14 dec, 2014

Agrahayan 30, 1421 Safar 20, 1436 Regd No DA 6238 Vol 2, No 250

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2014 | www.dhakatribune.com | SECOND EDITION

20 pages | Price: Tk12

B1 | BUSINESS

8 | REMEMBRANCE

11 | OP-ED

14 | SPORT

BB EXTENDS REPAYMENT PERIOD OF GREEN REFINANCING

‘THE MEN AND WOMEN BECAME PART OF THE CLAY OF THIS LAND’

NO ONE HEARS A CRY IN THE WILD

REAL MADRID MAKE IT PERFECT TWENTY

First dead dolphin spotted Minister Shajahan Khan says no major damage likely from Sundarbans oil spill Bakar Siddique n Abu from the Sundarbans With the ship’s salvage taking more than two days and authorities failing to clean up the spill – now spread over an 80km swathe of the Sundarbans – in over five days, the first of what is expected to be a myriad of dolphin corpses came to the surface yesterday.

Dhaka Tribune photojournalist Syed Zakir Hossain, who has covered a wide area of the forest in the last 24 hours, located the first dead body of an Irrawaddy dolphin in the Harintana-Tambulbunia channel of the Sela River yesterday, some 25km from where the tanker capsized.

Since the Sela River is a sanctuary of six types of dolphins, a major concern after the tanker capsized and went down with over 350,000 litres of oil was the well-being of these sensitive and rare marine creatures.

Reports of sightings of corpses of other wild animals were already coming in on Friday, but this is the first confirmed sighting of dolphin remains.

But the Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan was reported by BSS as saying: “I have discussed with the experts and they said that there will be no major damage.”

“It will not affect dolphins and oth-

Khaleda: We will not wait any longer Al-Masum Molla n Mohammad back from Narayanganj

A dead Irrawaddy dolphin floats on the Harintana-Tembulbunia channel of the Sela River yesterday er animals as the oil has not spread that much,” UNB quoted the minister as saying on a visit to Chandpai in the Sundarbans.

Monirul H Khan, professor of zoology at Jahangirnagar University, told the Dhaka Tribune: “Generally, dolphin corpses do not come to the water surface. The fact that one of them has floated to the surface should mean a number of dolphins have been directly affected.”

He said: “If large creatures such as dolphins could not survive, then smaller ones like otters and fish are in much bigger danger.”

However, Zahhidul Kabir, divisional forest officer in the Sundarbans,

claimed that so far they had not found anything other than the dead bodies of some small fish and crabs which, he said, could not be linked to the oil spill.

There are three dolphin sanctuaries – Chandpai, Dhangimari and Dud-

P3

PHOTOS

hmukhi – across 33km of the Sundarbans. Of them, Chandpai is the largest, covering 15km of the Sela River.

A Dhaka Tribune team which has been patrolling the area for three days did not see a single dolphin in the Chandpai sanctuary near where the tanker sank.

Seemed more desperate than previous occasions, BNP Chairperson and the 20-party alliance Chief Khaleda Zia yesterday said they had already given the ruling government much time to hold a mid-term election under a non-partisan government. “[Government] face me on the streets; do not cordon off my house with sand-laden trucks. If you open fire, I will face that too. I will see how they [law enforcers] open fire. We will stay on the streets – irrespective of winter, summer and the monsoon,” the threetime former premier told a mass rally in Kanchpur Balur Math of Narayanganj.

“We have waited 12 months to see [government holding] a fresh election under a non-party government after

holding talks [with all parties]. But you did not pay any heed [to our demand].

Now we have no time to sit idle.

“I urge all, including mothers and sisters, to get united and take to the streets together. You will have to be there on the streets with whatever you have...under any circumstances. There is no use of shedding tears. We will have to stay there no matter how much time it takes to realise our demand.”

She also threatened non-stop programmes if the government increased prices of power, gas and fuel. “If the prices are hiked, programmes will be enforced from the following day. We will go back home only after ousting this illegal regime from office,” she said.

The BNP chief asked the audience whether they would participate in the upcoming movement and the  PAGE 2 COLUMN 3

SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

However, in Dhangimari sanctuary they counted 13 dolphin sightings in five minutes, though they could not determine the number of individual animals present.

Oil tanker Southern Star 7, carrying 357,664 litres of furnace oil, sank in the river at Mrigamari under the East Zone of the Sundarbans after being hit by a cargo vessel around 6am on Tuesday.

The Mess

When the vessel was salvaged after two days, nearly two-thirds of the oil it was carrying had spilled into the river and, propelled by the forces of high and low  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

Martyred Intellectuals Day today n Tribune Report

By December, 1971, Pakistan knew that the game was up. The brutal war it had unleashed on unarmed civilians that it claimed were its citizens, the genocide it had begun against the Bangalee nation – all of it, in the face of indomitable resistance, was coming to nought.

Throughout the war, Pakistani forces had murdered intellectuals and

persons of culture whenever the opportunity arose, in a bid to destroy the repository of the nation’s intellectual capital, its most inspiring thinkers and its most eloquent voices.

But with imminent defeat looming on the horizon, the Pakistani occupation forces ramped up their savage policy of selective murder to add force to the general policy of blood-letting.  PAGE 2 COLUMN 6

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DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Sunday, December 14, 2014

(Left) The Dhaka-Chittagong highway experiences an unprecedented traffic tailback yesterday due to a rally organised by local BNP. (right) Passengers had to get down off buses and walk with their baggages and children as the traffic comes to a standstill MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU/ SYED LATIF HOSSAIN

India on alert after Sunderbans oil spill n Tribune Report

Environmental authorities in India are on alert after thousands of litres of oil spilled into a nature reserve in neighbouring Bangladesh.

Conservation chief Pradeep Vyas said “precautions” were being taken in West Bengal’s coastal region, reports BBC. Oil leaked into waterways in the Sundarbans area after a collision involving a tanker three days ago.

Officials say it is already harming the region’s wildlife, which includes two endangered dolphin species.

“We are taking all precautionary measures,” Mr Vyas, additional director of India’s Sundarban Biosphere Reserve, told Reuters on Friday.

Footage shows Bangladeshi villagers scooping oil from rivers using pots and pans and sponges, and birds covered in black liquid in the Sundarbans mangrove forest in south-west Bangladesh.

The oil spilled after a tanker carrying 350,000 litres (77,000 gallons) collided with another vessel, spreading a sheen across 60km of waterways. The Sunderbans is a Unesco heritage site, home to many rare species.

The oil leaked into the river at a sanctuary for rare dolphins. Environmentalists have expressed concern that the impact on wildlife could be

disastrous. But government officials say they still cannot give an assessment of the likely damage. The UN on Thursday called for a complete ban on all commercial vessels using the waterways of the Sunderbans.

The Bangladeshi navy initially sent four ships to deal with the spill, and planned to use chemicals to disperse the oil.

But it was unclear whether the chemicals could be used, amid fears they could cause further damage.

“This catastrophe is unprecedented in the Sundarbans and we don’t know how to tackle this,” Amir Hosain, chief forest official of the Sundarbans, told AFP news agency.

“We’re worried about its long-term impact, because it happened in a fragile and sensitive mangrove ecosystem.”

The tanker was reportedly on its way to deliver the oil to a power plant in Gopalganj when it was struck by another vessel.

The Sunderbans, is a vast river delta on the northern shore of the Bay of Bengal. Its mangroves and rivers are home to a vast array of plant and animal life, much of it unique to the region.

The government declared areas in the southern Sunderbans to be a dolphin sanctuary in 2011, after research suggested some 6,000 Irrawaddy dolphins lived in the area. l

Khaleda: We will not wait any longer  PAGE 1 COLUMN 6

presence replied “Yes” loudly raising their hands. “Bravo, bravo,” said an impressed Khaleda.

On the government’s sending a joint secretary on forced retirement for “holding a meeting with her,” Khaleda said the government had politicised the administration and that meritorious and brilliant officers were removed from positions based on “false allegations.”

Regarding the arrest of a woman in connection with the Bardhaman blast in West Bengal, the former premier claimed that the arrestee had been in-

nocent. “It was reported [in media] that the woman was hatching conspiracy to kill [Prime Minister Sheikh] Hasina.

“There is no need of it. The more days she is alive, the more hatred she will be inviting...An innocent woman was arrested. It is a stage-managed drama. It is also said [executed JMB chief] Shayakh Abdur Rahman’s wife trained her; then why has Rahman’s wife not been arrested?”

During her speech, Khaleda castigated the prime minister several times on different issues. She alleged that Hasina did not love the country as all of her family members live abroad. She also

BD signs deal with CERN n UNB Bangladesh has moved one major step closer towards the advanced science and technology, particularly in the field of research of quantum and fundamental physics, by signing an ‘International Cooperation Agreement’ with CERN in Geneva.

Bangladesh Ambassador and Permanent Representative in Geneva M Shameem Ahsan signed the instrument of cooperation on behalf of Bangladesh with Director General of CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research) Dr Rolf Heuer on Friday.

The CERN Director General remembered his recent successful visit to Bangladesh and praised the efforts of Bangladesh government for taking the benefits of science and technology to

the doorstep of people.

He assured CERN support in this regard and hoped the teachers, students and researchers of Bangladesh would be immensely benefited from this formal cooperation.

For the countries like Bangladesh, CERN provides a unique opportunity for the much-needed technology transfer, education and training for researchers, scholars, academics and students.

Bangladesh will be greatly benefited from this cooperation with CERN, especially the universities, institutes, organisations, academics, professionals, said a Foreign Ministry media release.

CERN will conduct a high-level short school on advanced particle and quantum physics at the Dhaka University from December 15 to 18. l

First dead dolphin spotted  PAGE 1 COLUMN 4

coastal tides, spread over at least an 80km range of the mangrove forest.

The authorities have two options to remove the oil from the water – by using chemical dispersants or oil-consuming bacteria. But they could not be sure about the environmental impact of the first option and the second had to be imported.

As a result, no effective measures have so far been taken to remove the oil. Instead, local people have been encouraged to manually collect the oil from the water.

Brian D Smith and Rubaiyat Mansur, experts at the Wildlife Conservation Society, said: “Chemical dispersants should not be used without consulting international experts with oil spill ex-

perience in mangrove forests. Dispersants are typically used in oceanic waters to prevent the slick from reaching the shore.”

The immediate toxic effect on terrestrial and aquatic wildlife can lead to death or reduced reproductive fitness.

Long-term effects may pose a risk to the aquatic ecology due to chronic exposure to oil toxins and fouling due to the retention of oil clumps in woody debris and vegetation and oil seeping into sediments through crab holes, they said.

They predict the die-off of small mangrove trees near the waterline in the next few months and larger trees in the next few years or longer especially if trees become re-exposed to oil seeping out of sediments, UNB reported.

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia addressing a 20-party alliance public meeting held at the Kanchpur Balur Math in Narayanganj yesterday MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

The impacts on the larger ecology of the mangrove system as small and large trees die-off, will be soil erosion and excessive sediments deposited into small and large channels.

Potential toxic impacts to local human communities are likely from exposure to oil during clean-up operations or by consuming fish exposed to oil.

“Short-term impacts of the oil spill will be severe as the habitat of the affected areas will be damaged. Animals and fish species will lose their breeding grounds,” former director of Water Resources Planning Organization (WARPO) Engineer Inamul Haque told UNB.

The clean up

The disaster, the fall-out of which has so far proven to be overwhelming, ap-

pears to have shown that the authorities have neither the capacity nor the experience to tackle it.

The Forest Department yesterday engaged 200 day-labourers with 100 boats to scoop the oil from the waters of the river and adjoining canals.

As of yesterday afternoon, Padma Oil Company, the owner of the oil, had collected just 10,000 litres from locals cleaning up the massive oil spill. They are offering the public Tk30 per litre of recovered oil.

Ecology and biodiversity researcher Pavel Partha, who is currently visiting the area, told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday: “Engaging untrained locals in collecting the oil is also likely to turn out to be a boomerang. Along with oil, they are also collecting a lot of mud

questioned the role of the premier’s son as an adviser to the prime minister, for which he takes “more than Tk1.5 crore.”

The BNP chief said the Sundarbans mangrove forest had been destroyed in a planned way. She also questioned why a sand-carrying vessel would transport fuel oil. “It was done in a planned way to destroy the forest and its resources,” she said.

Apparently holding the government responsible for the oil spill incident, Khaleda said: “This regime is not only a man-eater but also Bangladesh-eater.

It wants to gobble up Bangladesh to destroy its existence.”

She alleged that the arrests in Narayanganj seven murders were “mere eyewash” as the masterminds were moving freely. “Why [top RAB official] was Col Zia not arrested? One was sacked for an alleged meeting with me. How does a killer like Zia still remain in the job?”

Khaleda also labelled HM Ershad as a world famous shameless and “pet cat of Hasina.” She said Ershad was threatened with initiating proceedings in the Jamuna Tower and General Monzoor killing cases whenever he warned of resignation.

The BNP chief said the farmers were not getting fair price for their products as the government had imported 0.5m tonnes of rice.

Narayanganj district unit 20-party arranged the rally demanding election under a non-partisan interim government and protesting the incidents of “killing, enforced disappearance, abduction and the government’s repressive acts.”

As the venue of the meeting was just adjacent to Dhaka-Chittagong and Dhaka-Sylhet highways, communication on the roads came to a halt as the party leaders, activists and supporters had occupied the highway. Many passengers were seen walking to their destinations.

At the venue, balloons and posters were seen with portraits of BNP founder Gen Ziaur Rahman, Khaleda, her elder son Tarique Rahman and convicted war criminals of key BNP-ally Jamaat-e-Islami. A large banner on the sensational seven murders also drew attention of the audience.

Narayanganj district unit BNP President Taimur Alam Khandkar chaired the programme.

Khelafat Mojlish Chairman Mohammad Ishak offered a special prayer after Khaleda’s speech. l

from the river banks. This may harm the composition of the soil and end up harming the regeneration of the forest ecosystem.”

The Dhaka Tribune journalists have also noticed many mud-skippers and marine birds such as the maasranga trapped in the furnace oil-contaminated mud.

Zoology Professor Monirul also said: “A large number of dolphins may have migrated from the area by now. They probably suffered breathing problems because the contamination should have significantly lowered the level of dissolved oxygen in the water.”

The route that the sunken tanker was following was off limits to large vessels because it is within the dolphin sanctuary. But because the al-

Martyred Intellectuals Day today  PAGE 1 COLUMN 6

Starting on December 9 and building up murderous intensity by December 14, the occupation army and its local henchmen killed off as many intellectuals as they could.

The remembrance of the martyred intellectuals this year is special, because some of their tormentors and murders have finally been brought to justice.

The local death squads belonged to a group called al-Badr, which operated as an auxiliary of the Pakistan army.

Islami Chhatra Sangha, later called Islami Chhatra Shibir, the student wing of the Jamaat-e-Islami, a party termed a criminal organisation by the International Crimes Tribunal, provided the bulk of al-Badr’s recruits. On the nights of December 13 to 15, masked al-Badr men surveying the roads in microbuses, knocking at the doors of selected intellectuals and picking them up.

In this way, teachers, littérateurs, journalists and professionals were picked up and taken to the Physical Training Institute in Mohammadpur where they were beaten up ruthlessly.

Their eyes were gouged out and their bodies pierced with bayonets, and eventually met their deaths.

After the Pakistani surrender, dumping grounds were discovered at Rayerbazar and at Mirpur, where the bodies of men and women were found dead among the bricks, mud and water, their hands tied and eyes blindfolded.

This year’s observances are different because four of the masterminds behind the systematic killings – Motiur Rahman Nizami, Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujaheed, Chowdhury Mueen-Uddin and Syed Ashrafuzzaman – have been sentenced to death for the crimes by the war crimes tribunals. The verdicts are awaiting execution.

The government and different socio-cultural organisations have chalked out elaborate programmes to observe Martyred Intellectuals Day today.

President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will pay tribute to the martyred intellectuals by placing wreaths at the Martyred Intellectuals Mausoleum at Mirpur in the city at 8:05am and 8:15am respectively.

Afterwards, the Liberation War Affairs minister, freedom fighters, family members of the martyred intellectuals and the public will pay their respects by placing wreaths at the mausoleum. l

lowed route had become unusable due to poor navigability three years ago, these vessels have been plying these waters.

Researchers and environmentalists have long warned of the consequences of poor enforcement of rules and laws.

Voicing concern over the oil tanker crash, UNDP Bangladesh Country Director Pauline Tamesis said the accident highlights the need for a complete ban on the movement of all commercial vessels through the Sundarbans, UNB reported yesterday.

“Global experience shows that this kind of incident has long term environmental consequences and it requires coordinated multi-sectoral efforts to restore the affected areas,” she said. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

3

Sunday, December 14, 2014

Locals at the Joymunir Char putting in a rigorous effort to collect whatever spilled furnace oil they can from the Sela River in the Sundarbans.

Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan called for the clean-up drive by locals for which the Padma Oil is willing to pay DHAKA TRIBUNE

Inu: Government returning to noncommunal secular spirit n Tribune Report The Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina-led coalition government is cleaning up the garbage that has piled up during the regimes of military dictators and communal forces, Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu said yesterday.

He said the people of the country were accustomed to live with military dictatorship, autocracy, communalism.

No one imagined that the razakars and war criminals could ever be tried, punished and executed, the minister said. When these events happened, it came as surprise to the people of the country. They also witness some other abnormal things happening.

Also chief of a faction of Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal, Inu said during this tenure, when people have been asked to stay away from these elements they are surprised.

He was speaking at the inaugural programme of a workshop titled “Government’s Public Relations and Mass Media” at the Bangladesh Press

Ferry service resumed in Padma after 5-hrs n Tribune Report Ferry services on the Shemulia-Kewrakandi route in the Padma River have resumed after five hours of disruption because of dense fog.

Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) Simulia Ghat Assistant Manager Shekhar Chandra Roy said ferry services on the route halted around 3am on Saturday due to poor visibility resulting from dense fog.

He said normalcy returned there around 8:30am.

Seven ferries -- Kalmilata, Karabi, Ramsri, Raipura, Thobal, Lenting and Raniganj -- had been forced to anchor in the middle of the river, causing immense suffering to several hundred passengers.

Hundreds of vehicles with several hundred passengers kept waiting on both sides of the river. l

Institute (PIB).

Addressing as chief guest, the minister termed the ruling government of Hasina a “phase of return” to the non-communal secular spirit which had been present in the original con-

No one imagined that the razakars and war criminals could ever be tried, punished and executed, the minister said. When these events happened, it came as surprise to the people of the country stitution of the country to determine the fundamental character of the newly-born Bangladesh.

“Now we have reinstated secularism in the constitution while communal-

ism has been pushed back.”

Many officers from information cadre service including public relation officers of different ministries and public offices, and senior journalists attended the workshop and exchanged experiences, views and suggestions to enhance the understanding and cooperation between mass media and government’s public relation and communication officials.

PIB Director General Shah Alamgir chaired the inaugural programme and workshop. Editor of the daily Bhorer Kagoj Shaymol Dutta and senior DPIO Mahfuzur Rahman also spoke at the event.

Inu said: “Pet journalists are not journalists at all, like a pet tiger is not a tiger.”

The minister also criticised the role of some media outlets claiming that those were doing yellow journalism by publicising false information and distorted history.

He, however, said some were running reports based on “balancing the-

ory.” “They say ‘these are the bad sides of this leader and these are the bad sides of another leader; so both the leaders are bad.”

He said the information officers of the government were supposed to uphold the spirit of the constitution.

Inu asked them to deal with journalists keeping it in the mind that a tiger must be in the wild; none can adopt a tiger. Similarly, a journalist cannot be a pet journalist; they practice journalism freely.

“It does not matter to a journalist if you [information officer] offer them 10 cups of tea and five sticks of cigarette.

Their head is hard; whatever you feed them they will do their report,” the minister said.

Every government has its political pledges and the information officers should be aware of these, he said. “Information officers will work for the government and the administration.

They are not a private publicity worker of a minister. They have not been appointed to carry a minister’s bag.” l

Nasrul Hamid: Power tariff to be adjusted despite fall in fuel price n UNB State Minister for Power Nasrul Hamid yesterday said the planned upward adjustment in the power tariff will go ahead, despite the fall in energy prices on the international market.

However, he also added that the burden of the coming price hike, longheld to be coming in January, will not fall on the common people, who will get electricity at a very reasonable price.

The junior minister said this while addressing the closing ceremony of the first-ever Electricity Week 2014, including an electricity fair at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in the city, organised by the Power Cell.

With Power Secretary Monoar Islam in the chair, the function was also addressed by parliamentary standing committee on power and energy chairman Tajul Islam and Power Cell director General Mohammad Hossain.

Nasrul Hamid asked the power distribution companies to improve their services through automation and installing pre-paid metre system.

He said the distribution agencies have to achieve the confidence of the customers by satisfying their demand for services.

The minister said development programmes in all the segments of the power sector including generation, transmission and distribution have to be implemented keeping in mind the situation in the developed nations.

‘All our planning should be aligned with the developed nations’ system,’ he added.

Hamid asked the officials to take measures to reach electricity to off grid areas of the county through solar power, an initiative that has already met with success in the country.

The state minister also warned against the spread of the substandard solar panels now being sold in the market. l

13 injured in bomb blast Mozena hopeful of restoring GSP in Jewelry shops for Bangladesh n in Chittagong Tribune Report

n Tarek Mahmud, Chittagong

At least 13 persons were injured in a bomb blast incident in Chittagong city’s Kotwali area last night as some miscreants hurled the crude bombs at two jewelry shops in a bid to loot the jewelry shops.

The splinter injured nine persons were admitted into different wards of Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH).

Their identities, however, could not be assertained till filing this report, said CMCH Police Outpost In-charge Sub-Inspector (SI) Johirul Islam.

Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP) Assistant Commissioner (Kotwali circle) Shah Mohammad Abdur Rouf told the Dhaka Tribune that a group of

miscreants hurled some crude bombs at two jewelery shops – Gini Jewelers and Aprupa Jewelers – located on Hossain Shahid Suhorawardy Road opposite the GPO under Kotwali area around 8:30pm, leaving the people injured.

The miscreants attempted to loot the shops but failed to do so as people from nearby areas resisted them. As police from near Kotwali Police Station rushed to the spot robbers fled the scene.

None could be arrested till filing this report while police are looking into the matter, said the AC adding that the glasses of the two shops and other furniture were damaged due to the blast.

CMP Additional Commissioner (Crime and Operation) Banaz Kumar Majumder along with a special police team also visited the spot. l

Bangladesh may get back the trade privileges in the US market, if it brings some positive changes in the apparel sector as well as progresses in the shrimp sector, said US Ambassador to Bangladesh Dan W Mozena yesterday.

“I hope, as Bangladesh transforms the apparel sector and also makes progress in the shrimp sector that GSP can be restored at some point, because that’s a necessary stepping stone,” he said.

Mozena was speaking at a roundtable discussion titled “America-Bangladesh Relations: Economic and Social Perspective” organised by the Center for NRB, an organisation for non-resident Bangladeshis, in the capital.

The US government has recently suspended Bangladesh from the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) which allows duty-free entry of over

5,000 goods to the US market from least developed countries.

Mozena said: “Bangladeshi-American diaspora play an important role in

‘We hope both the nations will consider their views and try to give them comfort. Not only in the US, but in the other countries as well’ building the most important part of our partnership. The people-to-popel ties strengthen America-Bangladesh relations.”

Speaking on the occasion, Center for NRB Chairperson MS Shekil Chowdhury said: “The Center for NRB is looking into the faces of the American-Ban-

gladeshis living in the US. We must take care of them, give them a better life.

“We hope both the nations will consider their views and try to give them comfort. Not only in the US, but in the other countries as well,” he said.

Economist Dr Mahbub Ali and Young Generation representative Wacef Chowdhury delivered a keynote speech.

Former commerce ministers Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury and GM Kader, former minister Major Hafiz Uddin, former finance and trader adviser to a caretaker government Dr Mirza Azizul Islam, former information commissioner and ambassador Mohammad Jamir, Rupali Bank Chairman Ahmed R Kabir and former foreign secretary CM Shafi Sami, and Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) Research Director Khandakar Golam Moazzem, among others, spoke on the occaion. l

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DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Sunday, December 14, 2014

PM: Poverty to be reduced to 10% within 4 years n Tribune Report Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said the government had reduced the country’s poverty rate to 24.4% in the last six years and would bring it down to 10% within the next four years.

Describing agriculture as a major source of income, Hasina said Bangladesh would become a middle-income country if more agricultural products could be developed, adding that the country would be able to get out of poverty by 2041.

Hasina stressed constant research on agriculture in order to achieve the goal of eradicating hunger and poverty “To improve the country’s agricultural sector, we have increased subsidy for agriculture products ignoring numerous obstacles from donors. The government is also providing incentives and small loans for farmers in order to increase agricultural products,” the prime minister said while addressing the Bangabandh National Agricultural Award ceremony at Osmani Memorial Auditorium in the capital.

“It is the responsibility of the government to make agricultural components available for farmers. It should also confirm fare prices of agricultural products. Otherwise, farmers will become reluctant to increase production,” she said.

Hasina said the government had taken steps to dredge rivers across the country as part of agricultural development plans, and claimed the move would also prove helpful for the people in char areas.

“The government has extended

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina presenting the Bangabandhu National Agriculture Award to a winner at the award giving ceremony held at the capital’s Osmani Memorial Auditorium yesterday BSS technological support at union level, creating employment for rural youths at information centres. Farmers now also get novel ideas that involve technological advancement for agricultural development,” she said.

Hasina, also the chief of the Awami League, said the government was striving to build Bangladesh as a self-reliant country, adding: “Children of farmers now have opportunities to work in village by applying their knowledge, which is a positive sign for the agriculture sector.”

The premier emphasised the use of environment-friendly organic fertilisers while suggesting that farmers should reduce the use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides in the croplands for tackling insects that cause harm to crops. “The excessive use of pesticides not only reduces land fertility but also causes harm to local species of fish in wetlands.”

Hasina also emphasised the use of balanced fertiliser to reduce the dependence on urea fertiliser.

“I think we will have to increase the

use of DAP (Di-Ammonium Phosphate) and MOP (Muriate of Potash) fertilisers and gradually reduce the use of urea fertiliser,” she said, adding that DAP fertiliser has both urea and phosphate in it.

To reduce the waste of water, Hasina urged farmers to use pipes while irrigating croplands in addition to using solar-based irrigation pumps, arguing that this will reduce dependence on traditional electricity-run pumps.

“Farmers should also be careful about misuse of water at the time of irrigation. This will help save electricity

and will also bring down costs of products,” she said.

Hasina stressed constant research on agriculture in order to achieve the goal of eradicating hunger and poverty.

She also called on agricultural scientists to extend their support for introducing new crop varieties.

The premier asked farmers to utilise every inch of their lands to produce food for the huge population as farmlands are shrinking for a range of reasons, including construction of new houses, mills, factories and riverbank erosion.

Terming the government a farmer-friendly one, Hasina said it had provided about Tk43,266 crore to farmers in the last six years in terms of seeds, fertilisers, irrigation facility, fuel, and other agricultural inputs.

“The country thus achieved self-sufficiency in food while the production cost has come down, improving the lifestyle of people.

“As a result of various farmer-friendly steps taken by the government, the country’s food production has risen to 3.83 crore metric tonnes last year from 2.79 crore metric tonnes in 2006-2007.

For the first time, coarse rice is being exported to Sri Lanka apart from the export of aromatic rice,” she said.

Hasina said the government along with building up a food reserve for contingency is working to ensure balanced food with proper nutrition for all.

This year a total of 30 individuals and organisations won the Bangabandh National Agricultural Award, including five gold, eight silver and 17 bronze medals for outstanding contribution to the field of agriculture.

The prime minister handed over the awards at the programme while Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury, Fisheries and Livestock Minister Muhammed Sayedul Hoque and several others were present. l

30 individuals, organisations receive Bangabandhu Agri Award n UNB Thirty individuals and organisations yesterday received the Bangabandhu National Agriculture Award 1419, the highest state recognition for the contribution to the development of the country’s agricultural sector.

Among the awardees, five individuals and organisations received gold medals, Tk 25,000 and a certificate each, while eight individuals and organisations received silver medals, Tk 15,000 and a certificate each and 17 individuals and organisations bronze medals along with Tk 7,500 and a certificate each.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina distributed the medals, cash and certificates among the winners at a function held at the city’s Osmani Memorial Auditorium.

The gold medal recipients are Maching Nu Marma of Bandarban, Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture (BINA), Shamsuddin Kalu of Langolkot, Saidunnesa of Kishoreganj and Germplasm Centre of Bangladesh Agricultural University.

The silver medal recipients are: Maj Gen Salauddin Miazee (GOC of Rangpur), Marjina Begum of Jhenidah, Dr M Anwar Hossain of Dinajpur, Abu Hanif Moral of Khulna, Chittagong Meridian Agro Limited of Chittagong, Alhaj Selim Reza of Natore, Mozammel Huq of Chittagong and Abdul Gafur of Gaibandha.

Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury and Fisheries and Livestock Minister Md Sayedul Haq were also present at the function held with Agriculture Secretary Dr SM Nazmul Islam in the chair. l

IGP seeks assistance of ex-police officials

Shirin Sharmin: Taking refuge in the law can ensure human rights

n Tribune Report

n Tribune Report

Inspector General of Police Hassan Mahmood Khandkder yesterday urged the retired police officials to spontaneously give suggestions and assist the force with a view to developing policing of the “serviceoriented organisation.”

“Nowadays many meritorious youths are joining the force. The assistance of retired and senior officials is needed to make them well-educated and responsible towards the job,” he said while addressing the 32-general meeting of Retired Police Officers’ Welfare Association held at Rajarbagh Police Auditorium in the city.

“Police members are discharging their

duties sincerely to ensure public safety and welfare of the country. We are determined to maintain law and order in the future too,” the police chief said mentioning that 17 patriot policemen had died last year while containing anti-state activities perpetrated by the Jamaat-Shibir men following war crimes trial verdicts.

Later he conferred “SM Ahsanullah Awards” on SI Mihir Kumar Paul, SI Md Nurunnabi and SI Md Mizanur Rahman for their contributions in community policing while “Prof Anamika Huq Lili and Dr Enamul Huq Award” on Inspector Afroza Akhter.

Association President Dr M Enamul Huq moderated the event when the IGP also presented crests among the most senior members. l

Members of Hindu Oikkya Jote form a human chain in front of the National Press Club yesterday demanding arrest of goons who grabbed properties of some Hindu families in Brahmanbaria’s Kashba upazila MEHEDI HASAN

Jatiya Sangsad Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury said the country’s people should take refuge in the law to secure their human rights.

She, however, admitted that the people face various obstacles in taking the refuge in the country.

Shirin Sharmin was speaking as the chief guest at a programme titled “Recognition to Grassroots Human Rights Activists” in the capital yesterday.

Marking the International Human Rights Day 2014, Manusher Jonno Foundation, a non-government organisation working for promoting the human rights, organised the programme at the Bangla Academy.

Shirin Sharmin said due to lack eduction and financial supports, and social-political pressures people often do not seek the refuge in the law.

“There are lots of work to be done to establish human rights in the country” she said.

Although, the country’s some 20% people are living under poverty line, it is going forward due to patriotism and hard works of the people, the JS speaker added. Speaking on the occasion, Sarah Cooke, country representative of The Department for International Development (DFID) in Bangladesh, said: “Poverty and discrimination are challenges for Bangladesh to ensure human rights, while discrimination is occurred in occupation, ethnicity, gender and disability.”

Nine robbers held in Habiganj n Our Correspondent, Habiganj

Regent Airway’s Travel Partners Meet held in Bangkok

Police on Friday night detained nine robbers along with local weapons in different parts of the district.

The nine are Kudrat Ali, Shamim Mia, Jewel Mia, Bahar Mia, Arju Mia, Saiful Mia, Riaz Mia, Kawsar Mia and Reshan Mia. Addressing a press briefing at his office yesterda noon, Habiganj Police Super Joydev Kumar Bhadra said police carried out a drive in the wake of increased robbery in the district recently.

He said robbers take advantage of the dense fog to commit crimes by dodging police. l

Correspondent, n Our Chittagong

Student leader killed in road accident n Tribune Report

A student leader was killed and another injured in a road accident in Ramgopalpur area on the Mymensingh-Kishoreganj Road under Gouripur upazila in Mymensingh district yesterday.

The victim Iftekhar Alam Khan Rupon, 25 was convener of Iswarganj upazila unit of Jatiya Chhatra Samaj, the student wing of Jatiya Party. Atiqur Rahman Sujon 24, convener of Iswarganj Municipal unit of Chhatra Samaj sustained injuries in the accident, reports BSS. The accident took place when a bus collided head-on with a motor cycle coming from opposite direction on way to Mymensingh town. Rupon was killed on the spot and Sujon was critically injured at about 10am, said Mohammad Ali Sheikh, officer-in- charge of Gouripur police station.

On information, police went to the spot and recovered the body. The body was handed over to victim’s family members. l

Regent Airways organised a “Travel Partners Meet” in Thailand on Monday to celebrate its fourth founding anniversary.

Regent Airways Managing Director Mashruf Habib was present as the chief guest while the Chief Advisor Sam Kalathra Issac and Head of Sales Erfhan Haque were present among others.

As a private company, Regent Airways wants to take the aviation industry of the country ahead, said the managing director.

He said currently Regent Airways runs on five international routes.

“No other private Bangladeshi company except Regent Airways could continue flights in Bangkok, however, for that we had to encounter many challenges. Initially it was difficult.

In some instances, we even took off with only 20 passengers,” he said.

The flights from Bangladesh to Bangkok are operated three days a week, from Dhaka and Chittagong.

Regent Airways launched the flight on the Chittagong-Bangkok-Chittagong route in April this year. l

So, the Bangladesh government should put emphasis on improving education, good governance, legal system and economic opportunities of the people, she said.

National Human Rights Commission chairman Dr Mizanur Rahman said: “The government should not be blamed only, the people should also take responsibilities to promote human rights in the country.”

Some 10 human rights activists were honored with the Human Rights Award 2014 for their outstanding contributions in promoting human rights in the country’s remote areas.

The awardees are Shafiqullah from Subarnachar of Noakhali; Jharna Roy from Collegepara of Khagrachhari; Ka-

sim Uddin from Dhanbari of Tangail; Madhabilata Chakma from Khagrachhari; Kananbala Gupta from Narail; Umme Kulsum Ranjana from Shibganj of Bogra; Birendra Sangma from Mymensing; Kalpana Tirki from Rajshahi; Rahena from Dinajpur and Namita Chakma from Khagrachhari.

Jharnadhara Chowdhury, chief of Gandi Asram Trust in Noakhali, and Anjela Gomez, chief of Banchte Shekha, a non-goverment organisation, and Joti of Bangladesh female football team were also awarded for their contributions in the international arena.

With Barrister Manjur Hasan in the chair, Shaheen Anam, executive director of Manusher Jonno Foundation, also spoke on the occasion. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

DU campus turns unsafe for female students Girls fear being on the campus especially in the evening and beyond n DU Correspondent Female students of Dhaka University say they feel insecure on the campus amid the rising number of harassment cases in the recent time.

They say male students of the university, especially the freshers, harass them, an allegation which has been raised by female outsiders as well.

In the last six months, a number of female students complained to the university proctor and police about harassment they had faced but nothing has been done to stop such acts.

Girls fear being on the campus especially in the evening and beyond as harassment frequently occurs during that period.

Two third-year female students of international business and philosophy were harassed in mid-November by some resident students of Salimullah Muslim Hall while they were sitting

with one of their male friends at Fuller Road area.

Shulob Chakma, the male friend and also a third-year student of law, said the boys hurled a stone at one of the girls before coming up and saying that they were very interested in talking to and befriending her.

Shulob told the boys that they all are students of the university, but still were treated inappropriately. The boys also forced them to leave the place.

The two girls, who requested anonymity, expressed deep concern while talking to the Dhaka Tribune and said they were shocked at the misconduct of Dhaka University students.

“Where will we go if we are not safe even on our university campus?” one of them said.

On November 5, four students of Shahidullah Hall beat up Imtiaz Alam Beg, principal of Beg Art Institute of Photography, and tore the clothes of

his two nieces, who were with him on the campus.

Imtiaz, who had to get six stitches in his head, said he was chatting with his nieces by the pond near Shahidullah Hall when the assailants approached them and asked them if they were students of the university.

“When we replied no, they attacked us. Many resident students stood nearby and silently watched as we were assaulted. Nobody came to help,” he said.

One of Imtiaz’s nieces was Saba Ahmed, who studied at the Institute of Business Administration of the university and now lives in Canada. She said she would never forget what happened on the day.

“I never thought I would be assaulted by junior students of the university I had studied at,” she added.

The victims filed a case with Shahbagh police station but no arrest has yet been made.

Besides, a probe team headed by the house tutor of Shahidullah Hall was formed after the incident. The team submitted its report after nearly two weeks but no action was taken based on it. The report was not made public either.

During the countrywide blackout on November 1, many female students claimed to have been physically assaulted by male students on the campus in the evening.

Shuma, a third-year student of sociology, told the Dhaka Tribune one of her cousins, a banker by profession, came to the campus to give her some necessary stuff.

“In the evening, we two were headed to the Business faculty but some students in front of the Arts building hurled abuse at us. The words they used beggar description,” she added.

Acting proctor of the university Amzad Ali said the authorities are very

concerned about the security of female students, admitting that the girls are harassed frequently.

“We will direct police to maintain constant vigilance on the campus so that none could engage in such acts or get away with these,” he said, adding that any unbecoming behaviour aimed at harassing someone would be seriously dealt with.

Officer-in-Charge of Shahbagh police station Shirajul Islam told the Dhaka Tribune it becomes difficult to initiate legal proceedings against students of the university because the authorities of the educational institution do not cooperate as expected.

“We investigate crimes committed by the students if we fail to catch them red-handed. But it is the university authorities who do not assist us in the course of our duty, making it difficult for police to get to the end of a particular incident,” he added. l

CU’s decision to allow only BKSP graduates under player quota protested

n CU Correspondent

Around 100 aspirants who had appeared in the written test for admission to the Chittagong University under “player quota,” were barred from taking the physical test, the second stage of the admission test, yesterday.

After arriving at the CU playground yesterday morning, the aspirants came to know that only Bangladesh Krira Shikha Protistan (BKSP) certificate holders were being allowed to take the test for the 2014-15 academic sessions.

Prof Imran Hossain, president of CU player quota sub-committee, said according to CU admission committee’s decision, from this year, only the aspirants who have passed their HSC examinations under the BKSP will be allowed to take the admission test under the player quota. The player quota of the university secures 55 seats.

Calling to cancel the decision, the deprived aspirants formed a human chain in front of the university’s administration building in the afternoon.

They also submitted a memorandum to CU VC Prof Anwarul Azim Arif to allow them to take the physical test which they were denied.

Only nine players with BKSP certificates were allowed to take the physical test while rest of the aspirants were standing nearby, said the protestors.

However, Akbar Hossain, deputy registrar of CU and member secretary of the CU admission committee, claimed that the clause of allowing only BKSP certificate holders under player quota was clearly mentioned in the university’s prospectus.

Acting director of CU Department of Physical Education Moazzem Hossain said: “The department took the field test with nine aspirants while the viva voce is scheduled to be held on December 15.”

“This decision of allowing only BKSP graduates has been introduced in CU for the first time,” he added. l

WEATHER

CLOUDY SUNDAY, DECEMBER 14 DHAKA TODAY TOMORROW SUN SETS 5:14PM SUN RISES 6:33AM FORECAST FOR TODAY 27 29 25 25 27 28 28 29

Dhaka Chittagong Rajshahi Rangpur Khulna Barisal Sylhet Cox’s Bazar

18 18 15 15 15 18 17 20

YESTERDAY’S HIGH AND LOW

29.7ºC Teknaf

11.4ºC Jessore

Source: Accuweather/UNB

PRAYER TIMES Fajr Sunrise Zohr Asr Magrib Esha

5:12am 6:31am 11:53am 3:37pm 5:13pm 6:33 pm SourceL IslamicFinder.org

5

Sunday, December 14, 2014

Man rescued 10 hours into abduction in Chittagong n Our Correspondent, Chittagong Within around 10 hours into abduction, police rescued a driver from the New Mooring area of Chittagong during the early hours yesterday.

Md Faruque, 26, hailing from Patiya upazila, was abducted by four miscreants from Bandartila area of the port city on Friday afternoon.

The abductors kept him confined inside a house in the New Mooring area, said EPZ police station Officer-inCharge (OC) Abul Mansur.

Police held four abductors – Emran, Mizan, Babul and Mohiuddin – in this connection while two more abductors fled the scene.

They had demanded Tk7 lakh ransom from Faruque’s family over phone, said the OC. Soon after receiving the call, the victim’s family members contacted police around 11pm. In the drive conducted around 2am on Saturday, police rescued Faruque and arrested the four.

During primary investigation, the abductors claimed that Faruque had owed them Tk7 lakh, however, they failed to provide any document to support their claim, OC Abul Mansur said.

A case was lodged with EPZ police station in this connection. l

7 Jamaat-Shibir men held over violence in Gaibandha n UNB

Musician brothers Ritu Raj (left) and Prithwi Raj (right on the piano) recording the national anthem for a music video to be aired on different TV channels and social media on the National Victory Day. The photo was taken from the Panam City of Sonargaon yesterday SYED LATIF HOSSAIN

Police in a special drive arrested seven leaders and activists of Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir in Palashbari upazila yesterday morning over Thursday’s violence.

Majibur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Palashbari police station, said a group of leaders and activists of Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir, brought out a procession on the Dhaka-Rangpur highway on Thursday.

The Jamaat-Shibir men swooped on a team of police as the law enforcers obstructed their procession, triggering a clash.

At one stage, they snatched away two Chinese rifles and one shotgun from police and smashed those.

Police arrested 14 leaders and activists on the same day. A case was filed in this connection. l

Teachers observe work abstention, threaten tougher movement

Non-government teachers demand inclusion in national pay scale

n RU Correspondent

n Our Correspondent, Barisal

PROFESSOR SHAFIUL MURDER

Rajshahi University (RU) teachers observed a two-hour work abstention yesterday and threatened to carry out a tougher movement to demand the punishment of the killers of Prof AKM Shafiul Islam Lilon.

The sociology teacher was hacked to death on November 15 on his way home from campus.

No class was held from 10am to 12pm because of the abstention but pre-scheduled examinations were held, RU Teachers’ Association General Secretary Prof Pranab Kumer Panday confirmed.

The teachers decided to enforce the

two-hour work abstention because no headway had been made in the police investigation into the brutal killing, Panday said.

He said the police had neither brought the perpetrators to trial nor publicised the progress of their investigation.

“We will go for a tougher movement if the killers are not arrested and brought to justice soon,” Panday yesterday told the Dhaka Tribune.

On November 15, unidentified assailants hacked Shafiul with machetes at the entrance to Bihas, a university housing society, in the Chauddapai area close to the campus at about 3pm.

He was later declared dead at Rajshahi

Medical College Hospital.

A day after the murder, university registrar Prof Entajul Haque filed a murder case against unidentified attackers with Motihar police station.

Police have arrested 17 suspects in the case.

Rajshahi Metropolitan Police spokesman Iftekhayer Alam, who is also assistant commissioner of the Detective Branch of police, told the Dhaka Tribune that they were analysing the information provided by the detainees.

The investigating officer of the case, Motihar police station Officer-inCharge Alamgir Hossain, said police were gathering evidence and collecting statements from witnesses. l

Teachers and employees of non-government educational institutions organised a rally in Barisal yesterday afternoon, demanding inclusion in the national pay scale and job nationalisation.

The rally in front of Ashwini Kumar Hall was held after a procession organised

by Jatiya Shikkhak Karmachari Front, Barisal unit, marched the city roads. It was addressed by Zia Shahin, Gouranga Kundu, Sultanul Arefin, Aminur Rahman Khokan, Mujibor Rahman, and Mohsin-ul-Islam Habul, leaders of JSKF. Speakers at the rally said the government had yet not declared an inclusion of teachers and employees of non-govern-

ment educational institutions in the new pay-scale, nor did the government declare a separate pay-commission for them.

Leaders of JSKF also criticised the discriminatory role of the present government about non-government teachers and employees. They said education would never be standardised until the discrimination between government and non-government educational institutions were removed.

Apart from the new pay scale demand, their other demands included quick implementation of the National Education Policy 2010, increase of house rent, medical and festival allowances and annual increment for the teachers and employees. l

2-day Buddhist Youth Festival 2014 begins on December 18 n Tarek Mahmud, Chittagong The two-day-long Buddhist Youth Festival of this year is set to begin in Chittagong city’s Muslim Hall with full enthusiasm and colourful arrangements on December 18.

Junior Land Minister Saifujjaman Chowdhury Javed is scheduled to inaugurate the festival organised by Buddhist Youth Festival Group (BYFG).

Chittagong Development Authority Chairman Abdus Salam, private TV channel ATN Bangla Chairman Dr Mahfujur Rahman, Cambrian Education Chairman Lion MK Bashar, Khagrachhari Government College’s former Principal Dr Sudin Kumar Chakma and mountaineer Wasfia Nazreen would be present at the inauguration programme as special guests.

On the final day of the festival, Chittagong Hill Tract Affairs’ State Minis-

ter Bir Bahadur Ushwe Sing and Chittagong University VC Dr Anwarul Azim Arif, are scheduled to be present at the programme, among others.

Ahead of the festival, the organisers told these at a press conference held at a restaurant in the port city around 1:30pm where BYFG Chairman Avijit Barua, its Member Secretary Sajib Chowdhury Gunjon and Well Group Managing Director Syed Sirajul Islam were present, among others.

The delegates would participate in seminars and discussions as well as share their experience behind their success while a colourful cultural programme would also be staged to entertain around 1,000 youths and other guests.

Ispahani Limited is the title sponsor of the festival while Omicon Group, Well Group, Cambrian College and Northern University are co-sponsors. l

Almost incapacitated in cold a homeless family sitting on the ground inside the capital’s Suhrawardy Udyan yesterday. With the arrival of winter, distress of people living on the streets reaches a greater degree every year MEHEDI HASAN

6

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Nation

Sunday, December 14, 2014

Gorai river erosion takes a serious turn n Mazharul Hoque Lipu, Magura Erosion by the Gorai river has taken a serious turn in the last one month, rendering 10 families homeless and devouring 200 acres of agricultural land at three villages in Sreepur upazilla of Magura.

The badly affected villages are Mazhail, Razdharpur and Kalinagar under Nakol union in the upazila.

The villagers said over 200 trees have also been damaged due to the erosion.

During a recent visit to the areas, the Dhaka Tribune found that over 500 acre agricultural lands are at risk of going under the water.

If necessary steps are not taken immediately, the Kamrkhali Bridge on Dhaka–Khulna highway may also be damaged soon, cutting the road link between the country’s south western region and the capital.

Talking to the Dhaka Tribune, many

villagers alleged that illegal lifting of sands from the river is one of the main reason of the erosion.

An influential group has been lifting sands from the river for a long time. But the authorities concerned are not taking any measure to stop the activity for unknown reason, said Golam Moula, a resident of Razdharpur village.

Shahajan Mia, chairman of Nakol union, said: “We have informed matter to the a deputy commissioner of Magura and executive engineer of water development board.”

Stopping the illegal sand lifting and building an embankment around the river is a must to save the people from the erosion.

Magura Water Development Board Executive Engineer Gourpodo Shutradhar said: “We have visited the erosion prone areas.”

“But we are unable to take any step as we do not have adequate fund to do so.” l

The mild cold wave continues to sweep the country’s northern districts affecting normal life and causing miseries to the common people. A farmer is seen to go to the field amidst the cold. The picture was taken yesterday from a field in Puthia upazila of Rajshahi district DHAKA TRIBUNE

Killed minority leader’s family questions Two ‘muggers’ lynched in Khulna police role in arresting culprits n Our Correspondent, Magura Family members of killed minority leader Pankaj Kumar Bashu yesterday alleged that they were being threatened by the killers almost everyday, leaving them in a state of insecurity.

The allegation was expressed in a press conference organised by the family of the leader at Magura Press Club.

According to Pankaj’s wife Shondha Rani Biswas, her husband was killed on September 12 in Narayanpur village under Mohammadpur upazila of Magura. On September 14, Pankaj’s

brother Ashok Bashu filed a case in this connection with Mohammadpur police station, accusing 17 individuals.

Pankaj Kumar was an executive member of Hindu Buddha Christian Oikkya Parishad of the upazila unit.

The family members alleged that police were playing mysterious role in arresting the culprits. They said police arrested only two people in this connection till now. They alleged that five of the accused who were granted bail

by High Court, including the prime accused Daud Hossain, were threatening them to withdraw the case and con-

ducting attacks on their house every now and then.

The family said though the police were informed but they remained silent on the issue. Pankaj’s wife Shandha Bashu and son Prodip Bashu addressed the press conference and demanded the arrest of the accused and their security.

When contacted, Mohammadpur police station Officer-in-Charge Motiar Rahman denied the allegations and said: “We have already arrested two of the accused while five were on bail. We are trying to arrest the culprits.” l

n

Tribune Report

At least two suspected muggers were beaten to death and two others injured in a mob-lynch attack during snatching in Mokampur area of Terokhada upazila yesterday.

One of the deceased was identified as Saku, 38, son of Abdul Zalil, of Siromoni area of the upazila while identity of another could not be known, reports UNB Police said a gang of muggers riding on two motorcycles snatched Tk 2 lakh 10000 from a local businessman Ashok Karmakar around 9am in front of Palli

Bidyut office of Abdul intersection.

When the local people chased the muggers the opened fire towards them, leaving Alamgir Hossain, a village doctor, injured with bullet.

Later, four members of the gang were captured by the villagers while the rest managed to flee.

The angry mob beat them mercilessly, leaving them critically injured.

On information, police rushed to spot and rescued the injured muggers.

They were taken to Khulna Medical College Hospital where two of them succumbed to injuries. l

Rally demands action against antisocial acts

n Our Correspondent, Thakurgaon

The local unit of Bangladesh Nari Mukti Kendra in Thakurgaon yesterday demanded steps to stop vulgar dance, gambling and use of illegal drugs in district fairs. They held a rally and formed a human chain in front of Samabai market to highlight their demand. Local leaders of the organisation, including Bizli Debi Nath, Munni and Bhabatosh Roy, addressed the rally.

They claimed district fairs, which are part of the local tradition, have become synonymous with gambling, drugs and sex trade. Complaining that the local authorities keep turning a blind eye to such problems, protesters demanded effective steps against these be taken immediately. l

One held for derogatory remarks about Bangabandhu n Our Correspondent, Gopalganj A farmer was held for making derogatory remarks about Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in Gopalganj, the birthplace of the father of the nation.

Around 8:30pm yesterday, the arrested farmer Md Sohrab Hossain Khan, 55, engaged in a heated argument over the current activities of the Awami League government with another local of Boroibhita village under Kotalipara police

NEWS IN BRIEF Seven Jamaat men held over violence

Freedom fighters in Gaibandha form a human chain in front of the press club in the district yesterday demanding the martyrs be buried with state honour who were killed by Pakistani army and Razakars in 1971 DHAKA TRIBUNE

Police in a special drive arrested seven leaders and activists of Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir in Palashbari upazila yesterday over Thursday’s violence. Majibur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Palashbari police station, said a group of leaders and activists of Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir, brought out a procession on the Dhaka-Rangpur highway on Thursday. The Jamaat-Shibir men swooped on a team of police as the law enforcers obstructed their procession, triggering a clash. At one stage, they snatched away two Chinese rifles and one shotgun from police and smashed those. –Our Correspondent, Gaibandaha

Trawler capsizes A trawler capsized as ferry hit it at Louhajang turning point in Padma River yesterday Sirajul Haque, Shimulia ghat manager of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC), said a Jajira-bound stone-laden trawler of Monayem Company sank in the river after being hit by Kewrakandi-bound ferry ‘Thobal’ in the morning. However, workers on the trawler might have managed to swim ashore, said Yenus Ali, sub-inspector of Mawa Navy police camp. –Our Correspondent, Munshiganj

Section 144 imposed The local administration yesterday imposed section 144 in Ashuganj upazila as two rival groups called separate programmes at the same venue and time. The restriction remained in force from 6am to 12am. Jafar, officer-in-charge of Ashuganj police station, said Shafiullah Mia, convener of the new committee of Ashuganj upazila unit Awami League, called a meeting in front of the party’s upazila office around 11am. In another incident, Hanif Munshi, former general secretary of the recently abolished committee of the unit, called a separate meeting to be held at the same venue simultaneously. Apprehending trouble, the local administration imposed the restriction to maintain the law and order. –Our Correspondent, Brahmanbaria

Schoolteacher hacked to death by stepson A schoolteacher was hacked to death allegedly by her drug addict stepson in Kashiani upazila headquarters on Friday night. The deceased was identified as Shipra Rani Das, 35, wife of Manoj Kumar Mandal. Manir Hossain, officer-in-charge of Kashiani Police Station, said Shipra had an altercation with her drug addict stepson Badhan, a class X student of Asha Alo Kindergarten School, as he demanded some money from her in the afternoon. As she refused to give him the money, Badhan stabbed Shipra with a sharp weapon indiscriminately, leaving her critically injured. She was rushed to Faridpur Medical College Hospital and then died on way to Dhaka around 11pm. –Our Correspondent, Gopalganj

station in the district.

At one point, he started using abusive and insulting language to refer to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, according to locals.

Kotalipara police station Officer-

in-Charge Md Abdul Latif said Sohrab, son of late Rustom Ali Khan of the village, was held from his house following complaints made by locals around 10pm.

No case was filed in this connection so far. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

World

7

Sunday, December 14, 2014

18 killed in Indonesia landslide, 90 missing n AP, Banjarnegara A mudslide set off by torrential rains rushed down hills into a village in central Indonesia and swept away scores of homes, killing at least 18 people and leaving 90 others missing, officials said yesterday.

About 105 houses were swept away by the landslide late Friday in Jemblung village in Central Java province’s Banjarnegara district, said Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, a spokesman for the National Disaster Mitigation Agency.

Hundreds of rescuers, including soldiers, police and residents, dug through the debris Saturday with their bare hands, shovels and hoes, while others used bamboo to carry black body bags containing corpses. About 420 residents were evacuated to temporary shelters.

Crying relatives watched in horror as residents and rescuers pulled out mud-caked bodies from the village, while distraught women screamed at a hospital, MetroTV video showed.

Nugroho said some rescuers heard what sounded like calls for help coming from the debris, but that a lack of equipment had prevented them reaching possible victims. “Mud, rugged terrain and bad weather hampered our rescue efforts,” Nugroho said.

Tractors and bulldozers were later brought in to help with the rescue effort.

Eighteen bodies were pulled from

Thailand princess relinquishes her royal title n AP, Bangkok The wife of Thailand’s crown prince has relinquished her royal title, culminating a downfall that means she is no longer in line to become the Southeast Asian country’s next queen.

While the reason for Princess Srirasm’s decision wasn’t clear, it follows revelations last month that several members of her family were detained in a high-profile corruption scandal.

A brief statement from the palace’s Royal Gazette that was made public late Friday said Srirasm, the third wife of Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn, had asked permission to give up her royal status.

The statement gave no reason for the move, but said 87-year-old King Bhumibol Adulyadej had approved the request.

Thailand’s strict lese majeste laws, which carry a penalty of up to 15 years in prison for anyone accused of defaming the monarchy, essentially prevent local and international media based in the country from reporting freely on the subject. l

the mud and the wreckage of crumpled homes, and rescuers were struggling to search for 90 people still missing, said Sutedjo Slamet Utomo, the district chief of Barnjarnegara, located about 460 kilometers (285 miles) east of the capital, Jakarta. Eleven badly injured villagers were being hospitalised.

Residents in Jemblung village described how they were horrified by the mound of red soil that suddenly cascaded down hills and hit houses.

“It was like a nightmare. ... We suddenly heard a terrible roar and we were immediately fleeing from the rain of red soil,” said Wahono, a resident who survived with his four family members. “Many failed and they were buried in the ground.”

Wahono, who like many Indonesians uses only one name, said he heard people screaming and pleading for help in the heavy rain and dark. But he said he was unable to do anything other than run with his family to safety.

The landslide was the second in several days on densely populated Java island. Mud and rocks hit Central Java’s Wonosobo district on Thursday, killing at least one villager.

Seasonal rains and high tides in recent days have caused dozens of landslides and widespread flooding across much of Indonesia, a chain of 17,000 islands where millions of people live in mountainous areas. l

Villagers use shovels to remove mud from the main road at Pasuruhan village in Wonosobo on Friday. Heavy rain caused a landslide early Friday in Pasuruhan village, with a citizen killed when a 50-meter high cliff hit the road REUTERS

ISIL fighters gain ground in Iraq’s Anbar Dozens killed in n Agencies

Fighters from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) have mounted two suicide car-bomb attacks aimed at security checkpoints at the main entrance into Haditha city.

Haditha, in Iraq’s western Anbar province, is currently mostly under the control of the government, with troops and tribesmen holding about 70% of the city.

ISIL, however, is in control of areas that are in the direction of the border with Syria.

Saturday’s attacks left at least 12 people dead and 17 more injured, medical sources told Al Jazeera.

Nine policemen and three civilians

were among the dead, the sources said.

ISIL fighters also shot down an Iraqi military helicopter yesterday, officials said, killing the two pilots on board and raising fresh concerns about the group’s ability to attack the US-led coalition’s aircraft.

The attack happened near the city of Samarra, about 95km north of Baghdad, the Associated Press news agency said.

A senior Iraqi Defence Ministry official told AP tha ISIL fighters used a shoulder-fired rocket launcher to shoot down the EC635 helicopter on the outskirts of Samarra.

Earlier, ISIL took control of a different area of Anbar province. Al Jazeera’s Jane Arraf, reporting from Baghdad, said fighters seized the village of al-

Jabha just after Friday midnight. The village is about 12km west of Ramadi.

She said ISIL immediately sent out messages from loudspeakers in the mosques telling residents that if they did not fight back, they would be safe.

“ISIL made clear that they are fighting to regain the corridor between tribes that have turned against ISIL and the military command operation centre in Ramadi,” our correspondent said.

“There was fierce fighting across Anbar. ISIL has taken over more than a dozen villages in the past few days.

Residents there say its clear ISIL is making gains there, prompting desperate calls, including from the provisional council head, for foreign troops to come and help them.” l

The Afghan Taliban killed a Supreme Court official, a group of mine clearers and two foreign soldiers but also suffered heavy losses as violence intensifies in the run-up to the withdrawal of most international troops in the next two weeks.

The Afghan army said it had killed more than fifty insurgents in the past 48 hours. On Saturday, Taliban gunmen on motorbikes killed a dozen workers deactivating land mines near the former British base of Camp Bastion. In

n Reuters

Eric Garner Jr, son of chokehold victim Eric Garner, stands amongst attendees at a news conference where members of Justice League NYC presented a list of demands, at City Hall in New York REUTERS

Thousands of demonstrators were expected in Washington and New York yesterday to protest the killings of unarmed black men by US police and to urge Congress to protect citizens.

Organisers said the protests would be among the largest over police tactics and the killings of black males by officers in New York, Cleveland and Ferguson, Missouri. The lack of criminal charges from grand juries in the New York and Ferguson cases have galvanised protests around the United States.

“We need more than just talk; we need legislative action that will shift things both on the books and in the streets,” civil rights leader the Rev. Al Sharpton, whose National Action Alliance is heading the Washington protest, said in a statement.

Sharpton said Congress needed to

Air strikes, clashes near US sends mixed message two Libyan oil ports to Myanmar military

Russia says will react if US imposes n Reuters new sanctions Forces loyal to Libya’s recognised government conducted air strikes on Reuters n targets yesterday near the eastern oil Russia will take counter measures if Washington imposes new sanctions on Moscow over the Ukraine crisis, Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said yesterday.

The US Congress has readied new sanctions on Russian weapons companies and investors in the country’s high-tech oil projects, but US President Barack Obama has yet to sign a corresponding bill into law.

“We will not be able to leave that without an answer,” Russia’s Interfax news agency quoted Ryabkov as saying. Relations between Russia and the United States are at their lowest since the Cold War because of Russia’s annexation of Crimea from Ukraine. l

n Reuters

Kabul, more gunmen shot dead senior Supreme Court official Atiqullah Raoufi.

“As Atiqullah Raoufi was leaving his house, gunmen opened fire and shot him dead,” Hashmat Stanekzai, a spokesman for Kabul’s police chief, told Reuters, adding that no one had been detained.

The Taliban, ousted from power

by US-backed Afghan forces in 2001, claimed responsibility, but did not say why it had killed him. The hardline Islamist insurgents run their own courts in parts of the country and consider the official judiciary to be corrupt. l

Thousands of protesters expected in Washington, NYC over police killings

At least 12 killed in central China highway wreck n AP, Beijing At least 12 people were killed and three badly injured Saturday in a six-car pileup on a major north-south highway in a southern China province.

The accident occurred shortly after 2 a.m. near the city of Heyuan, the Guangdong provincial government said in a statement posted to its microblog. No other details were given, although photos from the scene showed a charred flat-bed truck loaded with steel coils and other burned-out vehicles that were apparently involved in the crash.

The World Health Organisation says China has the second-most annual traffic fatalities after India, with more than 96,000 reported in 2010, the last year for which figures were available.

The US had more than 42,000, while Britain had fewer than 3,300. l

Afghanistan fighting

ports of Ras Lanuf and Es-Sider to stop an advance by a rival force toward the facilities, officials said.

The oil ports, two of Libya’s biggest, accounting for more than 300,000 barrels a day of exports, were working normally, an oil official said.

The North African country is caught in a conflict between two competing governments, parliaments and chiefs of staff, allied to armed factions, part of turmoil three years after the ouster of Muammar Gaddafi.

Saqer al-Joroushi, an air force commander allied to Prime Minister Abdullah al-Thinni, said his aircraft had attacked positions near Sirte, a costal city in central Libya.

He said a rival force from Misrata, a coastal city west of Sirte and the ports, had advanced toward the terminals with a large number of vehicles. “We bombed them to stop them from entering the ports,” he said.

Tripoli-based al-Nabaa television said a force it said had been mandated by the General National Congress (GNC), a rival assembly based in Tripoli since a group called Libya Dawn seized the capital in August, had started an operation to take the ports.

It quoted the head of the force, adding that two people had been killed in clashes near Es-Sider port. Websites close to Libya Dawn also said such an operation had started.

Thinni has been forced to work out of the east since Libya Dawn seized the capital Tripoli after a one-month battle, setting up its own cabinet and reinstating the previous assembly, the GNC. l

n AP, Washington Human rights advocates and some lawmakers say the United States is sending the wrong signal by opening the door for broader engagement with Myanmar’s widely criticised military just weeks after President Barack Obama assured opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi that closer ties weren’t going to happen soon.

Congress, acting at the administration’s request, is allowing US training in some noncombat activities for the military in Myanmar, also known as Burma. It is part of a sweeping defense policy bill that passed Friday.

The administration says this does not mean closer ties are imminent with a military known for rights abuses. Patrick Ventrell, a National Security Council spokesman, said the provision would “give us the flexibility to pursue

slightly broader engagement if the military takes steps to implement reforms and support Burma’s democratic transition.”

But lawmakers who oversee US foreign policy say it’s ill-timed. Political reforms have stalled, tens of thousands of minority Muslims are still living under apartheid-like conditions in displacement camps after attacks

by Buddhist extremists, and fighting is heating up between the government and ethnic rebels.

“It sends the wrong message to the people of Burma who are counting on the US to uphold the values and rights they so desperately seek,” said Republican Rep. Steve Chabot, who chairs a House panel on Asia.

John Sifton, Asia advocacy director for Human Rights Watch, said it would be different if reforms were advancing in Myanmar. l

pass legislation that would let federal prosecutors take over cases involving police. Local prosecutors who work with police regularly and then must investigate officers face a conflict of interest, he said.

The Washington protest will include the families of Eric Garner and Akai Gurley, who were killed by New York police; Trayvon Martin, slain by a Florida neighborhood watchman in 2012; and Michael Brown, killed by an officer in Ferguson.

The march will start at noon and block Pennsylvania Avenue between the White House and the US Capitol. Protesters are expected to arrive by bus from as far away as Florida, Connecticut and Pittsburgh. In New York, the march was expected to draw about 44,000 people and was meant to reinvigorate protests that swelled after a grand jury declined to indict the officer who killed Garner. l

Yemen troops kill Saudi-bound Qaeda suspects dressed as women n AFP, Sanaa Yemeni troops yesterday shot dead five Al-Qaeda suspects disguised as women who fired at a soldier during a checkpoint inspection of their Saudi-bound bus, officials said.

Another suspect was wounded along with the driver in the shooting in Harad, a town 15 kilometres (nine miles) from the Saudi border, the officials said, adding two of those killed were Saudis.

“As one of the soldiers climbed on board the bus for an inspection, one of the suspects opened fire and wounded him, prompting shooting from other soldiers at the checkpoint,” said a government official who gave the casualty toll.

All six had been dressed in black robes and wore the niqab, a face-covering veil commonly worn by women in Yemen, the official in Harad told AFP. l

8

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Remembrance

Sunday, December 14, 2014

‘The men and women became part of the clay of this land two days before it became free’

The killing of intellectuals excerpted from the book ‘The colonel who would not repent’ by Salil Tripathi

After the war was over, a list of Bengali intellectuals (most of whom were killed on 14 December) was found in a page of Farman Ali’s diary that he had left behind at the Governor’s House.

Ali confirmed the list as genuine but denied that the aim was to kill the people. Altaf Gauhar, a former Pakistani journalist and bureaucrat, also confirmed the list. He said he had seen the name of a friend of his on the list and requested Farman Ali to cancel it, and Farman Ali had obliged.151 Gen. Farman Ali continued to deny that he had any role in those killings.

But he understood the city well, knew the elite, and since Operation Searchlight, had a very good idea of what the troops were doing. A woman whose husband had been taken away went with a friend who knew the general to find out where he might be. He asked her about her husband’s name and details. She wrote down the information anxiously, hoping that Farman Ali would be able to find out the information. Farman Ali looked at the name for some time, folded it, and put it on the table, saying nothing. The woman bowed in gratitude and left.

Her friend who had taken her to see Farman Ali (and who told me the story) is convinced that Farman Ali knew exactly what had happened but didn’t want to tell her that her husband would never return.

Farman Ali’s defence over the Rayer Bazaar killings is that the bodies were found only on 17 December, by which

Taken away Abduction of SMA Rashidul Hasan accounted by daughter Roquaiya Hasina Neely from ‘Historicizing n Excerpted 1971 Genocide’ by Imtiaz Ahmed

SMA Rashidul Hasan Teacher Department of English University of Dhaka

During the Liberation War we remained at our residence in the teacher’s quarter. Our ancestral home was in West Bengal, India.

As my father was worried about the proper care of my 2 year old sister, we did not move there. My father had openly supported our Liberation War. He had made students aware of their responsibility to the nation. An announcement had been given from the Pakistan government that said that anyone who could identify the people working for liberation would be awarded.

At that time, on 20 September, a few men from the Pakistan army came and took my father away, but with the help of a friend he returned unharmed 12 days later. But on the morning of 14 December, my father was taken away from Dhaka University quarter no. 30/E by members of Al Badar. That was the last time we saw him.

It was in the house of Anwar Pasha, Professor of BangIa, Dhaka University.

Gen. Farman Ali continued to deny that he had any role in those killings. But he understood the city well, knew the elite, and since Operation Searchlight, had a very good idea of what the troops were doing

time the Pakistani army had surrendered. He claimed that a week earlier Maj. Gen. Jamshed had called him to the army headquarters and asked him to join him on a car ride.

During the journey he told him that they were thinking of making some arrests of civilians. Farman Ali claimed he advised against it and did not know what happened after that.

But in his book, The Betrayal of East Pakistan, Gen. Niazi described Farman Ali as an opportunist and a conspirator. Niazi also said that Farman Ali insisted on being sent back to Pakistan because ‘Mukti Bahini would kill him of his alleged massacre of the Bangalees and intellectuals on the night of 15-16 December. It was a pathetic sight to see him pale and almost on the verge of breakdown’.

He and my father were bosom friends.

From the first week of December we went regularly to Anwar Pasha uncle’s house to spend the nights there. On 14 December at 9 o’clock my father was talking to Anwar uncle while taking breakfast. I was beside my father.

Suddenly, a knock at the door stopped their discussion. The door was opened and a few men wearing khaki uniforms came in. One of them had a paper in hand. They asked whether it was the house of Anwar Pasha sir. Anwar uncle came forward and gave his identity to them.

My father asked them why they were looking for Anwar Pasha. They replied that their sir had sent for him.

They added that they needed to interrogate him and would send him back after some time. My father looked agitated. A man at the back holding a paper in hand (I later understood that it was the list of teachers targeted for killing) asked my father his identity.

My father answered him. He checked something on the paper and then told my father to come with them. Being alarmed, I ran to my mother.

My mother and Mrs. Anwar Pasha were in the middle room. We came back to the drawing door and finding nobody there, we rushed to the corridor. We watched the men dragging them forcefully towards a bus. Father

Brigadier Salik, whose memoir does not spare Niazi from criticism, wrote: ‘He [Farman] was the major general in charge of civil administration. As such nothing would happen which he would not know.’

l Two days before surrender, Pakistani troops made one final attack to cripple the emerging nation.

Asif Munier was 4 years old that year. He lived in his grandparents’ house in Dacca. Asif’s father Munier Chowdhury was a sensitive linguist who taught at the Dacca University.

They used to live in a part of the campus near the British Council and after the crackdown on 25 March and the killing of academics they did not feel

safe and left their home.

Munier Chowdhury taught English and Bengali and was a well-known playwright. Some of his writing was political—in the 1960s he wrote a play, Kobor, about the resurrection from death of the martyrs of the 1952 language movement. He was jailed, and his health suffered, so upon release he focused on writing and teaching and stayed away from overt politics, although he stayed engaged with ideas—he was part of the Pragatisheel Lekhok Songho (Progressive Writers’ Union). Munier was involved with the development of the Bengali keyboard for typewriters, and with the German company, Optima that developed a keyboard, Munier-Optima, which later became a standard in the industry. He was a very strong proponent of Bangla.

The house in which they lived was old. It had two storeys and plenty of rooms. Munier had eight brothers and six sisters, and while some had gone to live in villages during the war, and a few had gone to India, only two siblings had stayed. Asif ’s oldest brother (now a UN official), who was 20, joined the Mukti Bahini. He secretly left home with cousins and friends, leaving behind a letter for his parents.

His father Munier was devastated with the uncertainty of the war and about his eldest son. Asif was too young to understand everything, but he sensed that things were not all right. His mother, the actress Lily Chowdhury who had grown up in Calcutta and Delhi, told him later that she noticed him observing everything, and he was not behaving like other children.

On 14 December, Munier sat at home, listening diligently to the BBC and VOA. He said aloud, ‘It is reaching the end. The good day will come very soon, I can feel it’. Lily had had a surgery so she was resting. Asif ’s grandmother was cooking lunch. His younger brother was in the shower.

Asif had just had his bath and his father had wiped him dry.

The house had an iron gate. The main entrance had a courtyard. Somebody knocked and shook the grill.

Asif’s uncle went over to see who it was. When the gate was opened, Munier’s wife and mother could see that there were two or three boys whom they did not recognize, and they were wearing grey kurta pyjamas. The boys asked Asif ’s uncle if he was Munier Chowdhury. Asif ’s older brother who was 12 was standing nearby, so the uncle sent him away and spoke to the boys. ‘Can you call him? We need to talk to him,’ the boys said.

Lily saw a camouflaged van. She could not see the full car, but she could see its roof and its window. It had branches and leaves, and there was mud on the window.

Personal items of SMA Rashidul Hasan and Anwar uncle were blindfolded.

We cried out at the sight of it. They scolded us and asked us to stop crying.

They started firing in the air, then got in the bus and disappeared. My eyes often get blurred when I recall that sight. After independence we searched for my father. Some students from Dhaka University found his dead body along with the dead bodies of other intellectuals martyred at Mirpur Bod-

Munier was about to have lunch— chapatis, vegetables, and fish which his mother had prepared. It was around 1:30 p.m. He got up, put on his white kurta and started going down.

‘They want to talk, let me find out’, he said.

Al-Badr took away many people like Munier that day and brought them to Rayer Bazaar in the Beribadh area of Dacca where potters had lived since Mughal times because the red earth of that area was excellent for making clay pots. The men and women brought here had been tortured and their hands were tied; they were killed near Turag River, where their bodies were dumped—Shahidullah Kaiser, an award-winning novelist from Mazupur; Santosh Chandra Bhattacharyya, a Sanskrit scholar; journalist Syed Nazmul Haque who was arrested during the war and taken to West Pakistan to testify against Sheikh Mujib in his secret trial and then returned to Dacca; linguist Mofazzal Haider Chaudhury whom Tagore’s university Vishwabharati had honoured; journalist Nizamuddin Ahmed, who acted as a go-between for foreign correspondents; Dr M.A.M. Faizul Mahi, who quietly helped Mukti Bahini; Sirajul Haque Khan, an educationist; historian Ghyasuddin Ahmed; physician Mohammad Fazle Rabbi; poet and journalist Selina Parvin; and Zahir Raihan, the leftist filmmaker who had made the film Stop Genocide.

Between 14–16 December Al-Badr and Al-Shams tried to enfeeble Bangladesh at its birth. The men and women became part of the clay of this land two days before it became free, their blood joining the water that flowed through the land.

l Asif Munier, whose father was among the intellectuals taken away by AlBadr on 14 December 1971 and later killed at Rayer Bazar, said that Projonmo’s rationale was to keep the memories of the martyrs alive, because it was not yet time for closure. There were too many answers not given, explanations not received, questions that were unresolved. ‘Within the group we don’t all think alike; we have our differences,’ he told me. ‘We are also perceived differently. Some look at us as unspoilt victims. We see ourselves as activists. We also see ourselves as catalysts. In the early 1990s when we were students we found that nobody really knew our stories, so we decided to organize the families of the martyred. In those days, we’d meet regularly and every day someone new would come to us with a heart-rending story about losing a father or a mother.’ l

COURTESY: LIBERATION WAR MUSEUM

dhay Bhumi 22 days after his disappearance. The dead bodies of probably eight martyrs were found in tact. Some had only the upper portion of their bodies. Later the bodies were buried by the mosque of Dhaka University.

My father believed that we definitely would achieve our independence.

My mother was often very nervous and scared about what was about to happen. And just two days after his

disappearance we did achieve our independence. We emerged as an independent nation ready to take our place in the world. The creation of Bangladesh was a triumph of the democratic spirit and the resolve of the people who created a homeland in which they could speak their language, embrace their culture, and live in dignity, free from religious bigotry and alien exploitation. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Remembrance

9

Sunday, December 14, 2014

Though the mills of God grind slowly, yet they grind exceeding small CHARGES AGAINST NIZAMI AT A GLANCE

Four of the war criminals brought to justice through the on-going war crimes trials have been convicted for the killings of the intellectuals along with other war crimes.

Here are the full list of charges that were brought against the four: Nizami, Mujaheed, Mueen, and Ashraf. At long last, after 40 years of impunity, all four have been convicted and sentenced to death

Charges Date

Incident

Charges filed

1

June 1971, Pabna

Freedom Fighter Kasimuddin murder

Arrest, detention, torture and killing

2

May 14, 1971

Killing and rape at Baousgari Ruposhi and Demra

Murder, rape and deportation

3

From May

Torture and killings at Physical Training Institute, Mohammadpur

Complicity in torture, murder and rape

4

May 8, 1971, Karamja village

Mass killing, rape, looting

Murder, rape, looting and destruction of property

5

April 16, 1971, Arpara and Bhuter Bari

Killing 21 unarmed civilians

Murder and persecution

6

November 1971, Santhia, Pabna

Killing of more than 50 people

Murder

Killing of Sohrab AIi, Brishalikha

Torture and murder

7 8

Aug 30, 1971, MP Hostel Dhaka

Ordered killing of several youths including Rumi, son of Jahanara Imam

Murder

9

Brishalikha Village, Pabna

Mass killing

Genocide

10

Start of war

Torture of Anil and forcing family to flee

Persecution

11-14

All over the country

Inciting violence at several meetings

Incitement

15

Santhia Pilot School

Conspiracy to commit crimes specified in section 3(2)(g) of the Act

Conspiracy

16

Dhaka and other places in the country

Planning and executing killing of intellectuals

Murder

CHARGES | Mueen & Ashraf Charge 1

MUJAHEED

Abduction and killing of journalist Siraj Uddin Hossain

Charge 2

CHARGES

Abetting, abducting and killing of journalist Syed Nazmul Haque

Charge 3

1

Murder as crimes against humanity (Sirajuddin Hossain)

2

Genocide (Baidyadangi, Majhidangi and Baladangi)

Charge 5

3

Confinement as crimes against humanity

Charge 6

4

Confinement and causing inhuman act as crimes against humanity

5

Murders as crimes against humanity (Altaf Mahmud, Jahir Uddin Jalal, Badi, Rumi (son of Jahanara Imam)

6

Extermination as crimes against humanity (Intellectual killing)

7

Murders and persecution as crimes against humanity

Abduction and killing of journalist A.N.M Golam Mostafa

Charge 4

Abetting, abducting and killing of journalist Nizam Uddin Abetting, abducting and killing of journalist Selina Parvin Abduction and killing of Professor Gias Uddin Ahmed, Professor Dr Serajul Haque Khan, Dr Md. Mortuja, Dr Abul Khayer, Dr Foyzul Mohiuddin, Professor Rashidul Hassan, Professor Anwar Pasha, Professor Dr Santosh Bhattacharjee

Charge 7

Abduction and killing of Professor Mofazzal Haider Chowdhury

Charge 8

Abduction and killing of Professor Munier Chowdhury

Charge 9 Abduction and killing of Shahidullah Kaiser

Charge 10 Abduction and killing of doctor Fazle Rabbee

Charge 11

PHOTO: RA JIB DHAR/DHAKA TRIBUNE • SLH/DT INFOGRAPHICS

Abetting, abducting and killing of doctor Alim Chowdhury

The tale of the lone survivor

Eyewitness account of Delwar, the only one to survive the brutality of December 14

n Muktasree Chakma Sathi Delwar had survived the horror of the night of December 14, 1971, a night that saw numerous intellectuals of the country massacred at Rayerbazar of Katasur in the capital. Out of panic he had started running, ready to embrace a death by bullets rather than being hacked by bayonets. Eventually, he was able to escape. All the people had been bayoneted at Rayerbazar field that night, Delwar told the tribunal.

The accounts of this lone survivor from the Rayerbazar mass killing field had finally found their purpose as the International Crimes Tribunal on November 3 last year convicted al-Badr leaders Chowdhury Mueen Uddin and Ashrafuzzaman Khan and sentenced them to death.

Now 70, Delwar, who used to work

Bodies dumped at Rayerbazar killing field

as the chief accountant of Green Mercantile Company in 1971, broke into tears several times and trembled when recollecting the horror of that night.

The courtroom was completely silent when Delwar was telling his experience of the mass killing.

“I witnessed the killings [at Rayerbazar] from the beginning to the end. Ashraf and Mueen led the killings. None of the persons confined at Mohammadpur Physical Training Institute and those taken to the killing field survived. I am the only survivor,” Delwar told the tribunal.

He particularly mentioned the names of Prof Munier Chowdhury and Prof Mofazzal Haider Chowdhury of Dhaka University and journalist Selina Parvin as the victims of the massacre by al-Badr, which assisted the occupation Pakistan force in its atrocities in 1971.

COURTESY

Delwar had been picked up from his home on December 14, 1971 by al-Badr men led by Mueen-Ashraf.

He was taken to the physical training centre by a microbus painted in black and blue. Three or four people had already been inside the vehicle on its way to the centre which was used as a torture cell of al-Badr. The microbus stopped a few more times to pick up more people.

Delwar pointed out that not all the victims had been intellectuals – there had been several laymen, too. He mentioned a youth named Tarek, a class VIII student, who had untied his hands at the centre.

“I saw tortured people lying on the floor – some of their eyes gouged out.

The floor was full of blood. I took off my shirt, soaked it in blood and blindfolded myself in a way so that I could still see,” Delwar said.

Munier Chowdhury and Mofazzal Haider Chowdhury were brought to the centre that evening.

“Around 8pm or 8:30pm, a few people armed with iron rods led by two youths came to the room. They were carrying lanterns because of the blackout. They approached Munier Chowdhury and they told him: ‘You have preached your students a lot, now we will preach you.’

“They also asked Munier Sir: ‘How many books have you written on Rabindranath?’ Munier Sir shook his head. Then they asked Mofazzal Sir the same question and he said he had written books on Rabindranath Tagore.

They told each other that they did not have much time. ‘These persons need to be killed. They are Indian spies.’”

Then they started hitting Prof Munier and Prof Mofazzal with iron rods.

“Munier Sir was forced to put his head between his legs while sitting on the floor. He was hit on his back. He bled profusely through his mouth from the

‘Those who were taking her away asked her name. She answered: “Selina Parvin, I am a journalist.” She told them if they spared her life, she would never write again’ beating.”

Delwar said he had also heard a woman screaming out of pain. “I guess she was tortured either on the roof or in any other room in the building.”

After midnight all of them were taken to Katasur in Mohammadpur area by 20-22 buses. Delwar said he had heard a woman’s voice requesting: “Please, spare me. Do not kill me. I have a little child. If you kill me, he will die. You also have sisters. Please consider me as a sister.”

Delwar said: “Those who were taking her away asked her name. She answered: ‘Selina Parvin, I am a journalist.’ She told them if they spared her life, she would never write again and would not come back to Dhaka. But those people killed her with bayonets.”

Delwar said they had been kept waiting beside a pond. Each time 20-25 people tied with one piece of rope were taken to the bank of a beel nearby. There were brick fields too. Then they were bayoneted to death. l This article was first published on November 4 last year in Dhaka Tribune.

Dr Mohammad Fazle Rabbi, progressive and politically conscious physician took an active part in the language movement of 1952. He was also involved with all the major social and political movement of Bengali people.

Protesting against the discriminatory medical policies of central government of Pakistan he refused the award of “Best Professor of combined Pakistan.”

He was very popular among his students. On March 27, 1971 he was asked to issue false death certificates for the victims of genocide brought to the hospital. He refused to obey the order.

He and his wife rendered support to the freedom fighters and other people by providing medical and financial help. On December 15 afternoon he was picked up from his house by local collaborators of Pakistan Army. He was brutally killed along with other intellectuals at Rayer Bazar on the night of December 15. His bullet-redden dead body was found on December 18 at the killing field.

This car used by the doctor was donated to the Liberation War Museum according to the wishes of his wife Dr Jahanara Rabbi, who had preserved it for a long time.

Dr Alim Chowdhury was a well known proponent of Bangalee nationalism.

In 1971 after the Pakistani crackdown Dr Chowdhury remained in Dhaka and helped the Muktibahinis who came on “operations.” On the night of December 15 Dr Chowdhury was picked up from his house and later he was found in the “killing field” of Rayer Bazar with his eyes gouged out. One of the members of razakars Moulana Abdul Mannan lived on the ground floor of the flats Dr Chowdhury resided in.

10

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Editorial

Sunday, December 14, 2014

CODE-CRACKER

Live up to their memory

O

n Martyred Intellectuals Day, the nation recalls the prominent individuals who were heinously murdered on December 14, 1971.

Their brutal murders by death squads of the Pakistani military and its collaborators during the closing week of Bangladesh’s struggle for independence, are infamous for their cynical timing and targeted nature.

While recent years have seen a lifting of the sense of impunity for crimes against humanity committed during the Independence War, we still have much to accomplish as a nation going forward.

No one can claim that everyone in the nation is now safe from abduction. In the last decade, we have witnessed a rising number of enforced disappearances and extrajudicial executions, under successive governments of different complexions.

It is a matter of grave concern that so many forced disappearances can take place in our country. Whether carried out for extortion or other criminality, or to stifle political competition, there must be zero tolerance for this appalling activity.

The government’s foremost duty is to protect the lives of all citizens. It must do more to investigate and prevent enforced disappearances. Only by ending impunity for enforced disappearances can we deter them effectively.

We should act on this day to commemorate and honour the nation’s martyrs by ending human rights abuses and working to make independent Bangladesh a better place for all our people.

Honour the nation’s martyrs by ending impunity for enforced disappearances

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Nahid: If needed, Facebook, mobile will be shut down

November 28 leaking the questions in the first place?

Riast Ullah It’s like shutting down all telephones and Why not shut down the whole internet? Better closing the post office because a burglar might yet the whole electricity system? Punished by the send a message advertising something he’s “Almighty”? Is there even a judiciary system in this sold. country? Instead of putting a stop to the people who are leaking the questions, you go and make rose such an irresponsible comment.

The authorities should constitute austere laws so that the question papers are not leaked before Latari Bhai the exams.

F for fail minister. How will this threat stop people

Gas and electricity to every household within 3 years

November 28

SUDOKU

PB I bet they will fail.

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.

SA Indeed. Nothing but lip service.

December 6

Eliminate wasteful energy subsidies

W

e support President Abdul Hamid in urging everyone to be more economical in their use of electricity.

His observations made at the launch of National Electricity Week calling on the country to reduce dependency on fossil fuels by cutting system loss and increasing use of renewable energy, are clearly in the national interest.

It is important however for the government to take a more joined-up approach to achieving these ends. As a nation, we spend far too much on wasteful subsidies for gas and power.

Thanks to the high cost of rental plants on which much of our recent capacity increases have relied, and our dependency on imported fossil fuels, the state is stuck in a vicious cycle of rising demand and uncontrollable subsidy costs.

As a nation, our long-term growth depends on investment in improving education and infrastructure, including new industrial parks and power plants. The economy cannot afford to squander scarce taxpayer resources on inefficient industries and profligate use by affluent consumers who can afford to pay the market price for gas and power.

The government needs to take a more rational market led approach and cut energy subsidies completely. This will automatically help curb waste by consumers.

More importantly, it will stimulate investment in energy efficiency measures and long-term energy production, including renewables.

Cutting subsidies is essential in permitting taxpayer funds to be spent on more productive forms of investment.

Cut subsidies to curb waste and stimulate investment

Anon “The former minister has fallen ill because of cardiac complications.”

I hate that people say he is reaping what he sowed for his evil words. That’s like saying good, hard-working poor people who lose everything in nature’s storms, floods, and typhoons deserve to lose everything. It’s nothing but BS. Latif has a right to his opinions just as much as anyone else.

Hovercraft Perhaps it is time the Bangladeshi parliament also adopted a few resolutions in sympathy with the tribes being brutalised by the Pakistan army in its various operations against its own citizens and called for an end to such “army actions.”

Nadeem Qadir Hovercraft: Surely. My friend in Gilgit told me about the brutality there. God bless them.

We should not lose sight of the future November 28

Same minister smokes on his whim

CROSSWORD

December 7

Mir Ahmed Request to the PM: As Minister Mohsin Ali had been caught sleeping earlier, wake him up, madam, then better dismiss him.

Moudud finally breaks silence

November 28

AFB People elect their representative to the parliament to fight for their rights in parliament, not on the streets. But BNP members were elected to remain on the streets by not attending the parliament sessions. Probably 97% of the time, BNP members along with their leader did attend the parliament and yet did not hesitate to take salaries and all other benefits. Is this the kind of democracy Moudud Ahmad wants? There is no legitimate issue for BNP but coming into power. Moudud has spilled the beans by telling the truth about their leader who wants her corrupt sons to be saved. That’s all.

Invest in skills to improve competitiveness November 28 Bcominparis I note a different Dhaka paper cited the CIP rank as positive. This one seems more contextual and helpful.

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

Lovers of war criminals

December 6

Latif Siddique admitted to BSMMU

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

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

Some letters of the alphabet may not be used.

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

vhs It’s good to see a Danish scholar take such a keen and close interest in Bangladeshi affairs without coming across as patronising at any point. Some will be upset, as we are touchy about the war crimes trials, but the fact is we do need think hard about our future. Angry slogans don’t build a country’s infrastructure.

RS “The challenge is not to convict war criminals at trials; the challenge is to think what comes after.”

Yes indeed. We should ponder over the future of Bangladesh and prepare ourselves for the challenges ahead.

ACROSS 1 Spurious imitation (4) 3 Resting places (4) 7 Corded fabric (3) 8 Kingdom (5) 11 Not difficult (4) 12 Farm animals (5) 13 Earlier (5) 15 Be concerned (4) 18 Black deposit (4) 19 Entangle (5) 20 Run away to marry (5) 21 Hospital room (4) 23 Concise (5) 24 Greek letter (3) 25 Refuse to admit (4) 26 Church seating (4)

DOWN 1 Fragments (6) 2 Slowly (mus) (6) 4 Period of time (3) 5 Longing (6) 6 Secret agent (3) 9 Plundered (6) 10 Spoil (3) 11 Leak out (6) 14 Turn (6) 16 Reluctant (6) 17 Church office holders (6) 19 Decay (3) 21 Marry (3) 22 Moved quickly (3)

Update our ships November 29

Imran Majlis I’m surprised we don’t build more boats. There are so many ancient, unsafe ferries that need to be replaced for a start. And our shipbuilders are capable of meeting European orders.

Don’t make excuses for a genocidal criminal

CALVIN AND HOBBES

November 28

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTIONS CODE-CRACKER

Evil People Politics “Anything that lionises convicted war criminals is an insult to the countless victims.”

There is a stark difference between listening to what the other side has to say, and twisting history; this is a real shame.

PEANUTS

CROSSWORD

Bashir Haque Evil People Politics: True, but when the other side engages in killing, looting, rape, and arson, they don’t deserve to be heard in the first place.

Three symptoms November 28

Mr Kahn Thank you for the piece, Mr Shahrukh. If these things happen within the span of just a week, just think of how many circus antics our news media goes through in the span of a year. At least Bangladeshis are never bored. I have friends in Denmark who feel nauseated by the lack of action in their lives. But seriously, we are beyond repair.

SUDOKU

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Op-Ed

Sunday, December 14, 2014

11

No one hears a cry in the wild

T

n SM Shahrukh his newspaper reported yesterday in the story “Authorities clueless in the Sundarbans,” that in 2008, an oil spill from a Shell pipeline crack in the Niger delta destroyed 1,000 hectares of forest and affected 30,000 people. What were our authorities doing when that calamitous news was being broadcast all over international media? Doing anything other than learning from it, it appears.

The report also reminds us about the spillage at Borguna district’s Bishkhali River, a spillage of a few hundred litres. Lessons learned – zip. What did the authorities do when a tanker cracked open at the Karnaphuli River not too long ago? Pray to the Almighty with an SOS prayer, perhaps.

Disaster management has always been a contentious issue in the 43-year long history of Bangladesh, but the current state of affairs is unacceptable by all accounts. We have been very poor for a greater part of those years, but the state of the economy as we see today calls for better disaster preparedness.

The long history of damages done by cyclones has taught us the need to make people aware and build shelters and instruct people what to do.

traditional holiday overloading.

But, regretfully, no such efforts for staying prepared for a disaster like the one that happened at the Shela River on Tuesday morning.

The Sundarbans – a World Heritage Site – is a unique marvel of nature, the world’s biggest mangrove forest, home to the Royal Bengal Tiger and various other species of flora and fauna. It is no ordinary forest. It deserves special care as a natural barrier to the inevitable cyclones that foment every year at the Bay of Bengal.

It is, economically, of immense importance, for its neighbourhood provides the breeding ground for fish and aquatic mammals, thereby keeping alive a rich source of protein for the people and providing livelihoods to millions, permanent or itinerant, who depend on the fish reserves. The seasonal “Bawwalis” and the honey-collectors are also dependent on the mangrove.

Now, who takes care of the Sundarbans? The West Bengal government has a ministry for the development of the Sundarbans, they look after all matters related to their part of the mangrove, which is appreciably smaller than the size of ours. And it is plain to see that the West Bengal government is doing a far better job in keeping their part in prime condition.

A tiger gets down from the jurisdiction of Ministry of Forests to swim across water belonging to the Waterways Ministry, and back on forestry controlled by the other side to hunt a deer. It’s ridiculous

With the help of donors and other relevant organisations, the governments have done a better job of dealing with that menace. However, rehabilitation of people affected by Sidr and Aila is still up in the air, and millions suffer till today from the ravages.

It took several launch disasters for the authorities to wake up, somewhat, as we have seen some earnest efforts from them, during the last Eid-ulAzha, to keep launches from the

The authorities there, with the head warden in lead, are already taking measures to stop any infiltration of this spillage in their part. That’s preparedness for you.

In Bangladesh, it’s a quagmire. The forest department is in charge of the forest per se, while the environment ministry is supposed to keep eyes and ears open for any environmental faux pas. Now, the Sundarbans has several rivers all around, with canals and creeks running through and around it.

Why isn’t anyone listening?

These rivers and water channels fall under the supervision of the internal waterways ministry, with all the vessels plying using these waterways.

Now you see how a quagmire gets formed. The waterways minister tried immediately to placate the people through the media sending a deputy to the spot. Many “wiseheads” from various authorities started arriving too.

As is the modus operandi, inevitably, committees and investigation teams get formed in these conditions and it was no different here. These latest committees immediately set up a high power committee with an additional secretary in the chair and eight or nine other bureaucrats and academics.

SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

They are scratching their heads since reports last came in. The Kanadari – 10 vessels of the navy stocked with dispersant of fuel and at the spot – are kept standing as no one is sure as to what damage those dispersants will do to the biodiversity in the long run. The bacterial method of dispersal will require time to import, even then it will require more time to disperse the thick, heavy oil, but the cost is prohibitive.

So the interministerial group have now called the “authorities” to urge the people nearby to jump into the oilinfested waters of Shela to manually collect the cakes of furnace oil.

This could take ages, and there is no concern shown as to what damages to

their health that could cause. The navy ship stands helpless, staring at the remaining beauty of the Sundarbans!

The cry I want to make is for a “Ministry for the Sundarbans.” We have seen many interdepartmental think-tanks sit to solve matters of emergencies, but the results are dismal – we end up with a report that gathers dust with a million other such reports and hardly any action is ever taken as per the suggestions of those reports.

If the West Bengal state can have a ministry in the matter, why can’t we?

Under the status quo, a Bengal tiger gets down from the jurisdiction of Ministry of Forests to swim across a water-body belonging to the Waterways Ministry, and then back on

forestry controlled by the other side to hunt a deer. It’s ridiculous.

People have been screaming for a separate ministry for the garment industry for better co-ordination of efforts to handle the problems of that crucial sector, but alas, to no avail.

Now the Sundarbans is screaming for one, but does anyone hear it?

“If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?” – a philosophical thought experiment that raises questions regarding observation and knowledge of reality. The Sundarbans is making a loud cry for its survival, but no one seems to be there to listen. l SM Shahrukh is a freelance contributor.

Constructive blabber An idea whose time has come n Enayetullah Khan

BIGSTOCK

T

n

Adnan Pavel

T

he other day I was enjoying being alone over a cup of tea at a coffee shop in Banani. I was trying to explore the newly established coffee businesses in Bangladesh, particularly those in Dhaka city, during my winter break from London.

The quality of my beverage wasn’t that bad, but I did stumble upon a bunch of youngsters there who were shouting at each other and enjoying their time to the fullest extent.

They were too loud in fact, and every single word was easily heard from my seat, and therefore I couldn’t resist listening to them. I had a quick glimpse at them, they were mostly between the ages of 18-20 – certainly an age during which everyone should enjoy life – but believe me, not a single word that they had uttered would be considered anything close to being constructive.

All their conversations were full of vulgarity, sex, and drugs. I can certainly understand how such friendly gatherings would be full of banter, but can we not expect something constructive as well?

How about a conversation on planning for a debate club, or raising some money for the street children, or cleaning our campuses or streets by the collective effort from all friends?

How about planning to raise social awareness on a vital social issue? Can this country not expect such conversation from you? There is so much that needs to be done in this country. Why don’t you take some steps to collect winter clothing for people who can’t afford it? Of course, youngsters will enjoy their lives, but similarly, this country wants to see some initiatives being taken by them, some constructive initiatives.

Bangladesh is lucky enough to be a country in which the majority proportion of the population is young, so our prosperity and future largely depends on the calibre and positive motivation of the youth.

This country is looking for you young people. Don’t just enjoy a cozy life and take selfies at different coffee shops, do something for your country.

You are the freedom fighters of the 21st century, you need to free this country from its dirty politics and corruption.

Fight for hope when faced with fear, fight against the inequalities in our society, stand against racism and discrimination. Do you want to witness the change, or be the change? l Adnan Pavel is former Governor and Deputy President of London Metropolitan University Students’ Union, UK.

he Global Social Business Summit was held in Mexico City from November 27-28, at the Expo Bancomer convention centre. This was the sixth global edition of the summit, and the Mexican capital was a suitably vibrant and accommodating host for the first to be held in the Americas.

It could only have been a matter of time really. Everything on the event agenda plus whatever went on in the sidelines served to categorically underline the ever-growing and universal appeal of an idea whose time has most definitely come.

Once again, a deceptively simple but pioneering idea that has the potential to change the lives of millions of people around the world has a Bangladeshi as its beating, irresistible heart.

Even more remarkably, not happy with taking one idea and taking it so far that his name is now irrefutably linked to microcredit for all time, and winning a Nobel Peace prize no less, that person happens to be Dr Muhammad Yunus.

Superlatives lose their shine next to his name. But let me just say, this tireless crusader who first proposed the radical yet bewitching challenge of putting a thing called poverty in museums by 2030. In his 70s, he throws down the gauntlet to the world to meet his challenge.

And how they all respond to him, one and all! From youthful activists to bankers and presidents, heads of state and assorted aristocracy. It does make one wonder about the somewhat mixed reaction or coverage he gets at home. Here though, for two days amongst his ilk, he is untouchable.

And his is also the commonest touch.

Professor Yunus made a keynote speech highlighting that we need 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 summit was an opportunity for us to share experience of all the exciting social businesses that are developing around the world to energise each other.

The Minister of Economy Mr

Ildefonso Guajardo also delivered a keynote speech highlighting the importance that microcredit and social business can play in Mexico and 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, can tackle some of the pressing social problems of the day.

Once again, a simple idea that has the potential to change lives has a Bangladeshi as its beating heart

The summit brought together practitioners of social business from around the world, as well as the supporters of social business to share experiences of how social businesses can be created and scaled up, and also to learn what motivates the supporters of social business to get involved.

Supporters, including the director of government agency Inadem, and the CEOs of Cemex, a leading cement company, Banamex, the national bank of Mexico, Siemens Foundation, Lombard Odier Foundation, Ashoka, and others spoke about their motivation in supporting social business in Mexico and their own plans to begin social business in the country.

Existing social business CEOs presented updates of their actions, including updates of social businesses in Bangladesh, such as the Grameen Bank, Grameen Shakti, Grameen’s Nobin Udyokta initiatives. New social businesses from Japan, France, South

Africa were showcased at a Pecha Kucha session.

There were also updates on social businesses operated by Yunus Social Business in Haiti, Colombia, Brazil.

There was also a social business marketplace and specialised “agenda of the Future” sessions including sessions on Grameen Healthcare and Grameen Shakti.

During plenary sessions, practitioners exchanged best practices and imagined what social business in 2020 would look like, and what would be needed for social business to become a pillar of the global economy.

Practitioners committed to building social business to become 1% of the global economy in the near future. The role of social business to tackle global unemployment was highlighted, and the need for young people in taking forward the movement.

Several important announcements were made during the summit, including an announcement of $5m for social business from USAID for Haiti, Albania and Uganda. There was an announcement on the creation of a Yunus Social Business Incubator Fund in Veracruz, Mexico with the support of the Veracruz government.

In addition, Cemex announced a social business in housing in Mexico. Mexican company Es Por Todos announced the earmarking of $1m for social business in Mexico. La Trobe University in Australia announced the creation of a Yunus Social Business Centre at their business school. In addition, finance secretary of Mexico City DF announced its intention to become a social business city.

Professor Yunus addressed a meeting of Young Challengers, where dynamic young people from around the world who are passionate about social business were brought together to plan actions for the future.

The summit concluded with a call for action from Professor Yunus.

After the conclusion of the summit, Professor Yunus delivered a public lecture on Saturday afternoon to a packed audience of 1,500 people, mostly young Mexicans, at the Expo Bancomer, describing his journey from initiating microcredit in the early 70s, to creating social business to tackle social problems affecting the poor and vulnerable people around the world. l Enayetullah Khan is Editor-in-Chief, UNB and Dhaka Courier.

BIGSTOCK

12

DHAKA TRIBUNE Sunday, December 14, 2014

13 Lyon bowls

Australia to epic victory

14 Real Madrid

make it perfect twenty

14 Red Devils

face Reds challenge

Sport

Did you know?

Sangakkara has hit 25 scores of 50+ in 2014 across all formats, the most in a single calendar year Ponting hit 24 in 2005

CHAMPIONS TROPHY FIELD HOCKEY

Pakistan edge India to set up Germany final n Agencies

Pakistan hockey players celebrate their victory over India during their Hero Hockey Champions Trophy 2014 semi final match at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar yesterday

AFP

In a brave battle between the two arch rivals, Pakistan edged forward in the final few minutes to set up a title clash against Germany. India will play Australia for the third spot.

End of match and Pakistan maintain their record of never losing to India in Champions Trophy. Wild clebrations from the visiting team as jerseys go flying in the air. Indian will have to come out of it quick. The team played extremely well and will now face Australia for the bronze medal.

Olympic gold medallists Germany quashed Australia’s bid to win a sixth successive Champions Trophy field hockey title, ousting the side 3-2 in the semi-final on Saturday.

The Germans, playing with seven junior World Cup winners of 2013, stunned the Kookaburras with two goals by the ninth minute through Timur Oruz and Mats Grambusch.

They went up 3-0 immediately after half-time when Florian Fuchs took advantage of a goalmouth scramble and scooped the ball past Australian goalkeeper Andrew Charter.

BFF mulling inclusion of Pakistan or Maldives

Busan IPark want to play in Bangladesh

n Raihan Mahmood

Former AFC Champions League winners Busan IPark have expressed their interest to play a friendly match on Bangladeshi soil. The South Korean top flight club sent an invitation letter to the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) last Monday asking if the national side or any premier league club are interested in playing a friendly in Bangladesh.

The BFF though is yet to take a final decision on the matter. “Korean K-League club Busan IPark are interested to play in Bangladesh. It could be against the national team or any club,” said BFF general secretary Abu Nayeem Shohag yesterday.

“We will discuss this issue in the

Changing the previous stance of not inviting any sub-continental teams in the forthcoming Bangabandhu Gold Cup, the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) is now mulling the inclusion of either Pakistan or Maldives in place of Laos.

BFF president Kazi Salahuddin revealed this at his office yesterday. “We may include Pakistan or Maldives in the tournament. There will be no problems with that. We have not officially notified Laos about it. The president of the Laos Football Association is a friend of mine so we can convince him over this issue.”

Alongside hosts Bangladesh, Bahrain, Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore have already confirmed their participation in the tournament. The BFF has decided to host Bangladesh’s group matches in Sylhet considering the popularity of the game in the north-eastern division. The tournament will begin on January 16 next year with the grand finale slated for January 27.

The tournament will be held next year after a five-year hiatus.

Meanwhile, football’s governing body in the country is looking for a foreign coach before the Bangabandhu Gold Cup, following the departure of Dutch coaches Lodewijk de Kruif and

Rene Koster. However, the BFF has not really progressed on this issue due to financial constraints.

The BFF might seek assistance from the Japan Football Association over the appointment of a foreign coach for the senior team. Former Slovenian footballer Ermin Siljak recently showed interest but the BFF said he is asking for a lot of money. Salahuddin ruled out the chances of recruiting Siljak.

Interim coach Saiful Bari Titu is currently at the helm of the national side ahead of the upcoming international friendly against the Japan Under-21 team this Thursday at Bangabandhu National Stadium.l

n Shishir Hoque

next national team committee meeting. We have to look into the schedule and if the committee rejects the offer then we will see if any premier league club are interested,” he added.

Korean K-League club Busan IPark are interested to play in Bangladesh Meanwhile, the national side have a hectic schedule ahead. Following the international friendly against the Japan Under-21 team this Thursday, Bangladesh will take part in the Bangabandhu Gold Cup at home in the middle of next month.l

Australia hit back in the 34th minute as Chris Ciriello banged in a penalty corner to net his fourth goal in the tournament. Nicholas Budgeon narrowed the margin further in the 42nd by scoring off a penalty corner rebound.

RESULTS

Germany

3-2

Timur Oruz 5, Grambusch 9, Florian Fuchs 31

Pakistan

Australia Chris Ciriello 34, Nicholas Budgeon 42

4-3

Arslan Qadir 16, 59, Waqas 32, Irfan 49

India Gurjinder 12, Dharamvir 44, Chandana 52

Australia, who lost to Germany 4-2 the last time they met in the semi-finals of the 2012 London Olympics, failed to equalise despite benching the goalkeeper to accommodate an extra striker.

It will be Germany’s first Champions Trophy final since 2009 when they were beaten by hosts Australia 5-3 in Melbourne. German coach Markus Weise said he was happy - and also relieved -- that his young side had reached the final after a poor sixth-place finish at the World Cup in June.l

Gregorian Aces win title n Raihan Mahmood Gregorian Aces claimed the Teachers Memorial Basketball title yesterday after defeating BKSP 81-51 in the final at the St. Gregory High School basketball court.

The other participating teams of the junior section are Josephites and Vertical Horizon.

The tournament, organised by the students of St. Gregory High School, also contained a senior section that was won by Gregorian Kings who defeated Gregorian Titans 65-64 in a fiercely-contested final earlier on the day.

Brother Prodip Placid Gomez, the headmaster of the school, distributed the prizes as the chief guest. l

MARCEL CORPORATE CRICKET Fiji to assist Bangladesh Rugby n Raihan Mahmood Bangladesh Rugby Union (BRU) yesterday signed a memorandum of understanding with the Republic of Fiji for the development of the game in the country.

The head of mission and consul of Fiji to Bangladesh, Seemab Rashid, and BRU general secretary Mousum Ali signed the deal for their respective organisations. BRU vice president Abdullah al Zahir Swapan and joint secretary Saeed Ahmed were also present on the occasion.

As per the agreement, Fiji will assist the development process of rugby in the country. The procedure will start with the Fiji-Bangladesh Friendship Rugby in February next year.

Through the sporting diplomacy, BRU believes the bilateral relationship between the two countries will also blossom. l

Walton, Alif Group in Corporate Cricket semis n Raihan Mahmood Walton and Alif Group cruised into the semifinals of the Marcel Corporate Cricket after winning their respective quarterfinals at different venues yesterday.

At Mohammedpur Eidgah Ground, Walton beat Runner Group by 35 runs.

Batting first, Walton scored 183 for the loss of seven wickets in their allotted 20 overs. Zohirul top-scored with 39 from 26 balls while Bishwajit of Runner Group scalped four wickets conceding 41 runs.

In reply, Runner Group managed 148 for nine wickets with Muraduzzaman chipping in with 35. Nayeb Ali of Walton bagged three wickets for 26 runs.

Zohirul was adjudged the player of the match.

In the last quarterfinal of the event, Alif Group registered a 21-run victory over Computer Source.

Alif Group posted 190/8 in their stipulated 20 overs with Azimul Islam hitting 41 off 32 deliveries.

The total proved to be a tall order for Computer Source who eventually ended on 169/9. Shihab took two wickets. Azimul was named the player of the match.

Europa Group and Anowara Group earlier secured semifinal slots winning the first and second quarterfinals against DBL Group and Bando Desgin respectivley. The semifinal are billed to be held next weekend. l

Business stage awaits Dhaka Premier League n Mazhar Uddin

Consul of Fiji Seemab Rashid (L) and Mousum Ali (2R), the general secretary of Bangladesh Rugby Union in a happy moment after inking the development deal DHAKA TRIBUNE

A tense moment of the final between Gregorians Kings and Gregorian Titans at the basketball court of St. Gregory’s High School yesterday MAINOOR ISLAM MANIK

The 11th and final round of the Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League will begin today at different venues with most of the stakes already decided in the lone 50-over domestic competition of the country.

The top six teams will contest the Super League phase while the bottom three sides will play each other once to determine which of the two among the trio will be relegated.

Table-toppers Prime Bank (18 points) and second-placed Abahani (16 points) have already confirmed their participation in the Super League. The

remaining four places will be decided from these five teams - Kalabagan Cricket Academy (14 points), Prime Doleshwar (12 points), Legends of Rupganj (12 points), Mohammedan (12 points) and Victoria (12 points).

As far as the relegation fight is concerned, Kalabagan Krira Chakra (4 points), Partex (4 points) and bottom side Old DOHS (zero points) already know that two among them will go down.

In today’s matches, Kalabagan KC will take on Mohammedan in Fatullah, holders Rupganj will face Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club in Mirpur while Prime Doleshwar will encounter Partex in Savar.

In tomorrow’s matches, Abahani will

go head-to-head with Prime Bank in Fatullah, Brothers Union will lock horns with Old DOHS in Mirpur while Kalabagan CA will clash with Victoria in Savar.

Heading into the final round of matches, Abahani opener Liton Kumar Das tops the highest run-scorers chart with 568 runs in 10 matches at an average of 56.80. Recently called up to the 30-man preliminary Bangladesh squad for next year’s ICC World Cup in Australia-New Zealand, Liton will be looking to continue making merry of the opposition bowlers in order to stake his claim in the final 15-member squad that will be announced on January 7 next year.

National discards Shamsur Rahman

and Nasir Hossain have fared well and will be eyeing more solid performances in the upcoming matches that will be vitally important to catch the attention of the national selection panel. Shamsur has scored 392 runs in 10 matches for Kalabagan KC at 39.20 while Nasir has accumulated 268 runs in nine matches for Abahani at 44.67.

Meanwhile in the bowlers’ list, Asif Hasan of Brothers Union features at the very top of the highest wicket-takers chart. Asif has taken 25 wickets in 10 matches for the Oranjes at 13.28. Prime Doleshwar’s Elias Sunny and Kalabagan KC’s Abdur Razzak, who were both named in the preliminary squad, has scalped 19 and 15 wickets respectively.l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Sport

13

Sunday, December 14, 2014

AUSvIND, DAY 5 Australia 1st innings 517 for 7 declared (S. Smith 162 not out, D. Warner 145, M. Clarke 128; M. Shami 2-120) India 1st innings 444 (V. Kohli 115, C. Pujara 73; N. Lyon 5-134) Australia 2nd innings (Overnight 290 for 5) C. Rogers c R. Sharma b K. Sharma D. Warner b K. Sharma S. Watson b Shami M. Clarke c Saha b Aaron S. Smith not out M. Marsh c Vijay b R. Sharma B. Haddin not out Extras (b1, lb6, w5, nb9)

R

B

21 102 33 7 52 40 14 21

45 166 86 20 64 26 15

Total (5 wickets dec; 69 overs) 290 Fall of wickets 1-38, 2-140, 3-168, 4-213, 5-266 Bowling Shami 11-2-42-1, I. Sharma 14-3-41-0 (6nb), K. Sharma 16-2-95-2, Vijay 6-0-27-0, R. Sharma 12-2-35-1, Aaron 10-0-43-1 (1w, 2nb)

R

B

India 2nd innings M. Vijay lbw b Lyon S. Dhawan c Haddin b Johnson C. Pujara c Haddin b Lyon V. Kohli c Marsh b Lyon A. Rahane c Rogers b Lyon R. Sharma c Warner b Lyon W. Saha b Lyon K. Sharma not out M. Shami c Johnson b Harris V. Aaron lbw b Johnson I. Sharma stpd Haddin b Lyon Extras (b5, lb8, w2)

99 234 9 8 21 38 141 175 0 5 6 18 13 10 4 20 5 10 1 3 1 2 15

Total (all out; 87.1 overs)

315

Fall of wickets 1-16, 2-57, 3-242, 4-242, 5-277, 6-299, 7-304, 8-309, 9-314, 10-315 Bowling Johnson 16-2-45-2 (2w), Harris 19-6-49-1, Lyon 34.1-5-152-7, Siddle 9-3-21-0, Watson 2-0-6-0, Smith 3-0-18-0, Marsh 4-1-11-0

Australia’s spin bowler Nathan Lyon (C) celebrates with teammates after beating India on the final day of the first Test at the Adelaide Oval yesterday

QUICK BYTES

Air Force set final date with Army Bangladesh Air Force defeated Bangladesh Jail by 32-20 points in the Victory Day Kabaddi Championship at National Kabaddi Stadium in Paltan yesterday to set up a final clash with Bangladesh Army. The final will be held tomorrow at 4pm at the same venue. Army earlier secured their berth in the final despite being held to a draw by Air Force last Friday.

–Tribune Desk

Air Force clinch volleyball title Bangladesh Air Force emerged as the champions of the Walton Smart TV Victory Day Volleyball Tournament following a comfortable 3-0 victory over Bangladesh Army in the final at Volleyball Stadium yesterday. In the third-place decider, Power Development Board (PDB) defeated Bangladesh Navy 3-1.

PDB’s Horshid was adjudged the player of the tournament.

–Tribune Desk

DAY’S WATCH Star Sports 1 5:30PM Italian Serie A Juventus v Sampdoria 1:40 AM Milan v Napoli

Star Sports 2 9:50 AM Ranji Trophy

Lyon bowls Australia to epic victory n Reuters Australia beat India by 48 runs in a thrilling end to the first Test at Adelaide Oval on Saturday, with Nathan Lyon picking up seven wickets after Virat Kohli scored an inspired century for the visitors.

A match that had begun in high emotion after the death last month of Australian batsman Phillip Hughes ended in high drama after an absorbing final day in South Australia.

Set 364 to win after Australia declared on their overnight score of 2905, India seemed to be on their way to an unlikely victory after a brilliant 141

La Liga 11:55 PM Atletico Madrid v Villarreal 1:55 AM Real Sociedad v Athletic Bilbao

Star Sports 4 English Premier League 7:15 PM Manchester United v Liverpool 9:50 PM Swansea v Tottenham Hotspur

Neo Prime German Bundesliga 8:30PM Bayer Leverkusen v Borussia Monchengladbach 10:30 PM VfL Wolfsburg v Paderborn

Ten Sports 8:00 PM Hockey Champions Trophy Final

Ten Action French Ligue 1 7:00 PM Nice v Saint-Etienne 10:00 PM Guingamp v Paris Saint-Germain

Tern Cricket 5:00 PM Pakistan v New Zealand, 3rd ODI

from Kohli and a gritty 99 from opener Murali Vijay.

But Lyon, a former groundsman at Adelaide Oval, turned the match the home team’s way with his offspinners, as India’s tail collapsed and the tourists were bowled out for 315.

“This first Test is one we will remember and cherish for the rest of our careers,” Australia captain Michael Clarke said of the first match since the death of his good friend.

“He’s in our minds, he always will be. He will be for the rest of my life.

“Every Test match you play for Australia you have a lot to play for but obviously this series is even closer to our

hearts.”

Lyon finished with 7-152, giving him 12 wickets for the match, a career-best, and handing the Australians the early advantage in the four-match series which resumes in Brisbane next week.

Clarke will miss the rest of the series after injuring a hamstring while fielding on Saturday, the latest in a series of back and leg problems that have hampered the Australian skipper.

The 33-year-old hopes he can recover in time to play in the World Cup, which Australia is co-hosting early next year, but his recurring problems have caused him, to ponder his future.

“There’s a chance I may never play

n Reuters

again,” Clarke said.

“I hope that’s not the case and I’ll be doing everything in my power to get back out on the park, but I have to be realistic as well.”

Kohli, filling in for Mahendra Singh Dhoni as India’s captain, almost won the match single-handedly for his country. He scored centuries in both innings and dominated Australia’s bowlers on a pitch favouring spin.

His career-best 141 came off just 175 deliveries and featured 16 fours and one six. He also shared a third wicket partnership of 185 with Vjay, who made half-centuries in each innings but fell agonisingly short of a deserved

Stand-in India captain Virat Kohli has no regrets that his side lost the first test to Australia on Saturday after risking everything to try and snatch an unlikely win.

Set a daunting target of 364 on the final day, India spurned the chance to play safe and salvage a draw when they went for it, only to come up short when their lower-order batting collapsed in the final session.

For Kohli, who led India's assault with a brilliant century, the 48-run loss was a bittersweet result but the batsman praised his team mates for throw-

ing caution to the wind.

"I'm really proud of the way the boys played," Kohli told a news conference.

"At no point did we back off. And we are not going to back off either. If at any stage that we had in mind that we might play for a draw, we would have lost by 150 runs, to be honest.

"So we went for it. That is what I am happy about."

He scored centuries in each innings, including a career-best 141 on Saturday before he was caught in the deep, effectively ending India's chances of winning.

"I went for my shot. I don't have any regrets," he said.l

Cool Williamson guides Kiwis to win n Reuters

Sangakkara ton enables Sri Lanka to ODI series victory over England

BRIEF SCORE Pakistan 252 (Hafeez 76, Misbah 47, Henry 4-45) New Zealand 255 for 6 (Williamson 70, Devcich 58, Haris 3-48) New Zealand won by four wickets

n AFP, Adelaide Injury-jinxed Michael Clarke says there is a chance he may never play cricket again after another setback forced him out of Australia’s first Test triumph and the rest of the India series on Saturday.

The Australia skipper suffered a new injury after pulling up sharply while fielding after lunch, forcing him to watched on as his team-mates pulled off a thrilling 43-run victory over the Indians to go one-up in the four-match series.

“There’s no doubt, there’s certainly

n Reuters

Kane Williamson’s assured unbeaten 70 guided New Zealand to a comfortable four-wicket win over Pakistan in the second one-day international in Sharjah on Friday to level the series at 1-1.

Chasing 253 for victory, New Zealand started well through a century opening partnership between Dean Brownlie (47) and Anton Devcich who made 58, his first limited-overs international half century.

But Brownlie fell to Shahid Afridi and Devcich was run out before Ross Taylor, Tom Latham and Corey Anderson fell in quick succession to leave New Zealand struggling on 167 for five.

Williamson and Luke Ronchi (36) shared a sixth-wicket partnership of 58 to put the tourists back on course and the experienced Daniel Vettori (13 not out) helped steer his side to their target.l

Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara plays a shot during the sixth ODI against England yesterday AFP

hundred.

With India seemingly in control at 242-2 after tea, Vijay suddenly had an attack of nerves and threw his wicket away with a rash attempt to reach triple figures, trapped lbw by Lyon after swiping at the ball.

His departure triggered a catastrophic batting collapse as India lost their last eight wickets for just 73 runs with Lyon the chief destroyer.

Kohli continued to play a lone hand but once he mistimed a pull shot and was caught in the deep, the end came quickly for the visitors.

“I’m really proud of the way the boys played,” Kohli said.l

Injured Clarke out of series, doubts on future

Superb Kohli shines bright

7:30PM Indian Super League Kolkata v Goa

AFP

Result Australia won by 48 runs; lead 4-match series 1-0

Sri Lanka beat England by 90 runs in the sixth one-day international at Pallekele on Saturday to take an unbeatable 4-2 lead in their seven-match series.

Kumar Sangakkara completed his 20th one-day international century to help the home team post a healthy total of 292 for seven.

England could only muster 202 in reply, bowled out in less than 42 overs despite a resilient 55 from Joe Root.

The evergreen Sangakkara blazed 112 off as many balls, highlighted by 12 fours and two sixes, after the 37-yearold was dropped on 41 by England captain Alastair Cook.

The Sri Lankans made a slow start, scoring just 27 runs off the first 10 overs, before Sangakkara opened up, putting on 153 with Tillakaratne Dilshan for the second wicket.

Dilshan made a patient 68 before Dinesh Chandimal pushed the total towards 300 with a brisk 35 in the closing overs.

Chris Woakes, Steven Finn and Chris Jordan captured two wickets each for England, who needed to win the game

to square the series heading into Tuesday’s final match in Colombo.

“It was a challenging wicket to bat on,” Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews said.

“I thought Sangakkara was amazing and set the tone for the batsman to play at the end.

“He and Dilshan set the tone. We still want to win the next game as well and win the series 5-2.”

England could hardly had made a worse start to their innings when Cook was dismissed lbw for one in the first over.

By the 18th over, England were in deep trouble at 84 for five and although Root completed a half-century and Woakes chipped in with 41, the tourists never came close to challenging Sri Lanka’s total as Suranga Lakmal mopped up the tail to finish with 4 for 30.

“For the first 20-odd overs we bowled really well, but it didn’t help me dropping Sangakkara,” said Cook.

“It was a real big catch to drop because we’d built up some good pressure, but credit to Kumar, he made us pay today.”l

a chance, I may never play again. I hope that’s not the case and I’ll be doing everything in my power to get back out on the park, but I have to be realistic as well,” Clarke said.

He said scans revealed he had torn his right hamstring, adding that the diagnosis was not good.

“I’ve had my scans, the scans are not great, they have certainly showed a tear there. The experts are looking at them and I can pretty confidently say that I won’t take part in this Test series,” Clarke said.l

SLvENG, 6TH ODI R

B

Sri Lanka M Jayawardene c Taylor b Woakes T Dilshan c Bopara b Tredwell K Sangakkara c Ali b Jordan S Prasanna c Morgan b Finn A Mathews c Buttler b Finn D Chandimal b Jordan T Perera c Cook b Woakes J Mendis not out Extras (lb4, b10, w8, nb1)

5 15 68 105 112 112 20 12 1 5 35 31 16 10 12 11 23

Total (for 7 wkts, 50 overs)

292

Bowling Finn 9-0-53-2 (w3), Woakes 10-1-51-2 (w1) Ali 8-0-46-0 (nb1), Tredwell 10-0-37-1 (w1), Jordan 9-0-68-2 (w3) Bopara 3-0-19-0 Root 1-0-4-0.

England A Cook lbw b Senanayake M Ali c Sangakkara b Dilshan J Taylor b Senanayake J Root b Lakmal R Bopara c Sangakkara b Lakmal E Morgan c Sangakkara b Lakmal J Buttler run out C Woakes c and b Dilshan C Jordan c Sangakkara b Lakmal J Tredwell c Dilshan b Senanayake S Finn not out Extras (lb1, w1) Total (all out; 41.3 overs)

R

B

1 34 10 55 13 0 22 41 4 19 1 2

2 32 12 76 20 1 26 49 6 22 3

202

Bowling Senanayake 8.3-0-33-3 (w1), Dilshan 10-055-2, Prasanna 8-0-40-0, Lakmal 8-0-30-4, Mendis 4-0-22-0, Perera 3-0-21-0 Sri Lanka win by 90 runs

14

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Sport

Sunday, December 14, 2014

Real Madrid make it perfect twenty n AFP, Madrid Two late Cristiano Ronaldo goals helped Real Madrid make it 20 consecutive victories in all competitions as they saw off Almeria 4-1 at the Estadio de los Juegos Mediterraneos on Friday.

In their final La Liga game of 2014, Los Blancos stretched their lead over Barcelona, who travel to Getafe on Saturday, at the top of the table to five points.

First-half goals from Isco and Gareth Bale either side of Verza’s stunning equaliser sent the visitors in ahead at half-time, but they needed a big save from captain Iker Casillas when he parried Verza’s penalty on the hour mark.

Ronaldo then sealed the win when he turned home crosses from Karim Benzema and Dani Carvajal to take his La Liga tally to 25 goals this season.

“Almeria fought hard and we had a lot of problems during the game as we

RESULT

Almeria Verza 39

1-4

Real Madrid Isco 34, Bale 42, Ronaldo 81, 88

sought to keep possession. Only at the end of the game were we able to control the ball well and find the goals we needed to finish the match,” said Carlo Ancelotti of his side’s victory.

The hosts, with caretaker coach Miguel Rivera in charge following Francisco Rodriguez’s dismissal earlier this week, came out of the blocks quickly, and almost made the perfect start.

First Pepe and then Carvajal blocked goalbound close-range efforts from Fernando Soriano and Sebastian Dubarbier within the first three minutes.

After gaining a foothold in the game, Madrid then saw a Toni Kroos volley from outside the area deflected onto the bar by Fran Velez, before Bale failed to find an unmarked Benzema in the six-yard box after breaking down the Andalusian side’s left on the quarter-hour mark.

With the hosts defending resolutely, Madrid’s frustrations began to show, with Bale guilty of a silly challenge that brought a yellow card from referee Alfonso Alvarez Izquierdo.

As ever with Madrid, the calibre of player they possess means they can conjure a goal out of nothing, and that is exactly what happened as they took the lead on 33 minutes.

Benzema’s cross was too long for Ronaldo, but Isco was able to control the ball on his chest before curling an effort beyond the outstretched Ruben Martinez in the Almeria goal from the edge of the box.

This brought a reaction from the home side, who pushed on aggressively and were rewarded for their pressure seven minutes from the break as Raphael Varane’s headed clearance fell to Verza, who fired a first-time effort into the bottom corner 25 metres from goal to spark elation in the stands.

The joy was short-lived, however, as fewer than three minutes later the league leaders retook the lead through a Bale header to go in at half-time in front.

Eight minutes after the restart, Bale had a chance to double the visitors’ advantage as he produced a trademark burst through the heart of the Almeria defence, only for his right-footed effort to fly past Ruben’s right-hand post.

Moments later Ruben then produced a full-length stop from a Ronaldo effort as the European champions sought to put the game to bed.

While they only trailed by one goal, the hosts always remained in the game, and they had the opportunity to draw level 15 minutes into the second period as Marcelo brought down Edgar Mendez in the area, but Casillas guessed correctly and parried Verza’s spot-kick to safety.

Nine minutes from time Ronaldo sealed the win after combining with Benzema, and the Portuguese then put the gloss on the scoreline a minute from the end when he thumped home Carvajal’s cut-back. l

Pellegrini wants Lampard to stay at Man City n Reuters, London

Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates after scoring during their Spanish league match against UD Almeria at Juegos Mediterraneos stadium in Almeria on Friday AFP

Red Devils face Reds challenge n AFP, London Manchester United and Liverpool will remind themselves what top billing in the Premier League feels like when they lock horns for the 191st time at Old Trafford on Sunday.

Chelsea and Manchester City seem destined to duke it out for this season’s title, but contests between United and Liverpool often serve to show why it is their rivalry that remains the most enduring in English football.

United’s run of five consecutive wins has seen them climb to third place in the table, eight points behind league leaders Chelsea and five points below defending champions City.

But although Liverpool are seven points back in ninth place, United manager Louis van Gaal is aware that

his side’s recent momentum could collapse swiftly if they do not approach Sunday’s game correctly.

“I dream for Manchester City’s place or Chelsea’s place,” the Dutchman told MUTV. “Now we have to live match for match and that is the most important thing. We have to beat Liverpool, which is more important than thinking about City or Chelsea.”

He added: “Of course I am aware of the rivalry. Even on the (pre-season) tour of the United States, all my staff were saying that to me.

“We have a cook whose name is Mike and when I don’t know about anything to do with United and rival clubs, he shall say it! He’s a big United fan and I hear immediately from him.”

The injury problems that have be-

devilled United since the start of the season are finally clearing, with Angel di Maria, Daley Blind, Luke Shaw and Chris Smalling the only confirmed absentees for Sunday’s match.

Defenders Phil Jones and Rafael da Silva are both in contention to start after two months on the sidelines with,

EPL Man United v Liverpool Swansea City v Tottenham respectively, shin and groin problems.

Robin van Persie, meanwhile, will be gunning for his fourth goal in four games after netting twice at Southampton.

Rodgers has also received good news on the injury front after Mario Balotelli returned to training.

Deschamps wants long term France job n AFP, Paris

Gamba Osaka midfielder Yasuhito Endo (C) celebrates on the podium with teammates after their victory over Montedio Yamagata at the Emperor’s Cup tournament in Yokohama yesterday AFP

Gamba Osaka lift Emperor’s Cup to claim domestic treble n Reuters

Gamba Osaka secured a rare domestic treble with a stirring 3-1 victory over second tier Montedio Yamagata in the Emperor’s Cup final in Yokohama on Saturday.

Takashi Usami put on a brilliant display before a crowd of 47,829 at Nissan Stadium, scoring a goal in each half for Gamba, with Patric netting the other, as the Osaka side became the first team to win a treble since Kashima

Antlers in 2000.

Romero Frank netted for Yamagata, who at least have the consolation of having earned promotion to the J.League first division for next season.

Kenta Hasegawa’s men, who also won the J.League and Nabisco Cup titles in their first season back in the top flight, made a slow start and were fortunate not to fall behind when Frank put the ball in the net for Yamagata but was flagged offside.l

Didier Deschamps has already discussed a long term future at the helm of the French football team with his federation president and wants to stay on beyond Euro 2016, he told AFP on Friday.

“Absolutely,” replied Deschamps when asked if he wanted to stay on after France has hosted the Euro 2016 finals, where his current contract expires.

“Noel Le Graet (The French Football Federation boss) wants that, and I want it too. This is totally clear and we both fully agree on that matter,” explained Deschamps.

“We have already discussed this and will continue to do so,” he said. “He (Le Graet) wants me to carry on (beyond the finals).”

The former Monaco and Juventus coach who led France to the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000 as captain of the team, declined to reveal any indication of when a prolongation might take place.

Deschamps qualified France for the 2014 World Cup finals where they fell 1-0 to Germany in the quarterfinals after taking over the job in the summer of 2012 from previous coach Laurent Blanc.l

The Italy striker has not played since November 8 due to a groin injury that he sustained on international duty.

In the other match of the day, Ben Davies admits he will have to keep his emotions in check when he makes his first return to Swansea as Tottenham visit the Liberty Stadium on Sunday.

Davies joined Spurs during the close season for a fee of around £10 million ($15 million) and is finally establishing himself in the side after a slow start to his career at White Hart Lane.

The left-back knows it will be a shock going back to the club where he started his career, but with Tottenham lying 10th in the Premier League, two places behind Swansea and six points adrift of the Champions League, he is well aware there will be no place for sentiment.l

Premier League champions Manchester City want to extend midfielder Frank Lampard's loan deal from Major League Soccer club New York City beyond December, manager Manuel Pellegrini said.

Lampard, who joined New York after being released by Chelsea at the end of last season, is on loan at City until the end of the year and has scored three goals in 10 league appearances.

The 36-year-old is due to return to America for pre-season training in January ahead of the start of the MLS season in March.

City manager Pellegrini now hopes the two clubs, who are both owned by the Abu Dhabi-controlled City Football Group, can agree a deal to keep Lampard in Manchester.

"I think Frank is a very important player for us and I hope we will not have any problems for him to stay here," Pellegrini, whose team are second in the league and three points adrift of leaders Chelsea, told reporters ahead of City's visit to bottom-club Leicester City on Saturday.

"But I cannot say just from one side what will happen with him. He has a loan just until the end of December and there is another club involved.

"The MLS is involved also. There are a lot of parties with an arrangement.

It's not just depending on one opinion.

But I hope we can have a decision as soon as possible because it's important for us and the players."

Lampard has enjoyed a number of impressive displays during his short time at the Etihad Stadium and is seen as important cover for Ivorian midfielder Yaya Toure, who will be unavailable during January should he play at the African Cup of Nations.

Media reports said the English champions and New York are due to meet this week to decide Lampard's immediate future. MLS commissioner Don Garber said this month that the American league would not get involved in the decision. l

I’m still best man for Liverpool: Rodgers n AFP, London Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has declared that he remains the best man for the job despite disappointing recent results, in comments published by several British newspapers on Saturday.

Liverpool were knocked out of the Champions League by Basel in midweek and are currently 15 points below leaders Chelsea in the Premier League table ahead of Sunday’s trip to Manchester United.

Defeat at Old Trafford would further compromise Liverpool’s hopes of securing a top-four finish and qualifying for next season’s Champions League, but Rodgers is confident that he will turn things around.

“I think the message from me is clear: I don’t think there would be anyone better to do the job here,” said the Northern Irishman.

“Seven months ago we nearly won the title unexpectedly. I had time to work with players and we took them beyond where the club has been in a long time.

He added: “Criticism comes with the territory when you don’t win games.

Football is very short-term. The same people who are criticising me now were maybe saying I couldn’t do anything wrong six or seven months ago.

“That is the way football works.

You have to accept that as a manager and fight even harder to bring success.

This period has ensured I will do that for sure.”l

Lyon win again to close gap at top n AFP, Paris Ligue 1’s leading scorer Alexandre Lacazette grabbed a brace as Lyon beat struggling Caen 3-0 on Friday to make it eight consecutive home wins.

Lacazette’s early penalty set OL on their way and the France striker struck again just before the hour mark, with Yassine Benzia then making sure of the victory.

Hubert Fournier’s side have won eight of their last 10 Ligue 1 games and remain third in the table, although they are now only two points adrift of

leaders Marseille, who go to Monaco on Sunday.

Caen had gone six matches without a win to sink into the relegation zone

LIGUE 1

Lyon

3-0

Caen

Lacazette 7-P, 58, Benzia 62

and their evening got off to a bad start as Jean-Jacques Pierre was harshly adjudged to have fouled Nabil Fekir inside the area in seven minutes.

Lacazette beat his old team-mate

Balotelli accepts FA charge over ‘racist’ post n AFP, London Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli has accepted a Football Association charge of making racist and anti-semitic comments on social media, according to reports on Friday.

Balotelli was charged a week ago after he posted a controversial image of computer game character Super Mario on Instagram.

The image included the message: “Don’t be racist — be like Mario. He’s an Italian plumber created by Japanese

people who speaks English and looks like a Mexican. Jumps like a black man and grabs coin like a Jew.” Balotelli’s offence was deemed by the FA to be an ‘aggravated breach’, as defined by rule E3(2), as it included a reference to ethnic origin, colour, race, nationality or religion or belief.

The minimum ban for a race-related on-pitch offence is five matches, but that would not apply in a case such as Balotelli’s, for which no specific punishments are outlined.l

Remy Vercoutre from the spot to set Lyon on their way, although the second goal did not arrive until the 58th minute.

Samuel Umtiti headed down a corner for Lacazette to lash home his 15th goal of a fine campaign on the volley at the back post, and Benzia then drilled a low shot into the net from 16 yards four minutes later.

Only Vercoutre kept the score remotely respectable for Caen, as he saved another penalty, this time taken by Fekir, and then turned a Rachid Ghezzal free-kick onto a post in the latter stages. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Entertainment

Sunday, December 14, 2014

15

Apurba

Maasranga TV 11pm

A drama series Apurba revolves around four girls who are living in the metro city. They share their sorrow, happiness with one another and rejoice their interdependency under one roof.

Unforgettable

HBO Defined, 4:05pm Band Bangla performs at the National Theatre Auditorium of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy on the opening day of Tareque Masud Festival 2014 on December 12. The band’s music video titled ‘Kanar Hatbazar’ directed by Tareque Masud was unveiled at the programme

Enacting of an acting cream n Imad Khan Priota Farelin Iftekhar is an actor in the making. She started her acting career when she first appeared in Airtel’s telefilms, “Impossible 5” in 2013.

This was what the Bangladeshi model wanted to do, she continued pursuing what later became “the Bollywood dream.”

Like any person who sets forth on a field never ventured upon, Priota too had many questions she wanted answered before embarking on her journey, a quest to become a bigtime, professional actress.

“My journey started from the day I Googled ‘best acting schools of India,’ and found Actor Prepares and knew that all of my questions would be answered once I get a proper guiding,” says Priota. Actor Prepares is a Mumbai-based acting school for talented individuals who wish to pursue careers as actor-performers in the entertainment industry.

Established in 2005 by Indian famous actor Anupam Kher, the intensive professional-level course pro-

vides specialised training in acting.

To those wondering what it is like to be able to follow the steps of all those famous stars from Bollywood or even Hollywood, Priota talks about what it is like to learn how to act.

“I can now say that acting is no piece of cake. It needs hours of researching, studying, and rehearsing.

Also, one needs to stay fit and be well groomed. Maintaining this balance makes acting a subject like no other.”

Priota counts amongst her blessings, the perks of getting the opportunity to meet and learn from the likes of Lana Wachowski and Andy Wachowski (the directors of The Matrix), renowned Bollywood superstars, and some of India’s finest scriptwriters.

“It’s surprising how I came to Mumbai unable to speak a single word in Hindi and ended up acting out a ninety nine page script all in Hindi after being taught how to,” Priota added.

“This just goes to show how great the teachers are over here. I’m very thankful to get the chance to learn from them.” l

Star Wars character names revealed in trading cards

Unsuccessfully framed for his wife’s murder, Dr. David Krane attempts to find the real culprit by utilising a new drug that allows him to experience the memories of other people.

Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon

Star Movies Action, 10:30pm

n Entertainment Desk Director JJ Abrams confirmed the names via some old school trading cards, in a humorous nod to when the films were first released in the 1970s.

Boyega’s card showed his character to be called Finn, with Ridley’s named Rey and Isaac’s known as Poe Dameron.

The football-like droid, seen in the recent trailer, was revealed as BB:8.

The trading cards also feature a Sith warrior named Kylo Ren. The seventh instalment of the sci-fi saga is set about 30 years after the events of “Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi.” The film, which reunites original stars Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher, is scheduled to be released in cinemas on December 18 2015.

Two more films are planned as part of the latest Star Wars chapter.

The original Star Wars trilogy, released between 1977 and 1983, was envisioned by director Lucas as the central chunk of a nine-movie cycle.

Disney are behind the forthcoming trilogy in the franchise following a deal which saw them buy Lucasfilm for more than $4bn (£2.5bn).

An 88-second trailer was released last month, revealing a new crossshaped lightsaber and Tie Fighters pursuing the Millennium Falcon. l

Padatik Bangladesh’s Poramati premieres today

Exhibition

16th Asian Art Biennale Bangladesh Time: 11am – 8pm National Art Gallery Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy

Two warriors in pursuit of a stolen sword and a notorious fugitive are led to an impetuous, physically skilled, adolescent nobleman’s daughter, who is at a crossroads in her life.

FAROOKI wins APSA-MPA Award

n Entertainment Desk

Meet the Faces

By Nasreen Sultana Mitu Time: 3pm – 9pm Alliance Francaise

Theatre troupe Padatik Bangladesh’s latest production, Poramati, which is set in 1971 premieres today at the Experimental Theatre Hall of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy at 6pm.

Written by Babul Biswas and directed by Dr Irin Parvin, the production, the troupe’s thirty-first, portrays the torture and killing of intellectuals by Pakistani forces and their collaborators towards the end of the 1971 Liberation War. Director Irin Parvin said: “It is my responsibility to convey the message of the Liberation War to the next generation. I think we have succeeded a bit in expressing our thoughts through the production.”

Ferdousi Majumder, Panna Kaisar, Shaymoli Nasrin Chowdhury and Jahid Reza Noor, family members of the martyred intellectuals, will inaugurate the production.

Indian Deputy High Commissioner Sandip Chakraborty will be present at the opening as the special guest. l

Be Smart About Art Time: 10am – 8pm Athena Gallery of Fine Arts Shifting Sands Time: 12pm – 8pm Bengal Art Lounge 60, Gulshan Avenue

Film

Roar, Fury, Ek Cup Cha Big Hero 6 (3D) Pipra Bidda, Ouija Time: 10am – 10pm Star Cineplex

AAMIR KHAN to direct Baraf n Entertainment Desk Aamir Khan Productions has bought the rights of a script titled Baraf written by Aditi Rao and none other than Aamir Khan is interested in directing it.

Aamir’s brother Faisal Khan who works with Aamir Khan Productions said, “I think at one point Aamir had expressed his interest in directing it. He will not act in it but I think he might still be interested in directing it though when it will happen I don’t know. Aamir works at his own pace. But he is definitely excited about the script.”

A human relationships drama, “Baraf” traces the journey of a young boy, his problems and the way he overcomes them.

Aamir had earlier directed “Taare Zameen Par.” l

LAWRENCE and ADAMS paid less than male American Hustle co-stars

n Entertainment Desk Both Jennifer Lawrence and Amy Adams walked away with Golden Globes for their roles in “American Hustle,” but it was their male co-stars that grabbed the real gold.

The actresses are the latest big celebrities to be named in the Sony Pictures hacking scandal that has left Hollywood both enthralled and worried.

In the latest set of emails, it has been uncovered by the Daily Beast that Jennifer and Amy were given much smaller chunks of the successful film’s earnings. The actresses were paid seven “points” (7% of the profits), as opposed to the 9% her male co-stars and director David O Russell received.

While Oscar winner Jennifer was arguably the hottest star to be signed to the Seventies crime flick, she and Amy were given a smaller percentage

of the back end - which is a split of the profit after the film breaks even - then director David O. Russell and male stars Jeremy Renner, Christian Bale and Bradley Cooper.

The Daily Beast reports in an email dated December 5, 2013, from Andrew Gumpert, President of Business Affairs and Administration for Columbia Pictures, to Sony co-chairman Amy Pascal and Doug Belgrad, President of SPE Motion Picture Group, shows the ladies were getting hustled.

Gumpert says he got a ‘rush call’ from Jennifer’s attorneys, Steve Warren and Gretchen Rush, complaining that the men were getting more than the ladies.

The email says: “Got a Steve Warren/Gretchen rush call that it’s unfair the male actors get 9 percent in the pool and Jennifer is only at 7pts [percentage points].” l

n Entertainment Desk Celebrated Bangladeshi film director Mostofa Sarwar Farooki has been awarded with a grant of $100,000 for his next directorial venture “No Land’s Man”, a dark satirical drama about religious persecution.

The “No Land’s Man” was also named as the best project at the Film Bazaar co-production market in Goa, India last month.

On Thursday, the The MPA APSA Academy Film Fund announced the grants of US$25,000 for this year at the 8th annual Asia Pacific Screen Awards ceremony in Brisbane, Australia.

The prize winners were selected

by Australian distributor Andrew Pike, China’s Zoe Chen of Ruddy Morgan Organization (China) and Sheila Timothy (Indonesia), producer and president of the Association of Indonesian Film Producers (APROFI).

Iran’s imprisoned director Jafar Panahi was also in among the recipients of the award.

Panahi won the award for his project “Flower” (Goul”). This films is about a man who needs to kill his disabled son to bring peace to a family. Jafar Panahi’s son Panar Panahi will dirct the film.

Meanwhile, Israel’s Dror Moreh won for “Corridors of Power,” a confronting documentary examination of how the world’s political leaders have responded to reports of mass killings and genocide in recent decades.

Danish film-maker Signe Byrge Sorensen (“The Act of Killing”) also won for her upcoming documentary “On Screen Off Record” which charts the citizen journalist movement in Syria. l

16

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Back Page

Sunday, December 14, 2014

Road Safety Council wakes up after 2yrs At least 10 crucial decisions taken in the last meeting only gathered dust n Shohel Mamun Entitled to formulate plans to curbing road accidents, the National Road Safety Council (NRSC) has called a meeting for its reformation after more than two years of hibernation.

The council held its last meeting on June 17, 2012 and came up with a set of recommendations which were never implemented. Now it has called a fresh meeting for December 21 with a hope to start functioning again.

“The committee had 44 members comprising of representatives of almost every ministry related with the road accident issue. But some members have already gone on retirement,” Road Transport and Highways Secretary MAN Siddique told the Dhaka Tribune recently.

The NRSC also drew up a detailed plan and course of action, and specified responsibilities of different government bodies The committee did not work due to “bureaucratic problems.” In the last meeting, the panel had taken more than 10 major decisions, but those just gathered dust.

Around 3,000 people are killed in road accidents across the country every year, according to police records.

But the World Bank puts the figure at 12,000 while the World Health Organisation says it is 18,000, according to a 2011 report of Buet’s research institute.

Prof Tanweer Hasan, a road transports expert, said: “The government has hardly taken steps to minimise road accidents. Had the council been active, we would have seen at least see some visible progress.”

Apart from the council, there are two other committees that work on cutting down road accidents – Road Transport Advisory Council and Cabi-

net Committee on Road Safety. Government officials, law enforcers, experts and rights activists are members of the committees which have also been sitting idle for years.

Since its inception in 1995, the NRSC has formulated six road safety action plans between 1997 and 2011. In the latest plan, it has identified nine sectors that are to be improved for ensuring road safety. They include road engineering, traffic legislation, traffic law enforcement, driver training and tests, vehicle safety, education, publicity and medical services.

The NRSC also drew up a detailed plan and course of action, and specified responsibilities of different government bodies. But none of those have been implemented.

However, the 44-member body looked so “efficient” with Minister Obaidul Quader as its convener and BRTA Chairman Nazrul Islam the member secretary.

The forgotten committee also includes Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan, State Minister for Home Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, State Minister for Cooperatives Moshiur Rahman Ranga, Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee of Road Transport and Bridges Ministry Akabbor Hussain.

Member Secretary Nazrul said: “We are frustrated with this committee as it has not work out. We hope a reformed committee will perform desirably; at least, they will hold meetings regularly.”

The committee had also decided to form a sub-committee. It has been forgotten. They also decided to establish a training institute which was never discussed thereafter.

There was another decision of drafting the Road Transport Act in Bengali so that everyone could understand it.

This decision too has been pending.

An NRSC member and film star Ilias Kanchan said: “We took many good decisions. But those were not implemented due to lack of sincerity of the implementing agencies and bureaucratic tangles. The reformed committee will not be a successful one if the bureaucratic tangles are not removed.” l

With only one day left to the celebration of the 43rd Victory Day, the lake by the Independence Monument at the capital’s Suhrawardy Udyan still lies filled with filth. The photo was taken yesterday MEHEDI HASAN

Mamata to BJP: Stay within your limits or face music n Tribune Report

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee launched a scathing attack on BJP and the Centre on Saturday over the arrest of state Transport Minister Madan Mitra by CBI in the Saradha scam.

Mamata said Trinamool Congress MPs will protest against it in parliament from Monday, reports Indian Express yesterday.

“CBI has lost all credentials. It has become His Master’s Voice. CBI has become a political tool. It is time to wind it up. TMC MPs will protest in parliament from Monday against BJP’s politics of vendetta.”

Mamata Banerjee was speaking at a TMC rally.

“Stay within your limits or face the music,” she warned the BJP and the Centre and added that people of Bengal will not tolerate insult. They are arrogant because they are in power, she said.

Reminiscent of her earlier practice, Mamata hit the road along with thousands of party workers, including ministers and several sports persons in a protest march against the arrest.

“I have not come here as chief minister but as a common citizen. I do not

believe that Madan is a thief or dacoit.

His family’s pecuniary condition is not such that he had to take this money (from the Saradha Group) to sustain his family.”

Apparently referring to photos of Madan Mitra sharing the dias with Saradha Group Chairman Sudipta Sen, who is now in judicial custody, at a function of its employees union of which he was stated to be the president, Banerjee said “If an image is a proof of criminal conspiracy, then the PM should be arrested for the Sahara scam.

“There are photos of several CPI-M leaders with chit fund owners. There are photos of the PM with the Sahara chief.

Should we demand that CBI arrest PM Narendra Modi?” Mamata questioned.

Alleging that Madan Mitra, a key party organiser and also state sports minister, was called as the witness to the CBI office and was arrested hours after, she said it was done following a phone call from Delhi.

“His son, who met him after the arrest was told by Madan that CBI officials were just interacting with him and asking him as to which school and college he had studied in.”

At this stage a phone call came from Delhi following which he was arrested.

“Madan was called as a witness. If one after being called as a witness, gets arrested this way then no one will go to depose as the witness,” Mamata said.

Meanwhile, responding to her charges, the BJP in Delhi said Mamata is pressing the “panic button” and “rattled” by the possibility that her “own involvement” could come to light, reports the Hindustan Times.

“Dare does not matter. Sometimes I can say these are politically motivated attempts...If anything which is linking Mamata Banerjee with the scam, she would be investigated and interrogated by the CBI. It is for the CBI to take that call and not for me to direct the CBI,” BJP spokesperson Meenakshi Lekhi told reporters outside parliament “And it will be determined on the fact of the case and investigating material, which is before the police. I am no one to direct CBI, nor is the BJP. CBI is an autonomous institution,” she added.

Lekhi said that if Mamata Banerjee has done anything wrong or committed any wrong in terms of conspiracy which has happened or if any link is found connecting her with Saradha scam “her dare will go away” because the law would then take its course.

Another party spokesperson GVL

Narsimha Rao attacked Banerjee, saying she has “lost all her courage” and was making “adventurous comments” without offering an explanation on the alleged role of her party leaders.

“She is possibly rattled by the revelations and possibly fears that her own involvement in the scam would come to light,” he said.

Opposition parties in West Bengal have repeatedly accused the chief minister of trying to shield some of the beneficiaries of the company’s slush funds.

Meanwhile, West Bengal minister Madan Mitra was sent to CBI custody till Dec 16 by a Kolkata court.

Rejecting the bail plea moved by Mitra’s lawyers, the chief judicial magistrate’s court sent him to four days’ custody in connection with the ponzi scandal.

The Saradha scam was caused by the collapse of the investment operation of the Saradha Group, a consortium of over 200 private companies, which ran many unlicensed financial schemes in eastern India.

Under the scam hundreds of thousands of small investors lost Rs. 2,459 crore, according to an official estimate.

There are unofficial estimates that peg the figure higher. l

IS top tweeter Mehdi held in Bengaluru, group vows to free him n Tribune report

Instead of a warning sign, the signpost on this manhole reads: “I have been ill for the last 22 days. No one is here to take care of me. Will I stay like this forever?” A manhole without cover is apparently a common scenario in many of the city streets, however, the satirical signpost set on this one on the North Brook Hall Road of the capital stands apart to catch the eyes of the authorities concerned MAINOOR ISLAM MANIK

The young engineer behind a popular pro-Islamic State (IS) Twitter account was arrested yesterday at his one-room rented accommodation in an upscale Bengaluru neighbourhood, triggering pledges to free him by those subscribing to the terror group’s alarming agenda.

Mehdi Masroor Biswas, the man who operated pro-IS Twitter handle, worked for a MNC, reports the Hindustan Times.

“On the basis of credible intelligence inputs ... we have apprehended Mehdi Masroor Biswas from his apartment,” said Director General of Police LR Pachuau.

The mobile phone – the one that he apparently used to tweet thousands of jihadi posts to his 17,000 followers on Twitter – was confiscated along with a laptop and other documents for evidence.

Police said 24-year-old Mehdi from a Kolkata suburb working with ITC in Bengaluru didn’t probably have any direct links with the terror group which controls swathes of Syria and Iraq as part of its campaign to create an Islamic caliphate.

“He appears to have been only majorly active in the virtual world,” said Bengaluru Police Commissioner MN Reddi.

Police said he used to post Twitter messages after office hours, cheering the IS’s advances in Iraq and Syria, and mocking its enemies.

“He was particularly close to the English-speaking terrorists of IS and

became a source of incitement and information for the new recruits trying to join IS,” Reddi said.

A case was registered against him for abetting war against the state.

But his parents in Kolkata said he was being framed. “He is religious but not a fanatic to join a terrorist group. He didn’t go to a madrasa and doesn’t even know Arabic,” said mother Mamtaz Begam.

He was particularly close to the Englishspeaking terrorists of IS and became a source of incitement and information for the new recruits trying to join IS Britain’s Channel4 on Wednesday night revealed Mehdi as the man behind the Twitter handle @ShamiWitness that was described as a “leading conduit of information between jihadis, supporters and recruits” with 2 million views each month.

But Reddi said Biswas never recruited anyone or facilitated any such activity in India, and had never traveled outside India.

Reports suggest Mehdi was seeking cheap thrill as he was drawn into the IS propaganda machine that promotes its conquests, inspires sympathisers and attracts new recruits through the social media.

The IS uses Hollywood-style film

clips and other elements to attract disaffected but plugged-in young Muslims like Mehdi, a regular man who shares “jokes, pictures of pizza dinners with friends and Hawaiian parties at work” on his Facebook account. His arrest prompted IS to launch a “Free Shami Witness” campaign while Kurdish fighters in Syria celebrated the news.

“Bengaluru ruthless police arrest brother Mehdi Masroor Biswas as owner of @ShamiWitness twitter acc,” wrote IS Tweeter handle, @IS_WorldPress, drawing immediate response from the group’s supporters across the world to free him at any cost.

“We all miss #ShamiWitness twitter isnt the same without his news,” tweeted JanissaryFighter (?@ SaifAlRasheed97).

Kurdish fighters, the IS’s bitter enemies, uploaded morphed pictures of Biswas behind the bars, wearing Santa Claus hats.

Meanwhile, ITC Ltd, where IS twitter handler Mehdi Masroor Biswas is employed, is engaged with the police who are investigating the matter and has said that this is now a top priority area for the company, reports The Hindu.

When contacted, ITC, which is headquartered in the city, said that Biswas was employed with its Foods Division and the company has extended every co operation with the investigation process.

“We are engaged with the police for the investigation. That is the top-most priority,” the company said. l

Actress sues cricketer Rubel n Raihan Mahmood

In the midst of the BCB-Badal controversy, Bangladesh cricket has been hit with another bouncer as an actress and model named Naznin Akter Happy filed a case against national paceman Rubel Hossain at the Mirpur Model Police Station yesterday under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act. Happy, who appeared in a number of commercials including Airtel, demanded justice.

The actress, who has also acted in a film titled “Kichu Asha Kichu Bhalobasha” told the Dhaka Tribune over phone: “I met Rubel about one year ago and we have had a relation for the last nine months. I believed that he would marry me. But I have found out that he is involved with other girls.

“When I asked him to marry me he began to distance himself from. That is why I filed the case. I want justice as per the law.”

Salahuddin Khan, the officer-incharge of Mirpur Model Police Station, admitted the fact: “Yes, a case has been filed against Rubel Hossain by Naznin Akter Happy. Rubel owns a flat in Mirpur and the plaintiff used to go there.

There are allegations of physical relation with the promise of marriage. We are looking into the facts and will take necessary steps according to the law.”

Despite repeated attempts, Rubel’s mobile phone was found switched off. 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 Congress misses out on

Lagarde’s ‘belly dance’ by rejecting IMF reforms

B4 Global oil demand to

slow despite price rout

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2014 www.dhakatribune.com/business

BB to extend repayment period of green refinancing scheme It would be made five or six years from existing three years n Tribune Report Bangladesh Bank (BB) has decided to extend the credit repayment period for renewable energy projects, making easier the green financing conditions to boost fund disbursement.

“Just now I have decided to extend the loan repayment tenure from three years to five or six years for renewable energy projects,” Governor Atiur Rahman told a conference on Green Finance for Sustainable Development in the city yesterday.

At present, a borrower has to pay back the loan with interest within three years from the date of first disbursement.

The central bank’s green loan relaxation came in response to the renewable energy companies’ recommendations put forward at the event, arranged by the NeoSTAR Innovation, a IT firm that has developed an online platform ‘GDNET’ to facilitate information sharing and to strengthen communication process between banks, entrepreneurs, technology providers and researchers.

Around 10 institutions, including Rahimafrooz Renewable Energy, Energypac, NCC Bank, IFIC Bank and NRB Global Bank, took part at the conference aiming at bridging the gap between financiers and stakeholders.

In response to another recommendation, the governor said, “I’ve already asked to form a voluntary advisory committee drawing representatives from private sector, development partners and stakeholders to find out strategy for taking green movement faster.”

He urged energy firms to innovate green projects related to carbon emission-free industry for reducing risk of damaging environment and bankers to set up one cold-storage by each bank in the country from their CSR funds to participate in taking green movement forward.

He said BB has so far identified 47 green products under BB refinance scheme where 23 are green energy. If any bank or financial institution will come up with innovative green product that truly contributes to environmental conservation, BB will seriously

Solar panels installed on the rooftop of a city building as part of the country’s campaign for going green look into the issue for identifying the product as a green one, he said.

“The central bank has set annual target to banks and financial institutions for direct finance which will be mandatory from January 2015. Shifting the investment from fossil-fuel to green energy is the only way of transforming economic growth paths.”

CEO of Energypac Electronics Ltd Nurul Aktar said for quicker implementation of “go green movement,” a green committee is needed. “We have still gap between financiers and stake-

holders in some issues.”

He said improving energy efficiency level is also a strong element for green movement. “Unfortunately, this has not been given due diligence.”

Managing Director of Rahimafrooz Renewable Energy Munawar Misbah Moin requested the central bank to simplify the due diligence process of green financing. “Typically, loan is tied to the project. Tenure is a mismatch with the project lifeline.”

According to Moin’s presentation paper, in Bangladesh, the loan repay-

SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

ment period is from 3 to 10 years with interest rate ranging from 8 to 12%, but in countries like India, China and Thailand, it is 5 to 15 years with interest rate from 3 to 7%.

Over the last 10 years, renewable energy with largest contribution from solar home systems generated 162mw of power, the paper said.

BB has so far disbursed more than Tk1,000 crore in the renewable energy sector and, of which, only 1.9% or 200 crore went into green financing projects, it said.

GIZ Sustainable Energy for Development Programme Manager David Peter Hancock put importance on seamless collaboration among stakeholders, policy makers and stakeholders for making the green movement successful.

“I think there is a bit of disconnect between the financier and stakeholder.

Commercial bank is not familiar with such business.”

Vice Chairman of NCC Bank ASM Main Uddin Monem and CEO of NeoSTAR Innovation Edward Apurba Singha also spoke at the vent. l

Tofail: Government to implement apparel summit recommendations

n Tribune Report

Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed yesterday said the government will implement recommendations mobilised from the “Dhaka Apparel Summit 2014” to make Bangladesh a number one RMG exporting country.

“We have been able to probe that Rana Plaza collapse does not depict the holistic picture of RMG sector. There is something good here that represents global standard also,” Tofail said in his address at a post-Apparel Summit media briefing at BGMEA office.

He described the summit as mostly needed to brand Bangladesh following the Rana Plaza building collapse.

The Apparel Summit, first in its kind in Bangladesh, issued a set of recommendations including better infrastructure, availability of power and gas, political stability, workers’ knowledge, raising awareness on safety issues, access to low-cost financing for remediation and relocation of RMG factories, ethical pricing, constructive criticism from media and good governance.

The minister said foreign buyers and friends that participated in the event realised that $50bn export vision is a realistic one for Bangladesh.

Quoting the participants at the programme, Tofail said Bangladesh does not seem to be a Least Developed Country.

It is a miracle that even after RMG factory visits foreign delegates were pleased with their standard, he noted.

“We have been able to identify challenges and ways forward to reach the export target by 2021 and to make a road map for sustainable development of RMG sector,” BGMEA President M Atiqul Islam said.

He claimed that a good relationship between apparel makers and western civil society members and buyers has been established.

“Bangladesh is even ahead of America in terms of labour price and we would go ahead with our own speed and capacity,” Atiqul said, adding that Bangladesh has been ratified by ILO in eight categories while the US in only two.

Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) organised the “Dhaka Apparel Summit 2014” to draw a road map for export target, marking the golden jubilee celebration for the country’s independence. l

Fayekuzzaman made ICB MD for 5th time BKMEA Palli to be developed in Narayanganj n Asif Showkat Kallol Md Fayekuzzaman has once again been appointed as managing Director of the state-run financial institution, Investment Corporation of Bangladesh (ICB), for the fifth time in a row, despite having strong allegations that he had played negative role in the share market crash during 2009.

Bank and Financial Institutions Division issued a circular on Wednesday, appointmenting him for the fifth-time.

According to a high official of the Banking division, Md Fayekuzzaman is a lucky man as he got the appointment for the fifth time.

He is the person who appointed highest number of employees under

contract since he became the MD of ICB. As contacted over phone, Fayekuzzaman declined to make any remark.

He has reportedly requested the journalists, who are familiar with him, not to publish any news about the appointment again.

Former Deputy Governor of Bangladesh Bank and Chairman of the probe committee on the share market scam Ibharhim Khelad, however, in his report admitted the fact that there was a negative role of the MD of ICB during the crash of the share market in 2009.

“I don’t really understand how the same person, who has allegedly been involved in corruption, has once again been appointed,” Ibrahim Khaled told the Dhaka Tribune.

Referring the age limit for the position, he also said, “There should be no question if his age is below 65 as per law, but if he crossed the age limit, there should be question to be answered by the government.”

Questioning the tenure of the extension, he also observed that the appointment should be made for at least three years.

Md Fayekuzzaman had joined ICB as a MD for the first time on July 11, 2010. Earlier, he had served as deputy MD of the state-owned Agrani Bank.

He was appointed as a MD of ICB on December 5, 2013 for the fourth time, the tenure of which came to an end on December 4 this year and again he got another year of extension, ICB officials said. l

n Tribune Report The government will establish a BKMEA Palli at Shantir Chor in Narayanganj to help ensure compliance in the country’s knitwear sector.

Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed came up with the disclosure while unveiling the “Global Buyers Information Directory (GBID)” in Dhaka yesterday.

The announcement came in response to a BKMEA demand to establish a special area for the knitwear industry to make the sector compliant and modern.

Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) launched Global Buyers’ Information Directory (GBID) for the entrepreneurs to help knitwear export to further en-

hance the export market.

The directory contains detailed information of 25,000 buyers of 160 countries across the globe, which has been published with the help of BKMEA. Tofail said: “As we want to modernise the country’s apparel industry and also to make it complaint as well, the government will extend all out cooperation and help build a Palli for the BKMEA.” BKMEA president Salim Osman urged the minister to establish a Palli for the knitwear sector and a hospital for the workers to ensure health safety.

“We only can use 60% of our working capacity due to lack of gas electricity and water supply,’’ said the BKMEA president. He also demanded subsidy for the diesel, as they need to use it to generate power through generator in

Shasha Denims to raise production by 180% n Tribune Report A leading export-oriented denim fabric producer Shasha Denims is set to increase its production capacity by 180% in next one and a half year through raising fund from the stock market.

“The production will be raised from 10 lakh yards to 28 lakh yards in next one and a half years,” said Jamal Abdun Naser, a director of the company based in Dhaka Export Processing Zone.

He said the fund to be raised through IPO will be used to purchase modern machinery to improve the quality of denim fabrics and also increase volume of production.

He briefed a group of journalists at the Shasha Denims manufacturing plant premises at Dhaka EPZ yesterday. The company’s Managing Director Shams

Mahmud and chief financial officer Md Ahasanul Huq were also present.

Receiving green signal from the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission to go ahead with IPO plan in October last, the company will raise Tk175 crore through the IPO with 88% of the fund to be spent on the expansion.

It will also use Tk18.23 crore for partial repayment of bank loans and the rest Tk 2.77 crore for bearing the expenses of the IPO proceedings.

The denim producer will offload five crore ordinary shares at an offer price of Tk 35 each, including a premium of Tk 25 for each Tk 10 share. The IPO subscription will begin tomorrow (December 14) and end on December 21.

Naser said there is a huge demand-supply gap for denim fabrics both at local and internation-

al markets. “Being one of the high quality denim fabric producers in the country, we want to exploit the opportunity.”

The company will raise Tk175 crore through the IPO with 88% of the fund to be spent on the expansion Every month, 25 local makers produce 30m yards of denim fabrics while the demand is nearly 60m yards, he said.

To meet the demand, 30-35m yards of such fabrics are imported every month at $75m on an average from different countries, including China, India and Pakistan.

Starting commercial production in 2000, Shasha has around 15% of Bangladesh’s market share, after Partex Denims with 17%, followed by Envoy Denim with around 13%.

The company is denim supplier to world’s top retailers and brands, including H&M, Uniqlo, Levis, Nike, Tesco, Wrangler, s.Oliver, Hugo Boss, Puma, Primark, JC Penney, C&A, Tommy Hilfiger, Inditex, Walmart, M&S, Calvin Klein, Diesel, Gap, Channel, Dior and G-Star.

The main raw material used for the production is yarn, which the company imports mainly from China, India and Pakistan.

According to the audited financial reports for the year ending on December 31, 2013, the company’s earnings per share stood at Tk 3.73, while its net asset value is Tk 52.95 per share. l

case of insufficient power or gas supply.

“If the uninterrupted supply of gas and electricity was ensured, the sector would be able to double the export volume to US$13bn by 2016,” he added.

State Minister for labour and Employment Mujibul Haque Chunnu said: “If there is no negative attitude towards the workers, it will be better for the business and Bangladesh would be able to reach RMG export target of $50bn by 2021.

The minister also noted that the government was working for reducing the gap between the workers and the owners by ensuring good relations between them.

Necessary measures would also be taken to build a labour office and a hospital at Chashara in Narayanganj as per the demand of BKMEA, he added. l

Skills development stressed for economic growth

n Tribune Report State Minister for the Ministry of Labour and Employment Mujibul Haque Chunnu yesterday said skill manpower is a crucial need for Bangladesh to attain a middle-income status by 2021 and to accelerate the country’s economic growth.

“Bangladesh needs to develop workers’ skill and educate them to be able to contribute to the national economic growth,” he said.

Mujibul was addressing as the chief gust the inaugural ceremony of a threeday programme titled “Industry-responsive skills: a road map for development.”

The British Council in partnership with the National Skills Development Council (NSDC) is hosting the event that focuses on the importance of skill development in the field of national economic and social growth.  B3 COLUMN 1

B2

Stocks slips into red past week n

Stock markets slipped into red last week after a strong rebound in the last to last week as investors turned cautious and booked profits on launching of new trading platform.

Dealers said automated trading platform launched into closing session of the week that ended Thursday leading investor to take ‘wait and see’ policy.

In the past week, the benchmark index DSEX lost almost 29 points or 0.6% to settle at 4,933, chipping away from previous week’s significant rise of 189 points.

The comprising blue chips DS30 index was down 20 points or 1% to 1,823. The DSE Shariah Index shed 6 points or 0.6% to 1,155.

The Chittagong Stock Exchange Selective Categories Index, CSCX, declined 54 points or 0.6% to 9,256.

The past week’s average daily turnover value stood at Tk360 crore, down 9% over the previous week.

On the closing session, turnover hit 14-month low following the introduction of the new trading system at the bourse.

Over the past week, power sector lost the most 3.8%, followed by life insurance 3%, general insurance 2.6%, engineering 2.4%, cement 2% and pharmaceuticals 1.6%.

Telecommunication was the week’s best performer surging almost 3%, food and allied 2%.

Banks, non-banking financial insti-

DSE LOSERS

Hamid Fabrics -N Sonali Ansh -A Khan Brothers-N WesternMarine -N Meghna Petroleum -A PragatiLife Insu. -Z Shurwid Ind. -N Reliance Insur -A ICB Islamic Bank-Z Orion Infusions -A

Closing (% change) -21.93 -20.06 -19.62 -16.40 -15.03 -11.07 -10.75 -10.45 -8.62 -8.00

CSE LOSERS Company Hamid Fabrics -N Khan Brothers-N WesternMarine -N Meghna Petroleum -A Shurwid Ind. -N SonarBangla Insu. -A Orion Infusions -A Safko Spinning-A Keya Cosmetics -A Provati Insur.-A

Closing (% change) -21.26 -19.15 -15.82 -15.75 -10.78 -10.53 -8.79 -7.69 -7.56 -6.98

4933.03008

(-) 0.58%

1823.64439

(-) 1.09%

15180.7959

(-) 0.56%

12443.0300

(-) 0.97%

9256.5254

(-) 0.58%

Average (% change) -27.54 -19.76 -22.45 -15.93 -15.04 -11.76 -12.21 -11.34 -9.09 -8.60 Average (% change) -26.62 -21.08 -14.74 -15.29 -11.45 -10.53 -9.04 -4.10 -9.53 -8.14

ANALYST

Closing average 44.22 113.98 33.72 48.43 223.71 88.83 29.70 57.72 5.30 44.23

Closing average 44.43 34.00 49.11 222.95 29.78 15.30 44.05 32.98 26.97 19.74

Weekly 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 2016.32 1472.92 169.15 2310.58 975.32 1935.60 30.71 2520.56 2675.28 102.45 775.58 204.10 120.51 523.62 318.49 126.09 170.64 513.17 276.37 783.79 1.14

Weekly high 58.90 150.00 41.90 57.50 237.30 100.00 33.60 60.10 5.90 48.30

Weekly high

43.70 34.20 47.90 222.50 29.80 17.00 43.60 32.40 26.90 20.00

Turnover (Million Taka)

Shampur Sugar -Z Aziz PipesZ Quasem Drycells -A Anwar Galvanizing-B Dulamia CottonZ Tung Hai Knitting -N Beacon Pharma Ltd.-Z SummitAlliancePort.-A Tallu Spinning -Z Zeal Bangla Sugar -Z

59.50 41.50 57.30 243.00 33.30 17.20 48.00 37.40 29.60 21.50

Company

18,022.38 477,642,849 460,329

Traded Issues

316

Issue Gain (Avg. Price Basis)

108

Issue Loss (Avg. Price Basis)

205 3

Market Capital Equity (Billion. Tk.)

2,640.28

Market Capital Equity (Billion US$)

32.00

CSE key features December 7-11, 2014 Turnover (Million Taka)

1,765.84

Turnover (Volume)

56,652,518

Number of Contract

66,414

Traded Issues

258

Issue Gain (Avg. Price Basis)

97

Issue Loss (Avg. Price Basis)

156

Unchanged Issue (Avg. Price Basis)

4

Market Capital Equity (Billion. Tk.)

2,544.32

Market Capital Equity (Billion US$)

30.84

Turnover in million

43.30 110.50 32.20 46.80 208.00 88.10 29.10 56.00 5.20 43.60

Weekly low 43.00 33.40 47.30 220.50 29.60 17.00 43.20 32.20 26.60 18.60

Latest EPS

632.418 30.628 180.035 310.103 208.037 1.096 52.860 1.922 6.476 74.888

Turnover in million

Closing (% change) 34.67 28.31 25.04 20.17 19.12 18.60 17.07 15.92 14.29 13.92

CSE GAINERS

Unchanged Issue (Avg. Price Basis)

Weekly low

Sunday, December 14, 2014

3.12 0.60 1.36 1.80 23.44 2.38 0.76 3.79 -0.71 3.64

Latest EPS

147.092 28.083 57.779 11.790 5.414 0.134 11.046 3.182 29.010 1.148

3.12 1.36 1.80 23.44 0.76 1.77 3.64 1.24 2.36 1.97

Latest PE 14.2 190.0 24.8 26.9 9.5 37.3 39.1 15.2 -ve 12.2

Latest PE 14.2 25.0 27.3 9.5 39.2 8.6 12.1 26.6 11.4 10.0

Company Aziz PipesZ Quasem Drycells -A Tung Hai Knitting -N Beacon Pharma Ltd.-Z Midas Financing-Z Anwar Galvanizing-B SummitAlliancePort.-A Samata LeatheR -Z Imam Button -Z Mozaffar H.Spinning-A

Closing (% change) 35.10 31.38 20.24 17.90 17.69 16.99 15.21 14.75 13.92 12.81

Average (% change) 34.13 25.46 21.63 16.35 18.17 16.09 17.08 14.53 12.87 11.32 Average (% change) 33.25 25.21 16.82 17.47 17.89 15.56 14.19 14.75 10.76 10.67

Closing average 10.10 27.40 76.47 41.63 8.13 19.91 19.60 86.78 15.87 9.05

Closing average 27.73 77.47 19.79 19.43 17.33 42.18 86.58 21.00 8.85 27.07

Weekly closing 10.10 28.10 77.40 42.30 8.10 20.40 19.20 87.40 16.00 9.00

Weekly closing 28.10 78.30 20.20 19.10 17.30 42.70 87.10 21.00 9.00 27.30

Weekly high 10.30 29.00 78.00 42.70 8.60 20.60 20.20 87.70 16.50 9.10

Weekly high 30.10 79.00 20.50 20.00 17.40 42.90 87.30 21.00 9.20 27.50

Weekly low 7.70 22.00 57.00 33.00 6.90 16.90 15.00 72.50 14.10 7.90

Weekly low 18.80 62.10 16.90 15.00 15.80 36.50 76.30 21.00 7.70 23.50

Turnover in million 1.363 7.130 442.206 42.037 0.923 136.765 152.254 522.339 19.562 0.216

Turnover in million 0.872 11.395 28.502 20.204 105.149 1.321 61.809 0.011 0.471 36.090

Latest EPS -52.72 -0.37 2.24 0.84 -3.84 1.19 0.08 0.88 -0.48 -47.80

Latest EPS -0.37 2.24 1.19 0.08 -7.00 0.84 0.88 0.05 -1.72 2.80

Latest PE -ve -ve 34.1 49.6 -ve 16.7 245.0 98.6 -ve -ve

Latest PE -ve 34.6 16.6 242.9 -ve 50.2 98.4 420.0 -ve 9.7

News, analysis and recent disclosers AGM/Dividend SONALIANSH: The Board of Directors has recommended 10% cash dividend for the year ended on June 30, 2014. Date of AGM: 30.12.2014, Time: 11:00 AM, Venue: White House Hotel, 155, Shantinagar, Dhaka-1217. Record Date: 21.12.2014. The Company has also reported net profit of Tk. 1.62 million, EPS of Tk. 0.60, NAV per share of Tk. 225.58 and NOCFPS of Tk. (15.53) for the year ended on June 30, 2014 as against Tk. 7.19 million, Tk. 2.65, Tk. 226.00 and Tk. (24.23) respectively for the year ended on June 30, 2013.

HFL: The Board of Directors has recommended 10% cash dividend and 10% stock dividend for the year ended on June 30, 2014. Date of AGM: 30.12.2014, Time: 11:00 AM, Venue: Trust Milonayaton, 545 Old Airport Road, Dhaka. Record Date: 22.12.2014. The Company has also reported EPS of Tk. 5.58 (restated 3.46), NAV per share of Tk. 46.78 (restated 42.30) and NOCFPS of Tk. 3.01 for the year ended on June 30, 2014 as against Tk. 5.09, Tk. 41.20 and Tk. 4.42 respectively for the year ended on June 30, 2013.

Audited/unaudited Financial Reports: BSC: (Q1): As per un-audited quarterly accounts for the 1st quarter ended on 30th September 2014 (July'14 to Sep'14), the Company has reported profit/(loss) after tax of Tk. 22.55 million with EPS of Tk. 1.66 as against Tk. 17.54 million and Tk. 1.29 respectively for the same period of the previous year. Accumulated profit/ (loss) of the Company was Tk. (2,320.33)

million as on 30.09.2014.

EHL: (Q1): As per un-audited quarterly accounts for the 1st quarter ended on 31st October 2014 (Aug'14 to Oct'14), the Company has reported profit after tax of Tk. 50.72 million with EPS of Tk. 0.60 as against Tk. 31.36 million and Tk. 0.37 respectively for the same period of the previous year.

KEYACOSMET: (Q1): As per un-audited quarterly accounts for the 1st quarter ended on 30th September 2014 (July'14 to Sep'14), the Company has reported net profit after tax of Tk. 105.17 million with EPS of Tk. 0.59 as against Tk. 94.96 million and Tk. 0.53 respectively for the same period of the previous year.

Fixed Assets/Right/Investment: FUWANGFOOD: The Company has informed that the Board of Directors of the Company has decided to go for commercial operation of Fu-Wang Chocolate Bar and different types of Chocolate Coated Products from December 07, 2014 and its annual turnover is expected to be around Tk. 20.00 Crore.

POPULARLIF: The Company has informed that the Board of Directors of the Company has decided to purchase land of 7.80 Decimal with Building Plot No. B-11, K.D.A, M A Mojid Sorani, Sonadanga, Khulna. Tortal price amounting Tk. 6.10 Crore approximate only.

SINGERBD: The Company has informed that the Board of Directors of the Company has approved 40% equity participation in the International Appliances

Limited (IAL), a proposed private limited company. The proposed company will manufacture refrigerators, deep freezers and other appliances.

HFL: The Company has informed that the Board of Directors of the Company has decided to purchase a land measuring 153.25 Decimal at Shilmandi, Narsingdi Sadar, Narsingdi at a cost of Tk. 12,62,65,948 from Victory Cables Industries Limited for Yarn Dyeing Unit (Expansion Unit) of the Company.

Credit Rating: PHOENIXFIN: Alpha Credit Rating Limited (AlphaRating) has rated the Company as "A+" in the long term and "AR-2" in the short term along with a stable outlook based on audited financial information of the Company up to December 31, 2013 and quantitative and qualitative information up to November , 2014.

BXPHARMA: Credit Rating Information and Services Limited (CRISL) has rated the Company as "AA-" in the long term and "ST-2" in the short term along with a stable outlook based on audited financial statements 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.

GLOBALINS: National Credit Ratings Limited (NCR) has announced the rating of the Company as A in the long term based on audited financial statements of the Company up to December 31, 2013.

Absorbing a number of flat-ends, increased level of volatility kept overall market movement sluggish, in the past week

SECTORAL TURNOVER SUMMARY Sector

▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼

43.80 112.80 34.00 47.40 224.40 89.20 29.90 58.30 5.30 43.70

Weekly closing

DSE GAINERS

Number of Contract

Weekly capital market highlights DSE Broad Index : DSE - 30 Index : CSE All Share Index: CSE - 30 Index : CSE Selected Index :

DSE key features December 7-11, 2014

Turnover (Volume)

tutions, service and real estate, IT and jute were among other top sectoral gainers of the week. Small caps were also in the buying radar of investor.

During the week, investors preferred centralising their position in pharmaceuticals and chemicals, textile and engineering sector.

Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) launched its new automated trading platform powered by NASDAQ technology and DSEFlex-TP OMS from FlexTrade.

The system is expected to solve problems of odd lot and few other glitches which existed in the old system.

Lanka Bangla Securities said in the past week the benchmark index lost amid cautious trading behaviour among investors.

IDLC Investments said absorbing a number of flat-ends, increased level of volatility kept overall market movement sluggish, in the past week.

It said investors were observing the newly introduced trading platform of DSE. Besides, amplified trading in mid and mini caps fostered volatility as investors continued searching lucrative spreads.

Overall, investors remained cautious and were looking for perfect confirmation of trend reversal, it said.

“With lower participation market was slowing down, as investors were re-balancing portfolio, cautiously.

Since they were searching for lucrative spreads, volatility in mid and min caps surged.” l

Tribune Report

Company

Stock

DHAKA TRIBUNE

% change 11.19 8.17 0.94 12.82 5.41 10.74 0.17 13.99 14.84 0.57 4.30 1.13 0.67 2.91 1.77 0.70 0.95 2.85 1.53 4.35 0.01

Million Taka 143.44 179.91 18.46 215.51 44.91 127.16 0.00 398.51 295.64 35.71 83.54 31.45 10.70 37.01 16.52 9.98 8.25 39.47 41.13 104.09 0.10

CSE

% change 7.79 9.77 1.00 11.70 2.44 6.91 0.00 21.64 16.05 1.94 4.54 1.71 0.58 2.01 0.90 0.54 0.45 2.14 2.23 5.65 0.01

Million Taka 2159.77 1652.83 187.61 2526.08 1020.23 2062.75 30.71 2919.07 2970.93 138.16 859.12 235.54 131.21 560.63 335.01 136.06 178.88 552.64 317.50 887.88 1.24

Total

% change 10.87 8.32 0.94 12.72 5.14 10.38 0.15 14.70 14.96 0.70 4.33 1.19 0.66 2.82 1.69 0.68 0.90 2.78 1.60 4.47 0.01

Prepared exclusively for Dhaka Tribune by Business Information Automation Service Line (BIASL), on the basis of information collected from daily stock quotations and audited reports of the listed companies. High level of caution has been taken to collect and present the above information and data. The publisher will not take any responsibility if any body uses this information and data for his/her investment decision. For any query please email to biasl@bol-online.com or call 01552153562 or go to www.biasl.net

DSE TURNOVER LEADERS Company Beximco Pharma -A Hamid Fabrics -N SummitAlliancePort.-A Square Pharma -A Grameenphone-A Quasem Drycells -A BEXIMCO Ltd. -A Keya Cosmetics -A BD. Thai Alum -B Jamuna Oil -A CSE TURNOVER LEADERS Company Square Pharma -A Hamid Fabrics -N Midas Financing-Z SummitAlliancePort.-A BEXIMCO Ltd. -A WesternMarine -N R. N. Spinning-Z Beximco Pharma -A Mozaffar H.Spinning-A Grameenphone-A

Volume shares 10,698,074 12,076,907 6,325,086 1,950,513 1,328,403 6,332,987 10,038,576 13,996,736 6,830,881 1,274,860

Volume shares 574,837 2,850,800 7,509,000 738,619 1,497,241 1,090,600 1,212,550 570,265 1,419,000 87,400

Value in million 711.64 632.42 522.34 509.39 476.30 442.21 397.12 393.36 345.63 318.45

Value in million 150.49 147.09 105.15 61.81 58.89 57.78 39.82 37.80 36.09 31.39

% of total turnover 3.95 3.51 2.90 2.83 2.64 2.45 2.20 2.18 1.92 1.77

% of total turnover 8.58 8.39 6.00 3.53 3.36 3.30 2.27 2.16 2.06 1.79

Weekly closing 63.90 43.80 87.40 260.80 363.10 77.40 37.90 26.80 52.90 247.40

Weekly closing 260.50 43.70 17.30 87.10 37.80 47.90 32.50 63.90 27.30 364.70

Price change -4.91 -21.93 15.92 -0.84 2.98 25.04 -6.19 -7.90 11.37 -2.71

Weekly opening 67.20 56.10 75.40 263.00 352.60 61.90 40.40 29.10 47.50 254.30

Weekly high 69.40 58.90 87.70 280.00 369.00 78.00 41.50 29.60 53.70 257.60

Weekly low 60.00 43.30 72.50 237.00 348.80 57.00 35.50 25.00 44.00 227.00

Weekly average 63.91 44.22 86.78 261.39 364.00 76.47 37.99 26.77 52.57 246.94

Price change -0.38 -21.26 17.69 15.21 -6.44 -15.82 9.43 -4.20 12.81 3.43

Weekly opening 261.50 55.50 14.70 75.60 40.40 56.90 29.70 66.70 24.20 352.60

Weekly high 264.00 59.50 17.40 87.30 42.50 57.30 35.80 69.40 27.50 370.00

Weekly low 257.00 43.00 15.80 76.30 35.00 47.30 29.10 60.00 23.50 348.10

Weekly average 260.52 44.43 17.33 86.58 38.11 49.11 32.60 63.98 27.07 364.67

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Business

B3

Sunday, December 14, 2014

Congress misses out on Lagarde’s ‘belly dance’ by rejecting IMF reforms Washington, along with other major countries officially supported the reforms in 2010 n Tribune Business Desk International Monetary Fund Managing Director Christine Lagarde on Friday expressed her disappointment over the US Congress’s rejection to ratify crucial IMF reforms supported by other major countries.

She said the US inaction on the reforms, delayed now more than two years by Washington, would force the global crisis lender to seek other ways to build its financial resources and modernize its voting structure.

In October, IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde jokingly promised to perform a belly dance in front of Congress if it gave its official approval.

The IMF was left hanging untilthis week after US legislators failed to endorse the reforms in the final budget legislation of the year.

“The IMF’s membership has been calling on and was expecting the United States to approve the IMF’s 2010 Quota and Governance Reforms by year end,” Lagarde said in a statement.

“Adoption of the reforms remains critical to strengthen the Fund’s credibility, legitimacy, and effectiveness, and to ensure it has sufficient permanent resources to meet its members’ needs.”

“I have expressed my disappointment to the US authorities and hope that they continue to work toward speedy ratification.”

With the White House supportive of the reforms, the IMF had held out hopes that a ratification would be included in the huge budget bill that was passed late Thursday. But Republicans in Congress prevented the bill from including Congressional endorsement.

Washington officially supported

Skills development  B1 COLUMN 6

The workshop also stresses the need to ensure that skill be used in industryrelevant sector and in a responsive way.

British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Robert W Gibson was present as special guest at the function.

He said: “The potential of this part of the world is amazing. In Bangladesh, people are its assets. That’s why there is no substitute for education and skills.

Skills need to be led by the employers and enabled by the government.”

With that collaboration and responsibility, economic and technological growth follows, productivity rises, and the skilled workforce deficit reduces, said Gibson.

Skills will be the future treasure of the world, NSDC Chief Executive Officer ABM Khorshed Alom said in his address, adding that Bangladesh needs to know the changing scenario of global as well as local industry.

He underscored the importance of training based on the needs of industry.

Bangladesh’s National Skills Development Policy was developed in 2011 to guide skill development strategies and facilitate improved co-ordination of all elements involved in skill development training. l

International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Christine Lagarde speaks at the Tokyo International Forum the reforms in 2010 when they were formulated. As the IMF’s largest single shareholder by far, the US ratification is essential to get the necessary endorse ment of 85% of the membership by

voting power. Earlier Friday China, the world’s second largest economy but with only four percent of voting rights in the Fund - barely larger than Italy’s - said it was “deeply disappointed” in

the US inaction.

The 2010 reforms would have increased China’s shareholding slightly, while leaving the US, Europe and Japan the dominant powers in the Fund.

China’s factory and investment growth flagging, more stimulus seen n Reuters, Beijing China’s economy showed further signs of fatigue in November, with factory output growth slowing more than expected and growth in investment near a 13-year low, putting pressure on policymakers to unveil fresh stimulus measures.

In a sign that banks were already responding to Beijing’s instructions to reflate the economy, however, new lending jumped 56 percent in the month.

Weighed down by a sagging housing market, China’s economic growth had already weakened to 7.3% in the third quarter, so November’s soft factory and investment figures suggest full-year growth will miss Beijing’s 7.5% target and mark the weakest expansion in 24 years.

“The data bodes ill for GDP growth in the fourth quarter, which is bound to slow further,” said Dariusz Kowalczyk, senior economist at Credit Agricole CIB in Hong Kong.

Growth in real estate investment also slipped for the first 11 months of 2014, though property sales registered their best month this year, buoyed by Bei-

jing’s efforts to revive a sector on which so much of the economy depends.

After September’s move to cut mortgage rates and downpayments for some home buyers, the People’s Bank of China cut interest rates on Nov. 21 for the first time in two years.

The surprise rate cut signalled policymakers’ growing concern that a sharper slowdown in the economy would raise the risk of job losses and loan defaults.

Factory output rose 7.2% in November from a year earlier, down from October’s 7.7%, the National Bureau of Statistics said on Friday, and missing analysts’ forecasts of 7.5%.

Fixed-asset investment, an important driver of growth, grew 15.8% in the first 11 months from the same period last year, slipping from 15.9% in the first 10 months.

Freer lending

The rise in new loans comes after sources told Reuters on Thursday that the People’s Bank of China (PBOC) had instructed banks to lend more and had quietly relaxed the enforcement of loan-

to-deposit ratios to further that end.

“The lending numbers give hope that investment will pick up now that there is more funds available to pay for capital spending projects,” said Kowalczyk.

Not all the new lending is being put to productive use, however, as some will just replace existing debt, and there is evidence that speculators are ploughing some of it into a wild stock market rally of recent weeks.

Other data this week showed China’s export growth slowed sharply in November, while imports unexpectedly shrank.

And despite the resulting expansion in the money supply, consumer inflation hit a five-year low, stoking expectations that Beijing may move more aggressively to stave off deflation, including a cut to banks’ reserve requirement ratio (RRR), which would allow them to lend still more.

“We’re ready for an RRR cut at any point. We think there will be 100 basis points of cuts over the next couple of quarters,” said Tim Condon, head of Asia research at ING in Singapore. l

India’s industrial output contracts, inflation eases

Labourers work at the construction site of a bridge being built over the river Yamuna for metro rail in New Delhi

n AFP, New Delhi India’s monthly industrial output contracted and inflation hit a near threeyear low, official data showed Friday, fuelling hopes of a rate cut next year.

Production by India’s factories, mines and utilities was down 4.2% in

October from a year earlier.

Meanwhile consumer inflation fell to 4.38% in November, down from October’s 5.52%, after a weakening of global crude oil prices - a key driver of inflation in India.

Bill Adams, senior international economist for PNC Financial Services Group,

REUTERS

said the figures would make it easier for India’s central bank to cut rates.

“Looking to 2015, India should be a big winner from the global decline in energy prices, which will support consumer spending power, dampen inflation, and provide the Reserve Bank of India with room to loosen monetary

policy,” he said.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has indicated he would favour a cut in borrowing costs, held at 8% since last January, to boost investment and consumer spending.

Consumer inflation was riding at over 10% last year but economists say Reserve Bank of India governor Raghuram Rajan’s aggressive policies to curb price rises appear to be paying dividends.

November’s consumer inflation was the lowest since the government introduced the current price index in January 2012 and well below the RBI’s target of eight percent for January 2015.

India’s central bank kept interest rates unchanged last week despite growing calls to ease monetary policy, saying a reduction would be “premature”.

But the bank indicated it may cut interest rates in the new year to boost flagging economic growth.

India’s economy grew 5.3% in JulySeptember year-on-year, significantly slower than the previous three months, adding to the pressure on the RBI. The central bank has forecast growth of 5.5% this year, slightly below the government’s target of 5.8%.

India’s economy has posted two years of sub-five-percent growth, the longest slowdown in a quarter century. l

REUTERS

“Implementing the 2010 funding and governance reform is crucial for maintaining the credibility, effectiveness and legality of the IMF,” foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei said. l

IMF to move on new plan after US snubs reforms again

n AFP, Washington

The International Monetary Fund will begin weighing options in January for a new set of crucial governance and funding reforms after the US Congress again refused to ratify the existing plan.

Spokesman William Murray said Thursday that the IMF board would meet next month to weigh “alternative options” to the 2010 reform plan held up by Congress’s reticence to endorse it.

“We are following developments on Capitol Hill very closely. Our position regarding the need to rapidly advance the Fund’s quota and governance reforms remains unchanged,” Murray told reporters.

“Prompt entry into force of the 2010 quota and governance reforms is of utmost importance to preserve the quota-based nature of the IMF, and strengthen its legitimacy, effectiveness and relevance,” he said.

The IMF was left hanging Wednesday after US legislators failed to endorse the reforms in the final budget legislation of the year. After waiting more than two years, the IMF had held out hopes that the reforms, backed by the White House, would be accepted in the huge budget bill that was under discussion this week.

But the bill that emerged from tough negotiations between Democrats and Republicans late Tuesday night excluded the reforms.

The reforms to the Fund’s membership quota system - essentially its shareholding - would both strengthen the global crisis lender’s funding and also give emerging economies like China and Russia greater say in it.

Washington officially supported the reforms in 2010 when they were formulated. As the IMF’s largest single shareholder by far, the US ratification is essential to get the necessary endorsement of 85% of the membership by voting power. l

CORPORATE NEWS

Godrej Household Products (Bangladesh) Private Limited has recently announced the launch of its product, GoodKnight Advanced Fast Card

bKash has recently signed two separate agreements with City Medical College & Hospital Ltd. and City Dental College & Hospital Ltd. to facilitate the patients with the two medical institutions to pay their medical bills through bKash. Rezaul Hossain, chief commercial officer of bKash, Dr Meghdeep Badruddoza, director of Hospital Administration, City Medical College & Hospital and assistant project director of City Dental College & Hospital have signed the agreements on behalf of their organisations

Rupali Bank Limited has recently opened its 534th branch at Nandail, Mymensing.

Member of parliament Anwarul Abedin Khan attended the inaugural ceremony as chief guest at the presence of the bank’s general manager, Arifur Rahman

Lotto Bangladesh has recently organised Franchise Conference 2014 at Army Golf Club in Dhaka. The company’s managing director Kazi Jamil Islam was present at the conference among others

B4

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Back Page

Sunday, December 14, 2014

Global oil demand to slow despite price rout n AFP, Paris Global appetite for oil will grow at a slower pace in 2015 than earlier thought despite plunging crude prices, the IEA said Friday, warning that further price drops heighten the risk of social instability in producer countries like Russia and Venezuela.

Oil demand for 2015 was now expected to grow by 0.9 million barrels a day to reach 93.3 million barrels, some 230,000 barrels less than the previous forecast, the International Energy Agency said in its fourth downward revision in five months.

Crude prices have collapsed by almost 50% since June, and are now trading around $60 - levels last seen five years ago, as increased US shale production adds to oversupply.

But the cheap oil was not expected to prompt more consumption.

“It may well take some time for supply and demand to respond to the price rout,” the IEA said.

Market share lost to renewable energy sources was unlikely to be replaced again by cheaper crude, the IEA said.

In the OECD rich countries, “a tepid economic recovery, weak wage growth and ... deflationary pressures will further blunt the stimulus of lower prices,” it added.

Any boost that cheaper crude could give to oil importing economies would be outweighed - if not more than outweighed - by the damage done to oil producers.

In focus is Russia, which relies on its energy exports for half of its revenues.

Its economy has been hammered by the double whammy of sliding oil revenues and Western sanctions.

The IEA said it was making the biggest cut to Russian demand, now expecting it to drop to 3.4 million barrels a day, 195,000 barrels below last month’s estimate.

“Lower oil prices significantly dent potential export revenues in net oil exporting countries, slashing their income streams and in turn denting demand.

“In particularly cash-strapped econo-

Industrial output in the eurozone rose a very slight 0.1% in October, official data showed on Friday, in another sign that the European economy remains stalled.

The feeble rise in factory output data was a slowdown from the previous month, when industrial activity rose a still-low half percent.

The state of the eurozone economy continues to be a major source of worry around the world, with increasing fears Europe could sink into a long period of Japan-style deflation just as the outlook for the US economy improves further.

Underscoring concern, financial markets have been in retreat on fresh worries about Greece, struck by a new political crisis less than three years since problems in Athens nearly destroyed the euro. l

China boosts bank liquidity with $65bn fund injection

n AFP, Shanghai

A drop of diesel is seen at the tip of a nozzle after a fuel station customer fills her car's tank in Sint Pieters Leeuw mies, such as Venezuela and Russia, this impact is likely to be magnified as the risk of default escalates,” said the IEA. “The resulting downward price pressure would raise the risk of social instability or financial difficulties if producers found it difficult to pay back debt,” it added.

Russia has said that it is losing up to $100bn a year due to weak crude prices. But that was in November, when trading was at around $80.

On Friday, the US benchmark West

Microsoft lets US shoppers pay with Bitcoin n AFP, San Francisco Microsoft began Thursday letting US shoppers at its online Windows Store pay with digital currency Bitcoin.

Bitcoin, traded in at market value through a partnership with payment processor BitPay, could be used to add money to Microsoft accounts that provide funds for buying games, music, vid-

The use of digital currencies such as Bitcoin, while not yet mainstream, is growing beyond the early enthusiasts eo or applications for Xbox consoles or computers powered by the US technology titan’s Windows operating systems.

“The use of digital currencies such as Bitcoin, while not yet mainstream, is growing beyond the early enthusiasts,” Microsoft Universal Store corporate vice president Eric Lockard said in a blog post.

“We expect this growth to continue and allowing people to use Bitcoin to

purchase our products and services now allows us to be at the front edge of that trend.”

Virtual currency cannot be used to directly buy products at the Windows Store, but must first be converted to traditional funds in Microsoft accounts, according to the post.

No more than $1,000 worth of Bitcoin can be exchanged per day, and there is also a limit regarding the overall amount that could be exchanged in multiple accounts registered to a single person.

The virtual currency is a softwarebased system introduced in 2009 by an individual or group masked by the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto.

It can buy goods or services from any person or company accepting it as payment, but is not a real currency managed by a central bank.

Bitcoin value has been subject to wild crashes and the digital currency’s reputation has suffered due to a lack of transparency that has made it a tempting tool for criminal activity such as money laundering.

Bitcoin took a hard hit after Mt Gox trading exchange declared bankruptcy early this year due to a fortune in digital currency vanishing or being stolen. l

Oil prices slip again after WTI sinks below $60 n AFP, Singapore Oil prices sank further in Asia Friday, with analysts warning of little respite from the selling after plunging more than 40% since June.

US benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) for January deliver was down 66 cents at $59.29 in afternoon trade.

The contract on Thursday closed below the psychological $60 mark in New York for the first time since July 2009. Brent crude was down 29 cents at $63.39.

“There just doesn’t seem to be any relief for oil prices at the moment,” Michael McCarthy, chief market strategist at CMC Markets in Sydney, told AFP. “The bearish sentiment is unlikely to change until the end of the year unless we see a significant drop in global production

Eurozone industrial production rises 0.1% in October n AFP, Brussels

levels or a supply disruption,” he said.

WTI and Brent prices have fallen precipitously since hitting 2014 peaks of $106 and $115 respectively in June.

The drop has been attributed to slowing growth in China and emerging-market economies, a recession in Japan and a near-stall in the eurozone.

On top of that, OPEC last month said it would maintain output levels despite ample global supplies, in part due to cheaper oil extracted from North American shale rock.

McCarthy said at levels below $60, prices falls are likely to face “more resistance than at the moment”.

Analysts said the crude market had largely ignored data showing a healthy rise in US retail sales in November that raised hopes about consumer demand in the world’s largest economy. l

Texas Intermediate (WTI) for January delivery was trading well under the psychological $60 barrier - at $58.80.

Brent crude had dived to $62.75.

Oil exporters hurting

The plunge in oil prices is sparked in part by a fundamental shift in the energy market.

Countries are turning to more energy efficient or renewable sources while new technologies have led to a shale boom, particularly in the United States.

While oil cartel OPEC has in the past acted against low prices by cutting output, this time round, the group is sitting firmly against reducing supplies.

Rather, it is in an all-out price war against US shale energy, in a battle to hold on to its market share. Casualties are piling up - including OPEC members themselves. Venezuela has been forced to slash its budget, making sweeping salary cuts in civil servants’ pay.

Even rich Nordic nation Norway was not spared, with its central bank

REUTERS

on Thursday announcing a surprise rate cut in a pre-emptive move to counteract the impact of plunging oil prices.

Russia’s ruble on Friday slumped to fresh lows, as the central bank’s actions to halt the haemorrhage - through an interest rate hike and heavy selling of foreign currencies - proved futile.

Industry players too have been forced to restructure and cut jobs, with petroleum giant BP Wednesday announcing an overhaul costing $1bn. l

China’s central bank has stepped up its efforts to pump more cash into its banking system with a $65bn fund injection, Dow Jones Newswires reported Thursday.

The People’s Bank of China (PBoC) on Wednesday injected around 400bn yuan into the interbank market where banks borrow from each other, Dow said, citing people familiar with the matter.

It came after an earlier 500bn yuan injection into the country’s five biggest state-owned banks in September through a tool to manage short-term liquidity, according to state-run media.

The loans were set to expire this month.

The latest fund injection has not been made public by the PBoC for fear that the market might read it as a strong signal of a broad monetary easing, Dow cited the sources as saying. l

US House approves $1.1tn spending bill, averts shutdown n AFP, Washington Facing intense pressure to avoid a government shutdown, the US House of Representatives narrowly passed a $1.1tn federal spending bill Thursday, sending it to the Senate after it was ushered through barely two hours before a midnight deadline.

The 219-206 vote followed a bruising day of arm-twisting by the White House after dozens of Democrats revolted over pro-Wall Street and campaignfinance riders in the bill, dramatically splitting with President Barack Obama over the legislation that funds most federal operations through September.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said after the vote that his chamber will take up the must-pass legislation Friday.

Congress passed a two-day extension to keep government open beyond Thursday’s witching hour so that the Senate can debate and vote on the measure.

The spending package, which would fund most federal operations through September 30, the end of the 2015 fiscal year, was the focus of extraordinary brinkmanship in Congress, a fitting cap to one of the most polarized eras in Washington.

The deal almost did not happen, forcing the White House and Obama, who came out in favor of the measure, into near-panic mode as they scrambled to get enough Democrats on board.

House Speaker John Boehner was forced to suspend proceedings in the chamber when he realized he was short, fueling a rancorous Capitol Hill showdown.

Progressive Democrats were furious over a clause buried deep in the 1,603page bill that rolls back key financial regulations on Wall Street.

Bitter compromise

Top House Democrat Nancy Pelosi joined the revolt.

In a stunning rebuke of Obama on the House floor she blasted as “blackmail” the effort to shred reforms in the so-called Dodd-Frank law that prevent big banks from making risky derivatives trades protected by taxpayer-insured funds.

Pelosi and others argued that the change opens the door to another big bank bailout that rescued foundering financial institutions during the worst of the Great Recession. That, Democrats fear, could lead to a repeat of con-

The US Capitol building is seen before US President Barack Obama delivers his State of the Union address in front of the US Congress, on Capitol Hill in Washington REUTERS ditions that fueled the financial crisis of 2007-2008.

Democrats are also angered by a rider which would dramatically expand the amount that wealthy individuals can contribute to political parties - a move which would undercut campaign finance reforms from 2002.

Senior House Democrat Steve Israel warned that the two provisions were poison pills “that Democrats can’t swallow,” and said he hoped Boehner would strip them out and start anew.

Ultimately, 57 Democrats joined most Republicans in supporting the measure. Democratic congresswoman Maxine Waters was furious about the provisions, and suggested she was unimpressed by the White House dispatching chief of staff Denis McDonough to the US Capitol to persuade distressed Democrats about the bill.

“We don’t like lobbying that is being done by the president or anybody else that allows us to... give a big gift to Wall Street,” Waters boomed to reporters.

“We’re going to fight it. We’re fighting anybody who is lobbying to tell people to vote for this bill.”

Asked if McDonough swayed

Democrats, congressman Bill Pascrell sneered, “absolutely not.”

Conservative Republicans, for their part, are angry that the bill takes no direct steps to block Obama’s executive action on immigration, announced last month, that would shield millions from deportation.

As a compromise, the measure provides only two months of funding for the Department of Homeland Security, allowing the Congress -- which returns to full Republican control next year - an opportunity to revisit funding for the agency that will handle Obama’s immigration action.

Conservatives wanted a tougher approach to stopping what they call

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presidential overreach.

“With November’s election a vague distant memory, the Republican-controlled House passed a bill that does nothing to stop the president’s illegal and unconstitutional amnesty agenda,” deplored conservative House Republican Tim Huelskamp, referring to last month’s mid-term elections.

Such mega-laws are greased by backroom negotiating and often introduced at the last minute.

To expedite the process, lawmakers vote not on each amendment, but on the final text. The take-it-or-leave-it approach is a double-edged sword: approval can be swift, but rejection can trigger a government shutdown. l