23 march, 2015

SECOND EDITION

MONDAY, MARCH 23, 2015

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Chaitra 9, 1421, Jamadius Sani 2, 1436

BEST HOMECOMING IN HISTORY PAGE 3

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Regd No DA 6238, Vol 2, No 347

PM: CONFISCATE OFFICE ARSONISTS’ LAND PAGE 5

www.dhakatribune.com | 32 pages | Price: Tk10

SALAHUDDIN SEARCH SLUGGISH PAGE 32

Journey to 2019 starts here STORY ON PAGE 3 

The Tigers have arrived. This time, without the cup

MAINOOR ISLAM MANIK

BNP’s participation in city polls to be conditional

Three more petrol bomb victims die

n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla

n Tribune Report

The BNP is making all-out preparations to contest in the upcoming Dhaka and Chittagong city polls. But they might also back out at the eleventh hour lacking a “congenial atmosphere.”

As contesting the polls is very crucial, the party has been cautiously observing the situation, especially the ruling party Awami League’s attitude towards the elections and the BNP-backed contenders.

Insiders said BNP has been trying to give an impression that it is in favour of elections, no matter what, but the point it wants to make

PAGE 4 DB looking for visual clues to Avijit murder

is that elections must be free and fair.

However, there are also concerns that if they suspend their ongoing anti-government campaign for the city polls, the ruling party may then question what the BNP-Jamaat alliance had achieved from the three month-long street violence in which more than a hundred people have been killed.

There are also concerns that if they loosen their movement for the polls, the government’s repression on BNP leaders and activists may escalate just as had happened when things cooled down after the January 5 national elections in 2014.  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

PAGE 8 Unplanned structures spoil beauty of beach

Petrol bombs claimed three more lives yesterday.

Of them, Rawshan Biswas, 35, and Matin Biswas, 25, were injured when a truck was attacked in Magura on Saturday night while 40-year-old Khandakar Sharif’s truck came under attack in Chandpur early Thursday.

Rawshan, who was a day labourer, and Matin were among nine people burnt when their truck came under attack in Maghirdal area of Magura Sadar upazila around 8pm.

Rawshan died on the way to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) while Matin,

PAGE 10 Artillery rocks Ukraine rebel bastion Donetsk

who suffered 56% burns, passed away around 4:45pm at the hospital.

The other victims are under treatment at the DMCH burn unit.

Meanwhile, Sharif, with 88% burns, died around 11:45am at the hospital’s intensive care unit, said resident surgeon Partha Shankar Pal. Two others, truck helper Rubel Hossain, 20, and Khorshed Alam, were also injured with Sharif near Chandra intersection of Chandpur around 1am.

Truck driver Jahangir Hossain, 35, died on the spot while Rubel and Khorshed suffered 25% and 35% burns.  PAGE 2 COLUMN 2

PAGE 11 Modi faces land reform opposition

DT

2 NEWS

MONDAY, MARCH 23, 2015

Khaleda: Return Salahuddin or face consequences n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia yesterday asked the government to return missing BNP leader Salahuddin Ahmed to his family immediately, or else face dire consequences in the future.

“There is no reason to think that politicians in power will be spared if they joke about the disappearance of a politician like Salahuddin Ahmed. I am calling upon the political leaders and activists, rights bodies, different social and conscious citizens to raise their voices,” she said.

In a press release signed by Khaldea’s Press Secretary Maruf Kamal Khan Sohel, the threetime former premier said no one was safe in the country and anyone could be abducted or killed any time.

“Twelve days have passed after law enforcers abducted him [Salahuddin], but still now he is not released or produced before the court; [government] did not even acknowledge he was arrested. Concerns [about him] by family members, relatives, well wishers, colleagues and people of the country like me have reached an extreme level.”

Salahuddin was allegedly picked up on March 10 from a house in Uttara by some people who identified themselves as detectives.

Prior to his alleged detainment, Salahuddin had been issuing press statements on behalf of the party from a hideout.

Salahuddin, a former bureaucrat, left his government job to join the BNP and became a lawmaker from a Cox’s Bazar constituency.

He also served as the state minister for communications.

Khaleda said there were many witnesses of Salahuddin Ahmed’s detainment, so there was no way of denying his arrest. “The government should also keep in mind the international community’s concern over the issue.”

The 69-year old BNP chief alleged that abduction and killing have become regular incidents during the Awami League government’s tenure. “After denying claims of arrest, bodies have been found in different places and many families did not even get the body.”

Khaleda alleged that using law enforcement agencies like the Nazi Gestapo force – just to stay in power – could not be acceptable in a civilised country. l

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

BNP’s participation in city polls to be conditional Leaders said it was not time yet to take the government into a good account because opposition leaders and activists are still getting arrested.

“We will certainly put forward a set of conditions before participating in the [city] polls which could be: aspirants will have to be released and cannot be harassed; and a level-playing field should be created for fair polls,” said Mahbubur Rahman, a BNP policy maker.

“If these are not ensured, then there is no point contesting the polls,” he told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday.

The long overdue polls of the split Dhaka City Corporations and the Chittagong City Corporation are slated for the last week of April.

Emajuddin Ahamed, former vice chancellor of Dhaka University, told the Dhaka Tribune: “There are some problems. Many probable candidates, especially leaders from the Dhaka city unit, are either in jail or on the run. Nobody knows whether the government will allow them to campaign freely.”

The pro-BNP intellectual also said: “The Election Commission has to ensure a level-playing field, law enforcement agencies should act neutrally. All these can be ensured through talks and all parties must be ready to make compromises.

“There are chances that the government might suspend elections if they have information from intelligence agencies that the opposition-backed candidates are going to win.

“The BNP will certainly raise these issues for the sake fair elections because elections are the only way for measuring public opinion,” he said.

A senior BNP leader said the government has been continuously changing its strategy, so BNP should adopt one to outsmart its archrival.

“BNP’s strategy should be such that the government loses out if the elections are held or if they are suspended,” he said.

Currently the main political opposition, BNP has primarily selected businessman Abdul Awal Mintoo to run for mayor of Dhaka North.

But Mintoo has been on the run with several cases against him since the transport blockade and hartals began in early January.

The Awami League has also officially backed a businessman, Annisul Huq, for this post.

For mayor of Dhaka South, the BNP is considering Dhaka city unit chief Mirza Abbas, also a former mayor of undivided Dhaka. But they are also keeping options open in case the Election Commission disqualifies Abbas.

The Awami League has backed Sayeed Khokon, son of Dhaka’s first elected mayor Mohammad Hanif, for Dhaka south.

BNP chief Khaleda Zia’s adviser Abdullah Al Noman is more or less certain to be backed for Chittagong mayor. l

Three more petrol bomb victims die “A total of 172 arson victims have so far been treated and 27 are still undergoing treatment,” said Partha, adding that 18 victims had died under treatment.

So far 130 people have died in the violent anti-government campaign by the BNP-let 20-part alliance calling for the ruling Awami League to step down and announce fresh national election. Petrol bombs (Molotov Cocktails) have emerged as the political opposition’s principal tool in enforcing blockades and general strikes.

Of them 73 have been burnt to death. l

Relatives break out in tears after Shakil, another victim of Magura truck arson attack, succumb to his injuries at the burn unit of DMCH yesterday. Shakil and eight others received serious burn injuries when their truck was firebombed in Magura on Saturday evening DHAKA TRIBUNE

Plea seeks summons against Khaleda, Koko’s wife, daughters n Court Correspondent A Dhaka court is expected to rule on a petition today seeking summons for BNP chief Khaleda Zia, her daughter-in-law (younger son late Arafat Rahman’s wife) and two grand children in a loan default case.

Sonali Bank counsel Md Jahangir Hossain submitted a petition seeking summons against BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, her daughter-in-law and two granddaughters in the Dandy Dyeing case.

The defendants, besides Khaleda, are Sharmila Rahman Sithi and her daughters Zafia Rahman and Zahia Rahman, currently in Malaysia.

Jahangir Hossain told the Dhaka Tribune: ‘‘I had filed the petition with the Dhaka Artha Rin Adalat 1 seeking summons against the four defendants.”

Judge Fatema Ferdous is expected to rule on the petition today after hearing the plea.

The counsel of the state-owned Sonali bank filed the petition seeking directive from the court to issue summons against the four new defendants in the loan default case. The court also fixed April 12 for framing charges.

Following Koko’s death in Malaysia on January 24, Sonali Bank Senior Executive Officer Nazrul Islam filed the petition before the court on March 8 as per order 22 and rule 4 of Code of Civil Procedure (CPC). l

PM inaugurates Armed Forces’ warfare display n UNB Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday inaugurated the combined Warfare Exhibition of the Bangladesh Army, Navy and Air Force at the National Parade Square in the capital, marking the Independence Day and National Day-2015.

Just after the formal inauguration of the nine-day Exhibition by the PM though cutting a ribbon, releasing balloons and pigeons in the afternoon, the fighter planes of the Bangladesh Air Force fight passed over the venue while the paratroopers made successful landing on the parade square.

Hasina also witnessed a colourful aerobatics show performed by a MiG-29 fighter plane.

The Prime Minister then went round different stalls and pavilions set up by the three forces and witnessed various light and heavy warfare.

She visited the stall displaying the contributions and bravery of the Armed Forces dur-

ing the War of Liberation.

Hasina also visited stall displaying the modernisation and development activities of the Armed Forces over the last six years of the present Awami League-led government.

Other stalls showcased the role of the Armed Forces in nation building and the contributions of the Armed Forces in the UN peacekeeping missions.

Earlier, on her arrival at the Exhibition venue at the National Parade Square, the Prime Minister was received by Army Chief General Iqbal Karim Bhuiyan, Navy Chief Vice Admiral M Farid Habib, Air Force Chief Air Marshall Muhammad Enamul Bari and Principal Staff Officer of the Armed Forces Division Lit General Abu Belal Muhammad Shafiul Huq. The nine-day exhibition will remain open to all every day, except for March 26, from 9:30am to 5:30pm until March 31 on the eastern and western side of the old Airport Runway at Tejgaon. l

DT

NEWS 3

MONDAY, MARCH 23, 2015

The best homecoming in history n Minhaz Uddin Khan Thousands of fans, waiting in eager anticipation at the Dhaka airport, erupted in unison the moment the Emirates flight, carrying the Bangladesh cricket team, touched down yesterday.

The flight was delayed by 30 minutes but it hardly mattered to the supporters, Bangladesh Cricket Board directors and officials, and the media personnel who were waiting for the Tigers at the VIP arrival lounge.

The first member of the team to come into sight was opener Tamim Iqbal. He was, however, rushed out of the scene. Everyone present there thought that the southpaw shied away from facing the media given his below-par performance in the 2015 World Cup of cricket. But according to sources, the Bangladesh opener was in a hurry to catch a Chittagong flight from the domestic terminal.

Then, one after another, Bangladesh cricketers emerged at the VIP lounge. The most sought-after cricketer was Tigers captain Mashrafe bin Mortaza who, upon his arrival, was surrounded by the BCB officials. The Tigers skipper was felicitated with garlands before being brought in front of the assembled media.

Mashrafe waited patiently as it took some time for the media to settle down. Once they were done, Mashrafe started out by requesting everyone to be more responsible with their actions.

“I think the team playing in the quarter-finals is the best achievement in the history of Bangladesh cricket. I do not know if I will be playing in the next World Cup or not but I would like to request everyone – be it players, officials or supporters – to be more responsible,” said Mashrafe.

Bangladesh strung together a dream run during their 56-day campaign down under.

The Tigers went into the flagship event on the back of a disappointing 2014 but to everyone’s amazement, Bangladesh stormed into the quarter-finals following a historic win over

City polls: 18 collect forms for mayor n Tribune Report A total of 18 mayor aspirants have so far collection nomination forms in Dhaka and Chittagong for the upcoming city corporation polls.

Yesterday, 11 mayor aspirants collected forms in Dhaka and two in Chittagong, taking the total in the two cities to 13 and five respectively.

Jatiya Party leaders Bahauddin Ahmed Babul and Bobby Hajjaj, CPB leader Abdullah Al Kafi and Helena Jahangir were among those collected papers yesterday, said Dhaka north’s election officer Nazrul Islam.

In the port city, two persons named Golam Yiazdani and Mohammad Forkan Chowdhury collected papers for mayor run, said Returning Officer Md Abdul Baten.

With this, a total of 264 candidates wishing to race for the mayoral, ward councillor and reserved female ward councillor posts have so far collected nomination papers in Chittagong.

The deadline for submitting the papers is March 29. Scrutiny will be done on April 1 and 2 and the last date for withdrawal is April 9. l

After the most successful World Cup adventure in its history, the Bangladesh Cricket Team returns home to a warm welcome accorded by its loyal fans, who lined up along the Airport Road in huge numbers yesterday MAINOOR ISLAM MANIK England in the group stages.

Asked about the secret behind the success, Mashrafe said: “The conditioning camp [in Brisbane] really helped. The main challenge was to cope up with the conditions in Australia and New Zealand and that camp helped us big time to be honest. The players gained

confidence from it. They were given enough freedom and it paid off. We had some great performances on the field.”

Mashrafe did not forget to thank the Bangladesh supports who never stopped inspiring the players.

“Our supporters are the reason we play

cricket for. They have backed us in all circumstances and I believe this will continue. I think we have achieved a lot in the World Cup and I hope to carry on in the same manner in future. We have big teams coming to play us at home this year and I hope our passionate supporters will be behind us,” he said. l

Water logging tops port city voters’ concerns n Tarek Mahmud, Chittagong The port city’s enduring water logging problem will be a major issue for mayoral candidates contesting the Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) elections scheduled for April 28.

In a bid to attract voters, candidates are analysing the actions taken by the CCC on the issue over the last five years and unveiling their own plans to solve the problem, sources said.

CCC sources said incumbent Mayor M Manjur Alam had implemented projects worth Tk147 crore to deal with water logging.

His predecessor, ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury, spent more than Tk1,000 crore during his three consecutive tenures at the helm of the port city’s administration, CCC sources said.

Despite the heavy expenditure, water logging remains a major problem for Chittagong city residents in the rainy season, sources said, adding that many residential, commercial and industrial areas remain flooded by tidal water even during the dry season because of poor drainage systems.

Former town planner Professor Engineer Ali Ashraf Chowdhury, who heads the Civil Engineering Department of Southern University, told the Dhaka Tribune that huge sums had been spent, but not in accordance with the Drainage Master Plan of 1995.

“Water logging is a major problem for the commercial capital of the country and will be considered the prime issue in the upcoming CCC polls,” he said.

Challenging the mayors’ claims of not getting the required funding from the government, he said they had failed to demand funding systematically.

Chittagong Development Authority (CDA) Chairman Abdus Salam said if the CCC could implement half of the Master Plan, the problem would be significantly reduced.

He said the 20-year time line to implement the Master Plan ended this year without any major development in solving the problem.

“Residents of the city will select the candidate they feel can actually solve this problem,” he added.

Of the city’s 22 canals, most do not flow properly because they have been illegally

occupied and are not being preserved, CCC sources said.

The CDA chairman said if canals are properly preserved and the Master Plan is implemented, the water logging problem can be eradicated.

Mayor Manjur, the incumbent CCC chief, and also the adviser of BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia, said only the CCC can do the job.

“I have taken many steps during my tenure, including canal digging and purchasing modern machines to dredge canals. We dug three canals and repaired many others. We need combined and proper planning to solve the problem,” he said, claiming the water logging problem had been reduced more during his tenure than at any other time.

Refuting Mayor Manjur’s claims, former mayor Mohiuddin Chowdhury asked: “How can the problem be claimed to have been reduced if a half-an-hour shower during the rainy season leaves most of the city flooded?”

Ruling party nominee, AL Chittagong city unit general secretary AJM Nasir Uddin, said he would prioritise the issue. l

DT

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MONDAY, MARCH 23, 2015

DB looking for visual Can city polls stop violent clues to Avijit murder agitations? n Mohammad Jamil Khan With almost a month gone and no significant headway into solving the murder of writer Avijit Roy, the police has now sought help from anyone who might have captured any picture or videos during the attack at the TSC roundabout.

“A number of people had witnessed the murder but none of them could clearly say how many men carried out the attack or what the assailants looked like,” said DB Joint Commissioner Monirul Islam yesterday.

Even though many people often captured scenes of violence using phones or cameras, the police were yet to trace any such recording of the attack on Avijit, said Monirul, who is also the chief of the Detective Branch of police.

Any visual lead would be very helpful for investigation, he said, adding that the identity of any person willing to hand in such visual proof would be kept anonymous.

Avijit, founder of the secular Muktomona blog, was hacked to death by unidentified as-

sailants on February 26 near the TSC roundabout. The attack also critically injured Avijit’s wife Rafida Ahmed Bonya, who is currently receiving medical care in the US. Asked about the blogger’s family’s claims that a Buet teacher might have been involved in the killing, Monirul said their investigation had led them to believe that Avijit was killed in retaliation to his secular writing, not for any personal enmity.

However, he acknowledged that the police were aware of the family’s allegations against Buet teacher Farshim Mannan Mohammadi – the editor of a Jamaat-leaning magazine, adding that Farshim would be brought in for questioning if needed.

Meanwhile, most members of the FBI team that arrived in Dhaka to assist in solving the mystery behind the killing – left on Thursday and Friday, leaving behind only a technical analyst who will continue to offer his support to the DB probe team. The DB chief claimed that the FBI officials had expressed their satisfaction in the investigation. l

CID ordered to re-investigate the Tazreen fire incident n Court Correspondent A Dhaka court yesterday asked Criminal Investigation Department to conduct further investigations in a case filed over the Tazreen Fashions fire incident in 2012, and submit the report by April 22.

Dhaka Senior Judicial Magistrate Kazi Shahidul Islam passed the order, granting the prosecution’s no-confidence petition filed against the final investigation report submitted by CID that found the allegations against the defendants were not true.

On May 29, 2013, a person named Matinul Islam had filed a murder case with the chief judicial magistrate’s court against the owner of the Tazreen Fashions Ltd, Delwer Hossain, and some unnamed people. The complainant alleged that the main accused Delwer had intended to burn the factory. The resulting fire killed 117 people.

Matin’s sisiter Rehena, a worker in the factory, was amongst the dead. Matin alleged that the accused hid the corpse of Rehana after the fire.

On May 29, 2013, the then senior judicial magistrate had ordered Ashulia police to investigate the case and submit a report.

On October 23, 2014, Azharul Islam Sarker, the then office-incharge (investigation) of Ashulia police station submitted the final report. l

n Abu Hayat Mahmud

Senior leaders of the ruling Awami League think that the ongoing political violence occurred during blockades and hartals enforced by the BNP-led 20-party alliance since January 6 may stop if the BNP decides to take part in the upcoming city elections.

Presidium member Tofail Ahmed yesterday said the elections could be an “exit point” for the BNP to return to fair politics shunning the path of violence and sabotage.

“The BNP should grab the opportunity to end the movement by contesting in the elections,” he told reporters at the Secretariat. The commerce minister also hoped that the BNP would join the 2019 parliamentary election too.

The 20-party-backed candidates won in the five city corporation elections in mid 2013 but they boycotted the January 5 election as they had demanded polls under a non-partisan administration.

Senior leader Obaidul Quader yesterday said they were ready to accept any result in the city polls.

“The BNP should join the polls...The government will not influence the elections. It will be held in a free and fair atmosphere. Nobody will be allowed to create any obstacle. If we fail, we will welcome the results,” he added.

Elections to Dhaka and Chittagong will be held on April 28. Candidates backed by the ruling party, HM Ershad-led Jatiya Party and the Communist Party of Bangladesh already collected nomination papers for the two mayoral posts in Dhaka. The AL has also nominated its candidate in Chittagong.

BNP chief Khaleda Zia recently hinted positively about joining the polls but her party has not chosen candidates.

The BNP should contest the polls since it has popularity and that the elections should not go unchallenged, party’s policymaker Mahbubur Rahman told the Dhaka Tribune.

Prof Emajuddin Ahamed, former vice-chancellor of Dhaka University, said the city polls could be a great opportunity to end the confrontational situation. “However, the government should remember that they should not harass the BNP candidates.” l

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MONDAY, MARCH 23, 2015

18 Land Ministry offices torched n Dhaka Tribune Around a dozen and a half offices of the Land Ministry came under arson attack yesterday across the country.

Officials said the ministry had received reports from deputy commissioners of 14 districts about arson attacks on land ministry establishments amid the ongoing anti-government campaign by the BNP-led 20-alliance.

The BNP-led political opposition has been waging a violent movement since January 6 marked by arson attacks.

At least 18 more arson incidents were reported from different areas including Mymensingh Sadar, Chagolnaiya upazila at Feni, Charghat and Bagha upazilas in Rajshahi, Lakshmipur Sadar, Noyakhali sadar and Faridpur Sadar.

Assailants could not be identified, but the

police blamed pickets.

The prime minister said all lands belonging to the assailants would be seized.

Earlier on March 10, the land ministry had sent letters to the home ministry for ensuring security of its establishments.

The Home Ministry directive that followed ordered law enforcement agencies to provide necessary security. The government has already deployed paramilitary Ansars at hundreds of such vulnerable offices.

However, there is no security at 7,000 land offices, where the documents of lands and houses are preserved.

A land office at Ullapara in Sirajgonj was set afire part March 20 midnight. Another one in Jhalakathi was torched on March 14 and a Lakshmipur office on March 12.

Land ministry officials suspect that gangs of forgers might have targeted the land offices

to create long-standing problems destroying land records.

Several Assistant Commissioners of Land said if the documents are burned, land owners will get in trouble. It will be difficult to settle land disputes for lack of documents.

Land disputes arise out of land surveys, land transfers, record keeping, registration, mutation, determination of successor, testamentary documents, lease, redemption of mortgaged properties, right to preemption, sales of land to several persons, multiplicity of ownership, administering government owned lands such as khas land and khas water bodies.

A citizens’ body on vested property said in a statement that it suspected a certain quarter, comprising of land grabbers and corrupt land officials, might have links to the attacks to destroy important documents and usurp lands with fake documents. l

Prime Minister: Confiscate land of those who are torching land offices n UNB Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday asked the law enforcement agencies to confiscate all the land property of those to be found guilty of torching land offices across the country.

“Those who will torch land offices and burn important land documents, all of their fathers’ and grandfathers’ land property will be confiscated,” she said.

The Prime Minister said this while speaking at a function organised marking the 40th founding anniversary of the Islamic Founda-

tion Bangladesh at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC).

She said the criminals belonging to BNP-Jamaat alliance are setting fire to land offices in districts and upazilas across the country.

“What is the reason behind burning the documents of land offices, what’s the reason?” Hasina questioned.

In this connection, the Prime Minister she said the government has already directed the intelligence agency to find out the culprits behind these recent incidents.

“All of their fathers’ and grandfathers’ land

property will be confiscated...they cannot be the owners of any land, they’ll be live in their respective areas, but they won’t have any land of their own in their areas. We’ll have to do that,” she said.

Religious Affairs Minister Principal Matiur Rahman president over the function, organised by the Islamic Foundation. Religious Affairs Secretary Dr Chowdhury Md Babul Hassan delivered the welcome speech, On this day in 1975, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman inaugurated the activities of the Islamic Foundation. l

All metro rail tenders to be floated this year n Shohel Mamun The government decided to go for quick implementation of Dhaka Mass Rapid Transit Development project, better known as metro rail.

As part of the decision, all tenders for the project will be floated this year. Out of a total eight tender phases, two have been completed already.

According to the metro rail line 6 plan, the project would be completed by 2024. However, the government has fixed a new deadline for implementing the project within 2020.

The first part of the project from Uttara to Farmgate will be completed by 2019.

The decision was made at a board meeting of Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority (DTCA) held yesterday at its headquarters in city.

DTCA President and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader presided over the meeting.

The minister told reporters after the meeting: “The metro rail is a dream project for the new generation.”

The DTCA is the implementing authority of the metro rail project. They have already floated tenders for purchasing locomotives and constructing rail tracks. By the end of this year, the DTCA hopes to invite tender for depot, station, platform and other machinery.

Obaidul Quader also said: “The Padma Bridge project will be completed within 2018. That very year, vehicles will start moving on the bridge.

“The connecting roads to the bridge such as the Mawa-Babubazar and Jajira-Bhanga roads will be upgraded into four lanes. The construction work of the Mawa-Babubazar four-lane upgragation project will start next month,” he said.

“The Moghbazar-Maochak flyover will be completed before the coming rainy season.

The potholes of the connecting roads will also be completed within that dateline.” l

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MONDAY, MARCH 23, 2015

Major reshuffle in police admin n Mohammad Jamil Khan The government yesterday transferred 15 senior police officials in a major police force reshuffle. The Ministry of Home Affairs made the changes through three separate orders signed by Joint Secretary ASM Imdadud Dastgir.

Khulna Metropolitan Police (KMP) additional commissioner M Aurangzeb Mahbub was made commandant of the Armed Police Battalion (APBN) and specialised training centre at Khagrachhari.

KMP Khulna range additional deputy inspector general Khandker Rafiqul Islam was made director of the Rapid Action Battalion.

Additional DIG Hasan Ul Haider of APBN headquarters was transferred as commandant of Police Training Centre at Tangail and Noakhali Police Training Centre commandant Hasib Aziz was made additional DIG of APBN headquarters.

Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Dhaka additional DIG Habibur Rahman was transferred as commandant of Police Training Centre in Noakhali.

Meanwhile, Rezaul Karim Mallik, police super at Bangla-

desh Police Academy in Sarda, Rajshahi was transferred to Police Bureau of Investigation in Dhaka. Barisal Range Reserve Force (RRF) commandant Kazi Mortaz Ahmed was made police super of Tourist Police in Dhaka.

Khulna RRF commandant M Nazmul Karim Khan and commandant of second APBN in Muktagacha, Mymensingh Delowar Hossain Miah were made special police supers at CID, Dhaka.

Commandant of fourth APBN in Bogra Abu Naser Mohammad Khaled was made commandant of 13 APBN in Barisal. M Akkas Uddin Bhuiyan, police super at Specialised Security and Protection Battalion, Dhaka was made commandant of second APBN in Muktagacha, Mymensingh.

Mohammad Abdur Rahim, commandant of tenth APBN in Barisal was made police super of Police Training College in Khulna.

Sylhet RRF commandant J Ansar Uddin Khan Pathan was made police super of Bangladesh Police Academy at Sarda, Rajshahi.

Meanwhile, Joypurhat police super M Abul Kalam Siddiq was made deputy commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP). DMP deputy commissioner Molla Nazrul Islam was made Joypurhat police super. l

AL man killed in RAB shootout in Dhaka n Adil Sakhawat A prime accused in a murder case filed recently over the killing of a girl in the capital’s Fakirapool area, was killed in a gunfight with Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) members in Dhaka’s Shahjahanpur.

The deceased is Mobarak Ullah Monty, 28, a local leader of the Fakirapool Jubo League unit.

The gunfight took place at Titipara Sweeper Colony around 3am yesterday.

RAB 3 Operational Officer ASP Saiful Islam told the Dhaka Tribune that Monty shot first and police returned fire.

“We conducted a raid based on information provided by arrestee Jahangir Hossain Sohel,” he said.

The arrest was made following the recovery of a female body cut into seven pieces. T The victim was later identified as a drug peddler named Sumi.

Doctors declared Monty dead at Dhaka Medical College

Hospital around 4am.

Police recovered the butchered body of a girl from Monty’s building in the capital’s Fakirapool area on March 10.

Jahangir Hossain Sohelin was arrested by RAB 3 on March 21.

At the site of the gunfight in Titipara, a witness who asked not to be named, said: “Around 3am yesterday I heard gunshots. I saw uniformed RAB members through a window.”

About 20 or 25 rounds were fired. “I was scared and put my head down.”

Monty’s neighbours said that he was involved in the drug business for a long time and they were afraid of him.

Monty’s wife Farzana Islam told the Dhaka Tribune at the DMCH morgue that her husband was missing for 10 or 12 days.

“We did not file a general diary with the police station as Monty sometimes used to go missing for a couple of days,” said Farzana. l

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MONDAY, MARCH 23, 2015

Speakers: Ensure integrity in water management n Tribune Report Environmental organisations urged the government to ensure integrity in the water management including quick implementation of Bangladesh Water Act 2013.

Besides, they demanded to an end to the pollution of the rivers and water bodies.

The call appeared from a human chain hosted by Bangladesh Water Integrity Network and Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) in TSC area yesterday marking the World Water Day. Dr Iftekharuzzaman, executive director of the TIB, said the government should strengthen the institutions dealing with water resources management initiatives to get better service and the laws concerned was also should be implemented.

“Besides it is needed to include the climate adaptation plans in water management system to ensure the direct involvement of people”, the TIB director opined while addressing the human chain. He demanded punishment for the water polluters across the country.

Dr Shahid Akhtar Hossain, pro-vice chancellor (administration) of Dhaka University, spoke the event that: “Water is crucial for life, but it is threatened because of our activities which could bring great danger for our future.” l

WEATHER

DRY WEATHER LIKELY MONDAY, MARCH 23 DHAKA TODAY SUN SETS 6:01PM

TOMORROW SUN RISES 6:21AM

FORECAST FOR TODAY 35 34 35 35 36 35 35 34

Dhaka Chittagong Rajshahi Rangpur Khulna Barisal Sylhet Cox’s Bazar

23 22 19 20 20 18 19 22

YESTERDAY’S HIGH AND LOW

34.0ºC Mongla

18.0ºC Dinajpur Source: Accuweather/UNB

PRAYER TIMES Fajr

4:44am

Sunrise

5:59am

Zohr

12:05am

Asr

4:29pm

Magrib Esha

6:11pm 7:26pm SourceL IslamicFinder.org

Several environmental organisations form a human chain at Shahbagh yesterday, marking World Water Day

DHAKA T RIBUNE

DHAKA-CTG 4-LANE PROJECT

Only 70pc work done in Comilla n Our Correspondent, Comilla The Dhaka-Chittagong four-lane highway is facing further delays due to slow implementation in the stretch that goes through Comilla.

Although that stretch was scheduled to be completed within three years, only 70% work has been done in four years.

According to the sources, out of the 192.3 kilometre of the project, 99 kilometre lies in Comilla district stretching from Daudkandi toll plaza to Feni’s Mohammad Ali area.

So far only 55km of 99km has been upgraded and paved. All the bridges and culverts on this portion have also been completed.

The four-lane upgrade project began in 2010 and was expected to be completed by 2013. Three construction companies are in charge of the project implementation.

China-based Sinohydro Corporation is in charge of the major portion of the project while the rest are done by Reza Construction and Ms Taher Brothers.

A recent visit to the site found that construction materials on both sides of the road in Comilla’s Daudkandi and Chandina were creating traffic congestion. Moreover, the crooked road in Chouddogram area was also blamed for slow traffic movement.

Driver of Tisha bus service of Comilla, Mafiz

Informal workers deal with manifold problems n Shadma Malik

Labourers, who are working in informal sectors, have to deal with lack of pure drinking water, insufficient medical and latrines facilities, fear of eviction from houses, minimum opportunity for their school-going children and unsecured life every day, speakers told a workshop yesterday.

At the workshop the speakers include rickshaw puling, construction work, tea stall, hawker, fishing and sewing in informal working sector.

They came up with the observation while speaking at a workshop titled “Informal Work and Wellbeing in Urban Areas” organised by the Institute of Development Studies (IDS) in association with BRAC University and ActionAid Bangladesh. The programme was held at Hotel Six Seasons in the capital. The organisers also revealed a study conducted on the lifestyle of slum dwellers.

A group of slum dwellers were present at the event where they shared the hardships of life in slums with the discussants and researchers.

The workers said lack of water and power supply, lack of toilets and sanitary latrines

and skyrocketing rent for a small accommodation were their main problems.

People living in informal settlements do not have ownership of the houses they live in.

So, they remain quite in fear of being evicted from their place, the workers said.

The workers also said after paying the house rent, they also have to pay more for water and power supply.

A slum dweller said if there was any kinds of infrastructure improvements, the rent of house went high.

Mofazzel Hossain, a resident of Kalyanpur Engineering Housing Society, said: “I have been residing in the slum area for 35 years.

But none of the governments have worked for the development of the slum dwellers.”

Kulsum Begum, a resident of Rai Bazaar slum, said: “We live in fear. We do not get water and electricity supply from house owners, we have to manage it by ourselves.” Speakers also made absence of urban policy for the sufferings of the slum dwellers.

In Bangladesh, the study was conducted in seven slums located in Bogra, Chittagong, and Dhaka. The survey included 709 male and 755 female respondents across the sites. l

Uddin said it took him about two hours extra to go to Dhaka because of the traffic congestion.

Another bus driver Kamal Hossain said the 42-km area of Chouddogram was not paved properly causing bumps and uneven surface hindering smooth movement.

Manager of the four-lane project Masum Sarwar said all major works like land development, bridge construction, culverts, embankment and other areas had already been done.

“We are very sincere in finishing the rest of the work very soon since this is a high priority project. We had a meeting on the progress on March 12 and hope to complete it within this year,” he added. l

Begum Rokeya University opens n Tribune Report Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur (BRUR) opened yesterday after three and a half months of closure.

The closed doors of different buildings in the university campus were unlocked in presence of Vice chancellor Professor Dr AKM Nurun Nabi, Executive Magistrate of the district administration Mizanur Rahman, Additional Police Super Ashok Kumar and Assistant Proctor of the university Shahinur Rahman at 11 am when normal academic and administrative activities resumed, reports BSS. The VC informed that the new date for holding admission tests for the first year honours courses for the 2104-2015 academic sessions will be announced soon and called upon all concerned for bringing back normal academic atmosphere in the campus and working unitedly forgetting all previous differences.

The academic and administrative activities remained suspended since last December 3 when a group of teachers, officers and employees of locked main gate of the administrative building and subsequently the other gates of the academic buildings university as a part of their movements. l

DT

8 NEWS

MONDAY, MARCH 23, 2015

Unplanned structures spoil beauty of beach n Our Correspondent, Cox’s Bazar Defying a High court directive, some real estate companies in collaboration with a section of local influential people have been constructing buildings near Cox’s Bazar sea beach, making a threat to the environment and ecology in the area.

Besides, the illegal establishments have been causing harm to the scenic beauty of the world’s largest sea beach.

In 2012, the High Court gave a directive asking authorities concerned not to allow construction of buildings within 500 metre distance from the water level of the sea.

The court also directed the authorities concerned to evict existing buildings and under-construction buildings in the area.

Following the directive, the local administration had demarcated the border area of the 120 kilometer long beach and begun eviction drive. But they had not continued the drive for some unknown reasons.

Talking to the Dhaka Tribune many environmental activists demanded that the authorities concerned begin the drives to evict all illegally constructed buildings near the scenic sea beach.

The government should necessary steps immediately to stop the ongoing construc-

Embezzlement allegations against Lakshmipur education officer Correspondent, n Our Lakshmipur A public servant and a World Bank-assisted school project official in Kamalnagar upazila of Lakshmipur faces allegations of school fund embezzlement, months after protests against teacher recruitment irregularities.

Upazila Primary Education Officer Khagendra Chandra Sarker and Altaf Hossain, training coordinator of “Reaching Out of School Children” project under the Directorate of Primary Education, have also been accused of autocratically running school operations.

Under the project, 82 schools, each known as Ananda School, have been set up in the upazila for children aged 8-14 who never enrolled in formal education or dropped out after enrolment. The schools started operating in June last year, with 25-35 students each.

Only one teacher was appointed at each school.

A nine-member central management committee was formed at each of the 82 schools, with a guardian and a teacher of that school being made chairperson and member secretary of the committee respectively.

Separate bank accounts were opened for the schools in the name of the head teachers, but Altaf also managed to include his name in all the accounts.

Several committee members said a grant of Tk25,00040,000 is sent to each account every month to pay for expenses such as salary and infrastructural costs.

The respective school committees were directed by the Directorate of Primary Education to meet all expenses from their accounts, but some

teachers said Khagendra and Altaf did not let any teacher or committee member of any of the schools to withdraw money from the account.

“The two men made teachers and committee members sign cheques but took the money out of the accounts themselves.

They paid teachers’ salaries, school building rents and examination fees but kept the remaining amount for themselves,” said a teacher requesting anonymity.

Khagendra and Altaf later allocated a small amount of money for supplying substandard school uniforms and learning materials with the aim of pocketing the remainder.

They also collected receipt from teachers but many students have not yet received their uniforms and learning materials, the teachers allege.

“We had signed receipt because they said the next tranche of funds would not be released until project officials were shown the receipts,” another teacher said.

He also said the teachers were promised a 15-day training within four weeks of recruitment but the money allocated for that purpose had also been embezzled.

Khagendra told the Dhaka Tribune there were some anomalies in the school operations but claimed that Altaf’s predecessor was responsible for those.

“Besides, we have to act on the instructions of the project director. We cannot ask him to provide a written explanation,” he added. But Altaf refused to respond to the allegations.

The second phase of the Reaching Out of School Children project was initiated in January 2013. Ananda Schools are being set up in 148 upazilas across the country under the project. l

tions and evict the existing building constructed by violating rules, said Fajlul Quader Chowdhury, president of Cox’s Bazar district unit of Bangladesh Poribesh Andolan.

The ecology and environment of the beach may badly be affected by the unplanned urbanization in the area, he said.

The human habitat could be destroyed by any sudden natural calamity including, tsunami or earthquake due to the process, he added.

During recent visits, this correspondent found that many building were being constructed at potential tourist spots at different places from Cox’s Bazar to Teknaf.

Talking to the Dhaka Tribune, many peo-

ple involved in the constructions process said some local influential people joined their hands with real estate companies in land purchase process. Sometimes the people force the land owners to sell their lands to the companies, depriving them real market prices of their properties, they said.

Sardar Sariful Islam, assistant director at the department of environmental in Cox’s Bazar, said as per existing rules no one can construct building of more than 10 stories in the sea beach area.

Md Ali Hossain, deputy commissioner of Cox’s Bazar said they will not allow anyone to construct building near the sea beach. l

DT

NEWS 9

MONDAY, MARCH 23, 2015

Traffickers become extortionists n Our Correspondent, Bandarban Traffickers have coerced families of 53 people of Lama upazila, who were trafficked to Malaysia by sea in the last four months, into giving them a large sum of money, says a report of the Bandarban office of the National Human Rights Commission.

The victims, who hail from different parts of Fanshiakhali union, were sent to Malaysia from Teknaf. Some of them are leading miserable lives, some are behind bars and others remain unaccounted for.

Rawshan Ara, wife of a victim from Yangchha area, said she was still unaware of whether her husband was alive.

“Traffickers were paid a substantial sum when my husband set off for his destination.

Now they want more,” she said.

A number of families said they had to sell properties to meet the traffickers’ demands

but they criminals kept pushing for more money.

Those having no contact with the victims fear that they have been killed either during the journey or after reaching the destination.

On January 12, Ruby Akhter her land that she owned to send her husband, Akkas Uddin, to Malaysia. Bajal Ahmed, a local trafficker and a former Juba League activist, was paid Tk2 lakh but Akkas was subjected to torture after reaching Thailand on January 29.

“Unable to endure the maltreatment, my husband appealed on the phone to pay the trafficker more,” she said.

Nabi Hossain paid traffickers to send his brother, Belal Uddin, to Malaysia early February but failed to establish any communication with him thereafter. On February 22, he lodged a case with Lama police station against four traffickers – Bajal, Nurul Islam, Ruby Akhter and Abu Zaker.

Police later arrested only Bajal but the other three allegedly threatened Nabi and some other families of the victims.

Nabi said at least 18 more people were trafficked from Yangchha in the last two months and they all remain missing.

Traffickers generally lure people into boarding water vessels to make the perilous journey claiming that migrating by sea is absolutely free.

Donai Pru Neli, president of Bandarban unit of the human rights commission, said failing to take immediate action against traffickers would aggravate the situation. “Many more families will continue to lose money before becoming destitute in the days to come if traffickers do not face action.”

Lama police station OC Sirajul Islam said a probe into traffickers pressuring victims’ families into giving money had been initiated and actions would be taken accordingly. l

3 of a family killed in Habiganj n Our Correspondent, Habiganj A mother and her two children were reportedly killed at Bhakoir village in Nabiganj upazila yesterday morning.

The deceased were identified as Rumena Khatun, wife of Farid Uddin, and her two children Muslima Khatun, 7, and Musa Miah, 5.

Locals said, Farida Uddin found his two children’s bodies floating in a pond and the hanging body of his wife tied up with a piece of cloth with a tree in the morning after long time search. On information, police recovered the bodies.

Basir Miah, brother of Rumena said: “Farid killed Rumena and her two children over family feud.” Rumena’’s father also alleged that the reason behind the killing was family feud.

Liakat Ali, officer-in-charge of Nabiganj police station said police would investigate the incident. l

Parents hacked to death by son n Tribune Report A drug addict youth allegedly hacked his parents to death and injured six people in Panchagarh district town yesterday afternoon.

The deceased were identified as Mizanur Rahman, 65, a former official of Panchagarh Sugar Mills Ltd, and his wife Sultana Begum, 50, of Puratan Camp area in the town.

Quoting locals police said Manjurul Hasan Shanta, 35, had an altercation with his father and mother at their house located behind the Sadar Police Station around 1pm as they refused to give him money for buying drugs.

At one stage, Shanta, also an employee of the sugar mill, hacked his parents with a sharp weapon indiscriminately. Hearing screams of the house inmates, locals and policemen from the police station rushed to the house.

Shanta also attacked the policemen, leaving sub-inspector Arif, assistant sub-inspector Enamul and police van driver Mahbub’s wife Nasima Begum and three others injured.

Later, additional policemen rushed in and arrested Shanta.

They also whisked Mizanur and Sultana off to Panchagarh Modern Sadar Hospital where doctors declared them dead. l

Although the government has taken various measures to protect the ecology of the country, people from ethnic minorities are poaching different types of native animals, including birds, foxes and wildcats, with lethal weapons in Barind area of Rajshahi. Environmentalists said if the government initiates awareness campaign in the area, the lives of these native spices would be protected. The photo taken yesterday from Kakonhat area shows some youths search for animals at a wheat field AZAHAR UDDIN

ill-advised sand dredging threatens Faridpur town dam n UNB

Indiscriminate sand extraction from the river Padma has made the Faridpur town protection embankment vulnerable, much to the worry of local residents.

A group of local influential people having political clout are lifting sand illegally from the mighty river near the town embankment at Baliadangi village in Dicrirchar union of Sadar upazila.

During a recent spot visit, this correspondent found sand extracted from the river being loaded into trucks along a vast area on the west side of Dholar More up to Baliadangi village.

The stand extraction has been continuing at the point for the last one month, said local sources.

Around 400 to 500 trucks heavily loaded with the extracted sand are plying the embankment every day making the infrastructure rickety.

The embankment constructed at a cost of Tk194 crore is now on the way of getting largely damaged for indiscriminate plying of the sand-laden trucks on it.

The situation has triggered a scare among the locals that the embankment might collapse any moment.

Local sources said allegedly led by Dicrirchar union Juba League president Mintu Fakir, local influential people, including Bodruddin Sheikh, Kumaresh Babu, Mukhles, Ayub Mollah, Ser Ali and Bachhu Sheikh, are lifting sand from the river point.

Villager Musa Sheikh said sand is being ex-

tracted from the river defying rule.

Some leaders and activists of the ruling Awami League and BNP are involved in sand extraction from the river.

Rahman Sheikh, who has built a house beside the town embankment, said he constructed the house with big hope spending huge money by reckless plying of the sand-laden trucks much to the damage of his building. He questioned then what is the use of raising the embankment spending such huge money?

A sand trader of C&B Ghat area requesting not to be named said Abdur Rob, Mintu Fakir and Ayub Mollah sell sand worth Tk1.5 lakh to Tk2 lakh from the river every day.

Several hundred sand-laden trucks move on the embankment every day causing much damage to it, he added.

About sand lifting from the river, Ayub Mollah said, “We are extracting sand from the river taking permission from the Water Development Board (WDB) and managing the local Awami League leaders.”

Juba League leader Mintu Fakir claimed they were lifting sand from their land on the shoals that emerged in the river.

“Apart, money is being paid separately for the sand lifted from the land beside,” he added.

Executive Engineer of Faridpur WDB Shahidul Islam denied giving anyone permission to extract sand from the river.

Deputy Commissioner of Faridpur Sardar Sharafat Ali said he conducted mobile courts several times against the sand lifting.

He also assured of bringing the offenders to book whichever political party they belong to. l

DT

10 WORLD

MONDAY, MARCH 23, 2015

Artillery rocks Ukraine rebel bastion Donetsk despite truce

Russian ambassador: Denmark could face attack if joins NATO shield

n AFP, Copenhagen

n AFP Artillery fire rocked the outskirts of the rebel-held east Ukraine city of Donetsk yesterday in the latest clashes to rattle an internationally-brokered ceasefire between pro-Russian separatists and Kiev.

The sound of intensive explosions erupted at 9:00 am (0600 GMT) and appeared to come from the area around Donetsk airport, one of several flashpoints where shelling has rumbled on despite the February truce deal that has eased fighting around much of eastern Ukraine.

The Ukranian army said rebels located near the airport had used small arms, 82mm mortar shells and rocket-propelled grenades against government troops overnight.

It said there had been three injuries in its ranks but no deaths.

In the separatist stronghold of Lugansk, the army also came under fire from small arms and heavier 120mm mortar shells, according to an official statement.

The overall rate of fighting has declined sharply since the peace deal, which obliges both sides to stop shooting and withdraw heavy weapons, was hammered out by the leaders of

Men push a cart over the destroyed Putilovka bridge near Donetsk airport on Friday France, Germany, Russia and Ukraine.

However, sporadic clashes with small arms and shells have continued on a near daily

AFP

basis at hotspots including the airport and around the key government-held port city of Mariupol. l

Russia’s ambassador to Denmark said Saturday that the NATO country’s navy could be targeted by nuclear missiles if it joins the Western alliance’s anti-missile shield.

The threat made by Ambassador Mikhail Vanin in an opinion piece he wrote for the Danish daily Jyllands-Posten sparked an angry reaction and came amid an increasingly Cold War-style standoff between Moscow and the West.

“I do not think that the Danes fully understand the consequences of what happens if Denmark joins the US-led missile defence,” Ambassador Mikhail Vanin wrote in the daily.

“If this happens Danish warships become targets for Russian nuclear missiles.”

Russia has long opposed NATO’s missile shield – launched in 2010 and due to be fully operational by 2025 – in which member countries contribute radar and weaponry to protect Europe against missile attacks.

Denmark has pledged to supply one or more frigates equipped with advanced radar to track incoming missiles.

The chairwoman of the Danish parliament’s foreign affairs, Mette Gjerskov told AFP that the comments were “very threatening and not necessary” as the missile shield was simply an “intruder alarm” and no danger to Russia. l

Obama rips Netanyahu over Greece fights German bailout demands with Nazi-era claims Arab voter comments n AFP, Washington US President Barack Obama criticised Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over his warning that Arab Israeli voters would vote “in droves.”

In his first public comments about Tuesday’s elections that saw Netanyahu score a surprise third term, Obama told The Huffington Post he had “indicated that that kind of rhetoric was contrary to what is the best of Israel’s traditions.”

The White House said earlier this week that Obama had warned Netanyahu on Thursday that his last-minute campaign pledge to oppose the creation of a Palestinian state and his comments about Israeli Arab voters would force a rethink.

“Although Israel was founded based on the historic Jewish homeland and the need to have a Jewish homeland, Israeli democracy has been premised on everybody in the country being treated equally and fairly,” Obama said.

“And I think that that is what’s best about Israeli democracy. If that is lost, then I think that not only does it give ammunition to folks who don’t believe in a Jewish state, but it also I think starts to erode the meaning of democracy in the country.”

The interview, which took place Friday, was published in full Saturday.

Obama also criticised the Israeli leader’s tough stance on the Palestinians after his election win, saying the United States is “evaluating” options for peace in the region. l

Pope Francis’s ‘half-miracle’ n AFP, Naples, Italy

It was a miracle! Or maybe not. The dried blood of Naples’ patron saint Januarius half-liquified Saturday during a ceremony when Pope Francis held and kissed the relic while on a visit to the southern Italian city.

Archbishop of Naples Crescenzio Sepe showed the glass vial to the congregation in the city’s cathedral and declared: “The blood has half liquified, which shows that Saint Januarius loves our pope and Naples.”

Francis, known for his plain speaking, quipped that he and his fellow visitors to the city’s cathedral had failed to win the saint’s full affection.

“The bishop just announced that the blood half-liquified. We can see the saint only half loves us.”

“We must all spread the word, so that he loves us more!” he added.

Each year thousands of Roman Catholic faithful go to the three special services at Naples Cathedral where the dried blood of the fourth-century martyr is said to turn to liquid.

Some people say the blood even increases in mass during these displays, though the church does not officially recognise any of the relic’s alleged transformations as a miracle.

The Roman bishop was decapitated during the persecution of Christians during the reign of the emperor Diocletian in 305 AD. l

n AP, Berlin

It was 1943 and the Nazis were deporting Greece’s Jews to death camps in Poland. Hitler’s genocidal accountants reserved a chilling twist: The Jews had to pay their train fare.

The bill for 58,585 Jews sent to Auschwitz and other camps exceeded 2 million Reichsmark — more than 25 million euros ($27m) in today’s money.

For decades, this was a forgotten footnote among all of the greater horrors of the Holocaust. Today it is returning to the fore amid the increasingly bitter row between Athens and Berlin over the Greek financial bailout.

Jewish leaders in Thessaloniki, home to Greece’s largest Jewish community, say they are considering how to reclaim the rail fares from Germany — with seven decades of interest. l

DT

WORLD 11

MONDAY, MARCH 23, 2015

US Marine Corps urges ‘vigilance’ after online Islamsit threat

n AFP

The US Marine Corps yesterday urged “vigilance” after a group claiming to be Islamic State hackers published what they said were the names and addresses of 100 military personnel and urged supporters to kill them.

The warning came after a group calling itself the Islamic State Hacking Division posted information about members of the air force, army and navy, including photos and ranks, on the Internet, according to monitoring group SITE Intelligence.

The US Marine Corps said it was visiting all affected staff, and urged caution online.

“Vigilance and force protection considerations remain a priority for commanders and their personnel,” US Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonel John Caldwell said in a statement.

“It is recommended Marines and family members check their online/social footprint, ensuring privacy settings are adjusted to limit the amount of available personal information.” l

Modi faces opposition from farmers to land reforms n Reuters Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi sought yesterday to stave off farmer protests against his efforts to make it easier for businesses to buy land, after opposition to the bill overshadowed a burst of progress on economic reform.

Tussles over land acquisition have locked up hundreds of billions of dollars of infrastructure developments, and looser rules are important for Modi’s vision of building modern cities and industrial corridors crisscrossing India.

But opposition parties have successfully portrayed proposed changes to a land purchase act, including exemption from getting consent of 80 percent of landowners for some projects, as anti-farmer - a damaging charge in a country that is still mostly rural.

In a radio address, Modi said amendments to the land act would benefit farmers but also added that state governments could opt out, in a conciliatory message after accusations

that he was seeking to push through reforms without discussion.

“The changes that we are making to the law, the drawbacks that we are fixing for the benefit of farmers, the steps that we are taking ... if any state does not want to accept it, they are free to do so,” he said.

Last year, Modi used executive orders to jumpstart his economic reform agenda after a winter session of parliament failed to pass any significant legislation.

His Bharatiya Janata Party managed to ratify five of the six ordinances in the current session of parliament, including ones governing coal field auctions and mining at the last minute on Friday before a recess. A few days earlier the government passed a long-awaited bill to boost foreign investment in the insurance industry.

“Productivity in both the houses has been at a record high,” said Chakshu Roy of PRS Legislative, a think tank tracking parliamentary performance. l

Musharraf’s party to contest local Pakistan elections

n AFP

Pakistan’s former military ruler Pervez Musharraf, who is facing criminal proceedings, announced yesterday that his party All Pakistan Muslim League (APML) would contest local government elections.

The 71-year-old returned to Pakistan in March 2013 after four years of self-imposed exile to run in general elections, vowing to “save” the country from Taliban violence and economic ruin.

But Musharraf, who seized power in a bloodless coup in 1999 and resigned in 2008, was barred from standing and put under house arrest over numerous criminal charges – including treason.

APML were mauled – winning only one seat – as Nawaz Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) swept to power, but yesterday Musharraf launched an audacious bid to see his party re-emerge as a force.

“We will go in local body polls with the slogan of ‘Pakistan first’ and win,” he told AMPL’s central executive committee. l

DT

12 EDITORIAL

MONDAY, MARCH 23, 2015

Keep the lights on

T

he Power Division has confirmed that there is still a 1,000MW demand gap for the peak demand season which regularly occurs during the hot weather and Boro planting period around April-May. With demand for electricity growing annually, there is not only the likelihood of more load-shedding this year, but the long-term picture for energy supplies is still at risk.

Best estimates suggest that by 2030, supplies of gas, the country’s primary energy source for power production, will stand around only one-third of projected demand.

The government needs to ensure more effective long-term planning to guarantee future energy security. It is not enough for it to focus on boosting short-term electricity production by 2021, if future sustainability is not also assured.

Many industries are already suffering and are unable to grow due to a lack of secure gas supplies. The economy needs more reliable power supplies to keep creating the jobs and improved living standards which people in Bangladesh need to adapt to the negative consequences of climate change.

Subsidies which artificially keep the costs of gas and electricity low have to be cut. This would not only save taxpayer money that could be better invested in education and development, but would provide power companies with more funds to invest in improving distribution and production.

Just as important, it would cut waste and unnecessary greenhouse emissions and help incentivise efforts to increase renewable energy sources. We must think long-term if we are to ensure the sustainable energy supplies the country needs.

Long-term planning needed to ensure energy security

Be heard

Writeto toDhaka DhakaTribune Tribune Write Tower,8/C 8/CPanthapath, Panthapath, Sukrabad, Shukrabad,Dhaka-1207 Dhaka-1207 FRFRTower, Email letters.dt@dhakatribune.com Email letters.dt@dhakatribune.com Sendususyour yourOp-Ed Op-Edarticles: articles: Send opinion.dt@dhakatribune.com opinion.dt@dhakatribune.com www.dhakatribune.com www.dhakatribune.com Join our Facebook community: Join our Facebook community: https://www.facebook.com/DhakaTribune

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Blogger-writer Avijit hacked to death February 27

and criminals. As I would expect, you have gone rather overboard in trying to force readers to jump to your desired conclusions to channel some kind of Hebdo effect.

I suspect this will work as a strategy to win over allegedly secular liberals some white sympathy, which in of itself suggests a motive for the state, which is known to commit false flags Fugstar Horrible crimes, my condolences to the family, and the families of all of those who have been killed by aggressive state institutions

DT 70% attendance enough for SSC, HSC eligibility

Let’s get physical

T

he Bangladesh cricket team throughly deserves the warm public reception it received on the Tigers return from the World Cup. We hope and expect their exciting performance and teamwork will inspire many more young people to take up and participate in sporting activity.

Much more needs to be done to improve fitness and encourage exercise. It is vital for the future health of the nation that we reverse closures of public spaces and recreation spaces and do more to encourage everyone to participate in sport for leisure.

The government’s recent plan to require schools to offer swimming lessons needs to be matched by building more facilities and spaces to increase access and opportunities for exercise.

Attitudes have to change if we are to broaden participation in sport and boost levels of exercise to combat the obesity and ill health caused by increasingly sedentary urban lifestyles.

The government should help colleges and schools work together with sporting associations to encourage both boys and girls take part in sport from a young age.

Only by adopting a nationwide policy of sport for all can we hope to maxmise the potential of our population to provide the competitive sport stars of the future.

Increasing access to make it easier to participate is key. Businesses, the government, and sporting bodies should work together to build more sporting facilities so more people continue staying active through their life and in older age.

Build more facilities to increase participation in sport

Guest Pure evil. Did not expect the country would descend into such an abyss. The extremists are emboldened by the political infighting, no doubt about it.

March 4 Md Rafsan Ahmed

Hahaha! Then almost everyone will be eligible … because anyone can bribe the teachers ... go to outside of dhaka, then you will be.

Jitu Sheikh Jinat Mahmid Not a good decision. What about the 30%?

Abu Elias Sarker Stupid decision. Enough to kill the next generation.

Polo Dev I think 60% attendance is enough for SSC and 40% attendance is enough for HSC.

Stop terrorism, PM tells Khaleda Zia February 26 Molla A Latif We understand our PM is also very intelligent and also understand it very well that Khaleda Zia will not stop her killing unless the PM stops her.

How to stop her? Very simple: Either arrest her and try her for murder and militancy, or, agree to yield to her demand to hold a fresh Election under a CTG, or arrange a talk show across the table for holding a new election under a CTG, or resign and leave the country and the last but not the least, or hand over the country to army and rest in jail or home.

Honour needs more care

February 25 Barely Legal Alien But the question is: Who judges the judges?

Dreampie Barely Legal Alien: Their mothers.

Joy: Arrest Dr Kamal, Mahfuz Anam February 27 Hafeejul Alam Politicians should speak like politicians. If Mr Mahfuz Anam and Dr Kamal Hssain commit any crime, there are government departments to deal with it. Joy could better avoid such utterances which remind us about those done by Tarek Rahman. What’s the difference? We did not expect these from the prime minister’s son and the grandson of Bangabandhu. sundar It is a truism that desires have no limit. As soon as one desire is fulfilled immediately another one crops up in mind. It is the nature of human beings. How can Joy be an exception?

PM: BNP-Jamaat alliance killing people February 26 sundar We know it very well, but your responsibility is not to inform the already informed. I won’t dare to remind you what is your responsibility, we only want necessary redress of the deadly crisis we have been subjected to by whoever it might be.

DT

OPINION 13

MONDAY, MARCH 23, 2015

What is happening to Bangladesh? n Mehrin Chowdhury

S

cenario 1: “Hartal! Hartal! -- burn down everything, tear down everything!” It might sound like a regular scene where a group of people is protesting against tyranny or what they perceive as injustice, while calling upon others to join them in a new form of injustice!

The irony is, if the above was your assumption, it has been entirely wrong. The protests were not made by adults trying to fill a void, but by children playing a harmless game, an impromptu invention by a group of five and six-year-olds within the confinement of their apartment building.

These children had nothing better to do except imitate their elders from the television channels. It might seem like an unusual game for children, but the paradox is that, if anyone looked at the situation deeply, they would realise that the children were as frustrated as their elders.

Why wouldn’t they be? Their regular lives have been disrupted, hampered, severed.

They can no longer visit community parks, children’s zones, or even go to school because no one will take their responsibility of safety and security!

The above is not the story of all the children of Bangladesh, there are some urban children who are thoroughly enjoying hartals because they get to watch non-stop, mind-al-

tering, hollow, Hindi-dubbed cartoons, and play online games while being cooped-up inside their tiny, unventilated apartments.

You have heard only the children’s side of the story, the women are not suffering any less. The lower middle-class to middle-class, traveling by bus, the cheapest means of transport, have to pray every day to reach their destinations safe and sound.

Scenario 2: Mariam remembered someone saying to her once that she was considered a jewel of the nation because she was a part of the garments industry, bringing millions in foreign currency to Bangladesh. She felt proud of herself and her job which gave her an identity and sense of ownership. After years of being rebuked by her husband and beaten down for every attempt at sensible conversation, she gave way to this path of rescue. Now this path didn’t seem safe anymore. Mariam was scared to death -- she feared for her own safety daily as she traveled to her workplace.

She kept the bus windows closed in case any miscreant hurled a petrol bomb at her.

She really wondered hard whether it was better to live in such fear or go back to her husband who beat her daily. At least with her husband, she did not have to suffer every day from the insane fear of being burnt alive.

Scenario 3: Maksud wanted to live a decent life operating a tea stall. It took him almost a year to gather enough money to set

MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

up his shop, most of it was borrowed money with an exorbitant interest rate from the local loan sharks. Profit would eventually come, after which he had planned to move to a slightly better place with his mother and discontinue her from working outside since he was able to finally take charge of everything financially.

He felt good with these thoughts before the petrol bombs were hurled at his shop. As bad luck would have it, Maksud lost his leg in the incident and his entire tea stall was burned down to ashes.

The gist: How long will we have to live in a bubble to realise that beautiful Bangladesh is burning? Brothers are hurting each other.

There seems to be no unity, no camaraderie,

and nobody seems to care about Bangladesh, our home that gave us shelter and identity.

This is the same country our forefathers fought for, the same country they dreamt of building for their children, who are today fighting amongst themselves.

The solution is not mindless acceptance.

People need to find constructive solutions, dialogue amongst brothers need to continue, decisions need to be reached based on meaningful conversation. No more fighting, no more living in fear. Let’s start discussing democracy and save Bangladesh. *Characters described are fictitious, to give an idea of what is going on. l

umpires, saying that the decision is final.

Of course, we accept it, and that’s why our boys are coming back. However, certain things will always prick them ... for some time at least.

Could it have been swung around if the “no ball” had not been called, or if the boundary ball caught by a fielder touching the border had not been given a dismissal?

We don’t know, but for argument’s sake let’s take the rational stance -- maybe these would not have altered the outcome at all, but then these two events clearly disturb the mind.

Maybe more technology should be called in and, for certain cases, decisions should be made by computers.

Surely, this is not going to happen anytime soon -- look at football. Goal-line technology has arrived after too much procrastination.

By the way, in 1966, the decisive England goal in the final against West Germany did not cross the line as we can now see, thanks to the use of almost perfect goal-line science.

England won then due to human error or fault, and then paid by losing through another human folly in 1986. In that case, forget the Falklands argument …

Whatever happened in the quarters is now the past and something we need to put behind, but also keep in mind the historical lessons where divine powers have intervened in their mysterious ways to balance one failure due to folly by another miraculous triumph sometime later.

We need to welcome our Tigers and think

of the marvelous tournament in which they gave us several things to cherish forever: The first century by a Bangladeshi player, the steely resolve of a captain, chasing a massive total crossing 300 amassed by Scotland and winning, solid team work, the win against England (this makes two successive World Cup wins against the three lions), and, of course, the unforgettable smile of Rubel after he took two wickets in three balls in the crucial win that took us to the quarters.

He made the whole country “Happy!”

There’s plenty to cherish and a lot to feel proud about. When we lost, we failed to click, and when we won, we did it with perfection, without any furrowed brows.

It’s good to keep in mind: Top prizes should not come early because that way, the valuation of it lessens.

We will, one day, go further and eventually win the cup. Hiccups and disappointments happen, that’s part of getting mature in sport, but it’s also good to remember that once in a while, top sporting preparation also gets the divine nod: For the Tigers, that day is not too far away.

Also, lest we forget, one success today due to human mistake only comes back like a boomerang ... to remember the 1990 Germany-Argentina match where the latter conceded a rather unfair penalty which gave the Germans the cup ... see, no one ever gets to have the upper hand. l

Mehrin Chowdhury is a freelance contributor.

The best is yet to come n Towheed Feroze

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hances are that since the Tigers are back home, I won’t have much interest left in the cricket World Cup, and that lacklustre attitude possibly applies to a lot of avid cricket fans in the country. Out of love for the game some, will switch the TV on, though to state unequivocally, after the hullabaloo over the discrepancies in the Bangladesh India match, many might simply decide to forget it.

To be frank, sport is never above controversy. There have been countless times when poor refereeing saw the best team come out with their heads down.

After all, humans are prone to making mistakes. Remember the Thierry Henry goal where he used his hand to guide the ball into the net against the Republic of Ireland in 2009?

In the end, France scraped through to the World Cup but fared badly, crashing out in the first round.

Those who believed that France cheated and never had the right to go to the World Cup at least felt a sense of appeasement.

Divine justice? You tell me.

But then, there was no such intervention for Maradona’s Argentina goal against England in 1986, where, in mid-air, he slapped the ball to push it into the net.

Later in that game, England conceded a brilliant goal by a superbly skilled Maradona and went out, whereas Argentina progressed to win the trophy.

So, how does one define the little (well, not so trivial for the English fans) cheating by the Argentinian striker?

How about this: God decided to remain impartial and give Argentina something to celebrate since it was only four years before (1982) that they had lost the Falklands War against the British?

Once in a while, top sporting preparation also gets the divine nod: For the Tigers, that day is not too far away

Surely, the coming home celebration of the British fleet, aired triumphantly across the globe, irked many Argentinians and somebody up there said: “OK, no worries guys, your chance will come.”

Whatever the case, social media is replete with comments about how the umpires favoured the other side in the recent quarter-final match. Close-up shots are posted which seem to provide ample ground for resentment. However, ICC has stood by the

Towheed Feroze is a journalist currently working in the development sector.

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14 OPINION

MONDAY, MARCH 23, 2015

REUTERS

Tigers the heroes of the World Cup n MJ Akbar

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e shall know soon enough which is the champion nation of contemporary one-day cricket. But we already know who the heroes are: Bangladesh. Each one of us, the odd eccentric apart, supports our countries. All of us, the odd idiot apart, should feel for Bangladesh. Luck had nothing to do with their unsuspected rise to relevance.

It rarely does. They are the team worthy of admiration because together they are far greater than the sum of their parts.

It is sometimes difficult to recognise cricket as a team sport in the sense that football or hockey or rugby are. In football, two complete teams are fully engaged from kick-off toss to final whistle. But cricket, a long game played in stages, has one team of 11 in the field versus two batsmen at the wicket. (Those unfamiliar with cricket, or with uncomplicated minds, can switch off now.)

Then come subtle variables. One bowler takes on one batsman, while ten of the bowler’s mates and the batsman’s partner watch, wait, and adjust to a secondary role.

Batsmen rotate. Pieces change on the fielding chessboard. Cricket can become, simultaneously, one versus one, one versus two and 11 against one.

This fragmented but not dysfunctional process inevitably shifts the spotlight on an individual rather than the team. Statistics build up a batsman’s runs, a bowler’s wickets, although it does remain a team’s victory. But how often have you seen a television camera

spread its scope to include all players on the field? Almost never, unless the cameraman has a fetish for panning shots of overgrown ants. It’s all close-ups. Players know this.

There is no stable face in the game anymore.

Players perfect the high arts of grimace/rage/ exhilaration that can win them the next advertising contract.

can move on. It might even be time for some well-deserved pity for English cricket. We South Asians may not be good patrons, but we can be pretty good at patronising.

Sceptics will possibly raise an eyebrow or two at my theory of non-heroes: Surely young Rubel Hossain is Bangla’s star after a virtuoso performance? He certainly twinkles

All of us, the odd idiot apart, should feel for Bangladesh.

Luck had nothing to do with their unsuspected rise to relevance

Bangladesh’s progress has been an excellent example of team integration, which lifts average talent to higher capability. This was evident in their most important game, when they defeated England to enter the knockout stage for the first time. The result was described as historic. But although there are more commentators now than players, with acrobats thrown in to fill time gaps, no one noticed a second reason for the accolade.

Every successor state of the old British Raj has now humbled the fountainhead of colonisation and the motherland of cricket. Rejoice! We can at last put imperialism behind us. We have taken our revenge. We

far more now than he did when he left Dhaka some weeks ago. Even his former actress girlfriend, Naznin Akter Happy, a bit of a star herself, has rediscovered her admiration for Rubel and forgiven a brutal break-up. But Rubel’s peaks were on the same range as his team. His killer wickets against England will be the talk of his country for years, particularly since Dhaka’s Bengalis have soured a bit on their favourite topic, politics.

But it will be only one of the many stories that stir up some lively cups of tea. The audio recording of umpires taking a final call on close decisions has already done what it was meant to, increase the appetite for excitable

gossip. Without ifs and buts, there would be no consolation for anyone whose side lost.

But they do not really change the story. The better side wins. You can only run so far in a dream run.

The team of the tournament so far is India. It is calm under pressure, composed in approach and comprehensive in victory. It is a side with many pillars, so that the structure never crumbles. It has not been undermined by complacency; it fought against Bangladesh with the intensity it would have shown against Australia.

India has taken 70 wickets in seven games.

That’s bowling. India has not lost a wicket during any batting power play. India has scored 300 runs in a game with intimidating regularity. When Virat Kohli fails, Rohit Sharma succeeds. That’s batting.

I know the bad news; this can’t go on forever, can it? No. But we are not greedy.

We just want this to continue for two more games. Virat Kohli and Mahendra Singh Dhoni did not make runs against Bangladesh; that is surely good news if the balance of probability is your measure, for the odds move in their direction. India, so far, has not really needed the serene turbulence of Dhoni because those above him in the batting order have done more than required, but one of the next two matches will test India’s most successful one-day captain.

His last aria for a well-orchestrated team should be in the world’s spotlight. l MJ Akbar is an Indian journalist. He is the founder of The Sunday Guardian. This article was first published in The Sunday Guardian.

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IMF, ADB add to supporters for Chinaled development bank

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Business

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MONDAY, MARCH 23, 2015

8 MLM firms running business sans licence

Incepta plans to sell hepatitis drug in international market It costs $900 in Bangladesh, $84,000 in US for a 12-week course n Kayes Sohel The country’s one of the leading drug makers Incepta Pharmaceuticals plans to sell its newly launched anti-hepatitis virus drug Hopetavir in overseas countries.

A $10 generic version of Sovaldi, which sells for $1,000 a pill in the US, is available in the local market.

A US-based pharmaceutical company Gilead Sciences, Inc. is the inventor of the hepatitis drug treatment.

Incepta is currently preparing quality and dissolution studies on its version of sofosbuvir to submit in support of its international applications.

“Now we are in talks with the World Health Organisation for prequalification for assessing drug quality,” Managing Director Abdul Muktadir told the Dhaka Tribune.

“If everything goes well, the product will be also launched in some countries in Africa, and some of the Southeast Asian countries.”

In the US, Sovaldi has sparked a backlash from commercial health insurers because of its cost of $84,000 for a 12-week course of treatment, according to Bloomberg.

Incepta’s price of about $900 for 12 weeks is the same price at which Gilead will offer its branded version of the drug in India.

“The price will fall in days to come, as we are trying to garner raw materials from local sources,” Muktadir said.

The local version brings the challenge facing Gilead from companies it doesn’t have agreements with in countries where the drug isn’t patented.

Workers unload the watermelons in the city’s Sadarghat tarminal. With the temperature rising, the summer fruits have started hitting the market. The picture was taken yesterday RAJIB DHAR

Bangabandhu-1 satellite tender today n Muhammad Zahidul Islam Under a World Trade Organisation agreement, Bangladesh, as one of the world’s least developed countries, doesn’t have to protect pharmaceutical patents.

The generic drug maker has beaten in the market a number of larger Indian competitors that were licenced by Gilead to produce lowcost versions of Sovaldi for 91 countries that are mostly poor.

Hyderabad-based Natco Pharma Ltd., one of Gilead’s licencees, launched its generic sofosbuvir in Nepal this month at $318 for a bottle of 28 tablets in Nepal, according to the company’s statement.

Founded in 1999, Incepta has more than 600 products approved for sale in Bangladesh, ranging from oral solid pills to injectable human insulin.

Presently, the company exports products to more than 40 countries, mostly less regulated markets like Mongolia, Kenya, Somalia, Ethiopia, Mauritania, Democratic Republic of Congo and Afghanistan.

It also sells to more regulated markets such as Finland, the UK, Ukraine and Turkey. l

visit our website @

www.dhakatribune.com

An international tender is going to be offloaded today in order to lunch Bangabandhu-1 satellite, a senior official of the telecom regulator has said.

Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) with its international consultant has prepared the tender documents.

“We have completed our preparation and hopeful about going an international tender,” ATM Monirul Alam, commissioner (Spectrum Management) of BTRC told the Dhaka Tribune last week.

Meanwhile, BTRC paid $5.6 million (20% of the cost) to the Intersputnik, a satellite company from Russia, as first instalment of purchasing the orbital slot on 119.1 East Longitude, the cost of which was fixed at $28 million (around Tk218.96 crore).

According to the contract signed on January 15 this year with Intersputnik, the BTRC will have to pay 30% of the cost ($8.4m) within the next 15 months, 25% ($7m) within 18 months after that, and the rest within the next eight months.

The Bangabandhu-1 satellite will be launched by 2017, according to the project proposal.

BTRC sources said though they are very enthusiastic about the tender of the first satellite of the country, they found a very low verbal response from a host of interested satellite companies.

“Our consulting company has contacted different satellite companies but they are pointing to our political crises, but we are also hopeful to overcome it,” a senior official of BTRC told the Dhaka Tribune requesting anonymity.

Earlier, the government found six alternative offers for launching its first ever satellite, and some of them were also cheap, but the government remained steadfast in a faster ar-

rangement.

The tenure of “Bangabandhu Satellite Launching Project” was in between July 2014 and June 2017.

“Although we are already nine months behind our schedule, we are very optimistic about finishing the project within the given time – by June 2017,” Monirul Alam added.

Earlier on September 16, the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) approved Tk2,967 crore for the Bangabandhu-1 project.

Of that fund, Tk1,652.44 crore came from foreign aid, and the remaining Tk1,315.51 crore will be paid by the government.

Of the total cost, BTRC has estimated Tk1,312.58 crore to be operational expenditure and Tk1,655.38 for capital expenditure.

BTRC is very optimistic that it has taken only seven years for reaching breakeven point.

According to the project proposal, the satellite would minimise the existing digital divide between the country’s urban and rural areas as it would take broadcasting and telecommunication services to the most remote areas of the country, and introduce profitable and promising services such as direct service to households throughout the country.

It also claimed that after launching own satellite lots of new jobs will be created and it will open up new lines of high tech business opportunities and revenues.

According to the project documents, BTRC has selected two locations for ground handling – Telecom staff college in Gazipur and Betbunia Earth Station in Rangamati.

When launched, the Bangabandhu-1 satellite will serve the Saarc countries along with Indonesia and the Philippines as well as the ‘Stan’ countries – such as Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan – if the satellite’s frequency is properly coordinated. l

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MONDAY, MARCH 23, 2015

IMF, ADB add to supporters for China-led development bank n Reuters, Beijing

China received critical support from the International Monetary Forum and Asian Development Bank on Sunday for its goal of establishing a new Chinese-led multilateral lender, adding to a growing wave of endorsements that has worried the United States.

Leaders of the IMF and ADB, speaking at a conference in Beijing, said they were in talks with or happy to cooperate with the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), a $50bn lender to be majority funded by China that is seen by some as a rival to these established international financial institutions.

The United States, concerned about China’s growing diplomatic clout, has urged countries to think twice about signing up and questioned whether the AIIB will have sufficient standards of governance and environmental and social safeguards.

Some 27 countries have already signed up to participate in the AIIB, China’s Finance Minister Lou Jiwei told China National Radio on Saturday. It will provide project loans to developing countries and is slated to begin operations at the end of 2015.

The United States’ key strategic allies in the region, Australia, Japan and South Korea, are also considering joining the proposed Beijing-based bank.

Early opposition to the AIIB from Western countries partially dissolved after Britain said this month it would join, with France, Germa-

BANDWAGON

IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde attends the opening ceremony of China Development Forum about ’China’s Economy in the New Normal’, in Beijing REUTERS ny and Italy swiftly following suit.

Canberra could formally decide to sign up to the AIIB when the full cabinet meets on Monday, Australian media have said.

At least eight more countries may join the lender by the March 31 deadline, Jin Liqun, secretary-general of the interim secretariat that is establishing the AIIB, told a panel at the conference on Sunday.

The fund will have approval from its shareholders at the start to double its capitalization to $100bn, he said.

“China will follow the rules of the international community and will not bully other members but work together with them and try to reach consensus in all the decisions we make without brandishing the majority shareholder status,” he said.

In an editorial published on the same day, China’s official Xinhua news agency suggested that the United States might be embarrassed that many of its allies had not heeded its warnings.

“For decision-makers in the United States, they really have to be reminded that if they do not jump on the bandwagon of change in time, they will soon be overrun by the bandwagon itself,” it said.

IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde said on Sunday that the fund would be “delighted” to cooperate with the AIIB. China’s Lou and ADB President Takehiko Nakao said at the conference they had held discussions on possible cooperation, with the Chinese finance minister adding that topics discussed included safeguard standards.

Lou has previously said AIIB would complement rather than compete with other institutions such as the ADB, the Manila-based multilateral lender dominated by Japan and the United States.

The AIIB’s Jin said developing countries in Asia would receive the bulk of loans for infrastructure projects, which could be coprovided with commercial banks and pension funds.

Non-Asian countries would also only hold 25% of the AIIB’s shareholding, lower than their stakes at the founding of the ADB, he said. l

China sees bright spots in slowing economy n Reuters, Beijing

Neuroscientist David Eagleman wears a VEST tailored to expand the range of human senses by translating information into vibrations sent into the backs of wearers during a TED gathering March 17, 2015 in Vancouver, BC, Canada. Eagleman is out to broaden human perception with a vest that could let the deaf hear or let someone sense stock market trends. VEST, or variable extra-sensory transducer, is designed to synch to tablet computers which can convert spoken words, stock prices, or other information into digital data sent wirelessly to vibration motors woven into the back of the garments that can be worn discretely under clothing AFP

China’s economy faces increased downward pressure this year but the slowdown is stabilizing, with employment and services among the bright spots, Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli said on Sunday.

Weighed down by a property downturn, factory overcapacity and local debt, China’s economic growth is expected to slow to a quarter-century low of around 7% this year from 7.4% in 2014, despite expected additional stimulus measures.

The central bank has cut interest rates twice since November, on top of a cut in bank reserve requirements in February, amid concerns about growing deflationary risks, and more such moves are expected.

In addition, the government plans to run its biggest budget deficit in 2015 since the global crisis to support spending.

“The downward pressure on China’s economy increased somewhat since the start of this year,” Zhang told a high-level conference in Beijing.

But while growth in industrial output and investment continued to slow, the government sees some signs of the slowdown stabilizing, he added.

“There are also bright spots; for example, employment, services, high-tech industries,

new industries, private investment and innovations,” he added.

Zhang reaffirmed that the government will step up its pro-active fiscal policy and keep monetary policy “not too tight and not too loose”, while paying more attention to targeted adjustments to help support growth.

“It’s impossible and unnecessary for us to maintain the high-speed growth seen in the past,” he said, adding that China had paid a price for the breakneck growth of previous years.

With pollution now one of the government’s top concerns, Beijing is trying to restructure industry to prevent further environmental damage and clean up the country’s filthy air.

Zhang said China must focus on improving quality and efficiency, change its models and adjust structures to adapt to slower economic growth while also facing the challenge of a weak global economic recovery.

Beijing is also paying close attention to risks that increase during such periods of slower growth, including financial risk and local government debt, added Lian Weiliang, vice head of China’s chief economic planner, the National Development and Reform Commission.

“We have the ability...to achieve steady economic growth on condition that risks are effectively controlled.” l

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BUSINESS 17

MONDAY, MARCH 23, 2015

Weaker euro works in ECB’s favour, but for how long?

US multinationals set to face much more pain from strong dollar n Reuters, New York

n AFP, Frankfurt The weaker euro, which could approach parity with the US dollar, is making the European Central Bank’s task of kickstarting the eurozone economy easier.

But the feel-good effects could turn sour if the euro’s decline in value becomes too pronounced too quickly, analysts said.

Officially, the ECB has no exchange rate target. But by making eurozone goods cheaper to export and pushing up prices of imports, the weaker euro is positive for the single currency area’s economy.

“In the current context, pushing down the euro is probably the only means the ECB has for pushing up inflation,” Natixis economist Sylvain Broyer told AFP. The ECB has rolled out a series of unprecedented measures in recent years to try to prevent the euro area from slipping into deflation, a dangerous downward spiral of falling prices that is difficult to break once it has set in.

But the euro has fallen by nearly 20% against the dollar in the past six months and central banks start to feel uncomfortable when changes in the exchange rate are too rapid and too volatile.

For the moment, the ECB does not appear to be alarmed.

President Mario Draghi recently estimated that the euro’s decline should contribute “significantly” in bringing area-wide inflation back up towards the ECB’s target of just below 2%.

In February, consumer prices in the 19-country bloc fell by 0.3%.

But in a scenario drawn up by the ECB’s team of economists, an excessively weak euro could push eurozone inflation back above the 2% target by 2017. Such a scenario is all the more realistic because it was calculated using an exchange rate of $1.04 per euro.

Caught off guard

The extent of the euro’s recent decline appears to have caught the ECB off guard: its most recent official forecasts were compiled using an average exchange rate of $1.14 this

European central bank

AFP

year and $1.13 in 2016 and 2017.

Nevertheless, the euro could fall even further against the dollar as a result of the ECB’s policy of quantitative easing, or widescale bond purchases, said Commerzbank economist Joerg Kraemer.

At the beginning of this month, the ECB embarked on a massive 1.14tn euro bond purchase programme, at a rate of 60 billion euros per month until September 2016. The idea is to pump liquidity into the financial system.

“The debt purchase programme is essentially a programme of currency devaluation,” said Kraemer.

By purchasing eurozone sovereign bonds en masse, the securities become less attractive for investors in other regions, who divert their money to other countries, driving down the euro.

The mere speculation that such a QE programme might be in the offing set the euro on its downward path as long ago as last summer.

Credibility at stake

Nevertheless, “it’s important for the ECB to preserve its currency’s credibility” in the eyes of investors, said Broyer at Natixis.

With QE only having just started, it is premature to start talking about when the programme might begin to be phased out again, said one central bank official, speaking on condition of anonymity.

But internal debate within the ECB’s governing council could become fierce in the future, especially as the most recent economic indicators suggest that recovery is already beginning to regain momentum. Powerful ECB governors, such as the head of the German central bank or Bundesbank, Jens Weidmann, view the QE programme as unnecessary or even dangerous.

“If at the start of next year, growth is on track and inflation is rising again, the ECB’s biggest difficulty will be to resist pressure for an early end to QE or a scaling down of the bond purchases,” said Gilles Moec of Bank of America-Merrill Lynch. l

The surging value of the US dollar may be posing the biggest threat to US corporate earnings since the 2008 financial crisis, hurting results at most US-based multinationals. Some on Wall Street are even talking about an earnings recession.

The dollar’s gain of 22% in the past 12 months against a basket of major currencies has landed a double whammy on US companies with big sales abroad. Revenue and earnings from foreign markets are worth less when translated into greenbacks and their costs become relatively less competitive against rivals producing in countries with declining currencies.

Dollar moves of this magnitude in the past have resulted in what Bank of America/Merrill Lynch strategists term an “earnings recession,” which is generally defined as at least two successive quarters of declining earnings from the year-earlier quarters. The brokerage says that a 25% gain in the US dollar in a 12-month period has historically coincided with a 10% decline in the market’s earnings per share.

That hasn’t happened yet - but the downward trend is clear. Wall Street analysts currently estimate earnings growth of 1.3% for 2015, down from a forecast of 8.1% at the beginning of the year, according to Thomson Reuters data. The S&P 500’s earnings per share are expected to drop 3.1% in the first quarter and 0.7% in the second quarter before recovering modestly in the second-half of the year.

Nearly one-fifth of S&P 500 companies have warned on earnings for the first quarter, with at least 49 companies mentioning the effects of the dollar on results, according to Thomson Reuters.

“This is just the beginning,” said Richard Bernstein, veteran Wall Street strategist and now CEO of Richard Bernstein Advisors in New York. “This impact of the dollar on US earnings could last for three to seven years.

It may not happen every quarter but there’s a secular risk to US earnings, primarily to multinationals, as the dollar appreciates.” l

NEWS IN BRIEF Currency hedging takes on new importance for global stock funds As the dollar surged in the last 12 months, David Marcus, head of the Evermore Global Value fund, steadily increased his stake in Europe.

He now has 60% of his portfolio invested in companies in the euro zone, the largest stake among any global fund tracked by Lipper.

The gains in those stocks wouldn’t matter if the fund wasn’t actively hedging against euro weakness, which it is, helping the fund rise 8.8% so far in 2015, putting it among the top-performing global stock funds this year. “We’re stockpickers, and by hedging currencies we can be pure stockpickers without the currency risk,” said Marcus. Concerns over currency have prompted a surge of assets to hedged equity funds, with investors moving $12.1bn to exchange-traded funds that hedge currencies over the year to date, according to Lipper data.

One such fund, the WisdomTree Hedged European Equity fund, is up 18.9% for the year so far. Demand for a way to hedge currency exposure while investing in Europe helped the WisdomTree Europe Hedged Equity Fund bring in $5.3bn in new assets over the first two months of the year, the most of any equity fund, according to Lipper.

The fund’s top holdings include Anheuser-Busch InBev NV, Telefonica

SA, and Daimler AG. Following behind it was the Deutsche X-trackers MSCI EAFE Hedged Equity, with $2.7bn in new assets. The fund tracks an index of developed-market equities outside of the United States and Canada, and has its largest positions in Nestle SA, Novartis AG, and Roche Holding AG. The dollar’s rally looks to be eating into the returns of actively managed funds, fund analysts say. While major stock indexes in Japan, Germany, and France are up 11% or more in local currency for the year to date, the average global fund is up just 2.6% in dollar terms over the same time, according to Lipper data. Investors have few ways of knowing whether a global fund hedges its currency exposure. Lipper has no way of tracking it, said Jeff Tjornehoj, head of Lipper Americas Research, a unit of Thomson Reuters. Morningstar, another fund tracking service, does not track currency hedges either, according to a spokeswoman. Fund returns this year suggest most global funds do not hedge against currency risk, even though most are allowed to do so. The difficulty of getting such a move correct keeps managers from actively hedging. “When you hedge a currency you have to be right twice. You have to be right about the market, and right about the currency. I’m not sure that’s something one can do on an ongoing basis,” said John Manley, chief equity strategist at Wells Fargo Funds. – Reuters, New York

Cheaper dollar boosts oil prices

Oil prices got a boost Friday from another fall in the dollar and market adjustment at the end of the April contract for WTI, analysts said. The US benchmark West Texas Intermediate for delivery in April added $1.76 to $45.72 a barrel in New York trade. In London, Brent North Sea crude for May delivery rose 89 cent to $55.32 a barrel. Besides the need for traders to square positions at the expiry of the WTI April trade, the push upward on crude came from the dollar’s fall, to $1.0808 per euro and to 120.00 yen. “Earlier in the day, when the dollar started to come off, we saw some buying in crude,” said Gene McGillian of Tradition Energy. But he suggested the rebound could be transitory. “We continue to be just above sixyear lows, and when you step back, you don’t see any fundamental change in the market, so prices should continue to be under pressure,” McGillian said. Timothy Evans of Citi Futures echoed that view of Friday’s gains. “It’s unclear if either of these supports will carry over into Monday’s trade,” Evans said. “The buying in April WTI, in particular, seems more a function of the remaining order balance with just hours left to roll or cover positions, than any shift in what still look like bearish fundamentals including the well-established uptrend in US crude oil inventories.” – AFP, New York

DT

18 BUSINESS

MONDAY, MARCH 23, 2015

News, analysis and recent disclosures IBBLPBOND: The Board of Directors has recommended annual profit rate of 11.18% for IBBL Mudaraba Perpetual Bond (IBBLPBOND) for the year ended on December 31, 2014.

Record Date for entitlement of profit of the Bond: 16.04.2015.

Date of profit distribution: Within 30 (thirty) days from holding of AGM of Islami Bank Bangladesh Ltd. which is scheduled to be held on 13.06.2015.

FLEASEINT: The Board of Directors has recommended 5% stock dividend for the year ended on December 31, 2014.

Date of AGM: 16.04.2015, Time: 11:00 AM, Venue: Trust Milonayaton, 545, Old Airport Road, Dhaka Cantonment, Dhaka. Record date: 01.04.2015.

The Company has also reported net profit of Tk. 73.28 million, EPS of Tk. 0.66, NAV per share of Tk. 13.64 and NOCFPS of Tk. 0.73 for the year ended on December 31, 2014.

ISLAMIBANK: The Board of Directors has recommended 15% cash dividend for the year ended on December 31, 2014.

Date of AGM: 13.06.2015, Time: 10:00 AM, Venue: Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC), Agargaon, Sher-E-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka.

Record date: 16.04.2015. The Company has also reported consolidated EPS of Tk. 2.46, consolidated NAV per Share of Tk. 28.93 and consolidated NOCFPS of Tk. 31.39 for the year ended on December 31, 2014.

UTTARABANK: The Board of Directors has recommended 20% cash dividend for the year

ended on December 31, 2014.

Date of AGM: 23.04.2015, Time: 11:00 AM, Venue: International Convention City, Bashundhara-3 (Rajodarshan), Joarshahara, Khilkhet, Dhaka-1229. Record date: 01.04.2015. The Company has also reported consolidated profit after provision and tax of Tk. 1,404.25 million, consolidated EPS of Tk. 3.51, consolidated NAV per share of Tk. 30.54 and consolidated NOCFPS of Tk. (0.58) for the year ended on 31.12.2014.

IPO Subscription: Tosrifa Industries Limited Subscription March 24, 2015 to March 31, 2015; NRB UPTO April 09, 2015.

Offer Price per share Tk. 26.00, Market Lot (Shares) 200.

Dividend/AGM BRACBANK: 20% cash, AGM: 23.04.2015, Record date: 30.03.2015.

BERGERPBL: 220% cash , AGM: 19.04.2015, Record date: 30.03.2015.

ONEBANKLTD: 12.50% cash and 12.50% stock, AGM: 30.04.2015, Record date: 29.03.2015.

FIRSTSBANK: 10% stock, AGM: 09.05.2015, Record date: 02.04.2015.

RELIANCINS: 15% cash and 15% stock, AGM: 30.04.2015, Record date: 19.03.2015.

UNITEDFIN: 5% cash and 10% stock, AGM: 23.04.2015, Record date: 18.03.2015.

LAFSURCEML: 5% final cash dividend (i.e. total 10% cash dividend for the year 2014 inclusive of 5% interim cash dividend which has already been paid), AGM: 11.06.2015, Record Date: 07.04.2015.

Turnover (Volume) Number of Contract

Company ACI Formulations-A Shahjibazar Power-N Alltex Industries -Z BSRM Steels-A Monno Stafllers -A Ambee Pharma -A LafargeS Cement-Z Nitol Insurance -A Progressive Life-A Rupali Life Insur.-B

Closing (% Change) 9.42 9.27 8.96 8.88 8.73 8.07 7.77 7.02 6.76 6.47

CSE GAINER Company I P D C -A Sandhani Life -A LafargeS Cement-Z ACI Formulations-A BSRM Steels-A Ambee Pharma -A Alltex Industries -Z Asia Insur. Ltd.-A Takaful Islami Insu-A S.B. 1st M. F.-A

Closing (% Change) 9.85 9.52 9.48 9.42 9.02 8.71 8.49 7.60 6.76 6.41

DSE LOSER Company Reliance Insur -A First Lease- A Shampur Sugar -Z DBH 1st MF-A Aziz PipesZ ICB AMCL 2nd NRB -A Modern Dyeing -Z Anwar Galvanizing-B Islamic Finance-A FAS Fin. & Inv. Ltd-B

Closing (% Change) -19.79 -12.16 -10.00 -6.82 -5.59 -5.56 -4.38 -3.76 -3.40 -2.72

CSE LOSER Company First Lease- A Reliance Insur -A Dhaka Ins. Ltd.-A Aziz PipesZ AIBL 1st Is. M. F.-A Reckitt Benckiser -A Aramit -A GreenDeltaInsu -A Progressive Life-A Phoenix Insur -A

Closing (% Change) -16.13 -14.81 -9.62 -9.57 -8.70 -6.07 -5.79 -5.71 -5.71 -4.69

SECTORAL TURNOVER SUMMARY

DSE key features March-22, 2015 Turnover (Million Taka)

DSE GAINER

Sector

2,681.95 60,700,751 81,052

Traded Issues

311

Issue Gain (Avg. Price Basis)

202

Issue Loss (Avg. Price Basis)

102

Unchanged Issue (Avg. Price Basis)

7

Market Capital Equity (Billion. Tk.)

2,499.10

Market Capital Equity (Billion US$)

20.29

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 237.16 85.79 17.28 442.64 80.81 391.68 4.32 216.86 518.59 8.73 84.12 17.88 12.68 199.05 105.83 14.71 39.99 93.17 13.63 96.94 0.11

% change 8.84 3.20 0.64 16.50 3.01 14.60 0.16 8.09 19.34 0.33 3.14 0.67 0.47 7.42 3.95 0.55 1.49 3.47 0.51 3.61 0.00

Million Taka 16.47 5.75 1.19 37.14 6.02 23.67 27.58 30.26 1.13 4.87 1.80 1.52 31.01 6.42 0.70 0.95 11.35 5.24 15.87 0.07

Average (% Change) 5.19 7.09 6.02 5.56 3.84 5.56 9.14 8.55 6.54 4.67

Average (% Change) 7.26 9.59 9.17 5.33 7.51 6.90 6.36 5.45 6.81 6.82

Average (% Change) -19.70 -12.42 -10.75 -4.35 -4.03 -4.85 -4.68 -2.85 -3.92 -2.79

Average (% Change) -16.84 -14.81 -9.59 -9.57 -8.70 -6.07 -5.79 -5.78 -5.71 -4.54

CSE

ClosingAvg. 145.41 197.79 22.56 72.30 309.51 322.17 124.27 24.37 72.70 43.89

ClosingAvg. 14.19 61.00 124.16 145.47 73.13 324.56 22.57 18.00 22.11 8.30

ClosingAvg. 44.93 12.97 7.14 4.18 15.46 6.86 76.26 38.83 14.22 14.31

ClosingAvg. 12.89 46.00 21.60 17.00 4.20 1,422.05 268.50 56.06 66.00 24.40

% change 7.19 2.51 0.52 16.22 2.63 10.34 0.00 12.04 13.21 0.49 2.13 0.79 0.67 13.54 2.80 0.31 0.42 4.95 2.29 6.93 0.03

Closing 151.00 202.80 23.10 74.80 320.10 330.90 123.50 24.40 72.60 44.40

Closing 14.50 61.00 124.70 151.00 74.90 330.60 23.00 18.40 22.10 8.30

Closing

DHIGH 151.70 203.10 23.30 75.30 320.10 332.90 126.00 24.40 73.90 44.80

DHIGH

13.00 46.00 21.60 17.00 4.20 1,422.10 268.50 56.10 66.00 24.40

Million Taka 253.63 91.54 18.47 479.77 86.83 415.35 4.32 244.44 548.85 9.86 88.98 19.68 14.20 230.06 112.25 15.41 40.94 104.51 18.86 112.80 0.18

139.40 187.00 21.30 69.00 295.40 310.40 118.00 24.00 70.10 42.30

DLOW

14.50 61.00 125.20 151.80 75.50 330.70 23.30 18.50 22.30 8.30

DHIGH

45.00 13.00 7.20 4.10 15.20 6.80 76.50 38.40 14.20 14.30

Closing

DLOW

13.70 61.00 118.00 139.50 68.50 310.00 21.60 17.20 21.20 8.30

DLOW

47.40 13.60 7.90 4.40 16.50 7.20 79.70 40.20 15.10 15.10

DHIGH 14.30 46.00 21.60 17.00 4.20 1,422.10 270.00 56.10 66.00 24.40

Total

44.20 12.80 7.20 4.00 15.10 6.70 74.00 38.00 13.70 14.00

DLOW 12.50 46.00 21.60 17.00 4.20 1,422.00 268.10 56.00 66.00 24.40

% change 8.71 3.14 0.63 16.48 2.98 14.27 0.15 8.40 18.85 0.34 3.06 0.68 0.49 7.90 3.86 0.53 1.41 3.59 0.65 3.88 0.01

Prepared exclusively for Dhaka Tribune by Business Information Automation Service Line (BIASL), on the basis of information collected from daily stock quotations and audited reports of the listed companies. High level of caution has been taken to collect and present the above information and data. The publisher will not take any responsibility if any body uses this information and data for his/her investment decision. For any query please email to biasl@bol-online.com or call 01552153562 or go to www.biasl.net

Turnover in Million

Latest EPS

114.833 168.537 25.547 47.683 4.469 19.045 171.540 0.220 0.213 1.828

Turnover in Million

3.27 8.68 2.02 3.88 1.17 4.68 2.43 2.79 2.30 5.33

Latest EPS

0.005 0.085 28.609 10.190 6.084 0.955 3.275 0.141 0.133 0.008

Turnover in Million

44.5 22.8 11.2 18.6 264.5 68.8 51.1 8.7 31.6 8.2

Latest PE

1.31 2.12 2.43 3.27 3.88 4.68 2.02 2.17 1.43 1.54

Latest EPS

0.223 4.807 0.030 0.951 0.016 0.919 0.115 9.427 4.077 0.551

Turnover in Million

Latest PE

10.8 28.8 51.1 44.5 18.8 69.4 11.2 8.3 15.5 5.4

Latest PE

4.34 0.66 -52.72 0.32 -0.37 0.96 -0.50 0.64 1.21 1.27

Latest EPS

0.152 0.023 0.015 0.051 0.008 0.014 0.051 0.019 0.025 0.002

10.4 19.7 -ve 13.1 -ve 7.1 -ve 60.7 11.8 11.3

Latest PE

0.66 4.34 2.44 -0.37 0.11 42.33 14.12 2.96 2.30 3.88

19.5 10.6 8.9 -ve 38.2 33.6 19.0 18.9 28.7 6.3

CSE key features March-22, 2015 Turnover (Million Taka) Turnover (Volume) Number of Contract

229.01 5,911,060 12,095

Traded Issues

237

Issue Gain (Avg. Price Basis)

153

Issue Loss (Avg. Price Basis)

74

Unchanged Issue (Avg. Price Basis)

10

Market Capital Equity (Billion. Tk.)

2,367.19

Market Capital Equity (Billion US$)

28.69

DT

BUSINESS 19

MONDAY, MARCH 23, 2015

Stocks open the week on positive note n Tribune Report

DSE TURNOVER LEADERS Company ACI Limited- A LafargeS Cement-Z Shahjibazar Power-N ACI Formulations-A Ifad Autos -N BEXIMCO Ltd. -A Agni Systems -A Social Islami. B-A MJL BD Ltd.-A Grameenphone-A

Shasha Denims -N SummitAlliancePort.-A Singer BD -A BSRM Steels-A WesternMarine -N

VolumeShares 383,943 1,380,362 852,120 789,736 1,721,914 2,170,255 2,191,558 4,907,782 532,904 191,974

Value in Million 182.68 171.54 168.54 114.83 110.80 71.69 68.15 67.09 65.32 64.66

% of TotalTurnover 6.81 6.40 6.28 4.28 4.13 2.67 2.54 2.50 2.44 2.41

VolumeShares

Value in Million

% of TotalTurnover

CSE TURNOVER LEADERS Company LafargeS Cement-Z BEXIMCO Ltd. -A Shasha Denims -N Shahjibazar Power-N ACI Formulations-A Singer BD -A ACI Limited- A BD Submarine Cable-A Ifad Autos -N BSRM Steels-A

MJL BD Ltd.-A WesternMarine -N UNITED AIR-A Grameenphone-A SummitAlliancePort.-A

1,650,739 957,041 287,675 659,508 1,066,374

230,422 366,252 306,561 52,998 70,049 49,854 16,667 57,082 100,909 83,199

41,054 121,214 557,925 12,993 64,536

62.73 56.73 52.06 47.68 44.33

28.61 12.10 11.60 10.51 10.19 9.03 7.95 6.97 6.45 6.08

5.04 5.04 4.55 4.38 3.82

2.34 2.12 1.94 1.78 1.65

12.49 5.28 5.07 4.59 4.45 3.94 3.47 3.04 2.82 2.66

2.20 2.20 1.99 1.91 1.67

ClosingP 482.50 123.50 202.80 151.00 63.40 32.90 31.70 13.30 123.40 336.30

37.80 58.90 182.40 74.80 41.90

ClosingP

Change % 5.01 7.77 9.27 9.42 -2.31 0.30 5.67 0.76 1.90 0.57

0.27 0.17 3.46 8.88 2.95

Change %

124.70 32.90 37.60 193.50 151.00 182.60 482.90 121.90 63.20 74.90

123.00 41.80 8.10 337.10 59.00

9.48 0.61 0.00 5.56 9.42 3.11 5.14 1.08 -2.62 9.02

1.74 2.70 0.00 0.75 0.17

ClosingY 459.50 114.60 185.60 138.00 64.90 32.80 30.00 13.20 121.10 334.40

37.70 58.80 176.30 68.70 40.70

ClosingY

113.90 32.70 37.60 183.30 138.00 177.10 459.30 120.60 64.90 68.70

120.90 40.70 8.10 334.60 58.90

DHIGH 483.50 126.00 203.10 151.70 67.00 33.30 31.90 13.80 124.00 338.80

38.60 60.10 182.80 75.30 42.00

DLOW 463.80 118.00 187.00 139.40 62.80 32.70 30.10 13.00 121.20 335.10

37.50 58.70 176.00 69.00 41.00

DHIGH

DLOW

125.20 33.30 38.40 204.10 151.80 183.00 484.90 123.80 66.00 75.50

118.00 32.70 37.50 189.50 139.50 177.00 468.00 121.00 63.00 68.50

124.00 41.90 8.30 339.90 60.40

121.50 41.00 8.10 335.00 58.70

AvgPrice 475.80 124.27 197.79 145.41 64.35 33.03 31.10 13.67 122.58 336.82

38.00 59.28 180.96 72.30 41.57

AvgPrice

124.16 33.03 37.85 198.26 145.47 181.15 477.03 122.06 63.96 73.13

122.70 41.55 8.15 336.98 59.24

Daily capital market highlights DSE Broad Index : DSE - 30 Index : CSE All Share Index: CSE - 30 Index : CSE Selected Index :

4533.21272

(+) 1.46%

1721.06507

(+) 2.04%

13854.04510

(+) 1.46%

11380.38640

(+) 1.11%

8376.30340

(+) 1.00%

▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲

Stocks closed higher yesterday, breaking the losing streak in five straight sessions.

The gains were led by cement, energy and pharmaceuticals.

The benchmark index DSEX gained 65 points or 1.5% to close at 4,533, scaling back from previous session’s more than seven-month low.

The Shariah Index DSES was up over 65 points or 2% to 1,104. The comprising blue chips DS30 settled at 1,721, rising 34 points or 2% to 1,721.

Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) Selective Categories Index, CSCX, rose 76 points to 8,376.

However, trading activities still remained poor despite sharp rise, as the turnover at the Dhaka Stock Exchange stood at Tk268 crore with an increase of more than 60%.

Lafarge Surma Cement was back on track rising 7.8% following the news of revival of merger agreement between two the world’s cement makers Lafarge and Holcim.

Rally of Lafarge share prices pushed up cement sector that soared 5.2%, followed by power 2.6%, pharmaceu-

ticals 1.7%, telecommunication 0.6% and banks 0.4%.

Non-life insurance plunged 1.5%. food & allied, insurance and non-banking financial institutions closed flat.

IDLC Investments said market predictably rebounded as possibility of major opposition party BNP’s participation in the upcoming city corporation polls has grown.

As the positive anticipation formed over the weekend, participants were upbeat from the maiden moment and quickly started taking positions.

“However, it hasn’t attracted substantial turnover.”

LankaBangla Securities said the market started off the week very positively, following a steep correction in last week. The benchmark DSEX index started moving up from the very beginning of the trading session and closed at the day’s high.

From this oversold position market have become in buying range after hitting 4400 odd level last week.

ACI was the highest turnover leader with shares worth Tk18.3 crore changing hands, followed by Lafarge Surma Cement, Shahjibazar Power Company Limited, ACI Formulations, IFAD Autos and Beximco Ltd. l

ANALYST

Market started off the week very positively, following a steep correction in last week. The benchmark DSEX index started moving up from the very beginning of the trading session and closed at the day’s high

DT

20 BUSINESS

MONDAY, MARCH 23, 2015

8 MLM firms running business sans licence n Asif Showkat Kallol

A total of eight multi-level marketing (MLM) companies are doing business in the country without licence using a court stay order on a government decision, official sources said.

According to commerce ministry, as the companies do not have licences for the business, their operation is illegal.

The MLM companies include Tianshi Bangladesh Co. Ltd, Forever Living Product Bangladesh Ltd, Daishan Bangladesh Private Ltd, Dream Together Private Ltd, Pinacol Sourcing Ltd, Mac-name International Ltd and Life-way Private Ltd. Ministry officials alleged there was no monitoring and controlling over the eight MLM companies by the Office of the Registrar of the Joint Stock Companies and Firms (RJSC).

“They (the MLM firms) are carrying out operation without any licence,” an official said, adding that the RJSC had rejected applications of 12 MLM companies for licence in

September last year.

But the companies have defended themselves against such allegations saying the court stayed the order of the government.

“As the court has stayed the order, we are entitled to run our business until further development,” Md Main Uddin, Managing Director of Dream Together Ltd, told Dhaka Tribune.

He believes the court will extend the stay order after expiry of the present ruling.

Senior Commerce Secretary Hedayetullah Al Mamoon, however, said they were yet to receive the court’s stay order in regard to the business of MLM companies.

He deplored the operation of the firms without licence from the authorities.

According to law, every MLM company must obtain a licence before starting its business. If any person is found operating such business without a valid licence, he or she will be awarded a minimum of 5 years and maximum 10 years imprisonment and a penalty of Tk50 lakh. l

Vietnam to invest in agro-tech sector n Tribune Report Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed yesterday said Vietnam has expressed keen interest to invest in agro-technology sector.

Besides, it will import more medicine from Bangladesh as the country’s pharmaceutical products are very popular to the consumers of Vietnam, he added.

There are some barriers to exporting medicine Vietnam and both sides are working to remove those barriers to expedite the export, he added.

According to the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) data, in the last fiscal year, Vietnam imported medicine of $4.77 million from Bangladesh.

The minister said this at a media briefing after a meeting with a seven-member Vietnam’s delegation led by Vietnam’s Deputy Minister for the Ministry of Industry and Trade Hoang Quoc Vuong at his secretariat office.

In the meeting, both parties discussed several trilateral trade issues in terms of prospects and challenges.

“Since the independence, Vietnam is a great fiend of Bangladesh and we discussed bilateral trade issues broadly to find out new windows for commerce,” said Tofail.

The Vietnam’s investors also said if Bangladesh offers opportunity to invest in the Special Economic Zones, Vietnam will take the opportunity and make bulk investment, said Tofail quoting the delegation.

In the first eight months of the current fiscal, Bangladesh earned $35.70 million from Vietnam.

In the last fiscal year, Bangladesh exported products worth nearly $56 million, while its import value was $582 million.

Bangladesh imports salt, sulphar, earth and stone, plastering materials, lime and cement, man-made filaments, iron and steel and fertiliser from Vietnam, while it exports fish, medicine, oil seeds, grain, fruits, rubber, raw hides and skin, special woven and other several items.

Senior Commerce Secretary Hedayet Ullah Al Mamun, Bangladesh Tariff Commission Chairman M Azizur Rahman were also present at the media briefing. l

Three-day furniture and home decoration fair kicks off in Dhaka tomorrow n Tribune Report A three-day furniture and interior home decoration fair will begin in Dhaka tomorrow to attract both local and international buyers.

Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) along with several other organisations has organised the event styled as “Bangladesh Furniture and Interior Decoration (BFID) Expo-2015.”

Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed will inaugurate the Expo at the Jamuna Future Park shopping mall in the city’s Baridhara area, said EPB vice chairman Shubhashish Bose at a press conference yesterday.

“Only seven products are the source of 92% of the country’s export earnings. We need to diversify export products. Furniture fair is the part of efforts to reduce dependency on few products and promote other sectors,” Bose said.

He said they had recommended cash incentives for the furniture exporters and received positive response.

“We are very hopeful that the offers can be made from the next fiscal year.”

EPB vice chairman said they had contacted a number of global buyers who complained about supply chain problems.

He said they were trying to fix the problems.

In reply to a question, Bose said furniture export did not decline but exports of some other products under the furniture HS code suffered downward trend.

“But the downward trend was the result of the economic recession in the destination countries.”

In the first eight months of the current fiscal year, Bangladesh earned $22m exporting furniture, 13% less compared to the same period of last fiscal.

In the past year Bangladesh exported

Export Promotion Bureau vice chairman Shubhashish Bose announces Bangladesh Furniture and Interior Decor- 2015 at a press conference yesterday. The three-day fair will be held from tomorrow in the city RAJIB DHAR furniture products worth $42.5m, showed EPB data.

The Expo is being jointly organised by the EPB, Bangladesh Furniture Exporters Association, Bangladesh Handicraft Manufacturers and Exporters Association (Banglacraft), Bangladesh Jute Diversified Products Manufacturers and Exporters Association and Bangladesh Furniture Industry Owners Association in collaboration with Jute Diversifica-

tion Promotion Center.

A total of 50 exhibitors from furniture and home furnishing sector will showcase a wide array of products.

The products will include home furniture, office furniture, kitchen furniture, curtain, cushion, quilt, felt products, table mat, mattress, showpiece, table lamp, waste baskets, table runner, carpet, floor covering, different types of decorative items, bed cover, nakshi

kantha, laundry basket, tapestry etc.

The press conference was also attended

by Mafruha Sultana, director general of EPB, Nasima Begum, executive director of Jute Diversification Promotion Center, KM Akhtaruzzman, president of Bangladesh Furniture Exporters Association, SU Haider, president Banglacraft, Selim H Rahman and president of Bangladesh Furniture Industry Owners Association. l

DT

21

MONDAY, MARCH 23, 2015

T-JUNCTION

Tootsie tunes Photo: Shimmer

NEWS

INSIDE

Unilever Bangladesh at Future Leader’s League The winners of Unilever BizMaestros 2014 have won the 1st runner-up position in the Unilever Global Business Case competition titled Unilever Future Leader’s League 2015 held in London, UK on March 19.

As the winners of Unilever BizMaestros 2014, Nusrat, Akib and Utshob were

selected by Unilever Bangladesh Ltd to represent Bangladesh at the global platform. The Bangladesh team competed against 90 participants from 30 countries from around the world.

Nusrat, Akib and Utshob are graduating students of Jahangir Nagar University (IBA), Dhaka.

22

school survival

Nailing biology

23

beauty boo-boos

Your lipstick stain

24 health

Shame?

DT

22 T-JUNCTION

MONDAY, MARCH 23, 2015

Schoologistics

school survival

Nailing biology Making biology fun. Yeah, we didn’t believe it at first either

n Adila Hoque Biology can be a fun and fascinating subject, but the fact of the matter is that most of us don’t feel that way. And if you don’t feel that kind of attachment towards this subject, it can become a serious source of pain and will continue to claw up your colon, and you will end up with an F. Now, this might seem cliche and conventional, but the first step to making something fun is to embrace it. Stop hating it. Learn to be amazed and fascinated by everything that it offers. It is the study of life - think about why everything works so perfectly, and think about how a natural phenomenon like living is, in reality, nothing but a complex web of chemical reactions flowing in our bodies.

Step 1: Setting aside a separate routine for biology The thing with biology is that you can’t treat it like your other subjects. You need to give it time and attention. Everyday, for a fixed period of time. Biology is highmaintenance, but you knew that. Right?

Step 2: Making flowcharts and diagrams In a subject that is as descriptive, detailed and illustrative as biology, it is imminent that you make flowcharts and appropriate diagrams for every topic that you can.

Not only do diagrams settle easily in our minds, but the photographic content tends to last longer too. Use coloured pens too, if possible.

Step 3: Keywords Like many other subjects, biology has its own set of keywords. You hate them, you do. Write them down on a piece of paper and try to remember what they mean by breaking them down, and doing a quick check on all derivatives. If that doesn’t work, try attaching their definitions to random items in your head. You could even use rhyming words for better effects!

Step 4: Turn biology into poetry If you have the time, you could even try whipping your lessons into a Pulitzer piece.

The added effort and the ultimate feeling of accomplishment will push you to getting your homework done way faster.

Step 5: Balance it out Get enough sleep or get enough coffee.

Then stay awake in class.

awareness

Hashtag hours Hashtag Campaign to raise awareness

n Tarek Mamun Missing out on any recent sensation? Just look up for the # signs with keywords on any social network, click and you will be automatically hyper-linked to all that’s happening around you! Hashtag, the all-too-familiar crisscrossing lines (#) to play tic-tac-toe, has evolved into a greater significance in a modern world, dominated by social media and grabbing attention of many towards its recent activity.

The use of hashtags has spiked to new heights with tremendous popularity on social media. As it allows its target audience to follow a conversation on a given subject, it is creating a community of engaged individuals, making social messages viral, more than ever before!

In the context of Bangladesh, there are very few social media campaigns to raise awareness. But since people started using

hashtags like #I_dont_know_what_hashtag_ is_but_I_will_use_it_because_its_cool, the hashtags began to play a significant and humorous role in the Bangladeshi social media community.

From the participation in ALS Ice Bucket Challenge by the Bangladeshis to Rice Bucket Challenge initiated by Arif R Hossain, the use of hashtags like #riseofthetigers and #CholoBangladesh to support the Bangladesh cricket team, has played a vital role in encouraging people to do some welfare to the society.

Recently, Papqle, a social enterprise which provides health literacy to the underprivileged people of Bangladesh, started an Independence Day campaign on Facebook to inspire the people of Bangladesh to do something for the country and boost patriotism among them.

With the help of the hashtags like #BeingBangladeshi,

Photo: Bigstock

#ActTogetherLiveBeyond and #papqle, Papqle is trying to encourage the young leaders to do their bits for the country where they have to post a status listing five different things that they will do this month and pass the bucket to others by tagging five of their friends. Thus Papqle is aiming to create a string of promises by the young people, hoping they will deliver and become a better Bangladeshi.

Participate in the campaign by putting up a Facebook status, and inspire your

friends and family to do something good for Bangladesh. To know more, search for the hashtags: #BeingBangladeshi, #ActTogetherLiveBeyond and #papqle on Facebook. The format is in the caption of this link: http://tinyurl.com/l47vtsu for English and http://tinyurl.com/lgk47qo for Bengali.

Hashtags can and do generate attention and attention has never been powerless!

So embrace yourself and become an active participant of your country. l

T-JUNCTION 23

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Tempt

MONDAY, MARCH 23, 2015

beauty & hygiene

The sneaky one No one suspects the little bottle that contains eye-drops to be able to cause any harm, but the next time someone is applying a few drops, watch them closely. Some people don’t hold the bottle at a safe distance from their peepers and the mouth of the vial comes in direct contact with their lids. Do not share this product. Ever.

Lip products Sure you may want to try out your buddy’s hot, new, red lip gloss, but have a bit of a think first. Our mouths can carry a host of unpleasant bacteria that can result in cold sores (no one wants those) and even colds. It won’t necessarily happen every time, but why risk it?

Products in a pot or jar Unless you make someone rub down their hands with an anti-bacterial solution first, never let anyone dip their fingers into your jars that contain creams, foundations and lip balms. The germs on fingertips can contaminate the product and cause you to breakout as a result. It’s just not worth it.

Just say no When sharing is not caring

n Sabah Rahman Sharing your beauty products with your BFFs, cousins and sometimes even with your office buddies may seem like no biggie. But, you couldn’t be farther than the dirty truth.

Yes, your girls seem perfectly clean and you’ve known them for years. You still don’t know if there could be an infection or two brewing under that beautiful face. Gross, but true. Here are some common mistakes we all tend to make.

Photo: Bigstock

Eye products Conjunctivitis anyone? Don’t know what that is? You probably know what a pink eye is and sharing products that are meant to touch the eyes is an absolute no-no. The eyes are like magnets to all kinds of nasty infections and irritants. Always keep your own liner and mascara handy for touch ups.

This can go both ways and you may actually be harbouring some bacteria on your own products that you don’t want to expose your dear friends to.

Brushes The make-up kind, we mean. Using them after someone else has is just asking for it. You’re basically brushing your face with their dead skin cells and dirt. If someone has gone ahead and used yours, give them a thorough cleansing before letting them touch your face.

The rest Never, ever share face towels for very obvious reasons. Even worse? Never borrow someone’s razor or vice versa.

They are stocked full of germs that the blood from nicks and cuts can leave behind. Anyhow, the idea is straight up revolting. l

beauty boo-boos

Your lipstick stains …and how to remove themwives’ tales We love lipsticks at T-Junction. At any given day, you’re going to find one of us experimenting with a new colour at our workstations. Needless to say, we’re also pretty familiar with the nightmare related to lip colour getting smeared on to surfaces they’re not meant to. Here’s how to get rid of those boo boos.

White collar crimes If your unscheduled before work romp ended with your lipstick on his collar, or worse, yours, never fear. You can get the stain out without requiring a costume change. If you’re lucky enough to have some rubbing alcohol on you, dab a little on the stain, and then scrub with a clean rag to get it out. If there’s

Photo: Bigstock

n Sabrina Fatma Ahmad

no rubbing alcohol handy, vodka should have the same effect. It’s colourless, and has the added bonus of smelling amazing when layered with your favourite perfume.

If yours is strictly a non-alcohol household, try using dish soap. A little dish soap applied directly to the spot, which is then scrubbed with a wet, clean rag, should get the stain right off.

Pat dry with toilet paper, and apply a little baby powder to help it dry faster, and you’re on your merry way.

Mirror act So you had a movie moment and left a lipstick message on your mirror. Once you come back to sanity and realise it’s time to clean that ish off, grab some window cleaner and a rag and really work it into the glass, and hopefully no one’s the wiser. Again, if window cleaners are not available, dish liquid, cold water and a sponge will have your back.

Purse problem If you’ve had the utter misfortune of your lipstick popping open inside your bag and smearing itself into the lining of the purse, fear not. The same solutions that work on your collar will come handy for cleaning the lining. If you’re out and about and a comprehensive cleaning has to wait, use a make-up wipe to swipe away the worst of

Photo: Bigstock

the damage before you can go home and give your bag a deep clean. It makes sense to keep some handy for emergencies. l

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24 T-JUNCTION

MONDAY, MARCH 23, 2015

Take Care

health

Shame?

One less bloody thing to worry about

n Sabah Rahman Why in this day and age should the fact that almost all women menstruate, still be such a big deal in our culture? Why all the hush-hush behaviour? It’s 2015 and shark week is just a normal part of the female reproductive system. Get over it.

Easier said than done, tons of women still feel their cheeks burning up into all shades of the colour red when it comes to having to go to their neighbourhood pharmacy to buy the sanitary products they need. Being greeted by a sly look from the creepy, shopkeeper guy who slips the goods into the embarrassing brown paper bag, is something most women prepare themselves for.

These men have sisters, mothers, wives and even daughters. Why is the thought of a woman trying to take care of her needs cause to raise an eyebrow? On the flip side, why can’t women still understand that it’s nothing to ever be embarrassed of ?

As women, it’s far from easy for us.

It’s not just that some of us don’t have the privilege to have hired help to run our errands and carry the “shame” on their shoulders for us. We also suffer from the various symptoms that are a part and package of the dreaded week.

Cramps that range from mild to excruciatingly extreme, a belly that feels so distended that it may burst and did we mention the mental anguish? It’s tough. Tougher than any common man can imagine.

All women go through PMS, but some, unfortunately have more severe symptoms as opposed to others.

With all the above going on, all we women want is to be able to carry on with our regular lives.

Buying our monthly necessities shouldn’t add to the already unpleasant burden.

This is why “Meenu Apa,” an awesome new initiative can be the reason women can breathe a sigh of

Photo: Bigstock

symptoms

relief. This gem of a company has a great website where you can order your monthly supply of feminine goods to get delivered to your home. The real kicker? They send you a rare package that includes chocolate, tea bags and a punchy postcard. What more could a girl want?

There is a bit more to the story though.

Even though this service only delivers in the tri-state area at this point, they have big plans to expand to all other areas of Dhaka. What’s even better is that the owners want to work with NGOs in the near future and deliver free sanitary napkins to rural women. A percentage of their sales will make that dream come true.

Here’s to hoping that “Meenu Apa” delivers on her promises and helps ladies have one less thing to worry about. Find Meenu Apa at www.meenuapa.com. l

Photo: Bigstock

Ridic or real?

It’s time to go out in the open and separate facts from the old wives’ tales

n Nadia Khan From puberty till menopause, each month, a female body prepares itself for pregnancy through the monthlies.

But many women and men are still uncomfortable talking about it openly which results in a ridiculous amount of inaccurate ideas surrounding the cycle.

They say if you’re swimming in the ocean during your period, the shark will attack you. Some even believe that women don’t really need it and there are oral contraceptives to prevent it. Let’s review the most popular myths revolving around the crimson tide.

Fact or fiction: PMS is not real Answer: Fiction! Those snappy attitudes and insane cravings for chocolates have a reason behind them. PMS or premenstrual syndrome is as real as daylight and as many as 85% of women experience it. It’s characterised by a number of signs that a woman may show typically a week or two before her cycle which eventually subside by the time Aunt Flo arrives. These syndromes include food cravings, mood swings, irritability, headaches and bloating among many other.

Photo: Bigstock

Fact or fiction: Women’s cycles can get in sync Answer: Fact! The evidence supporting this theory is still somewhat blurred but it’s often noticed that when a bunch of women live together, it somehow leads to menstrual synchrony. The idea was first developed in 1971 by a psychology student from the University of Chicago named Martha McClintock. She published a paper stating that women’s bodies react to the pheromones of other women around them, leading to a synchronisation of menstruation. But most people still consider this to be a coincidence.

Fact or fiction: You shouldn’t exercise while you’re on the rag Answer: Fiction! Let’s make one thing clear. A menstrual cycle is a completely natural function of the body, not a handicap. So there’s no reason to stop yourself from exercising or partaking in any physical activities unless you are experiencing dysmenorrhea (severe cramping) or menorrhagia (excessive flow). Exercising is always healthy, whether you’re on the cycle or not. In fact, many physicians recommend exercise to tame cramps. Why? Well activities such as walking, jogging, cycling, etc. produce chemicals that help block pain and supply oxygen to your muscles.

Well we learn something new every day, don’t we? l

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard was sent-off just 40 seconds after coming on against Manchester United at Anfield yesterday

Sport 26

WORLD CUP OVER FOR BANGLA ROOTERS

27

PROTEAS READY TO JOURNEY INTO THE ‘UNKNOWN’

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FAST & FURIOUS

MONDAY, MARCH 23, 2015

GERRARD RED SEES MATA CLINCH KEY WIN

Thousands of fans with placards and festoons gathered at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport to receive the Bangladesh cricket team who arrived in Dhaka yesterday after their 2015 cricket World Cup campaign in Australia-New Zealand MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

Fans brave political unrest to welcome heroes n Minhaz Uddin Khan Amazing scenes prevailed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport yesterday. Following their heroic performance in the 2015 cricket World Cup, the Bangladesh cricket team were scheduled to arrive at 7:30pm yesterday yet, with more than two hours left before their arrival, the airport premises was already swarming with thousands of people who were waiting anxiously to catch a glimpse of their beloved heroes.

Directors and officials of the Bangladesh Cricket Board were present to receive the Tigers for obvious reasons but the presence of

thousands of excited fans was a sight to behold. The majority of the fans were clad in their favourite Bangladesh jerseys while the others brought along bandanas, placards and festoons containing messages of support for their heroes.

The road adjacent to the airport was packed with passionate supporters. The huge gathering was causing some trouble to the traffic system at the nearby areas but then again the passengers of different vehicles did not mind at all.

One such passenger said, “The roads are usually packed in Dhaka but today (yesterday) I do not mind. Our team played well and

made us proud.”

Given the ongoing political unrest, security in and around the airport was beefed up but there was no unpleasant occurrence.

Everyone was having a great time dancing to different chants and there were no signs of grievances or discontent among the fans. A few days have passed since the Tigers were ousted from the World Cup in controversial circumstances but not a single fan complained about any Bangladesh cricketer yesterday. They were just happy to be there.

Placards containing the words “ICC – Indian Cricket Council” and “Save the gentleman’s game” were prominent as Fazlur, a

college student, said, “When you are playing against India you can never, ever expect a fair game. On top of this, it was a World Cup game. They had to win at any cost and by any means.”

With the passage of time, however, the fans’ pain and agony will ease off as the Tigers are bracing themselves for a busy international calender. Bangladesh will play bilateral series against Australia, South Africa, India and Pakistan, all at home, this year. The supporters will hope that the Tigers will build on their World Cup performance and give the visiting teams a mighty good fight at their own den. l

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26 Sport

MONDAY, MARCH 23, 2015

World Cup over for Bangla rooters n Mazhar Uddin from Melbourne Bangladesh’s exit from the World Cup also saw the Tigers fan-base in Australia-New Zealand lose their interest from the multinational event. The amount of support Mashrafe bin Mortaza and his troop received after setting foot down-under a month ago has been nothing short of massive.

Pathetic decisions coming from two of the most experienced umpires in the world – Aleem Dar and Ian Gould – during the match against defending champions India sparked several controversial topics linking ICC and India as Bangladesh’s fearless run ended in the quarter-final last Thursday.

Bangladeshi fans all across the world believes if not for the illegally called “no-ball” or the quickly taken decision to rule Mahmudullah’s catch legal, their heroes would have still be in Melbourne.

Same is the scenario in the Bangladeshi community in Australia as their interest has gone down to zero.

The anger and disappointment is at the peak and it is the “only” topic in the social media and every hangout places.

Tanveer Masud, organiser of the ‘Road to MCG’ car rally of the Bangladeshi supporters which marched towards the Melbourne Cricket Ground with at least 70 cars ahead of the group stage game against Sri Lanka, is one of the shocked Red and Green fan.

“I am shocked and deeply hurt since Bang-

A group of Bangladesh fans pose for a photograph prior to the quarter-final against India in Melbourne last Thursday ladesh’s quarter-final match against India.

How could the ICC act so partial and favor India only because they generate money for them?” he cried out in anger.

“I have lost the interest to watch any more

match of this World Cup and even if I watch the game on TV I will definitely pray that India does not win the World Cup this time,” said Tanveer.

From what I gathered, don’t be surprised

MAZHAR UDDIN

to see a placard aiming the Indians as it is not hard to say that 100% of the Bangladeshi fans will be cheering for Australia when the hosts take on India in the second semi-final in three days at the Sydney Cricket Ground. l

Colonialism finds its way and is rooted in international cricket Yousuf Rahman (Babu), former national cricketer, vice captain and first centurion writes from New York for Bangladesh fans all across the globe.

It has been a clash of the West versus the East ever since the popularity of cricket started to grow exponentially. From what was called the “Imperial Cricket Conference” when it was established in 1909 through the coalition of three nations, England, Australia and South Africa, it has now become the “International Cricket Council,” having ten nations as Full Members. England as the leader of the Commonwealth ruled the game in the early days and well into the 60s. With the support of the Australians and South Africans, they controlled the laws and called the shots having the luxury of the right to veto any resolution placed in the meetings.

In 1926, three new members (New Zealand, India and the West Indies) were invited to join (note the word “invited”) with Pakistan joining in 1956.

So it remained, until 1981 with the inclusion of Sri Lanka, that seven teams within the Commonwealth nations that entertained themselves participated in what has come to be known as “Test match cricket.”

ODI is a format that literally brought life into the game, which was being subdued by the tedious environment of Test cricket of the olden days. The tussle between the East and the West is an old one with the Indian subcontinent teams losing out in managing cricketing affairs outside the playing field. Three main factors contributed to the change in the balance of power. Firstly, the removal of the “veto power” law, secondly, the growth of the Indian economy that allowed many Indian business entities to focus on this one game

that India still had a chance of creating an impact and thirdly, the decision to grant Bangladesh full membership of the ICC in 2000, thereby qualifying to play Test cricket and having a vote in the ICC. The rest is all history.

Having penciled the above, let us now come to the tainted quarter-final between Bangladesh and India. The world witnessed and was appalled at some umpiring decisions that went against Bangladesh. The no-ball call against Rubel Hossain that would have otherwise dismissed Rohit Sharma before he made his hundred, a controversial decision of a successful catch to dismiss Mahmudullah and an LBW rejection that would have seen the back of Suresh Raina who went on to make 65 crucial runs. The game administrators (ICC) must back the umpires. After all they represent the ICC. Question that is raised by many, inclusive of several international Test cricketers of repute, is the following - “Would the umpires have made the same calls if it was not a lowly-rated team like Bangladesh involved?” If this was Australia and Michael Clarke was on the field, be assured that both Rohit and Raina would be back in the pavilion and, Mahmudullah would have added six more runs to his core and continued his innings.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board must know who its friends are in the ICC and who it can trust to develop its game. India most certainly is not.

In the first place India is too big in the head to be concerned about the welfare and progress of Bangladesh cricket. This is the price that you pay for siding with the “predatory Big Three.” Don’t even think of trying to beat them in a global competition where huge financial commitments are made. India has not forgotten 2007 and the ICC will ensure that it never happens again.

Questions have also been raised as to why the match venue was changed to Melbourne. Of all the venues why Melbourne? The size of the MCG works against Bangladesh’s style of play and India has done its homework pretty well. Bangladesh’s batting relies more on fours and sixes rather than ones and twos. Its batters are not the best in rotating the strike. This batting style is ideal for smaller grounds.

The MCG is one of the biggest grounds in the world and shots that would normally be sixes in most grounds will end up in the hands of a fielder in the deep at the MCG. Mahmudullah’s hook, ill-timed as it may be, would have landed in the stands had it been in a ground anywhere in New Zealand and in several grounds in Australia that are being used as World Cup venues.

The Bangladesh fan base is emotionally agitated and frustrated and, rightly so. While the frustration is amply justified, let us not forget that other than the umpiring mishaps, Bangladesh allowed itself to be beaten comprehensively after all. What has happened is now history and no protest, etc, will change the outcome of the match. I write this as an analyst and having represented the country in its formative years, it is my moral obligation to make the administrators and players aware of the mistakes that have been made in this World Cup. Unlike many, including several former cricketing colleagues of mine, I cannot take the position of the fans from the gallery. My in-depth knowledge of the game, which is far superior to theirs, does not allow my conscience to think in any other vein.

My fear is that since the umpiring issue has been made the centre point of all social and mainline media discussions, no one will talk about the failure of the Bangladesh team in the quarter-final. To me,

it did not look like a team that was ready to move ahead in the tournament. Having seen the same team play against England and New Zealand with so much passion and fire, I was not only disappointed but also perplexed by the team’s lack of enthusiasm to win. The fact that, Rubel, Bangladesh’s best strike bowler is ignored and under-utilised for the second time in a row is not only thought provoking but is also questionable. The way the Bangladesh batters approached the innings starting with the recklessness of Tamim Iqbal and the lack of interest to push the score along in the middle by Mushfiqur Rahim and Shakib al Hasan seemed quite abnormal and raises many questions. “Which divine power was yanking their chain and had instructed them to pull the shutters down?” We all understand that 302 is not an easy total to chase but it certainly does not mean that this Bangladesh unit that has chased 318 and won could not have made a better effort. There was no devil in the wicket and it was adequately proven by Sabbir Rahman and Nasir Hossain when they exhibited some effortless batting later in the innings. Of course, by that time the match was already packaged and handed over to the Indians.

Let us not worry about the Indians or for that matter anyone else. Let us focus on what we need to do to give our players of today and tomorrow a better chance of competing against the best the world has to offer so that there is no scope for such controversies. I remember during my playing days, when we played against the two big teams of Dhaka cricket, we were mentally prepared that we would be playing against 11 players and two umpires. We had to make sure that we beat the opposition comprehensively so the umpires have no chance to come into play. Bangladesh needs to take its cricket to that level. l

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MONDAY, MARCH 23, 2015

Proteas ready to journey into the ‘unknown’ n AFP, Auckland South Africa batsman David Miller believes his side are ready for a journey into the “unknown” when they face New Zealand in a World Cup semi-final in Auckland on Tuesday.

Since being allowed into cricket’s showpiece event in 1992 ahead of the collapse of apartheid, South Africa have failed to get past the semi-final stage on three occasions and are still awaiting a maiden World Cup final appearance.

New Zealand’s record is even worse, with the Black Caps having lost all six of their previous World Cup semi-finals.

World Cup Leaderboard RUNS 541_Kumar Sangakkara, Sri Lanka (7 innings) 498_Martin Guptill, New Zealand (7) 433_Brendan Taylor, Zimbabwe (6) 417_AB de Villiers, South Africa (6) 395_Tillakaratne Dilshan, Sri Lanka (7) 367_Shikhar Dhawan, India (7) 365_Mahmudullah, Bangladesh (6) 350_Misbah-ul-Haq, Pakistan (7) 340_Chris Gayle, West Indies (6) 339_Sean Williams, Zimbabwe (6)

WICKETS 19_Trent Boult, New Zealand (7) 18_Mitchell Starc, Australia (6) 17_Mohammed Shami, India (6) 17_Jerome Taylor, West Indies (7) 16_Wahab Riaz, Pakistan (7) 15_Josh Davey, Scotland (6) 15_Imran Tahir, South Africa (7) 15_Daniel Vettori, New Zealand (7) 15_Tim Southee, New Zealand (7) 14_Morne Morkel, South Africa (7) 14_Umesh Yadav, India (7)

Yet it is the Proteas who carry the unwanted tag of “chokers”, a label they went some way to removing with a thumping nine-wicket win over Sri Lanka in the quarter-finals - South Africa’s first victory in the knockout phase of any World Cup. “It’s something that’s the unknown,” said Miller on Sunday of the prospect of playing either Australia or defending champions India, who meet in the second semi in Sydney on Thursday, in the March 29 final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground “It’s a very exciting time. In eight days we could be world champions but it’s just one step at a time, take things slowly as they come,” Miller added.

Tuesday’s semi-final takes place at Eden Park. Better known as a rugby venue, the ground’s short straight boundaries were expected to lead to a glut of fours and sixes during the World Cup. However, Eden Park has staged two low-scoring thrillers during the tournament - New Zealand’s one-wicket win over fellow co-hosts Australia and Pakistan’s 29-run defeat of South Africa.

Nevertheless, the big-hitting Miller is aiming to cash in any way he can.

“Hopefully, I can mishit a few straight sixes,” he said. “That’s just the way the field is and it’s cool to be playing on it.”

The 25-year-old Miller, appearing in his

Aussies hoping for fast pitch in semi-final against India n Reuters, Sydney Australia’s World Cup semi-final against India is still four days away but the mind games are already in full swing. With the stakes so high, neither side is wasting any opportunity to get an edge.

The Australians flew into Sydney on Sunday, two days after their emphatic win over Pakistan in Adelaide, and into a debate over the sort of pitch that would best suit each team.

The state of the Sydney Cricket Ground pitch could play a pivotal role in the outcome.

It is normally a spinner’s paradise, which would suit the Indians, who are raised on slow, turning wickets.

The Australians would love a fast and bouncy pitch, to get the most out of their fast bowlers, Mitchell Johnston, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood, and their explosive batting lineup.

So far during the World Cup, the SCG has been a batting wonderland, with teams racking up massive scores. Glenn Maxwell, who blasted a century in Australia’s Pool A win over Sri Lanka at the SCG, told reporters he hoped it stayed that way.

“Hopefully we get a fast one. It has been a pretty good wicket this year and hopefully there is a bit of grass there as well,” Maxwell said.

The Indians haven’t beaten Australia in any form of the game since they arrived in the country in November but have lost none of their confidence.

After a lacklustre start to the tour, the defending World Cup champions have hit their peak at the right time, winning seven matches on the trot to stroll into the semi-finals.

When Australia and India played each other in the final test match in January, the pitch suited the spinners, and India would love a wicket like that.l

first World Cup, started the tournament with a career-best 138 not out in a win over Zimbabwe in Hamilton.

The left-hander has made two subsequent 40s, but he fell for a duck at Eden Park during the loss to Pakistan in pool play.

However, Miller said he hoped his previous experience of Eden Park would prove beneficial.

“It’s my first time in New Zealand so it’s good to have already played a game here and just to get the feel of the ground itself, the dimensions of the field,” he said.

“It’s just something to get used to and obviously the feel of the crowd. It’s going to be huge on Tuesday.” l

Gayle rules out retirement, plans World T20 assault n AFP, Wellington Chris Gayle intends to keep playing international cricket with his eyes on the 2016 World Twenty20 but admitted his back injury will sideline him from next month’s Test series against England.

The 35-year-old Jamaican hit a typically flamboyant 33-ball 61 as West Indies slumped to a crushing 143-run defeat to New Zealand in the World Cup quarter-finals on Saturday with many in the game expecting Gayle to end his rollercoaster relationship with the national team.

But the veteran of 103 Tests and 269 ODIs intends to keep playing and is keen to help West Indies to the World T20 in India next year where they’ll look for a second title to add to their 2012 triumph.

“Definitely want to play the T20 World Cup next year for West Indies, there’s no doubt about that,” Gayle told www.ESPNcricinfo. l

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28 Sport

MONDAY, MARCH 23, 2015

Armanitola, Khanjanpur face off in final today

n Raihan Mahmood Armanitola Government High School and Khanjanpur High School, Joypurhat moved into the final of the First Security Islami Bank National School Hockey after winning their respective semi-finals at Moulana Bhashani National Hockey Stadium yesterday.

In the first semi-final, Armanitola pipped Dinajpur District School by 1-0 with skipper Mohammed Shihab Hossain scoring the winner in the penultimate minute of stipulated time.

The second semi-final was a fiercely competitive clash with Khanjanpur overpowering JM Sen High School, Chittagong by 4-3. Khanjanpur took the lead in the 17th minute, courtesy Nahid Hasan. Mrittunjoy Das equalised for JM Sen in the 24th minute. Two minutes later, JM Sen went ahead through an Abbas Ali field goal. Nahid grabbed his second to level the scoreline in the 28th minute.

Khanjanpur once again took the lead in the 36th minute through Shahnoor Sikder but Jibon Das brought parity just two minutes later.

Shahnoor, however, finally sealed the tie in the 54th minute with his second strike.

The final will be held today at 3:10pm.

State Minster for Youth and Sports Biren Sikder will be the chief guest on the occasion. l

Independence Day volleyball begins today Bangladesh Under-23 forward Wahed Ahmed (R) tries to control the ball as a Sheikh Jamal DC player follows him closely during their practice match in Dhanmondi yesterday. The U23s won the game 1-0 COURTESY

U23 booters beat Jamal in warmup 12 national players named in final squad team beat Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club n Raihan Mahmood Ltd 1-0 in a practice match at the latter’s club Bangladesh Football Federation yesterday announced the final 23-man squad for the forthcoming AFC Under-23 Group E Qualifiers.

Among the 23, 12 players have the experience of playing for the national side.

Defender Nurul Nayeem Faisal, midfielder Kawser Ali Rabbi and defender Mohammed Naeem earned their first national U-23 call-up.

Meanwhile, the Bangladesh U-23 football

ground yesterday. Midfielder Jewel Rana scored the all important goal in the 21st minute of the match.

Bangladesh have been grouped with Uzbekistan, Syria and India. The Qualifiers kicks off this Friday at Bangabandhu National Stadium with the hosts taking on Syria. Later Bangladesh will face Uzbekistan on March 29 and wrap the fixtures up against India on March 31.

Bangladesh U23 squad

Raihan Hasan, Yeasin Khan, Rubel Miah, Mohammed Toklis Ahmed Tonmoy, Nahidul Islam Nahid, Atiqur Rahman Fahad, Shahedul Alam Shahed, Aminur Rahman Sajib, Shakil Ahmed, Tutul Hossain Badshah, Omar Faruk Babu, Wahed Ahmed, Russel Mahmud, Topu Barman, Hemanta Vincent Biswas, Yousuf Sifat, Nurul Nayeem Faisal, Jewel Rana, Mohammed Sujon Hossain, Mohammed Mezbahuddin, Kawser Ali Rabbi, Mohammed Naeem. l

n Raihan Mahmood The Walton Smart TV Independence Day Volleyball comprising nine services team starts at the Paltan Ground volleyball stadium today.

The teams are defending champions Bangladesh Power Development Board, Bangladesh Army, Bangladesh Air Force, Bangladesh Navy, Border Guard Bangladesh, Bangladesh Police, Fire Service and Civil Defence, Bangladesh Ansar and Village Defence Force.

In a press conference held at the National Sports Council conference room yesterday Ashikur Rahman Miku, the general secretary of the Volleyball Federation said they are taking preparations of hosting a nine-nation international tournament at the end of April.

FM Iqbal bin Anwar Dawn, the additional director of Walton, Advoctae Fazle Rabbi Babul, the secretary of the tournament committee were also present on the occasion.

The final will be held on Wednesday. l

BFF calls up 29 players for preliminary camp n Raihan Mahmood Bangladesh Football Federation called up 29 players for the preliminary camp of the national women’s football side for the Indo-Bangla Bangladesh Games, scheduled to take place in Dhaka from May 7-13.

The players will reside at the BFF House hostel and Golam Rabbani Choton has been appointed the head coach. The Indo-Bangla Bangladesh Games comprises players from only West Bengal and Bangladesh and the latter have a very good chance of winning the

gold as the players of West Bengal have hardly featured for the Indian national team.

Bangladesh Women’s Squad

Sabina Akter, Ayesha Siddika, Surovi Akter, Trishna Chakma, Khaleda Khatun, Bely Khatun, Khadija Akter, Masura Khatun, Suinu Marma, Mainu Marma, Mirona, Ayesha Khatun, Aungmra Marma, Bipasha Mali, Sabina Khatun, Lipi Akter, Nubai Marma, Munmun Akter, Suraiya Akter, Shiuly Azim, Shamsunnahar, Mousumi, Maria Manda, Krishna Rani Roy, Sanjida, Marjia, Razia and Nargis. l

Walton additional director FM Iqbal bin Anwar Dawn (2R) speaks in a press conference yesterday at the National Sports Council conference room COURTESY

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Sport 29

MONDAY, MARCH 23, 2015

Pakistan to arrive on April 16 n Minhaz Uddin Khan

Manchester United midfielder Juan Mata hits a scissors kick to score against Liverpool during their English Premier League match at Anfield yesterday

AFP

Gerrard red sees Mata clinch key win n AFP, Liverpool Steven Gerrard’s last game against Manchester United ended with an ignominious red card as Juan Mata’s superb double condemned Liverpool to a 2-1 defeat at Anfield on Sunday.

In his final appearance against his club’s eternal foes before leaving for the Los Angeles Galaxy, Liverpool captain Gerrard came on at half-time, only to be sent off after 43 seconds for a crude stamp on Ander Herrera, who had created Mata’s 14th-minute opener.

Mata added a glorious, volleyed second goal and despite Daniel Sturridge’s reply and Wayne Rooney seeing a late penalty saved, United held on to condemn Liverpool to a

first league defeat since their 3-0 loss at Old Trafford in December’s reverse fixture.

Liverpool’s run of 13 games without defeat had given them an opportunity to knock United out of the Champions League places, but

EPL RESULT Liverpool Sturridge 69

1-2

Manchester United Mata 14, 59

instead Louis van Gaal’s side remain fourth, a healthy five points above their rivals with eight games of the season remaining.

Gerrard’s moment of madness proved the game’s major talking point, but there was no disguising United’s superiority as they

confirmed the return to form sparked by last weekend’s 3-0 defeat of Tottenham Hotspur.

After a fourth consecutive league win - and only a second success at Anfield in eight visits - United will now anticipate forthcoming games against Aston Villa, Manchester City and Chelsea with something approaching the confidence of old.

Brendan Rodgers’s Liverpool players, meanwhile, head into the international break hoping to find a second wind when they return.

With Pele and United greats Alex Ferguson and Bobby Charlton in the directors’ box, there was no shortage of football royalty in attendance as the two teams - both unchanged - took to the field beneath warm spring sunshine.l

The Bangladesh Cricket Board yesterday confirmed Pakistan’s arrival in April for a monthlong bilateral series containing two Tests, three one-day internationals and a Twenty20 international. The confirmation came after the Pakistan government gave the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) the green signal to tour Bangladesh.

A PCB security team will visit Bangladesh ahead of the series to assess the arrangements but it is understood to be just a formality and keeps no resemblance in making a change in the tour plans. According to BCB media committee chairman Jalal Younus, the board will soon inform PCB of dates to send their security team.

“We have received confirmation of Pakistan’s arrival in mid-April,” Jalal said to the media yesterday. “The tour schedule has not been confirmed yet but we are hoping to have it finalised by the next 3-4 days. We will consider Dhaka, Chittagong and Khulna as venues,” he added.

However, BCB will have to consider the City Mayor election in Dhaka and Chittagong on April 28 and make their itinerary accordingly though Jalal said, “We will consider our security arrangement for that day but I don’t think it will have an effect on the tour’s smooth progress.”

He also informed that Pakistan team is most likely to set foot in Dhaka on April 16 and the series will kick off on April 19 with the T20I game in Dhaka. The tour will end on May 13.

The Bangladesh-Pakistan series earlier came under jeopardy after PCB demanded 50% of the revenue from the BCB. BCB in a prompt reaction rejected the proposal putting the series in doubt. This made the Pakistan board lose interest with the tour and further claimed that they had to bear financial losses as Bangladesh pulled out from their commitment on various occasions.

The tension between the two boards ended after the BCB agreed to bear the entire cost of the tour. There, however, was a concern whether the Pakistan government will allow their team to visit as according to a PCB official, “We are concerned with anti-Pakistan sentiment in Bangladesh.” l

Menez fires Milan as fans stage boycott n Reuters, Milan Jeremy Menez scored twice to help beleaguered AC Milan beat Cagliari 3-1 in front of a sparse San Siro crowd on Saturday as fans responded to a request to boycott the match in protest at the club’s leadership. The Curva Sud section was almost deserted while banners, written in English, read “Game Over” and “Insert Coin To Save AC Milan”. The Curva Sud had called on fans to stay away because the hierarchy, they say, have undermined coach Filippo Inzaghi with their rudderless leadership and confused transfer policy.

Menez put Milan ahead in the 21st minute with a curling shot from the edge of the penalty area. Diego Farias levelled for relegation candidates Cagliari two minutes after halftime but French defender Philippe Mexes volleyed Milan back in front almost immediately.

Menez completed the win by converting a penalty. l

AC Milan supporters show banners before the Italian Serie A match against Cagliari at the San Siro stadium in Milan on Saturday

REUTERS

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30 DOWNTIME

MONDAY, MARCH 23, 2015

CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Mexican currency unit (4) 4 Gems (5) 9 Limb (3) 11 Poet’s Ireland (4) 12 Hackneyed (5) 13 Numeral (4) 14 Luxury food (4) 15 Republic in West Indies (5) 19 Injure with hot liquid (5) 21 Lyric poems (4) 25 Hard to find (4) 26 Garden ornament (5) 28 Mark-left by former injury (4) 29 Today (3) 30 Examines (5) 31 Noteworthy act (4)

DOWN 1 Track (4) 2 Do wrong (3) 3 Worker in metal (5) 5 Drawing implement (6) 6 Operatic air (4) 7 Connection (4) 8 Show contempt (5) 10 Souvenir (5) 16 Affirm (6) 17 Dance (5) 18 Less well (5) 20 Male honey-bee (5) 22 Fish (4) 23 Periods of time (4) 24 Eft (4) 27 Extinct bird (3)

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

You have one letter in the control grid to start you off. Enter it 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.

A B C D E FG H I J K L M N O P Q RST UVWXYZ

SUDOKU

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.

PEANUTS

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTIONS CODE-CRACKER

CROSSWORD

DILBERT

SUDOKU

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SHOWTIME 31

MONWWDAY, MARCH 23, 2015

The wait is over

CELEBS ON SOCIAL

PHARRELL WILLIAMS @Pharrell Today is a #HappyDay

n Showtime Desk Fuad Almuqtadir’s long awaited mixed album, “Hit Factory” was just launched

by Incursion Music, the premiere label in Bangladesh. Featuring artists such as Zohad, (Nemesis) Shuvo, (Drockstar/F&F), TeeJay and Sumi (Lalon), Nazia, Moury, Arfin Rumey and a few more, this is something most of us have been eager to get our hands on.

Bellissimo, the supporting force behind this album, hosted this event on March 20

at Cafe Bellissimo in Banani, Dhaka and had a great overall response. Fans gathered to meet Fuad along with other celebrities such as Bappa Da, Sumi, Shuvo, Sabbir, and many others to get their very own autographed special edition CDs and get their photographs taken with the stars.

The Limited Edition CD, boasting some unique artwork by Nabil Ahmed from We Draw Stuff (which contains a sticker and a booklet) will be available for a week at Cafe Bellissimo and later in the week it will be in stores nationwide.

The digital album is already available for purchase on www.incursionmusic.com store as well as etunes.com.bd and also on all international platforms such as itunes, amazon and google , thanks to Qinetic music.

One of the coolest aspects of this product is the text on the sleeve written by Mr Almuqtadir himself, detailing his personal thoughts and experiences on working with each of the musicians featured in this project. Get your own copy while it lasts! l

TAYLOR SWIFT @taylorswift13 ‘Style’ just went NUMBER ONE at pop radio.

Thanks for 3 in a row, guys.

This is unreal.

NEIL PATRICK HARRIS @ActuallyNPH Loving London.

Soaking in all of the behind the scenes producing of my new variety show, based in Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway.

WHAT TO WATCH TELEVISION

STEP UP, C

HBO, 6:25pm Cast: Channing Tatum, Jenna Dewan, Mario, Drew Sidora, Alyson Stoner After sabotaging at a performing arts school, Tyler Gage receives a lifetime opportunity to earn a scholarship.

UNSTOPPABLE, C

Star Movies, 7:30pm Cast: Denzel Washington, Chris Pine, Rosario Dawson, Kevin Corrigan, Ethan Suplee, Lew Temple An engineer and his conductor race against time to stop a runaway train, carrying a cargo, filled with toxic chemicals.

DESPICABLE ME, B

Movies Now, 9:30pm Voices: Steve Carell (Gru), Jason Segel (Vector), Russell Brand (Dr. Nefario), Julie Andrews (Gru’s Mom), Will Arnett (Mr. Perkins) Gru, a sly villain, is planning to steal the moon with the help of his many little minions. But, the divine will of three little orphaned girls turns him into a dad.

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32 BACK PAGE

MONDAY, MARCH 23, 2015

FANS BRAVE UNREST TO WELCOME HEROES PAGE 13

INCEPTA PLANS TO EXPORT HEPATITIS DRUGS PAGE 25 M

A

R

C

H

1

THE WAIT IS OVER PAGE 31 9

7

1

D

I

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Y

Negotiating from strength This extract is part of a series that will run until March 25, in which we reproduce Rehman Sobhan’s contemporaneous account of the events of that momentous month in Bangladeshi history. This was first published in Forum on March 20, 1971 Reiterating that it was law enforcers who took her husband, Hasina Ahmed, wife of missing BNP leader Salahuddin Ahmed, speaks at a press conference at the National Press Club yesterday SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

Salahuddin search efforts sluggish Gaibandha sighting swindlers arrested

n Tribune Report In a tearful appeal for the return of her missing husband, Hasina Ahmed, the wife of BNP Joint Secretary General Salahuddin Ahmed, repeated her claim that her husband had been picked up by law enforcement officials.

At a media briefing at the National Press Club yesterday, she said: “I have not had any word of my husband in the last 13 days, after law enforcement officials took him away. My family is sick with worry about his well-being and whereabouts.”

“I believe in God and I have faith that my husband will come back to me unharmed,” Hasina said.

Salahuddin was allegedly picked up on March 10 at a house in Uttara by several people who identified themselves as detectives.

Until then, Salahuddin had been issuing press statements from a hideout on behalf of the BNP, following the arrest of another joint secretary general, Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.

Salahuddin left a government job to join the BNP and became a lawmaker from Cox’s Bazar. He served as a junior communication minister in a BNP government.

Salahuddin’s wife earlier sought Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s intervention to trace her husband. The government denies that any of its agencies has taken Salahuddin into custody.

Last week, Hasina Ahmed filed a writ with the High Court to have her husband tracked down and returned. Law enforcement agencies told the court that Salahuddin had not been arrested. The High Court fixed April 8 for further hearing on the matter.

Meanwhile, a three-member police committee charged with finding Salahuddin had yet to take any action on the matter. Led by

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Joint Commissioner (crime and operations) Meer Rezaul Alam, the committee had not even contacted the missing man’s family members during the last seven days.

The two other members of the committee are Iqbal Hossain, deputy commissioner of the DMP Uttara division, and Shaikh Nazmul Alam, a DB deputy commissioner.

None of the committee members were willing to discuss the case when approached by the Dhaka Tribune.

Gaibandha hoax

The Detective Branch (DB) of Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP) yesterday arrested two people allegedly involved in spreading rumours that the missing BNP leader was in Gaibandha district.

The arrestees are Mokhlesur Rahman alias Uzzal, 34, of Jamalpur district, and Mohammad Alim Sikder alias Munir, 33, of Jhalakathi district, said the DB’s Additional Deputy Commissioner Tanvir Arafat.

On March 19, Uzzal, calling himself Siraj Master, phoned Uttara police station and said Salahuddin Ahmed had been seen at Khatiarmari Char in Gaibandha. He then tried to obtain Hasina Ahmed’s mobile telephone number.

Acting on a tip-off, a DB team nabbed Uzzal from Chittagong city’s Mistripara area around 2:30am; later, they nabbed Munir from Sitakunda upazila’s Bhatiari, the CMP Detective Branch additional deputy commissioner said.

In initial interrogation, the arrestees confessed to running an extortion racket involved in providing false information about missing people to distraught family members to induce them to pay money via bKash to get further information. l

n Rehman Sobhan All this is not to suggest that this extraordinary metamorphosis of the movement from non-cooperation to people’s raj was not causing some problems.

The banking system began to acquire a lopsided appearance as local banks gained deposits at the expense of non-local banks. Their principals, in turn, in Karachi, seemed to be reluctant to respond to their local office’s calls for transfer of funds, so that the local State Bank was forced into the role of lender of the last resort to non-local banks to enable them to meet the run on their deposits.

The phenomenon was one of neurosis without any immediate foundation in fact, and corrective measures were being supplied through call lending by the local banks to those who were facing a run. Thus, the possibly inspired fear that non-local banks would close their doors did not have any real basis at all.

Once this awareness sinks in there is some prospect of a restoration of normalcy within the banking system notwithstanding motivated attempts to build up emotions in favour of local banks.

On the industrial front, however, uncertainties kept production low and lowered efficiency. This again reflected the contradictions between non-cooperation and people’s raj. Party exhortations to now resume work with redoubled vigour for the cause of Bangla Desh had as yet not got through to the work floor.

Apart from the absence of any operational machinery to translate party directives

into specifics, workers are sceptical about a system where the prosperity of Bangla Desh is coterminous with the prosperity of their factory owner.

Whilst this unique situation continued to pose new problems every day, the one certainty remained the irrevocable breakdown of Islamabad’s authority over the affairs of Bangla Desh.

With each day and directive, this authority has receded, and today any attempt to restore it will appear to the people as being little different from a British effort to reoccupy the sub-continent.

In this context, the sole power of the Islamabad regime appears to be its capacity to inflict death on the people and to attempt to precipitate economic chaos as is evident by the diversion of food ships from Chittagong to Karachi.

The question may therefore well be asked as to why they find themselves in this untenable position where their only option to coming to terms with Sheikh Mujib’s demands is to unleash genocide.

The answer, as with most wars of aggression, appears to lie in miscalculation. Those who initiated confrontation by the postponement of the Assembly session believed that the public response would be small and localised and would succumb to a swift and effective application of force.

Mr. Bhutto is reported to have told visitors that such a form reaction to the agitation would soon bring the Awami League to their senses. No one dreamt that within 7 days not only would the people vigorously resist attempts at mass murder but would bring central authority to a complete standstill.

Perhaps no one even within the Awami League could have believed that non-cooperation could be so total as to place them in command of Bangla Desh within a week of their call for action. 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