona, may be reluctant to make a fundamental course change for the last quarter of his tenure, according to people inside and outside the administration.

“There will always be a staff change here or there,” particularly among people who have served for a long time, said Jay Carney, Obama’s former press secretary.

But he added, “It’s just not his style to do it ... I wouldn’t expect a big change.”

But both supporters and critics say recent stumbles in the handling of the Ebola crisis and a halting strategy against Islamic State underscore the need for major changes within the White House “bubble,” where policy decisions have become concentrated to a degree seen as almost unprecedented.

“He should consider reviving the ‘team of rivals’ approach,” said Jane Harman, a former California congresswoman regularly consulted by the White House. “Having people with different opinions in the room, that would be very helpful.”

Loyal to his loyalists However, Obama, famously loyal to those who have been loyal to him, has shown an aversion to firing senior staffers. Most of those who have left since he took office went voluntarily.

That may still be the case even as the predicted midterm losses sink in with his West Wing team, many of whom are exhausted after nearly six years of governing.

But there is another, albeit less likely, scenario. With lame-duck status looming, Obama – his approval ratings languishing in the low 40-percent range - may calculate that he has little to lose by making sweeping staff changes, which could send a message that he is serious about making a fresh start, one former insider said.

White House chief of staff Denis McDonough has already quietly asked senior aides to tell him if they plan to stay onboard for Obama’s final two years in office.

A longtime Obama confidant, McDonough himself is the object of growing speculation. His departure would suggest Obama is doing more than just tinkering with the makeup of his staff.

McDonough has made clear he prefers to stay and Obama won’t send him packing, people close to the president say. But no one is ruling out that McDonough could decide on his own to leave.

Obama may be mindful that the last time he revamped his White House staff, after the “shellacking” suffered in the 2010 midterms, the results were far from glowing. Former banker Bill Daley, brought in for a more pro-business approach but never able to penetrate the Obama inner circle, was pushed out as chief of staff after little more than a year. l

10

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Editorial

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

CODE-CRACKER

Break the glass ceiling

A

new study by the CPD and Manusher Jonno Foundation notes that if household work done by women was paid for, it would be equivalent to 87% of the current GDP. It demonstrates, as is the case all around the world, that women spend far more time on household chores than men, without being economically recognised.

The most immediate lesson to learn from this survey is the need for more men to do their fair share of household work.

Sharing household work more evenly will mean fewer women are unfairly burdened at home. This is important in order to help more women seek and retain formal paid employment.

It is also crucial to helping the economy grow further, by making fuller use of the untapped potential of having more women in the workplace.

For Bangladesh to develop as people hope and the country needs, no good is served by factors which hold women back from participating and progressing in the workplace.

More broadly, the survey’s example of transparency in drawing attention to inequality should be emulated more widely.

For instance, large employers could develop and promote policies to attract and retain women in the workplace such as support for childcare. They could also publish figures for the percentages of women they employ and the percentage who are senior managers or directors.

Such disclosure would set a positive example and drive competition to help women progress in the workplace.

Free the untapped potential of women in the workplace

Closure may be the best option for state banks Despite pressure from the IMF to close unprofitable branches, the government is persisting with its policy of spending hundreds of millions of dollars a year to keep state run banks afloat.

Not only is this a waste of scarce taxpayer funds which could be more productively spent, but it is particularly misguided given the Bangladesh Bank’s latest report showing that the boards of directors of several state-run banks are continuing to flout rules designed to ensure prudent lending.

The continuing disregard for profitability shown by state-run and owned banks, despite the criticism they have received in recent years in the wake of large scale frauds and scams, suggest the sector is unsalvageable.

As state banks have been so poorly run, even privatisation may not be a tenable option.

It would be more realistic and practical to simply shut down bankrupt state banks. This could be done by taking the following steps. First, the government should guarantee it will ensure depositors are given all their money back, to prevent a run on the banking system.

Then, sellable assets including loans which are not in default should be sold to private sector banks.

Bad assets should be transferred at zero value to a new institution set up to realise these loans through the courts.

Once the depositors have received their deposits back, and functioning loans have all been transferred to the books of other financial institutions, the bankrupt state owned banks should be wound up, and their employees retrenched with all due benefits.

It would be more practical to shut down bankrupt state banks

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

A freedom we can’t handle October 23

Osmania Freedom of speech is precisely about defending people you disagree with or find offensive. The writer is as wrong as you can get. I also do not believe his beliefs have been genuinely hurt by reading some newspaper articles.

“Are we good at being open and free and honest at the same time? Don’t we know what the free-thinking souls (mostly the young ones) are doing in the name of freedom, modernism, and friendship? Don’t we hear sadistic stories almost every day? Aren’t we victims of freemixing environments already? Think hard, friends. Don’t push for a freedom that you know not how to handle or respect.”

His last paragraph (which appears above) makes clear he wants to control people and is either contemptuous or envious of young people.

S Mallik Firstly, Latif by no means is our or anyone’s Rushdie. It seems the author has not read enough of Rushdie’s books, and as such, unfortunately, seems to have insufficient grounds to compare anyone to Rushdie.

The Taslima Nasrin tirade is also meaningless as he deviates and points out she was driven out of Kolkata. I could not quite see how it helped him drive a point, if at all there was one.

Can I also point out that atheists are selfdeclared, by their very own definition? There is hardly any other way for one to become one. It is not like faith that one can be born into one.

Lastly, this could have been a one line Facebook status.

Maqsood Jamil S Mallik: Right or wrong, it is one’s choice. The point the writer may have tried to make is “believers” are always looked upon as if they are wrongly following the religion. I agree with the author that most of the atheists seem not at all aware or well read. Atheists attack believers. Not

Dhaka to join China-led multilateral agency October 26

AB Three of the leading economies are staying away from this multi-lateral bank: South Korea, Australia, and Indonesia, while Malaysia and India are both reviewing their full participation. Let’s not count the chicks before the eggs hatch.

the other way around. They are the ones who write perverse pieces about religion and create problems in society, believers don’t.

The write-up is not ludicrous. You and Osmania have only come up with weak points to counter the piece. When you malign somebody and attack faiths, you are a Salman Rushdie, or worse! Simple. Taslima Nasrin had to flee the country – may I ask, my dear friends, Why did she? For her good works? What was she propagating, do you know?

No wonder where do they (the half-educated, self-styled free-thinking people) get the back up from! A sign of frustrated minds!

Faizul Kabir What Maqsood Jamil and others are trying to say is not quite clear. While the modern minds of Osmania and Mallik smack of perverted ideas and blind toeing of faithlessness, Maqsood seems to be a softer version of believers.

I can say, no one with a healthy mind would support anything about Taslima Nasreen, and Salman Rushdie is a human disgrace. Who supports him?

One who has a twisted mind. Shame on them who try to downplay some good observations.

The author belongs to that group – or so it seems from his writings – which tries to uphold moral and social issues! That is not bad!

The accidental scientist who changed Bangladesh October 23

How to solve: Each number in our CODE-CRACKER grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. For example, today 15 represents H so fill H every time the figure 15 appears.

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

Some letters of the alphabet may not be used.

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

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

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

CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Ships of the desert (6) 6 Tooth on a wheel (3) 9 Friendship (5) 10 Remedy (4) 11 Arab currency unit (5) 12 Prohibit (3) 13 Landed property (6) 15 Stop up (4) 18 Arrowhead (4) 21 Poked gently (6) 24 Flightless bird (3) 25 Make up for (5) 28 Tear (4) 29 Narrow ways (5) 30 Numeral (3) 31 Replenishes (6)

DOWN 1 Younger son (5) 2 Friend (Fr) (3) 3 Musical note (5) 4 Greek letter (3) 5 Old stringed instrument (4) 6 Country (4) 7 Public speaker (6) 8 Inherited character unit (4) 14 Bath (3) 16 Mental acuteness (6) 17 Farm animal (3) 19 Unaccompanied (5) 20 Consecrate (5) 21 Wicked emperor (4) 22 Low sand hill (4) 23 Valley (4) 26 Make brown (3) 27 Fresh (3)

rose “He succeeded in raising the height of dwarf HYV rice plants to 125cm and making them significantly more photosensitive.”

Our respect goes for Dr Munshi who worked so hard and had such patriotic feelings towards his country.

What true diversity means

CALVIN AND HOBBES

October 23

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTIONS CODE-CRACKER RS There is quite a famous adage, that diversity is strength. i just remembered this while going through this article.

CROSSWORD

Two jailed for appearing as proxy in exam PEANUTS

October 26

SUDOKU

Arch Bishop Probably they were not BCL or Jubo League members. Otherwise, the magistrate herself would be out of a job.

Op-Ed

DHAKA TRIBUNE

11

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Can’t hold us back n Aziz Ahmed

R

Studying for the wrong reasons?

BIGSTOCK

Aiming to be average

T

n Aaqib Md Shatil his is a story from 1955.

During those days, there were not many students in this region. There was only one education board, the East Pakistan Board. A rumour had spread in some of the renowned institutions of East Bengal that the students from KM Latif Institution of Pirojpur might outpace the students of all the other institutions in that year’s matriculation examination.

The teachers of the school predicted that one particular student, who later became a governor of Bangladesh Bank, was going to stand first in the East Pakistan Board.

However, when the results were published, the headmaster of that school was shocked to see that his best student – who stood first in every examination in class – was not in the list of the top 20 students with the highest scores, while the one who used to stand second secured sixth place on the list.

In those days, there was no scope to re-scrutinise examination papers.

But the headmaster of the school went to the board and managed to see the answer sheets of that student. He was awestruck to find out that some of the answer sheets of the most brilliant student of his school were blotted with ink, as if someone had intentionally done it.

The headmaster realised that someone did this deliberately – someone who was involved with the examination process and did not want a boy from a small town to stand first in the entire board.

I heard this story when I was inter-

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viewing a former government officer who studied at KM Latif Institution.

He unravelled the story while he was explaining the education system of the 1950s. This is surely an example of unwholesome competition between the educational institutions of those days. But I think that there is a hidden message in this story.

In those days, there was no GPA system. First, second, and third divisions were the parameters which were used to measure the levels of achievement of students. And a list was announced by the board with the names of the top students of the country.

In 2002, the government decided to introduce the GPA system. The initiative was taken with a view to cope with the international standards of education. The first division was replaced by A+ or GPA 5. Since 2010, the number of GPA 5 achievers has been increasing rapidly.

In the last SSC examination, 142,276 students, around 10% of the total 1,008,174 examinees, got GPA 5. Nearly 45,000 additional students got GPA 5 compared to the previous year as well.

This means that 10% of the total students of the country who passed the SSC examination have qualified as the best students – a record indeed.

The result of the HSC examination was brilliant as well. The number of GPA 5 holders in the HSC and equivalent examinations this year marked a significant increase, with 70,602 GPA 5 holders, which is 12,405 more than the previous year.

But surprisingly, the “brilliant” students of our country found themselves in deep trouble when the result of the admission tests in Dhaka University were published. According to the

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university’s authorities, 86% of the examinees failed to obtain the pass mark in the admission tests.

Even more surprisingly, around 66% of the 76,003 GPA 5 holders in the two exams had failed to secure pass marks in the DU admission tests. The admission test results in the previous academic years also give a dismal picture, with constantly high failure rates.

After the introduction of the GPA system, the priorities of the students changed

Such depressing results in the admission tests have raised questions about the quality of education provided by the teachers in the secondary and higher-secondary levels. The quality of education can be presumed from the fact that only two out of 1,364 students qualified for enrolment in DU’s English department.

The hidden message that I was talking about may give an answer to this conundrum. Before the introduction of the GPA system, the competition between the institutions was not only to enhance the pass rate and the number of first-division holders, but also to make their students the best of the bests, so that they could secure

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their place in the top scorers’ list of the board and the country, respectively.

The parameter to identify the best institution was the pass rate as well as the number of students who were in the list of top scorers.

Test scores were more important in those days, as the top scorers’ lists were made by adding the total score of a student in every single subject.

Obtaining good marks was a priority, but getting the highest marks in every subject was also necessary to be in the top scorers’ list.

So, the best students of the institutions used to receive special care from teachers. Others were also given extra attention so that they try harder to become as good as the best students.

Unfortunately, after the introduction of the GPA system, the priorities of the students changed. Getting at least 80 marks in every subject has become the priority as well as the necessity, because being the top scorer is not important anymore. A student who got 99 out of 100 in every subject is a GPA 5 holder. On the other hand, a student who got 80 out of 100 in every subject is also awarded with a GPA of five.

This is how the devaluation of talent occurs. The whole system has demoralised both the students and the teachers. The competition to make the best students has been converted into a competition of making average students. The education system of our country is on the wrong track. It is badly in need of an evaluation itself.

The sooner, the better. l Aaqib Md Shatil is a blogger and member of Dhaka University Model United Nations Association.

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ozina Akter has three children.

Two of them are disabled. Her husband believes that there’s no need to spend time on them. Instead, he believed she should get a job so that they can earn more money. Rozina finally stopped taking her children to school seven months after their admission, and started working at a garment factory. Poverty and negative attitudes of the family as well as society destroy the hopes and aspirations of children with disabilities.

There are many children with disabilities (CWDs) living in our society, and they are deprived of the opportunities non-disabled children usually get. School is an important place where children adapt themselves in the socialisation process through mutual sharing with their peers and teachers.

If CWDs keep staying at home, they fail to learn how to socialise.

In some cases, guardians send them to special schools, even though very limited numbers of CWDs get this chance. Disabled children are able, but differently, and therefore they need extra care and opportunities compared to their non-disabled peers. A new idea known as inclusive education has been developed and practised abroad where disabled students are included in mainstream education.

In this approach, children with and without disabilities participate and learn together in the same class.

The teacher takes classes of all of the students in regular classroom settings instead of segregating the CWDs in special classrooms. This means that all students are welcomed by their neighbourhood schools to attend regular classes and are supported to learn, contribute, and participate in all aspects of their school life.

This is important not only for the disabled students, but also for marginalised students. In this way, disabled and other marginalised students learn to live alongside their non-disabled peers. They learn, play, and grow up together. In an inclusive classroom, children with disabilities have a chance to feel like the other kids and get more opportunities to make friends.

The chance to achieve alongside their peers without disabilities can help their self-esteem. With the support of a skilled teacher, they may become more socially competent and feel less isolated. Students, who do not have disabilities may gain greater understanding and empathy of others, as they learn to accept and appreciate students with disabilities.

There are many challenges to promote inclusive education in Bangladesh. Lack of access to school buildings and toilets, substantial space in classrooms, proper lighting, and suitable blackboards are major barriers for CWDS to study in regular schools.

Physically and visually impaired children face problems in this situation.

The teachers in the existing schools do not know sign language and the Braille system. Due to lack of these skills, teachers cannot teach children with visual and hearing impairment properly.

Existing educational materials such as blackboard, printing map, chalk and slate, books, pictures, etc are developed considering non-disabled students, which are not suitable for students with low vision. In most of the

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primary schools, there are many students and only one teacher in a class.

As a result, the teacher cannot give extra attention to the disabled children.

Disabled children are able, but differently, and therefore they need extra care and opportunities

The primary education curriculum is one of the most important guidelines to implement the primary education system. But in reality, it does not properly support the education of various types of disabled students. Textbooks used in different classes from I to V are not suitable for students with disabilities.

Children with varying degrees and types of impairments are unable to follow the instructions mentioned in the text books. The font size of words in textbooks is too small to read for children with low vision. Above all, there is a lack of awareness about inclusive education for CWDs in the communities and families.

National and international legal instruments provide support for the education of CWDs. The Bangladesh government approves and ratifies UNCRPD, and is thereby accountable and committed to ensuring different rights of disabled people. Bangladesh has introduced acts and policies such as Disabled People’s Rights and Protection Act 2013 and National Education Policy 2010 that support to promote equitable, inclusive, and high-quality education for CWDs and reduce disparity.

The Ministry of Primary and Mass Education has taken some initiatives to promote the inclusive education for CWDs such as training school teachers to teach CWDs, setting ramps in new school buildings so that wheelchair users have easy access to classrooms, etc. The government provides stipends to CWDs so that poor family members are encouraged to send their disabled children to school. Recently, preprimary sessions have been introduced in primary schools. But, not many CWDs have access to these facilities.

Different kinds of CWDs have different needs. Due to limited resources, it is difficult for the government to bring a vast number of CWDs under mainstream education. Long-term plans and strategies are needed to ensure education of the vast number of CWDs. The government should motivate NGOs and also the corporate sector to work in this regard. Many NGOs have been working to provide formal or informal primary education to poor children. If these NGOs include CWDs in their existing programs, grassroots CWDs will be benefited.

Joint initiatives by the community, NGOs, corporate sector, and the government can ensure inclusive education for CWDs. We should stand

by CWDS to build them as resources instead of burdens of our society. l Aziz Ahmed is a development worker.

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Branded n Ikhtisad Ahmed

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bearded, long-haired man speaking with a glottal stop and wearing skinny black jeans has dared to discuss politics. His entry into that sacred domain has caused a stir. It is all too easy to dismiss Russell Brand.

The never-ending queue of commentators awaiting their turn to mock him, with left-wing experts joining the droves of right-wing voices, not one of whom has been able to resist the temptation of rising to the challenge of a kindergarten-level spelling test, is testament to the complete lack of difficulty.

Here is a celebrity with a hedonistic past – a label that is impossible to shed once earned – and no fancy Oxbridge or Ivy League education, a millionaire comedian with a propensity to court controversy, asking to be taken seriously.

He does not offer solutions to the myriad political problems, actively campaigns against voting, thereby

encouraging the populace to surrender its voice, and romanticises revolution with a contrived, convoluted verbosity.

the establishment, and is able to give him or her a voice outside of the Hobson’s choice presented by it. The

The defenestration of Russell Brand, easy as it is, conceals the fear felt by the elite

He purports to speak for the masses, but his bank balance, no doubt being inflated by the political crusade that is his current pet project, his appearance, his standing as an entertainment figure, all point to him being part of the machinery on which he has declared war.

For all his shortcomings, however, he is closer to respecting and feeling the pulse of the average citizen than

defenestration of Russell Brand, easy as it is, conceals the fear felt by the elite in the smallest of chances that he just may be getting through with a message that refuses the spin that keeps them afloat.

This convenient witch-hunt allows the political establishment and their friendly pseudo-intellectuals, and friendlier entrepreneurs, to preserve the status quo. The fact is that,

whether it is the US, the UK, India, or Bangladesh, citizens are being oppressed by a ruling class intent on never relinquishing its monopoly on power.

The self-perpetuating system, heavily funded and championed by half-truths and outright lies, is not benefitting the common man.

The myth of individualism leading to the attainment of collective and personal capitalist utopias leaves him broken, counting failures and berating himself while the elites congratulate themselves on soaring higher and tightening the noose evermore on him.

In these desperate times, the only hope – that cruel thing that is fated to birth more of its kind even when it is fading – he has is to think differently.

He needs to reject the existing structure because it has rejected him.

A revolution of thought is the need of the hour, eventually fuelling the realisation of the dramatic changes necessary to salvage the

heart and soul of nations and their peoples with revolutionary ideas being implemented rather than being discussed in hushed tones and ridiculed if spoken out loud.

Every day that passes without an altruistic populace thinking for itself, free from the shackles of thought control, takes the world closer to an absolute victory for the establishment.

That creature has risen from its residence in the depths of hell, manipulating and adulterating the laws of gods, men, and nature to keep possession of the crown of thorns that allows it to rule supreme over mortals. It will never serve the common man or his land, and it is time he came out of his self-inflicted petrification and made a full recovery.

Russell Brand is not a messiah, but he is someone who is taking a stand against the false prophets who populate the upper echelons of the world’s society. His advocacy against voting is in support of the common man, an argument in favour of him having a

real voice that counts for more than choosing who to be ruled by.

In all walks of life, criminals are punished to prevent them from continuing to adversely affect society. The exception to this universal rule lies in the sphere of governance, where the elites are given carte blanche to dictate terms to their benefit, and trusted to keep committing heinous crimes against humanity that the masses are unable to influence.

The common man needs to stop wallowing in self-pity in order to prevent his present and future miseries. He needs to shake off the catalepsy and seize the day. The current state of affairs has been tried for decades, only to prove that it does nothing for the common man. It is up to him to think differently, to try something else, to revolutionise the system, for his sake. l Ikhtisad Ahmed is a writer and an erstwhile lawyer. He can be contacted on Twitter via @ Ikhtisad.

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DHAKA TRIBUNE

Entertainment

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Samay Natyasampradaya presents Bhager Manush n Entertainment Desk Samay Natyasampradaya will stage “Bhager Manush” today at 7pm at the Experimental Theatre Hall of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy. The acclaimed play was premiered in 1997 and so far has been staged over 150 times.

Mannan Heera has adapted the play from a popular Urdu short story Toba Tek Singh by Saadat Hasan Manto. Here, the play satires the partition of the Indian subcontinent

in 1947 which brought immense suffering to the people living in the border areas of the two countries—India and Pakistan.

The play highlights the “exchange agreement of the lunatics” between the governments of India and Pakistan, two or three years after the Partition (1947). Directed by Aly Zaker, it shows many historical characters like Gandhi, Jinnah and others. They are represented as a contrast to those who are labelled insane by society. l

Shrek Forever After Zee Studio, 7:40pm

A bored and domesticated Shrek pacts with deal-maker Rumpelstiltskin to get back to feeling like a real ogre again.

The Hangover Part III

HBO, 9:30pm

In this epic finale to the Hangover trilogy, the Wolfpack must track down Mr. Chow to help their mate Doug, who’s been kidnapped.

SHOSHEE plays schoolgoer in TV drama n Entertainment Desk Sharmin Zoha Shoshee just wrapped up the shooting of a drama, where she will appear wearing a school uniform.

She plays Mala, a school student, in the drama titled “Bikele Bhorer Phul,” directed by Progga Niharika. With a rural setting, the story is about Mala’s journey from school to marriage.

The drama will be aired on TV shortly. Shatabdi Wadud will also appear in the drama alongside Shoshee.

Shoshee also starred in a single-episode drama titled “Bhalobasai Jothestho Noy” along with Azizul Hakim and Golam Farida Chhanda. Written and directed by Mamunur Rashid, the drama is also in the pipeline to be aired on TV. l

Night at the Museum Movies Now, 5:00pm

Exhibition

Searching Myself By artist Monjur Rashid Time: 11am – 6pm La Galerie, Alliance Francaise, Dhanmondi

The Dhaka Print Club Show Time: 12pm – 8pm, Bengal Art Lounge Stones

By Hamiduzzaman Khan Time: 11pm to 8pm, Gallery Kaya

Film

Pipra Bidda How to Train Your Dragon 2 Guardians of the Galaxy Million Dollar Arm, Tarzan Star Cineplex

MOUSHUMI showered with blessings on her birthday n Entertainment Desk Moushumi, the most celebrated actress in Bangladeshi film industry, celebrated her birthday yesterday amid tonnes of blessings and good wishes.

The actor, 41, who reigned the silver screen for more than two decades, received blessings and wishes from fellow actors, directors, producers and her fans across the country. Her fans took to social media to convey birthday wishes to their favourite actor.

Moushumi regards her strong will and determination for her continuing success since debuting in “Keyamat

Registration starts for Bengal Classical Music Festival 2014

Theke Keyamat.” The actor considers her fans’ love and fame as her achievement from her career, while she says losing her simple self was the price of stardom.

In her illustrious career, Moushumi has won the National Award once, for her performance in Nargis Akhter’s “Meghla Akash.” Despite appearances in over 150 films, she has only two directorial ventures to her credit – “Kokhono Megh Kokhono Brishti” and “Meher Negar.”

Her latest film, titled “Ek Cup Cha” with co-star Ferdous, will be released on November 14. l

n Entertainment Desk Registration has begun for Bengal Classical Music Festival 2014, set to be held for five consecutive nights from November 27 to December 1 at Bangladesh Army Stadium. Bigger and better, the third instalment of this mega classical music festival has been dedicated to Pallikabi Jasimuddin.

The festival will present a broad variety of classical music genres and dance forms by 160 performers from India and Bangladesh.

Registration via online and mo-

Shaon Chowdhury receives RD Smriti Awards n Entertainment Desk Singer Shaon Chowdhury has been awarded the prestigious RD Smriti Awards in Kolkata for his duet song “Amar Achhe Robi Thakurer Shesher Kobita” with famed Indian singer Haimanti Shukla, from album “Mone Rekho Prithibi.”

Accepting the award at a recently held ceremony in Malda, Kolkata, the singer said: “It is indeed a beautiful song, and this award is its acknowledgment. This will surely inspire me to create even better songs.”

The RD Smriti Awards was founded in memory of celebrated Indian singer Rahul Dev Burman. Every year the award honours artistes with outstanding contribution to music in the Indian Sub-continent.

This award adds to Shaon’s many achievements. He has also received awards such as the World Master Award in Music, India-Bangladesh Friendship Award 2011, and South Asian Cultural Award. He learned classical khayal and ghazal under the tutelage of renowned ustad Niaz Mohammad Chowdhury. l

Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone recently launched the cover of Stardust magazine’s November edition.

The Stardust November cover has Deepika, and she is referred as “The Glorious Diva.” One of her quotes from the interview is also highlighted on the page: “Salman & I are star-crossed lovers!” The diva had launched the magazine’s January edition as well, which also featured her on the cover.

Deepika will now be seen in three films next year. One of them is “Tamasha” with Ranbir Kapoor.

This will be their second movie together, after last year’s “Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani”.

The other two are “Bajirao Mastani” with current beau Ranveer Singh and “Piku” with Amitabh Bachchan and Irrfan Khan. l

bile phone opened at 12am yesterday. To register online, one has to log on to the website of Bengal Foundation – www.bengalfoundation.org. To register via mobile phone, one has to write Bengal and send to 6969.

Booth registration will begin on November 7 at Bengal Gallery of Fine Arts in Dhanmondi, Aranya in Banani, The Daily Star-Bengal Arts Precinct in Farmgate, and Kushol Centre in Uttara from 12-7pm, with a break on Fridays from 12:30pm to 2:30pm. l

SHAH RUKH would not mind joining the Dhoom franchise n Entertainment Desk

DEEPIKA graces the cover of Stardust n Entertainment Desk

Larry Daley accepts a menial job as a nightshift security guard at New York’s Museum of Natural History.

During Larry’s watch, extraordinary things start to happen.

PAUL WALKER’s final film appearance in Furious 7 n Entertainment Desk The trailer of “Furious 7,” seventh instalment of the “Fast and Furious” film series, has been released, which sees the late Paul Walker in the role of Brian O’Connor for the final time.

The film was in production when Walker died suddenly in a high-speed car crash on November 30 last year.

He had completed the majority of shooting for the latest instalment of the street racing franchise, and producers employed digital effects with the help of Walker’s brothers to finish his parts.

Paying tribute to his co-star in August this year, Vin Diesel said: “I grew up in the bouncer world, and we lost people while we were bouncing. But the brotherhood in Paul Walker was something completely different.

“We grew up in the business together, and we became famous to-

gether, and we represented the biggest franchise together. He was my partner, and it is a strange thing to ...

I’ve been acting all my life and they don’t teach you in acting, how to mourn someone and simultaneously pretend they’re in a scene with you.”

The trailer, which also stars Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Jason Statham, Michelle Rodriguez and Jordana Brewster, sees Walker successfully rescue a damsel in distress from the back of a run-away coach, which plunges off a cliff. He escapes falling with the vehicle by leaping and holding on to the tail of Rodriguez’s car, which speeds to the cliff edge just in time.

It ends with Diesel saying, “I don’t have friends. I got family,” before it movingly cuts back to a scene starring Walker.

“Furious 7” is set to be released in cinemas in April 2015. l

He has been part of many blockbusters produced by Yash Raj Films and Shah Rukh Khan would not mind joining their popular Dhoom franchise if the project is offered to him.

So far John Abraham, Hrithik Roshan and Aamir Khan have played the main villain in Dhoom franchise.

Shah Rukh said: “I am doing a film with Yash Raj and that’s Fan. If I get an opportunity, I would love to do it. I find it very cool.”

The first Dhoom came in 2004 and the superstar said he was attached to the first instalment. “I knew Sanjay Ghadvi and I liked the film. Aditya has never asked me for Dhoom,” he said.

“The audience have a lot of expectations from me and I don’t want to disappoint them and that’s my biggest fear. I hope I work hard and live up to everyone’s expectations,” said the superstar who turned 49 on Sunday. l

Did you know?

Real Madrid have scored 37 league goals this season, their best haul at this point in a La Liga term alongside 1950/51 (37)

Sport

14 German giants

and Real close to qualification

13

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

DHAKA TRIBUNE

14 Van Gaal slams

15 Pakistan spank

‘stupid’ Smalling, defends Fellaini

sorry Australia for series win

Tamim tones down aggression n to guide hosts

Chigumbura pleased with bowling effort

n Minhaz Uddin Khan from Khulna

The unbeaten Bangladesh batsmen, Shakib al Hasan (L) and Tamim Iqbal head back towards the dressing room after the end of the first day’s play of the second Test against Zimbabwe at Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium in Khulna yesterday DHAKA TRIBUNE

DPL to begin on Nov 11, finally n Mazhar Uddin After several postponements, the country’s most prestigious fiftyover tournament, the Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League (DPL), is finally set to kick off its 2014-15 season from November 11, the Cricket Committee of Dhaka Metropolis informed last Sunday. According to the previous among many schedules, the DPL was slated for a November 5 start.

Defending champions Legends of Rupganj, previously known as Gazi Tank Cricketers, will face Old DOHS in their first game at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.

In the other two matches of the opening day, last edition’s runners up side Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club will take on Partex at Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium in Fatullah while Prime Doleshwar will locks horns with Kalabagan Krira Chakra at BKSP-3.

The players’ transfer of the national cricketers took place on August 10-11 while the transfers of the remaining cricketers were completed on August 27-28.

Following the players’ transfer, all the participating clubs have already begun their training camps.

Ace all-rounder Shakib al Hasan and hard-hitting opener Tamim Iqbal signed for the defending champions while Test skipper Mushfiqur Rahim joined Prime Doleshwar.

The national cricketers will join their respective clubs following the conclusion of the ongoing home series against Zimbabwe.

In the upcoming DPL, only one foreign player will be able to play in the starting eleven with maximum three foreigners allowed in the squad.

Previously, 10 foreigners were drafted into the squad with two being allowed to play in the playing eleven. l

DPL OVERSEAS SIGNINGS

Player Ashar Zaidi Liam Dawson Dawid Malan Angelo Perera Dilshan Munaweera Azhar Mahmood Josh Cobb/ Samit Patel Chamara Kapugedera Chamara Silva Jehan Mubarak Roshan Silva Shehan Jayasuriya

Club Legends of Rupganj Sheikh Jamal DC Prime Doleshwar Mohammedan SC Prime Bank CC Kalabagan CA Brothers Union Victoria SC Abahani Limited Kalabagan KC Partex Old DOHS

Siddik to take part in Panasonic Indian Open n Raihan Mahmood Premier Bangladesh golfer Siddikur Rahman will tee-off in the Panasonic Indian Open at Delhi Golf Club this Thursday. Another Bangladeshi golfer Jamal Hossain Mollah will also participate in the $300,000 event that is sanctioned by Asian Tour and PGTI. Siddik will be facing a tough time as local rising star Rashid Khan is expected to stand in the way of the former’s title aspirations. Rashid defeated Siddik in the play-off of the Sail-SBI Open

last March.

The golf course, however, will be familiar to Siddik as he won the Hero Indian Open last year at this very venue, pipping Indian stars Anirban Lahiri and SSP Chowrasia into second place.

Apart from Rashid, the 131-strong field will also have defending champion Wade Ormsby of Australia, twotime Asia Tour number one Thaworn Wairatchant of Thailand, 2002 Order of Merit champion Jyoti Randhawa and two-time Asian Tour winner SSP Chowrasia. l

BD U12s gearing up for Supermokh Cup n Raihan Mahmood Bangladesh Under-12 football team will take part in the Supermokh Cup U-12 Football scheduled to be held from December 1-7 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) will draft the squad for the U-12 tournament from a nationwide U-13 talent hunt programme and a football festival jointly organised by Sonali Otit Club and football’s governing body in the country. The football festival will be held at BFF’s artificial turf on November 9 and 10.

A total of 20 sides – three local teams, two sides from England and 15 teams from 15 countries – will participate in the tournament that will be held at National Sports Council’s ground, Bukit Jalil. The BFF will bear the expenses of air tickets while the organisers will take care of local accommodation.

“It will be a good experience for the youngsters. We have decided to send the team with a view towards grooming them for the future,” said BFF general secretary Abu Nayeem Shohag. l

More often than not, substance over style is the key to success not just in cricket but in every facet of life. Bangladesh opener Tamim Iqbal must have learned the proverb by heart as his workmanlike 250-ball 74 steered his side to 193 runs for the loss of three wickets following the conclusion of the opening day’s play of the second Test against Zimbabwe at Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium.

The left-handed batsman, famous for his swashbuckling approach, was totally off-colour yet extremely patient as his unbeaten knock put Bangladesh in the driving seat after the first day’s proceedings.

The determined hosts came into the second Test looking to rectify the mistakes their batsmen had committed in the first Test in Dhaka where the Tigers posted a narrow three-wicket win over the visitors. Batting was the major worry for the home side and opening batsman Shamsur Rahman’s (two) early dismissal hardly helped matters after Bangladesh won the toss and elected to bat first. Tamim, however, alongside top-order batsman Mominul Haque saw off the first hour of play without further damage. The duo nullified the early morning moisture with ease denying the Zimbabwean pacemen further success.

The second-wicket pair added 72 runs before Mominul was dismissed by first Test hero, right-arm seamer Tinashe Panyangara. Mominul, as always, was level-headed and scored 35 runs off 101 deliveries. Mahmudullah then joined Tamim at the crease looking to drive home the advantage provided by

the second-wicket partnership.

A relaxed Tamim soon reached his slowest Test fifty, off 169 balls with the help of four boundaries. The southpaw was coolness personified as he outfoxed the Zimbabwean bowlers throughout the entire day. The only reprieve Tamim received was when he was on 58. Wicketkeeper Regis Chakabva dropped an edge induced by off-spinner Malcolm Waller but that proved to be the only dent in an otherwise impressive display of patience from the 25-year old opener.

This was Tamim’s 17th Test fifty but first against Zimbabwe. When on 60, Tamim also added another feature to his career. The cricketer from Chittagong went past 2500 Test runs and now finds himself third in the list of the highest Bangladeshi run-scorers in Tests. Habibul Bashar (3026) and Mohammad Ashraful (2737) occupy the top two spots.

Both Tamim and Mahmudullah adopted a cautious approach and it was required against the debutant leg-spinner Natsai M’Shangwe. The leggie appeared threatening, especially to Mahmudullah, who at times went for some reckless drives through the cover region.

Mahmudullah though also reached his fifty as the third-wicket pair put on 95 runs. The Tamim-Mahmuduallah partnership lasted 45.2 overs and were largely responsible for taking the life out of the Zimbabwean bowlers. However, with seven overs left till the end of play, Mahmudullah was trapped in front by Panyangara for a responsible 152-ball 56. This was Mahmudullah’s fourth fifty in his last six Test innings.

Alongside Tamim, Shakib al Hasan (13 not out) will resume the second day’s play today. l

Minhaz Uddin Khan from Khulna

The hosts might have lost just three wickets on day one, but Zimbabwe’s Elton Chigumbura believes the second Test is still balanced as they did not let Bangladesh score enough runs.

“I think it was an even day. Us getting three wickets, not letting Bangladesh score more than 200, so it was a good day for us and for Bangladesh side, they lost only three wickets, I am sure they are happy about it. I know they would have wanted more runs,” said Chigumbura yesterday.

The visitors started off the day on a bright note with Chigumbura dismissing Shamsur Rahman early, but haven’t had much success throughout the day.

But the all-rounder thinks “It was a good day” for them.

“Going for around two runs an over I thought it was a good effort especially on this wicket. It’s Test cricket. You don’t expect to get lots of wickets in a day. It’s about keeping the run rate down which gives a chance for more wickets.”

Chigumbura also felt they were unlucky not to get a couple more Bangladeshi wickets after they built pressure on the home side batsmen. l

SECOND TEST, DAY 1 Bangladesh 1st innings Tamim Iqbal not out Shamsur Rahman lbw b Chigumbura Mominul Haque c and b Panyangara Mahmudullah lbw b Panyangara Shakib Al Hasan not out Extras (b4, lb5, w2, nb2)

Total (three wickets, 90 overs)

74 2 35 56 13 13

193

Fall of wickets: 1-6 (Shamsur), 2-78 (Mominul), 3-173 (Mahmudullah).

Bowling: Panyangara 19-5-29-2 (nb1), Chigumbura 16-5-32-1 (w2), Chatara 15-3-30-0 (nb1), M’shangwe 24-4-60-0, Waller 9-1-22-0, Raza 7-2-11-0 Toss: Bangladesh

Bat as long possible and score may be 400-450, says Mahmudullah n Minhaz Uddin Khan from Khulna Bangladesh batsmen are often criticised for gifting away their wickets and are said to lack the mindset and patience needed to bat in Test cricket.

However, the picture was a rare one on the first day of the second Test against Zimbabwe in Khulna as the hosts posted 193 runs with seven wickets intact.

The day’s run-rate – 2.24 – pretty much explains how Bangladesh batted as the batsmen carefully selected their shots and hardly chased or made contact between the bat and ball unnecessarily.

The slow batting might have bored the crowd in the stadium, but Mahmudullah believes they are on the right track and they batted naturally.

“A wicket less would have looked better but still I think we were able to meet our target which was to bat nat-

urally,” said Mahmudullah during the post-day media conference yesterday.

“The wicket was little slow and it was hard to score runs on it, but we played according to our plans. The first session will be vital for us tomorrow (today) but we are happy that we have good number of wickets in hand,” he added.

Tamim Iqbal was the most surprising package on the day as the hard hitting southpaw wore a defensive look and finished the day with 26 runs away from what will be a magnificent comeback into form. He was unbeaten on 74 from 250 balls – the highest number of balls he ever faced in an innings.

“I think he batted very well today, he played 250 balls. He might have had reached his century if he had played his own game which is aggressive. I think he worked very hard the whole day and batted respecting the behaviour of the

wicket,” said Mahmudullah before adding, “Actually their bowlers were bowling at very good areas and it was tough to score runs. One had to wait for the bad deliveries as hurrying can cost you your wicket. So considering these facts I think our batsman were choosy with their shots, hope we start from where we left today (yesterday).”

Mahmudullah, who scored 56 – his fourth half-century in his last six Test innings – believes the first session today will be vital and the flow of the game will literally depend on it.

“This will depend on how many wickets we lose in the first session tomorrow (today). The runs might come quick if we play positive and then go aggressive if needed.

“We now want to bat as long possible and score may be 400-450 runs in the first innings,” said the former national vice-captain. l

BFF aims for Tk10m n Shishir Hoque Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF), with an intention of raising fund to develop football, aims to earn at least Tk10m from their lottery programme – BFF National Lottery 2014.

After receiving the green signal from the Finance Ministry in the early last month, BFF handed the rest of the work to J K International.

“The third party usually does the most of the lottery task in national level. We also leave the responsibility to an organisation called J K International and they will do the necessary works,” said BFF general secretary Abu Nayeem Shohag yesterday.

J K International will bear the expense of promoting/marketing and selling the lottery tickets and will take away 40% of the expected earnings which is Tk15m while BFF will get the rest. l

After a two-year gap, cricket returned to the south-western city of Khulna. Despite it being a weekday, the cricket-loving people of Khulna thronged the stadium in their thousands to witness the opening day’s play of the second Test between Bangladesh and Zimbabwe at Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium yesterday HEDAIT HOSSAIN

14

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Sport

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

German giants and Real close to qualification n Reuters, London The three teams with 100 percent records in this season’s Champions League can secure their places in the knockout stage this week with two games to spare.

German heavyweights Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund -- who contested the 2013 final -- plus holders Real Madrid have all been in imperious form in the competition and will be confident of making it four wins from four games as they take on opponents they beat away from home a fortnight ago.

Real Madrid, now top of La Liga, are on a club record of 11 straight wins in all competitions as they host fivetimes European champions Liverpool in Group B, having beaten them 3-0 at Anfield on matchday three.

The main interest in that group appears to be who finishes second, with three teams all on three points. Basle and Ludogorets play their return game in Switzerland on Tuesday after the Bulgarians won 1-0 at home.

“We’re still very much in the group to qualify, which is the objective,” Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers said ahead of a daunting trip to the Spanish capital.

“It’s a big ask playing against arguably the best team in the world at the moment. But we’ll go into it with confidence.”

Bayern host AS Roma in Group E on Wednesday after an astonishing 7-1 away victory against them in Italy, and will be confident of taking another three points.

Roma’s defeat offered new hope to

winless Manchester City, who let a 2-0 lead slip away to CSKA Moscow and now need to win the return in England and hope the Italians lose again.

Dortmund are having a strange season in which they struggle domestically while brushing aside all opposition in Group D.

FIXTURES Juventus Malmo Basel Real Madrid Zenit Benfica Arsenal Dortmund On Wednesday Bayern Munich Man City Ajax PSG Maribor Sporting Bilbao Shakhtar

v v v v v v v v

Olympiakos Atletico Madrid Ludogorets Liverpool Leverkusen Monaco Anderlecht Galatasaray

v v v v v v v v

Roma CSKA Moscow Barcelona APOEL Nicosia Chelsea Schalke 04 FC Porto BATE Borisov

Beaten by Bayern in the Bundesliga on Saturday, they have dropped into the relegation places, but play at home to Galatasaray on Tuesday looking for a repeat of their 4-0 success in Turkey.

If Juergen Klopp’s team and Arsenal, who are at home to Anderlecht, both win, they will each have qualified with two games to spare.

The four German representatives have lost only one game out of 12 between them so far, which was Bayer Leverkusen’s 1-0 defeat to Monaco on matchday one.

They still top Group C, but a second

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti (R) jokes with midfielder Luka Modric (C) next to forward Gareth Bale during a training session at the Valdebebas training center in Madrid yesterday on the eve of their Uefa Champions League match against Liverpool FC AFP

loss, away to Zenit St Petersburg on Tuesday, would put the Russians ahead of them. Second-placed Monaco, away to Benfica, have yet to concede a goal and are also very much in contention.

The fourth German and English teams, Chelsea and Schalke, hold the top two spots in Group G ahead of Wednesday’s matches.

Chelsea visit Slovenia to play Maribor, who they thrashed 6-0 in London, while second-placed Schalke know Sporting Lisbon have a poor record against German opposition, despite only having beaten them 4-3 in Gelsenkirchen with the help of a last-minute penalty.

Barcelona will want to bounce back from Saturday’s shock defeat at home to Celta Vigo when they visit Ajax in Group F, in which they trail Paris St Germain by a point.

Four points ahead of Ajax, they would be well-placed to qualify with another win, as would PSG if they win as expected at home to APOEL. Manager Laurent Blanc has said they must do that without talismanic striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who suffered a heel injury in September and has not played since. He is due to return in the middle of this month.

Group A remains the closest, so much so that two home wins on Tuesday would bring all four teams level on six points.

Juventus and Malmo are those home teams, facing Olympiakos and last season’s finalists Atletico Madrid respectively.

In Wednesday’s other matches Group H leaders Porto travel to Athletic Bilbao and Shakhtar Donetsk host BATE Borisov, who they humiliated 7-0 in Belarus when Luiz Adriano scored five times. l

Milan stunned by Palermo Van Gaal slams ‘stupid’ Smalling, defends Fellaini n AFP, Milan

SERIE A

AC Milan’s six-match unbeaten run in Serie A came to an end in spectacular fashion as promoted Palermo ran out deserved 2-0 winners at a stunned San Siro on Sunday.

Following two consecutive draws, Filippo Inzaghi’s men had been looking for the win that would have hoisted them up to joint third place alongside Sampdoria.

But they were stunned by two goals in the space of three first-half minutes and, despite battling for the equaliser, were left with a second defeat of the season which kept them in seventh place.

Milan are nine points behind leaders Juventus but only three points off the last Champions League qualifying spot now occupied by Sinisa Mihajlovic’s high-flying Samp.

“Hats off to Palermo,” Inzaghi told Sky Sport.

“I take full responsibility for the defeat. We’re still growing and so there can always be bumps along the way but maybe we deceived ourselves.”

Milan welcomed ‘keeper Diego Lopez back to the starting line-up follow-

Marseille back to winning ways n AFP, Paris Marseille restored their four-point lead at the top of Ligue 1 on Sunday, beating Lens 2-1 at the Stade Velodrome despite a less than convincing display against their struggling visitors.

Nicolas Nkoulou headed Marcelo Bielsa’s side into an early lead, but Lens drew level courtesy of Baptiste Guillaume and had chances to go in front themselves.

However, Florian Thauvin secured the points with his third league goal of the season on the hour-mark as Marseille got back to winning ways after suffering consecutive defeats in league and cup, holding on despite the late sending-off of Alaixys Romao.

With 28 points, OM are four clear of second-placed Paris Saint-Germain before they face their great rivals at the Parc des Princes in the biggest fixture in French football next Sunday.

A positive result in the capital against the defending champions would set them up for a sustained title challenge, but Bielsa will accept that his side need to play far better than they did against Lens if they are to take anything from PSG. l

LIGUE 1 Nantes

1-1

Armand 21-og

Bordeaux

Chievo

0-0

Sassuolo

Sampdoria

3-1

Fiorentina

Palombo 27-P, Rizzo 43, Eder 77

Savic 45

Torino

0-0

Udinese

2-4

Di Natale 1, Widmer 41

AC Milan

Atalanta Genoa Marchese 21, Iago 24, Matri 54, Kucka 87

0-2

Palermo

Zapata 23-og, Dybala 26

ing several weeks on the sidelines and midfielder Riccardo Saponara returned after a six-month injury absence.

But Lopez found himself beaten when defender Cristian Zapata, who replaced Alex due to an injury after just three minutes, turned the ball into his own net from a corner on 23 minutes.

Earlier, Sampdoria reclaimed third spot thanks to a 3-1 home win over Fiorentina, while city rivals Genoa fought back to claim a precious 4-2 away win at Udinese.

Sampdoria now trail leaders Juventus by six points, with Roma in second three points off the pace. l

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal said that Chris Smalling’s “stupid” dismissal had fatally undermined his side’s chances in their 1-0 Premier League defeat at Manchester City on Sunday.

Smalling was sent off in the 38th minute at the Etihad Stadium after receiving quick-fire yellow cards for trying to block a clearance by City goalkeeper Joe Hart and then scything down James Milner.

City eventually prevailed through a 63rd-minute Sergio Aguero strike, leaving the champions six points behind leaders Chelsea and seven points above United, and Van Gaal said Smalling’s red card was the turning point.

“In the derby you have to be careful.

The second yellow card was stupid,” he told BBC Sport.

“As a player you have to control your aggression. I didn’t see the first yellow, but the second you know as a player you have a yellow, so you have to handle it differently. I said that to the players.”

Van Gaal said that the England defender had apologised for his dismissal and

2-1

n AFP, Birmingham

Substitute Harry Kane’s last-minute winner, his seventh goal in as many games, completed Tottenham Hotspur’s come-from behind 2-1 victory at 10-man Aston Villa on Sunday as the visitors soared up the Premier League table.

Andreas Weimann’s 16th-minute goal gave Villa the lead but the hosts had to play the final 25 minutes a man down after striker Christian Benteke was shown a red card for a slap on the face of Spurs’ Ryan Mason.

Tottenham eventually made their advantage pay by scoring two goals inside the final six minutes at Villa Park.

RESULT Aston Villa Weimann 16

n Reuters, Barcelona

1-2

Tottenham Chadli 84, Kane 90

Nacer Chadli struck from a corner before rising star Kane, a life-long fan of north London club Spurs and a product of their youth system, grabbed the winner. Victory saw Spurs climb to eighth place, six points above the relegation zone but Villa’s sixth league loss in a row meant they remained just two points above the bottom three.

“You always need all the players,” Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino told Sky Sports.

“Today Andros (Townsend), Erik (Lamela) and Harry (Kane) made a big impact.” l

Rennes Toulouse Pesic 68

2-1

Nkoulou 10, Thauvin 60

Lens Guillaume 31

was “very humble” about the incident.

Van Gaal also lost Smalling’s centre-back partner Marcos Rojo after the Argentina international dislocated his shoulder in a sliding challenge early in the second period.

“The shoulder is out, so you never know how long that takes,” said the Dutchman, whose side host Crystal Palace next weekend.

“I have to wait until tomorrow (Monday), but he shall not play against Crystal Palace.”

City manager Manuel Pellegrini was relieved to see his side end a run of three games without victory, although he felt his team should have been awarded a penalty for a challenge on Yaya Toure by Rojo in the first half.

Louis van Gaal came to the defence of Marouane Fellaini after it appeared the Manchester United midfielder had spat at Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero during Sunday’s derby match at Eastlands.

During the course of a typically fiery clash between the local rivals, which Premier League champions City eventually won 1-0, Fellaini vented his anger at Aguero after the City striker appealed for a penalty towards the end of

the first half. Aguero went to ground after Fellaini kicked his standing leg but no spot-kick was forthcoming.

Belgian international midfielder Fellaini was unimpressed with Aguero and shouted at the Argentina striker while the forward was down on the turf.

According to some observers, spit left Fellaini’s mouth in the midst of his verbal tirade but United manager van Gaal insisted it wasn’t an intentional act by his player. “The TV has shown

that he is shouting and sometimes when you shout there’s a little bit of saliva (that comes out) with it,” van Gaal said.

“I don’t think that he’s a spitting figure,” the Dutchman added.

Fellaini endured a poor match at the Etihad Stadium, missing a chance to equalise with a poorly directed header after the impressive Aguero scored the only goal of the game when he turned in Gael Clichy’s cross in the 63rd minute. l

Manchester United midfielder Marouane Fellaini allegedly spat on Manchester City striker Aguero during their derby match on Sunday INTERNET

Spurs edge 10-man Villa Mustafi brace sees Valencia go second

Pedro Henrique 4

Planus 52, Rolan 63

Marseille

n AFP, Manchester

Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane (R) celebrates scoring the winner against Aston Villa during the English Premier League match at Villa Park on Sunday AFP

A second-half double from defender Shkodran Mustafi sealed a 3-1 victory for Valencia at derby rivals Villarreal that put them on the shoulders of La Liga leaders Real Madrid on Sunday.

Sevilla had earlier missed the chance to take top spot after a first-half Aritz Aduriz volley condemned them to a 1-0 defeat at Athletic Bilbao.

It was not a pretty performance from Valencia but they were determined in defence and Mustafi also showed his threat in attack as Nuno Espirito Santo’s side moved into second place, a point off Real, with 23 points from 10 games.

Luck was on their side when Manuel Trigueros slid in to clear a Sofiane Feghouli cross and ended up putting the ball past his own goalkeeper after six minutes to give Valencia the lead.

Villarreal pressed forward looking for the equaliser but while they moved the ball around well they were missing the killer touch in the final third of the pitch.

Instead, midway through the second half, Mustafi headed home a Pablo Piatti cross and then minutes later in another foray forward for a corner he slotted home on the volley.

Athletic’s La Liga form has suffered as they have struggled with the extra demands of Champions League foot-

Gladbach equal club record n AFP, Berlin

BUNDES LIGA

Borussia Moenchengladbach stayed within four points of Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich on Sunday with a 3-1 win against Hoffenheim that saw them equal the club record for their longest unbeaten start to a season.

Gladbach have not lost any of their opening 17 matches this season to match the club’s record-breaking start to the 1970/71 campaign.

Left winger Patrick Herrmann was the star at the Borussia Park as he set up the first goal for opposite winger Andre Hahn, then netted twice either side of half-time.

Gladbach coach Lucien Favre cele-

M’gladbach

3-1

Hahn 12, Herrmann 32, 52

Cologne

Hoffenheim Modeste 32

0-1

Freiburg Darida 51

Paderborn

3-1

Bakalorz 28, Kachunga 53, Meha 76

Hertha Berlin Kalou 41

brated his 57th birthday with the win which equalled a record set more than 40 years ago at the start of the club’s heyday.

Hoffenheim are fourth after their first defeat of the campaign. l

LA LIGA Athletic Bilbao

1-0

Sevilla

Aduriz 12

Villarreal

1-3

Trigueros 88

Levante

2-1

Barral 25, Casadesus 75

Elche Jonathas 19, 52

Valencia Trigueros 6-og, Mustafi 64, 73

2-1

Almeria (Jonathan 70)

Espanyol Stuani 86-pen

ball but they came out on top against Sevilla thanks to a well-struck volley from Aduriz in the centre of the penalty area after 13 minutes. l

Sociedad axe coach, Moyes linked n Reuters, Barcelona Real Sociedad have sacked coach Jagoba Arrasate following their poor start to the season, the La Liga club said on Sunday.

The Basque outfit were beaten 1-0 at home by Malaga on Saturday which left them one point off the bottom with six points from 10 games.

“Real Sociedad have decided to relieve Jagoba Arrasate of his role as firstteam trainer,” read a statement.

Real are yet to name his replacement but former Manchester United manager David Moyes is among the coaches in the running, media reports said.

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Sport

15

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

QUICK BYTES

SECOND TEST, DAY 5 Pakistan 1st innings 570-6 dec (Younis Khan 213, Azhar Ali 109, Misbah-ul Haq 101; M. Starc 2-86) Australia 1st innings 261 (M. Marsh 87; M. Clarke 47; Imran Khan 3-60) Pakistan 2nd innings 293-3 dec (Misbah-ul Haq 101 not out, Azhar Ali 100 not out; M. Johnson 2-45)

IPL probe panel submits report The Mudgal committee investigating spot-fixing allegations in the Indian Premier League cricket tournament submitted its final report to the Supreme Court on Monday, lawyers said. The apex court will deliberate on the findings on November 10 which could determine if world cricket chief Narayanaswami Srinivasan can seek re-election as president of the Indian board. “We have submitted the report in a sealed envelope to the court,” Raju Ramachandran, lawyer for the panel, told AFP, without elaborating. The panel, which is headed by former judge Mukul Mudgal and includes ex-India captain Sourav Ganguly, had in February presented a sealed envelope to the court containing names of 13 individuals who needed to be probed further.

– AFP

Australia 2nd innings C. Rogers c Shafiq b Babar D. Warner c Shah b Hafeez G. Maxwell lbw b Babar M. Clarke b Babar S. Smith b Shah M. Marsh c Shafiq b Hafeez B. Haddin b Babar M. Johnson b Shah P. Siddle not out M. Starc b Shah N. Lyon c Ali b Shah Extras: (b5, lb1, nb3, pen5)

Total: (all out; 88.3 overs)

Kipsang, Keitany win New York Marathon Kenyans Wilson Kipsang and Mary Keitany surged at the finish to win Sunday’s New York City Marathon, holding off rivals over the closing strides in Central Park for narrow triumphs. Kipsang, making his New York debut, held off Lelisa Desisa to win in an official time of two hours 10 minutes and 55 seconds, defeating the Ethiopian by 11 seconds with Ethiopia’s Gebre Gebremariam third in 2:12:13. Kipsang looked Desisa in the eyes in the final stretch and then pulled away to claim the $100,000 (80,000 euro) top prize and take the 2013-14 World Marathon Majors bonus top prize of $500,000 (400,000 euros). “Towards the end, I saw Desisa was very close to me and very strong,” Kipsang said.

– AFP

DAY’S WATCH Gazi TV, BTV 9:30PM Bangladesh v Zimbabwe 2nd Test, Day 2 Star Sports 2 7:30PM Indian Super League Chennai v Kolkata UEFA Champions League

Ten Action 11:00PM Zenit St Petersburg v Bayer Leverkusen 1:45AM Real Madrid v Liverpool

Ten Sports 1:45AM Arsenal v Anderlecht

Ten HD 1:45AM Juventus v Olympiakos

WEDNESDAY Gazi TV, BTV 9:30PM Bangladesh v Zimbabwe 2nd Test, Day 3

Star Sports 1 2:45PM Australia v South Africa 1st T20I

Star Sports 2 7:30PM Indian Super League Mumbai v Delhi UEFA Champions League

Ten Sports 1:45AM Manchester City v CSKA Mascow

Ten Action 1:45AM Bayern Munich v AS Roma

Ten HD 1:45AM Ajax v Barcelona

246

Fall of wickets: 1-19 (Rogers), 2-31 (Maxwell), 3-43 (Clarke), 4-101 (Warner), 5-208 (Marsh), 6-238 (Smith), 7-238 (Haddin), 8-238 (Johnson), 9-245 (Starc) Bowling: Rahat 8-6-3-0, Khan 8-1-29-0, Hafeez 17-4-38-2, Babar 32.3-2-120-5 (1nb), Shah 22-444-3 (1nb), Ali 1-0-1-0 Note: Pakistan were penalised five runs after the ball hit the helmet placed behind the wicket-keeper Result: Pakistan won by 356 runs Toss: Pakistan Umpires: Richard Kettleborough (ENG) and Nigel Llong (ENG) Match referee: Ranjan Madugalle (SRI)

Chelsea fans hit back after Mourinho blast Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has been told that if he wants Stamford Bridge to feel less like an “empty stadium” then the Premier League leaders must reduce their ticket prices.

Mourinho was unhappy with the atmosphere generated during the early stages of Chelsea’s 2-1 win at home to west London rivals Queens Park Rangers on Saturday, saying it felt like an “empty stadium”. However, Chelsea Supporters’ Trust chairman Tim Rolls said Sunday that many younger fans were being priced out of the game and that this was the root cause of Mourinho’s complaint, with cutting the cost of watching the Blues the best way of generating more vocal backing. “We’ve got a situation at Chelsea and at other grounds where the atmosphere probably isn’t as good as it used to be,” Rolls said. “But there are clear reasons for that around the age of the supporter base. It’s £50-plus ($80, 64 euros) to go, and young people -- who are the most likely to sing and make noise -- have been priced out of the game.

– AFP

2 58 4 5 97 47 13 0 4 2 0 14

Pakistan players celebrate with the trophy after beating Australia in the fifth day of the second Test in Abu Dhabi yesterday INTERNET

Pakistan spank sorry Australia for series win n Reuters

A defiant Steve Smith tried to delay the inevitable before Pakistan crushed Australia by 356 runs in the second and final Test to complete a 2-0 series victory in Abu Dhabi on Monday.

Having set the visitors an improbable 603-run victory target, Pakistan claimed the remaining six wickets in a little over a session on the final day to secure their first Test series victory against Australia in 20 years.

The win also saw them leapfrog England, Sri Lanka and India to rise to number three in Test rankings, behind South Africa and Australia.

Smith (97) added 107 runs with Mitchell Marsh in a rare display of Australian resistance in the two-match series before his post-lunch dismissal triggered a collapse with the visitors losing their last five wickets for only eight runs to be all out for 246.

“I think Misbah-ul-Haq and his team played some outstanding cricket in both Test matches and we’ve certainly been outplayed,” Australia captain Michael Clarke said at the presentation ceremony.

Zulfiqar Babar (5-120) and Yasir Shah (3-44) once again laid bare Australia’s spin frailties even though Pakistan were without their main spinner Saeed Ajmal

West Indies cricket chiefs seek help from politicians n AFP, Port of Spain

West Indies Cricket Board officials are turning to Caribbean political leaders for support and guidance in the aftermath of a US$42 million claim by Indian authorities following last month’s abandonment of the tour to India by the West Indies team.

On the same day, Friday, that the WICB received formal notification of the claim from the Board of Control for Cricket in India, a meeting was held in Trinidad after which WICB president Dave Cameron confirmed the involvement of regional leaders in seeking a resolution to both the impasse between the players and their own players’ association, which resulted in the abandonment of the tour, and the impending legal battle with the BCCI. “This is a matter that we will enlist the support of Caricom (Caribbean Community) going, forward,” Cameron was reported as saying.

Dr Ralph Gonsalves, prime minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines, and Grenada prime minister Dr Keith Mitchell were present at the meeting.

“I think what we have done, we have a

modality for the way forward, so that to us is very important,” Cameron added with specific reference to the players’ impasse.

Cameron was among three WICB officials at the meeting in Port of Spain, which was also attended by Dwayne Bravo, captain of the One-Day International squad that left the tour following the fourth ODI in Dharamsala on October 17 and Test team captain Denesh Ramdin, who was also a member of the one-day team.

Wavell Hinds, the president of the West Indies Players Association, did not attend in person but contributed to the near six-hour dialogue by teleconference.

As the dispute became public during the ODI segment of the India tour, Bravo called for the resignation of Hinds over the signing of a new Collective Bargaining Agreement/Memorandum of Understanding between the WICB and WIPA in September which, according to the disgruntled players, slashes their overall earnings by 75 percent.

While there has been no official confirmation of the specifics of the meeting, it is understood that the contentious CBA/MoU is to be renegotiated and the players will withdraw the call for Hinds’ resignation. l

who has been banned for an illegal action. Pakistan captain Misbah was adjudged man-of-the-match for his twin centuries in the match, the second of which equalled Viv Richards’ record for the fastest Test century in 56 balls.

Run-machine Younis Khan, who hit two centuries and a double hundred in his four innings, was the obvious choice for the man-of-the-series award.

Resuming on 143-4, Smith and Marsh (47) frustrated the Pakistani bowlers with a century stand, showing the stomach for fight which was missing in their team mates.

Marsh, playing only his second Test, proved the perfect foil for Smith, whose

decisive footwork against the spinners and positive intent stood out in an otherwise Australian batting capitulation.

Marsh was looking set for his second fifty of the match when the 23-yearold walked into a leg-slip trap, flicking off-spinner Mohammad Hafeez straight into the hands of Asad Shafiq.

Smith hit Babar for successive boundaries to bring up his eighth Test half-century and meted out the same treatment to the spinner in the final over before lunch to cruise into the 90s.

Yasir denied the 25-year-old Smith his fifth Test century, trapping him leg before with the second delivery after lunch, which opened the flood gates

and Australia collapsed in a heap.

Smith hit 12 fours in his 204-ball knock that proved there were no real demons in the dry and dusty pitch at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium.

Comprehensively beaten in the first Test in Dubai, nothing went right for Australia in the second Test either.

Not a single Australian managed a century in the Test while Misbah and Azhar Ali got hundreds in both innings and Younus struck 213 in the first innings.

Australia’s bowling limitations were also exposed as they could not bowl out their opponents even once, managing nine wickets in the match bleeding 863 runs. l

Djokovic on top of the world after Paris win and fatherhood n AFP, Paris It’s been quite a year for Novak Djokovic, who is driving towards another year-ending number one spot, recently becoming a proud father and winning his third Paris Masters crown for his 600th ATP victory.

The popular 27-year-old Serb said at the beginning of last week that becoming a dad had already made him feel like number one, but he is also

ATP RANKINGS

Ranking 1 2 3 4 5

Player ATP Points Novak Djokovic (SRB) 10,010 Roger Federer (SUI) 8,700 Rafael Nadal (ESP) 6,835 Stan Wawrinka (SUI) 4,895 Kei Nishikori (JPN) 4,625

doing his talking on the court, breezing through an elite field in the French capital without dropping a set.

His 6-2, 6-3 victory over big-serving Canadian Milos Raonic on Sunday emphasised his dominance in world tennis, but there is still one tournament

Novak Djokovic kisses the trophy after winning the final match against Canada’s Milos Raonic in the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 in Paris on Sunday AFP to go at the season-ending World Tour Finals in London. His lead over Roger Federer in the ATP rankings is now 1,310 points with up to a possible 1,500 available to the winner in London.

Federer can also pick up a small amount of points when he plays the

Davis Cup final for Switzerland against France in Lille but it might be too late by then with Djokovic the man to beat heading to London. The other players to qualify are Federer, Stan Wawrinka, Andy Murray, Kei Nishikori, Tomas Berdych, Marin Cilic and Raonic. l

Wozniacki completes NYC Marathon Lippi retires from coaching, n AFP, New York

Caroline Wozniacki says she’s pleased she beat her goal in the New York City Marathon, especially since her training routine included late nights and attending a sporting event on the eve of the run.

“I’ve done everything you are not supposed to do before a marathon,” said the 24-year old Wozniacki. “I had a Halloween party three days ago and came back at like 4:00 in the morning.

“I’ve been really busy. Last night, I actually didn’t have much of a dinner because I went to the (New York) Rangers game. You are supposed to load up on carbs, but I didn’t have too much time for that.”

The WTA Tour tennis star finished her first marathon Sunday in just under three hours, 27 minutes, saying she even had enough left in the tank to sprint the final few metres to the finish line.

“It was incredible,” said Wozniacki, who set a goal of three hours, 30 minutes.

“I’m so happy to have done this. I’m

so proud. Now I have this medal. I can say that I’ve done the New York City Marathon. I’ve even done it at a cool

Danish tennis star Caroline Wozniacki celebrates after finishing the Pro Women’s division during the 2014 TCS New York City Marathon on Sunday AFP

time. So I’m really, really happy.

“I’ve never tried anything this hard.

This is like toughest physical test ever.

It was so hard. You have to keep going.”

The former world number one from Denmark said she would wait a few years before attempting a second marathon. She qualified for the Boston Marathon with her time Sunday.

“Right now I don’t think I’m going to do one for a few years, but probably at some point I’m going to do another one.”

Asked to compare running a marathon to a five-hour tennis match, Wozniacki said running 26.2 miles (42.2 kilometers) is much more difficult.

“This is completely different,” she said. “I had no idea what to expect when I went out there.

“Every time I go on the tennis court, I know exactly what to expect. I know what to do out there. Here I just knew I had to put one foot in front of the other until you see something saying finish.”

Wozniacki was met at the finish line by fellow women’s tennis star Serena Williams. Williams tweeted about the experience. l

Cannavaro to replace him n Reuters

World Cup-winning coach Marcello Lippi has signalled an end to his stellar managerial career after the Italian guided Guangzhou Evergrande to their fourth successive Chinese Super League title on Sunday.

The 66-year-old’s Chinese adventure was the final chapter in a remarkable coaching career that began with a host of managerial roles at lower league Italian clubs in the 1980s.

He went on to win five Serie A crowns during two separate stints with Juventus and secured a Champions League triumph with the club in 1996.

Lippi also had two stints with the national side with the highlight being when he coached Italy to victory at the 2006 World Cup. He resigned after the side put up a poor defence of their title in South Africa and joined Guangzhou.

“I will be 67 years old in the near future, and I do not want to be the head coach any more; but I will be in charge

of technical staff as a member of the coaching team.”

At Guangzhou, he won the league and cup double in his first campaign before leading them to another league title plus the Asian Champions League last season.

Italy’s World Cup winning captain Fabio Cannavaro was being hotly tipped Monday to replace his former national coach Marcello Lippi as boss of Guangzhou Evergrande after the 66-year-old announced he was stepping aside. l

16

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Back Page

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Militants take terrorism to cyberspace n Mohammad Jamil Khan

A Bangladeshi terrorist group has taken to the cyberspace, claiming responsibility for murdering a university student and posting on its Facebook page a hit list of 15 bloggers it intends to murder, police investigators said.

“The newly formed extremist group announced its presence and intentions through social media and said its prime objective is to hunt down the noted bloggers of the country,” a high official of the Detective Branch of Police told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday.

The group, which calls itself Ansar al-Islam, is believed by the DB official to be none other than militant outfit Ansarullah Bangla Team in high-tech garb.

The online militant outfit has taken responsibility for the September 30 slaying of Daffodil University student Ashraful Alam, 22, in Savar, as proof of its success.

Ashraf, a second-year student of science and technology at the university who lived in a rented home on a four-storey building in Ambagan area of Savar, was killed with a sharp weapon in his home by unidentified assailants.

A murder case was filed with Ashulia police station.

Mohammad Rasel Shaikh, senior as-

sistant superintendent of police (ASP) of Savar Circle, who is coordinating the investigation of the murder case, told the Dhaka Tribune that police were investigating the murder from a number of angles including the possible role of extremist groups, family conflicts and other personal issues.

Police have interrogated a number of suspects over the murder, the senior ASP added.

Ansar al-Islam claimed responsibility for the grisly murder of the student on its now-defunct Facebook page, saying Ashraf harboured atheist beliefs, and had spoken against the Qur’an and Sunnah.

A DB high official, requesting anonymity, said Ashraful’s murder bore a resemblance to the killing of blogger Ahmed Rajib Haider and there were similarities to the attacks on bloggers Rakib Al Mamun and Asif Mohiuddin.

“We know that at least 15 bloggers of the country are on the hit list of the extremist group and its Facebook page was shut down after October 28,” the DB official said.

Monirul Islam, DB joint commissioner, told the Dhaka Tribune that the presence of the new extremist group was found on Facebook after the killing of Ashraful. He said police would keep an eye on Ansar al-Islam. l

Armed AL leader arrested from PM’s rally n Tribune Report An armed Awami League leader was detained by the police yesterday from the rally attended by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the capital’s Suhrawardy Udyan.

Amir Hossain, president of Awami League’s ward number 92 unit, was

detained by the police while entering the rally venue through the Kali Temple gate, said Shahbagh police station officer-in-charge Shirajul Islam.

Although the weapon was licensed, Amir was detained for security reasons as he carried a weapon inside the venue of a rally where the premier attended, the OC added. l

This critical patient with a broken hand travelled 45 kilometres on a rickshaw van to reach Rajshahi Medical College and Hospital from Natore during the second day of Jamaat-enforced 48-hour countrywide hartal yesterday AZHAR UDDIN

ZUBAIR MURDER

Kadir sexually assaulted him, say police after getting full medical report n Mohammad Jamil Khan The complete autopsy and forensic report of Zubair Ahmed, crucial to the murder case of the Uttara O-level student, has reached investigators of the Detective Branch (DB) of Police, DB sources said.

DB Sub-Inspector (SI) Nasiruddin, also the investigation officer of the case, collected the report from Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) around 3:30pm yesterday. Investigating officials are now analysing it.

Asked about its findings, SM Nazmul Alam, DB senior assistant commissioner (AC), told the Dhaka Tribune that investigators had yet to go through the report in detail but the finding of the reports clearly states evidence of

intercourse. “This means our primary investigation was accurate and Zubair was sexually assaulted by the Algerian citizen,” he said.

Asked about the cause of death, he said investigators did not yet have a clear understanding of what happened.

“We need to analyse the forensic report and the statements of the eyewitness and accused to develop a clearer picture of the incident,” he said.

With the medical report in hand, we can now interrogate those who were at the crime scene and try to obtain more information from the accused, the senior AC added.

Seventeen-year-old Zubair Ahmed was known to be a good swimmer but allegedly drowned in a shallow pond inside a park in Sector 4 of the capi-

tal’s Uttara neighbourhood on October 4. Police recovered his body from the pond after Abuubaida Kadir, an Algerian national, showed them where it was.

Kadir was later arrested in a murder case filed by Zubair’s family.

Kadir’s involvement in the murder was first suggested when the sole eyewitness to the incident, a 17-year-old boy, gave his confessional statement to investigators.

Kadir reportedly arrived in Bangladesh on a student visa but he never went back to Algeria.

Instead, he destroyed his passport and other documents and lived in Bangladesh illegally, posing as a local and giving a local address when signing up for a mobile phone service.

Report: Hefazat sets Tk5 lakh bounty on Latif Siddique’s head n Tarek Mahmud, Chittagong Hefazat-e-Islam Ameer Allama Shah Ahmad Shafi and his close associates have put a Tk5 lakh bounty on the head of former telecom minister Abdul Latif Siddique for his derogatory remarks on hajj and Tabligh Jamaat, according to an intelligence report.

The report was sent to the Prime Minister’s Office late last month and officials there forwarded it to the police headquarters via the Home Ministry, said police sources.

The bounty, the report read, was set during a secret meeting in Saudi Arabia on October 11.

Shafi held the meeting with Madhupur Pir Maulana Abu Hamid, Maulana Tajul Islam, Maulana Sajidur Rahman, Abul Hasnat Aminee, Mawlana Shafiuddin, Mawlana Ataullah and about 100 other top Hefazat leaders at Kakiah of Mecca from 9pm till midnight on October 11, according to the report.

The venue of the meeting was so secret that it was changed twice or thrice and the agenda included the organisation’s activities, future plans and the Latif Siddique issue, it said.

Shafi told the attendees not to pay heed to rumours about his financial condition and also that of his family members.

“I am not into partisan politics. I, along with my followers, am working

to protect Islam, religious values and norms which is a kind of politics, and that is what I do,” he said.

The Hefazat chief said he does not work to support the Awami League or the BNP. He said there would be protests against any attack on Islam, regardless of the person making the attack.

“Hefazat does not care which party gets advantage and which does not as we do not work for anyone,” said Shafi, according to the report.

Allama Shafi and several Hefazat leaders meet at a secret rendezvous in Saudi Arabia Home Ministry Senior Secretary Dr Mohammad Mozammel Haque Khan said he could not recount anything about the report while Joint Secretary Mustafizur Rahman said he was outside the country when the report arrived at the ministry.

Inspector General of Police Hassan Mahmud Khandaker, who is now in Monaco to participate in an Interpol conference, told the Dhaka Tribune over phone that he would look into the matter after returning home and suggested talking to Additional Inspector General of Police (administration) AKM

Shahidul Haque Khan.

Shahidul, however, refused to talk, saying he was busy.

Hefazat Organising Secretary Azizul Haque Islamabadi denied any closeddoor meeting but said Shafi had met a few leaders of the organisation, who were in Mecca and Medina, during his stay in Saudi Arabia for hajj last month.

“They chiefly talked about organisational issues. When Latif Siddique became the subject of the discussion, our ameer said Hefazat would go for stern protests if the government did not take any action against the former minister,” he said.

“Hefazat is not against the law of the country and we do not flout the law,” he said, adding that any report claiming closed-door meetings in Saudi Arabia was fabricated.

Hefazat ameer’s son Anas Madani, who was with his father during hajj, refused to comment on the intelligence report despite repeated calls.

Latif drew flak for his comments on hajj that he made while addressing a programme arranged by the expatriates from Tangail in New York in late September.

His derogatory remarks stirred up widespread criticism both at home and abroad. The government removed him from the cabinet on October 12 and also expelled him from the party afterwards. l

A DB high official, requesting anonymity, told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday that investigators had contacted the Algerian Embassy in Pakistan. Investigators are trying verify a statement Kadir made to police claiming that he had applied to the embassy for a new passport after he lost his old dpassport after entering Bangladesh.

“We have a got a preliminary response,” the official said, adding that the statement given by Kadir was false.

Both Kadir and the sole eyewitness, following their respective remand sessions, are in custody. A DB source said it will be necessary to interrogate Kadir and the teenage eyewitness about the incident again to clarify some aspects of the medical reports. l

JSC, JDC exams rescheduled again for hartal n Abu Hayat Mahmud

Presence of vehicles remains no less than usual in capital’s Karwan Bazar yesterday, during the final day of the second phase of Jamaat’s hartal RAJIB DHAR

The Junior School Certificate (JSC) and its equivalent Junior Dakhil Certificate (JDC) examinations have been once again rescheduled due to the hartal enforced by Jamaat-e-Islami.

Accordingly, the JSC and JSD exams scheduled for November 5 and 6 will now be held on November 19 and 20 respectively, said Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid yesterday.

The rescheduling decision was made at an emergency meeting chaired by the education minister, hours after Jamaat called a 24-hour hartal for Wednesday (November 5) protesting the death penalty of the party’s leader Muhammad Kamaruzzaman.

Yesterday, the Supreme Court upheld the death penalty to Jamaat leader and war criminal Kamaruzzaman.

Earlier, the JSC and JDC examinations scheduled for November 2 and 3 were rescheduled for November 7 and November 14 respectively because of the Jamaat enforced hartal.

Around 21 lakh candidates are expected to appear for the examinations this year. Frequent changes of exam dates have made the examinees, their parents, guardians and teachers deeply worried.

Earlier, Education Secretary Nazrul Islam Khan said that a decision was made to hold exams suspended for strike every Friday. “If strikes continue, exams will also be held on Saturdays.” l

Tightrope walker Nik Wallenda makes Chicago crossings Germany pledges €211m n for Bangladesh BBC

US tightrope walker Nik Wallenda has successfully completed back-toback high-wire walks above the city of Chicago, watched by thousands of people.

The 35-year-old achieved the two skyscraper crossings without a safety net or a harness.

He first walked up a steep incline between buildings either side of the Chicago River.

Then, blindfolded, he crossed between the two Marina City towers.

It took him six minutes 52 seconds

to complete the first stage 500ft (152m) above the ground – in winds that were gusting at up to 40km/h.

He then completed the 94ft between the two Marina City Towers in one minute 17 seconds.

The stunts were televised with a 10-second delay in case he fell.

On the ground, thousands cheered Wallenda – a seventh-generation tightrope walker.

Wallenda – again blindfolded – then answered reporters’ questions. He has already walked across both the Grand Canyon and the Niagara Falls on tightropes. l

n UNB Germany will provide Bangladesh 211 million euro for bilateral technical and financial cooperation.

Of the amount, 140 million euro will be provided for improvement and establishment of energy transmission lines and substations with a view to ensuring a more reliable and efficient energy supply.

Germany pledged the 211 million euro assistance at the two-day biannual

negotiations on development cooperation between the two governments, which concluded yesterday, reads a press release from Germany Embassy in Dhaka.

The German delegation led by Dr Wolfram Klein, head of the South Asia Division, Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, and the Bangladeshi delegation headed by Abul Mansur Md Faizullah, additional secretary, Europe Wing, Ministry of Finance, took part in the negotiations. l

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B3 MetLife to meet

B4

skeptical regulators in bid to escape rules

Cheaper tomorrow? Bank of Japan battles entrenched ‘deflation mindset’

Hard loan for peaking power plant approved

Five factors delaying foreign-funded projects n Muhammad Zahidul Islam

Donors unwilling to lend for the 100MW peaking power plant to be set up in Chapainawabganj In accordance with the proposal, the n Asif Showkat Kallol funds would come from two sources – The government has approved borrowing a hard-term finance of US$112.7 million to set up a 100MW fuel oil-based peaking power plant in Chapainawabganj.

The fund is a part of the total loan of US$162.7 million approved by the Standing Committee on non-concessional loan at its meeting yesterday, with Finance Minister AMA Muhith in the chair.

Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) had proposed for the commercial loan from a multinational bank in the wake of fund crunch, an official said after the meeting.

“As we have no other choice, the power division placed the proposal and the committee approved it today,’’ he said. Construction of the power plant has already been delayed by three years as the foreign donors are reluctant to finance the project.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2014 www.dhakatribune.com/business

$112.7 million from multinational bank HSBC and the rest from the government of Belarus. The remaining fund, other than the power plant, would be used to procure vehicles for the city corporations and municipalities across the country.

“We have taken all the initiatives for the development of the power sector as the committee has already approved the long pending Chapainawabganj power plant project today,” Muhith said after the meeting.

“The government for the first time is going to get the supplier’s credit from Belarus for procuring vehicles and services for city corporations and municipalities under the government to government procurement framework,” a member of the committee told the Dhaka Tribune.  B3 COLUMN 1

Economic Relations Division has said the delay in implementation of foreign fund-supported projects is due to slow process of recruiting manpower, acquiring lands, approving projects, procurement of materials and appointing local or foreign consultants.

According to the officials, the average time required for implementing a project is now 6 years, which the government plans to reduce to below 5 years by mid-2016.

The reasons why the projects are delayed were discussed at a regular cabinet meeting yesterday, with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.

PM directed the officials concerned to speed up the process though she said the use of funds was faster and more efficient compared to neighbouring countries.

Cabinet Secretary M Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan said a total of about $19.03bn (Tk146,530 crore) foreign grants are waiting to be disbursed for various projects as of June this year.

The amount has been accumulated since independence, of which, about $8.2bn were committed in last two fiscal years only.

Bhuiyan said Bangladesh has received $86.89bn commitments from donors as of June since its Independence and used $67.59bn of the amount to implement different projects.

The government received the highest fund commitments from its foreign donors in last two fiscal years, which

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina presides over a regular cabinet meeting yesterday. She directed the officials concerned to speed up the process of implementing foreign-funded projects PID has resulted in the increased fund to be in the pipeline.

An average time to implement a project with foreign fund is six years now. The government wants to make it faster and reduce the time to below five years by June 2016.

“Comparing with the other neighboring countries we are doing better in using foreign funds. However, we also

Data to take over voice soon

Tuba Group faces legal action over workers’ dues n Tribune Report

Predicts a high official of Banglalink’s parent company VimpelCom

n Muhammad Zahidul Islam

The government yesterday filed a case with the labour court against the management of Tuba Group as it violated law by not paying workers’ dues as per the law, officials said.

The Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments (DIFE) filed the case against Delowar Hosasain, managing director of Tuba Group, as he closed five units unlawfully and did not pay workers termination benefits and other dues, it said.

The management of Tuba Group did not shut factories as per the labour law and did not pay workers dues, said Syed Ahmed, Inspector General of DIFE. “To ensure worker’s right and dues as per the laws we have taken legal action against the management.”

On August 18, Delowar announced shutdown of five factories of Tuba Group in line with article 13(1) of the Labour Act, 2006.

According to the Labour Act, 2006, the employers may, in the event of an illegal strike by any section or department of any establishment, close down either wholly or partly such section or department and the striking workers shall not be paid any wages for such a closure.

The closure of factories made 1,600 workers jobless. The five closed units were Tuba Fashions, Tuba Textiles, Mita Design, Taif Design and Bughsan Garments.

On July 28, at least 1,200 workers went on an indefinite hunger strike at Hossain Market in Badda, demanding payment of three months’ wages, overtime and Eid bonuses. l

A top official of VimpelCom, Banglalink’s parent company, has predicted the data communication will soon become the mostly used service of mobile phone operators in Bangladesh.

“Data will be the key driver (of earnings) within a short time where voice will be a related application of data, and people can talk with others buying data only,” said Mikhail Gerchuk, Chief Commercial and Strategy Officer of VimpelCom in an interview with Dhaka Tribune.

He put the prediction during his recent visit to Bangladesh along with some other top executive officials. He also shared the group’s planning about Banglalink and talked about the current trends of global market of mobile phone industry.

Mikhail said Bangladesh is in the beginning point of transformation into data service as market is set to absorb all the modern services soon.

“Future customers will not spend for voice separately as voice will be an application where data will be main factor of choice,” the VimpelCom official said.

He said there has been fast growth of data service use in the company’s different operational market where the customers can buy data bundles to use voice and the operator can connect the users as a IP connector. “...it is our forecast that Bangladesh is going to be one of the fastest data growing countries,” said Mikhail Gerchuk, He said VimpelCom has a very strong partnership with all the leading internet sites like Facebook, Google, Whatsapp, Viber and twitter.

This partnership has created a

want to make it faster,” cabinet secretary quoted PM as saying.

The meeting reviewed that the FY2013-14 was the best year ever after Independence as around $3bn was released from $5.6bn commitment.

Md Mujibul Haque Chunnu, state minister for labour and employment, said ERD cleared its position that the amount of unreleased fund increases

Germany pledges 140m Euros to improve energy supply lines n Tribune Business Desk

Mikhail Gerchuk very good competitive advantage for Banglalink compared to local competitor, according to him.

“If you compare our products with the local competitors, we are far ahead of them,” Mikhail said, “As global internet players are dominating everywhere so they will be the main thing to create differences with our other competitors.”

Talking about the company’s motto, Gerchuk said they mainly aim to satisfy their customers and if customers are happy, Banglalink will be a profitable firm, and there is no other way to become a profitable one.

Recently the second largest operator in the country Banglalink now enjoys having 3 crore active subscribers. VimpelCom said Banglalink will be a profitable firm soon. Gerchuk said many of the mobile users of Bangladesh already have two or more SIM cards and on this point Banglalink wants their SIM cards be the main SIM for the subscribers.

“As we have improved our network significantly and we offer very good products with attractive prices, we

believe these services can satisfy our customers.”

For last few years Banglalink has made a big investment to develop its network base. The official said the company also developed Internet speed and improved call drop problem. The regulator in their study found better quality network service from Banglalink, he added.

“We are inviting all the Banglalink subscribers not using the operator’s service as the main source to use it as the main one. I challenge they will take it as the chief operator after enjoying better service quality including network.”

Mikhail Gerchuk said they know that many customers think Banglalink network is good enough. “We are working to further improve it.”

“This type of perception is also a challenge for us and we will change this mind set as because we are here,” Mikhail said.

Currently VimpelCom is the seventh largest mobile group in the world. The group cites Banglalink one of their major ventures. l

Germany will provide Bangladesh 140 million Euros to support establishing a more reliable and efficient energy supply sytem.

It is a part of a total commitment of 211 million Euros under a bilateral technical and financial cooperation made at the concluding day of the two-day biannual negotiations on development cooperation between Bangladesh and Germany.

These funds will be used for the improvement and establishment of energy transmission lines and substations, said a press release issued in Dhaka yesterday.

Dr. Wolfram Klein, Head of the South Asia Division, Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development led the German delegation to the negotiations while Abul Mansur Md. Faizullah, Additional Secretary, Europe Wing, Ministry of Finance led the Bangladesh delegation.

The funds will be made available in three priority areas “Renewable Energies and Energy Efficiency”, “Good Governance/Rule of Law/Human Rights” and “Adaptation to Climate Change in Urban Areas” to be implemented by BGR, Institute for Geosciences, GIZ, the German Development Agency and KfW, the German Development Bank.

Since 1972, Germany has contributed more than 2 billion Euros under the bilateral development cooperation with Bangladesh.

The German delegation compliment-

Tanners want banks implement relocation incentives n Ibrahim Hossain Ovi The tannery owners have demanded of the central bank and the government to instruct all the banks to ensure full-fledged implementation of the incentive package offered to help relocate the leather processing factories from Hazaribag to Savar.

Bangladesh Bank on Sunday offered an incentive package including transferring irregular loans to block accounts, moratorium facilities and flexible payment term for the owners to help move their factories to a designated industrial park in Savar.

The central bank came up with the directives as the tannery businessmen were facing fund crunch to relocate their factories as per the government directives.

“We have just relaxed the rules

to give a cushion to the banks so that they can help tannery owners to meet fund shortage,” said Chowdhury Md Feroz Bin Alam, BB general manager of Banking Regulation and Policy Department.

“But if the banks do not comply, we cannot take action against them,” he said, adding that the government can direct them to do so.

The tanners had been demanding funds and policy support from the government and the bankers.

Bangladesh Tanners Association (BTA) General Secretary said: “Off course, the incentive package would help the owners relocate factories, if it is implemented.”

For full-fledged implementation of the incentive package, the government and the central bank have to instruct all scheduled

banks to comply with the circular, he told the Dhaka Tribune.

The BTA has 155 members, of which 105 from tannery and 50 from finished leather and footwear

‘We had seen a number of initiatives before, but to no avail and no implementation of the steps’ exporters. About 80 tanneries already had started the process of relocation and the rest would start soon.

“In the past, we had seen that

there were a number of initiatives for the sector, but we hardly saw any proper implementation and cooperation from the stakeholders concerned,” the tanners alleged.

“The initiative is praiseworthy and it will expedite the process of relocation,” Shaheen Ahmed, chairman of BTA said.

Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (Bscic) Project Director allocated 205 plots for relocation and distributed those among 155 tanners who were operating in Hazaribagh.

The move of tannery relocation came following the widespread demands from the buyers and rights organisation from home and abroad to avert ecological impact and health hazards.

In recent times, some buyers specially from the US market warned that they would not source

as the commitment increases.

The meeting discussed the five reasons behind delay in fund use or project implementation and asked the authorities concerned to bolster the process.

“The PM directed the ERD officials and the other ministers to make the process faster,” Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan told journalists after the cabinet meeting. l

anything from factories, which are not compliant, Mosharaf said.

To retain the buyers, making the factories compliant through relocation is a must, he added.

Following a public interest litigation, the High Court in June 2009 asked the government to relocate the tanneries from Dhaka to a proposed leather estate at Harindhara, Savar by February 28, 2010 or face shutdowns. The government has repeatedly sought more time.

According to Export Promotion Bureau (EPB), In the last fiscal Bangladesh earned $1.30 billion, exporting leather, leather products and footwear.

Of the total amount, Bangladesh earned $240 from leather products, $505.50 million from leather and $550 million from footwear.l

ed Bangladesh on its impressive economic development and improvements towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015.

The stressed on developing a post2015 agenda for sustainable development represents a central issue for the development debate of the coming months and years.

Since 1972, Germany has contributed more than 2bn Euros under bilateral development cooperation Poverty reduction and sustainable development are significant challenges that need to be tackled by the whole international community on the basis of a new universal agenda.

In regard to creating conducive conditions for sustainable development the German side stressed the importance of a constructive and open environment that allows for the participation of all societal groups.

Bangladesh can be proud of the great achievements it has made in this area over the last few decades, the press release said.

The protection of human rights, transparency, favorable working conditions for NGOs, access to information and freedom of the media are essential for the development of a country, said the release. l

B2

Stock

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Stocks slip for second day

DSE key features November 3, 2014

n Tribune Report

Traded Issues

308

Issue Gain (Avg. Price Basis)

108

Issue Loss (Avg. Price Basis)

195

traded, 131 gained, 147 declined and 30 remained unchanged.

All the heavy-weight sectors ended in the red with telecommunication being the worst loser by 2.4%, followed by food and allied 1.3%, banks 1.2%, non-banking financial institutions 1% and power 0.8%.

Pharmaceuticals edged lower.

But life insurance posted the highest return of more than 3%.

In its second trading day, Western Marine Shipyard added over 7% to its first day’s gain of 79% to close at over Tk67 a share on its offer value.

It continued to get investors’ attention, being top of liquidity chart for the second consecutive session with turnover of Tk37 crore.

The ship building company also accounted for over 20% of the total market turnover.

LankaBangla Securities said the market lost breath and was subdued throughout the day.

Benchmark index breached the 5100 mark today as investors continued to factor the financial performance of companies on equity market, it said.

LankaBangla said investors remained cautious as country is facing political deadlock owing to 72 hours of hartal this week.

Zenith Investments said the market stayed within the grip of correction although some major stocks from different sectors tried to rally through the trading day.

It said most of the sectors tried to balance the tug of war between both buyers and sellers, but at the end, the buyers were outnumbered by the sellers. l

Stocks slipped for the second consecutive session with volatility yesterday, as the impact of war crimes verdicts in politics dampened investors’ sentiment.

The market swung between gains and losses in the morning but late huge selling pressure pushed it down at the closing.

Dhaka Stock Exchange benchmark index, DSEX, lost 40 points or 0.8% to close at 5,065, after hitting a month low in the previous session.

The market stayed within the grip of correction although some major stocks from different sectors tried to rally through the trading day The Shariah DSES index fell almost 10 points or 0.8% to 1,195. The DS30 index comprising blue chip issues was down 24 points or 1% to 1,893.

Chittagong Stock Exchange Selective Category Index, CSCX, shed 47 points to 9,504.

The trading activities also remained slow with DSE turnover standing at Tk680 crore, a slightly up 7% over the previous session.

The market breadth also remained negative as out of 308 issues

Weekly capital market highlights DSE Broad Index : DSE - 30 Index : CSE All Share Index: CSE - 30 Index : CSE Selected Index : DSE LOSER Company

Closing (% Change)

SAIF Powertec-N Kay & Que (BD) -Z Shurwid Ind. -N Stylecraft -A Shahjibazar Power-N Libra Infusions-A B I F C -A Zeal Bangla Sugar -Z National Tubes -A Mithun Knitting -A

-7.08 -6.92 -6.59 -6.58 -6.32 -5.44 -5.33 -4.76 -4.73 -4.62

CSE LOSER Company

Closing (% Change)

SAIF Powertec-N Shurwid Ind. -N JMI Syringes MDL-A Rangpur Foundry -A Rupali InsurA Asia Pasific Insu. -A FarEast Knitting -N ISN Ltd. -Z City G Insu.-A Continental Insur. -A

-7.31 -6.34 -6.07 -5.70 -5.28 -4.55 -4.39 -4.35 -4.35 -4.35

5065.14491

(-) 0.78%

1893.79640

(-) 1.27%

15619.2729

(-) 0.58%

12838.5500

(-) 0.66%

9504.8279

(-) 0.50%

Average (% Change) -0.24 -5.68 -1.95 -6.58 -12.00 -5.51 -5.45 -4.93 -3.75 -4.46 Average (% Change) -2.39 -1.67 -5.64 -2.09 -5.28 -4.55 -3.28 -4.36 -4.35 -5.38

ANALYST

ClosingAvg. 89.09 12.28 48.81 875.00 189.34 380.00 16.32 8.10 162.59 92.45

ClosingAvg. 87.47 48.94 163.25 106.43 25.10 21.00 33.06 10.98 19.80 22.00

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 436.44 266.83 56.37 1276.44 205.02 1465.84 2.26 348.66 1146.86 164.24 339.29 39.52 146.49 118.49 83.42 46.64 174.08 231.61 96.78 163.87 0.08

DHIGH

84.00 12.10 46.80 875.00 185.40 380.40 16.00 8.00 159.00 90.80

Closing

99.40 13.10 52.70 875.00 218.90 380.60 17.30 8.10 169.40 95.50

DHIGH

83.70 47.30 162.50 102.50 25.10 21.00 32.70 11.00 19.80 22.00

96.00 51.50 171.00 108.40 25.50 21.00 34.00 11.00 19.80 22.00

Company

6,809.23 153,920,360

Number of Contract

179,538

Unchanged Issue (Avg. Price Basis)

5

Market Capital Equity (Billion. Tk.)

2,702.63

Market Capital Equity (Billion US$)

32.76

CSE key features November 3, 2014 Turnover (Million Taka)

548.71

Turnover (Volume)

13,360,234

Number of Contract

28,143

Traded Issues

227

Issue Gain (Avg. Price Basis)

74

Issue Loss (Avg. Price Basis)

149

Unchanged Issue (Avg. Price Basis)

4

Market Capital Equity (Billion. Tk.)

2,621.17

Market Capital Equity (Billion US$)

31.77

Turnover in Million

DLOW 82.00 11.80 46.00 875.00 175.00 380.30 16.00 7.90 157.50 90.00

165.240 0.356 79.199 0.088 161.699 0.152 9.183 0.068 37.241 9.193

Turnover in Million

DLOW 82.00 46.10 162.00 102.50 24.70 21.00 32.50 10.90 19.80 22.00

% change 6.41 3.92 0.83 18.75 3.01 21.53 0.03 5.12 16.84 4.98 0.58 2.15 1.74 1.23 0.68 2.56 3.40 1.42 2.41 0.00

Million Taka 24.82 17.77 4.58 131.55 45.55 110.22 65.37 61.19 86.66 33.78 67.30 21.01 10.03 26.67 0.39 5.69 16.91 16.06 18.49 0.03

CSE

% change 3.25 2.33 0.60 17.22 5.96 14.43 0.00 8.56 8.01 11.34 4.42 8.81 2.75 1.31 3.49 0.05 0.75 2.21 2.10 2.42 0.00

Latest EPS 2.54 -1.41 1.64 44.98 3.71 5.92 1.41 -48.70 4.96 2.69

Latest EPS

21.762 8.296 3.510 0.160 0.010 0.011 2.784 0.044 0.002 0.011

Million Taka 461.26 284.60 60.94 1407.99 250.58 1576.06 2.26 414.04 1208.06 250.90 373.07 106.82 167.50 128.52 110.09 47.03 179.77 248.52 112.85 182.36 0.12

Dulamia CottonZ Prime Islami Life -A Savar Refractories-Z SummitAlliancePort.-A Quasem Drycells -A Rahima Food -Z Alltex Industries -Z BD. Thai Alum -B Anwar Galvanizing-B ICB Islamic Bank-Z

Closing (% Change) 10.00 10.00 9.96 9.89 9.88 9.82 9.77 9.76 9.76 9.43

CSE GAINER

2.54 1.64 4.48 3.23 2.52 2.32 2.28 0.13 1.89 2.27

Latest PE 35.1 -ve 29.8 19.5 51.0 64.2 11.6 -ve 32.8 34.4

Total

Company Aziz PipesZ SummitAlliancePort.-A Alltex Industries -Z Rahima Food -Z BD. Thai Alum -B Anwar Galvanizing-B Orion Infusions -A Khulna Printing-N AFC AgroBiotech-A Sonargaon Tex -Z

Closing (% Change) 10.00 9.94 9.91 9.78 9.76 9.75 9.74 9.43 9.39 9.17

Average (% Change) 10.00 2.84 9.96 9.30 6.91 8.01 9.82 6.81 8.27 10.06 Average (% Change) 5.97 9.18 10.87 7.74 7.03 9.75 8.41 3.19 6.97 10.43

ClosingAvg. 9.90 95.80 56.30 70.26 55.05 47.72 23.60 40.80 31.17 5.80

ClosingAvg. 16.34 70.16 25.49 49.43 40.96 30.40 57.59 31.74 58.33 11.86

Closing 9.90 97.90 56.30 71.10 56.70 48.10 23.60 41.60 31.50 5.80

Closing 16.50 70.80 25.50 49.40 41.60 30.40 58.60 32.50 59.40 11.90

DHIGH 9.90 97.90 56.30 71.10 56.70 48.10 23.60 41.60 31.50 5.80

DHIGH 16.50 70.80 25.50 49.50 41.60 30.40 58.70 32.60 59.70 11.90

DLOW 9.90 91.00 56.30 59.00 50.00 45.00 22.00 36.00 29.10 5.70

DLOW 15.50 65.00 25.40 49.10 39.00 30.40 53.50 29.80 54.90 11.00

Turnover in Million 0.470 8.038 0.011 157.829 93.158 1.885 2.008 142.388 5.455 4.637

Turnover in Million 0.052 11.484 0.790 0.445 7.818 0.106 3.559 22.010 3.506 0.261

Latest EPS -4.13 4.95 -1.08 0.88 2.24 -1.01 2.56 1.09 0.50 -0.71

Latest EPS -0.37 0.88 2.56 -1.01 1.09 0.50 4.81 2.13 2.65 -0.84

Latest PE -ve 19.4 -ve 79.8 24.6 -ve 9.2 37.4 62.3 -ve

Latest PE -ve 79.7 10.0 -ve 37.6 60.8 12.0 14.9 22.0 -ve

News, analysis and recent disclosers SPCL: The Board of Directors has recommended 25% cash dividend and 5% stock dividend for the year ended on June 30, 2014. Date of AGM: 29.01.2015, Time: 11:00 AM, Venue: Factory premises of the Company at Fatepur, Shahjibazar, Madhabpur, Hobigonj. Record Date: 27.11.2014. The Company has also reported net profit after tax of Tk. 470.92 million, EPS of Tk. 4.13, NAV per share of Tk. 28.17 and NOCFPS of Tk. 16.42 for the year ended on June 30, 2014. The Company has also reported that the said EPS has been calculated based on Weighted Average Pre-IPO paid up number of Shares i.e. 114,118,000 shares. However, considering Post-IPO 126,798,000 number of shares, Company's basic EPS would be Tk. 3.71.

CVOPRL: (Q1): As per un-audited quarterly accounts for the 1st quarter ended on 30th September 2014 (July'14 to Sep'14), the Company has reported net profit/(loss) after tax of Tk. 25.98 million with EPS of Tk. 1.31 as against Tk. (33.42) million and Tk. (1.69) respectively for the same period of the previous year. Accumulated profit/ (loss) of the Company was Tk. (32.17) million as on 30.09.2014.

AMBEEPHA: (Q3): As per un-audited quarterly accounts for the 3rd quarter ended on 30th September 2014 (July'14

to Sep'14), the Company has reported net profit after tax of Tk. 4.61 million with EPS of Tk. 1.92 as against Tk. 4.41 million and Tk. 1.84 (restated) respectively for the same period of the previous year.

Whereas net profit after tax was Tk. 8.42 million with EPS of Tk. 3.51 for the period of nine months (Jan'14 to Sep'14) ended on 30.09.2014 as against Tk. 7.52 million and Tk. 3.13 (restated) respectively for the same period of the previous year.

KPPL: National Credit Ratings Limited (NCR) has announced the rating of the Company as "AA-" in the long term and "ST-2" in the short term based on audited financial statements of the Company up to June 30, 2014.

DULAMIACOT: The Company has further informed that the meeting of the Board of Directors of the Company will now be held on November 05, 2014 at 3:30 PM to consider, among others, audited financial statements of the Company for the year ended on June 30, 2014.

IPO Subscription: National Feed Mill Limited subscription date 26 -30 October 2014, NRB upto 08 November 2014. @ taka 10, face value taka 10 and market lot 500.

Right Share: MIDASFIN: Subscription period for rights issue will be from 01.09.2014 to 30.09.2014. Record date for

entitlement of rights share: 03.08.2014.

ICB: Subscription period for rights issue will be from 07.12.2014 to 30.12.2014. Record date for entitlement of rights share: 09.09.2014. BIFC: subscription period for rights issue of the Company will be from 09.11.2014 to 30.11.2014. Record Date for entitlement of rights share: 19.10.2014.

Dividend/AGM ANWARGALV: 7.50% cash dividend to the general shareholders, AGM: 12.01.2015, Record Date: 13.11.2014. EPS of Tk. 0.50, NAV per share of Tk. 8.11.

DAFODILCOM: No dividend, 24.12.2014, Record Date: 20.11.2014. EPS of Tk. 0.73, NAV per share of Tk. 11.71.

SAMATALETH: No dividend, AGM: 24.12.2014, Record Date: 23.11.2014. EPS of Tk. 0.05, NAV per share of Tk. 14.98.

AMCL(PRAN): 32% cash dividend, AGM: 24.12.2014, Record Date: 13.11.2014. EPS of Tk. 6.93, NAV per share of Tk. 60.88.

METROSPIN: 5% stock dividend, AGM: 30.12.2014, Record Date: 17.11.2014. EPS of Tk. 0.84, NAV per share of Tk. 19.29.

PRIMETEX: 10% cash, AGM: 27.12.2014, Record Date: 13.11.2014. EPS of Tk. 1.17, NAV per share of Tk. 56.56.

AGNISYSL: 10% stock dividend, AGM: 23.12.2014, Record Date: 16.11.2014. EPS of Tk. 1.01, NAV per share of Tk. 15.87.

Latest PE 34.4 29.8 36.4 33.0 10.0 9.1 14.5 84.5 10.5 9.7

Investors remained cautious as country is facing political deadlock owing to 72 hours of hartal this week

SECTORAL TURNOVER SUMMARY Sector

▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼

DSE GAINER

Turnover (Million Taka) Turnover (Volume)

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

DSE TURNOVER LEADERS Company

% change 6.09 3.76 0.80 18.59 3.31 20.81 0.03 5.47 15.95 3.31 4.93 1.41 2.21 1.70 1.45 0.62 2.37 3.28 1.49 2.41 0.00

Prepared exclusively for Dhaka Tribune by Business Information Automation Service Line (BIASL), on the basis of information collected from daily stock quotations and audited reports of the listed companies. High level of caution has been taken to collect and present the above information and data. The publisher will not take any responsibility if any body uses this information and data for his/her investment decision. For any query please email to biasl@bol-online.com or call 01552153562 or go to www.biasl.net

WesternMarine -N Keya Cosmetics -A Khulna Power-A Grameenphone-A Summit Power -A S Purbanchol Power-N SAIF Powertec-N Khulna Printing-N Shahjibazar Power-N MJL BD Ltd.-A

SummitAlliancePort.-A BD. Thai Alum -B AFC AgroBiotech-A RAK Ceramics-A Square Pharma -A CSE TURNOVER LEADERS Company WesternMarine -N Khulna Printing-N SAIF Powertec-N RAK Ceramics-A Keya Cosmetics -A Khulna Power-A S Purbanchol Power-N BEXIMCO Ltd. -A Summit Power -A SummitAlliancePort.-A

Grameenphone-A FAR Chemical-N The Peninsula CTG.-N Familytex (BD) Ltd.-A Shurwid Ind. -N

VolumeShares 5,454,300 11,108,471 4,106,838 557,626 4,102,328 2,924,392 1,854,800 5,135,500 854,000 1,193,445

Value in Million 372.94 323.17 273.57 203.59 180.71 178.48 165.24 162.63 161.70 158.52

% of TotalTurnover 5.48 4.75 4.02 2.99 2.65 2.62 2.43 2.39 2.37 2.33

VolumeShares

Value in Million

% of TotalTurnover

2,246,489 3,490,079 2,417,300 2,070,914 455,394

1,139,200 693,500 248,800 312,439 672,550 262,636 261,305 406,651 360,598 163,678

29,800 266,100 288,000 379,500 169,500

157.83 142.39 138.30 134.59 125.13

77.42 22.01 21.76 20.33 19.63 17.43 15.93 15.90 15.88 11.48

10.95 9.76 8.79 8.49 8.30

2.32 2.09 2.03 1.98 1.84

14.99 4.26 4.21 3.94 3.80 3.37 3.08 3.08 3.07 2.22

2.12 1.89 1.70 1.64 1.61

ClosingP 67.30 29.80 67.70 361.60 43.90 61.40 84.00 32.40 185.40 131.20

71.10 41.60 59.10 65.70 273.80

ClosingP

66.60 32.50 83.70 65.90 29.70 67.90 61.40 38.80 44.10 70.80

362.80 36.50 30.30 22.20 47.30

Change % 7.34 7.19 6.95 -2.45 2.09 5.68 -7.08 9.09 -6.32 -3.39

9.89 9.76 8.44 6.14 -1.23

Change %

6.90 9.43 -7.31 6.81 6.83 7.44 5.32 -2.02 2.08 9.94

-2.03 -0.82 -1.94 0.45 -6.34

ClosingY 62.70 27.80 63.30 370.70 43.00 58.10 90.40 29.70 197.90 135.80

64.70 37.90 54.50 61.90 277.20

ClosingY

62.30 29.70 90.30 61.70 27.80 63.20 58.30 39.60 43.20 64.40

370.30 36.80 30.90 22.10 50.50

DHIGH 70.00 30.30 69.00 373.00 44.60 62.80 99.40 32.60 218.90 136.80

71.10 41.60 59.60 66.50 285.00

DHIGH

69.90 32.60 96.00 66.30 30.20 68.30 62.70 40.20 44.50 70.80

371.00 38.10 31.30 22.80 51.50

DLOW 66.00 25.10 58.00 360.10 39.00 52.30 82.00 29.60 175.00 122.30

59.00 36.00 50.00 55.80 253.00

DLOW

65.00 29.80 82.00 61.00 27.20 63.80 58.10 38.70 42.90 65.00

361.00 36.00 30.10 22.00 46.10

AvgPrice 68.37 29.09 66.61 365.10 44.05 61.03 89.09 31.67 189.34 132.83

70.26 40.80 57.21 64.99 274.77

AvgPrice

67.96 31.74 87.47 65.06 29.19 66.37 60.96 39.10 44.04 70.16

367.42 36.68 30.52 22.36 48.94

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Business

MetLife to meet skeptical regulators in bid to escape rules n Reuters, Washington MetLife, the largest US insurer, will make a final plea on Monday to a group of US regulators determined to subject it to tougher oversight as they probe which firms could pose a risk to the larger financial system.

MetLife will meet behind closed doors the heads of the agencies grouped together in the Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC), who want the Federal Reserve to oversee MetLife’s business and force it to meet higher capital standards.

Metlife, unlike counterparts AIG and Prudential which have already been deemed “systemic” by FSOC, has vigorously fought the tag.

After FSOC in September proposed to add MetLife to that group, the insurer’s chief executive Steven Kandarian hit back. He issued a statement saying MetLife was a source of strength during the 2008 financial crisis and that the insurer was “not ruling out any of the available remedies.”

But observers say MetLife faces an uphill battle, especially after an international body of regulators had already deemed MetLife systemic on a global level in July 2013.

“MetLife has a strong case on the substance ... but the FSOC is not likely to listen,” said Phillip Swagel, a professor at the University of Maryland School of Public Policy who was a senior Treasury official during the recent credit crisis.

FSOC is housed within the Treasury Department, which also chairs the group, and is comprised of the leaders of all the major US financial regulators.

After hearing from MetLife on Monday, the first such in-person meeting between the insurer and the top regulators after months of staff-level talks, regulators will have 60 days for a final decision. MetLife can challenge the decision in court.

Metlife declined to comment.

The MetLife building is seen in New York

REUTERS

ance companies transfer risk to entities affiliated with their business in overseas jurisdictions or US states with light-touch rules, which allows them to free up regulatory capital.

Benjamin Lawsky, the New York Superintendent for Financial Services, has stopped issuing licenses for such activity, which he called “shadow insurance,” while Vermont and Delaware still actively court the business.

In an apparent effort to reduce some scrutiny, MetLife last year announced it would merge three of its life insurance companies and a Bermuda-based captive reinsurance unit into one U.S.based company, to “address regulatory concerns about the use of captive reinsurance.”

Another point regulators have looked into is securities lending. Insurers hold huge portfolios of stocks and bonds that they often lend out, typically to brokerdealers or hedge funds, backed by collateral, in return for a small fee.

The 2010 Dodd-Frank Wall Street reform act automatically designated

banks with more than $50bn in assets as “systemically important financial institutions.”

But it gave the risk council the power to also tap financial firms that are not banks, if they are so big and risky that their activities could destabilize US markets.

To date, the regulators who make up FSOC have not spoken publicly about MetLife. However, public documents justifying their designations of AIG and Prudential, and FSOC’s annual report, shed light on their concerns.

The watchdogs worry insurers have their fingers in too many risky activities even after the credit crisis, and that they are no longer just straightforward providers of traditional life or car insurance policies. One issue likely to be weighed is captive reinsurance, an accounting practice through which life insurers can lower their reserves, or funds set aside to pay claims.

In captive reinsurance, life insur-

Hard loan for peaking power plant approved

Expo Milano to begin from next May

 B1 COLUMN 2

n Tribune Report

Shadow insurance

“Belarus government will give services to the city corporations and municipalities in next eleven years as per the credit agreement signed between Bangladesh and Belarus with an interest of 6%,” said an official. HSBC will charge interest at LIBOR (London Inter-bank offered rate) plus 5% rate.

According to Power Division sources, the government is yet to start the construction work of the power plant due to crisis of foreign funds, especially from the World Bank (WB) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

Although tender was earlier floated on September 9, 2011, the Bangladesh Power Development Board so far failed to attract potential donors for implementing the vital project, which will be completed within 450 days since beginning of the works, officials said. l

An 184-day fair titled Expo Milano 2015 is going to be held in Italy next with its theme – Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life.

The expo will kick off from May 1 and continue to October 31, 2015, said a press release.

Some 130 participants are expected to attend the fair that will run for over six months and is expected to welcome over 20 million visitors, added the release.

Bureau International des Expositions of Italy will host the giant expo.

The aim of the programme is to bring to life a unique experience for visitors and building awareness about right to food that is healthy, safe and sufficient and about environmental, social and economic sustainability of food chain.

Lara Travels and Tourism will pro-

Citi Foundation has recently launched Citi Microentrepreneurship Awards (CMA) programme in Bangladesh for the tenth consecutive year. The announcement came at a press conference, attended by the chairperson of the Advisory Council, Dr Wahiduddin Mahmud and Citi country officer, Rashed Maqsood, among others

NCC Bank Ltd has recently relocated its Kawran Bazar branch to new premises at Jahangir Tower, 10 Kawranbazar, Dhaka. The bank’s chairperson, Md Nurun Newaz Salim inaugurated the new premises as chief guest

vide support for ticketing, hotel reservation and transport arrangement. It will give full assistance to the visitors opting to join the expo from Dhaka.

Expo Milano 2015 is a global event characterised by its nature of uniting many different voices Expo Milano 2015 is a global event characterised by its nature of uniting many different voices, basing its success on the involvement of all various players taking part in it.

The universal exposition bears a responsibility to leave a cultural, social, scientific and technological heritage, and the Expo will build this legacy. l

B3

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

This is generally seen as a low-risk activity, but played a key role in the nearcollapse of AIG, which was reinvesting much of its collateral in often complex and risky instruments that rapidly lost their value when the crisis hit.

Insurers say such risky behavior is a thing of the past, yet they continue to lend out considerable amounts of securities. MetLife’s securities lending portfolio ended 2013 at $28bn, according to Moody’s Investors Service.

Lastly, regulators are wary about a possible run on an insurer much in the same way as on a bank. The industry is fiercely contesting this perception, saying their business model is different, and funding more stable.

But the Federal Insurance Office, a Treasury unit that monitors the industry, last year pointed out that AIG was not the only US insurer in trouble. Insurers Hartford Financial Services Group and Lincoln National Corp both received taxpayer aid during the crisis. l

Argentina default spreads to Par bonds, risking payment demands n Reuters, New York

than it holds in foreign reserves.

Argentina’s debt default spread to its Par bonds on Friday after the country failed to complete an interest payment, raising the risk that creditors could demand that the country’s cash-strapped government immediately repay all of its debt.

Argentina deposited a $161m payment with a newly appointed local trustee last month to try to circumvent US court orders for it to settle with “holdout” investors. The holdouts are suing to get full repayment of bonds from a 2002 default before holders that accepted the terms of a debt restructuring get paid by the government.

But Par bondholders could not collect the $161m payment due to legal and technical hurdles, and the 30-day grace period since the coupon was originally due expired at midnight Thursday.

Argentina’s economy ministry has not said whether any bondholders have come forward to collect.

Argentina had already defaulted in July on its discount notes, but holders of the Par bonds might be more likely to claim accelerated payment of the principal because the Par bonds are trading at a steeper discount to their original value. Demands for accelerated payment could leave Argentina facing claims of up to $30 billion, more

Downgrade

Fitch Ratings weighed in on Friday by cutting Argentina’s foreign law Par bonds to the rock bottom level of “D”, for Default.

“The only exchanged foreign currency bond under foreign law that remains performing is the Global17 bond, which has a coupon payment scheduled for Dec 2,” the credit ratings agency said in a statement.

Sources owning Argentine debt say other creditors have approached them about forming a group to accelerate payment. The move would require the backing of investors holding at least 25% of the nominal amount of any single bond series.

“We were asked in very theoretical terms what our thoughts were on acceleration,” said one source. “It was something intermediated by an investment bank. The shop leading the offer did not want to be identified.”

Analysts say many investors will be hesitant about such a move as it could mean costly litigation with an uncertain outcome. It could also trigger a balance of payments crisis and further damage Argentina’s ailing economy, making an eventual payment even more difficult. l

Aamra Open House 2014 held n Tribune Business Desk “Aamra Open House 2014”, an annual networking event of Aamra companies, was recently held at a city hotel for its valued customers, partners, vendors and stakeholders.

The day-long event held on October 28 attracted around 2000 invited participants from all industries and positions, said a statement of the company.

The mufti-faceted event, in its fourth edition, was an opportunity to meet and network with the valued customers, partners, vendors and stake-

holders in a relaxed environment.

“We are pleased to see that our partners and guests are happy with the activities that have been planned while designing the event. Our goal has always been to create a platform where all stakeholders can have an effective interaction that can improve their respective businesses,” said Syed Farhad Ahmed, managing director of Aamra companies.

On behalf of the company, he also thanked all its stakeholders, partners and guests for making the event successful through their lively participation. l

US dollar trades near seven-year high against yen n AFP, Singapore The US dollar traded near a seven-year high against the yen yesterday after Japan’s surprise decision to widen its stimulus and speculation that US interest rates could be raised sooner rather than later.

The greenback bought $112.72 - its highest since December 2007 - in Singapore afternoon trade, compared with $112.35 yen in New York late Friday.

The euro was at $1.2485 against $1.2525, while it also bought 140.70 yen compared with 140.71 yen. Japanese markets were closed for a public holiday.

Singapore’s United Overseas Bank (UOB) said the dominant influence on markets was the Bank of Japan’s surprise announcement on Friday that it would expand its already vast asset-

Bangladesh Brand Forum has recently organised the 4th Commward. Santosh Ramesh Desai, MD & CEO of Futurebrands India Ltd has attended the event

Professional Advancement Bangladesh Limited (PABL), a subsidiary of Green Delta Insurance Company Ltd has recently organised a training program on underwriting (general insurance), in association with Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) (UK) for the company’s employees. Nasir A Choudhury, chairperson of PABL inaugurated the course at the presence of the company’s director, Farzana Chowdhury

purchasing scheme to try to kickstart the economy. Policymakers at Japan’s central bank said they would add up to 20tn yen to the scheme, bringing it to 80tn yen annually.

The decision follows a series of poor data that has fanned fears the world’s number three economy, which contracted in April-June, may shrink again in the following three months - technically putting it in recession.

In the United States, UOB said dealers are focused on US jobs data that will be released on Friday.

“The US jobs data could swing market expectations for the Federal Reserve’s future course of interest rate actions,” the Singapore lender said.

The Fed’s optimistic comments last week on the state of the jobs market were seen as more hawkish than in the

past, fuelling speculation of a possible earlier rate rise.

The US central bank said in a policy statement last week it would keep near-zero interest rates for “a considerable time” after the end of the quantitative easing programme, sticking to its timetable of an increase well into 2015.

UOB said the US unemployment rate is expected to remain unchanged at 5.9%, while the non-farm payrolls data will likely show an addition of 215,000 jobs in October, compared with 236,000 jobs in September.

The greenback was higher against other Asia-Pacific currencies.

It rose to Sg$1.2874 from Sg$1.2805 in Tokyo on Friday, to Tw$30.47 from Tw$30.42, to 1,073.10 South Korean won from 1,065.95 won, and to 44.98 Philippine pesos from 44.86 pesos. l

City Bank has recently won the award - Best Consumer Internet Bank in Bangladesh - from Global Finance, a North America based leading global financial publications. The bank’s chairperson, Rubel Aziz received the award at a ceremony recently held in New York

Al-Arafah Islami Bank Ltd has recently inaugurated Sheba Mash 2014 at its Panthapath branch

B4

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Back Page

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

China PMIs point to Cheaper tomorrow? Bank of Japan cooling economic battles entrenched ‘deflation mindset’ momentum

n Reuters, Tokyo Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda does not need to convince Japanese people like Kazue Shibata that deflation brings problems, but getting them to believe that higher prices will make things better is proving to be a harder sell.

Shibata, 65, who runs a small dress shop in central Tokyo, worries the BOJ’s mission to hit a 2% inflation target could end up driving business away unless people also have more money in their pockets.

“If prices rise, people might not buy as much,” she said, echoing a concern of many private-sector economists.

On Friday, Kuroda’s BOJ doubled down on a high-stakes bet that the central bank can shake Japan’s consumers from a defensive set of expectations hardened by a decade and a half of falling prices, lower incomes and stopand-go growth.

“It’s important for the BOJ to strongly commit to achieving its price target to get that price target firmly embedded in people’s mindset,” Kuroda said at a news conference on Friday, after the BOJ stunned markets with an unexpected expansion of its monetary stimulus program.

“It won’t do much good in trying to shake off the public’s deflation mindset if you just say inflation will reach 2% some day,” Kuroda said.

At the core of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s “Abenomics” agenda is the assumption that the outlook for sustained inflation will prompt consumers to anticipate rising prices, and that consumption will rise as a result.

That represents a sea change for a country used to deflation, where clinging to cash today meant greater buying power tomorrow, a set of expectations that has proven hard to shake a yearand-a-half into an unprecedented easing by the BOJ. Japan’s economy, which has been hit by four recessions since 2000, is now on track to grow just 0.5% in the year to March, according to a revised projection by the central bank.

Shibata, who has run a shop in To-

n Reuters, Beijing

Bank of Japan (BOJ) Governor Haruhiko Kuroda points to a placard showing BOJ policy decisions during a news conference at the BOJ headquarters in Tokyo REUTERS kyo’s Higashi Azabu neighborhood offering ready-to-wear attire and custommade items for about three decades, has seen the pain from that kind of slow growth - and falling prices - on her business.

“The prices people were willing to pay for order-made clothes fell, until they were almost the same as readyto-wear,” said Shibata, sitting in a cushioned chair next to her sewing machine.

Been down so long

In announcing its program of expanded asset purchases, the BOJ stuck with projections that it could hit Kuroda’s 2% inflation in the fiscal year beginning next April.

But Japan’s annual core consumer inflation slowed for a second straight month in September, adding to scepticism among economists that goal is within reach.

Moreover, the UTokyo Daily Price

Index, a gauge maintained by economists at the University of Tokyo that tracks point-of-sales data for as many as 200,000 food items and daily necessities, has trended downwards after a spike in spring linked to a hike in the sales tax. That means that the falling prices people see every day reinforce the kind of “deflation mindset” that Kuroda hopes to break.

Kaoru Sakai, 65, who runs a hair salon in Tokyo’s Nakano district, did not raise prices even after the national sales tax was raised to 8 percent to 5 percent in April, worried the sticker shock could scare away business.

“The fact is that people don’t feel confident about the future,” Sakai said.

“Our society and economy has tilted people toward lower-end options. For example, it’s like people choosing to eat at fast-food places, or standingonly soba shops even when they could, realistically, eat at proper restaurants.”

Unless Japanese people see real progress in solving fundamental problems, such as lack of wage growth, a shrinking manufacturing base, and an unsustainable welfare system, many might prefer the problem they know to the one Kuroda hopes will replace it.

Classical economics would argue that consumers should welcome deflation, because it increases their purchasing power, an argument some consumers echo.

“Deflation reflects the underlying economy. Our population is decreasing, production is low and we’re not seeing innovation. We are losing power compared with other countries,” said Yohei Tanaka, 33, an accountant in Tokyo, who said his salary has not risen since Abe took office in December 2012.

“I don’t think this is the time to drive the economy to inflation. I don’t think inflation is the end solution. Deflation, in a certain way, is good.” l

China’s economy lost further momentum heading into the fourth quarter as a cooling property market weighed on activity and export demand softened, surveys showed on Monday, putting Beijing’s official target for the year at even greater risk.

Analysts had already expected fullyear growth to miss the goal of around 7.5%, but many thought there may be some signs of stabilization in the world’s second-largest economy late in the year after a flurry of stimulus measures.

Instead, the surveys showed demand at home and abroad continued to cool and the labor market remained under stress, while adding to fears that many companies are being starved of credit as banks grow more reluctant to lend.

And measures announced in late September to shore up the slumping housing market so far seem to be having little effect, reinforcing expectations that Beijing will have to stump up more support.

“Growth momentum is slowing going into the fourth quarter,” said Kevin Lai, senior economist at Daiwa Capital Markets in Hong Kong.

“Exports were quite strong the last couple of months but that was mostly driven by electronics demand. So the orders for iPhones etc. have cooled down again. Europe and Japan are still struggling, so that is not good news.”

Growth in China’s services sector slipped to a nine-month low of 53.8 in October, the weakest reading since January, from September’s 54, the National Bureau of Statistics said.

It was still comfortably above the 50-point mark that separates growth from contraction, but readings on areas such as real estate and employment continued to shrink.

Home prices in China dropped for a sixth consecutive month in October, a separate private survey showed on Friday, pointing to a persistent downturn, despite government efforts to lift the market.

Beijing is counting on strong job growth in the services sector to offset

that weakness, and top policymakers have insisted that the labor market remains resilient.

FACTORY GROWTH ALSO FRAGILE Another official survey on Saturday showed factory activity unexpectedly fell to a five-month low in October as firms fought slowing orders and rising borrowing costs.

A private factory survey by HSBC/ Markit on Monday showed a similar worrying trend. Though overall growth picked up slightly, growth in new orders and new export orders - proxies for domestic and foreign demand - fell to their lowest in four to five months.

Exports have been one of the lone bright spots for the economy, and helped offset weaker internal demand in the third quarter.

Tommy Xie, an economist at OCBC Bank, estimated that without firmer exports, the economy would only grow an annual 6.7% in the first three quarters this year - the slowest since the 1998 Asian crisis.

The official PMI is focused on larger, state-owned factories, as opposed to the HSBC/Markit PMI which focuses more on smaller manufacturers in the private sector.

MORE SUPPORT MEASURES Most analysts believe authorities will announce further modest support measures in coming months to support growth, but they are divided over whether policymakers will act more aggressively, such as by cutting interest rates, unless there is a risk of a sharper slowdown.

Barclays expects a bolder policy response soon.

“We maintain our forecast for two, 25-basis-point cuts in benchmark interest rates, one in Q4 14 and one in Q1 15,” the bank’s economists said in a research note.

“Weakening October official PMI, soft domestic demand and rising disinflationary risks are adding to the probability of more monetary easing. We also note that the PMI shows that the targeted easing measures are not effective in supporting small- to mediumsize enterprises.” l

China October services growth slips to Japan economy minister calls for fiscal stimulus if third-quarter GDP data weak nine-month low, property weighs n Reuters, Beijing China’s services sector grew at its slowest pace in nine months in October as a cooling property sector weighed on demand, a survey showed yesterday, adding to signs of fragility in the world’s second-largest economy.

The services sector has been more resilient than the manufacturing sector and is creating more jobs, which partly explains why the government has so far refrained from more aggressive policy easing in supporting the slowing economy.

The official non-manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) fell to 53.8 in October from September’s 54, which was the weakest reading since January, the National Bureau of Statistics said.

But it was still comfortably above the 50-point mark that separates growth from contraction on a monthly basis.

The sub-index of new orders inched up to 51 in October from September’s 49.5, which was the lowest since December 2008.

“Sub-indices for sectors such as rail-

way transport and real estate remained below the 50 point and market demand weakened,” the bureau said.

The sub-index measuring employment fell to 48.9 in October - the fourth straight month when it was below 50, and was down from September’s 49.5.

An official survey published on Saturday showed China’s factory activity unexpectedly fell to a five-month low in October as firms fought slowing orders and rising costs in the cooling economy, reinforcing views that the country’s growth outlook is hazy at best. l

n Reuters, Tokyo Japanese Economy Minister Akira Amari said yesterday that the government should deploy fresh fiscal stimulus to prop up the economy if third-quarter preliminary gross domestic data due on Nov 17 turns out weak, public broadcaster NHK reported.

Amari also said the stimulus steps should be taken regardless of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s decision by year-end on whether to proceed with a second sales tax increase planned for next year aimed at reining in massive public debt.

The comments came days after a shock move by the Bank of Japan to expand its massive monetary stimulus raised speculation that Abe would go ahead with the next tax hike in October, if it were followed by promises of added fiscal steps to offset a tax pain.

Amari said additional fiscal stimulus should be aimed at stimulating private consumption, particularly low-income groups and families with children, hit hard by April’s tax hike to 8% from 5%.

The government plans to raise the levy to 10% in October next year. But April’s tax hike triggered the deepest

economic slump since the 2009 global financial crisis, when the economy contracted an annualised 7.1% in the second quarter, and a weak recovery in the following quarter cast doubt about the next tax hike.

Amari, speaking at a seminar, noted some private-sector economic forecasts for July-September are said to be short of an annualised 2%, compared with an initial projection of above 4% growth, according to NHK. Analysts polled by Reuters expect an annualised 2.9% bounce in JulySeptember. l

Apple Pay fails to unify fragmented market n AFP, Washington Apple Pay, meant to inject momentum into a fragmented market for the emerging mobile payments sector, has instead highlighted the squabbles between retailers and the banking and payments industry.

Since Apple Pay made its debut October 20 for US customers with the iPhone 6, several major retailers have said they would not use it.

That includes number one retail group Wal-Mart and the large pharmacy-retail group CVS, which has disabled payment terminals that could accept Apple Pay. “You’re never going to come up with anything as smooth (and) as easy as Apple Pay. But if you can’t use it, you’re going to use something else,” said Avivah Litan, an analyst at Gartner who follows mobile payments. Litan said a few retailers, such as McDonald’s and Disney, like the system because it speeds transactions and “every fraction of a second goes to the bottom line.”

DILBERT

But she noted that for most retailers, credit card fees simply are too high.

Apple Pay has aligned itself with major banks and payment processors Visa and MasterCard, which take a cut of every transaction, typically two to three percent.

Retailers, which often operate on razor-thin profit margins, would like to cut or eliminate those fees, and Apple Pay does nothing to change that system.

“Most of the merchants have been hungry for competition,” Litan said.

Stuck in neutral

Gartner projects mobile payments will hit $721bn around the world by 2017.

But some estimates have been lowered recently amid squabbles over the type of technology used and payment structure.

Apple uses a “near field communication” or NFC chip, similar to that used

by Google Wallet and Softcard, which has been slow to gain traction.

Although Apple has signed on most major US banks, Visa and MasterCard, and retailers like Macy’s and Staples,

many others are balking.

A coalition of merchants led by WalMart, Target and Sears called MCX is promoting its own system called CurrentC, using a different technology, and importantly, allowing retailers to bypass credit cards and use direct bank debits with lower transaction costs.

Apple Pay “really falls short when it comes to merchant value proposition,” said Litan.

Nitesh Patel, analyst with Strategy Analytics, said retailers are not necessarily targeting Apple but want “to avoid what they believe are excessive swipe fees and the cost of upgrading hardware and software to accept contactless payments.”

But he added that if Apple Pay catches on, the retailers will be forced to go along.

Patel said, however, that if the retailer sector does not unify around the contactless system used by Apple Pay, users may revert to their old habits, “since they will need to carry their payment cards and wallet with them anyway.”

“This is a challenge that all proponents of contactless payments, Google Wallet, Softcard and Apple Pay face together,” Patel told AFP. The merchant system got a black eye when it revealed a data breach exposing customer emails, even though the app itself was not affected.

Forrester Research analyst Denee Carrington said security is an advantage for Apple.

“Apple Pay is highly secure, and the

data privacy will mean that merchants are less likely to be hacked since they won’t have card payment data that hackers are interested in,” she said.

“Apple Pay is also very fast and consumers seem to like it as well.”

Battle for customer data

Bob O’Donnell at Technalysis Research said Apple’s privacy protections make the system less attractive to retailers, because they cannot as easily track customer habits to deliver coupons or marketing messages.

“They want that data,” O’Donnell said. “That’s why the grocery stores give you the loyalty cards.”

O’Donnell said Apple has created excitement about mobile payments but has failed to bridge the differences among the market players.

“It gives momentum to the sector but it remains fragmented,” he said.

“Apple Pay provides an example of the promise and the challenges of mobile payments in a very clear way.”

Litan said meanwhile that the squabbles could intensify. And she noted that retailers which are disabling the ability to use contactless NFC technology could also be blocking rival systems.

The merchant-sponsored system uses a more cumbersome technology that requires customers to scan a QR (quick response) code and display that.

But by bypassing the credit card system, it can reduce costs for merchants, who may pass on these savings to customers. l

A customer holds an energy drink can in front of a warning poster informing that energy drinks cannot be sold to minors at a shop in Vilnius on November 1, 2014, on the ban's official start. Lithuania became the first country to ban energy drinks for anyone under 18, in what officials here dubbed a global first amid health concerns AFP