05 Dec, 2014

Agrahayan 21, 1421 Safar 11, 1436 Regd No DA 6238 Vol 2, No 241

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WEEKEND

7 | LONG FORM

11 | OP-ED

12 | SPORT

THE PRINCES OF SAROD

STRICTLY PERSONAL: A CHAT WITH DAMAN SINGH

DO YOU WANT TO HELP?

BANGLADESH SECURE MEN’S JR ASIA CUP SLOT

Land Boundary Agreement gets Mamata’s assent The LBA, ratified by Bangladesh in 1974, has been held up by political wrangling in India Obstructed by opposition and regional parties in India for four decades, the Land Boundary Agreement (LBA) is likely to be implemented now that West Bengal’s Trinamool Congress (TMC) has withdrawn its objection to it.

“We have informed the central government that we have no objection to the exchange of enclaves on the basis of the Land Boundary Agreement with Bangladesh. This is our official stand

Bangladesh will exchange 51 enclaves, covering 7,110 acres and India will give up 111 enclaves, measuring 17,160 acres and I convey it to you today,” BBC Bangla yesterday quoted TMC boss Mamata Banerjee as saying at a programme in the Cooch Behar district of India.

A formal response from the Government of Bangladesh has not yet been announced.

The TMC’s approval of the deal paves the way for the Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to move for the required changes to India’s constitution needed to implement the deal.

The last time the BJP ruled India while the Awami League was ruling Bangladesh, the two countries came to blows over the enclaves, formally

Tofail: Newspaper owners need not show clean image n Tribune Report Commerce Minister and senior Awami League leader, Tofail Ahmed yesterday categorically said that newspaper owners did not require to have clean image, but politicians do.

“Newspaper owners have negative sides; if their circulation is 100 copies, they claim 20,000 to get the newspaper allocation and ultimately sell them at Nayabazar,” the minister told querying reporters at the Secretariat.

“Newspaper owners have excessive wealth too, but are not compelled to declare it like the politicians. The government will monitor influential persons on corruption allegations,” he said adding that out of 160m people in the country, only 1.6m pay taxes.

“You [journalists] write reports and we keep silent because politicians are unable to write like you. Journalists publish reports on corruption but they do not mention that the people’s purchasing power has gradually increased.”

Regarding the government issuing more licences to the print and electronic media, Tofail said it was done so that the media writes more stories against the present government. “But it is alleged that unscrupulous media owners sell their licences after receiving them from the Information Ministry,” he added. l

known as adversely held territory.

The TMC, which governs West Bengal, stood as a major hurdle to implementing a bilateral agreement. The protocol signed between the Bangladesh and Indian Governments in 2011, was not ratified by India’s parliament.

In September, 2013 TMC MPs blocked Manmohan Singh’s UPA II government from getting the bill passed in India’s upper house, even blocking the then external affairs minister Salman Khurshid from tabling the bill in the first place.

The BJP, which stoutly opposed the bill while in opposition, has reversed its stand on the agreement. On Sunday Narendra Modi declared in Assam that his government would ratify the LBA. On December 1 this year, a standing committee led by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor and including TMC MP Sugata Bose recommended that the LBA be implemented, representing a TMC volte-face.

The TMC’s nod to the agreement paves the way for a formal settlement of the matter expected during a scheduled visit by the Indian prime minister to Bangladesh in the new year.

The swap

According to the bill, Bangladesh will exchange 51 enclaves, covering 7,110 acres and India will give up 111 enclaves, measuring 17,160 acres.

While 14,215 people reside in Bangladeshi enclaves in India, 37,269 people reside in Indian enclaves in Bangladesh.  PAGE 2 COLUMN 5

Not a lane inside a wholesale market, but the picture shows hawkers who have occupied the footpath in the capital’s Farmgate area, within one week of being evicted in a drive. The photo was taken yesterday RAJIB DHAR

INTERNATIONAL CALL TERMINATION

Carriers owe BTCL nearly Tk2,000cr n Muhammad Zahidul Islam The outstanding bills of various international call carriers to the stateowned telecommunications company BTCL have stacked up to a staggering Tk1,959.86 crore against a bank guarantee of only Tk168.36 crore.

Of the figure, some 53 post-paid foreign carriers owed as much as Tk994.91 crore as of May this year to the Bangladesh Telecommunications Company Limited (BTCL).

BTCL seeks bank guarantee only from the post-paid carriers; no national foreign carriers have any bank guarantees although their total outstanding amounts are higher than the foreign carriers.

BTCL sources said because of some senior officials involved with the process, the government company cannot collect the money.

“Sometimes we have found that officers do not carry out their duty towards the company’s money. They are not willing to collect the money,” Mahfuz Uddin Ahmed, BTCL’s managing director, told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday in his office.

He however said they can collect most of the outstanding amounts but then the government needs to face a tough challenge.

The BTCL boss said they had been trying to collect the money from the carriers and were preparing to launch

n Ashif Islam Shaon Morgue attendants at the Dhaka Medical College came to pick up a dead woman’s body from a ward of the hospital. As they moved to pick her up, the “deceased” woman started moving her feet.

Two hours earlier, around 2pm, Dr Nilufa Nila, an honorary physician at one of Bangladesh’s most important public hospitals, had declared her dead. A death-certificate was issued and a ward boy named Belal went to the morgue with the certificate.

Morgue in-charge Nure Alam Babu received the papers and prepared for an autopsy, sources at the college confirmed.

“When we declared her dead, we could not feel a pulse. Her body had become like a dead person…It was a misunderstanding. The patient is now well,” Nilufa said when asked what had happened. She then inserted a needle into the patient’s body to administer intravenous nutrition.

An on-duty doctor, on condition of anonymity, said: “The patient had no attendant with her. Because of that, she did not receive proper lab tests or medicines. She had an irregular pulse and was very weak.

“The woman seemed to be a vagabond. She was kept outside the ward near the lift, without any facilities, because she smelled awful.” Before she had “died,” the woman was not even diagnosed.

DMCH Director Brig Gen Mustafizur

legal suits against some defaulters.

“We are going to cash the bank guarantees that we have in our hands now,” Mahfuz said.

But BTCL itself is also facing some legal challenges against the cashing of bank guarantees as some carriers have disputed its claims.

State-owned BTCL, as an international gateway (IGW) operator, charges international call carriers 1.5 US cents for terminating each minute of an international call. The rate used to be 6 and then 3 US cents in the past.

According to BTCL, Zamir Telecom UK owes the highest amount of $47.68m, equivalent to Tk370.25 crore.  PAGE 2 COLUMN 5

n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla

Rahman said: “We are looking into the matter. The concerned doctor will be punished after a probe into the incident.”

Suffering from malnutrition, the patient was picked up from the street in critical condition and brought to the hospital on December 2.

As her identity could not be determined, the college prepared for an autopsy after issuing the death certificate.

As the patients’ “corpse” was being taken to the morgue for autopsy, Aziz, a morgue worker, saw the hands and feet of the body he was carrying move. He reported the incident to a ward boy.

Belal, the ward boy, then took death certificate to the duty doctor. The “aliveagain” woman was sent to bed six at ward 802, unit seven of the medicine department inside the new building of DMCH. According to the victim’s registration file, the hospital director himself referred her to be admitted. The director told the Dhaka Tribune that he noticed the woman lying on a footpath adjacent to the hospital gate when the hospital authorities were conducting a drive against illegal hawkers and establishments. He asked his staff to get her admitted to DMCH to take proper care of her. l

A group of incumbent and former government officials held a meeting with BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia at her Gulshan office yesterday.

Around 20 government functionaries, mainly OSDs (Officers on Special Duty) and BNP-minded officials, were asked to form a Janatar Mancha-like platform to mount pressure on the government, meeting sources said.

The former premier reportedly asked the visiting officials to launch an anti-government platform like that of 1996.

In 1996, the then opposition Awami League city unit chief Mohammad Hanif organised Janatar Mancha, a platform to mobilise government officials against the then ruling BNP to force it out of office.

The visiting secretariat officials, led

by Joint Secretary AKM Jahangir, went to the BNP chairperson’s Gulshan office around 7:45pm. Another 20 officials joined the meeting.

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia reached her office at 9:20pm. The party’s acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir entered the office minutes ahead of his party chief.

Around 10:20pm some of the officials began to leave. Others were still

INSIDE B1 | Business

The country’s economy is expected to benefit from the dramatic fall in oil prices that continued to zoom out as of yesterday, economists said.

3 | News

Students of Institute of Health Technology in Barisal boycotted classes and held a protest rally at Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital yesterday, strongly condemning Wednesday’s police action on some female protesters.

4 | News

The country’s Early Warning System for flood has yet to be able to provide real-time forecasting to people in order to minimise possible damage, speakers said at a discussion yesterday in the capital.

5 | News

It has been three years since Dhaka City Corporation was divided into two separate bodies but neither succeeded in living up to the expectations of the city dwellers.

6 | Nation

At least five railway workers were injured as a rescue train hit a crane at Methikanda Railway Station in Raipur upazila. Railway communications remained snapped for 5 hours.

8 | World

Ex-BTCL MD sent straight to jail from court for contempt Zahidul Islam n Muhammad and Ahmed Zayeef Setting a very rare example, the High Court yesterday sent a former government official from court straight to jail on contempt charges.

The HC sentenced SOM Kalimullah, former managing director of the stateowned Bangladesh Telecommunication Company Limited (BTCL), to four months simple imprisonment after finding him guilty of contempt on the basis of an arbitration application.

According to the court order, he had committed contempt “by refusing to  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

BNP chief denies meeting with government officials

‘Dead’ woman comes back to life

MEHEDI HASAN

n Tribune Desk

A rare dinosaur skeleton goes on display at London’s Natural History museum on Thursday – the first to be exhibited there in a century.

15 | Entertainment

Feature film ‘Ghashphul’ recently received the censor board certificate and is all set to hit cinemas. Akram Khan, director of the fulllength film produced by Channel i.

at the meeting when this report was filed at midnight. When approached by the press, the officials refused to comment. Thirteen government officers secretly met in Uttara at the house of former energy adviser Mahmudur Rahman on November 24, 2006.

At 11:30pm, Khaleda’s Press Secretary Maruf Kamal Khan told journalists: “I do not know whether there was

Some other officials skipped the programme because of intelligence surveillance, said sources any scheduled meeting. Like on other days, many people come to meet Madam [Khaleda].”

Asked whether any of the visitors were government officials, Khan said: “Only the government can tell you that.”

At 10:30pm Khaleda’s adviser and former secretary MA Halim left the office and told journalists that there was no scheduled meeting.

Asked about who was meeting with Khaleda, Halim remained silent.  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

2

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Friday, December 5, 2014

Dr Shamarukh’s body exhumed for autopsy again n Our Correspondent, Jessore Conforming to a court order, the authorities concerned yesterday exhumed the body of Dr Shamarukh Mahjabin Kona having passed 19 days after the burial at Karbala graveyard in the district town.

The exhumation took place by Executive Magistrate Abdus Salam around 10:30am, during which Jessore Additional Deputy Commissioner (revenue) Sohel Hasan, Shamarukh’s father engineer Nurul Islam, the case’s IO Munsi Ruhul Kuddus and Kotwali police station OC Enamul Hoque were present among others.

When contacted, the magistrate said the body was sent to the 250-bed Jessore Sadar Hospital morgue to autopsy anew.

Besides, separate samples of the corpse were also sent to the morgues of Jessore Medical College Hospital, Dhaka Mitford Hospital and Khulna Medical College Hospital respectively to find out the real cause behind her reportedly mysterious death.

On November 13, the body of Dr Shamarukh, 24, wife of Humayun Sultan Shadab who is son of former Awa-

mi League Lawmaker from the district Khan Tipu Sultan, was found hanging in the bathroom of her in-law’s Dhanmondi house. Later her father, Nurul Islam, filed a murder case with Dhanmondi police station against three people - Humayun, his father and mother.

On November 23, Shamarukh’s family members rejected the postmortem report prepared by the Dhaka Medical College Forensic Department raising an allegation that the report had been doctored while it suggested that the death was a case of suicide.

Afterwards, Shamarukh’s father made a plea to a court of Dhaka chief metropolitan magistrate seeking re-autopsy of the body, who directed the authorities concerned to submit a fresh autopsy report of the body by December 18.

Meanwhile, a Dhaka court on November 20 Humayun placed on a three-remand and the investigation officer of the case made a request to keep him confined for the sake of proper investigation.

On the other hand, the High Court granted anticipatory bail to Tipu Sultan and his wife Jesmin Ara for four weeks in the case. l

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina back to home after wrapping up her three-day official tour to Malaysia. The premier and her entourage reached the Shahjalal International Airport yesterday around 1:40pm BSS

Moosa Bin Shamsher asked to appear before ACC Six BCL leaders of BAU n Adil Sakhawat

The Anti-Corruption Commission issued a notice yesterday to controversial and featured businessman Moosa Bin Shamsher, a suspected arms dealer, to appear before it on December 18 to face interrogation.

ACC Senior Deputy Director Mir Zainul Abedin Shibli issued the notice and sent it to Moosa’s Gulshan residence and his firm Datco’s Banani office addresses. He is the chairman of Datco, a manpower recruiting agency.

On November 3, the ACC decided to run an inquiry into the allegation of amassing illegal wealth against Moosa following a cover feature published in international magazine Business Asia in June this year, an ACC officer said requesting anonymity.

The report claims that Moosa has $7bn deposited in a Swiss bank. Terming him a “business tycoon,” the report also says Moosa always preferred leading a royal life. On any special occasion, he uses ornaments and dresses worth $7m.

ACC Commissioner M Shahabuddin Chuppu told reporters that the commission had found Moosa’s wealth unusual. “So it has decided to launch an inquiry against him.”

Many international media reported Moosa’s activities terming him an “arms dealer.”

The Sunday Telegraph Magazine in 1998 published an exclusive feature titled “Man with the Golden Guns” terming Moosa “Prince of Bangladesh.”

Reporter Nigel Farndale visited him at his Dhaka office of Datco and concluded his feature saying: “Prince Moosa, the multi billionaire from Bangladesh, bathes in rose water, wears diamond encrusted shoes and doesn’t like to talk about the offer of 5m pound sterling he once made to Tony Blair.”

Website Business Pundit in 2011 showed Moosa as one of the most notorious arms dealers in modern history where he ranked eighth.

In August last year, Fuji Television

Network Inc of Japan captured the lavish and flamboyant lifestyle of “Prince Moosa” in a documentary on the world’s rich and famous. The international media too wrote many features and stories on Moosa.

In 2007, a renowned Malta-based CA firm’s audit report stated that Moosa had made $10bn, mostly from the international arms trading by selling tanks, fighter planes and ballistic missiles as well as from power brokerage that he had carried outside Bangladesh, adding that Moosa has had Swiss bank accounts worth $7bn frozen because of “irregular” transactions.

The ACC earlier initiated inquiries against Moosa in 2010 and 2011 following newspaper reports that revealed siphoning off a huge amount of money abroad.

The second inquiry officer, then deputy director Sheikh Fyaz Alam, could not make any progress as he did not get required information from the Bangladesh Bank’s financial unit, an ACC source told the Dhaka Tribune.

Senior Deputy Director Shibli is the third inquiry officer in this matter. The first inquiry officer, deputy director Akhter Hamid Bhuiyan, could not run the inquiry due to poor health, ACC’s competent sources said.

Moosa again hit the headlines by offering the Labour Party and Tony Blair 5m pounds as donation for campaigns during the UK’s 1997 general election.

However, Blair rejected his proposal.

The controversial businessman also wished to donate full cost of the Padma bridge project when the World Bank had refused to lend money to the project in 2012 in an interview with a television channel of Bangladesh.

Transparency International Bangladesh Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman welcomed the ACC move as “Moosa has been summoned for the first time. The ACC earlier did not investigate such high profile individuals while the previous inquiries against Moosa could not be complete.”

He suggested that the inquiry be done in a very technical and professional manner so that it can be fruitful. “We hope that the commission will be successful this time,” he told the Dhaka Tribune.

Iftekhar also hoped that the central bank’s Financial Intelligence Unit and the National Board of Revenue would cooperate with the ACC with a view to helping the commission unmasking the corrupts like Moosa as “Bangladesh faces international pressure to check money laundering.” l

Ex-BTCL MD sent straight to jail from court for contempt  PAGE 1 COLUMN 6

comply with this court’s order” in connection with refunding a non-government company’s security money.

The immediate past BTCL managing director was also fined Tk1 lakh and another month of jail in case he fails to pay it.

Immediately after passing the order, the HC bench comprising Justice Md Rezaul Hasan sent Kalimullah, who appeared before the court, to the registrar of the Supreme Court to be handed over to law enforcers.

The court also acquitted Shah Farid Uddin, a deputy director of BTCL, and Helal Ahmed, manager of IFIC Bank’s stock exchange branch, of the same charges.

SM Kuddus Zaman, acting registrar of the apex court, told the Dhaka Trib-

une: “We handed him [Kalimullah] over to the Shahbagh police along with a directive to send him to prison.”

Senior Supreme Court practitioner Monjil Morshed, also an amicus curiae in the case, told the Dhaka Tribune: “There have been many incidents in the past where the court had punished someone and they had been sent to jail.

But this is the first time that anyone present at the court during the time of the order was sent directly to jail.”

He also remembers that two years ago, a court sent two bureaucrats to jail on contempt charges but they were not present at the time the order was passed.

Aneek R Haque, who filed the arbitration application, also said it was a very rare incident.

Aneek said his client Oxinnel Services Private Limited had deposited

Tk1.40 crore as security deposit to a branch of the IFIC Bank in favour of the BTCL in 2009 to operate as an international telephone call carrier company.

The dispute began in 2012. BTCL demanded around TK68 lakh from Oxinnel as various charges. Oxinnel asked BTCL to reduce the amount from the security deposit and pay it back the balance.

After BTCL had refused to pay the money back, Oxinnel filed the arbitration application with the High Court in June 2013. A few days later, the court issued a notice for the state-owned company seeking a response on whether or not the money would be refunded. But BTCL did not respond.

The next month, the HC issued an order to the BTCL to refund Tk72 lakh to Oxinnel. But BTCL did not respond to this order either.

In November 2013, BTCL sent a letter to the IFIC Bank saying it had an objection about releasing the money to Oxinnel. Following a petition from Oxinnel, the HC in January this year issued a rule against Kalim Ullah, Farid Uddin and Helal Ahmed asking them why contempt charges should not be brought against them.

In April this year, BTCL finally responded to that court ruling and sought an unconditional apology, soon after which, the court appointed five amici curiae to decide whether BTCL was eligible for pardon.

Aneek said: “The amici curiae then opined that if the court accepted the unconditional apology, it would hurt the court’s dignity.”

Yesterday’s order was a continuation of that process. l

BNP chief denies meeting with government officials  PAGE 1 COLUMN 6

Asked how many secretariat officials were present, Halim said: “I am also a former secretary. I do not know anything about a secretaries’ meeting.”

Usually when there is any programme at the BNP chairperson’s office, journalists are allowed to enter the office but they were restricted last night.

Sources said some other officials were also scheduled to attend the programme but because of intelligence surveillance, they skipped it even after almost reaching the office.

On September 16, the state minister for public administration told parliament that 138 officials were made OSD in the last nine months.

Various sources said Senior Assistant Secretary Ehsanul Haque, Ibrahim Miazee, administrative officer of the Ministry of Science and Technology, Taufiqul

Islam of the same ministry, Nurul Islam of the Jute and Textile Ministry, Abdul Mannan and AKM Humayun Kabir of the Local Government Ministry, Sarkar Toha of the Environment and Forest Ministry, Badiul Kabir of the Public Administration Ministry, Shahidul Haque of the Information ministry and Mujahidul Islam Selim of the cabinet division attended the meeting.

The party, in a press release issued around 12:15 pm, alleged that reports of a closed door meeting between the BNP chairperson and government officials were false.

“This completely false, fabricated and motivated news was disseminated to mislead the people. There is no basis for such news,” the release said.

The party’s acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir harshly condemned the airing of what he called “false news.”

‘US-BD ties worsen’

The BNP yesterday claimed that bilateral relations between Bangladesh and the United States was badly affected following the recent comments of Awami League General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam about US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Nisha Desai Biswal and US Ambassador to Bangladesh Dan Mozena.

“What was the benefit of making such comments? Bangladesh’s relations with the United States has been worsened,” Fakhrul said addressing a programme organised to mark the seventh founding anniversary of Bangladesh Kalyan Party at the National Press Club in the capital.

“The Awami League-led government has no friends across the globe, and that is why there is no foreign investment in the country,” he said.

“The country is heading toward a dreadful economic recession, but the Awami League is yet to understand it,” the BNP leader said.

Syed Ashraf, also LGRD minister, recently called Biswal “a minister of two bits” and Mozena a “housemaid.”

Fakhrul said: “In today’s [yesterday] newspapers, I saw some good news for the Bangladeshi people. Bangladesh has progressed in corruption!”

Fakhrul, the spokesperson of the BNP, said one more push is required to oust the “fascist” government from office as they had already lost their ground and become bankrupt.

“This autocratic and fascist Awami League government has to be ousted to establish a people’s government,” he said. “We have to establish a government that can change the nasty political culture and the people’s fate,” he added. l

expelled n BAU Correspondent

The central committee of the Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), the student wing of the ruling Awami League, on Wednesday night expelled six leaders of its Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) unit for violating organisation’s discipline.

Office Secretary Sheikh Rasel of the Chhatra League’s central committee confirmed the matter to the Dhaka Tribune.

The expelled leaders are VicePresident Rukonuzzaman, Organising Secretary Faisal Islam Joy, Press Secretary Monwarul Islam Nayon, Library Secretary Sumon Parvez Ripon, Assistant Secretary Md Mizanur Rahman and member Md Hasan Mahmud Riad.

“Due to violation of organisational rules and regulations, the Chhatra League central committee has decided to expel the BAU unit leaders,” Sheikh Rasel said.

It is mentionable that all the expelled Chhatra League leaders among 14 have been indicted in Saad murder case. On August 30, Chhatra League members snatched Joy soon after his arrest.

Saad Ibne Momtaz, 23, a final-year student of the Fisheries Faculty of the university, was severely beaten up by a group of Chhatra League men in a dormitory of the university on March 31.

Later, he succumbed to his injuries at a private clinic in Mymensingh town on April 1.

Following the incident, general students of the university demonstrated demanding trial of the killers. l

Carriers owe BTCL  PAGE 1 COLUMN 5

Zamir has already filed an arbitration case against BTCL, as a result of which the collection process is held up.

“Our officers sometimes create disputes and banking on these disputes companies like Zamir always try to delay payment,” said the BTCL MD. The company is owned by two sons of BNP leader and former parliament speaker Muhammad Jamiruddin Sircar.

The BTCL has in the meantime switched off the connections with Zamir, following an order by then telecom minister Latif Siddique. BTCL officials predict that this and a court order may both go against them.

Another senior BTCL official alleged that sometimes BTCL’s advocates deliberately lose cases against foreign companies. Sources said DigiTech (Sin-

gapore) owes BTCL $11.6m to BTCL against a bank guarantee of $1.737m.

N.Tel has no bank guarantee but its outstanding bills exceed $8.159m.

Among the local carriers, STC owes Tk37.76 crore to BTCL but offers no bank guarantee.

Under the pre-paid system, Greenwitch Trading Pte Ltd crossed Tk6.19 crore in outstanding bills although they do not have any security deposit either.

Regarding the massive outstanding bills of the pre-paid companies, the fixed-line officials said the companies had recently became pre-paid carriers and the arrears had incurred before the conversion.

Sources also told the Dhaka Tribune that some BTCL officials allegedly advised these pre-paid carriers on how to delay or avoid paying the dues. l

Land Boundary Agreement  PAGE 1 COLUMN 2

Diptiman Sengupta, secretary, Indo-Bangla Enclave Exchange Coordination committee said: “Our latest survey in November, 2014 says 149 families having 734 people want Indian citizenship.”

An Indian parliamentary committee report, tabled on Monday, had no dissent note from the TMC and party sources said Sugata was able to convince Mamata on agreeing to the deal.

Shashi Tharoor, who heads the committee, said the decision was unanimous. Sounding confident that the bill would sail through parliament, he said: “We are merely regularising the reality on the ground.”

The Indian government is now expected to bring a bill to amend the constitution to make the necessary changes to India’s official boundary with Bangladesh. The Constitution (119th Amendment) Bill, 2013 is aimed at ratifying the LBA.

Past troubles

The agreement, initiated by the first Awami League government in 1974, has had to cross many hurdles.

The last time an Awami League government in Bangladesh and a BJP government in India concurrently ruled the two neighbouring countries, military hostilities erupted over border differences.

Between April 15 and 19, 2001 the worst fighting since the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971 broke out over a corridor of land and enclaves on the disputed Bangladesh – India border.

Indian forces initiated attacks on Tamabil in Sylhet and later carried out incursions into Bangladeshi territory at Boraibari village.

The attack left three Bangladeshi border guards dead and five injured.

Sixteen Indian border guards were killed and two injured. An estimated 10,000 civilians fled the area after some 24 were wounded in the shooting.

The LBA was signed on May 16, 1974 soon after the independence of Bangladesh to find a solution to the complex nature of border demarcation.

It was ratified by the Bangladesh government in 1974. Though India’s cabinet granted approval for it in 1974, the pact was not ratified by India because it involved the cession of territory. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

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3

Friday, December 5, 2014

DISHONOURING THE UNIFORM: THE UGLY FACE OF POLICE BRUTALITY

Body formed to probe Barisal police action; protests continue Police claim that they were forced to charge batons as students turned violent Azad with our Barisal n Abid Correspondent A three-member body was formed yesterday to investigate the merciless baton charge on agitating students of Barisal Institute of Health Technology on Wednesday that sparked massive criticism.

The probe body led by a deputy commissioner of the police headquarters was asked to submit report within three days, Barisal Metropolitan Police Commissioner SK Chowdhury told the Dhaka Tribune.

A top police official said: “We will investigate if there was a personal or political link to the incident. Students earlier had staged peaceful movements. The probe committee will look for reasons behind the demonstration and also the police intolerance.”

National Human Rights Commission Chairman Mizanur Rahman expressed

deep concern over the police’s “unexpected” behaviour. “This is totally unacceptable. It is brutality especially where a large number of female students were present,” he told the Dhaka Tribune.

At least 20 protesters, mostly females, were injured in the incident during the agitation on that day.

The number of good police is gradually decreasing. “Police beat up people who demonstrate protesting any government policy or step. It should be investigated,” he said suggesting more training for police on human rights.

The Bangladesh Diploma Medical Technology and Pharmacy Students’ Association has been protesting since last month to highlight their 10-point demands.

Sonia Aktar, a protester, said the demands include forming a diploma medical education board, creating posts as per the World Health Organisation guidelines at public healthcare insti-

tutes and introducing degree and master’s courses for pharmacists holding diploma degrees to enable them to enjoy first-class status in public service.

Yesterday, the students boycotted classes and held a protest rally at the Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital wearing black badges.

They demanded that the police members responsible for the inhuman action be brought to justice. Students also vowed to continue the movement until the demands were met.

Qumud Ranjan Bala, principal of the institute, said 17 injured students were undergoing treatment at the hospital; eight being in critical condition.

Police detained 14 students on that day but later released them on bond.

The Barisal units of the Bangladesh Women Lawyers’ Association and the Mahila Parishad condemned the police action in separate statements, while the Bangladesh Chhatra Federation’s

Jamaat’s Subhan awaits verdict in war crimes case n Tribune Report The International Crimes Tribunal 2 has completed the recording of closing arguments in the war crimes case against Jamaat-e-Islami Nayeb-e-Ameer Maulana Abdus Subhan, and will deliver the verdict any day.

The three-member tribunal, led by Justice Obaidul Hassan with members Justice Md Mozibur Rahman Miah and Justice Md Shahinur Islam, gave the order yesterday.

The other tribunal on Wednesday kept the war crimes case of Jatiya Party’s former lawmaker M Abdul Jabbar awaiting verdict.

Subhan, 77, is facing nine charges of crimes against humanity including genocide and murders of unarmed people, mainly Hindus, along with looting and setting houses on fire in Pabna during the 1971 Liberation War.

The charges are based on separate incidents between April 13 and October 30 in 1971 in Pabna. About 450 unarmed people were killed in those incidents.

Acting chief of Jamaat’s Pabna unit during the war, the accused was indict-

Subhan was also accused by a special tribunal in 1972 ed on December 31 last year on nine charges of crimes against humanity.

Subhan was also accused in 1972 by a special tribunal for collaborating with the Pakistani occupation forces and summoned. However, he did not face trial as he had already fled to Pakistan with former Jamaat chief Ghulam Azam.

He became a member of parliament in 2001 from Pabna 5 constituency.

According to the prosecution, Sub-

han was the vice-president of Pabna Peace Committee, an associate organisation of the Pakistani Army, during the war. He was a Majlish-e-Sura member of the central unit of Jamaat in undivided Pakistan.

He was arrested on September 20, 2012. After a 17-month investigation, the probe agency submitted its final report to the prosecution on September 12 last year.

The tribunal 1 indicted Subhan on December 31. But the case was later shifted to tribunal 2 for quick disposal.

As many as 31 prosecution witnesses testified against Subhan while vouched for the accused at the tribunal.

During the closing arguments yesterday, prosecutor Turin Afroz demanded capital punishment for the accused for the “heinous crimes” he had committed.

The prosecution also pleaded for adequate compensation for the victims. l

Barisal unit formed a human chain in front of Ashwini Kumar Hall condemning police action.

But Shoyeb Ahmed, deputy commissioner of the BMP, said there were a few policewomen too to control the protesters on Wednesday.

“Police initially asked the protesters not to block the road but they refused to comply. They hurled bricks at the law enforcers, leaving Sergeant Kamrul Islam and constable Billal Hossain injured.

We were forced to resort to baton charge to disperse the crowd,” he claimed.

The other demands include forming new directorates for medical technologists and pharmacists, enabling registration for private practices by those holding diploma degrees in dental and physiotherapy, and compulsory appointment of technologists and pharmacists at all private healthcare facilities that provide organs under specified rules. l

Cases filed against policemen for alleged extortion n Md Sanaul Islam Tipu A Dhaka court yesterday ordered the Detective Branch (DB) of police to investigate against two police men and one Ansar member of Khilgaon police station for their alleged involvement in extorting, hijacking and assaulting a pick-up van driver.

Dhaka Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Ali Masud Sheikh issued the order after the pick-up van driver Md Solaiman Sheikh yesterday filed a case with the court.

The court also directed the DB to submit the investigation report within January 25.

The accused police men are Assistant Sub-Inspector Majnu, Constable Robiul and Ansar VDP member Anjan.

They were all posted at Khilgaon police station at the time of the incident.

Morshed Hossain Shahin, the lawyer of the complainant, said: “The accused police men beat up Al Amin, the helper

Tofail discontent with TIB, CPD activities n Tribune Report Transparency International, Bangladesh and the Centre for Policy Dialogue do not say anything about the country’s progress because of their negative attitude, Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed has alleged.

“A human being has to sides – a good side and a bad one. Same goes with any country. The reports of the TIB and the CPD do not reveal the truth. Has not Bangladesh’s economy developed during the last 40 years?” Tofail told reporters yesterday when asked about TI’s Corruption Perception Index 2014 published on Wednesday.

“We have been working for the development of the country, but these NGOs are displaying [only] the negative matters to the global media. Have we done nothing good for the country?

Our exports, foreign exchange reserves and inward remittances have increased

over the years...” the senior Awami League leader said at the Secretariat.

According to the Berlin-based global civil society group campaigning against corruption, Bangladesh, which from 2001-2005 remained the world’s most corrupt country, this year stands 14th.

It ranked 16th last year. The country scored 25 on a scale of 0-100, slipping from 27, last year.

Tofail said the CPD and TIB are NGOs, and these NGOs are operated with finance from abroad.

“The NGOs have not said any positive stories about Bangladesh and the country’s economic progress,” he said. “I am confident that the people will praise [me] as I have made the right comments regarding the TIB and the CPD.” Meanwhile, Finance Minister AMA Muhith did not want to comment on the TI’s corruption index. About the CPD, he only said: “Quality of the organisation’s reports has declined drastically.” l

of the pick-up van, handcuffed him and extorted Tk6,300 and a mobile phone from Solaiman at Meradiya Sipahibagh rice market on May 5.”

The complainant mentioned that the police returned the mobile but did not refund the money. Subsequently an application was sent to the Secretary of the Ministry of Home affairs and also to the Inspector General of Police on May 8.

On the basis of the complaint, the senior assistant police commissioner of Matijheel zone called the complainants on June 8 and 14 to his office and recorded their statement.

Again on July 8 and 14, senior assistant police commissioner of Demra Zone recorded their statement but no action was taken.

They also filled a petition to the Ministry of Home affairs on October regarding the incident. But getting no response from the ministry, they lodged the case before the court for justice. l

Indictment hearing against 41 BNP men deferred again n Md Sanaul Islam Tipu A Dhaka court yesterday deferred the indictment hearing against BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and 40 others in a case filed for vandalism and blasting hand bombs on March 2 last year.

Metropolitan Magistrate Ali Mashud Sheikh set March 12 for the hearing following a time petition filed by defence counsel Zaynal Abedin Mesbah.

He lodged the petition as three of his clients including Standing Committee member barrister Moudud Ahmed could not appear before the court.

Thirty-eight other accused including Fakhrul, Standing Committee member Goyeshwar Chandra Roy, Joint Secretary General Amanullah Aman and Jubo Dal President Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal appeared before the court during the hearing. All the accused are now on bail. l

4

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Friday, December 5, 2014

Real-time data insufficiency in flood warning system n Tribune Report The country’s Early Warning System for flood has yet to be able to provide real-time forecasting to people in order to minimise possible damage, speakers said at a discussion yesterday in the capital.

Speaking at the discussion titled “Ecosystems, People and Shared Learning: Experiences from Bangladesh-India Civil Society Dialogue,” they further said the early warnings could be more specific if Bangladesh could know the exact volume of water flowing down from uprivers in India.

Talking at the event, Dr Ainun Nishat, professor at Brac University and a hydrologist who served the Joints River Commission between Bangladesh and India for 18 years, said since the 1988 flood in the country, the Indian government has been sharing the water flow data of the common rivers between the two countries, but only in the monsoon and the data is not real-time.

“It is quite impossible for a lower riparian country like Bangladesh to forecast the exact time frame and duration of floods without having the information on the upstream water flow,” he said on the final day of the discussion yesterday.

However, he also expressed his hope in getting the real-time data from the neighbouring country as the Indian

prime minister showed interest in enhancing regional cooperation.

Bangladesh, India and Nepal share the common ecosystem of Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna basin which contains several hundreds rivers to sustain the life of the ecosystem. Bangladesh covers only 8% of the total system.

Bangladesh and India have 54 common rivers, with the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Teesta being some of the major rivers among them.

Md Abdul Wazed, director general at the Department of Disaster Management, said despite having limitations, the country had been gradually improving in disseminating early warnings for flood.

“We can now forecast the possible condition of a flood for five days ahead, whereas before we could do only three days’ forecast. We are trying to develop the system more so that we can provide a 10-day forecast for the floods,” he said.

In addition, the government has created groups of volunteers consisting of around 50,000 people to help the disaster-affected people.

The two-day regional discussion was organised by International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Bangladesh under its Ecosystems for Life Project. Around 80 experts from Bangladesh and India participated at the event, held in the city’s Amari Hotel. l

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www.dhakatribune.com

Youths perform flash mobs at 15 coffee shops

n Tribune Report

As part of the ‘16 days of Activism against Gender Violence’ launched by the UNFPA, volunteers perform a flash mob in the capital’s Dhanmondi area yesterday RAJIB DHAR

Make roads safe, Rawshan urges govt n Tribune Report

Opposition Leader Rawshan Ershad yesterday urged the government to take action in order to make roads safe for people in the country.

Hundreds of people die in road crashes every year, she said, calling it a big disaster for the country.

Rawshan blamed inefficient drivers, negligence in implementing traffic rules and reckless driving on the road accidents.

She also said many famous and meritorious people were falling victims to such accidents.

Senior journalist Zaglul Ahmed Chowdhury was killed in a road acci-

dent in the capital’s Karwan Bazar area on November 30.

Filmmaker Tareque Masud and Dhaka University teacher Mishuk Munier died in a road crash in Manikganj on August 13, 2011.

According to government statistics, eight people die every day in road crashes on an average but the World Bank put the number at 30 and the World Health Organisation at 48.

The country has witnessed many tragic road accidents in the recent years and the majority of these happened because of reckless driving.

On July 11, 2011, 41 schoolchildren and two college students were killed in an accident at Mirsharai in Chittagong.

On February 15 this year, seven schoolchildren drowned when a bus carrying them plunged into a pond in Chaugachha upazila of Jessore.

A total of 49,847 road accidents took place in the country in the last 15 years, killing 42,526 people and injuring around 39,000, says a report of the Accident Research Institute at Buet.

The report was prepared on the basis of police records and the actual numbers are believed to be much higher as many accidents go unreported.

The highest punishment for reckless driving was three years’ imprisonment since October 10, 1985 but on 20 November this year, the High Court raised it to seven years’ imprisonment. l

Thai food festival to begin at Radisson Blu n Tribune Report

Teenager killed over minor feud in capital

Radisson Blu Water Garden Hotel Dhaka, will see a ten-day “Thai Food Festival” from December 6, says media release.

Radisson Blu General Manager Christoph Voegeli in a press briefing here said they were very delighted to be associated with such an event to present authentic Thai cuisine while it is very famous in global palates with its intense flavours and eye-appealing presentations. Media partners of this event are the Dhaka Tribune, Radio Shadin 92.4FM and Ekattor Television. l

A teenager was stabbed to death over a minor dispute near the rail gate area at Kawran Bazar in the capital early morning yesterday.

The victim, Md Razu, 19, was collected litter from the street along with another teenager named Nazmul, 18, when an altercation broke out between the two, which led to Razu’s death, witnesses told the Dhaka Tribune.

The duo were collecting litter around 5:45am when they started fighting over a minor issue. At one point, Nazmul suddenly stabbed Razu on his chest

n Tribune Report

and neck, who died on the spot, said one of the witnesses named Polash.

“When Nazmul tried to flee, I along with two other people caught him and called the police,” he said.

Md Sayed, sub-inspector at Ramna police station, told the Dhaka Tribune that the conflict between the two teenagers could be over the litter collecting.

“Nazmul is now in police custody and confessed to stabbing Razu,” the sub-inspector said, adding that Razu’s body was found around 6.45am and sent to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital. l

Flash mobs were performed at fifteen different coffee shops in the capital yesterday evening in a bid to raise awareness among youths in stopping violence against women.

The event was put together to mark the International Day for Elimination of Violence Against Women and was also part of a campaign that started on November 25 and will end on December 10.

Organised by United Nation Population Fund (UNFPA), the event was observed with the UN theme “Orange Your Neighbourhood”. The event was held in the capital’s Gulshan, Banani, Baily Road, Mohammadpur and Dhanmondi areas.

Addressing the event, UNFPA acting chief (gender) Shamima Parvin said: “We want to raise awareness among the young generation about violence against women and to bring them forward to stop it.”

Shamima also said, as part of the 16 days activism, the youth movement was brought to attract and gather people through organising interactive discussion in the coffee shops while young volunteers organised the audience around the flash mob. l

International short film festival kicks off

n Tribune Report The “13th International Short and Independent Film Festival” was inaugurated yesterday at the National Museum auditorium in the capital’s Shahbagh area.

After inaugurating the event, Finance Minister AMA Muhith said the government had sponsored the event to encourage short film making in the country.

“Short films had an incredible role to play in the liberation war of Bangladesh and recovering democracy,” said Nasiruddin Yousuf Bachchu, chairman of the festival.

With the slogan “Free Cinema, Free Expression”, the festival, organised

by Bangladesh Short Film Forum, will go on till December 8. The festival has been dedicated to the memory of artist Qayyum Chowdhury.

This year 200 films from 40 countries will be screened at six different venues. Bangladesh Central Public Library, National Museum and Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy have been selected as the main venues while some films will be shown at Jagannath University, Russian Cultural Centre and Independent University, Bangladesh.

Renowned Indian filmmaker Shyam Benegal and Aruna Basudev will attend the festival as special guests. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Friday, December 5, 2014

5

Muhith: Political parties to be ousted from SUST Our Correspondent, Sylhet City dwellers discontented with facilities and experts question the outcome but officials stick to claims of improvement n Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul of Asiatic Society of Bangladesh and representatives are responsible for the Muhith yesterday said political parties es under each city corporation. the city corporation unfruitful. n Abu Hayat Mahmud No elections have been held in the chairman of the Centre for Urban Stud- failure of both city corporations to offer should be ousted from the Shahjalal Saidul Alam, a resident of PariTHREE YEARS OF DCC DIVISION

Promise of better services remains a promise It has been three years since Dhaka City Corporation was divided into two separate bodies but neither succeeded in living up to the expectations of the city dwellers.

The key objective of the division, which took place on November 29, 2011, was to provide the people in Dhaka with better services but that has hardly been fulfilled.

Roads, footpaths, footbridges, underpasses, markets and the drainage system in areas under the jurisdiction of both Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) and Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) remain in poor condition.

Besides, compared to the time of Dhaka City Corporation, there has not been any distinct improvement in issues such as the waste management system, mosquito control, and social and cultural support.

Dhaka residents have claimed that irregularities, corruption and lack of supervision made the move to divide

bagh, said: “Both the DSCC and DNCC authorities remained indifferent to a range of problems such as potholes on roads, poor drainage system and occupied footpaths.”

“Apart from the poor condition of infrastructures, the city dwellers have continually had unpleasant experience when it comes to accomplishing tasks such as obtaining birth certificates and trade licences,” he added.

Tania Islam, who lives in Mirpur, claimed it was easier to obtain birth certificates and other such documents from the ward councillor, but going to the zonal city corporation office to get these done was a horrible experience.

“We earlier could complain to ward councillors about our problems, but now there are no councillors as the city corporation elections have been postponed,” she said.

Birth certificates, trade licences and other related documents are now provided at 10 zonal offices, with five offic-

two city corporations since the 2011 division, which is why neither has any mayor or ward councillor to run operations.

Development of Dhaka has not gathered pace as bureaucrats have been deputed as departmental heads at both the city corporations, permanent DNCC and DSCC officials said.

They warned that the situation might aggravate if the government implemented the new organogram, which proposes that only secretaries or additional secretaries could be appointed as departmental heads or to other key posts.

They also claimed that both the local government bodies had been rife with corruption since the division as bureaucrats, who held office for short periods on deputation, had almost no accountability.

Urban planners have also echoed the city dwellers and city corporation staff. Professor Nazrul Islam, president

ies, expressed deep concern over the poor state of city services and the absence of elected public representatives in the two local government bodies.

“I do not think anything changed for the better after the division of Dhaka City Corporation. The government said citizen services would improve but where is the change now?” he questioned.

Referring to media reports, Nazrul said the division had hardly brought the residents of Dhaka any extra benefit.

He suggested that the government should not transfer DSCC and DNCC administrators in every six months in accordance with the city corporation act, adding: “The top executives were transferred before they could fully understand their roles, thus eventually depriving the city residents of better services.”

Urban planner Professor Dr Sarwar Jahan said dividing Dhaka City Corporation and the absence of elected

better services to the people in Dhaka.

Top DSCC and DNCC officials, however, denied the allegations.

DSCC Chief Executive Officer Ansar Ali Khan told the Dhaka Tribune the division of Dhaka City Corporation had enabled the city dwellers to enjoy improved services.

“Things got easy for them as the time to deliver services was significantly reduced,” he said.

Ansar said the absence of elected public representatives did not bring any trouble as the zonal offices received residents’ complaints.

“We always try to solve the problems,” he added.

BM Enamul Haque, DNCC chief executive officer, said he believes city services in areas under the remit of the DNCC now are way better compared to any other period in the past.

“Addressing complaints lodged by city people are always our priority,” he added. l

Huge tailback on DhakaChittagong highway n Our Correspondent, Comilla A large number of vehicles got stranded in a long tailback on Dhaka-Chittagong highway as transport workers went on a strike by tutting vehicles haphazardly on the highway protesting attacks on their fellows and leaders in Alekhar Char area of Comilla yesterday.

Many people faced immense sufferings at Jangalia and Shsangacha bus terminals as the transport works stopped plying their vehicles demanding punishment to the attackers around 2:00pm.

Many of commuters were seen sitting on the roadside.

Some miscreants introducing them as leaders and activists of ruling Awami League demanded extortion from some transport workers at Paduar Bazar in Comilla town, said Abdur Rob, an owner of Asia Paribahan.

The miscreants led by Apu, Yeasin and Delwar attacked the workers as they denied paying the extortion, he said.

The attackers also beat up Comilla District Transport Workers Union President Mohammad Ali and its General Secretary when they went to the spot, he added, leaving them critically injured Mohammad Ali was undergoing treatment at a local hospital.

Comilla District Transport Owners Executive President Kabir Ahmed said the attackers also had vandalised 10 to 12 buses during the attack.

Comilla Sadar South Police Station Officer-in-Charge Prashanta Paul said they were trying sit with the agitating workers to lift the strike. l

WEATHER

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 5 DHAKA TODAY TOMORROW SUN SETS 5:11PM SUN RISES 6:28AM FORECAST FOR TODAY 29 30 28 28 28 29 30 30

19 18 16 16 15 17 16 19

YESTERDAY’S HIGH AND LOW

29.9ºC Sitakunda

13.2ºC Jessore

Source: Accuweather/UNB

PRAYER TIMES Fajr Sunrise Jumma Asr Magrib Esha

SEMINAR ON MARITIME RESOURCES ENDS

Integrated marine policy stressed to boost blue economy n Tarek Mahmud, Chittagong

DRY WEATHER LIKELY

Dhaka Chittagong Rajshahi Rangpur Khulna Barisal Sylhet Cox’s Bazar

A goods-laden truck passes over an under construction culvert on the Dhaka-Rajshahi Highway. After elaborate campaigning, although the repair work of the culvert has started, it is going on at a snails pace putting the commuters’ convenience at stake. The photo was taken from the Belpukur Bypass Road in Puthia upazila of Rajshahi yesterday AZAHAR UDDIN

5:07am 6:26am 11:49am 3:35pm 5:11pm 6:31 pm SourceL IslamicFinder.org

Speakers at a seminar in Chittagong yesterday underscored the need for forming an integrated marine policy to boost blue economy, a process which is intended to bring natural ecosystems and economy into harmony and create jobs.

They suggested that all forces, institutions and bureaucratic bodies related to the marine sector work together for its development. They also pointed out that lack of coordination amongst the bodies hinders the expected development.

On the last day of a two-day seminar titled “Safeguarding and Harnessing Maritime Resources of Bangladesh – a strategic road map for economic security” organised by the Chittagong Naval Flotilla, Naval high officials and noted marine specialists of the country made these observations.

The seminar was held at the Chittagong Naval Base BNS Isha Khan’s Command Mess Auditorium where Chief of Naval Staff Vice-Admiral M Farid Habib addressed the gathering as chief guest and Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Maritime Affairs Unit Secretary Rear Admiral (retd) M Khurshed Alam spoke as special guest in the closing session.

On the closing day, the special guest, Petrobangla’s former Director (PSC) Muhammad Imaduddin, Bangladesh Navy Dhaka (administration) Commodore Shamsul Alam and Marine Care Consultants BD Limited Managing

Director, Captain M Zillur Rahman presented their respective keynote papers.

The chief guest said the Bangladesh Navy was working hard to protect its maritime boundary and resources and their services would be more geared up after introducing more logistics and manpower with the forces step by step.

Sea and ocean were drivers for the national economy and have great potential for innovation and growth The special guest said the government was, with its all bodies, working to maintain the marine sector, but would take time to see any development.

He emphasised on creating mass awareness over marine resources and economy which is the vital factor for the development.

Speakers said sea and ocean were drivers for the national economy and have great potential for innovation and growth. Over 70% of our planet is covered by oceans and 90% of the world’s trade was sea-based.

As disputes over maritime with India and Myanmar has been resolved, it is necessary for Bangladesh to conduct a survey to know the exact maritime resources, they opined. l

University of Science and Technology (SUST) campus in order to keep congenial atmosphere.

The minister made the remark while visiting the under-construction site of Sylhet Central Shaheed Minar.

He said Shahjalal university was one of the best public university in the country and there was no session jam in the university, but gunfight and armed clashes took there frequently because of political parties.

“So there should be a way to keep campus free from politics,” Muhith added.

The Shaheed Minar is being rebuilt with a unique design at a cost of Tk 2 crore. Sylhet City Corporation is implementing the project which will be inaugurated on December 10.

Former city mayor and city unit Awami League President Badar Uddin Ahmed Kamran, Sylhet district council

A private university student was killed and nine others were injured in a gunfight November 20 administrator and district AL president Abduj Jahir Chowdhury Sufian, Secretary Shofiqur Rahman Chowdhury, Sylhet Sadar upazila Parishad Chairman Ashfaque Ahmed accompanied the minister.

A private university student was killed and nine people were injured during a gunfight between two Chhatra League factions of the SUST over establishing supremacy on the campus on November 20.

Students who witnessed the gunfight said followers of SUST BCL unit president, who had remained absent from the campus for quite a long time, entered the university around 10:30am on that day.

They vandalised the library, academic building and the Shah Paran Hall. The clash erupted as students loyal to Vice-President Anjan Roy arrived at the scene.

Both factions opened fire on each other and exploded hand-made bombs, leaving one dead and 20 people injured.

Following the death of Sumon Roy, a BBA student at Sylhet International University, the authorities closed the university for an indefinite period.

Four cases were filed with Jalalabad police station in this connection and police arrested 33 BCL members for their alleged involvement with the killing. l

'Govt nonchalant about Nurul Islam killing' n DU Correspondent The death of Nurul Islam, the former president of Ganatantri Party and Bangladesh Trade Union Centre, was not an accident but a planned murder which has been proved with evidence, opined Professor emeritus Anisuzzaman while addressing a seminar to mark the 6th death anniversary of Nurul Islam yesterday.

Hailing Nurul Islam as a great political leader, he said: “Nurul Islam was an honest political leader and a role model. We don’t know the exact reason of not getting justice yet.”

Moutushi Islam, Nurul Islam’s only daughter expressed disappointment over the action taken by the government about the killing. She said: “Despite repeated assurance from the government and Awami League leaders,

there has been no progress in ensuring justice.” She urged the government to arrest the killers of her father and brother without any delay.

Bangladesh Trade Union Centre (TUC) organised the discussion programme at the Liberation War Museum. At the commemoration ceremony, speakers blamed the government for delaying the case and also criticized the law enforcing agencies for their negligence in finding the actual reasons and the mastermind behind the incident.

Nurul Islam and his son Islam Tamohar were killed in a fire that broke out at their Lalmatia residence on December 3, 2008, just 26 days before the national elections. Tamohar died in the fire while Nurul Islam died the following day at the Combined Military Hospital in Dhaka. Nurul

Islam was expected to be nominated from the then ruling grand alliance for contesting the election from Noakhali 1 constituency.

Abul Kalam Azad, joint secretary general of TUC said: “It was a planned murder. Though the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina herself termed the murder as sensational, the Awami League led government is yet to take effective action against the accused”.

Dewan Mohammad Ali, vice-president of TUC said: “We do not know why the AL government is nonchalant about the killing of Nurul Islam, who was an active leader of the 14 party alliance.”

“There are several clues to the killing of Nurul Islam but it is a mystery to all as to why the killers are yet to be brought under justice,” Pro-VC of BSMMU Dr Shahidullaha Shikdar said while expressing his views. l

Discussants at a memorial ceremony organsied to mark the sixth year into the death of Gonotantri Party President Nurul Islam and his son. Trade Union Kendra arranged the event at the Liberation War Museum in the capital yesterday MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

6

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Nation

Friday, December 5, 2014

Illegal fishing continues in Baikka Beel sanctuary n Our Correspondent, Moulvibazar Illegally catching of fishes is going on unabated in and around the Baikka Beel under Hail Haor, known as a safe and ideal water body for natural fish breeding in Moulvibazar district.

Some unscrupulous local people have put up fences at two points inside a canal connecting the Baikka Beel sanctuary and the Hail Haor, blocking the movement of fishes.

They catch fishes illegally and indiscriminately inside the canal, particularly during the breeding season, hampering fish production, said locals and officials of Resource Management Organisation, an NGO working inside the Baikka Beel sanctuary.

Some residents of Hajipur village under Kalapur union of Sreemangal

upazila have illegally confined two areas of the canal where they have been netting fishes for last 10-12 days, they alleged.

As a result, breeding and population of different kinds of local fishes including Rui, Chitol, and Katla, are under threat.

Moniruzzaman Chowdhury, management executive of Climate Regional Eco-System and Livelihood, an NGO looking after the Baikka Beel sanctuary, said they had seen the two fences on November 20.

“Movement of fishes are being obstructed because of these fences put up by some unscrupulous people. But as the canal connecting to the Hail Haor falls outside the Baikka Beel sanctuary, we have nothing to do,” he said.

When contacted, Sreemangal Upazila Fisheries Officer Mahbubur Rahman

Khan said: “Under the rules issued by the Department of Fisheries, fishing inside open water bodies is restricted.

Those who erect the temporary fences are caught often, however, they come out of jail within a short span of time and get back to the same business again.”

Quoting the Upazila Nirbahi Officer, he said a mobile court will conduct a drive in the area to demolish the illegal barriers. According to the law, the highest punishment for netting fishes by putting fish barriers in haor areas is one year of imprisonment and Tk10,000 fine.

Sreemangal Upazila Nirbahi Officer Saidul Huq said: “I have talked to the upazila fisheries officer. Our officers will visit the Baikka Beel area. A mobile court will conduct a drive as soon as possible.” l

Employees of the Bangladesh Railway fix rail track after a compartment of the Jalalabad Express veered off the tracks at Jangaliya in Comilla yesterday morning DHAKA TRIBUNE

Swechchasebak League Chhatra League’s attack on Kurigram Government College’s teacher protested leader arrested over threatening MP to death n Our Correspondent, Kurigram

n Our Correspondent, Habiganj Police have arrested a Swechchasebak League leader over sending a death threat through sms to the member of parliament of Habiganj 3, Advocate Md Abu Jahir.

The arrestee is joint convener of Sechchasebok League Habiganj sadar upazila unit, Enamul Haque Biplob, son of Abdus Sobhan of Poil Uttar Para village in the upazila.

Officer-in-Charge of Habiganj Sadar police station Mohammad Nazim Uddin said: “We arrested him from his residence on Wednesday night and have already been sent to jail.”

The PS of the lawmaker Sudeep Roy filed a case against Biplob with the police station on Thursday afternoon, he added.

The police sources said the Lawmaker received a death threat sms from a mobile number 01717540999 around 8:20pm on November 27.

The MP was in a preparation meeting over Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina visit to Habiganj. So, he kept silent on that time and informed the Sadar police after PM went back completing her visit.

After investigation, the police confirmed that the number was belonging to Biplob who was not present at the meeting then.

However, Biplob denied the allegation saying: “How could I send such sms to the MP when we both are in same political parties?”

“I have lost it many days ago. And certainly someone has plot against me and sent the sms,” he added. l

Students and teachers of Kurigram Government College staged demonstrations at different points of the city yesterday protesting the attack on International Relations teacher Mizanur Rahman.

On Wednesday around 12:30pm, a fraction of Chhatra League Kurigram unit led by Mominur Rahman Mumin allegedly forced the teachers of the college to join their “Clean Campus, Safe Campus” campaign.

When Mizanur Rahman denied to fill up a form required to join the campaign, 4/5 Chhatra League men assaulted him physically. He was sent to the Kurigram Sadar Hospital.

Following the incident, the teachers of the college submitted a memorandum to the District Administrator and the Police Super on the same day.

Kurigram Government College

Vice-Principal Tofael Hossain said although 48 hours had passed into the incident, police was yet to arrest Ramjan Ali who was behind the act. Ramjan Ali is the son of Foyez Uddin, resident of Polashbari Pashchimpara area of the city.

Demanding immediate arrest of the attackers, the students and teachers of the college yesterday formed human chains in front of the Kurigram Press Club and Kurigram Central Shaheed Minar. A rally brought out by the general students of the college blocked a road at the college intersection for an hour in the morning.

The protestors claimed that the alleged attackers were deprived a position at the newly formed central committee of Chhatra League Kurigram unit.

Assistant Professor Abu Zobaer AlMukul, International Relations teacher Jibon, History teacher Abdul Matin and

Bulbul Ahmed, among others, spoke at the human chains.

They warned of waging continuous movements if police did not arrest the attackers by Friday.

When contacted, Mominur Rahman, former general secretary of Chhatra League Kurigram unit and leader of the Chhatra League activists who claim to have been deprived a post at the newly formed committee, denied the allegations.

He said: “A cleanliness drive called by the central committee was going on inside the campus on Wednesday. The deprived Chhatra League men had no connection with the attacks carried on the teachers inside the college premises.”

Kurigram Sadar police station Officer-in-Charge Abdul Baten Miya said three had been arrested in this connection. Police was continuing drive to arrest the main accused. l

Railway communication disrupted n Our Correspondent, Narsingdi At least five railway workers were injured as a rescue train hit a crane at Methikanda Railway Station in Raipur upazila yesterday.

Railway communications of Dhaka with Sylhet and Chittagong remained snapped for 5 hours in the morning as a compartment of the relief train derailed at the station after hitting the crane.

Sources at Methikanda Railway Station said the engine of a crane of construction firm ‘Toma Group’ broke down near the railway station on Wednesday night during the construction work of a double-line rail route.

On information, a relief train from Akhaura of Brahmanbaria came to the station around 7:30am and suddenly hit the crane, leaving nine construction workers injured.

The injured were sent to Raipur Upazila Health Complex. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Long Form

7

Friday, December 5, 2014

Strictly Personal: A chat with Daman Singh When I read that Daman Singh, daughter of the former prime minister of India and author of ‘Strictly Personal: Manmohan & Gursharan,’ would be coming to the Hay festival at Dhaka, I was curious to know more about the process of writing such a book. We sat down at a quiet corner on the steps of the Bangla Academy, away from the throngs at the Hay Festival. Under the dappled light of a mild morning sun, Daman spoke to me about the book, her parents and the writing life

I

n Nirupama Subramanian

had first met Daman Singh a few years ago in Delhi, at a dinner hosted by our publisher.

She struck me as a quiet and thoughtful woman, not keen to attract attention to herself. It was only later when I saw her being escorted out of the hotel by a posse of armed guards that I realised that she was someone important. She was the daughter of the prime minister of India. In a city where proximity to a VIP is a badge to be flaunted at every opportune moment, where the refrain “Jaante nahi mera baap kaun hai?” (Don’t you know who

I didn’t set out to write an objective account. In fact, I started with a declaration - I will not be objective but I do have a story to tell

my father is?) is used so often that it has become a cliché, Daman was an anomaly. So I was surprised to know that Daman had written a book about her parents, “Strictly Personal: Manmohan & Gursharan” the sort of book that would invariably put her in the spotlight.

Strictly Personal is not strictly a biography of Manmohan and Gursharan.

It is part family history, part personal memoir and reads like a novel. It is as much a story of two people as it is of a country that is struggling to grow.

Daman is the observer, chronicler and occasionally a participant in the story.

We start the journey in the village of Gah in 1932 when Manmohan was born, and ends with his becoming prime minister. For most of the journey, Manmohan is accompanied by Shanni, Gursharan Kaur, the girl on the bicycle from Nowshera. The book deftly weaves in conversations, anecdotes, extracts from letters and speeches and factual information to create a riveting narrative.

Daman, your last two books have been novels, Nine by Nine and The Sacred Grove. What made you want to write this book - a biography?

I am open to the idea of both fiction and non-fiction. My first book was a non-fiction one about the Forests of Mizoram. I am comfortable with the form of non fiction.

This book was motivated by my desire to really know my parents. We are a close family and I thought I knew my parents well. As I grew up and had my own child, I realised that knowing someone as a parent is knowing only one part of them. I realised that I didn’t really know the two most important people in my life. I needed to know them. I didn’t want to leave it until it was too late.

Your parents are seen as reticent people who don’t seek public attention. You mention in the book that while your mother was delighted about the idea, your father was horrified. So how did you get him to open up and talk to you? What was the strategy?

(With a mischievous smile) A bit of emotional blackmail and subtle questioning. I never asked questions directly. My line of questioning was subtle.

I tried to be logical and structured. I tried to approach it like a journalist.

My mother talks easily and freely. My father is actually open and happy to share but he does some natural censoring. I didn’t want to reveal everything in the book. The reader should also do some work!

What was the process of writing such a book? How would you decide what to write, what to leave out?

It was not easy. I got stuck a number of times. At the same time, it was wonderful. I did not put boundaries.

I knew I didn’t want to write about the political part of my father’s life. I talked to my mother and father separately. Sometimes, their versions of the same incident did not match.

One of the books that influenced me was Vikram Seth’s Two Lives. The way he explored the lives of his uncle and aunt was beautiful. I wanted to write that way about people I cared about. I wanted to write with feeling yet establish some kind of a distance.

I know that can be a challenge at times.

It is a delicate balance. You might want to be objective, yet is there really an objective point of view when you are writing a biography, especially about your parents?

You know, that is one thing people have said to me after this book came out, “You are not objective.” I didn’t set out to write an objective account.

In fact, I started with a declaration - I will not be objective but I do have a story to tell. People say they want the truth but there are so many versions of the truth. I wanted to write my version of the truth. My sisters have a different recollections of certain incidents but this is not a family venture. I am speaking for myself. I have told my

version of the truth.

We have heard “The truth will set you free.” How has that been for you? How has writing this book changed you or impacted you?

It has been very liberating. I have resolved a lot of issues. I feel cleansed, calmer. The book has bought me closer to my parents, not necessarily in a tangible way but emotionally I feel that I know them better. The book is not only about my parents but about a certain time in the history of my country.

I think I have a better understanding of the world, of myself.

It sounds as though you have grown in many ways through the writing of this book.

(Laughs) Yes. I feel older and wiser.

You mentioned that you do know your parents much better now and it was one of the reasons that you wrote the book. What have been some of the insights you have had about them?

I had never realised it all through the years, but my mother has this wonderful quality of connecting with people. She has an enormous interest in people as individuals. She maintains relationships for several years.

Though she is a housewife, her world is large. She knows everyone, even the milkman.

She probably knows about her children as well, doesn’t she?

Yes. And she does this without a conscious effort. It is who she is.

He rationalises the implications and thinks about whether he needs to do something about that issue or not.

He doesn’t brood over it. He is driven by his conscience and is not all that bothered. He moves on.

How has it been for you? You have written about the time in 1991 when your colleagues at the NGO where you worked shunned you and did not speak to you since they disagreed with your father’s economic policies after he became the finance minister. There is a line from the book, “In seminars and workshops, I lay low hoping that nobody discovered my parentage.”

How did you handle being the prime minister’s daughter?

In my family, the news of my father becoming the prime minister was not treated with joy. We do get bothered. I get bothered both by the privileges of power and its downside. I try to block out the negativity. I have been deter-

NThat is an unusual approach for a book of this kind. Normally, writers of biographies and memoirs want to sensationalise every possible snippet from the book to create publicity. Controversies and scandals these days are seen as important for book sales.

True. I do want my book to sell but I am not going to run after it. It is a personal choice.

The nature of the book is a reflection of who you are as well. Would you someday like your son to write a book about you?

DS- The book was launched on my parents wedding anniversary. My mother said that it is the nicest gift she has ever got. Many elderly people come up to me and say that they wished their son or daughter would write a book about them. I would definitely like my son to know me better. It may not be through a book but through a different way.

I have been determined not to let the symbols of power intrude into my life. I didn’t want it to change me

Your father is a public figure, yet not much is known about him as a person.

What did you discover?

My father never applied for a single job all his life. His first job was offered to him. The role of RBI Governor, the UN job, the role of finance minister were all offered to him. He has never sought anything. He was always called upon. I am amazed at how much he has grown in knowledge and experience without actively seeking anything.

Do you think it has been in recognition of his inherent worth?

That is what he always says, “My work speaks for itself.”

Yet over the last few years, he has been receiving criticism from certain quarters. No one questions his decency and honesty, but there are several detractors in the media.

How does he deal with unwelcome attention and negativity?

I think my father deals with it quite well. He reads it and thinks it over.

mined not to let the symbols of power intrude into my life. I didn’t want it to change me. I didn’t want it to change my son. It is a restraint. People look at you differently. You don’t know where people are coming from. You start questioning every interaction. I think I just withdrew from the public arena.

Actually, this withdrawal has helped me. It helped me in my writing.

Now that the book is out there in the public domain, how do you deal with the attention that comes with it? Do you have any anxieties?

I am anxious that the book does not get the wrong kind of attention. I don’t want the book to cause any conflicts.

I did not want to offend anyone while writing this book. I don’t have many unflattering accounts of people. It is a quiet, thoughtful book and I want people to see it that way.

We are through with our conversation. Daman plans to write a novel next. She seems relaxed and relieved.

I have, for a few minutes, been a part of the journey, been a part of the struggles, epiphanies and pleasures that she has been through to craft this gentle affectionate book. l The author is a leadership development facilitator, consultant, coach and writer

8

DHAKA TRIBUNE

‘$1 each for Syrian refugees’ n AP, United Nations

The World Food Program launched an unusual campaign Wednesday to raise $1 contributions from 64 million people around the world so it can restore food vouchers to Syrian refugees who won’t be getting any UN help in December.

The 72-hour campaign effort comes two days after the UN food agency announced it was forced to suspend food vouchers to 1.7 million Syrians refugees because it doesn’t have the $64m to cover the cost. The WFP warned the suspension would force many Syrian families who fled to Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey and Egypt to go hungry.

The suspension of the vouchers highlighted the difficulty the UN has had in raising funds for soaring humanitarian needs not only in Syria but

around the world. Governments, aid organisations and regional bodies are increasingly overwhelmed with appeals for assistance.

In a speech Wednesday, UN Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson said more than 100 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance today — three times as many as 10 years ago.

He said the amount requested through humanitarian appeals has risen nearly 600% in the past decade, from $3bn to $17.9bn.

“The humanitarian landscape is darkening and changing faster than ever before,” Eliasson said.

WFP is asking people to visit its website to donate online.

“Even one dollar can make a difference,” WFP Executive Director Ertharin Cousin said in a statement. “We’re saying to people: ‘For you it’s a dollar, for them it’s a lifeline.’” l

n

President Vladimir Putin accused Russia’s enemies on Thursday of seeking to carve it up and destroy its economy to punish it for growing strong, in an annual state of the union speech that seemed to outdo even his own recent strident nationalism.

The Kremlin leader trumpeted his annexation of Ukraine’s Crimea peninsula, praised the Russian people for their strength, accused the West of “pure cynicism” in Ukraine and said economic sanctions must drive Russians to develop their own economy.

The rouble fell as he spoke to an ornate hall packed with

dignitaries, delivering a speech that showed no sign of turning back from policies that have brought his country to confrontation with the West unseen since the Cold War. Russia’s “enemies of yesterday” wished on it the same fate as Yugoslavia in the 1990s, he said in the speech, which ran for more than an hour and was interrupted repeatedly by applause.

“There is no doubt they would have loved to see the Yugoslavia scenario of collapse and dismemberment for us – with all the tragic consequences it would have for the peoples of Russia. This has not happened. We did not allow it,” he said.

Friday, December 5, 2014

CALIFORNIA OR KAMALAPUR

A vehicle drives through a puddle as rain begins to fall in Glendora, California on Tuesday. A record braking Pacific storm that hammered California, and delivered a small measure of relief to the drought-stricken state, brought more rain on Wednesday but the danger of major mudslides in wildfire-scarred areas appeared to have passed, officials said REUTERS

Putin says foes hope to dismember Russia; rouble falls as he speaks Reuters, Moscow

World

So determined was the West to destroy Russia, he said, that sanctions would have been imposed even without the crisis in Ukraine.

“I am certain that if all this did not take place... they would come up with another reason to contain Russia’s growing capabilities,” he said. “Whenever anyone thinks Russia has become strong, they resort to this instrument.”

Even when he pledged to keep Russia open to the world, he adopted an aggressive posture: “We will never pursue the path of self-isolation, xenophobia, suspicion and search for enemies. All this is a manifestation of weakness, while we are strong and self-confident.” l

Kurds doggedly defend town from Islamic State n

AP, Kobane

The men and women of Kobani call one another “heval” — Kurdish for ‘comrade’ — and fight with revolutionary conviction, vowing to liberate what they regard as Kurdish land from Islamic State group militants.

Amid the wasteland and destroyed buildings, a sense of camaraderie has developed among the town’s defenders who have for more than two months doggedly fought off the advances by the extremists.

Often, members of the same family can be found on the front lines.

Nineteen-year-old Shida’s father was a fighter before her. After he was killed, she gave up hopes of becoming an artist and decided she must follow in his footsteps to honor his example.

She says her mother supports her decision. One of her six brothers is also fighting, the rest of her siblings are living in Turkey.

“I will not allow the enemy to take away my land and its soil,” she said. “I will not leave my land.”

An exclusive report shot by videojournalist Jake Simkin who spent a week inside Kobani late last month offered a rare, in-depth glimpse of the men and women fighting to expel the IS extremists from Kobani, a predominantly Kurdish town in northern Syria by the Turkish border.

Backed by small numbers of Iraqi peshmerga forces and Free Syrian Army rebels, the Kurdish fighters, whose political founders espouse a firm left-wing ideology, are locked in fierce battles to push back the Islamic State group, which swept into the town in mid-September.

In a surprising display of resilience, the Kurdish fighters in the frontier town have held out against the more experienced jihadis more than two months into the militants’ offensive, hanging on to their territory against all expectations. l

Rare dinosaur skeleton goes on display in London n AFP, London A rare dinosaur skeleton goes on display at London’s Natural History museum on Thursday – the first to be exhibited there in a century.

The near-complete fossilised remains of a Stegosaurus, a plant-eating dinosaur, were bought by the museum in the United States last year.

The 5.6-metre (18-foot) long skeleton is made up of some 300 bones and will be displayed close to one of the museum’s entrances.

“Complete dinosaur specimens are really rare and this one is almost complete,”

said Paul Barrett, a dinosaur specialist at the museum.

It is 150 million years old and was found on the grounds of a ranch in Wyoming in 2003 and it was brought to London in December 2013.

The London museum said that unlike the more widely known Tyrannosaurus Rex, very few Stegosaurus remains have been found.

“It’s only known from a handful of skeletons in other museums that aren’t nearly as complete as this one,” Barrett said.

The first specimen of the species was found in the United States in 1877 by the US paleontologist Charles Marsh. l

Sweden turmoil after snap election call

n Agencies

Prime Minister Stefan Lofven’s call for snap elections after just two months in office has taken Sweden by surprise and has left the country’s political scene in turmoil.

In a country where consensus is preferred over conflict, few observers had predicted that the far-right Sweden Democrats, which became the country’s third largest party in the September polls, would act out its threat of striking down the government’s budget bill and thereby make it impossible for Lofven to govern.

But after the vote in parliament on Wednesday, when the Sweden Democrats (SD) backed the opposition’s rival budget, the political chaos was complete.

Lofven was left with only two choices - to resign or call an early election.

He chose the latter, announcing that Swedes will again head to the polls on March 22 - the first early election held since 1958.

Political scientist Marie Demker wrote on Twitter: “This has never happened in my lifetime. We live in a strange time. Sweden is a new country.” l

Orion ‘Mars capsule’ set for trial mission n Agencies NASA is set to launch an unmanned spacecraft that is designed to help get humans to Mars, in a mission touted as the first step in deep space exploration.

The tiny Orion spacecraft was scheduled to blast off at 12:05 GMT on Thursday with the help of a Delta 4 Heavy rocket, known as the biggest booster rocket in the US fleet.

However, the weather conditions forced delay and the launch window was extended to 14:44 GMT. The conical spacecraft looks similar to the Apollo capsule that took astronauts to the Moon in the 1960s and 1970s, but slightly larger and with modern electronics.

NASA hopes to send an Orion crew to an asteroid corralled in lunar orbit in the 2020s and to Mars in the 2030s.

“We haven’t had this feeling in a while, since the end of the shuttle program,’’ said Mike Sarafin, the lead flight director stationed at Mission Control in Houston.

“Launching an American spacecraft from American soil and beginning something new, in this case exploring deep space.”

The space capsule is aiming to travel for a distance of 57,800km, 14 times higher than the International Space Station.

This high altitude will give it the momentum it needs for a 32,200-kph, 4,000-degree entry over the Pacific. Those crucial 11 minutes to splashdown is the critical part NASA calls the “trial by fire.” l

Iran extends detention of US journalist n AFP Iran has extended the detenetion of Washington Post’s bureau chief in Tehran for up to 60 days, without citing clear charges, the paper said, citing family members.

Jason Rezaian and his wife Yeganeh Salehi, also a journalist, were arrested in July. Salehi was freed on bail in October.

The Washington Post said hopes for Rezaian’s release rose in late October when a senior Iranian official said possible charges under review by the judiciary might be thrown out.

But last week Rezaian was shown a document signed by the judge overseeing his case and authorising the extension of his detention, the family said. l

A member of staff poses next to the world’s most complete Stegosaurus skeleton at the Natural History Museum in London yesterday.

The fossil is 560cm long and 290cm tall and is made up of over 300 bones AFP

IS cedes little ground despite air attacks n Reuters They have made enemies across the globe and endured three months of US-led air strikes, but Islamic State fighters have surrendered little of their self-declared caliphate to the broad sweep of forces arrayed against them.

Across thousands of square miles in Syria and Iraq, the radical Islamists face an unlikely mix of Iraqi and Syrian soldiers, Shi’ite and Kurdish militias and rival Syrian Sunni Muslim rebels.

While they have lost towns on the edges of their Iraqi realm, especially in ethnically mixed areas where their hardline Sunni theology holds little appeal, they have consolidated power in parts of their Sunni Muslim heartland.

In August, Islamic State’s attack on Iraqi Kurdish regions was repulsed and two months later its fighters were driven from the town of Jurf al-Sakhar, south of Baghdad.

It was also pushed out of two towns

near the Iranian border last month.

But with a few exceptions, such as the army’s breaking of an Islamic State siege of the country’s largest oil refinery in Baiji, the militants’ hold over predominantly Sunni provinces north and west of Baghdad has not been seriously challenged.

Islamic State’s opponents say the recaptured towns show the tide has turned in Iraq and the group is on the defensive.

“The best they can do now is to cut a road or attack a patrol, but any advances and gains of territory have been completely stopped.” said Hadi al-Amiri, head of the Badr Organisation, a Shi’ite militia which along with Kurdish peshmerga spearheaded the recapture of Saadiya and Jalawla, near the Iranian border.

IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, rallying his fighters three weeks ago, said the US despatch of more military advisers to Iraq showed the opposite was true. l

UK MP Mark Pritchard arrested over alleged rape n Agencies The Conservative MP Mark Pritchard has been arrested over an allegation of rape.

The Metropolitan police confirmed that a 48-year-old man – understood to be the Tory MP for The Wrekin, in east Shropshire – was arrested on Tuesday in central London.

Scotland Yard said he was arrested after voluntarily attending a police station and had been bailed until early January.

The news emerged after a letter from the Metropolitan police to the Commons Speaker, John Bercow, about the arrest was referred to on a publicly available Commons order paper.

The letter said: “I write to inform you that on 2nd December 2014, Mark Pritchard MP was arrested at 6.14pm at Holborn Police Station in London by MPS officers.

“Mr Pritchard was questioned by police and released on bail later the same evening at 10.16pm. The matter is subject to further investigation and is sub judice at the present time.” l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Opposition offers compromise to end Rajya Sabha stalemate n Agencies Prime Minister Narendra Modi today told Parliament that he has “criticised in the strongest terms” the language used by union minister Niranjan Jyoti in an election speech in Delhi. His statement did not placate the opposition, which stuck to its demand for the minister’s removal, paralysing Parliament.

The government is trapped especially hard in the Upper House or Rajya Sabha where it is in a minority. As a potential compromise, the opposition has pitched that the Rajya Sabha adopt a unanimous resolution condemning Ms Jyoti’s statement without naming her. The government has reportedly indicated the resolution must include objectionable statements made in the past by other politicians, including Congress leader Sonia Gandhi who, ahead of the state election in Gujarat in 2007, alluded to Mr Modi, then the chief minister of the state, as “the merchant of death.”

In the meantime, the BJP has decided that Ms Jyoti will not address any more rallies in Delhi which will vote

early next year.

“She has apologised and the House should gracefully accept that and continue its work in national interest,” Mr Modi said this morning in the Rajya Sabha, which has not functioned since Monday.

The Left’s Sitaram Yechury, a member of the Rajya Sabha, said, “An apology means admission of guilt, and in this case the Constitution has been violated. How can she remain a minister?”

In the Lok Sabha or Lower House, a united opposition walked out just before lunch, protesting that their mics were being switched off to censor their comments against the government.

Opposition leaders like Mallikarjun Kharge of the Congress asked why the PM had made a statement only in the Rajya Sabha.

On Tuesday, Ms Jyoti, who is 47, apologised to lawmakers on Tuesday for her Sunday speech in which she said, “The people of Delhi have to decide if they want a government of Ramzaadon (descendants of Ram) or haramzaadon (those who are illegitimately born).” l

World

Friday, December 5, 2014

THROUGH THE DIRTY AIR OF DELHI

Vehicles move along New Delhi’s Connaught Place during evening hours. An Indian court has banned all vehicles older than 15 years from the streets of the capital, New Delhi, in a bid to clean up air that one prominent study this year found to be the world’s dirtiest REUTERS

Pakistan trench along border enrages Kabul

China to end prisoner organ transplants on January 1

n AP, Kandahar

n AP, Beijing

In the dusty badlands along its disputed border with Afghanistan, Pakistan is carving out a massive trench to keep out separatists, smugglers and militants in an attempt to bring order to a lawless, tribal region.

But like the Berlin Wall or Israel’s West Bank barrier, the planned 485-kilometer (300-mile) trench is giving physical form to a border that locals have long seen as artificial, dividing families and crippling trade. And it is adding to simmering tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan, US allies which have long accused each other of turning a blind eye to insurgents.

The trench runs along part of the 2,640-kilometer (2,640-mile) Durand Line, named for British diplomat Mortimer Durand, who drew the now internationally recognised border in an agreement with Afghan ruler Abdur Raham Khan in 1893. But the modern Afghan government has never accepted the border, and neither have the mainly tribal communities that straddle it. They are accustomed to moving back and forth freely and in some cases own land on both sides.

The trench is being built in Pakistan’s Baluchistan province, where Baluch rebels have been battling Is-

lamabad for decades, demanding greater autonomy and a larger share of the region’s oil, gas, copper and gold.

It’s an eye-sore of construction — a massive furrow 10 feet (three meters) wide and 8 feet (2.4 meters) deep that already snakes 180 kilometers (110 miles) across the desert landscape.

Pakistan’s Frontier Corps said in a recent statement that the trench would “not only help in effectively controlling the movement of drug and arms and ammunition smugglers, but also will help in stopping the intrusion of terrorists and illegal immigrants.” Pakistan fears that arms could make their way to any number of insurgent groups, including the Taliban.

But Kabul sees the trench as the latest move in a new incarnation of the colonial-era Great Game, in which Pakistan hopes to destabilise its neighbor to extend its regional influence. It already considers Pakistan as the source of the Taliban insurgency it has been battling with US and Nato support for the past 13 years.

“The people here have never accepted the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in the first place,” said Gen. Abdul Raziq, the police chief of Afghanistan’s Kandahar province, which borders Baluchistan. l

China says it will cease transplanting organs taken from executed prisoners on Jan. 1 in response to human rights concerns, although uncertainties linger over where a replacement supply will come from, state media reported Thursday.

China has previously said it would phase out the practice by sometime in early 2015. But state media reports Thursday announced the first firm date for ending the practice, citing the architect of China’s transplant system, Huang Jiefu.

Claire Verhagen’s first encounter with India was at the end of November when she landed in Delhi and switched her phone on.

“I tried every network repeatedly for 15 minutes,” she says. “I finally connected to Airtel. I got a full signal, but I couldn’t call.

I borrowed another passenger’s mobile to call my hosts.”

She had better luck on the drive to her hotel. She managed to call her husband in Belgium. The call dropped twice, though.

For a generation of Indians brought up on mobile phones - many of them haven’t ever used a landline - poor call quality and call drops are part of life.

It wasn’t always so.

Problems When the mobile phone came to India in the mid-1990s, call quality was good.

Mobile service quality was better than landlines, and dropped calls were rare.

There were few subscribers, and the service was expensive - up to 16 rupees or 20 takas every minute.

Fast forward to today, when calls are 20 times cheaper, and mobile telephony powers the economy, with 915 million mobile subscriptions. Every second Indian carries a handset.

Here’s what those mobile phone users deal with every day: Can’t connect: Connecting when “roaming” can be a struggle. If your flight has just landed, several hundred devices power on and try to connect to an overloaded network. On a train or on the road, users find it difficult to hold a conversation even when passing through areas with moderate cellular coverage.

Network busy: You have a full signal, but can’t call - common in busy areas such as Delhi’s airport and elsewhere in India’s large metros.

Call drops: When you, or the person you’re calling, are on the move, it’s common for the call to drop.

No internet: Mobile data is patchy in India. 3G isn’t everywhere, but even where you get a strong 3G signal, you might find no data activity.

Poor signal: A weak mobile signal is common in urban India’s high-rise office and residential areas.

n Reuters, Hong Kong One of the main student groups leading pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong said on Thursday it was considering ending more than two months of street demonstrations in the Chinese-controlled city.

The Hong Kong Federation of Students will decide in the next week

Delhi’s top operator has roughly the same number of 3G users as its counterparts in Singapore and Shanghai (about 3 million), but it has about a tenth of their spectrum.

And that’s the problem, Mr Mardikar says.

by top operators Airtel, Vodafone, Idea and Reliance.

Telecom towers, with their antennae, are the ubiquitous symbol of mobile telephony in India, yet there are too few of them with just 425,000 for the entire country.

The Tower and Infrastructure Providers Association (Tipa) says India needs at least 200,000 more.

But towers take up real estate, and there are mounting fears about radiation and its health hazards.

Protests in residential areas have resulted in towers being pulled down, affecting mobile service quality.

Telecom industry experts protest the “misinformation” about radiation, saying that towers in India exceed World Health Organisation (WHO) safety standards.

They point out that shutting down towers increases radiation from handsets, which then transmit at higher power due to weaker signals from distant towers.

India’s telecom user profile adds to network stress.

Nine out of 10 are pre-paid users, with a monthly billing of less than 120 rupees ($1.9), one of the lowest in the world - but they have high expectations and low patience. When they’re unable to connect, they keep redialling, which keeps the network busier.

Those user numbers will grow - faster than spectrum availability. And more people will use data, especially video, stressing the network further.

Towering Crisis

Will things get better?

A spectrum auction is on the cards in 2015, but the government will largely re-auction “expiring” spectrum now held

Off the record, industry insiders say: No. India’s mobile network experience will probably get worse in the near future. l

So why is the mobile network powering modern India so broken?

“The top three reasons are spectrum, spectrum and spectrum,” says Shyam Mardikar, chief of network planning and strategy for Airtel.

Spectrum, the radio waves that carry phone signals along with television, radio and all wireless communications, is a scarce resource that’s controlled globally by governments.

India allows relatively little spectrum for mobile communications, and splits that up among a dozen operators. A lot of radio spectrum is blocked for defence use.

How bad is the spectrum crunch?

International human rights activists and domestic critics have long said that standard safeguards were ignored when obtaining organs from prisoners who may have been pressured to donate.

However, China has one of the world’s lowest levels of organ donation because of ingrained cultural attitudes and a legal requirement that family members give consent before organs are donated, even if a person had expressed a desire to donate.

Citing Huang’s statement to a seminar on Wednesday, the Southern Metropolitan Daily newspaper said China

had a donation rate of 0.6 per 1 million citizens, compared to 37 per 1 million citizens in Spain.

“It can’t be denied that at present, apart from the traditional thinking that keeps enthusiasm for organ donation low, people also have concerns as to whether organ donation can be fair, just and transparent,” Huang was quoted as saying.

Huang is a former deputy health minister who now heads the national organ procurement network. Calls to his private numbers, the network and the Chinese organ donation center rang unanswered Thursday. l

Hong Kong student protesters consider pulling up stakes

Why India’s mobile network is broken n BBC

9

whether to call on protesters to pull up stakes despite having failed to achieve their goal of ensuring open nominations in the election for the city’s next leader in 2017.

“Some people wish to stay until the last minute and we respect that - but we cannot occupy without meaning,” federation spokeswoman Yvonne Leung told local radio. “We will decide within the

next week whether to stay or retreat.”

The federation is one of several groups driving the protests in the former British colony. Some members of another student group, Scholarism, have gone on hunger strike while leaders of the pro-democracy “Occupy Central” movement surrendered to police on Wednesday and called on students to retreat. l

Polls: Japan ruling party landslide in coming vote n AP, Tokyo Japan’s ruling party may be headed toward an even larger-than-anticipated victory in upcoming national elections, according to major media polls published Thursday.

The Liberal Democratic Party could take more than 300 of the 475 seats in Japan’s lower house election on Dec. 14, Japan’s major newspapers and Kyodo news service said, based on voter surveys each did.

A resounding victory could help Prime Minister Shinzo Abe tackle politically difficult issues such as opening up Japan’s agriculture markets and restarting nuclear power plants.

Abe’s Liberal Democrats had 295 seats in the lower house before he dissolved it last month to force a snap election. His party and coalition partner Komeito are widely expected to win the election, but many analysts have been predicting that they would lose some seats.

The polls indicate they will at least retain their large majority and possibly even build on it. However, many voters are still undecided, so the results could be different. The largest opposition party, the Democratic Party of Japan, would win about 70 seats, Kyodo said in its projection, about a 10-seat gain but short of its goal of 100. l

10

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Editorial

Friday, December 5, 2014

CODE-CRACKER

Sustainability imperative for gas extraction

T

he government’s approval of a major increase in the rate of extraction from the Bibiyana gas field in Habiganj requires careful scrutiny.

As the largest gas field in production in Bangladesh, the site is currently responsible for around 40% of Bangladesh’s total domestic natural gas supply. Following Chevron’s $500m expansion project and the government’s agreement to revise extraction rates, increased production could potentially see the field exhausted by 2024.

Data recently presented to Petrobangla predicts production peaking as early as 2018, if the company is allowed to extract reserves at the rate of 10.4% annually from 2015.

In principle, this rate, which is over a third higher than the original production sharing contract rate of 7.5%, may be good for helping the country meet the growing demands of our economy.

However, in practice, a careful costbenefit review needs to be undertaken to assess warnings that a faster extraction rate may technically make it impossible to extract all of the site’s probable reserves.

Regardless of the field’s actual rate of extraction, its lifespan, which was originally only projected to last till 2032, is clearly limited.

This case highlights the importance of thinking longer term to ensure energy security. The government should reshape energy policy by cutting expensive subsidies on the use of finite, carbon-heavy fossil fuels.

We need to do this to cut wasteful misuse and provide power companies with more funds to invest in domestic exploration and production. It will also help stimulate vital investment in power generation from renewable sources such as solar and bio-gas.

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

Transformer poses a danger in Islambagh November 27

James Liu “An electric transformer in Old Dhaka’s Islambagh area installed at a low altitude poses threat to people passing under it. Such devices are needed to be installed at a specific height which is not the case here.”

The government doesn’t care?

Provide power companies with more funds to invest in domestic exploration and production

Charities need transparency, not interference

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he government should reconsider some of the overly restrictive powers contained in its approved draft of the Foreign Grants (Voluntary Activities) Regulation Act 2014.

Various NGOs, including Transparency International Bangladesh, have opposed parts of the new law because it contains provisions giving authorities overarching power to interfere in the operation of charitable organisations and to cancel their registration for alleged violations at any time.

The provision requiring prior approval before anyone involved in voluntary activities travels out of the country for purposes connected with their work, seems too open-ended. For instance, it could be used to stop NGO employees traveling abroad for conferences and training.

Moreover, by restricting the freedom of people to leave the country, it is also a potential violation of article 12 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. There is no need to give unnecessarily arbitrary power to officials to interfere in projects which they themselves are not responsible for funding or administering.

We support the principle of the government requiring NGOs to show more transparency in their operations. Improving disclosure of how NGO funds are raised, managed, and spent is important for accountability. Initiatives such as the ERD’s Bangladesh Aid Information Management System (AIMS) are certainly welcome in this respect.

However, there is no reason for NGOs to be subjected to excessive interference by the state. Existing laws and audit rules should be sufficient to act against cases of fraud or abuse of the law.

The government should focus its role on ensuring transparency and accountability. This is both more efficient and less open to arbitrary misuse by officials. It can be left up to donors themselves to reward the most effective and transparent NGOs.

Existing laws and audit rules should be sufficient to act against cases of fraud or abuse of the law

How to solve: Each number in our CODE-CRACKER grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. For example, today 11 represents B so fill B every time the figure 11 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

Sayeeda Ahmad James Liu: No, the government doesn’t care. If anything, it’s all about drastically cutting costs, even necessary ones, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see members of the government looking at opportunities to make money off of this situation. Such is the sad and frustrating mindset.

SUDOKU Zero tolerance for campus violence November 27

Shibir traps freshmen with material baits November 20

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.

Nabil Ahsan Okay, so Shibir men have assisted them in student-activity related issues. That is the job of those involved in student politics, I think, to assist students in regard to their educational pursuits.

There is no mention of what harm the Shibir men have caused. So what is it about them the students did not like?

Babul Sarwar These thugs, namely students, come handy during elections for political parties – again, the election system needs overhauling. The ruling party, one can almost intuit, will never do anything to stop these thugs!

International racket of gold smugglers traced November 20

Bengal Classical Music Festival November 27

CROSSWORD

PB I hope #fanatics #militants won’t target this #classical #music fest!

Sheikh Jinat Mahmid Waiting eagerly to go to the largest classical music fest!

Anon As was I, and I am glad it was such a success.

Except for the death of Qayyum Chowdhury, which came as such a shock to me, and is so sad.

My respects to his family.

Fakhrul: All-out movement soon to oust government November 20

Sammy “We do not want to see Tarique abroad. We want to see him beside our chairperson. We do not have time to sit idle. On the birthday of Tarique, we have to vow that we will wage an all-out movement against the repressive regime of Sheikh Hasina.”

I am no fan of this one-party regime but the regular, repetitious, quixotic, and unoriginal pronouncements of these BNP gentlemen remind of the old Bengali saying “khajnar cheye bajna beshi.”

CALVIN AND HOBBES

Faizul Kabir “Three top officials of Biman arrested in the capital.”

Biman has been a den of thieves for a long time.

Nothing seems to have helped to flush the entire criminal gang from this institution. Good people can hardly last here. I would venture to say all of the staff (at least 95%) are corrupt and are eating up the national flag carrier. The ministers fail to rein in the dons of Biman. Do you see these faces in the photo?

These people have no right to live comfortable lives, stealing from the people and the national exchequer. How will their children react to this?

I know many people who lead posh lives, and surprisingly, on a limited salary! All of them are thieves, except a few. These criminals should be jailed for at least 15 years each! They don’t have the right to be anywhere.

ACROSS 1 Halt (4) 5 Peruvian Indians (5) 8 Large cave (6) 9 Way out (4) 10 Respectful fear (3) 12 Underground room (6) 13 Vibration (6) 15 Long angry speech (6) 18 Cycle for two (6) 20 Flightless bird (3) 21 Prevailing style (4) 23 Pacific (6) 24 Ointment (5) 25 Camping item (4)

DOWN 1 Perfume (5) 2 Financial obligation (3) 3 Sheeplike (5) 4 Favourite (3) 5 Meantime (7) 6 Fuel (4) 7 Prophet (4) 11 Hospital room (4) 12 Clique (7) 14 Wander (4) 16 Make up for (5) 17 Cast out (5) 18 Golfing aids (4) 19 Of no effect (4) 21 Encountered (3) 22 Loud noise (3)

Kurt Cobain’s first authorised documentary to premiere on HBO November 27

Farid Prince This is awesome!

It’s their land too November 20

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTIONS CODE-CRACKER Zero-Agenda The government of Myanmar needs to recognise the rights of their people; their indifference towards this specific issue is beyond baffling.

CROSSWORD

‘Bangladesh ICT Act most liberal law in world’ PEANUTS

November 20

Kudus Betar “The ICT Act of Bangladesh only allows both the defendants and the state to file an appeal with the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court against the judgment of the tribunal, Sheikh Hasina says.”

Six of one, half a dozen of the other.

Impunity is the fault of all our past governments, and The Hague won’t deal with crimes before 1998, so we have to make do.

One thing which Cambodia etc get right though is not having a death penalty. Our insistence on one means we will never be able to extradite anyone from the EU, leaving them both immune from justice and free to spread propaganda about “martyrs.”

SUDOKU

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Op-Ed

11

Friday, December 5, 2014

Flooded with support n Priya Powell

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BIGSTOCK

Do you want to help?

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n Osama Bin Noor oday is International Volunteer Day – a day dedicated to giving service.

Service is the ultimate religion of our life, and dedicating it towards community and social development with our time and expertise without any financial gain in return is called volunteerism. The driving force behind volunteerism is the eagerness to resolve a persisting social problem around us by taking bold steps and contributing for the country in the long run.

As a nation, Bangladeshis have a unique love and dedication for the country and this patriotism has given birth to various volunteer acts long before the country’s birth.The biggest example of volunteerism is our Language Movement of 1952, and our hard-earned independence in 1971.

Thousands of people gave their lives out of sheer love and respect for their country and gave us our pride – the People’s Republic of Bangladesh.

Our forefathers have laid the foundation and we have stepped into their shoes from time to time. At the time of the Savar Rana Plaza tragedy, we witnessed many people voluntarily joining the rescue operation. We see examples of dedicated voluntary service in the face of any national crisis/ tragedy.

Volunteering is first and foremost

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an altruistic activity, and the mere reflection of working together for the benefit of human life. Bangladesh is blessed with a huge population, and if we can encourage its citizens to get involved in voluntary services, our country will advance miles ahead by this collective effort.

volunteer while studying in school, college, or university, or can group up with neighbours, friends, or colleagues to resolve any enduring or potential problem in the community.

For example, a village-side road can be fixed by its people, or they can install a proper waste disposal

awards and other rewards. Even the President of the United States shows respect to the volunteers by presenting “the President Volunteer Service Award.”

The Bangladesh government also encourages the youth by honouring them with the Youth Award every year.

The staggering number of volunteers in developing countries is impressive.

Unfortunately, in our country, the number is negligible according to the database of the bureau.

However, a lot of non-profit organisations have erupted in the past few years, and they have been doing outstanding development work through volunteerism alongside the government.

Not only for patriotism or the development of the country, volunteerism has many other benefits as well. You can get to meet a lot of new people, expose yourself to a huge network, and gain mind-boggling experiences and knowledge. Volunteerism creates joy, self-satisfaction, and respect, which lasts for a long time.

A few of the organisations who are involved in volunteerism are: United Nations Volunteers Bangladesh, Volunteer for Bangladesh, Bangladesh Youth Leadership Centre, Bangladesh Red Crescent Society. l

Volunteerism creates joy, self-satisfaction, and respect, which lasts for a long time

Anyone can get involved in numerous voluntary activities based on his/her own expertise. Volunteering does not have to be an extravagant affair; it can be a trifling effort according to a person’s capability.

An act of volunteerism does not necessarily have to be physical, it can also be virtual. A small-scale initiative such as planting a tree is volunteer work. Contributing actively to recover during a tsunami, flood, hurricane, or any other natural disaster is also an example of voluntary service.

Volunteering does not require a fixed location. One can be a

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system if the village lacks it.

Many countries have been developing their community, society, and country through volunteerism and are still continuing this practice.

In 2010, 12 million (45%) Canadians were involved in voluntary activities which is equivalent to 2 million hours and 1 million full time office hours.

On average, a Canadian denotes 168 hours to voluntary work throughout the year.

In the United States, 64.5 million people did volunteer work for their country. In numerous countries, volunteers are given recognition through

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Osama Bin Noor is Volunteer Resource Coordinator, Dhaka division, Volunteer for Bangladesh.

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n August 2014, when heavy rains in the main river basins in Bangladesh and upstream catchments of India led to severe flooding in the northwest region of the country, Australians Jenny Burley and Liam Costello were part of a core team that assisted the Bangladesh government to coordinate the flooding Joint Needs Assessment (JNA). The JNA helped the humanitarian community understand the nature and impact of the disaster and established a foundation of information from which humanitarian agencies could respond.

Both Jenny and Liam are volunteering in Bangladesh through the Australian Volunteers for International Development (AVID) program, an initiative by the Australian government.

The AVID program offer opportunities for Australians to share skills and foster linkages with people and organisations in developing countries.

Jenny is volunteering as a disaster risk reduction and climate change officer with Solidarites International, a Paris-based humanitarian NGO which works to meet the vital needs of victims of war or natural disaster.

Jenny says that in 2014, floods have again caused significant impact to low-lying regions of Bangladesh. In late August, the government initially reported that 160,000 people were affected by floods and living in deteriorating conditions.

“More rain was forecast and there was potential for up-stream dam releases across the border in India,” Jenny says. “Following initial emergency relief from government and some non-government organisations (NGOs), a more coordinated, cross-sector assessment of the flood’s impact was requested by the country’s disaster response actors.”

In response to the floods, the Humanitarian Coordination Task Team (co-chaired by the Bangladesh government and the UN) triggered a JNA in nine districts: An initial assessment on numbers of people affected and the relative accessibility of food, water, sanitation, markets, education, and health facilities.

“A JNA relies on strong interagency collaboration and voluntary in-kind contributions –this assessment mobilised 183 staff from 28 organisations to visit 300 locations in four days,” Jenny says. “Assessment teams in the field returned data forms to the team in Dhaka who worked over the weekend to establish the scale of the disaster, the worst affected areas and the immediate and ongoing needs.”

“I played a lead role in helping to write the 50-page draft report, which was circulated within four days of the data being received. This included compiling significant background information from government and NGO reports. It gave me experience in analysing and developing crosssector findings and recommendations, and an insight into the complex inner workings of the humanitarian

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coordination system.”

Fellow Australian Liam is volunteering as the information management officer for the Bangladesh Food Security Cluster. During the flood response, Liam managed the data processing and analysis for the assessment, and presented the JNA findings to a meeting of United Nations agency heads, donor representatives, international NGOs, and government stakeholders.

Volunteering is the way to go – and Bangladesh is probably the best place for it.

“The numbers found through the report were staggering,” Liam says. “As the floods had worsened since initial reports, 1.8 million people were found to be affected; 230,000 displaced; restricted access to health facilities and schools; damaged latrines affecting the water supply in some areas; and several markets inaccessible or not functional.”

“It’s easy to be alarmed by the scale of impact resulting from disasters in Bangladesh. However for long-term observers and locals, it appears easy to become complacent given the frequency of these types of events. The coping strategies for many of those affected are well rehearsed, and in small to moderate flood events, communities know when and where to evacuate to.”

“People may populate areas knowing the high probability of periodic flooding and choose to sacrifice their indemnity in favour of proximity to water and fertile soil – so what of their displacement if it was expected?” Liam says. The sobering reality is that a disaster of this scale is likely to happen again in five or 10 years.

Nevertheless Bangladesh’s flood preparedness is continually increasing through improved forecasting and warning systems, more sophisticated housing designs, improved agricultural and land-use decisions, and development of social capital and economic capacity.

Reflecting on his experiences volunteering in Bangladesh, Liam’s view is: “If you would like to be offered opportunities that stretch you personally and professionally, volunteering is the way to go – and Bangladesh is probably the best place for it.”

Considering volunteering in your own community? “Volunteering is an important way for us to contribute to the community, outside of the confines of our work roles,” Jenny says.

“Given the diversity of volunteering experiences available, there really is something that will suit everyone’s interests and time availability.” l Priya Powell is Counsellor, Development Cooperation, Australian High Commission.

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Rest in eternal peace n Nadeem Qadir

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he passing away of a friend or a near one is always sad, but it is even sadder when such news is unexpected. The death by road accident of my colleague Zaglul Ahmed Chowdhury was one such death – a man I had met only days before he was suddenly no more.

Over the past several months, we have lost some brilliant people who represented us as journalists. I had the honour of working with these three brilliant people, including Mr Chowdhury, and it was a great experience to know them closely.

But Zaglul bhai (Mr Chowhdury) was different.

First, it was Mr Mahbubul Alam, editor of The Independent, who died of old-age complications. When news of his death came, I had flashbacks of the time when he was my boss in the state-run Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) news agency.

One day, he called me to say that he liked my copies, and that I had to accompany him to his flooded hometown to write a feature on the situation there. I was delighted, as the compliment had come from someone who had such a firm standing as a journalist.

I agreed and went with him to his village home. The journey was interesting, it was on a hired BIWTA ferry, and we quite enjoyed the journey. We got down on country boats to reach his village home in Munshiganj.

I was escorted around the village on boats and rickshaws, and I had come back with two stories sensing my boss might not be happy with one. The first story was about the floods, and the second one was about how people were coping with it.

It was the returning journey that was interesting. The BIWTA ferry was stuck, as it had settled down in the mud from the flood water moving in and out. We were told that the only chance was to wait for the high tides to come in, so that the boat could be pushed out. I remember my boss Mr Alam sweating, as he was very worried about the whole matter. Anyway, God was on his side, and we started for Dhaka, but the water flow was against us, and thus the journey was slow.

With no mobile phones at that time, he expressed his worry over my mother fretting about me, and also how the BIWTA had lent the ferry for a fixed time. We reached Dhaka’s Sadarghat ferry terminal early in the morning, battling with mosquitoes as we did.

As we finally made it to land, he told

me how it was “good experience” for a young reporter. Oh, but I truly was both hungry and angry …

After filing the story, Mahbub bhai asked me about my education and my family. He told me that he was honoured to know that I was the son of a valiant freedom fighter.

When I was hosting TV programs in English, he would never say no to me. The last time I met him, he asked me why I wasn’t writing for The Daily Star and Dhaka Courier as much as I used to. He asked me to write for his newspaper The Independent. That never happened, and I am truly sorry to Mahbub bhai for that.

Then I lost my other boss – ABM Musa, the doyen of journalism. He succumbed to old-age complications, and I had gone to see him in the hospital several times. His son would brief me on his condition, and I would pray that he would come out of the hospital soon.

He used to make fun of me because I was an army officer’s son who was running around the city with a pen and notebook, instead of reporting to the Bangladesh Military Academy. “Why do you want to be a journalist?” he asked me one day, and I told him that it was for esteemed professionals like him, and my own

passion for writing.

Then came his proposal to send me to the BSS office in Chittagong. I was upset and with my eyes looking elsewhere, I appealed to him: “Musa bhai, I came back from the USA to stay with my mother … if you force me to go, then I will have no other choice but to quit.” My posting never happened.

Over the past several months, we have lost some brilliant people who represented us as journalists

The only two people who used to address me using the typical, affectionate Bengali word “tui,” were Musa bhai and Zaglul bhai. For Musa Bhai, I was his “bhatija” (nephew), since I was introduced to him by the great freedom fighter Major Rafiqul Islam, Bir Uttam.

Since the major was my uncle, so was he. However, that privilege was absent when it came to work.

Now, Zaglul Bhai. Why can we not stop the reckless driving? He was perfectly capable of driving, and he had a car; but he loved to mingle with people and used public transportation often. We were colleagues at BSS when he returned from his stint in New Delhi. Then we became relatives when a relative of mine married into his family. He would always make it a point to tell everyone that I was special to him.

As I grew into the role of a senior reporter, that restriction of not smoking or drinking together was lifted, and we were more like friends, along with Farid Hossain bhai and Hasan Shahriar bhai. He would never miss a party at my place. When my mother passed away, he would always remember her with the respect and love with which she had entertained my big brothers.

We became closer when he became the president of the Overseas Correspondents Association, Bangladesh (OCAB) and I was in my third tenure as the secretary. He backed me up in all my work, and would secretly tell me how happy he was with my work, but when some people objected, he would simply say: “Oh, Nadeem never asked me.”

On professional matters, he would read my reports in BSS, and later on

the AFP wire, and would make his opinion very clear. Once, about an analysis on Saarc, Zaglul Bhai, the expert, disagreed with me on some points. It was very enlightening.

The last meeting I had with him was at the wedding reception of the son of our respected Professor Syed Manzoorul Islam, but it was brief. I wish I got a little more time with him that day.

The crowd at his funeral said all there was to say about Zaglul bhai.

The political divide was represented – there were diplomats and bureaucrats, almost everyone. He always maintained an interesting balance and it was clearly visible that day, and so was his friendly nature.

He did not deserve to die the way he did, and it’s important we note that.

Mishuk Munier, my CEO at ATN News, did not deserve to die like that either.

But who cares? Laws are meant to be broken, and if they are enforced, chaos ensues.

To my gurus: May you rest in peace for all eternity, we will surely meet someday as we are but mortal; but some people, like yourselves, are truly immortal. l Nadeem Qadir, a senior journalist, is a UNCA Dag Hammarskjold Scholar in journalism.

12

DHAKA TRIBUNE Friday, December 5, 2014

13 Yuvraj, Gambhir

ignored for World Cup 2015

14 Chelsea march

on, Aguero keeps City in the mix

14 ‘Remarkable’

Drogba sets the tone for Mourinho

Sport

Did you know?

Sergio Aguero (14) has now scored more goals than Sunderland (13) in the Premier League this season

Bangladesh secure Men’s Jr Asia Cup slot n Raihan Mahmood Bangladesh confirmed their berth in the final round of the Men’s Junior AHF Cup in Malaysia next year following their 7-0 rout of Oman at Maulana Bhasani National Hockey Stadium yesterday.

With this win, Bangladesh sealed their place as one of the two teams from this group and will now join the six teams who have already qualified for the final round. The final round will feature eight teams.

Bangladesh are top of the group standings with nine points from three matches. Oman and Chinese Taipei are tied for second position with six points each. Sri Lanka are fourth with three points while bottom-side Thailand have completed their miserable campaign losing all of their four matches.

The hosts will take on Sri Lanka in their final group match tomorrow and even if the home side suffer a defeat against the islanders they are assured of a place in the final round. Oman and Chinese Taipei will virtually contest a semifinal when they face other in their final group match tomorrow with the winner of the tie progressing to the final round next year.

Coming back to Bangladesh’s match, it was a superb performance from the home side’s stickers, especially in the first half when the lads in Red and Green thumped five goals past the Oman post.

The hosts’ speed and penetration were admirable as Oman looked helpless in the face of continuous on-

Siddikur 54th in Indonesia Open after first round n Tribune Desk Bangladesh golfer Siddikur Rahman continued to struggle in the Asian Tour circuit following his return from a back injury as he concluded round one of the Indonesia Open yesterday at joint 54th position with 20 other golfers.

Siddikur came to the Damai Indah Golf Course in Jakarta on the back of a disappointing finish in the King’s Cup where he ended at joint 110th position alongside six others. In the opening round of the $750,000 tournament yesterday, the 30-year-old golfer from Madaripur carded one-over-par 72, nine shots behind leader Kalem Richardson from Australia.

Siddikur traded three birdies against two bogeys. However, a double bogey on the 18th and final hole scuppered him from finishing the opening round much higher on the leaderboard. l

slaughts. In the second half, Oman adopted a defensive approach while Bangladesh appeared content with the lead.

Bangladesh coach Mamunur Rashid expressed his satisfaction following the end of the match. “We worked hard for the last two moths. The federation invested upon us for the result and we did it. However, this is not the end. We are focused on winning the title.”

His German counterpart Oliver Kuttz admired Bangladesh’s display.

“Bangladesh were the better team on the day. However, it is their own yard and eight of their players have national team experience. We will try to play better in the next match.”

Bangladesh took the lead in the 10th minute from their very first penalty corner. Khorshedur Rahman drifted a low hit into the board after Milon’s push and skipper and midfielder Sarwar Hossain’s stop. Forward Koushik scored the second in the 20th minute with a brilliant flick from a Belal Hossain free hit.

Forward Milon made it 3-0 in the 23rd minute with a diving hit after Sarwar’s hit deflected off the pad of Oman goalkeeper Ahned Shaganah.

The fourth and fifth were both netted

by Khorshedur in the 30th and 35th minute, both coming off penalty corners.

14 minutes into the second half, Sarwar added the sixth capitalising a nice Koushik through pass. Rabbi Salehin completed the rout in the 58th minute.

Meanwhile in the other match of the day, Sri Lanka defeated Thailand 4-2 at the same venue.l

Bangladesh skipper Sarwar Hossian (front) scores a goal in his team’s 7-0 demolition of Oman at the Maulana Bhasani National Hockey Stadium yesterday

DHAKA TRIBUNE

BCB comes out heavily Satisfied Nazmul lifts Shakib’s overseas league ban against LRB n Raihan Mahmood The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) yesterday, through a press release, vehemently condemned the statement of Legends of Rupganj owner Lutfur Rahman Badal terming it indecent, ill-motivated and derogatory.

Cricket’s governing body in the country said Badal was motivated by his own ill thoughts and is trying to damage the reputation of BCB president Nazmul Hasan who is leading the board with distinction. The BCB came out hard on the statements and comments against it and said it is relentlessly pursuing to develop the game in the country and has already garnered respect as a sports federation. The board said the slinging of mud from Badal’s side speaks volumes about the Rupganj owner’s lack of taste.

The BCB went on to say the comments thrown towards it’s directors are defamatory and expression of sick mentality.

Meanwhile, Premier Division Cricket Club Association president Manjur Kader through another press release urged Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to take necessary steps against Badal and ban his club from all sorts of cricket activities.

Meanwhile, Nazmul gave his reaction on this issue to the media upon his arrival in Dhaka yesterday.

“I heard about it today (yesterday) but I had no idea. But, I heard that he had some issues regarding umpiring and the board directors. I heard that his comment is very aggressive and everyone is very disappointed. If he is not able to prove his allegations then we will take strict against him.” l

n Minhaz Uddin Khan National all-rounder Shakib al Hasan’s overseas league ban has finally been lifted by Bangladesh Cricket Board president Nazmul Hasan. Nazmul announced this decision upon his arrival at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport yesterday.

“As I have previously informed, I would have announced the decision after my arrival. This is an important issue which we took after talking with everyone. We never had any questions over his performances. I would like to clarify to all of you that Shakib is one of our best players and even the best cricketer in the world,” Nazmul told the media.

“Not only Shakib, others too had such attitude problems. The main al-

legation against him was his attitude towards his team mates, fans and the others. Keeping everything in mind we had to take strict action against Shakib.

“However, we have observed that he had a good response after the suspension was reduced. He is now very mature and is bringing changes to his attitude, which we are very pleased to witness. And things have even changed amongst his team mates who informed me that they get inspiration from Shakib. It clearly shows he has changed his approach towards his team mates.

“What we have observed is that he is a good human being and there are lots of changes in him which we are very happy to observe.

“And today (yesterday) I am very happy to inform you all that we are lifting the ban over his participation from

overseas leagues.

“However, I would like to inform that we will not tolerate any sort of indiscipline.

“Our job is not to punish the cricketers. What we want to do is to guide the cricketers towards a good path that will eventually improve the performance of the team,” he said.

Shakib was earlier handed out a sixmonth ban from all forms of cricket owing to indiscipline. His six-month ban, given out on July 7, was then reduced to three months. And since his return, Shakib has performed heroics for the national side guiding the Tigers to a clean sweep at home over Zimbabwe in both the Test and ODI series.

Following the uplifting of his overseas league ban, Shakib will now feature in the Big Bash league in Australia. l

‘Sk Jamal stood beside me during my bad times’ n Shishir Hoque When the list of the Bangladeshi football coaches is prepared, Maruful Haque’s name will no doubt feature at the very top.

Following a treble-winning campaign with Sheikh Russel two seasons back, Maruf recently came up trumps for Sheikh Jamal clinching the King’s Cup title in Bhutan.

He has been the physical instructor of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) since 1994. In addition to his role as the physical instructor, Maruf is also the assistant director with the university team. Alongside his job at Buet, he has managed to acquire several coaching lessons and courses. Maruf has also performed his duties as the head coach of Badda Jagoroni, Mohammedan, Muktijoddha and Sheikh Russel. He is currently the head coach of Bangladesh Premier League champions Sheikh Jamal. He is the only coach from Bangladesh with an Uefa A license.

The decorated tactician sat for an indepth interview with Dhaka Tribune yesterday where he shared his recent experiences in Bhutan with the Bangladesh top flight champions.

How were you introduced to football coaching?

I was playing for Bangladesh Boys in 199394 as a midfielder. One day I noticed a circular of Buet. I applied for the job and got

it. They did not permit me to play but they allowed me to do coaching. I was 24 back then and I thought since I could not feature for top clubs like Abahani and Mohammedan and the national team any more, I decided to hang up my boots. I started doing coaching courses with Fifa Futuro and obtained the C license in 1995. I was 23 years old and the only candidate who never represented the national team. After that, I completed the B license in 2000 and the A license in 2010. I recently completed part 1 and 2 of the Uefa A license in the United Kingdom.

What is your playing and coaching philosophy?

My playing philosophy is passing and pressing while my coaching philosophy is to conduct plays according to the players’ merit. For example, (pointing his finger at national winger Zahid Hossain who was sitting in front of him) I can teach Zahid how to move like Cristiano Ronaldo but not like [Lionel] Messi because his (Zahid) playing pattern is similar to Ronaldo. Moreover, I value team performance first, then, result. I also think I would not have been able to live without coaching.

What were your plans prior to departing for the King’s Cup in Bhutan?

I had two types of plans - defensive football

based on the counter-attack and attacking football. But, when I went there and watched the other teams play I understood it was possible to win by keeping possession of the ball and playing our natural game. The first game was tough. We played against a home team who had the advantage of high altitude and cold temperature. I started with the 4-2-3-1 formation but later introduced another forward and got the goal.

How did Sheikh Jamal miss captain Mamunul Islam?

We knew that Mamun would not play in the tournament. He is a key player of the team and we could not use Wedson [Anselme] properly because of his absence (suspension). But, I had an alternative plan for Mamun and I changed my playing style. If Mamun was there I would have continued with the 4-3-3 formation, which is my favourite.

How was your overall experience with Sheikh Jamal in Bhutan?

I learned everyday from everyone. But, what I learned the most in Bhutan was game-reading. I developed that sense there.

For instance, I could understand when my opponents changed their strategy or formation quickly during a game and I guided my team accordingly. I had that feeling against the Thai club (Nakhon Ratchasing Mazda) and Mohun Bagan in the group stages.

Who do you think were the top performers for Sheikh Jamal in the King’s Cup? Everyone contributed and all my local players played really well. But overall, I will mention some names who have really developed and caught my attention. They are Yeasin [Khan], Nasir [Uddin Chowdhury] and Jamal [Bhuiyan]. If I had to give marks to the players then Nasir and Jamal will get the full 100 marks. Rubel [Miah] also did well. He has got pace and positioning sense.

How did you feel after winning the King’s Cup? No other Bangladeshi team have managed to win it before.

I do not know why but the fact is that it did not move me. I remained normal, just like a robot. Same thing happened when I won the treble with Sheikh Russel. It was normal to me as I just wanted to give something to the players to cheer about. If I manage a club abroad and win something maybe it will touch me.

Did you get any job offer from any foreign club after the King’s Cup glory?

Kolkata Mohammedan wanted me as their head coach when I won the treble with Sheikh Russel. This time Mohun Bagan also showed their interest but I am not pondering any of their offers. Sheikh Jamal stood beside me when the chips were down and I cannot desert them now. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Sport

13

Friday, December 5, 2014

QUICK BYTES

BRIEF SCORES Victoria v Abahani, Mirpur

Argentine player beaten to death A soccer captain was beaten to death by an opponent and supporters of a rival team following a tempestuous game in Argentina’s third tier of league football, police said Wednesday. The match Saturday between Tiro Federal and Chacarita, two teams from Aimogasta, in Argentina’s northwest, was stopped 10 minutes before full-time because of an on-pitch fight between players. After the game was over, Franco Nieto, 33, the Tiro Federal skipper, was attacked by several people “including a player from the opposing team, an assistant coach and a hooligan,” regional police chief Fabian Bordon told TN television.

“People came to insult him. They kicked him and punched him. He tried to defend himself but he was struck violently in the head. He was operated on Tuesday, and died today,” Pablo Nieto, a nephew of the victim, told the news station. Off-field soccer violence in Argentina has led to 15 deaths since the start of the year, a three-fold increase over the same period in 2013, according to the non-governmental group Salvemos al Futbol.

–AFP

Messi yellow card appeal rejected Barcelona’s appeal against Lionel Messi’s yellow card for time wasting after he was hit on the head by a plastic bottle in Sunday’s La Liga game at Valencia has been rejected by the Spanish soccer federation (RFEF). Messi was celebrating Barca’s 94th-minute winner with his team mates near the corner flag at the Mestalla stadium when the bottle was thrown from the stands. Messi was examined by a member of Barcelona’s medical staff after the final whistle and did not appear to be injured, giving the thumbs-up as he walked off the pitch.

The RFEF’s competition committee confirmed the caution in a statement published on the federation’s website (www.rfef.es) on Wednesday, rejecting the appeal Barca lodged on Tuesday.

The referee said in his match report the card was shown because Messi “delayed his return to his half of the pitch after the goal was scored with the intention of wasting time”. Valencia vowed to ban the bottle-throwing fan from the Mestalla for life once the person had been identified. Barca’s 1-0 win kept them hard on the heels of leaders Real Madrid who are two points clear of their arch-rivals after 13 matches thanks to Saturday’s 2-1 victory at Malaga.

–Reuters

England skipper Cook gets one-match ban England captain Alastair Cook was on Thursday suspended for one match and fined 20 percent of his undisclosed match fees for his team’s slow overrate in the third one-day international against Sri Lanka. Match referee David Boon ruled that England bowled one over short in the stipulated time frame during Wednesday’s rain-curtailed game in Hambantota which the tourists won by five wickets. Cook will miss Sunday’s fourth mach in Colombo with Sri Lanka leading 2-1 in the seven-match series. It was the second time in the last 12 months that Cook had been found guilty of the “minor over-rate offence,” the International Cricket Council said in a statement.

“Cook pleaded guilty to the offence and accepted the proposed sanction, so there was no need for a formal hearing,” the statement added. The rest of the team was fined 10 percent of their match fees.

–AFP

DAY’S WATCH Star Sports 2 7:30PM Indian Super League Chennai v Goa

Star Sports 1 1:45AM Italian Serie A Fiorentina v Juventus

Victoria 159 allout in 48.2 overs Shuvo 45; Apu 4/14, Saqlain 2/16, Abahani 165/2 in 46.2 overs Liton 54, Majid 50* Abahani won by eight wickets Brothers v Kalabagan KC, Fatullah Kalabagan KC 192 allout in 49 overs Lewis 54, Fariduddin 45*, Faroque 41; Sadat 3/16, Asif 3/36 Brothers 195/6 in 46.3 overs Avishek 101*, Nazim 50; Rockybul 2/28, Shahadat 2/50 Brothers won by four wickets Kalabagan CA v Partex, BKSP 3 Kalabagan 334/5 in 50 overs Anamul 113, Mahmudul 70, Mustard 59*; Azim 3/55, Zain 2/54 Partex 137 allout in 35.5 overs Shafiul 41, Bishwanath 3/16, Sharif 2/37 Kalabagan CA won by 197 runs

Abahani’s left-arm spinner Nazmul Apu exults after taking one of his four wickets against Victoria in the Dhaka Premier League in Mirpur yesterday MAINOOR ISLAM MANIK

Ton-up Anamul guides Kalabagan CA n Mazhar Uddin Anamul Haque’s brilliant century guided Kalabagan Cricket Academy to a huge 197-run win over Partex in the eighth round of the Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League yesterday. With this win, Kalabagan CA moved to third position in the points table.

In the other two matches of the day at different venues, Brothers Union rode on Avishek Mitra’s unbeaten ton as they defeated Kalabagan Krira Chakra by four wickets while Abahani registered a comfortable eight-wicket

victory over Victoria. This is Brothers’ fourth win of this season while Abahani’s victory enabled them to second spot in the standings.

Prime Bank lead the 12-team standings with 14 points, two ahead of nearest challengers Abahani and Kalabagan CA.

Kalabagan CA v Partex

Asked to bat first, Kalabagan CA posted a mammoth 334/5 in their 50 overs with Anamul blasting 113 off 104 balls. The right-hander struck 11 fours and seven sixes while middle-order batsman Mahmudul Hasan provided

valuable support scoring 70. English cricketer Phil Mustard put the finishing touch to their innings as he was unbeaten on 59.

In reply, Partex could muster only 137 before being skittled out in 35.5 overs. Shafiul Alam was the highest scorer for the losing side with 41.

Left-arm spinner Bishwanath Haldar picked up three wickets for Kalabagan CA while Mohammad Sharif took two wickets.

Abahani v Victoria

Victoria were bundled out for 159 in

Brothers v Kalabagan KC

Taking first strike, Kalabagan KC were dismissed for 192 in 49 overs with 54 runs coming from the bat of English cricketer Mark Lewis. Fariduddin Masud remained unbeaten on 45. Nazmus Sadat and Asif Hasan took three wickets each for Brothers.

Brothers reached their target with 21 balls remaining and four wickets in hand.

Avishek was unbeaten at the end with a responsible 101 from 137 balls. He smote 11 boundaries and a six. Brothers skipper Nazim Uddin chipped in with 50 from 67 balls with the help of seven fours. l

Ali inspires England win over Lankans n AFP, Hambantota Opener Moeen Ali hit a dazzling 58 off 40 balls to inspire England to a five-wicket win over Sri Lanka in the rain-affected third one-day international in Hambantota on Wednesday.

The tourists, chasing a revised Duckworth-Lewis target of 236 in 35 overs, cruised home with eight balls to spare to record their first win in the seven-match series.

Kumar Sangakkara became only the fourth batsman in history to surpass 13,000 one-day runs as Sri Lanka scored 242-8 in a game reduced to 35 overs-a-side when heavy rain interrupted play after just two overs.

The 37-year-old left-hander reached the landmark when he took a single off Chris Woakes to move to 13 and celebrated by top-scoring with 63 in the innings.

Ali smashed five sixes and two boundaries at the top of the order before Joe Root and man of the match Jos

Buttler put on a match-winning stand of 84 off 64 balls for the unbroken sixth wicket.

Buttler hit 55 off 37 balls and Root chipped in with a run-a-ball 48 after the tourists had lost half their side by

BRIEF SCORE Sri Lanka 242/8 in 35 overs (Dilshan 23, Sangakkara 63, Mathews 37, Thirimanne 62*, Woakes 41/3 (w1), Jordan 46/2) England 236/5 in 33.4 overs (Cook 34, Moeen Ali 58, J Root 48*, Buttler 55, Mathews 34/2) England won by five wickets (D/L) the 24th over for 152 runs.

Cook contributed 34 in an opening stand of 84 with Ali before he was dismissed in the 12th over, caught by Sangakkara off seamer Dhammika Prasad.

The run out of Ali in the 15th over following a mix-up with Alex Hales

triggered a collapse in which England lost four key wickets for just 49 runs.

But Root and Buttler stepped in to turn the game around in dramatic fashion as the Sri Lankan bowling wilted under their assault.

The fourth match will be played on Sunday in Colombo where Sri Lanka had won the first two games.

Sri Lanka plundered 62 runs in the last five overs, but Root and Buttler ensured England’s run-rate too did not slacken.

Sangakkara now lies behind three retired batsmen in the all-time list led

by Sachin Tendulkar of India, who made 18,426 runs in 463 ODI matches.

Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting has 13,704 runs in 375 ODI matches and Sanath Jayasuriya of Sri Lanka has 13,430 runs in 445 games.

Sangakkara, who made his international debut in 2000, is also just 12 runs short of completing 12,000 Test runs.

He has made 11,988 runs in 128 Tests.l

England opener Moeen Ali plays a shot against Sri Lanka during their 3rd ODI in Hambantota on Wednesday INTERNET

Marsh brothers in Australia Test squad

Yuvraj, Sehwag, Harbhajan, Gambhir ignored for World Cup 2015

n AFP, Sydney

n Agencies

Selectors called batsman Shaun Marsh into Australia’s Test squad Thursday as cover for recovering captain Michael Clarke ahead of next week’s opening Test with India.

Marsh, 31, will join the original 12man squad in Adelaide, where the rescheduled four-Test series begins against India on Tuesday.

Clarke and his grief-stricken teammates attended Phillip Hughes’ funeral on Wednesday and began assembling in Adelaide late Thursday for next week’s series opener. It is not yet clear if any of the Australian squad will withdraw from the Test, with emotions still raw following Hughes’ freak death last week.

Hughes, who had played 26 Tests and was on the cusp of a recall, died from bleeding on the brain after being hit by a rising ball at the Sydney Cricket Ground during a domestic match on November 25. Cricket Australia has reassured those selected that they can withdraw from the Test if they are having problems emotionally.

“We hope the boys can find the inner strength to play the game in the way Phillip would have wanted in Adelaide next week and that they can honour what he had done,” coach Darren Lehmann wrote in a column for The Australian on Thursday.

The two Test contenders had both been in action for their respective state sides on November 25.l

The preliminary list of 30 Indian probables for the upcoming World Cup in Australia and New Zealand was announced on Thursday. Seniors Virender Seheag, Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan SIngh, Zaheer Khan and Gautam Gambhir were left out.

The meeting of the five-member selection panel headed by Sandeep Patel chose to leave the heroes of World Cup 2011 from the squad despite their past laurels. “Seniors were also considered (and) there was a discussion.”But the thought process was to give preference to the performers,” said Patel. “Barring major injuries, the World Cup squad would be from this lot.

On expected lines, the selectors retained the 14 names that they had selected for the last two home ODIs against Sri Lanka along with players who were rested - MS Dhoni, Ishant Sharma, Varun Aaron, Mohd Shami, Bhuvaneshwar Kumar, Shikhar Dhawan and R Jadeja.

Interestingly, Dhoni, Kohli, Raina and Ashwin are the only survivors from the squad that won the 2011 World Cup. The list of players chosen did not surprise former India cricketer Sunil Gavaskar who told NDTV that the omitted seniors had not performed in domestic circuit and therefore, could have hardly made their case.

With a clear emphasis on youth, Indian seniors like Sehwag, Harbhajan, Gambhir, Zaheer and Yuvraj could

not find a place in the probables. The final 15-member squad should be announced latest by January 7. The World Cup starts from Feburary 14.

India’s 30-man probables list

MS Dhoni, Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, Robin Uthappa, Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, Kedar Jadhav, Manoj Tiwary, Manish Pandey, Wriddhiman Saha, Sanju Samson, R Ashwin, Parvez Rasool, Karn Sharma, Amit Mishra, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Ishant Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, Varun Aaron, Dhawal Kulkarni, Stuart Binny, Mohit Sharma, Ashoke Dinda, Kuldeep Yadav and Murali Vijay. l

Walton V-day rugby begins today

Ten Action 1:30AM French Ligue 1 Toulouse FC v AS Monaco

Ten Cricket 10:00PM Pakistan v New Zealand Second T20I

n Raihan Mahmood

Sony Six NBA 14-15: Regular Season 7:00AM New York v Cleveland 9:30AM Golden State v New Orleans 01:45AM Scottish League Ross County v Dundee United

48.2 overs after Abahani won the toss and elected to field first. Sohrawardi Shuvo’s 45 was the highest for Victoria while national cricketer Imrul Kayes scored 31. Nazmul Apu was the most successful bowler for Abahani scalping 4/14 in his 6.2 overs. Saqlain Sajib and Mostafizur Rahman shared four wickets between them.

In pursuit of 160, Abahani cruised to the target in 46.2 overs losing just two wickets. Half-centuries from openers Liton Kumar Das (54) and Abdul Majid (50 not out) were enough to guide the traditional Sky Blues home.

FM Iqbal bin Anwar Dawn, the additional director of Walton speaks at the press conference of Victory Day rugby at the BNS conference room yesterday COURTESY

The Walton Home Appliance Victory Day Rugby with the participation of four male and equal number of female teams will begin at the Paltan ground today. Through this tournament, it will be the first time that female rugby will take place in Bangladesh.

In a press conference held at the Bangabandhu National Stadium conference room yesterday, Mousum Ali, the general secretary of

the Rugby Union, said he is extremely happy to introduce the game to the women.

“I hope it will open the new doors of opportunities for the women players in our country,” said Mousum.

FM Iqbal bin Anwar Dawn, the additional director of Walton, tournament secretaries Sirajul Islam and Parvin Putul and assistant director of National Sports Council Syeda Taslima Akhter were also present during the programme. l

14

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Sport

Friday, December 5, 2014

Brilliant Aguero playing like one of the gods

City cheered by halved financial losses

n Reuters, London

n AFP, London

Manchester City’s Argentine striker Sergio Aguero was named Player of the Year in a vote by 250,000 English fans this week - and it probably won’t be the last honour he picks up this season.

The 26-year-old, who won the Premier League title with City in May and reached the World Cup final with Argentina in July, topped the Football Supporters Federation poll, ahead of City team mate Yaya Toure, Liverpool’s Raheem Sterling, Morgan Schneiderlin of Southampton and the Chelsea duo of Eden Hazard and Branislav Ivanovic.

He has scored 19 goals in all competitions already this season and 30 in his last 33 Premier League games and his unstoppable rocket from 20 meters which pulled City level at Sunderland on Wednesday left Sunderland substitute Jozy Altidore exclaiming “Oh My God!”.

Aguero has been playing like one of the gods all year and after being honoured by the FSF at its annual gala dinner in London on Monday, he said that the title race was far from over even though City trailed leader Chelsea by six points.

“We are two games behind them, six points, but there is still a long way to go. What is in our favour is that City know how to catch teams - we’ve done it in the past and can do it again.”

Aguero himself is hitting top form with a phenomenal run in recent weeks starting at the end of October when he scored all four in City’s 4-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur.l

AP

Premier League champions Manchester City’s hopes of complying with UEFA’s Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules received a boost on Wednesday when they announced a significant reduction in their losses.

The club’s annual report showed record revenues of £346.5 million ($544 million, 442 million euros) for the year ending in May 2014, while their overall losses halved to £23 million.

European governing body UEFA fined City £16.2 million in May for contravening FFP rules by spending beyond their means, but that figure will be taken out of the equation in this year’s calculation.

“The club is where we hoped it would be when we began this transformation six years ago,” chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak said in the report.

City were additionally given a conditional fine of £32.8 million last season, but the club are confident that their latest financial results mean it will not take effect.

The club were also restricted to naming a 21-man squad for this season’s Champions League and were told that they could not publish losses exceeding £15.7 million in the 2013-14 campaign.

As the £16.2 million fine will not be taken into account by UEFA, City have complied with the latter restriction.

City recorded losses of £197.5 million in the 2010-11 season, but that figure has fallen progressively since then.l

He then set up Stevan Jovetic six minutes before the break, Pablo Zabaleta added a third and Aguero, in the 71st minute, completed the rout.

Extraordinarily, it meant that Aguero, the man with the best goals per game strike rate in Premier League annals, has now scored 30 in his last 33 league matches for City.

City manager Manuel Pellegrini had bad news for Premier League defenders too by suggesting that we have not seen the best from the Argentine yet.

“Sergio is only 26 and he can improve every day,” he told the BBC. “At the moment we are seeing very high performances from him. Not only is he scoring but he’s playing well as well.”

Southampton, whose high-flying start to the season was arrested in a 3-0 defeat by City on Sunday, slumped to a second successive defeat with an 89th-minute Alexis Sanchez goal finally breaking their resistance at the Emirates.

The Chilean once again proved why he has been one of the buys of the season when he latched on to Aaron Ramsey’s cut back and scored his ninth Premier League goal of the campaign.

Arsenal are now 10 points adrift of Chelsea but for most of the night, it had seemed that Fraser Forster’s heroic efforts in the Southampton goal - he made three brilliant saves from Danny Welbeck and Olivier Giroud - would earn them a point.

“Alexis Sanchez can dig deep and has such desire and a will to win, he still finds that resource to get you something special,” Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said.

The victory lifted Arsenal into sixth place, 13 points behind Chelsea.

Hull City squeezed out of the relegation zone with a 1-1 draw at Everton, Sone Aluko scoring a 59thminute equaliser after a superb 34thminute Romelu Lukaku effort for the home side. l

Manchester City defender Pablo Zabaleta celebrates his goal during their English Premier League match against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light, Sunderland on Wednesday

Chelsea march on, Aguero keeps City in the mix n Reuters, London

Arsenal’s Sanchez (L) celebrates with Mertesacker after their EPL match against Southampton on Wednesday REUTERS

PSG held by Lille after Sirigu own goal n AFP, Paris An own goal by Paris Saint-Germain keeper Salvatore Sirigu held the French champions to a 1-1 draw at Lille on Wednesday in a stalemate that kept Marseille atop Ligue 1 by a single point.

Edinson Cavani put PSG, who were without star striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, into a 29th minute lead, after good work from Ezequiel Lavezzi down the right.

That left Laurent Blanc’s unbeaten side provisionally overtaking Marseille, who were held by the same scoreline by Lorient 24 hours earlier.

But in the 42nd minute Lille were back level after Sirigu’s attempt to punch away a corner did not have the desired effect as the ball hit the bar and went into his net.

The match was at Lille’s Metropole stadium which staged last month’s Davis Cup tennis final. Earlier, Saint Etienne climbed into third on the back of a 2-0 win at Montpellier with the first half goals scored by defenders Florentin Pogba and Paul Baysse.l

LIGUE 1

Bastia

1-2

Abdallah 35-og

Guingamp

Wass 65, Nsikulu 83

5-1

Mandanne 4, 62, T. Giresse 20, Beauvue 61-P, 78

Nice Cvitanich 83

Evian Caen Al. Yahia 17

1-2

Rennes

Ntep 12, Konradsen 49

Metz

0-0

Montpellier

0-2

Bordeaux Saint-Etienne Pogba 22, Baysse 43

Lille Sirigu 42-og

1-1

PSG Cavani 29

Chelsea’s inexorable Premier League title march continued with a consummate 3-0 triumph over Tottenham Hotspur and champions Manchester City stayed second with a 4-1 canter at Sunderland on Wednesday.

Southampton’s challenge suffered further deflation with a 1-0 defeat at Arsenal, but the pacesetters took full advantage with Chelsea making it 21 games unbeaten this season thanks to goals from Eden Hazard, Didier Drogba and Loic Remy.

The 36-year-old Drogba proved a splendid replacement for suspended top-scorer Diego Costa, grabbing his first chance within two minutes of Hazard’s 19th-minute opener before his replacement Remy also netted to seal the points.

The performance of the seemingly ageless Drogba earned high praise from his team mate Hazard.

“He does everything, he’s very im-

portant for the team and every game he comes in, he plays very well. It is a pleasure to play with him,” the Belgian told Sky Sports.

PREMIER LEAGUE 1-0

Southampton

3-0

Tottenham

Arsenal

Sanchez 89

Chelsea

Hazard 19, Drogba 22, Remy 73

Everton

1-1

Lukaku 34

Sunderland Wickham 19

Hull City Aluko 59

1-4

Man City

Aguero 21, 71, Jovetic 39, Zabaleta 55

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho, promising there would be no let-up in his side’s title push, was also delighted.

“Tottenham started better than us and should have scored before us, but after our first goal our team became more stable and confident and we con-

trolled the game,” he said.

“I’m really happy with the points, performance and spirit of the players.”

The only cloud on the horizon for Mourinho was that his towering midfield anchor, Nemanja Matic, will be unavailable for Saturday’s match at Newcastle after picking up a suspension for his fifth booking.

Chelsea’s victory, which continued their amazing record of being unbeaten by Spurs at Stamford Bridge for 24 years, maintained their six-point lead over City, who came from behind to crush Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.

The champions were once again grateful to the league’s leading marksman Sergio Aguero who produced a sublime display, scoring twice with his 13th and 14th league goals of the season.

The Argentine struck two minutes after Connor Wickham had put Sunderland ahead on 19 minutes, equalising with the sweetest of strikes.

‘Remarkable’ Drogba sets the tone n AFP, London

Jose Mourinho believes Didier Drogba’s dynamic display in Chelsea’s 3-0 win over Tottenham proved the Premier League leaders have the strength in depth to last the pace in the title race.

Mourinho’s side maintained their six-point lead at the top of the table thanks to a throwback performance from Ivory Coast striker Drogba, who scored his fifth goal of the season at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday to make the absence of suspended leading scorer Diego Costa a mere footnote.

Drogba, 36, showed there is still plenty of life in his ageing legs by laying on Eden Hazard’s 19th minute opener, then netting with a clinical finish in the 23rd minute before substitute Loic Remy’s fine finish in the 73rd minute sealed Chelsea’s seventh successive home win.

Even Mourinho, who brought Drogba to west London from Marseille for

his first spell with the club in 2004, was moved to single out the Blues legend for special praise after a performance which showed Chelsea should have enough firepower in reserve if the injury-prone Costa falters.

“Yes, it is remarkable. Didier is a team player, one of these with an old school mentality. Not selfish, not vain, a humble guy who plays for the team, fights for the team. Fantastic,” Mourinho said.

“When he is on the bench and comes on for the last few minutes to help the team defend, he does that with the same enthusiasm as when he starts a game against Tottenham.

“We played against him when he was at Galatasaray last season so I could feel the kind of potential he still has and I was expecting exactly this, with not even a doubt about a player who is not playing every game. I knew he would adapt very well mentally to his role.”

Thanks to Drogba’s inspirational efforts, Chelsea have equalled a club record, set previously in 2007 and again in 2009, by extending their unbeaten run to 23 matches in all competitions -21 this term and two games at the end of last season.

They have also matched the club’s record unbeaten start to a league season of 14 games without defeat set in the second tier in 1925-26.

Mourinho puts his team’s scintillating form down to their refusal to look for excuses when they are hit by bad luck or injuries and suspensions.

“We need him (Costa) but we have the right mentality. If we don’t have a player we don’t cry about it,” Mourinho said. “(Nemanja) Matic is suspended for the Newcastle game on Saturday? No problem. Did you remember Diego Costa today? I didn’t.

“We give confidence to the players and they respond in the best way. l

Chelsea striker Didier Drogba celebrates after scoring against Tottenham Hotspur during their English Premier League match at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday REUTERS

Pele recovering but no Sevilla in King’s Cup last 16, Barca win date for leaving hospital n Reuters, Madrid

n AFP, Sao Paulo Brazilian soccer legend Pele is recovering well from a kidney ailment, officials said Wednesday, but it is unclear when he can leave the Sao Paulo hospital treating him.

The three-time world champion was hospitalized nine days ago with a suspected urinary tract infection requiring antibiotics, but is now making good progress, said the Albert Einstein Hospital, which suspended renal assistance Sunday.

“He is doing better and (remains) in semi-intensive care. Results from clinical and lab tests from this morning are

good and show the patient does not require renal assistance,” it said.

“He does not have fever, is able to walk around his room and is spending the bulk of the day sitting up in an armchair. He is eating well,” added the clinic, saying Pele’s blood flow and breathing were also not a problem.

Last Thursday, the hospital said the man nicknamed “O Rei” (the king) had been placed in intensive care after his condition became “clinically unstable,” alarming fans, while some Brazilian media reported that Pele had the blood infection septicemia after he failed to respond to treatment.l

Sevilla joined holders Real Madrid in the last 16 of the King’s Cup when a quickfire Iago Aspas hat-trick helped secure a crushing 11-2 aggregate victory over second-division Sabadell on Wednesday.

Sevilla romped to a 6-1 win in their last-32, first leg at Sabadell at the end of October, when Aspas also netted a treble, and after winning the return 5-1 they will play Andalusian rivals Granada or Cordoba next month for a place in the quarter-finals.

Real set up a likely last-16 clash against city rivals Atletico Madrid when they secured a 9-1 aggregate success against third-tier minnows Cornel-

la on Tuesday.

In last-32, first leg games, La Liga champions Atletico, who beat Real 2-1 after extra time in the 2013 Cup final

KING’S CUP

2nd leg

5-1

Sevilla

Sabadell

Sevilla win 11-2 on aggregate

1st leg Deportivo

1-1

Malaga

L’Hospitalet

0-3

Atletico Madrid

Granada

1-0

Cordoba

Huesca

0-4

Barcelona

at the Bernabeu, won 3-0 at third-tier Hospitalet.

The winner of a probable tie between Real and Atletico is likely to meet record winners Barcelona in the quarter-finals.

A second-string Barca, missing most of coach Luis Enrique’s regular starting 11 including Lionel Messi and Neymar, thumped Huesca, another third-tier club, 4-0.

Ivan Rakitic opened the scoring in the 12th minute with a splendid free kick, Andres Iniesta struck on his return from injury four minutes later, Pedro made it 3-0 six minutes before halftime and a deflected effort from Rafinha completed the scoring in the 72nd.l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Entertainment

Friday, December 5, 2014

GHASHPHUL all set to hit cinemas n Entertainment Desk Feature film “Ghashphul” recently received the censor board certificate and is all set to hit cinemas.

Akram Khan, director of the fulllength film produced by Channel i, told the Dhaka Tribune: “Now we are planning to hold the premier very soon, given that everything else goes according to the plan.”

Many new faces will be featured in the film, which is also the director’s debut project. Model-turnedTV actor Asif, Veet-Channel i Top Model’s first runner-up Tania, and Channel i Shera Nachiye participant Shayla Sabi will be seen playing the lead roles in the film. Nayla Azad

The Specialist HBO, 5:25pm

Nupur, a noted actor who appeared on BTV during the 80s, also plays a vital role in the film.

Following Akram’s storyline, the script was developed by Moshiul Alam, Akram Khan and Laila Afroz.

“The middle-class Bangalees are bound to go nostalgic once they watch ‘Ghashphul,’” the director claimed.

The story revolves around 21-year-old Toukir who aimlessly treks through the alleys in the city.

He has a hard time remembering the good old days. But one day he finds a letter in his torn trousers. No matter how hard he tries, he fails to remember the real identity of its author – Ghashphul. l

A woman entices a bomb expert she’s involved with into destroying the mafia that killed her family.

Flight of the Intruder HBO Defined, 1:05pm

An artwork titled Agune Pora Narider Kannar Shobdo by Gulshan Hossain in the array

KHAN HASAN MD RAFI

16TH ASIAN ART BIENNALE

A bridge of art, society and modernity n Nadira Sultana Ava

Exhibition

Life is Here

By Kanak Chanpa Chakma Time: 12pm – 8pm Bengal Art Lounge 16th Asian Art Biennale Bangladesh Time: 11am – 8pm National Art Gallery Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy Shegun Bagicha

15

The 16th Asian Art Biennale Bangladesh, one of the biggest art events in the Asia Pacific region, is taking place in Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy.

The first edition of the event was held in the country in 1981 with the aim to support and develop young artists in their chosen fields. Continuing along those lines, this year 209 Bangladeshi artists and 104 foreign artists from 31 different countries are participating in the prestigious event.

The participating countries include Iraq, Iran, Syria, Palestine, India, Kuwait, China, Nepal, Brunei, Sri Lanka, Bahrain, Afghanistan, Philippines, Maldives, Australia, Pakistan, the UAE, Japan, Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Lebanon, East Timor, Singapore, Jordan, Thailand, Bhutan, Qatar, Korea and Indonesia.

Artists Samarjit Roy Chowdhury, Monirul Islam, Syed Abdullah Khalid, Mansur Ul Karim and Dr Farida Zaman constituted the five-member committee that selected 228 works by the 209 artists from a submission pool of 518 applicants. As a new addition this year, performance art has been included in the exhibition for the first time, with 10 artists taking part in it.

This month-long event was inaugurated by Finance

Realms of Perception Time: 12pm – 8pm Gallery Twenty One, House 21, Road 4, Dhanmondi

Film

13th International Short & Independent Film Festival Time: 11am – 9pm Central Public Library Shahbag

Minister AMA Muhith on Monday, December 1. A seminar titled “Contemporary New Media Art Practices” was held on Tuesday in two sessions.

Among a total of 432 artworks, three has been selected for the grand prize: “Mourn of Burned Women” by Gulshan Hossain (Bangladesh), “Long March for Water” by Md Abdul Momen (Bangladesh), and “Arab Character,” by Hessa Abdulla A Kalla (Qatar).

Another six works has been chosen for the Honourable Mention Award. The artists of those artworks are Bishwajit Goswami (Bangladesh), Maynul Islam Paul (Bangladesh), Kamruzzaman Shadhin (Bangladesh), Nurul Amin (Bangladesh), Dr Fakhriya Al-Yahyal (Oman) and Hamed Al-Jabri (Oman).

The 16th Asian Art Biennale Bangladesh 2014 is the portrayal of human emotion, craving, restraints and challenges in contemporary Asian life through arts. Here, the creative art works are not only reflecting social consequences, but also exhibiting the control of existing digital age over lives.

The art exhibition of Asia Pacific nations replete with modernity and tradition will be open for all until December 31, from 11am to 8pm on weekdays and from 3pm to 8pm on Fridays. l

In the Vietnam War, a bereaved US Navy A-6 Intruder tactical bomber pilot schemes with a hardened veteran to make an unauthorized air strike on Hanoi itself.

Mousehunt

Zee Studio, 12:45pm

Two stumblebum inheritors are determined to rid their antique house of a mouse who is equally determined to stay where he is.

Batman Begins WB, 11:58pm

After training with his mentor, Batman begins his war on crime to free the crime-ridden Gotham City.

PRIYANKA CHOPRA James Bond 24 title and cast revealed named world’s sexiest Asian woman n Entertainment Desk Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra has won back the crown she lost to Katrina Kaif last year to be named the world’s sexiest Asian woman.

The 32-year-old actress and singer topped the top 50 list in an annual poll conducted by UK-based weekly newspaper Eastern Eye. Popular TV actress Drashti Dhami, who had led the voting at one stage, narrowly missed out on the top spot to come in second.

Fellow TV actress Sanaya Irani came third with last year’s winner, Kaif, slipping to fourth place in the race.

“Someone once told me, sexy is what sexy does and you do it best when you are yourself. I don’t know what I did to deserve this but I’ll happily

ED SHEERAN tops Spotify most-streamed in 2014 chart

accept this title,” said Chopra.

“I am very flattered to have been named Eastern Eye’s Sexiest Woman once again. The fact that this is decided from a public poll across the world makes this even more special to me. Lots of love to everyone who voted and here’s to always being yourself,” she added.

Eastern Eye showbiz editor Asjad Nazir, founder of the Sexiest Asian list and chair of the judging panel, described this year’s No 1 as an “important international icon for India.”

The A-list star beat off very tough competition from some of the most stunning women from around the world in the 11th edition of the list. The 2014 rankings have been trending heavily on social media across India and Pakistan during the voting process, with over 10 million votes cast. l

Swapnadal to stage two plays in India

n Entertainment Desk The new James Bond film will be called “Spectre,” with Lea Seydoux, Monica Bellucci and Christoph Waltz joining the cast.

Bellucci and Seydoux were unveiled as Bond girls Lucia Sciarra and Madeleine Swann at a 007 press conference held at Pinewood Studios.

Waltz will play the villain known as Oberhauser – adding to rumours that he will revive the character of Blofeld.

Blofeld was the evil genius behind Spectre in the first Bond film, “Dr No.” It stands for Special Executive for Counter-intelligence, Terrorism, Revenge and Extortion.

Andrew Scott, known to TV viewers as Moriarty in “Sherlock,” will play MI5 man Denbigh. Dave Bautista, who appeared in “Guardians of the Galaxy,” will has also been cast.

Bond, played for the fourth time by Daniel Craig, will drive an Aston Martin DB10, which was also

unveiled alongside the cast. The plot details read: “A cryptic message from Bond’s past sends him on a trail to uncover a sinister organisation. While M battles political forces to keep the secret service alive, Bond peels back the layers of deceit to reveal the terrible truth behind SPECTRE.” “Spectre” will be shot on location in London, Mexico City, Rome, Tangier and Erfoud in Morocco, and the Alps. l

JULIANNE MOORE considered as Oscar front-runner with Still Alice

n Entertainment Desk British singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran got 860 million plays on Spotify in 2014, the most for any artist this year, the online music streaming service said on Wednesday. Sheeran’s 2014 album “X” also came first for the most streamed album, Spotify said.

Pop singer Katy Perry was the most streamed female artist on Spotify’s Year in Music list, while Coldplay was the most streamed band of the year. Pharrell Williams’s hit single “Happy” got the most plays by Spotify’s 50 million active users this year.

Spotify, which provides free on-demand music, or ad-free tunes for paying customers, has been in the spotlight in recent months after million-selling American singer Taylor Swift pulled her entire catalog from the service. l

Cast members of new James Bond film from left: Naomie Harris, Lea Seydoux, Daniel Craig, Monica Bellucci and Christoph Waltz

n Entertainment desk

A scene from the troupe’s latest production Tringsho Shotabdee

n Entertainment Desk Theatre troupe Swapnadal’s is going to stage two of their drama productions at two different theatre festivals in India early next year.

The group has been invited to stage its anti-war production “Tringsho Shotabdee” at 17th Bharat Rang Mahotsav, India’s national theatre festival, which will be held in New Delhi on February 1-18.

The play has been selected to represent Bangladeshi theatre at the largest theatre festival in Asia, to be participated by 12 other countries.

Swapnadal has also been invited to stage another of their productions, an adaptation of Howard Fast’s “Spartacus,” at the Second Bangla Theatre Festival in Kolkata from January 24 to February 4, organised by Prachyo Natyadal, Kolkata. l

Julianne Moore plays as a linguistics professor who struggles to hold onto her personality after a diagnosis of early Alzheimer in the unforgettable drama “Still Alice.’’

Julianne is having a big day after being named the National Board of Review’s Best Actress for her work in the movie, cementing her status as the Oscar front-runner this year.

The Oscar front-runner — who’s demonstrated her virtuosity for years in films as varied as “Boogie Nights’’ and “Far From Heaven” — gets to the very soul of the brainy Alice, who receives the rare and shocking diagnosis at age 50 after she forgets the word “lexicon’’ during a speech.

This drops like a bomb on her workaholic husband played Alec Baldwin, who, like Alice, is on the faculty at Columbia University. Her three adult children (Kristen Stewart, Kate Bosworth and Hunter Parrish) learn they each have a 50 percent chance of inheriting the condition — and could in turn pass it on to their children.

But this superb adaptation of Lisa Genova’s novel mostly focuses on Alice’s fight against mental deterioration, which she meticulously charts in various ways, including Words With Friends.

“Still Alice” may be set in the relatively privileged world of upper-tier academia, but it presents a disease that can devastate any family, anywhere, with unsparing truth and great compassion. l

16

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Death – the ultimate pacifier Jamil Khan, n Mohammad back from Rajshahi

Even three weeks ago, the calm neighbourhood in Chouddopai of Rajshahi city used to be intoxicated with the cadence of Baul music every now and then.

On Wednesday and Thursday evenings, the rented one-storey house turned into a pilgrimage for university teachers, students and everyone else who loved the Bangla Sufi folk tradition.

A death has changed everything, and everything means literally everything.

The house has remained locked since Rajshahi University sociology Professor Shafiul Islam was killed by assailants on November 15.

It was one of only three houses along the muddy alley leading from the Dhaka-Rajshahi Highway near Chouddopai. Prof Shafiul shifted to this sleepy little house with a garden on the outside less than a year ago, in January.

Shamsuddin, a teacher of marketing at RU, first told him about the house.

Shamsuddin’s sister owns the house.

‘The entire area has become silent. At night we feel scared. I do not know, I may also shift to some other place’ Before entering the quiet alley, there is the headquarters of the local Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and then is a fruit research centre. Shafiul’s house is situated at the end of the earthen road.

Two ominous looking locks – one hanging on the main gate and another inside – seem to be telling everyone that something has changed forever in this house which used to be open for everyone who loved music.

There is a papaya tree and a small vegetable plantation on the small yard in front of the house. Visible from the road is also a balcony that had some flower vases.

“My father was a nature lover. He loved songs that sang of nature. That was why he decided to shift from our campus residence to this house, right in the middle of nature,” said Soumin Shahrid Javin, Shafiul’s only son.

“Recently, my father had become a vegetarian. That was why he cultivated vegetable on the yard,” Soumin said.

The plant had several ripe papaya but nobody other than some birds are there to eat them; not that Shafiul would have really objected if he saw

the guests with the wings.

“A few days before the incident, I came to visit him. He told me that there was a snake inside the storeroom.

When I asked him why he was not killing it, he told me that no animal harmed any other animal unless it felt pain,” the son said with tear drops in his eyes.

Some vegetables in the yard have got rotten and the flower plants on the balcony looked weary from lack of care. Police have not allowed anybody in the house since the murder.

“A couple of days after he was killed, we took away all the musical instruments to our village home,” said Soumin.

“His colleagues, students, university employees came to our house to enjoy music and discuss Baul philosophy.

Sometimes, some of them used to stay over for the night. There was one such musical evening just the day before he was killed,” he said.

There were lots of trees and greenery in the neighbourhood. Far from the maddening rattle of the city, the once clam and peaceful neighbourhood now looks gloomy.

Motiur Rahman, a businessman by profession, lives in the first house in the mouth of the road.

“Sir [Prof Shafiul] used to come back home in his motorbike around 10:3011pm every night. There used to be musical programmes in house. That kind of gave a life to the place. Now everything is deadly quiet,” Motiur said.

Nazmul Haque, assistant professor of sociology at RU, was very close to Shafiul. He lived on the top floor of the house next door to Shafiul. He left the area only two days after the murder.

“I am very scared. That was why I left. Shafiul Bhai brought me here in May,” Nazmul said.

RU official Akhteruzzaman lives on the ground floor of the building that Nazmul used to live in. He told the Dhaka Tribune: “Shafiul Sir is gone.

Now Nazmul Sir is gone too. Nothing is like before.”

Akhteruzzaman, who lives with a daughter, a son and daughter-in-law, said: “The entire area has become silent.

At night we feel scared. I do not know, I may also shift to some other place.”

Shamsuddin, brother of the owner of the house, said they had not yet decided what to do with the house. “The place still has some things inside that Sir used.”

More than two weeks have passed since the gruesome murder but law enforcers are still not anywhere near pinpointing the motive behind the killing, let alone solving the mystery. l

Back Page

Friday, December 5, 2014

R E F L E C T I O N S O N T H E S TAT E O F S A N I TAT I O N

A portion of the Kuril-Bishwa Road near the capital’s Badda area, remains merely usable by commuters, as lion share of it has gone under water leaked out of sewerage lines while garbage carrying vans parked in a haphazard manner have occupied the rest. The photo was taken yesterday MEHEDI HASAN

Detectives bust car stealing gang in Dhaka n Tazlina Zamila Khan Detectives have arrested five members of a gang of car thieves who sell stolen cars through classified advertisements posted on various online marketplaces and dailies.

Sources from the Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) said after stealing cars, the gang would change the colour, chassis number and number plate, produce fake registration documents and put a classified advert up on the internet and dailies.

On Monday, detectives nabbed gang leader Iqbal Hossain alias Kamal alias Rana alias Tamim, Md Javed and Moshrekin Ahammed Rabbi alias Juboraj in separate drives in the capital’s Basundhara Residential Area and the Eastern Plaza shopping mall.

Later, based on the information given by them in interrogation, police recovered a Toyota Allion from Mirpur and a Toyota F Premio from the

Banglamotor Link Road in the capital and arrested two other members of the gang named Ali Hossain and Md Mohsin.

Detectives have also seized fake fitness and registration papers to go with fake chassis numbers from their possession.

Earlier, two cases were filed in connection with the stealing of the two cars – one with the Gulshan police station for the Allion and the other with the Tejgaon industrial area police station for the F Premio.

The arrested members of the gang had already been produced before a court and subsequently placed on remand. Police said there could be two to three more members in the gang whom they are trying to round up.

Raiding Mohsin’s house, they have recovered hundreds of counterfeit documents including BRTA registration forms, fitness certificate forms, tax payment certificate forms, money receipts, pay orders various

government and private commercial banks, and stamps in the names of BRTA, insurance companies and police officials.

They used these fake documents to deceive customers, who came to check out the cars after seeing the classified advertisements in the online marketplaces and newspapers.

DB officials said Iqbal and Moshrekin had been arrested many times in connection with car thefts but every time they had secured bails. Apart from nine car theft cases, Iqbal is also wanted in a murder case in Mymensingh.

Moshrekin is accused in four car theft and fraud cases.

DB Deputy Commissioner Krishna Pada Roy, who led the drives, advised people to be careful in buying cars from online advertisements.

He told the Dhaka Tribune: “Gang leader Iqbal had his own technique. He would first develop a good friendship with drivers and steal their cars by deceiving them.” l

Narendra Modi regains top position in ‘Time Person of the Year’ poll

n Agencies

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has regained his top position in the 'Time Person of the Year' poll after the Ferguson protesters surged ahead of him for a brief period.

Modi strengthened his lead yesterday. PM Modi, according to latest results, has 12.8% of the total votes polled and is followed by Ferguson protesters with 10.1%. Joshua Wong, face of the Hong Kong pro-democracy movement, is placed third with 7.5%, while Pakistan's teen rights activist Malala Yousafzai is fourth with 5.2%, the weekly news magazine said.

The annual poll is scheduled to end on December 6 and the poll's winner will be announced on December 8. The TIME's editors will choose the Person of the Year and would announce on December 10. l

‘Bring back our sons or at least confirm if they are alive’ JS committee smells a rat n in city billboard business Ashif Islam Shaon

Family members of the eight youths who were allegedly picked up by the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) a year ago urged the government to at least confirm whether they are dead or alive.

“We have been under mental stress for the last one year as we don’t know whether they are dead or alive. If anyone could confirm that they are dead, we could at least pray for their departed souls; if they are alive we could pray for their safe return,” said Nusrat Jahan Laboni, sister of Mazharul Islam Rasel, one of the victims of enforced disappearance.

The family members of the eight youths organised a press conference at the National Press Club in the capital yesterday to mark one year of the incident. With tears in their eyes, they recalled how law enforcers had picked up their loved ones and the agony they are going through.

The families claimed that Rapid Action Battalion-1 personnel picked up Sajedul Islam Suman, 36, his cousin Zahidul Karim Tanvir, 30, Mazharul Islam Rasel, 24, Abdul Quader Bhuiyan Masum, 22, Asaduzzaman Rana, 27, and Al Amin, 26 from Block I of Bashundhara Residential Area on December 4 last year.

Of the victims, Sajedul of Nakhalpara is the general secretary of 38 ward BNP unit. In a separate incident, Adnan Chowdhury and Kawsar Ahmed were picked up from their residences at Shaheenbagh around 2:00am on December 5. Their families also pointed fingers at law enforcers for their disappearance.

Since the incident, the family members of the victims have approached government high ups, arranged press conferences, appeared on TV shows, organised human chains and seminars against enforced disappearances but got no results.

“We went to RAB-1 office many times. They assured us that they would bring our boys back. But when we vis-

it their office now, the RAB men seem disturbed,” said Laboni.

“His abduction was a sudden incident and we are still hopeful that someday he will miraculously return,” she said describing her brother’s abduction.

Minara Begum, Rana’s sister said, her brother had come to the city searching for job.

“He came from our village home in Rangpur and stayed with me. Our parents used to send him his monthly expenses.

Now my mother blames herself for sending him to the capital,” she said, demanding her brother’s immediate return.

Kaniz Begum, the mother of Adnan, another victim said: “RAB men came to our house and told us that they would take Adnan for a few minutes. We hand-

ed him over in good faith, but since then there has been no trace of him.

No agencies have admitted having him.

Our faith is shattered, our son is gone.”

Kawser, 22, a driver and the eldest son of Kamala Akhter and Belal Hossain, was picked up by RAB men in the middle of the night around 3:00am from his Shaheenbagh house.

Kamala said since their other son lived abroad, Kawser was the family’s bread winner.

‘Now my 70-year old husband has to sell vegetables to earn money. One would never understand what pain we are going through,’ said Kamala, who could not hold back her tears while talking.

“How long will we wait for the return of our loved ones,” the victims’

family members asked and appealed to the prime minister to take steps in this regard.

Aysha Ali, the mother of another victim Masum, said her son was not a criminal. “Then why was he picked up?

Why did he disappear? Why would he not be returned?”

Attending the press conference, Nagarik Oikya convener Mahmudur Rahman Manna said the family members of the disappeared people had the right to know the whereabouts and fates of their loved ones.

‘We all want to know whether they are dead or alive. We want to know what measures the government has taken so far to bring the victims back,’ said Manna. l

Family members of the eight youths who were allegedly picked up by the RAB a year ago, hold a press conference at the National Press Club yesterday to draw the attention of the government MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

n Shohel Mamun The Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Local Government Ministry has asked the two city corporations of Dhaka to submit documents on earnings from renting billboards, as it suspects corrupt practices in such dealings.

The committee in its yesterday’s meeting asked the authorities of Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) and Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) to submit monthly or yearly reports.

City corporation officials yesterday submitted two separate reports on their overall operations at the meeting held in the parliament building.

According to the reports, DNCC has 853 billboards in its remit while the number is 613 for the DSCC. But the lawmakers, who are members of the committee, were in doubt about the number of billboards and asked for more details, including the revenue the billboards generate.

Rahima Akhter, a lawmaker and a member of the committee who attended the meeting, told the Dhaka Tribune billboards are commonplace in the capital but the city corporations did not earn enough money by renting those.

“That is why the committee suspected irregularities and corruption in the sector,” she said.

Billboards in the capital sparked discussions many times in the past in the wake of several tragic incidents, such as sudden collapse of billboards, that led to casualties. Besides, occupying billboards for business using political influence has also been alleged.

The High Court also had to order removal of illegal and risky billboards in the capital.

DSCC Chief Executive Officer Md Ansar Ali Khan, who attended the meeting,

told the Dhaka Tribune the committee suspected corruption in billboard business but city corporations are not involved in any anomaly regarding billboard affairs. He said many billboards have been put up on the properties of many government agencies.

“We wrote to those agencies asking for the number of billboards installed on their properties,” said Ansar.

The DSCC official said city corporations are drawing up a list of illegal billboards in the capital.

“Because of those, the committee thought the number of billboards is higher than what we submitted in our reports,” he said.

Members of the committee also suggested to digitise the revenue collection system of both city corporations.

The DNCC in its report said it is going to do so in March next year but the DSCC did not mention any specific date.

Ansar told the Dhaka Tribune the DSCC plans to implement automatic revenue collection system by December 2015.

At the meeting, the committee members also discussed way to properly utilise city corporation budgets allocated by the government. They also asked officials to initiate projects that reflect the demands and needs of the city dwellers.

The committee also received complaints about corruption in the tender affairs of Bangladesh Milk Producers’ Co-Operative Union Ltd, and asked the Rural Development and Co-operation Department was asked to investigate the matter.

LGRD Minister Syed Ashraful Islam, and lawmakers Advocate Rahmat Ali, Saber Hossain Chowdhury and AKM Mostafizur Rahman were present in the meeting. l

Editor: Zafar Sobhan, Published and Printed by Kazi Anis Ahmed on behalf of 2A Media Limited at Dainik Shakaler Khabar Publications Limited, 153/7, Tejgaon Industrial Area, Dhaka-1208. Editorial, News & Commercial Office: FR Tower, 8/C Panthapath, Shukrabad, Dhaka 1207.

Phone: 9132093-94, Advertising: 9132155, Circulation: 9132282, Fax: News-9132192, e-mail: news@dhakatribune.com, info@dhakatribune.com, Website: www.dhakatribune.com

B3 ECB set to talk up

stimulus measures but hold fire

B4 Experts: Low profit,

weak standards hamper Islamic banks

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2014 www.dhakatribune.com/business

Falling oil price a boon for Bangladesh Benefits at retail level depends on domestic price adjustment, which is unlikely anytime soon n Kayes Sohel The country’s economy is expected to benefit from the dramatic fall in oil prices that continued to zoom out as of yesterday, economists said.

But, they said, the consequent consumer benefit depends on the price adjustment at the domestic market commensurate with the international price.

The cash-strapped Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC), the country’s lone state-owned oil importer, is expecting to become a profitable entity soon, as it does not require any subsidy at present, its chairman told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday.

The BPC is for downward price revision of petroleum products if the falling trend prolongs for a few months more.

Oil prices have dropped by more than 40% since June amid weak global demand and rising output.

Most global forecasts suggest the oil prices are unlikely to go beyond $80 a barrel for next few months because the current level of extraction will remain the level as it has been recently.

The price of Brent crude oil, the major trading classification of sweet light crude oil that serves as a major benchmark price for purchase of oil worldwide, slumped below US$70 per barrel, its lowest level since 2010.

Yesterday, the Brent oil price fell 0.89% to $69.92 a barrel in the international market.

The International Energy Agency recently disclosed in its recent oil market report that world oil demand is softening at a remarkable pace as the European and Chinese economies falter.

Effects on Bangladesh Economy

Lower oil prices if sustain should have a positive effect on domestic growth.

In theory, the fall in oil prices could lead to higher purchasing power and consumer spending and hence add to real GDP. “The impact of lower oil prices is broadly positive to oil importers like Bangladesh,” said eminent economist Mirza Azizul Islam, who was the finance adviser to the past caretaker government.

He said it will boost public coffer and enhance reserve, as the government has to spend billions of dollar as oil import bill every year. The fall in oil prices, therefore, translates into huge foreign exchange savings.

The impact of the falling oil prices has contributed in saving foreign currencies as reflected in the LC opening figures. The value of LC opening fell about 20% in the July-October period of this year as compared to the same period last year.

Professor of economics at Dhaka University MA Taslim said falling oil price is a boon for Bangladesh.

“Usually, lower oil prices helps reduce the cost of living by lowering transport costs and bringing down inflation. Lower oil prices also pass through directly into lower fuel costs and retail electricity prices,” he said.

But since the government is the lone oil importer, consumers benefit depends on lowering petroleum prices in the domestic market, he said.

Present State of BPC

According to the BPC, the country im-

ports around 5 million tonnes (1 barrel is equal to 0.13 tonne) of fuel oil annually, including 1.3 million tonnes of crude for the country’s lone refinery – Eastern Refinery Ltd in Chittagong.

More than 400,000 tonnes of oils, including 100,000 tonnes of crude oil, arrive in the port each month.

Bangladesh mainly procures gas oil or diesel, followed by furnace oil to feed expensive power plants.

“The entity is slowly moving towards making profit,” BPC Chairman Eunusur Rahman told the Dhaka Tribune.

“Now, we are making profits at range between Tk1.5 and Tk2 by selling a litre diesel. But previously we lost Tk7 to Tk8 per litre, which required subsidy,” he said.

“Around 75% of the subsidy went for diesel.”

BPC has to spend Tk12,000 crore per year as subsidy – mostly goes to quick rental power plant.

It used to purchase the petroleum fuels at a cost ranging between $105 and $107 a barrel few months back.

Now, it is purchasing at around $70.

“Our liability is gradually shrinking

due to the huge gap between the past and current prices,” said Rahman. “So, it is not possible at this moment to lower the prices of petroleum products as the BPC has cash crisis and limited storage capacity.”

The country has only a storage capacity of 913,000 tonnes to meet the demand for only 1-2 months. The Eastern Refinery had undertaken a project long back to raise the capacity by 350,000 tonnes, but there is hardly any progress so far made, officials said.

The BPC currently has outstanding debts worth around Tk4,000 crore.

Rahman, however, said if the current trend in the petroleum prices continues in the international market for some more months, the government might consider a price cut in the domestic petroleum prices.

The Former Finance Adviser suggested adjusting prices of petroleum products on quarterly basis. “But it is a common phenomena in our country that if prices of anything go up, we do not raise and if prices go down, we do not reduce.

This actually results in subsidy.”

BPC’s diesel import is more than

BCBL fails to follow BB prescription n Jebun Nesa Alo

Trouble-hit Bangladesh Commercial Bank Limited (BCBL) has so far utterly failed to achieve the target set by the central bank, following the Directive of Bangladesh Bank (DOBB).

The Bangladesh Bank had earlier prescribed the BCBL management on how to overcome the ongoing financial crisis.

The bank has been listed as a problematic one since September 25, 2004 and the central bank issued the DOBB for the first time in August 2005, reviewing the overall financial condition of the bank.

The latest DOBB was issued against BCBL in the year 2013 but the bank failed to achieve the targets for improving the financial indicators excepting deposits, according to a central bank review report.

The bank’s capital stood at Tk360 crore in September this year against the target of improving it to Tk400 crore by September 2013.

The default loan rate of the bank stood at 15% at the end of the year 2013 against the target of 5% The capital was Tk188 crore in the year 2012 and the bank was running with a capital shortfall of Tk40 crore as of September this year, according to the report.

The bank was prescribed to limitits Advance Deposit Ratio (ADR) to 81% by the year 2013 but it remained 69.73% as

of September 2014. The ADR was 78% in the year 2012.

The default loan rate of the bank stood at 15% at the end of the year 2013 against the target of 5% as per DOBB. The rate, however, came down to 7.58% in September this year.

The bank was instructed to meet the total provision shortfall of Tk56.63 crore by the last year but the amount of shortfall increased to over Tk71 crore at the end of the year instead of reducing. The provision shortfall, though, reduced to Tk5.35 crore on September this year.

Recovering of the default loans from the defaulters was negligible compared to the target set by the central bank.

Despite huge rescheduling of the default loans, the bank has once again fail to reach the target.

As of December 2012, around 20 de-

faulters owed the bank Tk81 crore the while over Tk74 crore was defaulted by others. The bank was again instructed to recover the total default loan of over Tk155 crore by September this year.

However, the bank recovered only around Tk11 crore from the top 20 defaulters while Tk23 crore from others.

The deposits of the bank improved to Tk1,918 crore in December 2013 as per the BB target from Tk1,530 crore in the year 2012, according to DOBB review report.

The net profit of the bank increased to over Tk11crore in September this year from Tk2 crore in December last year. The net profit of the bank was over Tk10 crore in the year 2012. The operating cost of the bank decreased to over Tk31 crore in September from over Tk63 crore in December last year, according to the central bank data. l

‘Call to fight economic problems thru’ social business’ n Tribune Business Desk The two-day Global Social Business Summit 2014 has concluded in Mexico City with a call to fight social and economic problems through social business, reports UNB. Nobel Laureate Prof Muhammad Yunus inaugurated the summit on November 27 at Expo Bancomer convention centre in Mexico City, said a Yunus Centre press release yesterday.

Prof Yunus presented a keynote speech highlighting the need for new ways to think about changing the world that ‘change will come about through small actions, and repeating those actions to reach scale’.

He said the Business Summit

was an opportunity for sharing the experiences of all exciting social business that are developing around the world to energise each other.

Minister of Economy of Mexico Ildefonso Guajardo delivered a keynote speech highlighting the importance that microcredit and social business can play in Mexico, reiterating his government’s commitment to building social business in the country.

The Summit, which was organised by Grameen Creative Lab, Green Street of Mexico and Yunus Centre, opened with 720 people from 50 countries to talk about how social business, a non-dividend company, to solve human problems and can

tackle some of the pressing social problems of the day.

Several important announcements were made during the Summit, including an announcement of $ 5 million for social business from USAID for Haiti, Albania and Uganda.

There was announcement on the creation of a Yunus Social Business Incubator Fund in Veracruz, Mexico with the support of the Veracruz government.

Besides, CEMEX, a leading international cement company, announced a social business in housing in Mexico.

Following the Summit, Prof Yunus delivered a public lecture to a packed audience of 1,500 people, mostly young Mexicans, at the Expo Bancomer. l

half of its total import of around 5.4m tonnes of petroleum products – a target set for the current fiscal year. It has been importing around 3m tonnes of diesel on an average during the past several years.

The three state-run oil-marketing companies are Meghna Petroleum, Padma Oil and Jamuna Oil, which earn commission by selling oils at retail level.

Impact on private companies

The government has allowed some fuel oil-run private companies to feed their own factories and power plants. Falling oil price also have a direct positive impact on aviation firms, paints and power plants (where crude oil is a vital input).

“The government has allowed some private companies like us to feed our plants,” said Azam J Chowdhury, chairman of MJL Bangladesh Ltd, formerly known as Mobil Jamuna Lubricant Ltd. He said the government should open the domestic oil market for the private sectors to bring quality service in energy sector and give benefit at retail level. l

Oil world’s have nots feel pain of OPEC decision n AFP

Not all oil giants are created equal, as struggling Venezuela, Nigeria, Iran and Russia are painfully aware in the wake of OPEC’s divisive decision to maintain production levels.

Last week’s decision to keep output at 30 million barrels a day has sent oil prices tumbling to five-year lows and split the 12-country cartel and other major producers between haves and have-nots.

While well-heeled OPEC members are playing a long game to protect their market share in the face of a US shale oil onslaught, their poor cousins are desperate for prices to rise so they can balance their books and salvage their teetering economies.

Unlike the Gulf states that rejected turning down the taps, these countries generally do not have sovereign wealth funds to smooth over price fluctuations and have built their government budgets around a price scenario that is now radically out of sync with reality.

OPEC’s decision “increases the chance of unrest in member countries without sufficient financial reserves to weather the price storm,” said James Williams, an energy economist at consultancy WRTG Economics.

Many of these countries need prices of more than $100 a barrel for their national budgets to break even.

But crude prices are currently hovering around $70 a barrel in New York and London.

Risk of default

The pain is especially acute for Venezuela. The South American country holds the world’s largest proven crude reserves but is the most fragile of the oil giants.

On Friday, President Nicolas Maduro’s government announced painful budget cuts in the aftermath of the OPEC decision.

“This is clearly a disaster for Venezuela with currency reserves too low to weather anything below $90 per barrel for more than a few months,” said Williams.

Venezuela relies overwhelmingly on oil revenues, which account for 96 percent of its foreign reserves, and the slide in prices is bad news for a country that was already struggling to balance its books.  B3 COLUMN 4

Trade deal with Bhutan to be extended n Asif Showkat Kallol The government has decided to extend a commodity trading deal with Bhutan for another five years. But the service sector is not going to be included.

An agreement will be signed in this regard tomorrow between two nations, said officials.

Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed and Bhutan’s Economic Affairs Minister Norbu Wangchuk will ink the contract on behalf of their respective sides at the Prime Minister’s Office in Dhaka.

Commerce ministry officials said the trade agreement with Bhutan was first signed in 1980 and continued till 2000.

Then it was renewed in 2003 and again in 2009 when Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina visited to the neighbouring country. To extend the deal this time commerce ministry officials have talked to Bangladeshi businessmen before finalising the contract matters.

The ministry wanted to incorporate service sector but the Bhutan authorities did not agree with that, said additional commerce secretary Manoj Kumar Roy. The service sector includes

tourism, ICT and healthcare.

Apex trade body FBCCI adviser Manzur Ahmed described the exclusion of service sector in the contract as “failure of trade diplomacy.”

He urged the government to sign a separate contract for trading of services if Bhutan agrees.

Earlier, Bhutan granted duty-free market access to 90 Bangladeshi products in line with the agreement.

On the other hand, Bangladesh also granted duty-free market access to 18 Bhutanese products.

A senior commerce ministry official said the proposed changes in the agreement would help boost trade between the two countries. He said the twoway trade is still very nominal which is largely tilted towards Bhutan.

In fiscal year 2013-14, Bangladesh exported goods worth $1.91m to Bhutan while its import from that country was worth $22.5m.

Bangladesh mainly exports fruit juice, garments, melamine products, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics to Bhutan while it imports fruits, construction materials, raw materials of cement and spices. l

Tofail: Germany to become No.1 export market n Tribune Business Desk Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed yesterday said Germany will turn into Bangladesh’s number one export market in the days to come.

“At this moment, Germany is the second largest export market for Bangladesh. In future, it will turn number one export market for us,” he told journalists after a meeting with a German trade delegation at his Secretariat office.

State Secretary at the German Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Af-

fairs Jorg Asmussen led the delegation.

The commerce minister said Germany is pleased over Bangladesh’s economic development and the country expressed willingness to extend bilateral ties on all fronts, reports UNB. Bangladesh is working to increase the number of exportable goods apart from finding new export destinations, he added.

Tofail also shared with the delegation the progress made in the country’s readymade garment industry after the Rana Plaza disaster. l

B2

Stock

DHAKA TRIBUNE

DSE GAINER

Profit booking on stocks break three-day rally

DSE key features December 4, 2014

Traded Issues

305

n Tribune Report

Issue Gain (Avg. Price Basis)

118

Issue Loss (Avg. Price Basis)

179

Trading activities slowed as turnover at DSE stood at Tk513crore, slightly down 0.5% lower over the previous session However, the Shariah index DSES was marginally down almost 5 points or 0.5% to 1,161. The comprising blue chips DS30 settled at 1,843, edging 10 points or 0.6% lower.

Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) Selective Categories Index, CSCX, was down 51 points to end at 9,310.

However, trading activities slowed as turnover at DSE stood at Tk513crore, slightly down 0.5% lower over the previous session.

Among the major sectors, only textile made the day green with debut of new scrip Hamid Fabrics.

Hamid Fabrics in its first trading day rose more than 60% to close at Tk56 per share on its offer value. It

Daily capital market highlights DSE Broad Index : DSE - 30 Index : CSE All Share Index: CSE - 30 Index : CSE Selected Index : DSE LOSER Company

Closing (% Change)

Khan Brothers-N Rahim Textile -A Savar Refractories-Z Sonali Ansh -A Aramit -A Nitol Insurance -A WesternMarine -N BD. Autocars -Z Provati Insur.-A Desh Garments -B

-7.84 -5.62 -5.58 -5.49 -4.84 -4.75 -4.55 -4.45 -4.31 -4.28

CSE LOSER Company Khan Brothers-N Prime Insur -A Shinepukur Cera-Z Sonargaon Tex -Z ICB AMCL IslamicMF-A WesternMarine -N Delta Life Insu. -A Zahintex Ind.-N Usmania Glass -A JMI Syringes MDL-A

Closing (% Change) -7.84 -6.00 -4.70 -4.39 -4.26 -4.21 -4.17 -4.09 -4.06 -4.02

4961.84846

(-) 0.60%

1843.69493

(-) 0.55%

15266.30600

(-) 0.58%

12565.06060

(-) 0.31%

9310.27270

(-) 0.54%

Average (% Change) -5.38 -2.37 -5.58 -6.69 -3.48 1.28 -3.50 -5.45 -4.59 -3.61 Average (% Change) -6.18 -6.00 -4.70 -2.93 -4.26 -3.53 -3.18 -2.29 -5.14 -3.65

ANALYST

ClosingAvg. 43.48 278.57 49.10 142.04 298.05 31.64 57.61 23.43 19.96 78.66

ClosingAvg. 43.08 18.80 14.20 10.93 13.50 57.60 157.94 16.63 120.79 173.92

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 462.70 415.87 32.86 501.28 303.11 560.49 5.37 920.70 969.50 24.02 206.16 20.61 29.79 79.38 58.75 39.64 62.97 112.93 62.25 265.90 0.68

DHIGH 46.10 293.40 49.10 149.70 310.00 32.70 59.80 24.50 20.90 80.10

DHIGH

42.30 18.80 14.20 10.90 13.50 56.90 156.10 16.40 120.40 172.10

125,870,350

45.30 18.80 14.20 11.20 13.50 59.90 162.00 17.00 123.00 179.90

135,466

Unchanged Issue (Avg. Price Basis)

8

Market Capital Equity (Billion. Tk.)

2,649.77

Market Capital Equity (Billion US$)

32.12

CSE key features December 4, 2014 Turnover (Million Taka)

457.69

Turnover (Volume)

11,732,440

Number of Contract

23,289

Traded Issues

222

Issue Gain (Avg. Price Basis)

89

Issue Loss (Avg. Price Basis)

128

Unchanged Issue (Avg. Price Basis)

4

Market Capital Equity (Billion. Tk.)

2,544.20

Market Capital Equity (Billion US$)

30.84

Turnover in Million

DLOW 42.00 270.50 49.10 138.00 293.00 30.00 56.40 23.20 19.20 78.10

Latest EPS

63.852 1.363 0.027 5.291 4.426 2.278 121.995 0.041 1.856 1.644

1.36 11.00 -0.44 0.76 14.12 2.79 1.80 0.20 1.97 0.80

Turnover in Million

DLOW 42.00 18.80 14.20 10.60 13.50 56.30 155.00 15.80 120.00 171.00

% change 9.01 8.10 0.64 9.76 5.90 10.92 0.10 17.93 18.88 4.01 0.40 0.58 1.55 1.14 0.77 1.23 2.20 1.21 5.18 0.01

Million Taka 27.39 22.17 2.49 42.87 9.38 34.35 177.52 61.26 3.21 12.86 2.30 2.36 5.20 2.90 0.97 2.62 9.97 7.16 34.60 0.00

CSE

% change 5.93 4.80 0.54 9.29 2.03 7.44 0.00 38.46 13.27 0.70 2.79 0.50 0.51 1.13 0.63 0.21 0.57 2.16 1.55 7.50 0.00

Latest EPS

7.496 0.019 0.010 0.240 0.014 18.460 1.222 0.119 0.187 3.305

Million Taka 490.09 438.04 35.35 544.14 312.49 594.84 5.37 1098.22 1030.76 27.23 219.02 22.92 32.15 84.58 61.65 40.61 65.60 122.90 69.41 300.50 0.69

R. N. Spinning-Z Shahjibazar Power-N GeminiSeaFood-Z Northern Jute -Z Fu-Wang Food A Bangladesh Welding -Z Alltex Industries -Z Kohinoor Chem -A BD Finance-A Safko Spinning-A

Closing (% Change) 9.16 8.68 8.64 8.00 7.17 7.14 6.59 4.59 4.49 4.22

CSE GAINER

1.36 1.81 0.39 -0.84 2.76 1.80 2.92 1.04 0.52 4.48

Latest PE 32.0 25.3 -ve 186.9 21.1 11.3 32.0 117.2 10.1 98.3

Total

Company R. N. Spinning-Z Fu-Wang Food A Alltex Industries -Z Padma Islami Life*-N Safko Spinning-A GSP Finance-A ICB AMCL 2nd NRB -A Provati Insur.-A Argon Denims Limited-A FAS Fin. & Inv. Ltd-B

Closing (% Change) 10.00 8.07 7.09 6.10 6.04 5.50 5.41 4.88 4.62 4.39

Average (% Change) 6.52 7.81 6.20 8.00 6.87 3.87 5.61 4.58 4.18 3.98 Average (% Change) 7.03 6.48 6.40 3.47 3.27 4.51 5.41 5.50 4.32 3.91

ClosingAvg.

Closing

29.57 244.73 219.66 239.00 23.81 16.11 26.75 378.00 16.20 34.72

ClosingAvg.

29.80 246.60 223.80 239.00 23.90 16.50 27.50 378.00 16.30 34.60

Closing

29.22 23.67 26.78 39.11 34.39 31.95 7.80 21.49 45.40 21.02

29.70 24.10 27.20 40.00 35.10 32.60 7.80 21.50 45.30 21.40

DHIGH 30.00 246.70 224.00 239.00 24.30 16.80 27.90 384.00 16.70 36.00

DHIGH 29.70 24.30 27.50 41.40 35.50 32.90 7.80 21.60 46.20 21.60

DLOW 27.20 231.20 200.10 239.00 22.00 14.00 25.20 370.20 14.20 30.00

DLOW 27.00 22.80 25.30 36.90 33.10 30.50 7.80 21.30 44.00 20.50

Turnover in Million 60.738 14.243 2.581 0.048 48.786 9.568 20.668 2.268 27.005 47.886

Turnover in Million 5.511 3.156 4.673 0.352 5.003 2.661 0.016 0.516 4.449 0.452

Latest EPS 2.19 9.00 1.39 1.00 1.80 0.44 3.28 10.40 0.69 1.24

Latest EPS 2.19 1.80 3.28 1.10 1.24 1.59 1.20 1.97 3.79 1.27

Latest PE 13.5 27.2 158.0 239.0 13.2 36.6 8.2 36.3 23.5 28.0

Latest PE 13.3 13.2 8.2 35.6 27.7 20.1 6.5 10.9 12.0 16.6

News, analysis and recent disclosures KEYACOSMET: The Board of Directors has recommended 20% cash dividend for the year ended on June 30, 2014. Record Date: 21.12.2014. Date, Time and Venue of the AGM will be notified later. The Company has also reported EPS of Tk. 1.51, NAV per share of Tk. 21.09 and NOCFPS of Tk. 1.62 for the year ended on June 30, 2014 as against Tk. 1.41 (restated), Tk. 21.54 and Tk. (1.29) respectively for the year ended on June 30, 2013.

RECKITTBEN: The Board of Directors of the Company has declared 175% interim cash dividend (second time) for the year ending on 31 December 2014 after considering the performance of the Company from 01 January 2014 to 30 September 2014. The Board has also declared profit after tax of Tk. 150.02 million and EPS of Tk. 31.75 for the period ended on 30 September 2014. Record date for entitlement of interim dividend: 15.12.2014.

Hamid Fabrics Limited: (Q1): The Company has reported its profit after tax Tk. 61.55 million and basic EPS Tk. 1.26 for the period ended on 30 September 2014 (July'14-Sept'14) as against profit after tax of Tk. 63.86 million and basic EPS of Tk. 1.31 for the same period of the previous year. It is to be noted that basic EPS has been calculated based on weighted aver-

age Pre-IPO paid-up number of shares i.e.

48,837,500 for both the periods. However, considering Post-IPO 78,837,500 number of shares, Company's basic EPS would be Tk. 0.78 for the period ended on 30 September 2014 and NAV per share would be Tk. 43.08 as on 30 September 2014.

MICEMENT: Credit Rating Agency of Bangladesh Limited (CRAB) has announced the entity rating of the Company as "AA2" along with a Stable outlook based on audited financial statements of the Company up to 2014, Bank Liability position as on November 26, 2014 and other relevant quantitative and qualitative information up to the date of rating declaration.

SUMITPOWER: Credit Rating Information and Services Limited (CRISL) has rated the Company as "AA+" in the long term and "ST-1" in the short term in consideration of audited financials of the Company up to December 31, 2013, unaudited financials up to September 30, 2014 and other relevant quantitative as well as qualitative information up to the date of rating declaration.

KPCL: Credit Rating Information and Services Limited (CRISL) has rated the Company as "AA" in the long term and "ST-1" in the short term in consideration of audited financials of the Company up to

December 31, 2013, unaudited financials up to September 30, 2014 and other relevant quantitative as well as qualitative information up to the date of rating declaration.

IPO Subscription: IFAD Autos Limited subscription date 23 to 27 November 2014, NRB upto 06 December 2014. @ taka 30, face value taka 10 and market lot 200.

Shasha Denims Limited subscription date 14 to 21 December 2014, NRB upto 30 December 2014. @ taka 10, face value taka 35 and market lot 200. Zaheen Spinning Limited subscription date 28 December 2014 to 04 January 2015, NRB upto 13 January 2015. @ taka 10, face value taka 10 and market lot 500.

Right Share: 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. FIRSTSBANK Subscription period for rights issue will be from 07.12.2014 to 28.12.2014. Record date for entitlement of rights share: 20.11.2014.

Dividend/AGM

BATASHOE: 175% interim cash dividend, Record Date for entitlement of interim dividend: 04.12.2014.

ICB: 45% cash, AGM: 20.12.2014, Record Date: 03.12.2014.

Latest PE 31.7 10.4 36.4 -ve 4.9 32.0 54.1 16.0 232.3 38.8

Investors got frightened on overall economic future, pursuing cashing out tendency

SECTORAL TURNOVER SUMMARY Sector

▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲

42.30 273.60 49.10 141.10 295.00 30.10 56.70 23.60 20.00 78.20

Closing

5,134.95

Number of Contract

rose as high as Tk60 and as low as Tk55 a share.

It was the most traded stocks with shares worth Tk50 crore changing hands.

Other than that, banking, engineering, non-banking financial institutions, cement and IT stocks were under sale pressure due to profit booking.

Pharmaceuticals, textile and fuel and power led the participation chart, accounting for 47.7% of trade value.

Gainers beat losers as out of 305 issues traded, 110 advanced, 160 declined and 35 remained unchanged.

Lanka Bangla Securities said DSEX declined on face of profit booking after rallying 250 points in last three trading sessions.

However, traders acted reluctantly to make significant move as choppy trading came on the heel of the strength that was seen in the previous sessions, it said.

IDLC Investments said the preference to book profit beyond three running sessions’ up tone pulled down the market.

It said additionally, the reporting of poor recovery in default loans and increased classified loans in baking industry hit on today’s market sentiment, too.

“Hence, investors got frightened on overall economic future, pursuing cashing out tendency.”

After Hamid Fabrics, other top turnover leaders include Beximco Pharma, Keya Cosmetics, Beximco Ltd, Titas Gas, Western Marine Shipyard and AB Bank. l

Stocks pared losses with high volatility on profit booking yesterday after a three-day steep rise.

The market opened red but some buy pressure in the second session helped recover the market fully. But it did not sustain at close of the trade.

The benchmark DSEX lost 30 points or 0.6% to close at 4,962, after hitting highest at 4,995 and lowest 4,961.

Company

Turnover (Million Taka) Turnover (Volume)

Friday, December 5, 2014

DSE TURNOVER LEADERS Company

% change 8.76 7.83 0.63 9.72 5.58 10.63 0.10 19.62 18.42 0.49 3.91 0.41 0.57 1.51 1.10 0.73 1.17 2.20 1.24 5.37 0.01

Prepared exclusively for Dhaka Tribune by Business Information Automation Service Line (BIASL), on the basis of information collected from daily stock quotations and audited reports of the listed companies. High level of caution has been taken to collect and present the above information and data. The publisher will not take any responsibility if any body uses this information and data for his/her investment decision. For any query please email to biasl@bol-online.com or call 01552153562 or go to www.biasl.net

Hamid Fabrics -N Beximco Pharma -A Keya Cosmetics -A Olympic Ind. -A BEXIMCO Ltd. -A Titas Gas TDCLA WesternMarine -N AB Bank - A Grameenphone-A SummitAlliancePort.-A

Jamuna Oil -A People`s Leasing-A Argon Denims Limited-A GSP Finance-A Square Pharma -A CSE TURNOVER LEADERS Company Hamid Fabrics -N BEXIMCO Ltd. -A WesternMarine -N Keya Cosmetics -A Jamuna Oil -A Beximco Pharma -A Mozaffar H.Spinning-A Grameenphone-A Khan Brothers-N Square Pharma -A

AB Bank - A People`s Leasing-A SummitAlliancePort.-A R. N. Spinning-Z FAR Chemical-N

VolumeShares 8,186,200 4,663,813 9,385,816 783,500 4,182,799 1,493,982 2,117,500 3,724,542 286,600 1,216,536

Value in Million 499.61 311.15 278.87 175.21 170.44 125.34 122.00 118.41 101.30 92.18

% of TotalTurnover 9.73 6.06 5.43 3.41 3.32 2.44 2.38 2.31 1.97 1.80

VolumeShares

Value in Million

% of TotalTurnover

333,700 3,412,656 1,621,459 2,343,793 270,284

2,166,600 581,413 320,500 584,760 55,560 191,172 421,500 21,400 174,000 28,386

211,411 257,354 83,300 188,600 156,000

84.95 84.44 73.40 73.25 71.07

131.20 23.73 18.46 17.43 14.26 12.74 10.31 7.56 7.50 7.42

6.73 6.38 6.32 5.51 5.01

1.65 1.64 1.43 1.43 1.38

28.71 5.19 4.04 3.81 3.12 2.79 2.26 1.65 1.64 1.62

1.47 1.40 1.38 1.21 1.10

ClosingP 56.10 67.20 29.10 223.00 40.40 83.80 56.70 31.40 352.60 75.40

254.30 24.60 45.10 31.80 263.00

ClosingP

55.50 40.40 56.90 29.10 254.50 66.70 24.20 352.60 42.30 261.50

31.60 24.70 75.60 29.70 31.80

Change % 0.00 3.86 0.00 0.59 0.75 0.24 -4.55 -3.68 0.11 -2.46

-0.90 0.82 4.16 3.58 -0.68

Change %

0.00 0.75 -4.21 -0.34 -0.82 2.93 -2.02 -0.34 -7.84 -0.57

-2.77 0.82 -2.45 10.00 -2.15

ClosingY 0.00 64.70 29.10 221.70 40.10 83.60 59.40 32.60 352.20 77.30

256.60 24.40 43.30 30.70 264.80

ClosingY

0.00 40.10 59.40 29.20 256.60 64.80 24.70 353.80 45.90 263.00

32.50 24.50 77.50 27.00 32.50

DHIGH 69.00 68.10 30.90 224.20 41.50 84.90 59.80 33.00 357.00 77.60

259.40 25.30 46.30 32.00 265.00

DLOW 55.00 59.00 27.00 220.50 37.00 75.80 56.40 30.00 347.90 70.00

236.00 22.00 40.00 28.00 245.00

DHIGH

DLOW

69.00 41.30 59.90 30.40 264.00 68.00 25.30 356.00 45.30 265.00

55.00 40.00 56.30 28.90 235.00 65.00 24.10 345.40 42.00 260.00

32.30 25.10 77.10 29.70 33.00

31.40 24.20 74.50 27.00 31.70

AvgPrice 61.03 66.72 29.71 223.63 40.75 83.90 57.61 31.79 353.46 75.77

254.57 24.74 45.27 31.25 262.95

AvgPrice

60.55 40.81 57.60 29.81 256.75 66.62 24.46 353.39 43.08 261.49

31.84 24.79 75.82 29.22 32.13

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Business

B3

Friday, December 5, 2014

ECB set to talk up stimulus measures but hold fire n AFP, Frankfurt The European Central Bank, at its final meeting of the year later yesterday, will prime the markets for new anti-deflation measures, but will wait until early next year to act, analysts said.

Given the alarming drop in eurozone inflation in recent months, the heat has increased on the ECB to undertake massive stimulus measures like central banks in Britain, Japan and the United States have done.

According to official data, inflation in the 18 countries that share the euro slowed to 0.3% in November from 0.4% the previous month, feeding fears of imminent deflation.

Falling prices may sound good for the consumer, but they can trigger a vicious spiral where businesses and households delay purchases, throttling demand and causing companies to lay off workers.

The ECB is scheduled to publish its own latest updated inflation and growth forecasts and is worried that medium-term inflation expectations could become permanently de-anchored from its target of around 2%.

The ECB has already launched a multi-pronged offensive against deflation, cutting its interest rates to new all-time lows, making unprecedented amounts of cheap loans available to banks via its LTRO and TLTRO programmes, and unveiling asset purchase programmes (ABSs and covered bonds) to pump liquidity into the financial system.

But it has also hinted at more radical action in the form of quantitative easing (QE), a policy used by other central banks around to stimulate their sluggish economies.

QE is the large-scale purchase of government bonds and such a policy has many critics in Europe, not least the German central bank or Bundesbank, because it is felt that it takes the ECB outside its remit and is effectively a licence to print money to get governments out of debt.

Kuwait: Oil producers pump more while urging OPEC cut n AFP Kuwait on Wednesday accused oilproducing countries that had urged OPEC to cut its output, in a bid to curb sliding prices, of doing the opposite by pumping more crude.

Oil Minister Ali al-Omair defended the oil cartel’s decision last week to maintain production levels, insisting that member states want to keep their market share.

“Everyone wanted you (OPEC) to cut your output while they increased production and flooded the market. This is unacceptable to us and we have to preserve our market share and continue with a production level that covers our needs,” Omair told parliament.

He did not name any country, but appeared to allude to non-OPEC members, mainly oil-rich Russia, the world’s largest producer of crude that had urged OPEC in the past to cut production.

“After discussing the issue of cutting output at OPEC, we found that there was no point in reducing production,” Omair said.

“The output surplus on the international market was 1.8 million barrels per day, and amid a slow world economy there is no point in cutting output while others raced to raise their production,” he said.

He said the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries had sought to coordinate with non-OPEC oil producers over supplies and prices.

“We will not sacrifice our interests for the sake of adjusting market prices,” said the minister who said he hoped the OPEC decision would benefit the market in the future.

Last week’s OPEC decision sent oil prices crashing to five-year lows.

However, crude prices made some gains in Asian trade on Wednesday as traders awaited a US stockpiles report.

US benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) for January delivery rose 52 cents to $67.40, while Brent crude for January gained 35 cents to $70.89 in afternoon trade.

WTI tumbled $2.12 in New York on Tuesday, while Brent fell $2.00 after Iraq announced plans to boost its exports of crude after striking a deal with the autonomous Kurdish region.

Omair said Kuwait was pumping 2.7 million barrels a day, around 300,000 lower than its average daily production for the past three years. A portion of the decline was the result of halting production at a Saudi-Kuwaiti offshore oilfield. l

Best Buy to sell China business, focus on North America n Reuters, Shanghai US retailer Best Buy Co Inc said yesterday it will sell its struggling China business, Five Star, to domestic real estate firm Zhejiang Jiayuan Group in order to focus on its North American operations.

The world’s largest consumer electronics chain didn’t disclose financial terms of the sale of the 184-store network announced in a statement.

Best Buy has struggled to fend off Chinese rivals in a crowded market, as other US firms have complained that operating in the country has become more of a challenge.

The deal, which is subject to regulatory approval, is expected to close in the first quarter of fiscal 2016

Doctors diagnose a patient remotely at the First Hospital of Zhejiang Province in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province

‘Not if, but when’

“The ECB will aim to send out a strong message this Thursday that it will do what it takes to raise inflation and inflation expectations as fast as possible,” said Berenberg Bank economist Christian Schulz.

“Even if it does not step up its actions just yet, it will choose language for the statement that makes addition-

al easing a near certainty for the first quarter of 2015,” the expert said.

“The question is no longer if, but when and what.” Last week, the ECB’s number two, Vitor Constancio, said the central bank would be in a position to gauge whether the previous stimulus measures are working in the first quarter of 2015.

“If not, we will have to consider buying other assets, including sover-

eign bonds in the secondary market,” Constancio said.

Just days prior to that, ECB chief Mario Draghi had vowed to “step up the pressure and broaden even more the channels through which we intervene ... without any undue delay.”

Nevertheless, ECB-watchers are sceptical that QE will be announced as soon as later yesterday.

REUTERS

“With little action and much emphasis on the feel-good factor and good team spirit, this week’s ECB meeting should fit into the contemplative preChristmas atmosphere,” said ING DiBa economist Carsten Brzeski.

“At the very least, we expect the ECB to indicate that it is planning more aggressive purchases in the nearer term,” said Ben May at Oxford Economics. l

“The sale of Five Star does not suggest any similar action in Canada or Mexico.

Instead, it allows us to focus even more on our North American business,” Hubert Joly, Best Buy’s president and chief executive officer, said in the statement.

Joly added that Best Buy would continue to invest in its private label operation in the country. Best Buy’s China operations accounted for around 4 percent of its sales in the most recent financial year, ended Feb 1.

Jiayuan Group did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Best Buy pulled out of the European market last year when it sold its stake in Carphone Warehouse Group for less than half its initial investment. At the time, many analysts suggested the firm should also consider exiting China.

The deal, which is subject to regulatory approval, is expected to close in the first quarter of fiscal 2016. l

Intel, Luxottica team up for smart eyewear n AFP, New York US tech giant Intel said Wednesday it was joining forces with Italy’s Luxottica to develop connected eyewear, with the first products due in 2015.

“The ultimate goal is to help pioneer that change and deliver smart, fashionforward products that are meaningful and desirable to consumers,” said a joint statement from the two companies.

Details of the new products were not announced. Luxottica already has an agreement to use its frames for branded versions of Google Glass.

The latest partnership underscores a commitment to wearable technology

for Intel, which is best known for its computer chips. “The growth of wearable technology is creating a new playing field for innovation,” said Intel chief executive Brian Krzanich.

“Through our collaboration with Luxottica Group, we will unite our respective ecosystems and bring together Intel’s leading-edge silicon and software technology with Luxottica’s design innovation and consumer expertise.”

Luxottica Group CEO Massimo Vian said the partnership will “lead the change to create frames that are as intelligent and functional as they are beautiful. Products that consumers will love to wear.”’ l

Intel to invest $1.6bn in China factory n Reuters, Beijing Intel Corp will invest $1.6bn to upgrade its factory in the city of Chengdu in western China, the latest sign of how the chipmaker is deepening ties in a market that is proving increasingly troublesome for some US technology peers.

As part of the upgrade, Intel said in a statement yesterday it would bring its most advanced chip-testing technology to China. In exchange it will receive local and regional government support for construction.

“Deploying our newest advanced testing technology in China shows our commitment to innovating jointly with China,” Intel executive vice president William Holt said in the statement. “The fully upgraded Chengdu plant will help the Chinese semiconductor industry and boost regional economic growth.”

The announcement comes three months after Intel purchased a minority stake in a government-controlled semiconductor company to jointly design and distribute mobile chips, an industry that China considers to be of strategic importance.

Intel’s fortunes in China contrast with the travails of its rival, Qualcomm Inc, which is expected to announce in the coming days a potentially recordbreaking settlement with Chinese antitrust regulators.

China’s investigation into San Diegobased Qualcomm, as well as a spate of recent probes against firms including Microsoft Corp, have prompted an outcry from foreign business lobbies.

They say the Chinese government is increasingly adopting strong-arm tactics to yield technology-sharing or other arrangements beneficial to domestic industry. l

An employee walks past an Intel logo during the 2014 Computex exhibition at the TWTC Nangang exhibition hall in Taipei REUTERS

A OPEC flag is seen during the presentation of OPEC's 2013 World Oil Outlook in Vienna

REUTERS

Oil world’s have nots feel pain of OPEC decision  B1 COLUMN 6

“The fall in oil prices pushes Venezuela even closer to default. Given that the government has nothing in the way of savings from the oil price boom of the past decade, the loss of oil revenues will wipe out whatever foreign currency that the government has,” said David Rees, an analyst at Capital Economics.

The oil price pain could rekindle the violent protests that gripped the country in the first half of the year, analysts warned.

“Venezuela is the weakest link in the chain. The likelihood of civil unrest in the country in 2015 is increasing,” said Oliver Jacob, analyst at Petromatrix.

Nigeria, whose oil wealth has made it Africa’s largest economy, is also stuck in a predicament.

“The government has taken some panicky measures including massive devaluation of the naira,” a tool also used in Venezuela, said Peter Ozo-

Eson, secretary general of the Nigeria Labour Congress.

“The lesson for oil producers is that it is unwise to rely on a single commodity for survival,” said Nigerian economist Abolaji Oladimej Odumesi.

China to the rescue?

Iran has begun following that advice, increasing non-oil exports, including petrochemical products and natural gas.

“The budget is less and less dependent on oil,” said Saeed Leylaz, one of the country’s top economists.

“The country could even withstand $75 a barrel.”

But other analysts say double dependence on oil and petrochemicals will keep the country at the mercy of crude prices.

The Iranian government has announced a tax increase and austeritydriven monetary policy for 2015.

It also appears to have asked for a bailout from China, which recently an-

nounced it was doubling investment in Iranian energy. Venezuela is trying the same strategy.

Officials announced Friday that the Chinese economy minister would visit Venezuela to “deepen economic and financial agreements” to compensate for “a lack of earnings due to low oil revenues.”

In non-OPEC member Russia, which relies on oil for half its revenues, the ruble has accelerated its decline, losing more than 40 percent against the euro this year and more than 60% against the dollar.

The government wants to slash oil exports by five million tons to prop up prices.

“With oil prices dropping and the $60bn debt of state-controlled oil producer Rosneft, the impact on the Russian economy could be heavy, losing potential to expand globally,” said Petra Kuraliova of brokerage house TradeNext. l

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DHAKA TRIBUNE

Back Page

Friday, December 5, 2014

Experts: Low profit, weak standards hamper Islamic banks

Secretary-General, Islamic Financial Services Board (IFSB), Jaseem Ahmed speaks during the 21st Annual World Islamic Banking Conference (WIBC 2014) in the capital Manama recently AFP

n AFP The Islamic banking industry is being hampered by low profits and “mediocre” customer satisfaction despite impressive growth, officials and executives said at a financial conference in Bahrain.

The sector, which provides banking services compliant with Islamic sharia law, has doubled in size over the past four years and is now worth more than $2tn (1.6tn euros).

But a study by EY (formerly Ernst & Young) released at the World Islamic

Gold eases on dollar strength n Reuters, Singapore Gold edged lower in Asian trading yesterday as the dollar traded close to a 5-1/2-year high against a basket of major currencies, but the metal managed to hold above the key $1,200-an-ounce level.

Investors were awaiting a policy decision by the European Central Bank on stimulus measures and U.S. jobless claims data to see if they held any further boosts for the dollar.

Spot gold fell 0.2% to $1,207.21 an ounce by 0343 GMT, after rising nearly 1% in the previous session.

The US dollar index climbed to its highest in more than 5-1/2 years on Wednesday on optimism over the world’s largest economy. Data showed US private companies added workers at a fairly brisk clip in November and the services sector grew strongly.

“It’s a wait-and-watch situation right now because there are some key events over the next two days. We have the ECB meet today and (US) nonfarm payrolls on Friday, and both could potentially trigger big moves again,” said a precious metals trader in Singapore.

“It looks like we will consolidate near $1,200 for now but the risks from the last few months remain,” the trader said.

Gold climbed to a one-month high of $1,220.99 an ounce on Monday, after having slumped to $1,142.91 in the same session.

Friday’s data would help investors gauge the strength of the US economic recovery and how it would impact interest rates. Gold prices gained in the first two quarters of the year, but have fallen in the second half as expectations of rate hikes lifted the dollar.

Demand for dollar-denominated gold tends to weaken on a stronger greenback as it makes the metal more expensive for holders of other currencies and also lowers its hedge-appeal.

Gold has also been hurt by softer oil prices recently as the metal is seen as a hedge against oil-led inflation.

Some recent gains in gold are seen as a result of short covering, prompting traders to be wary of the moves higher.

“Much of the buying recently has been done by shorts exiting the market and not fresh longs entering the market or old longs extending positions,” HSBC analysts said in a note. l

Banking Conference in Bahrain this week found that Islamic banks run at significantly lower profit margins than their conventional peers.

The study, conducted on Islamic banks in nine countries including Saudi Arabia, Malaysia and Kuwait, found that their return on equity was 19% lower than traditional banks in the same markets.

This could cost shareholders billions of dollars in forgone profit, it said.

It also analysed the views expressed on social media by 2.25 million Islamic bank customers and found many un-

satisfied with the service they had received.

“Results show that for many banks ... customer satisfaction is, at best, mediocre,” EY said, attributing discontent to poor performance and a lack of use of technology.

‘Limited investment options’

Islamic finance is based on shared profit and loss, which minimises risk for banks. The system forbids charging interest - banned as usury in Islam - and avoids dealing in debt and derivatives.

To meet an ever-increasing demand,

the sector has developed numerous products compliant with sharia law, from loans for cars and houses to funding major infrastructure projects.

Jaseem Ahmed, secretary general of the Malaysia-based Islamic Financial Services Board (IFSB), the leading regulatory body for Islamic banking, believes low profits in the sector are down to a lack of sharia-compliant investment opportunities.

“In Islamic banks, liquidity is primarily held in cash and reserves, which affects their profitability. Cash does not earn you returns. For Islamic banks, the options for investments are limited,” Ahmed told AFP. Bahrain’s central bank governor Rasheed al-Maraj called on Islamic banks to take a “giant stride” as they become more exposed to global markets.

“It is time for us to reflect on where we are and where we intend to go,” Maraj told the two-day conference.

Maraj said Islamic banks needed among other reforms to improve their regulation, risk management and standardisation.

Although Islamic regulatory bodies have established a number of standards, different interpretations of religious texts and weak implementation mean they remain far from industry-wide.

Hamed Merah, secretary general of the Accounting and Auditing Organisation for Islamic Financial Institutions - a major sector regulator - said standards should be mandatory.

“If regulators make these standards compulsory, it will help the industry immensely,” Merah said.

But Sheikh Essam Ishaq, a religious scholar on Islamic finance, said sectorwide regulation was difficult “because the understanding of Islam and its interpretation is different”.

Around 40 million of the world’s 1.6 billion Muslims are now clients of the Islamic finance industry, which has surged in popularity since its days as a small niche market in the early 1970s.

But it continues to represent less than two percent of the global banking assets of $140tn, according to EY. l

A woman walks past an exchange office in Moscow on Wednesday. The ruble turned back down on Wednesday, reaching new record lows against the dollar and the euro as trading began, before recovering slightly AFP

Dollar up in Asia after positive Fed report on US economy n AFP, Tokyo The dollar yesterday edged closer to 120 yen after the Federal Reserve published an upbeat outlook on the US economy, while the euro was mixed ahead of a European Central Bank policy meeting.

In Tokyo the greenback fetched 119.92 yen, up from 119.80 yen in New York and a whisker off the 120 yen mark last reached in July 2007. The euro hovered at a two-year low of $1.2307 against $1.2308, while it rose to 147.59 yen from 147.48 yen in US trading.

Dollar buying got a boost after the Fed report showed “a number” of the central bank’s 12 districts said contacts “remained optimistic about the outlook for future economic activity”.

The Beige Book, a collection of anecdotal information on current economic conditions, is closely watched by investors as a barometer of the health of the economy.

For the first time in more than a year, the Fed dropped its “modest” and “moderate” descriptions of overall growth, saying reports suggest “that

national economic activity continued to expand” in the past two months.

The report came on the heels of healthy construction and sales figures that also bolstered hopes for the world’s top economy.

Osamu Takashima, chief FX strategist at Citigroup Global Markets Japan, said the dollar-yen rate - under renewed pressure since the Bank of Japan launched fresh easing measures in late October - has “upswing room to go up to 125 by the end of this year”.

The euro is struggling to move higher ahead of Thursday’s ECB meeting, with investors watching to see if policymakers introduce monetary easing measures to kickstart the region’s sluggish economy.

Many analysts expect the central bank to hold fire, but say it may signal a move in the new year such as sovereign bond purchases.

“Even if it does not step up its actions just yet, it will choose language for the statement that makes additional easing a near certainty for the first quarter of 2015,” said Berenberg Bank economist Christian Schulz. l

Canada wheat exports dogged by quality complaints n Reuters Buyers of Canadian wheat are increasingly complaining about quality ever since Ottawa changed how its biggest crop is sold and inspected, raising the risk the world’s third largest exporter will lose sales to rivals like the United States.

Problems include underweight shipments, lower-than-expected protein content and gluten strength in the wheat, and even the occasional mixture of wheat with other agricultural products. In October, Singapore-based Prima Group found 850 kilograms of peas in a 25-tonne wheat shipment. A metric tonne is the equivalent of about 2,200 pounds (1,000 kilograms).

“We don’t know what’s going on in the system here,” said Prima advisor Derek Sliworsky in Winnipeg, who said that while not all Canadian wheat shipments suffer from poor quality, “we don’t have these problems from other origins.” Prima buys between 500,000 and 1 million tonnes of Canadian wheat a year to produce flour at its mills in Singapore, Sri Lanka and China.

Problems have grown since 2012, when Ottawa stripped the Canadian Wheat Board of its centralized role in marketing wheat, said Sliworsky, who used to work for the Wheat Board. The following year, Ottawa cut one-third of the workforce of the Canadian Grain Commission, the agency responsible for quality.

Randy Dennis, the commission’s chief grain inspector, also said that since 2012, buyers have increasingly complained about the quality of wheat exports, especially about gluten properties.

Since late 2012, exporters have been able to have cargo certified on the basis of a composite vessel sample or from each incremental 2,000-tonne load. This change was poorly communicated to buyers such as Prima, Sliworsky said. In spring 2014 Prima was shipped wheat from Canada with lower protein than expected, reducing its value by up to $12 per tonne.

As of 2013, government weighing staff no longer monitor vessel loading at the elevator, but review information provided by the grain handler before certifying weight.

This year, Prima received a shipment that was 375 tonnes light.

The government also no longer requires the grain commission to inspect and weigh rail cars unloading at port, instead allowing grain handlers or third parties to do it.

That change has led to less rigorous inspection, said Bob Kingston, president of the Agriculture Union, which represents commission workers. “The fact that there are screw-ups - I would have been shocked if there wasn’t,” he said. Formal complaints filed with the grain commission haven’t become more common, said spokesman Remi Gosselin.

“It’s not a question of who is to blame (for quality concerns) but how the grain sector adapts to change,” he said.

Canada is renowned for the quality and consistency of its crops, said Canadian Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz in an email.

The grain commission “continues to ensure consistent grain quality exports that meet the expectations of buyers,” he said.

Quality problems were confirmed by other buyers and traders, who spoke on

condition of anonymity.

One Chinese flour mill reduced Canadian spring wheat purchases last year and through the first half of 2014, and bought more instead from the United States because of concerns about protein levels, weights and gluten, a mill executive said.

Last year, weak gluten strength in Canadian wheat also sparked concerns from China’s COFCO Corp.

Australia has gained market share in Asia this year due to weather-related concerns about Canadian quality, including wheat with an unusual appearance after wet late-summer conditions, said a Melbournebased trader, estimating that Australia had sold about 500,000 tonnes more than normal to Asia this year.

A European grain trader who supplies durum wheat to Morocco said buying Canadian wheat was less complicated under the Wheat Board, which sorted and tailored grain specifications to each buyer’s requirements. The board also built loyalty by sometimes giving buyers better quality than they paid for, while exporters now deliver the

bare minimum grade, the trader said.

To be sure, several traders said there have been concerns about quality in other countries’ shipments as well, including the United States and India. A Singapore flour mill manager and a spokesperson for Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said separately that they have not seen Canadian wheat quality issues.

Cereals Canada President Cam Dahl, whose group includes grain handlers Richardson International, Viterra Inc and Cargill Ltd, said he had confidence in the commission’s “science-based” quality assurance system. Canada’s share of global wheat exports has hovered around 14% for the current and past two years, up slightly from the final two years of Wheat Board control.

That share has declined from 17% in 2000 and 21% a decade before that, reflecting rising export competition.

To ensure Canada’s place in the wheat world, “reputation really matters,” said Neil Townsend, director of market research at grain marketing company CWB, the board’s successor. “It’s a very competitive world out there.” l

China: 100 million ‘outbound trips’ this year n AFP, Beijing Chinese travellers have taken 100 million “outbound” trips this year, officials said, with the vast majority visiting Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan.

Just under four percent of the 100 million trips counted up to the end of November were to Europe, China’s state tourism administration said Wednesday, while 90% were within Asia.

Although Beijing considers self-governing Taiwan as part of China along with Hong Kong and Macau, the tourism administration said that nearly 71% of “outbound” trips were to the three territories.

The total number of people travelling

DILBERT

A Cuban uses an illegal wi-fi connection to surf the internet in Havana. The use of wi-fi connections is not permitted by the Cuban government, but many state offices, hotels and embassies forget to secure their connections, to anonymously facilitate connectivity of Cubans. Though several internet offices have been opened in the country, their high prices prevent most Cubans from using them AFP

abroad was not given but the figures call into doubt previous reports that some 97 million Chinese did so last year.

Six countries - South Korea, Thailand, Japan, the United States, Vietnam and Singapore - have seen more than one million trips by Chinese citizens so far this year, the administration said on its website.

China’s economy has boomed over the past decade, expanding the ranks of its middle-class who are hungry for foreign travel after the country’s decades of isolation in the last century. European Union and Asian countries have moved to ease visa application procedures for Chinese tourists in recent years, keen to cash in on their big-spending habits. l