31 March, 2015

SECOND EDITION

TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 2015

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Chaitra 17, 1421, Jamadius Sani 10, 1436

BNP TO FRONT ONE CANDIDATE A WARD

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Regd No DA 6238, Vol 2, No 355

POLICE NOT FAULTED IN AVIJIT MURDER PAGE 5

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GRAFT HINDERS AID TO POOREST PAGE 32

Radical Islamists strike again

Radical Islamists hacked to death secular blogger Md Oyasiqur Rahman Babu yesterday morning in Tejgaon, Dhaka allegedly for his atheist views.

A travel agency executive, Oyasiqur’s murder was premeditated. Three assailants swooped on Oyasiqur, 27, armed with machetes around 9am on Dipika Mosque Lane of

Al Masum Molla n Mohammad and Tarek Mahmud

The duo was handed over to police, who later recovered the machetes from the crime scene, Tejgaon industrial police OC Salauddin said.

The incident took place only a month after secular blogger and former Buet teacher Avijit Roy and his wife Rafida Ahmed Bonya came under attack by extremists. Avijit succumbed to his injuries at a hospital. Police are yet to  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

 PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

Two members of third gender catch killers of blogger Oyasiqur Begunbari, close to Tejgaon Textile Engineering University, when he was going to office in Motijheel.

While fleeing, two of the killers – Zikrullah, a student of Hefazat-e-Islam’s Hathazari Madrasa in Chittagong, and Ariful, student of Mirpur Darul Uloom Madrasa – were held by two hermaphrodites as locals remained reluctant to chase the killers. The other member of the team, Abu Taher, escaped.

Wealthiest mayoral contender Mirza Abbas also faces the most cases Among the heavyweight mayoral aspirants in Dhaka South City Corporation, BNP leader Mirza Abbas is the richest and also the one with the most number of cases against him.

In the Dhaka North mayoral race, the wealthiest contender is Annisul Huq followed

by Abdul Awal Mintoo, who also takes second place for the number of cases pending.

Among the mayoral hopefuls, Mirza Abbas took the gold, Abul Awal Mintoo the silver and Sayeed Khokon the bronze on the podium of affluence.

In an affidavit submitted to the EC, Abbas said he owned around Tk1,196,850,487 in fixed and movable wealth; his wife also owns a further Tk133,536,074.

The former mayor is currently facing 37 cases, the affidavit reads, adding that the BNP standing committee member had Tk756,525,903 in debts.

The affidavit also claimed that he is a graduate and a businessman.

Mirza Abbas – also the convener of BNP’s Dhaka city unit – is currently underground; his lawyer submitted the nomination papers on his behalf.

Meanwhile, the affidavit of Awami League-backed candidate Sayeed Khokon shows that he owns Tk479,364,216 and had Tk192,777,000 in loans.

Khokon, whose affidavit showed him as a Dhaka University graduate, had been relieved from five cases in the past.

Another mayoral hopeful, BNP leader Asaduzzaman Ripon’s affidavit says he owns around Tk3,000,000 and his wife Tk800,000.

Ripon, international affairs secretary for BNP, also claimed that he had a PhD degree and no cases.

Another mayoral hopeful from the BNP, Abdus Salam, claimed he owned around Tk5,500,000 in assets. Salam’s affidavit

Police produce two madrasa students before the media after they were arrested from Tejgaon in the capital in connection with the murder of blogger Oyasiqur Rahman yesterday. The photo was taken at Tejgaon Industrial Area police station MEHDI HASAN

n Mohammad Jamil Khan and Abid Azad

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

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2 NEWS

TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 2015

ICT: Submit war crimes charges CHTC condemns attack on against Nasir, Shamsu by Apr 15 Shantu Larma’s convoy n UNB The International Crimes Tribunal 1 yesterday asked the prosecution to submit by April 15 the formal war crimes charges brought against two siblings – Nasiruddin Ahmed, a retied army officer, now on the run, and advocate Shamsuddin Ahmed, now in custody – of Kishoreganj.

Justice M Enayetur Rahim, chairman of the three-member tribunal, passed the order in presence of prosecutor Sultan Mahmud Simon.

After closing the investigation, war crimes investigation officer (IO) M Ataur Rahman on November 25 last year submitted the conclusive report containing 450 pages against war crimes accused Nasiruddin and Shamsuddin to the office of the Chief Prosecutor. l

n UNB The International Chittagong Hill Tracts Commission (CHTC) has condemned the attack on the convoy of chairman of Chittagong Hill Tracts Regional Council and also president of Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti (PCJSS) Jyotirindra Bodhipriya Shantu Larma, that took place on March 11.

The attack was allegedly carried out in the presence of police and other law enforcers, according to a statement of CHT Commission issued yesterday.

The statement said some individuals involved in the attack were identified and CHTC has come to learn that they involved local politicians belonging to both the ruling Awami League as well as members of the BNP. l

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Wealthiest mayoral contender Mirza Abbas also faces the most cases showed that he was a graduate and is wanted in three cases.

Nasiruddin Ahmed Pintu, another BNP leader, claimed he has a masters in commerce and owned fixed and movable assets worth Tk227,374,550.

The affidavit of Haji Saifuddin Ahmed Milon, backed by Jatiya Party, showed him as a self-educated man with assets worth Tk22,880,188 and Tk34,192,802 in loans.

Dhaka North City Corporation mayoral candidate Annisul Huq’s affidavit showed personal assets of Tk270,917,536. It showed his wife to own Tk71,822,119 and another Tk36,795,934 were shown belonging to his children.

Another candidate for the Dhaka North mayorship, Abdul Awal Mintoo, with 14 cases pending against him, showed in his affidavit

Tk62,997,25,69 in personal assets with his wife shown owning a further Tk96,287,024.

Among the 13 mayoral candidates in the port city who submitted their nomination papers, incumbent mayor M Manjur Alam is the richest; but AL-backed candidate AJM Nasir Uddin tops the list of highest annual incomes.

Manjur Alam, who is going to participate with the blessings of BNP-led 20-party alliance, has over Tk408,649,559 in fixed and movable wealth and annual income is Tk19,275,916.

In his affidavit, Manjur mentioned that he has Tk16,903,645 in cash and Tk47,000,000 in debts. His wife has a total wealth of Tk39,131,613, including Tk1,980,640 in cash.

Nasir Uddin, who will be running with the support of Awami League, has the highest annual income of Tk36,232,744.

Affidavit shows that his total wealth amounted to Tk119,951,152, of which Tk184,690 is in cash. His outstanding debts amount to Tk86,394,664.

His wife’s wealth was worth Tk4,871,892 along with 20 tola gold ornaments received as wedding gifts. She also had Tk45,579 in cash, according to the affidavit.

Meanwhile, Jatiya Party’s Presidium member Solaiman Alam Seth has an annual income of Tk1,045,000 and debt worth of Tk830,000.

Seth has Tk1,000,000 in cash but his wife has no cash asset. His total wealth is Tk156,070,000, his wife had gold ornaments worth Tk60,000 and two refrigerators.

Bangladesh Islami Front’s Secretary General MA Matin has an annual income of Tk2,767,621 and has Tk26,466,696 worth of fixed and mov-

able wealth including Tk1,219,872 in cash. Matin’s affidavit claims he has no debt.

Bangladesh Nationalist Front leader Arif Moinuddin has a total wealth of Tk10,000,000 and no debt,; his wife has Tk15,000,000 worth of wealth, according to his affidavit.

Islamic Front Bangladesh leader Hossain Mohammad Muzibul Haque has an annual income of Tk538,000; he also has Tk600,000 in cash and his wife has Tk300,000 in cash.

Independent mayoral candidates Md Abul Kalam Azad, Md Forkan Chowdhury, Saifuddin Ahmed Robi, Shafiul Alam, Waez Hossain Bhuiyan, Syed Sazzad Joha and Gazi Md Alauddin Chowdhury declared their incomes for the Chittagong City Corporation polls.

Thirteen aspirants submitted nomination papers for the CCC elections on April 28. l

Radical Islamists strike again solve the case but claim that the killers might be linked to the banned Islamist group Hizb ut-Tahrir and Ansarullah Bangla Team.

Deputy Commissioner of Tejgaon zone Biplab Kumar Sarker told reporters that in preliminary interrogation the arrestees said they had killed Oyasiqur for writing on religious issues. “We are investigating whether they are involved with any organisation.”

Known as Oyasiqur Babu on Facebook where he had more than 2,600 friends, the blogger used to write under pseudonyms on popular blogs. On his Facebook account, Oyasiqur wrote several notes opposing irrational religious beliefs, superstitions and radical Islamists.

He was also an admirer of Avijit Roy. After the attack on Avijit, he changed his profile picture to the hashtag “#iamavijit” on a black background. His Facebook cover photo also displays the hashtag #WordsCannotBeKilled.

Witness Ziauddin, brother of the owner of Khokon General Store near the spot, told the Dhaka Tribune: “I heard some women screaming. Soon I along with some customers came out of the shop and found an injured person lying on the street and three attackers running towards the main road.”

Two Hijras, whose identities could not be ascertained, chased the killers and held Zikrullah and Arif.

Locals took Oyasiqur to Dhaka Medical College Hospital where doctors declared him dead. He had deep cuts on the eyes and left cheek, according to the inquest.

OC Salauddin said the killers hacked him mainly on the face.

The murder spot is beside the boundary wall of the Textile Engineering University.

There is another building on the other side of

Cousin of murdered secular blogger Oyasiqur Rahman in tears after his body was brought to Dhaka Medical College morgue yesterday MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU the 10-foot lane. There are no shops close to the spot and only a few people were around at the time of murder.

Oyasiqur’s house is around 50 feet from the spot.

His cousins Helal and Shilpi told the Dhaka Tribune that he had no enemies and that they did not understand why he would be killed.

They said he had been working as a trainee at Fareast Aviation in Motijheel after graduating from Tejgaon College.

He used to write against Jamaat-e-Islami and radical Islamist groups. He was vocal against human rights violations on the reli-

gious minorities and indigenous people of the country.

Tamanna Setu, one of Oyasiqur’s friends, said: “I asked him several times not to write about these issues … but he replied: ‘I have no photos on my Facebook account. So they will not recognise me.’”

Targeted in a similar fashion

US-based Bangladeshi Avijit and Bonya came to Dhaka to attend the Amar Ekushey Book Fair only 10 days before their fatal attack. The couple had been facing threats from extremists for long.

On February 15, 2013, blogger-architect Ahmed Rajeeb Haider was hacked to death by radical Islamists near his Mirpur house.

On February 27, 2004, secular writer Humayun Azad was hacked on Dhaka University campus. He died later while undergoing treatment.

Similar to the previous cases, several pro-Jamaat Facebook pages including Media Watch Bangladesh and Basherkella yesterday tried to justify the murder of blogger Oyasiqur claiming that the atheist had committed crimes by criticising Islam.

Many extremist online activists supported the killing in their comments on Facebook posts.

Tejgaon DC Biplab said the attackers had no idea about Oyasiqur’s writings. They even do not know what blogging is.

“Our Hujur [religious teacher] told us that he [Oyasiqur] is an anti-Islamic person. It was our responsibility as believers to kill him. So, we killed him,” the official quoted the duo as saying.

Zikrullah, Ariful and Taher had been monitoring Oyasiqur’s home since Sunday evening after a person named Masum had shown them his photograph at a meeting in the capital’s Hatirjheel area. Then they planned to kill Oyasiqur the next morning, Biplab told reporters.

Zikrullah came to Dhaka from Chittagong on Saturday with the mission to kill Oyasiqur and spent the night at a mosque in Jatrabari.

Biplab said: “We hope to learn more after thorough interrogation. We will look for their roots. Detectives and members of the Rapid Action Battalion have interrogated them at the police station.”

They were taken to the Detective Branch of police headquarters around 4pm, he added. l

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TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 2015

BNP forms committees to ensure single candidate in every ward n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla The BNP has formed committees for Dhaka North and South City Corporations to make sure that party leaders do not run against each other for the councillor posts in the upcoming polls.

After ensuring that only one candidate runs in every ward with party blessings, they will prepare a final list before the last date of withdrawing nomination; the rest will then be asked to pull out.

Insiders said the committee for Dhaka south is headed by Mirza Abbas, a standing committee member and also the BNP-endorsed candidate for the mayor post in this part of the capital.

BNP’s Joint Secretary General Barkatullah Bulu meanwhile will lead the committee for Dhaka north. He will be assisted by Habib-un Nabi Khan Sohel, MY Kayum, SA Khalek and Anwaruzzaman.

These committees will finalise one candidate for each ward in the two city corporations of Dhaka that the party will support. Then they will request the other BNP-affiliated aspirants to withdraw their nomination papers.

A total of 705 ward councillor aspirants submitted nomination forms in the south and 629 in the north. The two city corporations have 93 wards.

Insiders also said the committees had to

HSC, equivalent exams begin tomorrow

n UNB

The Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) and its equivalent examinations of 2015 begin across the country tomorrow.

This year a total of 1,073,884 students under 10 educational boards, including one madrasa and one technical board, will sit appear from 8,305 institutions.

Of them, 570,993 are boys. The examinations will be held at 2,419 centres across the country.

Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid briefed media about the examinations yesterday.

This year the number of examinees decreased by 67,490 from 1,141,374 last year. A total of 241 students will sit for the examinations from seven overseas centres.

The written tests end on June 11 and practical examinations begin on June 13 and end on June 22.

The minister said the HSC and equivalent examinations will begin as per the schedule despite hartal.

Nahid said the law enforcement agencies will keep an eye on the staff, employees of Bangladesh Government (BG) Press and their families and relatives to check any possible question paper leak. The law enforcers will also keep eyes social networking media facebook and coaching centres in this regard. l

be formed because there are now at least two BNP men looking to become councillors in each of the wards. Intra-party feuds and competition between the followers of Mirza Abbas and Sadeque Hossain Khoka are the main reasons behind this situation.

‘The former ward councillors who are popular in their areas will get priority, but BNP will also seek opinion from its thana units’ “The Koka-Abbas rivalry is very old. It is deeply rooted in the grassroots as well. That is why supporters of both the leaders are looking to compete for the same posts although all of them belong to the BNP,” said a Dhaka-based BNP leader seeking anonymity.

In another development, the party high command has asked the councillor aspirants to inform immediately the number of cases that each of them are facing.

A source in the party’s Gulshan office said the higher the number of cases, the more dedicated will the aspirant be considered.

“The former ward councillors who are popular in their areas will get priority, but BNP will also seek opinion from its thana units,”

the source said.

The BNP high command is now trying to ensure a few things before they start campaigning for the city polls which are making sure that all legal procedures are followed in campaigns; resolving intra-party feuds; ensure the presence of party activists in the streets; activating senior leaders along with the Shoto Nagorik initiative; pressuring on the government and the Election Commission for holding fair polls.

Press statement

Meanwhile, in a regular press statement issued yesterday by Barkatullah Bulu, BNP’s underground spokesperson, the party called upon the government and the EC to hold free, fair and neutral city corporation polls.

Bulu expressed hopes that the government would make the polls meaningful and acceptable by releasing all the detained leaders and activists of the opposition alliance.

He said Salahuddin Ahmed should be returned otherwise the EC would once again be proved a “toothless tiger.”

Bulu also said that the recent municipality polls in Faridpur and Chandpur – where Awami League-backed candidates have emerged victorious – have proved that free and fair elections are not possible under the incumbent government. l

Ruling party will ensure free polls, leaders say n Abu Hayat Mahmud

Ruling Awami League leaders have assured that the government will not interfere with the upcoming polls in the city corporations in Dhaka and Chittagong.

Addressing separate programmes in Dhaka and Chittagong, they also assured that none of the ruling party’s affiliate bodies will try to exert force during the April 28 polls in Dhaka North, South and Chittagong City Corporations.

“The government has already proved its immense sincerity towards holding neutral elections,” said Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader while addressing a meeting with the transport owners and employees in Chittagong yesterday.

He also said that they had already written to the Election Commission (EC) to ensure civic amenities during the polls.

The minister, who is also a member of the Awami League presidium, said cooperating with the EC in holding free and transparent polls is the government’s duty.

In a programme in Dhaka, Mahbub-ul Alam Hanif, joint general secretary of the ruling party, said the EC is now a fully fair institution and its responsibility is to organise free elections.

In a separate programme in Dhaka, Awami League Publicity and Publication Secretary Hasan Mahmud said the city polls will be held on level-playing field and the BNP should prove its popularity by joining the polls. l

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TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 2015

14-party to decide on councillors today n Abu Hayat Mahmud

The Awami League-led 14-party combine will hold a meeting today to finalise their endorsements for the candidates running for city corporation offices of Dhaka and Chittagong.

The meeting, previously scheduled for 11am, will start at 10am at the Awami League president’s Dhanmondi office, said a press re-

Seven to die for killing Swechchasebak League leader n Md Sanaul Islam Tipu A Dhaka court yesterday sentenced seven people to death and another one to life imprisonment for killing Swechchasebak League leader Hazi Moniruddin Manu in Dhaka’s Mirpur in 2006.

Judge ABM Nizamul Haque of Dhaka Speedy Trial Tribunal 4 handed down the verdict after examining the records and testimonies of 27 out of 37 prosecution witnesses in the case.

Those condemned to death are Md Shahadat, a listed criminal, Md Mintu, Md Masudur Rahman alias Totla Masud, Mahmudur Rahman alias Sohel, Liton Hossain alias Lotus, Md Noman Ibn Basad alias Babu and Md Hasan Sarwar alias Ziku.

Sohel and Ziku are now behind bars while others are on the run.

Besides, a woman, Jahanara Begum, was sentenced to life in prison and also fined Tk20,000.

She is now in hiding.

On August 15, 2006, Manu, former vice president of Swechchasebak League’s Mirpur ward 12 unit, was shot dead while waiting in front of his house in Mirpur’s Shah Ali Bagh area after returning from a programme marking Bangabandhu’s death anniversary.

According to the case statement, Shahadat and his associates had earlier tried to extort money from Manu but gunned him down because he refused.

The victim’s elder brother, Md Akbar Ali, filed a murder case on that day.

Then Sub-Inspector of Mirpur police station AK Nasirullah, also the investigation officer, submitted the charge sheet to the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court in Dhaka against eight people on October 30, 2007.

The court framed charges against them on 27 April, 2009.

Of the eight, three confessed to being involved.

The case was first tried at a regular court before being shifted to the tribunal. l

lease issued yesterday.

When asked, Health Minister Mohammad Nasim, also spokesperson for the 14-party alliance, told the Dhaka Tribune: “Prime Minister and alliance leader Sheikh Hasina has already finalised three mayoral candidates. The alliance also extended support for them.”

“Tomorrow [today] we will finalise the councillor candidates through discussions

with our alliance partners,” he said.

BNP’s announcement to join the upcoming city polls has led the ruling 14-party alliance to shift to an alternative game plan and ensure just one candidate for all posts including those of mayors to prevent votes being split up amongst themselves.

The initial plan was to allow all candidates contest the polls if BNP had not joined. But

now, since the scenario has changed, the Awami League is bent on ensuring that the ruling alliance votes stay with just one candidate, according to party insiders.

Awami League needs to see eye to eye with all parties within the alliance. Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal led by Information Minister Hasanul Haque Inu has already floated its own mayoral candidate for Dhaka South. l

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TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 2015

CCC POLLS

Manjur, Nasir, Solaiman, 17 others show-caused n Tarek Mahmud, Chittagong

Following a High Court order, two members of the Army’s Bomb Defusing Squad detonate crude bombs seized by Rajshahi Metropolitan Police during drives.

The bombs were exploded in the city’s Pathan Para area near Padma Char yesterday AZAHAR UDDIN

Prof Sayeed to ACC: Put your own house in order first n UNB Questioning the integrity of the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC), Bishwa Sahitya Kendra chairman Prof Abdullah Abu Sayeed yesterday said the anti-graft national body must make itself clean first.

“The ACC talks against corruption. Is the ACC free from corruption? The ACC should make itself clean first,” he told a function at Shilpakala Academy in the capital.

The national anti-graft body organised the function to accord a reception to its best corruption prevention committee members on the occasion of the ACC’s Corruption Prevention Week.

Speaking as the chief guest, Prof Abu Sayeed said it is claimed that the ACC, the Election Commission, the Public Service Commission and others are independent institutions, but all those have a link to politics.

“Uncontrolled independence has been given to corruption and injustice to perpetuate the power of rulers. Now the nation is passing through a critical time due to widespread corruption. Being able to survive during a worse time, I think, is equal to the win during a good time. Now worse time continues, but we’ll have to survive at this critical time,” he added.

ACC Chairman M Badiuzzaman said the ACC is working sincerely to check graft in the country and he hoped that it will be able to strengthen its activities in the future. l

AVIJIT MURDER

Police find no flaws of on-duty police n Tribune Report A three-member police probe committee formed to look into the allegations of negligence by law enforcers during the attack on science writer and secular blogger Avijit Roy and his wife at TSC intersection on February 26 has found “no fault” of the on-duty police personnel.

‘The probe body did not find any fault of police during duty hours but it is mentioned in the report that there were coordination problems’ “The probe body did not find any fault of the police during their duty hours but it is mentioned in the report that there was coordination problem,” DMP Joint Commissioner Monirul Islam told the Dhaka Tribune last night.

“When the incident occurred, there was a huge rush of vehicles while the spot was dark too. The murder spot was not visible from the police check post, located about 250 feet away.”

The report was submitted a week ago, he added.

However, the probe committee earlier said some on-duty officials had not performed their duties properly at the time of the attack.

Avijit and his wife Rafida Ahmed Bonya, both US citizens, came under attack around 9pm on February 26 at the TSC roundabout on the Dhaka University campus. Avijit succumbed to his injuries at Dhaka Medical College Hospital some hours after the attack.

Bonya was also injured in the attack.

The Detective Branch of police is dealing with the case together with US investigating agency FBI. Avijit’s father Prof Ajoy Roy has expressed discontent over the probe findings.

“If a probe is conducted by the police on the acts of other police members, then it is evident that they will not be able to find any fault. The probe body should have included civil society representatives or judges,” he told the Dhaka Tribune.

It was earlier reported by the Dhaka Tribune that a total of five police teams had been on duty around the site of the murder.

Among the officials, Sub-Inspector Waheduzzaman, also in-charge of Nilkhet police outpost, SI Mozibur Rahman and SI Hafizul Islam were in the TSC area, while SI Daud Hossain was near Shahbagh. There was also a patrol team in the area. l

At least 20 Chittagong city poll aspirants, including mayoral candidates M Manjur Alam, AJM Nasir Uddin and Solaiman Alam Seth, were served show-cause notices yesterday for violating electoral code of conduct.

Returning Officer Md Abdul Baten issued the notices. The aspirants were asked to be present at Chittagong Regional Election Office by April 5 with written explanations, said Assistant Returning Officer Md Shafiqur Rahman.

He said BNP-backed candidate Manjur, who is going to contest the polls under the banner of Chattagram Unnayan Andolon, had set up election camps to conduct campaigns.

“Banners of Awami League-backed candidate Nasir were seen despite the Election Commission’s order to remove all materials,” he said.

“Another aspirant Solaiman, who is also a Jatiya Party Presidium Member, allegedly attached posters and set up election camps.

Similar allegations were raised against 17 other general ward councillor aspirants.”

Electoral code of conduct suggests that candidates can start campaign 21 days before voting.

“This means the candidates will be allowed to conduct campaigns from April 7,” said Baten.

The nomination forms will be scrutinised tomorrow and the day after tomorrow. The last date for withdrawal of nomination is April 9.

Election symbols will be fixed on April 10. l

Imran: Government’s indifference behind murder of secular writers n Arif Ahmed Gonojagoron Moncho spokesperson Imran H Sarker yesterday alleged that sheer indifference and negligence of the government and law enforcers was the reason why free-thinkers were being murdered.

He said: “The apathy of the government and law enforcers in addressing such attacks has been encouraging religious extremists to kill secular bloggers and writers.”

Imran made the statement while addressing journalists following a procession organised by the Moncho on Dhaka University campus around 5:30pm, protesting the murder of secular blogger Oyasiqur Rahman.

Oyasiqur was hacked to death in the capital’s Dipika Mosque Lane in Tejgaon yesterday morning, a month after the murder of another secular blogger and science writer Avijit Roy. In remembrance of Oyasiqur, Imran said: “Although he was not an activist of Gonojagoron Moncho, we will continue our protest as he was a dedicated supporter of the platform.”

Regarding the murder, he said: “No one has the right to kill someone for expressing their ideologies.”

The platform has been staging different programmes since late February, protesting Avijit’s murder, who was hacked to death near the TSC roundabout on DU campus on February 26. l

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Kidnapping of children rises sharply in 2015 n Mohammad Jamil Khan Children are increasingly at risk of being kidnapped, a children’s rights organisation has said, with official records showing an alarming rise in child abductions across the country.

The Bangladesh Shishu Adhikar Forum (BSAF) says most kidnappings involve the participation of close relatives, friends and neighbours.

One worrying trend was the increased participation of law enforcement officials in kidnappings, they said.

In most cases, the children are lured away with chocolates or food, investigators said.

The modus operandi is frequently kidnap

and ransom, followed by murder. Once the ransom is paid, the children are killed so that their abductors cannot be identified, investigators said. Another common practice is to traffic the child, either domestically or internationally.

Police Headquarters statistics show at least 80 children were abducted in just the first two months of this year – with 39 kidnappings in January and 41 in February. This is a massive increase over previous years.

At least 118 children were kidnapped during all of 2014 – 50 were later killed, according to BSAF records. Sixty-six children were rescued during attempted abductions.

In 2013, 42 children were kidnapped – 13 were killed. There were 67 kidnappings in 2012.

BSAF Director AS Mahmood told the Dhaka Tribune that there was no alternative to strict enforcement of the law to reduce kidnappings.

He said completing trials under the Speedy Trial Act would also help.

Creating public awareness about risks to children would prevent opportunities for kidnappings, Mahmood said, adding that it was easier for a relative or a friend than a complete stranger to have access to a child.

Jahangir Alam, a member of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police Anti-Kidnapping Squad, told the Dhaka Tribune that in most of the cases, family members and close relatives were involved in child abduction.

Mahmood believes close relatives act

mostly as carriers, handing over abducted children to real criminals and traffickers.

“They are often unaware of the ultimate fate of the child they have helped to kidnap.”

In the case of female children, kidnappers not only kill them, they also sexually abuse them.

A new trend in child abductions has been that the perpetrators are increasingly women.

Professor Dr Zia Rahman, chairman of the Dhaka University criminology department, said women work as kidnappers because they are able to gain the trust of children more easily than men.

He added that the sight of a woman with a child, even an uncooperative child, rarely caused public suspicion. l

Only 1% of Bangladeshis pay taxes

Bank official flees with clients’ money n Shafiqul Islam n FM Mizanur Rahaman Only 43 people in Bangladesh pay annual tax An official of Bangladesh Commerce Bank (BCB) fled after embezzling several cores of taka of its clients in Chittagong.

The incident came into light when cheques of some of the bank’s clients were bounced at its Khatunganj branch yesterday.

Fifteen victims, mainly businessmen of Khatunganj Trading area, gathered in front of the branch in Chittagong city’s business hub in the afternoon. Talking to the Dhaka Tribune, many of the businessmen alleged that the branch’s second officer Moinuddin Ahmed transferred huge amount of money through password forgery and went into hiding.

Abdur Rahman, a client of the bank and the proprietor of Rahman and Trading, said: “A total of 70 lakh taka is missing from my account.

I had one core and 50 lakh taka in my account but a cheque of 6 lakh and 82 thousand taka to one of my business party was dishonoured due to insufficient funds.”

Another client, Sirajul Alam, owner of SR Trading, said: “The bank official provided me a fake statement and embezzled 31 lakh taka from my account.”

Branch Manager Kazi Abul Kashem told the Dhaka Tribune that they received allegations from seven to eight customers in this regard.

“We have already informed it to the Dhaka office,” he said adding that the second officer remained untraceable.

“A team from the headquarters will visit the branch tomorrow (today), Abul Kashem said.

A team of RAB 7 visited the branch and quizzed the other bank officials. l

Man dies in Sylhet landslide n Our Correspondent, Sylhet A worker died and another two were injured in a landslide while collecting stones in Jaflong yesterday.

Ahmed Ali, 35, was collecting stones from the Piyain River along with six others when the accident took place. He died on the spot.

The other two men injured in the landslide could not be identified but they were treated in a local medical facility.

On February 22, four workers died while digging and collecting stones at a quarry in Companiganj upazila.

of more than Tk1 crore. Of them, most are contractors and importers. According to NBR, only 2,105 people pay over Tk20 lakh in income taxes every year.

Interestingly, NBR says there are at least 5,000 people in the country who are capable of paying over Tk1 crore in taxes. The number is above 10,000 when the amount of tax to be paid is more than Tk50 lakh.

Experts say the people capable of paying huge taxes have managed to stay away from the taxnet because of weaknesses in the government's audit system and corruption in the revenue department.

Some citizens use their political affiliations to avoid paying taxes.

The National Board of Revenue says more than 80% of the people capable of paying taxes are not doing so. Out of the six million people who can pay tax in the country, only about 1-1.2 million people are regularly paying taxes.

Interestingly, most of them are businessmen.

When considered against the total population of about 160 million, this is just 1%.

Experts say authorities and capable tax pay-

ers should reach a consensus through talks to improve this.

Although the existing progressive taxation in the country stipulates that the more one earns, the more tax they should pay. In reality, only those with limited and low incomes are the ones who pay taxes regularly.

NBR sources said that at present around 1.8 million people have tax identification numbers (TINs). But unfortunately, 800,000 of them never file their tax returns. They acquired the TINs for various purposes but they never submit returns.

According to a Bangladesh Bank report, more than 30 million people have up to a total of Tk1 crore in savings in all the commercial banks in the country. The interest they earn from this money is taxable, but most of them never pay tax. In addition, most of the owners of buildings and lands in Dhaka and other cities have also remained out of the taxnet.

Finance Minister AMA Muhith recently told the Dhaka Tribune: “You cannot force people to pay tax. It is all about mass awareness. If you can raise awareness, tax collection will increase. Every year, the government tries to raise awareness through various programmes on the National Income Tax Day.”

When contacted, NBR Chairman Najibur Rahman said: “There has been a rise in interest among people about paying taxes. But this is very insignificant. Still, we are trying our best to encourage people to pay taxes.”

He also said: “People have many negative and terrible ideas about the revenue department. But these are changing. The government nowadays accepts people's suggestions to increase revenue collection.”

AB Mirza Azizul Islam, adviser to a former caretaker government, said corruption and manpower shortage of the revenue authorities are known problems. “But the government also needs to simplify the tax payment system. They must work to build trust among the taxpayers. Bureaucratic complications and harassment must also stop.”

For the ongoing 2014-15 fiscal year, the government wishes to collect Tk57,500 crore from taxes out of the total revenue target of Tk1,49,790 crore.

Until January 31, the NBR collected Tk68,651 crore of a Tk71,825 crore target.

Under the existing laws, any annual income above Tk2.2 lakh after deducting house rent, transport cost and medical allowance is taxable. l

DT

NEWS 7

TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 2015

Indian rice shipment leaves for Agartala today n Our Correspondent, Brahmanbaria A consignment of Indian rice will be transported to the Indian state of Tripura’s capital, Agartala, from Ashuganj river port today.

As part of India’s food aid programme, 25,000 tonnes of rice will be transported to Agartala through Akhaura land port.

The ship, MV Newtech 6, carrying 937 tonnes of rice from Kolkata’s Diamond Harbour port reached the Ashuganj port on Saturday.

The food grain was loaded onto 20 covered vans yesterday.

Md Shah Alam, inspector of the port, said the consignment could not be sent on Sunday and yesterday as transports were not available.

The Indian authorities decided to transport rice via Bangladesh to save time and money, and also because of repair of road and rail networks.

In two phases in August and October last year, 10,000 tonnes of rice was transported to Agartala. l

S Korean firm to upgrade Cox’s Bazar airport, cost goes up 5.26% Showkat Kallol and Muhammad n Asif Zahidul Islam Civil Aviation and Tourism ministry has decided to appoint a South Korean firm to upgrade the Cox’s Bazar Airport with a 5.26% increase in projected cost compared to the cancelled tender in 2011.

An official of the civil aviation authority said it has finalised the third tender for appointing consultants for the upgrade.

Delay in the tender process has raised the cost of construction, equipment, labour which in turn increased the cost of contractor firm, the official added.

In a proposal in 2009, CAAB wanted to expand the airport runway from 6,775 feet to 9,000 feet with projected cost of Tk 302.65 crore. When compared to that base the cost has now increased by 90.07% to Tk 578.25 crore at the end of last year.

The proposal was to enable large planes from Europe, America and Eastern Asia to land straight in Cox’s Bazar with tourists wishing to see the longest sea beach in the world.

The Cox’s Bazar airport upgrade proposal is likely to be placed before the cabinet committee on public purchase on April 1, presided over by finance minister AMA Muhith.

Under the Cox’s Bazar airport development project (first phase), the load sustaining capacity for the runway, taxiways and the apron will be strengthened, a fire station, a terminal building, a cargo village, embankments and enclosure walls will be built.

South Korean firm Yooshi Engineering Corporation-Iishin Hitec Co Ltd and Bangladeshi firm Development Design Consultants Ltd are working as consultants on design and projected cost of the upgrade.

As per the Civil Aviation ministry proposal,

the South Korean firm Halla-MAH-Seokwang JV won the tender for construction against two other firms, China CAMC Engineering Company Ltd and Abdul Monem Ltd. CAAB floated the tender for the work in 2011 and two Malaysian, one Turkish, one Chinese firm and an Italian-Thai joint venture submitted bids for the job.

Turkish firm Kuanta Construction was the lowest bidder but the firm was not given the work since it had no experience in constructing runways.

Rashed Khan Menon, Civil Aviation and Tourism minister told Dhaka Tribune yesterday: “We will not take responsibility for the corruption in that tender process.” The Anti-Corruption Commission will look into the 2011 tender corruption.

Asked, the civil aviation minister said he was not sure when the Cox’s Bazar airport upgrade project would start. l

visit our website @

www.dhakatribune.com WEATHER

DRY WEATHER LIKELY TUESDAY, MARCH 31 DHAKA TODAY SUN SETS 6:13PM

TOMORROW SUN RISES 5:52AM

FORECAST FOR TODAY 31 31 32 29 32 30 27 30

Dhaka Chittagong Rajshahi Rangpur Khulna Barisal Sylhet Cox’s Bazar

23 24 21 19 21 22 20 23

YESTERDAY’S HIGH AND LOW

35.2ºC Rajshahi

20.0ºC Sayedpur Source: Accuweather/UNB

Activists of Rajshahi’s Puthia unit National Adivasi Parishad and National Adivasi Chhatra Parishad form a human chain in the upazila yesterday, protesting the attack on adivasi leader Prodip Sardar and demanding the arrest of attackers AZAHAR UDDIN

Number of HSC examinees declines in Rajshahi Board this year n Our Correspondent, Rajshahi

PRAYER TIMES Fajr

4:35am

Sunrise

5:51am

Zohr

12:03am

Asr

4:30pm

Magrib

6:14pm

Esha

7:30pm SourceL IslamicFinder.org

A total of 107,090 students are going to appear in the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examinations this year under the Rajshahi Education Board.

The examination is scheduled to be held from April 1 across the country.

The students from about 698 educational institutions of eight districts under this education board will sit for this public examination, which will be held in 185 centres.

However, this year the number of examinees has been reduced by 6,248 while last year a total of 1, 13,338 students appeared in the

examination. Controller of Rajshahi education board Prof Shamsul Kalam Azad disclosed this at a press briefing held at the conference room of the education board in Rajshahi yesterday.

But he did not mention any specific reason for reducing the number of students this year when journalist asked for.

“However almost all the necessary preparations have been completed already to hold the examination in peaceful manner and smoothly,” Prof Azad also said.

Deputy Director (audit and accounts) Akbar Ali and System Analyst Shafiqul Islam and other officers concerned of the board were present at the press conference among others. l

2 held in liquor haul n Tribune Report Police arrested two persons along with a large consignment of liquor worth Tk15.6 lakh from Patenga Sea Beach area early yesterday.

The arrestees are Md Mansur Alam, 32, son of Nur Alam, from Dakshin Para of Dakhsin Patenga, and Md Nasir, 36, son of Ayub Ali, of Maddham Para of the area, said police sources.

The haul included 1,250 bottles of beer, 280 bottles whisky, said CMP (Bandar zone) Assistant Commissioner Md Jahangir Alam.

During the drive, police also seized two CNG-run auto-rickshaws and a trawler.

The AC went on to say that they raided the place around 3:30am on a tip off and arrested the duo red handed while they were unloading the liquor from the trawler. l

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8 NEWS

TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 2015

Acute crisis of drinking water prevails in Kishoreganj n Our Correspondent, Kishoreganj People of Kishoreganj are facing acute crisis of pure drinking water due to fall in underground water level for a couple of weeks.

Thousands of tube-wells at 13 upazilas of the district have remained inoperative for decrease in water level and sources of surface water resources, including canals, ponds and wells, have almost dried up.

People living in Kishoreganj sadar, Hossainpur, Pakundia, Katiadi, Bhairab, Kuliarchar, Nikli, Bazitpur, Karimganj and Tarail upzilas are the worst sufferers of the situation as nearly 95% tube-wells have remained out of order for a few days.

Besides, water supply in the municipality area is not sufficient due to shortage of pumps.

According to municipality sources, the total requirement of water in Kishoreganj

municipality area is about 1,150,000 gallons, while at present only 3, 20,000 gallons are being supplied by the municipality for about 120,000 people.

According to the Public Health Engineering Department, about 20,000 tube-wells have become totally inoperative in 10 upazilas due to sharp fall in the underground water level.

People of many areas are compelled to drink as well as use water of ponds and canals in domestic chores in which is many people have infected with diarrhoea and other water-born diseases.

Md Anwar Hossain, a primary schoolteacher of Khirarchar village, said: “People living in the village are now totally dependent on surface water.”

Julekha Katun and Rukhsana Akter of Mahinanda village said they had to collect drinking water from an only operative tube-well which was situated about one kilometre away

from their homesteads.

“We have to stand on a long queue and face bitter experience as often the people get lock in quarrel to get water first,” said Julekha Katun.

Md Habibur Rahman of Charsolakia area like many others town dwellers alleged that the Public Health Engineering Department was not taking any step to overcome the scarcity of pure water in municipality area.

Some hotel owners of the town said they were compelled to serve the customers with surface water as there was no tube-well near his shop.

Executive Engineer of Public Health Engineering Department of Kishoreganj Md Tofazzal Haque told the Dhaka Tribune that the level of water had fallen from 30 to 45 feet and for this reason water was not available in tube-wells.

Adequate fund is needed for making the tube-wells operative, he said. l

The Khulna Unnayan Sangram Samannay Committee forms a human chain yesterday, demanding up- gradation of the Khulna Medical College Hospital into a 1,000-bed hospital DHAKA TRIBUNE

Teachers’ shortage hampers education of 5,279 students at eight schools n Our Correspondent, Bandarban

Education of 5,279 students in eight government schools under seven upazilas of hill district Bandarban has been hampered seriously due to teachers’ shortage.

According to local sources, there are 38 teachers at Bandarban Government High School out of 53, 37 at Bandarban Govt Girls’ High School out of 52, 5 at Rowangchari High School out of 11 in Rowangchari upazila, 5 at Ruma High School out of 23 in Ruma upazila, 11 at Lama High School out of 27 in Lama upazila, 9 at Naikhyongchari High School in Naikhyongchari upazila, and 5 at Alikadam High School in Alikadam upazila.

Sadek Ruhul Amin, general secretary of

Bandarban Human Rights Commission said: “The students of the district are deprived of their educational rights which may led the dropout.”

There are 913 students at Bandarban Government High School, 813 at Girls’ High School, 512 at Rowangchari, 469 at Ruma, 819 at Lama, 600 at Naikhyongchari, 656 at Alikadam and 407 at Thanchi High School.

Meanwhile, a parent who wished not to be named said he knew about the shortage of commerce teacher from his daughter who is studying in Class XI. “This is very worrying,” he said.

A Class XI student said if there was no math teacher, why students studied in the school.

Ukraching Marma, Class VIII student of Rowangchari High School said: “Sometimes we have to return home without classes as

there are no teachers in the classes.” There have been no headteachers in Ruma, Rowangchari and Alikadam schools for a long time.

Shirina Akter Rokhshana, vice chairman of Alikadam High School said: “The results of the students in the district are not satisfactory due to shortage of teachers.”

Saiful Islam. Class VII student of Bandarban High School said: “Our education is seriously hampered for want of teachers.”

Tonmoy Das, SSC examinee from the school said: “We could not complete our syllabuses as there are no teachers in many subjects.”

When contacted, the district education officer Purabi Chowdhury said: “I have asked the higher authorities to take step immediately.” l

Teachers take to the street protesting corruption of education officer n Our Correspondent, Joypurhat Primary school teachers of Joypurhat sadar upazila yesterday held a rally to protest against corruptions and misuse of power by the upazila primary education officer and the office’s two other officials.

They also submitted a memorandum to the district primary education officer to place home their 21-point demands. Copies of the memorandum were also sent to two local lawmakers, deputy director of the directorate of primary education and deputy commissioner Joypurhat.

Speaking at the rally in front of the upazila primary education office, many teachers alleged that Joypurhat Sadar Upazila Primary Education Officer Naiar Sultana violated the rules for transfer of the teachers in the upazila.

The teachers had to face harassment by officer in case of various official works including time scale, increment, opening of accounts for general provident fund (GPF) and sanction of loans from the fund, they alleged.

Kanij Fatema, an assistant teacher of Komorgram Government Primary School, alleged that she had faced harassment while opening a GPF account at the education office.

“The office’s staff Mehedi Hasan did not give me the form for opening the GPF account as I denied to give him bribe,” she said.

Rebeka Sultana, an assistant teacher at Chanda Government Primary School, said the education officer had not recommended for her transfer as per rule.

“I submitted an application to education office seeking my transfer. But the education officer recommended transfer of a teacher who was three year junior to me,” she said adding that as per rule senior teachers would get priority in the transfer.

Emar Hossain, an assistant teacher of Deonahar Government Primary School, he had to pay Tk1,200 to officials of the education office to avail permission to go to India for medical treatment.

Md Badrujjoha, the district primary education officer, told the Dhaka Tribune that he had received the memorandum.

“We will talk legal actions after an investigation,” he said.

Contacted Naiar Sultana, however, denied the allegations raised by the teachers and claimed that she was not involved in any irregularities.

“They could have talked to me if they had any allegation. They [the teachers] held such programme by violating their service rules,” she said. l

Man hacked to death n Our Correspondent, Gazipur A man was hacked to death at Kaliakoir upazila in the district yesterday. The deceased was identified as Sirajul Islam, 32, son of Hasmat Sarder of east Safipur.

SI Saiful Islam of Kaliakoir police station said miscreants hacked Sirajul over previous enmity at night.

He died on the spot. On information, police recovered the body and sent it to Sadar Hospital. l

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NEWS 9

TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 2015

Tension in Narsingdi as UP member gunned down n Our Correspondent, Narsingdi

As the BNP-led 20-party alliance gives a pause to call hartal, academic activities at most schools across the country have started on Sunday, almost after three months. The photo shows some children from ethnic minority community return home from their school. The photo was taken from Phulbari village in Rajshahi yesterday AZAHAR UDDIN

Mango growers’ dreams going to be shattered for lack of rain n Our Correspondent, Chapainawabganj

watering the trees ourselves.”

Nurul Islam, a mango trader from Shibganj, said: “The law and order has not yet become normal in the upazila as there were multiple deaths recently due to political violence.

Shibganj has the most number of mango orchards but the thousand-crore mango business here is facing an uncertainty because of the ongoing blockade-hartals.”

Chapainawabganj Department of Agricultural Extension Deputy Director Saiful Islam said: “This being an on-year for mangoes, the upazila production goal is set at 2.5 lakh metric ton. The production may be hampered because of the draught but it will not affect the goal that much.” l

Growers of the mango capital Chapainawabganj are faced with uncertainty as they are fearing the mango buds may fall off the trees before maturing due to insufficient rain.

On the other hand, the mango orchard trade is not seeing much activity due to the ongoing political unrest, which has become another cause for concern for the farmers. Usually, the orchards exchange hands of traders multiple times soon as the trees bear flowers and buds.

According to the Department of Agricultural Extension of the district, the mango orchards of there flowered extensively this year.

But because of the sudden rise in temperature

and lack of rain farmers are watering the roots and spraying insecticides to save the buds from falling off.

There are 18,58,000 mango trees on 24,260 hectares land in the five upazilas of the Chapainawabganj. In Shibganj upazila, there are 9,83,480 trees on 13,480 hectares; in Nawabganj, 3,19,980 trees on 4,155 hectares; in Gomostapur 2,34,825 trees on 2,915 hectares; in Bholahaat 1,52,900 trees on 2,050 hectares; and in Nachol 1,32,815 trees on 1,660 hectares.

Ansarul Islam, an orchard owner in Kansat, said: “We are having to use insecticides to save the buds. We are also consulting agriculture specialists because the buds may fall off if there is no rain in the next few days. We are

Two killed in road accidents n Tribune Report

Forest bandit killed in ‘gunfight’

Two people were killed in road accidents in Munshiganj and Netrakona yesterday.

An unidentified woman was killed in road accident on Dhaka-Chittagong highway at Boushia in Gazaria of Munshiganj, reports our Munshiganj correspondent.

The accident took place as a covered van ran her over when she was crossing the road, killing the victim aged around 35 years on the spot, said Gazaria Highway police Sergeant Md Saiful Islam.

Meanwhile, Netrakona police recovered the body of an unknown man from Jamtola area of the district yesterday, reports our Netrakona correspondent. Police suspect that the man might have been killed in a road accident on Netrakona-Purbdhala highway in the area. l

n Our Correspondent, Barisal A suspected forest bandit has been killed in a “gunfight” with police at Jhopjhapia canal in Sundarbans under Koyra upazila of Khulna district yesterday.

The deceased is Al Amin, ringleader of a forest bandit group.

Khulna Police Super Md Habibur Rahman said: “Amin was detained from Amadi Bridge area around 7am Sunday. He confessed about being a forest bandit.”

“Acting upon the information given by Amin, police went to recover arms from Jhopjhapia canal along with the detainee around 9pm,” he said.

The SP said Amin’s associates opened fire targeting the law enforcers when they reached the spot.

In retaliation, police fired back that triggered a “gunfight.”

Later, Amin was found bullet wounded at the spot while the others fled the scene.

The police officials said duty doctor declared Amin dead when taken to Joygit Mohol Hospital at night.

Police recovered seven firearms and 141 rounds of ammunition from the spot after the gunfight.

Meanwhile, SI Hafiz, constables Raju, Harun and Akramul were injured in the incident. l

Armed assailants shot dead a union parishad member at Kararchar in Shibpur upazila of the district at broad daylight yesterday.

Dead Ariful Hossen Pathan, 38, was the member of Putia UP in Shibpur. He was also a local leader of BNP. Assistant Superintend of Police Mostaq Sarker said when Arif was sitting in roadside shop a groups of six terrorists appeared there in three motorbikes around 12:30 pm and shot Arif at point blank range near Tharmex Industrial Park and fled the scene.

Local people rushed him to Narsingdi Hospital where the doctors declared him dead.

The killing sparked strong protests as common people of Putia union and workers of BSCIC Industrial Area came down on the Dhaka-Sylhet Highway and vandalised some vehicles. They also blocked the highway that caused a two hour long trafficjam from 1pm to 3 pm.

Police fired blank shots and charged baton on them to resume the transport movement on the highway, locals said.

Seven people got injured in police attack, they said.

The injured were rushed to Narsingdi General Hospital and six among them were referred to Dhaka Medical College Hospital in critical condition.

Superintendent of Police Amena Begum confirmed the incident and said police were trying to arrest the criminals.

The motive behind the murder could be ascertained after investigation, she added. Meanwhile, district BNP and Shibpur UP chairman Ariful Islam condemned the killing. l

Fire in pharmaceutical factory, one dies

n Our Correspondent, Barisal A worker of a pharmaceutical factory died of suffocation as the factory caught fire in Bogra Road area of Barisal city early yesterday. The deceased was identified as Nesar Mridha, a worker of Opsonin Chemical Industry of the area.

Fire service sources said, the fire broke out in the coal section of Opsonin Chemical Industry around 2am.

On information, five firefighting unit rushed to the spot and doused the flame after three hours of frantic efforts.

Later, they recovered the body of the worker from the spot. The worker died of smoke inhalation, said Ahsan, a fireman of the fire service unit.

“Medicine and other furniture were burned in the incident. No one else was injured as they managed to get out the scene,” Saidur Rahman, an officer of Opsonin Pharma Limited, said.

Kotwali Model police Officer-inCharge Shakhawat Hossain confirmed the incident. l

DT

10 WORLD

TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 2015

Republicans: Obama more imminent threat than Putin n Reuters

A third of Republicans believe President Barack Obama poses an imminent threat to the United States, outranking concerns about Russian President Vladimir Putin and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

A Reuters/Ipsos online poll this month asked 2,809 Americans to rate how much of a threat a list of countries, organisations and individuals posed to the United States on a scale of 1 to 5, with one being no threat and 5 being an imminent threat.

The poll showed 34% of Republicans ranked Obama as an imminent threat, ahead of Putin (25%), who has been accused of aggression in the Ukraine, and Assad (23%).

Western governments have alleged that Assad used chlorine gas and barrel bombs on his own citizens.

Given the level of polarisation in American politics the results are not that surprising, said Barry Glassner, a sociologist and author of “The Culture of Fear: Why Americans are afraid of the wrong things.”

“There tends to be a lot of demonising of the person who is in the office,” Glass-

US President Barack Obama ner said, adding that “fear mongering” by the Republican and Democratic parties would be a mainstay of the US 2016 presidential campaign.

“The TV media here, and American poli-

AFP

tics, very much trade on fears,” he said.

The Ipsos survey, done between March 16 and March 24, included 1,083 Democrats and 1,059 Republicans.

Twenty-seven percent of Republicans

Israeli ex-PM Olmert guilty of corruption n AP, Jerusalem

Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was convicted yesterday of unlawfully accepting money from a US supporter in a retrial on corruption charges, the latest chapter in the downfall of a man who only years earlier hoped to lead the country to a historic peace agreement with the Palestinians.

The conviction could land Olmert five years in prison, in addition to a six-year prison sentence he received last year in a separate bribery conviction, all but ensuring the former premier will not return to politics for many years to come.

“His behavior constitutes a breach of trust which harms the public, harms morality, and harms the public’s trust, in how he behaved corruptly,” prosecutor Uri Korev said follow-

Nigeria election results due to start trickling in

n Reuters The election pits President Goodluck Jonathan against former military ruler Muhammadu Buhari for the favour of an electorate divided along a complex mix of ethnic, regional and in some cases religious lines in Africa’s most populous nation. Even before preliminary tallies were recorded, the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) rejected the outcome in Rivers state, headquarters of Africa’s biggest oil industry, and denounced the vote there as “a sham and a charade.”

The INEC election commission said the first results collated from 120,000 polling stations nationwide should be available on Sunday evening although this failed to materialise.

Turnout among the 56.7 million registered voters appears to have been high. The tension in Rivers state raises the prospect of a disputed national outcome and a repeat of the violence that erupted after the last election in 2011. l

ing the verdict.

Olmert’s lawyers said they would likely appeal the ruling by the Jerusalem District Court. A sentencing hearing is slated to take place in May. Olmert has claimed he was on the brink of a historic agreement with the Palestinians when he was forced to resign in early 2009 amid corruption allegations. His departure cleared the way for hard-liner Benjamin Netanyahu’s election, and subsequent peace efforts have not succeeded.

Olmert, 69, was acquitted in 2012 of a series of charges that included accepting cashstuffed envelopes from US businessman Morris Talansky when Olmert was mayor of Jerusalem and a Cabinet minister. Olmert was found to have received about $600,000 from Talansky during his term as mayor, and

additional amounts in cash during his term as a Cabinet minister, but a court did not find evidence the money had been used for unlawful personal reasons or illegal campaign financing.

Talansky, an Orthodox Jew from New York’s Long Island, had testified the money was spent on expensive cigars, first-class travel and luxury hotels, while insisting he received nothing in return.

On Monday, a panel of judges at the Jerusalem District Court ruled that Olmert had accepted $153,950 from Talansky when he was a Cabinet minister, with the money kept hidden in a safe by an Olmert aide.

Olmert’s lawyer, Eyal Rozovsky, said Olmert’s legal team was “of course very disappointed” by the ruling and will likely appeal.

The conviction stoked anger in Israel. l

Assad: IS has expanded since start of US air strikes n Reuters Asked how much benefit he was getting from the strikes in Syria that began last September, Assad told CBS’ “60 Minutes: “Sometimes you could have local benefit but in general if you want to talk in terms of ISIS, actually ISIS has expanded since the beginning of the strikes.”

Assad, who has been fighting Islamist and other rebels since 2011, said in the interview aired on Sunday there were some estimates that Islamic State was attracting 1,000 recruits a month in Syria.

“And Iraq - they are expanding in - in Libya and - many other - al Qaeda affiliate organisations have announced their allegiance to ISIS. So that’s the situation,” Assad said, using another acronym for the militant group.

Washington is seeking a negotiated settlement to Syria’s civil war that excludes Assad, but has made clear its top priority in Syria is the fight against Islamic State militants.

Assad, who has been fighting Islamist and other rebels since 2011 Asked under what circumstances he would leave power, Assad said: “When I don’t have the public support. When I don’t represent the Syrian interests, and values.”

In reply to a question about how he determined what support he had among Syrians, he said: “I don’t determine. I sense. I feel. I’m in contact with them.” l

saw the Democratic Party as an imminent threat to the United States, and 22% of Democrats deemed Republicans to be an imminent threat.

People who were polled were most concerned about threats related to potential terror attacks. Islamic State militants were rated an imminent threat by 58% of respondents, and al Qaeda by 43%. North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un was viewed as a threat by 34%, and Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei by 27%.

Cyber attacks were viewed as an imminent threat by 39%, and drug trafficking was seen as an imminent threat by a third of the respondents.

Democrats were more concerned about climate change than Republicans, with 33% of Democrats rating global warming an imminent threat. Among Republicans, 27% said climate change was not a threat at all.

The data was weighted to reflect the US population and has a credibility interval, a measure of accuracy, of plus or minus 2.1 percentage points for all adults (3.4 points for Democrats and 3.4 points for Republicans.) l

Britain polls kicks off with parties neck and neck

n AFP British Prime Minister David Cameron will yesterday ask Queen Elizabeth II to dissolve parliament, kicking off formal campaigning for one of the most unpredictable elections in decades.

Both Conservative leader Cameron and opposition Labour leader Ed Miliband have already set out their battle lines for May 7, focusing respectively on the economy and the state-run National Health Service (NHS).

Campaign buses will criss-cross the country and candidates with colourful rosettes from their respective parties will go door-todoor in an election in which every last ballot could be key.

The two main parties concede there is still everything to play for, and much is at stake – not least because Cameron has promised a referendum on Britain’s membership of the European Union if he is elected for a second term.

The Conservatives and Labour have been neck and neck in opinion polls for months, and two new surveys published Sunday indicate the race remains incredibly tight.

A ComRes poll for ITV News and the Daily Mail put the Tories four points ahead on 36%, to Labour’s 32% – their biggest advantage since September 2010.

“While this is bound to be a volatile election with both Labour and the Conservatives running each other close, the longer term trends points towards the Conservatives beginning to dig in and strengthen their position,” commented Tom Mludzinski, head of political polling at ComRes. However, a YouGov poll for the Sunday Times gave the exact opposite result, putting Labour four points ahead on 36%. The surveys were conducted after the first major election event, a live televised question and answer session on Thursday, in which neither Cameron nor Miliband delivered a knock- out blow. l

DT

WORLD 11

TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 2015

Setbacks and progress as Iran, six powers meet to end nuclear impasse n Reuters The foreign ministers of Iran and six world powers met yesterday in a final push for a preliminary nuclear accord less than two days before their deadline as Tehran showed signs of backing away from previous compromise offers.

For days Iran, the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China have been seeking to break an impasse in negotiations aimed at stopping Tehran having the capacity to develop a nuclear bomb in exchange for an easing of international sanctions that are crippling its economy.

But officials at the talks in the Swiss city of Lausanne said attempts to reach a framework accord could yet fall apart.

A Western diplomat said there are three major sticking points that must be resolved if Iran and major powers are to secure a framework deal before a self-imposed end-March deadline and it is unclear whether those differences will be bridged.

The diplomat said the most difficult issues were related to the duration of any limits on Iranian enrichment and research and development activities after an initial 10 years, the lifting of UN sanctions and restoring them in case of non-compliance by Iran.

“It seems that we have an accord for the first 10 years, but with regard to the Iranians the question of what happens after is complicated,” the official said on condition of anonymity, adding: “I can’t say what the final result will be.”

Myanmar, rebels agree landmark draft peace deal

n AFP

Myanmar peace negotiators yesterday agreed the draft text of a historic nationwide ceasefire agreement, as the country edges closer to ending decades of conflict between ethnic minority groups and the government.

The tentative deal, which comes as heavy fighting between the military and rebel groups continues to ravage a northern border area, sets out the framework for a countrywide ceasefire – a key target of the government as the nation heads towards crucial elections later this year.

But the draft still needs approval from all of the 16 ethnic armed groups involved in the talks.

“This is the first step to signing a nationwide ceasefire agreement and to move to political dialogue,” said Naing Han Tha, who led the ethnic group negotiators, adding that the long-elusive deal would only be signed after a conference of the rebel groups.

No date was given for this.

But negotiators said they had managed to find mutually acceptable ground on most points, adding that some more difficult sections were excised from the agreement.

“Now we have an understanding,” said Hla Maung Swe, one of the senior government negotiators, at a press conference.

“There is nothing left to discuss. From our side, we are ready to sign,” he added. l

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius (right) sits with members of his delegation as meets Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (left) and members of his delegation during Iran nuclear talks yesterday AFP German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said there had been “some progress and some setbacks in the last hours.”

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov’s spokeswoman said he was returning to Moscow later yesterday though officials said he would return to Switzerland if there was something to announce.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said there

had been “considerable progress” and that Lavrov urged all sides to be ready to compromise.

In addition to US Secretary of State John Kerry, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, Steinmeier and Lavrov, British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius and China’s Wang Yi gathered at a 19th-century hotel overlooking Lake Geneva. l

Heavy fighting in Aden as Yemen’s Houthis make gains n Reuters Iran-allied Houthi militiamen pushed into the northeastern outskirts of the Yemeni port city of Aden yesterday amid heavy clashes with loyalists of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi apparently backed by Saudi-led air strikes.

Witnesses heard loud explosions and saw a thick column of black smoke and a jet flying overhead. Hadi’s supporters earlier said artillery and rocket fire hit the approaches to the city after the Houthis made a fresh advance from the east along an Arabian Sea coast road.

As the two sides fought over Hadi’s last bastion, humanitarian workers said an air strike in the northern Yemen district of Haradh killed 21 people at a refugee camp near to a military installation.

It was not immediately possible to contact Saudi officials for comment.

Saudi Arabia, backed by regional Sunni Muslim allies, launched an air campaign to support Hadi after he withdrew last month from the capital to Aden. He left Yemen on Thursday to attend an Arab summit and has not returned.

The fighting has brought civil war to the Arabian Peninsula’s poorest country, which

was already sliding into chaos with a growing secessionist movement in the south and a covert US drone campaign - now stalled against al Qaeda in the east.

The growing power of the Houthis, part of a Shi’ite minority that makes up about a third of the population, also means Yemen has become the latest stage for Saudi Arabia’s power struggle with Iran.

The two regional rivals support opposing sides in Syria’s grinding civil war and in neighboring Lebanon. Tehran also supports and arms Shi’ite militias in Iraq, although it denies Riyadh’s accusations that it supports Yemen’s Houthis militarily.

In the capital Sanaa, controlled by the Houthis, jets struck around the presidential palace next to the diplomatic quarter early yesterday, as well as a weapons depot in the Nugum mountain overlooking the capital.

“It was a night from hell,” a Yemeni diplomat said.

Residents in the city of Dhalea, north of Aden, said Houthi fighters backed by allied army units loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh shelled militia opponents with tanks and artillery yesterday. Five civilians were killed in heavy street fighting, they said. l

BJP claims to be world’s largest political party

n Agencies

Indian ruling party BJP has emerged as the largest political party in the world with a membership strength of 8.8 crores, surpassing the Communist Party of China which has 8.6 crore.

BJP claimed the membership of BJP has touched 8.8 crores as of Sunday night and it might surpass the 10-crore target set by party president Amit Shah.

Party president Amit Shah will announce the final figure at the national executive to be held in Bangalore on April 3-4.

News paper report said the ambitious membership drive was Shah’s idea. He views a base of active members as a device for consolidating BJP’s freshly-achieved pre-eminence.

Skeptics say the groundswell in membership is no reliable reflection of the party’s actual strength on the ground, and that while Prime Mimister Narendra Modi’s popularity and the party’s current influence may draw thousands into the fold, their loyalty will remain suspect and they might bolt when the going gets tough. l

Rescuers pull three bodies from landslides in flood-hit Indian Kashmir

n AFP

Rescuers yesterday pulled three bodies from landslides in Indian Kashmir and were searching for those still buried as hundreds fled their homes after flooding triggered by heavy rain.

Police and witnesses said landslides had buried 16 people in several houses in Chadoora, the worst hit area of the Himalayan region where hundreds were killed in devastating floods last September.

“We have extricated three bodies from under the landslide so far,” said regional police chief Javid Gillani.

“We have some more equipment in place and that will allow us to speed up looking for the rest,” Gillani told AFP. l

Saudi Arabia: Will destroy all Houthi missiles within days

n Agencies

Saudi Arabia said on Sunday that all ballistic missiles of Yemen’s Houthi rebels will be destroyed in the coming days, Xinhua reported citing Al Arabiya News.

Warplanes of the Saudi-led 10-state coalition raided Yemen’s capital Sanaa on Sunday, as the “Decisive Storm” military operation in Yemen against the Shia Houthi group entered the fourth day.

The Saudi-led coalition continued targeting Houthi missile arsenal, according to the spokesperson of the military operation in Yemen, Ahmed Al-Asiri.

“We are working around-the-clock to achieve the goals in the shortest time,” he said, stressing that the Saudi borders are secure and far from threats.

On Sunday, air raids targeted the missile arsenal, air defence forces, ammunition warehouses and supply routes of the Houthi militias near the Saudi Arabian border, Al-Asiri said. l

DT

12 EDITORIAL

TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 2015

Oyasiqur’s murder was preventable

T

he brutal hacking to death of blogger and writer Oyasiqur Rahman in Tejgaon on Monday morning cannot be treated as an isolated incident.

In its nature and apparent motivation, it has clear similarities with the murder of Shahbagh activist Rajeeb Haider two years ago and comes just weeks after the deadly attack on Avijit Roy. The government has to do more to live up to its duty to protect all citizens.

Authorities must not delay in fully investigating the background to Oyasiqur’s murder and identifying connections with other attacks.

In the last 10 years, over 15 academics and writers have been murdered in similar circumstances after personal death threats were made against them for their views on religion and related matters.

It is long overdue for the government to learn the lesson that it is not enough to act after murders have been carried out. More needs to be done to prevent such attacks by ensuring protection for people and groups who have been threatened and fully progressing cases against those who carry out violence.

The government needs to ensure full follow-up enquiries against any persons who issued threats against Oyasiqur.

It must also end impunity for people and groups who praise, threaten, or incite deadly violence by taking firm steps against anyone who issues death threats. Failure to do so is unacceptable as it only emboldens individuals who are minded to carry out such acts. The government must overcome past failings and act on its responsibility to protect citizens.

It is not enough to act after murders have been carried out. Act to end impunity for incitement and protect citizens

Rescue our emergency services

A

round 82% of all those injured in road accidents in Bangladesh succumb to their wounds due to a lack of rudimentary medical attention at the scene.

BUET surveys note that around 12,000 people die each year from the appallingly high rate of accidents on our country’s roads. The scale of personal tragedies is made even worse by the grossly inadequate state of ambulance services.

It is welcome to see grassroots initiatives such as CriticaLink, a new mobile app-run emergency response system, make innovative efforts to improve communication and training for ambulance services to bring more help to victims of accidents.

Efforts to improve the woefully poor and slow ambulance services on offer, many of which are just glorified passenger carriers with rudimentary, if any, medical equipment, are urgently needed. Private ambulances tend to fare somewhat better in quality and response time, but they are offset by high costs and tend to charge on delivery of the patient to the hospital door.

The obvious solution is for the government to ensure a proper nationwide network of emergency response teams which, ideally, can be summoned via a simple hotline from anywhere in the nation.

It is disgraceful that more political will has not been shown to develop an emergency ambulance service akin to police and fire services.

A small levy on insurance polices for the growing number of vehicles on our roads would help fund the resources and training needed to build a proper ambulance service. We must not delay. No victim of a road accident should be left to die.

Build a nationwide emergency ambulance service

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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In cricket as in life March 20

Osmania Very well said.

Jahan Shuvo What was wrong in the performance of our boys while we managed to keep India in huge pressure until 30 overs by 126 runs?

Two wrong decisions by the umpire helped India score 302. And finally, Mahmudullah’s wicket, another wrong decision made by the umpire, and these are more than enough to defeat any team. So, how can our boys be blamed and the umpires be provided a clean chit? Morale: People know cricket! sundar Jahan Shuvo: Then give the people the sole authority of umpiring and remain ensured that your team will never get defeated.

Bekub.

Anwaruddin Bangladesh lost because that bad omen Rubel went with the team. He is bad news and should have stayed back. A person with no principles should have no business playing for a national team. Kids look up to athletes -- what are they going to learn from Rubel? That go on dates, get intimate with girls, promise them the moon … and then dump them. He was like an evil presence there and therefore lady luck went to India to make them happy. That is my two cents.

Tigerfan Anwaruddin: They lost because bad omens like you support the team. Rubel got Bangladesh to the QF, what he does in his personal life is only his business.

Rabin Anwaruddin: If that was the case, India would never win. Almost of India’s cricketers have slept with some or the other Bollywood actresses.

DT India arrests hundreds over Bihar school cheating March 22

Aleha Lucy Wow India. -_-

Facebook, Twitter flooded with umpiring protest March 20

Between power and hallucination March 11

Karl Hungus Foregoing Mr Akbar’s association with the BJP, his analyses of the AAP and its cohorts have been consistently, impressively anal.

Foxymophandlemama Karl Hungus: He has been rather penetrative of every move the AAP has made in the last few months. I’m not complaining though, they make for excellent reading material.

Dreampie Foxymophandlemama: Something something … but secks.

susanta Wrong decision is a part of cricket/sports and this is not the first time something like this has happened! Even during the England match, two major decisions went in favour of Bangladesh.

Jinat This is not about “a” wrong decision. It was a set of wrong decisions which changed the match.

People who understand cricket also know that one is a mistake while many is by intention.

ICC defends BAN-IND match officials March 20

ASIF Of course. However, they would not have defended if India was in our place. A perfect example of a corrupt institution.

Senthil Let sports be sports, instead of making it a trade.

DT

OPINION 13

TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 2015

Building a resilient Bangladesh: Reflections n Khurshid Alam

T

he third World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction, hosted by the city Sendai where 15,000 people died from the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, was attended by 8,000 delegates including community members, 20 Heads of State, heads of the UN Agencies, parliamentarians, civil society groups, academia, and business leaders.

The UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon stressed how $6bn annual investments can help avoid $360bn in losses over the next 15 years. Japan pledged $4bn to support implementation of the Sendai Cooperation Initiative for Disaster Risk Reduction over the next four years.

The highlight of the conference was the agreement by 187 UN member states of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 that marks a significant milestone in making risk reduction a major development priority.

Adopted during the third World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in Sendai, Japan, the Sendai Framework follows the Hyogo Framework of Action, approved immediately after the Indian Ocean Tsunami in 2005.

The framework sets out global priorities, targets, principles, and means of implementation to achieve its outcome: A substantial reduction of disaster risk and losses in lives, livelihoods, and health and in the economic, physical, social, cultural, and environmental assets of people, businesses, communities and countries At the conference, Bangladesh shared its lessons on how it was able to continue to make progress in human development, food production, economic growth, and poverty reduction despite a threefold increase in disaster occurrence.

However, it cannot be denied that disaster still poses a significant and inseparable threat to the country’s progress. Roughly 14% of Bangladesh’s GDP is exposed to disasters annually, and with climate change and seismological hazards, disasters will most likely shape its development context in coming decades.

The country is capable of achieving speedier human development and the desired middle income country status when it makes disaster and climatic risk reduction a central pillar of its development efforts. The question remains -- how? Well, implementing the Sendai priorities in Bangladesh is a good start.

The Sendai framework puts disaster risk management as central to development agenda, with cross reference to SDG and upcoming a new climate change agreement also likely in 2015.

Bangladesh needs to set a priority to ensure that upcoming SDGs are risk informed in its formulation and implementation. The country has already incorporated disaster and climatic risk in the background papers of the five-year plan, which must now be formally integrated in the finalised plan as central and cross-sectoral elements. Implementation of the plan should be supported by investment in capacity building of all ministries and agencies at national and local government levels.

Building resilience is considered the highest priority within the Sendai Framework,

and is well suited to Bangladesh, where disaster risks are permanent features of development.

Our country’s progress in reducing disaster mortality is a result of both dedicated disaster management and development efforts, where people living in risk are able to utilise development opportunities for building their own resilience. Empowering people to continue to achieve resilience is a key priority, which should focus on addressing the underlying causes of vulnerabilities.

Bangladesh can learn a lot from Japan’s disaster management experience. Japan has integrated disaster management throughout all aspects of life. Communities, companies, schools, civil society organisations, the government at all levels, young people, the elderly, and many more all have a role to play in reducing risks and responding to disasters.

The key character of Japan’s disaster management is the investment in innovation, use of technology, and whole-of-society approach. Not all aspects can be applied in Bangladesh, but the country should make specific investment to utilise its dormant capacities within the private sector, academia, and through the leadership of women. We need sectoral champions to push the importance of preparedness and risk informed planning, in all sectors and across government.

Emphasis should also be placed on building resilience in the first place. Although disasters are inevitable, they offer the opportunity to strengthen communities and households’ adaptive capacity in the recovery process.

Post-disaster recovery has been a recurrent public expenditure, but recovery has been driven by practice, rather than intentional institutional arrangements. The government needs to ensure that all ministries have adequate capacity and financing mechanisms to support early recovery and reconstruction. In recovery, we should not only aim to make infrastructure better and resilient, but also society, by addressing historical inequalities.

Bangladesh needs to set its national targets and indicators, creating an excellent opportunity to engage the whole of society and government to determine the change they want to see.

It should look at the differential impacts of disaster on population groups, and particularly in areas where Bangladesh has yet to make strong progress, including women’s leadership, technological disasters and urban risk at a mega scale.

Bangladesh has made considerable progress in disaster risk reduction, but building resilience against growing disaster and climatic risk requires full efforts from the society as well as from the government.

The Sendai Framework provides another opportunity to strengthen our efforts and continue to create a Bangladesh that is safer from disasters. International cooperation has been the key driver for Bangladesh’s progress so far, and such support will assist the country in the implementation of the Sendai Framework. l Khurshid Alam is the Assistant Country Director at UNDP Bangladesh.

BIGSTOCK

Victims of silencing n Morten Koch Andersen

B

angla is a beautiful language. This language is the foundation of Bangladesh’s nationalism, independence, and democracy. Bangladeshis have been oppressed; they have fought and have even been killed to use their language. Language, and its use, is the backbone of the nation, state, and society. And Bangalis use it. Being a guest in this country, I have experienced the richness of the Bangladeshi people in their use of the language.

Bangladeshis -- give them the slightest opportunity for an interesting debate and the words are infinite, the conversation often lasting for hours. Debate and dialogue, also hostile, are integral parts of Bangladesh’s social culture -- adda as its most basic and maybe most important form. It is an everyday practice of a democratic culture that makes and shapes national identity.

However, this has paradoxically changed in the course of democratic rule and government. The silencing of voices and ideas has gradually seeped into the public arena. It is a gradual process that has taken place over the last 20 years, more or less intentional and knowing, centred around the Iconomic establishment of business and politics.

At the time of autocracy, voice and dissent were part and parcel of the political vocabulary. This somehow appears to have changed with the re-introduction of democracy.

Democracy and the growth of the market economy initiated a process that, over the course of time, has silenced voice and debate -- more or less intentionally.

Two factors are important in this development: Firstly, increasingly intensified political rivalry and confrontation, and secondly, the capitalisation of politics through the conflation of business and political interests.

Both are at play during the same time.

The way in which political discourse has developed over the years has simplified the political vocabulary, and to a certain extent, defined its use in the public domain. It is a discourse and vocabulary closely connected to the rivalry between the major political parties and their leaders.

This rivalry not only exists on and maintains a vocabulary of competition about who loves the country the most, but also circumscribes all forms of public and political discourse. As a shared discourse in the field of politics, it defines and determines how to see and understand the social world. As such, it defines the way we speak, and more importantly, the way we think and make the world around us intelligible.

It makes some voices heard and others not. Some words can be said and others are passed over. Some issues can be addressed

and others are ignored. Some are recognised as legitimate voices, others are not to be seen or heard.

This categorisation of right and wrong is even linked up to the parliamentary system where members win their seats in head-tohead races, and upon victory have to abide by the party-line -- it is illegal to dissent or diverge, effectively preventing debate in parliament and eradicating critique within the parties.

When the Iconomic establishment grew, as politics and business increasingly conflated after the fall of Ershad, a new rationality developed within party politics. Anywhere in the world, party politics works on a rationality of self-interest in the competition for leadership. The aim is to represent voters, ideologies, or greater interests, and exercise political decision-making power or influence through elections and parliament or other platforms.

In Bangladesh, the conflation of business and politics meant that a new rationality of interest promulgated in the political domain.

Increasing liberalisation and growth of the market meant that businesses became very influential in politics, initially through the economy but later via the public domain.

Businessmen not just entered party politics but also captured and expanded popular media to secure their interest.

This is not uncommon in the global scene, or even inherently bad. However, when it is combined with political power, it is problematic. It risks an increasing silencing of opinions and voices. Berlusconi is a well-known example.

Silencing works both unintentionally and intentionally, by which certain themes and topics become off-limits for critique and debate.

Some issues are outside the intelligible: The things we don’t know, we don’t see or hear.

So far, most people continue to find ways to be informed and discuss current issues through their social and occupational networks, but in the future, the effects of silencing, lack of information, and critical debate, might prevent you from keeping the Iconomic establishments accountable. Openness and trust are the indicators of robust democracies.

If open dialogue completely disappears, it affects not just current politics, but the very foundation of this society. With the absence of open dialogue, debate, and critique, the youth cannot attain or play the expected active and engaged roles in developing the future of Bangladesh. And it might become a challenge to nurture and advance the vibrant democratic culture of political participation.

If you are silenced, how can you sustain your national cultural identity and advance democratic thinking and practice? l Morten Koch Andersen is a post-doctoral researcher at Dignity: Danish Institute Against Torture.

DT

14 OPINION

TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 2015

BIGSTOCK

The circus is coming to town n Ikhtisad Ahmed

E

lections are coming. Democracy is alive. That is the message from the pulpit, to satiate a rabid lust for ballot boxes that the populace supposedly has, which sees its leaders kill them and rob them of their livelihoods without a care in the name of that loathsome word.

Its resuscitation, or, depending on who is asked, continuance, means the respectable act of murder that has been committed in Bangladesh since the beginning of the year can cease and desist.

The cause of such jubilation that is supposed to make the citizenry forget all about the past three months, is the month-long campaign that will culminate in the capital’s mayoral elections -- plural, since the government, in its infinite wisdom, saw it fit to divide the Dhaka City Corporation into two unequal entities over three years ago.

That, too, is forgotten, along with the lack of mayors for the duration, in all the mirth brought about by the practice of democracy, the fact beyond reproach, the unanswered questions dismissed with prejudice. Having the memory of a goldfish is the highest blessing afforded to the commoners.

The ungoverned outpost that has miraculously been growing and overflowing in its usual unplanned manner is to have a new sheriff to oversee the remarkable chaos.

Entering the hallowed gladiatorial ring are contestants drawn exclusively from the elite class, serving similar rhetoric promising change in line with the “good governance” and “accountability,” prescriptions of the

democracy that is so vehemently protected by installing despots the world over.

This is one battle that will not replicate the gruesome entertainment provided by slaves in the Colosseum nearly two millennia ago.

Nevertheless, the candidates must be commended for fortitude lacking in the scions of the two families who have never dared test their popularity by contesting elections.

Even in the capital, they are vastly outnumbered by the middle and lower classes who cannot be trusted with having a voice in a real democracy

When the crown of thorns is handed down by an institutional monarchy irremovably embedded in the psyche of the victims by vocations that is the population of Bangladesh, counting marks on pieces of paper is wholly unnecessary. The great leaders are friends of the environment.

There are already noises amidst the elite, amplified by the foghorns of social media, to preserve the sanctity of democracy -- one struggles to say that with a straight face -and the divinity of the city corporations by making the polls exclusive, all in the name of

free and fair elections.

The euphemisms of “taxpayers,” “legal citizens,” and “legitimate citizens” all mean the same thing: Discrimination against the poor. Those jumping on this bandwagon using their grandiose platforms are the same who celebrate the name Jose Mujica, one of the internet’s darlings.

What is good for a backward South American nation is not good enough for their precious Dhaka city. The poor, who clean their streets, serve their food, provide them with domestic services so that they can indulge in gluttony and debauchery, and make their clothes -- even those purchased abroad by the snobs amongst the elites, as the venerable Awami League candidate for Dhaka North will attest -- should not have a say in the future of the city in which they live.

One of the reasons put forward is that they cannot be trusted not to sell their votes. A cursory glance at the poisonous partisanship that is the refuge of the upper classes shows that prostitution is not limited solely to the poor.

Bigger cheques perhaps distinguish the rich as escorts from the prostitutes that are the poor. The elite class is comprised of flexible gymnasts, tying their fates to leaders they will ensure do not fail and simultaneously putting large sails up and going where the wind blows.

The elite and upper classes of Bangladesh, almost every member of which live in the citadel of Dhaka, mostly North, know that if they do not believe in the existence of poor people, they will cease to exist.

Therefore, they are oblivious to the fact

that, even in the capital that is their hunting ground, they are vastly outnumbered by the middle and lower classes who cannot be trusted with having a voice in a real democracy.

Gorging themselves on champagne and caviar without sparing these untouchables a second glance, they overlook another demographic reality of the capital city: The youth.

Students returning from higher education pursuits or migrating to Dhaka in pursuit of the same, migrant workers who have completed their tours of duty and returned, emaciated, outside body bags, and the poor lured by the bright lights of the big city to enter into indentured servitude, are young.

The gladiators, designer suits, and expensive common man’s clothes glistening on their well-fed bodies, will do well to reach out to these, the majority, and the reality of not only the distant lands outside the halo of Dhaka, but also within it.

The noblemen provided by the ruling party, the jesters hailing from the current joke of an opposition and anyone the former opposition puts forward need to toe irreparably tainted party-lines.

The independent candidates are free to represent and serve these people, and should prefer it over repeating meaningless political jargon. In a contest where even the losers will continue to amass wealth and influence within the safety of the cocoon of the elite class, it is the least they can do. Perhaps then an election held in Bangladesh could be worth celebrating. l Ikhtisad Ahmed is a writer and an erstwhile lawyer.

He can be contacted on Twitter via @Ikhtisad.

16

Japan factory output drops in February

17

Investment banks eye potential trading boost from ECB stimulus

19

Stocks back on back foot

20

DT

Business

15

TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 2015

PM against tax on Indian rice imports

Revenue Tk2,968cr short of first eight months target n Tribune Report

The National Board of Revenue building in the capital’s Segunbaghicha

TAHMIDUR RAHMAN

NBR: Political unrest may hamper achieving revenue target in FY15 n Asif Showkat Kallol National Board of Revenue said the ongoing political unrest has become a barrier towards achieving 24% revenue earning growth in the current fiscal year.

In an assessment report submitted to Finance Division, the NBR cited that the economic activities have been marred by the country-wide non-stop blockade along with hartals since the start of the second half of the fiscal year.

The unrest has already cast negative impact on the various fields in the economy.

In the first seven months of the fiscal year, the NBR has collected an aggregate tax revenue of Tk69,848 crore at a growth rate of 16.74%. It will now have to collect Tk79,152 crore in the remaining five months of the year.

But the NBR chairman said they were “trying hard” to overcome the barriers.

“We have taken strong efforts to achieve the targeted revenue earning growth. The officials are working hard to this end,” NBR chairman Nojibur Rahman told Dhaka Tribune.

The NBR fears that the government’s projected GDP growth of 7.3% might not be achieved because of the political turmoil.

Besides, the Annual Development Programme has been revised down to Tk75,000 crore from Tk80,314 crore, but the revised ADP implementation target could not be achieved due to the unrest, the report said.

Exports, remittance and private sector investment would also be significantly hampered if the unrest continued, it said.

The growth rate of NBR earning might not be achieved as most of the renowned banks saw their profits and investment decline in 2014 due to political unrest and a raise in default loans.

Revenue board earning from the export sector declined due to reduction in export tax rate from 0.8% to 0.3%, according to the NBR report.

Declining growth of mobile sector would cast a negative impact on the growth rate of NBR earning. The growth in mobile SIM card sales has also dropped to 6.1% at the end of January this year compared to the same pe-

riod in the previous year. The earlier sale growth of the mobile SIM card sales was 17.89% at the end of January 2014.

The growth rate of the country’s import declined to 5% at the end of February this year compared to February 2014 due to the prolonged blockade and hartal, the report said.

The government has set a total target of Tk1,49,720 crore reveune earning for the NBR in the current 2014-15 fiscal year. l

visit our website @

www.dhakatribune.com

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has witnessed a revenue shortfall of over Tk2,968 crore, with highest shortfall in Value Added Tax wing in the first eight months of the ongoing fiscal year 2014-15.

NBR officials said the board has been failing to achieve its revenue target mainly due to political turmoil that is affecting the economic growth of the country very negatively.

Exports to different countries have started to fall, small and medium enterprises are incurring losses, bank credit is falling, and sluggishness in investment in private sector is on the rise due to the ongoing political turmoil.

From July to March of the current fiscal, the tax authority has collected Tk79,978.72 crore against the target of Tk82,946 crore, according to the NBR official data released on Monday.

Among the three wings, value added tax and income tax wing have witnessed the shortfalls, however, the customs wing has surpassed its target. During the time frame, the VAT wing has witnessed Tk2,940 crore shortfall as it managed to collect Tk30,734 crore against the target of Tk33,675 crore.

The NBR officials said the VAT collection fell significantly short from the target mainly due to fall of domestic consumption of product and services.

Income tax collection also fell short by Tk1,063 crore in the period due to lower collection of corporate tax and tax at sources.

Taxmen managed to collectTk 25,466 crore in income tax including travel tax and other direct taxes in July-February period of the fiscal year against the collection target of Tk26,529 crore.

Meanwhile, the NBR was able to surpass the target of customs duties by Tk1,035 crore as the wing has managed Tk23,777 crore against the target of Tk22,742crore.

In the remaining four months of the fiscal, the taxmen will face a massive challenge as it will have to collect Tk69,742 crore or 46.58% of total target of Tk1,49,720 crore for the entire fiscal year to achieve its target. l

DT

16 BUSINESS

TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 2015

Japan factory output drops in February n AFP, Tokyo

Japanese factory output fell by a worse-than-expected 3.4% in February, data showed yesterday, adding to the gloom enveloping the world’s third largest economy as it struggles to overcome last year’s sales tax rise.

The latest month-on-month figures missed economists’ median forecast of a drop of less than two percent and reversed a 3.7% rise in January.

The data come days after separate figures showed inflation stalled last month with a key measure of prices flat for the first time in nearly two years - dealing another blow to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s bid to conquer deflation and revive the sluggish economy.

“Today’s figures confirm that the economy slowed in the first quarter of 2015,” Marcel Thieliant from Capital Economics said in a note after the industrial production data were published.

“We stick to our forecast that Japan’s GDP will be flat this year rather than expand by 1% as expected by the consensus.”

Commenting on the factory output data, Japan’s industry ministry left its tepid view unchanged.

“Industrial production shows signs of increase at a moderate pace,” it said in the February report.

Some economists pointed to the week-long Chinese New Year holiday as another factor that dampened demand for Japanese imports.

A survey of manufacturers’ output projections released with the data suggested their production would fall by 2% in March before picking up 3.6% in April.

But “these forecasts tend to overestimate the future level of output, so the actual results may be even weaker”, Thieliant said.

War on deflation

On Friday, government figures showed that inflation stalled in February, weighed by a plunge in oil rates and weak consumer spend-

Workers assemble a truck on production line of Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation (MFTBC) Kawasaki plant ing, after Japan limped out of a brief recession in the last quarter of 2014.

The dismal price figures come after Bank of Japan chief Haruhiko Kuroda acknowledged this month that dragging the country out of years of deflation was proving to be “very challenging”, and he warned that inflation may temporarily fall to zero.

While core inflation, excluding volatile fresh food prices, rose 2% in February, a

Oil prices down in Asian trade n AFP, Singapore Oil prices eased in Asia yesterday but analysts said losses were tempered by supply concerns in the crude-rich Middle East after Saudi-led warplanes struck rebel targets in Yemen.

US benchmark West Texas Intermediate for May delivery fell 72 cents to $48.15 and Brent crude for May eased 41 cents to $56.00 in afternoon trade.

“There is a big fear that the deteriorating conflict in Yemen could see a disruptional flow in the supply of oil in the gulf region,” Nicholas Teo, market analyst at CMC Markets in Singapore, told AFP. “At the moment the price of oil is falling, but there could be a reversal in trend if the situation persists,” Teo added.

Jets bombed Yemen’s main international airport and a renegade troop base in the capital Sanaa Sunday.

The raids came just hours after United Nations workers were evacuated following deadly fighting that has sent tensions soar-

ing between Iran, which backs the rebels, and other Middle East powers.

India and Pakistan also moved to airlift their citizens from the country.

Yemen is a small oil producer that sits along the Bab al-Mandab Strait, through which about 3.8 million barrels of oil per day are transported.

The country has been gripped by turmoil since the Shiite rebels launched a power takeover in Sanaa in February.

Singapore-based Phillip Futures said in a commentary that Yemen is “an international shipping chokepoint and thus, we are concerned over trade disruptions in the region”.

“Seeing as the rebels have yet to react to the airstrikes, the conflict could go either way,” it said.

It said the main focus for dealers this week will be the US non-farm payrolls data Friday, with dealers seeking clues on whether the US economy is healthy enough for the Federal Reserve to hike interest rates later in the year as scheduled. l

benchmark measure used by the BoJ that strips out the impact of an April sales tax rise came in flat from a year ago.

That reading was far short of the bank’s goal of sustained 2% inflation and marks the first month of zero growth since May 2013, just after Tokyo launched its high-profile bid to kickstart the economy and conquer deflation.

Inflation is a key gauge of Abe’s plan to end years of stagnant or falling prices that

REUTERS

have been blamed for holding back economic growth.

While deflation may sound good for Japanese consumers, it means people tend to put off buying because they do not expect prices to rise and hope they might even get goods cheaper down the line.

That, in turn, hurts producers and holds back their expansion and hiring plans, which is bad news for the wider economy. l

Denmark applies to join Chinabacked AIIB investment bank n Reuters, Beijing Denmark has applied to join the Beijing-led Asian Infrastructure Bank (AIIB), China’s Ministry of Finance said on Sunday, becoming the latest European power to join the institution despite misgivings of the United States.

The Ministry of Finance said that Denmark has written to China to “announce its intention to apply to be a founding member” of the AIIB. “China welcomes Denmark’s decision,” the ministry said in a statement on its website, adding that China will first seek the views of other members. If the decision is approved, Denmark will officially be a founding member of the AIIB on April 12, the ministry said.

Danish Minister of Trade and Development Mogens Jensen called China’s establishment of the AIIB “a significant and exciting development in the world order”.

“Since many Danish trade interests as well as development cooperation interests will be at stake in AIIB, there are many reasons to engage in and influence AIIB’s investment decisions from its beginning,” Jensen said in

a statement.

On Saturday, Russia, Australia and the Netherlands became the latest countries to say they plan to join the AIIB, adding clout to an institution seen as enhancing China’s regional and global influence.

China has set a March 31 deadline to become a founding member of the AIIB, which is seen as a significant setback to US efforts to extend its influence in the Asia Pacific region and to balance China’s growing financial clout and assertiveness.

The AIIB has been seen as a challenge to the World Bank and Asian Development Bank, institutions Washington helped found and over which it exerts considerable influence.

The United States has urged countries to think twice about joining the AIIB until it could show sufficient standards of governance and environmental and social safeguards.

But the United States’ European allies Britain, France, Germany and Italy announced this month they would join the bank, leading the Obama administration to reassess its stance. l

DT

BUSINESS 17

TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 2015

Cinderella’s new moral: Be rich or be a pumpkin

n Lynn Stuart Parramore

Once upon a time, during a brief egalitarian period in postwar America, people of different classes did not live in separate worlds. The promise of mobility and prosperity was alive throughout the land. In 1950, Walt Disney Productions was saved from bankruptcy with its smash hit “Cinderella,” which audiences cheered at a time when the future looked bright and it was still possible for the dream of marrying up to come true.

A new Disney film of “Cinderella” is a big box-office success today, but how different things look! Cinderella marriages are getting to be as rare as golden coaches. Economist Jeremy Greenwood has found that your chances of marrying outside your income bracket have been dropping since the 1950s because of something called assortative mating, which means that we are increasingly drawn to people in similar circumstances. Since the 1980s, inequality has grown and mobility has stalled.

Today, the rich forge their unions in exclusive social clubs, Ivy League colleges and gated communities. Unless you have a fortune or a fairy godmother, you’re probably out of luck.

Without that magic, the gates remain closed.

At first glance, Kenneth Branagh’s remake of the classic Disney film seems to offer a sunny romp through the magic kingdom. But a closer look reveals a troubling economic message.

Economists like Thomas Piketty have been warning that if we don’t do something to stop growing income inequality, we may end up back in a 19th-century world, where hard work won’t lift you up the economic ladder because the income you can expect from labor is no match for inherited wealth. This is the world of the new “Cinderella.”

More so than the original Disney film, Branagh’s version highlights what happens when people are forced to compete for illusive rewards in a harsh economy. Families turn on each other, chances to get ahead are few and you’d better hope for a magic wand.

Subtle changes to the story bring the point home. In the original animated version, the father is a gentleman, a widower who remarries and then promptly dies, leaving a jealous stepmother and her mean-girl daughters to torment his beloved only child. But in Branagh’s film, the father is a merchant, and his death deprives the family of his income - leaving them all in straitened circumstances. The stepmother’s first thought on hearing of her husband’s demise is entirely practical: How shall we survive economically? Her answer: Turn Cinderella into a servant and search for wealthy matches for her two daughters.

The marriage market illustrated in the movie reflects what economists like Robert H. Frank describe as a tournament, a “winner-take-all” game associated with economies where wealth is increasingly concentrated at the top. In these cutthroat markets, only a handful of people can win big, while the rest are left with little.

Cinderella and her stepsisters are locked in a down-and-dirty competition for scarce resources, and they understand how high the stakes are. Luckily for her, Cinderella possesses advantages that her sisters lack: She is beautiful and charming. l Lynn Stuart Parramore is a contributing editor at AlterNet and co-founder of Recessionwire.

The article was initially published at Reuters.

European Central Bank (ECB) President Mario Draghi

AFP

Investment banks eye potential trading boost from ECB stimulus n Reuters, London Investment banks feeling the pinch from increased regulation since the financial crisis could reap an earnings reward from a boost in trading activity under the European Central Bank’s (ECB) trillion-euro quantitative easing (QE) program.

The flood of money into markets from the ECB’s bond-buying has brought an increase in the volatility that traders crave as investors stake bets on the impact the scheme will have on inflation and long-term interest rates.

“QE is likely to underpin a sustained period of strength in euro capital markets,” Citigroup said in a research note on Friday. “There has been a sharp spike in rates and foreign exchange volatility, which also points to a strong quarter for wholesale banks’ macro revenues.”

Revenue from fixed income, currencies and commodities trading, the so-called FICC universe, have historically been a rich source of profit for banks, but new capital rules and moves towards electronic trading have squeezed the sector in recent years.

The 10 biggest investment banks’ revenue from FICC fell 7% in 2014, industry analytics firm Coalition calculates.

What’s more, the investment bank balance sheets that support trading markets have declined by 20% since 2010 and by 40% in riskweighted asset terms, Morgan Stanley analysts estimate. The analysts said that a further 1015% reduction is likely over the next two years.

The trading environment in Europe, however, could be about to take a turn for the better.

“ECB moving to QE could provide a real fillip to earnings,” Morgan Stanley analyst Huw van Steenis said. “Fixed income trading may buck the trend of five years of shrinkage.”

Anshu Jain, the co-chief executive of Deutsche Bank, one of continent’s largest trading banks, said in January that the ECB’s bond-buying program would be of “profound importance” for Europe and its banks.

“You may see a progression which hurts net interest margins but benefits sales and trading revenue,” Jain said on an earnings call with analysts.

Citigroup said that the best-placed banks would be those with significant euro-denominated franchises, including BNP Paribas, Deutsche Bank, HSBC and Societe Generale.

JPMorgan is the biggest bank by revenue in the FICC space.

Direct impact

while it’s too early to tell the exact impact of the QE program, which is expected to last until at least September 2016, the fees earned from the central bank’s buying alone could be significant.

Economists at the US Federal Reserve estimate that Wall Street firms could have made as much as $653 million in fees selling bonds to the Fed during its monetary stimulus program.

When the ECB launched its LTRO (longer-

term refinancing operations) scheme in late 2011, revenues in the rates business of global investment banks improved the following year, increasing to $29bn in 2012 from $27.4bn the previous year, data from Coalition shows.

But traders and analysts question how much is really down to the first-order effects of ECB action or second-order effects such as volatility.

Price fluctuation has certainly picked up this year after months in the doldrums.

Banks benefit because such volatility allows them to charge higher margins on trades because of the greater risk around execution.

It also helps them sell hedging instruments to investors.

But QE also presents risks. One of the biggest fears for traders is that ECB buying and the reluctance of some investors to sell because of regulation or client obligations could reduce the amount of debt actively traded in the longer term.

Signs of that squeeze are already showing in the soaring cost of borrowing in secured lending markets.

“Volatility and volumes are good for traders. Volatility but no volumes ... are awful for traders,” one euro zone government bond trader said on condition of anonymity.

A survey of dealers this month showed concern that the Japanese government bond was not functioning well under lingering concerns that its QE program, launched in 2013, is reducing bond market liquidity. l

DT

18 BUSINESS

TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 2015

News, analysis and recent disclosures AFTABAUTO: (H/Y Un-audited): Consolidated Net Profit after Tax (excluding non-controlling interests) from (Sept14-Feb15) was Tk. 115.84 m. with consolidated EPS of Tk. 1.21 as against Tk. 141.17 m. and Tk. 1.47 respectively for the same period of the previous year. Whereas consolidated Net Profit after Tax (excluding non-controlling interests) from (Dec14-Feb15) was Tk. 48.11 m. with consolidated EPS of Tk. 0.50 as against Tk. 67.48 m. and Tk. 0.70 respectively for the same period of the previous year.

CNATEX: National Credit Ratings Limited (NCR) has announced the rating of the Company as A in the long term based on audited financial statements of the Company up to June 30, 2014.

DESHBANDHU: National Credit Ratings Limited (NCR) has announced the rating of the Company as A+ in the long term based on audited financial statements of the Company of June 30, 2014.

HRTEX: National Credit Ratings Limited (NCR) has announced the rating of the Company as A+ in the long term based on audited financial statements of the Company of September 30, 2014.

NHFIL: As per Regulation 30 of DSE Listing Regulations, the Company has informed that a meeting of the Board of Directors will be held on April 02, 2015 at 3:30 PM to consider, among others, audited financial statements of the Company for the year ended on December 31, 2014.

UNITEDINS: The Board of Directors has recommended 10% cash dividend for the year ended on December 31, 2014.

Date of AGM: 26.04.2015, Time: 10:00 AM, Venue: Dhaka Ladies Club, 36, Eskaton Garden Road, Dhaka-1000. Record date: 09.04.2015. The Company has also reported profit after tax including unrealized share of profit of associate (Tk. 66.83 million) of Tk. 116.64 million, EPS of Tk. 2.92, NAV per share of Tk. 25.76 and NOCFPS of Tk. (0.72) for the year ended on December 31, 2014.

EASTLAND: The Board of Directors has recommended 10% cash dividend and 10% stock dividend for the year ended on December 31, 2014. Date of AGM: 31.05.2015, Time: 3:30 PM, Venue: Spectra Convention Centre Limited, House 19, Road 7, Gulshan - 1, Dhaka-1212.

Record Date: 08.04.2015. The Company has also reported net profit after tax of Tk. 157.98 million, EPS of Tk. 2.92, NAV per share of Tk. 21.55 and NOCFPS of Tk. 1.51 for the year ended on December 31, 2014.

RUPALIINS: The Board of Directors has recommended 10% cash dividend and 5% stock dividend for the year ended on December 31, 2014.

Date of AGM: 27.04.2015, Time: 11:00 AM, Venue: Officers Club, 26 Baily Road, Ramna, Dhaka.

Record Date: 08.04.2015. The Company has also reported EPS of Tk. 1.88, NAV per share of Tk. 23.18 and NOCFPS of Tk. 1.39 for the year ended on December 31, 2014.

Turnover (Volume) Number of Contract

Company Pharma Aids A Reliance Insur -A Nitol Insurance -A Union Capital -A ACI Limited- A ACI Formulations-A Renwick Jajneswar-A Modern Dyeing -Z JMI Syringes MDL-A H.R. Textile -A

Closing (% Change) 7.71 7.63 7.48 4.61 4.33 4.13 4.08 4.08 3.85 3.35

CSE GAINER Company Popular Life Insu. -A SonarBangla Insu. -A Nitol Insurance -A Union Capital -A Emerald Oil Ind. -A Power Grid Co. -A Reckitt Benckiser -A Ifad Autos -N WesternMarine -N Eastland Insur -A

Closing (% Change) 26.39 8.11 6.32 6.08 4.59 3.61 3.39 3.36 2.86 2.79

DSE LOSER Company One Bank -A BD Fixed Income MF-A Dulamia CottonZ Social Islami. B-A Metro Spinning -A ICB AMCL3rd NRB MF-A First Security Bank-A Progressive Life-A Pioneer Insur -A Keya Cosmetics -A

Closing (% Change) -18.59 -10.00 -8.75 -7.48 -6.25 -4.88 -4.59 -4.21 -3.76 -3.70

CSE LOSER Company One Bank -A Prime Islami Life -A Dhaka Ins. Ltd.-A Takaful Islami Insu-A Central Insur -A Janata Insur -A Imam Button -Z Hwa Well Textiles-A Sonargaon Tex -Z 6th ICB M F-A

Closing (% Change) -18.06 -9.84 -9.76 -9.50 -8.95 -7.14 -6.42 -6.27 -6.00 -5.08

SECTORAL TURNOVER SUMMARY

DSE key features March-30, 2015 Turnover (Million Taka)

DSE GAINER

Sector

3,149.38 64,661,402 88,667

Traded Issues

307

Issue Gain (Avg. Price Basis)

82

Issue Loss (Avg. Price Basis)

218

Unchanged Issue (Avg. Price Basis)

7

Market Capital Equity (Billion. Tk.)

2,511.61

Market Capital Equity (Billion US$)

30.44

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 193.02 83.78 23.05 408.94 59.14 466.03 2.55 332.35 702.10 5.75 71.34 23.27 13.34 154.97 87.46 22.03 67.07 323.41 25.32 82.81 1.67

% change 6.13 2.66 0.73 12.98 1.88 14.80 0.08 10.55 22.29 0.18 2.27 0.74 0.42 4.92 2.78 0.70 2.13 10.27 0.80 2.63 0.05

Million Taka 20.17 5.57 1.20 65.30 3.51 28.28 47.08 35.22 0.64 3.69 0.95 0.65 13.88 5.82 0.60 0.71 22.64 3.59 16.11 0.06

Average (% Change) 1.68 8.04 5.08 4.54 0.28 (1.40) 0.65 4.35 (1.36) 1.27

Average (% Change) 26.39 7.10 6.37 7.03 4.19 1.63 2.31 3.31 1.78 2.31

Average (% Change) -17.77 -10.00 -8.75 -4.42 -1.78 -2.44 -3.12 -3.66 -2.21 -0.97

Average (% Change) -17.07 -9.85 -9.76 -9.54 -8.95 -6.50 -6.97 -5.16 -6.00 -5.08

CSE

ClosingAvg. 295.23 42.44 26.48 15.88 523.83 156.06 264.00 79.00 190.24 21.61

ClosingAvg. 171.00 15.83 26.87 15.84 38.56 33.71 1563.69 63.96 42.81 25.68

ClosingAvg. 12.82 5.40 7.30 14.04 10.48 3.99 10.56 75.00 38.96 18.45

ClosingAvg.

% change 7.32 2.02 0.44 23.69 1.27 10.26 0.00 17.08 12.78 0.23 1.34 0.34 0.23 5.04 2.11 0.22 0.26 8.21 1.30 5.85 0.02

12.87 55.90 18.50 20.00 17.30 13.09 10.14 28.69 9.40 56.00

Closing 301.70 42.30 27.30 15.90 534.40 158.90 267.90 79.00 194.00 21.60

Closing 171.00 16.00 26.90 15.70 38.70 34.40 1563.70 64.60 43.10 25.80

Closing

DHIGH 304.60 43.00 27.90 16.00 538.00 159.70 274.00 79.00 195.00 22.00

DHIGH 171.00 16.00 27.00 16.20 39.90 34.40 1599.00 65.00 43.40 25.80

DHIGH

12.70 5.40 7.30 13.60 10.50 3.90 10.40 75.00 38.40 18.20

Closing

280.30 41.70 25.00 15.10 506.70 150.50 255.50 79.00 183.00 20.50

DLOW 171.00 15.00 26.00 15.00 36.60 33.20 1560.00 62.70 41.70 25.30

DLOW

13.50 5.40 7.30 14.50 10.70 4.10 10.80 75.00 40.10 19.00

DHIGH

12.70 55.90 18.50 20.00 17.30 13.00 10.20 28.40 9.40 56.00

Million Taka 213.19 89.35 24.25 474.24 62.65 494.30 2.55 379.44 737.32 6.38 75.02 24.22 13.98 168.85 93.28 22.63 67.78 346.04 28.90 98.92 1.73

DLOW

12.60 5.40 7.30 13.40 10.30 3.90 10.40 75.00 38.10 18.10

DLOW

13.10 55.90 18.50 20.00 17.30 13.30 10.20 29.00 9.40 56.00

Total

12.70 55.90 18.50 20.00 17.30 13.00 10.10 28.20 9.40 56.00

% change 6.22 2.61 0.71 13.85 1.83 14.43 0.07 11.08 21.53 0.19 2.19 0.71 0.41 4.93 2.72 0.66 1.98 10.10 0.84 2.89 0.05

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

90.561 0.087 1.909 2.119 244.892 74.309 13.061 0.000 43.955 0.699

Turnover in Million

10.18 4.34 2.79 1.50 9.57 3.27 4.36 -0.50 4.48 1.36

Latest EPS

0.257 0.002 0.145 0.332 0.422 0.018 0.768 7.937 10.523 0.011

Turnover in Million

29.0 9.8 9.5 10.6 54.7 47.7 60.6 -ve 42.5 15.9

Latest PE

4.13 1.77 2.79 1.50 2.88 -1.66 42.33 1.92 1.76 2.92

Latest EPS

41.002 0.000 0.007 7.654 1.823 0.634 11.004 0.001 1.640 3.537

Turnover in Million

Latest PE

41.4 8.9 9.6 10.6 13.4 -ve 36.9 33.3 24.3 8.8

Latest PE

2.77 0.48 -4.02 2.74 0.44 0.46 1.58 2.30 4.83 2.02

Latest EPS

2.697 0.008 0.019 0.018 0.003 0.019 0.004 0.273 0.035 0.002

4.6 11.3 -ve 5.1 23.8 8.7 6.7 32.6 8.1 9.1

Latest PE

2.77 4.95 2.44 1.43 2.96 0.37 -1.48 2.66 -0.84 11.74

4.6 11.3 7.6 14.0 5.8 35.4 -ve 10.8 -ve 4.8

CSE key features March-30, 2015 Turnover (Million Taka) Turnover (Volume) Number of Contract

275.67 7,411,326 13,562

Traded Issues

241

Issue Gain (Avg. Price Basis)

59

Issue Loss (Avg. Price Basis)

178

Unchanged Issue (Avg. Price Basis)

4

Market Capital Equity (Billion. Tk.)

2,428.69

Market Capital Equity (Billion US$)

29.44

DT

BUSINESS 19

TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 2015

Stocks back on back foot n Tribune Report

DSE TURNOVER LEADERS Company Grameenphone-A ACI Limited- A Shasha Denims -N LafargeS Cement-Z Ifad Autos -N MJL BD Ltd.-A Pharma Aids A WesternMarine -N Square Pharma -A ACI Formulations-A

Shahjibazar Power-N Khulna Power-A BEXIMCO Ltd. -A Jamuna Oil -A Agni Systems -A

VolumeShares 811,129 467,505 4,081,200 1,170,705 1,976,748 898,670 306,748 1,806,060 286,521 476,171

354,169 1,039,596 1,638,767 251,458 1,493,380

CSE TURNOVER LEADERS Company GPH Ispat Ltd-A Shasha Denims -N Grameenphone-A BEXIMCO Ltd. -A LafargeS Cement-Z WesternMarine -N ACI Limited- A BD Submarine Cable-A MJL BD Ltd.-A Zaheen Spinning -N

ACI Formulations-A Ifad Autos -N JMI Syringes MDL-A Square Pharma -A Khulna Power-A

VolumeShares

710,965 655,690 38,172 371,401 99,873 245,787 19,948 75,265 70,777 380,353

52,010 124,089 25,207 17,891 74,077

Value in Million 285.42 244.89 163.64 134.52 126.36 114.36 90.56 77.42 74.37 74.31

67.22 63.94 53.18 52.70 46.56

Value in Million

29.16 26.15 13.46 12.01 11.50 10.52 10.48 9.18 9.00 8.76

8.16 7.94 4.85 4.65 4.55

% of TotalTurnover 9.06 7.78 5.20 4.27 4.01 3.63 2.88 2.46 2.36 2.36

2.13 2.03 1.69 1.67 1.48

% of TotalTurnover

10.58 9.49 4.88 4.36 4.17 3.82 3.80 3.33 3.27 3.18

2.96 2.88 1.76 1.69 1.65

ClosingP 352.80 534.40 41.10 114.50 64.50 127.80 301.70 43.20 258.70 158.90

190.70 61.10 32.20 208.10 31.10

ClosingP

Change % -0.84 4.33 2.75 -2.22 3.20 0.31 7.71 3.10 -1.37 4.13

0.37 -2.40 -2.13 -2.25 -0.32

Change %

41.50 40.80 353.30 32.10 115.20 43.10 535.70 121.00 127.80 23.30

159.70 64.60 193.70 260.20 60.90

-1.43 2.51 -1.04 -2.13 -1.87 2.86 4.67 -1.39 -0.16 -0.85

4.79 3.36 2.70 -0.84 -2.40

ClosingY 355.80 512.20 40.00 117.10 62.50 127.40 280.10 41.90 262.30 152.60

190.00 62.60 32.90 212.90 31.20

ClosingY

42.10 39.80 357.00 32.80 117.40 41.90 511.80 122.70 128.00 23.50

152.40 62.50 188.60 262.40 62.40

DHIGH 358.70 538.00 41.60 117.60 64.90 128.60 304.60 43.40 262.50 159.70

194.00 63.00 33.00 213.10 31.60

DLOW 348.00 506.70 39.00 113.40 62.60 126.00 280.30 41.80 258.10 150.50

186.00 60.60 32.10 206.90 30.80

DHIGH

DLOW

43.50 41.30 356.00 32.90 117.00 43.40 538.00 124.00 129.50 23.70

41.00 38.80 348.50 32.00 113.60 41.70 507.50 120.30 126.30 22.50

161.00 65.00 195.00 263.00 63.00

152.90 62.70 185.00 258.70 60.50

AvgPrice 351.88 523.83 40.10 114.91 63.92 127.26 295.23 42.87 259.56 156.06

189.80 61.51 32.45 209.57 31.18

4509.28185

(-) 1.07%

1717.48788

(-) 1.17%

13822.82340

(-) 0.88%

11422.93310

(-) 0.88%

8401.35360

(-) 0.80%

ANALYST

AvgPrice

41.02 39.89 352.56 32.33 115.19 42.81 525.40 121.93 127.22 23.04

156.98 63.96 192.45 260.05 61.39

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

Stocks were back in the red yesterday, as selling pressure had wiped off the previous session’s rally.

The markets started with a downbeat and sustained it throughout the trading hours, as worries about the political uncertainty still dominated the investor sentiment.

The benchmark index DSEX fell 48 points or 1% to close at 4,509.

The Shariah Index DSES was down over 14 points or 1% to 1,096. The comprising blue chips DS30 lost 20 points or 1% to 1,717.

Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) Selective Categories Index, CSCX, shed 67 points to 8,401.

Trading at the Dhaka Stock Exchange remained relatively sluggish as turnover stood at Tk314 crore, which is almost 20% lower over the previous session.

All the sectors lost their value with engineering suffering the most tumbling 1.9%, followed by cement 1.8%, power and banks 1% each, non-banking financial stations 1.3% and telecommunication 0.9%.

Pharmaceuticals and food & allied edged lower.

IDLC Investments said mimicking last week’s trading pattern maiden session’s enthusiasm encountered selling spree at the very next day, losing substantial portion of the initial gain.

“As long as the political strife is not settled, the market’s instability might continue,” said a leading stock broker.

Some investors looked for opportunity to exit from the market, resulting massive sale pressure just a day after rally, he said.

Losers took a strong lead over the gainers as out of 306 issues traded, 76 advanced, 198 declined and 32 remained unchanged.

Grameenphone Ltd topped the liquidity chart with turnover worth Tk28.6 crore, followed by ACI Formulations, Shasha Denim, Lafarge Surma Cement and IFAD Autos.

Social Islami Bank was the biggest loser falling more than 7%. Other top losers were Standard Ceramic, One Bank Limited and BD Wielding.

The leading gainers included Pharmaid, Reliance Insurance, Nitol Insurance and Union Capital. l

▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼

Mimicking last week’s trading pattern maiden session’s enthusiasm encountered selling spree at the very next day, losing substantial portion of the initial gain

DT

20 BUSINESS

TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 2015

GP redesigns internet packages n Tribune Report

Bangladesh produced over 34m tonnes of rice in the last fiscal year against the total domestic demand of around 28m tonnes

DHAKA TRIBUNE

PM against tax on Indian rice imports Local rice traders say import decision has hurt farmers n Tribune Report Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has opposed a proposal for imposing additional tax on rice import from India.

Rather, she strongly argued: “The government wants to make sure that the country’s poor man get rice at a cheaper price even at a cost of revenue losses.”

She came up with her firm stance against the proposal raised by several cabinet members at the regular cabinet meeting held yesterday with Prime Minister in the chair.

Quoting the Prime Minister a source said: “The government would not bother its losses once the poor people get the Indian rice at a cheaper rate.”

At present, local importers purchase rice from India at Tk8 to Tk10 per kg, forcing the government to cut rice price under its OMS programme, according the cabinet meeting sources.

The government recently reduced rice price at Tk22 per kg from Tk26 per kg under OMS programme.

But, the Indian imported rice is selling at Tk29 per kg in the local market, according to

wholesaler Nizam Uddin at Badamtoli in Dhaka.

Defending the proposal of imposing extra tax of Indian rice, several cabinet members also, however, contended that the government might face losses in its open market sale (OMS) programme in selling rice to the poor people. They said it also might affect the local rice market.

According to sources, the cabinet meeting also discussed about the country’s existing rice import policy and the local market situation.

Another source said, Agriculture Minister Begum Matia Chowdhury asked to know about the procedures of importing rice from India to make it clear on how the importers import rice in relatively cheaper rate from India.

However, Food Minister Qamrul Islam opined that India sell rice at cheaper rate to Bangladesh in order to clear their rice stocks, said a source quoting the minister.

Earlier, rice millers strongly opposed the government’s decision to import rice from India last year.

“Many rice millers have started importing rice from India shutting down their own rice mills,” said KM Layek Ali, secretary general of Bangladesh Auto, Major and Husking Mill

Owners Association.

“They are importing the Indian rice, Swarna, almost every day because of its competitive price over other verities, giving traders a bulk amount of profit,’’ he said.

Urging the government to cancel the decision for importing rice from India immediately for the sake of protecting the country’s industry and ensuring fair price for the farmers, he said :“It virtually hurts the farmers as they fail to get their fair prices due to the fall in demand.”

Nizam Uddin, who is also general secretary of Badamtoli Chal Aratdar Malik Samity, said the government’s rice import decision from India is good for poor people but bad for farmers.

Bangladesh has produced around 34.449m tonnes of rice in the last fiscal year against the total demand of around 28m, up about 2.7% from around 33.833m tonnes produced in FY 2012-13, according to the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE).

Boro, Aus and Aman contribute to around 7%, 38% and 55% respectively to the total rice production in Bangladesh. The country is now world’s sixth largest producer of rice, which accounts for 77% of agricultural land use. l

CORPORATE NEWS

Mobile phone operator Grameenphone yesterday introduced a new set of internet packages breaking them into seven different offers.

On the occasion of launching the new packages, Grameenphone officials said the move was aimed to support the company’s effort to provide internet facility for all in Bangladesh.

Grameenphone’s internet package sizes range from 4MB small packs for entry level users to 20GB packs for heavy users.

The 4MB pack costing Tk2 has a validity of two days. A 75MB pack, priced at Tk30, has 7-day validity. The 1GB pack, designed for heavy users, will cost Tk275 with a validity of 28 days.

Among the other packages introduced was a 250MB pack, priced at Tk99, a 2GB pack for Tk350, a heavy browsing pack for Tk950, and a 20GB pack for Tk2,000.

While the 20GB pack has a validity of 30 days, the other three packages have a validity of 28 days.

In the press conference, GP Chief Marketing Officer Alan Bonke said: “These packages are designed to cater the needs of different segments of the society. They are affordable and they ensure an efficient use of Internet.

So our customers will be able to choose according to their needs.” l

New financial market forum to be formed n Tribune Report A new business platform in the country’s financial sector is going to be formed with the title “Bangladesh Financial Market Forum.”

Six organisations will initially constitute the forum, which will work to develop the country’s financial market.

The six organisations include DSE Brokers Association of Bangladesh, Association of Bankers Bangladesh, Bangladesh Insurance Association, Bangladesh Merchant Bankers Association, Bangladesh Leasing and Finance Companies Association and Association of Asset Management Company.

The decision to form the platform was taken at a discussion meeting on the present situation of the stock market, organised by the DSE Brokers Association of Bangladesh at the Dhaka Stock Exchange board room yesterday.

Representatives from six organisations attended the meeting chaired by Ahsanul Islam Titu, convener of DSE Brokers Association.

“We all agreed to form this forum which will primarily work for development of the stock market,” said Ahsanul Islam after the meeting. l

Rupali Bank gets new chairman n Tribune Report

Md Nurun Newaz Salim, chairperson of NCC Bank Ltd recently inaugurated the bank’s Baridhara branch at Gulshan North/East Avenue, Dhaka

Walton Hi-Tech Industries Limited has recently been awarded the Market Leadership Award in Malaysia by the Asian Confederation of Businesses.

The company executive director, Md Humayun Kabir and Firoj Alam, senior deputy director received the award on behalf of the Walton in Kuala Lumpur

Monzur Hossain, former senior secretary of Local Government Division, has been appointed as the chairman of Rupali Bank.

The Bank and Financial Institutions Division under the Ministry of Finance has issued a circular in this regard, asking the bank to take necessary measures with taking approval of Bangladesh Bank to appoint the chairman.

At present, Amalendu Mukherjee is serving the bank as an acting chairman. l

NEWS

DT

A cleaner design and enhanced equipment takes the Prado to new heights

T-JUNCTION

2014 Toyota Prado

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TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 2015

INSIDE The Westin Dhaka Celebrated “Earth Hour” to save energy Earth Hour is a worldwide movement organised by the World Wide Fund (WWF). The event is annually held encouraging individuals, communities, households and businesses to turn off their non-essential lights for one hour, as a symbol of their commitment to the planet.

On March 28, Westin Dhaka engaged the guests by creating an outstanding ambience through candles. During the “Earth Hour” guest’s comments were recorded. The Westin Hotel participated to cultivate curiosity among the guests to save energy and be a part of this global drive which is being celebrated worldwide.

22 tires

The bold attitude

24 gadgets

Which One is better?

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Wheels

tires

The bold attitude Toyota’s updated Prado is what Toyota as the brand, is all about; it’s solid, sensible, conservative and immensely capable

n Tahsin Momin The evergreen Land Cruiser Prado received a mild update in 2013 and ended up with a new interior and exterior design with a useful uplift in the handling department. It changed a little from the model it replaces; mostly just “a new attire.” It bears a new face, new taillights and some suspension fine-tuning.

While nothing changed underneath the hood for the sake of change alone.

Exterior The 2014 Prado is a far cry from its

predecessor; while the old version of the Prado was a rugged off-roader, the current version is more of a luxury, mid-range cruiser. Its soft and friendly front looks, the chunky headlamps extend a third of the way along the bonnet. There are a few subtle body mouldings around the front and rear wheel arches. The outline at the back makes the car stand out, but generally it looks rather bland. However, the optional chrome trimming around the accessories like the spare wheel makes it look more like an expensive designer handbag.

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Wheels

TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 2015

Interior Inside the car it’s the same story. You are surrounded by familiar switches that you would have seen on most Toyotas over the last decade. The design is simple, and the dashboard is sheathed in the usual plastic.

However, the fascia in the middle of the dash is very smartly laid out in wooden vinyl. But if truth be told, in black and grey it feels far better than it does in beige.

Performance The Prado comes with a 2.7-litre power plant, which produces 160HP paired up with a four speed automatic paired up with a low-range selector. The combination is quite capable of keeping up with modern traffic. The SUV is powerful and adequately comfortable for a daily driver, although its sheer size does make it hard to go about in the narrow streets of Dhaka. Sadly, the steering response is oddly disconnected, feeling out of sync with rollexacerbating suspension tune. But it’s that factor that makes the Prado a highly capable off-roader. Furthermore the constant allwheel drive system is complimented by the cockpit-lockable torsion centre differential, which features a two-speed transfer case and downhill assist control.

news

Service Carnival Spring 15 held at Independent University Independent University, Bangladesh has observed the very gorgeous Service Carnival for the second time in its history this March 22. This time the carnival housed nine stalls in total, each offering different services including nail art, fun photography, balloon shooting, board games, video games, sketch art, profile photography and even a nogordola was brought inside the university

premises. The dean of School of Business of IUB, Dr Sarwar U Ahmed, senior lecturer and also the coordinator of the event Abul Khair Jyote along with other faculties of the school paid a visit to all the stalls to encourage the participating students. This carnival, as the previous one, was a huge success which brought the whole university buzzing with excitement in the centre court. l

Safety The Prado has a wide array of safety features that includes a rear view camera, a forward looking wide-angle camera paired with a seven inch screen with the view of what’s ahead. There are seven airbags, traction control, and an emergency brake signal that automatically flashes the stop lights to warn other motorists.

Verdict The Prado is more of a smaller version of the Land Cruiser, and this can be seen in the price throughout the lower range models. But for a top of the line model, you could have a mid-range Land Cruiser, which is far better looking. But if you are serious about off-roading, the Land Cruiser is a far better bet. The Prado is more of a car that you would expect to see parked outside nail salons rather than bashing the dunes in the desert. l

Available at: Karib Auto Ltd 106/1, Kakrail, Dhaka -1000, Bangladesh

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Tech

apps

gadgets

Which One is better?

The M9 is a slightly better sequel

Check your schedule The new Google Calendar is pretty but does it function as good?

n Mahmood Hossain Google continues to redesign their native apps for mobile devices. They’ve given their Calendar app an artistic face-lift of sorts.

You could even go as far as to saying it’s the prettiest calendar app in the market for both Android and iOS. While the basic functions are expected from a task/productivity application, the new interface actually engages the user to be more active through its features. So don’t be distracted by its cosmetic makeover. The navigation should feel familiar to other leading calendar/ productivity apps.

Typing in events is easier than it has been before. Assists, which happens to be an auto complete tool, finishes your sentences for you. It makes your process faster by suggesting certain events that you would normally type in, like a doctor’s appointment or picking your kids up from football practice.

It is, in essence, a calendar that keeps your events up to date. Once you’ve entered an

event on a given date, it’ll ask you to add a location and certain guests that may be joining you in the event. It’s straight forward with no gimmicks. Giving the event a time, inviting guests, or even changing the label’s colours can all be customised to your liking.

Keep in mind, this app does not have a to-do feature like Wunderlist. That’s possibly the biggest negative aspect of this already good looking app. However, being a Google developed app, it naturally syncs with your Gmail. This means you will be e-mailed certain notifications, just in case you miss the signal from the app itself. But we always find ourselves back to its main attraction. The personalisation features is what keeps the customers coming back. Assigning unique illustrations to certain events make it easier for the user to recognise them better. It all plays down to pleasing the eyes as well as the mind.

Google Calendar, by all means, is not a perfect app. It’s reliable enough, simple and beautiful to view. Keeping in touch with your schedule just became a little more tolerable and easier to handle. It’s available across all platforms, and completely free to download so give it a try. l

news

Know the unknown and learn from the experts

In order to enhance the student learning experience and further develop their intellectual capacity in the milieu of marketing, a seminar was organised titled, “Know the unknown and learn from the experts” on March 29 at North South University. It was organised by The Marketing Club. jazz ensemble by Imran An experimental The aim of theorganised seminar was to make the Ahmed Quintet,

by EMK Center, audience how the and was held comprehend at the Midas Center onclient March 28. the advertising agency tries together co-create Imran Ahmed Quintet to combine aharmony, successful communication improvisation withcampaign. strong From the client side, the emphasis on rhythm andmarketing time signatures communication manager oflike Samsung to make their music sound what it

Bangladesh, and from the agency side, the account managers from Bitopi Advertising Agency and Cookie Jar Digital Agency will provided their insights to achieve the purpose of this seminar.

The speakers were well received and the sessions were insightful, is. They don’t labelimmensely their music under covering veryof integrated sector in the a specificakind genre. They mostly area of their marketing and communication. played originals.

The Quintet was The students Imran Ahmedresponded on guitars,enthusiastically Rahin Haider on and were given aApurba rare opportunity the saxophone, Mustafa ontothe hear, learn Mohaimin and experience from industry trombone, Karim on bass and specialists Towfiq Arifithemselves. n Turjo on drums. l

n Mahmood Hossain The newest version of the flagship from HTC, in all honesty, didn’t really “wow” anyone. In fact, there was a certain subtle disappointment. It’s understandable many tech savvy folks would look the other way, never giving a second thought to the new HTC One M9. However, one very significant fact remains in the M9 - it has the best build quality in the Android market. The 5-inch, 1080p display and its Boom Sound speakers compliment the nearly all-aluminum body.

Just like its predecessor, it’s gorgeous, fast, has great sound and a really sharp screen.

It was also expected that it took care of two big faults. The not so great camera and the slippery to the touch finishing.

Design The phone is beautiful, there’s no denying that. It really does give the iPhone a run for its money. The design has slightly improved with a better grip on the back side of the phone. The M9 also has sharper edges and is more comfortable in the hand. And believe it or not the matte finish is a tad shinier than earlier models. The power button has also been relocated next to the volume rocker, which is more convenient for the user. The speakers are in the same exact position as it was in the M8. If you’re wondering, the speakers are actually louder than before.

Apart from its gold framing and silver body, or any other two-tone paint job, there hasn’t been any significant changes to the design.

Features Under the hood, it possesses slightly different characters than the M8. This

phone is ridiculously fast. It’s packed with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 810 and 3GB of RAM, which is today’s standard. The battery is also a little larger than the older model.

You’d expect as much since apps and certain software require more fuel in the tank. The speed is given a huge boost by the new and improved Sense software from HTC. It goes wonderfully with Android 5.0 Lollipop, the marriage seems to have worked. Hopefully, the honeymoon period lasts until the next flagship is introduced. You won’t even have to result to searching for third party apps to customise your phone either. The M9 comes with an array of different themes for you to play with.

Now, what about the major difference in camera. Everyone has been desiring the HTC camera to be above the rest. The frontfacing camera has been given the UltraPixel treatment, while the rear camera has been offered 20-megapixels. As much as HTC fans and Android users would want the M9 to perform better in the camera department, you will be sorely disappointed. It’s when you want your kid to nail the talent show appearance after all those grueling hours of practice, only to be left wanting. There was a genuine hope that HTC would have made this big change to a better effect. The iPhone’s camera remains superior, which seems to be the industry standard for mobile phones.

It’s beautiful, yes. It performs magnificently.

It, well, still lacks a superb camera. But for you first timers, the HTC One M9 is still worth the buy. It still remains the best looking Android in the market and the performance should be to everyone’s liking. l

Antonio Trograncic has lived a schoolboy’s dream after the 15-yearold was invited to train with Bayern Munich’s senior squad by Pep Guardiola.

He ran out alongside Philipp Lahm, Rafinha and Dante in front of 200 spectators at Bayern’s training ground

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WILL KAMAL OPEN ‘PANDORA’S BOX’

27

KIWIS DOMINATE ICC WORLD CUP XI

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25

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DREAM!

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BD U23S TARGET CONSOLATION VICTORY

Aussies celebrate

n AFP, Melbourne

Australian opener David Warner celebrates with the fans in Melbourne yesterday during a public event to celebrate their 2015 ICC World Cup victory AFP

Australia lauded its World Cup winning team Monday for a “fairytale” victory on home soil over New Zealand, with praise heaped on retiring one-day captain Michael Clarke after a dream farewell.

Clarke hit 74 as Australia cruised home by seven wickets in a one-sided final in front of a record crowd of 93,013 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday.

The win, culminating a gruelling tournament, was front page news across the country with The Australian newspaper saying: “Pitch perfect Australia lives the dream to claim fifth World Cup.” “Done it without raising a sweat or anybody’s pulse,” the broadsheet’s cricket writer Peter Lalor said.

“Michael Clarke’s side made easy work of New Zealand at the MCG, much as they had with India in the semi-final and Pakistan in the quarter.”

Thousands of fans turned out to greet the hungover team in Melbourne’s Federation Square on Monday with the biggest cheers reserved for Clarke. “A little hungover. I think I speak for everybody in that sense,” he said when asked how he was feeling.

The Sydney Daily Telegraph focused its coverage on the outgoing Clarke, who announced his retirement from the one-day international format on the eve of the final.

“Pup’s fairytale farewell as Aussies crowned world champions,” it said on its front page, referring to Clarke by his nickname.

“Lifting the trophy provided Clarke the fairytale ending that seemed so unlikely in November, when his chronic hamstrings again betrayed him and the ambition of captaining a World Cup winning team appeared far-fetched,” it added.

The captain, wearing a black armband, dedicated the win to Phillip Hughes, the team-mate who died after being hit on the head by a bouncer last year. l

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Shakib gets NOC for IPL 8 n Minhaz Uddin Khan

Australian cricketer Glenn Maxwell obliges a visually handicapped fan, Christian Kouroumihalis, with a photograph in Melbourne yesterday during a public event to celebrate their 2015 ICC World Cup victory AFP

Will Kamal open ‘Pandora’s Box’ n Raihan Mahmood The snub of ICC president Mustafa Kamal in the cricket World Cup 2015 final prize distribution ceremony stirred the cricket arena across the world and whether the matter will be laid to rest or not will depend on the scheduled presser after his arrival at the capital at 12:30pm tomorrow.

British national daily newspaper The Guardian quoted Mustafa Kamal as he threatened to reveal the “Mischievous Things”. “After I go back home, I will let the whole world know what’s happening in ICC. I will let the whole world know about those guys who are doing these mischievous things,” The Guardian quoted Kamal.

The ICC chairman, Narayanaswami Srinivasan, presented the World Cup to Australia,

rather than Kamal who made it clear in interviews with the Bangladeshi media that he remains far from happy about the recent events.

He said he has been robbed off his constitutional rights. Kamal was drawing power from the amendment 3.3 of January 2015. The amendment approved in a full council was as follows – 3.3 (B): “With effect from the 2014 Conference Close Date, the President shall act solely as chairman at Conference and Special Meetings and be responsible for presenting trophies at global competitions and cricket events held under the aegis of the Council.

For the avoidance of doubt, with effect from the 2014 Conference Close Date, the President will no longer act as chairman of the Executive Board or as chairman of any Committee or Sub-Committee.”

Kamal also told Anandabazar, a renowned Kolkata newspaper, that he would not bow down. “You tell me if I had said anything illogical, I have some accountability to the people of my country, they will ask me about the happenings as I am the president, I have to say something somewhere, if ICC would have called me then I would have told them but they snubbed me,” Anandabazar quoted the Bangladeshi.

Reportedly, Kamal was “insulted” during an ICC meeting and questions were also raised over his ability as the ICC president.

Kamal, also Bangladesh’s minister for planning, made statements over the umpiring of Bangladesh-India quarterfinal questioning ICC as its CEO Dave Richardson immediately criticised Kamal’s act. l

MISSES

HITS AUSTRALIA Australia cemented their status as the world’s top-ranked team in one-day cricket by seeing off New Zealand in the final to clinch their fifth World Cup. It was also a perfect finish to his ODI career for skipper Michael Clarke, who made a fine 74, and movingly dedicated victory to his former team-mate Phillip Hughes who died last year.

AFGHANISTAN Cricket’s boys from nowhere gave Sri Lanka and Bangladesh a scare before losing by 275 runs to Australia, who racked up a World Cup record total of 417, and by nine

wickets to England.

But in between they clinched a thrilling one-wicket win over Scotland with tailender Shapoor Zadran hitting the winning runs be-

Bangladesh Cricket Board has issued all-rounder Shakib al Hasan the NOC (No Objection Certificate) to participate in the eighth season of the Indian Premier League starting in eight days, informed the cricket board’s cricket operations to Dhaka Tribune yesterday.

A key player for IPL champions Kolkata Knight Riders, Shakib, however, will not be able to play the entire season. The left-arm all-rounder has only been granted leave till April 11 and has been asked to join the national camp on April 12 for the home series against Pakistan which starts on April 19 and is likely to finish on May 12.

The two of the three games he will be available for KKR are against Mumbai Indians on April 8 at Eden Gardens and against Royal Challengers Bangalore on April 11 at the same venue. The other one is the last league match on May 16 against Rajasthan Royals at Mumbai’s Brabourne Stadium.

Shakib’s participation in the cash-rich Indian league means he will miss the Bangladesh Cricket League one-day tournament which was planned just a couple days ago by the BCB. The four-side tournament starting from April 5 has been organised to keep the national cricketers on their toes ahead of the three-match ODI series later in the month against visitors Pakistan.

However, Shakib’s team in the BCL – Prime Bank South Zone – understood the player’s situation and their official Saiful Islam said, “We wish to make him (Shakib) play for us but this tournament was planned suddenly.

Shakib had already planned his IPL schedule so technically we cannot ask him to stay.”

The BCL one-dayers will kick off on April 5 and end with the final on April 11. The day-night affairs and will be played across Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium and Fatullah’s Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium. l

fore sprinting off and collapsing to the Dunedin ground in a memorable celebration.

Team-mate Hamid Hassan became a cult hero with his red and green bandanna, Afghan flag face paint and cartwheel wicket-taking celebration.

BATSMEN Bigger bats and tighter fielding restrictions made the 2015 World Cup a batsman’s paradise. There were three 400-plus totals. Australia made 417 for six against Afghanistan while South Africa twice went through the barrier - 408 for five against the West Indies and 411 for four in their game with Ireland.

New Zealand opener Martin Guptill hit a World Cup record 237 not out against the West Indies, surpassing the previous World Cup best of 215, made by Chris Gayle against Zimbabwe at Canberra earlier in this tournament.

Gayle and Marlon Samuels also set a new partnership record for any ODI wicket of 371 in the win over Zimbabwe.

ENGLAND England exited in the first round having failed to beat any of the four Test nations in their pool. Their misery was completed in a loss to Bangladesh in Adelaide where they were bowled out for 260 chasing 275 to win. England have never won the World Cup despite being finalists in 1979, 1987 and 1992.

ICC The sport’s rulers were largely criticised for their plan to cut the number of teams taking part at the 2019 World Cup in England from 14 to 10.

They also came under fire for fining Wahab Riaz and Shane Watson after the pair went eye-to-eye in a compelling ball v bat

confrontation in Pakistan’s quarter-final with Australia, while merely giving their own president Mustafa Kamal a slap on the wrist for his claims that Bangladesh’s 109-run loss to India had been “pre-arranged”.

STARS GO OUT Dale Steyn and Virat Kohli should have been amongst the standout performers at the World Cup, but the reputations of two of the sport’s marquee fast bowlers and batsmen suffered over the six weeks. Steyn took just 11 wickets in eight games and saved his worst for last, carted for one for 76 in the semi-final loss to New Zealand and conceding the match-clinching six to Grant Elliott in the final over.

Kohli, the swashbuckling batting superstar of India with a Bollywood actress for a girlfriend, made 107 in the opener against Pakistan but failed to get beyond 46 in his seven other innings. He made just one off 13 balls in the semi-final loss to Australia.

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Kiwis dominate ICC World Cup XI n Reuters Five players from World Cup runners-up New Zealand and three from winners Australia were named in the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) team of the tournament on Monday.

New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum was joined by fellow Kiwis Martin Guptill, Corey Anderson, Daniel Vettori and Trent Boult following their team’s brilliant run to the final.

Australia, who crushed their neighbours by seven wickets in the showpiece match in Melbourne on Sunday, were represented by batsman Steven Smith, all-rounder Glenn Maxwell and pace bowler Mitchell Starc, who was named player of the tournament.

South Africans AB de Villiers and Morne Morkel and Sri Lanka batsman Kumar Sangakkara completed the side with Zimbabwe’s Brendan Taylor named as 12th man. l

TWITTER REACTIONS “Watching @stevesmith49 hit #CWC15 winning runs! Congrats @MClarke23 on brilliant ODI career & NZ on great tournament.”

- Tony Abbott, Prime Minister of Australia “Unfortunately not the result the country was hoping for, but the @BLACKCAPS have still made us all incredibly proud over the past six weeks.”

- John Key, Prime Minister of New Zealand “Congratulations @cricketworldcup Farewell Clarkey. What a way to go out!”

- Actor Hugh Jackman “Well played Australia you were the best team by far and your wins from the quarterfinals onwards were clinical and showed your superiority!”

- West Indies batting great Brian Lara “Congrats to my great mate @MClarke23 & the entire Australian team, just an outstanding result To all the Nz team, you won our hearts ! “ - Former Australia spinner Shane Warne “Australia, you #*+#*#+ beauty!!!”

- Former Australia stumper Adam Gilchrist “Congratulations to @mstarc56 on winning the player of the tournament for @cricketworldcup Sensational bowling mate very well deserved #CWC15” - Former Australia bowler Glenn McGrath “Congrats @MClarke23 & team Australia on winning the #WorldCup2015 #FullJoy #CWC15 #63NotOut #Champions-well done NZ! Great finish pups” - West Indies batsman Chris Gayle “Very fitting that Australia are crowned World Champions .... #63NotOut #riphughsey” - Former England captain Michael Vaughan “4 title wins in last 5 world cups is a testimony to the Australian cricket culture. Well done Australia!#ICCCricketWorldCup” - Former India player Sanjay Manjrekar “Congrats to Australia. Well deserved Champions.

NZ can be proud their campaign too. End of a fabulous WC that has enhanced ODIs reputation” - Former S Africa all-rounder Jacques Kallis “Congrats to the @CricketAus on an outstanding trnmnt.Terrific cricketers, worthy & brilliant cohosts as @BLACKCAPS surely u were brilliant.”

- Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi

Martin Guptill

547 runs at 68.37, two hundreds including a double-hundred, one fifty, strike rate 104.58

Glenn Maxwell

324 runs at 64.80, one 100, two 50s, strike rate 182.02; 6 wickets

Brendon McCullum (C)

Kumar Sangakkara

Steve Smith

Corey Anderson

AB de Villiers

328 runs at 36.44, four fifties, strike rate 188.50

541 runs at 108.20, four hundreds, strike rate 105.87, five catches, three stumpings

Daniel Vettori

Morne Morkel

Mitchell Starc

Trent Boult

Brendan Taylor

15 wickets at 20.46, economy rate of 4.04

17 wickets at 17.58, economy rate of 4.38

402 runs at 67, one hundred, four fifties, strike rate 91.57

22 wickets at 10.18, economy rate of 3.50

14 wickets at 16.71, economy rate of 6.47, 231 runs at 33, two fifties, strike rate 108.45

22 wickets at 16.86, economy rate of 4.36

482 runs at 96.40, one hundred, three fifties, strike rate 144.31

433 runs at 72.16, two centuries, one fifty, strike rate 106.91

Rubel, Riaz and double hundreds n Mazhar Uddin from Melbourne The recently concluded 2015 ICC World Cup threw up some eventful moments and action-packed battles. Co-hosts Australia held their nerve to seal their fifth world title to bring the curtains down on the 11th edition of the flagship event.

Here are the three most outstanding and memorable moments from my point of view.

before New Zealand opener Guptill made it his own.

The swashbuckling Guptill bludgeoned his way to 237 as the Kiwis posted a huge total of 393/6 against the West Indies in the quarter-finals in Wellington.

The 28-year old opener smote as many as 24 boundaries and 11 sixes during his 163-ball knock to pilot the Kiwis to a commanding 143run victory.

Double centuries from Chris Gayle and Martin Guptill

Rubel Hossain’s match-clinching 49th over against England

Dynamic West Indian opener Gayle etched his name in the record books by becoming the first ever cricketer to score a double hundred in the World Cup. Cricket lovers from all over the globe witnessed some extraordinary hitting as the hard-hitting left-hander blasted 215 runs off 147 deliveries against Zimbabwe in Canberra on February 24.

The 35-year old smashed 10 fours and 17 towering sixes, surpassing the previous highest individual World Cup score of 188 registered by South African opener Gary Kirsten against UAE in 1996.

Gayle’s record though stood for a few days

Bangladesh fast bowler Rubel bowled a thrilling spell in the penultimate over against England to seal a famous 15-run victory that sealed the Tigers’ berth in the quarter-finals.

Chasing a competitive 276 for victory, England were inching closer to their destination as Rubel came on to bowl the 49th over. England required 16 runs from 12 legitimate deliveries.

The 25-year old lad from Bagerhat held his composure, clean bowling Stuart Broad off the very first delivery. A couple of deliveries later, Rubel did the same with Jimmy Anderson to knock England out of the World Cup.

Wild celebrations ensued as the Tigers’ joy knew no bounds.

Pakistani fast bowler Wahab Riaz’s fiery spell against Australia in the quarter-final

Everyone will agree that Riaz’s brilliant spell against Australia’s Shane Watson is one of the most highlighted moments of the 2015 World Cup. The fearsome left-armer displayed the perfect aggression and bowled with sheer pace and bounce to stifle Watson on a number of occasions at the Adelaide Oval.

Introduced to the attack when Australia were cruising comfortably to their target of 214, Riaz brought life back to the game, removing both David Warner and skipper Michael Clarke in his first two overs.

However, the real show was yet to begin.

Watson arrived to the crease as Riaz charged in and banged in some frightening short-pitch deliveries. Riaz followed it up with some interesting verbal volleys.

He almost had Watson but Rahat Ali dropped a sitter at deep-fine leg. Watto had the final laugh as he guided the Aussies to victory, courtesy a half century, but Riaz’s spell will live long in the memories of the cricket fans all over the world. l

DT

28 Sport

TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 2015

Bangladesh target consolation victory n Shishir Hoque Bangladesh will be looking to forget the bitter memories of their twin defeats against Syria and Uzbekistan when they take on India today in their third and final AFC Under-23 Championship Group E Qualifier at Bangabandhu National Stadium today. The Qualifier will kick off at 6pm and Channel 9 will transmit the Qualifier live.

Both the subcontinent rivals have experienced the same situation in their opening two Qualifiers. While the home side went down to 4-0 and 5-0 defeats against Syria and Uzbekistan respectively, India suffered 2-0 and 4-0 losses against Uzbekistan and Syria respectively. Surprisingly, neither Bangladesh nor India have been able to score a goal.

Although both Bangladesh and India will harbour hopes of a consolation victory today, the visitors will be slight favourties due to their recent performances and physical strength. The Bangladesh footballers have not been playing regularly as the domestic league is yet to begin. Bangladesh have also played far too less international matches to their liking.

Bangladesh head coach Lodewijk de Kruif drummed home the point during the prematch press conference at the BFF House yesterday.

“I have 16 players out of 23 who didn’t play games in the league between two months and

one year and didn’t play 90 minutes during that time as well. That is the absolute distance and difference between Bangladesh and what is happening in other parts of Asia. The only thing that is important for my boys is to play in the high level and with experience, they can get better,” said the Dutch coach yesterday.

One factor which might work in favour of Bangladesh is the recent head-to-head record between the two teams. In their last two clashes, Bangladesh dominated India only to concede late goals in both the matches. As a result, both the matches ended in draws.

De Kruif said, like his players, he too would be looking for revenge today against their arch-rivals.

“We are ready because we have to. They (players) want to have revenge. We were unfortunate against India a few times in the last two years. We could have won two times but both games ended in draws as we conceded in the dying minutes all the time. There is something inside of us that will make it an important game,” added De Kruif.

Praising the home side, India coach Savio Medeira said they will also look to end their campaign with a win.

“Conceding a goal due to a mistake is not going to matter tomorrow (today) when the game kicks off. They (Bangladesh) will go all out, home match, home crowd. So, we have to be focused for a win.”

Meanwhile in the other Qualifier of the day at the same venue, high-flying Syria will take on a determined Uzbekistan at 3pm. l

Bangladesh head coach Lodewijk de Kruif (R) and Indian head coach Savio Medeira exchange greetings at the BFF House yesterday MAINOOR ISLAM MANIK

Savio Medeira

Both the teams are in the same situation and it will be another tough match. I feel, whoever will make lesser mistakes and take the opportunities will come out as winners.

No matter what oppositions they (Bangladesh) have played they gave everything they have. They are hard-working and work till the 90 minutes and that is what I have seen in Bangladesh team.

Lodewijk de Kruif It’s a totally different match because India are more to our level. Moreover, it’s a very important game because of the rivalry between the two countries.

They (Bangladesh) took two hammers on their head in the game against Syria and Uzbekistan.

But they can make it up all by winning the game.

It will be a hard game for them and they want to perform for themselves and get a good result

PCB security official reaches Dhaka n Minhaz Uddin Khan A security representative of the Pakistan Cricket Board reached Dhaka yesterday.

During his four-day stay in Bangladesh, the PCB security representative will inspect arrangements made by the Bangladesh Cricket Board for the bilateral series against Pakistan starting mid-April.

According to the BCB, the PCB security official will visit the Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium in Khulna tomorrow before inspecting the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur a day later.

Pakistan are scheduled to play three ODIs, one T20I and two Tests during their monthlong tour of the country. While the tour dates are yet to be confirmed, they are likely to ar-

rive on April 13. Bangladesh and Pakistan are expected to lock horns in three ODIs and a T20I at SBNS. The teams are then expected to travel to Khulna for the first Test and then return to Dhaka to play the second and final Test.

The Tigers have been unable to manage a win against Pakistan ever since their historic victory in the 1999 ICC World Cup. The south Asian giants, however, will ar-

rive without their most experienced players, Misbah-ul Haq and Shahid Afridi, who announced their retirements after the 2015 ICC World Cup. The Tigers, on the other hand, will head into the bilateral series against Pakistan on the back of an impressive display in the World Cup where they reached the quarter-final before losing to India in controversial circumstances. l

Doubts over BPFL kick-off n Raihan Mahmood

Uttara Bank Ltd, the development partner of Bangladesh Archery Federation, yesterday handed over a cheque of Tk7.5m to the federation for the development and other activities for the year 2015. The chief of general staff of Bangladesh Army and the president of BAF, Lt. Gen. Mohammed Moinul Islam (3L), received the cheque from the MD of Uttara Bank, Sheikh Abdul Aziz (3R), DMD Mohammed Fazlur Rahman, EGM Selim Nazrul Haque and general secretary of the federation, Kazi Rajivuddin Ahmed Chapal, were also present on the occasion

Uncertainty has surrounded the Bangladesh Premier Football League again as the participant clubs demanded a bigger package of appearance money from the Bangladesh Football Federation yesterday.

In a meeting of the Professional League Committee of the BFF, the participant clubs failed to reach a conclusion over the amount of the appearance money for this season.

In the last few years, BFF provided a purse of Tk1m to the clubs but this year the clubs raised their voice over increasing the money.

They demanded a purse of Tk2.5m for each of the 11 participant clubs. BFF did not rule out the demand yet but as they do not have spon-

sors, football’s governing body of the country is struggling to come up with any answers.

Sources in the BFF said it might try to increase the amount but at the moment they are undecided. The meeting was scheduled to finalise the kick-off date but was adjourned for an indefinite period. In the earlier meeting, it was decided that the tentative date of kickoff will be April 3.

The Bangladesh Premier Football League has already been marred by delays and usually the summit league of the country starts within three to five days after the curtain-raiser tournament – Federation Cup. This season’s Federation Cup concluded on March 5.

It will be the eighth edition of the Bangladesh Premier Football League. l

DT

Sport 29

TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 2015

Azhar Ali selected as new ODI captain n Agencies

(L-R) Stewart Downing, Lucas Leiva, Thierry Henry, Didier Drogba, John Terry, Steven Gerrard, Mario Balotelli and Kevin Nolan share a light moment during the testimonial match between Steven Gerrard XI and Jamie Carragher XI at Anfield yesterday REUTERS

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Shahryar Khan officially announced on Monday batsman Azhar Ali has been named Misbahul Haq’s successor as ODI captain.

“In view of his character, leadership and team spirit, the decision has been made to make Azhar new ODI captain,” he said, while addressing a press conference in Lahore on Monday afternoon.

The PCB chairman added he has made the decision after weighing both positive and negative aspects of making Azhar the captain.

Azhar has scored 452 runs in 14 outings at an average of 41.09 in the 50-over format and was tipped to be the new captain by outgoing skipper Misbahul Haq and head coach Waqar Younis. However, he has not played an ODI in more than two years.

While Misbahul Haq remains to be the captain in Test format of the game, wicket-keeper Sarfaraz Ahmed has been named vice-captain in ODIs and T20s.

Read: New ODI captain: Azhar Ali is the chosen one “Sarfaraz will be the vice-captain of Test and T20s as well,” he said. “He is full of spirit and has a fighting character.”

Explaining his decision the PCB chairman said it was made in light of our “culture”. l

Verdasco upsets Nadal as Serena, Murray win n AFP

Revenge on Spanish minds for Netherlands friendly

Dunga hails players for restoring Brazil’s pride n AFP

Fernando Verdasco upset second seed Rafael Nadal 6-4, 2-6, 6-3 Sunday in a third-round matchup of Spaniards to advance at the ATP and WTA Miami Open.

Nadal, a four-time Miami runner-up, leaves the Masters Series hardcourt event without a title again this year after his 11th appearance.

Verdasco, ranked 34th, defeated Nadal for the second time in a row after losing their first 13 meetings, although that most recent prior meeting came three years ago in Madrid.

Also advancing with victories Sunday were world number one Serena Williams and Britain’s Andy Murray.

Nadal saved a match point in the eighth game of the second set trailing 5-2, but Verdasco closed out the shocker a game later with a return winner. l

n AFP

Dunga says Brazil’s renaissance under his leadership has been sparked by the players’ burning desire to make amends for their country’s World Cup humilation.

Dunga’s side secured their eighth successive victory since last year’s World Cup as Roberto Firmino came off the bench to seal a 1-0 win over south American rivals Chile in a feisty friendly at Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium on Sunday.

“I’m happy with the players and with how they are dealing with everything after the World Cup. They are working very hard,” Dunga said. “They know the responsiblity they have when they play with the national team. They are determined to change what happened in the past. “At the moment they are still learning my methods, but as they play with each other more they will start to gel.” l

European champions Spain travel to face the Netherlands in a friendly on Tuesday with the pain from their 5-1 thrashing at the hands of the Dutch at last year’s World Cup still fresh in the memory.

The hammer blow delivered by Louis van Gaal’s men in Salvador last June was one from which Spain never recovered as their defence of the title they won with a 1-0 final victory over the Netherlands four years previously in South Africa ended after just two games.

Just over a year out from the European Championship in France there are plenty of questions over both sides’ form.

Spain sit only second in Group C of qualifying after limping to a 1-0 win over Ukraine on

Intra-EWU badminton ends n Tribune Desk

Ovi emerged as champion in the men’s singles Intra-East West University Badminton Championship beating Shanai in the final at the university premises yesterday. In the Faculty and Admin section, Gomez lifted the trophy while Omer Faruq finished runners-up.

Shantona and Tanjim paired up to beat Zoya and Mahin in the Girl’s Doubles final while Ovi and Anik defeated the team of Koushik and Ratul in the Men’s Doubles final.

Meanwhile, the combination of Ovi and Shantona proved too much for Anik and Shanta in the Mixed Doubles section. Ovi was named

the player of the tournament.

President of Bangladesh Badminton Federation (BBF) Rubaba Dowla, general secretary of BBF Jubaidur Rahman Rana and former shuttler Rasel Kabir Suman were present as special guest on the concluding day of the tournament organised by East West University Sports Club. l

Winners of respective sections in the Intra-EWU Badminton Championship pose for a group photograph after the tournament ended at the university premises yesterday COURTESY

Friday, while the Netherlands have plenty of work to do just to qualify having won just two of their opening five games in Group A. However, there are high hopes for Spain’s new generation of stars that have graduated from winning back-to-back European Championships at under-21 level.

Isco, Koke and goalscorer Alvaro Morata all started against Ukraine, while David de Gea is expected to get his chance ahead of Iker Casillas in goal in Amsterdam.

And Isco believes it is only a matter of time before the goals begin to fly in again for Spain after a relatively lean spell in front of goal since winning the third of three consecutive major tournaments at Euro 2012.

Despite their lean form in front of goal Del Bosque’s men will be confident of overpowering an under-strength Dutch side. l

DT

30 DOWNTIME

TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 2015

CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Tree (3) 3 Wise counsellor (6) 8 Summit (4) 9 Fuss (3) 10 Prized furs (6) 11 Annul (6) 14 Examines (5) 17 Wish for wrongfully (5) 20 Door fittings (6) 24 Dwellings (6) 26 Close friend (3) 27 Deep mud (4) 28 Raised platforms (6) 29 Large deer (3)

DOWN 1 Partly open (4) 2 Stringed instrument (4) 3 Table-shaped hill (4) 4 Praise (5) 5 Stories (5) 6 Lyric poem (3) 7 Flowers (5) 12 Self (3) 13 Female sheep (3) 15 Vast age (3) 16 Golf mound (3) 17 Applauds (5) 18 Stringed instrument (5) 19 Motif (5) 21 Egyptian goddess (4) 22 Merriment (4) 23 Show sullenness (4) 25 Sporting item (3)

CODE-CRACKER How to solve: Each number in our CODECRACKER grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. For example, today 21 represents F so fill F every time the figure 21 appears.

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

Some letters of the alphabet may not be used.

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

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

DT

SHOWTIME 31

TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 2015

April forecast n Showtime Desk Some shows, like The Walking Dead, have taken a bow in the season finale for the month of March. Now, we get ready to say goodbye to another, while welcoming in the new. We take a look at the most anticipated shows in the coming month.

March 30 Comedy Central Roast of Justin Bieber Just before the month ends, haters of all sorts and colours will be looking forward to this two hour special on roasting the controversial pop singer. Be prepared, things get really nasty.

April 2 Lip Sync Battle Legendary rapper, LL Cool J, hosts a celebrity showdown in singing along their favourite tunes. This is based on the popular segment introduced by Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show. Celebrities go head to head to see who’s lip syncing performance is the best.

April 5 Mad Men The show’s final seven episodes begins on

CELEBS ON SOCIAL

AMC. Loyal fans and TV enthusiasts are looking forward to seeing how this critically acclaimed show will end. Hats off to Don Draper and the crew, Madison Avenue will never be the same.

April 9 The Comedians Starring the legendary Billy Crystal, Josh Gad and Dana Delany, this is a show set behind the scenes of a late-night sketch comedy show. This is sure to push out plenty of laughs.

April 10 Marvel’s Daredevil Charlie Cox (Boardwalk Empire) stars as the blind lawyer Matt Murdock, who we all know serves as a superhero at night. The show also stars Rosario Dawson, Vincent D’Onofrio and Deborah Ann Woll in this Netflix exclusive.

April 12 Game of Thrones Need we say more? It’s the premiere of season 5 of the most successful show in HBO history. As the seasons go on, the production value gets better and bigger.

Dwayne Johnson @TheRock Just don’t make him angry.

RT: @YahooScreen: Yes! The return of #TheRockObama @ nbcsnl: http://yhoo. it/1F6vFns Brace yourselves folks, Westeros has more shocking surprises ahead.

April 26 Happyish Originally made for Philip Seymour Hoffman before his death, comedian Steve Coogan stars as a middle-aged advertising executive who’s life goes into disarray after working for a 25-year old boss. l

MATT BOMER @MATTBOMER So excited to join the incredible cast of @AHSFX- ready to tell some stories with @ladygaga.

See you at the front desk! #AHSHotel CONAN O’BRIEN @CONANOBRIEN Buzzfeed now has a seat in the White House press briefing room. I read about it in their list of 14 Sentences That Confuse Your Grandmother.

WHAT TO WATCH TELEVISION

Game of masala Hossain and n Mahmood Sabah Rahman Recent reports states that Sony Entertainment TV is developing an Indian version of Game of Thrones, called Rani Mahal. We’ll give you a second to breath, marinate on that bitter sauce.

Dramatize.com claims this Indian version circles around the political atmosphere of royal women in 1857.

Now, Game of Thrones is a provocative presentation of medieval fantasy, featuring risque intimate scenes, gratuitous nudity, and graphic violence.

Another burning question, will all the women in the show wake up with perfectly applied makeup in the morning?

Let’s not forget the tonnes of jewelery.

One thing is guaranteed, we’ll see plenty of scenes with the camera jerking in and out on every-single-face in the show for five minutes straight, accompanied by a melodramatic score. We can only assume so much, but we hope the popular actress Sakshi Tanwar (playing the equivalent of Daenerys Targaryen) won’t have to don a platinum wig. God forbid. Good luck though! l

Bengal Cinematheque is a quarterly series of private film screenings, presented by Bengal Foundation - a trust for the arts in Bangladesh. Bengal Cinematheque aims to present the films and ideas of cinema’s greatest auteurs, at the highest quality, to build a community of emerging film-makers, writers and programmers in Bangladesh. Arranged in quarterly cycles, each set of screenings will present selected works by two rare and unusual film-makers. The first cycle of this series will present features by Terrence Malick (USA) and Michelangelo Antonioni (Italy).

Our inaugural cycle of films asks where is the spirit now? Did it die with God? Or is it still in the trees, in the rivers, in the sky? Antonioni and Malick propose two different worlds: one in which the spirit is futile, absent, hollowed out; and another where it is pervasive, bounteous, and fertile.

We look forward to the pleasure of your company atL’Avventura (Antonioni) 4 April 2015, 6:30pm, Saturday (1960, 143 mins, black and white)

A party of the Italian upperclass sails to desolate volcanic islands. A woman mysteriously disappears. The friends search for a while, but grow tired. The woman’s boyfriend and her best friend continue the search, which becomes a pretext for a mournful relationship. The woman is forgotten, but traces of her haunt us.

Fahmi’s new venture

The Tree of Life (Malick) 5 April 2015, 6:30pm, Sunday (2011, 139 mins, colour)

n Showtime Desk

The death of his brother makes a man reminisce about his mid-western American childhood: the tensions and magic of family and discipline, the contradictory rhetoric of adults, the exploration and disappointments of youth. Life is contextualised in eternity and memory is reified on a beach. All is always forgiven.

Daily Star-Bengal Arts Precinct The Daily Star Centre 64-65 Kazi Nazrul Islam Avenue Karwan Bazaar, Dhaka 1215 Limited seating. Free entry. No entry after 6:30 p.m. l

Mosharraf Karim, Sonia Hossain and Mishu Sabbir spotted together while working on an upcoming single episode drama. Yet to be named, the drama has recently wrapped it’s shooting in the capital’s various locations.

Along with Mishu Sabbir, Mosharraf has rendered a good number of TV plays which stirred the television viewers multiple times previously. This time Iftekhar Ahmed Fahmi, writer and director of the drama, brings the actors together who possess distinct features of portraying any quirky character comfortably.

The ravishing Sonia joins them on board.

In the play, Mishu Sabbir played a role of Bangladeshi expatriate who comes home to be getting married. While Mishu courts Sonia to be his life partner, it seems she has something different in mind. In reality, she has feelings for Mosharraf. Unexpected and entertaining events started to follow from this point in the drama.

The drama air shortly on a chosen channel. l

DT

32 BACK PAGE

TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 2015

THE CIRCUS IS COMING TO TOWN PAGE 14

NBR: UNREST MAY HAMPER REVENUE TARGET PAGE 15

KIWIS DOMINATE ICC’S WORLD CUP XI PAGE 27

Corruption hindering aid to the poorest n Abu Bakar Siddique Corruption is making it difficult for government social safety net programmes to properly serve the poor or achieve their service targets, the chairman of a parliamentary committee yesterday said.

Dr Mozammel Hossain, chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on Social Welfare Ministry, said corrupt practices by Union Parishad authorities and other service providers were an obstacle to the programmes.

He was speaking at a meeting yesterday of members of various parliamentary standing committees, development practitioners and journalists, at the conference room of the Minister’s Hostel in the Parliament Building.

The discussion was jointly organised by Wave Foundation and the Governance Coalition.

Moreover, many programme beneficiar-

ies allege that government agencies prioritise those beneficiaries named by ruling party men.

Abdul Hai, member of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Planning Commission, admitted that this occurs but should be avoided.

In response to a question from the Dhaka Tribune on discrepancies between the amount of food the government is supposed to provide in Vulnerable Group Development (VGD) programmes and the amount actually given, Abdul Hai acknowledged that a problem existed and said this happens because monitoring systems are weak.

A lack of coordination among social safety net programmes is another problem, causing overlaps in the selection of beneficiaries, participants said.

With a total of 99 ongoing programmes administered by 21 ministries, considerable overlap in the selection of beneficiaries re-

mains a problem.

Kaniz Fatima, coordinator of the Food for All Campaign, suggested that the government form a separate ministry or platform to coordinate the programmes to avoid overlaps and bring more people under the safety net umbrella.

“This will help the government avoid overlaps of beneficiaries and make the programmes more successful,” Mohsin Ali, convenor of the Governance Coalition, said.

For the 2014-15 fiscal year, the government has allocated Tk25,371.35 crore for safety net programmes – around 11.5% of the total budget.

The schemes include food for work, vulnerable group feeding, vulnerable group development, test relief and open market operations aimed at improving the lives of the country’s poorest.

Some 15.7m out of 38.5m poor people in Bangladesh live in extreme poverty, accord-

ing to the General Economic Division of the Planning Ministry. That means 10.64% of the population lives in extreme poverty.

Organisers of the discussion meeting suggested that the government establish a database of beneficiaries to determine the actual number of poor people being served.

Mohsin said a database would help aid givers select those in real need. “It will also cut down on misuse,” he added.

Kaniz Fatima said the distribution of food ought to be replaced by the distribution of cash via bank accounts since beneficiaries, in most cases, say they seldom get the amount of food that they are officially earmarked to receive.

PKSF Chairman Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad told the Dhaka Tribune that distributing cash via bank accounts, while a good idea in general, would not be viable for the most marginalised segment of the population. l

1% surcharge on mobile phone usage on the cards n Shohel Mamun

A female student of DU Institute of Fine Arts paints a pottery for the upcoming Pahela Baishakh celebrations yesterday

MAINOOR ISLAM MANIK

A draft law approved by cabinet yesterday is seeking to charge mobile telephone users a 1% surcharge based on their phone bills.

The surcharge will come into effect with the passage of the Development Surcharge and Levy Act 2015, Cabinet Secretary Muhammad Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan told a press briefing. It is unlikely to become effective before the next budget, Labour and Employment Minister Mujibul Huque Chunnu said.

“The money will be used to develop the education and health sectors,” the cabinet secretary said.

Annually, the surcharge is expected to put Tk140 crore – roughly 0.3% of the education and health budget for the current fiscal year – into the government’s coffers, he said. l

Tottho Apa website misleading and potentially harmful n Udisa Islam

Outdated and faulty information plague the knowledge bank Tottho Apa, a government-run online project that offers easily accessible information on gender-related issues.

Inappropriate material, outdated statistics and misspelled words were overlooked by the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs and the Jatiyo Mohila Sangstha, the two authorities in charge of the Tottho Apa website.

The website’s knowledge bank section, which is offered only in Bangla, contains misogynistic suggestions that female victims are responsible for inciting male perpetrators.

For example, an article on eve teasing men-

tions the “vulgarity of ultra-modern girls” as a reason why women are harassed.

In 2011, a High Court ruling asked the government to treat eve teasing as a form of sexual harassment and include the offence in the law.

Salma Ali, executive director of Bangladesh Jatiya Mohila Ainjibi Samity, said: “It is very irresponsible to explain eve teasing like this.”

Geeti Ara Nasrin, a journalism professor at Dhaka University, also voiced her concern.

By mentioning “lack of enforcement of religious norms” as a reason for eve teasing, the Tottho Apa website ignores the fact that sexual harassment is also prevalent in many countries where religious doctrines were strictly enforced, she said. Geeti Ara said such

remarks also encouraged the establishment of the rule of religion in our country.

It even mentions textbooks as a source of materials inciting men to commit eve teasing.

Geeti Ara said such information amounted to an admission that government textbooks contained immoral lessons.

The website is riddled with outdated facts.

The latest statistical data regarding dowry is from 2003, while a 2010 issue of a newspaper is the latest information available under an article on domestic violence.

A number of women’s rights activists said they were sceptical about how useful such outdated information would be to the women seeking help from the Tottho Apa website.

There are also a myriad of spelling errors and discrepancies of information in different categories. An article on dowry extensively details the issue but does not mention the fact that providing or asking for dowry is a punishable offence. The website points out the negative effects of child marriage but fails to mention the punishment for such an offence.

The Tottho Apa website is available at http://info.totthoapa.gov.bd. l

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