25 jan, 2015

Magh 12, 1421 Rabius Sanni 4, 1436 Regd No DA 6238 Vol 2, No 290

SUNDAY, JANUARY 25, 2015 | www.dhakatribune.com | SECOND EDITION

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B1 | BUSINESS

7 | CAREER

11 | OP-ED

12 | SPORT

PLASTIC EXPORT TO ‘REACH $1BN BY 2021 IF POLITICAL SITUATION STABLE’

IMPACT INVESTING: VENTURE CAPITALISM FOR THE SOCIAL GOOD

GOVERNING (FOR) THE PEOPLE

TIGERS DEPART FOR AUSTRALIA

Burn unit ICU cannot take any more Doctors say at least 1,000 specialised doctors needed across the country, but there are just 52

two anaesthesiology associate professors, eight burn and plastic surgery assistant professors, two anaesthesiology assistant professors, two junior consultants, 18 medical officers and assistant registrars and 28 post-graduate students to provide treatment.

RAB yesterday announced rewards for the capture of fire-bombers or information leading to their arrests.

Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) declared the bounties in eight different packages ranging from Tk10,000 to Tk1 lakh to help trace the anarchists.

On the other hand, police declared Tk5 lakh as reward for those who can provide information about those who set fire to the passenger bus in the capital’s Jatrabari area on Friday night.

Just a year ago, law enforcers in 2013, also declared reward for the capture of the miscreants who unleashed violence but such announcement received hardly any response.

Director General of RAB Benazir Ahmed claimed that those who are involved in such crimes are hired goons.

“A group of people are hiring these criminals to perpetrate violence,” he said while addressing the media at the battalion headquarters yesterday.

“Killing innocent people in the name of movement cannot be a way to do politics. Rather it should be considered a criminal offence.”

None will be allowed to kill people by throwing petrol bombs, he cautioned.

The RAB boss further said those who would provide information about the miscreants involved in arson attacks will be reward with Tk1 lakh.

The same amount will also be given if anyone can help RAB catch petrol bomb attackers red-handed.

Informants will receive Tk50,000 if they are able to give information on those planning crude bomb attacks.

They will receive Tk25,000 if they can identify and trace miscreants from published or aired information in the news.

Furthermore, there is a Tk25,000 reward for anyone who can help catch a crude bomb attacker on the spot and a Tk20,000 reward for anyone who can provide information on an attacker.

 PAGE 2 COLUMN 4

 PAGE 2 COLUMN 4

n Mohammad Jamil Khan The overburdened National Burn and Plastic Surgery Institute at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) is straining to meet the needs of nearly double the number of patients that it is equipped to treat.

Blockade victims have added to the usual pressures and the Burn Institute register book records that nearly 517 patients are now undergoing treatment at the 300 bed institute.

Partha Shankar Pal, resident surgeon of the Burn and Plastic Surgery Institute said: “The Intensive Care Unit (ICU) has a 10-bed capacity which is now full and nine more critically ill patients were ad-

‘For burn patients, first 24 hours are critical. If treatment is delayed, the chances of healing drop at least 80%. mitted on Friday night. If a patient suddenly needs ICU support, we will not be able to provide it.”

Some 83 people, including women and children, have been treated at the Burn Institute in the last 20 days, of whom 51 are still undergoing treatment.

Doctors told the Dhaka Tribune that the pressure of serving so many more patients than the institute is staffed and equipped to handle has made the treatment of critically injured patients difficult and raised the risk of infection.

Recovering burn patients, doctors said, were vulnerable to infection and the often fatal complication of septicaemia.

Partha told the Dhaka Tribune that all of the patients of the institute were under

An arson attack victim receives treatment lying in the corridor of the Dhaka Medical College Hospital yesterday as the surge in burn victims supplied in large measure by blockade violence has left every bed in the burn unit occupied MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU going treatment on an in-patient basis.

“Since the institute runs under the DMCH, when we need a bed, we arrange it from other DMCH departments,” he said.

“But if a minimum distance is not maintained between burn patients’ beds, the risk of transmitting infection

increases, putting the lives of patients at risk. There is nothing we can do about this,” the resident surgeon said.

He said the only solution is for patients go to other hospitals for treatment.

“Due to the huge number of patients and the shortage of manpower, we face problems in providing timely

treatment. Delays can threaten burn victims’ lives,” Partha said.

Doctors needed

The administrative section of the institute said there are three burn and plastic surgery professors, two burn and plastic surgery associate professors,

Awami League upset as premier denied entry

Arafat Rahman Koko dies in Malaysia

n Abu Hayat Mahmud

n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla

As the BNP leaders did not allow Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inside party Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s office yesterday, the ruling Awami League leaders termed it frustrating as well as indecent.

PM’s Press Secretary AKM Shameem Chowdhury, who accompanied the premier during the visit around 8:30pm, told the Dhaka Tribune that they were very upset at the attitude of the BNP’s responsible leaders.

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s youngest son Arafat Rahman Koko died in Malaysia yesterday from a massive cardiac arrest.

BNP Standing committee member Mahbubur Rahman told media that Koko, 44, died around 12:30pm Malaysia time when he was on his way to the University of Malaya in Kuala Lumpur from his residence.

Arafat Rahman Koko, the youngest son of Khaleda Zia, died on his way to hospital Shamsuddin Didar, an official of Khaleda Zia’s press wing, told the Dhaka Tribune that Koko’s janaza will be held today after Zohr prayers at the Malaysian national mosque Masjid Negara in capital Kuala Lumpur.

Former lawmaker and BNP leader ABM Ashrafuddin Nizan said Koko’s body has been kept in the mortuary of the University of Malaya.

Koko has been living in a rented house as a citizen in Ampang in Kuala Lumpur with his wife Shamila Rahman  PAGE 2 COLUMN 2

Bounty declared on bombers’ heads n Mohammad Jamil Khan

“We believed that Khaleda was ill [as claimed by the BNP leaders]. But the BNP leaders could at least receive the prime minister inside the office area. But they did not do so; they kept the main gate padlocked,” he said.

Hasina went to Khaleda’s Gulshan office to express condolence at the death of her younger son Arafat Rahman Koko, 44, who died of cardiac arrest in Malaysia yesterday.

Earlier in May 2009, Khaleda went to Sudha Sadan to stand beside  PAGE 2 COLUMN 5

Another dark Saturday for Khaleda Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina waits before the main entrance of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia's Gulshan office yesterday to console the latter over her son's death. But she was not able to enter the office DHAKA TRIBUNE

Hasina sent back from Khaleda’s gate n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla

When news broke that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was going to visit her arch rival Khaleda Zia to express condolences on the death of her son Koko, social media got flooded with status updates from crossed fingers.

But skeptics were eventually proven right when the PM was sent back from the gate of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s Gulshan office around 40 minutes

past eight last evening.

Even before the PM’s entourage arrived in Gulshan, BNP chief’s special assistant Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas told media that his boss, who had fallen ill after hearing the news of her son’s demise, was on heavy sedative and therefore could not meet the PM. Shimul Biswas also told media that they had expressed their gratitude to the PM for her concern and would inform them in due time when Khaleda

Zia felt better to meet the PM. “I talked to the premier’s Personal Assistant Secretary Saifuzzaman Shekhor at 7:10pm, and I told him that the BNP chairperson was ill and was sleeping. But still the prime minister came and I thank her for that,” he said.

“We brought a condolence book in front of the office for the prime minister to sign in but she was gone by the time we reached there.  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

n Tribune Report It was also a Saturday 34 years ago on May 30 when Khaleda Zia came to know she had become a widow. Her husband, military strongman and then president, Ziaur Rahman, had been assassinated in Chittagong earlier that morning.

This Saturday was no different from the last 20 days when Khaleda spent “confined” to her party office in Gulshan. But her habitually quiet afternoon was disrupted. Her two sistersin-law, wives of her brothers Syeed Iskandar and Shamim Iskandar, came to visit her. They bore bad news.

Arafat Rahman Koko, the young-

er son of the three-time former prime minister who heads the BNP founded

by Zia, died of cardiac arrest around 2:30pm yesterday in Malaysia. He was reportedly ill for long and collapsed on his way to the hospital.

Khaleda did not come out of her first floor chamber since hearing the news.

She was not taking any visitors, said a senior policymaker of the party which leads the 20-party alliance.

“She is weeping,” said one. Another said the 69-year widow and mother of two had fallen ill.

This comes amid an indefinite blockade enforced by the BNP-led  PAGE 2 COLUMN 5

INSIDE 3 | News

A devastating fire broke out at Kader Synthetic and Compact Spinning Mill at Konabari BSCIC industrial area in Gazipur damaging its machineries, threads and clothes yesterday morning.

4 | News

A proposal of Tk77.99 crore to construct a 15 storied building at the software technology park in Jessore is going to be placed before the Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase (CCGP) tomorrow.

6 | Nation

A man was killed when a group of Santals clashed with a section of Bangalees over a land dispute in Parbatipur upazila in the district yesterday.

8 | World

Thousands of Yemenis took to the streets of Sanaa yesterday in the biggest protest yet against a Shiite militia takeover of the capital that has plunged the country into turmoil.

14 | Sport

Manchester United were happy to survive a difficult challenge by coming away with a 0-0 draw at fourth-tier Cambridge United in the FA Cup fourth round on Friday.

15 | Entertainment

Sumaiya Anzum Mithila has won the title of “Veet Channel i Top Model” at the grand finale of the competition at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in the capital.

01_FR 02_Ne 16_BA

2

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Sunday, January 25, 2015

Good sense to prevail upon Khaleda, hopes Hasina n UNB Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday hoped that good sense will prevail upon BNP leader Khaleda Zia and she will stop the politics of killing and arson attacks.

“I hope good sense will prevail on BNP leader Khaleda Zia and she’ll stop the politics of killing people through arson …that want one thing I want from Allah,” she said.

The prime minister said this while inaugurating the much-awaited Sheikh Lutfar Rahman Bridge, locally known as Patgathi Bridge, over the Madhumati River in Tungipara upazila in Gopalganj district through a videoconferencing from her official residence Ganabhaban.

She also laid the foundation stone of Kalna Bridge over the Madhumati River in between Kashiani upazila in Gopalganj and Lohagara upazila in Narail, and inaugurated the newly-built Tungipara BRTC Training Institute in Gopalganj.

Hasina said the politics of killing people should come to an end forthwith. “Those whose hands have the smell of burnt dead bodies and those who kill people, my question is, for whom they do their politics,” she questioned.

The prime minister also said she wants Khaleda Zia to stop killing people right away. “She’s causing many mothers to lose their children…she’s forcing numerous people to embrace permanent disabilities,” Hasina said.

She said the BNP-Jamaat alliance started the politics of killing through arson attacks to terrorise the country’s people, and they started this without any issue.

“We never saw such movement in our lifetime…we were involved in so many movements, but we never killed people, they (BNP-Jamaat) are not even sparing infants, children, and women and youths…this is very unfortunate,” she said.

AL never torched any passenger bus when it was in movements, Hasina said

adding that it was BNP which always set fire to buses and when it was in power in 2004 brought out one accused from jail and set fire to a bus in front of the then Sheraton Hotel. “Later, cases were filed against our leaders and activists,” she recalled.

She categorically said Awami League never ever attacked the general people.

“Rather our leaders and activists were killed on various occasions.”

On this day in 1988, Hasina said, 30 leaders and activists were killed when she went to Chittagong for holding a rally.

Turing to the ongoing transport blockade, the Prime Minister said agricultural production in the country is now very much satisfactory, but farmers cannot market their produces due to the blockade enforced by the BNP-Jamaat alliance.

“Fifty to 60 drivers of various vehicles, including trucks, buses, have been killed so far, this is too much. The man is he best creature of the nature. This is very much heinous job to kill people

through arson attacks and setting fire,” she said.

Hasina said her government believes in the politics of development and welfare of the country and its people and has been working to reach fruits of independence to every house.

As part of the initiatives, she said, infrastructures including bridges, roads and other big establishments are being constructed across the country.

In this regard, the prime minister mentioned that the newly-constructed Sheikh Lutfur Rahman Bridge will create the great opportunity of communication and transportation of goods in Gopalganj and its surrounding regions.

The Prime Minister said her government wants to leave a beautiful and prosperous future for the next generation as the country is marching ahead to materialise the dream of Bangabandhu.

Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader joined the videoconference from Gopalganj. l

Minister: No decision is President reaches yet over Khaleda’s arrest Jeddah n UNB

Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan yesterday said there has been no decision yet to arrest BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia although discussions were held in parliament over the matter only to alert her to stop violent politics.

The minister made the remarks at the 101th episode of BBC Bangladesh Sanglap held at Biam auditorium in the capital.

Accusing Khaleda Zia of fanning out the violence, Shajahan Khan said the party set off violence across the country despite promising a peaceful movement.

“Khaleda is liable for all the recent violent activities,” he claimed, adding that it is the responsibility of the government to bring the perpetrators to justice.

Apprehending BNP chairperson’s

‘No decision yet over Khaleda’s arrest’ n UNB Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan yesterday said there has been no decision yet to arrest BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia although discussions were held in parliament over the matter only to alert her to stop violent politics.

The minister made the remarks at the 101th episode of BBC Bangladesh Sanglap held at Biam auditorium in the capital.

Accusing Khaleda Zia of fanning out the violence, Shajahan Khan said the party set off violence across the country despite promising a peaceful movement.

“Khaleda is liable for all the recent violent activities,” he claimed, adding that it is the responsibility of the government to bring the perpetrators to justice. l

arrest, party standing committee member Lt Gen (retd) Mahbubur Rahman said, “It’ll be a tough decision for the government …it’ll be an impudent decision …it’ll lead the country towards destruction.”

Barrister Sara Hossain, executive director of Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (Blast), said law enforcers will decide whom to arrest or how to arrest. “But when the decision comes from parliament, the trust level on the application of law diminishes,” she said.

Shaheen Anam, executive director of Manusher Jonno Foundation, demanded a proper investigation into the recent violent criminal incidents to establish the rule of law through judicial system.

“Discussions in parliament crying for the arrest of Khaleda Zia create a negative notion in public mind.” l

n UNB

President Abdul Hamid reached Jeddah yesterday on his two-day visit there to express state condolences and sympathy on behalf of the people of Bangladesh to the royal family and the brotherly people of Saudi Arabia at the death of Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.

A special flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines carrying the president landed at King Khaled International Airport at 3:30pm local time, president’s press secretary Ihsanul Karim told UNB over phone from Jeddah.

On his arrival at the airport, the President was received by Royal Protocol Chief of the airport Fahad Al Sohail and Bangladesh ambassador to Saudi Arabia Shahidul Islam.

Later, Abdul Hamid was taken to Ri-

Arafat Rahman Koko dies  PAGE 1 COLUMN 1

Sithi and daughters Zafia Rahman and Zahira Rahman. However, there is no word yet whether Khaleda Zia, who last met her youngest son in Singapore in 2013, will travel to Malaysia.

Replying to a query at the BNP Chairperson’s Gulshan office last evening, BNP standing committee member Rafiqul Islam Miah said: “Tarique Rahman [Koko’s elder brother] is trying to go to Malaysia from London. After he arrives there, a decision about bringing Koko’s body will be made.”

However, later in the night, a BNP insider said Tarique Rahman is not going to Malaysia; instead he will attend a gayebana janaza in East London.

Koko left Bangladesh in July 2008 for Thailand’s Bangkok for treatment, later moved to Malaysia and has never come back to Bangladesh since.

Following the 1/11 political changeover in 2007, Khaleda and her sons – Tarique

and Koko – were arrested on graft charges.

Koko was arrested along with his mother Khaleda Zia on September 3, 2007, months after the army-backed caretaker government assumed office.

He was sentenced to six years in prison and fined Tk19 lakh on charges of siphoning off money to Singapore between 2004 and 2006 when his mother was the prime minister.

In 2009, the Awami League-led government assumed office and decided not to extend his parole further.

Because Koko defied summons, he was a fugitive in the eyes of justice and it meant that he was not eligible to appeal. BNP says the case against Koko was politically motivated.

After the BNP-Jamaat-led government came to power in 2001, Koko was made an adviser to Bangladesh Cricket Board. There are allegations that Koko and company used their political muscles to get the positions. l

Hasina sent back from Khaleda’s gate  PAGE 1 COLUMN 4

“The prime minister could not meet the BNP chairperson today. But she is welcome anytime she wishes to do so in the future,” he added.

Khaleda’s youngest son Arafat Rahman Koko died of cardiac arrest in Malaysia around 12:30pm local time yesterday.

In May 2009, Khaleda went to Sudha Sadan in Dhanmondi after the death of Sheikh Hasina’s husband Dr Wajed Mia, an acclaimed nuclear scientist. Khaleda offered her condolences to and had a chat with her arch rival Sheikh Hasina.

The two top political leaders of the country have not met each other since.

In March 2013, both Hasina and Khaleda went to pay their respect to late president Zillur Rahman in Bangabhaban, but they did not meet each other.

Around 2:30pm yesterday, when her sisters-in-law Nasrin and Kaniz went to give her the news, the BNP chief in her 70s was taking her usual afternoon nap in a room inside the Gulshan office where she had been staying since January 3.

When she was told that her son had died, the first expression was a few seconds of blank look; and then she burst into tears.

She then bolted the door of the room from inside and had not met anyone since; neither was anybody allowed to enter.

Soon, party leaders and activists thronged the Gulshan office to convey condolences to their chief. But only a few selected leaders were allowed to enter.

BNP standing committee member Mahbubur Rahman: “Khaleda Zia has kept herself behind closed doors in her first-floor chamber in Gulshan...She has been crying incessantly and has not been taking any visitors ever since she heard the news this afternoon.”

Another standing committee member Rafiqul Islam Miah told journalists that Khaleda Zia had requested the people of the country to pray for her departed son.

“Khaleda Zia has suffered a mental breakdown; it is very normal. She is not talking to anyone; she is using gestures only. This is a very tough time for the Zia family,” Miah said.

Later in the afternoon, several madrassa students recited from the Qur’an on the ground floor of the office seeking eternal peace for the departed soul.

Visitors from various walks of life swarmed in around the office. Koko’s mother-in-law also came to see Khaleda.

Mushfiqul Fazal Ansari, a former assistant press secretary to Khaleda Zia, said it was early morning in London when the news of Koko’s death reached his elder brother Tarique Rahman. Tari-

que then called up Koko’s wife and also talked to his two nieces in Malaysia.

Around 1:10pm, hours before the news of Koko’s death arrived, the BNPled alliance had enforced a 36-hour hartal for today and tomorrow on top of the ongoing non-stop transport blockade.

Later last night, while talking to reporters at the Gulshan office, Shimul Biswas said they were not going to withdraw their programmes. “The movement has been going on and it will continue until democracy is restored in the country.”

In the evening, police allegedly denied BNP permission to hold a Qur’an recital at their central office in Nayapaltan in the capital. The Nayapaltan office has been under lock and key since January 3.

BNP’s Assistant Office Secretary Abdul Latif said: “We sought permission for holding a Qur’an khwani and doa mahfil on the ground floor of the BNP office but Paltan police did not give us the permission.”

Later, around 8pm, BNP’s Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi issued a press statement from an unknown place expressing grief at the death of Koko and announced that special prayers will be held today and tomorrow in the mosques across the country. l

yadh Conference Centre where he will be staying during the visit.

Earlier, President Abdul Hamid left Dhaka for Saudi Arabia yesterday morning.

Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali is accompanying the president during the tour.

Finance Minister AMA Muhith, Industries Minister Amir Hossain Amu, State Minister for Foreign Affairs M Shahriar Alam, dean of diplomatic corps, cabinet secretary, the chiefs of three services, principal secretary to the prime minister and other high civil and military officials saw him off at the airport.

Abdul Hamid is likely to return home today in the evening.

Abdullah died around 1am (local time) on Friday at the age of 90, the royal court of Saudi Arabia said in a statement. l

UK trade delegation due today n UNB A 25-member strong business delegation from Wales will arrive today to drive forward business relations between Wales and Bangladesh in the fields of “knowledge businesses and knowledge transfer.”

Organised by the Wales Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce (WBCC), the trade mission will be here to showcase leading Welsh companies to the local business community and introduce them with the growing Bangladesh economy and market.

Eminent organisations such as the University of South Wales, the largest University in Wales, and TechniQuest, the leading Science Centre in Wales, are

among just a few businesses that are accompanying this mission.

Aiming to seek out the best business opportunities, the delegation will visit the main cities of Dhaka, Sylhet and Chittagong during an eight-day visit to Bangladesh till January 31.

They will have meetings with ministers and senior government officials at the Commerce and Education Ministries in the capital and national chambers and industry leaders in all three cities.

Ahead of the mission, Chair and leader of the delegation Dilabor A Hussain said, “This is the second installment of our chambers activity to build a new and better trading relationship between Wales and Bangladesh.” l

Another dark Saturday  PAGE 1 COLUMN 6

alliance demanding ouster of the “illegal ruling government.”

Khaleda last saw Koko in May 2013 in Singapore. Koko had been living abroad for the last seven years.

Following the political changeover of January 11, 2007, Khaleda and her sons – Tarique Rahman and Koko – were arrested on graft charges.

After their release on parole in 2008, Koko flew to Thailand for treatment with his family while Tarique to London. Later, Koko moved to Malaysia and had been staying there.

In 2011, Koko was sentenced to six years in prison for laundering money abroad during the BNP-Jamaat alliance’s tenure. He was also fined Tk19 crore.

Visitors from across party ranks started swarming to Khaleda’s office.

Koko’s mother-in-law also visited Khaleda after hearing the news.

Koko’s janaza will be held today after Zohr prayers at Nagala Jama Mosque in Malaysia where he became a citizen.

Party insiders say Tarique will be attending the janaza. There is no word yet whether Khaleda will go to Malaysia too. l

Awami League upset  PAGE 1 COLUMN 6

Hasina and convey her condolence on the death of Dr MA Wazed Miah, husband of the premier.

Starting from Ganabhaban at 8pm, the premier’s motorcade reached Khaleda’s office at 8:34pm. She got down from her vehicle around 8:36pm, but boarded again around 8:40pm.

At the entrance, Prime Minister’s Special Assistant Mahbubul Haque Shakil spoke to Khaleda’s Special Assistant Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas who reportedly told Shakil that Khaleda had been ill and kept asleep with sedative.

Shimul Biswas was further told Shakil that the BNP chairperson would give the prime minister a schedule when she feels fine.

Shimul Biswas informed reporters

about Khaleda’s illness around 8:20pm.

He on behalf of his party also thanked the premier for expressing condolence.

The prime minister was accompanied by Industries Minister Amir Hossain Amu, Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed, State Minister for Home Affairs Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and PM’s Media Affairs Adviser Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury.

“It is a matter of regret that the prime minister has failed to meet the BNP chairperson. It is also shame that the premier was not allowed to enter Khaleda’s office,” Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury told reporters.

Kamal told the Dhaka Tribune: “What type of politics is it by the BNP? They kept the gate locked even after learning about the prime minister’s visit.” l

Burn unit ICU cannot take any more  PAGE 1 COLUMN 5

Along with doctors, the institute has a shortage of nurses and other support staff. Presently, the number of nurses is 40, third class staff 17, fourth class staff 60, cleaners 30 and Ansar members 20.

According to Burn Institute regulations, to provide effective treatment to burn patients, each patient requires at least one nurse and one doctor is needed for every five patients.

DMCH sources said the Burn and Plastic Surgery Institute started its journey in 1987 as the hospital burn unit. It was turned into a 50-bed facility in 2003.

In 2009, the unit became a 100-bed facility. The Health Ministry issued an administrative order on November 12, 2013 to turn the unit into an institute.

Some 170,225 patients were treated between 2004 and 2012. Some 45,000 were treated in 2013 and another 42,000 were treated in 2014.

Doctors of the institute said that although it has a 300-bed capacity, the institute had at least 400 in-patients at any given time during the year.

During episodes of political vio-

lence, like those of late 2013 and early 2015, a surge in the number of patients is seen because of firebomb and arson attack injuries.

Although there are burn and plastic surgery units at 14 medical colleges in the country, they are not as technologically up-to-date or well staffed as at DMCH, doctors of the institute said.

There are no burn units in many districts including Barisal and Bogra.

At a recent emergency meeting, Burn Institute authorities urged the Health Ministry to immediately provide 40 doctors to the institute to handle the demand for treatment.

Dr Samanta Lal Sen, founder director and adviser of the Burn Institute, told the Dhaka Tribune that the ongoing situation is producing patients whose needs are beyond the capacity of the institute to provide.

“Every day we are facing serious patients, many of them with inhalation burns, and it is only possible to tackle the problem with expert doctors,” he said.

“We have no burn specialists but we have asked for around 40 doctors who can face the high number of patients.

“The Health Department has assured us that they will take action by Sunday,” Dr Samanta said.

“The only solution to the larger problem of providing effective care is to have burn institutes around the country able to train at least 20 burn specialists a year,” he said.

“We need at least 1,000 specialized doctors across the country, but, the sad fact is that we have only 52,” Samanta said.

“We need to decentralise each of the public medical colleges in the country, to allow each to have burn treatment facilities and specialist training opportunities of their own,” he said.

Dr Samanta, a 40-year veteran of the field, said: “For burn patients, the first 24 hours are critical. If appropriate treatment is started within this time, the chances of a cure doubles. If treatment is delayed until after this golden period, the chances of healing drop at least 80%. This is what is happening in most petrol bomb cases we have seen.”

He said those injured in firebomb attacks in Rangpur or Barisal lose too much time getting to DMCH, reducing their chances of survival. l

Bounty declared on bombers’ heads  PAGE 1 COLUMN 6

Moreover, anyone who can provide evidence through video or picture of an attacker carrying out arson or vandalism will be awarded Tk10,000.

The same amount is offered for an informant who can provide information through video or photographs of attackers.

The RAB DG further said the identity of the informers will be kept confidential.

The DG said they had received many responses after declaring a reward in 2013, and they are also hopeful about it this time.

“We will circulate leaflets, car stickers and air video on television channels to create awareness among people about the miscreants,” he added.

On the other hand, police in a press statement signed by Assistant Inspector General (AIG) of Police Jalaluddin Ahmed Chowdhury offered a Tk5 lakh reward for anyone who can provide information about attackers who set fire

to the passenger bus in Jatrabari area on Friday night.

On Friday night, around 9:30pm some arsonists set fire to the passenger bus named Glory Paribahan in Katherpur area of Jatrabari while it was going from Gulistan to Rupganj.

A total of 31 people received burn injuries from the attack.

“Sub-inspector KM Nazmiuddin of Jatrabari police station filed a case in connection with the incident against 30 people on Saturday evening,” Abani Sankar, officer-in-charge of Jatrabari police station, told the Dhaka Tribune.

A case will also be filed against Khaleda Zia for aiding and abetting those involved in the arson attacks since January 6.

Earlier, on January 20, State Minister for Home Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal had also made a reward announcement.

The BNP-led 20-party has been observing nationwide non-stop roads and

waterways blockade since January 6.

The current blockade has been marked by violence and sporadic clashes between the police and protesters, leaving a number of people killed and injured.

More than 35 people have been killed since the blockade has been enforced.

In the wake of such incidents of arson attacks, the government has announced rewards for catching anarchists responsible for violence during hartal and blockades.

However, as of yesterday, nobody has given police any information about the attackers.

Earlier, in December 2013, when political unrest in the country was at its peak, Dhaka Metropolitan Police published a list of 11 individuals and declared Tk1 lakh bounty for each of them after a group of criminals vandalised and set fire to cars and shops and exploded bombs near the Fakirarpul Kitchen Market in the capital. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Sunday, January 25, 2015

3

Garment factory gutted, residential building damaged Nobody at work was hurt because the fire broke out during a break They were admitted to a local clinic. n Our Correspondent, Gazipur Factory Security supervisor Swapan A devastating fire broke out at Kader Synthetic and Compact Spinning Mill at Konabari BSCIC industrial area in Gazipur city damaging its machineries, threads and clothes yesterday morning.

Firemen could not say how the fire had started.

They however assumed that it might have originated from an electric short circuit inside the AC panel room on the ground floor around 7:30am and then it engulfed the entire building.

Twelve firefighting units from Gazipur, Kaliakoir,Dhaka EPZ of Savar and Tongi rushed there and were able to douse the fire in six hours of frantic efforts.

The fire also spread to a nearby four-storey residential building, which workers and locals were able to control before it went out of control.

At least four people were injured while dousing the fire.

They were Didarul Alam, employee of Tongi fire service station, Abdur Razzak, security supervisor of the factory, and Mohammed Iqbal Hossain and Abdul Khalek, who work for the factory.

Bishwas however said no casulaties had taken place in the fire because the night shift workers had left office before it caught fire yesterday.

Quoting firemen, he said several cracks had developed due to the fire in the factory building.

Deputy Assistant Director of Gazipur Fire Service Akhtaruzzaman Liton said they were able to douse the blaze at around 2pm, adding that they could have doused it much before had they not faced any shortage of water.

Factory Manager (Administration) Monirul Islam said all the factory goods, including machinaries, clothes and threads, had been burnt down.

Soon after the fire broke out, all other nearby garment factories were declared closed for yesterday.

Probe committee formed Deputy commissioner of Gazipur Mohammed Nurul Islam said they had formed a seven-member committee to look into this incident and the committee, led by Additional District Magistrate Mohammed Hossain, was asked to submit the report within seven working days. l

Diplomats’ 1971 memoirs launched n Sheikh Shahariar Zaman

BGFCL seeks consent for ADB-funded onshore gas exploration at Titas

Pro-government resistance bodies by this week

Bangladeshi diplomats faced four challenges during the 1971 Liberation War and performed their due duties with dedication, commitment and professionalism.

This observation came from Bangladesh Enterprise Institute President Farooq Sobhan while launching a book titled “Serving the Nation: Reflections of Bangladesh Diplomats” at a city hotel Saturday.

The book included the memories of a total of 43 Bangladeshi ambassadors who served over 100 countries.

Identity crisis, negative perception due to poverty and natural disaster and political instability about Bangladesh were the key challenges the diplomats faced during the birth of the country, Farooq said.

In the launching event, noted economist Rehman Sobhan, former foreign secretaries Faruk A Chowdhury and Mohammed Mohsin, and the Daily Star Editor Mahfuz Anam also spoke among others.

Rehman Sobhan said all expatriate Bangladeshis in 1971 were diplomats as they were not only protested the genocide of the Pakistani military but also collected money for the countrymen.

“The idea was when other diplomats were trying to get aid for Bangladesh, my task was to stop the Pakistan fund from the international communities,” he went on. l

n Asif showkat kallol

n Abu Hayat Mahmud

WEATHER

DRY WEATHER LIKELY SUNDAY, JANUARY 25

Bangladesh Gas Field Company Limited has sought consent from the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs for a proposal to finance onshore exploration of four wells in the Titas gas field from an Asian Development Bank fund.

The government has already awarded the contract to China’s Sinopec International Petroleum Service Corporation for drilling wells by May this year.

Energy Division officials said the proposal will be placed in a committee meeting today to be presided over by Finance Minister AMA Muhith.

The official also said the Development Partner Fund will be treated as

Fire fighters try to douse a blaze at a spinning mill in Gazipur’s Konabari near Dhaka yesterday

the government’s fund for the exploration project.

According to the proposal, the Chinese firm has already submitted performance guarantee of $5m to carry out the drilling job and committed to completing the operation at a cost of $52m or Tk4.05bn.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) will provide the entire fund, the proposal said.

The four wells are: Titas 23, Titas 24, Titas 25 and Titas 26. Owned by the Bangladesh Gas Field Company Limited (BGFCL), all of them are located in the Brahmanbaria district.

All the four awarded gas wells are located some 100km off the capital and are part of Bangladesh’s second-largest producing gas field after the Chev-

ron-operated Bibiyana.

This field is currently producing around 516 million cubic feet of gas per day (mmcfd) across 21 producing wells against an overall production capacity of 518 mmcfd.

In addition to drilling the four wells, Sinopec will also be responsible for third-party engineering services which include cementation, mud logging, wire-line logging, supplying explosives, detonator core analysis, drillstem testing wire-line or slick-line operation, supply of drill bits and nozzles, supply of mud and completion chemicals.

BGFCL awarded the four onshore gas wells to Sinopec after a competitive bidding, barring Bapex from taking part, according to the proposal. l

Transport workers’ hunger strike today n Tribune Report Some pro-government transport workers will hold a daylong hunger strike today in protest against the ongoing BNPled country-wide blockades.

“The hunger strike will run from 10 am to 4pm. Several transport workers will join us for the programme,” Bangladesh Sarak Paribahan Sramik League secretary Insur Ali told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday evening.

It will be held of the National Press Club in the capital.

“We demand BNP chairperson Kaleda Zia be brought to justice” Insur added.

He said: “If Khaleda does not withdraw the blockade, we will have to take

tough measures, in protest against the terror created in the city, the petrol bomb attacks, vandalism, arson attacks on buses, and other forms of sabotage in the name of blockade.”

The BNP-led 20 party alliance has enforced non-stop nationwide blockades since January 5, which has resulted in the deaths and grievious injury of many citizens from arson attacks, petrol bombs, and vandalism of vehicles.

This has also caused enormous loss and suffering for many transport operators in the country – either through personal injury or loss of transport.

On Thursday, several pro-Awami League labour organisations gave the BNP chairperson a two-day ultimatum to lift the ongoing non-stop blockade.

On the same day, transport workers were barred by the police from laying siege to Khaleda Zia’s Gulshan office.

At around 11am on Thursday, several labour organisations including Bangladesh Sarak Paribahan Sramik League, Motor Drivers Sramik League, Bangladesh Garments Workers Coordination Council along with Muktijuddho Projonmo League, gathered at the Gulshan 2 intersection for their march towards Khaleda’s office.

However, the police stopped them near North Road, following which the protesters staged a sit-in at the Gulshan 2 intersection and organised a brief rally.

At the rally, they threatened to go on a hunger strike in front of the National Press Club unless the blockade is lifted. l

DHAKA TODAY TOMORROW SUN SETS 5:40PM SUN RISES 6:42AM FORECAST FOR TODAY 26 27 25 24 28 27 27 29

Dhaka Chittagong Rajshahi Rangpur Khulna Barisal Sylhet Cox’s Bazar

14 16 11 11 11 15 12 17

10.5ºC Srimangal

Source: Accuweather/UNB

PRAYER TIMES Fajr Sunrise Zohr Asr Magrib Esha

5:23am 6:41am 12:11am 4:04pm 5:39pm 6:58pm

Source: IslamicFinder.org

The ruling Awami League-led 14-party alliance will complete by this week the formation of committees in every ward and locality across the country to resist subversive acts.

The ruling alliance had decided to constitute such committees with a view to identifying the people involved in arson attacks, vandalism and sabotage during the BNP-led 20-party’s blockade and hartals and handing them over to the law enforcers.

‘This week is the last chance for the BNP-led alliance to shun the path of violence and sabotage’ Some committees have already been formed in Dhaka and they are working on the streets, Awami League sources said.

The ongoing arson and secret attacks perpetrated by the BNPJamaat men would stop as soon as the resistance committees are formed, said an AL Advisory Council member seeking anonymity. “This week is the last chance for the BNP-led alliance to shun the path of violence and

Health Minister Mohammed Nasim finds it difficult to bare the site of a burn-injured patient while visiting them at the burn unit of Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) yesterday MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

sabotage.”

The leader claimed that the committees were formed to help the law enforcement agencies.

“The government has ordered drives by the joint forces as the police have been facing obstacles in tackling the criminals. Later, the alliance decided to constitute the anti-subversive act committees following a directive of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina,” a Presidium member said.

According to party sources and our district correspondents, committees with 20-25 members and led by local alliance leaders have already been formed in several upazilas of Jessore, Chittagong, Rajshahi, Khulna, Barisal, Sylhet, Rangpur, Bogra, Gaibandha, Sirajganj, Kushtia, Satkhira and Mymensingh.

The alliance was supposed to sit yesterday to expedite formation of the committees in the capital. But it was later cancelled.

When contacted, Awami League Joint General Secretary Mahbubul-Alam Hanif yesterday said all the committees would be constituted by this week.

Sources said several thousand BNP-Jamaat leaders and supporters have been arrested across the country in the crackdown by the joint forces – comprising police, RAB and BGB members. l

Sector Commanders’ Forum demands immediate end to countrywide violence n Munir Momtaj

YESTERDAY’S HIGH AND LOW

29.2ºC Sitakunda

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Sector Commanders’ Forum yesterday protested the recent acts of violence across the country, and demanded violence and anarchy in the name of movement be stopped.

In a human chain formed in front of National Press Club, members of the forum also urged politicians to practise humanitarianism in politics.

Leading freedom fighters and noted cultural personalities joined the protest.

Lieutenant Colonel Abu Osman Chowdhury, vice-president of Sector Commanders’ Forum, said the 20-party alliance would have to immediately call off the blockade and stop the killings. “Otherwise, our youths will besiege the houses of its leaders.”

Anwar Hossain, former vicechancellor of Jahangirnagar University, said the killings were going on on the order of Khaleda Zia. “The government should immediately arrest Khaleda.

“US president Abraham Lincoln during his rule arrested several leaders

who created unrest. In view of that, why cannot we arrest Khaleda?” he added.

Harun Habib, acting secretary general of Sector Commanders’ Forum, said the forum had no political connections with any party but the present situation had forced its members to stage a protest.

Former state minister for home Shamsul Haque Tuku said the killings and arson attacks resembled violence perpetrated in 1971.

“We want an immediate end to the killings. Otherwise, we will destroy training camps of Chhatra Shibir and Chhatra Dal where petrol bombs are made,” Major Ziauddin Ahmad, member of Sector Commanders’ Forum, said.

The protesters also marched to Shaheed Minar and joined another protest titled “Hok Protibad”.

Mohiuddin Ahmed, vice-president of Sector Commanders’ Forum, and Rana Dasgupta, general secretary of Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist and Christian Unity Council, were present among others. l

4

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Sunday, January 25, 2015

Jessore software park likely to get Tk77.99 crore Cost to go up five times times higher than the initial estimated n Asif Showkat Kallol and cost.

Muhammad Zahidul Islam

A joint venture of the Spectra Engineers Limited (SEL) and McDonald Steel Building Products Limited (MSBPL) is likely to get the work order for constructing the building, according to sources in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) division.

Earlier, the companies were awarded with a work order to construct a four storied building, which is now going to increase up to 15 storied at the same palace.

With the increase of the building’s height, the total cost of the of software technology park project will rise to Tk240.74 crore which is almost five

At the beginning, the total cost for the project was fixed only Tk47.95 crore, and it was scheduled to be completed by September 2014.

But the Hi-tech Park Authority placed a proposal to increase the project cost around Tk88.5 crore before ending the time limit.

“Initially our plan was to build a four storied building at the project site.

But the government has asked us to increase it up to 15 storied,” said Hosne Ara Begum, managing director of HiTech Park Authority.

The first phase of construction work of the Jessore hi-tech park is expected be finished by March this year.

According to official document, the park authority will build a steel structure Multi-Tenant Building of more than 145,000 square feet with estimated cost of Tk80.01 crore.

A 12 storied dormitory building costing around Tk52.33; a 33KV electric sub-station of Tk20.54 crore, and an MP theatre hall of Tk18.18 crore will also be constructed at the technology park.

Moreover, five sets of ICT equipment will be procured with cost of Tk14.58 crore for the park.

State Minister for ICT division Zunaid Ahmed Palak said the government will also construct 10 more high-tech parks in the country.

Around 70,000 skilled professionals will be trained for parks in next four years, he said. l

National Prof Dr N Islam remembered n BSS National Professor Dr Nurul Islam, personal physician of father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, was fondly remembered on the occasion of his second death anniversary yesterday.

Janaseba Foundation and the University of Science and Technology Chittagong (USTC) have jointly observed the death anniversary of the Founder VC of USTC through daylong programmes to in memory of great educationist and medical scientist of Bangladesh and the region.

Speaking at the memorial meeting as the chief guest, Vice Chancellor (VC) of Chittagong University Prof M Anwarul Azim Arif said national professor Islam will be ever remembered for establishing the private university in the country despite many adversities.

USTC VC Prof Dr Pravat Chandra Barua presided over the function while professor of Anatomy Department, USTC Dr Kazi Rafiqul Hoque, youngest daughter of late professor and member secretary of the Board of Trustees, USTC Dr Neena Islam, Prof Dr M Rezaul Karim, former principal of Southern Medical College Dr Sultanul Alam, director of Health Services, Chittagong division Dr Alauddin Majumdar, President of Bangladesh Medical Association (BMA) Dr Mujibul Hoque Khan and first academic council member of USTC Dr Mainul Islam Mahmud, among others, spoke on the occasion.

To mark the day, National Professor Dr Nurul Islam Memorial Lecture on the topic “Chronic Kidney Diseases: Bangladesh Perspective” was held at Moulana Bhashani Auditorium of USTC at 9am.

Chief consultant and founder president of the Kidney Foundation, Bangladesh Prof Dr Harun-Ur-Rashid presented the key-note paper while former Director General of the Directorate of Health Services (DGHS) Prof M. A. Faiz and chairman of medicine department USTC Prof SM Mustafa Kamal took part in the Memorial Lecture.

The day-long programmes included homage and prayer at the deceased’s graveyard and Khatm-e-Quran seeking eternal peace of the departed soul of the late Nurul Islam.

A recipient of the Independence Award Dr Nurul Islam passed away on January 24 in 2013 at the age of 85.

The acclaimed medical researcher was born on April 1, 1928, in Chandanaish upazila of the district. In his lifetime Dr Nurul Islam served as the director and professor of Post Graduate Medicine and Research (IPGMR), founding dean of postgraduate medicine department of Dhaka University, founder president and vice-chancellor of University of Science & Technology in Chittagong. l

A proposal of Tk77.99 crore to construct a 15 storied building at the software technology park in Jessore is going to be placed before the Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase (CCGP) tomorrow.

With the increase of the building’s height, the total cost of the of software technology park project will rise to Tk240.74 crore which is almost five times higher than the initial estimated cost

Amid police protection, goods laden trucks are plying to reach different destinations across the country from Rajshahi’s Naodapara Aam Chattar area yesterday

AZAHAR UDDIN

Pro-AL protesters, leaders urge people to protest against current mayhem n Tribune Report

from the violence and help protecting the people.

Dr Anwar Hossain, former vice chancellor of Jahangirnagar University, said: We’ve urged Khaleda to stop these killings but she still has not stopped.

We do not know why the government is not arresting her. If the government does not arrest her, the people will.”

Momotaj Uddin, former general secretary of Supreme Court Bar association, Shahjahan Mahmud, general secretary of Dhaka journalist association, and actor Inamul Haque also attended the programme. l

Technology Ministry Zunaid Ahmed Palak.

At the rally, the protesters also announced a human chain programme with white flags to be held in all education institues across the country on Monday.

Furthermore, they announced another rally to be held at central Shahid Minar next Friday at 3pm Leaders and activists of various organisations of Awami League attended the programme with white flags.

Urging the public to protest against arson attacks, former State Ministry

for Home Affairs Shamsul Haque Tuku said: “If we want to have a peaceful Bangladesh, the youth has to protest against the arson attack. It’s their primary responsibility.”

Palak further said: “While the country is moving towards development, the BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia is trying to make it a place of death.

People who have been burnt alive are now fighting against death. We can’t stay at home in such a situation. We have to protest against these inhuman activities.”

He urged Khaleda to step aside

One arrested with yaba tablets worth Tk6 lakh

Body of housewife recovered n Our Correspondent, Barisal

Motiur: Govt working for welfare of all religions

n Tarek Mahmud, Chittagong

Police recovered the body of a housewife from her house in Barisal city on Friday night.

She was identified as Israt Jahan Happy, 22, an employee of Walton and wife of Taher Hossain. They married three months ago.

Shakhawat Hossain, Kotwali police station officer-in-charge, said the body was recovered from the bedroom of the flat around 8:30pm.

The cause of death could be known after autopsy, he added. l

n BSS

Detective Branch (DB) of Chittagong Metropolitan Police arrested a person with 3,000 yaba tablets from the city’s Kotwali area early yesterday.

The arrested, Akkel Ali, 50, used to collect yaba pills from Myanmar with the help of a man named Mohammad Shukkur alias Barmaiya Shukkur, 45.

Both hailed from Shahporir Island under Teknaf upazila of Cox’s Bazar district.

Akkel was arrested in a drive con-

Pro Awami League leaders, activists and civil society members have urged everyone across the country to protest against the ongoing arson and other forms of attack being carried out during the blockade.

They said so during a protest rally which took place at the central Shahid Minar yesterday. They gathered their following through a Facebook event titled “Hok Protibad” launched by State minister for ICT division under Post, Telecommunications and Information

ducted by a DB team led by Inspector Nizam Uddin in Shutkipotti area under Kotwali police station around 5:15am.

Sensing the presence of DB officials Akkel’s aid Shukkur managed to flee.

The team found the contraband items inside a bag carried by Akkel, however, Akkel said he was carrying dry fishes, according to a press release issued by the DB. The contraband items worth Tk6 lakh and the arrested was handed over to Kotwali police station and a case was lodged in this connection. l

Young Bangla to provide internship opportunities in three ministries Mizanur Rahaman, n FM Chittagong Young Bangla – a platform for different youth organisations of the country held its first ever divisional meet in Chittagong yesterday to collect resumes in order to place them for internship in three ministries of the government.

First-of-its-kind, the platform built by different young lawmakers, social workers and entrepreneurs, will select 500 people aged between 18 and 35 from all across the country.

“Three ministries: Ministry of Information and Technology, Ministry of Power and Energy and Min-

istry of Foreign Affairs, have agreed to offer internship opportunities to the selected candidates,” said Nahim Razzak, convener of the Young Bangla.

It is an opportunity for the young to work directly with the government in order to meet the goal of “Vision 2021,” he said.

Young Bangla will play a significant role in building Digital Bangladesh, said the conveners at the divisional meet held at Chittagong’s DC Hill yesterday.

With the slogan “tomar joy e Banglar joy,” the programme highlighted that Bangladesh possesses around 4 crore people aged from 18-35 and Young

Bangla will coordinate among them.

Nahim Razzak said the platform will select 30 youths among the selected 500 based on their social works and award them at a ceremony titled “Joy Bangla Festival” to be held on March 7.

From the 30, top 10 contestants will be screened for competing in this year’s Top Outstanding Young Persons of the World (TOYP), a competition to recognise young people who excel in their chosen fields and exemplify best attributes of the world’s young people.

Chittagong Deputy Commissioner Mesbah Uddin was present at the programme, among others. l

A platform against communalism and militancy forms a human chain in front of the National Museum in the capital’s Shahbagh area yesterday protesting the ongoing widespread killings, arson and bomb attacks and demanding ban on extremist organisations including Jamaat-Shibir RAJIB DHAR

Religious Affairs Minister Principal Motiur Rahman yesterday said the government was working relentlessly for the welfare of the religious institutions especially Islam and flourishing of religious values in the society.

“The government has taken initiative for the expansion of mosque based mass education ,” he said while addressing as the chief guest at an orientation programme at the Islamic

Foundation.

The minister said children could receive basic education from the mosque based mass education centres side by side the nuoranee education.

He urged the teachers of education centres to devote themselves to teaching nuranee and mass education to make worthy citizens in the society.

Teachers of mass education centers, Imam of different mosques and officials of the Islami Foundation attended the function. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Spotlight

Sunday, January 25, 2015

5

T H E PA I N B E YO N D T H E P O L I T I C S Firebomb victims struggle to overcome the painful consequences of a 'sick' political system. The Dhaka Medical College Hospital burn unit daily witnesses the life and death battle of those who have become collateral damage in a war of words that shows no sign of abating. At least 30 have died in the violence that has followed in the wake of a blockade programme called by BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia on January 5 MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU / MAINOOR ISLAM MANIK / DHAKA TRIBUNE

6

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Nation

Sunday, January 25, 2015

Cloth traders at Baburhat incur huge losses due to ongoing blockade n Our Correspondent, Narsingdhi Cloth traders at Baburhat in Shekeherchar of Narsingdi are in a fix due to ongoing blockade that caused almost 95 percent fall of their daily turnover.

The wholesale merchants are incurring severe losses as the number of customers from different parts of the country has declined drastically.

Thousands of people are employed with the whole process from spinning yarn, dyeing, marketing, transportation and accessories Moreover, local garment factory owners fear of incurring losses as the volume of production has also been affected badly.

Abdul Barik, vice president of Shekherchar Bazar Baburhat Traders Association (SBBTA), said the market sees turnover on an average Tk7 crore in three days of a week during normal time.

But it has fallen to almost one-fourth of the total amount, he said.

According to sources at SBBTA, there are about 5,000 shops at the market located on the Dhaka-Sylhet highway, only an hour drive from the capital.

The Baburhat is one of the biggest traditional wholesale sell-point of local fabrics supplying local fabrics across the country,

Thousands of people are employed with the whole process from spinning yarn, dyeing, marketing, transportation and accessories.

The market is buzzed with gathering of buyers from the country’s different parts, including Rajshahi, Borgra, Sylhet, Barisal, Jamalpur, Bhola, Sirajganj, Brahmibaria, Mymenshing, Kishoreganj, Tangail, Manikganj.

But this correspondent during a visit to the market on Friday found a different scene.

There was no gathering of buyers and sellers, unloading and uploading of goods.

Many shopkeepers were found sleeping in their shops, some were passing time in idleness by reading newspapers and chatting with each others.

“We are victims of nasty politics of the political parties. Our trading has fallen down almost to zero as buyers can not come to the market due to the blockade,” said Tamal Das, a trader at the market.

“We have not to do but incurring losses now,” he said.

Sankar Saha, a sales person at Pakija Fabrics Show Room, said they were facing difficulties to pay salaries to their employees due to low turnover.

Abdullah Al Mamun, president of Narsingdi Chamber of Commerce and Industries (NCCI), said: “We the garment factory owners produce clothes as per the demand of buyers.”

The productions at the factories has been declined due to the ongoing political tuirmoil in the country, he said urging that the country’s political parties stop enforcing blockades and hartals for shake of the country’s economy. l

The Rajshahi chapter of Jatiya Adivasi Parishad forms a human chain yesterday in city’s Shaheb Bazar Zeropoint area demanding the graveyard of freedom fighters be saved from land grabbers in Godagari upazila AZAHAR UDDIN

Civil society members slam blockade violence n Our Correspondent, Barguna Speakers from a programme in the district town yesterday denounced the ongoing nationwide violence on the ordinary people in the name of blockade.

Barguna Press Club hosted the event where people from different socio-political organisations joined around 11am.

They brought out a white-flag procession from local Barguna Shilpokola Academy premises and held a human chain and rally in front of the press club premises after parading thoroughfares. l

Man killed in Santal-Bangalee clash over land dispute n Our Correspondent, Dinajpur

A man was killed when a group of Santals clashed with a section of Bangalees over a land dispute in Parbatipur upazila in the district yesterday.

The deceased was identified as Md Sohag, 30, son of Jahurul Islam of Sarkerpara village in the upazila.

Sources said there had been a long standing feud between Jahurul and the Santals in the area over 48 bighas land.

In the morning, around 25 Santals attacked Sohag and workers with local weapons when they went to irrigate the land.

Sohag was killed as an arrow pierced his body, locals said.

Rabindranath Saren, general secretary of Jatiya Adivasi Parishad claimed the Bangalees carried out vandalism and looted Santals’ houses during the clash.

Mostofapur UP chairman Matiur Rahman also denied the allegation.

On information, police rushed to the spot and brought the situation

Members of Border Guard Bangladesh stand alert due to a heightened tension Parbatipur of Dinajpur after a person was killed by an arrow allegedly shot by Adivasi DHAKA TRIBUNE under control, said Mahmudul Alam, officer-in-charge of Parbatipur police station. Around 60 ethnic minorities live at the village.

A police camp was set up in the area after the incident.

19 ethnic people were arrested in this connection. l

NEWS IN BRIEF Freedom fighter buried with state honour Chan Mia Sardar, 75, a valiant freedom fighter who died after being hit by an ambulance, was buried with due state honour yesterday.

He was laid to rest at his own residence Nabinbagh after a Namaze-janaza at Gopalganj Eidgah ground. Senior officials from the administration were present at that time. Chan Mia died at Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) on Friday after an ambulance ran him over on the same day. The private ambulance apparently lost control and hit him when he was standing in front of a local mosque in the morning. He was first admitted to Gopalganj 250-bed General Hospital but was later shifted to DMCH when his situation deteriorated.

– Our Correspondent, Gopalganj

Chuadanga BNP convenor arrested Police arrested the convenor of Chuadanga’s BNP unit yesterday in allegation of inciting violence. Ohidul Islam Biswas, 57, was arrested from his house around 11am. Prior to that police also arrested the convenor of the Olama party Anwar Hossain. Chuadanga Superintendent of Police Rashidul Hasan said Ohidul Islam was arrested in case of bombing a police car on January 20 and vandalising a truck during the ongoing blockade.

– Our Correspondent, Chuadanga

Bus helper jailed in Comilla Police arrested the helper of a bus for storing petrol in the vehicle in Comilla. Nur-e-Alam, 24, hails from Shashongachha area of Comilla town. He used to work as a helper of buses that operate on the Comilla-Sylhet route. Executive Magistrate Nazmul Hossain

Khan of a mobile court sentenced him to one year of imprisonment. Officer-in-Charge of Comilla Kotowali model police station Mohd Khorshed Alam said Nur-e-Alam hid a bottle of petrol in the bus for conducting crimes later on. He was arrested on a tip off.

– Our Correspondent, Comilla

School teacher shot dead The headmaster of a government primary school was gunned down in Kumarkhali upazila of Kushtia yesterday. The deceased was identified as Robiul Islam, 48, the headmaster of Mohendrapur Government Primary School. Robiul was also owner of a brick kiln in the area. A group of four to five miscreants shot Robiul in front of his Mohendrapur house when he was returning from his brick kiln around 1:45am, said Lutfar Rahman, officer-in-charge of Kumarkhali police station. He died on the spot as two bullets pierced his chest, the OC said.

– Our Correspondent, Kushtia

Body of a CNG-driver found in Narinsingdi Police recovered body of a CNG auto-rickshaw driver from Gazaria area of Polash upazila yesterday morning. The victim, Tarek Hossain, 22, had his throat slit. He hailed from Noakanda village of the same upazila. Police said they were informed by locals who spotted the body. Later family members of Tarek identified the body. Tarek’s family suspected that he might have been killed by miscreants who tried to steal the vehicle. Officer-in-Charge of Polash police station SM Shahadat Hossain said the body had been sent to Narsingdi Sadar Hospital morgue for autopsy.

– Our Correspondent, Narsingdi

Man killed in clash over land in Habiganj n

Our Correspondent, Habiganj

A man was killed and five others got injured in clash between two groups over land dispute at Uchail Shankar Pasa village in Sadar upazila yesterday.

The deceased is Feroz Ali, a resident of the village. The injured got admitted to the district hospital in a critical condition.

Police said Feroz and his neighbour named Basir Miah had long been loggerheads centring a disputed land.

As sequel to the incident, followers of both locked in clash with indigenous

weapons in the morning, leaving him dead on the spot and five others hurt.

Being informed, police rushed to the spot and arrested one Samal Miah on charge of having involvement in the incident. The body was to Habiganj Sadar Hospital morgue for autopsy.

When contacted, Sadar police station OC acknowledged the incident, saying they were trying best to arrest the other responsible.

Additional police were deployed in the village to prevent any untoward incident further, the OC went on. l

Fruit seller beaten to death n Our Correspondent, Shariatpur A fruit seller was beaten to death over land related disputes in Rajganj Helipad area of Sadar upazila on Friday night.

The deceased was identified as Zahirul Islam, son of Aiyub Ali, resident of Sarnwagosh area of the upazila.

Quoting local people, police said Zahirul had a longstanding conflict with one Moslem Khan of the locality over a piece land.

As a sequel to their previous enmity, Moslem along with his followers beat Zahirul indiscriminately in the area when he was returning home. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Career

better use of our time if we could put a platform together. So we identified a whole range of businesses, and connected them to a whole range of investors.” This idea led to the formation of the Open Accelerator.

Beginning in February 2014, Open Accelerator is a low-cost, yearlong programme through which the firm is bridging gaps between investors and rural businesses which have extremely high growth potentials.

The accelerator has brought in both international and local investors, namely BRAC Bank, DBBL and Midas Financing among the local financing companies and Incluvest among the internationals.

The purpose of this platform has been to prepare businesses for long-term external investments and to identify areas where rural entrepreneurs can invest in, in order to achieve high growths and expansions of their facilities.

‘We thought it would be a much better use of our time if we could put a platform together. So we identified a whole range of businesses, and connected them to a whole range of investors’ BIGSTOCK

Impact investing: venture capitalism for the social good

A

n Nakibul Hoq capitalist haven, Bangladesh has in the last decade been globally touted as a new center of social enterprise and business for the social good. While organisations like Grameen Bank have taken the lead behind this image, there is no doubt that this has been made possible only through investing in the world’s poorest of people and their initiatives, which has led to an aggressive poverty reduction mechanism.

A few weeks back I had the opportunity to speak to Jerry Nicholson,

Founder and Managing Director of TinderCapital, an impact investment firm providing SMEs in Bangladesh with financial and technical resources. A British chartered accountant, Nicholson and his wife decided to set up TinderCapital in Bangladesh four and a half years back. Through TinderCapital, the founders want to take micro-finance to the next level at an unprecedented scale, and in the process seek to discover how the process will lead to the sustainability of future generations.

Impact investing is still a relatively new term in today’s Bangladesh. As businesses seek external capital from both individuals and financial institu-

tions, rural entrepreneurs often find that they cannot have easy access to resources without sufficient security. This is where impact investors like TinderCapital come in. They target those businesses that have the highest growth potentials and work with them to make these businesses sustainable and profitable in the long run. They not only invest their financial resources but also their technical expertise, and often bring in new processes of working in the supply chain.

At the moment there is only a handful of impact investors operating in Bangladesh, such as Incluvest, a Dutch impact investor focused on the agricul-

ture sector. TinderCapital’s first direct investment went into Oasis Coffins, a local manufacturer of Eco-friendly coffins that are sold in the UK and several other global locations today.

When TinderCapital came in, the coffin-maker company was in an extremely bad shape. Mr Nicholson and his team worked intensely with Oasis for almost two years, and finally when the company saw the light of profit and sustenance, the investors stepped back with minor stakes in the business process.

After the success of Oasis Coffins, TinderCapital was eager to venture into new waters. According to Nicholson: “We thought it would be a much

Needless to say, micro-finance has always been perceived to be usable only in small scales and at household levels. But impact investment firms like TinderCapital are now here to change that. They want to invest their financial resources and knowledge capital into rural businesses so that these businesses can grow into big businesses with a global reach.

And while the future remains uncertain, today’s young entrepreneurs and investors might consider vesting their ideas and expertise in this sector.

In the upcoming few years, as social good becomes a leading force in the Bangladeshi business world of tomorrow, more impact investors are expected to fund the growth of smaller scale businesses at the rural levels so that these businesses can increase in scale and reach. With the right kind of expertise and targeting, the future definitely looks bright for them. l Nakibul Hoq is the Lead Manager, Content & Analytics at GradInsights, the research service of GradConnect. More articles from Nakib and the team can be found at www. grad-insights.com.

Mobile phone etiquette for work

About to lose your job?

n Ahsan Sajid

Your 30s are fast approaching and you are getting increasingly stuck in an industry you never cared for. Everyone you know seems to be more successful than you. You always valued one of your skills which you have not had an opportunity to use in years; you don’t even know if you are good at it any more. You hate the people you work with.

There can be any number of reasons for you to hate going to work; if you know the reason you are lucky and if you don’t, you at least know that you need to make some kind of change to start enjoying working again.

However, in the real world of early morning commutes, and paperwork and red tape, this is not so easily done.

Some of the biggest stress-inducing events in life are the death of a close one, the end of a relationship, moving out and joblessness. When you are without a job, every single decision becomes a dire one and every single expense calls for well-thought planning.

If you must make a change and pull the plug on your current job, unless you already have one lined up, you will be jobless and no matter how well you think you can take it, you will be unprepared for it. The following are a few tips and suggestions to tackle joblessness and life in-between jobs.

No matter when you plan to take the leap, if you are already thinking about it, It is prudent to start preparing for it right now. Preparing for unemployment is difficult enough for a single person; if you have people depending on your pay check, then you are heading for troubled waters. Consider the following suggestions on how to get ready for it.

Office etiquette is the lubricant that keeps an organisation functioning smoothly; when proper work etiquette is followed the day to day tasks are carried out effectively. Given that cell phones have become an extension of our body, it pays to heed basic cellphone etiquette at the workplace. Following is a list of five etiquette for using cell phones at work that one would do well to keep in mind.

Only important calls

This one goes without saying, only take calls at work if they are important. Remind yourself that you are on someone else’s time, and you are being compensated for this time for doing a specific task.

Importance is subjective from person to person; family or medical emergencies are universally agreed to be important, while a friend you haven’t talked to in a few weeks, news about a distant relative getting married or your mother asking what you want for dinner is not.

Ringer off

Set your phone to vibration, and you’ll be glad you did. The obvious pitfall is everybody getting annoyed at different ringers going off every few minutes. A less obvious reason for doing this may

be to not allow your boss to find out how often you are getting calls while at work.

Find a corner

Even if what you’re discussing may not be personal, find a private place to take phone calls at work. It may be an emergency for you but it’s not for your colleagues who have a job to do and don’t want to overhear your conversation while doing it. Anyone would agree it is annoying to have people having conversations on their phone while you’re trying work.

Never at meetings

Meetings are a time to generate ideas or to recap on tasks. Distraction is detrimental to both these objectives, and even if you put your cellphone to vibrate, you don’t want your mind wandering off to the latest facebook notification or WhatsApp or Snapchat from the significant other. Simply do not bring your phone to a meeting or to not bring it out of your pocket.

Text instead

If you must get in touch with someone while you’re at work, it is often better to send a text instead of calling. Make sure your phone does not beep every time you hit a letter, because that is significantly more annoying than an actual phone call. l

Say it like a pro n Career Desk Ace up your sleeve - If you have an ace up your sleeve, you have something in reserve BIZ with which you can gain VOCAB an advantage Hold all the aces - A person who holds all the aces is in a very strong position because they have more advantages than anyone else Ambulance chaser - A lawyer who finds work by persuading people injured in accidents to claim money from the person who caused the accident Back to the salt mines - A humorous way of talking about returning to work, usually with some reluctance Bait and switch - Advertising a lowpriced item to attract customers, then telling them that the product is out of stock and persuading them to buy a more expensive article In the black - To say that a person or organization is in the black means that they are financially sound, have a positive balance on their account and that they owe no money Blamestorming - A discussion among a group of people who try to determine who or what is to blame for a particular mistake, failure or wrongdoing Blue chip company - This term refers to a company with a solid reputation for the quality of its products and the stability of its growth and earnings Get down to brass tacks - When people get down to brass tacks, they start to discuss the essential aspects of a problem or situation Bricks and mortar / bricks and clicks An established trading company (office/ shop) is referred to as a “brick-and-mortar” business Carve out a niche - A person or company who carves out a niche concentrates on a particular segment of the market, to which they supply a product or service, and develop their expertise in that area Cash in your chips - If you cash in your chips, you sell something, especially shares, either because you need the money or because you think the value is going to fall Too many chiefs, not enough Indians - This expression refers to a situation where there are too many people giving instructions and not enough people doing the work Cog in the machine - Someone who is a cog in the machine, while necessary, is only play a small part in an organisation or plan

n Career Desk

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Sunday, January 25, 2015

The most important step to preparing for unemployment is to have a negligible rainy day fund. Negligible in this instance means enough money to last you three to six months without a job.

There is no such thing as unemployment benefits in Bangladesh, so unless you already have emergency money set aside, there is no time like right now to

BIGSTOCK

start saving. You do not want to lose your job and find yourself without a safety net.

Stay within means

Being thrifty is not a process, it is a way of life, which makes it difficult to attain unless you are used to living within your means. You don’t just turn thriftiness on and off. You have to acclimatise yourself to it. I know plenty of people who will be broke and penniless on the second half of every month and never pick up the lesson when they are splurging on pay day the next month.

If you know you are heading towards unemployment, stop spending money on things unless you absolutely need them, and cut corners at every available opportunity.

Use your contract to your advantage

Fringe benefits such as medical insurance or coverage are often the last things on one’s mind before leaving a job, especially when the decision is based on passion. However, if you know the day you leave is imminent, now may be the time to schedule any medical or dental appointments you have been putting off all these years

and still get it under your company’s health coverage. You do not want to be jobless and suddenly be hit with a huge medical expense.

Throw away your cards

Unless you absolutely need to, stop using your credit cards right now. If you are leaving your job today, it is just one more extra payment to deal with tomorrow. If you know that your job is coming to a close, stop charging anything on your credit cards.

Create a portfolio

Once you get laid off, you will no longer have access to your workstation or work email; start collecting samples of your work (such as written pieces, proposal drafts, presentations or any tangible examples of your work) on a pen drive or email the files to your personal account.

When you look for a new job, they will want to look at samples of your previous work, and you do not want to find yourself without access to them.

Do not forget networking

Networking is not a one-off activity but a constant development. However, unless the job expressly requires it,

it is common to fall out of the practice.

When you are heading towards unemployment, you need to scurry towards your closest acquaintances and be on the lookout for opportunities. Keep an eye open for potential opportunities at all times, whether you are at a work event or a friend’s child’s birthday party.

Study your contract

Go through your employment contract thoroughly and figure out if you have any unused leaves left. It may be a good time to use them up before it is too late.

Also look through the sections regarding resignation and how long a notice you have to provide your employer, so you know how best to prepare for it.

Have the talk

Unemployment is a difficult and emotionally stressful time, not just for you but everyone who cares about you. If you are looking at an upcoming removal, have a talk with anyone who will be impacted by the loss of your job, such as your spouse, parents, children etc.

Make sure you are on the same page, and most importantly, can start prioritising and setting financial goals together. l

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DHAKA TRIBUNE

Syrian forces ‘kill dozens’ in barrel bomb attack n Al Jazeera

Syrian government air raids have killed at least 42 people in a rebel-held village near Damascus, activists and a group monitoring the violence have said.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, reported a “massacre” against the village of Hamoriyah in eastern Ghouta area on Friday, as at least 42 people, including six children were killed.

The Britain-based watchdog said government helicopters dropped five barrel bombs on the village.

According to the Local Coordination Committees (LCC), a grassroots network of opponents of the government, one of the air strikes hit a square where people had gathered for the weekly Muslim Friday prayers.

The opposition Syrian Media Organisation posted footage on YouTube of several bodies lying on a blood-stained floor, some of them children with blast wounds. Other bodies lay under white shrouds or jackets.

Another opposition group, the Shaam News Network, published a video on its Facebook page showing what it said was the aftermath of a blast in an open square. Bodies lay on the road

and buildings were damaged.

Al Jazeera could not independently verify the authenticity of the videos.

Syria’s air force began launching strikes against opposition-held areas in the summer of 2012, with rights groups blasting the regime for attacks they say fail to discriminate between civilian and military targets.

The rebel-held eastern Ghouta area, located east of the capital, has been under army siege for more than a year, leaving tens of thousands of civilians short of food and medical supplies.

Meanwhile, Al Jazeera has learnt that at least four people have been killed in government air strikes on Houla town near Homs city.

Three explosive barrels were thrown on the village when residents started to leave the mosques after Friday prayers.

Al Jazeera’s journalist in the southern city of Deraa reported that another air raid killed at least six civilians, including a child, in Dael town near Deraa city, on Friday.

According to the UN, at least 220,000 people have been killed in Syria since the start of the civil war that began with an uprising against President Bashar al-Assad. l

World

Sunday, January 25, 2015

CHARLIE HEBDO

Anti-Charlie Hebdo protesters march in Diyarbakir yesterday during a demonstration against the depiction of the Prophet Mohammed (SM) by the French satirical weekly and mourning two Islamist gunmen who killed 12 people in an attack on Charlie Hebdo, two weeks ago in Paris AFP

Fifteen killed by rebel shelling in east Ukraine’s Mariupol

HRW: 40 dead in DR Congo protests

n Reuters, Kiev

n AFP, Kinshasa

Fifteen people were killed in shelling in the east Ukrainian port city of Mariupol yesterday, Ukraine’s interior ministry said, an attack Kiev blamed on separatist rebels and the Russian military.

A witness described the shelling to Reuters as enough to knock the paint off his house.

The deaths follow the separatists’ rejection of more peace talks and as fighting surged to its most intense in months. The United Nations said on Friday 262 had been killed in the previous nine days.

Government-held Mariupol, on the Sea of Azov, lies on a coastal route from the Russian border to Crimea, which was annexed by Russia from Ukraine last March.

The city council said rockets fired by rebels from long-range GRAD missile systems struck a multi-storey building and caused fires to break out.

Oleksander Turchynov, secretary of Ukraine’s national defence council, described the incident as “another bloody crime against humanity committed by the Russian military and the

UN agency criticises Israel for razing Palestinian home

n Agencies

The United Nations has accused Israel of illegally demolishing the homes of 77 Palestinians, mostly children, this week in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.

“In the past three days, 77 Palestinians, over half of them children, have been made homeless,” the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in a statement issued on Friday evening.

“Some of the demolished structures were provided by the international community to support vulnerable families. Demolitions that result in forced evictions and displacement run counter to Israel’s obligations under international law and create unnecessary suffering and tension. They must stop immediately,” said OCHA. The demolitions took place in East Jerusalem and the districts of Ramallah, Jericho and Hebron.

OCHA said that during 2014 Israel carried out a record number of demolitions in East Jerusalem and a zone of the occupied West Bank under full Israeli control known as Area C. “In 2014, according to OCHA figures, the Israeli authorities destroyed 590 Palestinian-owned structures in Area C and East Jerusalem, displacing 1,177 people the highest level of displacement in the West Bank since OCHA began systematically monitoring the issue in 2008.”

Israel says such demolitions are carried out because the structures have been built without the required construction permits. But Palestinians and rights groups say such authorisation is routinely denied, forcing unlicensed building. l

bands of terrorists under their complete control,” in an online statement.

The attack started in the early morning, 76-year-old pensioner Leonid Vasilenko, who lives in the eastern suburbs of Mariupol, said by telephone.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said last week Russia had 9,000 troops inside Ukraine and called on Moscow to withdraw them “The walls were shaking, the window frames were shaking, paint started to crumble off the house. I hid in the basement. What else can you do? I took the dog and the cat. In the basement you could hear the earth tremble,” he said.

The interior ministry said 15 people had been killed and 76 injured. Separatists denied responsibility for the attack, news agency Interfax reported.

Despite international calls for a ceasefire, rebel leader Alexander Zakharchenko vowed on Friday his forces would push on with a new offensive, as the UN said the conflict, which began in east Ukraine more than nine months ago, was now in its “most deadly period” since a peace deal was agreed last September.

The Kiev military reported “high-intensity” rebel attacks on government positions.

“Illegal armed groups are trying to widen the boundaries of controlled territories and correct the demarcation line to their advantage,” spokesman Andriy Lysenko said in a televised briefing.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said last week Russia had 9,000 troops inside Ukraine and called on Moscow to withdraw them, blaming it for an armed aggression. Moscow denies sending forces and weapons to east Ukraine, despite what the West says is irrefutable proof.

On Friday Russian President Vladimir Putin blamed “criminal orders”

by Ukrainian leaders on Friday for the surge in the conflict, which has killed over 5,000 people. l

Forty people have died in protests in the Democratic Republic of Congo against President Joseph Kabila, Human Rights Watch said yesterday, accusing security forces of using excessive force and then trying to remove evidence.

The number of people who have died in DR Congo over the past week in demonstrations against a bill that could extend Kabila’s time in power is contested, with the government saying the protests had left 12 dead and a global human rights organisation saying 42 had died.

HRW said in a statement yesterday that it has confirmed 36 dead in protests in the capital Kinshasa, 21 of whom were fatally shot by security forces, and four dead in the eastern city of Goma.

“Congolese security forces have fired into crowds of demonstrators with deadly results,” Ida Sawyer, a senior researcher at HRW said in the statement. “People should be allowed to express their views and peacefully protest without the fear

of being killed or arrested.”

“Human Rights Watch documented a number of instances in which police or Republican Guard soldiers took away the bodies of those shot in an apparent attempt to remove evidence of the killings,” said the HRW statement, adding the soldiers had also fired indiscriminately at a hospital.

It said that many of the demonstrations had turned violent after security forces fired tear gas and live ammunition into the crowds, with demonstrators hurling rocks at security forces and going on looting and burning rampages of shops and offices of perceived government supporters.

The contested bill – which many see as an attempt by Kabila to stay in power – was passed by the country’s lower house of parliament a week ago, but after the days of deadly protests, the Senate on Friday backed down and voted unanimously to amend the legislation.

A joint commission of both houses of parliament is now due to meet to try to hammer out an agreement on an amended bill. l

Thousands rally against Shiite militia in Yemen capital n AFP, Sanaa Thousands of Yemenis took to the streets of Sanaa yesterday in the biggest protest yet against a Shiite militia takeover of the capital that has plunged the country into turmoil.

The demonstration came as regions in the formerly independent south stepped up their defiance after the Shiite militiamen, who hail from Yemen’s northern highlands and are known as Huthis, tightened their grip on Sanaa.

“Down, down with the Huthis’ rule,” chanted protesters who rallied following a call by the Rejection Movement – a group recently formed in provincial areas to challenge the militia.

Women and children joined angry young men on the streets, waving signs that called for “a real government” and burning portraits of the militia leader Abdulmalek al-Huthi.

Demonstrators gathered at Change Square before heading to Republican Palace, the residence of Prime Minister Khalid Bahah who fled it on Wednesday after a being surrounded by the militia for two days.

But the protesters changed their route and marched toward the home of embattled President Abdrabuh Mansur Hadi to express their “rejection of his resignation,” according to organisers.

Hadi, a key US ally in the fight against Al-Qaeda, tendered his resignation along with Bahah on Thursday, saying he could no longer stay in office as the country was in “total deadlock.”

Those who took to Sanaa’s streets yesterday also demanded that Hadi “impose the authority of the state” in face of the powerful Huthis, said the protest organisers.

Huthi gunmen backed by armoured

Minister: Australian women joining IS foreign fighters n AFP, Sydney Increasing numbers of young women are altering the profile of Australians joining the Islamic State (IS) group in Iraq and Syria, Attorney-General George Brandis said yesterday, enticed by the “false glamour” of the organisation.

“At an earlier time, perhaps even six months ago, we were concerned almost entirely about young men,” Brandis said, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).

“But a more recent estimate by the national security agencies suggests that a growing number of young women are travelling to participate in that fighting as well.”

Brandis said about 90 Australians were now believed to be caught up in the conflict, compared to 70 last year, the ABC reported.

Ever more young people were being “enticed and ensnared here in Australia with the false glamour of participating in the civil war on behalf of ISIL, or Daesh,” he added, using alternative acronyms for the group.

“The Australian people should be aware that this is a real and growing problem.” l

Egypt court overturns 37 death sentences in criticised trial

n AP, Cairo

Judicial officials in Egypt say an appeals court has ordered a retrial in an internationally criticised mass trial, overturning 37 death sentences.

Initially, more than 500 suspected backers of ousted Islamist President Mohammed Morsi were sentenced to death last March in a swift, two-day trial in Minya. Defense attorneys were not allowed to present their case.

That number later dropped to 37 in April after the court considered the opinion of Egypt’s top Islamic official.

The rest were commuted to life imprisonment. l

Police arrest four suspected Islamist militants in Spain

n Reuters, Madrid

Yemeni protesters shout slogans during a rally against the control of the capital by Shiite Huthi rebels yesterday in the capital Sanaa vehicles were deployed along Sittin Street, where the president lives, but they only watched on as the protesters marched.

The protest ended with the return of demonstrators to Change Square, an AFP correspondent said.

Large demonstrations also took off in the cities of Taez, Ibb and Hudaida, organisers said.

Parliament is set to hold an extraor-

dinary meeting on Sunday to discuss Hadi’s resignation offer, which needs to be approved by lawmakers to take effect.

After heavy fighting between government forces and the Huthis this week that killed at least 35 people, the UN Security Council and Yemen’s Gulf neighbours had all voiced support for Hadi’s continued rule.

The European Union warned the events put the “remarkable promis-

AFP

es of Yemen transition in jeopardy,” referring to the political process that followed a year of bloody protests that drove former autocratic president Ali Abdullah Saleh out of office.

France condemned the “forced resignations” of Hadi and Bahah, demanding an “immediate” pullout of militiamen from the capital, according to foreign ministry spokesman Romain Nadal. l

Police in Spain’s North African enclave of Ceuta arrested four men yesterday suspected of belonging to a militant Islamist network that may have been planning an attack in Spain, the interior ministry said.

Spain has stepped up security as well as efforts to prevent the radicalisation of young Muslim citizens following attacks in Paris this month in which Islamist gunmen killed 17 people.

Confirming the arrests, Spanish Interior Minister Jorge Fernandez Diaz told reporters: “They are two pairs of brothers, highly radicalised and highly trained.” l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

World

Obama to cut short India trip to visit Saudi Arabia n AP, Washington

President Barack Obama will cut short his three-day trip to India to travel to Saudi Arabia to pay respects following the death of King Abdullah, US and Indian officials said yesterday, hours before the US president was to depart for New Delhi.

The schedule change means Obama will skip plans to visit the Taj Mahal, the white marble monument of love. Pradeep Bhatnagar, a top state official based in the city of Agra, where the Taj Mahal is located, said US security officials informed him of the cancellation yesterday.

However, the more substantive portions of Obama’s trip to India appeared unlikely to be impacted by his decision to travel to Saudi Arabia.

The president was due to arrive in India Sunday for meetings with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, then attend Monday’s annual Republic Day festivities, which mark the day in 1950 that India’s constitution came into force.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest said the president and first lady Michelle Obama would travel to Riyadh on Tuesday and meet with new Saudi King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud. Vice President Joe Biden was originally to lead a US delegation to the kingdom, but Earnest said the White House changed plans after determining that Biden’s trip coincided with Obama’s departure from India.

Biden will not join the president in Saudi Arabia and will instead remain in Washington.

Obama’s visit to India comes as relations between the world’s two largest democracies are strengthening after recent tensions. Obama and Modi developed a good rapport during the prime minister’s visit in Washington last fall. Modi sought to return the favor by inviting Obama to travel to India as his guest for Republic Day, a visit that caught

some in the US off guard.

“It took us by some surprise,” said Ben Rhodes, Obama’s deputy national security adviser. “There’s a great affinity between the United States and India and our people, but there’s also a history that is complicated and that would have made it seem highly unlikely that a US president would be sitting with India’s leaders at their Republic Day ceremony.”

Obama will be the first US president to visit India twice while in office; he also traveled there in 2010 for an economic summit After some internal deliberations, the White House accepted Modi’s offer. In addition to the Republic Day events, Obama was to hold a fresh round of bilateral meetings with Modi and an economic summit with US and Indian business leaders. Obama will be the first US president to visit India twice while in office; he also traveled there in 2010 for an economic summit.

The president’s visit is expected to be heavy on symbolism and lighter on substantive advances, though climate change, economics and defense ties are all on the agenda. Indian political commentator Ashok Malik said expectations for concrete deliverables during the visit are “below the standards usually set by US presidents when they travel across the world for a three-day visit.”

Still, US and Indian officials appear to agree that even a symbolic show of solidarity between the leaders would be a sign of progress after recent difficulties.

While military cooperation and

US defense sales have grown, Washington has been frustrated by India’s failure to open up to more foreign investment and to address complaints alleging intellectual property violations. India’s liability legislation has also prevented US companies from capitalising on a landmark civil nuclear agreement between the two countries in 2008.

Relations hit a new low in 2013 when India’s deputy consul general, Devyani Khobragade, was arrested and strip-searched in New York over allegations that she lied on visa forms to bring her maid to the US while paying the woman a pittance. The official’s treatment caused outrage in New Delhi, and India retaliated against US diplomats.

For Modi, hosting Obama at the Republic Day parade caps off a year of high-profile diplomatic maneuvers by a leader who was once shunned by the international community. He was denied a US visa in 2005, three years after religious riots killed more than 1,000 Muslims in the Indian state where he was the top elected official.

The visit ties in neatly with Modi’s election promise that he would turn around Asia’s third-largest economy. And it could send a message to Pakistan and China — India’s closest neighbors and rivals — that Modi has a powerful ally in the United States.

“Modi has used the invitation as a way of signaling that the United States really looms large in his calculations for where he want to take India,” said Ashley Tellis, a senior associate at the Washington-based Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

US officials say they hope the improving relationship between Obama and Modi will have payoffs in the policy arena. The White House plans to push India on climate change, particularly after reaching a sweeping agreement with China on limiting carbon emissions. l

GANGA - JAMUNA

Indian Hindu devotees cross a pontoon bridge as they prepare to bathe at sangam, confluence of rivers ganges, yamuna, and mythical saraswati, to mark the auspicious ‘basant panchami’ festival during the annual magh mela in allahabad yesterday AFP

Indian communist groups oppose Obama’s visit n AP, New Delhi India’s communist parties have held a protest march and burned an effigy of President Barack Obama on the eve of his New Delhi visit, voicing fears of a US domination in economic, nuclear and defense ties with India.

“Barack Obama, Hands Off India,” chanted nearly 100 protesters during their march in New Delhi yesterday.

S Raghavan, a protester, said Obama’s

visit to India, beginning Sunday, aimed at building a military alliance with New Delhi, though Washington has been talking about expanding economic ties. The main Communist Party of India and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) are strongly opposed to a 2008 landmark civil nuclear agreement between the nations. They oppose any change in an Indian liability legislation that has kept US companies from capitalizing on the deal. l

Arrested Indian accused Indonesia search team fails to of passing secrets to float AirAsia fuselage n Pakistan’s ISI AFP, Jakarta

n

Reuters, Bhubaneswar

Indian police arrested a 35-year-old man on Friday in the eastern state of Odisha, accusing him of passing military secrets to Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency.

Police said Ishwar Chandra Behera was passing on information about missile activities conducted at a unit of India’s Defence Research & Development Organisation, where he worked as a cameraman.

“He was providing vital information related to missile tests and other military activities to an ISI agent for the past 8-10 months,” Odisha’s inspector general of police AK Panigrahi told Reuters. “He confessed that he had met an (ISI) agent in Kolkata a number of times.”

India accuses elements in Pakistan’s army and ISI of shielding or working with militant groups, which Islambabad denies.

Tensions between nuclear-armed

Japan vows not to give up on 2 hostages till ‘the very end’ n AP, Tokyo Japan promised yesterday not to give up “until the very end” on efforts to free two Japanese hostages threatened with beheading by Islamic militants demanding a $200m ransom, after a deadline passed with no word from the captors.

Militants affiliated with the Islamic State group posted an online warning Friday afternoon that the “countdown has begun” for the extremists to kill 47-year-old Kenji Goto and 42-year-old Haruna Yukawa. The extremists had set a 72-hour deadline for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to pay the ransom, or the hostages would be killed, in an online video posted Tuesday.

Friday’s posting, which appeared on a forum popular among Islamic State militants and sympathisers, did not show any images of the hostages, who are believed to be held somewhere in Syria. l

India and Pakistan, which are also at odds over the disputed region of Kashmir, have risen since Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called off peace talks in August.

Troops on both sides have exchanged fire across the border in recent months.

Police said they found a substantial amount of money had been transferred to Behera’s bank account from several places including Abu Dhabi and Mumbai. They are investigating if he was assisted by anyone else.

“We had information that his activities are suspicious and he should be watched ... He confessed he is in touch with the ISI agent and is passing on very vital information,” Panigrahi said.

Reuters could not contact Behera, who is in custody.

India has stepped up security, especially in the capital New Delhi, in preparation for a three-day visit by US President Barack Obama, starting on Sunday. l

Indonesian salvage teams failed to raise the fuselage of AirAsia Flight 8501 from the sea bed yesterday, but recovered four more bodies from the wreckage of the crashed jet.

The bid to raise the fuselage came a day after divers were able to enter the main section of the plane, which crashed in the Java Sea last month, for the first time.

Difficult weather conditions for the past week had stopped rescuers reaching the main part of the Airbus A320200 since it was spotted on the seabed by a military vessel earlier this month.

“We were not successful today. The sling snapped off so the main body fell back to the sea floor,” SB Supriyadi, a rescue agency official, told AFP, adding several bodies fell from the fuselage when the piece of wreckage sunk once again.

The operation to lift the main body will resume Sunday.

The rescue agency official also said a sonar scan had detected an object “suspected to be the cockpit” of the

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Sunday, January 25, 2015

plane about 500 metres away from the fuselage.

But the search teams will prioritise floating the main body before verifying the object suspected to be the cockpit, Supriyadi added.

Just after dawn yesterday, divers began descending to the sea floor to tie floatation bags to the fuselage Just after dawn yesterday, divers began descending to the sea floor to tie floatation bags to the fuselage, said Rasyid Kacong, the navy official overseeing the lifting operation from onboard the Banda Aceh warship.

Four bodies believed to have come from inside the fuselage were retrieved as the team tried to lift the main section, bringing the total number of bodies recovered to 69, officials said.

The previous day, a jumble of wires

and seats floating inside the fuselage prevented the divers from entering further to find more bodies.

“The divers said it was dark inside, the seats were floating about and the wires were like a tangled yarn,” Supriyadi said.

The rescuers hope that once the fuselage is lifted, it will be easier to inspect the inside of the main section, he added.

The jet’s black boxes – the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder – were recovered last week, and investigators are analysing them.

Flight QZ8501 went down on December 28 in stormy weather, during what was supposed to be a short trip from the Indonesian city of Surabaya to Singapore. There were 162 people on board.

Indonesian Transport Minister Ignasius Jonan said this week that the plane climbed abnormally fast before stalling and plunging into the sea.

Just moments before the plane disappeared off the radar, the pilot had asked to climb to avoid a major storm but was not immediately granted permission due to heavy air traffic. l

NIA absolves ‘Hizbul militant’ Liaqat Shah of all terror charges

n Agencies

In an embarrassment to Delhi Police, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has given a clean chit to Liaquat Shah who had been arrested by it and labelled as a terrorist two years back.

The NIA, instead, named absconder Sabir Khan as the main accused who had allegedly planted weapons on Shah to project him as a militant of the banned Hizbul Mujahideen. Ironically, according to chargesheet filed by NIA in a special court, the address of Khan alias ‘Pathan’ as mentioned in a lodge in old Delhi. l

Obama: Elements behind Mumbai attacks must face justice

n Agencies US President Barack Obama, who begins his second, three-day visit to India on Sunday, has said that it’s unacceptable for Pakistan to provide safe havens to terrorists. In an interview to India Today magazine on the eve of his visit, Obama insisted that those behind the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai must face justice.

Although the White House assured Islamabad earlier this week that its relations with India were not at Pakistan’s expense, South Asian experts in Washington emphasise the need for Pakistan to reconsider its policies towards India.

One of these experts, Michael Kugelman of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, wrote in The New York Times on Friday that the US administration should address New Delhi’s concerns about Islamabad— while taking care to maintain its relationship with Islamabad.

“Washington needs to execute a delicate dance: Push back against Pakistan in order to further America’s friendship with India, while taking care not to alienate the Pakistanis,” he wrote. l

Singapore’s PM faces rare dissent in Facebook chat

Hong Kong occupy protest leaders arrested

n AFP, Singapore

n AFP, Hong Kong

Singapore’s Prime Minister was left fumbling for answers yesterday after agreeing to a live Facebook chat with increasingly strident citizens turning to the Internet to voice dissent in the tightly-controlled city-state.

Lee Hsien Loong opened the conversation on his personal Facebook page from the social network’s Singapore offices and was inundated with nearly 1,500 comments during a hectic 45-minute session.

The premier managed to post just 27 replies as foreigners and locals alike lobbed questions ranging from the trivial (“Do you like cats?”) to demands for better protection of gay rights and single mothers.

Lee provided brief replies to verbose complaints about spiralling healthcare costs, public transport and public housing, but avoided straying into more controversial waters.

“It’s been a lot of fun this last 45 minutes, reading your questions, answering them, typing furiously and keeping up with the flow,”

Lee said in a video post after the chat ended.

“I am sorry I couldn’t answer all of the questions you have asked,” he added.

Perhaps predictably Lee failed to respond to a personal invitation to the citystate’s annual “Pink Dot” gay rights rally.

“My invitation still stands. Send me a PM (personal message),” Facebook user Lim Jialiang wrote to the premier.

Singapore’s penal code criminalises sex between men, a law first introduced by British colonial administrators in 1938.

Some small business owners used the session to bemoan the government’s move to cut its reliance on foreign workers, stemming from citizens’ complaints about overcrowding and a tighter job market in a city where 29% of “non-residents” – those working, studying or living in the country – are from abroad.

“Many small-medium enterprises have experienced the same problem as you,” wrote Lee to one Singaporean who said he was finding it difficult to hire locals for “entry-level jobs.”

“We have tightened on foreign workers,

but we have not shut them off,” Lee added.

Lee, who has nearly 470,000 followers on Facebook, has stepped up his social media engagement in recent years. The Singaporean leader is also active on Twitter and photo-sharing network Instagram.

Social media has emerged as a key political battleground as the tiny island republic of 5.5 million people transitions from strict political control to a more open democracy.

Singapore is known for its tough stance on crime and retains the death penalty as punishment for serious offences, as well as caning for crimes such as spraying graffiti.

With the local mainstream media still widely seen as pro-government, blogs, forums and Facebook have become a magnet for anti-government sentiment.

Lee’s People’s Action Party, in power since 1959, suffered its worst ever electoral performance in May 2011, garnering an all-time low of 60% of the popular vote after the opposition and its supporters relied heavily on social media for campaigning. l

The original founders of Hong Kong’s pro-democracy Occupy movement were arrested and released yesterday as the city’s police chief defended the investigation into mass protests, saying it was not “a show.”

A number of protest leaders have been arrested and released without charge, with some calling the investigation harassment.

Occupy founder Benny Tai said that he, Chan Kin-man and Chu Yiuming had been formally arrested on accusations of organising and participating in an illegal assembly, but were not charged. They were released after three hours.

“Three of us were showed some videos and articles... we were released unconditionally,” he said.

More than two months of street rallies calling for fully free leadership elections ended in December when

protest camps were cleared, but police have vowed to investigate the “principal instigators.”

Police chief Andy Tsang defended the investigation earlier yesterday.

“The police made the arrangements (for the arrests) in private and it was never made public. How can you say it’s a PR show? Who told you they would go to a police station? We should be clear whose show it is,” he told reporters, confirming that those released may be asked back as the investigation was ongoing.

While other protest leaders have questioned police motives, Tai said he “trusted” the rule of law.

“I still trust the police and the prosecution... will strictly follow the requirements of Hong Kong laws in any investigation.

“The public can make their own judgment on whether there are any political motives behind their investigation,” he said. l

10

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Editorial

Sunday, January 25, 2015

CODE-CRACKER

Grandstanding costs lives

T

he appalling spate of violent attacks during strikes and blockades is causing huge public distress and placing enormous pressures on the police.

On Friday alone, 40 people were burned and injured in petrol bomb attacks in Bogra, Dhaka, and Rajshahi thrown by pickets seeking to enforce the BNP alliance’s blockade.

In these circumstances, the BNP’s decision to call a 36 hour hartal one day after this week’s 48-hour strike on the wholly different pretext of protesting energy policies, is highly callous and unwarranted.

There is only way to calm the inflamed atmosphere that gives license to criminals and thugs to engage in acts of arson and murder, and that is for both the government and the BNP to engage in sensible dialogue.

It is not acceptable for either side to seek new excuses to prolong their dispute.

As we have said before, it is wrong of the government to deny the BNP political space and to have prevented it from holding peaceful political rallies in the capital.

Clearly the government should not have been so high-handed. It needs to show more goodwill and openness to dialogue to help stop matters getting further out of hand.

The BNP moreover has to abandon its blockade and stop seeking new justifications for calling hartals, when it is clear this approach is inflicting loss of life and huge economic damage which is not in the interest of any party seeking to lead the nation.

Both sides need to put serving the public interest ahead of sloganeering that prolongs deadlock.

The public wants calm dialogue, not excuses to prolong deadlock

Think security measures through

T

he ban on pillion riding introduced this week in the interest of security is poorly conceived.

While authorities are having to look for ways to protect the public from bomb throwers, security measures need to be practical and effective to be meaningful.

It is self evident that bomb throwers can use any means of transport available to move around. Banning one form of transport does not make them go away.

Disrupting the lives of hundreds of thousands of families and commuters as the pillion ban clearly does, accomplishes nothing to alleviate the threat posed by violent criminals.

No good can be served through measures that impose hardship on innocent citizens, if they fail to achieve anything to improve public security, The ban is disproportionate and an ineffectual response to the danger faced by citizens. The government should instead be beefing up the ability of the police to track, intercept, and apprehend criminals, whatever means of transport they may be using. This requires investment in communications and surveillance measures such as CCTV and patrol vehicles.

We think some of the measures being requested by law enforcers, such as large rewards for assistance in catching those responsible for arson attacks, have potential to be effective. However, such incentives need to be carefully thought through so they do not have unforeseen consequence such as deliberate misinformation as a means of scoresettling.

The best way to maintain law and order and safeguard the public is to keep these concerns paramount. This requires keeping a clear head in fighting violent criminals, not resorting to catchy but ineffective gimmicks on the grounds of security.

Be heard Write to Dhaka Tribune FR Tower, 8/C Panthapath, Sukrabad, Dhaka-1207 Email letters.dt@dhakatribune.com Send us your Op-Ed articles: opinion.dt@dhakatribune.com www.dhakatribune.com Join our Facebook community: https://www.facebook.com/DhakaTribune

Most people dissatisfied with BNP’s performance

January 13 taker government in 1996, that was okay? Even Padma Nodir Majhi during the current war crime tribunal’s verdict, AL Then what’s with this fear of the ruling party to call tried several times to make an alliance with the for an election?

Jamaat. So when AL finds common ground with Jamaat then it’s fine? Are you sure that AL will not Rizwan Chaudhry make any pacts with Jamaat in the future? Your And why shall they call for fresh elections? Is the argument of BNP’s killings is too subjective. Read AL bound to the BNP to do that? As they say, BNP a few newspaper reports, how many AL leaders missed the train, so they should wait. have been killed by their own party men? Refer to the ASK and Odhikar reports about how many Padma Nodir Majhi opposition party people were killed and made to Rizwan Chaudhry: Because they were not elected disappear by the armed forces. You spoke about in a free and fair election where all the political Mahathir, he is a great man and I really respect him, parties were supposed to participate. Being in but if you read the history of his tenure in Malaysia power does not mean that they can do whatever then you will see how he dealt politics with politics, they like. If you now replace AL with BNP in this not outright violence. Another thing, you should current context, then would you accept BNP’s read the history of AL’s violence when they where one-party election? I am sure you don’t. The in the opposition. I am not supporting any party’s people can see it with their own eyes. Since AL violence, instead, I would like to see both parties is in power they have to come to terms with the sit together and solve their current deadlock. opposition parties to avoid bloodshed. If you take a look at the recent elections in Sri Lanka then you Shakib S Rahman can easily understand why the the ruling party Padma Nodir Majhi: I truly suggest that you get should negotiate with the opposition parties. to learn Mahathir’s history properly, he once said how the people of Asia shout for democracy all Shakib S Rahman the time but don’t have that knowledge to underPadma Nodir Majhi: Giving examples is always stand. It’s not only the government’s responsieasy … let me tell you how Mahathir eliminated his bility, it’s also for the other parties. What Awami oppositions. Take a look at the history of Malaysia League did in past matters little. I see the present, … our context is different from other countries. the BNP not doing a single movement for people’s Here, war criminals can openly engage in politics interest, and not severing Jamaat’s connection with BNP and kill people under the guise of strikes with them. This doesn’t show much in the way of or blockades – doesn’t that bother you? I can tell political wisdom. You told me about Jamaat’s posyou one simple thing, until the history of Bangsible connections with the AL ... if that happens ladesh is made whole, peace is an impossibility. I people will rightly call them out for it. hate the Awami League in many ways, but BNP is just a group of terrorists. They kill people, yet they Arch Bishop say they want democracy.

Padma Nodir Majhi: Don’t expect the AL to go for elections under some neutral set up, it is too Padma Nodir Majhi scared to face the voters or the people without Shakib S Rahman : So when AL had allied with the help of RAB, police, and BCL terrorists.

Jamaat and fought against BNP to restore the care-

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

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

Some letters of the alphabet may not be used.

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

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

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

CROSSWORD

Measures need to be practical, and consider unforeseen consequences

Burned!

January 14

Progress and some warning signs January 12

RC “Selim, driver of a human hauler, is being taken to the burn unit of the Dhaka Medical College Hospital with 35% burns on his body. He suffered the injuries when blockade supporters torched his vehicle.”

Enough is enough. May Allah dole out the same punishment on every person responsible for these ceaseless blockades.

RetiredBUET “The government’s lead is not so large that it can afford to be complacent about public concerns.”

Our politicians are too easily intoxicated by power to heed any warning signs.

ACROSS 1 Torment (6) 6 Faucet (3) 9 Sharp (5) 10 Eternal city (4) 11 Dogma (5) 12 Monkey (3) 13 Fusible alloy (6) 15 Morse element (4) 18 Small secluded valley (4) 21 Coagulate (6) 24 Flightless bird (3) 25 Not sleeping (5) 28 Exploit (4) 29 Of sound waves (5) 30 Conclude (3) 31 Governing body (6)

DOWN 1 Disliked intensely (5) 2 Top card (3) 3 Ladder’s steps (4) 4 Consumed (3) 5 Becomes firm (4) 6 Ugly amphibian (4) 7 Electrical unit (6) 8 Look narrowly (4) 14 Ship’s record (3) 16 Quickness of perception (6) 17 Bricks trough (3) 19 Climbing plant (5) 20 Family member (5) 21 Yield (4) 22 Regretted (4) 23 Comfort (4) 26 Had a victory (3) 27 Outfit (3)

Maus RetiredBUET: Well said. One of these days, people will be yanked out of their complacency. I await that day.

Lessons for the BNP

CALVIN AND HOBBES

January 12

PEANUTS

Farhad Faisal Indeed, the results of the DT opinion poll contain useful lessons for both the mainstream parties of the country. Relatively seen, one of them, AL, is located rather to the left, and the other, BNP, to the right of the centre. This political constellation, in principle, could have led to a stable and peaceful national political scene.

But the violent rhetorics of their leaders, either in government or in opposition, followed by the subsequent violent actions on the streets have so far ruined this chance.

The poll results seem to indicate that: (a) The voters in general, and the swing voters in particular, reject the prevailing method of doing politics by violence, and (b) the swing voters will decide the fate of the next general election.

The poll shows that AL in government got “good marks” for its “relatively successful” economic performance, but it is only marginally in lead over its rival BNP in popular vote.

It also shows clearly that AL is in dire need to catch up with the new generation of voters who have much support for BNP. At the same time, BNP in opposition has fallen behind AL for not finding an alternative to violent street protests. It has apparently not convinced the swing voters that the politics of violent street protest is the only means of protest the opposition has left in the face of the government’s repression. Clearly, both parties need to mend their current habit of violent rhetorics and the subsequent compulsion towards violent action on the streets.

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTIONS CODE-CRACKER

CROSSWORD

SUDOKU

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Op-Ed

Sunday, January 25, 2015

11

A non-dynastic PM n Naeem Ahmed

I

BIGSTOCK

Get smart

H

n Abak Hussain ugely popular apps like Viber and Whatsapp are no longer blocked in Bangladesh. Those Internet services have resumed after a temporary scare, and the country can now continue its steadfast march towards Digital Bangladesh. Sanity has prevailed, and we can all breathe easy knowing the derailment was only temporary.

If only it were that simple, though.

It was not too long ago that the government had blocked Youtube and Facebook over the circulation of controversial content. As expected, there was an uproar from users.

Some started to mourn the death of these sites, and proceeded to wean themselves off them. Others used their tech brains (it doesn’t take an advanced degree apparently) to get around all these blocks in order to continue to visit the forbidden sites through back doors. The ban was eventually lifted, and life went back to normal.

We should have learnt from that episode about five years ago that you can’t stop the 21st century from happening. Trying to control the digital world through analogue policymaking was as futile an undertaking as trying to change the weather. You can try, with temporary and limited success, but it will make you look ridiculous, and out of touch with the way of the times.

The undeniable reality of today’s

world is that it lies in the hands of young people who speak a very different language from our senior government officials who make important policy decisions. The defining feature of the cohort born in the 80s and 90s – digital natives – is that they are as comfortable with apps and touchscreens as their parents are with pen and paper.

Call them spoilt if you want to, but they use smartphone apps as a natural extension of their brains, and there is no turning back from this – not for a country that wants to be taken seriously by the rest of the world.

paper leakage came up, the education minister suggested that Facebook, and even mobile networks, should be blocked as a way to stop students from cheating. The minister may have meant well, but it is doubtful whether he ever grasped the extent to which these things are the primary communication tools of our time and not just some cheating aid for exams.

The instinct of our political elders is often to block this, ban that. That brand of thinking is a relic from another era, and finds itself more and more out of place in the present day.

A chasm separates much of our policy

Trying to control the digital world through analogue policymaking was as futile an undertaking as trying to change the weather

Technological changes in the communication frontier, particularly in Bangladesh, happen so frighteningly fast that things can understandably get very confusing for those who came of age in a pre-digital era. It doesn’t help that our culture does not encourage cultivating the plasticity of mind required to keep up with all these developments.

Last year, when the issue of exam

talk and the realities of today’s digital economy.

Bangladesh has a long way to go.

Unfortunately, we have a knack for taking a step back every time we take a step forward. So now, people can go back to using Viber, Tango, mypeople etc, happy in the knowledge that we have not regressed. But will this stick?

Have we really updated our thinking about technology in any broad way,

or is it only a matter of time before we do the same thing, citing security concerns?

Our security is of paramount importance, but technology needs to be made our friend. Law enforcement and intelligence agencies would do well to learn more about what’s out there, and use the latest technologies to stop real crimes, and make it harder for culprits to get away.

Gadgets make the community safer in so many ways. People use these communication tools for innumerable reasons, often to ask for help. Clamping down on everyone’s usage in an effort to crack down on the illegal activity of a few does not make a whole lot of sense.

With the advent of social media on computers and later on mobile phones, the world has seen a seismic change in the way things are done.

There hasn’t been an accompanying change of that magnitude in our policy thinking. As a result, our political rhetoric is full of abstract talk about the future, while being clueless about what that future would actually look like.

Like it or not, the future is already here. Communications technologies will only advance further. The number of apps in the market will only go up, not down. Short of something apocalyptic, tech is here to stay. Bangladesh’s authorities need to discard their technophobia, and soon. There is simply no other path. l Abak Hussain is Op-Ed Editor, Dhaka Tribune.

n the current conflict of attrition between the BNP and the Awami League, the AL’s main advantage is that it has the resources of the state to inflict as much damage as it can on the BNP. Furthermore, the creation of RAB means that AL is able to hand-pick the most AL-leaning of armed forces men and send them on killing sprees, while the rest are kept cooped up in the cantonments.

Against this, all the BNP can hope for is to slowly unravel the unwieldy coalition of military and civilian bureaucrats and businessmen who are now currently keeping AL in power.

In this conflict, as in most conflicts in Bangladesh, the situation favours the state.

All discussions of Bangladesh in its domestic English press start with a lament about how its politics has just become a proxy battle between the two netris. And in the next breath, there is usually an off-handed comment about how the BNP committed a cardinal mistake by not participating in the 2014 election. As if the only point of elections is to alternate between our two parties and place them in power in turn.

To any right-thinking individual, it has to be extremely insulting to be the citizen of a country where the ruling party engages in more and more elevated forms of kabuki every week to justify their misdeeds of the last week.

To be told that the current parliament is a fine one. Or that there is freedom of expression in Bangladesh.

Or that democracy can be put on hold for a little bit for the sake of development, the same tired song of tyrants that keeps being discredited, from Putin’s Russia to Mahathir’s Malaysia, but never loses its popularity amongst autocrats and their toadies nevertheless.

BNP needs a gamechanger at this point.

And they owe it to the people of Bangladesh

So in Bangladesh, is the current situation an intolerable state of quasi-dictatorship that will linger on as a disgrace of our nation-state, or just the latest stage of the battle between the AL and the BNP? Perhaps it’s mostly the former, and a little bit of the latter, but there is a concerted effort being made to convince people that it is only the latter, that this is just business as usual, and there’s nothing worthy for the people of Bangladesh here – they should move on.

And if the current government is to be dislodged anytime soon, it is vital for the BNP to shatter this myth, and make clear to people the true stakes of

what is going on.

There are probably many ways to do so, but one that is very easy to think of. So what’ll be the big deal if Hasina is removed, they say? It’ll be back to Khaleda, and we know how that goes.

At least now, we get a well-run personality cult to motivate the weak-minded amongst us. We won’t even get that with BNP.

Who’s ever heard of a Bangladeshi leader giving up power voluntarily?

But what if, what would be available with the BNP was a prime minister not named Khaleda Zia? What if she announced that her countrymen had bestowed enough honours on her to last her several lifetimes, and she would not take any positions in the next government, but be a simple MP from Feni or Bogra and offer advice and guidance?

It would, in one stroke, shatter this insidious propaganda that what we’re seeing was merely another stage in the never-ending BNP-AL fight and give people something new to be excited about. It would renew BNP’s reputation as the party that had always heralded democratic change in Bangladesh. And it would again remind everyone of what Hasina really is.

Forget about it, some may ask, who’s ever heard of a Bangladeshi leader giving up power voluntarily?

And who would be the PM anyways?

But both questions are ultimately moot. If we were ever in the position of having to choose such a person, Khaleda Zia would have successfully ousted the current dictatorship and would be enjoying unparalleled power and prestige.

No matter who the PM was, she would still retain a massive moral authority which would ensure that she would have significant say over the direction of the new government. Another plus: The next non-AL government will have to seriously investigate, amongs other crimes, the 2009 BDR carnage and the abduction and killing spree that RAB indulged in during 2013. Having someone other than Khaleda Zia as head of the government would certainly dampen the shrill accusations of partisanship that would hound these efforts.

It’s a bold and unconventional idea.

But BNP needs a game-changer at this point. And they owe it to the people of Bangladesh to seriously consider any idea that could shorten the present government’s tenure by even one single day. l Naeem Ahmed is a blogger. This article was previously published on jrahman.wordpress. com.

Governing (for) the people n Ibtisam Ahmed

J

anuary 20 in 1265 saw Britain introduce what was then a revolutionary step forward in world politics. For the first time in its history, a parliament was being held which was not called forward by the reigning monarch but was elected by the people to represent them at the highest level of government.

but these sessions became a useful way for the average citizen to voice their grievances and even lead to practical solutions. How sad then that, 750 years on, this institution has lost touch with its roots, preferring to pay lip service to serious issues only during election years.

Five months from this momentous anniversary, members of the 66th modern UK Parliament will be voted

If the point of an election campaign is for a party to hold on to power, whatever the cost, then they serve no real purpose for the electorate

Known as the January Parliament, it set up the system that would eventually evolve into the House of Commons which, in turn, would shape parliamentary politics across the world via the British Empire and the Commonwealth.

Despite being an untested concept, early parliaments were surprisingly efficient in handling the affairs of the common man. Perhaps it was a result of the lack of other avenues available,

into power in what is predicted to be a close race to the finish. In these uncertain times, parties across the board are scrambling to make promises that they are mostly unlikely to keep.

The Conservatives, the larger party of the current Coalition Government, have been working hard to woo voters on the right after the UK Independence Party stole their credentials with outrageous claims regarding immigra-

tion and race.

Hoping to win back some of that thunder, the Conservative platform has focused on maintaining the strength of the Armed Forces, tightening immigration and student visa legislation, a referendum on EU membership, and a host of surveillance laws to promote security at the expense of privacy and personal freedoms.

Their partners-in-crime, the Liberal Democrats, have been trying to distance themselves from the last five years, with a focus on mental health, child illiteracy and education – the latter being the golden bullet that got them the majority of the votes in 2010 and subsequently caused their downfall when they failed to deliver.

Labour, the opposition now after 13 years in power, has been attacking the Conservatives’ track record and promising to look at better healthcare for children, improvements in the National Health Service, a continuation of existing benefits schemes, and a commitment to stay in the EU. All three major parties are also looking at the economy and whether it has made a full recovery since the recession earlier in the decade.

Meanwhile, the smaller parties have been grabbing at growing concerns like Scottish devolution and environmentalism to try and get

Is UK’s parliamentary system upholding its ideals? enough seats to gain more influence than they currently wield.

The problem with these seemingly well-planned campaign pitches is not that they are out of touch with the actual situation of the country but that these issues seem to be ignored unless it benefits the parties themselves.

Neglect and abuse in the mental health profession have been steadily highlighted for the past few years, including worrying reports that some

facilities have been using physical violence and untrained workers to handle their patients. So too has the falling standard of the National Health Service and the challenges it faces with employing enough people to provide essential treatment.

Despite these blatant shortcomings – only two examples out of dozens more – politicians have done very little to actually tackle them when in power.

Less than a tenth of the 308-strong

House of Commons showed up to confer on schooling for Syrian refugees or knife crime prevention, but it was a full house when debating MP bonuses and corporate taxation.

Talking eloquently about the everyday problems of their constituents is all well and good, but it seems that only a handful of MP’s actually care about solving them.

Perhaps the system is to blame.

UK electoral laws limit the range of funding available to the parties as well as preventing them from campaigning to the over-zealous degree seen in the USA or South Asia. As a result of these restrictions, it makes political sense to leave some issues unsolved in order to convince voters to return a group to power, while also focusing on the legislation that affects the most influential donors.

Unfortunately, that is exactly what is wrong with how things work. If the point of an election campaign is for a party to hold on to power, whatever the cost, then they serve no real purpose for the electorate.

Government should be to benefit the people, for every day of its five-year tenure, not just highlighting difficulties when it makes for good political capital. Perhaps the lessons of the January Parliament need to be relearned. l Ibtisam Ahmed is a freelance contributor.

12

DHAKA TRIBUNE Sunday, January 25, 2015

13 This is me, says

grunting, cursing Azarenka

14 Everything was

against United, says Van Gaal

14 Real Madrid

snap up Brazilian midfielder Silva

Tigers depart for Australia

Sport

Did you know?

Steve Smith has hit 630 runs in his last 10 ODI innings (3 100s, 3 50s), at 78.8, strike rate 90.1

GOOD LUCK, BANGLADESH CRICKET TEAM!

Hopeful Tamim dreaming big desh in the World Cup so I hope I can be n Minhaz Uddin Khan the first to do it,” he said before adding, The Bangladesh contingent left for Brisbane yesterday night for a twoweek conditioning camp ahead of the 2015 ICC World Cup in Australia-New Zealand, all set to begin on February 14.

Thirteen cricketers from the 15man squad departed yesterday night and will join Shakib al Hasan tomorrow. Shakib, the world’s number one all-rounder in all three formats, is already in Australia after completing his Big Bash commitment with Melbourne Renegades.

Tamim Iqbal is the only other player who did not accompany the World Cup squad. The left-handed opener will fly for Melbourne today.

Tamim has an appointment with Australia-based orthopaedic surgeon Dr David Young this Tuesday. Dr Young will examine the 25-year old cricketer’s left knee before recommending his final stage of rehabilitation.

“I will meet the physiotherapist in the evening. There, I will receive the following week’s instructions. I will join the squad the next day (Wednesday) in Brisbane and start my practice.

I have completed two of the three sessions (of the injection course) when I was in Australia. I will complete the last one now,” Tamim told the media yesterday at Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium.

The Tigers will be making their fifth appearance in the 50-over World Cup but, till date, none of the Bangladesh batsmen have scored a century. Mohammad Ashraful’s 87 against South Africa in 2007 is the highest individual score among the Tigers batsmen.

Tamim, however, hoped he will be able to break the jinx Down Under.

“There are no centuries for Bangla-

“If I cannot do it, I hope someone else does it.”

Tamim said he will adopt a cautious approach in the initial stages of a match.

“It will be tough in Australian conditions now that there are two new balls.

We are the sort of team that have to rely on a good start and finish well. We have to start carefully in those conditions. It will be tough to hit out from the start.

Spending six-seven overs will make it easier for us,” said the swashbuckling southpaw.

Tamim added that the two-week conditioning camp in Brisbane will be crucial going into the 11th edition of the World Cup. “If we can use this time well, we will not have many problems going ahead.

I missed a few good sessions here (at home). So, if I can use the next two weeks properly, I will be happy,” he said.

Tamim’s main worry at the moment though is to attain full fitness as head coach Chandika Hathurusingha said in a press conference last Thursday that the opener will not be a part of the playing eleven if he is unable to prove his fitness.

Tamim yesterday echoed the same sentiment.

“I do not think anyone would want to play an unfit player, especially in a big tournament,” he said.

“I hope to play with 100 percent fitness. I do not want to be a burden to the team so I am putting equal importance on my fielding.

“I should be able to play at least two practice matches. I will try to play the warm-up matches in Brisbane since I heard that wickets there are one of the toughest in Australia.” l

PHOTOS: MAINOOR ISLAM MANIK

Pakistan series thrown into doubt Muhith assures of

Junior Tigers level series 2-2 from 2-0 n Minhaz Uddin Khan n Tribune Desk Bangladesh Under-19 thumped Sri Lanka U-19 by 60 runs in the fourth Youth ODI yesterday in Colombo to level the five-match series 2-2. The junior Tigers defended their total of 236 admirably to square the series after going 2-0 down against the home side.

Following consecutive wins in the last two matches, the visitors will be looking to seal the series today at Sinhalese Sports Club.

In pursuit of 237, Sri Lanka U-19 were bundled out for 176 in 46 overs. l

BRIEF SCORE Bangladesh U-19 236/9 in 50 overs Zakir 50, Nazmul 50, Shahanur 42; Tillakaratne 3/44 Sri Lanka U-19 176 allout in 46 overs De Silva 50; Mehedy 2/22, Halim 2/30 Bangladesh U-19 won by 60 runs; series level 2-2

Pakistan’s scheduled tour of Bangladesh in April-May this year has been thrown into major doubt after it was revealed in the media that the Pakistan Cricket Board forwarded “alarming” conditions to the Bangladesh Cricket Board.

According to a report, PCB has demanded 50% of the tour’s revenue from BCB, in return for their visit. PCB has also stipulated a condition that the Under-19 and A teams of both the countries will tour each other in the future.

PCB has reportedly said they will only tour Bangladesh if BCB agrees to the conditions. It was also reported that PCB has informed the BCB that they will stick to their demands and also insisted on making every agreement a written and legally binding one before getting into any commitment.

Both PCB and BCB executives are set to meet in the United Arab Emirates on the sidelines of the ICC meeting for a final round of talks.

BCB cricket operations committee

NCL begins today n Minhaz Uddin Khan

The 16th edition of the National Cricket League will get underway today with four matches taking place at different venues in Dhaka. In the first round of the country’s premier first-class competition, Dhaka will lock horns with Barisal at Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, Rajshahi will face Dhaka Metropolis at BKSP 3, Rangpur will take on Chittagong at Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium and Khulna will encounter Sylhet at BKSP 2.

Walton was declared the title sponsor of the tournament yesterday in a press conference at Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium. Bangladesh Cricket Board director and tournament committee chairman Akram Khan, age-level tournament committee chairman

Tanjil Chowdhury, RB Group CEO Jahid Hasan, RB Group deputy director Uday Hakim and other dignitaries were present in the press conference.

“We are thankful to Walton for stepping forward as a partner. They have been working with Bangladesh cricket for a long time now and I hope they will keep on doing the same,” said Akram.

Meanwhile, since its inception in 1999, the 16th edition will be the last time the competition will be played in accordance with the old format.

In the 17th edition, the four divisional sides from this year’s tournament will play in the first tier while the bottom four teams will play in the second tier. From the 17th edition onwards, one team from each tier will gain promotion and relegation every season. l

chairman and the country’s first Test skipper, Naimur Rahman, believes a tour can never take place under these conditions, rather, “It has to be done with mutual cooperation.”

Naimur, who took over the post as the cricket operations committee chairman replacing Akram Khan on

I have never heard a country asking for a share of the tour revenue from the host.

It is not realistic. But, I am hopeful that the Pakistan series will take place, says Naimur January 15, informed the media that he was surprised with the conditions placed by PCB. “I have never heard a country asking for a share of the tour revenue from the host. It is not realistic,” said Naimur.

“BCB may or may not give them concession. Or, there might be something down the middle. But, I am hopeful that the Pakistan series will take place,” he added.

The BCB director informed discussions on the issue took place in BCB’s last meeting held earlier this month. He also stated that BCB is in discussions with PCB but a final decision is yet to be taken.

As per the current Future Tours Programme, Bangladesh are scheduled to host Pakistan for two Tests, three ODIs and a T20I between April 10 and May 7. However, the PCB is yet to assure of their participation to BCB. The majority of the country’s cricket arena believes the bizarre conditions put forward by PCB is due to the recent International Cricket Council revamp, which rocked the cricket world last year. The revamp – controlled by the Big Three of India, Australia and England – meant the FTP was no more a central agreement between ICC and its members but rather a bilateral agreement between the member nations. l

crowd control n Shishir Hoque

Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith yesterday assured that they will keep the crowd under control at Sylhet District Stadium during the Bangabandhu Gold Cup matches.

Muhith, who is the chairman of the tournament’s organising committee, held his first meeting as the committee chief at BFF House yesterday. Bangladesh Football Federation president Kazi Salahuddin, senior vice president Abdus Salam Murshedy and vice presidents Kazi Nabil Ahmed and Tabith Awal were also present in the press conference.

“I am aware of what happened during an international match in Sylhet last time. The organisers assured me it will not be repeated this time. Ticket-selling as well as the crowd will be controlled,” said the Finance Minister after the meeting yesterday.

The Sylhet District Stadium

experienced an unforgettable moment when it hosted its first ever international football friendly, between Bangladesh Under-23 and Nepal U-23 in September last year. While the capacity was less than 25,000, almost double that amount watched the friendly, many of those from the sidelines of the stadium.

“To appease the Sylhet people’s passion for football, a giant screen will be installed for the crowd outside the stadium beside Keane bridge on the bank of river Surma,” added Muhith.

The opening ceremony as well as the inaugural match of the long-awaited international competition will be held in Sylhet. The hosts will meet Malaysia Olympic team in the tournament opener this Thursday at 5pm. Singapore Olympic team will face Thailand Olympic side and Malaysia will take on Sri Lanka in the other two group matches to be held in Sylhet this Friday and Saturday respectively.

The first semifinal will also be held in the north-eastern district on February 5. l

De Kruif arrives, wastes very little time n Shishir Hoque Dutch coach Lodewijk de Kruif expressed his satisfaction with the fitness of the Bangladesh footballers after taking charge for the second time, albeit temporarily, yesterday.

With the third edition of the Bangabandhu Gold Cup just four days away, the 43-year old head coach arrived in Dhaka early yesterday morning and wasted very little time before starting work.

The Dutchman held a team meeting before the afternoon’s practice session.

After training, De Kruif talked with the media, saying he is happy with the players’ fitness.

“The time is very short. What I have seen so far, the fitness of the players is in satisfactory level and we don’t have

enough time to work on it as well. Now, I will work only with match situations and tactical aspects in the remaining sessions,” he said.

De Kruif’s arrival was deferred by a few days due to the passing away of his father recently. However, he informed that he was in constant touch with the national side.

“I have always been in touch with the players and coach (interim coach Saiful Bari Titu). I was briefed about the training sessions by Titu. The players also contacted me regularly over phone or facebook with their problems,” he added.

“I know every player in the team and I know what they are capable of. Every one of them is a good player. My target is to move forward by taking each match at a time and earn three points.”

De Kruif also spoke about Bangladesh’s opponents in Group A, Malaysia Olympic team and Sri Lanka.

“I watched the matches of Malaysia national team but never watched [their] age-level team. Though they [are] ranked higher than us in the Fifa rankings, anything can happen in football. Plus, we have home advantage,” he said before adding, “Sri Lanka are our familiar foes but there is no way to take them lightly. They also know Bangladesh team so they can appear as a different side in this tournament.”

Bangladesh will play their second practice match today against premier league opposition. The national footballers might also play a closed-door friendly against each other under the supervision of the Dutch coach prior to the tournament.l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Sport

BCB expresses sadness at Arafat’s death Bangladesh Cricket Board has expressed its deep sadness at the death of Arafat Rahman, a former member of the board’s advisory committee. Arafat passed away in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia yesterday. He was a member of the board’s advisory committee from 2002-2005 and also served as the chairman of BCB’s game development committee. BCB, Bangladesh Sports Journalists Association and other sports organisations extended their heartfelt sympathies to the family of Arafat and prayed for the salvation of his soul.

–Tribune Desk

n AFP, Melbourne

Lopez apologises to ball-boy for low blow Spaniard Feliciano Lopez showed a compassionate streak in addition to a dangerous serve by apologising to the ball-boy he struck in the groin at the Australian Open. Lopez, seeded 12th at Melbourne Park, unleashed a 196 kmph serve which hit local teenager Sam Day during his second round match with Adrian Mannarino on Thursday. Lopez grimaced when he saw Day doubled over in pain and both he and Mannarino approached the ball-boy out of concern. Day was escorted off court for a while but came back to stoically complete his duties. Video of the incident went viral on social media. “I just wanted to apologise and to make him happy for a while,” Lopez said. “I gave him a T-shirt and a wristband from the match, Lopez said.

–Reuters

Podolski to bow out after Euro 2016

DAY’S WATCH Star Sports 2 7:15 PM Hero Hockey India League Punjab Warriors v Kalinga Lancers 10:00 PM Spanish La Liga Athletic Bilbao v Malaga 11:55 PM Espanyol v Almeria 1:55 AM Valencia v Sevilla

Star Sports 4 2:10PM T20 Big Bash League SF2: Perth Scorchers v Melbourne Stars 7:55 PM Italian Serie A Juventus v Chievo 9:55 PM English FA Cup Brighton v Arsenal 1:40 AM Italian Serie A Fiorentina v Roma

Sony Six 6:00AM & 2:00PM Australian Open 2015 Day 7: Day & Evening Sessions 9:30PM African Cup of Nations Burkina Faso v Congo

Ten Action 7:00 PM French Ligue 1 Olympique Lyonnais v Metz 10:00 PM Stade Rennais v Caen 2:00 AM Saint-Etienne v PSG

Ten Crikcet 2:00 PM West Indies Tour of South Africa 4th ODI

13

Djokovic joins sizzling Serena in last 16

QUICK BYTES

Germany forward Lukas Podolski says he plans to retire from international football following Euro 2016 in France after more than a decade of playing for the reigning world champions. The 29-year-old midfielder has made 121 appearances for Germany, having made his debut in 2004, and the France tournament would be his fourth European Championships. He was part of the squad which lifted their fourth World Cup title in Rio de Janeiro last July, but only played in the group stages and has not held down a regular starting place since Euro 2012. “The European Championships will be the last major tournament for me,” the Inter Milan star told German daily Bild. “I have already achieved my main goal of winning the World Cup. No one can take that away from me.” Germany have struggled in their Euro 2016 qualifying campaign and are third in the group after a shock defeat to Poland and draw at home with the Republic of Ireland. Podolski, who was voted the best young player at the 2006 World Cup in Germany, is on loan in Italy from Arsenal until the end of the season.

–AFP

Sunday, January 25, 2015

Serbia’s Novak Djokovic plays a shot during his men’s singles match against Spain’s Fernando Verdasco on day six of the 2015 Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne yesterday AFP

Fired-up top seed Novak Djokovic powered into the Australian Open fourth round on Saturday, joining sizzling fellow world number one Serena Williams as Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova was sent packing.

The Serb, whose chances of a fifth Australian crown have vastly improved after Roger Federer’s shock exit on Friday, ground down tenacious Spaniard Fernando Verdasco 7-6 (10/8), 6-3, 6-4.

He said he was highly motivated and over the virus that hampered his lead up to the season’s opening Grand Slam.

Williams, vying for a sixth Australian title and the first since 2010, was slow to find her groove against 26thranked Ukrainian Elina Svitolina, going down 6-4 in the first set.

But she shook off the cobwebs under the blazing sun on Rod Laver Arena to rattle through the next two sets 6-2, 6-0.

It keeps alive her quest to add a 19th Grand Slam title, which would take her to clear second on the all-time Open Era Grand Slam winners list.

She currently has 18 alongside Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova and is four behind Steffi Graf’s 22.

“When in doubt just start running as fast as you can, that’s what Venus always told me, that helped,” said Williams, whose world number one ranking is on the line if she fails to win the tournament.

She added that her elder sister’s late-career renaissance was an inspiration.

“She’s winning, she’s doing so well and I can do better. We always motivate each other. I’m so proud of her and we’re so excited.”

Venus rallied from behind to defeat Camila Giorgi of Italy 4-6, 7-6 (7/3), 6-1 to make the second week of a Grand Slam for the first time since Wimbledon 2011.

But there was heartbreak for Kvitova, a semi-finalist in 2012, as Lindsay Davenport-coached American teen Madison Keys pulled off a big 6-4, 7-5 upset.

Victoria Azarenka, the champion in 2012 and 2013 who is unseeded this year after an injury-marred 2014, also kept going, continuing her impressive comeback by downing Czech 25th seed Barbora Zahlavova Strycova.

Defending men’s champion Stan Wawrinka, who beat Rafael Nadal in the final last year, could meet Djokovic in the semi-finals and stayed on track with a 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 victory over Finland’s Jarkko Nieminen.

The Swiss, who was always in control, was pleased with his progress.

Eighth seed Canadian Milos Raonic also went through as did Japan’s fifth seed Kei Nishikori.

It was a day to remember for the Williams clan with the evergreen Venus setting up a fourth round clash with dangerous Pole Agnieszka Radwanska.

Radwanska defeated American Varvara Lepchenko 6-0, 7-5 and has doled out a dreaded 6-0 “bagel” to each of her three opponents at Melbourne Park.

She beat Venus in the Montreal final last year.

“I think playing her is always a great challenge,” said Radwanska, who has made the quarter-finals or better in Melbourne on her last four visits.

Serena will now play face Spain’s Garbine Muguruza, who beat Switzerland’s Timea Bacsinszky 6-3, 4-6, 6-0.

The 24th seed ousted Serena at the French Open last year. l

This is me, says grunting, cursing Azarenka n Reuters, Melbourne Two-time grand slam champion Victoria Azarenka will no longer bite her tongue or try to fit into any media-trained “image” as she makes her way on the tennis tour, the Belarusian said at the Australian Open on Saturday.

Azarenka advanced to the fourth round at Melbourne Park with a 6-4 6-4 win over Barbora Zahlavova Strycova, a brilliant return to grand slam tennis after her 2014 season was all but wiped out by injury.

The 25-year-old told her interviewer the word could be “bleeped out” and later made no apologies for the ‘sailor talk’.

“I’m having a lot more fun,” Azarenka, wearing a multi-coloured pair of leggings and a trucker’s cap backwards, told reporters of her new season.

“I’m just being me. I say what I want to say. I laugh when I want to laugh. I play how I want to play. I grunt when I want to grunt. I don’t think I’ve changed as a person. I think I grew as a person. I think I’m able to speak my thoughts more freely, which before I think I was holding back.” l

Ghana toast Gyan heroics, South Africa on brink n AFP, Mongomo Just days after being taken to hospital with malaria, Asamoah Gyan lit up the Africa Cup of Nations on Friday with a late winning goal as Ghana beat Algeria 1-0.

Ghana’s win and the 1-1 draw between Senegal and South Africa later in the day in Mongomo leave the two qualifying spots in Group C still up for grabs ahead of the final round of matches next Tuesday, although Bafana Bafana appear very much up against it.

Gyan is Ghana’s captain and talisman and he was missed in Monday’s last-gasp loss to the Senegalese, with coach Avram Grant judging the striker unfit to play having been hospitalised last weekend after contracting a mild bout of malaria.

The 29-year-old came straight back into the line-up on Friday and Grant decided to keep him on the pitch despite him visibly tiring towards the end.

A scrappy match of few chances on a poor surface was set to end goalless until,

in the second minute of injury time, Gyan latched onto a hopeful long ball downfield and outpaced Carl Medjani before firing across goalkeeper Rais Mbolhi and into the net from a tight angle.

It was his seventh Cup of Nations goal, allowing him to equal the record mark set by Osei Kofi, a veteran of the

RESULTS

Ghana

1-0

Algeria

1-1

South Africa

Gyan 90+2

Senegal Mbodj 60

Manyisa 46

Black Stars side that won the continental title in 1965.

Senegal are in pole position and are just a point away from the quarter-finals after coming from behind to draw with Bafana Bafana.

For the second game running South Africa took the lead but failed to see out a result, with Oupa Manyisa opening the scoring just after half-time.l

Bangladesh Cricket Board’s tournament committee chairman Akram Khan (C) speaks in a press conference at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium yesterday COURTESY

Banned Aamer set for first-class return Hosts Australia not n counting their chickens in Asian Cup semis AFP, Karachi

Disgraced Pakistan paceman Mohammad Aamer could return to first-class cricket as early as next month after a relaxation of the conditions of his ban for spot-fixing, an official said Friday.

Aamer, 22, was banned for five years along with Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif in a spot fixing case in England in 2010, and the trio were jailed by a UK court in 2011.

The paceman was interviewed in Lahore Friday by the International Cricket Council (ICC) after the governing body revised the players’ code of conduct in November last year, adding a provision that allows a banned player to play in domestic games a certain period prior to the end of the ban.

The change of rules prompted the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to file an appeal with the ICC to relax certain conditions of Aamer’s ban last year. A final decision on Aamer’s appeal will be taken in ICC Board meeting in Dubai next week.

In the last four years, Amir has completed an Anti Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU) education program with PCB, showed a high degree of remorse, and disclosed relevant information to the

PCB as well as the anti-corruption units.

Though the domestic season in Pakistan will end next month, a few Grade 1 teams had already shown a keen interest to sign the player for next season. National Bank of Pakistan, who had revoked Amir’s contract after his ban, later offered to retain the bowler upon his return. A PCB spokesman confirmed Aamer’s potential return.

“It is most likely that Aamer will get reprieve to play domestic cricket,” said the spokesman Agha Akber.

PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan last week said Aamer will be monitored in first-class cricket before returning to international cricket. His five year ban expires in August this year.

Before the ban Aamer was described as cricket’s “hottest property”.

PCB, meanwhile, is also intent on bringing Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif back to competitive cricket, though their international futures look bleak. The board has asked Butt and Asif to fulfill the conditions of their ban before they can pursue the players’ case with the ICC. It is understood that the PCB will monitor both players closely and wait another five months before writing to the ICC’s ACSU.l

n Reuters, Sydney Australia are determined not to get carried away with their chances of lifting the Asian Cup on home soil despite reigning champions Japan crashing out of the tournament in the quarter-finals.

The Socceroos had been expecting to play the Samurai Blue in a rematch of the 2011 final in the last four on Tuesday but will instead face United Arab Emirates after the Gulf nation upset Japan in a shootout on Friday.

Australia’s media rejoiced at what they saw as an easier path to next weekend’s final opening up in front of Ange Postecoglou’s side but striker Robbie Kruse said the squad were taking nothing for granted.

“We can be the first team to win major silverware here in Australia, and to do it on our home soil is something special,” Kruse told reporters in Newcastle.

“So it has always been the focus to

come here and get the job done - and the job is to win the tournament.

“In saying that, we take each game as it comes. Some people may say we’re already in the final but we’re not looking at it like that. It’s going to be tough.”

Kruse’s form in the tournament has been a big factor in Australia’s progression to within one match of a final against South Korea or Iraq.

The Bayer Leverkusen forward missed the World Cup last year after being forced to undergo knee surgery and thinks he is only now approaching his best form.

“Maybe not quite there fully but I’m getting pretty close,” he added.

“Obviously the game time is going to help me get better and better and I feel like I’m doing fairly well in the tournament and so are we collectively as a group.

“That is what it’s about. We don’t focus too much on the individual.” l

14

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Sport

Sunday, January 25, 2015

‘Everything was against United’ Minnows Cambridge hold Red Devils

n Reuters, Cambridge Manchester United were happy to survive a difficult challenge by coming away with a 0-0 draw at fourth-tier Cambridge United in the FA Cup fourth round on Friday, said manager Louis van Gaal.

Cambridge did not manage a single shot on target but that was little comfort to the contingent of United fans who braved the cold to watch their team held in an embarrassing stalemate.

However, Van Gaal said he was happy to still be in the compeition after moaning that everything went against his team as Cambridge got a deserved draw at a packed Abbey Stadium.

“We have to come here, the pitch is not so good... The opponents are always giving a lot more than normally and defending is always easier than attacking and then you have the referee,” Van Gaal told a news conference.

“I know that it’s very difficult to beat such an opponent in these circumstances... We know everything’s against us,” he added, declining to make any further comment about the performance of referee Chris Foy. “We are still in the Cup and that is the most important thing because I have seen a lot of times that big clubs

are losing against such an opponent,” said Van Gaal.

The visitors dominated the second half without managing to break the deadlock, although Van Gaal was disappointed with their display in an even first period.

“It was a pity we had to wait until halftime, but in the second half I was pleased (with the performance) but we didn’t score and I have to give also the credit to this club of course because Cambridge United played very well,” he said.

Cambridge manager Richard Money did not believe his team stood a chance of winning the replay but said the match at Old Trafford would provide a huge financial boost to the club, which Sky Sports estimated at over one million pounds ($1.50 million).

“It is going to mean an incredible massive amount, it is just mind blowing. I’m sure the chairman (Dave Doggett) wouldn’t have been very happy if we had scored in the second half with five minutes to go,” he said.

“We’ve just said in the dressing too, you are going to Old Trafford, who cares what happens. Just go and enjoy it, soak it in,” Money added, saying he had not given a thought to the possibility of winning the game. l

Manchester United midfielder Angel Di Maria (L) and Cambridge United’s Tom Champion vie for the ball during their English FA Cup 4th round match at The Abbey Stadium in Cambridge, eastern England on Friday REUTERS

Serie A crunch time for Roma n AFP, Milan

The Serie A ambitions of Roma face the acid test as the second half of the season begins with champions and leaders Juventus looking unstoppable in their quest for a fourth consecutive league title.

Roma travel to a resurgent Fiorentina on Sunday desperate not to lose more ground in the race for a first scudetto since 2001, having dropped five points behind Juve following a second consecutive draw last week, away to Palermo.

Since the departure of striker Gervinho to the Africa Cup of Nations a fortnight ago, Rudi Garcia’s title challengers have lacked the bite usually provided by the feisty Ivorian, and Juventus have capitalised.

Juventus are unbeaten since a 1-0 away reverse to Genoa in October and host struggling Chievo in Turin looking to make it three wins on the trot.

Garcia insists Roma’s absences are not a problem, telling La Gazzetta del-

lo Sport: “We have a large and quality-packed squad, so the absences are not too much of a problem for us.”

Juventus striker Fernando Llorente insisted to Sky Sport: “Roma are a great team, we know they want to win the scudetto and we can’t allow ourselves to ease off.”

SERIE A FIXTURES Verona Inter Juventus Parma Sampdoria Fiorentina

v v v v v v

Atalanta Torino Chievo Cesena Palermo Roma

But cracks have begun to appear in Garcia’s side, and Fiorentina are expected to push Roma all the way in Florence.

Fiorentina, meanwhile, had Mario Gomez and Juan Cuadrado to thank for a 3-1 win over Atalanta at the same

stage of the competition, when Micah Richards made a notable contribution as part of a solid Viola back four.

Fiorentina have climbed to sixth in the table and Cuadrado - a reported target for Premier League giants Chelsea insisted: “I’m 100% available and we’ll work hard to prepare for the match.”

Inter are also 20 points off the pace but host Torino at the San Siro confident of a win after a stirring 2-0 Italian Cup victory over Sampdoria.

Swiss international Xherdan Shaqiri scored his maiden Inter goal on his full debut, earning the praise of coach Roberto Mancini, although the Italian said he is still waiting for a more “compact” Inter to do more damage.

Elsewhere. Napoli host Genoa on Monday looking to tighten their grip on third spot although Sampdoria, one place further adrift due to inferior goal difference, host Palermo looking to stretch their unbeaten record at home this season. l

Real Madrid snap up Brazilian midfielder Silva n AFP, Madrid European champions Real Madrid have completed the signing of Brazilian under-21 international midfielder Lucas Silva from Cruzeiro.

The deal cost Los Blancos a reported 14 million euros with Silva agreeing a five-and-a-half year deal at the Santiago Bernabeu.

“Real Madrid and Cruzeiro have reached an agreement for the transfer of Lucas Silva, who will be tied to the club until June 30, 2020,” said a statement on Madrid’s website.

Silva becomes Madrid’s second signing of the January transfer window after 16-year-old Norwegian wonderkid Martin Odegaard sealed his switch from Stromsgodset on Friday.

Silva shot to prominence as Cruzeiro claimed a second consecutive Brazilian

title in 2014.

His arrival is likely to precipitate the departure of Asier Illarramendi, who has been linked with a 25 million euro switch to Athletic Bilbao.l

Holders Arsenal face Brighton test n AFP, Brighton

Nice’s Niklas Hult (C) celebrates with teammates after scoring against Marseille during their Ligue1 match at Allianz Riviera stadium in Nice on Friday REUTERS

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger says his side have been strengthened by their victory over Manchester City last weekend, as they continue their FA Cup defence at Brighton and Hove Albion.

The north London club travel to Championship outfit Brighton on Sunday, seven days on from their superb 2-0 win over Premier League champions City at the Etihad Stadium.

Wenger believes that landmark success -- Arsenal’s first away win against either City, Manchester United or Chelsea since October 2011 -- will allow his side to become better as the season progresses.

“We had a very controlled performance with a great solidarity and a great togetherness -- that’s always a very good basis,” said the Frenchman.

10-man Nice compound Marseille woes

Ferrero hints at Eto’o arrival n AFP, Milan

n AFP, Nice

Sampdoria president Massimo Ferrero has hinted that Samuel Eto’o could finally complete his move to the Serie A side after two weeks of negotiations with Premier League club Everton.

Ferrero unveiled four new signings on Friday including Colombian striker Luis Muriel from Udinese, but the flamboyant film producer hinted he could add Eto’o to his winter transfer haul within the next 24 hours.

“Today I have brought you four pearls and maybe tomorrow there will be another,” said Ferrero referring to Eto’o. Eto’o is said to be keen for a return to Italy where he enjoyed huge success with Inter Milan during his spell with the club in 2009-2011, including winning the treble of league, Cup and Champions League in 2010 under former coach Jose Mourinho.l

Nice, who played most of the second half with 10 men, downed Marseille 2-1 on Friday to compound an already trying week for the French giants and put an unexpected dent in their Ligue 1 title aspirations.

Second half goals from Romain Genevois and Niklas Hult earned Nice the deserved bragging rights in a frenetic Mediterranean derby and left Marseille seeking their first win on the road in three months.

Marseille turned up at Nice’s Allianz Riviera stadium anxious to get down to the business of playing football and forget about their legal woes that saw a dozen people arrested this week in connection with an inquiry into suspect transfers.

Former coach and sporting director Jose Anigo was among the group picked up for questioning and subsequently released without charge.

In front of 30,000 fans Nice were seeking to secure their third successive

RESULT

Nice

Genevois 47, Hult 73

2-1

Marseille Thauvin 77

league win, while Marseille were intent on keeping the pressure on Lyon at the summit.

The loss kept them one point adrift of Lyon, who can extend their advantage when they take on fourth-frombottom Metz on Sunday. Nice moved up to ninth, on 31 points.l

“Everybody contributed with hard work, great work-rate. Can we keep that focus on our qualities and improve our technical level? We can only get stronger.

“What happened over the weekend helps the team to strengthen our con-

FA CUP FIXTURES Bristol City v West Ham Aston Villa v Bournemouth Brighton v Arsenal fidence, of course. I think the attitude of the players since the start of the season, on their desire to do well and their solidarity, has been extremely good.

“The basics have not changed. We certainly have more belief and more strength in our belief.”

Arsenal travelled to the Amex Stadium at the same stage of the competition

two years ago and required a late Theo Walcott goal to secure a 3-2 victory.

And Wenger is well aware of the challenge that Chris Hughton’s men will pose on the English south coast.

“It’s always difficult in the Championship away from home and we remember Brighton from two years ago,” Wenger said.

“I remember that it was a very difficult game against a team who were on the way up. They were fighting at the top level with Gus Poyet.

“It was a very difficult game. We needed to dig deep to get out with a positive result. We know that it will be another big challenge for us to go there and come home with a good result.

“Chris Hughton will give them his experience and his competence, of course. He knows how to prepare a team for a challenge like that.”l

Schuerrle stays unless Chelsea get ‘phenomenal’ offer n Reuters, London It will take a “phenomenal” offer to prise Chelsea forward Andre Schuerrle away from the club, manager Jose Mourinho said on Friday.

The Portuguese claimed he had no plans to sell or buy in the January transfer window but did not rule out Germany’s Schuerrle exiting Stamford Bridge, while Egypt winger Mohamed Salah has also been linked with a switch.

“The principle is that we would like him (Schuerrle) to stay,” Mourinho told reporters on Friday.

“The question is not whether he is allowed to go or not. The question is whether we have a phenomenal offer and for the player to be super-keen to accept a new challenge in his career, because we don’t want to sell our players.” l

Raiola latest to enter Fifa race n Reuters, London Another wildcard has entered the pack of candidates challenging Sepp Blatter for the presidency of FIFA in May’s election -- Mino Raiola, a football agent whose clients include Mario Balotelli and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

The 47-year-old Dutchman with Italian roots needs to prove five football associations support his bid and that he has been active in football for at least two of the last five years before the deadline for submitting bids expires at midnight next Friday, Jan. 29.

“I’m getting violently sick when I think that Blatter could be re-elected,” he is quoted as saying by the Daily Telegraph. The vote for the presidency takes place at the FIFA congress in Zurich on May 29. l

Germany’s World Cup winning coach Joachim Loew gives a speech after he received the German Media Award 2014 on Friday REUTERS

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Entertainment

15

Sunday, January 25, 2015

CHOBI MELA VIII

Anwar Hossain’s photograps is on display at AFD

American Pie 2 Star Movies, 11:59pm Cast: Jason Biggs, Seann William Scott, Shannon Elizabeth

The continuing bawdy adventures of a group of friends reuniting after their first year of college.

Identity Thief Star Movies, 6:30pm Cast: Jason Bateman Melissa McCarthy

MITHILA wins Veet Channel i top model title nEntertainment Desk Sumaiya Anzum Mithila has won the title of “Veet Channel i Top Model” at the grand finale of the competition at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in the capital.

Mithila from Gazipur beat 20 contestants to win the title and prize money of Tk 5 lakh.

She will get a chance to work in a film under the banner of Impress Telefilm Ltd and will endorse for Veet products.

The first runner up Samia Islam Lamia from Dhaka and second runner up Jannatun Nur Moon from Dhaka received cheques of Tk3 lakh and Tk2 lakh respectively.

Moreover, the winners of Miss Veet Congeniality, Miss Veet Beautiful Skin

and Miss Veet Beautiful Smile received a cheque of Tk1 lakh.

The gala was a grand arrangement with the performances by top fifteen contestants.

Model Nobel, choreographer Tania Ahmed and beauty specialist Kaniz Almas Khan were among the judges of contest to find out the top models of the country.

In the third season of the contest, the reality show featured grooming sessions and challenging tasks.

Hasin Rawsan Jahan has won the crown of “Veet-Channel i Top Model 2011” and Nowsheen Sharmila become the champion of “Veet channel I Top Model 2012.”

The programme anchored by Sijil Mirza and jointly directed by Taher Shipon and Rumana Rashid. l

n Entertainment Desk Legendary Bangladeshi photographer Anwar Hossain has been honoured with the Chobi Mela VIII lifetime achievement award for his extraordinary contribution to the country’s photography field.

President Md Abdul Hamid handed over the award to Anwar Hossain at the opening ceremony of Chobi Mela VIII on January 23.

Anwar Hossain shared his views on his works at the Alliance Francaise where his works are being exhibited on the occasion of Chobi Mela VIII. Cinematographer and architect

Exhibition

Chronology

By Kazi Rakib Tine: 11:00am – 7:30pm Galleri Kaya Tarshito: Embroider the World

Anwar Hossain has been in photography since 1967 and his works delve deep into urban, suburban and folk cultures.

Winner of about 60 international prestigious awards and having published numerous books on photography, Anwar has played a major role in elevating the status of photography and contemporary photographic practice in Bangladesh.

On the same day, an artist talk was held at the Goethe Institut by Magnum photographer Larry Towell.

His work on ‘The Mennonites’ is being exhibited in Chobi Mela VIII at Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy. l

Time: 12pm – 8pm Bengal Gallery of Fine Arts, Road No.16 Exploring Diverse Mediums Time: 3pm – 8pm Dhaka Art Centre Road No 7, Dhanmondi

Mild mannered businessman Sandy Patterson travels from Denver to Florida to confront the deceptively harmless looking woman who has been living it up after stealing Sandy’s identity.

Kick Star Gold, 8:30pm Cast: Salman Khan, Jacqueline Fernandez, Nawazuddin

An adrenaline junkie walks away from a whirlwind romance and embraces a new life as a thief, though he soon finds himself pursued by veteran police officer and engaged in a turf war with a local gangster.

KHAN HASAN MD RAFI

MARTIN SCORSESE documentary on Bill Clinton shelved n Entertainment Desk A documentary on former US President Bill Clinton by veteran director Martin Scorsese has been indefinitely shelved after the sides disagreed on control of the film, the New York Times reported on Thursday.

The Times, citing unnamed people advised on the project, reported that the partially completed film stalled after Clinton demanded more direction over the interview questions and the final product. Reuters could not independently verify the report.

Representatives for Scorsese and Clinton did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The Times reported that Clinton spokesman Matt McKenna said claims

that the film had been suspended over the disputes were “inaccurate” without providing further detail.

The paper also reported that a spokesman for HBO, which backed the documentary, said, “It’s not happen-

ing soon but that doesn’t mean it’s not going to happen.”

Representatives for HBO did not immediately return requests for comment.

HBO said last month that it had ordered a television series from Scorsese, Mick Jagger and Boardwalk Empire creator Terence Winter that would focus on the world of rock and roll in 1970s New York.

Scorsese is best known for directing critically lauded films such as mob drama “Goodfellas” and most recently the acerbic comedy “The Wolf of Wall Street.” He won a best director Oscar in 2007 for The Departed. l

Salman Khan is the reason why my Hindi improved: JACQUELINE FERNANDEZ n Entertainment Desk Sri Lankan origin actor Jacqueline Fernandez, who dubbed her own dialogues in Hindi in “Kick” opposite Salman Khan, says that her command over the language improved a lot after working with the Bollywood superstar.

The actor was present at an event when she was asked about the major difference that she noticed in her career after working with Salman in “Kick” and she said: “Actually my Hindi improved so much

after working with Salman. He used to push me a lot in all the interviews that we did during the promotions. He wouldn’t allow me to speak in English.”

“He is very inspiring. I felt like I was relaunched in the industry again. He had been such a great support, so encouraging...It was definitely a new beginning for me and I owe him a lot for that,” she added.

On the film front, Jacqueline will next be seen opposite Ranbir Kapoor and Arjun Rampal in “Roy.” The film is set to release Febuary 13. l

DEPP says he’s not ‘quirky’

n Entertainment Desk

At the LA premiere of his crime caper “Mort-

Vision theatre to stage Gulliverer Shofor n Entertainment Desk

decai,” Johnny Depp says he doesn’t consider himself quirky and eccentric. The actor said, “No, I don’t, but I can play a character who can be.” Meanwhile, actress Gwyneth Paltrow speaks on having a hard time kissing Depp on set, “My character objects to his character’s mustache and he kisses her and she literally gags. I’ve never ruined so many takes in my life. It was crazy”. Co-star Paul Bettany also talks about the comedy japes on set.

With Mortdecai hitting theaters this weekend, Johnny Depp is adding another quirky character to his seriously long resume. l

Vision theatre will stage its ninth production titled Gulliverer Shofor at the Experimental Theatre Hall of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy at 6pm today.

Golam Shahriar Shikto will direct the play. Golam Sarowar dramatised the play from a story

by Abul Mansur Ahmed.

Based on Gulliver’s Travels, is a novel by Jonathan Swift, writer Abul Mansur wrote the satiric story in Bangla.

In the story, Ahmed portrayed the less intelligent people’s thinking process in humorous way. l

JULIA ROBERTS set to produce and star in Batkid flick n Entertainment Desk Julia Roberts has hopped aboard the upcoming film “Batkid” as a producer and actor.

The Oscar-winning actress, 47, sealed a deal to adapt the Slamdance premiere documentary about the 5-year-old leukemia patient, Miles Scott, who was granted his wish to be a superhero, when thousands of volunteers, along with President Obama, helped turn San Francisco into Gotham City for a day, Deadline.com reported.

The youngster became a hero on November 15, 2013, with 25,000 supporters across the city, and on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, tracking his heroics through a chain of staged tasks. By the end of it, Scott received the key to the city from Mayor Ed Lee and sparked media attention and more than 400K tweets in 117 countries, reaching over 1.84 billion social media users.

Roberts would star and produce with her Red Om Films partners Lisa Gillan and Marisa Yeres Gill, while Batkid Begins director Dana Nachman executive produces along with Submarine’s Josh Braun and Dan Braun.

Nachman said it was thrilling to have Roberts as part of the team and watch her dedicating time and creative capital to make sure Miles’ story was heard across the globe. l

16

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Back Page

Sunday, January 25, 2015

Small traders bear the brunt of blockade n Munir Momtaj The ongoing blockade and frequent general strikes have taken a heavy toll on people of the low-income groups, who are struggling to make ends meet.

Hawkers, street vendors and day labourers are finding it challenging to make money amid the blockade imposed by the BNP-led 20-party alliance across the country.

Small vendors and hawkers operating on the streets in the capital say their earnings have fallen dramatically as they are not getting too many customers since the blockade came into force.

‘I need at least Tk300 to buy today’s daily commodities. This is why I was forced to sell a pair of shoes for Tk250, which actually cost me Tk300 to buy’ Sumon, who sells handkerchieves, undergarments and masks in front of Hall Market in Gulistan, said he was finding it difficult to just even get by.

“Simply put, people are not buying these days. Products sold at roadside stalls are by and large popular among people migrating to Dhaka from different parts of the country but vendors like us are in serious trouble because of the blockade,” he said.

Riton Das, a cobbler who also sells shoes in Shukrabad, said yesterday he had only made Tk50 by mending shoes all day, which would barely cover his family expenses for the day.

“I need at least Tk300 to buy today’s daily commodities. This is why I was forced to sell a pair of shoes for Tk250, which actually cost me Tk300 to buy,” he said.

Riton said people were reluctant to get out fearing they might become the victims

of street violence, which was the key reason why small traders doing business on roads had been hit hard by the blockade.

Shukur Ali Matobbor, who runs a small showpiece store in front of Curzon Hall on Dhaka University premises, sounded anxious while talking to the Dhaka Tribune.

“The majority of my customers are women but they are now too frightened to get out of home and buy products sold by traders like me,” he said.

Shukur said sales had really slid recently, causing his earnings to plummet.

“I used to make Tk2,000-3,000 a day by selling my products before the blockade was imposed but the figure now hovers around Tk500-600. If the situation continues this way, I would have to starve.

“I have not been able to pay my house rent for the last two months and I am really worried about the coming days,” he added.

Twenty-year-old Abu Taher, who sells old books at his makeshift stall in front of Baitul Mukarram mosque, said sales had gone down at a worrying level.

“Besides, we live in constant fear of street violence which might erupt any time. Evening is the time of the day when I get the highest number of customers but I have kept my stall closed for the last few days for fear of violence and rampage,” he added.

Amzad Ali, who hawks rat poison in Dhaka, told yesterday he earned a mere Tk85 in the whole day.

“The continuous blockade and strike have threatened my livelihood. I borrowed some money from one of my acquaintances the day before yesterday to buy rice and vegetables,” he said.

Amzad has his wife and three children at home, and said the household expense and education costs of his children come from money he gets by selling rat poison.

The blockade imposed by BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia on January 5 came into force the following day. l

Fire-fighters trying to douse the fire set by blockade supporters on Tipu 6, a launch anchored on the Sadarghat Launch Terminal in the capital yesterday

No respite in violence, two launches attacked n Tribune Report

In an apparent act of sabotage, a fire lit at a Hularhat-bound launch at Sadarghat bus terminal destroyed 16 cabins yesterday.

Quoting launch staff, Kotwali police station Officer-in-Charge (investigation) Kabirul Islam said a man named Md Salam booked two cabins of three-decker MV Tipu 6, which was scheduled to start the journey at 6:30pm.

“Around 4:30pm, four men approached launch officials and asked for the keys of the two cabins, saying that they would go there. At 6pm, a smoke was seen at one of the cabins. None was injured in the incident and three firefighting units took 30 minutes to put the fire out,” he said.

“But the four men just disappeared and could not be found. We have detained two people in this connection but their details cannot be disclosed now,” added Kabirul.

Also in Jhalakati, miscreants hurled petrol bombs at a launch named MV Bangali from Gabkhan bridge around

3pm. None was hurt in the attack and the fire was doused immediately.

Yesterday was the 19th day of the indefinite blockade imposed by the BNP and was marked by sporadic acts of violence across the country, with the situation remaining almost peaceful in the capital.

In Narayanganj, three Chhatra Shibir activists were caught as they were about to hurl a petrol bomb at a bus at Kashipur of Fatullah on Dhaka-Narayanganj-Munshiganj highway at noon.

Locals beat the three - Shihab Uddin, 19, Fatullah thana Shibir President, Abu Sayeed, 35, and Mahmud, 25 - up before handing them over to police.

Narayanganj Model police station Officer-in-Charge Manjur Kader said the three were taken to Narayanganj Sadar Hospital where Mahmud remained in a critical condition.

Five petrol bombs and gunpowder were recovered from them, he added.

An autorickshaw driver sustained burn injuries in Chandpur when his vehicle was torched early in the morning.

The driver, Anwar Hossain, said he

Correspondents, n Our Lakshmipur and Comilla

In an utter violation of DMP traffic rules, a motorcyclist without helmet carrying his wife and two children along with bag and baggage on Dhaka’s Gulistan area yesterday. The act can lead to a fatal road accident anytime MEHEDI HASAN

World leaders pay respects to late Saudi King Abdullah

n BBC BGB seizes lead World leaders are gathering in Saudi used in making Arabia to pay their respects after the death on Friday of King Abdullah. bullet British Prime Minister David Cameron has joined French President FranOur Correspondent, Chuadanga n cois Hollande in Riyadh. A US delegaThe Border Guard Bangladesh seized 5876 kilograms of lead worth over Tk2.55 crore at Alamdanga upazila town in Chuadanga yesterday.

The bullet-making lead was being smuggled in a truck to India around 5am, said Chuadanga 6 BGB Battalion Director SM Moniruzzaman.

No smuggler could be arrested as they had run away well before a BGB team reached there on a tip-off, he said.

Moniruzzaman and Jessore 26 Battalion Director Jahangir Hossain jointly led the raid. l

was travelling to Chandra from Chandpur Sadar but attackers set the autorickshaw on fire when he was forced to stop because of electric poles lying on the road. “I jumped into a nearby pond to save my life while the passengers on the vehicle also received injuries.”

The part of Anwar’s body from the waist to the knee was burned and doctors recommended transferring him to the burn unit of Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

Arsonists also threw a Molotov cocktail at a moving truck on Pennai road in Chandpur in the morning and torched a taxi in Ghosherhat which was carrying an expat.

The expat had a companion with him and all their belongings were gutted in the fire along with the vehicle.

Mohiuddin Mia, 45, a trucker, and his helper Md Rubel, 20, jumped into a roadside ditch to save their lives when the truck was set ablaze at Rupatoli in Barisal in the early hours of the day. The truck also fell into the ditch.

In Rajshahi, blockaders set fire to a bus and a truck at Kapashia area on

Dhaka-Rajshahi highway.

Officer-in-Charge of Motihar police station Alamgir Hossain said RAB and BGB were escorting some 40 buses and trucks bound for Dhaka which came under an arson attack around 12:30am.

Some passengers were hurt while alighting from the vehicles hurriedly.

Blockaders in Chittagong torched two trucks at Ananya residential area around 7:30pm, said Officer-in-Charge of Bayezid police station Babul Chandra Banik.

Police also lodged a case against 60 BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami activists, including Chittagong city BNP General Secretary Dr Shahadat Hossain and Chhatra Dal President Gazi Siraj, for Friday’s bomb attack on Chawkbazar police station.

Besides, police detained at least 12 BNP and Jamaat activists from Sitakunda, Mirsharai, Satkania and Lohagara upazilas for their alleged connection with subversive activities during the blockade.

In the afternoon, miscreants torched the office of the district unit of the BNP at Station Bazar area in Jamalpur. l

‘Shootout’ victim buried in haste, family demands the body

BNP-led combine calls 36 hours hartal n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla The BNP-led 20-party alliance has called 36-hour general strike from this morning protesting the proposed hike of electricity price and the arrest of around 10,000 opposition leaders and activists.

Joint General Secretary Ruhul Kabir Rizvi made the announcement through a press release yesterday saying that the hartal would start at 6am and continue until 6pm tomorrow.

Rizvi, remaining in hideout, asked the alliance leaders and activists to observe the general strike “peacefully and spontaneously.”

On January 20, the technical evaluation committee of the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission recommended raising the bulk power tariffs.

It suggested increasing the average per unit (per kilowatt-hour) tariff of the PDB by 5.16%.

The committee on January 21 recommended against raising the bulk tariffs at the consumer-level.

In the press release, Rizvi said: “The hartal has been called protesting price hike of electricity, arrest of around 10,000 opposition leaders and activists and the government’s conspiracy of sabotage.”l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

tion, led by Vice-President Joe Biden, is due to arrive.

King Abdullah died aged 90. He was buried in an unmarked grave in Riyadh after Friday prayers.

King Salman, 79, pledged continuity after his accession to the throne.

He also moved swiftly to appoint heirs and ministers, including one prince from the ruling dynasty’s third generation.

The visitors from around the world will all be looking to take the measure of the character, mood and intentions

of the new monarch, BBC Arab Affairs editor Alan Johnston says.

King Abdullah died on Friday, weeks after being admitted to hospital with a lung infection.

Gulf leaders, Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistan’s Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif attended the funeral.

Why Saudi matters

US President Barack Obama paid tribute to Abdullah as a leader who “was always candid and had the courage of his convictions”.

Mr Obama is shortening his three-day trip to India - dropping a visit to the Taj Mahal - and will now fly to Saudi Arabia on Tuesday to meet the new king.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon praised Abdullah’s work “to promote dialogue among the world’s faiths”.

However, human rights groups said Saudi Arabia’s human rights record had been dismal under Abdullah and urged Salman to do more to protect freedom of speech and women’s rights.

Amnesty International spokesman Neil Durkin described Abdullah’s human rights legacy as “disastrous”, saying that “endemic torture in police cells and in prisons” remained.

New appointments

Within hours of acceding to the throne, King Salman - a half-brother of the late king - vowed to maintain the same policies as his predecessors.

“We will continue adhering to the correct policies which Saudi Arabia has followed since its establishment,” he said.

He named another of King Abdullah’s half-brothers, Muqrin, as the new crown prince. l

Family of Solaiman Uddin Jisan, who was killed in a “shootout” with Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) on Thursday night, alleged that he was buried swiftly without their consent.

Moreover, Jisan’s body was declared as unclaimed though his family members went to receive the body.

Jisan’s mother Fatema Begum said they had dug up a grave for Jisan upon hearing his death news but police did not hand over the body to them.

Visiting Jisan’s house in Pashchim Latifpur village in Lakkhipur Sadar upazila yesterday, this correspondent found the distressed family still waiting for the body.

“Jisan’s cousin went to Comilla Medical College to bring back the body after post-mortem. But we do not know why police denied to hand over the body,” Fatema Begum said.

“Police told us the body was in the morgue but through various sources we came to know it had already been buried as unclaimed.”

She further added they had prepared a grave beside the mosque which was built by Jisan. “But police came over and forcefully filled it up. They also threatened us not to cross limit,” she said.

“Police is not allowing anyone to come to our house. But since Jisan died, some youths have been keeping an eye on us,” Jisan’s mother continued and urged the authority to hand over them the body to them.

Locals said all preparation for Jisan’s burial was done. Announcement of the Namaz-e-Janaza was also made. But police came and marred all the preparations.

When contacted, Officer-in-Charge of Chandraganj police station Mohd Humayun Kabir denied the allegation.

“Why would we refill the grave? We were there to just provide security to the family.”

He advised to talk to the SP for further queries but the SP could not be reached via phone despite several attempts.

Meanwhile, Assistant Director of the Comilla branch of Anjuman-e-Mofidul Islam Sajjad Hossain said they buried Jisan at Tikkarchar graveyard in the city on Friday night.

‘Police told us the body was in the morgue but through various sources we came to know it had already been buried as unclaimed’ “We received the body on Friday after completion of autopsy at Comilla Medical College Hospital. Since no one claimed the body, we decided to bury it,” he added.

Jisan, a former Chhatra Dal leader of Lakshmipur and head of a crime gang formed after his name, was killed in the “shootout” at Daulatpur in Daudkandi upazila.

According to Sub-Inspector of Daudkandi Model police station Enamul Haque, RAB signalled Jisan, who was on his way to Lakshmipur from Dhaka on his motorcycle to stop but Jisan sped away firing two rounds at the law enforcers.

“RAB responded by shooting back and Jisan died on the spot after receiving bullets. A foreign-made firearm was recovered from him,” the SI said.

Police also claimed that Jisan was accused in 44 cases, including gun battle with police and four murders. l

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B3 China’s use of yuan for cross-border business growing

B4 Bankers: Big is beautiful, safe and economic

SUNDAY, JANUARY 25, 2015 www.dhakatribune.com/business

FRONTIER MARKET SENTIMENT INDEX

Bangladesh loses appeal among global firms for political unrest n Kayes Sohel Bangladesh has lost its appeal as a frontier market to the multinational companies taking cue from the political front, according to a new study.

Corporate sentiment towards all three South Asian frontier markets—Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Pakistan—were among 10 countries that experienced the steepest declines in corporate sentiment, said the latest WSJ/FSG Frontier Market Sentiment Index released recently.

“South Asia seems to be losing its appeal,” it said.

Frontier markets are less advanced capital markets from the developing world and countries with investable stock markets that are less established than those in the emerging markets.

Based on a study of around 200 multinational companies, the index, created exclusively for Wall Street Journal (WSJ) Frontiers by Washington-based consultancy Frontier Strategy Group (FSG), tracks which frontier markets major European and American firms are focusing their attention on.

Corporate sentiment is calculated as the percentage of companies that include a country on their watch-list. If 50 of the 200 companies are watching a particular country, the sentiment index score would be 25%.

The extensive damage caused by the ongoing political standoff has hit the country afresh on one year completion of controversial January 5 election which brought ruling Awami League into the helm with its arch rival BNP boycotting.

The country is also currently undergoing nationwide non-stop blockade called the opposition party demanding fresh national election.

VIPB Asset Management Company Chief Executive Officer Shahidul Islam said the foreign multinationals, unlike the portfolio investors, make direct investments.

“Their sentiment about Bangladesh is negative mostly because of the ongo-

ing political uncertainties in the country,” he said.

Another reason might be that slow pace in implementation of infrastructure projects and lack of economic reforms might discourage them. “For the same reasons, domestic investments have also been low in the recent months.”

Portfolio investment is also negatively affected by the similar factors despite some rise in the last year, Islam noted.

According to the Dhaka Stock Exchange, foreign investment in 2014 stood at Tk2,608 crore, a rise of over 34% from Tk1,943 crore in 2013.

However, due to the collapse of Bangladesh stock market in 2010 and 2011, the valuations of some of the listed stocks may have been attractive to some portfolio investors, according to CEO of VIPB.

Farmers Bank adopts aggressive lending strategy n Jebun Nesa Alo Farmers Bank, a newcomer private bank, has become an aggressive lender while new other banks are struggling to get borrowers amid sluggish investment climate and political instability since their inception.

The Farmers Bank provided loans more than the total deposit it accumulated till October last year.

The advance-deposit ratio (ADR) of the bank stood at 101.72% in mid-October last year against the authorised ratio of 85%.

The central bank was concerned about the aggressive lending activities of the newcomer bank and decided to sit in a meeting with the bank soon.

The total loans of Farmers Bank stood at Tk726.61 crore against its total deposit of Tk714 crore, according to the Bangladesh Bank data.

The ADR of the bank was 8.64% in December 2013, with the total deposit and loan being over Tk12 crore and 1 crore respectively.

The Farmers Bank had started operating banking activities in the market since June 2013 with a paid up capital of Tk401 crore.

The chairman of the bank is Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir, also chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Accounts.

The new banks’ ADRs may cross the authorised limit as they are investing their fresh capital as well as deposits, said a senior executive of Bangladesh Bank.

On the other hand an investigation conducted by the Financial Intelligence and Customer Services Department of Bangladesh Bank has found some irregularities in loan disbursement of the Farmers Bank.

The bank has also been found approving loans without properly following credit formalities in some cases.

Even in some cases, the bank provided loan without taking up-to-date CIB clearance, according to the BB source.

The bank maintained the interest rate of 14.53% on advances and 9.54% on deposits as of November last year.

Of the new banks, Midland Bank also lent beyond the ADR limit that reached 86.41% in October last year.

The total loans of the bank stood at Tk488 crore against its total deposit of Tk565 crore, according to the Bangladesh Bank data.

Madhumati Bank maintained the lowest ADR of 36.71% while other new banks maintained it around 65% to 70%.

The ADR of scam-hit BASIC Bank also crossed the authorised ratio, rising to over 87% in October last year compared to 78% in December 2013.

The bank disbursed a total loan of above Tk550 crore from January to November last year.

Of the other private commercial banks, AB, UCBL, Standard and One Bank crossed the authorised ADR limit in October last year. l

“Therefore, inflow of portfolio investments has been pretty robust in the last few months.”

According to the Frontier Index, Nigeria has held the top spot since the index was launched in June 2014 despite having endured a rough ride for the past few months.

The trends in corporate attention illustrate starkly the impact lower oil prices are having on other oil-dependent frontier markets, said WSJ. The three worst performers in terms of change in sentiment in this quarter’s survey are all oil exporters: Angola, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela, according to the Index.

Sentiment declined toward 37 markets out of a total of 68 during the fourth quarter. In the preceding quarter 48 of the 68 markets experienced an increase in corporate attention.

Overall, though, the magnitude of the changes in corporate sentiment towards frontier markets was remarkably low, ranging from +2.62 percentage points to -2.78 percentage points. The previous quarter’s range was +8.68 percentage points to -7.45 percentage points.

Vietnam, with a gain of 1.98 percentage points, climbed to second place on the list.

Vietnam is not the only market in the region to attract more interest.

Cambodia, Myanmar and Laos were all in the top five of countries that saw the greatest improvement in sentiment.

Central and Eastern Europe’s frontier markets were also among the top gainers, a refreshing change for countries such as Serbia, Croatia and Bulgaria that had been some of the worst performers in previous surveys. l

Bangladesh fares better in logistics index n Tribune Report Bangladesh climbed three spots up to 28th in 2015 index in a closely watched logistics industry ranking of the world’s 45 leading emerging markets, says a new report.

According to the 2015 Agility Emerging Markets Logistics Index released recently, Bangladesh scored 4.56 points, up from 4.45 points in 2014 due to steady growth and social indicators improvement.

Its scores for “market compatibility” – business climate – and “connectivity,” or infrastructure and trade links, both improved, the report said.

Bangladesh, the world’s second largest garment exporter after China, has averaged 6% growth in recent years and is trying to build a developed IT and software sector, it said.

“Bangladesh’s economy has proven to be resilient in the face of domestic challenges. However, the current volatile political situation in Bangladesh may negatively affect foreign direct investments critical to the country’s growth over the long term,” said Jude Julius Crasto, CEO, Agility Global Integrated Logistics Bangladesh.

Kuwait-based Agility is an international logistic company providing freight forwarding, transportation, warehousing and supply chain management services.

Transport Intelligence (Ti), a Switzerland based leading analysis and research firm for the logistics industry, compiled the Index.

The Index, in its sixth year, ranks emerging markets based on their size, business conditions, infrastructure and other factors that make them attractive for investment by logistics companies, air cargo carriers, shipping lines, freight forwarders and distribution companies.

The index is an annual data-driven ranking accompanied by a separate survey of nearly 1,000 global logistics and supply chain executives.

In terms of connected sub-index, Bangladesh moved up a few notches from last place in the 2014 Index.

“A growing location for manufacturing, it has become a top spot for retailers to source apparel.

As such, Bangladesh has made

investments in its infrastructure to support this growth,” the report said.

Emerging market with the most potentials, Bangladesh was ranked 18th in 2015 index among 20 countries, down one spot from 17th in 2014.

The report said BRICS nations Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa accounted for much of the growth and investments in emerging markets.

They have dominated the index.

It said a mixed performance from the BRICS economies is being offset by the dynamic growth of Saudi Arabia and next-tier countries such as Indonesia, Nigeria, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Mexico.

Along with those next-tier economies, emerging markets in ASEAN, Gulf Cooperation Council and Sub-Saharan Africa are offsetting mixed performance in the BRICS countries powering emerging markets’ growth in recent years, it said.

Saudi Arabia climbed to second spot in 2015, behind only China, which has 47 times the population and 12.5 times the economic output of the former, according to the report.

The Agility said this was “a reflection of the pace at which it is building a world-class infrastructure, implementing reforms and attempting to diversify beyond oil, which is still half of the economy.”

Russia’s growing economic isolation has hurt the country in the eyes of logistics and supply chain professionals.

More than 75% of respondents said they were pessimistic about Russia’s prospects, pushing it down three spots to seventh position in a ranking of countries expected to be major logistics markets over the next five years.

Supply chain executives were impressed by Qatar’s openness to business and its massive investment in infrastructure as it prepares for the 2022 World Cup. The country moved up six places to 16th position.

Logistics professionals ranked natural disasters and corruption as the top supply chain risks in Asia Pacific.

In Latin America, corruption and government instability were perceived to be major risks while in the Middle East terrorism and government instability were seen as the most important risk factors. l

Government may seek ECF extension n Tribune report

The government plans to seek a shortterm extension of the Extended Credit Facility (ECF) of International Monetary Fund (IMF) so it can fulfill a major condition set by IMF to amend Value Added Tax (VAT) law.

The pending six and seven tranches of the ECF are now at stake due to the delay in the implementation of the reform in Value Added Tax (VAT) law, official sources said.

Official of the finance division mentioned that the IMF’s resident representative Stella Kaendera has recently sent a letter to finance secretary Mahbub Ahmed along with a sample letter, which is needed to be submitted by the government for seeking any short-term extension for reviewing the ECF. If sought for an extension, the deadline, which is supposed to come to an end on June 30, is likely to be extended by one and a half month, said an official.

Stella Kaendera in her letter also sought assurance from the government that it would not “Water Down” the VAT actfor meeting the demands raised by the country’s business community.

Meanwhile, the parliament passed a new VAT law in November 2012 in line with the conditions set by the IMF prior to the approval of US$1bn under ECF. The new VAT act was scheduled to be enforced on July 1, 2015. But, now the government is thinking to defer its enforcement by one year after necessary ‘fine-tuning’.

Official finance division said the release of last two tranches of ECF funds worth US$280m became uncertain as the government failed to fulfill its commitment on the implementation of the VAT act and meet some other conditions.

The sixth installment of the ECF was scheduled to be released in November last while the final one was for February next. l

Visitors crowd a plastic goods stall at Dhaka International Trade Fair

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Plastic export to ‘reach $1bn by 2021 if political situation stable’ n Ibrahim Hossain Ovi Bangladesh’s plastic sector could earn $1bn by 2021 from export if the current growth trend continued, said a top industry leader.

“We have set a target to earn $1bn by 2021 by exporting plastic goods,” Md Jashim Uddin, president of Bangladesh Plastic Goods Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BPGMEA), told Dhaka Tribune.

To reach the target, the sector has given importance on skill development and exploring new markets, he added.

According to him, the target is achievable if the country’s political situation remains congenial.

Plastic industry has so far suffered a loss of Tk10 crore during the present countrywide blockade called by BNPled alliance, Jashim said.

He urged the government to develop infrastructure as it is needed to meet the necessity of the expansion of the industry.

BPGMEA chief predicted the growth of the plastic sector would continue to rise in both international and domestic

markets as new household items were being added to the list on regular basis.

At present, Bangladesh’s demand for plastic goods is around Tk20,000 crore and the local manufacturers can meet 90% of the demand.

The industry has witnessed over 20% growth in last few years. The global market size of the plastic goods is $590bn and increasing at a rate of 17%.

As part of their efforts, the BPGMEA is going to organise a four-day exhibition of plastic goods from January 27 at Bangabandhu International Conference Center to attract international buyers.

“To draw the attention of the global buyers, we are going to organise a four-day fair to display new products and give local manufacturers an introduction to the latest technology,” said Jashim.

He said the event would help small manufacturers to be familiar with the latest technology in the sector.

The plastic goods manufacturers will participate in the fair with 350 stalls and display their goods like household items, packaging materials, moulds, toys, pharmaceutical industry

items, furniture, melamine goods, garments accessories items and polypropylene (PP) woven bag.

According to Export Promotion Bureau (EPB), the county’s plastic export earnings have seen a 40% rise to $54 m in the first half of the current fiscal year compared to same period of last fiscal year. Bangladesh earned $85.7m exporting plastic goods in the last financial year, up from $84.5m in the previous year.

For the July-December period of 2015, the target was set to export $42.40m, but the export was 26.5% higher than the target. The government targets to earn $90.22m from plastic goods export this fiscal.

During the period, PVC bags export registered a marginal gain of 0.434%, standing at $19m while plastic wastes export went up by 34% to $19m.

According to a report of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) of the United Nations, Bangladesh has the opportunity to become a global player in plastic industry by raising its turnover to $2bn by 2015 and $4bn by 2020. l

B2

POLITICAL UNREST SAP INVESTORS CONFIDENCE

DSEX plunges 160 points in past week n Tribune Report

some of the losses but witnsessd high volatility.

The market fell across the board in the past week too as among 316 issues traded , 269 lost their market capitalisation.

All the sectors witnessed sale pressure in the past week. Ceramics was the week’s worst performer declining 2%, followed by mutual fund 1.9%, telecommunication 1.8% and miscellaneous 1.4%.

Royal Capital said as the political unrest goes with some negative consequences, market vulnerability becomes more stronger.

“Investors fail to find the right track to invest in the market as they can’t predict the probable situation about the socio-political and macroeconomic scenario of Bangladesh,” it said.

Lanka Bangla Securities said the benchmark index lost 158 points during the week as investors went selling frenzy amid countrywide blockade and political turbulence.

On the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE), the market started the past week with negative note and shed 38 points along with a falling turnover value.

“The initial downbeat sustained throughout the week, initiating a panic sale on the 4th session of the week and benchmark index shed a total of 173 points,” said IDLC Investments. l

Increased political unrest has continued to weigh on stock markets that braced bearish sentiment over the last two weeks.

The market witnessed high volatility in the last week that ended Thursdy, as risk-averse investors looked for exit door in the wake of political uncertainity that broke supply chain across the country, brokers say.

In the past week, the benchmark index DSEX ended at 4,798, tumbling 158 points 3.2%, which is lowest in seven weeks.

The comprising blue chips DS30 index moved down 60 points or 3% to 1,778. The DSE Shariah Index, DSES, was down 38 points or 3% to 1,136.

The Chittagong Stock Exchange Selective Categories Index, CSCX, lost 276 points or 3% to settle at 8,924.

The week’s average daily turnover was Tk257 crore, down more than 30% over the previous week.

The turnover might have been worst unless the two new issues—National Feed Mills Limited and C & A Textiles, which made debut in the past week –accounted for almost 10% of the week’s total turnover.

The poor turnover indicated that investors preferred to stay sidelines in fear of further losses, said a stock broker. At the last session of the week, however, DSEX recouped

Weekly capital market highlights DSE Broad Index : DSE - 30 Index : CSE All Share Index: CSE - 30 Index : CSE Selected Index : DSE LOSERS Company Samata LeatheR -Z Dacca Dyeing-A SummitAlliancePort.-A Midas Financing-Z Safko Spinning-A BD. Thai Alum -B Shurwid Ind. -N Khan Brothers-N H.R. Textile -A GeminiSeaFood-Z

Closing (% change) -19.33 -16.84 -16.24 -14.12 -13.93 -13.86 -12.18 -11.97 -11.90 -11.61

CSE LOSERS Company Dacca Dyeing-A SummitAlliancePort.-A Reckitt Benckiser -A H.R. Textile -A Safko Spinning-A BD. Thai Alum -B Shurwid Ind. -N Aziz PipesZ Khan Brothers-N Hamid Fabrics -N

Closing (% change) -16.84 -15.88 -15.06 -14.24 -13.52 -13.39 -12.14 -12.04 -11.97 -11.44

4797.95510

(-) 3.19%

1778.80327

(-) 3.29%

14730.0261

(-) 3.12%

11938.9158

(-) 2.37%

8924.8447

(-) 3.02%

Average (% change) -19.33 -16.87 -14.92 -20.01 -14.28 -14.34 -12.87 -12.49 -13.23 -15.23 Average (% change) -16.59 -14.64 -14.23 -14.48 -13.92 -14.45 -12.24 -12.04 -12.33 -12.50

ANALYST

Closing average 19.20 15.92 66.62 13.51 24.19 37.38 27.34 30.89 25.77 247.18

Closing average 16.04 66.60 1,100.00 25.27 24.42 37.35 27.54 19.00 30.85 33.12

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 1520.12 915.32 242.74 1414.57 455.12 1506.87 14.72 2060.25 1207.31 69.88 455.78 132.88 89.44 523.30 412.28 92.30 146.39 480.01 143.44 999.70 0.00

▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ Weekly high

19.20 15.80 66.00 14.60 24.10 37.30 27.40 30.90 25.90 249.00

Weekly closing 15.80 65.70 1,100.00 25.30 24.30 37.50 27.50 19.00 30.90 33.30

23.50 19.30 79.00 16.90 28.20 43.30 31.10 35.30 29.90 293.30

Weekly high 19.20 77.50 1,100.00 28.00 29.50 43.00 30.70 19.60 35.00 37.40

DSE key features January 18-22, 2015

DSE GAINERS

Turnover (Million Taka)

Shampur Sugar -Z Zeal Bangla Sugar -Z 3rd ICB M F-A Shahjibazar Power-N NCCBL Mutual Fund-1-A AB Bank 1st Mutual Fund-A Brac Bank -A Savar Refractories-Z BD Fixed Income MF-A IFIL Islamic M.F.1-A

Company

12,882.41

Turnover (Volume)

359,738,548

Number of Contract

426,930

Traded Issues

312

Issue Gain (Avg. Price Basis)

33

Issue Loss (Avg. Price Basis)

274 5

Market Capital Equity (Billion. Tk.)

2.568.58

Market Capital Equity (Billion US$)

31.13

CSE key features January 18-22, 2015 Turnover (Million Taka)

1,291.59

Turnover (Volume)

42,217,144

Number of Contract

76,886

Traded Issues

267

Issue Gain (Avg. Price Basis)

28

Issue Loss (Avg. Price Basis)

234

Unchanged Issue (Avg. Price Basis)

4

Market Capital Equity (Billion. Tk.)

2,488.72

Market Capital Equity (Billion US$)

30.17

Turnover in million

19.00 15.60 64.10 14.40 23.90 36.30 26.80 29.40 24.50 226.00

Weekly low 15.70 64.20 1,100.00 25.20 24.10 36.30 26.80 18.20 29.60 32.10

Latest EPS

0.260 52.244 186.801 0.865 30.533 79.975 62.621 89.831 8.274 3.587

Turnover in million 4.288 28.865 0.006 0.162 1.511 4.331 8.695 0.044 16.779 15.738

Closing (% change) 12.20 7.79 6.15 5.75 5.45 5.08 5.05 4.87 4.62 3.45

CSE GAINERS

Unchanged Issue (Avg. Price Basis)

Weekly low

Sunday, January 25, 2015

0.05 1.04 0.88 -7.00 1.24 1.09 0.76 1.36 1.98 1.39

Latest EPS 1.04 0.88 42.33 1.98 1.24 1.09 0.76 -0.37 1.36 3.12

Latest PE 384.0 15.3 75.7 -ve 19.5 34.3 36.0 22.7 13.0 177.8

Latest PE

Company IFIL Islamic M.F.1-A Aramit -A Shahjibazar Power-N Midas Financing-Z Brac Bank -A Sonargaon Tex -Z Samorita Hospital -A Sandhani Life -A AIMS First -A Marico BD Ltd-A

Closing (% change) 8.77 7.68 7.11 7.10 5.09 4.55 3.80 2.76 2.42 2.32

Average (% change) 11.11 8.18 6.15 5.46 4.36 3.87 5.28 4.56 1.85 2.40 Average (% change) 9.35 7.66 0.40 7.16 5.48 4.36 3.80 2.99 1.45 2.25

Closing average

Weekly closing

9.20 8.33 240.00 221.19 5.75 6.17 39.48 49.50 6.62 5.97

Closing average

9.20 8.30 240.00 218.70 5.80 6.20 39.50 49.50 6.80 6.00

Weekly closing

6.20 286.00 513.27 16.61 39.24 11.50 81.90 63.38 29.34 1152.67

6.20 286.00 218.30 16.60 39.20 11.50 81.90 63.40 29.60 1152.70

Weekly high 9.50 8.80 244.00 226.00 6.30 6.20 39.80 51.90 6.90 6.10

Weekly high 6.30 286.00 224.80 16.80 39.60 11.50 85.50 63.50 30.00 1168.00

Weekly low 8.00 7.70 224.00 193.00 5.40 5.90 37.40 47.00 6.40 5.70

Weekly low 5.60 286.00 195.00 16.20 37.30 10.50 73.80 53.00 27.50 1116.00

Turnover in million 0.099 0.093 0.164 84.689 73.041 5.268 428.064 0.043 0.129 6.490

Turnover in million 0.475 0.004 11.267 0.013 5.841 0.236 0.956 0.110 2.550 0.657

Latest EPS -52.72 -47.80 65.28 9.00 0.43 0.56 3.83 -0.44 0.48 1.52

Latest EPS 1.52 14.12 9.00 -7.00 3.83 -0.84 2.32 2.12 1.70 48.72

Latest PE -ve -ve 3.7 24.6 13.4 11.0 10.3 -ve 13.8 3.9

Latest PE 4.1 20.3 57.0 -ve 10.2 -ve 35.3 29.9 17.3 23.7

News, analysis and recent disclosures AGM/Dividend HRTEX: The Board of Directors has recommended 12.50% cash dividend for the year ended on September 30, 2014. Date of AGM: 31.03.2015, Time: 10:30 AM, Venue: Spectra Convention Centre Ltd., House 19, Road 7, Gulshan 1, Dhaka-1212. Record date: 12.02.2015. The Company has also reported EPS of Tk. 1.98, NAV per share of Tk. 16.20 and NOCFPS of Tk. 6.98 for the year ended on September 30, 2014.

MARICO: The Board of Directors of the Company has declared 225% interim cash dividend for the year ending on 31 March 2015 based on 9 months financials for the period ended on 31 December, 2014.

Record date for entitlement of interim cash dividend: 29.01.2015.

Fixed Assets/Right/Investment: BBS: The Company has informed that it has signed an agreement with VIYELLATEX Group. Under this agreement, the Company will construct the 1st phase project of Viyellatex Spinning Mill-2. The project is situated at Mulaid, Shreepur, Gazipur and the Contract value is BDT 610.00 million.

ICB: Investment Corporation of Bangladesh has informed that the Board of Directors of the Corporation has decided to change the denomination of share (Face Value) of the Corporation to Tk. 10.00 from existing face value of Tk. 100.00 each. The record date has been fixed on 03.02.2015 to change the denomination of share.

Audited/unaudited Financial Reports: MATINSPINN: (H/Y Un-audited): Net Profit after tax from July14 to Dec14 was Tk. 195.51 million with EPS of Tk. 2.01 as against Tk. 128.60 million and Tk. 1.32 respectively for the same period of the previous year. Whereas net profit after tax from Oct14 to Dec14 was Tk. 88.42 million with EPS of Tk. 0.91 as against Tk. 74.73 million and Tk. 0.77 respectively for the same period of the previous year.

NFML: (Q3): The Company has reported its profit after tax Tk. 22.26 million and basic EPS Tk. 0.56 for the 3 (three) months ended on 30 September 2014 (Jul 2014Sep 2014) as against profit after tax of Tk. 19.48 million and basic EPS of Tk. 0.49 for the same period of the previous year. It is to be noted that basic EPS has been calculated based on weighted average Pre-IPO paid-up number of shares i.e. 40,000,000 shares for both periods. However, considering Post-IPO 58,000,000 number of shares the Companys basic EPS for the 3 (three) months ended on 30 September 2014 would be Tk. 0.38. For the period of 9 (nine) months (Jan 2014 to Sep 2014) ended on 30 September 2014 profit after tax was Tk. 59.51 million and basic EPS was Tk. 1.49 as against profit after tax of Tk. 57.22 million and basic EPS of Tk. 1.43 for the same period of the previous year. It is to be noted that the said EPS has been calculated based on weighted average Pre-IPO

paid-up number of shares i.e. 40,000,000 shares for both periods. However, considering Post-IPO 58,000,000 number of shares, Companys basic EPS would be Tk. 1.03 for 9 (nine) months ended on 30 September 2014 (Jan 2014 to Sep 2014) and NAV per share would be Tk. 14.16 as on 30 September 2014.

MARICO: (Q3): Profit after tax from Oct14 to Dec14 was Tk. 283.13 million with EPS of Tk. 8.99 as against 346.76 million with EPS of Tk. 11.01 respectively for the same period of the previous year. Whereas Profit after tax from Apr14 to Dec14 was Tk. 1,151.02 million with EPS of Tk. 36.54 as against Tk. 1,099.25 million and Tk. 34.90 respectively for the same period of the previous year.

ENVOYTEX: (Q1 Un-audited): Profit after tax from Oct14 to Dec14 was Tk. 174.57 million with EPS of Tk. 1.21 as against Tk. 39.36 million with EPS of Tk. 0.27 (restated) respectively for the same period of the previous year.

ZAHINTEX: (H/Y Un-audited): Net Profit after tax from July14 to Dec14 was Tk. 20.38 million with EPS of Tk. 0.33 as against Tk. 21.79 million and Tk. 0.35 (restated) respectively for the same period of the previous year. Whereas net profit after tax from Oct14 to Dec14 was Tk. 2.45 million with EPS of Tk. 0.04 as against Tk. 2.77 million with EPS of Tk. 0.04 (restated) respectively for the same period of the previous year.

15.4 75.7 26.0 12.8 19.7 34.3 36.2 -ve 22.7 10.6

The benchmark index lost 158 points during the week as investors went selling frenzy amid countrywide blockade and political turbulence

SECTORAL TURNOVER SUMMARY Sector

Stock

DHAKA TRIBUNE

DSE TURNOVER LEADERS

% change 11.80 7.11 1.88 10.98 3.53 11.70 0.11 15.99 9.37 0.54 3.54 1.03 0.69 4.06 3.20 0.72 1.14 3.73 1.11 7.76 0.00

Million Taka 83.31 37.41 28.68 248.28 26.06 101.00 0.00 285.32 60.56 26.71 49.55 16.85 12.20 46.77 31.02 3.32 7.28 29.95 19.83 217.43 0.08

CSE

% change 6.26 2.81 2.15 18.64 1.96 7.58 0.00 21.43 4.55 2.01 3.72 1.27 0.92 3.51 2.33 0.25 0.55 2.25 1.49 16.33 0.01

Million Taka 1603.43 952.73 271.42 1662.85 481.18 1607.87 14.72 2345.57 1267.88 96.59 505.33 149.73 101.64 570.07 443.29 95.62 153.68 509.95 163.26 1217.13 0.08

Total

% change 11.28 6.70 1.91 11.70 3.39 11.31 0.10 16.50 8.92 0.68 3.56 1.05 0.72 4.01 3.12 0.67 1.08 3.59 1.15 8.56 0.00

Prepared exclusively for Dhaka Tribune by Business Information Automation Service Line (BIASL), on the basis of information collected from daily stock quotations and audited reports of the listed companies. High level of caution has been taken to collect and present the above information and data. The publisher will not take any responsibility if any body uses this information and data for his/her investment decision. For any query please email to biasl@bol-online.com or call 01552153562 or go to www.biasl.net

Company National Feed-N C & A Textile -N LafargeS Cement-Z Brac Bank -A Grameenphone-A IDLC Finance -A Agni Systems -A WesternMarine -N BD Building Systems -A SAIF Powertec-N

BEXIMCO Ltd. -A

CSE TURNOVER LEADERS Company National Feed-N C & A Textile -N Bengal Windsor-A BEXIMCO Ltd. -A WesternMarine -N Alltex Industries -Z LafargeS Cement-Z SummitAlliancePort.-A SAIF Powertec-N Appollo Ispat CL -N

Khan Brothers-N

Volume shares 14,779,678 23,757,312 3,481,324 11,031,181 1,172,921 3,996,695 8,178,122 5,090,016 4,540,853 3,055,622

6,760,863

Volume shares 3,548,617 5,509,188 2,031,144 1,403,768 863,361 1,352,044 304,776 411,415 257,019 889,814

521,102

Value in million 607.45 544.95 442.40 428.06 413.43 319.41 274.16 268.24 238.51 222.95

221.42

Value in million 146.28 125.91 113.37 45.96 45.61 42.43 38.86 28.87 18.63 17.37

16.78

% of total turnover 4.72 4.23 3.43 3.32 3.21 2.48 2.13 2.08 1.85 1.73

1.72

% of total turnover 11.38 9.80 8.82 3.58 3.55 3.30 3.02 2.25 1.45 1.35

1.31

Weekly closing 37.00 26.20 126.00 39.50 348.80 78.70 32.10 50.70 50.10 70.20

32.00

Weekly closing 36.50 25.80 58.20 31.90 50.80 31.60 126.00 65.70 70.20 18.90

30.90

Price change 0.00 0.00 -4.18 5.05 -2.92 -5.64 -9.58 -9.79 -8.58 -7.99

Weekly opening 0.00 0.00 131.50 37.60 359.30 83.40 35.50 56.20 54.80 76.30

Weekly high 49.00 27.00 131.90 39.80 358.10 84.70 35.50 56.00 55.50 77.70

Weekly low 33.00 21.10 123.00 37.40 345.30 77.10 31.30 49.90 48.40 69.00

Weekly average 35.12 23.84 126.30 39.48 349.52 78.62 32.27 50.86 50.19 70.34

Price change 0.00 0.00 1.57 -10.39 -9.61 -6.23 -4.33 -15.88 -7.75 -6.90

Weekly opening 0.00 0.00 57.30 35.60 56.20 33.70 131.70 78.10 76.10 20.30

Weekly high 43.00 27.00 59.90 35.70 56.70 34.30 134.80 77.50 77.00 20.30

Weekly low 0.00 20.10 55.00 30.60 49.60 28.00 121.30 64.20 69.00 18.70

Weekly average 35.36 23.84 56.21 31.66 51.00 31.20 126.20 66.60 70.16 18.93

-10.11

-11.97

35.60

35.10

35.70

35.00

30.70

29.60

31.70

30.85

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Business

China’s use of yuan for crossborder business growing

Eurozone economy picks up in January n AFP, Brussels

n AFP, Shanghai China’s use of its own yuan currency for cross-border transactions has increased “notably” to 9.95tn yuan ($1.63tn) last year, the central bank said Friday, without giving a comparative figure.

China is seeking to make the yuan - also known as the renminbi (RMB) used more internationally in line with its standing as the world’s second-largest economy. Some analysts predict the unit will one day rival the US dollar.

'We have seen a significant increase in RMB usage for payments with China and Hong Kong. Most of this growth is from early adopters and main RMB clearing centres' The combined volume of yuan settlement for cross-border trade, investment and financing accounted for around 20% of China’s total cross-border payments and receipts last year, the People’s Bank of China (PBoC) said in a statement.

But while Beijing is looking to promote the yuan, its value is closely controlled and authorities keep a tight grip on the capital account - investment and financial transactions, rather than those related to trade - over concerns that unpredictable inflows or outflows could harm the economy and their oversight of it.

China’s official news agency Xinhua said in a commentary Friday that yuan internationalisation would benefit the entire world.

“The international usage of the RMB is still in its early days, but in the long run it helps diversify and improve the

A migrant worker is seen passing by the People's Bank of China in Beijing global reserve system, which is currently dominated by a volatile US dollar,” it said.

China’s commerce ministry said this week it will it will only issue figures for inward and outward foreign investment in yuan, dropping the dollar statistic.

Spokesman Shen Danyang said no big countries, such as the US, would announce such figures in another country’s currency, adding that it was also partly an effort to push the yuan’s greater international role.

Earlier this month, Customs only issued trade values in yuan at its quar-

China Alibaba founder Jack Ma shows global ambitions n AFP, Davos Alibaba founder Jack Ma, China’s richest person, on Friday expressed ambitions of making his company into a global e-commerce platform serving two billion customers.

The company, which listed on the New York Stock Exchange last year, is estimated to hold over 90 percent of the Chinese market for consumer-toconsumer transactions through its Taobao platform.

Taobao has more than 800 million product listings and around 500 million registered users, according to the company.

“What I am thinking about: how we can make Alibaba a platform for global small business,” Ma told the World Economic Forum.

He described the vision as an ecommerce version of the World Trade Organization (WTO).

“Today, the Internet can help small businesses sell things across the oceans, across nations. And I hope we can serve two billion consumers. We can help ten million small businesses outside China,” he said, speaking in English.

In November, Ma said he planned

a “global version” of Taobao, allowing buyers and sellers in different countries to connect with each other.

Taobao’s foreign efforts to date have focused mainly on overseas Chinese communities but Alibaba has launched a US shopping website, 11 Main.

Alibaba is often described as the Chinese version of eBay. Like the US company, it has its own payments system, called Alipay, though it puts less emphasis on online auctions in favour of instant transactions.

Alibaba bested eBay in China over a decade ago, essentially forcing it to retreat.

Ma recounted a conversation with an executive of US retail giant Walmart, in which he suggested Alibaba could become bigger through the Internet.

“If you want to have 10,000 new customers, you have to build a new warehouse, this and that,” he said, referring to the Walmart executive. “For me, two servers.”

Ma is China’s richest person with a net worth of $28.5bn as of Thursday, according to Bloomberg Billionaires.

He vaulted into first place after Alibaba listed on the New York Stock Exchange in September. l

terly briefing, with the official dollar amount made available later on its website.

Transactions organisation SWIFT estimates the yuan is the seventh most used global payment currency, though with only a 1.59% share as of October last year.

“We have seen a significant increase in RMB usage for payments with China and Hong Kong. Most of this growth is from early adopters and main RMB clearing centres,” Astrid Thorsen, head of business intelligence for SWIFT, said in a statement in November.

B3

Sunday, January 25, 2015

AFP

“This is a good sign for RMB adoption rates and internationalisation.”

China has set up yuan clearing arrangements with 10 countries and regions and signed currency swap agreements with 28 central banks, the PBoC statement said.

In the latest agreement, Switzerland’s central bank said Wednesday it had signed a pact with the PBoC to set up clearing arrangements for yuan trading.

The Swiss National Bank said the agreement will facilitate bilateral trade and investment. l

Eurozone business activity picked up to a five-month high in January, a key survey showed Friday, just the day after the European Central Bank announced a 1tn euro economic stimulus package.

Analysts said the report was encouraging as it confirmed a recent modest pick-up but they cautioned that growth remains weak after the economy faltered badly in 2014.

Markit Economics said its Composite Purchasing Managers Output Index (PMI) for the 19-nation single currency bloc hit 52.2 points, up from 51.4 in December.

The report showed the manufacturing sector rising to a six-month high of 51 points in December from 50.6 in December, with services up to 52.3 from 51.6.

Any reading above 50 points shows activity is expanding.

The eurozone stagnated in the second quarter last year and only managed 0.2% growth in the three months to September, with analysts worried that deflation could tip the economy back into recession.

Markit chief economic Chris Williamson said the latest PMI figures marked “a positive start to 2015 ... but the rate of expansion remains worryingly weak.”

The report suggested the eurozone was growing “at a quarterly rate of just 0.2% and the economy both fragile and susceptible to shocks and further setbacks,” Williamson said.

“That said, there’s good reason to believe the rate of expansion will continue to improve in coming months,” he said, citing signs of a rise in business confidence while tumbling oil prices should cut costs and help boost consumer demand.

ECB stimulus programme

On Thursday, the ECB said it would pump some 60bn euros a month through to late-2016 into the economy via a bond purchase programme in an

effort to get it back on track.

“Business confidence in services has already improved, rising to the highest since March of last year, and the additional stimulus (from the ECB) should help to underpin a further improvement in confidence,” Williamson said.

He cautioned however that while lower oil prices will help household finances, they “will inevitably fuel growing concerns about the threat of deflation.”

Deflation, when prices fall in absolute terms, can play havoc because consumers are likely to put off purchases in the hope of buying cheaper in the future.

'The latest PMI figures marked a positive start to 2015 ... but the rate of expansion remains worryingly weak' That however only further depresses demand, forcing companies to cut investment and jobs, setting up a vicious downward spiral.

ECB chief Mario Draghi stressed Thursday the new “Quantitative Easing” or QE policy would remain in place “until we see a sustained adjustment in the path of inflation.”

Jennifer McKeown at Capital Economics said the PMI report “suggests that growth remains very slow, confirming that the ECB’s latest policy support is sorely needed.”

The figures were consistent with overall economic growth of 0.2%, McKeown said, noting that while Germany made progress, France, the bloc’s second ranked economy, slipped back.

McKeown said the ECB programme should be positive overall “but growth will be slow, doing little to erode the spare capacity in the economy and holding open the risk of a prolonged bout of deflation.” l

CORPORATE NEWS

Gartner: IFS retains its leadership position n Tribune Business Desk IFS, a global enterprise applications company has recently been recognised as a leader in the Gartner Magic Quadrant, Gartner Inc is a US-based research and advisory firm.

The recognition was given for its product IFS Applications 8™ among

product-centric midmarket ERP companies segment.

IFS has been positioned as a leader for second consecutive year in the report, said a press release.

IFS President and CEO, Alastair Sorbie said, “We are very proud to be recognized for the second year running as a leader in the industry.” l

Social Islami Bank Ltd has recently won an award at ICMAB (Institute of Cost and Management Accountants of Bangladesh) Best Corporate Award 2014 for establishing good governance, transparency and accountability. The bank’s additional managing director, Ihsanul Aziz received the award from Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith at the prize giving ceremony

Euro under pressure in Asia after plunging on ECB stimulus n AFP, Tokyo The euro was on Friday close to its lowest levels in more than a decade after the European Central Bank launched a vast bond-buying programme aimed at kickstarting the eurozone economy.

The single currency - which hit an 11-year low of $1.1316 after the announcement Thursday - bought $1.1342 in Tokyo afternoon trade. That is down from $1.1359 late in New York and well off the levels above $1.16 seen earlier Thursday in Asia.

It also fell to 134.25 yen, against 134.63 yen in US trade and 136.80 yen Thursday in Tokyo.

The dollar edged down to 118.35 yen against 118.52 yen in New York.

The ECB said it would inject 60bn euros a month into financial markets from March until September 2016, a programme known as quantitative easing (QE). Analysts had been expecting it to buy 50bn euros a month.

The move came after the region’s inflation turned negative in December,

stoking fears that the 19-nation eurozone is on the brink of a dangerous deflationary spiral.

Analysts said the single currency could weaken further as the ECB announcement underscores a growing policy divergence with the US Federal Reserve.

The Fed wrapped up its own quantitative easing (QE) programme in October and is now considering an interest rate hike this year.

“The euro has more downside as the monetary policy divergence will likely become clear with the Fed meeting next week,” Etsuko Yamashita, chief economist at Sumitomo Mitsui Banking, told Bloomberg News.

“The ECB’s decision implies quantitative easing will last for a considerably long time and is spurring euro selling in reaction.”

The euro also slipped to 0.9862 Swiss francs, from 0.9897 in New York, while the British pound briefly dipped below $1.50 for the first time since mid2013. l

Shahed Borw Noor International Ltd has recently signed an agreement with Syrikat Markaz Malazia SDN BHD for industrial development. Shahed Badshah Borwlightjan, son of Osman, chairperson of Shahed Borw Noor International Ltd and Dr Sabrina, executive director of Syrikat Markaz Malazia SDN BHD were present on the occasion

Intertek, a quality solutions provider has recently inaugurated a comprehensive leather and footwear testing facility in Bangladesh to support the leather, footwear and leather goods industries in South Asia. The lab was inaugurated by Hedayetullah al Mamoon, senior secretary at Ministry of Commerce at the presence of Engr M Abu Taher, chairperson of Bangladesh Finished Leather, Leather goods & Footwear Exporters’ Association

EXIM Bank has recently received ICMAB Best Corporate Award 2014 in the category of private commercial bank (Islamic operation) for its performance. The bank’s managing director, Dr Mohammed Haider Ali Miah received the award from the chief guest, Finance Minister AMA Muhith

Executive committee of Social Islami Bank Limited has recently held its 259th meeting.

The committee’s chairperson, Alhaj Sk. Mohammad Rabban Ali presided over the meeting

B4

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Back Page

Sunday, January 25, 2015

Bankers: Big is beautiful, safe and economic n Reuters, Davos Europe’s bankers defended the big bank model this week in Davos as the mounting cost of regulation puts a question mark over its future.

Big complex banks must now hold far more capital than in the past because they are seen as posing higher economic risks and they have to be easier to dismantle if they hit trouble.

That has hurt their profitability and held back share prices.

JPMorgan, the biggest US bank by assets, has faced growing pressure to consider a break-up, and similar questions are being put to less profitable European rivals such as Deutsche Bank, Barclays and Credit Suisse.

JPMorgan Chief Executive Jamie Dimon last week said splitting his bank would be bad for the financial prestige of the United States, and he won support from his peers at this week’s World Economic Forum in Davos.

“Is there a better model? Those of us who are large have always faced questions.” said Douglas Flint, chairman of HSBC, Europe’s biggest bank by market value. “If we were asked the same question (as JPMorgan on breaking up) we would give the same answer.”

Pressure has built on JPMorgan since it emerged in December that it could require more than $20bn of extra capital to meet tougher U.S. rules on big banks.

Banks around the globe are having to consider radical ways to cut costs and change their size and shape as they come out of the worst year since 2008 for investment banking revenues and remain under what Dimon called an “assault” from regulators.

In Europe, banks have still not returned to economic profit since the financial crisis, according to a study by Boston Consulting Group.

Many so-called universal banks are being valued by stock markets at much lower than their net worth on their balance sheets, or the ‘book value’ of their assets.

JPMorgan shares are trading at 0.9

n Reuters

The Canary Wharf financial district is seen at dusk in east London times the bank’s book value and Citigroup trades on 0.7 times. In contrast, Wells Fargo, which is mostly reliant on US retail and commercial banking, trades on 1.6 times its book value.

Barclays shares trade at 0.7 times book value and Deutsche Bank trades at barely half book, whereas Lloyds Banking Group, a UK focused retail bank, trades on 1.2 times.

While banks went on the defensive in Davos, behind the scenes changes are afoot.

Deutsche Bank is considering splitting off its retail division and Barclays

Google boss: Internet will ‘disappear’ n AFP, Davos Google boss Eric Schmidt predicted on Thursday that the Internet will soon be so pervasive in every facet of our lives that it will effectively “disappear” into the background.

Speaking to the business and political elite at the World Economic Forum at Davos, Schmidt said: “There will be so many sensors, so many devices, that you won’t even sense it, it will be all around you.”

“It will be part of your presence all the time. Imagine you walk into a room and... you are interacting with all the things going on in that room.”

“A highly personalised, highly interactive and very interesting world emerges.”

On the sort of high-level panel only found among the ski slopes of Davos, a panel bringing together the heads of Google, Facebook and Microsoft and Vodafone sought to allay fears that the rapid pace of technological advance was killing jobs.

“Everyone’s worried about jobs,” admitted Sheryl Sandberg, chief operating officer of Facebook.

With so many changes in the technology world, “the transformation is happening faster than ever before,” she acknowledged.

“But tech creates jobs not only in the tech space but outside,” she insisted.

Schmidt quoted statistics he said showed that every tech job created between five and seven jobs in a different area of the economy.

“If there were a single digital market in Europe, 400 million new and important new jobs would be created in Europe,” which is suffering from stubbornly high levels of unemployment.

The debate about whether technology is destroying jobs “has been around for hundreds of years,” said the Google boss. What is different is the speed of change.

“It’s the same that happened to the people who lost their farming jobs when the tractor came... but ultimate-

DILBERT

China manufacturing index edges up in January

ly a globalised solution means more equality for everyone.”

Everyone has a voice

With one of the main topics at this year’s World Economic Forum being how to share out the fruits of global growth, the tech barons stressed that the greater connectivity offered by their companies ultimately helps reduce inequalities.

“Are the spoils of tech being evenly spread? That is an issue that we have to tackle head on,” said Satya Nadella, chief executive of Microsoft.

“I’m optimistic, there’s no question.

If you are in the tech business, you have to be optimistic. Ultimately to me, it’s about human capital. Tech empowers humans to do great things.”

Facebook boss Sandberg said the Internet in its early forms was “all about anonymity” but now everyone was sharing everything and everyone was visible.

“Now everyone has a voice... now everyone can post, everyone can share and that gives a voice to people who have historically not had it,” she said.

Schmidt, who said he had recently come back from the reclusive state of North Korea, said he believed that technology forced potentially despotic and hermetic governments to open up as their citizens acquired more knowledge about the outside world.

“It is no longer possible for a country to step out of basic assumptions in banking, communications, morals and the way people communicate,” the Google boss said.

“You cannot isolate yourself any more. It simply doesn’t work.”

Nevertheless, Sandberg told the assembled elites that even the current pace of change was only the tip of the iceberg.

“Today, only 40% of people have Internet access,” she said, adding: “If we can do all this with 40%, imagine what we can do with 50, 60, 70 percent.”

Even two decades into the global spread of the Internet, the potential for opening up and growth was tremendous, she stressed. l

boss Antony Jenkins has said the universal banking model is dead.

'Too small to prosper?'

Universal banks benefit from selling asset management and capital markets products to wealthy clients and companies, but bankers admit there are far fewer benefits from cost savings or cross-selling than in the past.

Many corporate clients still wanted strong national or regional firms, however, bankers said.

“We have become a global, multiproduct bank because clients want it,”

REUTERS

Deutsche Bank co-CEO Anshu Jain said during a panel discussion on the future of banking on Wednesday.

Despite brickbats from some politicians, there remains strong support for large national banks in countries including the United States, Germany, France and Italy.

“Shouldn’t we have concerns about banks that are too small to prosper?” said Italian Economy Minister Pier Carlo Padoan in response to a question from Reuters on whether banks should be broken up.

Urs Rohner, chairman of Credit Su-

isse, also saw little merit in splitting firms up. “Breaking up banks will not do anything to make the system safer,” he said.

But it is investors who will ultimately call the shots if returns don’t improve.

“The pressure to restructure is moving from the public sector to the private sector,” said Bob Penn, partner at Allen & Overy in London. “It’s a cold, logical, analytical decision that at some point the incremental costs of regulation exceed the costs associated with breaking up.” l

Chinese manufacturing activity picked up marginally in January but still contracted, a closely watched gauge indicated Friday, as growth in the world’s number two economy slows down.

British banking giant HSBC said a preliminary reading of its purchasing managers’ index (PMI) showed it had edged up to 49.8 this month from a final reading of 49.6 in December.

The December figure marked the first contraction since May. Readings above 50 point to growth, while anything below suggests shrinkage.

The index, compiled by information services provider Markit, tracks activity in China’s factories and workshops and is a closely watched indicator of the health of the Asian economic giant, a key driver of global growth.

“The manufacturing slowdown is still ongoing amidst weak domestic demand,” Qu Hongbin, HSBC’s economist in Hong Kong, said in the statement.

“More monetary and fiscal easing measures will be needed to support growth in the coming months,” he said.

China’s economy has been hit by manufacturing and trade weakness as well as declining prices for real estate, which has hammered the key property sector.

It grew 7.4% in 2014, slower than the 7.7% in 2013 and the worst since the 3.8% recorded in 1990.

China’s top leaders say they are ready to tolerate slower expansion as the government seeks to shift the economy away from one driven by investment and exports towards greater consumption, ultimately making growth more sustainable.

Premier Li Keqiang said this week at the World Economic Forum in Davos that he was determined to bring changes that would deliver “quality growth” rather than just a high top-line figure.

But authorities last year did not take an entirely hands off approach to the growth slowdown, implementing a series of targeted measures analysts described as “mini-stimulus”. l

Economists: ECB quantitative easing probably won’t bring inflation up to target

n Reuters

The European Central Bank’s plan to buy sovereign bonds won’t be enough to bring inflation up to target, according to a slim majority in a Reuters poll of 45 economists taken after its more than 1tn euro program was announced.

As such, it is also “likely” that the program, which will have the ECB buy up to 60 billion euros of securities per month from March, will last beyond the central bank’s intentions to end it

by September 2016, the poll found.

ECB President Mario Draghi announced a last-ditch plan on Thursday to spur inflation and to revive the euro zone economy with an intention to purchase more than one trillion euros of sovereign bonds and private securities.

But in a snap poll conducted after the press conference, 24 of 45 economists said the quantitative easing program would not succeed in raising inflation to the ECB’s target of just below 2%.

Inflation is currently nowhere near that. It fell to -0.2% in December and Draghi warned at the press conference that it is likely to be low or negative in months ahead.

“There is no guarantee that QE will work. The ECB can prepare the grounds for more investment and activity but it cannot force consumers to spend or companies to invest,” wrote Carsten Brzeski, economist at ING Financial Markets, in a note.

Part of the criticism stems from the policy of sharing the risk on 20% of the asset purchases with national central banks, suggesting the bulk of any potential losses will fall on institutions from already highly-indebted countries.

“We remain skeptical that euro area QE will work as effectively as some claim,” wrote Philip Shaw, chief economist at Investec.

“The presence of a huge amount of eurosystem liquidity in 2012 did not lead to an upturn in lending to the real economy and indeed, it is difficult to see this occurring until euro area banks have strengthened their balance sheets sufficiently.”

Draghi said the ECB will buy sovereign bonds from March through September 2016 or until such a time that inflation shows signs of picking up pace.

A majority of economists, 30 of 45, said QE will likely be extended beyond that, especially if austerity pinned demand from consumers and global crude oil prices don’t rise. Six said it was “very likely”. l

Labourers are silhouetted against the setting sun as they work at the construction site of a metro rail project in Kolkata

REUTERS

Reuters Poll: Indian economic growth forecasts pegged back, despite rate cuts n Reuters India’s economy will pick up steam in the fiscal year beginning in April, but not by as much as analysts thought just a few months ago due to disappointment over a delayed revival in investment, a Reuters poll found.

Tumbling oil prices and easier credit conditions are likely to boost consumption, but implementing reforms will also be key to sustaining that momentum.

According to ING Vysya economist Upasana Bharadwaj, the outlook for the economy is still good, but the delay in strong investments in India means that forecasts for next year have been pegged back slightly.

The poll of 19 analysts forecast Asia’s third largest economy to grow 6.2% next fiscal year, a slight downgrade from the October survey’s forecast of 6.4%, but it would still be the first time that growth has exceeded 6% since FY 2011/2012.

The poll also showed that the economy will grow 5.5% the current fiscal year ending in March, unchanged from the previous poll result.

India suffered its slowest phase of economic growth for a quarter century during the previous two years

when it clocked consecutive growth rates of sub-5 percent. The economy is still growing far too slowly to generate enough jobs for the increasing number of people entering the labour force.

Hopes of some acceleration in the growth rate stemmed partly from last week’s surprise interest rate cut by the Reserve Bank of India and a clear signal it would ease policy through 2015 if inflation continued to cool and the government kept its finances healthy.

Median forecasts showed the economy expanding 5.8% this quarter and 6% next.

“A looser policy should help growth accelerate over the next 18 months or so. On top of this, there is the boon from the drop in oil prices and what that means for spending,” said Shilan Shah, India economist at Capital Economics.

A spectacular fall in global crude oil prices, roughly 60% in the last six months, has sent inflation tumbling, reduced India’s import bill, will make it easier for the government to cut costly fuel subsidies, and has freed up more disposable income for India’s middle classes to spend on other goods and services.

The latest poll saw consumer prices rising 6.5% this fiscal year and 6% in

the following year, sharply down from the 7.5% and 7% forecasts in October’s poll.

RBI Governor Rajan said last week more policy easing would take place if data continued to confirm disinflationary pressures and economists took that as a sign that further easing is certain.

All economists surveyed predicted a cut in the repo rate, currently 7.75%, before July while 9 of 20 forecast a cut as early as policy review meeting on Feb 3.

But India requires reforms, and while many have been promised by the government few have been implemented.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has sought to push reforms on foreign investment and manufacturing, but is facing rigid labour markets, poor infrastructure and political obstruction, despite holding a strong majority in the lower house of parliament.

Next year’s budget will be unveiled on Feb 28 and should give an indication of what reforms can be expected.

“We are on the slightly more cautious side in terms of hopes of reform and we’ve seen the political roadblocks come into play over the past month or so and it’s going to constrain the reform agenda,” said Shah. l