25 Feb, 2015

Falgun 13, 1421 Jamadiul Awal 5, 1436 Regd No DA 6238 Vol 2, No 321

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2015 | www.dhakatribune.com | SECOND EDITION

20 pages plus 8-page Treehouse children’s supplement | Price: Tk12

TREEHOUSE

7 | LONG FORM

11 | OP-ED

12 | SPORT

WORD ON THE STREET: DREAM COME TRUE

DIGITAL BANGLADESH AS AN ENGINE FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH

FARUQUE HASAN: IT’S ALL ABOUT THE MONEY

GAYLE’S RECORD DOUBLE CENTURY FLATTENS ZIM

Manna traced after 20 hours, shown arrested

Deaths of three youths in Mirpur veiled in mystery n Ashif Islam Shaon

RAB hands him over to Gulshan police after a daylong drama

n Tribune Report Elite force Rapid Action Battalion handed over Nagorik Oikya Jote chief Mahmudur Rahman Manna to Gulshan police station around midnight, officials said.

He was handed over to Gulshan police around 12:25am by a RAB team, Gulshan circle Assistant Commissioner

Manna had admitted having the conversations but said he was misinterpreted Nurul Amin told the Dhaka Tribune.

Manna was shown arrested in a case filed yesterday by SI Sohel Rana of Gulshan police on charge of instigating the armed forces, sources said. He was immediately handed over to Detective Branch of Police for interrogation.

RAB’s media and legal wing Director Commander Mufti Mahmud claimed that they had arrested Manna from Dhanmondi area around 10:30pm yesterday.

Earlier, RAB’s Additional Director General Ziaul Ahsan confirmed to the Dhaka Tribune that the elite force personnel had arrested Manna. He, however, did not mention the time of making the arrest.

Manna could not be traced for nearly 20 hours after the law enforcers allegedly picked him up at the early hours yesterday.

His family earlier alleged that some people identifying themselves as law enforcers had abducted Manna, just a day after his leaked telephonic conversations triggered massive controversy.

Police, however, denied the allegations saying none of their wings had anything to do with Manna’s apparent disappearance.

The BNP, who along with its partners have been enforcing a countrywide transport blockade and intermittent hartals since January 6, yesterday demanded that Manna be returned to his family immediately.

On Monday, after the conversations got leaked, Manna expressed fears that he might be arrested anytime. So he took refuge at a relative’s house and that is where he had been picked up from, alleged Manna’s wife Meher Nigar.

On the other hand, Monirul Islam, chief of Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s (DMP’s) DB police, told the Dhaka Tribune that they were still scrutinising the leaked conversations and trying to determine if they contained anything provocative or actionable.

“So, at this stage, none of the units of DMP could have picked him up. But if anyone disguised as police abducted  PAGE 2 COLUMN 4

Joytsna Rabi Das, mother of Sumon Robi Das, 17, breaks into tears after finding her son’s dead body in Dhaka Medical College morgue yesterday. Sumon went missing on Monday RAJIB DHAR

n Ahmed Zayeef Former Muslim League leader Mohammad Abdul Jabbar has been awarded imprisonment until his natural death, though he deserved capital punishment, for committing crimes against humanity, including killings, loot and arson, in Mathbaria of Pirojpur during the 1971 Liberation War, says a war crimes tribunal.

In its verdict delivered yesterday, the three-member International Crimes Tribunal 1, led by Justice M Enayetur Rahim, said for the offences Jabbar, 82, had committed, he deserved death penalty. But the punishment was committed to life-term imprisonment considering his age.

Jabbar, also a former Jatiya Party lawmaker, has been fugitive since 2009

while the prosecution and the investigation agency of the tribunal are unaware of his whereabouts.

The tribunal yesterday ordered the home secretary and the police chief to ensure the arrest of the fugitive convict with the help of the Interpol, if necessary.

Earlier two war criminals were given jail until death due to their old age. The convicts are former BNP minister Abdul Alim and former Jamaat-e-Islami chief Ghulam Azam.

Apart from Jabbar, four other death row convicts have been absconding.

They are Abul Kalam Azad alias Bachchu Razakar, Chowdhury Mueen Uddin, Ashrafuzzaman Khan and MA Zahid Hossain Khokon alias Khokon Razakar.

Jabbar was also made accused in a

case filed under the Collaborators Act after the independence. But he went into hiding after the war and remained a fugitive until the political changeover of August 15, 1975.

Later he became active in politics and was elected a lawmaker from Mathbaria in 1986 and 1988 with Jatiya Party tickets. “...we cannot overlook the advanced age of the accused, the mitigating factor, which has come up before us for its due consideration.

“Undisputedly, accused Md Abdul Jabbar engineer is now an old man of more than 82 years. Mitigating factor of advanced age, particularly more than 82 years of the accused is taken into consideration by this tribunal for taking lenient view in the matter of awarding punishment to the accused.

Gayle answers critics in Canberra carnage

Zahidul Islam n Mohammad and Abu Hayat Mahmud

n Reuters, Canberra

 PAGE 2 COLUMN 4

When the president of your own cricket board is re-tweeting messages suggesting you should retire, you know you need to make something of a statement.

West Indies batsman Chris Gayle made that statement in a fashion yesterday against Zimbabwe that can only be described as emphatic with the first double century in a World Cup match.

West Indies Cricket Board President Dave Cameron will not be the only person around the world wiping large amounts of egg off his face over the next couple of days, however.

One of the most feared batsmen in the game, Gayle’s last one-day century had come in June 2013 and it had been eight innings since he last breached the 50-run mark.

A poor start to the World Cup had

IT’S ALL MINE: Chris Gayle holds the scoring plates that shout out his record in the West Indies vs Zimbabwe World Cup 2015 Group B match in Canberra yesterday

INSIDE

5 | News

Five automatic vehicle inspection centres, installed at a cost of Tk40cr, have been non-functional for over 14 years due to lack of skilled operator and software glitches.

8 | World

Pakistan National Database and Registration Authority officials issued Computerised National Identity Cards to Afghan woman Sharbat Bibi and her two sons.

 PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

Fugitive Jabbar spared death due to age

Ruling party leaders tightlipped No Awami League policymaker was ready to make any comment on the alleged “disappearance” of Nagorik Oikya Convener Mahmudur Rahman Manna.

Requesting anonymity, a presidium member of the ruling party said: “The situation is different, complicated. So, I should not make any comment at this point.”

The Dhaka Tribune yesterday caught up with Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader in the lobby of the Jatiya Sangsad.

Asked about Manna’s disappearance, the minister said: “A lot of things have been said in the cabinet and parliament yesterday. So, there is no need to say anything new today.”

Abdul Mannan, an Awami League lawmaker from Bogra, told in parliament yesterday: “No matter how heard Mr Manna tries, he will not be able to bring anyone from ‘Uttarpara’.”

Mannan’s comment was an echo of what Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina told in parliament only a day before.

The Dhaka Tribune yesterday contacted Awami League presidium members Tofail Ahmed and Amir Hossain

Relatives at the Dhaka Medical College Hospital morgue yesterday identified two youths out of the three allegedly beaten to death by an angry mob in the capital’s Mirpur area on Monday.

Police said the three were arsonists who an angry mob caught red-handed while hurling petrol bombs in the capital’s Mirpur area.

Later police brought their bullet-hit bodies to the DMCH morgue early Monday.

One of them was Robin, 14, son of Selim Mia living at Kalshi slum in Mirpur and another was Sumon Robi Das, 17, son of Robi Das, a cobbler, from the same area.

They were friends and neighbors.

Police in the inquest report stated their ages as 20 and 19 respectively.

Family members of the third youth did not come to the morgue for his body until evening yesterday.

15 | Entertainment

Nawsheen has made her first appearance in a music video for a song featuring Rizvi Wahid and Nancy. The song was written and composed by Indian singer Shaan.

B1 | Business

A sub-committee of the parliamentary body on the Shipping Ministry has launched a probe into alleged corruption in six projects of Chittagong Port.

many in the cricket world consigning the 35-year-old to a lucrative semi-retirement in a series of cameos in Twenty20 leagues around the world.

On Tuesday, though, Gayle played one of the great World Cup innings with a record-equalling 16 sixes as well 10 fours in a 147-ball 215 that shattered a string of records.

‘I’m really glad I gave them something to actually cheer about’ “It’s been a lot of pressure and the runs haven’t come for the first time ever in my career,” Gayle said in a pitchside interview.

“So many people wanted me to score, the message kept coming in from Twitter, the telephone and everything.

“It’s the first time I’ve ever seen the  PAGE 2 COLUMN 5

Having regards to the above facts and circumstances, we are of agreed view that ends of justice would be met if mitigating punishment is awarded, instead of capital punishment, for the crimes,” the tribunal said in the judgement.

The two other members of the tribunal is Justice Jahangir Hossain and Justice Anwarul Haque.

Jabbar was found guilty in all the five charges brought against him. He was given imprisonment until death on four charges and 20 years’ jail on the other that involves conversion of around 200 Hindus to Islam.

Founder of Mathbaria unit Peace Committee and Razakar Bahini, Jabbar aided the Pakistani occupation forces in committing the crimes, the tribunal said.  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

BCB: Al Amin not linked with bookies n Minhaz Uddin Khan Bangladesh Cricket Board has denied the allegation of pacer Al Amin Hossain’s contact with an Indian bookmaker, saying he was withdrawn from the national World Cup squad because of breaking the team curfew last Thursday.

“It has nothing to do with any alleged corruption,” BCB media committee Chairman Jalal Yunus was quoted by the AFP as saying. “Acsu has told us that they have nothing against Al Amin. We only took action because we have a no-tolerance policy for disobeying team orders.”

Al Amin reached Dhaka yesterday by an early flight from Melbourne.

Upon reaching Dhaka, the 25-year-old cricketer, who was replaced by fellow pacer Shafiul Islam, avoided talking to the media and according to sources, he is currently staying at a relative’s home.

The whole issue took a turn for the worst after it was revealed in the media that the Bangladesh team management had made the decision of sending Al Amin back for reportedly confessing to meeting an illegal Indian bookmaker.

This gave rise to several questions in the country’s cricketing arena with many questioning the young cricketer’s ethics.

The official statement issued last  PAGE 2 COLUMN 6

2

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Extra Tk20.4cr disbursed for police, BGB intelligence operations n Asif Showkat Kallol The Finance Ministry disbursed an additional Tk20.4cr for intelligence operations of the police and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), both under the Home Ministry, to tackle the 20-party alliance’s blockade and hartal-related violence.

A Finance Division circular regarding the disbursement, signed by Senior Assistant Secretary Sadia Sharmin, was issued yesterday.

For the 2014-15 fiscal year, the had government allocated Tk17.43cr for Bangladesh Police intelligence work and Tk4.50cr for BGB intelligence operations.

According to the circular, the Fi-

Hasan: Anti-state conspirators must be arrested n Tribune Report Awami League Publicity and Publication Secretary Hasan Mahmud yesterday said action would be taken against the BNP-Jamaat associates for plotting against the government in the name of civil society.

He said the conversation between Nagorik Oikya Convener Mahmudur Rahman Manna and BNP Vice-Chairman Sadeque Hossain Khoka and also with an anonymous person proved that they they all were involved with a conspiracy to grab power through backdoor.

Hasan Mahmud made the statement while addressing as chief guest at a procession and human chain protesting the BNP-Jamaat’s blockade-hartal in front of the National Press Club. Bangabandhu Sangskritik Jote organised the human chain.

Food Minister Qamrul Islam, former state minister for home Shamsul Haque Tuku and several other ruling party leaders also addressed the gathering.

“The government’s first duty is to uproot all BNP-Jamaat militants from the land as democracy and militancy cannot be on the same track,” Quamrul said. l

nance Division paid out an extra Tk15cr to Bangladesh Police for intelligence operations during hartals and the blockade and released Tk5.4cr to boost the BGB’s intelligence work.

A total of Tk20.4cr was released from the Unexpected Expenditure Management title of the current budget, which has an allocation of Tk1,500cr.

The police and BGB intelligence funds will be adjusted in the revised budget and unused money will be returned before the end of the fiscal year, the circular said.

In the first week of February, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) directed the Finance Ministry to provide necessary allocations to meet the urgent

needs of the country’s law enforcement agencies.

A letter in this regard, signed by PMO Director Dr Dewan Muhammad Humayun Kabir, was sent to the senior secretaries of the Finance Division and the Home Ministry.

Earlier, a top-ranking Finance Division official told the Dhaka Tribune: “We are facing tremendous pressure regarding funding demands of Tk154.3cr from the Home Ministry, Railways Ministry and Roads and Highways Division.

“However, as of now, the [Finance] division has only disbursed Tk86.3cr from the fund for unexpected expenditures,” the official, who asked not to be named, said. l

Sixth anniversary of BDR carnage today n Tribune Report The sixth anniversary of the BDR carnage will be observed today across the country in commemoration of 74 people, including 57 army officials, who were killed in BDR (now BGB) headquarters at Pilkhana in Dhaka on February 25-26, 2009.

256 people, mostly from BDR soldiers were sentenced to different terms of imprisonment ranging from 3-10 years Top officials from the government, BGB, and army, along with the relatives will pay tribute to those killed in the BDR mutiny by placing wreaths at their graves in Banani graveyard today.

Under the arrangement of Bangladesh Army, representatives of President Abdul Hamid, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, State Minister for Home Affairs Asaduzzaman Khan, the chiefs of three military services, home ministry’s sen-

ior secretary and BGB director general will place wreaths at the grave around 9am, according to a BGB statement.

The statement was issued by Muhammad Mohsin Reza, public relations officer of the paramilitary force. It also reads that a doa-mahfil will be held at Bir Uttam Fazlur Rahman Khandaker auditorium at Pilkhana BGB headquarters at 4:30pm on Thursday.

Along with the formal arrangements, special prayers will also be offered in all mosques under BGB and in all region, sector, institution and units of BGB and its BOPs, it reads.

After the BDR mutiny in 2009, which killed 57 army officials, the force was later renamed as Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB).

On November 5, 2013, a Dhaka court announced death penalty to 150 soldiers of the then Bangladesh Rifles and two civilians for their involvement in the carnage. Life imprisonment was announced to 161 others.

In addition, 256 people, mostly from BDR soldiers were sentenced to different terms of imprisonment ranging from 3 to 10 years while 277 accused got acquittal. l

Deaths of three youths in Mirpur veiled in mystery  PAGE 1 COLUMN 6

However, police in a primary investigation identified the youth as Jewel,19, son of Aminul Islam of Bogra district.

The family members of the two claimed that a man called them from their homes in the afternoon of Sunday. They worked as bus and leguna helpers.

They did not have any political affiliation or any complaint with any police station, they claimed.

But Mirpur police following the incident said the victims and some of their cohorts gathered in front of Krishibid Bhaban at Kazipara to hurl petrol bombs and crude bombs on vehicles around 11pm on Sunday.

Some people around the place chased them to Baish Bari area and caught them in an alley. They beat and shot them leaving them critically injured. Later police recovered petrol bombs and crude bombs from the spot.

Moinul Islam, OC (investigation) of Mirpur police, said they suspected that someone in the mob might have shot them after beating up. Police filed a case accusing around 150 locals in this connection.

The youths did not have any major

injury marks of beating but their bodies were riddled with a total of 54 bullet marks in the chest, abdomen, waist, hands, arms, back and legs, morgue sources said.

On Monday morning, at the spot they were killed locals saw marks of blood on the road and a wall. More than 10 shells of bullets of different guns were found lying around.

There was also a long blood-stained rope on the spot. Police dumped the rope in the noon when some journalists went to see the spot.

Yesterday after identifying the body Robin’s grandmother Halima Begum, who works as contractual house-help at several apartments, told reporters on the morgue premises that Robin used to work either as helper of local bus of Mirpur-Gulisthan route or leguna of Kalshi-Purobi route.

“He went out from home around 6am on Sunday to join a leguna driver.

He came back in the evening. A hermaphrodite came to our house and called him out. Robin said he would come back shortly,” she said.

Sumon’s mother Josna Robi Das also said that the hermaphrodite, whose name they did not know but had seen

Jabbar spared death due to age  PAGE 1 COLUMN 6

He was sentenced to imprisonment for life for the deaths of two freedom fighters – Abdur Razzak Biswas and Motaleb Sharif, and arson attack on over 100 houses at Phuljhuri of Mathbaria; for ordering his accomplices to shoot Sarada Kanta Paik to death and set 360 houses on fire at the same village; for his involvement in the killing of 11 people and looting and torching 60 houses at Naligram; and for the abduction of 37 Hindus from Angulkata and Mothbaria, killing 20 of them and looting the houses of the victims.

Jabbar was sentenced to suffer rigorous imprisonment for 20 years and a fine of Tk10 lakh, in default to suffer further simple imprisonment for two years, for forcefully converting around 200 people of a Hind para of Phuljhuri village.

“The five sentences shall run concurrently,” the tribunal said.

Son of late Saden Ali alias Samed Ali Hawlader and late Sawhar Banu, Jabbar

was born on November 30, 1932 at Khetachira village of Pirojpur. He obtained BSc engineering degree and joined the politics of Muslim League. Later, he became an influential leader of the party and was elected an MPA in 1964.

Jabbar was indicted on August 14, 2014 and the tribunal concluded the trial proceedings on December 3 last year and kept the case waiting for verdict.

The prosecution submitted the formal charges against Jabbar on May 11 last year. On May 12, the tribunal issued arrest warrant against him after taking the charges into cognisance. On July 8 last year, the tribunal appointed Mohammad Abul Hassan as counsel to defend Jabbar.

A total of 24 prosecution witnesses testified against Jabbar. The defence did not place any witness in favour of Jabbar.

The tribunal yesterday set at 11:07am and started to read the judgement just after three minutes.

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Manna traced after 20 hours, shown arrested  PAGE 1 COLUMN 2

him, we will hunt them down and take legal action,” Monirul said.

The Dhaka Tribune earlier tried to contact Home State Minister Asaduzzaman Khan and police chief AKM Shahidul Haque, but failed.

Manna’s two telephonic conversations were made available on the internet on Monday by a number of online news portals. One of them was with senior BNP leader and ex-Dhaka mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka – who is now in the US – and the other with an unknown person.

Manna told Khoka that a few deaths in police or criminal action would not matter if Dhaka University students could be involved with the movement for toppling the government. He suggested that if the BNP could engineer the take-over of some DU halls of residence in a confrontation, that it would shake the government.

In the other conversation, he seems to have hinted that he is ready to talk with army officers if they were to seek his opinion about remedying the prevailing political crisis.

The unknown person offered Manna to arrange meetings between Manna and 12 out of 19 “running officers” with whom the caller had been in touch. Manna agreed.

When the caller said he would give phone numbers of those officers, Manna said he was afraid to talk over the phone but later agreed to use Viber when suggested.

On Monday, Manna in a Facebook status update admitted that he had had these conversations but claimed that he had been misinterpreted. Several leaders of the ruling Awami League – of which he is a former organising secretary – demanded his arrest on sedition charges.

Nagorik Oikya cancelled a march pro-

gramme in Dhaka scheduled for Monday, saying their leader was ill. More than 30 general diaries (GDs) have been filed with various police stations based on the leaked conversations.

Around 2pm yesterday, Manna’s family filed a separate GD with the Banani police station alleging that some people, who identified themselves as law enforcers, took him away.

Manna’s sister-in-law Sultana Begum said in the GD that six to seven people identifying themselves as DB police took Manna away around 3:30am from her Banani residence. Later, Meher Nigar told reporters that her husband went to his cousin’s house in Banani out of fear that he might be arrested. Police in plainclothes took him away without producing any arrest warrant, she said.

Inspector Sheikh Shahinur Rahman of Banani police said they had already quizzed three people – two housemaids and one security guard – in connection with the GD filed by Manna’s family.

Ruma and Jhuma, the maids who work at Sultana’s house, claimed that they had not seen anything as they were asleep. Security guard Mostafizur Rahman said his duty hours start at 6am and end at 8pm and so he was not there at the time mentioned in the GD. Manna’s niece Shanama Sharmin said her uncle came over to their house from his Kalabagan residence around 11pm on Monday. At that time, she saw a white microbus standing in front of their house.

Mobayedur Rahman, Manna’s cousin, said he was surprised to see how a person could be picked up in that way from a secured area like Banani. They went to file the GD after learning that those who picked up his cousin were

Ruling party leaders tightlipped  PAGE 1 COLUMN 1

Amu over phone but they refused to make any comment. Housing and Public Works Minister Mosharraf Hossain also refrained from saying anything.

However, requesting anonymity, several ruling party leaders said the law enforcement agencies should be allowed to act in their own ways.

Meanwhile, in a press release yesterday, BNP Joint Secretary General Salahuddin Ahmed demanded that Manna be immediately returned to his family. He said they were surprised when police said they had not arrested Manna although his family said police in plainclothes had picked him up in the dark of the night.

“The way Manna has been picked up shows that there is nothing like fundamental rights, human rights and the right to live in this country,” he said.

Manna’s organisation Nagorik Oikya

him around occasionally, took Sumon from home at the same time.

Robin had been with his grandmother since he was seven after his father married again following the death of Robin’s mother. “He used to earn Tk 150-200 a day and ran our expenses,” said a widow Halima who has a minor boy living with him.

As Robin and Sumon were intimate friends, Robin sometimes took Sumon to their village home at Sujanagar in Pabna.

“When Robin and Sumon were not coming home on Sunday night we thought they had gone to Pabna. But their phones were switched off. The next morning we called our relatives in Pabna and they said Robin and Sumon did not go there,” she said.

Yesterday both of the family members went to the morgue seeing photos of them which were published in the newspaper.

However, locals and neighbours said apart from their profession, the teens used to go to the processions and programmes of both the ruling party and the BNP. They did this for money. Local leaders gave them and some other youths

of their age Tk200 and a meal for attending such programs. But they have no idea if the victims were involved in any subversive activities.

A shopkeeper at Baish Bari area, where they lived, seeking anonymity said he saw Robin and Sumon with another youth Roni to step out of a video game shop around 5pm on Sunday. They have not seen them around since then.

They also said that they knew Jewel who was a friend of them. But locals did not know much about him as he came to the area 3-4 months back.

“As they did some political works in exchange for money, they might have made some enemies or got noticed by the cops for their objectionable works,” said a neighbor of Robin and Sumon on condition to be unnamed.

Locals also said they heard sounds of bullets around 10pm but did not see the incident of firing on Sunday night.

Some claimed to see around 10 armed people in plain cloths entering the alley and stayed there for around an hour.

Md Salauddin Khan, officer-incharge of Mirpur Police Station said they were trying to arrest the accused and seize the arms which were used to kill the three. l

In the beginning of the court’s procedure, Justice Rahim said he had been appointed as the tribunal chairman the same day last year. It is the fifth judgement under his chairmanship. The same tribunal pronounced three more verdicts before Justice Rahim took office.

The judgement said: “Jabbar was the chairman of Mothbaria Peace Committee during the Liberation War in 1971 and under his leadership many atrocious activities were taken place.

“From the evidence of eye witnesses and documentary proof it has revealed that the accused had directly participated in the commission of offences of mass killing in addition to aiding, facilitating and abetting the members of auxiliary forces to have committed atrocious acts during the Liberation War.” The tribunal said: “Having considered the attending facts, legal position and the gravity and magnitude of the offences, committed by accused Md Abdul Jabbar Engineer, we unanimous-

ly hold that the accused deserves the capital punishment, particularly in those four charges.”

Jabbar had formed the Mathbaria unit Peace Committee being invited and instructed by the leaders of its central unit, the tribunal said. Thereafter, he along with his followers started committing atrocious acts accompanied by the Pakistani invading forces in the locality.

The verdict said the local razakar force had been formed under Jabbar’s leadership with 150-200 members people. “He rendered an appointment to his relative Iskander Mridha as the commander of that unit.”

On May 16 of 1971, Jabbar held a rally on the playground of Tushkhali High School and ordered the collaborators to bring to him Abdur Razzak and Motaleb Sharif (trainer of freedom fighters) dead or alive. In line with the order, the armed razakars held the two freedom fighters and killed them.

also demanded immediate release of their convener. Iftekher Ahmed Babu, a leading figure of the organisation, at a press briefing at the National Press Club yesterday alleged that detectives had picked up Manna without citing any charges.

He said their organisation had taken an initiative to resolve the political crisis through a national dialoge and Manna was working on it. “A controversy was created using the two telephonic conversations of our leader and some groups are misinterpreting it,” Iftekher said.

The Communist Party of Bangladesh has also protested Manna’s words. In a statement, the party said what Manna said in the conversations were condemnable, vicious and unacceptable. It said the CPB’s version about the current political scenario in the country does have any similarity with that of Manna. l

not policemen, he said.

Meanwhile, some activists of Chhatra League yesterday erased Manna’s name from a board containing the names of former vice-presidents of the Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (Ducsu). The group was led by Joydev Nandi, a central leader of Chhatra League. They have also removed Manna’s photograph from the Ducsu archive and set it on fire.

As a leftist student leader, he served twice as Ducsu vice-president in 1979 and 1980. He joined the Awami League in the 1990s following the toppling of HM Ershad’s military regime. Manna was the organising secretary of the Awami League during 2007-08. However, he lost his position in a party council in 2009.

Three years later, 62-year-old Manna formed Nagarik Oikya, initially a citizen’s body, which has been shaping up as a political party in recent times. Manna, along with eminent lawyer Dr Kamal Hossain, has been campaigning for a political dialogue between the Awami League and BNP to resolve the prevailing political stalemate. l

Al Amin not linked  PAGE 1 COLUMN 6

Sunday by the team management said Al Amin was sent home for breaking the team curfew ahead of Bangladesh’s second Pool A game against cohosts Australia in Brisbane.

Media in Dhaka claimed that he had been under observation of the International Cricket Council’s Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (Acsu) for quite some time now.

However, the BCB director emphasised that it was only Al Amin’s indiscipline that landed him into trouble. As he stayed outside the hotel well beyond the 10pm curfew, the team management were forced to impose the punishment.

“There is no truth in the reports claiming he was sent home due to alleged links with bookies,” said Jalal Yunus.

Media reports also claimed that Acsu spoke with Al Amin a few days ago in Canberra before the Tigers’ opening match against Afghanistan. Al Amin might have been approached by an unnamed Indian bookmaker during his bowling action test in Chennai late last year. The reports stated that Acsu did not bring any charges against him.

Jalal’s statement, however, is in direct contradiction to what team Manager Khaled Mahmud had said earlier.

Acsu does not comment on its dayto-day operations. Teams can only usually bring in replacements in a World Cup in case of injuries but the ICC said Bangladesh’s request to call up Shafiul has been approved as an “exception.” l

Gayle answers critics in Canberra carnage  PAGE 1 COLUMN 5

people wanting Chris Gayle to perform so badly. In the end, I’m really glad I gave them something to actually cheer about.”

The slim line between success and failure in top level sport was in evidence again on Tuesday and the third highest innings in a one-day internationals came within a whisker of not getting off the ground at all.

A strong lbw appeal on the first ball Gayle faced was turned down by the umpire but Tinashe Panyangara referred it to the third umpire and technology showed the ball would have just cleared the bails by a matter of centimetres.

“I struggled at the start,” Gayle added. “On the first ball I was like ‘C’mon, you can’t be serious, I can’t be out the first ball’. I needed a chance and I got a break and made the best of it.”

Reprieved, Gayle put his head down and suppressed his aggressive tendencies to start building the innings he needed to answer the critics.

He brought up his 47th half century in uncharacteristic style with a sprinted sin-

gle and another in the 28th over took him past 9,000 runs in the 50-over format.

His 22nd century came up with another single off the first over of the batting power play. His point made, Gayle resumed the explosive game that once made his name.

“If I get past the century, I’m going to make it a big one, and I’m very happy to get my first double century in ODI cricket,” he said.

“A lot of fans have tweeted about it since Rohit Sharma got two double centuries and everyone expected me to do it as well. I’m glad I got the chance to deliver.”

Gayle paid lip service to the chance of Zimbabwe overhauling the target but was clearly already thinking of getting his body right for the clash against South Africa on Friday.

“Sometimes, a lot of people see you on the field and they don’t know what you are going through, still struggling with injuries and these kind of things,” he said.

“Overall I’m really happy, let’s try and build on this as much as possible and the team can gain some momentum.” l

According to a witness, Jabbar always instigated his followers to launch war on the Hindus. “He used to say ‘Hindu’s wealth and properties are for plunder and so the Muslims can use them. If the Hindus want to live in this country, they will have to become Muslims.’”

On October 6 of 1971, about 40-50 razakars led by Jabbar went to Angulkata village and detained 37 Hindus. Out of them, five were released in exchange for money while 22 persons were killed by gun shots.

The Hindus of Paik Bari under Phuljhuri village were converted to Islam in the last week of May. They were given Muslim names and forced to eat beef.

Later the razakars established a mosque in the area and forced the Hindu women to marry Muslim men, the case says.

Sarada Kanta Paik was killed upon Jabbar’s order while attempting to flee away on May 17. The collaborators also torched around 360 houses belonging

to Muslim and Hindu families after looting.

On May 22, Jabbar shot dead Sokhanath Kharati in Naligram village while his accomplices, under his order, killed 10 others. Around 60 houses of the local Hindus were looted and set on fire the same day.

After the pronouncement of the verdict, prosecutor Jahid Imam said they were expecting death penalty for Jabbar since all the charges had been substantiated successfully. “But we obey the judgement. We will decide about filing appeal after receiving full text of the verdict,” he added.

State-appointed defence counsel Abul Hasan said he had failed to communicate with Jabbar during the trial proceedings. “I failed to prove Jabbar innocent as I did not have proper documents in connection with the case.”

Hasan said he learnt from government’s documents that Jabbar had been staying in the USA. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

3

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

1.9m tonnes fuel oil to be imported to meet demand for January-June Premium will be reduced for the imported furnace oil, diesel, kerosene by the Energy Ministry, is likely to be n Asif Showkat Kallol approved at a meeting of the Cabinet The government is going to import around 1.9 million tonnes of refined diesel, petroleum, kerosene, jet fuel and furnace oil for the first half of the current year, a source at the BPC has said.

The fuel oil would be bought from 10 international petroleum companies for the January-June period to help cover the country’s total demand of 2.703 million tonnes, a senior official of Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) told the Dhaka Tribune.

According to a BPC proposal, premium of the imported furnace oil, diesel, petroleum oil and kerosene will be reduced from the previous premium that was set for the July-December period in 2014.

The premium for furnace oil will be reduced to $29.95 from $34 per tonne; the premium for every barrel of diesel will be $4.60 from its earlier price of $4.80; premium for every tonne of petroleum oil will be $7.30 instead of $7.50; and premium of every barrel of kerosene will be $5.50 from $5.80.

Seeking anonymity, the BPC senior official also said the premium for fuel oil had seen reductions in the first halves of the recent years as global prices have experienced a sharp drop to become $74 from $110 per barrel.

The BPC – which is the country’s sole importer and distributor of oil – would have to spend around Tk7,535.23 crore for importing the 1.9m tonnes of oil, the official added.

The BPC proposal, signed by Energy and Mineral Resources Division Secretary Md Abu Bakar Siddique and placed

Committee on Public Purchase today.

Meanwhile, BPC Chairman AM Badruddoza told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday that the government procures fuel oil from different countries’ state-owned oil companies under government-to-government contracts.

Prices of fuel oil would be fixed according to the global prices that exist at the time of the purchase, he also said.

“The imported fuel oil is supposed to reach the Chittagong port throughout the year,” the BPC chairman added.

The government will procure 30,000 tonnes of petroleum oil from Turkish Petroleum International Company with a premium of $4.60 per barrel for the January-June period under government-to-government purchase, according to the proposal.

For the six months, the projected total demand for diesel is 1,725,000 tonnes; for furnace oil the demand is 610,000 tonnes; for kerosene it is 145,000 tonnes; for jet fuel 160,000 tonnes; and petrol 63,000 tonnes.

The eastern refinery would refine 180,000 tonnes of crude diesel and crude furnace oil respectively.

According to the proposal, the other suppliers of fuel oil are: Kuwait Petroleum Corporation, UAE-based Emirates National Oil Company, PT Bumi Siak Pusako of Indonesia, Philippines’ PNOC Exploration Corporation, Petrochina International (Singapore) Pte Ltd, Brunei’s PB Trading Sendirian Berhad, Malaysia’s PETCO Trading Labuan Company Ltd, China’s Unipec Singapore Pte Ltd, and Vietnam’s Petrolimex Singapore PTE Ltd. l

Bangladesh Government Employees National Oikya Forum brings out a procession protesting violence during the ongoing hartals and blockades enforced by the BNP-led 20-party alliance. The procession started from Shahbagh and ended near the National Press Club in the capital yesterday RAJIB DHAR

Nagarik Samaj denies its relation with Manna n Tribune Report

After Nagarik Oikya Convener Mahmudur Rahman Manna’s telephone conversation with former Dhaka mayor and BNP leader Sadeq Hossain Khoka was leaked Nagarik Samaj denied its rapport with Manna.

Former caretaker government adviser M Hafizuddin Khan said: “Manna is not with us. We even do not consult with him about our programmes. So our programme will not be hampered anyway.”

He, however, said the government should trace Manna’s whereabouts.

Former BGMEA president AnwarUl-Alam Chowdhury Parvez said: “I am not a member of any civil society plat-

form. When I came to know about the matter I made my position clear that I am not with them. So, I have no comment on Manna.”

ATM Shamsul Huda, former chief election commissioner, said: “What can we do? I have nothing to say.”

On February 7 Nagarik Samaj, a civil society platform, came into being with a demand for an end to the ongoing political violence and talks between the political parties to resolve the political crisis.

The newly formed platform also wrote to President Abdul Hamid, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia to initiate talks to resolve the crisis.

The non-political nature of the or-

n Tribune Report

Tribune Report

Pro-liberation youth platform Gonojagoron Moncho has urged the prosecution to file an appeal against the sentence of life imprisonment awarded to former Muslim League leader Mohammad Abdul Jabbar.

Expressing discontent over the sentence, Moncho Spokesperson Imran H Sarker yesterday said: “We do not accept the verdict. No punishment other than death penalty is acceptable for the war criminals.”

He said considering age of the war crimes convict was “unexpected to all” since all the charges brought against Jabbar had been proved.

Protesting the verdict, activists of the platform brought out a procession at Shahbagh around 12:15pm. In the evening, they organised a torch procession and observed sit-in at Shahbagh intersection.

Earlier in the day, the International Crimes Tribunal 1 sentenced Jabbar, 82, imprisonment until his natural death mentioning that the war criminal deserved death penalty.

Former Jatiya Party lawmaker Jabbar had formed Peace Committee and Razakar Bahini in Mathbaria of Pirojpur and committed killings, loot, arson and religious conversion in association with the Pakistani occupation forces. l

Youth held for attempting rape n Tribune Report

A local youth of Bakalia area in Chittagong was arrested on Monday for attempting to rape a college girl.

Md Salauddin, 28, had been stalking the girl for long. The girl resided on Syed Shah Road in the same area, said Bakalia police station Officer-in-Charge Mohammed Mohsin.

Quoting the girl’s relatives, the OC said on Monday morning Salauddin went to the girl’s house and attempted to rape her. He also injured her younger brother and uncle with a knife when they came forward to stop him.

Later at night police arrested Salauddin from his house following a case filed by the victim’s family members, he said. l

he was elected the DUCSU VP in 1980 from the Khalequzzaman-led BaSaD’s student front.

After that he jumped to Janata Mukti Party floated by former JaSaD leader Mirza Sultan Raja before he joined Awami League and Manna was made its organising secretary.

Manna came into spotlight as he advocated reforms within the party during the military-backed caretaker government. Later he kept himself at bay from the party after he lost his position in the party.

Since then he has regularly appeared in television talk shows, seminars and round-table discussions.

In 2012, Manna announced the formation of Nagarik Oikya. l

Muhith: BNP programmes ‘worthless’

Gonojagoron Moncho rejects Jabbar verdict n

ganisation was questioned by several quarters as Nagarik Oikya Convener Mahmudur Rahman Manna along with some others have political identities.

Later Nagarik Samaj held a press conference where they announced that Dr Kamal and Manna were dropped from the committee as they have political affiliation.

Born in Bogra, Manna started his political career as an activist of Awami League’s student wing Bangladesh Chhatra League and then joined Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JaSaD) and became the general secretary of its student wing in 1973.

Manna was elected general secretary of CUCSU in 1972 and twice vice-president of DUCSU. Last time

Gonojagoron Moncho brings out a rally on Dhaka University campus yesterday demanding death penalty to fugitive Jatiya Party leader Abdul Jabbar who was sentenced to life imprisonment for atrocities committed during the Liberation War DHAKA TRIBUNE

Saying the BNP alliance’s programme was on its last legs, Finance Minister AMA Muhith yesterday said killings in Dhaka, which have recently increased, would soon come down as they have in the countryside.

“I think it is a worthless subject.

There is nothing to discuss,” the finance minister said about the blockade and strike programmes called by the BNP-led 20-party alliance.

He was speaking to the press after meeting newly-appointed World Bank Vice President for South Asia Annette Dixon at his secretariat office.

Muhith claimed the violence would be brought under control after the number of killings in Dhaka city comes down, without clarifying whether he was referring to deaths from fire bombings or police shootings.

“We did not discuss the political sit-

uation at our meeting and she [Annette Dixon] did not raise Bangladesh’s political condition,” the finance minister said.

Denying that the blockade programme would hamper the government’s poverty reduction target, he said poverty levels would come down from the current level of 24.5% to 14% in 2018, as planned.

In November 2014, the mid-term implementation report on the Sixth FiveYear Plan estimated the country’s poverty rate to be 24.5%.

“The ongoing strikes and non-stop transport blockade, going on fifty days now, is unprecedented.

“No political party in any country carries out this sort of terrorist activity,” the finance minister told reporters.

“Currently, what is going on is terrorism not politics: There is no scope for discussion,” he said.

“The current political situation will not continue indefinitely,” Muhith said. l

Arrest warrant against BNP leader Mirza Abbas, 4 others

Editors’ Council: Government imposing restrictions on media

NHRC voices concern over Manna’s remarks

n Md Sanaul Islam Tipu

n Tribune Desk

Expressing its concern over the contents of telephonic conversations of Nagorik Oikya convener Mahmudur Rahman Manna with BNP leader Sadeque Hossain Khoka and an unidentified person, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) yesterday expected more responsible role from political parties for the continuation of democracy.

“Analysing the contents of the telephonic conversations, it was found that Mahmudur Rahman Manna wants to have talks with generals to pave the way of army intervention in order to destroy the normal democratic process,” the NHRC said in a statement.

The commission thinks that any problem or crisis in a democratic system has to be resolved democratically.

Citing parts of the conversations, the rights body said they could not help thinking that the price of people’s lives was so cheap to a politician.

Two audio clips of the conversations purportedly of Manna with BNP Vice-Chairman Sadeque Hossain Khoka and an unidentified man were leaked on Sunday. In the conversations, Manna reportedly provoked the BNP leader to unleash a bloody clash on the Dhaka University campus. l

A Dhaka court yesterday issued arrest warrant against five people, including BNP’s Dhaka city convener Mirza Abbas, on charges of causing a loss of around Tk15.52 crore to the government through allocation of land to journalists.

Senior Special Judge KM Imrul Kayes ordered to issue the arrest warrant against the five absconding accused after taking taking cognizance of the charges.

The court also ordered the OCs of different police stations concerned to submit progress report on execution of the arrest warrant before the court by March 25.

The others accused are former state minister for housing and public works and BNP leader Alamgir Kabir, former joint secretary Bijon Kanti Sarker, National Housing Authority (NHA) office assistant Md Matiar Rahman, and NHA cashier Md Mansur Alam.

Deputy Director Jatan Kumar Roy of the Anti-Corruption Commission, also the investigation officer of the case, submitted the charge sheet against the five accused to the Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court on February 16. The charge sheet lists 21 people as prosecution witnesses in the case.

Jatan also appealed for the discharge of Md Azharul Haque, former deputy director (land), from the charges as the allegations brought against him were not proven during the investigation.

On March 6 last year, Jatan Kumar Roy filed a case against Alamgir Kabir and three others for reportedly causing loss to the government of around Tk15.52crore in allocating land to journalists at a lower rate. According to the case, in 2002, Alamgir sent a letter to the then Prime Minister Khaleda Zia with a request to build a housing area for journalists, writers, artists and cultural activists without receiving any application from them.

After receiving the letter, Khaleda reportedly sent a letter to the housing and public works secretary, asking him to take steps as per the rules. While the matter was under process, Alamgir directed the secretary to allocate land from a previously designed housing area.

Without taking permission from the ministry, the accused NHA officials allocated seven acres of land in the capital’s Mirpur area to the Dhaka Journalists Cooperatives Limited at only Tk3.39crore against a market value of Tk19crore, thereby violating the amended Housing Policy 1993. l

The print and broadcast media in the country is going through a difficult time as the government is interfering with the media’s right to inform, the Editors’ Council said yesterday.

“The government and its administration is hampering free and impartial news presentation. The recent case of the Daily Star has especially become a matter of grave concern, as a captioned photo published by the newspaper generated a rather hostile reaction at parliament which is not expected from any government at all,” said an Editor’s Council press release signed by its General Secretary Mahfuz Anam.

The concern was voiced by the council members at its meeting yesterday.

The statement further said: “Journalists are being assaulted by political activists. Some newspapers and television stations are being unfairly branded as representatives of certain political parties or ideologies. This is not acceptable.

“The provocative remarks against news editors and publishers made at parliament are threats to the security

of the journalists in the country. Several editors and publishers have already been harassed and charged in false cases. Police recently went to the office of English daily the New Age and tried to illegally search their compound.

“Several TV channel owners have also been arrested, creating a hostile situation for the broadcast media.

Some talk shows have already been taken off air. We condemn these acts, because this is a severe violation of our right to inform people.”

The statement said government authorities were also specifying who are allowed to appear on the talk shows and interfering with live shows, directing the shows’ proceeding via telephone. Some journalists are not allowed to cover many government events, nor are they allowed to cover many party events.

“This antagonistic attitude towards the media cannot help ensure a free press in the country. We expect a more responsible and cooperative attitude from the government in order to protect impartial and realistic news presentation by all news media, which will ultimately protect the freedom of press,” the statement said. l

n UNB

4

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

UNUSUAL SERIES OF DEATHS AT SYLHET

Probe report blames negligence for 32 deaths n Our Correspondent, Sylhet The investigation report looking into the causes behind an unusual series of 32 deaths at Sylhet’s MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital – has been handed in by the hospital’s probe committee.

Although there was no official comment about the contents of the report, a reliable source at the hospital told the Dhaka Tribune that negligence by on-duty doctors and nurses was mentioned by the probe committee as one of the causes that led to the series of deaths earlier this month.

Other causes mentioned in the report included ongoing hartals and blockade, mismanagement at the hospital, and manpower shortage, said the hospital official on condition of anonymity.

Hospital Director Brig Gen Abdus Sabur Miah acknowledged receiving the report yesterday, telling the Dhaka Tribune that copies of the report have been sent to the Health Ministry and the health directorate.

However, the hospital chief did not

comment on the findings that were presented in the report by the hospital’s probe committee.

Brig Gen Abdus Sabur said they were now waiting for a report by a separate investigation committee of the Health Ministry, which he said was yet to be submitted as far as he knew.

On February 10, at least 32 people including 10 infants died in a span of 24 hours at the hospital, creating an outcry across the country.

Following the deaths, the hospital authorities formed a six-member probe committee, headed by the hospital’s chief of medicine Dr Ismail Patwari.

Meanwhile, the Health Ministry also formed a three-member committee, led by Joint Secretary (hospitals) Mosharraf Hossain, to look into the deaths and submit its report within seven days.

After inspecting the hospital’s paediatrics and cardiology wards on February 11, the committee from the Health Ministry said it would make its recommendations after reviewing all the details. l

Indian battleship INS Ranjit arrives in Ctg port n Tarek Mahmud, Chittagong With an aim to progress relations between the Bangladesh Navy and the Indian Navy, an Indian battleship INS Ranjit arrived in Chittagong port yesterday on a three-day courtesy visit.

Chittagong Naval Region’s Chief Staff Officer Captain AKMM Sherafullah welcomed the destroyer-series battleship at a jetty of Chittagong Port around 2:45pm in the presence of Indian Assistant High Commissioner Somnath Halder, said navy sources.

Bangladesh Navy Intelligence Commander (Chittagong in-charge) Shamim Mohammad Khan said the battleship led by Captain Mahendra Veer Singh Negi, along with 50 officials and 350 crew members, entered the Bangladesh water territory yesterday morning after which BNS Samudra Joy welcomed the guest ship and escorted it to the port.

“The Indian Navy officials and crews will visit historical places in the

port city while Naval Academy students, different naval base officials, school, college and university cadets under Bangladesh National Cadet Corps would visit the guest ship,” the intelligence commander said.

“It’s a routine visit between two countries which strengthens our relation,” he added.

Remarking the visit a great pleasure for Indian Navy, Captain Mahendra said they were rejoiced by the warm welcome of Bangladesh. He also expressed hopes that the visit would strengthen the bond between the people of the two countries.

The 146.50 metre long destroyer-series INS Ranjit has multi-dimensional amenities to fight with battle aircrafts and battleships and can also contribute during man-made and natural calamities, said the ship’s Commanding Officer Captain Mahendra.

INS Ranjit is scheduled to leave the country on February 26. l

Youth for 3D forms a human chain in front of the National Press Club in the capital yesterday calling for an end to the ongoing political violence and demanding secured environment for education and work RAJIB DHAR

Jubo Dal and Jamaat leaders held with firebombs n Tribune Report A team of RAB 7 in a drive yesterday arrested a Jatiyatabadi Jubo Dal leader along with three petrol bombs in Chittagong city’s Pahartali area while police held a local Jamaat leader from Double Mooring area in the city in the hours.

The arrestees were, Md Shah Newaz, 22, son of Md Shahbuddin, hailing from Barisal’s Bakerganj and Ohidur Rahman, 65, said RAB and police sources.

Shah Newaz is a Jubo Dal leader of Bakerganj union 4 and Ohidur is secretary of Jamaat-e-Islami in city’s Double

Mooring Ward, said the sources.

Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Md Shohel Mahmud of RAB 7 said a RAB team conducted the drive near Sagarika Stadium Road area of Pahartali acting upon a tip-off and held the Jubo Dal leader with three petrol bombs and one litre of petrol in his possession which were kept inside a kitchen bag.

Officer-in-Charge ASM Nurl Alam Talukdar of Double Mooring police station said police raided the Jamaat leader’s residence at Mollah Para area and arrested him, following a tip-off.

Amartya Sen unveils books on history n Munir Momtaj

Two books were unveiled at a ceremony held at Bangladesh National Museum Auditorium in the capital yesterday, where prominent Nobel Laureate economist Amartya Sen was the chief guest.

The books – “Manikganjer Shato Manik” (Hundred Jewels of Manikganj) and “Bikrampur: History and Personality” by Md Azharul Islam – were revealed at the programme.

Amartya Sen discussed the

books, and said: “First of all, we have to know about the history of our own district and division.

When, in the near future, the full history of Bangladesh will be written, these books will become an important part of the history.

“We need to know the history of several parts of our country, just as we also need to know the elaborate history of Bangladesh, West Bengal, colonial Bengal, undivided Bengal and the history of the Indian subcontinent,” said Amartya Sen. l

Obaidul: Racket at BRTC active n Tribune Report

Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader said a vested quarter of Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) corrupt officials is very much operative.

The minister as the chief guest made the remarks while addressing a discussion organised by the BRTC at Joar Sahara depot yesterday.

“We have received some complaints regarding some BRTC staff and formed a probe committee to look into those. We will take legal action after completing the investigation,” Obaidul added.

“Some BRTC corrupt officers illegally have leased its buses and that is why the institution is incurring loss. We have taken steps to find out those officials,” he added. l

The Jamaat leader has supported saboteurs financially and technically to carry out subversive activities after announcements of blockade and hartals were made, said the OC adding that the leader was earlier arrested in another case but he was out in bail.

Both the officials said legislative measures would be taken against the BNP and Jamaat men as per as law.

Meanwhile, police in overnight drives, arrested eight BNP-Jamaat men from different parts of Chittagong for their alleged link with sabotage, said police sources. l

Youth killed in ‘shootout’ with police n Our correspondent, Munshiganj A man was killed in a “shootout” with police in Srinagar of Munshiganj yesterday. The deceased was M Shahin, 30.

Srinagar police station OC Mahbubur Rahman said they conducted a drive to arrest some miscreants who snatched a rifle from a policeman - Constable AlAmin - in the afternoon.

Mahbubur Rahman, who also received injuries during the drive, said Shahin was found dead after the shootout. The snatched rifle was recovered from the house of Shahin. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Vehicle inspection centres of BRTA inactive for 14 yrs n Nazim Mridha, Rajshahi The five automatic vehicle inspection centres, installed at a cost of Tk40 crore, have been non-functional for over 14 years due to lack of skilled operator and software glitches.

Since Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) set them up in 2000, the centres have never been used except for a test run.

The BRTA officials said they did not have the required technical hands to do so. Of the five centres, two are set up in Dhaka and the rest are in Rajshahi, Chittagong and Khulna.

Rajshahi BRTA officials alleged that the contractor and suppliers failed to hand over a fully functional facility to the authorities. They also blamed faulty installation of machinery at the centres.

The vehicle inspection centres were set up to check vehicles’ fitness by using automatic equipment including brake testers, alignment testers, smoke

testers and under-chassis checkers, said Uttam Kumer Barua, deputy director of BRTA Rajshahi office.

“Once the automated system is operational, the huge burden of manually inspecting hundreds of vehicles will be lessened,” he said.

“However, the centres could not be used as the software provided by the Dutch company did not match our information software,” Uttam added.

Underscoring the need for activating the centres as soon as possible, Uttam Kumar said such automated inspection could curb road accidents and environmental pollution to a great extent.

“We need to appointment skilled technicians to operate the centres immediately,” he emphasized.

However, he told the Dhaka Tribune that the BRTA in 2008 signed a contract, under the public private partnership, to make the necessary changes to the centres and make them operational within 2013. But the initiative never saw light. l

The Bangladesh Road Transport Authority set up a vehicle inspection centre at Naodapara in Rajshahi city in 2000, but the centre remains non-functional for lack of skilled operators AZAHAR UDDIN

BCL strikes out Manna’s name from honour lists in Ducsu, Cucsu n Tribune Report Activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League struck out Mahmudur Rahman Manna’s name from the honour lists of Dhaka University Central Students’ Council (Ducsu) and Chittagong University Central Students’ Council (Cucsu) yesterday.

At Dhaka University, some Chhatra League leaders led by its vicepresident Joydev Nondee entered the DUCSU Collection Centre and removed Manna’s name from its honour board around 2pm. They also burnt his portrait.

Manna is a former vice-president of DUCSU. In a telephone conversation with BNP leader Sadeque Hossain

Khoka, the audio clip of which was leaked on Sunday, Manna, who is also a former Awami League leader and currently the convener of Nagarik Oikya, said killing in Dhaka University would aid the movement against the government.

“By plotting such conspiracy against DU, Manna has lost the right to be on the list; that is why we removed his name from the board,” Joydev told the Dhaka Tribune.

At Chittagong University, a section of Chhatra League’s CU unit declared Manna persona non grata on the campus.

Led by MA Khaled Chowdhury, general secretary of CU Chhatra League’s dissolved committee, the

Chhatra League members went to the CUCSU building and erased Manna’s name from the list of elected general secretaries of the organisation around 1:30pm, sources at the campus said.

Manna, who graduated from the CU with a degree in economics, was elected as CUCSU general secretary from Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal in 1972.

“Having been a student leader, he (Manna) now wants to see university students dead for his ill political intention. We demand that the CU vice-chancellor cancel all his CU certificates,” Khaled told the Dhaka Tribune, adding that the would submit a memorandum to the VC today in this regard. l

Nasim: RMC to be transformed into medical university soon n Our Correspondent, Rajshahi Health and Family Welfare Minister Muhammad Nasim yesterday said process to transform Rajshahi Medical College into a full-fledged medical university will start as soon as possible.

The minister also assured the authorities of Rajshahi Medical College Hospital that his ministry would provide all necessary facilities so that the hospital could render proper healthcare services to patients.

The minister said this while addressing a view exchanging meeting with the professors, doctors and employees of the RMCH at the auditorium of Rajshahi Medical College in the afternoon.

With President of Bangladesh Medical Association (BMA) Prof Shahidur Rahman Tarafder in the chair, the programme was addressed among others

DRY WEATHER WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25 DHAKA

TOMORROW SUN RISES 6:24AM

FORECAST FOR TODAY 31 30 32 30 33 32 31 30

Dhaka Chittagong Rajshahi Rangpur Khulna Barisal Sylhet Cox’s Bazar

22 20 18 19 18 19 18 19

YESTERDAY’S HIGH AND LOW

33.3ºC Patuakhali

15.8ºC Sitakunda

Source: Accuweather/UNB

PRAYER TIMES Fajr Sunrise Zohr Asr Magrib Esha

5:10am 6:25am 12:12am 4:21pm 5:58pm 7:14pm

The minister also emphasised on the change of mindset of the doctors. He said doctors should go to rural area for providing healthcare services to the rural people instead of staying in the city areas through lobbying.

The present government has taken initiatives to increase budgetary allocation for the health sector in the upcoming national budget to improve the health sector, he said.

RMCH Director Nasir Uddin apprised the minister of the present poor healthcare conditions of the hospital.

In reply, the minister assured him that all possible cooperations would be provided to solve the existing problems.

As suggested by the RMCH doctors and other officials at the meeting, the minister said number of seats in the Intensive Care Unit and burn unit would be raised as early as possible. l

CANCELLATION OF JU BROOD QUOTA

WEATHER

TODAY SUN SETS 5:59PM

by Director of RMCH Brigadier General AKM Nasir Uddin, Divisional Director of Health Dr Hedayetul Islam and Central BMA Member Dr Sheikh Tabibur Rahman.

However, Nasim urged the authorities, doctors and other staffs of the medical college hospital to discharge their duties with utmost sincerity and honesty to ensure better services to the patients.

He also urged doctors to devote themselves towards the welfare of the patients especially to the poor and underprivileged people who are totally dependent on government medical services.

Nasim, however, warned employees of the hospital of stern action with zero tolerance against “corruption and irregularities” at the hospital and asked all quarters of the RMCH to refrain themselves from such malpractices.

SourceL IslamicFinder.org

Officers and employees threaten work abstain n JU Correspondent

Jahangirnagar University (JU) officers and employees yesterday declared that they would abstaint themselves from work if the authorities did not admit 96 applicants, who had failed the JU admission test, under the brood quota.

In protest of the decision taken by the central admission test conduct committee on Monday, that the 96 applicants would not be given grace marks and admitted, the officers and employees gave a 7-day ultimatum till next Tuesday, said a source.

“If JU authorities do not fulfill our demand within the given time, we will observe a half day work abstain on Wednesday and a full-day work abstain on Thursday,” said JU Worker Association president Ainal Haque to journalists, confirming that JU Worker Association leaders had reached this decision yesterday afternoon at their general meeting.

The protesting officers and employees also made a three-point demand, which stated: Finding a permanent solution to admission-related complexities under brood quota, issuing the promotion of employees since the day they fulfilled recommendations,

and giving payment to all officers and employees according to their individual pay scale from the university’s income in the admission test.

The source said, only 43 out of the 139 students, under the brood quota, had attained pass marks (35% marks) in the admission test for the 2014-15 academic session, and had already been admitted to different departments of the university.

Recently, the officers and employees had launched a movement on campus and reportedly pressurised JU authorities to admit the remaining 96 applicants who had not passed the admission test. Declaring the movement as illegal and irrational, JU teachers and students, under the banner of “Shikkhok-Shikkharthi Oikyomoncho,” demonstrated on campus in protest of the grace marks, the source said.

Earlier in August, JU authorities had relaxed admission requirements, under the brood quota in response to the demand by university officers and employees, the source said.

In the 2013-14 academic session, JU authorities had admitted 62 applicants under the brood quota by adding three points as grace marks, the source added. l

5 15 BCL men sued for assaulting CU teachers n CU Correspondent The Chittagong University (CU) authorities on Monday night lodged a case against 15 activists of the university unit Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) on charge of attacking its some teachers during a factional clash of the party.

Hathazari police station OC (investigation) Md Sala Uddin said CU acting registrar Engineer Alamgir Chowdhury filed the case stating 15 persons and 20 unnamed people for the attack.

On February 15, members of two shuttle train based BCL factions, namely Varsity Express (VX) and Choose Friend with Care (CFC), locked in fierce clash near Shahjalal hall to establish supremacy on the campus.

During the clash, the clashing CFC followers allegedly chased the assistant proctors and some teachers as they tried to brought the situation under control. l

One feared dead as cargo, trawler collide n Our Corresponded, Barisal One person was feared dead after a cargo vessel and a trawler collided in the Kirtankhola River on Monday night. At least eight passengers were injured in the accident.

Fishing trawler FB Nurul carrying more than 50 passengers from Dakkhin Sakuchia Janata Bazaar of Monpura upazila in Bhola was heading towards Charmonai Darbar Sharif of Barisal Sadar upazila, said Kawsar Hossain, a

resident of Charmonai, adding that the people were going to there to attend the annual Mahfil, an Islamic convention.

Alauddin, one of the eight injured passengers, said they boarded onto FB Nurul from Janata Bazaar to attend the Mahfil on Monday morning.

When the trawler reached a distance of one kilometre from Charmonai at about 8pm Monday night, it collided with an unidentified cargo vessel on the Kirtankhola, and was damaged heavily. At least eight were injured in

the crash, and five fell into the river, he said.

The injured were treated at the Mahfil medical camp. Local fishermen and fellow passengers rescued four of the five who had fallen in, but Abul Bashar from Dakkhin Sakuchia is still missing as of the filing of this report, said Kawsar Hossain from Charmonai.

Waliullah Kazal, chairman of Dakkhin Sakuchia union parshad in Monpura, also acknowledged these facts, and said the search is on to rescue the missing man. l

6

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Nation

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Arsenic takes serious turn in a Sunamganj village n Our Correspondent, Sunamganj With landscape view of long paddy fields, lush green trees, bushes and clustered houses, the Baheratoli is truly representing a traditional village of rural Bangladesh.

At a first sight anyone will have an experience of tranquility, serenity and peace at the village, located near the border of Indian hilly province Meghalaya and distant from Bangladesh’s Sunamganj district town.

But people of the village which is home to some 20 adivasi families are not in peace. The scenic beauty does carry any meaning to them, rather they are waiting for their last days with their near and dear ones.

Completely opposite to the beauty of the surface land, there is a silent killer under the earth of the village. And

that killer is Arsenic, a poisonous substance mixed in the water they drink.

The village’s most of the people have been suffering from various illnesses for long due to drinking underground water contaminated with arsenic.

“In recent days, I feel severe headaches, drowsiness, vomiting, cramping muscles and stomach pain,” said arsenicosis affected Jaharlal Banai.

By showing his palm lines, he said: “Now a days, I cannot hold anything. I cannot do any work.”

“I do not know what happened to me. But I do not have enough money to get treatment for the problem I am suffering from,” he said.

“I am a poor man. What will happen to me and to my family members if I can not work?” said Jaharlal.

Like the 45-year-old Jaharlal, many families of the village of Dharmapa-

sha upazila have no other alternative to drinking contaminated water as 80 percent of the tube wells in the village are contaminated.

The villagers who are affected by arsenic are gradually losing their physical strength to work.

In a recent visit to the village, the Dhaka Tribune learned that there are 70 members of the adivasi people at the village. Of them 14 are affected by arsenicosis.

Dilip Banai, 30, Pabitra Banai, 35, Kemnath Banai, 60, Ahendra Banai, 26, Kalpana Banai, 28, Malanti Banai, 43, Shapna Banai, 38, Jagoran Banai,22, Rubila Banai,32, Surojini Banai,44, Binoy Banai,31, Kunjila Banai,42, are among the affected people of the community.

Most of the people are ultra poor and have lack of education. They are not aware of severity of the problem.

Suranjan Sarkar, a health worker at Dakshin Bankshikunda Union Health Complex, said some 12 arsenicosis affected people of the community had been given treatment at Dharmapasha Upazila Health Complex.

Malanti Banai,43, is still suffering from pain in different parts of his body, despite taking treatment at the health complex.

“We are poor people. We have to remain starved if we do not work for a single day. How will we take treatment?” said Suryamoni Banai, a resident of the village.

The villagers keep continue drinking water and are using it in their household works, despite the fact that it will speed up their death.

“We use the water as there is no other alternative to us. The scarcity of water go high during the dry season,” said

Pabitra Banai, a resident of the village.

“Doctors gave me some tablets and advised to eat green vegetables,” said Punjila Banai,40.

“I do not have the ability even buying vegetables. So, I am gradually going toward death,” he said with a blank eye.

M Abdur Rob, sub-assistant engineer at the department of public health and engineering at Dharmapasha upazila, said the underground water contain around 400ppb to 500ppb (per parts billion) arsenic and irons in the areas of Selbors, Paikurati, and Uttar Bonkshikunda.

Immediate necessary steps should be taken to avoid outbreak of arsenicosis in the area, he said.

“Installing a water treatment plant and providing the people with clean water can be a measure to solve problem,” he said.

Six to die for murder in Comilla, Chapainawabganj, Netrakona n Tribune Report Six people yesterday were sentenced to death and four others jailed for life in Comilla, Chapainawabganj and Netrakona for killing, our district correspondents reported.

In Comilla, three people were sentenced to death and four others jailed for life for killing a Saudi expatriate 14 years back.

Additional Session’s Judge Chaman Chowdhury announced the verdict against Abu Taher alias Saru Miah, 50, Abdus Salam alias Liton, 30, and Jahir Islam Jahir, 50. All the convicts were residents of Jashpur village under Sadar upazila.

The people who were awarded lifeterm imprisonment are Bahar alias Rojen, 31, Mizanur Rahman, Arifuzzaman alias Imon, 35, and Abdul Mannan. The court also fined them Tk50,000 each, in default, to suffer six months more in rigorous imprisonment.

According to the prosecution, the convicts have stabbed Tofazzal Hossain, 35, a Saudi expatriate of Jashpur village in Sadar upazila, to death while committing robbery on October 1, 2000. A case was filed in this connection the following day.

Police submitted charge sheet against the convicts on February 24, 2004.

In Netrakona, a man was sentenced to death for killing his wife in Durgapur upazila in 2007.

The convict was identified as Abdus Salam, 40, son of late Mansur Ali of Dubrajpur village in the Durgapur upazila.

According to the prosecution, Salam hacked his wife Shilpi Akter, 36, to death over a family feud in East Nanderchati area on October 12, 2007. The couple used to work at a fish enclosure at East Nanderchati.

In Chapainawabganj, a court convicted two people and sentenced them to death for killing a minor girl after abduction in 2014.

Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal 1 Judge Kabita Khanam passed the verdict acquitting another young man as charges brought against him were not proved.

The convicts are Shihab Reza, 24, son of Emran Ali o Ajaipur Aburajpara and Sagar Ahmed, 24, son of Abdul Malek of Shankarbati area in Chapainawabganj municipality area. The court also fined them Tk 20,000 each.

According to the prosecution, the convicts kidnapped Kabita Khatun, 4, daughter of Korban Ali of the municipality area, on August 30, 2014 and demanded Tk5 lakh as ransom. Later, they strangulated Kabita to death on the same day.

On September 4, 2014, members of RAB arrested Shihab and Sagar on suspicion of their involvement in the kidnapping and recovered the decomposed body of Kabita following their confessional statement. l

Sudip Kumar Bhatcharia, an assistant health inspector at the Uttar Bankshikunda Union, said they could not monitor the arsenic problem at village as it is located in vary remote area.

M Jamal Hossain, chairman of the Uttar Bankshikunda Union Parishad, said he was aware of the problem. But he did not inform the matter to upazila administration.

Engineer Abdul Majed, project manager of Asia Arsenic Network, a non-government organisaiton in Dharmapasha upazila, said the water in almost 80 per cent tub-wells contain arsenic and iron in the upazila.

Dr Nishit Nandi Majumdar, the civil surgeon in Sujamganj, said they send experts of health department to the arsenic affected areas. Necessary steps will be taken immediately following reports of the experts, he said. l

AL leader shot dead in Jessore n Our Correspondent, Jessore

Rural people travel by a human haulier locally known as Bhotbhoti. Heavy vehicles, including bus and truck, have not been running on a road in City Bypass area of Rajshahi since miscreants carried out an arson attack on a bus recently. The photo was taken yesterday AZAHAR UDDIN

Teachers’ shortage hampers education in Ali Kadam High School n Our Correspondent, Bandarban Academic activities at Ali Kadam High School in the district are being hampered seriously due to shortage of teachers.

Sources said, at least 11 out of 16 posts in the school under Ali Kadam upazila have been lying vacant for long. The post of headmaster has been lying vacant for four years hampering the academic activities.

Despite acute shortage of teachers, the government appears to be reluctant to fill up the posts lying vacant, local people alleged.

Sources said the school had been nationalised in 1989. Now there are 450 students in the school.

Guardian Abul Bashar said: “It is impossible for four teachers to manage 450 students.”

There are no biology, maths, business, agriculture and social science teachers for ten years. The guardians and locals have been struggling over the issue for a long time.

Some agitated guardians expressed that they would go in hard line if the authorities did not solve the problem.

They said they would not send their children to the school if the situation continued more.

Class VII student Tisha Karmoker said: “We cannot complete our syllabuses as there are no teachers for many subjects.” Badol Karmoker, Class X stu-

dent of the school said: “We are worried about our SSC exams as there are no science teachers.”

After visiting the school it was found that inadequate number of teacher hampered academic activities.

The students were gossiping here and there as the class rooms were without teachers.

A lot of students get admission early in the year but they do not want to stay in the school due to lack of teachers Zahar Singh, acting headmaster of the school, said: “It is difficult for us to complete the academic curriculum in time due to teachers’ shortage.”

The upazila vice-chairman Shreen Akter said: “A lot of students get admission early in the year but they do not want to stay in the school due to lack of teachers.”

“The result of the school in JSC and SSC exams is satisfactory as the youths in the area teach in the school voluntarily. But it cannot the way of solution,” she said.

Baki Billah, education officer of the upazila said: “We are trying our best to solve the problems within the current fiscal year.” l

NEWS IN BRIEF Prisoner dies in Meherpur An under trial prisoner, who fell seriously sick in the district jail, died at Meherpur Sadar Hospital yesterday. The deceased was identified as Mostafa, a resident of of Kola village of the district.

Enayet Hossain, jailer of Meherpur district jail, said following a chest pain on Monday night Mostafa was rushed to Sadar Hospital from the prison, where on duty doctors declared him dead in the early hours of the yesterday.

– Our Correspondent, Meherpur

Robbery at a house in Satkhira Robbers looted valuables from a house after injuring its four inmates at Ghoshpara in the district town early yesterday. Officer-in-Charge of Sadar police station Golam Rahman said a gang of armed robbers had swooped on the house of businessman

Ashok Ghosh by breaking the main gate at about 3am. They looted 12 tolas of gold ornaments, Tk50,000 in cash, mobile phone set and other valuables after keeping the house inmates hostage at gunpoint. Being resisted, the hoodlums stabbed Ashok Ghosh, his wife, his mother and son indiscriminately, leaving them injured.

– Our Correspondent, Satkhira

Lakshmipur fisheries office torched Miscreants have set the Lakshmipur District Fisheries office on fire.

District Fisheries official Alekuzzaman said the incident took place around 3am yesterday. Furniture and other important documents worth Tk1lakh were gutted, he said. The night guards and other officials managed to control the fire. Lakshmipur sadar police OC Iqbal Hossain said: “We have visited the spot. The criminals will be brought under trial as soon as possible after the investigation.”

– Our Correspondent, Lakshmipur

An Awami League leader was shot dead by some unidentied miscreants on Jessore-Magura road in Pachbaria area yesterday.

The deceased Mosharraf Hossain, 58, was general secretary of Awami League and also chairman of Isali union unit.

Ferdousi Begum, wife of the deceased, said: “Mosharraf left home for office around 10am on Tuesday. Later, we heard he was shot and stabbed.”

Locals noticed Mosharraf’s body on Jessore-Magura road and took him to Jessore Medical College Hospital, she said.

On-duty doctor Abdullah Al Manna declared him dead around 11:25am.

Officer-in-Charge of Kotwali police station Inamul Haque said: “We heard about the incident but we have no idea who killed him.”

Family members said his body bore several injury mark. Police suspected that he might have been killed over previous enmity.

A case was filed in this connection.

But no one was arrested. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Long Form

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

7

Digital Bangladesh as an engine for economic growth Can tech powerhouses emerge from Bangladesh?

BIGSTOCK

D

n Ifty Islam and Shama Alam igital World 2015, the recently concluded fourday conference, was the fourth largest ICT event in the world, with 120 private companies and 100 governmental organisations from 25 countries. It also featured representatives from leading technology companies, most notably Google, which sent a broad range of executives, as well as Facebook and Microsoft, among others.

While the primary focus of the event was to highlight the advances of the “Digital Bangladesh” initiative of the current government as well as potential growth opportunities in the ICT sector, in this long form we want to discuss some of the broader potentials of technology as a catalyst for economic growth.

There is a broad consensus that greater infrastructure investment in developing countries can produce faster economic growth. In the case of Bangladesh, typical estimates are that infrastructure bottlenecks, whether in the power sector or transportation/ logistics, limits annual GDP growth by 1-2%.

ICT is every bit as important as energy and infrastructure investment in raising the trend growth rate

Infrastructure is what economists call an “economic enabler” that allows the economy to perform at its full potential. However, there is less appreciation of the importance of ICT as a similar economy turbocharger and one that has equal and perhaps even greater potential than infrastructure investments to boost Bangladesh’s economic growth potential.

The Digital Bangladesh initiative undertaken by the current government focuses on the four key areas of M-health, M-Education, M-Agriculture, and M-Transactions/Banking.

However this article aims to take a broader look at the potential transformative power of technology on the economy.

It has been estimated that a 10% increase in broadband penetration increases economic growth by 1.3 percentage points, but almost certainly the impact in developing countries is greater than that for developed countries.

How does technology affect economic growth? Actually, in a much broader way than most economists had previously imagined, and one that is evolving and changing all the time.

Nobel Prize-winning economist and former dean of the Stanford Business School, Michael Spence, in his book The Next Convergence, noted that “the informational structures in markets, supply chains, and transaction systems -- indeed, the whole global economy -- (have seen) a fundamental and permanent shift …

The information layer that surrounds, organises, and governs the real economy and all its parts is gravitating to the Internet …”

We will look at the impact of technology on economic growth across six main areas: Education/knowledge transfer; productivity enhancement including agriculture; content creation; culture/Facebook generation; access to markets/outsourcing; and enhancing economic efficiency now.

The most traditional mechanism by which technology underpins growth is by facilitating knowledge and innovation transfer. This could be at the company level in terms of reducing the time and transactions costs by bringing the best global practices from developed to developing countries.

At an individual level, the ability to access information and e-learning gives, in theory, the poorest child in a remote village the same access to knowledge as his counterpart in the US or Japan.

The scale of learning tools and educational materials that has become available on the Internet is truly breathtaking. Anyone in the world with access to broadband can watch lectures from the very best professors at Harvard, MIT, Stanford, or Cambridge in a way that was unthinkable even a decade ago.

The benefits in terms of library access of attending Ivy League universities has largely disappeared since most books and articles have been digitised through the pioneering initiatives of companies like Google.

A shortage of skilled teachers in technical subjects or English, particularly in rural areas, is a common constraint faced by developing nations. One could conduct lectures and lessons by video conference, using high-speed Internet connections to broadcast the session in real time to multiple classes of students. Such sessions can be made interactive, with the use of presentation materials and opportunities or question and answer sessions.

An added advantage is that the teacher can continue to be physically based in the urban areas while providing lessons to students in rural areas. The Khan Academy, founded by

Salman Khan who had a Bangladeshi father from Barisal, is perhaps the most well-known of the e-learning platforms.

Of course, in order for a child in a Bangladeshi village to be able to take advantage of the massive e-learning opportunities requires not only access to broadband and either a smartphone or tablet, but also greater training in IT literacy. But the potential is self evident, massive, and in countries such as Bangladesh, largely untapped.

Technology enhances company productivity in multiple ways and the rapid growth of cloud-based computing has reinforced the impact and expanded the possibilities. The early impact of technology in emerging markets on company productivity were at the basic level of greater PC usage, office software, and email.

The rapid decline in the cost per unit of computing power as microprocessors become faster and cheaper is growing at an exponential pace as well, publicised by Moore’s Law which stated that the number of transistors in a densely integrated circuit doubles approximately every two years.

But more recently, the Internet has transformed supply chains and transformed how products are bought and sold. Technology has helped companies improve how they interact with and take feedback from their customers.

It has also helped with talent sourcing and analysis of large data sets with the advent of big data. The cloud gives companies of any size access to capabilities and services that previously were available to only the largest enterprises, at a fraction of their historical cost. Even quite sophisticated software suites are available at very little cost, or in the case of open-source software, at no cost.

The Internet has become a big leveller allowing small companies to operate on a level playing field with large ones. The Internet has made it easier for producers to procure inputs (raw materials) for their production processes and reduced production costs.

They have been able to engage in better and less costly supply chain management and operate with significantly lower levels of inventory. Price discrimination (targeting marketing, products, and prices to specific individuals) has been made much easier by the Internet.

In the agriculture sector, the Digital Bangladesh initiative is already producing a major impact by providing farmers with access to market prices and offering them with a potential platform for increasing crop yields.

The Internet and smartphones are allowing not just the dissemination of best practices for farmers, but can also

record soil and crop data for analysis by experts.

In developed countries, ICT has transformed the print, movie, music, and gaming industries with an increasing number of consumers now creating their own content through blogs, wikis, podcasts, Facebook, Instagram, and Vine. Authors can publish their books digitally on Amazon for a fraction of the cost of using traditional publishers. Musicians and filmmakers likewise have web-based access to potential customers through Youtube and other online platforms.

A May 2014 estimate suggested that there are 7.4 million Facebook users in Bangladesh of which 6.4 million are accessing the site via mobile phones.

This is truly an incredible number for a developing country and has massive implications for connectivity, awareness of global news and cultural trends, and speed of information dissemination, especially among the younger generation.

Technology also profoundly changes market access, especially for SMEs. It has become much easier for very small firms to coordinate production of highly tailored products as part of extended supply chains. The Internet is part of the process of technological change that has enabled this shift.

We need to encourage a local mobile apps ecosystem and that process has already begun with the arrival of Tech VC firms from overseas such as Fenox which is in the process of setting up a $200m Bangladesh fund to invest in tech companies here. A number of incubators have also been established to encourage a startup culture where Mobile operators can also help to encourage and support the development of mobile apps.

The ICT sector itself, as a producer of goods and services, has become increasingly important as evidenced by the rapid growth of India’s ITES and outsourcing sector over the past 15 years. We also envisage Bangladesh’s outsourcing sector to increase substantially in size over the next 10 years to become a $5bn export sector.

Technology also contributes to growth by increasing competition.

It is estimated that in the US, online goods are on average 10% cheaper than those sold by traditional bricks and mortar stores. This is partly because of increased price transparency and the ability of consumers to use online price comparison tools to find the cheapest products. Secondly the Internet e-commerce platforms, most famously Amazon, offer massive economies of scale.

Ebay auction sites were also a disruptive technology in retailing space by making the sale of used products and new goods much easier, again putting downwards pressure on prices.

So Internet markets are argued to be more efficient due to the ease of information transmission, which leads to lower transaction costs. Different pricing and selling mechanisms, such as online auctions, also contribute to increased efficiency.

We have already seen a rapid growth of e-commerce in Bangladesh with the Digital Bangladesh initiative continuing to encourage the expansion of this sector. Recent initiatives by Bangladesh Bank to allow e-payment facilities online, using credit cards such as by enabling Paypal in Bangladesh, will help the growth of the sector even further. In a country like Bangladesh, where supply chains are not that efficient, ICT will reduce the scope for price distortions and manipulation by unscrupulous middlemen to ensure that consumers receive fair prices.

To the extent that we accept that the effective utilisation of technology can have a transformative impact on the economy, it is important to determine what steps policymakers should take in Bangladesh. Firstly, they should ensure world class digital infrastructure and networks at competitive prices. In this area, the Bangladesh government has made major progress in recent years with the dramatic fall in broadband prices, the rapid rollout of 3G services, and the prospects for fast introduction in the near future of 4G and LTE. Secondly, the government can encourage the development of a strong local IT ecosystem. Thirdly, expanding the IT skills base is critical with more vocational colleges to increase the supply of programmers and IT management and marketing professionals.

Effective use of ICT can also play a key role in female empowerment by bringing more women into the workplace and allowing them greater flexibility in working from home/working hours that enables greater balance with family commitments.

It is also important that the government ensures a stable and supportive regulatory framework both in terms of avoiding regulatory volatility and inconsistent or negative taxation policies for the IT sector.

The government has committed to establishing 12 new technology parks in Bangladesh, with the first being the 238 acre park in Kaliakoir near Dhaka.

But there are some other encouraging initiatives from the private sector in the pipeline. Sajeeb Wazeb Joy, ICT Advisor to the Prime Minister, noted in his speech at the Digital World 2015 that: “One of the problems is financing. In America, new innovations don’t get support from the government.

They get their funding from the private sector.”

In this context, the announcement in November that Fenox, a Silicon Valley venture capital firm, was raising a $200m fund for Bangladesh IT, is especially encouraging. Kyle King from Fenox noted: “Bangladesh has a large, young population, an outstanding Internet and mobile growth with an unexplored entrepreneurial system which all make Bangladesh a place for innovation, discovery, change, disruption, creation, and investment … For Fenox, Bangladesh qualifies as the right country to be a part of in terms of developing the world’s most influential startups.”

Sajeeb Wazed Joy also stated: “I want companies like Google and Facebook to emerge from Bangladesh.”

On the face that may sound like wishful thinking. But in fact technology is levelling the competitive playing field so fast that in our generation it is definitely conceivable, perhaps even likely, that a boy from a Bangladeshi village has the potential to create a company with a disruptive technology as powerful as Google or Facebook.

To paraphrase NY Times columnist Thomas Friedman. Technology is the primary driver of such “flattening” of the global economic landscape.

In conclusion, we believe that ICT is every bit as important as energy and infrastructure investment in raising the trend growth rate. Effective implementation of Digital Bangladesh may yet prove to be the single most important weapon in poverty alleviation allowing Bangladesh to achieve its potential as the fastest growing economy in Asia. l Ifty Islam is Chairman, Asian Tiger Capital Partners. Shama Alam is Senior Consultant, Asian Tiger Capital Partners.

8

DHAKA TRIBUNE

World

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

UKRAINE REBELS CLAIM WITHDRAWAL PROGRESS ; KIEV UNCONVINCED

IS in Syria abducts at least 90 from Christian villages n Reuters, Amman Islamic State militants have abducted at least 90 people from Assyrian Christian villages in northeastern Syria, a monitoring group that tracks violence in Syria said yesterday.

The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the militants carried out dawn raids on rural villages inhabited by the ancient Christian minority west of Hasaka, a city mainly held by the Kurds.

Syrian Kurdish militia have renewed their assault on the militants, launching two offensives against them in northeast

Syria on Sunday, helped from US-led air strikes and Iraqi Peshmerga who have been shelling Islamic State-held territory from their side of the nearby border.

This part of Syria is strategically important in the fight against Islamic State because it borders territory controlled by the group in Iraq, where last year the ultra-hardline group committed atrocities against the Yazidi community.

Tel Tamr, a town near the Assyrian Christian villages where the abductions occurred, has witnessed heavy clashes between Islamic State fighters and the Kurdish YPG militia, the Observatory said. l

Gunmen abduct 30 Shiite Muslims in Afghanistan n AFP, Kandahar

An air-drome is seen through a window of a Ukrainian armed forces helicopter in the Kharkiv region yesterday.

Pro-Russia separatists said yesterday they had begun pulling heavy weapons from the front line in east Ukraine under a ceasefire deal, but Ukraine said the rebels were using the cover of the truce to reinforce for another advance. Fighting has eased in eastern Ukraine in recent days, raising hope that a ceasefire due to start February 15 can finally take effect after the rebels initially ignored it to storm a government-held town last week. Since taking the railway hub of Debaltseve in one of the worst defeats for Kiev of the war, the Moscow-backed rebels have indicated they want the truce to take effect. But Kiev says the rebels are still shooting, which the rebels deny. Western countries have not yet given up on the ceasefire deal, but have made clear they are suspicious of the rebels and their presumed patron, Russian President Vladimir Putin REUTERS

Greece on course for INDO-PAK BOAT ROW bailout extension

n Reuters, Berlin/Brussels Greece was on course to win a fourmonth extension of its euro zone financial rescue yesterday after backing down further to its partners on key leftist reforms and promising that measures to alleviate social distress will not derail its budget.

Eurogroup chairman Jeroen Dijsselbloem convened a telephone conference of finance ministers of the currency bloc to seal the decision after the new leftist-led government in Athens sent him a detailed list of reforms it plans to implement by July.

The six-page document signed by Marxist Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis rowed back on campaign promises to halt privatisations, boost welfare spending and raise the minimum wage, vowing to consult partners before key reforms and keep them budget-neutral.

The European Commission called the Greek letter “sufficiently comprehensive to be a valid starting point for a successful conclusion of the review.”

Austrian Finance Minister Hans Joerg Schelling, a conservative fiscal hawk close to Germany, forecast a positive outcome from the teleconference. l

UN climate panel head resigns n AFP, Nairobi The head of the UN’s climate science panel, Rajendra Pachauri, stepped down yesterday in the wake of sexual harassment claims against him that have surfaced at a crucial time on the climate agenda.

Pachauri, chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) since 2002, has denied any wrongdoing, claiming his email account and mobile phone were hacked.

“The IPCC needs strong leadership and dedication of time and full attention by the Chair in the immediate future, which under the current circumstances I may be unable to provide,” he said in the letter, without referring to the allegations. l

Mother of four wins $127m jackpot n BBC A single mother with four children, including one with cerebral palsy, has come forward to claim her part of a $564m (£365m) Powerball jackpot.

Marie Holmes, 26, of North Carolina, bought one of three winning tickets, and will take a $127m lump sum payment.

Holmes bought 10 tickets for the draw earlier in February.

She was “screaming and jumping” when she heard, she told reporters on Monday and the best part of winning was being able to provide for her children. l

India removes Coast Guard official who contradicted govt n Tribune Desk Indian Coast Guard officer BK Loshali, whose statement had contradicted the government’s version of the explosion of a Pakistani boat on New Year’s Eve, was removed yesterday.

A report on NDTV said Loshali has been removed as Chief of Staff at Northwest region and is expected to face an inquiry before the board in Gujarat.

Earlier, Loshali said he had ordered an attack on the boat as it approached Indian waters.

A report published on the Indian Express website had quoted Coast Guard DIG B.K. Loshali as saying “Let me tell you,” he said, “I hope you remember 31st December night… we blew off that Pakistan… We have blown them off… I was there at Gandhinagar and I told at night, blow the boat off. We don’t want to serve them biryani…”

The comment sparked a controversy because it was at odds with the government’s version.

The Indian government had claimed that the Pakistani boat which sank in the Arabian Sea after being intercepted by the Indian Coast Guard had “suspected terror links.”

A suspected Pakistani boat claimed

by India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party to be on a terror mission exploded in the Arabian Sea on New Year’s eve following a chase, but the Indian Express reported that the vessel seemed to be on a routine smuggling trip when it was intercepted.

The government statement said the

boat ignored warnings to stop and allow a search, and the crew hid below deck before setting the vessel on fire, causing it to explode and sink. The four people on board had died.

Later Loshali denied reports which said that he had admitted to have ordered for the Pakistani boat to be blown up, a report published on the Times of India website said.

Loshali said he had ordered an attack on the boat as it approached Indian waters The claim in the Indian Express report was in sharp contrast to New Delhi’s official position which had been adamant that the boat had ‘suspected terror links’ and that the crew had committed suicide by setting the vessel on fire.

A video circulating on social media corroborated the report published on the Indian Express website and shows the DIG Coast Guards making the above mentioned statements during the launching ceremony of a boat.

Loshali later issued a rejoinder which rejected the media report terming it as ‘not factual’ and denied making any such claim.

Pakistan strongly rejected Indian allegations of the so-called “terror boat” and termed reports alleging that the Pakistani boat was on a terror mission “baseless and preposterous.” l

Masked gunmen have abducted 30 Shiite Muslim men who were traveling by bus through southern Afghanistan after returning from Iran, officials and a witness said yesterday.

The men, members of the minority Hazara ethnic group, were seized on Monday evening in Zabul province, on the road between the western city of Herat and the capital Kabul.

Hazara Shiite Muslims are often the target of sectarian violence at the hands of Sunni Muslim extremists in Pakistan, though such attacks have been relatively rare in Afghanistan.

“Our driver saw a group of masked men in Afghan army uniform signalling him and he thought they were soldiers so he stopped,” Nasir Ahmad,

Kejriwal says Modi govt acting as property dealer n Tribune Desk Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal joined Anna Hazare yesterday during the social activist’s protest against the controversial land acquisition ordinance, saying the Narendra Modi-led government was acting as a property dealer for corporates.

“The land ordinance is against the farmers and the poor. We are with Anna ji (in protesting it),” Kejriwal said after he met Hazare on-stage at the protest venue.

“The public will bulldoze any government which tries to acquire land with force… Not an inch of land in Delhi will be taken forcibly,” the Delhi CM

said at the protest.

Hazare and Kejriwal, the two pillars of the 2011-12 anti-corruption movement, looked set to unite forces once again after they parted ways following differences over Kejriwal’s decision to plunge into electoral politics.

On Monday, Hazare accused the Modi government of being indifferent towards farmers as he launched a two-day protest against the controversial land acquisition ordinance in the Capital.

Hazare also hinted at a bigger agitation at the Ramlila ground if the government did not take the land ordinance back saying he will take the movement to each and every district of the country.

n BBC There has been outrage in India over a Hindu leader’s comment that Mother Teresa’s charity work had one objective – to convert the poor to Christianity.

Mohan Bhagwat is the powerful head of Hindu nationalist organisation RSS, which is close to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s BJP government.

Opposition politicians criticised the remark and many Indians took to social media to express their outrage.

The comments come days after PM Modi vowed to protect religious freedom.

The prime minister’s comments followed a string of attacks on churches in Delhi.

Mother Teresa, who worked for nearly 50 years to help the poorest of

n Dawn, Peshawar

Sharbat has three daughters. This is in contrast with the information on the Nadra form which maintains that she has two sons.

“They may not be her sons but this is a common practice among Afghan

The December ordinance made significant changes to the UPA government’s land acquisition act including removal of a consent clause for acquiring land for five areas - industrial corridors, PPP projects, rural infrastructure, affordable housing and defence.

The ordinance is a temporary order that needs the approval of both Houses of Parliament to come into force and will lapse if not ratified in this Budget session.

Hazare and his team had earlier said no representatives of any political party will be allowed on stage during the two-day protest in the Capital as parties manipulate such situations against each other. l

India outrage after Hindu leader attacks Mother Teresa motive the poor in Kolkata (Calcutta), founded the Missionaries of Charity and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her work in 1979.

India too recognised her contribution by awarding her Bharat Ratna (Jewel of India), the country’s highest civilian honour.

Motivation questioned

“Mother Teresa’s service would have been good. But it used to have one objective, to convert the person, who was being served, into a Christian,” Bhagwat said while speaking at a function in Rajasthan on Monday “The question is not about conversion but if it is done in the name of service, then that service gets devalued,” he added.

The comment sparked a howl of

Pakistan issues ID-card to Nat Geo’s famed ‘Afghan Girl’ Pakistan National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) officials in Peshawar issued Computerised National Identity Cards (CNICs) to Afghan woman Sharbat Bibi and two men who are said to be her sons, official documents reveal.

Sources at Nadra’s Hayatabad office told Dawn that high-ups in the Nadra issued three CNICs on a single day last year to the 46-year-old Sharbat Bibi, wife of Rehmat Gul, and her two sons Rauf Khan and Wali Khan in violation of rules and regulations.

“These people are so powerful; I don’t know whether they have money or connections but they got three CNICs in one day,” said a Nadra source.

In 1984, Sharbat moved to Peshawar along with her two sons and since then, she has been residing in the Nasir Bagh camp established for Afghan refugees. Earlier reports had said that

an official with the Ghazni Paima bus company, told AFP. “The gunmen took 30 Hazaras away with them.”

Ahmad said the kidnappers took only the men on the two buses and not the women and children travelling with them. A female passenger, who asked not to be named, told AFP they were returning from a trip to Shiite-majority Iran when their buses were stopped by the men in uniform.

“They were standing on the highway with their faces covered,” said the woman, whose relatives were among those kidnapped.

“They only took Hazaras, including my cousins. After they took the people, the police arrived but they refused to go after the kidnappers, saying they needed orders from Kabul.” l

refugees whereby they list names of non-relatives as their children to obtain documents,” said a Nadra source.

According to the Nadra form, Sharbat is said to be a permanent resident of Peshawar’s Nothia Qadeem area.

It is unclear how long she has been in Pakistan or if she is a registered Afghan refugee. An inquiry has been launched at Nadra with officials under fire for issuing CNICs to foreign nationals without legitimate documentation.

When contacted, Nadra officials, refused to comment on the matter.

However, it is unlawful to issue a CNIC card to Afghan nationals without adequate documentation and procedure to acquire Pakistani nationality.

Sharbat Bibi became famously known as the ‘Afghan Girl’ when National Geographic photographer Steve McCurry captured her photograph at the Nasir Bagh refugee camp situated on the edge of Peshawar in 1984 and identified her as Sharbat Gula.

She gained worldwide recognition when her image was featured on the cover of the June 1985 issue of National Geographic Magazine at a time when she was approximately 12 years old. l

protest from Christian leaders, opposition politicians and ordinary Indians.

Delhi Catholic Archdiocese Father Savarimuthu said it was “a sad statement.”

“Mother Teresa had dedicated her life to the destitute,” CNN-IBN quoted him as saying.

The main opposition Congress party demanded an apology from the ruling BJP and said they would raise this issue in parliament.

“Mother Teresa shouldn’t be insulted like this,” Congress leader Rajiv Shukla said.

MP Derek O’Brien of the Trinamul Congress party said the statement was “condemnable.”

Even Anand Kejriwal commented on the issue: “She was a noble soul. Pl spare her.” l

Indonesia says executions won’t be delayed

n Reuters, Jakarta

Indonesia’s president said yesterday the planned execution of 11 convicts on death row, most on drugs charges, would not be delayed, warning foreign countries not to intervene in his government’s right to use capital punishment.

President Joko Widodo has denied clemency to the convicts despite repeated pleas from Australia, Brazil and France, who have citizens due to be executed by firing squad. “The first thing I need to say firmly is that there shouldn’t be any intervention towards the death penalty because it is our sovereign right to exercise our law,” Widodo told reporters.

He said he took calls from the leaders of France, Brazil and the Netherlands about the death penalty but made no mention of Australia. Two Australians are among the 11 on death row. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Preview

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

9

10

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Editorial

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

CODE-CRACKER

Boost translation to spread Bangla

A

round 70% of the 5,000 books and magazines published by the Bangla Academy are out of print. Bangla language translations of many classic works of world literature, as well as more niche publications, are simply not available.

If calls to advance the use of Bangla in the judgments of higher courts and in higher university education are ever to make progress, the country needs to vastly scale up efforts to translate works into Bangla.

While it is arguable that spreading use of English and the Internet compensates for the lack of translated works in Bangla, the scarcity and low number of good quality translated works in Bangla is not good enough.

Most people in the country need and want to see more works translated into Bangla, not rely on English.

Of course, translation and transmission of culture and knowledge is a two-way process. We applaud the initiative by ULAB, a related concern of this newspaper, to establish the Dhaka Translation Centre to create a “Library of Bangladesh” to make works by leading Bangladeshi writers accessible in high-quality translations around the world. This is a highly welcome way to raise the profile of Bangladeshi writers and spread our heritage and culture.

It is perfectly complementary to the need of increasing the availability and breadth of foreign works translated into Bangla.

The scale of this task is large. Greece, with a population of 11 million translates over 1,500 works each year. We need to see more funding and collaboration to enable the Bangla Acaemdy and universities to provide more high-quality translations in Bangla.

Scale up efforts to translate works into Bangla

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

More affordable auto-rickshaws please

February 20 registration procedures have been made too Md Ashraf Hossain costly to afford auto rickshaws.

Affordable transport service for mid-income and When a student wants to go to an examination low-income people in the capital is almost nonhall, he or she needs a vehicle like CNG run autoexistent. Every day they confront acute problem rickshaws, as human-driven rickshaws are not to move from one place to another. Once, allowed to ply on all streets required to cross in baby taxi (auto rickshaw) fare was affordable Dhaka. to the middle-income and low-income groups Amidst the scenario, the government needs in Bangladesh. After the 90s, governments to reduce the import duty on CNG-run baby taxis have been imposing high customs duties, and withdraw the administrative restrictions supplementary duties, and VAT on the import of to increase the availability of these vehicles in auto rickshaws.

Dhaka. It is very much necessary to withdraw In addition to all these forbidden taxes, supplementary duty and VAT on import of CNGadministrative restrictions like prior permission run auto rickshaws. from the government for import and cumbersome

BNP: No option except intensifying movement Md Milon Exactly.

W

e welcome news reports that Italian fashion brand Benetton is planning to make a payment to the ILO-adminsitered Rana Plaza Arrangement fund to help compensate injured workers and dependents of the over 1,100 killed on April 24 2013.

Revised estimates by the committee managing this voluntary fund, indicate that it still faces a $9m shortfall on the $30m it now believes will be needed to ensure compensation is distributed in line with the standards set by ILO Convention 121.

The efforts of campaign groups in persuading more large companies which had sourcing linked to factories located at Rana Plaza, to make contributions are commendable.

Everyone is aware of the acute needs and long-term challenges faced by survivors. Any effort that can be made to support them further through voluntary payments should be encouraged.

If it were not for the coordinated framework to encourage and distribute voluntary payments established by the stakeholders who originally signed the Rana Plaza Compensation Arrangement, it is probable that more of these monies would have been delayed or denied by legal disputes.

Although many more funds and payments are still needed, the fact that they are underway is a testament to the benefits of collaboration by and among different stakeholders.

This can be seen more broadly in the commitments made by the government and the brand-led Accord and Alliance initiatives to raise safety standards and the efforts being made to keep raw materials and goods-laden trucks moving.

The RMG sector needs to build further on such means of cooperation to help it compete and progress for the benefit of the nation.

Build on the cooperation that is delivering safety improvements and help for Rana Plaza victims

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

SUDOKU

February 5

Co-operation proves its worth to RMG

How to solve: Each number in our CODE-CRACKER grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. For example, today 17 represents M so fill M every time the figure 17 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.

Rizwan Chaudhry Movement = Killing innocent people in the name of democracy. #hipocracy #terrorism

2 Jubo Dal activists killed while hurling petrol bomb February 4

Rakhal Chhele Good kill. :)

Nahid: University at every district February 4

Abdullah Al Kaisar Presently, there are in all 117 universities in the public and private sectors in the country. Of the universities, 37 are public and 80 are private.

The ‘real’ exam February 4

PM seeks mass support for tough actions February 7

Zheba No one wants to support violent acts. But why does the PM keep BNP locked-up and unable to hold a rally? Keeping them locked-up gives BNP an excuse to a) carry on blockades b) start conspiracy theories about false-flag operations. Let them go if you really want to beat them.

M Sirajullah Hon PM, the people will be with you only if you are tough on the arsonists burning and killing us.

BNP declared that they will not stop until you step down. You can not step down. People voted you to protect them and to serve them. To step down now means you will be committing treachery.

No non-elected people can form a legitimate government. You can not have a dialog with a party that betrayed the country by not joining the election last year. They did not want to have an elected parliament. They want to come to power through hooliganism. People know that very well.

Please stay tough.

SSC examinees endure another rescheduling February 8

MS Please do not put these children’s lives at risk for a certificate. Let them survive first and then they can take exam later. The way it is going it is not likely to stop before all 160 million people are burnt or killed, including these 15 lakh children.

Taking a piece of paper to the grave would not help. Our leaders were power-hungry before, but now they are blood-thirsty.

RC In the mean time, Khaleda has sent her own grandchildren to Malaysia for attending their exams. #hipocracy

RAB kills two ‘petrol bombers’ February 5

Sharif Ahmed RAB: A black stain on our law enforcement agency.

CALVIN AND HOBBES

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

CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Frozen shower (5) 4 Destructive insect (4) 7 Plunder (6) 8 Sound reasoning (5) 10 Look after (4) 11 Bury (5) 12 Everybody (3) 14 Send out (4) 17 Of no effect (4) 19 Put to a purpose (3) 20 Advises strongly (5) 23 Bricks-baking oven (4) 25 Ward off (5) 26 Nullify (6) 27 Wagers (4) 28 Finished (5)

DOWN 1 Eastern ruler (6) 2 Poet’s Ireland (4) 3 Diplomacy (4) 4 Bishop’s headress (5) 5 United (3) 6 Sport (6) 9 Breathing organ (4) 13 Of the wolf (6) 15 Meditate (4) 16 Examined (6) 18 Respiratory organs (5) 21 Entrance (4) 22 Level (4) 24 Permit (3)

‘People will not let Khaleda go unpunished’ February 8

Dr Ahsan Habib Politicians are the servants of people, and they should not talk with raised fingers. You do it constantly. Learn to be polite and submissive. You are not the ruler.

Quite graphic February 5

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTIONS CODE-CRACKER

Julia Alam I wish you all the very best Amit, and may you be blessed abundantly.

CROSSWORD

Trucker, helper killed in Bogra arson PEANUTS

February 5

Kazi Tanvir Hassan Sadistic!

The long-term price tag February 8

Zero-Agenda Human rights matter little in a nation where its people are forced to live a sub-human life.

SUDOKU

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Op-Ed

11

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

It’s all about the money

T

n Faruque Hasan o cure the so-called political violence in Bangladesh, which knows no bound, we need to diagnose its true nature. As we know, without knowing the disease, no remedy is possible.

The violence which has been going on in Bangladesh in the name of politics is not political violence at its core. Contrary to the general belief among the people of the country, and in the outside world, the politicians of our country are not power-hungry at all. Calling them power-hungry is just smearing their true character.

Imagine that corruption in Bangladesh has taken a nose-dive. In that backdrop, 99% of the present-day politicians, if they may be called politicians at all, will be found nowhere near the politics of the country. “If I cannot make money and amass wealth, what’s the use of doing politics?” -- uttering these words in sheer dismay, they would bid goodbye to politics forever.

toll-collecting from business houses, industrialists, shopkeepers, and street vendors; securing government and semi-government jobs for job-seekers in exchange for money; grabbing government tenders for someone else by flexing political muscle (of course in exchange for money); illegal sand-lifting from rivers; government land-grabbing; looting bank money in the name of loans; illegal logging; securing admissions in public universities, colleges, schools; and allotment of seats in student dormitories on payment of grease money. The list goes on.

Politicians belong to the political party in power, whichever the party may be -- the pro-liberation force with leftists or the nationalist force with fundamentalists -- and that party’s youth and student wings hold a monopoly on all these non-traditional, but extremely lucrative, businesses in the country.

These are billion-taka trades (dollar may be used instead of taka, because most of this money finds its way out of the country to unnamed offshore bank accounts).

BIGSTOCK

In Bangladesh, politics has become a moneymaking game without any set rules, and in which political ideologies take a backseat

Despite requesting and imploring on the part of the countrymen, none of them would join politics. Even at gunpoint, it would be impossible to put them in power; because to them, to be in power is wasting time and energy.

To call this brand of politicians power-hungry is character assassination.

Outside the sphere of traditional trade and commerce, our present-day politicians have invented and developed many new non-traditional business ventures. Thanks to them, we now have in Bangladesh, untraditional trades and businesses like illegal

So, why should the political party in power not try to stay in power forever by any means? And why shouldn’t the political party outside power try its utmost to grab power as soon as possible by any means? To be in power means making millions of taka a day, to be outside it means losing millions of taka every day. Democracy, ethics, people’s lives, peace in the country, the economy, etc mean nothing to them.

Politics sans ethics has become, in this country, so profitable a business that every day we see political people getting killed, not only at the hands

of their opponent political party men, but also at the hands of their own party men.

In fact, these days, a lot more political people are getting killed in intra-party conflicts than in inter-party conflicts. Members of the same political party are fighting and killing each other for establishing sway on an area from where they can collect illegal tolls, grab tenders, etc and make money.

In Bangladesh, politics has become a money-making game without any set rules, and in which political ideologies take a backseat. During the British period, politics in Bangladesh was in the hands of landed aristocrats, in the Pakistani period, it came into the hands of the middle class, and now it is in the hands of the people who think politics is a business to mint money and amass wealth with.

Often, well-wishers of the country

talk about dialog being held between rival political parties to end violence.

Dialog will be of no use in solving the ever-present political problem in the country, at least not until corruption is properly dealt with.

Till we are able to control or eradicate corruption, violence in the name of politics will not stop.

Inter-party violence may subside for a year or two but it will erupt time and again -- intra-party violence will still be a threat. Corruption needs to be controlled to stop our so-called political violence, but who will bell the cat?

Alarming is the change that has occurred in the mentality of the general people of this country, as to the perception of corruption. It may be hard to accept this, but the stark truth is that these days most Bangladeshis do not consider corruption as a social vice. To them, corruption is a golden

opportunity -- those who can seize this opportunity and utilise it for their benefit are lucky and brave, those who cannot are chicken-hearted fools.

Moreover, corruption in Bangladesh is an open teamwork, no more a clandestine mischief to be perpetrated under the table. In this country, everybody is against corruption, except the ones they indulge in themselves.

Against this social backdrop, the glory days for politicians in this country are not going to end in the near future, and thus the so-called political violence will not subside. It’s not only politicians; a section of our civil society still indulges in the vice that is corruption.

We may come to the conclusion that the acts of throwing petrol bombs into passenger buses, torching vehicles, and fighting with cudgels and machetes -- as we have seen in 1996, 2006, and now -- is not political violence but

organised gang warfare guised in a political cloak.

For the last decade, Bangladesh has been achieving an annual GDP growth rate of around 6%. According to a Goldman Sachs study (2011), Bangladesh will be the 22nd largest economy in the world by 2030 (it is now the 57th largest economy according to IMF and World Bank). According to CNN Timeline, by 2019, Bangladesh will be the second-highest GDP growth rate (7%) achiever in the world.

Without our rowdy, so-called politicians, Bangladesh could possibly achieve an annual GDP growth rate of above 10%. Bengalis are some of the most intelligent people in the world.

We can turn our Bangladesh into Golden Bengal once again, if only we can break the vicious circle of politics, corruption, and violence. l Faruque Hasan is a freelance contributor.

Six years since Pilkhana

Honour needs more care

n Saquib Rahman

n MJ Akbar

I

think the recent political instability has diverted our minds from the events of February 25. The day which -- six years back -- was so brutal that words can’t express. People have various points of view regarding the Pilkhana tragedy.

Some say the conspiracy had India behind it, some talk of the government’s involvement in the incident, and some choose to explain how government has no incentive in doing so. Some even blame Islamic fundamentalists.

People take their stance and base their arguments with regards to the political ideology that they believe in.

Thus, till now, since these are all speculations, it is always best not to go into the debate. But for the families of the martyrs, nothing can ever compensate for their loss.

Many questions can be raised with regards to the carnage. However, for now, I simply want to bring to your notice a senior officer who was shot inside Pilkhana. I would like to take the opportunity to highlight his career in brief.

On November 1, 1962, Colonel Quadrat Elahi Rahman Shafique was born in the heart of Rangpur. After his schooling from Jhenaidah Cadet College, he joined the Bangladesh Military Academy as a gentleman cadet and was commissioned at third East Bengal Infantry Regiment on June 10, 1983. He achieved first-class-first in the BSc examination under Chittagong University.

In 1984, he went for his first course in Rajshahi on field engineering as a lieutenant. Once he was a captain, he did his OW (Open Weapons) and JTC (Junior Tactics Course) from SI&T (School of Infantry and Tactics).

After completion of the courses, Col Quadrat Elahi was appointed as instructor in SI&T and was promoted to major.

In 1991, he was admitted for an MBA to IBA, and graduated in 1994, standing first with a major in marketing. As soon as he graduated, he was posted to Europe with the

designation of PAO, observer for the UN Mission in certain areas, namely Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Slovenia, etc. In 1995, he came back from Europe and was sent to Bandarban as Brigade Major (BM).

Col Quadrat Elahi then did his staff course (psc) from DSCSC (Defense Services Command and Staff College) from 1997-1998, and then embarked for a second staff course where he got a Post Graduate Diploma from University of Malaya on Strategic Management.

For the families of the martyrs, nothing can ever compensate for their loss

He was posted as the second in command (2IC) for the first Bengal Infantry Regiment. Later on, Col Elahi was put in MIST (Military Institute of Science & Technology) as an instructor, where he founded the MBA Department of MIST. Col Elahi was promoted from major to lieutenant colonel while posted there.

After serving as an instructor, he was sent to command an army battalion. He served as the commanding officer (CO) for two years of the 18th East Bengal Infantry Regiment.

After commanding for two long years, Col Quadrat Elahi was posted to DSCSC (Defense Services Command & Staff College) as DS (Directing Staff ), and after serving for a year, he was promoted to full colonel on August 7, 2005 and served again for almost a year as SI (senior instructor).

Col Quadrat Elahi was then sent to Sudan for his second UN Mission as sector commander of Juba. He served

the United Nations from 2007-2008 and was the first officer from the Bangladesh Army to have received the medal of gallantry from the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. In 2008, he was asked to enrol in the senior course NDC (National Defense Course) in Dhaka, while at the same time Col Elahi was working on his MPhil under the University of Dhaka.

He had also received a Masters in Defense Studies degree from National University, Bangladesh.

The above describes just one officer out of the 57, murdered unarmed. I wish that the readers get an idea of how much the nation’s army, if not all of Bangladesh, could be benefitted from officers of such calibre.

On January 9, 2009, Col Quadrat Elahi was posted in Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) as Sector Commander of Dinajpur. From there he headed towards Dhaka on February 21, 2009 in order to join “BDR Week,” and on his way back he stopped at Brac University Savar Campus to pay me a visit. I remember complimenting him on his looks in the new BDR attire.

I shook hands with his gunman who had helped me walk towards my dormitory room with the snacks Papa had brought for me. I remember talking to him, I remember him smiling at me. But I never could imagine that he, being there for my favourite colonel’s protection, would ever turn out to be the predator.

I would like to end with a quote from Papa’s paper published in the National Defence College (NDC) Journal, Volume 9, Number 1, June 2010: “Bangladesh should be able to take lessons from its failures in the past, and its leaders should be ready to devote themselves to the country’s welfare, rather than building their own personal fortune. Only then will Golden Bengal envisioned in the Bangladesh national anthem bear some fruit. The dream for which three million people sacrificed their lives will come true.” l Saquib Rahman is the founder of “Desh, We’re Concerned,” a registered society for rights and social awareness.

J

ustice is fragile without honour.

The letter of the law is finite, but the spirit of the law is infinite. A judge is measured by rectitude, a moral virtue. Justice appreciates the need for partisan argument, and allots this role to a lawyer. A lawyer is one-sided by vocation, which is why he is called an advocate. The judge makes decisions, including of life and death. That is a higher calling, in any court, lower, higher, or supreme.

Among the honourable practices in our legal system is the opportunity a judge has to recuse himself, that is to withdraw voluntarily, from a case in which there might be any suspicion of personal feeling vis-a-vis a litigant.

We are not discussing corruption; in fact, a judge who is corrupt will insist on presiding over a matter.

But honour among brother judges is maintained only when the decision is voluntary. If a judge is removed from a bench, then it becomes a judgement on the judge himself.

This is what makes the decision to change the original Supreme Court bench of Justices SJ Mukhopadhaya and NV Ramana in the anticipatory bail application of Teesta Setalvad and her husband Javed Anand so surprising.

The two did not recuse themselves.

They were dropped after lawyers who supported Ms Setalvad publicly alleged bias on the specious grounds that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had gone to the wedding reception of Justice Mukhopadhaya’s daughter in December, and that of Justice Ramana daughter earlier this month.

Does the chief justice of the Supreme Court really believe that his brother judges had become dishonest merely because a social nicety was observed? Does he think they are so weak of mind, if not deficient of character?

And if they are, then what credibility do they bring to any of their present and future duty in court? Surely the chief justice is aware that inviting the prime minister to a wedding reception is the norm within the upper hierarchy of the Delhi establishment?

Prime Minister Modi often accepts.

Did Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Mrs Sonia Gandhi never accept any social invitations from a Supreme Court judge during the decade that UPA was in power? Did this affect any judgement by the Supreme Court, given the fact that the UPA government was buffeted constantly with one high-voltage corruption case or the other?

Don’t Supreme Court judges meet prime ministers and politicians at dinners in Delhi? It has been argued

by Ms Setalvad’s advocates that a distinction should be made, and that wedding receptions are a “personal” affair, then someone should introduce them to India.

prevent him from naming Justice Mukhopadhaya to the bench in the Setalvad case. He probably never gave it a second thought, because he trusted his brother judge. Why did he change his mind?

The answer is uncomplicated. The chief justice was pressured by the campaign led by lawyers supporting Ms Setalvad. In the process, he hurt the reputations of his brother judges, and did his own hallowed institution some collateral damage.

The analogy that Caesar’s wife should be above suspicion is used so often that it has become a cliche. I wonder, often, about Caesar: Shouldn’t Caesar be above suspicion as well?

Honour among brother judges is maintained only when the decision is voluntary. If a judge is removed from a bench, then it becomes a judgement on the judge himself

The one formal occasion in a parent’s life is the wedding ceremony of a son or daughter. Only those who do not know India will believe that a wedding invitation is sent to only close friends.

A marriage in our country is not just another “function,” a sort of elder brother to a convivial dinner. In fact, it works the other way round: While an invitation is considered obligatory, not being invited is treated as a sort of public snub. Did Mulayam Singh Yadav invite Narendra Modi to his grandson’s wedding because Modi is a very dear friend?

Justices Mukhopadhaya and Ramana had no idea, when they sent their invitations, that they would be sitting on this bench. The invitations were sent long before the Setalvad case was listed on February 13. The chief justice was surely aware of the PM’s presence as guest of Justice Mukhopadhaya, not least because he himself was there. This, very correctly, did not

I am not entering into the merits of the case. I am quite sure that the new bench of Justices Dipak Misra and Adarsh Goel will be fair, as expected of any Supreme Court judge. During its first hearing the new bench was tough with both the counsel for Gujarat government, which wants judicial custody of Ms Setalvad, and her lawyer, telling the latter to produce all documents that the police wanted.

If Justices Misra and Goel have not, by some chance, met the prime minister already at some gathering, it is certain that they will. So what, in either case. Every judge of the Supreme Court knows his mind and understands the moral quotient of his job.

The law has the resilience to look after itself. Honour needs a bit more care. l MJ Akbar is an Indian journalist. He is the founder of The Sunday Guardian. This article was first published in The Sunday Guardian.

12

DHAKA TRIBUNE Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Sport

UPCOMING MATCHES

TODAY Ireland v UAE, 9:30am

14 PCB asks casino-

TOMORROW Afghanistan v Scotland, 4am Sri Lanka v Bangladesh, 9:30am

visitor Moin Khan to return home

Gayle, Samuels destroy clueless Zimbabwe n Reuters, Canberra Chris Gayle rediscovered his mojo in spectacular fashion on Tuesday with the first ever World Cup double century to drive West Indies to a 73-run victory over Zimbabwe in their Pool B clash at Manuka Oval.

The opener’s 215 was the highest individual innings in a World Cup match,

WIvZIM West Indies R B D. Smith b Panyangara 0 2 C. Gayle c Chigumbura b Mazakadza 215 147 M. Samuels not out 133 156 Extras (b1, lb2, w16, nb5) 24 Total (2 wickets, 50 overs)

372

Fall of wickets 1-0, 2-372

Bowling Panyangara 9-0-82-1 (2nb, 4w); Chatara 9.4-0-74-0 (2nb); Williams 5-0-48-0 (1w); Chigumbura 7-0-44-0 (1nb, 6w); Raza 10-1-45-0 (4w); Kamungozi 3-0-37-0; Masakadza 6.2-0-39-1; Zimbabwe (target: 363 runs from 48 overs) Sikandar Raza c Simmons b Holder R. Chakabva lbw b Holder H. Masakadza lbw b Taylor B. Taylor c Ramdin b Samuels S. Williams c Smith b Holder C. Ervine b Gayle S. Matsikenyeri lbw b Gayle E. Chigumbura c Gayle b Taylor T. Panyangara c Ramdin b Taylor T. Chatara b Miller T. Kamungozi not out Extras (lb9, w14, nb2)

R

B

26 2 5 37 76 52 19 21 4 16 6 25

20 5 14 48 61 41 23 20 8 20 9

Total (all out; 44.3 overs)

289

Fall of wickets 1-11, 2-26, 3-46, 4-126, 5-177, 6-226, 7-239, 8-254, 9-266, 10-289

Bowling Taylor 10-0-38-3 (5w); Holder 7-0-48-3 (1w); Miller 6.3-0-48-1 (2w); Samuels 9-059-1; Russell 5-0-44-0 (2nb, 2w); Sammy 1-0-8-0; Gayle 6-0-35-2 (2w); West Indies won by 73 runs (D/L)

the third highest in any one-day international, and formed the large part of a 372-run partnership with Marlon Samuels (133 not out), also an one-day record.

The dreadlocked 35-year-old slugged 16 sixes - tying the one-day record - as well as 10 fours in his 147ball knock and even though he was dismissed with the last ball of the innings, West Indies were set fair at 372 for two.

Zimbabwe had their run-chase trimmed to 363 from 48 overs under the Duckworth-Lewis method after rain briefly interrupted the contest and they initially made a good fist of it.

Brendan Taylor was unfortunate to be dismissed for 37 after a controversial third umpire referral and middle order batsmen Sean Williams (76) and Craig Ervine (52) also put in good shifts.

When Gayle (2-35) returned with the ball to dismiss Ervine and Stuart Matsikenyeri (19) with his off-spin, however, the writing was on the wall for Zimbabwe and they were all out for 289 in the 45th over. After starting their campaign with an embarrassing upset at the hands of Ireland, West Indies look on course for a place in the quarter-finals after impressive wins over Pakistan and now Zimbabwe.

The match had started well for the Africans with Tinashe Panyangara bowling Dwayne Smith for a duck on the second ball and coming within a whisker of dismissing Gayle lbw in the same over.

Gayle, under fire after a poor run of form, made the most of the reprieve even if the stifling of his aggressive instincts meant his 22nd one-day century was by no means the most fluent of his career.

Once he reached the milestone with the first ball of the batting powerplay, however, he punished the Zimbabwean bowlers as only he can, smashing the ball around the ground almost at will.

He had brought up his 50 and century with singles but it was with a four that he reached the historic double century in the 46th over, the first non-Indian to achieve the feat.l

Did you know?

Marlon Samuels (65%) has hit the highest percentage of offside runs while Chris Gayle has hit the highest percentage of runs in front of square since January 2014 (79%) in ODIs between Test teams since January 2014, 200+ balls

215

Runs scored by Chris Gayle, the highest by any batsman in World Cups. He broke Gary Kirsten’s record of 188 against UAE in 1996. This is also the third-highest score by any batsman in ODI history.

4

Number of batsmen who have scored ODI double-hundreds; Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Rohit Sharma and Gayle. Rohit has made two such scores.

138

Number of balls in which Gayle reached his double-century, the fastest for any batsman. The previous record was 140 balls, by Sehwag. Tendulkar got his double-hundred in 147 balls, while Rohit got to his two double-tons in 151 and 156 balls respectively.

Gayle Storm Runs

215

Balls

147

16 I didn’t want to be out with the first ball. I said “you can’t be serious?”

I just want to thank God for this knock. I was under pressure to score runs, and I kept getting messages from twitter and on my cell phone. I have never felt this kind of pressure, but in the end, I am sure I gave them something to talk about

146.25

S Rate 0s

59

1s

45

2s

17

3s

0

4s

10

6s

16

Number of sixes hit by Chris Gayle, the joint-most by any batsman in an ODI innings. AB de Villiers and Rohit have also hit 16 sixes each.

9136

Number of ODI runs scored by Gayle, the second-most for any West Indian batsman. Brian Lara is the only other West Indian batsman to score over 9000 ODI runs. Overall, Gayle is the 16th batsman to reach this milestone in ODIs.

22

Number of ODI hundreds for Gayle, the most for any West Indian batsman. He has now equaled Sourav Ganguly (22) and Virat Kohli (22) to go fourth on the overall list of batsmen with the most ODI hundreds.

372

Runs scored by West Indies, their highest ever in an ODI. This is also the fifth-highest score by any team in World Cups. This is also the highest score by any team in an ODI in Australia.

HIGHEST INDIVIDUAL SCORES IN ODIs Score

Player

Opp

Venue

Year

264

Rohit Sharma (IND)

SRI

Kolkata

2014

219

Virender Sehwag (IND)

WI

Indore

2011

215

Chris Gayle (WI)

ZIM

Canberra

2015

209

Rohit Sharma (IND)

AUS

Bangalore

2013

200

Sachin Tendulkar (IND)

RSA

Gwalior

2010

372

The second-wicket partnership between Gayle and Marlon Samuels, the highest for any wicket in ODI history. The previous record was 331, between Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid against New Zealand in 1999. This is also the highest partnership for any wicket in List A cricket (includes domestic one-dayers).

HIGHEST PARTNERSHIP IN ODIs Partnership

Wkt

Runs

Opp

Venue (year)

C. Gayle, M. Samuels (WI)

2

372

Zim

Canberra (2015)

R. Dravid, S. Tendulkar (India)

2

331

NZ

Hyderabad (1999)

R. Dravid, S. Ganguly (India)

2

318

SL

Taunton (1999)

S. Jayasuriya, U. Tharanga (SL)

1

286

Eng

Leeds (2006)

T. Dilshan, U. Tharanga (SL)

1

282

Zim

Pallekele (2011)

20 Chris Gayle (L) and Marlon Samuels shake hands at the end of their partnership against Zimbabwe yesterday REUTERS

Number of innings since Gayle’s last ODI century, against Sri Lanka in June 2013.

He had only made one 50-plus score in the intervening period.

Bulbul imparts MCG knowledge Mazhar Uddin from Melbourne

Bangladesh pace bowlers Rubel Hossain (C) and Taskin Ahmed bowl at a training session at the Melbourne Cricket Ground yesterday prior to their match against Sri Lanka tomorrow BCB

All good at MCG except Mushfiq’s thumb n Mazhar Uddin from Melbourne Shakib al Hasan carries the experience of playing at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), one of Australia’s major venues and the stadium that will host the World Cup final on March 29, courtesy of the Big Bash League. However, for rest of the Tigers members it was a thrilling first outing yesterday at the historic ground ahead of their third Pool A game against the 1996 World Cup champions Sri Lanka tomorrow.

It was the first time the Bangladeshi cricketers experienced playing at the ground and it must be said they were excited and chirpy, though Mushfiqur Rahim sustained a finger injury that intensified the atmosphere for the latter part of the practice session.

The Big 3 of the Tigers line-up -

Shakib, Mushfiq and Tamim Iqbal took to the nets to open their batting session as the Bangladeshi quickies were joined by a few fast net bowlers from the host nation. The trio were looking comfortable with the pace and bounce from the practice wickets until Taskin Ahmed started the panic. The 19-year old has already shown his capability of bowling at a pace well over 140km/h during their match against Afghanistan and it was another short of a length pacey delivery from the rightarm that popped up and struck Mushfiq on his right thumb.

The vital Bangladesh batsman immediately went down to the ground in severe pain before the physio rushed in and walked him to the Olympic Park Sports Medicine Centre after initial treatment.

However, team manager Khaled Mahmud later informed that Mushfiq sustained no fracture and should be ready for the game in time.

“Mushfiq had an x-ray and there is no fracture found on his right thumb,” said Mahmud adding that the report will be given today and there is nothing to worry about.

The Tigers earlier kicked off their training session with football, probably their favourite sport apart from cricket, followed by a brief fielding session where Anamul Haque and Taskin were the most noticeable as they dived on the lush green carpet with pleasure.

The sight of the young Australian cricketers, present at the venue, taking autographs from the No 1 all-rounder Shakib before their net session was something to cherish. l

If anyone from Bangladesh has the perfect idea about the condition, pitch and other elements of the historic Melbourne Cricket Ground, it has to be the country’s first Test centurion Aminul Islam Bulbul.

It was back in 1989 when Bulbul visited the MCG for the very first time. Since then, the former Bangladesh captain has paid numerous visits to the largest cricket ground in Australia, mostly as a development officer of the Asian Cricket Council.

What’s more, the 47-year old also resides in Melbourne.

“I first visited Melbourne back in 1989 for a youth tournament. Since then, I have been here many times.

Now, my family also lives here,” Bulbul told Dhaka Tribune yesterday.

And ahead of the Tigers’ third Pool A game against Sri Lanka tomorrow at “The G”, the elegant right-hander had some words of advice for his countrymen.

“I think it is very important for us to adapt with the conditions in Australia. For instance, the MCG is a huge field and the pitch here will surely have some bounce on it. And, if our fast bowlers - Mashrafe bin Mortaza, Taskin Ahmed and Rubel Hossain can bowl at a good line, which they did in the first game against Afghanistan, I think we have a very good chance,” he said.

Bulbul, however, expressed disappointment with the fact that the team management did not pay any heed

to his suggestion of arranging more practice matches Down Under.

“Previously, I suggested some of the board officials to come here and play a few matches under the banner of the Bangladesh A team so that they could get a better idea of the conditions. But, nobody replied to my opinion. It hurts me,” said a disappointed Bulbul.

“I felt very bad as none from the Bangladesh team management or even the cricketers came to me to ask about the condition and pitch of Melbourne.

I have been here more than anyone

else in Bangladesh. I know what needs to be done in order to get a good result at the MCG. I have seen a lot of matches here and also played a couple of district matches at this ground.”

Bulbul added that apart from leftarm spinner Rangana Herath, none of the Sri Lankan bowlers are in good form at the moment, which bodes well for Bangladesh’s prospects.

He also opined that the likes of Shakib al Hasan, Tamim Iqbal and Mushfiqur Rahim will be the key men for Bangladesh in the rest of the tournament. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Sport

13

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Streak confident with pace attack n Mazhar Uddin from Melbourne

Booters of Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club celebrate winning while Brothers Union players (Orange) express their dejection after the penalty shootout of their Federation Cup quarterfinal at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday MAINOOR ISLAM MANIK

The unexpected departure of Al Amin Hossain, a member of the Tigers fourman pace attack in Australia, will not have an impact on the team morale, believes Bangladesh fast bowling coach Heath Streak.

Streak spoke to the media before their practice at the Melbourne Cricket Ground yesterday and expressed his confidence with the existing pace attack which also involves the replacement Shafiul Islam adding they are focused in doing their job.

“We are disappointed that he (Al Amin) had to go but I think Shafiul is a very experienced campaigner so it wont affect us too much to be honest.

Our job now is to focus on the upcoming games which are very important for us,” said Streak.

Although skipper Mashrafe bin Mortaza was planning to field Al Amin against the Sri Lankans, Streak said, “It wont really affect the plan.”

“Obviously he (Al Amin) has good record against the left handers and we will miss him. But like I said the other guys have been very successful. We have seen really good bowling so far by Rubel, Taskin and Mashrafe the cap-

tain. So I am very confident that they can go out and do the job again for the team,” added the former Zimbabwe captain.

The 40-year old also said that the big ground and a sporting wicket at MCG will keep everyone in the game while Shakib’s valuable input is also helping shape the plan. Shakib is the only Bangladeshi cricketer to have played at the MCG during the Big Bash League for Melbourne Renegades.

Streak is looking forward to another fiery performance from fast bowlers Taskin and Rubel Hossain who exceeded the 140km/h quite easily in Canberra while he also did not rule out the spinners role in the match.

Sri Lanka are not in a very good form at the moment and going in to the match Streak agreed that removing Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara early will be vital.

“We have got to make sure we don’t give them the chance to settle. We always work on how to restrict them and reduce their effectiveness at different phases of the game. Mahela is a great player we all know that but we have also got some really good form in our players so hopefully we can counteract them as well,” said Streak. l

Jamal saved by a whisker, beat Brothers in penalties n Shishir Hoque Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club were pushed to their limits as the defending champions had to toil hard before sealing a 5-4 victory in a dramatic quarterfinal of the Federation Cup against Brothers Union yesterday.

The giants, Jamal, crawled back in the game with a late equaliser to make it 2-2 to take the game to extra time. After a goalless 30 minutes, it was Habib Mia’s failed effort that saw Sheikh Jamal’s supremacy saved by a whisker.

The Bangladesh Premier League champions will face the winners of the third quarterfinal on Thursday between Sheikh Russel and Chittagong Abahani.

The Dhanmondi outfit started the game at the Bangabandhu National Stadium brightly and threatened to score from the right flank with Haitian forward Leonel Saint Preux while his compatriot Wedson Anselme’s header came off the woodwork in the 31st minute to keep the champions waiting. However, Leonel’s good work paid off as he broke

the deadlock right at the stroke of half time with a clever finish.

Gambian Landing Darboe’s effort from 25 yards out slipped out of Biplob Bhattacharjee’s grip as Leonel pounced on the opportunity, rounded off the Brother goalkeeper and slotted home in an empty net.

The Oranges appeared fresh and more focused after resumption and it took them only six minutes to cancel the lead. A counter attack saw Haitian forward Augustine Walson and Rabby combine to score for Brothers. Augus-

Narayanganj College emerge champions n Raihan Mahmood

‘England must copy carefree Moeen’s style’

Narayanganj College clinched the title of the divisional Twenty20 cricket, organised by Dhaka Education Board, after beating Kishoreganj Government Gurudayal College by eight wickets at the Residential Model College ground yesterday.

Batting first, Gurudayal College posted a total of 95 losing all of their wickets. Narayanganj College cruised to victory scoring 96 for two in nine overs. Emon was adjudged man of the final for grabbing one wicket and contributing 16 runs with the willow. Rais added 31 for the winners while Rafsan chipped in with 17.l

England’s batsmen must try and emulate Moeen Ali’s carefree approach if the team are to have any chance of lifting the World Cup, according to former captain Nasser Hussain.

Centurion Moeen led the way on Monday as England shrugged off two dismal performances against co-hosts Australia and New Zealand to record their first victory of the tournament, a 119-run triumph over rank outsiders Scotland in Christchurch. The 27-yearold all-rounder was compared to the great Gary Sobers by former England opener Geoff Boycott for the fluency of his strokemaking and Hussain believes the rest of the team should be encour-

Bawani Academy win in National School Hockey n Raihan Mahmood Ahmed Bawani Academy beat Satirpara KK Institute 3-2 in the Dhaka zonal qualifiers of the First Security Islami Bank National School Hockey at Maulana Bhasani National Hockey Stadium yesterday.

In the other match of the day, Narayanganj High School outplayed West End High School 2-0.

Today is the last day of the qualifiers and four matches are scheduled to be held to decide the six qualifiers for the final round. l

DAY’S WATCH Star Sports 1 9:30AM ICC World Cup Ireland v United Arab Emirates

Ten Sports 8:00AM Abierto Mexicano Telecel Tennis, Day 2

Ten Action 1:45AM UEFA Champions League Arsenal v Monaco 1:45AM UEFA Champions League Leverkusen v Atletico

n Reuters, London

aged to copy the left-hander’s style.

“He was very pleasing on the eye,” Hussain told Sky Sports. “He doesn’t make ugly runs and he’s been a revelation since coming in to the England side.

“He’s continuously nipping in with wickets and he gets vital runs. There will be days when he gets out in a silly fashion... but I think I’d rather see our young guns go that way and get out giving it a go.

“You want someone to take the attack to the opposition especially with the shots that Moeen has. You don’t want him staying in his bunker and being fearful of getting out.”

“He has always been someone who likes to pick his bat up and give it a go, not in a slog fashion but in a real sort of elegant, wristy fashion,” added Hussain.l

tine’s lobbed cross was neatly received

by Rabby who fooled the onrushing Jamal custodian Hemel with a chip over his head.

Brothers’ refreshing energy surprised the holders and before they could re-settle, the Motijheel-based club stunned them by taking the lead after four minutes. It was a powerful header from Nigerian defender Adams Jankasa that struck the inside-edge of the cross bar before bouncing in the goal.

As expected Jamal went all out in the remaining minutes in search of the

equaliser which eventually came in the 82nd minute. In between, Biplob made up for his earlier mistake and put a brilliant save to deny Wedson from close range in the 71st minute before the Haitian squandered his second decent chance five minutes later.

The attacking strategy opened up the game and Brothers midfielder Rajon Mia missed a sitter in the 80th minute when he chipped wide of an empty net.

Rajon’s silly miss cost the Oranges heavily as former Feni Soccer Club mid-

fielder Landing Darboe dented Brothers defence with a calm finish just two minutes later. Receiving a clever pass from Rubel Mia, the Gambian rounded off the keeper and placed home from six-yard box.

In the penaltu shootout, Brothers’ Imtiaz Sultan Jitu was the first to miss before Yeasin Khan of Sheikh Jamal repeated the sin to set the tiebreaker for a sudden death finish. Wedson’s strike gave Jamal the upperhand, before Hemel denied Habib to save their day. l

Dhaka’s Shuvagata Hom plays a shot towards the on-side during their National Cricket League fifth round match against Khulna in Fatullah yesterday MAINOOR ISLAM MANIK

Monaco reunion holds Mosaddek compounds Ctg misery no romance for Wenger n Minhaz Uddin Khan

n

AFP, London

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger insists he hasn’t been wasting any time on nostalgic reminiscences ahead of his reunion with former club Monaco in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Wenger made his name as a manager during a successful seven-year spell at Monaco, which included leading them to the Ligue 1 title in 1988, winning the French Cup three years later and finishing as runners-up in the 1992 European Cup Winners’ Cup. Yet, since leaving the French Riviera after being sacked in 1994, Wenger, now in his 19th year in charge at Arsenal, has rarely come into contact with the team where he spent his formative years as a coach.

The Gunners were beaten by Monaco in a pre-season match before the current campaign, when a goal from Radamel Falcao, now on loan at Manchester United, gave Leonardo Jardim’s side a 1-0 victory in the Emirates Cup. But this last 16, first leg clash at the Emirates Stadium will be Wenger’s first competitive clash with Monaco, prompting questions about whether he has fond memories of his time at the Stade Louis II.

Wenger’s response made it clear romantic reflections on his past relationships came a distant second to keeping his players focused on their battle to finish in the Premier League’s top four had been consuming all his waking hours.

“I have enough experience to know that the most important game is this one, after, you think about the next one, so it has not been hard,” Wenger

FIXTURES Arsenal v Monaco Leverkusen v Atletico said after Saturday’s 2-1 win at Crystal Palace lifted Arsenal to third in the league.

“We fought like mad to come back in a strong position in the (Premier League), and not to win (against Palace) would have been disastrous.”

While Wenger was dismissive of his own memories of Monaco, the 65-yearold Frenchman is far too astute to be as offhand about his old club’s current players.

After failing to reach the quarter-finals of Europe’s elite club competition since 2010, due to a series of tough draws against the likes of Bayern Munich and Barcelona, this appears a golden opportunity for Arsenal to finally reach the last eight again. l

19-year old Barisal batsman Mosaddek Hossain continued to belie his tender age as he went on to blast his second consecutive double hundred in the ongoing 16th National Cricket League. On the second day of the fifth round yesterday, the right-handed batsman propelled Barisal to a massive first innings total of 597/9 declared against Chittagong. This is the first instance of a batsman smashing successive double hundreds in the country’s domestic arena.

In the other matches, Dhaka’s Shuvagata Hom and Rangpur’s Liton Kumar starred with the bat to take their respective sides to a commanding position.

Barisal v Chittagong, BKSP 2

Middle order batsman Mosaddek smacked 282 runs off 309 deliveries, featuring as many as 37 boundaries and five sixes, as Barisal ended the second day’s play on the driving seat. In reply, Chittagong posted 124/2 in their first innings before stumps were drawn signaling the end of the day’s play.

Skipper Nafees Iqbal (32*) and Tasamul Haque (21*) will resume the third day’s proceedings today.

Dhaka v Khulna, Fatullah

Riding on Shuvagata’s 135, Dhaka registered 366 in the first innings, losing all of their wickets.

Resuming on 224/6, Dhaka added 142 runs before conceding their re-

maining four wickets. Shuvagata faced 233 balls and smote 20 fours and a six.

At the other end, Mosharraf Hossain was unbeaten on 59.

In pursuit of Dhaka’s competitive 366, Khulna ended the day on 124/3 with Mehedi Hasan leading the way with an 84-ball 66.

but the rest of the batsmen only added 110 runs in the face of some disciplined bowling from Dhaka Metro.

Dhaka Metro left-arm spinner Elias Sunny (4/38) was the wrecker-in-chief while he was provided valuable support by Sharifullah (3/49) and Abu Haider (2/23). l

BRIEF SCORES, DAY 2 Chittagong v Barisal Barisal 597/9 in 132.1 overs Mosaddek 282; Faisal 3/161, Saifuddin 2/89, Mehedi 2/101 Chittagong 124/2 in 45 overs Chittagong trail by 473 runs Khulna v Dhaka Mosaddek Hossain scored 282 runs

Rajshahi v Rangpur, BKSP 3

Opening batsman Liton’s fourth century of the season guided Rangpur to a first-innings lead of 94 with seven of their wickets still remaining. Replying to Rajshahi’s 263 allout, Rangpur finished the day on 357/3.

Liton hammered 173 off 229 balls with the help of 17 boundaries and three sixes.

Sylhet v Dhaka Metro, SBNS

Despite being dismissed for a below-par 264 in their first innings, Dhaka Metro still managed to take a 93-run lead as they skittled out Sylhet for 171.

The Sylhet openers put on 61 runs

Dhaka 366 allout 147.5 overs Shuvagata 135, Mosharraf 59*; Mostafizur 4/88, Ziaur 3/38 Khulna 124/3 in 33 overs Mehedi 66; Shahadat 2/34 Khulna trail by 242 runs Rangpur v Rajshahi Rajshahi 263 allout Rangpur 357/3 in 96 overs Liton 173, Naeem 58*, Tarik 53; Sanjamul 2/121 Rangpur lead by 94 runs Dhaka Metro v Sylhet Dhaka Metro 264 allout in 109.4 overs Sadiqur 4/27, Jayed 3/60 Sylhet 171 allout in 61.2 overs Elias 4/38, Sharifullah 3/49, Abu 2/23 Dhaka Metro lead by 93 runs

14

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Sport

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

New Zealand expect verbal assault from Australians

Pakistan World Cup turmoil Factfile on Pakistan’s World Cup turmoil after chief selector Moin Khan was reportedly spotted in a casino in Christchurch hours before the team’s defeat by the West Indies:

Feb 12

n Reuters New Zealand are expecting Australia to sledge as part of their game-plan when the teams clash in their World Cup match in Auckland on Saturday, all-rounder Corey Anderson has said.

Australia has long employed aggressive banter as a tactic to try to put opponents off their game, earning criticism from some pundits and a raft of code of conduct violations for taking the chirping too far.

Saturday’s match at Eden Park is expected to be a sell-out and could well decide who finishes top of Pool A ahead of the knockout rounds.

“Their sledging tactics are wellknown now,” Anderson told reporters in Auckland. “It’s something we haven’t involved ourselves in. We’re neutral on the field and we just stick to what we do.

“We’ll be expecting a little bit of heat from them but I guess that’s just part of their game plan and we’ll deal to it as it comes.”

New Zealand have won all three of their pool matches, including a stunning demolition of England, while Australia also beat Eoin Morgan’s side in their tournament opener before rain washed out the second match against Bangladesh.

Australia were upset by New Zealand at the same ground in the 1992 World Cup and ended up missing the semi-finals at the tournament they co-hosted.

The ODI teams have hardly played each other in the last five years, with the last result a big win to Australia at the 2011 World Cup in India.

“It’s going to be definitely the biggest game in my career and the same for a lot of other guys,” said Anderson.

“At the moment it feels like another World Cup game that we’ve got to win but I’m sure once we see the crowds roll in and a little more hype a couple of days out, it’s going to be pretty cool.

“It’s Australia, you always want to beat Australia.” l

Eight Pakistan players, including maverick former captain Shahid Afridi, fined for breaching a team curfew ahead of their crucial World Cup game against India.

They are also warned that a repeat offence will see them kicked out of the tournament.

“Eight of the Pakistan players, which also included former captain Shahid Afridi and opener Ahmed Shehzad, were fined 300 Australian dollars (US $230) after they came late to their Sydney hotel on Sunday,” sources in the Pakistan team tell AFP.

Feb 15

PCB asks casino-visitor Moin to return home n Cricinfo The PCB has asked Moin Khan, Pakistan’s chief selector and a member of the tour selection committee, to return home after he was reportedly seen in a casino two days before the team’s clash against West Indies in Christchurch.

The board has also launched an official investigation against him.

The team manager Naveed Cheema confirmed to AFP that he was heading the investigation, and Shaharyar Khan, the PCB chairman, said strict action will be taken against Moin should he be found guilty.

“We have launched an investigation over the reports that Moin Khan visited a casino, and action will be taken if the reports are proven true,” Shaharyar

WORLD CUP HEAD-TO-HEAD

told reporters in Lahore. “As per initial reports, Moin went there to have a meal two days before the match against West Indies and a Pakistani couple photographed him and made a video. We will not make anybody a scapegoat and will investigate this incident before taking any action.”

Moin has held several positions in the Pakistan setup over the last year such as team manager, coach, and head of the selection committee. He was earlier removed as the team manager so that he could travel with the side to Australia and New Zealand as a member of the tour selection panel.

Though Moin isn’t a part of the official World Cup squad, he has permission to attend team meetings and if invited, can even enter the dressing

UAE PROBABLE XI

William Porterfield (C), Paul Stirling, Ed Joyce, Niall O’Brien, Gary Wilson (WK), Andy Balbirnie, Kevin O’Brien, John Mooney, George Dockrell, Max Sorensen, Andy McBrine

Amjad Ali, Andri Berenger, Krishna Chandran, Khurram Khan, Swapnil Patil (WK), Shaiman Anwar, Rohan Mustafa, Mohammad Naveed, Amjad Javed, Mohammad Tauqir (C), Nasir Aziz

PLAYER TO WATCH The hard-hitting Stirling made a great start to the World Cup, striking a fine 92 to take his side over the line against the West Indies.

The right-handed opener will be targeting more of the same against the Emiratis, provided he gets going

STIRLING

SWAPNIL

Swapnil got a start against the Zimbabweans only to throw it away when he was on 32. The right-handed stumper-batsman looked at ease until his dismissal and will eye a bigger score today against the southern African nation

Feb 15 Pakistan lose World Cup opener to arch-rivals India by 76 runs at the Adelaide Oval.

The defending champions make 300 for seven with Virat Kohli (107) and Shikhar Dhawan (73) sharing a second-wicket stand of 129 before Suresh Raina hits 74.

In reply, Pakistan are bowled out for 224 with skipper Misbah-ul Haq making 76.

It was India’s sixth win in six World Cup games against Pakistan.

Feb 18 Pakistan’s campaign rocked by fresh allegations of unrest when reports claim that fielding coach Grant Luden was involved in a heated row with senior players.

Khurram eyes UAE success n AFP, Brisbane

IRELAND

room. While Moin has generally avoided interacting with the players during matches, he has, at times, been seen sitting next to them in the dugout since he holds an ICC accreditation.

This latest incident comes just over a week after eight Pakistan players, including Shahid Afridi, were fined 300 AUD each for breaking the team curfew in the days leading up to their opening game against India in Adelaide. Pakistan lost that contest by 76 runs, before capitulating against West Indies by 150 runs, leaving them rooted to the bottom of Group B. Their fielding against West Indies, in particular, left a lot to be desired, as the players dropped as many as six catches, before the team’s top order crumbled chasing 311. l

Afridi plays down being fined for breaking the curfew, claiming he and his teammates went out to eat and not to dance the night away.

“There are restaurants that have clubs inside them - nothing happened, we went for food then came back,” Afridi told BBC Urdu.

“When you have no news to show, they spread these kind of rumours to get attention from people. Nothing happened that night. We went for dinner - we are in Australia, not in [Pakistani cities] Thatta or Larkana.”

The United Arab Emirates believe their Pool B match against Ireland in Brisbane on Wednesday offers them a “wonderful opportunity” of a World Cup win, according to batsman Khurram Khan.

Both associate or non-Test nations know each other well, having played each other repeatedly in various lower-level International Cricket Council competitions.

The UAE, the only amateur side in the tournament, impressed before going down by four wickets to Zimbabwe first time out while Ireland beat the West Indies by the same margin - a result no longer classed as an “upset”.

Both teams will fancy their chances at Brisbane’s Gabba ground and Khurram said Tuesday: “I think it’s going to

be a very important game, obviously.

“They’ll be targeting us. We’ve played lots of games against them,” added Khurram, who made 45 against Zimbabwe.

“I think it’s a wonderful opportunity because it’s a very important game for us as well. So we’re definitely targeting this game.”

Asked where the team needed to improve most on their performance against Zimbabwe, Khurram was clear.

“Definitely I would say in the fielding. We missed three run-out chances.”

Meanwhile Khurram insisted the UAE were an amateur side in name only, saying: As we’re here, we’ll enjoy our time and be as professional as we can.

“Obviously we have jobs back home, but once you’re here you completely forget about the jobs and what’s behind the scenes. We’re here to win as many games as we can.”

The UAE are also unusual in having two 43-year-olds in their squad in Khu-

rram and captain Mohammad Tauqir.

Not that either man was in a mood for a birthday party.

“We stopped celebrating after 40, actually,” Khurram joked.

The way in which the four associate teams - Afghanistan, Ireland, Scotland and the UAE - have all performed so far at this World Cup has led to widespread criticism of the ICC’s plan to reduce the number of teams at the 2019 edition in England from 14 to 10.

Khurram added the associates needed more matches against higher-ranked sides between World Cups, saying it was the only way to ensure they made sustained progress.

“I’d like to see us play many more matches against Test-playing nations,” he said. “You cannot just expect us to come to a World Cup and do well without playing any other games against them before the World Cup. It’s a slow process. Obviously it’s going to take time.” l

Globetrotting coaches make impact n AFP, Sydney Most of the teams competing at the World Cup have travelled a long way to reach Australia and New Zealand but that’s nothing to the journeys made by some of their coaches.

Unlike other team sports such as football and rugby, top-flight cricket came relatively late to the idea of side having a head coach.

Indeed, as far as former Australia captain Ian Chappell is concerned, a coach is something that transports players to the game.

But many sides are in no doubt about the positive impact a coach can make and have no qualms about going beyond their own borders to get the right man. Take Dav Whatmore, now the coach of Zimbabwe.

Born in what was then Ceylon, now Sri Lanka, Whatmore emigrated to Australia as a child and played seven Tests for his adopted country.

But it was as a coach that Whatmore, 60, sealed his reputation in cricket, guiding Sri Lanka to the 1996 World Cup title.

From there his coaching career

has included spells in English county cricket with Lancashire, several years as coach of Bangladesh and a stint in charge of Pakistan.

Pakistan was not the end of the road for the well-travelled Whatmore, who just six weeks before the World Cup started found himself the coach of Zimbabwe.

But according to Zimbabwe batsman Hamilton Masakadza, who top-scored for the side in their creditable first-up loss to South Africa at the World Cup, that has been time enough for Whatmore to have a positive influence upon the team.

“The coach has had a very big impact for us. He’s changed a couple of things and he’s really got the guys going in a certain direction, and that’s been working really well for us,” Masakadza said.

It is perhaps no surprise that emerging cricket nations should have looked abroad for coaches who can help raise their game, with several of the nonTest sides taking part at the World Cup having a foreign influence.

Ireland, for example, have been coached by former West Indies batsman Phil Simmons for several years, while former New Zealand off-spinner Grant Bradburn, assisted by ex-England all-rounder Paul Collingwood, is in charge of Scotland.

Afghanistan, the Cinderella story of

this World Cup, have former Warwickshire batsman Andy Moles at the helm while the United Arab Emirates can turn to former paceman Aaqib Javed, a member of the Pakistan side that won the 1992 World Cup. But several established cricket nations have also opted for imported coaches.

Reigning world champions India have had several in recent times and lifted the trophy four years ago on home soil under former South Africa batsman Gary Kirsten.

Now they are coached by former Zimbabwe all-rounder Duncan Fletcher, who as a coach helped lift England out of a slump in the early 2000s, although, significantly, former India all-rounder Ravi Shastri was recently installed as team director.

Meanwhile South Africa, bidding for a first World Cup title, have added former Australia batsman Mike Hussey to their already extensive backroom staff.

“It’s just nice to have him around,” said South Africa captain AB de Villiers.

“He’s a guy with great experience, won a World Cup before. He’s a great finisher and has handled pressure situations really well.

“He’s a really wonderful human being and that’s probably the main reason he’s fitted in so well.”l

Ireland captain William Porterfield plays a pull shot during a training session yesterday ahead of their 2015 Cricket World Cup Pool B match against the United Arab Emirates at the Gabba in Brisbane today AFP

Initial reports in the Pakistan media claim Luden resigned after an argument with Afridi, Shehzad and Umar Akmal.

“Luden had a serious argument with some senior players and out of frustration resigned,” a source in the Pakistan camp told AFP. But the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) deny Luden resigned after the India match although they admit he had offered to quit before the World Cup started.

Feb 21 Pakistan lose to the West Indies by 150 runs in Christchurch. Chasing 311 to win, Pakistan never recover from slumping to one for four, the worst start in one-day international history, and are all out for 160 in the 39th over with Umar Akmal top-scoring on 59.

Feb 21 Pakistani fans in the south-eastern city of Multan hold a mock funeral after the record-shattering defeat at the hands of the West Indies.

Residents organise a symbolic funeral procession, replete with a coffin with several cricket bats placed over it.

“This time we were really hoping for Pakistan to win,” Shama Bibi, one of those taking part, tells AFP. “We don’t want to watch this anymore.”

Feb 24 Pakistani cricket chiefs launch investigation into reports that chief selector Moin Khan visited a casino shortly before the team’s calamitous defeat by the West Indies.

“We have launched an investigation over the reports that Moin Khan visited a casino, action will be taken if the reports prove true,” Shehryar Khan, the chairman of the PCB, told reporters.

“As per initial reports, Moin Khan went there to have a meal two days before the match against West Indies and a Pakistani couple photographed him and made a video.”

Associate teams have pulled their weight, says Porterfield n Reuters, Melbourne The four non-test playing nations at the World Cup have performed well in cricket’s global showpiece and it wouldn’t be the same tournament with less teams, according to Ireland skipper William Porterfield.

The International Cricket Council is chopping the 14-team format to one with 10 for the next World Cup, with the highest eight ranked teams qualifying automatically.

Teams will vie for the other two spots at qualifying tournaments, making it harder for the likes of Ireland and Afghanistan to enter.

Out of the four “associates”, Ireland are the only team to win a match at the World Cup so far, though Afghanistan, United Arab Emirates and Scotland have been far from disgraced in their defeats.

“I think it’s frustrating whenever you come to tournaments and the governing body wants to keep cutting teams,” Porterfield told reporters in Brisbane on Tuesday, a day before Ireland’s match against UAE at the Gabba.

“I think it’s the only sport in the world that does that when it comes to world events.

“Hopefully we (associates) can keep improving performances.

“Obviously, Afghanistan could have come out against Sri Lanka and Scotland have done reasonably well as well.

“The way the UAE played against Zimbabwe as well posting 285, things could have gone quite differently.

“So the way the four teams who have qualified have performed so far in this competition has been great. We’ve got to keep that going, not only ourselves, but everyone else.”

With two pools of seven teams, the preliminary round sprawls for five weeks, with each team playing the other six before the knockout rounds finish the tournament in a hurry.

The format has been criticised for being too long, but Porterfield, whose team rarely get to play international cricket against the best sides, dismissed the gripes.

“It’s a world event that happens once every four years,” he said.

“It’s a major global event. Just to shorten it down, you have a Champions Trophy every couple of years.” l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Entertainment

15

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

CELEBS ON SOCIAL ABHISHEK BACHCHAN @juniorbachchan Hair & make-up done.

Let’s do this....That’s Vijay Raskar my hair stylist a.k.a Aalim Hakim’s… https:// instagram.com/p/zeOhf5s1T4/

CALVIN HOBBES @icalvinhobbes Rahul to act in YRF’s next “Main Aisa Kyon Hoon” #WhereisRahul

PEREZ HILTON @PerezHilton Is anyone else thinking about @Joan_Rivers today??? #SmilingDownAtUs

LADY GAGA @ladygaga Me right now. What a night. Congratulations to all the nominees, performers, and winners! Let’s party!

MAN REPELLER @ManRepeller Babies in the front row are cool n’ all, but fetuses marching down the runway is where it’s at http://bit. ly/17OteJK

HELIOS Theatre brings H2O to Dhaka n Entertainment Desk

A theatre performance designed for children and adults alike, titled “H2O” was presented by the HELIOS Theatre from Germany, at the Experimental Theatre, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy on Monday.

The performance “H20” is, as the name suggests, about water. To know everything about this element,

the production explain properties of the compound that have surprised and mystified scientists up to the present day.

Showcasing enormous power, sputtering life and sparkling joy, as a melting ice–block, a shimmering fountain or ascending damp, as a refreshing drink or a sweeping wave, as an element of sound or reflector of light, in this performance it always takes on

new forms. It inspires performers and audience alike and generates a poetry that gives us an idea of the wonder of life. It starts with one single drop.

The HELIOS Theatre has been founded in 1989 and is as a Theatre for and especially with children. Since September 2004 two theatre pedagogues have been workomg together with the ensemble on different artistic concepts with and for laymen. l

WHAT TO WATCH TELEVISION

DHOOM 3 Sony Max, 9:25pm Cast: Aamir, Abhishek, Katrina Kaif After his father committed suicide because he was not able to pay the bank loan, Sahir Khan, a circus owner, must take revenge by robbing the same branch several times.

CLASH OF THE TITANS WB, 11:40pm Cast: Sam Worthington, Liam Neeson Perseus is the mortal son of the Olympian god Zeus and the leader of a band of heroes who embark on a new adventure destined to be told for ages as the unforgettable mythology of the ancients.

NAWSHEEN’s music video debut

ICE AGE: DAWN OF THE DINOSAURS Star Movies, 5:20pm Voices: Eunice Cho (Madison), Karen Disher (Scratte) Manny and Ellie has become a couple and are expecting a baby.

Diego is sick of being treated like a house-cat and realises that he has become too laid-back.

Kawsar Chowdhury’s media workshop for beginners

n Entertainment Desk

n Entertainment Desk

Nawsheen Nehreen Mou made her first appearance in a music video, adding another exciting feature in her career. Titled “Ami Chai Tore”, the song features the voices of Rizvi Wahid and Nancy. Indian singer Shaan has composed the music and lyrics for the song.

The bubbly beauty, whose voice is familiar from her late night radio and TV shows, appears in the music video which is shot in tempting locations with dazzling cinematography. The shooting for the music video recently wrapped up in Cox’s Bazar. Directed by Shuvabrata Sarker, the video will soon be uploaded and available across television channels and online platforms.

Popularly known as RJ Nawsheen, she said: “I have worked as a model and actress for brands, TV plays and three films so far. I want to experiment in varied forms of art. The landscape of music videos in Bangladesh has drastically changed. I was drawn to the project because I have seen a few of Wahid’s music videos which are aesthetically pleasant.”

In addition to Nawsheen’s media activities, she runs a fashion house “Signature BD” with her husband Hillol. l

Kawsar Chowdhury, an independent filmaker specialising in alternative films and documentaries, has sketched out an extensive workshop for aspirants to this field. The workshop, which covers TV production, documentary film, music video and electronic photo journalism will run from March 5 to 29, at the Sangskriti Bikash Kendra in Poribag. The programme is to be conducted in four phases; separated by the aforementioned subjects.

About the workshop Kawsar said: “The objective of these courses is to procure a better understanding about subjects. The course will try to cover

most of the essential stages of each subject in detail.”

With a versatile profile and extensive experience in media, Kawsar is more recognisable as an actor. But his accomplishment in making alternative films has also established him as one of the country’s notable directors of the genre. His “Tale of the Darkest Night” has earned appreciation of viewers and film critics.

In 1991, Kawsar incorporated the role of trainer to his resume, and over the last two decades he has cemented in this skill. He has developed some own techniques to share his knowledge and experience with learners.

Interested individuals can reach him at kawsar.training@gmail.com. l

THEATRE PENGUINS OF MADAGASCAR 3D I ZERO DEGREE I ROMEO V/S JULIET I SEVENTH SON 3D I JESSABELLE @ Star Cineplex SEVENTH SON 3D I ROMEO V/S JULIET I EXODUS 3D I INTERSTELLAR I NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM: SECRET OF THE TOMB I THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES I THE PENGUINS OF MADAGASCAR 3D I ZERO DEGREE @ Blockbuster Cinemas

WHAT THE OSCARS WINNERS ARE DOING NEXT

Julianne Moore, Still Alice

Moore, 54, will go straight from an Oscar win to Maggie’s Plan with nominee Ethan Hawke. She has the final Hunger Games in the fall and wrapped “Freeheld,” in which she plays a gay detective.

Eddie Redmayne, The Theory of Everything

The newly crowned best actor winner, 33, has “Jupiter Ascending” currently in theaters and is reuniting with “Les Miserables” director Tom Hooper on “The Danish Girl,” playing a transgender artist.

Patricia Arquette, Boyhood

Arquette, 46, is returning to television with the CSI spinoff “CSI: Cyber,” which premieres March 4 on CBS, following her win Sunday at the Oscars.

KRISTEN’s story behind winning the Cesar n Entertainment Desk

Stewart took home the French honour for her supporting role in “Clouds of Sils Maria,” directed by Olivier Assayas, which premiered at Cannes last year.

The film is one of the most meta, layered films on this year’s festival circuit. Not only is the story about a revival of a play within a movie, but the casting itself plays a big part in how we perceive the charac-

ters. Assayas’s film follows Maria Enders (Juliette Binoche), a famous French actress whose big break was playing the young lead role in a play 20 years prior.

Kristen Stewart, though, embodies the fascinating real-life connections. Multiple instances in the film wink at the actress’ celebrity status and some prior scandals.

In one scene, Valentine asks Maria whether the actress had a romantic affair with the play’s director when she was younger.

“You wouldn’t understand,” Maria says to Valentine. But the audience might: Stewart had a highly-publicised affair with filmmaker Rupert Sanders while the director was still married.

The César Award, the national film award of France first awarded in 1976, is supported by the French Ministry of Culture. Stewart’s winning marks the first time in 30 years that an American has been nominated for. l

JK Simmons, Whiplash

Besides appearing in those Farmers Insurance ads, the Oscar winnner, 60, costars in July’s “Terminator: Genisys,” and he’s wrapped work on “The Accountant.” Along with Michael Keaton, he’s attached to “King Kong: Skull Island.”

Alejandro G Inarritu, Birdman

The Mexican filmmaker, 51 — who took home the award Sunday night — is shooting Fox and New Regency’s Western thriller “The Revenant,” starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hardy, for a planned Christmas release.

KANGANA’s bohemian looks in Katti Batti n Entertainment Desk Kangana Ranaut is known for playing out of the box characters. The “Queen” actress is gearing up for another one titled Katti Batti. The first look of the movie has been revealed in which Kangana looks no less than a painter with colours and a canvas in front of her. Reportedly, the actress will be playing the role of arts students hailing from an affluent family in Delhi. “Katti Batti” is expected to hit the screens in September, 2015. l

16

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Back Page

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Teesta, LBA to dominate secretary level talks next month n Sheikh Shahariar Zaman Dhaka will discuss the Teesta water sharing agreement and Land Boundary Agreement (LBA) during the visit of Indian Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar next month.

“I invited him to come to Dhaka and it is a goodwill visit but we will have a general discussion on all relevant bilateral issues,” Foreign Secretary M Shahidul Haque told the Dhaka Tribune.

‘Dhaka has addressed Indian concerns but New Delhi has not properly reciprocated.

It would help relations if India delivered on its promises’ The newly appointed Indian Foreign Secretary is coming to Dhaka on March 2 on an orientation trip of the region. His predecessor, Sujatha Singh, also came to Dhaka and visited other South Asian countries after assuming office in 2013.

Shahidul sent a congratulatory message and a flower bouquet after Jaishankar assumed office.

The Teesta agreement, LBA, border killings, trade and connectivity are major issues of interest for the two countries.

Bangladesh and India were scheduled to sign a Teesta water sharing deal in 2011 but due to strong resistance from West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, talks fell through.

During a visit to Dhaka last week, Mamata sounded a positive note on the Teesta issue, but her overture coincides with the lowest recorded flows of water in the Teesta River.

Low flows from India, which is up river, have caused serious damage to the irrigation system in the north of Bangladesh.

When asked about the Teesta agreement, the foreign secretary said Dhaka is engaged with New Delhi to seal the deal.

“We want to maintain a warm and cordial relationship with India and we have a set of institutional arrangements to move it forward,” Shahidul said.

Dhaka and New Delhi have a Joint Consultative Commission (JCC) in which both foreign ministers discuss all matters.

In addition to the foreign secretaries, the home secretaries, border guard chiefs and other officials of the two countries discuss issues of common concern on a regular basis.

“We had the third JCC in New Delhi last September and hope to have the next meeting this year in Dhaka,” the foreign secretary said.

Prior to the JCC, the foreign secretaries will meet to prepare the ground for their political bosses, he said.

A Bangladesh Foreign Ministry official, asking not to be named, said while the water and land boundary agreements were of prime important for Bangladesh, security is India’s prime concern.

“Dhaka has addressed Indian concerns but New Delhi has not properly reciprocated,” he said.

It will serve as a confidence building measure if India delivers what it promises, he added.

Connectivity is another major issue both countries have an interest in, the official said.

“India wants to connect its northern states through Bangladesh and Dhaka is also working in that regard,” he said.

Dhaka, in principle, has agreed with the idea but it wants to be compensated for the costs that would be incurred for providing the facility, he added.

India has long pressed Bangladesh to allow the movement of Indian freight and passengers from its mainland to the north eastern Indian states through Bangladesh territory. l

Students of Surobhi School, a school for street children, receive books from Ahmed Publishing House through an initiative of Bangla Academy at the Ekushey Boi Mela yesterday MEHEDI HASAN

Street children presented with books at Boi Mela n Nure Alam Durjoy

At least 40 young children, attending schools in Dhanmondi and living on AMAR EKUSHEY the streets or BOOK FAIR 2015 in slums, were presented with a set of five books from a publishing house yesterday at the book fair.

Ahmed Publishing House, whose stall is located at Suhrawardy Udyan, arranged to hand out the books to the children.

Aklima is one such slum girl who studies at a Dhanmondi school, and was given the books. After returning from school, she works as a maid at a

neighbouring home.

“It’s quite nice to have received this many books. I am overjoyed to have them,” she told Dhaka Tribune after being presented with the books at 4:30 pm yesterday.

Rahidul, a class seven student who resides on Panthapath Road and also works at an electric shop nearby, was presented with a set of books, as Aklima had been. He shared similar sentiments.

Like Rahidul and Aklima, another 38 students from similar schools were presented with a similar set of books by the stall of Ahmed Publishing House.

After receiving the set, Mousumi, Rabiza, Rokeya, and Sharmin, who study in class six, said they too were ecstatic about the books.

“Most of us are here for the first time. It feels good to have so many books in hand. I would never have come to the fair if our madam had not taken us to it. This is a gift for us,” said Mousumi to Dhaka Tribune.

The five books are: “Iran-Turaner Golpo” and “Hadither Katha” by Bonde Ali Mia, “Ali Baba” by Ibrahim Khan, “Chhotoder Mohanobi” by Mir Mosarraf Hossain, and “Sonali Apple”

by Muntasir Ahmed.

Surovi is a non-governmental voluntary development organisation that came into operation and established a school for poverty-stricken children in 1979. Now, the schools have nearly 400 students who reside on the streets or in slums around the capital.

School headmistress Nipa Das said to Dhaka Tribune: “The children will

be inspired by coming here and receiving the books. Through this visit, my children will become better acquainted with these books.”

“I think the publishing house has taken a great step,” she added.

Nipa Das said those students who were preparing for the parade to be held in March were selected for the visit.

Mesbahuddin Ahmed, director of Ahmed publishing house, said street children could not afford to buy books for reading. So we took an initiative to give them some books this time, and this will continue each year.

The fair continues to attract many more book-lovers every day. There were 83 new additions yesterday, bringing the total number of newly-published books to 3,135. l

Forum launched to monitor social protection projects The government is spending 2% of GDP on the SGSP project which covers some 880,000 beneficiaries across the country Age Allowance (OAA) and Allowances banks are not deducting the amounts n Adil Sakhawat for Financially Insolvent Disabled (AFID) mentioned any more after a discussion

Monks and archeologists from India, China and Korea visit the 1000-year-old Buddhists’ town found through excavation in Nateswar in Munshiganj yesterday DHAKA TRIBUNE

Archaeologists, monks visit millennium-old Buddhist site n Our Correspondent, Munshiganj Archaeologists and Buddhist monks from different countries yesterday visited the remnants of an ancient Buddhist town discovered recently at Nateshwar village in Tongibari upazila of Munshiganj.

A team of 20 archaeologists and monks from India, China and Korea visited the ancient town – thought to be around a thousand years old – as well as visiting the sadar upazila’s Bajrajogini village which is believed to be the birthplace of Buddhist scholar Atish Dipankar.

Those present during the visit included Awami League leader Nuh-ulAlam Lenin – who is the chief patron of the excavation initiative, the project’s Research Director Dr Sufi Mostafizur Rahman, China Buddhist Association

(Tibet branch) Chairman Drub Kang, Prof Chai Huarbo from Hunan Provincial Institution of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, and Munshiganj (sadar circle) Assistant Superintendent of Police Md Emdad Hossain.

On February 16, the discovery of the archaeological site was made public at a press conference in Nateshwar.

Over the last two months, archaeologists have discovered many different structures at the site, such as octagonal piles, chambers, pedestals, etc.

Four Chinese archaeologists are accompanying 20 researchers from Bangladesh in the excavation.

The archaeological dig will continue until the arrival of the rainy season.

After the rain starts, the site will be kept under covers, and digging will resume again in November, when the dry season returns. l

Hartal extended by two more days n Tribune Report The BNP-led 20-party alliance yesterday extended its ongoing hartal by two more days.

Issuing a press release from an unknown place, Salahuddin Ahmed, joint secretary general of the BNP, announced that the 72-hour countrywide general strike would continue until 6am on Friday.

Alliance spokesmen said the strike was a protest against what it called killings, mass arrests and the torture of party activists.

Salauddin, in the press release, said the party would stage demonstrations on February 26 in every upazila, district and city in the country.

The opposition alliance on Friday called a 72-hour nationwide hartal from 6am on Sunday protesting what it termed the government’s repression and incidents of extra-judicial killing.

The BNP leader called on party leaders and activists to observe the hartal peacefully. l

National Forum for Social Protection (NFSP), comprising 44 individuals and organisations, was launched yesterday to monitor the effectiveness and impact of social safety on the beneficiaries of the government projects of social protection for the poor.

The government has been running a programme from 2013 titled Strengthening Government Social Protection for the Poor (SGSP) with the support of UK and Australian government which will end in 2017.

Ministries of Finance and other six line ministries, UNDP, WFP, World Bank and Manusher Jonno Foundation are also the partners in the SGSP project.

Bangladesh government is spending Tk267bn, 2% of the GDP, on this social protection project.

NFSP, a civil society component, will be implemented by Manusher Jonno Foundation to get feedback on the effectiveness of the government projects from the poor who are the beneficiaries of the different social protection schemes. The NFSP will then inform the findings to the national policy formulators and relevant authorities to improve governance in the sector.

NFSP in its baseline survey unearthed some loopholes with the SGSP projects. In the survey 84% respondents said the selection process of the SGSP beneficiaries was not done transparently. The survey also found that the selection process had been influenced politically.

It was also determined that Vulnerable Group Development (VGD) project beneficiaries get 25kg of rice instead of 30kg. Ninty-eight percent VGD beneficiaries reported of not getting training while other project beneficiaries also faced disbursement irregularities.

During disbursement of the of the Old

the banks deduct 10% of the amount from the beneficiaries’ accounts.

In the baseline survey of NFSP it is also revealed that a grievance mechanism does not exist at all in the government’s social protection programme.

A statistic showed, out of 1,781 beneficiaries only 15 people lodged verbal complaints to the elected representatives. The beneficiaries are not even aware of where and whom to go for lodging complaints.

Due to these projects the poverty rate is 24% and extreme poverty rate is 12%, down from 48% and 24% respectively 6 years ago Beneficiaries also complained of weak monitoring mechanism during the NFSP survey, which also found that a complete database for eligible households was lacking.

In the launching programme of the NFSP the State Minister for Women and Children Affairs Meher Afroze Chumki and the Joint Secretary (social protection) of Ministry of Social Welfare Nurul Kabir Siddiqui were present.

Denying the findings of the baseline survey, the joint secretary claimed

between the government and the Bangladesh Bank.

Terming the expectation of malpractice and corruption free projects absurd, the secretary told everyone related to the projects to be pragmatic and practical to keep corruption and malpractice under control.

Siddiqui also suggested the NFSP identify the positive aspects of the projects alongside the negative ones.

State Minister Chumki supported the NFSP’s recommendation of improving citizen engagement in the projects, establishment of socio economic household database, and strengthening coordination among the elected representatives and community people where the projects are running to enhance accountability and transparency.

She also said: “Because of our government’s initiatives, over 8.8 lakh beneficiaries are now covered by the social protection projects. Because of these projects the country’s poverty rate is now 24% and extreme poverty rate is 12%, which were 48% and 24% respectively six years back.”

She also expressed her expectation that the country will become a middle income country before the government’s estimated time of 2021.

Country representative of DFID Sarah Cooke was also present among others in the inauguration programme of the NFSP. l

Editor: Zafar Sobhan, Published and Printed by Kazi Anis Ahmed on behalf of 2A Media Limited at Dainik Shakaler Khabar Publications Limited, 153/7, Tejgaon Industrial Area, Dhaka-1208. Editorial, News & Commercial Office: FR Tower, 8/C Panthapath, Shukrabad, Dhaka 1207.

Phone: 9132093-94, Advertising: 9132155, Circulation: 9132282, Fax: News-9132192, e-mail: news@dhakatribune.com, info@dhakatribune.com, Website: www.dhakatribune.com

B3 Asia tentative, awaiting word on Fed rate outlook

B4

How to turn your dog into a cash cow

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2015 www.dhakatribune.com/business

Revenue collection posts 16% growth in seven months NBR to award 30 organisations and individuals this year n Tribune Report The revenue collection fell 3.4% short of the target (Tk71,825 crore) set for the July-January period of the current fiscal year, but posted over 16% growth compared to same period of last year despite the political unrest.

According to NBR data released yesterday, the National Board of Revenue (NBR) bagged Tk69,466 crore in the first seven months of fiscal 2014-15 compared to Tk59,545 crore it earned in the corresponding period of 2013-14.

However, the NBR board decided to waive tax from the income of philanthropic organisations and also advanced tax on registration or fitness renewal of cars owned war-wounded freedom fighters, who are listed in the gazette.

“The board in its meeting made the decisions following the appeal from the roads and high department,” said NBR Chairman Md. Nojibur Rahman while briefing the reporters at his office after the meeting.

The NBR also decided to formulate guidelines on tax waiver for the humanitarian organisations.

Replying to a question, NBR chairman said: “We will be able to reach the next target as political unrest won’t be able to cast any shadow on our revenue earnings.”

Despite the global economic recessions, Bangladesh’s macro-economic indicators are showing resilience and performing well, said Nojibur.

“We’ve also discussed various ways on how to strengthen the administration of the national exchequer and to identify the skilled and best officials for offering them better positions,” he added.

FBCCI election May 23 n Tribune Report Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) will hold election of its board of directors on May 23 this year for the 2015-17 term.

The country’s apex trade body finalised the schedule for the biennial election yesterday at a meeting of the election board, according to a press release.

Election Board Chairman Ali Ashraf MP presided over the meeting attended by board members Shamsul Alam and KM Manjurul Haque Lavlu.

As per the schedule, the candidates will have to pay their outstanding fees to the FBCCI by March 24 while the last date for submission of nominations (from both chambers and associations) for general membership election is March 25.

The last date for submission of nominations for directorship has been set April 19.

On May 25, the elected directors will elect president, first vice-president and vice-president from themselves.

A draft voters roll will be published on March 30 and the finalised list will be published on April 9, the election board said.

The tenure of the current FBCCI office bearers ended on November 30, 2014. Commerce Ministry later extended the tenure upon a request from the FBCCI. l

He also noted that the meeting decided to formulate a guideline on tax waiver for the humanitarian organisations, which would be sent to Finance Minister AMA Muhith for his approval.

“We are taking tougher legal action against the tax defaulters as there is still outstanding tax worth Tk26,000 crore to the several customers,’’ he added.

Meanwhile, the NBR has decided to award 30 organisations and individuals for their contribution to the national exchequer in 2014.

NBR Chairman Md Nojibur Rahman made the announcement at the press conference. The decision was taken at the board meeting of the authorities earlier on the day.

A total of 30 organizations and individuals will be awarded from Large Taxpayers’ Unit, Dhaka Tax Zone-1 and Dhaka Tax Zone-2. From each of the zones, 10 individuals and organisations would be awarded as highest tax payers from their respective business.

The organisations and individuals are – Grameenphone, Standard Chartered Bank Limited, Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited, the HSBC, British American Tobacco Limited, Pubali Bank, Southeast Bank, Eastern Bank, United Commercial Bank, Dutch Bangla Bank, Akij Food and Beverage, ACI Formulation, Akij Jute Mills, ACI Motors, Akij Textile, Ashuganj Power Station, Akij Bidi Factory, SGS Bangladesh Limited, Square Cephalosporins, Singer Bangladesh, Kuehne + Nagel, SACO International, Youngone Hi-Tech Sportswear Industry Limited, Saiham Cotton Mills Limited, Square Food and Beverage Limited, Square Yarn, Ajmat Rahman, Md Mosiur Rahman Humayun, Md Nurul Huda and Md Kawsar Mia. l

A vendor at a makeshift shop passes the time idly reading a newspaper as customers are scarce during the ongoing political unrest. The photo was taken in the city’s Shahbagh area.

BNP-led alliance has been enforcing non-stop blockade for more than last one month demanding an election-time neutral government SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

WB loan pact pushes up foreign aid commitments n Tribune Report

Foreign aid commitment rose over 25% in the first seven months of the current fiscal year largely supported by World Bank’s funding promise in poverty alleviation and other purposes, officials said.

According to the Economic Relations Division (ERD) data, the foreign assistance commitment during July-January period of the current financial year stood at $2bn in loan and

grants compared to $1.6bn in the same period a year earlier.

Of the total commitments during the period, $1.8bn came in the form of loans and $284m in grants.

During the period, the foreign aid disbursement also grew $1.8bn from $1.4bn in the corresponding period a year ago. Of which, $1.5bn came as loans and $341m as grants.

Among the development partners, the leading multilateral donor World Bank disbursed $544.5m, which ac-

counts for more than one-third of the total disbursement.

The Asian Development Bank came second disbursing $501.27m in assistance, followed by Japan $140.25m, Islamic Development Bank $98.65m and India $10.21m during the July-January period in FY2015, the ERD data showed.

An ERD official said: “Several loan agreements with the World Bank last month has helped increase aid commitments in the July-January period.”

On January 26, the World Bank

signed with the government to provide $375m loan for constructing the multipurpose disaster shelter in the country’s natural disaster-prone areas.

During the period, the government had paid $718.6m, of which $604.9m as principal amount and $113.7m interest, to the development partners against the outstanding loans.

It also made the debt service payment of $718.28m, of which $593.58m as principal amount and $124.7m as interest, to the donors. l

Parliamentary probe launched into graft allegation at Ctg port

GP’s 3G expansion disrupted by political unrest

n Tushar Hayat, Chittagong

n Muhammad Zahidul Islam

A sub-committee of the parliamentary standing committee on the shipping ministry has launched an investigation into the alleged corruption in six projects of Chittagong Port.

After visiting the project sites, head of the three-member sub-committee MA Latif MP told reporters yesterday that they were investigating into the alleged corruption.

He said a report on the investigation would be submitted after scrutinising documents and gathering more related information.

“The government believes in honesty and transparency. Report on the investigation will be submitted as early as possible,” he added.

Two other members of the sub-committee are Mohammed Nurul Islam MP and Anwarul Azim MP. Chairman of the Chittagong Port Authority Rear Admiral Nizamuddin claimed the projects were implemented in line with the rules of the gov-

Grameenphone works of 3G expansion have been disrupted due to current political unrest, said a senior executive.

This situation might delay the implementation of the mobile phone operator’s whole country coverage plan with the fastest mobile broadband data service.

“The 2G expansion across the country required us more than 10 years when it was supposed to be in 5-6 years. Political instability is disrupting our expansion works,” Medhat El Husseiny, chief technology officer (CTO) of Grameenphone, told Dhaka Tribune.

In an interview recently, he said they had reached more than half of the population with 3G in the past one and half years and their 2G coverage is more than 99% now.

Medhat worked for various international companies based in different countries before joining Grameenphone in October 2014.

Along with three other private operators, Grameenphone got 3G licence with 10 Megahertz spectrum in September 2013 and started to build their modern service network in a short time.

By March 2014 the Grameenphone had covered all the 64 district headquarters.

About 3G, the CTO said: “We have to be realistic. This is very hard to reach areas with the 3G where the 3G-enabled handset penetration is very low.

However, we have a different plan for those areas.”

Medhat said the current political situation has added woes to it.

“The non-stop blockade has created much problem for our works.”

Despite the situation he is optimistic that the 2015 will be a year of strengthening 3G expansion works and making the service better.

Medhat, however, declined to disclose any investment plan in network development.

He said they had recently intro-

ernment procurement. He said the committee had been formed due to the allegations of corruption.

According to the port authority sources, the sub-committee was formed to investigate into the projects taken to introduce automation system in container management.

The projects involved a total cost of Tk71 crore.

Of the amount, procurement of

three recondition vessels for Pangaon Inland Depot involved Tk50 crore, an ambulance vessel Tk23.90 crore, a multi-facet excavator Tk20 crore and introducing a navigation system Tk45 crore.

The sub-committee sources said they would also investigate into alleged corruption in appointing manpower, which would be launched on completion of the present investigation. l

$500m budgetary support sought from WB n Tribune Report Finance Minister AMA Muhith has sought around $500m from the World Bank as budgetary support for the current fiscal year.

He made the request at a meeting with the visiting WB vice president for South Asia region Annette Dixon at the secretariat yesterday.

“I am hopeful to get the fund from the World Bank to finance the budget,” said

Muhith after the meeting.

Besides, budgetary support, other issues, including present status of some ongoing development projects, poverty reduction and revenue collection, were discussed in the meeting.

The WB’s budget support is the aid that is channelled directly to a country’s budget on condition that the government would implement a number of policy reforms in nine areas, including banking, energy, transport, ICT, public fund management, public private partnership and migrant workers.

“Negotiation over reformations on some areas will start soon,” said the finance minister. The reforms will be implemented in three years, starting in next fiscal year.

Earlier in the day, Dixon met BB

Governor Atiur Rahman at the central bank head office and hoped that the economy and the private sector growth of the country will be improved further in the coming days.

“The advice of the World Bank is to put emphasis on improving the condition of the economy and particularly to take Bangladesh to a middle income country,” she told the reporters after the meeting.

Applauding over the SME loan activities, Dixon said the steps taken by Bangladesh Bank for improving SMEs sector and the monetary policy will together help boost the private sector in the country.’ She assured the Bangladesh bank of extending the long-term financing in productive sector under the proposed Financial Sector Support Project. l

duced online Service Quality Management System (SQMS), which connects all the networks of the country for monitoring. “I think this system makes us special in the country in providing quality service.”

Medhat said if the Grameenphone got technology neutrality, they could offer “much better and cheap services” to the customers.

Medhat said: “Telecommunication is only a tool to connect and empower the people. We are working here to build an e-Bangladesh.”

GP CTO Medhat El Husseiny interviewed

by Dhaka Tribune About the quality service Medhat said the deployment of 3G network also touched 2G network and at the same time the number of subscribers increased.

“Three to four years back, how many subscribers were then? So it has created an impact on the service quality, especially the voice quality,” Grameenphone CTO said. Grameenphone’s average call drop rate is less than 1%, which is one of the lowest in developing countries, Medhat said.

Regarding roll-out 4G service in Bangladesh, he said the operators might not be able to launch the service this year due to “the absence of the necessary telecom ecosystem.”

“Bangladesh market is not ready yet for the new technology, as most users do not have 4G-enabled handsets,” said Medhat adding it is hard to tell when the market for 4G will be prepared.

Prices of most 4G-enabled devices range between $100 and $150 per handset, he said.

If handset prices fell in the coming days, it would facilitate 4G adoption in the country, he added. l

B2

Stock

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Stocks continue to close flat

DSE key features February 24, 2015

n Tribune Report

Number of Contract

sues dominated the trading, accounting for 33% of the total turnover.

Almost all the sectors remained flat. Non-banking financial institutions, power and food & allied rose 0.6%, 0.5% and 0.2% respectively while cement, pharmaceuticals and telecommunication 1%, 0.5% and 0.3% respectively.

After showing positive performance over the last two sessions, heavyweight banks edged 0.3% down.

IDLC Investments said with no improvement in political front as well as investors’ sentiment, broad market faced another flat-end for the fifth consecutive sessions.

It said nevertheless, activities were mostly concentrated to large cap stocks, where seven out of top ten turnover scrips were from this category.

Losers took a lead over the gainers as out of 310 issues traded, 104 closed in positive, 144 negative and 62 remained unchanged on the DSE. Square Pharmaceuticals was the most traded stock for the second consecutive session with shares worth about Tk17 crore changing hands, followed by ACI, BRAC Bank, IFAD Autos and Shahjibazar Power Company Limited (SPCL).

Summit Alliance Port Limited was the day’s top gainer, posting a rise of nearly 10% while Meghnapet was the day’s worst loser, declining more than 4%.

SPCL, which is now traded in the spot market since November when its share prices saw abnormal rise, continued to shine for the third straight session. Its share prices rose about 4%. l

Stocks continued to close flat for the fifth consecutive session yesterday, as current political turmoil persistently put damper on investors sentiment.

The market opened higher in the morning, which was partly spurred by the optimism ahead of corporate declaration, but the enthusiasm subsided from mid-session due to the short-term profit-booking.

Activities were mostly concentrated to large cap stocks, where seven out of top ten turnover scrips were from this category After surging over 25 minutes in early trade, the benchmark index DSEX fell slightly 7 points or 0.2% to close at 4,801.

The Shariah Index DSES shed 3 points or 0.3% to 1,140. The comprising blue chips DS30 dropped 4 points or 0.3% to 1,793.

Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) Selective Categories Index, CSCX, lost 33 points to 8,908.

Investors, who were worried over the current political standoff, held back their investment which limited the volume of trade. Turnover at the Dhaka Stock Exchange stood at Tk309 crore, falling almost 2% over the previous session.

Pharmaceuticals and energy is-

Weekly capital market highlights DSE Broad Index : DSE - 30 Index : CSE All Share Index: CSE - 30 Index : CSE Selected Index : DSE LOSER Company Meghna PET Ind. -Z Nitol Insurance -A Central Insur -A S. Alam CR Steel -A Saiham Cotton-A Bata Shoe Ltd. -A Safko Spinning-A Reckitt Benckiser -A Samata LeatheR -Z In Tech Online -A

Closing (% Change) -4.48 -4.00 -3.75 -3.72 -3.70 -3.09 -2.98 -2.89 -2.78 -2.78

CSE LOSER Company

Closing (% Change)

H.R. Textile -A Aramit -A Rahima Food -Z Pragati Gen. I -A Bank Asia -A S. Alam CR Steel -A Bangladesh Welding -Z Fine Foods A Padma Islami Life*-N Berger Paints-A

-8.70 -7.24 -6.56 -5.61 -4.95 -4.29 -3.45 -2.86 -2.80 -2.74

4801.14935

(-) 0.16%

1793.07340

(-) 0.26%

14668.64930

(-) 0.11%

12174.10620

(-) 0.12%

8917.29380

(-) 0.06%

Average (% Change) -4.32 -3.99 -1.91 -3.01 -1.40 -2.56 1.00 -1.59 -2.78 -3.10 Average (% Change) -8.75 -7.24 -6.24 -5.51 -4.63 -3.86 -4.29 -2.95 -2.80 -2.74

ANALYST

ClosingAvg. 6.43 24.08 23.61 31.26 21.19 1363.74 23.21 1206.41 17.50 14.08

ClosingAvg. 23.06 261.30 34.27 35.34 17.30 31.12 16.75 10.19 38.20 1,485.10

Closing 6.40 24.00 23.10 31.10 20.80 1344.40 22.80 1200.50 17.50 14.00

Closing 23.10 261.30 34.20 35.30 17.30 31.20 16.80 10.20 38.20 1,485.10

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 362.62 168.14 30.14 322.61 125.90 482.53 2.81 290.25 535.87 6.74 125.28 28.78 25.64 142.41 99.21 26.37 63.87 129.63 16.88 103.10 2.33

Company

3,091.12

▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼

DHIGH 6.50 25.20 24.10 32.70 21.70 1392.00 23.90 1230.00 17.80 14.60

DHIGH 23.10 261.50 37.50 40.00 17.40 31.60 17.20 10.50 38.30 1,485.10

65,338,279 85,181

Traded Issues

312

Issue Gain (Avg. Price Basis)

119

Issue Loss (Avg. Price Basis)

182

Unchanged Issue (Avg. Price Basis)

11

Market Capital Equity (Billion. Tk.)

2,586.85

Market Capital Equity (Billion US$)

31.36

CSE key features February 24, 2015 Turnover (Million Taka)

235.21

Turnover (Volume)

5,838,793

Number of Contract

11,747

Traded Issues

243

Issue Gain (Avg. Price Basis)

87

Issue Loss (Avg. Price Basis)

146

Unchanged Issue (Avg. Price Basis)

10

Market Capital Equity (Billion. Tk.)

2,496.39

Market Capital Equity (Billion US$)

30.26

Turnover in Million

DLOW 6.30 23.50 23.00 30.70 20.60 1340.00 22.50 1190.10 16.50 13.90

0.009 1.117 0.739 5.093 9.035 5.950 7.293 2.934 0.140 4.584

Turnover in Million

DLOW 23.00 261.00 34.20 35.00 17.30 29.60 16.20 10.00 38.00 1,485.10

0.040 0.157 0.009 0.129 0.022 0.361 0.070 0.011 0.045 0.074

% change 11.73 5.44 0.98 10.44 4.07 15.61 0.09 9.39 17.34 0.22 4.05 0.93 0.83 4.61 3.21 0.85 2.07 4.19 0.55 3.34 0.08

Million Taka 20.08 14.36 0.91 34.75 5.94 37.39 19.68 20.11 0.75 13.55 0.38 1.70 6.83 7.85 0.64 2.66 20.46 3.72 23.39 0.07

CSE

% change 8.54 6.11 0.39 14.77 2.53 15.89 0.00 8.37 8.55 0.32 5.76 0.16 0.72 2.90 3.34 0.27 1.13 8.70 1.58 9.95 0.03

Million Taka 382.71 182.50 31.05 357.36 131.85 519.92 2.81 309.93 555.98 7.49 138.83 29.16 27.34 149.24 107.06 27.01 66.53 150.08 20.60 126.49 2.40

SummitAlliancePort.-A Imam Button -Z Quasem Drycells -A 1st ICB M F -A Tung Hai Knitting -N 2nd ICB M F -A Modern Dyeing -Z Shahjibazar Power-N Savar Refractories-Z SAIF Powertec-N

Closing (% Change) 9.84 9.09 6.83 5.88 5.08 4.97 4.32 3.93 3.77 3.37

CSE GAINER

Latest EPS -0.44 2.79 2.96 2.08 1.68 52.96 1.24 42.33 -0.46 -0.88

Latest EPS 1.36 14.12 -0.42 2.47 1.40 2.08 0.44 -0.36 1.10 49.25

Latest PE -ve 8.6 8.0 15.0 12.6 25.8 18.7 28.5 -ve -ve

Company SummitAlliancePort.-A Imam Button -Z GreenDeltaInsu -A Central Insur -A Peoples Insur -A Tung Hai Knitting -N 3rd ICB M F-A Quasem Drycells -A Hwa Well Textiles-A ACI Formulations-A

10.00 9.40 5.67 4.61 4.55 4.55 4.35 4.24 3.64 3.57

Average (% Change) 6.86 3.48 5.54 2.07 4.74 4.53 4.35 2.24 1.87 2.36

ClosingAvg. 58.31 11.78 60.09 1,119.90 18.27 282.67 100.00 166.95 49.50 64.13

ClosingAvg. 58.72 12.20 70.71 22.15 20.78 18.23 240.00 60.32 33.79 138.50

Closing 60.30 12.00 61.00 1,121.70 18.60 282.90 96.50 169.20 49.50 64.50

Closing 60.50 12.80 70.80 22.70 20.70 18.40 240.00 61.50 34.20 139.10

DHIGH 60.30 12.10 61.60 1,125.60 18.90 290.00 98.00 171.80 49.50 64.90

DHIGH 60.50 12.80 71.00 22.70 21.00 18.70 240.00 61.90 34.30 139.80

DLOW 55.40 11.20 57.80 1,106.00 17.30 274.40 95.00 158.00 49.50 62.90

DLOW 55.90 10.60 69.80 21.50 20.50 17.80 240.00 60.00 32.20 136.00

Turnover in Million 71.066 0.695 26.366 5.632 23.683 0.385 0.001 76.547 0.079 50.327

Turnover in Million 8.366 0.308 0.096 0.010 0.058 2.732 0.024 0.406 0.159 3.748

Latest EPS 0.78 -1.48 2.16 55.18 1.19 43.96 -0.50 8.68 -0.62 2.50

Latest EPS 0.78 -1.48 3.26 2.96 2.25 1.19 24.64 2.16 2.66 3.27

Latest PE 74.8 -ve 27.8 20.3 15.4 6.4 -ve 19.2 -ve 25.7

Latest PE 75.3 -ve 21.7 7.5 9.2 15.3 9.7 27.9 12.7 42.4

News, analysis and recent disclosures JAMUNAOIL: The Company has informed that it has credited the bonus shares for the year ended on June 30, 2014 to the respective shareholders BO Account on February 23, 2015.

onward corporate declaration for 2014.

Dividend/AGM

LINDEBD: As per Regulation 30 of DSE Listing Regulations, the Company has informed that a meeting of the Board of Directors will be held on February 26, 2015 at 3:30 PM to consider, among others, audited financial statements of the Company for the year ended on December 31, 2014.

EBL: As per Regulation 30 of DSE Listing Regulations, the Company has informed that a meeting of the Board of Directors will be held on February 25, 2015 at 2:30 PM to consider, among others, audited financial statements of the Company for the year ended on December 31, 2014.

SINGERBD: Singer Bangladesh Ltd. has informed that the Board Meeting of the Company will be held on 28 February 2015 at 12:00 noon to consider the Annual Financial Statements of the Company for

UCBL: The Board of Directors has recommended 10% cash dividend and 20% stock dividend for the year ended on December 31, 2014. Date of AGM: 31.03.2015, Time and Venue: To be notified later on. Record date: 04.03.2015. The Company has also reported EPS of Tk. 4.39, NAV per share of Tk. 26.88 and NOCFPS of Tk. (1.81) for the year ended on December 31, 2014.

PRIMEINSUR: The Board of Directors has recommended 10% cash dividend and 5% stock dividend for the year ended on December 31, 2014. Date of AGM: 30.03.2015, Time: 11:00 AM, Venue: Bangladesh Institute of Administration and Management (BIAM), 63, New Eskaton, Dhaka. Record date: 04.03.2015. The Company has also reported EPS of Tk. 2.53, NAV per share of Tk. 17.04 and NOCFPS of Tk. 2.15 for the year ended on December 31, 2014.

BATBC: 450% final cash dividend (i.e. a total of 550% cash dividend for the year 2014 inclusive of 100% interim cash dividend which has already been paid) , AGM:

12.04.2015, Record date: 05.03.2015.

LANKABAFIN: 10% cash and 10% stock, AGM: 19.03.2015, Record Date: 02.03.2015.

GREENDELT: 15% cash and 10% stock, AGM: 24.03.2015, Record Date: 01.03.2015.

NCCBLMF1: 3% cash, Record date: 24.02.2015.

MAKSONSPIN: 5% stock, AGM: 07.04.2015, Record date: 26.02.2015.

FAREASTFIN: 10% cash and 2.5% stock, AGM: 25.03.2015, Record date: 26.02.2015.

GP: 65% final cash dividend (i.e. total 160% cash dividend for the year 2014 inclusive of 95% Interim cash dividend which has already been paid), AGM: 21.04.2015, Record date: 18.02.2015.

SAPORTL: 10% cash and 5% stock, AGM: 14.03.2015, Record Date: 18.02.2015.

CNATEX: 11% stock, AGM: 15.03.2015, Record Date: 18.02.2015.

RAKCERAMIC: 25% cash, EGM and AGM: 25.03.2015, Record date: 17.02.2015.

HRTEX:12.50% cash, AGM: 31.03.2015, Record date: 12.02.2015.

17.0 18.5 -ve 14.3 12.4 15.0 38.1 -ve 34.7 30.2

DSE TURNOVER LEADERS Company

Total

Closing (% Change)

Average (% Change) 6.08 2.26 5.24 5.74 4.10 5.18 8.11 0.55 3.77 2.28

Latest PE

Market gave some return in early morning although it erased the gain on profit booking

SECTORAL TURNOVER SUMMARY Sector

DSE GAINER

Turnover (Million Taka) Turnover (Volume)

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

% change 11.51 5.49 0.93 10.74 3.96 15.63 0.08 9.32 16.71 0.23 4.17 0.88 0.82 4.49 3.22 0.81 2.00 4.51 0.62 3.80 0.07

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

Square Pharma -A MJL BD Ltd.-A ACI Limited- A Brac Bank -A LafargeS Cement-Z Ifad Autos -N Shahjibazar Power-N UCBL - A SummitAlliancePort.-A Grameenphone-A

ACI Formulations-A BD Submarine Cable-A Titas Gas TDCLA aamra technologies-A Olympic Ind. -A CSE TURNOVER LEADERS Company Shahjibazar Power-N BEXIMCO Ltd. -A BD Submarine Cable-A MJL BD Ltd.-A Ifad Autos -N SummitAlliancePort.-A WesternMarine -N Grameenphone-A Singer BD -A National Feed-N

Square Pharma -A aamra technologies-A SAIF Powertec-N UCBL - A IDLC Finance -A

VolumeShares 640,349 1,231,547 235,151 2,189,682 689,270 1,451,076 458,491 2,332,259 1,218,808 207,643

Value in Million 170.06 155.68 99.41 85.10 83.13 78.51 76.55 71.27 71.07 70.64

% of TotalTurnover 5.50 5.04 3.22 2.75 2.69 2.54 2.48 2.31 2.30 2.29

VolumeShares

Value in Million

% of TotalTurnover

438,919 467,783 725,154 1,320,309 220,012

86,648 368,362 97,669 77,332 180,130 142,478 179,003 24,174 33,259 272,737

22,548 130,262 77,628 151,019 53,266

60.56 58.99 55.04 52.83 51.17

14.25 12.51 12.28 9.75 9.74 8.37 8.22 8.18 7.55 7.53

6.00 5.24 4.97 4.61 4.09

1.96 1.91 1.78 1.71 1.66

6.06 5.32 5.22 4.15 4.14 3.56 3.49 3.48 3.21 3.20

2.55 2.23 2.11 1.96 1.74

ClosingP 263.80 126.20 425.00 38.80 119.90 53.60 169.20 30.50 60.30 339.70

138.40 127.50 75.90 39.70 227.90

ClosingP

160.00 33.90 127.20 126.30 53.50 60.50 45.90 339.10 225.20 27.40

263.90 39.80 64.50 30.50 75.80

Change % -0.45 2.44 2.48 -0.51 -1.32 -2.19 3.93 -0.97 9.84 -0.26

3.13 0.71 0.00 -0.75 -0.96

Change %

-0.37 0.59 0.95 2.52 -2.37 10.00 0.44 -0.15 -0.40 -0.72

-0.30 0.00 3.37 -1.61 -2.57

ClosingY 265.00 123.20 414.70 39.00 121.50 54.80 162.80 30.80 54.90 340.60

134.20 126.60 75.90 40.00 230.10

ClosingY

160.60 33.70 126.00 123.20 54.80 55.00 45.70 339.60 226.10 27.60

264.70 39.80 62.40 31.00 77.80

DHIGH 267.50 128.00 428.00 39.10 122.90 55.40 171.80 31.00 60.30 343.50

139.20 129.60 76.50 40.80 235.90

DLOW 263.10 123.70 407.00 38.40 119.50 53.50 158.00 30.30 55.40 337.90

134.00 123.50 75.50 39.50 227.00

DHIGH

DLOW

169.70 34.30 128.90 127.90 55.50 60.50 46.10 342.90 230.00 28.10

160.00 33.60 123.30 124.00 53.00 55.90 45.70 336.00 224.00 27.30

268.00 40.90 64.90 31.00 77.80

263.40 39.60 62.60 30.30 74.60

AvgPrice 265.58 126.41 422.75 38.86 120.60 54.11 166.95 30.56 58.31 340.20

137.96 126.09 75.90 40.01 232.57

AvgPrice

164.49 33.95 125.70 126.13 54.05 58.72 45.91 338.46 226.88 27.61

265.93 40.19 64.07 30.52 76.80

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Business

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

B3

Asia tentative, awaiting word on Fed rate outlook n Reuters, Sydney Caution shrouded Asian markets yesterday as investors fretted over what Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen might say on the likely lift-off date for policy tightening later in the session.

Moves were marginal at best and MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan inched down 0.1%. The Nikkei dithered either side of flat after scoring a run of 15-year highs.

Oil prices tried to steady after their latest retreat, with US crude CLc1 up 10 cents at $49.55.

On Wall Street, the Nasdaq had notched up nine straight sessions of gains in its longest since September 2010, aided by a further rise in Apple stock to an all time peak.

The Nasdaq ended Monday up 0.1%, while the Dow fell 0.13% and the S&P 500 lost 0.03%.

Yellen testifies before Congress later yesterday and there is much uncertainty over whether she will echo the dovish tone of the minutes from the Fed’s last meeting, or reaffirm June as a window for a first rate hike.

“Given the growing evidence that the backdrop can more than withstand what will amount to a modest increase in the policy rate, we find it hard to imagine Yellen will promote the “lower

for longer” mantra that was espoused in the Minutes,” argues Tom Porcelli, chief US economist at RBCM. “Economic fundamentals quite clearly show we no longer need emergency levels of accommodation.”

If that view proves right, it would likely send Treasury yields and the dollar higher, while challenging risk appetite globally.

Bond investors seemed to be hoping Yellen would choose to take a dovish slant, and yields on 10-year Treasury notes US10YT=RR were steady at 2.06 percent, compared to last week’s high of 2.1640%.

The forex market was leaning the other way and keeping the dollar well underpinned at 118.90 yen JPY= and at 94.546 .DXY against a basket of currencies.

The euro remained on the defensive at $1.1333 EUR=, having failed to sustain a bounce to $1.1412 overnight.

Doubts lingered over Greece which will now send its economic reform plans to euro zone finance ministers on Tuesday, after missing a Monday deadline.

Germany has insisted that any extra spending on the list of reforms had to be offset by savings or higher taxes in order to meet conditions for extending Athens’ financial lifeline. l

Pedestrians walk past an electronic board showing Japan's Nikkei average outside a brokerage in Tokyo

Euro steady in Asia ahead of Greek reform proposal n AFP, Tokyo

The euro held steady yesterday as traders awaited a Greek government reform package critical to winning a four-month extension of its huge international bailout - and avoiding a disastrous default.

In Tokyo, the common currency was mixed at $1.1326 and 134.92 yen, against $1.1337 and 134.63 yen in New York.

The dollar ticked up to 119.15 yen from 118.76 yen, as markets eye the start of US Federal Reserve chief Janet Yellen’s twice-yearly Capitol Hill hearings on Tuesday, which will give the

central bank’s assessment of the US economy and possibly a fresh timeline for hiking interest rates.

Athens was to hand in a delayed list of proposed reforms yesterday morning after missing a Monday deadline set by its international lenders.

A Greek government source insisted late Monday that the proposals would arrive in time for eurozone finance ministers to discuss them in a conference call on Tuesday afternoon.

However, a conditional deal that would give Athens a lifeline to pay its bills and avoid a possible exit from the eurozone is contingent on reforms

deemed satisfactory by the so-called “troika” of the European Commission, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund.

Time is of the essence and the stakes are high, with Greece’s current 240bn euro ($270bn) bailout programme due to expire on Saturday and several European parliaments still needing to approve any extension.

If Athens fails to win more time and the bailout expires, Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras’s month-old government risks running out of money, triggering a likely run on banks and even possible ejection from the 19-country eurozone.

Oil turns lower in Asia, US crude stays below $50 n AFP, Singapore Oil turned lower in Asia yesterday as a feeble rebound failed to take hold, with prices under pressure in an oversupplied market.

US benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) for April delivery was down 29 cents to $49.16. Brent crude for April fell 17 cents to $58.73 in afternoon trade, reversing gains in the morning. WTI shed $1.36 in New York and Brent lost $1.32 in London the day before as US crude stockpiles lingered at historic levels, contributing to a global oversupply.

A closely watched report on US

weekly crude stockpiles is next due on Wednesday, with a Bloomberg News survey saying inventories are expected to rise by 3.75 million barrels.

US oil stockpiles are already at their highest level on record at this time of year.

Globally, crude supplies are also being boosted after oilfields in eastern Libya resumed pumping to the port of Hariga after a pipeline was repaired, and oil producer Oman plans to ramp up output to 980,000 barrels a day this year, according to Bloomberg.

Crude prices lost about 60 percent of their value to about $40 between June and late January owing to an oversup-

ply in world markets, a weak global economy and a strong dollar.

Prices have risen above multi-year lows following a slowdown in US oil drilling activities, but analysts say volatility is likely to continue for some time.

“It is apparent by now that drilling in the US will slow, global production growth is expected to be lower, and demand, at least in the US, is reacting positively to lower prices,” British bank Barclays said in a report.

“In short, the market is forecast to remain oversupplied for most of 2015, but expectations beyond that are for more balanced fundamentals.” l

Analysts warned that the bailout extension would only offer temporary relief.

“Even if agreed today, a more detailed reform programme needs to be agreed by April,” Ray Attrill, global cohead of foreign exchange strategy at National Australia Bank, said in note.

“So whatever happens later today, the Greece issue cannot be ... put to bed for another 3-4 months.”

Currency traders will be eyeing Yellen’s comments to see how the Fed assesses the state of the world’s top economy and when it might start lifting interest rates from near zero, currently expected by mid-year.

The dollar was mixed against other Asia-Pacific currencies.

It strengthened to 44.31 Philippine pesos from 44.25 pesos on Monday, to 12,904.95 Indonesian rupiah from 12,843.60 rupiah, and to 62.34 Indian rupees from 62.21 rupees.

The dollar slipped to Sg$1.3602 from Sg$1.3608, to Tw$31.65 from Tw$31.71, and to 32.56 Thai baht from 32.57 baht, while it was almost unchanged at 1,108.75 South Korean won against 1,108.63 won. The Australian dollar bought 77.73 US cents, down from 78.35 US cents, while the Chinese yuan fetched 19.02 yen against 19.01 yen. l

Google partners with wireless carriers to push Wallet service n Reuters, San Francisco Google Inc has partnered with several large US wireless carriers to pre-install its electronic payment service on phones, as the companies seek to counter Apple Inc’s recent entry into the nascent market for mobile payments.

AT&T Mobility, T-Mobile USA and Verizon Wireless will include the Google Wallet app later this year on Android smartphones sold in the United States, Google said in a post on its official blog on Monday.

Google also said it has acquired technology from Softcard, a mobile payment initiative that was created by

CORPORATE NEWS

many of the wireless carriers several years ago.

The Google Wallet app stores a consumer’s credit or debit card information and allows shoppers to pay for goods by tapping their phone against a special terminal at a retail store’s checkout counter.

Google launched Wallet in 2011, but the service struggled to become a hit with consumers, in part because the wireless carriers developed the competing Softcard service.

The competitive landscape shifted in October, when Apple included the Apple Pay mobile payment service with the new iPhone 6 line of smartphones. l

REUTERS

Russia’s ruble, stocks drop on Moody’s downgrade n AFP, Moscow Russia’s ruble and stock market dropped sharply yesterday in response to a recent slide in the price of oil and a downgrade to “junk” status of its sovereign debt by Moody’s.

The global rating agency announced after the Moscow market had closed on Friday that it expected Russia to experience a “deep recession” this year and continued economic contraction in 2016.

Russia’s markets were closed for a public holiday on Monday and the ruble only traded over the counter on thin volume.

But ruble opened the trading day yesterday off nearly two percent against the dollar from Friday’s close.

The ruble lost slightly more than one percent against the euro while Moscow’s two main exchanges were both down about two percent.

Moody’s downgrade came slightly less than a month after an identical one

by Standard & Poor’s.

Most major Western funds are forbidden from trading debt stripped of its investment-grade status by two of the world’s three main rating agencies.

Russia’s Finance Minister Anton Siluanov immediately denounced the Moody’s cut as “political” and economically unjustified. l

Greece sends comprehensive reform plan to lenders n Reuters, Brussels

Square Food & Beverage Limited (SFBL) has recently acquired a highly coveted approval from the United States Food and Drugs Administration. This qualification has made the entry of SFBL products to the US market much easier. The news of the acquirement was announced at a press conference held in Dhaka. The organization’s head of exports, Khurshid Ahmad Farhad among other high officials, attended the press conference

Prime Bank Cup and Prime Bank Challenge Cup Golf Tournament have recently been concluded. Major General Md Mahfuzur Rahman, Adjutant General, Bangladesh Army inaugurated the tournaments as chief guest and later distributed crests among the winners as well

MA Mannan, State minister of the Ministry of Finance attended the programme as chief guest while the bank’s chairperson, Rashed Ahmed Chowdhury was present as special guest along with Bengal Group’s chairperson, Morshed Alam

Shahjalal Islami Bank Limited has recently held its 211th board meeting. The bank’s chairperson, AK Azad presided over the meeting

Greece sent a list of economic reform plans to European institutions and the International Monetary Fund around midnight that was “a valid starting point” for talks over its bailout, a source close to the European Commission said on Tuesday.

Greece needed to present its plans as a condition for extending its bailout programme for an additional four months, in a deal struck with euro zone partners on Friday.

“In the Commission’s view, this list is sufficiently comprehensive to be a valid starting point for a successful conclusion of the review,” the source said.

“We are notably encouraged by the strong commitment to combat tax evasion and corruption,” the source added.

Euro zone finance ministers are expected to discuss the reform plans in a conference call later on Tuesday.

The source said that the letter, sent to the Commission, the European Central Bank and the IMF, would now need to be further worked out to come up with a full reform plan by the end of April, as agreed on Friday.

“Determined and swift implementa-

tion of all reform commitments will be key for a successful conclusion of the review,” the source said.

Greek officials said the government was proposing measures which would include tackling what radical leftist Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras called Greece’s “humanitarian crisis”, hardship created during years of economic depression.

The government would also deal with tax arrears and bad loans, and end the foreclosure of primary homes, while fighting tax evasion, smuggling and corruption.

Tsipras declared victory in Friday’s deal but faced criticism from his own ranks. Veteran leftist Manolis Glezos, a Syriza member of the European Parliament, accused him of failing to fulfil Syriza’s campaign promises.

Germany, the biggest contributor to Greece’s two bailouts totalling 240bn euros ($271.85bn), insisted earlier that any extra spending on Athens’s list of reforms had to be offset by savings or higher taxes.

Tsipras had promised to scrap the programme when he won election last month, but his government was forced into a climbdown on Friday to win the four-month extension. l

B4

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Back Page

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

How to turn your dog into a cash cow n Reuters Your dog may never make it like the beagle Miss P, winner of the 2015 Westminster Kennel Club’s best in show award, but he or she may still have a shot at becoming a YouTube star or nabbing a modeling contract based on an Instagram photo.

It happened for Tuna, a Chiweenie mix of Chihuahua and dachshund.

This unlikely Internet star, found as a stray at a California farmer’s market, has more than a million followers on Instagram (http://instagram.com/tunameltsmyheart) because of his cartoonish overbite. A book, “The Underdog with the Overbite,” goes on sale in two weeks with a list price of $14.95.

At the pinnacle is a dog named Boo, a Pomeranian with 17 million fans on Facebook, multiple books and a line of toys. He even got a deal from Virgin America Inc to be its official “pet liaison.”

To bring in money, you need more than a random clip of your dog doing something funny. It takes an orchestrated campaign to gain enough popularity to merit offers from corporate sponsors, get product placement deals and move merchandise.

“People who have over half a million followers are getting serious money,” says Katie Sturino, who owns Toast, a King Charles pup with no teeth and a tongue that hangs from her mouth.

“The ones who have really broken out are getting a lot.”

Rescued from a puppy mill, Toast has 168,000 followers on Instagram (http:// instagram.com/toastmeetsworld/).

Sturino says she has been working with companies looking for product placement or endorsements.

What captivates a mass audience and goes viral usually is not a fluke, says Jonah Berger, a marketing professor at the Wharton School of Business and author of “Contagious: Why Things Catch On.” You need a good story to get started, and then you need a savvy strategy.

“We often look at these videos and think they must be luck or by chance,”

n Reuters

Apple Inc said it would spend 1.7bn euros ($1.9bn) to build two data centers in Europe that would be entirely powered by renewable energy and create hundreds of jobs.

The company said the centers, in Ireland and Denmark, will power Apple’s online services, including the iTunes Store, App Store, iMessage, Maps and Siri for customers across Europe.

As the Government works to secure recovery and see it spread to every part of the country, today’s announcement is another extremely positive step in the right direction

Miss P, a 15-inch Beagle who won ''Best in Show'', stands near the winner's trophy at 139th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show at Madison Square Garden in the Manhattan borough of New York REUTERS Berger says. “Can you guarantee that something will go viral and get millions and millions of page views? No, but you can guarantee it will do better.”

Animal advocate and author Wendy Diamond says the biggest influencers are those who have a following and a personality.

“Your dog either has to have a deformity or a disability or a well-connected parent,” Diamond says.

Boo’s connection is clear. His owner,

Irene Ahn, is an executive at Facebook Inc, although she has stayed out of the limelight during her dog’s climb.

But there are other routes to the top.

Jon Huang and his girlfriend, Amber Chavez, got Manny, a French bulldog who was the unwanted runt of the litter, at a half-price discount four years ago.

What started as a way to share photos and videos of their puppy with friends and family exploded in the past couple of years to following of about

796,000 on Facebook (https://www. facebook.com/mannythefrenchie) and 643,000 on Instagram (http://instagram.com/manny_the_frenchie).

“Basically, I just started posting unique pictures,” says Huang, 37.

After photos of Manny sleeping in a sink went viral, the dog’s popularity started to swell. As the monetary potential became clear, Huang says they made charity a big part of the Manny craze. Team Manny has raised more

than $100,000 in the past year.

Manny has deals with Evanger’s Dog Food and Zico Coconut Water, among others. With all the merchandising, fundraising, deals, appearances and travels (a 15-city tour that goes from coast-to-coast), Chavez now is working full-time with Manny.

“There would be no way to manage all the stuff without her quitting her job,” says Huang. “We didn’t expect any of this. It happened so fast.” l

Retail dilemma in India - nice malls are few and far between n Reuters, New Delhi

Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen answers a question at a news conference

REUTERS

Yellen faces Senate grilling on Fed rate policy, transparency n Reuters, Washington Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen is expected to face pointed questions this week from US lawmakers aimed at revealing details about the Fed’s timing on interest rate hikes, as well as fresh scrutiny about transparency at the central bank.

Yellen will likely give away little in her prepared testimony for the Senate Banking Committee yesterday, and the House Financial Services Committee on Wednesday. But her answers to lawmakers’ questions will be parsed for insight into the her thinking about issues like persistently weak inflation, stagnant wage growth and whether she still feels the nation’s falling unemployment rate disguises lingering ills in the labor market.

Yellen’s appearance before the Senate will be a key test of her ability to navigate the new Republican-controlled Congress while steering the Fed to a historic change in policy expected later this year.

The Fed has not raised interest rates

Apple to spend $1.9bn on new European data centers

since 2006, and for the last seven years has expanded the boundaries of central bank activism with more than $3tn in asset purchases and near-zero interest rates.

Conservatives within the central bank and many Republicans in Congress argue that the Fed under Yellen, an Obama appointee with strongly stated concerns about the damage the financial crisis did to working families, is out of step with improvements in the US economy, and lawmakers will likely press for details on when policy will change.

The last two Fed policy statements have said the central bank will remain patient when deciding to move shortterm rates higher. Lawmakers are expected to nudge Yellen on when “patient” will be dropped.

“We suspect that she will characterize the risks around those choices in a way that suggests a greater likelihood that the Committee will reiterate the “patient” language in March and that “liftoff ” in June is not the most likely outcome,” Nomura economists said in a note. l

liquor shop because they get slightly higher rents but then no other retailer wants to be next to a liquor store,” said Puri.

Recently built malls where shops are leased, not sold, are faring better but there are not yet enough of them to meet a forecast rapid increase in demand as the economy improves.

“There are very few projects coming up in the next one or two years where we can open a store,” said Rajesh Jain, CEO at French sportswear maker Lacoste’ India division. “This is really restricting our expansion for sure.”

Revenue from organised bricks-andmortar retail in India is expected to more than triple to $150 billion by 2020, according to consulting firm Technopak - spurred by a raft of foreign retailers planning their first foray into the market, heating up competition for mall space.

In the past six months, Gap Inc has said it plans 40 stores, The Children’s Place is looking at 50 while Hennes & Mauritz (H&M) has plans for an initial 50 shops.

Established brands are also expanding, with Marks & Spencer aiming to lift its store numbers to 80 from 45 by 2016/17.

But India has only 77.6 million square feet of mall space, less than one tenth of US levels, despite having nearly four times the population, with the shortage of attractive malls most acute in New Delhi and Mumbai.

One in every six stores is empty, according to property consultants Jones Lang LaSalle, while advisory and management firm Beyond Squarefeet estimates that up to 25 malls have been shut or converted to other uses in the past two years. That does not include two of Mumbai’s oldest suburban malls, Centre One and Nirmal Lifestyle, which have said they are shutting down as shoppers stayed away.

Many centres, especially those that went up during the 2006-2007 real estate boom, were built by developers with little mall building experience. Ownership of shops was often sold off piecemeal while many do not have sufficient parking for shoppers or areas for retailers to bring in their supplies.

“Many of the malls that grew up did not even think of these things,” said Kumar Rajagopalan, CEO of the Retailers’ Association of India.

Until new and better malls are built, some retailers are looking at alternatives such as leasing standalone shops that can often be less lucrative or investing big in fast-growing but nascent online services.

“We...have to look at online spaces in a bigger way much earlier than before, because there is definitely a big shortage (of physical retail space),” said Govind Shrikhande, managing director at Shoppers Stop. l

A private security guard stands guard inside the premises of the MGF mall in New Delhi

REUTERS

A severe shortage of attractive malls has made setting up shop in India easier said than done, crimping expansion plans for both foreign retailers such as Lacoste and domestic giants like department store chain Shoppers Stop.

India’s searing heat, heavy traffic and cluttered pavements make malls the most popular option for urban middle class consumers looking for a day out. But many centres - despite having been built in the last decade - are struggling to draw shoppers or retailers because of poor design or because they are difficult to manage.

PS Puri, CEO of MGF Mall Management, which runs MGF Metropolitan, knows this all too well. Located in a posh district in the south of New Delhi, security guards and sales staff outnumbered shoppers last Tuesday evening in what was once a bustling mall.

It has restaurants but lacks popular attractions like a food court and a cinema.

The sale of shop ownership piecemeal has made management difficult and now only one quarter of the space is occupied by fashion retailers - about the same amount that is vacant.

“There is very little we can do because the shops are sold and the owners bring in whomever they want. They lease it to a

DILBERT

The investment is set to be evenly divided between the two countries, with the Irish government confirming that 850m euros would be spent in Ireland.

The two data centers are expected to begin operations in 2017.

“This significant new investment represents Apple’s biggest project in Europe to date,” Apple CEO Tim Cook said in a statement.

“We’re thrilled to be expanding our operations, creating hundreds of local jobs and introducing some of our most advanced green building designs yet,” he added.

The data center in Ireland will be located in Athenry, close to Galway on the west coast while in Denmark, it will be in Viborg, western Denmark.

In a sign of how important Apple’s investment in Denmark was, the country’s trade and development minister issued a statement mirroring that of the iPhone maker’s, adding the two data centers would be among the largest in the world.

Ireland’s government also reacted to the announcement, saying 300 jobs would be added in the county of Galway during the multiple phases of the project, a boost as it seeks to cut the unemployment rate below 10% this year.

“As the Government works to secure recovery and see it spread to every part of the country, today’s announcement is another extremely positive step in the right direction,” Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny said in a statement. l

Germany’s finances back in surplus in 2014 n AFP, Frankfurt Germany’s public finances were back in the black in 2014, when Europe’s biggest economy clocked up a surplus equivalent to 0.6% of overall output, official data showed yesterday.

The combined budgets of the German government, regional states, municipal authorities and welfare system showed an overall surplus of 18bn euros ($20.4bn), the federal statistics office Destatis calculated in a statement.

It was the first time since unification in 1990 that Germany’s public finances have been in the black. The surplus represented 0.6% of the country’s overall gross domestic product (GDP) of 2.904tn euros, Destatis said.

In 2013, Germany had achieved a balanced budget in its public finances.

The 2014 surplus resulted from the difference between revenues of 1.294tn euros and expenditure of 1.276tn euros, the statisticians said.

The government budget alone showed a surplus of 11.4bn euros, compared with a deficit of 4.5bn euros a year earlier.

The regional states’ finances also swung to a surplus of 1.9bn euros in 2014 from a deficit of 2.8bn euros in 2013.

The municipal authorities turned in a surplus of 1.3bn euros and the welfare budget showed a surplus of 3.4bn euros, Destatis said.

Under eurozone rules, member states are not allowed to run up public deficits in excess of 3% of GDP and are obliged to bring their budgets into balance or surplus in the medium term. l