12 April, 2015

SECOND EDITION

SUNDAY, APRIL 12, 2015

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Chaitra 29, 1421, Jamadius Sani 22, 1436

ANIS, SAKI PLACE MANIFESTOES PAGE 3

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Regd No DA 6238, Vol 3, No 2

DMP ASSURES OF NOT HARASSING BNP MEN PAGE 4

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

CANDIDATES FACING CASES TO BE NABBED

PAGE 32

Justice for village of widows Kamaruzzaman executed for 1971 atrocities, ending woes of hundreds of victims and their families

Execution enrages Jamaat supporters

n Mohammad Jamil Khan Condemned war criminal Muhammad Kamaruzzaman, a key organiser of infamous al-Badr force in Sherpur during the 1971 Liberation War, was executed at the Dhaka Central Jail last night after the completion of a fiveyear-long legal battle.

The Jamaat-e-Islami senior assistant secretary general was given capital punishment for the massacre at Sherpur’s Sohagpur village – widely now known as “Bidhoba Palli” or the village of widows – where at least 164 civilians had been killed and around 170 women raped on July 25, 1971.

He, however, did not seek mercy admitting the crimes before the execution.

Kamaruzzaman was hanged by the neck at 10:30pm, Inspector General of Prisons Brig Gen Syed Iftekhar Uddin confirmed to the Dhaka Tribune at 10:35pm. The official also dismissed the widespread information that the execution had taken place at 10:01pm.  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

n Tribune Report

One of these two ambulances carries Kamaruzzaman’s death body from the Dhaka Central Jail to his village home in Sherpur last night MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

Minutes after war criminal Muhammad Kamaruzzaman was hanged for his 1971 crimes last night, the Facebook page of Daily Naya Diganta posted a picture with a Bangla inscription that translates into English as “Bangladesh too is inviting danger.”

The Bangla inscription appears to be a cutting from a red banner headline of a newspaper. The post also carried the link to a post editorial written by one Dr Rezwan Siddique and published in the Daily Naya Diganta, a pro-Jamaat-e-Islami newspaper.

That post-editorial, which mostly discussed the prevailing political situation in the Middle East, abruptly says in the conclusion that Bangladesh has failed to maintain  PAGE 2 COLUMN 3

DT

2 NEWS

SUNDAY, APRIL 12, 2015

Afroza demands husband’s bail n Adil Sakhawat Awami League-backed mayoral candidate for Dhaka south Sayeed Khokon and Afroza Abbas, on behalf of her husband Mirza Abbas, campaigned yesterday in Dhupkhola and Segunbagicha areas.

Khokon, who got ilish as his election symbol, went to Dhupkhola around 10am and campaigned in front of the Awami League office of ward no 45 and also held a rally in Old Dhaka as part of the campaign.

He said the fact that Mirza Abbas was in hiding would not serve the BNP leader in the election. “I suggest that he go to the court and seek bail. Voters will never take his stay in hiding positively.”

On the other hand, during her campaign in Segunbagicha and Topkhana around 11am, Afroza told reporters that she was feeling the

absence of her husband.

She said conducting campaigns on behalf of a candidate was not the same as meeting voters physically to seek votes.

Mirza Abbas, who got mug symbol, could not campaign himself as he has been in hiding for the last couple of months to evade arrest.

He is facing 16 cases.

“Nevertheless, during campaigns since April 8, I have seen the huge acceptance my husband enjoys among the voters.

“To ensure a competitive election, Mirza Abbas, our councillor candidates and also the supporters should be granted bail. Voters expect to meet the candidate instead of meeting his representative.”

She alleged that the AL-backed candidates and supporters were continuously violating the electoral code of conduct, but the Election Commission took no action against them. l

Justice for village of widows Kamaruzzaman seemed normal when he was taken to the execution dock, said another official who witnessed the process adding that the convict was kept hanging from the noose for 17-19 minutes. The formalities were completed around 11:15pm.

Life-term convict Raju along with imprisoned hangmen Poltu and Sattar implemented the execution of Kamaruzzaman while Imam Monir Hossain performed the rituals.

Led by Deputy Jailer Akhirul Islam, two ambulances – one carrying the body, two vans with 26 police members and another with RAB personnel left the jail at 11:40pm for Sherpur where the war criminal would be buried. His family members were on the other ambulance.

District police units have been asked to escort the vehicles on the way to Sherpur.

After the vehicles left the premises, Senior Jail Super Farman Ali officially confirmed that the execution was carried out at 10:30pm in line with an executive order. “Kamaruzzaman did not seek presidential clemency,” he added.

Kamaruzzaman is set to buried at the orphanage he had set up at Bajidkhila village of Sherpur sadar as per the wish of the family.

The grave would be dug after the execution, district administration officials and Kamaruzzaman’s family members said last night.

Even though local freedom fighters earlier announced to prevent the burial of the war criminal in Sherpur, they softened stance upon request by the district administration.

In the afternoon, security measures were beefed up in and around the jail while vehicular movement on the roads leading to the jail sealed off since evening.

In the evening, Farman Ali, Deputy Inspector General (prisons) Golam Haider, DMP Deputy Commissioner Nazmul Alam, Dhaka Deputy Commissioner Tofazzal Hossain Mia, Jail Doctor Ahsan Habib and Dhaka Civil Surgeon Abdul Malek Mridha among others entered the jail.

Several hundred people mostly newsmen and justice seekers gathered outside the jail at that time. After the execution, jubilant activists also cheered at Shahbagh intersection, where a movement erupted in 2013 demanding death sentence for all war criminals.

Kamaruzzaman, 62, is the second war criminal to walk the gallows. His colleague and counterpart, another assistant secretary general of Jamaat, Abdul Quader Molla was executed on December 12, 2013 following the legal process. Molla had not sought clemency.

The Appellate Division had commuted the death penalty of another Jamaat leader Delawar Hossain Sayedee to life-term imprisonment. It is now holding hearings in two other appeals cases, filed by Jamaat leader Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujaheed and BNP leader Salauddin Quader Chowdhury.

Since Wednesday, war criminal Kamaruzzaman had taken three days to decide whether to seek presidential clemency. On that day, the Appellate Division order rejecting his review petition was communicated to him.

At noon yesterday, the Home Ministry issued an order to execute the death row convict as he finally refused to seek mercy.

Family members of the Jamaat leader met him at the jail around 4:30pm yesterday, for the last time. They earlier visited the convict on April 6, when the Appellate Division scrapped his review petition.

“The government is hanging my father in false cases. He was only 18-year old during the Liberation War,” Hasan Iqbal, eldest son of Kamaruzzaman, told reporters yesterday. “My father told us that Islamic movement for which he is being hanged will be successful in Bangladesh.”

Terming the execution a “planned killing,” Jamaat yesterday announced prayers for Kamaruzzaman today and countrywide hartal for tomorrow. The key ally of the 20-party alliance enforced shutdown on Tuesday and Wednesday in protest against the Appellate Division judgement.

The government has been working to amend the ICT Act of 9173 to bring the party, labelled as criminal organisation by the war tribunals for its role in 1971, under trial for its stance against the birth of Bangladesh by committing crimes against humanity.

According to sources seeking anonymity, Kamaruzzaman had requested the jail authorities to execute him on a Friday and asked that his body be buried without a funeral bath. But the authorities followed all the formal procedures of an execution.

Suspense over the execution rose high on Thursday when State Minister for Home Affairs Asaduzzaman Khan commented that the convict would not be given much time and that he be executed failing to give a decision on the mercy petition by that day.

Two magistrates went to the jail on Friday to know about his decision, but to no avail. In the evening, security measures were tightened around the jail giving rise to speculation that

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Execution enrages Jamaat neutrality and is therefore inviting danger.

A few minutes after the war criminal was hanged, the Facebook page of Masood Sayedee, son of convicted war criminal Delawar Hossain Sayedee, posted: “What is my relationship with Muhammad Kamaruzzaman?

Why am I crying my hearts out for him? Why do I love him?”

Pro-Jamaat Facebook group Vision2021 wrote several minutes after the hanging: “A man who is guilty will feel scared to face death. A criminal will seek forgiveness knowing fully well, that he will be hanged, A true believer won’t be scared to face death when he is aware he didn’t commit any crime...One day Bangladesh will feel ashamed for today....May Allah grant you Jannatul Ferdous.... you are in my prayers...©Stop Killing Muslims” Media Watch Bangladesh, a Facebook page that campaigns against the government, post-

KAMARUZZAMAN TRIAL July 29, 2010 January 15, 2012 April 16, 2012 June 4, 2012 July 2, 2012 March 24-31, 2013 April 1-15, 2013 May 9, 2013 June 6, 2013 November 3, 2014 February 18, 2015 February 19, 2015 March 5, 2015 April 5, 2015 April 6, 2015 April 8, 2015 April 11, 2015

Arrested Charges pressed Transferred to tribunal 2 Indicted Trial begins Prosecution arguments Defence arguments Verdict delivered Convict files appeal Appellate Division verdict Full text released Death warrant issued Review petition filed Hearing on petition Review petition dismissed Judges sign order Kamaruzzaman executed

the war criminal could be hanged in the night.

The jail code provision of giving the convict seven days to decide seeking mercy is not applicable for a war criminal, who are tried under a special law – International Crimes (Tribunals) Act of 1973.

Kamaruzzaman was arrested on July 29, 2010 on charge of hurting religious sentiment.

He was shown arrested in the war crimes case on October 2 the same year and the trial began on July 2, 2012.

The International Crimes Tribunal on May 9, 2013 awarded Kamaruzzaman death penalty on two out of five charges, including the Sohagpur massacre, proved against him. He was sentenced to life term for two charges and 10 years’ imprisonment in another.

The appeal case was disposed of by the Supreme Court’s Appellate Division on November 3 last year upholding death sentence in Sohagpur massacre while full text of the judgement released on February 18. The tribunal the following day issued death warrant for the war criminal.

ed: “This is not Kamaruzzaman’s hanging.

This is the hanging of the conscience of the 160 million people of Bangladesh.”

The Facebook page of Basherkella, known for instigating religious extremism against government and secular forces, posted a statement from Abdul Zabbar, president of Jamaat’s student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir.

Zabbar writes: “Those who can celebrate after killing someone standing on a heap of shameless lies may have forgotten that there is something called the court of Allah, and the real trial will be conducted in that court.”

Several pages with the same title “Martyr Kamaruzzaman” were created even before the execution. In a status update posted in one such group, Jamaat’s 20-party alliance partner BNP was blamed for forming an entate with the government and India. l

He filed the review petition on March 5.

The four-member Appellate Division bench heard arguments from both the defence and the state on April 5. The defence had prayed to the court to commute Kamaruzzaman’s death penalty to life-term imprisonment. The court delivered its judgement the following day.

After the judgement, New York-based Human Rights Watch and the UN Human Rights Council asked the government to halt the execution and ensure a fair review of the trial as, according to them, it did not meet acceptable standards. On the other hand, the European Union, which advocates for abolishing capital punishment, also asked the government to impose a moratorium on execution.

Execution is in effect in at least 52 countries of the world as well as in 32 states of the US. Earlier, the National Press Club authorities scrapped the membership of Kamaruzzaman, who had worked for the Daily Sangram, monthly Dhaka Digest and Jamaat’s weekly Sonar Bangla.

According to his family, Kamaruzzaman had got a bachelor of arts (pass course) degree from the Dhaka Ideal Collage in 1973. Three years later, he obtained post graduation in journalism from Dhaka University. As a student of DU, he started his career as the university correspondent of daily Sangram.

In 1971, Kamaruzzaman was a top leader of greater Mymensingh unit Islami Chhatra Sangha, then student wing of Jamaat. He was also the office secretary of East Pakistan unit Chhatra Sangha. He played the role of a key organiser in the formation of the infamous al-Badr force with the selected students belonging to Chhatra Sangha at Ashek Mahmud College.

In its verdict, the tribunal said the fierceness of the Sohagpur attack had been grotesque and revolting. Kamaruzzaman by his acts and conduct had participated in the perpetration of such horrendous attack.

Three rape victims, who also lost their husbands in the Sohagpur massacre, standing in the dock of the tribunal, narrated the trauma and demanded justice for the sexual assault and dishonour they suffered.

Much of the evidence brought in the tribunal consisted of the pro-Pakistan press reports of the day, such as from the Jamaat’s mouthpiece the Daily Sangram, with reporting focussed on the formation of the militias at the time. The Daily Pakistan newspaper named Kamaruzzaman as an al-Badr, said the tribunal judgement. l

DT

NEWS 3

SUNDAY, APRIL 12, 2015

Annisul Huq, ruling AL-backed DNCC mayoral contender, presents his election manifesto in front of the media at his election campaign office in Dhaka’s Khilkhet area yesterday MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

Zonayed Saki, the mayoral candidate for DNCC, unveils his 18-point election manifesto at a press briefing at the National Press Club yesterday SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

Annisul pledges green, livable Saki’s manifesto for change n and digital Dhaka Nure Alam Durjoy

n Abu Hayat Mahmud Awami League-backed mayoral candidate for Dhaka North City Corporation elections Annisul Huq has promised to make Dhaka a clean, green, healthy and digital city if is elected in the polls scheduled to be held on April 28.

While unveiling his manifesto for the upcoming DNCC polls, he also vowed to free the city corporation from corruption and politics.

Annisul, also a well known business entrepreneur in the country, announced a 11-page election manifesto through a power point presentation at his election campaign office at the Lotus Kamal Tower in the city yesterday.

Speaking on the occasion, he said: “We’ll make Dhaka a livable city by identifying its problems.”

“Our philosophy will be to turn the city into a humanely one for both the rich and poor people where respect for all citizens will be the top priority. The rights of people will be protected,” he added.

In the manifesto titled “Somoshya Chinhito, Ebar Shomadhan Jatra (Problems are identified; Now its Time to Begin the Journey for Solving Those)”, Annisul also expressed firm determination to install a modern traffic system in the city.

The sub-titles manifesto consisting of six key points include clean, green and environmentally friendly Dhaka; safe-healthy Dhaka; active and modern Dhaka; smart and digital Dhaka and participatory and good governance Dhaka.

Under the sub-titles, he promised to ensure the following civic services: installing wi-fi facilities in public transportation, developing mobile apps for utility services; improving drainage and sewerage system; enhancing waste management and recycling facilities; installing more public toilets, ensuring accommodations for low income people including slam dwellers.

The former FBCCI leader said he would take short term, long term and special steps for installing digital system in every sectors to reduce irregularities and corruption in the civic body.

Annisul Huq said he will try to maintain a proper coordination among different government agencies to provide quality services to the city dwellers.

Some 56 state-owned agencies are interlinked with the citizen services for the city dwellers.

The DNCC mayoral candidate said: “Corruption is always my enemy. I didn’t compromise with corruption in the past and wouldn’t do in the future.”

“If I get elected, all services of the city corporation will be corruption-free,” he said.

Promising that Nagar Bhaban will not turn into a party office, the ruling party-backed candidate said it will rather be run with the participation of all.

“I want to be a friend of city dwellers, not an administrator. I also want to use all of my professional experiences for the development of the city,” he said.

Awami League Joint General Secretary Jahangir Kabir Nanak, International Affairs Secretary Faruk Khan, Beximco Group Vice-Chairman Salman F Rahman and Annisul’s wife Rubana Huq, among others, were present.

Earlier on Friday, the Election Commission allocated table clock as election symbol for Annisul, also a business entrepreneur and popular TV Show host. l

Dhaka North City Corporation mayoral candidate Zonayed Saki yesterday unveiled a 10page manifesto, outlining some key changes in the capital.

Using the slogan “Aagamir Dhaka, Sokole Mile”, Saki announced the manifesto at National Press Club at noon.

“People of Bangladesh are living with many crises. There are problems regarding resources and the environment of the city. In view of this, we see the strong call for change everywhere and people want change,” he said.

“In order to turn people’s expectations into reality, we decided to contest the city corporation elections. Our main principle is that supervision of the city administration will be corruption-free and will involve people’s participation.”

Among the facilities that Saki promised in his manifesto are introducing Wi-Fi services in Dhaka city, special transport services for college and university students and half bus fare for students.

He said Dhaka will be a safe city for women and children. “Working women will be provided with safe residential facilities, including enough daycare centres, in every ward.”

If elected, Saki promised effective meas-

ures to save Dhaka’s four key rivers – Buriganga, Shitalakhya, Turag and Balu – and the ponds as well as wetlands in the city.

Professor Ahmed Kamal of Dhaka University, Fahmidul Haq, Jotimoy Barua and several others were present at the press conference. l

Tabith seeks vote in Korail slum

n Tribune Report BNP backed candidate Tabith M Awal went to the Korail slum yesterday to gather supporters as part of his election campaign. Tabith talked to the residents of the slum and also addressed an election rally there.

Tabith told the reporters: “I am getting

good response in the campaign. I have the blessings and support of Khaleda Zia who appointed me to campaign for the youths. If the government and election commission works properly then I will win in this election.”

Tabith was optimistic that the voters of North Dhaka City Corporation would support him to keep his promise of building a clean and “modern Dhaka” and said: “I will soon release the election manifesto.”

BNP leaders are contesting under the banner of the nascent “Adarsha Dhaka Andolan” (ideal Dhaka movement).

Tabith Awal was selected to fight for the Dhaka North City Corporation polls after the candidacy of his father, BNP Chairperson’s Adviser Abdul Awal Mintoo, was rejected.

Tabith’s main rival is FBCCI’s former president Annisul Huq, who is contesting with the support of Awami League. l

DT

4 NEWS

SUNDAY, APRIL 12, 2015

DMP boss: BNP campaigners will not be harassed n Tribune Report A team of pro-BNP lawyers yesterday discussed various issues centring the upcoming city polls and the disappearance of Salahuddin Ahmed with the commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police.

The lawyers, led by Mahbubuddin Khokon, secretary of the Supreme Court Ainjibi Somity, went to DMP Commissioner Asaduzaman Mia’s office around 12pm.

After a one-and-half-hour meeting, BNP leader Masud Ahmed Talukdar told journal-

ists: “We asked the DMP commissioner what measures they had taken to find out missing Salahuddin Ahmed... The DMP commissioner told us that a probe body led by a joint commissioner is investigating the incident and they will file a report soon.”

Talukdar also said: “We have requested the DMP commissioner to take proper actions to stop harassment of opposition party-backed candidates. We also urged the commissioner to make sure that police personnel perform their duties neutrally. We requested him to instruct his colleagues to not make any state-

ment that may influence the election.”

He said that the DMP chief had assured them of doing everything he can to meet their demands.

Later yesterday, in a press conference at the Nayapaltan office of BNP, Mahbubuddin Khokon said that the party still believed that Salahuddin was alive.

“We feel relieved after meeting the DMP commissioner... We are now hopeful that Salahuddin will be traced soon.”

He claimed that Salahuddin was in the custody of law enforcers and police are investi-

gating the incident.

Khokon also said that they had been assured by the Dhaka police chief that no BNP man will be arrested without valid reasons and police with give security if BNP wants to bring out protest rallies.

“Police will not arrest anyone without warrant and nobody will be arrested from jail gate after getting freed,” he said.

This meeting comes on the same day that Detective Branch (DB) of DMP announced that they are conducting drives to arrest the city polls aspirants facing criminal charges. l

Dhaka South City Corporation mayor candidates campaign yesterday. LEFT: Afroza Abbas, wife of BNP-backed candidate Mirza Abbas, campaigns on behalf of her husband in front of the National Press Club.

RIGHT: Sayeed Khokon, Awami League-supported candidate campaigns from Dhupkhola in Dhaka DHAKA TRIBUNE

Ministry to sack young diplomat caught stealing n Sheikh Shahariar Zaman The Foreign Ministry has taken administrative measures to dismiss the service of young Bangladeshi diplomat Shisir Mahbub Shahid in the Netherlands.

“There is a procedure for dismissing someone and it has already started,” Foreign Secretary M Shaidul Haque said at a press conference at the ministry yesterday.

The secretary said he was involved in an incident and the ministry had taken appropriate steps. “Necessary actions have been taken under the disciplinary rule for government service-holders,” he said.

Marie Stopes stages street play n Tribune Report Marie Stopes Bangladesh has staged a street play on youth reproductive health in different important points of Dhaka, says a media release.

The drama “Bhul Vangar Gan” with a slogan “Jibanto Ektai Susthovabe Baste Chai” was staged in 12 points until today starting from April 5. Besides, the street play would also be staged on 120 points of 21 districts in the country.

The street play is part of a Link-up campaign organised by the NGO, a sister concern of Marie Stopes International, UK. l

Shisir Mahbub was apprehended in the Netherlands in February when he was trying to steal at an electronic shop.

The young diplomat admitted to Dutch police that he had followed the example of some of his colleagues who had already shoplifted in the Hague.

The Dutch government, through a note verbale, a formal communication, expressed concerns about his statement that more Bangladeshis had attempted similar actions.

Shisir Mahbub and nine other Bangladeshi probationer diplomats had gone to the Netherlands to participate in a short training course for young diplomats at the Netherlands Insti-

tute for International Relations Clingendael.

He was fined 350 Euros and released after he made the payment.

The Dutch government note verbale informed the Bangladesh Foreign Ministry that Shisir was penalised under Dutch law and the Netherlands foreign ministry deplored his behavior.

He and his nine colleagues were staying in the Hague as guests of the Netherlands government, which bore all their expenses.

The Dutch government urged the Bangladesh government to discuss the issue with those responsible and take steps to prevent such incidents in future. l

Jatrabari double murder solved n Tribune Report Detectives, yesterday, claimed to have solved the mystery behind the killing of a former police official’s wife and her domestic help in the capital’s Jatrabari area recently.

Detective Branch of Police Joint Commissioner Monirul Islam said they arrested a Masud, who is directly involved with the murder. He had an accessory who is still at large.

On March 24, police recovered the slaughtered body of Raushan Ara Begum, 60, and her domestic help Kalpana Akther Lucky, 11, from a house in North Jatrabari. Raushan was

the wife of late Abdul Quddus, a former additional police super.

“The evidence from the spot and statement of the arrestee have already cleared the mystery,” said Monirul, also the spokesperson of Dhaka Metropolitan Police.

According to investigators, Masud is a relative of Lucky, the housemaid. He asked for Tk10,000 from Raushan to start a business in his home village.

When she refused, Masud became frustrated and killed Raushan and Lucky with the help of the other accused. On the day of the incident, both of them had lunch at that house. l

DB: Krishna Kaberi murderer traced n Tribune Report Detectives yesterday said they have traced the murderer of college teacher Krishna Kaberi Biswas.

“The attack on Bangladesh Road Transport Authority [BRTA] Deputy Director Sitangshu Shekhar Biswas and his wife Krishna Kaberi was over a share business conflict,” said Monirul Islam, Joint Commissioner of Detective Branch (DB) of Police.

JC Monirul said: “We have traced the locations where the murderer Jahirul Islam Polash may be found. The eyewitness Sitangshu Shekhar is in a better condition now and we will be taking his statement in a couple of days.”

Monirul Islam said the police have a statement from Sitangshu’s daughter, and after a statement from the eyewitness they will cross-check the information.

“Once we arrest Jahirul and obtain his statement, we will examine all the information and take action in this regard,” said JC Monirul.

Kaberi Biswas was hacked to death on March 30 during an attack on her family including her husband and two daughters at their flat in Mohammadpur. A case was filed with Mohammadpur Police Station the following day, which was then transferred to the Detective Branch on April 4.

Concerned sources informed that along with DB, Rapid Action Battalion is also investigating the case and trying to arrest the murderer. l

DT

NEWS 5

SUNDAY, APRIL 12, 2015

No breakthrough in blogger murder probe DB police yet to identify the suspects in Avijit Roy and Oyasiqur Babu murders Jamil Khan and n Mohammad Probir K Sarker Parents of bloggers Avijit Roy and Oyasiqur Rahman Babu as well as secular activists expressed frustration as the detectives have made no visible progress in investigating the killings, except for preparing a list of suspects and questioning several others.

The law enforcers say they are now verifying their identities and hunting for the suspects.

Although they claim that both the killings were conducted by Islamist militant outfit Ansarullah Bangla Team, no mastermind behind the killings could be arrested yet. Redwanul Azad Rana, the only identified Ansarullah leader suspected for the murders, already fled the country.

The government is also dilly-dallying over banning the outfit, members of which have primarily targeted secular forces. Linked with international terrorist groups as Taliban and al-Qaeda, Ansarullah aims at establishing Shariah rule in the country together with Ja-

maat-e-Islami, Hefazat-e-Islam, and banned outfits – Huji, JMB and Hizb ut-Tahrir, detectives say.

Monirul Islam, joint commissioner of the Detective Branch (DB) of police, whose team is investigating both the cases, said: “A list of suspects has already been prepared in Avijit murder. Once they are arrested, we will definitely unearth the mystery.”

Asked about link between the two murders, the DB chief said: “We cannot confirm it.

According to primary information, Ansarullah members were behind the killings but the attackers may be different.”

US probe agency FBI is assisting the DB in Avijit murder case.

Assailants hacked to death Avijit on February 26 on Dhaka University campus and Oyasiqur on March 30 in Tejgaon area. Two of the three attackers in Oyasiqur murder – Zikrullah and Ariful Islam – were held red-handed by two transgender persons while fleeing the scene.

They are currently under police remand.

Members of the Rapid Action Battalion ar-

Ex-law enforcers advising criminal gangs n Mohammad Jamil Khan

Dividing into separate groups, suspended officials of law enforcement agencies like police and RAB are carrying out abduction, mugging and other crimes.

The Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has learned about the existence and operation of at least 10 such groups, which are being advised and directed by suspended law enforcers.

DMP Joint Commissioner Monirul Islam, also chief of DB, revealed these at a briefing at the Media and Community Centre of DMP in Dhaka yesterday.

“DB teams have arrested several such groups over the last six-seven years. But none has ever got punished because they managed bail from courts. So, they commit the same crime after coming out,” Monirul said.

The briefing was organised following the arrest of five fake policemen in Ramna and Tejgaon areas of Dhaka early yesterday. The arrested are Shiraj Howladher, Abul Hossain, Md Sahabuddin, Forhad Gazi, Abdus Samad, Nannu Mia, Tara Mia and Md Arif.

Of them, Abdus Samad was suspended from the Army in 2005 for violating discipline.

The DB chief also said: “The fake police gangs are well-trained and experts in their fields. Last night, when detectives were trying to catch them in Tejgaon, the fake policemen chased the real officials back. Labelling them as fake, the actual fake ones even tried to beat up the detectives.”

The gang used several white microbuses.

One had a sticker on the windshield saying “on emergency work of the Home Ministry.”

The other vehicles had “DB police” stickers on their windshields.

Yesterday, detectives seized handcuffs, wireless sets and batons from their possession.

Recently, this gang has been targeting people coming out of banks with cash. They would first take one or two bank officials in confidence, collect information on people who had withdrawing big cash from certain branches of banks. Based on that information, they would follow the person carrying the cash and snatch the money at opportune moments. For that, they would wait in their microbuses right outside the offices of those bank branches.

In primary interrogation, the arrestees have confessed their crimes saying they had been involved in this for four years. l

BNP demands level playing field n Tribune Report The BNP yesterday demanded level playing field for all the mayoral and ward councillor candidates in the upcoming Dhaka and Chittagong city corporation polls.

The party also demanded release of the detained BNP-backed mayoral and ward councillor aspirants for creating a level-playing field.

“Candidates backed by our party cannot

take part in campaign. Mirza Abbas is yet to get bail,” said Asaduzzaman Ripon, international affairs secretary of BNP, at the first press briefing of the party at Nayapaltan since January 3.

Ripon, who has been given the charge of the party’s office secretary in the absence of Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, urged the government to release all the BNP-backed candidates so that they can reach voters. l

rested Hizb ut-Tahrir leader Shafiur Rahman Farabi soon after Avijit murder as he had repeatedly instigated attack on the US citizen and his wife Rafida Ahmed Bonya for their writings.

Avijit’s father Prof Ajoy Roy, Oyasiqur’s father Tipu Sultan both expressed frustration over the investigation process.

Farzana Kabir Khan, one of the top writers of Mukto-Mona blog founded by Avijit, doubted whether the detectives were working properly.

“The extremists have supporters in the law enforcement agencies. If not, then how could the radicals attack Oyasiqur on March 30 even though their aide was arrested on March 24 with arms? How could Rana flee the country?”

Arifur Rahman, an expatriate secular writer, said: “These killings are result of reluctance of the law enforcers. They are not investigating the killing of progressive activists properly. It seems that militancy has been spreading across the country under the government’s patronisation.”

He expressed grievances since the govern-

ment was not working to materialise its own pledges about uprooting militancy.

Activist Kallol Mustafa said even though a number of militants were held earlier, “the government is reluctant to identify the root of militancy and arrest the top leaders. We did not see thorough probe in the attack on Prof Humayun Azad or the subsequent murders of progressive bloggers.”

Expatriate journalist Nirjhar Mazumder who has long been following activities of extremist groups said the killers might not be arrested since “there are many supporters and sympathisers of the radicals in the law enforcement agencies.”

Denouncing the murder of blogger Oyasiqur, Unesco Director-General Irina Bokova has urged action to bring the killers to trial. In a statement issued on Thursday, Bokova said: “It is important that the Bangladeshi authorities find and prosecute those responsible for this attack. Freedom of expression and free debate cannot thrive in a climate of fear and self-censorship.” l

DT

6 NEWS

SUNDAY, APRIL 12, 2015

‘It is a great victory for Bangladesh’ n Tribune Report Since early yesterday morning, there was an anticipation that war criminal Mohammad Kamaruzzaman could be hanged at night.

Right after sunset, people started gathering in front of television sets at home and also in front of the window blinds of the roadside shops; their eyes glued to the live coverage of the satellite channels.

Minutes after 10pm, hours of wait finally reached a climax when some of the television channels put up breaking news that the war criminal had been hanged.

People immediately reacted with loud claps.

Dhaka Tribune’s Nure Alam Durjoy caught up with Enam Mohammad in the capital’s Hatirpul area.

“I wish I could throw my old torn shoes at

the face of Kamaruzzaman before his death.

I cannot do it anymore. Nevertheless, I am happy,” he said.

Salam Uddin, who sells dry food at Farmgate in the capital, told the Dhaka Tribune: “I have been watching news on television channels waiting to hear the news of his hanging. Now we wish to see the other war criminals hanged immediately.”

Rickshaw-puller Mohammad Rafiq is originally from Sherpur where Kamaruzzaman carried out the gravest of his atrocities in 1971.

He told the Dhaka Tribune: “We distributed sweets after the news of his execution came.

But he should have been hanged much earlier.”

In immediate reaction, write Shahriar Kabir, executive president of Gatak Dalal Nirmul Committee, told the Dhaka Tribune: “Al-Badr was the cruelest of all the forces that collaborated with the Pakistanis. The scale of their brutality

was beyond imagination. We are happy. Someday all of them will be executed. Jamaat should be banned. No other country in the world has anything called ‘anti-liberation force’.”

Theatre activist Nasiruddin Yusuf Bachchu, also a war crimes trial campaigner, said in his reaction: “The trial of war criminals is a historical demand. We, the freedom fighters, have got a relief. Gradually, the dream for which we fought in 1971 is getting fulfilled.

We hope the next generation will keep vigil until the last war criminal is hanged.”

Gonojagoron Moncho

Just like what happened when war criminal and another Jamaat leader Quader Molla was hanged, scores of activists of the Gonojagoron Moncho gathered at Shahbagh intersection – the home of their activities.

As usual, they were chanting their popular

slogans condemning the war criminals. As soon as the news of Kamaruzzaman’s execution came, they embraced each other.

Then they brought out a procession from Shahabag and marched around the streets on the Dhaka University campus.

Welcoming the execution, Moncho spokesperson Imran H Sarkar said: “The execution of Kamaruzzaman is a milestone in creating a non-communal and pro-liberation Bangladesh... It is a great achievement for Bangladesh.”

Thanking the government, Imran urged the ruling Awami League-led alliance to finish the trial of all war criminals within its current tenure.

The Gonojagoron Moncho has been observing a sit-in programme at the Shahabag since Monday demanding quick execution of Kamaruzzaman’s death sentence. l

Smuggled goods recovered n Our Correspondent, Joypurhat

Anti-Smuggling Task Force conducted raid at Uttara Express train in Panchbibi rail station under Joypurhat this morning and recovered Indian smuggled goods worth over Tk1 crore and arrested smugglers.

BGB sources said the arrested were identified as Sanwar Hossain 28, Sanjay Kundu 23, Harun-ar-Rashid 30, Russel 25 and Hiro 23.

They were produced before Panchbibi upazila mobile court. Later mobile court provided them punishment on different terms and sent them to jail.

Recovered smuggled goods were deposited to Hili customs godown. l

Gonojagoron Moncho activists show V signs after the execution of Jamaat-e-Islami war crimes convict Mohammad Kamaruzzaman last night

MEHEDI HASAN

CHITTAGONG CITY POLLS

Printing press doing brisk business as election campaign gains momentum n FM Mizanur Rahaman, Chittagong Printing presses in Chittagong now have their hands full making posters of contestants of the Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) election with election symbols being provided by the Election Commission on Friday.

After facing a slump in the last three months, the press owners are back to business with preparing different campaign materials like posters, banners, digital banners, handbills and stickers for the candidates.

Andarkillah area, the hub of printing press in the port city, was found thriving with hustle and bustle even on the weekend yesterday.

The Election Commission allocated election

symbols to 12 mayoral candidates, 212 councillor candidate and 61 reserved councillor candidates for the CCC polls scheduled for April 28.

Jabed Mia Rana, proprietor of Sumaiya Printers, told the Dhaka Tribune: “In the last two days, we have printed over 2000 posters and 4000 leaflets for two ward councillors.”

He said it was the biggest order for him in the last three months. A massive number of posters, digital banners and leaflets were under processing.

“The printing business has incurred gross losses in the last three months due to countrywide political impasse since January 5, however, we are now trying to recover the losses by printing the election campaign ma-

terials,” said Rana.

The printing staff informed that necessary preparation was done for designing posters before the symbols were announced. Therefore, after the announcement, they could promptly make the plates and send for printing, following orders.

S Madina Printers was found printing posters for ruling Awami League backed mayoral candidate AJM Nasir Uddin with election symbol ‘elephant.’ Thousands of posters for AJM Nasir Uddin were printed on Friday night, said the printing staff.

Additionally, the paper shop proprietors are passing a busy time supplying papers to the press. l

Migrant aspirants victim of slavery in Iraq n Our Correspondent, Jessore One Iraq returnee in the district yesterday alleged that some recruiting agencies in the country have been involved in human trafficking in the name of manpower export.

Md Siddique, a civil engineer by profession, raised the complaint in a press conference held in Jessore Press Club in the morning.

Siddique said: “Some local recruiting agencies have been selling Bangladeshi migrant aspirants to the Iraqi people as slave, who later become victim of confinement and physical torture by the owners there. 180 Bangladeshi migrants, who were sent to Iraq by Carrier Overseas Consultant Ltd on May 22, last year, met the same fate.”

He blamed some corrupt officials of Bangladesh embassy to Iraq for the suffering as the agency signed job contract with the workers for Qatar.

He demanded bring the alleged recruiting agency under book, returning the workers and due compensation for the victims.

On April 4, Siddique returned home after running away from the confinement in Iraq. l

DT

NEWS 7

SUNDAY, APRIL 12, 2015

BNP-backed Manjur warned of election code violations n Tarek Mahmud, Chittagong Chittagong City Corporation BNP-backed mayoral candidate M Manjur Alam received a warning notice for his alleged violations of electoral code of conduct.

Returning Officer Md Abdul Baten issued the warning yesterday.

“The candidate has violated the electoral code during his campaign on Friday by bringing out motorcade rally and distributing oranges among the people,” Assistant Returning Officer Shafiqur Rahman told the Dhaka Tribune.

Orange is the electoral symbol of Manjur who will be contesting the election under the banner of Chattagram Unnayan Andalan.

The candidate has been asked to be more cautious during electioneering so no code of conduct is violated.

On Friday Manjur, also an adviser to the BNP chairperson, was served a show-cause notice related to the alleged violations and asked to respond by 24 hours. But the response was not satisfactory, said assistant returning officer.

Manjur Alam was campaigning in the port city’s Patenga on area in the port city on Friday afternoon when the former mayor made his alleged violations. l

CEC: Army deployment decision after April 19 n Tarek Mahmud, Chittagong

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad yesterday said the decision to deploy the armed forces in the upcoming city corporation elections would be taken after a meeting with law enforcement agencies due on April 19.

His comment came after most of the Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) election candidates demanded that army be deployed during the polls to ensure security of voters as well was a free, fair and neutral election.

They raised the demand at a view-exchange meeting organised by the Election Commission (EC) at Hall 24 Convention Centre in the port city. The meeting was held from 11am to 1:45pm.

The CEC told the meeting that the commission had taken all the necessary measures to ensure a free and fair election.

“It will not be possible to snatch ballot papers or ballot boxes as there will be adequate law enforcement officials to maintain security. No one involved in any wrongdoing will be spared,” he said.

“We have received some complaints

against some candidates and are looking into those. Actions will be taken as per the law if the complaints are found to be true.

“Votes will be counted at the polling stations before the press, representatives of candidates and election officials so that the counting process cannot be questioned,” said Rakibuddin.

The CEC also said he had ordered law enforcement agencies and authorities concerned to ensure that polls were held in a suitable environment.

CCC election’s Returning Officer Md Abdul Baten presided over the meeting while Election Commissioner Brig Gen (retd) Javed Ali, Md Shahnewaz, Election Commission Secretariat Secretary Md Sirajul Islam, Chittagong Divisional Commissioner Mohammad Abdullah, Chittagong district’s Deputy Commissioner Mezbah Uddin and Chittagong Metropolitan Police Commissioner Abdul Jalil Mandal addressed it.

The speakers stressed abiding by the electoral code of conduct, and also warned the candidates that strict action would be taken in case of any violation.

In the open discussion session, Islamic Front Bangladesh-backed mayoral candidate

Hossain Mohammad Muzibul Haq, Jatiya Party-backed candidate Solaiman Alam Seth and Waez Hossain Bhuiyan urged the CEC to deploy army a week before the day of voting.

Muzibul also said some ministers are taking part in election campaigns in favour of the ruling party candidates but the EC has not taken any action against them. The CEC kept mum on the allegation.

Reserved ward councillor candidate Rehana Begum Ranu observed that some election symbols are indicative of gender bias and embarrassing. The CEC responded by saying that the commission would look into the matter in the future.

General ward councillor candidate Saibal Das Suman suggested installing CCTV cameras for ensuring fairness in the election.

Many candidates also urged to change the code of conduct with regard to the use of posters, distribution of stickers, use of loudspeakers during campaigns and possession of black money.

In reply, the EC Secretariat secretary said it was not possible to change the code of conduct within a short time while the CEC said candidates as well as voters can convey any suggestion to the commission. l

WEATHER THUNDERSHOWER WITH RAIN

SUNDAY, APRIL 12 DHAKA TODAY SUN SETS 6:19PM

TOMORROW SUN RISES 5:40AM

FORECAST FOR TODAY Dhaka

33

Chittagong

33

26 24

Rajshahi

32

24

Rangpur

32

23

Khulna

33

24

Barisal

33

24

Sylhet

33

22

Cox’s Bazar

32

24

YESTERDAY’S HIGH AND LOW

37.7ºC Rajshahi

19.2ºC Srimangal Source: Accuweather/UNB

Many of people travelling by public transport on roads in the capital yesterday suffer much due to traffic jams. The picture was taken from Mirpur Road MAINOOR ISLAM MANIK

Election campaigns get momentum in port city n Tarek Mahmud, Chittagong

PRAYER TIMES Fajr

4:23am

Sunrise

5:41am

Zohr

12:00am

Asr

4:31pm

Magrib

6:18pm

Esha

7:36pm SourceL IslamicFinder.org

Mayoral and councillor candidates of Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) election, particularly ruling Awami League-backed AJM Nasir Uddin and BNP-backed M Manjur Alam, passed a busy day yesterday campaigning across the port city.

BNP-backed Chattagram Unnayan Andalan’s mayoral candidate Manjur conducted mass contact at different places in city, including Eid Gaon and Pahartoli areas.

Another heavyweight mayoral candidate AL-backed Nagarik Committee’s AJM Nasir Uddin, also the general secretary of AL Chittagong City unit, conducted mass contact

at New Market, Kazir Dewri, Love Lane and Enayet Bazar areas.

While campaigning Nasir pleadged saying: “Give me one opportunity, I will do everything necessary to ensure civic facilities.” Majur, on the other hand, pleaded for vote saying: “I have some incomplete tasks and I will complete those if I get another chance.”

Apart from the two heavyweight candidates, the other mayoral aspirants and councillor post seekers were also busy in their election campaigning.

Volunteers of the candidates were mostly seen with their leaders and some were prying votes by chanting different slogans mentioning respective election symbols over mega-

phones across the city.

The Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) election is set to be held on April 28 with a total of 12 mayoral candidates and 275 candidates for general and reserved wards are contesting in the election.

Meanwhile, some AL men allegedly launched an attack on BNP leader Syed Wahidul Alam and his men at the city’s Sher Shah area in the afternoon when they went to inaugurate an election camp for M Manjur Alam.

Chattagram Unnayan Andalan’s Member Secretary SUM Nurul Islam told the Dhaka Tribune that they lodged a complaint before the CCC Returning Officer Md Abdul Baten in this connection. l

DT

8 NEWS

SUNDAY, APRIL 12, 2015

Favourite illegally gets Tk2 crore contract n Our Correspondent, Gopalganj A contractor has allegedly been given a contract worth over Tk1.67 crore in exchange for money in Gopalganj.

Gopalganj District Council received a written complaint in this matter where it is mentioned that the government stands to lose about half a crore taka because of the fraud.

The complaint was filed with the district administrator by other tender participants Al Husain Mamun, Md Yunus Sardar, Md Sourav, Ujjal Khan and Ripon Kazi, who also demanded that the tender be cancelled and a new one be held.

The written complaint stated that a tender

of Tk1,67,86,124.90 was floated for lights and sound system for the Tungipara upazila auditorium.

Contracting companies The Azad Engineers, M/s Monir Traders, M/s Md Sayeedur Rahman, SM Elias Hossain, M/s Aradhana Enterprise, M/s Sourav Traders, M/s KNR Builders, M/s GGILL & ST (JVC), M/s SK & JC (JVC), M/s Asian Power Engineers, M/s Yunus Traders, and M/s Amanat Enterprise submitted bids for the tender. Of these, the lowest bid of Tk99,43,930 was from M/s GGILL & ST (JVC).

The quotation by KNR Builders was not accepted for failure in submitting pay order.

It is alleged that nine of the other eleven

contractors were fraudulently considered non-responsive despite proper submission of papers.

The complaint mentioned that Assistant Engineer Arun Kumar Das of the district council illegally facilitated to give the contract to SM Elias at the higher quotation of Tk1,67,86,124.90.

According to government procurement policy bids by a joint venture company (JVC) for a tender less than Tk2 crore will not be accepted. But the bid M/s GGILL & ST (JVC) was not cancelled, it was intsead considered the second lowest bidder.

It was also claimed that the papers submit-

ted by contracting company SM Elias is not in accordance with the government’s tender policy, and the company also fails to meet several conditions of the tender.

Md Helaluddin Munshi, a representative of M/s Md Sayeedur Rahman, said: “Arun Kumar Das facilitated the contract for the highest bidder instead of the lowest one to make some money. If the government goes for a re-tender then it will be benefitted.”

Assitant Engineer Arun Kumar Das denied all allegations saying: “There were no irregularities in the tender process. The lowest bidder have been selected following the government policy.” l

Boisabi Utsav starts in CHT n Tribune Report Boisabi, the biggest festival of the indigenous community to welcome the new year, starts in the Chittagong Hill Tracts today.

Different indigenous community call the festival by different names. However, the festival signifies the call for starting something new and forgetting the old.

The majority Chakma community in Rangamati call it Bijhu, Marma people of Bandarban name the fest as Sangrai, while the Tripura people who are majority in the Khagrachhari’s Tripura area call it Boishu or Boishuk.

Combining the three names the fest is known as Boisabi.

Our Bandarban correspondent reports: Indigenous community Tongchonga has arranged Bishu Utsav at the Reisa Senior Para field in Bandaban under the banner of Tongchonga Kalyan Sangstha.

The traditional “Gheelakhela” will take place alongside a cultural fest. Bangladesh Tongchonga National Gheelakhela Celebration Committee member secretary Muktodhon Tongchonga said the event has been arranged to revive the traditional game in the hills.

A week-long programme will start tomorrow by bringing out a Mongol Shobhajatra.

The festivities will continue in different upazilas featuring a wide range of programmes including “Jolkeli,” bathing the Buddha sculptures in the Shangu River, and offering special prayers, said Sangrai Utsav Observation Committee President Mong Chong Nu Marma.

State Minister for Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs Bir Bahadur will grace the events as the chief guest.

Security measures had been tightened for tourists on the eve of the Boisabi Utsav, said Bandarban police station Officer-in-Charge Amir Hossain.

Khagrachhari correspondent reports: A joint Boisabi rally was brought out from the Zila Parishad premises around 8:30am and it ended in the field of Khagrachhari Government High School. The local administration hosted the rally.

Later, a programme was held on the field, where local MP Kujendra Lal Tripura as the chief guest inaugurated a six-day festival.

Many senior public officials, different political leaders and activists from local cultural organisations joined the event. l

Indigenous people in Khagrachari bring out a colourful procession yesterday from the Zila Parishad premises celebrating Boisabi Utsab

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Bar association lawyers attack human chain, 14 injured in Barisal n Our Correspondent, Barisal

Lawyers in Barisal yesterday allegedly attacked a human chain formed by Christians protesting the encroachment of church property to construct a court building.

The attack left at least 14 people injured which included 10 woman and a local journalist.

Witnesses said around 10:40am, the district’s bar association lawyers snatched the banners and megaphones of the protesters and attacked them, forcing the participants of the human chain to take shelter inside the church.

Sources said the human chain was formed

by Christians to protest the illegal filling of a historical pond beside the church to build a 10-storey court building.

The attack was led by Advocate Jahangir Hossain, Awami League leader and former president, Advocate Mamun, Advocate Enayet and other members of the association.

When asked, Officer-in-Charge Shakhawat Hossain of Kotwali police station said police rushed to the spot after receiving information and got the Christians out of the church.

Later, police escorted the protesters and took them to Ashwini Kumar Hall to form a human chain which was addressed by Father Rinku Gomes, head of the church, Norbert Nipu Adhikari, president Barisal Christian Association, Shanti Mandal, representative Church of Bangladesh in Barisal, among others.

Asked if anyone was arrested, the OC said they were yet to receive any complaints.

Protesting the attack, speakers at the human chain alleged that Public Works Department from April 9 started filling the pond of Barisal Saint Peter’s Church adjacent to Barisal district judge court complex illegally.

According to sources, the large pond on 52 decimal of land was excavated for bathing of Christians during baptising at Barisal Saint Peter’s Church. The church was constructed in

1849 on 1.5 acres of land leased from the then British PWD and later was recorded as the property of the church.

When asked about the allegations, Barisal District Bar Association President Advocate Anis Uddin Shahid claimed that the pond belonged to PWD and was not for general public use.

He said as the construction would be done for public interest, it would not violate the environment act.

However, Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association District Coordinator Lincon Bayen said the pond was used by a lot of people everyday and any construction carried out by filling any water body used by the public is a violation of the environment act and public interest.

“There are a lot of lands inside the court compound that can be selected as an alternative site of the proposed construction, without violating the environment act,” Bayen added. l

DT

NEWS 9

SUNDAY, APRIL 12, 2015

Tobacco cultivation threatens public health, food security in Bandarban n Our Correspondent, Bandarban Hilly district Bandarban, one of the most abundantly resourceful regions of the country, is losing its biodiversity and ecology due to tobacco cultivation.

According to sources, although there is no specific calculation, experts and local authorities assumed that over 80 percent of all arable lands in the district are presently under tobacco cultivation, losing land fertility and causing serious and rapid deforestation, and public health hazards.

Bandarban Agriculture Extension Office sources said the crop had been cultivated on 2,735 acres land this year.

Visiting the hilly remote areas, it was found that British American Tobacco (BAT), Dhaka Tobacco and Abul Khayer Tobacco, among other companies, are enforcing the farmers to grow tobacco for their factories.

“I’ve been producing tobacco for the last 11 years as I found it more profitable than other crops,” Shwe Mong, a 45-year-old farmer in Jamchori Mukpara village in Kalaghata area.

Unai Ching, local BAT supervisor in Bandarban, said his company has an agreement with a group of farmers to help grow and purchase tobacco at the field so that they (farmers) do not face any problems in marketing their produce.

“A farmer can make profit of Tk 80,00090,000 by cultivation tobacco on each acre of land a season,” he said.

Meanwhile, farmers, experts and local leaders admitted that deforestation has been taking place in the hilly areas as huge woods are being used to make fire for processing the tobacco leaves.

“Tobacco cultivation has increased in the last couple of year. For tobacco processing, huge amount of woods are burnt causing deforestation,” said Kamal Uddin, chairman of Bamo Bilchori Union Parishad in Lama upazila of the district.

He said tobacco is cultivated on some 2,000-3,000 acres of land under his union every year and of the total inhabitants, over 80 percent are involved in cultivating tobacco.

The crop has been cultivated beside the

lands on Noyapara Govt Primary School, Mangthai Headman Para Govt Primary School, Mangching Govt Primary School and beside Chankhang Union Parishad office threatening to health of the locals and students in Lama upazila.

Md Anisur, president of Mirjhiree Govt Primary School in Naikhongchhari upazila had cultivated the crop on the land nearby the school.

Mursida Akter, Class V student of the school said they cannot give concentration to their classes due to vomiting, headache and many other diseases from the tobacco.

Uthai Chakma, Class V student Bilchari Govt Primary School said: “ We have to reach the school by crossing tobacco filed which is very harmful to our health.”

Pro Marama Class IV student of the school said: “ When the tobacco is burnt, we cannot stay in classes due to illness.” It has been alleged that a group of illegal traders are active in the region supplying firewood to the burners operated by tobacco traders, right under the nose of the forest department.

“Everything they do including chopping trees, carrying and bringing them to the tanduls, they do with the knowledge of the authorities concerned,” said a forest guard of the Alikodom forest beat of Matamuhuri Range, seeking anonymity.

Sirajul Islam, a farmer at the Ali Kodom upazila of Bandarban, said tobacco companies pay the cost of production in advance, with the guarantee that their produces would be sold as soon as they are done with cultivation.

Experts say this kind of strategy helps boost the morale of farmers who usually have difficulty producing cereal crops such as rice and have little chances that their production would bring hefty returns.

According to the BATB website, the British American Tobacco Group holds 65.91% of the shares in BATB. Other shareholders are the Investment Corporation of Bangladesh, Shadharan Bima Corporation, Bangladesh Shilpa Rin Shangstha, the Government of People’s Republic of Bangladesh, Sena Kalyan Shangstha and other members of the public. l

Temple vandalised, torched in Bagerhat n UNB Miscreants vandalised and torched a Hindu temple at Kathadura in Mollahat upazila early Saturday.

A group of miscreants swooped on the Durga temple in the early hours. They vandalised all the idols before setting fire to the temple, said temple committee president Harendra Nath Biswas.

Sensing the fire, locals rushed in and doused the blaze.

On information, officer-in-charge of Mollahat Police Station ANM Khairul Anam visited the spot on Friday morning.

Temple committee general secretary Amrita Biswas alleged that one Russell Shikdar and his associates tried to capture the houses of five families near the temple on April 7 showing fake papers.

However, they went away after police rushed in. A case had been filed against six people in this connection, Amrita Biswas said, adding that the accused carried out the arson attack on the temple to spread panic among them. l

An artist is busy giving final touches to his creations at Kumarpara in Brahmanbaria yesterday ahead of Pahela Boishak, the first day of the Bengali calendar DHAKA TRIBUNE

Thakurgaon busy in giving final touch to clay materials n Our Correspondent, Thakurgaon While people from all walks of life are taking preparations for celebrating the country’s biggest cultural festival, Pahela Baishakh – the Bengali New Year, potters in Thakurgaon are preparing for brisk business on the occasion.

Colourful pottery is an attraction in home décor for the Pahela Baishakh, the first day of the Bangla month of Baishakh, which will be celebrated across the country on April 14.

During recent visits to different villages of potters in the district, this correspond-

ent found that the traditional artisans were engaged in taking lumps of clay and turning those into things of beauty.

They were busy in giving the final touches in different kinds of clay materials including wellrings, pitchers, big disks (locally called chari), stocks, plates, toys, earth-bank, flower-tubs and replicas of various animals and birds.

“A divine sense is infused when I make the replicas of god or goddess. I get the same sense of divinity while making the clay products,” said Laxmibala, a seasoned potter.

The 70-year-old said the clay-made prod-

ucts are environmentally-friendly. Most of the pottery items have lost demand as plastic things have occupied their place.

The demand of the products increases only during the month of Baishakh. The products are sold at different fairs in month, said potter Narayan Chandra Paul.

“It has become very difficult to survive with this profession as we do not have work throughout the entire year,” said another potter Mallika Rani Paul.

Families of traditional potters, who have been engaged with the profession from gen-

eration to generation, have almost deserted it as utensils made of metal and other materials are now used instead.

“The demands of the products have been confined into different occasions and fairs,” said potter Reeta Rani Paul. “We are facing difficulties to maintain our families due to low profit in making and selling the potteries,” she said.

Moreover, the potters are facing another challenge to their survival – lack of clayey, the most important ingredient of their artworks.

The prices of the clayey are very high. Only brick kiln owners can buy the clayey at the prices. l

DT

10 WORLD

SUNDAY, APRIL 12, 2015

Obama-Castro talks expected as Americas summit resumes n AFP, Panama City

Hours after shaking hands, US President Barack Obama and Cuban leader Raul Castro head into historic talks in Panama yesterday in their efforts to bury decades of animosity.

Taking their bid to restore diplomatic ties to a new level, Obama and Castro will have a discussion on the sidelines of the Summit of the Americas in Panama City, according to US officials.

The two leaders already said hello late Friday, greeting each other and shaking hands – a gesture rich in symbolism – as UN chief Ban Ki-moon and other leaders looked on, before the 35-nation summit’s inauguration.

They shook hands only once before, at Nelson Mandela’s memorial service in 2013.

The face-to-face talks will be the climax of their surprise announcement on December 17 that, after 18 months of secret negotiations, they would seek to normalise relations between the United States and Cuba that broke off in 1961.

The last time US and Cuban leaders met was in 1956, three years before Fidel Castro came to power.

“We’re in new territory here,” said senior

Obama advisor Ben Rhodes, referring to the flurry of diplomacy that included Thursday the first meeting between US and Cuban foreign ministers since 1958.

“This is not just about two leaders sitting down together,” he said, citing Obama’s decision to ease trade and travel restrictions with communist Cuba.

“It’s about fundamentally changing how the United States engages Cuba – its government, its people, its civil society.”

Terror list hurdle

The format of the meeting has yet to be confirmed, but Rhodes said the two leaders would likely talk about the negotiations to restore diplomatic ties as well as lingering disagreements.

“As we move toward the process of normalisation, we’ll have our differences, government to government, with Cuba on many issues,” Obama told a regional civil society forum on Friday. “There’s nothing wrong with that.”

Cuba has demanded to be removed from a US list of state sponsors of terrorism before embassies can reopen, noting that

this has blocked the country’s access to bank credit.

The White House indicated that Obama was not yet ready to decide whether to remove Havana from the blacklist, but that it could not rule out an announcement in Panama.

“The potential removal from the list will represent the current US-Cuba relationship becoming more pragmatic,” said Diego Moya-Ocampos, Americas analyst at US consultancy IHS Country Risk.

“This is a limited but significant step,” he said. “But overall engagement will still be limited by the US embargo.”

Obama has urged the US Congress to lift the embargo on Cuba, which was imposed in 1962, barring most trade with the island as well as tourism.

Underscoring his increasing engagement with Latin America, Obama will also likely meet Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos and Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, who canceled a US trip in 2013 over revelations of US spying against her.

But even as Obama seeks to turn the page on Cold War-era tensions, a new headache has come to the fore in the form of Venezuela. l

Egypt sentences Muslim Brotherhood leader, others to death

n Reuters, Cairo

An Egyptian court sentenced Mohamed Badie, leader of the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood, and 13 other senior members of the group to death for inciting chaos and violence, and gave a life term to a US-Egyptian citizen for ties to the Brotherhood.

The men were among thousands of people detained after freely elected Islamist president Mohamed Mursi was toppled in 2013 by the military under Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who is now president.

Sisi describes the Brotherhood as a major security threat. The group says it is committed to peaceful activism and had nothing to do with Islamist militant violence in Egypt since Mursi’s fall following mass protests against his rule.

Egypt’s mass trials of Brotherhood members and people accused of links to the group, as well as its tough crackdown on Islamist and liberal opposition alike, have drawn international criticism of its judicial system and human rights record. l

Funeral set for black driver fatally shot by white officer

n AP, Summerville, NC

Local residents try to save melon-headed dolphins stranded on the coast in Hokota, northeast of Tokyo, in this photo taken by Kyodo April 10

REUTERS

Mass beaching fuels ‘unscientific’ Japan quake fears n AFP, Tokyo The mass beaching of more than 150 melon-headed whales on Japan’s shores has fuelled fears of a repeat of a seemingly unrelated event in the country – the devastating 2011 undersea earthquake that killed around 19,000 people.

Despite a lack of scientific evidence linking the two events, a flurry of online commentators have pointed to the appearance of around 50 melon-headed whales – a species that is a member of the dolphin family – on Japan’s beaches six days prior to the monster quake, which unleashed a towering tsunami and triggered a nuclear disaster.

Scientists were yesterday dissecting the bodies of the whales, 156 of which were found on two beaches on Japan’s Pacific coast a day earlier, but could not say

what caused the beachings.

“We don’t see any immediate signs of diseases on their bodies, such as cancer. We want to figure out what killed these animals,” Tadasu Yamada, a senior researcher at National Museum of Nature and Science, told public broadcaster NHK. Despite the lack of any clear link between the beachings and earthquakes – and comments from local officials downplaying such a connection – many took to social media to point to the link.

“Is the next one coming? Be ready for a quake,” wrote Twitter user maoeos40d.

Another Twitter user wrote simply: “We might have a big one on the 12th (of April).”

The 2011 Japan earthquake is not the only instance of beached whales closely preceding a massive tremor.

More than 100 pilot whales died in a mass

stranding on a remote New Zealand beach on February 20, 2011, two days before a large quake struck the country’s second-largest city Christchurch.

Japanese officials have nevertheless tried to calm fears, and have insisted there is no scientific data to prove the link.

Scientists are meanwhile unclear as to why the marine animals strand themselves in large groups, with some speculating healthy whales beach themselves while trying to help sick or disorientated family members that are stranded.

Others believe the topography of certain places somehow scrambles the whales’ sonar navigation, causing them to beach.

Once stranded, the whales are vulnerable to dehydration and sunburn until rescuers can use the high tide to move their massive weight back into deeper water. l

Mourners are expected to gather yesterday in Summerville, South Carolina to remember Walter Scott, the 50-year-old black driver who was fatally shot by a white police officer after fleeing a traffic stop in North Charleston.

A steady stream of people gathered Friday afternoon at a wake to pay their respects to Scott, whose open casket was draped in an American flag and adorned with a Dallas Cowboys sign and a miniature figure of a player.

A heart-shaped flower arrangement to the left of his casket during the wake read “Beloved Father” and a ribbon on the right read “St. Andrews Parish High School Class of 1984.”

Some visitors talked about how well-preserved Scott appeared to be as they walked away from the casket, others expressed how bewildered they were with the circumstances that led to him lying there. l

Hundreds protest in Iran outside Saudi embassy

n AFP Hundreds of people demonstrated yesterday outside the Saudi embassy in Tehran to protest against alleged sexual harassment against Iranian youths by Saudi police.

Official IRNA news agency said about 500 people gathered outside the embassy in northeastern Tehran in a protest that had not been authorised by the authorities.

Media reported that two Iranian teenagers who had gone on pilgrimage to holy sites in Saudi Arabia had been sexually harassed by police at the Red Sea airport of Jeddah, as they prepared to return home.

State television said Iran summoned the Saudi charge d’affaires to lodge an official complaint and demanded that the case be taken to the courts. l

DT

WORLD 11

SUNDAY, APRIL 12, 2015

Indian Kashmir shuts down against planned Hindu townships n AFP Indian Kashmir’s main city of Srinagar shut down yesterday in protest against a government plan to resettle Kashmiri Hindus in separate townships after they fled the region more than two decades ago.

Streets were deserted, shops and business establishments remained closed and traffic was thin on the roads in the capital city and other towns across the restive Muslim-majority Kashmir valley.

Tens of thousands of Kashmiri Hindus – known as Pandits – fled to Hindu-dominated areas of the disputed region and other parts of India in the wake of an armed insurgency against New Delhi’s rule in 1990.

Earlier this week, the state’s chief minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, announced the local government would acquire land to create “composite townships” for the Pandits.

The move, announced after Sayeed met federal Home Minister Rajnath Singh, sparked tension in the region with separatists opposed to Indian rule comparing it with Israel’s policy of building settlements in occupied territory.

Hostility between minority Hindus and Muslims runs deep in divided Kashmir, leading to frequent confrontations between the two communities. On Friday, protesters clashed with police in Srinagar demanding the townships decision be repealed.

Sayeed has sought to dispel fears about the proposed settlements, telling lawmakers: “We won’t set-up Israeli-type clusters for Pandits and neither Kashmiri Pandits desire to live in such clusters.”

Mohammad Yasin Malik, a top separa-

Kashmiri demonstrators clash with police during a protest against a government proposal to create exclusive settlements for Kashmiri Hindus in Srinagar on Friday AFP tist leader who heads the pro-independence Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front, rejected Sayeed’s clarification, saying the settlements would only add to hatred and mistrust between people.

Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since the two countries won independence from Britain in 1947. Both claim the territory in its entirety.

Several rebel groups have been fighting Indian forces since 1989 for independence or a merger of the territory with Pakistan.

The fighting has left tens of thousands dead – mostly civilians, including 209 Pan-

dits, according to government records.

Syed Salahuddin, a rebel commander who heads a conglomerate of about a dozen militant groups, warned the government plans would have a “dangerous fallout.”

The militant leadership “will not allow it to succeed,” Salahuddin said in a statement from Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan-administered portion of Kashmir where he is based.

Pandits have also opposed the plan. “This is a gimmick. It is not possible and it cannot succeed,” said Kumar Wanchoo, a Pandit businessman who lives in Srinagar. l

Nigeria votes for state governors, local assemblies

Gunmen kill 20 labourers in southwest Pakistan

Nigerians were yesterday voting to choose new state governors and local assemblies, with the main opposition party tipped to build on its victory in the presidential race.

Some 760 candidates are in the running for 29 governor and deputy governor positions, while 5,290 hopefuls are seeking local assembly seats in all 36 of Nigeria’s states.

The main opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) is expected to benefit from Muhammadu Buhari’s presidential win against incumbent Goodluck Jonathan, of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The PDP currently has 21 governors while the APC has 14.

“The still-ruling PDP will likely lose its majority of the governorships, partly from the bandwagon effect, incumbency fatigue and the APC’s momentum in regions like the southwest and Middle Belt,” the Eurasia Group said in a briefing note on Friday.

But the group’s head for Sub-Saharan Africa, Philippe de Pontet, said the key state of Rivers, in the oil-producing southern delta region, would go to the PDP. Governors are increasingly influential figures in Nigeria’s federal system of government. l

n AFP

n AFP

Gunmen have killed 20 construction workers in Pakistan’s restive southwestern province of Baluchistan, shooting them at point blank range after identifying they were not local, officials said yesterday.

Baluchistan is plagued by violence, with separatists seeking greater control over the province’s rich oil, gas and mineral resources, and gunmen have previously targeted outsiders seen as settlers.

The Baluch Liberation Front (BLF), an armed group that wants the province to be “liberated” from the rest of Pakistan, claimed responsibility for the incident.

“Gunmen stormed the camp of labourers in Gokh Don area of Baluchistan late Friday night and killed 20 labourers,” senior police official Tariq Khilji told AFP. He said those killed were all from outside the province – 16 of them from Punjab and four from Sindh province.

The incident, which occurred around 1,050 kilometres (650 miles) southwest of Quetta, was confirmed by Akbar Hussain Durrani, a senior administration official in the province.

“The labourers were working on construction of a small local bridge,” he said.

Hussain said some of the labourers reported being woken from their sleep by the sound of gunshots and screams.

“They had lined them up and shot them at point blank range after identifying their identity,” he said.

Hussain said paramilitary troops were guarding the labourers but fled when confronted by a large number of armed attackers.

A spokesman for BLF said the group would carry out more attacks until the province was given independence.

“We will continue our fight against Pakistani occupation until (the) liberation of Baluchistan,” Goran Baluch told AFP. BLF became known for the kidnapping of American UNHCR worker John Solecki from Quetta on February 2009. Solecki was released on “humanitarian grounds” in 2009.

Human rights groups have long accused Pakistani security forces and intelligence agencies of serious abuses in Baluchistan, Pakistan’s largest but least populous province. l

Maoist rebels kill 7 police in central India

n AFP

Maoist rebels yesterday killed seven policemen and wounded at least 10 others in an ambush in a remote part of central India, security officials said.

The troops were carrying out an operation deep in a forest when the gunmen attacked, the head of Chhattisgarh state’s anti-Maoist operations told AFP. “Seven security forces have been killed and 10 others have been injured in the encounter that took place in Sukma region,” said Rajinder Kumar Vij. Additional security reinforcements were being rushed to the area but rescue efforts were being hampered by bad weather, police deputy inspector general A. N. Upadhyaya said.

“We are trying to airlift those who are injured to our base in Jagdalpur,” Upadhyaya told AFP. The attack is the latest in a simmering conflict that pits the insurgents against security forces in the remote areas of mainly central and eastern India. l

Afghan aid workers found dead; 100 students hospitalised after meal

n Reuters Authorities in western Afghanistan are investigating whether 100 schoolboys who were hospitalised yesterday were poisoned, police said, a day after five aid workers kidnapped by the Taliban were found dead.

The boys, ages 10 to 14, fell sick after they ate beans from a vendor outside the school who told them the meal would help them pass their examinations in the western city of Herat, according to Abdul Jabar Rozi, Herat’s police chief.

The vendor was arrested later yesterday and an investigation launched into whether the food was deliberately tainted, he said.

“Enemies might be behind this,” Rozi added.

Taliban insurgents have poisoned Afghan police and army soldiers as part of their fight to topple the US-backed government, but periodic reports of poison attacks on schools have mostly turned out to be the result of accidental food poisoning or mass hysteria. l

25 dead in latest clashes in southern Yemen

n AFP

Fierce fighting between Iran-backed Shiite rebels and government forces in southern Yemen killed at least 25 people overnight, military and medical officials said yesterday.

The clashes were followed by a wave of pre-dawn air strikes by a Saudi-led coalition against positions of the Huthi Shiite rebels in Aden, the main southern city in conflict-hit Yemen.

Street fighting in Aden between the Huthis and forces loyal to President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi cost the lives of at least seven combatants in a 12-hour period, said a health official in the city.

Among them were “an elderly woman, a man and a child killed by snipers” from the rebel forces, the official said, giving the same death toll as medical sources announced on Friday night. l

DT

12 EDITORIAL

SUNDAY, APRIL 12, 2015

Don’t forget Salahuddin’s abduction

I

t has been one month since BNP leader Salahuddin Ahmed was abducted from a house in Uttara by men reportedly showing Detective Branch IDs. Law enforcement agencies formally denied any involvement and say that they have tried to trace him without any success.

A DMP probe committee investigating his family’s allegations that he was picked up by law enforcement personnel, has not announced any leads in the case.

During the time since his disappearance, Anowar Hossain and Helal Uddin, the two Bangladeshi oil workers abducted during a violent kidnapping by a militant group in Libya have seen their ordeal end and have safely been returned home. They were fortunate.

The fate of Salahuddin and the dozens of people who are kidnapped or disappear each year in Bangladesh, remains uncertain.

While some of the over 300 cases of abduction which have occurred since 2007, can be linked to extortion and other criminal purposes, allegations of individuals being abducted into secret detention by law enforcers remains a major concern.

According to Ain O Salish Kendra, there were 88 victims of forced disappearances during 2014. Of these people, 46 have been found, half produced or found in the custody of law enforcers, and the remainder found dead.

The government must do more to fulfill its duty to protect all citizens.

It must prioritise support for law enforcers in finding Salahuddin and other victims. It must also ensure that any allegations of involvement by law enforcers are fully and openly investigated and all criminal perpetrators are held to account.

Government must do more to fulfill its duty to protect all citizens

Boost tourism to help economy

O

ver 50 organisations from home and abroad, including airlines, hotels, tourism board and operators are taking part in this weekend’s Travel Mart 2015, a three-day international tourism fair in Dhaka.

We welcome the spotlight it places on Bangladesh’s diverse array of attractions, from tea gardens and historical sites to the natural wonders of the Sundarbans and Cox’s Bazar’s sandy beach.

Like other parts of the economy, the tourism sector has been hard hit by transport disruptions during recent blockades and strikes, with occupancy rates in many hotels down by over a half in peak season.

There is certainly a case for the government to explore targeted VAT and duty-waiver incentives for investment in new resorts and vehicles to help the sector claw back some of its losses. Reviving confidence in the sector can do much to help the economy, not least by reducing the fears which have kept many business visitors and foreign tourists from exploring key attractions.

While there is much untapped potential to bring in foreign exchange by attracting international travelers, 97% of our tourism income is generated domestically. Growth in the sector is mainly restricted for the same reasons that economic growth is held back. Ending political uncertainty and improving transport and infrastructure are the key to allowing more day trips to attractions both within and outside cities, to help the sector flourish.

Encouraging tourism is important. By promoting the country and its culture, it can be used to encourage other forms of inward investment and development.

Help the sector flourish to promote Bangladesh

Be heard

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

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Blogger Oyasiqur hacked to death March 31

Traveller_23 These men were pawns for those who like to use Islam for their own political/social gain, and to accumulate power. Arresting them and putting them on trial won’t take us to the root of the problem. sundar Is this befitting of the followers of Islam, claimed to be the religion of peace?

Think first, then write. sundar: Do not measure an entire billion or so people with the same brush for the actions of a few.

Do not make your assumptions on a religion without knowing what it stands for.

Arturis Dentalis Think first, then write: “Do not make your assumptions on a religion without knowing what it stands for.”

Islam calls for the murder of apostates.

This says nothing about the adherents of Islam, because thankfully, the majority of them are more moral. sundar Think first, then write: Brother I just want to see that no one gets brutally murdered on any plea, nothing else. Let the scholars do their work and ensure that their teachings make the people peace loving. My ignorance hardly matters, God is there to judge me and punish me if He thinks I am a sinner. Amen.

DaveWigan sundar: Fair enough comment, but the process is far too slow, and not really helpful unless they get their fingers out. What or whoever judges us later is somewhat irrelevant while we breathe air on this beautiful planet we all share. Killers murder other human beings with impunity. I have a feeling the world won’t be willing to wait, and nor should it. Life is far too precious for that. On a personal note, I’m quite happy not to be going where those killers are going, wherever that may be.

Ameer This is ominous. Murderers have no religion, period. This is more than just the acts of fringe elements of society, which the government is unable or unwilling to confront. I am worried about my country.

Jonathan Winters Ameer: “Murderers have no religion, period.”

I havn’t heard of anything this crazy, or demonstrably stupid in a while. Wow. Which

would mean (in your eyes) either ...

- All/most murderers are atheists -- religious people have never/rarely commit murder and the big one -- there aren’t any/ many reasons to kill someone because of your religion or theirs.

Pick up a damn Bible or Qu’ran. Read the news. See Christian mothers drowning their kids because they think the devil is inside them, or because they’ll be better off in heaven. Read about the Christian missionaries that spread the hate of the Bible, promoting the killing of witches and stoning of gays across all of Africa, Muslims killing those that leave Islam, that criticise Islam, imams (the public speakers for Islam) issuing fatwas (death threats, ordering people to kill) against people like Salman Rushdie or Ayaan Hirsi Ali, radicals in the East stoning their daughters and sons to death for blasphemy, or as an honour killing because of what they’ve been taught in the Qur’an.

How dare you insult and belittle those that are mercilessly killed in the names of various gods. Shameful.

DaveWigan Jonathan Winters: As the old saying goes, religion is the root of all evil.

Arturis Dentalis Ameer: Your head is in the sand. The killers wouldn’t have been killers if they were hardcore Jains. Islam promotes murder in numerous ways.

Dev Saha Ameer: How many times do I need to hear this broken record sermon? Yes, these criminals represent a religion and people simply do not want to acknowledge that connection.

Vinod Ameer: It is religion and only religion that caused this murder.

DT

OPINION 13

SUNDAY, APRIL 12, 2015

Annisul vs Tabith vs the dark horse n Mohammad Zaman

A

nnisul Huq is a tested businessman and an untested and unknown quantity in politics. Tabith Awal is a novice businessman and also an untested and unknown quantity in politics.

Selection -- as opposed to being popularly nominated -- of these two persons for the highly prestigious mayoral office of Dhaka City Corporation North is tantamount to political blighting or bankruptcy of the two major parties of today’s Bangladesh.

It is a shame that none of the partysupreme can find an untainted man/woman to steer the capital city to its rightful glory.

And the reason behind it is very simple -today’s politics nourishes neither politics nor political leadership for the morrow.

It’s all about the supreme leadership -- her wishes and the wishes of her kowtowing lesser leaders who have learned the art of playing kerfuffle so well …

Both Mr Huq and Mr Awal are from outside the rigid establishment of the two political ghoranas. It is possible that they will be able to think outside the box, and steer the city for better days. But the history of the recent past forces us to contemplate the opposite.

If Mr Huq wins, he will win because of the good grace of his mentor. Without any popular support (that a good politician can usually

have), he will have no power but to succumb to the wishes of the prime minister.

On the other hand, if Mr Awal wins, his situation will be much more precarious. He will have to honour the wishes of his leader Begum Zia. At the same time, while navigating the murky alleys of political Dhaka, he will have to give way to the wishes of the perpetual nemesis of his own leader. An impossible feat to accomplish even by the slickest of all slicks …

Any pragmatic mind, I think, will give Mr Huq a definite edge. He is smart, articulate, rich (does not own a car though, haha) and above all, he is in the good books of an all-powerful prime minister.

If he works hard, and I think, he will, his chance of delivering on his promise is more than 50/50.

Mr Awal, if elected, will find himself stranded between a rock and a hard place.

Unless he switches his allegiance (yes, he will not be tethered by that awful Article 70), he may be able to finish a five-year fruitless term and end up with a laurel of multiple politically motivated law suites; and if lucky will be dismissed by the LGRD ministry for some “God-knows-what-reason” leaving the citizenry of DCC-North stranded in the same old trishonku position. However, fugacious glory, like cherry blossoms, is never forever.

Hence, who can tell for sure what the fate of a Mayor Awal shall be?

Well, I am not a pragmatic guy. I voted for Professor Muzaffar Ahmed when the lesser Rahman (I mean, General Ziaur Rahman) bagged the presidency of Bangladesh almost effortlessly. I am a political romantic.

When a very elderly Professor Muzaffar Ahmed politely declined to be honoured with the highest state honour, my “kindof-dystopian” political romanticism got its highest credence.

Political romanticism still remains infectious. The primordial days of Shahbagh are a testament that such romanticism can still capture the imagination of the nation. I am a hard-core hater of capital punishment.

I never believed that the slogan of “fashi chai” was the reason why the whole conscience of Bangladesh was moved so much by a handful of Shahbagh youth. An overwhelming, yet subliminal anti-establishment yearning was the essence of Shahbagh to its true core. The entrenched establishment, early on, understood the power of Shahbagh.

They rapidly moved in. Took it over. And entropy ensued.

That anti-establishment yearning is still in the air. The youth and the politically nonaligned majority of the citizenry can still pull awe. Mr Huq or Mr Awal, even their allpowerful mentors, can be dumbfounded.

Yes, this very romantic spirit of Shahbagh is alive and well. When the right spark arrives, Shahbagh shall roar again like a dragon

and shall breathe fire to burn the entrenched coterie to their ashes.

I still see the spirit of Shahbagh in the blogosphere, in tweets and in Facebook statuses.

Some of the prime movers of Shahbagh are hyper-vocal and writing incessantly in support of the dark horse candidacy of Zonayed Saki.

I have seen him once in a television talk show. He came across as knowledgeable, thoughtful, and well-spoken. For Saki, being tall and handsome is definitely a plus in politics!

Mahi B Chowdhury is smart and articulate and handsome. He is likable, and I like him.

But his politics remains rooted in the nonkosher politics of the BAL/BNP paradigm. I do not believe that he has the right innards to light up the aspirations of the Shahbagh masses.

I am not sure how things shall play out.

My pragmatic brain is willing to settle for something like Mr Huq. But my heart cries for something more, something that shall make my soul soar to its romantic self. Yes, my heart pines for the “break-out-of-the-packdark-horse-candidate”.

If citizens of Dhaka desire an Ashwa Medha Jagya, they have to look for and find out the right horse to run and claim the terror-laden territory once and for all. l Mohammad Zaman is a physician and an occasional writer.

Wither away strikes, blockades, and maybe BNP n Nadeem Qadir

I

travelled by road to Cox’s Bazar and back to Dhaka recently. A large part of it was during the night, and my friends were worried that I was taking the trip amid BNPcalled general strikes and blockade in the country (except in Dhaka and Chittagong because of -- or so the 20-party alliance would claim -- the City Corporation elections).

It was a pleasant journey, and many private cars and other vehicles were seen on the streets. Roadside factories were also operating in full swing.

Ah! The blockade and strike has withered away, as I had predicted when it was called

by Khaleda Zia without any thought and plan, maybe due to the pressure of some journalists who were more partisan than Khaleda Zia herself.

My critics deemed me of being a lackey of the Awami League government, just because a few months ago I was offered a job in the Bangladesh High Commission in London. I am grateful to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for choosing me for the job, and thus giving me a chance to serve the country.

I am proud that I am serving a farsighted leader who is the daughter of our great leader Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who led this nation to its independence.

My martyred freedom fighter father was his soldier. So the child is taking after the father in some ways. At least, I am not siding with anti-Bangladeshi forces or war criminals.

I wrote in those articles that Khaleda Zia and Tarique Rahman were not far-sighted,

and were immature in many ways to call an indefinite strike and blockade, without any popular consent, just to gain power and to oust a democratically elected government.

I had mentioned that Tarique Rahman, while sitting idly in the luxury of London, had no idea about Bangladesh’s politics and was too immature to be able to lead a party, let alone a country. Also, who would accept a convict as a leader? We know that he has been convicted for corruption and now faces charges for treason.

During the BNP-led mayhem, at least 150 lives, innocent lives, that included women and children of no political affiliation, were lost, economic losses worth millions of dollars were incurred, and the country’s image was tarnished -- all in the name of democracy. But I called it demonocracy. Ah! My pro-BNP-Jamaat critics fired all kinds of personal attacks at me, but they were bereft of an intellectual rebuttal.

Now, with no strikes and blockades visible, except for the press release issued by BNP, which I think by now has also stopped coming to the media houses, Sheikh Hasina’s democracy is again functioning and well, with Khaleda Zia resting in her Gulshan home and candidates campaigning for the City Corporation elections.

The question has been raised as to what Khaleda Zia and her “able” son gained from this immature terror campaign to oust Sheikh Hasina. Many predict that they might resume their terror campaign if they lose the city polls, but I wonder who will be with them.

The activists who took to the streets to

DHAKA TRIBUNE

create anarchy for the last three months were mostly from the fundamentalist Jamaat-eIslami party. Some BNP men remained aloof whilst the ones that did participate, along with their Jamaati colleagues, are either in jail or on the run.

Can the Zia family return the lives lost for their immature political campaign? Will they pay for the treatment of the victims, especially those in the burn units of different hospitals?

They call Sheikh Hasina’s government illegal and again participate in the city polls under a government they have been trying to oust! Do they have any idea about what they want and what they are doing? Looks like Professor Emajuddin Ahmed and his team are trying to bring some sense to the Zia family. But the BNP standing committee leaders have been sidelined and repeatedly ignored

when taking major party decisions.

Thus, the BNP and the Zia duo should accept the fact that there is no way but to wait until the next general elections to try their luck. The city polls will pass by and the voters want candidates who are for the trial and punishment of the war criminals, they want a secular and religiously tolerant country and freedom for all sexes.

Voters are unlikely to choose a party that conducted country-wide terror attacks and tried to reinforce religious fundamentalism in order to gain power. In any other country, both Khaleda and Tarique would have been forced to step down for their massive political failure, unseen in recent times. l Nadeem Qadir, a senior journalist, is a UNCA Dag Hammarskjold Scholar in journalism.

DT

14 OPINION

SUNDAY, APRIL 12, 2015

n Harun-ur-Rashid

T

he Supreme Court on Monday rejected Jamaat-e-Islami leader Muhammad Kamaruzzaman’s review petition challenging his death penalty, and he was executed in the early hours of the morning today.

New York-based Human Rights Watch had asked the government to suspend the execution and demanded that Bangladesh impose an immediate moratorium on the death penalty, which it terms barbaric, pointing out that many countries have abolished the death penalty.

However, the rights body, surprisingly, did not give any statement against the execution of Azizul Huq Bachchu at Kashimpur jail on Monday night. Bachchu was given capital punishment for stabbing to death two sisters in 2005 at Borai village of Natore. The sentence was upheld by the High Court and the Appellate Division. The president rejected Bachchu’s mercy petition on March 4.

The charge against Bachchu was proved and therefore his sentence executed. On the other hand, it is also proven that Kamaruzzaman committed crimes against humanity during the 1971 Liberation War. He was behind mass murders at Sohagpur village of Sherpur’s Nalitabari, which is now dubbed as the village of widows.

Why was HRW so concerned about Kamaruzzaman’s execution, but not Bachchu’s?

According to its policy, HRW is against the death penalty. They think it is the highest level of violation of human rights. However, in the statement issued on Tuesday, the organisation did not mention that they had protested Kamaruzzaman’s execution because of their stance against the death

penalty, but claimed that the trial was flawed, and demanded an independent review suspending the execution.

“Bangladesh’s war crimes trials have been plagued by persistent and credible allegations of fair trial violations that require impartial judicial review,” HRW Asia Director Brad Adams said in the statement. There were no further elaborations about the flaws or how justice had been violated. Nonetheless, Adams urged the government to suspend the execution without presenting any evidence.

BIGSTOCK

Why was HRW out to save Kamaruzzaman? apparently if it is given to a war criminal. And each time, they have labelled the trial process “flawed and questionable.”

The New York-based rights organisation was also vocal before the execution of Kamaruzzaman’s counterpart in Jamaat, another assistant secretary general of the party, Abdul Quader Molla, who was hanged on December 12, 2013. They campaigned across the world to stop Molla’s execution.

Earlier the HRW was issued contempt of court notice for making similar remarks in the war crimes case against Jamaat guru Ghu-

Curiously, HRW appears to rally behind only the war criminals of Bangladesh sentenced to death. Their stance is not against death penalty in principle but only apparently if it is given to a war criminal

The sentence did not come after a summary trial. It took five years for the International Crimes Tribunal, established in line with Bangladesh’s constitution, to complete the trial. It is an open court. All the rules, including appeals, review, and presidential clemency have been applied in this case.

The due process of law was fully exhausted.

However, HRW remains dissatisfied with the trial and the consequent sentence.

Curiously, HRW appears to rally behind only the war criminals of Bangladesh sentenced to death. Their stance is not against death penalty in principle but only

lam Azam in 2013. The HRW later apologised and was pardoned. But that did not deter it from issuing similar statements.

The desperation shows HRW’s apparent willingness to risk their reputation and goodwill just to come out in favour of the Jamaat war criminals.

The death penalty is still in use in 32 out of 50 states of the US. In 2014, there was not a single execution in Bangladesh, but there were 35 in the US. The United States of America, where the Human Rights Watch is based, is fourth in the number of executions in the world according

to the UK-based Amnesty International. US is the only country that still uses such execution methods as gas chamber, firing squad, and lethal injection.

The HRW has failed to stop these in its own country. They keep mum about these executions but are actively expressing concern over the execution of war criminals here in Bangladesh. Only a handful of people are executed here. Why didn’t HRW stop those 35 executions -- a more serious violation of human rights?

Moratorium on the death penalty was withdrawn in the US through court in 1976.

The HRW was formed two years later. Why have they failed to stop executions in the last 40 years? 63% of Americans support the death sentence. Since 1976, a total of 1,389 executions have taken place.

Do as we say, not as we do. As per its policy, the HRW does not make public the names of individuals and organisations that finance their activities. The announcement regarding the policy is found on its website.

Why can’t they ensure transparency of their own funds although they raise questions about the standard and transparency of the trial of war criminals?

We know that Jamaat has already spent millions of dollars to stop the war crimes trials; their efforts are still continuing. They even appointed lobbyists.

Is it possible that part of the Jamaat money has gone to HRW too? It is merely a question that comes naturally out of curiosity, given their strange affinity towards Jamaat leaders. It is up to the HRW to ensure transparency by disclosing information about their funds now. l Harun-ur-Rashid is Bangladesh correspondent for Deutsche Welle.

16

Nikkei tops 20,000, European shares hit 15-year high

17

IMF’s Lagarde sees ‘new reality’ of mediocre growth

19

Sell-off as investors doubtful about political peace

Denim industry gets new economic dimension

Bangladesh Denim Expo is set to be held on May 11-12 in Dhaka market shares, and what is right now needed n Ibrahim Hossain Ovi for the country is create sophisticated denim, Bangladesh denim producers are gradually turning into design innovators, bringing a new dimension to the denim industry to attract global buyers.

The once buyer-driven denim industry now witnesses the manufacturers’ innovations and new designs of denim, paving the way for a careful choice by the retailers.

“About 90% denim work in Bangladesh was driven by the global buyers, who made designs through research and development, but the recent trend has changed. The manufacturers now offer their designs to the buyers,” AKM Aminul Islam, managing director of Mahmud Denim, told the Dhaka Tribune.

Innovation from producers’ end helps global buyers reduce cost as the latter need not invest in research and development, Aminul said, adding that the new concept in business helps them attract buyers through presenting new products.

Now, the factory owners are making investment in research and development as they have been able to understand that their investment will be fruitful, he adds.

Of the $24.49bn RMG export, denim contributes to around $6bn, which is expected to stand at $13bn in next five years, according to the sector, Bangladesh can meet 45%-50% demand of denim locally while 50% are met through import.

Denim is everybody’s garment. This universal fashion trend is a unique matter for progress. Whether it is recession or not, denim is used by all.

The use of denim is on the rise worldwide and that is why its growth in Bangladesh would be 300% in next 10 years while the world growth would be between 8% and 10%.

Bangladesh’s strength is its large population, skilled and disciplined workforce, 35 years of experience, said the sector people.

Though the sector marched to a new height there are still some challenges.

The main challenges are building confidence in the global buyers that the denim sector can face challenges and overcome with success, workers efficiency, ensuring political stability, they added.

The shift of orders from China and the rise in production cost in competitors’ countries will help Bangladesh boost the denim industry to grab more market share, said Mostafiz Uddin, managing director and CEO of Denim

Expert Limited.

The global denim market will cross $65 billion in the next four to five years, he said.

By 2020, every four of five denim products in Europe would be sourced from Bangladesh, Mostafiz hoped.

A two-day Bangladesh Denim Expo will be held from May 11 at Dhaka to attract the global buyers through display of new fashion trends and products.

The expo aims at fetching $7bn by exporting denim products, which would help the RMG sector to achieve $50bn export target by 2021.

“Bangladesh has already become a very large supplier of jeans to the global market, but we are not making premium denim.

What we need is better fabric and investment in more sophisticated washing,” Ranjan Mahtani, chairman of EPIC Group told the Dhaka Tribune.

It is high time Bangladesh grabbed global

building buyers’ confidence and more investment, said Ranjan.

A premium jean is an artistry which is not a kind of mass production, the EPIC Group chairman said, adding that you need to have that right artistry as it can transform the jeans sector to a premium souring destination.

If there are more engineering, more efficiency and more sophistication, there is a tremendous room to grow, he observed.

“As production cost is rising in our competitors’ country, Bangladesh would be more important as source destination for jeans and denim. We are becoming costlier but not as much as the other countries, Ranjan added.

The industry came into being with the initiative of army officials, professors or retired officers, who had little experience at the begining, but now the second generation is dealing with the business with expertise and innovation, said the businessman.

Bangladesh has become a platform for denim sourcing as global denim buyers have identified the country as denim producer, said Showkat Aziz (Russell), managing director of Amber Denim.

“Denim integration has been established here and what we need is convince the buyers and capture orders,” he added.

Currently, there are 27 denim factories in the country in the RMG sector with an investment of $900m while about 10 factories are poised to come into operation soon.

Local denim factories produce around 30 million yards of fabrics a month, meeting half of the local consumption.

Among the global players in the $60 billion denim market, Bangladesh lags behind China, the US, Italy and some Latin American countries. l

visit our website @

www.dhakatribune.com

20

DT

Business

15

SUNDAY, APRIL 12, 2015

BB to create policy for MSME banking

3 agencies’ proposals to fund Sirajgang power plant rejected n Asif Showkat Kallol Standing committee on non-concessional loans has rejected funding proposals made by three international agencies including World Bank for 225 megawatt combined cycle power plant in Sirajganj district.

The committee argued that the proposals could not be accepted as they were tagged with “hard conditions and high interest rates,” said official sources.

The agencies include World Bank’s insurance arm Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), Germany’s Euler Hermes Deutsch-land AG (Hermes) and China Export and Credit Insurance Corporation (Sinosure).

A meeting of the committee held on April 1 at Finance Division auditorium with Finance Minister AMA Muhith in the chair made the decision.

Muhith told the meeting that it was not possible to approve the loan proposals.

He asked for relaxation of the conditions and lowering of interest rate before giving approvals.

As per the proposal, the cost of the project will be $209m for construction of second unit duel fuel combined 225MW cycle power in Sirajgang in next three years.

Of the amount, Hermes agreed to provide $42m, Sinosure $120m and MIGA $46m.

On Power Division’s request, Standard Chartered contacted the potential financiers and brought the proposals.

The meeting discussed the agency fee, bidders premium, arrangement fee and standby fee along with other common terms and conditions.

One and half years ago when Bangladesh negotiation with World Bank to bring MIGA fund, Governor of Bangladesh Bank Atiur Rahman told Dhaka Tribune, “Huge foreign investment will definitely come into (the country) if we could sign deals with MIGA for fund.”

Hermes, Sinosure and MIGA offered interest rates respectively at six month LIBOR plus 1.95%, six month LIBOR plus 3.24% and six month plus LIBOR plus 1.90%. l

DT

16 BUSINESS

SUNDAY, APRIL 12, 2015

Lafarge, Holcim name Eric Olsen as chief of merged group n Reuters, Zurich

A pedestrian walks past an electronic board showing the Japan’s Nikkei averages (from top current rate,daily high, and daily low) outside a brokerage in Tokyo REUTERS

Nikkei tops 20,000, European shares hit 15-year high n Reuters, London World shares tested record highs on Friday as hopes of more easy money from top central banks pushed Japan’s Nikkei past 20,000 points for the first time in 15 years and European stocks reached similar heights.

The stock market push was set to keep Wall Street going up when it resumes later and complemented more lows for euro zone bond yields after Greece repaid a loan tranche to the International Monetary Fund to keep alive its hopes of more aid.

Subdued Chinese inflation also fuelled talk of additional stimulus from Beijing and came after data this week from top economies like the United States and Germany has generally bolstered the view that world growth is slowly perking up.

“We are in a honeymoon period for risk assets, and will be for another quarter,” said Sandra Crowl, an investment committee member at fund giant Carnignac Gestion.

With the Federal Reserve unlikely to start the process of gradually raising US interest rates until the third quarter follow a softer last couple of months, she added: “There is no reason for us to move out of being fully invested in equities and no reason for us to move out of our predominant positions of the last two years in the European periphery (bonds).”

In the currency market, the idea that the Fed will still be the first to move up rates meant the dollar remained king.

It was heading for its best week since 2011 against a basket of other top currencies as the

euro limped to its worst since 2011 and sterling slumped to a five-year low after poor UK industrial production data.

Along with the ECB’s stimulus programme and the weak euro, news that Greece had made a 450 million-euro loan payment to the IMF and secured extra emergency funding from the ECB for its banks also helped the mood.

There was a bit of relief that they made that repayment yesterday and it looks like they’re going to be able to pay that T-bill next week Greek markets were closed for an Orthodox Christian holiday, but Greek bonds have seen their best week in two months with yields down almost 3%. German Bund yields were also grinding back towards record lows.

“There was a bit of relief that they made that repayment yesterday and it looks like they’re going to be able to pay that T-bill next week,” Rabobank fixed income strategist Lyn Graham-Taylor said.

“But the market is whipping around. We’re very, very far from any sort of resolution that gets us through the next six months to a year.”

dollar bulls

the US data schedule on Friday was light but the dollar was on track for its first weekly rise in a month after jobless claims data on Thurs-

day had eased concern about the US labour market.

The greenback was up half a percent at a three-week high as U.S. trading began, bolstered by diverging bond yields in the U.S. and euro zone that should pull capital into the world’s largest economy.

Ten-year Treasuries were last at 1.957% after a week of steady yield gains after hints from Federal Reserve policymakers that the US may raise rates sooner than many expect.

Hopes had been that the UK would also be in a position to start lifting rates alongside the US, but the industrial figures that hit sterling showed output barely grew in February and construction shrank.

“It’s hard to avoid the conclusion that carry trades are playing a part. Note that German bond yields out to 8 years are now in negative territory, the euro is very much a funding currency,” said David de Garis, senior economist at NAB. Among commodities, Brent crude oil futures remained firm after rising on Thursday on strong German economic data and uncertainty about negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program.

Brent nudged up to $56.87 a barrel. But US crude slipped 0.3% on the day to $50.64. Gold was also flat at $1,194.71 an ounce, down 1.3% so far this week following a three-week run of gains.

Iron ore, which is in key in industrial construction but has been tanking in recent months as China has hinted at ongoing subsidies for its producers, tumbled another 4% as its rout continued. l

Lafarge and Holcim have picked Lafarge insider Eric Olsen as chief executive of their combined company, potentially opening the way for the two cement groups to clinch their $40bn merger, if shareholders back it next month.

Olsen, a 16-year veteran at Paris-based Lafarge, will take on the challenge of knitting together the two companies to deliver a promised 1.4bn euros ($1.5bn) in cost savings.

He said he was ready for the task of extracting these benefits from the merger and of forging a coherent new company from the Swiss and French groups.

“I see my role not only as the operational leader but also as the integrator of cultures,” he said at a press conference on Thursday.

The CEO role was a major sticking point when the tie-up between the French and Swiss companies came close to collapse in March. The two groups eventually agreed new terms aimed at satisfying discontented Holcim shareholders, but the top job remained a problem.

Holcim’s second-biggest shareholder Russia’s Eurocement and third-biggest Harris Associates have expressed misgivings about the deal, and have yet to speak publicly on Olsen’s appointment.

Shares in Holcim rose 3.6% and Lafarge 4.7% at 1312 GMT in response to Olsen’s appointment.

Since the deal was announced last April, Holcim investors had watched the companies’ relative business performances diverge.

A stronger Swiss franc also became a factor, along with questions over the management style and record of Bruno Lafont, Lafarge CEO, who was to be CEO of the merged company.

The two groups have agreed that Lafont will become co-chairman with Holcim’s Wolfgang Reitzle instead of CEO as initially planned.

Olsen was backed by the boards of both companies as CEO after Holcim’s board met on Wednesday.

An American and French citizen, Olsen, 51, joined Lafarge in 1999 and now works as its executive vice-president for operations, responsible for countries including France, the United States, Brazil and Egypt.

He has run Lafarge’s North American business, which was public at one time and has experience of communicating with investors.

But he has never been in charge of a company the size of the combined Lafarge and Holcim.

These two groups have more than 120,000 employees combined, according to their websites.

Jefferies analyst Mike Betts predicted that Olsen would be well regarded once investors got to know him, citing his track record at Lafarge North America.

“He was a strong operator, presenter and team player, who well understood the needs of the financial markets,” Betts wrote in a note.

Holcim chairman Reitzle remained confident about next month’s shareholder vote on the deal on May 8 but said the company needed to do more to convince shareholders of the merger’s advantages beforehand.

“We’re confident that we will win sufficient votes for the deal,” Reitzle said. l

DT

BUSINESS 17

SUNDAY, APRIL 12, 2015

IMF’s Lagarde sees ‘new reality’ of mediocre growth n Reuters, Washington Mediocre economic growth could become the “new reality,” leaving millions stuck without jobs and increasing the risks to global financial stability, the head of the International Monetary Fund warned on Thursday.

Christine Lagarde, the managing director of the IMF, first warned in October the global economy could be stuck on a “new mediocre” growth path with high debt and unemployment, unless policymakers act.

“Today, we must prevent that new mediocre from becoming the ‘new reality,’” Lagarde said, according to prepared remarks at the Washington-based Atlantic Council.

Speaking ahead of the release of the IMF’s economic forecasts next week, Lagarde said global growth this year is similar to last year, while it is slightly better for advanced economies and slightly worse for emerging markets.

In its last forecasts in January, the IMF said the global economy grew 3.3% last year, advanced economies expanded by 1.8% and emerging markets grew 4.4%.

“It is not that overall growth is bad,” Lagarde said. “It is rather that, given the lingering impact of the Great Recession on people ... growth is just not good enough.”

While loose monetary policies are still needed, especially in the euro zone and Japan, very low interest rates are also breeding financial instability as investors tolerate higher risks and may overprice assets.

Lagarde also warned about the potential negative impact of the sharp appreciation of the U.S. dollar over the past six months, as the Federal Reserve prepares to raise rates while

IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde attends the opening ceremony of China Development Forum about ‘China’s Economy in the New Normal’ REUTERS other central banks stay put.

She said some firms in emerging markets are particularly vulnerable as they deal with a higher dollar, lower commodity prices and higher borrowing costs. As in previous

speeches, Lagarde called for policymakers to pursue structural reforms, including infrastructure investment and trade reform.

“Frankly, in too many countries, these reforms have been lagging,” she said. l

Asia currencies seen pinned down as Fed readies to hike rates n Reuters Emerging Asian currencies are seen likely to weaken against the dollar over the coming year on expectations the US Federal Reserve will start hiking interest rates, although any losses are likely to be limited, a Reuters poll found.

Still, a Reuters poll on Thursday found respondents believed emerging market currencies are unlikely to rebound from decade- or record-lows, despite doubts about the timing of the Fed hike.

China’s central bank fixed the currency’s trading mid-point on Friday at 6.137 a dollar.

It is seen trading at 6.23 in a month, 6.26 by end-June and 6.20 in a year.

“Our view is that the PBoC will allow some dollar/yuan upside if dollar bulls overwhelm,” said Vishnu Varathan, senior economist at Mizuho.

The poll of around 30 foreign exchange strategists this week also showed the Indonesian rupiah is expected to lead losses and weaken about 5% in 12 months, followed by the South Korean won, which is predicted to fall 4%.

The rupiah recently tumbled to its weakest since 1998, losing 9.3% against the dollar since June.

Despite the fall, high inflation in Indonesia compared to its trading partners meant the currency remained strong in real terms, leading to a drop in exports.

Analysts predict the rupiah will trade around 13,611 per dollar in a year from Friday’s 12,895.

The poll also showed the Indian rupee will fall only slightly on expectations that further rate cuts by the Reserve Bank of India, due to falling inflation, and reforms by New Delhi will revive Asia’s third largest economy. l

BOJ’s Nakaso warns market against betting on more easing n Reuters, Tokyo Bank of Japan Deputy Governor Hiroshi Nakaso has tempered market expectations that the bank will expand its stimulus programme later this month, saying a cut in its inflation forecast would not be enough to justify more monetary easing.

Nakaso, one of Governor Haruhiko Kuroda’s two deputies, said that while slumping oil costs have pushed inflation back to zero, rising wages and a steady economic recovery will underpin a long-term rise in prices.

“What’s important is the underlying trend of inflation dynamics, which are steadily improving,” Nakaso told Reuters in an interview on Thursday, his first with non-Japanese media in nearly a year.

“As long as there’s no change to the underlying trend of inflation, additional monetary easing is unnecessary.”

Expectations that the BOJ might add to its stimulus programme at a rate meeting on April 30 have helped send Japanese shares to a 15-year-high.

But Nakaso’s remarks are the strongest denial to date by a senior BOJ official about the need for immediate policy action. They also show that Nakaso, who rarely speaks in public, shares Kuroda’s conviction that Japan is

on track to hit the bank’s 2% inflation target in about a year from now.

The BOJ is under pressure to cut its forecast that inflation will hit 2% within the current fiscal year at a twice-yearly review of its projections on April 30, due to the impact of falling oil prices.

But while acknowledging that inflation was moving away from the BOJ’s target, Nakaso said there were clear improvements in inflation expectations such as the rising number of firms promising wage hikes, including for temporary workers.

“We’re seeing some positive changes in corporate and household behaviour that rarely happened when Japan was mired in deflation,” Nakaso said.

“That’s evidence that Japan is shaking off its deflationary mindset.”

The BOJ now expects core consumer inflation to hit 1.0 percent in the year to March 2016, roughly triple the pace estimated by private analysts.

greece a risk

nakaso became deputy governor when Kuroda took the helm in 2013 and deployed his “quantitative and qualitative easing” (QQE) programme - a radical monetary experiment aimed at getting inflation to 2% in roughly

two years.

Nakaso said he saw no need to alter the BOJ’s pledge to hit 2% inflation “at the earliest possible time with a time horizon of about two years” as having that target will help in its efforts to stimulate the economy.

“We have no intention of changing this commitment,” he said.

The BOJ argues the two-year time frame is not a rigid deadline but a broader commitment with room for maneuver.

Nakaso, an expert on market operations, said he was mindful of the need to ensure the BOJ’s massive purchases do not dry up liquidity in the bond market.

But there is so far no sign of severe market distortions or excessive risk-taking spurred

by QQE, he said, brushing aside concerns held by some board members that the cost of the stimulus was outweighing the benefits.

“I don’t think we’ll face a situation where our purchases will be interrupted,” he said, suggesting that the BOJ still had room to top up bond purchases if it were to expand QQE again.

The BOJ now holds nearly a quarter of Japan’s government bond market as it buys up almost all the bonds sold by the government each month, raising concerns it was crowding out private investors.

Its aggressive purchases also mean its balance sheet is now equal to the size of Australia’s economy, making an exit from QQE increasingly challenging.

Nakaso, who played a key role in ending the BOJ’s previous quantitative easing in 2006, was quiet on how the bank might end QQE, saying only that it had tools available to withdraw stimulus when needed.

While his conviction of achieving the BOJ’s price target appeared unwavering, Nakaso warned events overseas - notably the unfolding crisis in Greece - could disrupt the positive momentum building in Japan’s economy.

“Deposits continue to be withdrawn from Greek banks and the government’s financing looks pretty tight,” he said.

“If Greece exits from the euro, even if accidentally, this could cause market turmoil and repercussions for Japan’s economy,” said Nakaso.

Such worries and other duties keep him at the BOJ’s headquarters almost round the clock.

The soft-spoken 61-year-old confirmed his well-known reputation as a workaholic, admitting that he couldn’t think of anything he does besides work on a weekend.

“I don’t have a particular hobby. I’ll think of something once Japan exits deflation.” l

DT

18 BUSINESS

SUNDAY, APRIL 12, 2015

News, analysis and recent disclosures STANDBANKL: The Board of Directors has recommended 15% stock dividend for the year ended on December 31, 2014.

Date of AGM: 14.05.2015, Time: 10:30 AM, Venue: Police Convention Hall (1st floor), Eskaton Garden Road, Ramna, Dhaka.

Record Date: 16.04.2015. The Company has also reported Profit after Tax and Provision of Tk. 1,213.40 million, EPS of Tk. 2.13, NAV per share of Tk. 17.34 and NOCFPS of Tk. 6.13 for the year ended on December 31, 2014 as against Tk. 1,010.98 million, Tk. 1.77, Tk. 16.29 and Tk. 1.21 respectively for the year ended on December 31, 2013.

ARGONDENIM: The Board of Directors has recommended 20% stock dividend for the year ended on December 31, 2014.

Date of AGM: 30.04.2015, Time: 10:00 AM, Venue: International Convention City Bashundhara-1 (Gulnaksha), Bashundhara, Dhaka (North side of 300 feet Purbachal Road). Record date: 15.04.2015. The Company has also reported Net Profit after Tax of Tk. 287.46 million, EPS of Tk. 3.47, NAV per Share of Tk. 27.00 and NOCFPS of Tk. 2.02 for the year ended on December 31, 2014.

NHFIL: The Board of Directors has recommended 15% cash dividend for the year ended on December 31, 2014. Date of AGM: 12.05.2015, Time: 11:00 AM, Venue: Lakeshore Hotel, Road41, House46, Gulshan-2, Dhaka. Record Date: 15.04.2015 The Company has also reported net profit of Tk. 209.60 million, EPS of Tk. 1.97, NAV per share

of Tk. 14.12 and NOCFPS of Tk. 0.99 for the year ended on December 31, 2014 as against Tk. 167.47 million, Tk. 1.57, Tk .

13.40 and Tk. 2.72 respectively for the year ended on December 31, 2013.

BDLAMPS: The Board of Directors has recommended 20% cash dividend for the year ended on December 31, 2014.

Date of AGM: 05.05.2015, Time: 11:00 AM, Venue: Emmanuelles Banquet Hall, House 4, Road 134135, Gulshan-1, Dhaka. Record Date: 16.04.2015. The Company has also reported NAV of Tk. 616.81 million, EPS of Tk. 2.12 and NOCFPS of Tk. 9.30 for the year ended on December 31, 2014.

SQUARETEXT: The Board of Directors has recommended 20% cash dividend and 10% stock dividend for the year ended on December 31, 2014.

Date of AGM: 16.06.2015, Time: 10:00 AM, Venue: Raowa Convention Hall No. 2, DOHS Mohakhali, Dhaka. Record Date: 20.05.2015. The Company has also reported NAV of Tk. 5,158.72 million, EPS of Tk. 3.66 and NOCFPS of Tk. 5.62 for the year ended on December 31, 2014.

The Board of Directors has also approved an investment plan to increase production capacity of the factory as follows: Facility to be built: Yarn production capacity, Capacity to be increased: 4,235 tons per annum, Estimated project cost: Tk. 113.87 crore, Expected date of completion: April, 2016, Estimated turnover: Tk. 119.00 crore per annum, Expected Profit Contribution: Around 11% on turnover.

Turnover (Volume) Number of Contract

Closing (% change)

Company Unique Hotel RL - A ACI Limited- A Mozaffar H.Spinning-A Ifad Autos -N Eastern Bank - A Bangladesh Welding -Z Hwa Well Textiles-A AMCL (Pran) -A Intl. Leasing-B Tung Hai Knitting -N

15.12 8.47 8.39 7.46 6.77 6.04 3.86 3.75 3.42 3.37

CSE GAINER Closing (% change)

Company Unique Hotel RL - A Ifad Autos -N ACI Limited- A Hwa Well Textiles-A Mozaffar H.Spinning-A Reckitt Benckiser -A Eastern Bank - A Reliance1 M.F.-A Tung Hai Knitting -N Bangas -A

14.47 8.44 8.14 7.72 5.78 5.09 4.74 3.45 3.40 2.62

DSE LOSER Company Zaheen Spinning -N Eastland Insur -A ICB Sonali Bank 1 MF-A Rupali InsurA Shurwid Ind. -N Imam Button -Z Asia Insur. Ltd.-A FarEast Knitting -N First Security Bank-A United Insur -A

Closing (% change) -21.70 -20.30 -18.64 -18.50 -16.13 -16.00 -15.52 -14.85 -13.73 -13.64

CSE LOSER Company Eastland Insur -A Zaheen Spinning -N Rupali InsurA Asia Insur. Ltd.-A Midas Financing-Z Pioneer Insur -A Shurwid Ind. -N Dhaka Ins. Ltd.-A FarEast Knitting -N Fareast Finance-Z

Closing (% change) -21.05 -20.48 -19.00 -18.44 -16.52 -14.95 -14.95 -14.85 -14.14 -13.77

SECTORAL TURNOVER SUMMARY

DSE key features April 5-9, 2015 Turnover (Million Taka)

DSE GAINER

Sector

16,815.36 339,617,545 531,526

Traded Issues

321

Issue Gain (Avg. Price Basis)

30

Issue Loss (Avg. Price Basis)

287

Unchanged Issue (Avg. Price Basis)

4

Market Capital Equity (Billion. Tk.)

2,474.46

Market Capital Equity (Billion US$)

29.99

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 769.38 414.55 107.31 1860.55 507.98 4720.68 16.17 1635.69 3038.34 41.58 528.83 194.84 59.59 596.30 354.32 71.82 294.88 662.44 547.45 388.36 4.30

% change 4.58 2.47 0.64 11.06 3.02 28.07 0.10 9.73 18.07 0.25 3.14 1.16 0.35 3.55 2.11 0.43 1.75 3.94 3.26 2.31 0.03

Million Taka 59.90 27.71 10.09 135.83 186.53 626.38 0.00 321.60 149.46 312.58 36.04 311.28 5.85 83.40 44.22 3.91 10.29 95.62 50.18 62.86 0.28

Average (% change) 12.84 9.90 7.18 11.74 6.19 4.86 2.58 3.32 2.30 3.12

Average (% change) 14.47 13.77 9.39 4.17 5.38 5.09 4.70 1.90 2.74 2.65

Average (% change) -21.74 -20.97 -16.44 -17.78 -14.71 -16.43 -14.77 -14.70 -13.43 -13.14

Average (% change) -20.93 -20.65 -20.14 -18.37 -16.91 -14.86 -13.63 -14.76 -13.30 -14.00

CSE

Closing average 53.18 569.05 34.64 72.73 26.61 15.76 29.78 206.53 12.03 21.49

Closing average 53.87 73.79 566.58 29.76 34.48 1656.70 26.50 5.91 21.34 367.96

Closing average 16.92 21.14 4.93 16.46 18.50 8.39 14.83 17.24 8.83 20.95

Closing average

% change 2.36 1.09 0.40 5.36 7.36 24.72 0.00 12.69 5.90 12.34 1.42 12.28 0.23 3.29 1.74 0.15 0.41 3.77 1.98 2.48 0.01

21.00 16.98 16.57 14.58 9.58 33.00 18.51 17.15 17.40 11.86

Weekly closing 53.30 559.90 34.90 70.60 26.80 15.80 29.60 207.70 12.10 21.50

Weekly closing 53.00 70.70 558.20 30.70 34.80 1656.70 26.50 6.00 21.30 368.20

Weekly closing

Weekly high 54.40 582.90 35.80 75.40 27.10 16.00 30.10 210.00 12.30 21.80

Weekly high

Weekly high

Weekly low 45.00 64.60 500.00 27.10 31.60 1520.10 24.90 5.90 20.60 346.00

Weekly low

21.30 26.70 5.80 20.00 21.90 9.60 17.30 20.30 9.40 24.50

Weekly high

21.00 16.70 16.20 14.60 9.60 33.00 18.20 17.20 17.00 11.90

Million Taka 829.28 442.27 117.40 1996.37 694.51 5347.06 16.17 1957.30 3187.80 354.16 564.87 506.13 65.45 679.70 398.53 75.73 305.17 758.06 597.63 451.22 4.58

44.80 512.50 31.50 64.30 24.00 12.90 28.00 197.00 11.50 20.40

55.00 75.00 582.00 30.80 35.00 1674.90 26.50 6.00 21.50 375.00

16.60 21.20 4.80 16.30 18.20 8.40 14.70 17.20 8.80 20.90

Weekly closing

Weekly low

16.20 20.50 4.70 16.30 17.80 7.70 14.60 16.70 8.60 20.80

Weekly low

25.50 20.70 19.40 17.30 11.00 35.10 21.70 19.50 20.40 13.60

Total

21.00 16.50 16.20 14.40 9.60 32.30 17.40 17.10 16.80 11.20

% change 4.29 2.29 0.61 10.32 3.59 27.63 0.08 10.12 16.47 1.83 2.92 2.62 0.34 3.51 2.06 0.39 1.58 3.92 3.09 2.33 0.02

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

456.138 917.810 180.559 828.086 10.901 7.375 16.584 18.902 27.773 122.822

Turnover in million

3.05 9.57 2.82 1.92 3.50 0.44 2.66 6.50 0.74 1.19

Latest EPS

13.298 48.019 42.410 0.286 11.919 0.862 0.567 0.218 10.092 9.836

Turnover in million

17.4 59.5 12.3 37.9 7.6 35.8 11.2 31.8 16.3 18.1

Latest PE

3.05 1.92 9.57 2.66 2.82 42.33 3.50 0.62 1.19 5.54

Latest EPS

79.443 6.266 1.104 4.835 20.984 0.383 2.014 6.686 23.109 0.729

Turnover in million

Latest PE

17.7 38.4 59.2 11.2 12.2 39.1 7.6 9.5 17.9 66.4

Latest PE

1.32 2.65 0.98 1.79 0.72 -1.48 2.17 1.96 1.44 2.92

Latest EPS

0.130 19.981 0.359 0.110 0.089 0.020 1.791 0.174 0.952 0.595

12.8 8.0 5.0 9.2 25.7 -ve 6.8 8.8 6.1 7.2

Latest PE

2.65 1.32 1.79 2.17 -3.24 4.83 0.72 2.44 1.96 1.88

7.9 12.9 9.3 6.7 -ve 6.8 25.7 7.0 8.9 6.3

CSE key features April 5-9, 2015 Turnover (Million Taka) Turnover (Volume) Number of Contract

1,605.79 37,808,554 97,013

Traded Issues

271

Issue Gain (Avg. Price Basis)

37

Issue Loss (Avg. Price Basis)

232

Unchanged Issue (Avg. Price Basis)

2

Market Capital Equity (Billion. Tk.)

2,401.32

Market Capital Equity (Billion US$)

29.11

DT

BUSINESS 19

SUNDAY, APRIL 12, 2015

Sell-off as investors doubtful about political peace n Tribune Report

DSE TURNOVER LEADERS Company United Power-N ACI Limited- A Ifad Autos -N MJL BD Ltd.-A Shasha Denims -N Square Pharma -A Grameenphone-A LafargeS Cement-Z Unique Hotel RL - A Pharma Aids A

Khulna Power-A Shahjibazar Power-N ACI Formulations-A SummitAlliancePort.-A BEXIMCO Ltd. -A

Volume shares 19,053,466 1,671,990 11,753,490 4,868,507 14,235,992 2,028,565 1,512,179 4,123,322 9,595,652 1,381,375

5,366,575 1,791,464 1,950,223 5,304,365 7,961,826

CSE TURNOVER LEADERS Company United Power-N LafargeS Cement-Z Shasha Denims -N BD Submarine Cable-A MJL BD Ltd.-A Ifad Autos -N BEXIMCO Ltd. -A ACI Limited- A Grameenphone-A UNITED AIR-A

Square Pharma -A ACI Formulations-A Agni Systems -A Khulna Power-A WesternMarine -N

Volume shares 3,596,498 582,066 1,526,154 513,228 412,071 672,960 1,399,358 77,472 105,220 4,726,395

121,947 201,204 931,857 473,372 579,728

Value in million 2520.06 917.81 828.09 616.06 577.06 533.90 529.03 467.88 456.14 426.42

323.46 294.88 292.40 273.35 247.79

Value in million 476.73 65.88 61.75 58.83 52.24 48.02 43.48 42.41 36.79 33.61

32.08 30.24 29.13 28.58 24.07

% of total turnover 14.99 5.46 4.92 3.66 3.43 3.18 3.15 2.78 2.71 2.54

1.92 1.75 1.74 1.63 1.47

% of total turnover 29.69 4.10 3.85 3.66 3.25 2.99 2.71 2.64 2.29 2.09

2.00 1.88 1.81 1.78 1.50

Weekly closing 145.30 559.90 70.60 127.60 41.50 265.70 349.60 113.60 53.30 307.30

58.00 159.10 147.90 52.00 30.30

Weekly closing 144.90 113.00 40.90 116.70 127.40 70.70 30.40 558.20 349.10 6.90

264.70 147.90 30.20 57.90 41.30

Price change 0.00 8.47 7.46 -0.93 0.24 1.49 0.32 1.16 15.12 1.02

Weekly opening 0.00 516.20 65.70 128.80 41.40 261.80 348.50 112.30 46.30 304.20

Weekly high 159.00 582.90 75.40 131.00 42.50 266.80 355.40 116.00 54.40 324.90

Price change 0.00 0.71 -1.21 -2.91 -1.09 8.44 -5.88 8.14 0.34 -10.39

Weekly opening 0.00 112.20 41.40 120.20 128.80 65.20 32.30 516.20 347.90 7.70

Weekly high 158.00 116.50 42.30 122.00 131.90 75.00 32.70 582.00 355.00 7.80

-7.94 -13.11 -0.74 -6.14 -6.77

1.26 -0.87 -3.21 -7.95 -3.95

63.00 183.10 149.00 55.40 32.50

261.40 149.20 31.20 62.90 43.00

64.70 185.90 157.70 55.80 32.90

266.00 156.10 32.80 64.40 43.30

Weekly low 98.00 512.50 64.30 123.00 37.70 259.90 344.50 111.00 44.80 291.00

57.20 151.20 142.30 46.40 29.70

Weekly low 100.50 111.00 37.00 107.60 123.00 64.60 29.90 500.00 344.00 6.80

260.00 142.30 29.60 57.00 40.20

Weekly average 149.98 569.05 72.73 127.49 41.36 264.96 351.51 113.83 53.18 311.39

59.11 161.96 151.36 52.02 30.81

Weekly average 149.78 112.99 40.95 119.51 127.51 73.79 30.82 566.58 351.06 6.99

264.72 151.85 30.37 59.13 41.60

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

4345.89429

(-) 2.82%

1671.17367

(-) 1.87%

13308.9392

(-) 2.83%

11071.2291

(-) 2.29%

8090.8510

(-) 2.94%

▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼

Panic sale gripped the country’s stock markets in last week’s trading as investors pessimistic about political peace anytime soon had accelerated their sell-off to exit from the market.

Although the political situation was relatively calm in recent days, the investors were cautious and worried about long-term adverse impact on the economy due to the political crisis, market analysts said.

In the past week that ended Thursday, the benchmark index DSEX slid to nine and a months low with a decline of 126 points or 2.9% to settle at 4,345.

The comprising blue chips DS30 index lost nearly 32 points or 2% to 1,671. The DSE Shariah Index plunged 23 points or 2% to 1,065.

The Chittagong Stock Exchange Selective Categories Index, CSCX, declined 233 points or 2.8% to close at 8,090.

The week’s daily turnover was Tk336 crore, down more than 6% over the previous week’s average of Tk359 crore.

The losing sectors were mutual fund, textile and non-banking financial institutions that declined around 5% each. But fuel and power kept its leadership in sectoral gain by surging 6.9%, followed by telecommunication 4% and pharmaceuticals 1.7%.

IDLC Investments said although political uncertainty seemed to have eased a bit, investors’ sentiment failed to revive or even improve, bringing out another dismal week for the equity market.

It said participants’ lack of confidence in the sustainability of political calm remained a major reason behind the investors’ pessimistic attitude.

“The impact of the strikes and blockades on the economy as well as on earnings of listed companies are yet to be figured out. Investors were shaky on their respective cases and initiated herding movements, which created major flight to selected few stocks, leaving rest of the market dry.”

LankaBangla Securities said the market took selling shock in the past week. l

ANALYST

Although political uncertainty seemed to have eased a bit, investors’ sentiment failed to revive or even improve, bringing out another dismal week for the equity market

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20 BUSINESS

SUNDAY, APRIL 12, 2015

BB to create policy for MSME banking n Tribune Report Bangladesh Bank would create a policy and regulatory framework for MSME (micro small and medium enterprise) banking to create an environment that is supportive and friendly to the cottage, micro, small and medium enterprises with a particular focus on women entrepreneurship.

Bangladesh Bank Governor Atiur Rahman made the announcement yesterday while addressing a seminar titled “The Role of Policy Makers and Central Bank in Promoting SMEs’ Access to Finance – The Case of Bangladesh”.

Atiur was speaking at the seminar as the chief guest. The seminar was presided over

by Toufic Ahmad Choudhury, director general of Bangladesh Institute of Bank Management, while Farhad Uddin, additional secretary, the Ministry of Industries, addressed the programme as special guests.

The European Union-funded Bangladesh INSPIRED Project in partnership with BIBM and Bangladesh Bank Training Academy (BBTA) jointly organised the day-long seminar.

In his address, Atiur called upon the policy makers for a comprehensive MSME development master plan.

He said: “Banks and non-banking financial institutions need to have a tailored and explicit strategy for SME banking in order to build a solid banking policy to facilitate sound

Bangladesh Bank Governor Atiur Rahman speaks at a seminar on finance for SME sector in the city yesterday growth and profitable SME banking.”

SME lending is not profitable due to lack of appropriate processes and the banks will not proactively increase portfolio in the MSME segment if such lending does not become profitable, added the governor.

He suggested that the banks should re-

visit their MSME Banking models to identify pitfalls and undertake Business Process Reengineering (BPR) in order to make MSME banking profitable, less risky and more consumers-friendly.

“Bangladesh needs to maximise the benefits derived from the MSME sector as this

H&M inspects more textile suppliers in quest for improved conditions n

Reuters, Stockholm

World no 2 fashion retailer Hennes & Mauritz said half its clothes will by year-end be made of fabric from mills which it has inspected, marking progress in a programme to improve working conditions in plants typically in India and Bangladesh.

Poor working conditions in the textile industry were thrust into the limelight by the collapse in 2013 of the Rana Plaza garment factory in Bangladesh in which more than 1,100 workers were killed.

H&M, which ranks second globally by sales to Spain’s Inditex, has extended its inspections from factories making its clothes to those supplying fabric and yarn.

H&M’s social sustainability manager Hanna Hallin said its purchasing policies would benefit those sub-suppliers who measure up to its code of conduct.

In its annual sustainability report published on Thursday, H&M said the proportion of its clothes being made from fabric made by audited mills would rise to 50% this year from 35% last year.

“It’s about them having a safe work environment and ensuring human rights with regards to remuneration and overtime for example, and that there is no child labour,” Hallin said.

“We will place more orders and book more material with those that take responsibility and where we see a continuous development,” Hallin said. “So, this is our business tool to drive a positive development. Of

The logo for an H&M (Hennes & Mauritz) store in London course it will make a difference for workers.”

H&M said that unlike direct suppliers in the garment industry, most mills have nev-

REUTERS

er been exposed to demands or compliance standards from brands and its challenge was to educate them. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

sector plays a pivotal role in promoting and sustaining the industrial as well as overall economic growth.”

Atiur stressed that the policy makers and the central bank prioritise the MSME sector to help the SMEs access finance in short and medium terms. l

Z Pack wins Bangladesh StartUp Cup 2014

n Tribune Report Bangladesh StartUp Cup yesterday held a grand finale among top four local StartUps vying for business model championship.

Z Pack, a StartUp in Dhaka, came out on top and won the contest, said a press release.

The StartUp champion is working on making lives easier by providing one-stop packaging solution to individuals and companies.

Nature’s Gift (Memento International) secured the 1st runner-up while Shurokka came second.

The first runner-up deals in mushroom pickle with many medical benefits and has an unmatchable shelf life of two years without any use of preservative.

The second runner up, Shurokka, provides low-cost hygienic sanitary napkins to garment workers.

Often garment workers work for long hours in poor hygienic conditions in factories, exposing themselves to many health risks.

Menstrual hygiene and health is crucial for women’s well-being and Shurokkha tries to address the health issue.

The international business model competition StartUp’s first Bangladesh edition, Bangladesh StartUp, organised the event for the first time.

Some 46 StartUps from Dhaka participated in the programme that had seven rounds of contest before moving towards the final.

The final results were declared at a glitzy atmosphere.

The organizations founder, Sean Griffin, and its Vice-President Arax Martirossian were present during the final round. l

DT

21

SUNDAY, APRIL 12, 2015

T-JUNCTION

Candy Stripes Photo: Sabiha Akond Rupa

INSIDE Twinning trendy

Love letter for lungis

Planning on matching outfits with your bae this Boishakh? Shoilpic offers options that let you coordinate colours and still retain your individual flair

There’s nothing hotter than a confident guy at ease with his surroundings, and no guy is more comfy in this hot climate of ours than when he’s strutting his stuff in a flowy lungi

22

Bikroy.com presents Pohela Boishakh Selfie Contest

23

now trending:

3 global trends you can totally rock this Boishakh

24 in style

The royal azure

DT

22 T-JUNCTION

SUNDAY, APRIL 12, 2015

News

Bikroy.com presents

Pohela Boishakh Selfie Contest

Shoilpic’s latest Boishakh collection is in stores Fashion house Shoilpic, has designed its new Boishakh line incorporating different floral, kolka and geometrical motifs. The collection includes sarees, shalwar kamiz, tops, panjabis, fatuas, T- shirts and so on. Colours like red, maroon, orange, white, magenta and yellow have been highlighted this time.

The collection is available in all Shoilpic outlets in Dhaka and Chittagong.

For details: 1672, Askarabad, Mojaffar mansion, Deowan haat, Chittagong. Mobile: 01855963176.

Phone: 0312519133.

Check out their website www.shoilpikbd. com and their Facebook page www.facebook. com/Shoilpik-Furniture. l

The popular online marketplace will award three winners will be awarded with an exclusive Alcatel onetouch smartphones each, from the selfie contest. The first few hundred participants will also be awarded two tickets to a private screening of “Avengers – Age of Ultron” at Star Cineplex in May. To participate in this competition, interested customers must post a valid advertisement as per Bikroy.com rules.

This ad needs to be posted and approved on Bikroy.com (http://www.bikroy.com) in between April 1 and April 14, 2015. This contest is only open to private individuals.

Afterwards, participants will have to take a selfie in traditional Bangladeshi Boishakhi outfits along with the item they are selling in their ad, and email the photo to competition@bikroy.com or inbox it to Bikroy.com’s Facebook page. The contestant’s email address and mobile number should also be specified, and should match those in the advertisement.

Bikroy.com will select the best selfies and post them on their Facebook fan page (https://www.facebook.com) on April 15, and everyone will be able to vote for their favorite until April 30. The three selfies that get the highest number of likes on Facebook will be the grand-prize winners, and there will be seven other runner-ups.

Misha Ali, Director of Marketing at Bikroy. com said, “We at Bikroy.com arranged this competition to celebrate Pohela Boishakh with our customers in a fun way, while keeping to the spirit of the holiday. We look forward to our users’ participation in the contest.”

Further details about the competition are available on Bikroy.com’s Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/bikroy) and on their blog (http://blog.bikroy.com). l

T-JUNCTION 23

DT

Trending

SUNDAY, APRIL 12, 2015

nowtrending

3 global trends you can totally rock this Boishakh Mix it up for the festive season

nSabrina Fatma Ahmad Boishakh signals the start of the summer fashion season in Bangladesh. This is where the design houses bring out their summer collection, and in recent years, fashionistas have cottoned to the idea and incorporated more colour and experimental silhouettes into their look for the first day of the Bangla New Year. Keeping that in mind, here are a few international trends you can sneak into your Boishakh look this year.

The graphic clutch from Burberry to Balmain, all the big brands have gone nuts with this trend, with our itty bitty evening bags getting some printed doovers. This is great news for the local fashionistas because silk-screen printed clutches are just about everywhere, and they cost

sparkle to your evening wear, pick up some pretty costume jewellery baubles and add a fusion twist to your deshi outfit.

a fraction of what those foreign labels do.

So you can be in vogue on a budget and no one will know the difference. Add a pop of colour to your reds and whites with one of these babies.

Aztec and Art Deco jewellery The bold, geometric patterns found in Aztec art and Art Deco designs are back in a big way this summer. If you’re planning to add a little

Dolman dress If you’re going the shalwar kameez route this year, ask your tailor to stick in dolman sleeves. Not only are these loose sleeves super on point this time of the year, they are incredibly comfortable, and flattering for those who are a little shy about their arms. If you have a dolman dress, pair with leggings and a scarf and you’re ready to hit that panta bhaat dawat. l

Shoilee’s Boishakh Stylesheet In-season riffs on a timeless combo

n

T-Junction Desk

Red hot On her: Another bright and festive looking ensemble adds a touch of whimsy with this cropped vest that goes over the kameez. Splashes of electric blue and forest green join the coral red, white and yellow party going all over this eye-catching number.

On him: The kite-inspired motif going down the collar suggests the fun and games of a Boishakhee mela.

The red-on-white combo makes this panjabi the perfect one to don as the sun starts to head home.

Sunny skies On her: The starchy white and brickred combo that is closely associated with Pohela Boishakh is hard to pull off for most, but there’s no hard and fast rule about sticking to those shades.

By manipulating the colour wheel ever so subtly, this brilliant vermilion shade sits more comfortably on the white cotton background, and the yellow piping makes it pop.

On him: The same colour combo gets rearranged, and moved a few shades lighter to arrive at this sunny cotton ensemble. Hints of turquoise off-set the brightness of the tangerine detailing on the collar and chest, making this the perfect outfit for the festival season.

DT

24 T-JUNCTION

SUNDAY, APRIL 12, 2015

Tailored

in style

The royal azure This particular shade of blue is the colour of the moment

n Mahmood Hossain While purple has always been synonymous with royalty, royal blue has always been at its heels. It’s time to kick the navy aside, leave it for the more formal events. Royal blue, however, is for everything in between. Just like any other colour of the season, there are certain ways to pull it off effectively without any hitches. Let’s count the ways.

Just a tad Not every single man is a fashion aficionado, and we aren’t expecting you to be. Using royal blue as in accent is a great way to work your way into the colour. Hints of this blue shade can be worn on a wristwatch strap or simply on a striped shirt. Even the littlest detail of this colour can be worn without wanting to push the sartorial envelope. It’s a simple and safe way to don this colour.

Getting pale Whether you’re in the crowd of stylish gentlemen in the streets during Pitti Uomo or on your way to brunch here in Dhaka, contrasting is very important. Slipping on a light cotton, royal blue blazer will definitely catch the attention of many. But remember, you should never be an eye sore, regardless the colour.

Toning things down with a pale blue shirt underneath the blazer is the perfect way to carry on a bolder look. Even if you desire to try the colour on your trousers, skipping the blazer altogether, it’s the right blue-on-blue balance.

Live a little The most recent trend in street style has been tailored suits, all in the same fabric, worn in the most casual way possible. We’re talking about unbuttoning the top three button of the shirt underneath a double-breasted suit jacket. In addition, rolling the sleeves up of the same jacket in discussion. The beauty of modern style with vintage cuts is in how a man can pull it off. You have to be confident and comfortable to try out this specific look, no reservations. This brilliant blue can be both regal and fun at the same time.

And to top things off, a fresh pair of brown loafers rounds up the look just fine.

It’s a business, man Business trips don’t ever have to be stuffy and uncomfortable. You really don’t need to put on your professional face until you’re actually in the meeting. Making slight changes in hue and relaxing cuts can make it easier for you from the office to off-duty transition. In other words, a suit can consist of a royal blue jacket and white trousers or lightwashed jeans. Don’t forget the pocket square.

One time over the rest You may not want to wear this colour at all, or stand out in the crowd. What you can do is make sly moves by incorporating this shade of blue into your wardrobe. Think accessories. You’ve got the softer hue in ties and pocket squares or the bold blue in your everyday bag. Accessories will always play a huge role in a look, if you choose to sport them correctly.

Kickback As always, keep things simple. Comfort and sophistication comes from a man who never over thinks his looks. Even celebrities

have looked a little too perfect. Yes, there is such a thing in menswear. It’s not to say you shouldn’t care about how you look or not give the right amount of effort in how you dress. This colour requires careful attention, so it’s best to keep the combinations simple and basic. Let the royal blue do its job, you take care of the rest. l

wardrobecheck

Lungi dance Wear ‘em with pride

n Baizid Haque Joarder Culture plays an important role shaping the fashion sense of a particular region. Even with the universally accepted trousers, men all around the world have their own versions of comfort clothing. Just like the Scots and the Irish have their kilts, Indians and their dhotis, the Bangladeshi men have their lungi.

Pronounced as “loo-ung-ee,” the prodigal cloth is also popular among south-east Asian countries like Indonesia, Malaysia and Middle-East countries alike.

Although the lungi is popular in regions

with a humid and hot climate like ours, it was never seen as formal wear in Bangladesh.

Men who are in their middle-ages and older are usually the ones who opt for to wear it in their homes, but the lower middle-class surely exploits the comfort of a lungi out in public.

Why lungis?

Why not? In addition to having a portable ventilation system, it’s a rite of passage for all Bangladeshi men. Usually made with cotton, lungis can be fashionable too. Solid colours, boutique prints and the classic plaid lungi never retire the scene. Blue is often the

preferred colour as its cool shades refresh during the hot summer.

How to wear it Once you find the lungi of your choice, get yourself in the middle. Grab two sides, and hold out the excess fabric in front of you.

Cross the two ends twice and knot. You’re still left with some excess fabric. Take this, pleat, and tuck in over the knot and viola!

Among the many ways to wear it, this one looks good and works relentlessly to save you from uncalled and unnecessary humiliation. However if you’re new to this, wearing boxers or shorts underneath might be a good idea. Wearing a belt may well be a better one.

Controversies, revival and rebranding The controversial banning of rickshawallas wearing lungis from the diplomatic zone on grounds of “indecency”, brought the humble lungi into the spotlight. The ban was heavily opposed and criticised on social media and a “lungi-march” into the zone was organised by the youth.

Recently, popular TVC’s from lungi brands like Amanat Shah and Pakija talk about incorporating lungis into the

mainstream wardrobe and making a style statement, as well as wearing your culture with pride.

The lungi is here to stay and with the formidable summer coming your way, it might not be bad idea to invest in the season’s trending ones. l

Manchester United striker Robin van Persie has failed in his bid to be fit for Sunday’s Premier League derby against Manchester City, manager Louis van Gaal said on Friday

The Manik Mia Avenue was the place-to-go yesterday. The Tigers were accorded a grand reception by the Bangladesh Cricket Board and other organisations for their stellar showing in the recently concluded 2015 ICC World Cup. Renowned local music bands like Miles and Cryptic Fate performed some of their most popular tracks. Dignitaries and officials of different organisations attended the ceremony MAINOOR.ISLAM.MANIK

Sport 26

SK JAMAL SEE OFF RABBY SCARE

27

‘STRONGER’ TROTT SET FOR 50TH TEST CAP ON MONDAY

29

25

DT

DERBY PAIN

SUNDAY, APRIL 12, 2015

TIGER-ESQUE SPIETH REWRITES MASTERS BOOK

DT

26 Sport

SUNDAY, APRIL 12, 2015

SPOTLIGHT

MANNAF RABBY

Sheikh Jamal DC defender Kasto Kumar Bose (L) taps in to score his side’s opening goal against Rahmatganj in the Manyavar Bangladesh Premier League at BNS yesterday COURTESY

Sk Jamal see off Rabby scare RESULT Sheikh Jamal DC Keshto Kumar 31 Emeka Darlington 59 – P

2-1

n Shishir Hoque

Rahmatganj Mannaf Rabby 78

WHAT THEY SAID Kamal Babu, Rahmatganj coach The difference is huge between the two sides. They are very strong with three best attackers in the league and they have the best scoring ability which actually made the difference today.

Maruful Haque, SJDC coach I personally called up Rabby after the match and delivered few words. He has great quality and his movement and anticipation inside opponents terrain is also good. He gives his hundred percent.

Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club survived a late onslaught from a spirited Rahmatganj MFS as the reigning champions registered their second consecutive victory in the Manyavar Bangladesh Premier League with a 2-1 win at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.

18-year-old Mannaf Rabby continued to impress with his talent as the agile forward once again came off the bench and scored to start a late rescue mission for the newly-promoted club. However, defender Kasto Kumar Bose and Nigerian striker Emeka Darlington’s goals earlier made sure the Dhanmondi-based outfit did not encounter an upset so early in the league.

Former Abahani striker Shakhawat Hossain Rony retaining his place ahead of Sohel Rana meant Jamal took the field with an unchanged line-up that beat Farashganj 4-1 in the opening game of the season. Kasto opened the scoring in the 31st minute with a

training ground tap-in from the near post on a fast and low cross from the right flank by Mohammed Linkon.

The woodwork came to Rahmatganj’s rescue three minutes later when Haitian Wedson Anselme almost struck a perfect foot to Emeka’s lob.

The highest scorer of last season, Emeka made it 2-0 just a minute before the hour mark after he won a penalty against Sumon Dey. The charismatic Mamunul Islam tried his luck from 25 yards out but his powerful effort missed the target by a whisker in the 64th minute soon after Masum produced a brilliant save to deny Jamal substitute Sohel Rana’s header.

Against the run of play, Rahmatganj reduced the margin through a neat finish from Rabby in the 78th minute. The story could have been totally different had Mohamed Conte not squandered a glorious opportunity to equalise as the Guinean midfielder found an open net but shocked everyone by sending the ball way over the bar. l

Age: 18 Hometown: Jessore Previous clubs: Wari Club, Agrani Bank Favourite players: Mamunul Islam (domestic), Neymar (international) Football idols: Neymar Favourite coach: Pep Guardiola Favourite club: Barcelona Leisure activity: Listening to music Favourite career moment: Representing Jessore district in the Nurul Huda Gold Cup triumph Inspiration: My father, who also played football. He inspired me the most.

About yesterday’s match and future goal: I wanted to play the way the coach instructed me to play. I tried my best and I got the goal. I want to be among the top two or three goalscorers and my ultimate goal is to play for the national team.

Rabby began his professional career as a midfielder with Wari Club in the 2012-13 season.

The 18-year old then left for pastures new, joining Agrani Bank. He scored nine goals for the bank side in the second tier Championship League.

The talented lad from Jessore though was waiting desperately for the biggest stage in domestic football – the top-flight. The young Rabby, now a forward, kicked off with a bang, grabbing a brace for Championship winners Rahmatganj against giants Abahani. His campaign got a whole lot better yesterday as he scored the consolation goal against defending champions Sheikh Jamal DC. Both of his appearances came from the substitutes bench.

The prodigy, who is no doubt a national star in the making, has already attracted the attention of Maruful Haque, one of the country’s best coaches. His movement and anticipation are two of his greatest strengths. l

Surfing in Bangladesh set for new chapter n Raihan Mahmood

Walton additional director FM Iqbal bin Anwar Dawn (C) poses for a photo alongside the surfers of ‘Surfing The Nation’ at BOA auditorium yesterday COURTESY

Surfing The Nations, a non-profit humanitarian organisation based in Wahiawa, Hawaii, has stepped up to promote surfing in Bangladesh. STN is celebrating its 10-year anniversary in Bangladesh and a group of 24 surfers are now in the country on the occasion to equip, mobilise and train the local surfers.

STN, whose motto is “Surfers Giving Back”, expressed full confidence with their initiative. “The coastline of Cox’s Bazar presents the most suitable atmosphere for the surfers as there are no threats of stones and sharks. The sandy coast makes it ideal for the budding surfers as well as the seasoned. Although the waves of Hawaii are bigger, Cox’s Bazar presents an ideal disposition,” said Zach Trien, a renowned surfer.

Andy Keeffe, another popular STN surfer,

echoed the same tune. “We are excited to be in Bangladesh. We see a bright future of surfing here. Every ingredient of making the sport popular is present here,” said Andy.

STN made their first trip to Cox’s Bazar in late 2003. Two years later, history was created as the first ever surf contest was held upon the shores of Bangladesh under the guidance of STN. The first ever national championship will also be held on April 26 and 27 in their presence.

The newly-formed Bangladesh Surfers Association hoped to work closely with STN and national tourism promoter Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation also pledged to work together in a press conference held at the Bangladesh Olympic Association auditorium. Surfers association president FM Iqbal bin Anwar Dawn and BPC media director Parvez Ahmed Chowdhury were also present on the occasion. l

DT

Sport 27

SUNDAY, APRIL 12, 2015

QUICK BYTES Suspension ‘a farce, unprofessional’: Ibra Paris Saint-Germain’s controversial Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic has hit out at his fourmatch suspension for an anti-French outburst last month. Ibrahimovic, 33, received the ban for comments attacking France and its referees after the 3-2 defeat to Bordeaux. Speaking on his personal phone app, Zlatan Unplugged, he was asked for his reaction to the league disciplinary committee’s decision on Thursday. “I was pleased as this proves what I have been saying. Now people can see for themselves, with their own eyes, instead of me just saying it. “The whole situation has become a farce – ridiculous and unprofessional. A disgrace to football. “I would have been even happier if they had suspended me for the rest of the season so I could have gone on holiday already.” In typically forthright fashion, Ibrahimovic explained why he did not think he should have been suspended.

–Paris

Hamilton takes pole hat-trick in China Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton stormed to his third successive pole position of the season, and third in a row in China, after edging team mate Nico Rosberg in a front-row lockout for Mercedes on Saturday. Hamilton, unbeaten in qualifying this year, lapped the 5.451 km Shanghai International Circuit in one minute 35.782 seconds to take his 41st career pole just 0.042 of a second clear of Rosberg. “Oh, come on guys,” exclaimed a frustrated Rosberg when informed over the radio that he had lost out by such a small margin. Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel, winner of the previous race in Malaysia, will start third. Ferrari, who were helped by a bold strategy gamble and searing temperatures at Sepang, continued to lead the chasing pack but were unable to match Mercedes’ formidable one-lap pace in the cooler conditions. Vettel’s best time was nearly a second off Hamilton’s benchmark.

However, the Ferrari’s race pace remained a concern for Mercedes and Hamilton, who was fastest in all three practice sessions.

–Reuters

Stakes high for Nadal as he heads for Monaco Rafa Nadal posted a photo of himself hosing down the court after practising at home in Mallorca this week before heading to Monte Carlo for the first of three Masters 1000 claycourt events en route to the French Open.

The Spaniard will enjoy pouring cold water too on the notion his reign as king of the claycourts is in peril. It is not the first time Nadal has begun the gruelling European swing with questions about his form. Invariably his answer is emphatic, sweeping through to Roland Garros where he grinds his rivals into the dirt. Nadal’s year has so far been on the back-burner. Most felt his run to the Australian Open quarter-finals exceeded expectations after nearly half a year recovering from wrist problems and appendicitis. What has followed, however, has given ammunition to the critics who say the 28-year-old 14-times grand slam champion has lost his mojo. Beaten by Italian Fabio Fognini on clay in Rio, he rebounded to win the Buenos Aires title but looked out of sorts on the hardcourts of Indian Wells and Miami - losing to Milos Raonic and Fernando Verdasco.

–Reuters

Argentine legend Diego Maradona celebrates scoring the winning goal during the ‘Game for Peace in Colombia’ in Bogota on Friday

Waqar wants right attitude in ‘new Pakistan era’ n AFP, Lahore Pakistan head coach Waqar Younis Friday warned only players with the right attitude will represent the national team as it embarks on a “new era” with their Bangladesh tour next week.

Pakistan lost in the quarter-finals to the victorious Australians in the World Cup last month, which was jointly hosted by Australia and New Zealand.

After this failure, Waqar submitted a strongly worded report calling for opener Ahmed Shehzad and middle-order batsman Umar Akmal to be dropped from the team.

He accused both players of under-performing and a lack of commitment in the report to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), seen

by AFP.

In a bid to revamp the team after the world cup, Pakistan selected uncapped opener Sami Aslam, Babar Azam, Mukhtar Ahmed and Mohammad Rizwan across one day, Test and Twenty20 matches.

“Yes, its a new era for Pakistan cricket,” Waqar told reporters during team’s training camp in Lahore.

“These new players will serve Pakistan cricket in the years to come as this is a big opportunity for them,” he said.

Waqar said Pakistan needed to now “move on” from the World Cup - but also stressed that all players needed to learn from their mistakes to improve.

Pakistan open the Bangladesh tour with the first of three one-day internationals in Dhaka next Friday. They also play a Twenty20 international and two Tests.l

REUTERS

‘Stronger’ Trott expects 50th Test cap on Monday n Reuters, London Jonathan Trott believes his battle against depression has made him stronger and the former bedrock of England’s batting lineup is confident of winning his 50th Test cap in Monday’s first Test against the West Indies in Antigua.

“I set myself unrealistically high expectations that I couldn’t achieve,” Trott told Sky Sports. “I wanted to average more; 70, 80, 90. When I went into the Ashes and everyone was saying I averaged 90 against Australia so I thought I had to get 90 every time.

“I’m on nought when I walk out and I need 90 straight away. I went too far.

“You hope it’s something you will never have to go through but it makes you a stronger person. It was a real challenge to be here but the challenge starts now.” l A splendid formal inauguration of 3rd Seven Rings Cement President Cup Golf Tournament was held yesterday at the Army Golf Club by the honorable Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral M Farid Habib, NBP, NDP, PSC. Besides Mr Md Ali Pasha, Managing Director, Seven Rings Cement, Mr Asadul Haque Sufyani, General Manager, Sales & Marketing, Seven Rings Cement, Major General Md Masud Razzak, President, Army Golf Club, Brigadier General Ahsanul Haque Mia, Chairman, Tournament Committee, Colonel Muhammad Hasan Imam Faraiji and other important individuals were also present COURTESY

DT

28 Sport

SUNDAY, APRIL 12, 2015

Sherwood sinks Spurs, Vardy gives Foxes hope n AFP, London Tim Sherwood returned to haunt former club Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday as Aston Villa improved their chances of avoiding relegation from the Premier League with a 1-0 away victory.

Christian Benteke scored the game’s only goal, nodding in an inviting right-wing cross from Leandro Bacuna in the 35th minute to register his eighth goal in six games.

Spurs’ defeat saw them lose ground in the battle for European places, with Southampton moving two points above them - and leapfrogging Liverpool - by winning 2-0 at home to Hull City.

James Ward-Prowse broke the deadlock with a 56th-minute penalty after former Hull striker Shane Long had been tripped by Alex Bruce. Graziano Pelle then ended a 14-leaguegame scoring drought with a late strike.

Hull remain in trouble, two points above the bottom three in 17th place, and Sunderland are just a point better off following a humbling 4-1 defeat at home to Crystal Palace.

Democratic Republic of Congo winger Yannick Bolasie became the first Palace player to score a Premier League hat-trick and also set up a goal for Glenn Murray as Alan Pardew’s side claimed a fourth successive win. l

EPL Southampton

2-0

Hull

Ward-Prowse 56-P, Pelle 81

Sunderland

1-4

Wickham 90

Swansea

Murray 48, Bolasie 51, 53, 62

1-1

Shelvey 69-P

Tottenham

Crystal Palace

Everton Lennon 41

0-1

Aston Villa Benteke 35

West Brom

2-3

Fletcher 8, Gardner 26

West Ham Cresswell 7

Leicester Nugent 20, Huth 80, Vardy 90+1

1-1

Stoke Arnautovic 90+5

Real Madrid’s Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo scores from a free-kick against Eibar in La Liga in Madrid yesterday

Ronaldo free-kick fires Madrid n AFP, Madrid Cristiano Ronaldo took his tally for the season to 49 as Real Madrid cut the gap on La Liga leaders Barcelona to just a point with a comfortable 3-0 win over Eibar.

Ronaldo opened the scoring with his first free-kick goal for nearly a year before Javier Hernandez crowned a rare start with the second before half-time.

Madrid eased up after the break ahead of their Champions League quarter-final against Atletico Madrid in midweek, but there was still time for Jese Rodriguez to fire home a third eight minutes from time.

Barcelona face a stiff test if they are to regain their four-point lead at the top as they travel to Sevilla later on Saturday.

Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti had handed outings to Hernandez, Jese, Asier Illarramendi and Keylor Navas, making six changes from Wednesday’s 2-0 win over Rayo Vallecano.

LA LIGA Real Madrid

3-0

Eibar

Ronaldo 21, Hernandez 30, Jese 82

James Rodriguez and Toni Kroos were out suspended, whilst Gareth Bale missed the game through injury.

The hosts took their time to get going, but were only denied the opener in incredible fashion on 19 minutes as Sergio Ramos’ initial

Lewandowski double helps Bayern brush off injury woes n AFP, Berlin

Bayern’s Robert Lewandowski (L) celebrates his goal against Frankfurt during their Bundesliga match in Munich yesterday AFP

REUTERS

Robert Lewandowski scored twice as injury-hit Bayern Munich romped to a 3-0 league win over Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday to warm-up for their Champions League quarter-final at Porto.

With second-placed Wolfsburg at Hamburg on Saturday night, league leaders Bayern took the chance to go thirteen points clear.

Lewandowski, the Bundesliga’s top scorer last season, added to his tally to leave him with 16 goals for the season and third in the current rankings. Frankfurt were missing the league’s top scorer with Alexander Meier, who has 19 goals in 26 matches, out with a knee injury.

Coach Pep Guardiola has described Bayern’s injury situation ahead of Wednesday’s

first-leg at FC Porto as ‘very critical’ with only 14 players fit to face Frankfurt.l

BUNDESLIGA

3-0

Eintracht Frankfurt

Schalke 04

0-0

Freiburg

M’gladbach

3-1

Borussia Dortmund

Bayern Munich Lewandowski 15, 66, Mueller 82

Wendt 1, Raffael 32, Nordveit 67

Mainz

Gundogan 77

2-3

Koo 78-P, 90+1-P

Paderborn Kachunga 48, Lakic 60

Bayer Leverkusen Son 15, Kiessling 60, Calhanoglu 73

2-1

Augsburg Hojbjerg 52

shot came off the bar, Isco’s follow-up effort then came off both posts and Hernandez was flagged offside as he fired in the rebound.

Madrid only had to wait four more minutes to make the breakthrough as Ronaldo’s swerving free-kick flummoxed Xabi Irureta to end a run of 56 attempts at goal from freekicks without scoring for the World Player of the Year.

The Portugal captain should have had a second moments later as he sliced Hernandez’s fine low cross wide at the end of a lightning quick counter-attack from the European champions.

Hernandez then got the goal his performance deserved as the Manchester United loanee headed Alvaro Arbeloa’s cross into the far corner. l

Maradona likens Van Gaal to a ‘devil’ n Agencies Diego Maradona has likened Louis van Gaal to the devil over his treatment of misfiring Manchester United striker Radamel Falcao.

Falcao has been on the bench for the last five games and that has not gone down well with Maradona.

The former Argentina star, speaking at a press conference in Bogota, Colombia, to promote a charity match, criticised United boss Van Gaal for his handling of the two-time Ballon d’Or nominee.

“Van Gaal is not a nice guy,” Maradona said when asked about the Dutchman’s handling of Falcao.

“Van Gaal is closer to the devil than anything.” l

DT

Sport 29

SUNDAY, APRIL 12, 2015

PSG and Marseille boycott Canal Plus until end of season

I feared Villa more than City: Van Gaal n Reuters, London

n Reuters, Paris Paris St Germain and Olympique de Marseille will not talk to Canal Plus until the end of the season after footage from the TV channel was used by the French League to suspend Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Dimitri Payet.

“In order to avoid any other misunderstanding and to preserve the interest and the regularity of the championship with seven matches left, officials from Olympique de Marseille/Paris St Germain have decided not to make any public statements to the journalists and in front of the cameras of the Canal Plus group until May 30,” a joint-statement from the clubs read. l

DAY’S WATCH Sony Six Indian Premier League 4:30PM Delhi v Rajasthan 8:30PM Mumbai v Punjab

Star Sports 1 Italian Serie A 2014/15 7:00PM Napoli v Fiorentina 12:45AM Milan v Sampdoria

Star Sports 2 Spanish La Liga 9:00PM Espanyol v Athletic Bilbao 11:00PM Real Sociedad v Deportivo de La Coruna 1:00AM Cordoba CF v Elche CF

Star Sports 4 12:00PM F1: Chinese Grand Prix Main Race English Premier League 6:30PM Queens Park Rangers v Chelsea 9:00PM Manchester United v Manchester City

Ten Action 1:00PM Australian-League 2014/15 Melbourne City v Wellington Phoenix French Ligue 1 2014/15 08:30PM Stade Rennais v De Guingamp 1:00AM Girondins Bordeaux v Olympic Marseille

Ten Sports 6:00PM French Ligue 1 2014/15 AS Saint- Etienne v FC Nantes 9:30PM Moto GP 2015: Race Red Bull GP of The Americas

Manchester United’s Colombian hitman Radamel Falcao is seen training with the team yesterday at Carrington INTERNET

Man United eager to sharpen City’s pain n AFP, London Louis van Gaal’s increasingly confident Manchester United will look to twist the knife in Manchester City’s side when the derby rivals clash in Sunday’s Premier League showdown at Old Trafford.

A run of five consecutive victories has taken United above City for the first time this season and another success this weekend would blacken yet further the storm clouds gathering over the Etihad Stadium.

EPL FIXTURES QPR Man United

v Chelsea v Manchester City

City’s 2-1 loss at Crystal Palace on Monday left them nine points behind leaders Chelsea having played a game more, effectively ending their title defence, and they now face a battle to secure a Champions League place.

Fourth in the table, Manuel Pellegrini’s team enjoy a seven-point lead over fifth-place Liverpool, but both Arsenal and United have stolen a march on them in the race for automatic Champions League qualification and defeat on Sunday would leave them vulnerable to attack from below.

“I dream of it. Every player shall dream of

the victory,” said United manager Van Gaal, whose side are a point above City in third place.

“I have to think with my staff and players already a lot of days how we have to beat Man City.

“You are sitting in that process to beat your next opponent and of course you want to win because it is a big step in the table also.

“When you win, the third place is then reachable and a month ago nobody was thinking about that; besides me, of course.”

After five losses in seven games for his side, City manager Pellegrini has found himself the subject of media speculation that his days at the Etihad are already numbered.

But although defeat at Van Gaal’s hands would further weaken the Chilean’s position, there is reason for optimism in City’s recent derby record.

Victory would give City five straight league wins against United for the first time and they have won on their last three visits to Old Trafford, scoring 11 goals.

“I think that they have a lot of respect for us - in the last few years we dominated the derby and the Premier League,” Pellegrini told his pre-game press conference.

“The derby gives the game an extra boost.

I hope that not only the intensity is high, but the quality too, for the fans.”l

Manchester United manager Louis Van Gaal was more worried about playing Aston Villa than he feels about facing local rivals and champions Manchester City at Old Trafford on Sunday.

Third-placed United have won five successive Premier League games and eight of their last 10 to move above City in the table and victory in the 169th Manchester derby would extend the advantage over their neighbours to four points.

“On Sunday we have to wait and see if we can continue our good shape against City,” Van Gaal told reporters. “I had more fear for Villa (who United beat 3-1 last week) than City because every player shall be motivated and want to win.

“Villa were more defensive but I don’t expect City shall play as defensively as Villa did, and then you need a lot of focus and concentration on our defence.

“A long ball is very difficult to defend. But against City I don’t expect very much long balls - and that is why I have less fear against City, in spite of the loss (1-0 at the Etihad Stadium in November) in the last game.”

“I do that always, that is not different,” the Dutchman added. “I have started our preparation with (discussing) the red card, (though not just) the red card of Smalling.

“I am always warning in these kind of games that we have to control our emotion. We have five red cards, unbelievable. It is a record in my career as a manager.

That is not good. Control of emotions is a talent of a player.” l

Tiger-esque Spieth rewrites Masters record book n AFP, Augusta

Jordan Spieth completed the greatest 36-hole start in Masters history Friday, firing a six-under par 66 at Augusta National that matched him for the lowest halfway total in any major.

The 21-year-old American stood on 14-under 130 after two rounds, a bogey-free Friday giving Spieth a Masters midpoint record-matching five-stroke lead over compatriot Charley Hoffman.

Fourth-ranked Spieth broke the Masters 36-hole low of 13-under 131 set by Ray Floyd in 1976 and nearly broke the low two-round major start of 130.

Spieth missed a seven-foot birdie putt at the 18th hole that would have put him on 129, settling for par to join the 130 group that includes England’s Nick Faldo, American Brandt Snedeker and German Martin Kaymer at the 2014 US Open at Pinehurst.l

DT

30 DOWNTIME

SUNDAY, APRIL 12, 2015

CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Truth (4) 4 Punctuation mark (5) 9 Self (3) 11 Eternal city (4) 12 Make merry (5) 13 Copies (4) 14 Camping item (4) 15 Proportion (5) 19 Full of cheer (5) 21 Land measure (4) 25 Soft sheepskin leather (4) 26 Lowest point (5) 28 Greedy (4) 29 Period of time (3) 30 Time in grammar (5) 31 Snow vehicle (4)

DOWN 1 Decorative plant (4) 2 Mature (3) 3 Lid (5) 5 Public speaker (6) 6 Run with bounding steps (4) 7 Augury (4) 8 Cosy retreats (5) 10 Select group (5) 16 Corrects (6) 17 Satirical figure of speech (5) 18 Gem weight (5) 20 Sing like the Swiss (5) 22 Sheltered nook (4) 23 Precipitation (4) 24 Small nail (4) 27 Choler (3)

CODE-CRACKER How to solve: Each number in our CODECRACKER grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. For example, today 20 represents X so fill X every time the figure 20 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

SUNDAY, APRIL 12, 2015

Fantastic

CELEBS ON SOCIAL

Redmayne

Russell Peters @therealrussellp Me, myself & I are ready for the last show in Malaysia!! #AlmostFamousWorldTour

n Mahmood Hossain Hollywood buzz is that Oscar winning actor Eddie Redmayne might be taking on the role of Newt Scamander in the “Harry Potter” spinoff “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.” Sources also say that J.K Rowling will be making her screenwriting debut with this new film. Brilliantly playing Stephen Hawking in the film The Theory of Everything, Redmayne has just wrapped up his latest acting role in The Danish Girl.

This lines up the rumors perfectly, however they have yet to make the offer official from WB studios.

The author of Harry Potter states that the trilogy is not a sequel nor a prequel, although the story takes place nearly seven decades before the Harry Potter stories. “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” is set in New York and is based on the Hogwarts textbook of the same name. The story follows the author of the book, Newt Scamander, who is described as a “magiczoologist” - a person who studies magical creatures. The film is set to release on November 18, 2016. l

WHAT TO WATCH TELEVISION

Lara Croft: Tomb Raider

Z Studio 10:30 am Lara finds the key hidden in the wall of her mansion. After the Illuminati, a secret society after a magical talisman, steal it from there, Lara finds an old letter from her father. See what the letter has to say and why Lara’s father had hidden the key in the first place.

Cast: Angelina Jolie, Jon Voight, Iain Glen, Noah Taylor, Daniel Craig

King Mika Singh @MikaSingh Just landed in #delhi with the tall, handsome, and dashing man… My bro @ juniorbachchan

Sofia Vergara @SofiaVergara Press time with my little pony!!!!

My name is what?

Real names are so overrated.

You probably already know all about stage names, but did you know that some of our favourite Hollywood stars have been born with some unimpressive monikers?

Let’s get real! Would you feel the same about your idols if you knew what their mama’s called them?

Olivia Wilde

Now you see me

HBO 4:15 pm An FBI agent and an Interpol detective track a team of magicians - J. Daniel “Danny” Atlas (Eisenberg), Merritt McKinney (Harrelson), Henley Reeves (Fisher), and Jack Wilder (Franco) who pull off bank heists during their performances and reward their audiences with the money.

Cast: Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ruffalo, Woody Harrelson, Isla Fisher, Morgan Freeman, Common

Real name: Olivia James Cockburn. LOL!

Joaquin Phoenix Real name: Joaquin Rafael Bottom.

This bearded beauty seemed to have went through a public melt down not too long ago. Maybe his last name can help shed some light on that issue

Ben Kingsley

Real name: Krishna Pandit Bhanji.

Best known for his role as Mahatma Gandhi in the motion picture, who knew he was so close to Indian roots?

Kick Ass 2

Star Movies 7:00 pm The costumed high-school hero KickAss joins with a group of normal citizens who have been inspired to fight crime in costume. Meanwhile, the Red Mist plots an act of revenge that will affect everyone Kick-Ass knows.

Cast: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Chloë Grace Moretz,Christopher Mintz-Plasse

Whoopi Goldberg

Real name: Caryn Johnson. Doesn’t quite pack the punch that Whoopi does, does it?

Demi Moore

Mila Kunis

Real name: Demetria Gene Guynes.

Just not as sexy as Demi.

Real name: Milena Markovna Kunis.

Quite a mouthful there, Mila!

Portia de Rossi

Real name: Amanda Lee Rogers. Not so exotic now, are you?

DT

32 BACK PAGE

SUNDAY, APRIL 12, 2015

CHEMICAL USE TO DRY FISH RISES IN COX’S BAZAR PAGE 6

DENIM INDUSTRY GETS NEW ECONOMIC DIMENSION PAGE 15

RONALDO FREE-KICK FIRES MADRID PAGE 28

Bangladesh Cricket Board organises a reception programme for the Bangladesh National Cricket Team at Manik Mia Avenue in the capital yesterday for their outstanding performance in the recently concluded ICC Cricket World Cup MAINOOR ISLAM MANIK

Tigers honoured in delightful ceremony n Minhaz Uddin Khan

The Bangladesh cricket team were accorded a grand reception at Manik Mia Avenue yesterday for their impressive performance in the 2015 ICC World Cup. The felicitation programme was arranged by the Bangladesh Cricket Board and representatives of different parts of the society.

The free-for-all ceremony started at 2:30pm with performances from renowned music bands of the country. The national cricketers arrived at around 5pm amid loud cheers from a holiday crowd of around 5000 people.

The Tigers and members of the team management were then called one-by-one on the stage. Ace all-rounder Shakib al Hasan and batsman Sabbir Rahman missed the ceremony.

Shakib is currently in India for the eighth edition of the Indian Premier League while Sabbir

was attending his ill father in the hospital.

It was widely anticipated that the loudest cheer might be reserved for skipper Mashrafe bin Mortaza. However, it came as a surprise when the crowd cheered the loudest while the name of paceman Rubel Hossain was being announced.

Rubel has been the most talked about Bangladesh cricketer in recent times, both for his off-the-field controversies and his heroics in the World Cup. The right-arm paceman bagged eight wickets in the flagship event but it was his performance against England which endeared him to the cricket-mad public of the country.

After coming on to the stage, the Tigers were felicitated with bouquets and garlands

by BCB president Nazmul Hasan, the board directors and representatives of different parts of the society.

Deputy Speaker Fazle Rabbi Miah, Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith, State Minister for Youth and Sports Sri Biren Sikder, businessman Salman F Rahman’s representative, Bangladesh Football President Kazi Salahuddin, Bangladesh Olympic Association secretary general Syed Shahed Reza, Rapid Action Battalion chief Benazir Ahmed, representative of the sports clubs in Dhaka Kazi Nabil Ahmed, Inspector General of Police AKM Shahidul Haque and Dhaka University Vice Chancellor Professor AAMS Arefin Siddique were present in the reception along with other dignitaries.

In his speech, Mashrafe said it is the love and relentless support of the countrymen that enabled and inspired them to overcome all the hurdles prior to the World Cup and gift the nation a result to be proud of. Mashrafe added, “I am thankful to the BCB for taking the initiative

Law enforcers trying to arrest city corporation aspirants facing criminal cases n Mohammad Jamil Khan Seven mayoral and 250 councilors candidates for the upcoming Dhaka North and South City Corporation polls are facing criminal cases and police are conducting drives to arrest them.

“Police will arrest them instantly no matter where they are or what they are doing,” said Monirul Islam, chief of the Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP).

The drives began after police had finished preparing the Election Commission-requested list of candidates facing criminal charges.

This announcement from police comes

only a day after the EC had allotted symbols to the candidates and some of the candidates backed by the BNP-led opposition alliance had only started their canvassing.

Monirul said seven out of the 36 mayoral aspirants in Dhaka have not secured bail from courts. He hoped that the councillor candidates who have already secured bail would not violate the conditions of their release.

In reply to a query, the DB boss said at a press conference at the DMP’s Media and Community Centre in the capital yesterday that those facing criminal charges mostly belong to the BNP and its partners from the 20-party alliance.

A BNP delegation has recently met the DMP chief and put forward a request for not harassing any of their candidates and supporter before and during the city polls.

Among the BNP-backed mayoral candidates in Dhaka, Mirza Abbas, who is facing a number of criminal cases and has not taken bail in those, is yet to come out in the open. A couple of days ago, his wife Afroza Abbas had started campaigning for him in Dhaka south.

Just hours after she started the public relation moves for her husband, she alleged that she had been obstructed by ruling party men. l

to send the team around 21 days before the tournament. This helped us to prepare well but losing the four practice matches pushed us on the backfoot. But, the team did not lose hope.

Rather, our hunger for victory increased.

“The players played as a team. There might be a few disappointing individual performances but if you all look at us as a team, we were doing things right and with confidence.

And, all this was possible because we were backed well by the team management, the board and our supporters.”

BCB boss Nazmul on the other hand praised the cricketers for their fighting quality and indomitable spirit.

“I have never seen our cricketers this confident. They did not care who they were playing against. It seemed to me that all they had in mind was to win and compete. I hope they will continue doing this,” said Nazmul. l

BSF kills 2 Bangladeshis

n Our Correspondent, Jessore Two Bangladeshi nationals were killed as the Indian Border Security Force opened fire on them on Benapole frontier in yesterday.

The deceased are Shanto, 45, son of Mohammad Hanif, and Aku Miah, 29, son of Anisur Rahman, from Putkhali area of Benapole.

Acknowledging the killing, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) 26 Commander Lieutenant Colonel Jahangir Hossain said the BSF members opened fire on a group of some five-six cattle traders near Putkhali border area before dawn while they were returning from India, leaving Aku and Shanto injured.

Later, Shanto died on the way to hospital around 7am while Aku succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment at Nabharon Health Complex at 8am. l

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