06 May, 2015

SECOND EDITION

WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2015

|

Boishakh 23, 1421, Rajab 16, 1436 | Regd No DA 6238, Vol 3, No 24 |

www.dhakatribune.com

| 32 pages plus 8-page Treehouse | Price: Tk10

HEFAZAT ANARCHY KHALEDA, LAWYERS WARNED DEATH OR LIFETIME FOR CASES IN LIMBO PAGE 3 FOR SKIPPING COURT PAGE 5 KILLING AFTER RAPE PAGE 32

Savar bank robber admits Ansarullah ties n Tribune Report A member of the gang of robbers, who looted a bank in Ashulia and killed nine people, has confessed that he is an active member of militant outfit Ansarullah Bangla Team.

This is the same outfit that investigators believe are also behind the murders of secularist activists Avijit Roy, Oyasiqur Rahman,

Prof AKM Shafiul Islam, Ahmed Rajeeb Haider and Ashraful Alam.

Late Monday night, police picked up the robber named Jasim Uddin, 22, at Daulatpur of Manikganj. Originally from the Chapainawabganj district, Jasim was hiding at his inlaws in Daulatpur.

Yesterday, he was produced before the court of Shahinur Rahman, a senior judicial

Dhaka ready to respond to Delhi’s call on LBA n Sheikh Shahariar Zaman Bangladesh is ready to discuss about the implementation of Land Boundary Agreement with India if New Delhi seeks any help from Dhaka, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Mohammad Shahriar Alam said yesterday.

“If India faces any tempo-

rary obstacle in implementing the agreement, due to domestic factors, it is their internal matter. But if they need any help from Bangladesh, the moment the Indian government will inform us, we will take decision after discussion,” he told reporters at the Foreign Ministry.  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

Chittagong mayor-elect AJM Nasir Uddin

‘My dream is to build the port city into a mega-city’ n Abu Hayat Mahmud Busy with a multitude of tasks and fielding the congratulations of well-wishers and media personnel assembled for taking interview at the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) in Mirpur in the capital, newly elected Chittagong City Corporation Mayor AJM Nasir Uddin was making a public appear-

ance yesterday when I caught up with him.

He came to Dhaka on Sunday to take oath as mayor of the CCC, and will be back to Chittagong on Thursday.

Nasir, also the vice-president of the BCB, had given a 2pm appointment time to the Dhaka Tribune at the BCB, and after just five minutes of  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

magistrate of Dhaka, reports our court correspondent.

Jasim confessed that they had been planning to rob the bank for a long time and there were 10 members in the gang who staged the robbery, said a source from the court.

He also confessed that he got injured in a bomb blast when they were escaping, the source said.

On April 21, armed criminals robbed a branch of Bangladesh Commerce Bank at Kathgora in Ashulia industrial area near Dhaka, killing nine people. More than 20 sustained bullet and splinter wounds when the robbers opened fire and set off bombs while escaping.

One of the robbers were lynched and two  PAGE 2 COLUMN 4

DT

2 NEWS

WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2015

Massive transfers in civil service BBA to seek Tk7,400 crore n for Padma in next budget Shohel Mamun

The government yesterday issued transfer orders for various posts of 104 civil service officials, including two secretaries, 26 additional secretaries, 45 joint secretaries and 31 deputy secretaries.

Ministry of Women and Children Affairs Secretary Tariq-Ul-Islam was transferred to the Social Welfare Ministry as a secretary. Additionally, Social Welfare Secretary Nasima Begum has been shifted to the Women and Children Affairs Ministry.

Changes in the various posts are: Additional Secretary of Bangladesh Rural Development Board Md Abdul Wazed is now director general of Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, Additional Secretary of Education Ministry Swapan Kumar Sarkar is now managing director of Climate Change Trust and Mohsina Yasmin is the MDS of the CCT.

Officer on Special Duty additional secretary changes to various posts are: Dider Ahmed as additional secretary of Public Service Commission, Tapan Kumar Gosh as director general of the Film Development Corporation, Gaurangga Chandra Mohanta as project director of University Grand Commission, Javed Ahmed as project director of the Disaster Management and Relief Ministry, Nasrin Ara Surat as DG of National Disable Development Foundation.

Auruna Biswas was transferred to Education Ministry, Najrul Islam Khan and Gias uddin Ahmed to Primary and Mass Education Ministry, Kali Ranjon Barmon to Aviation Ministry, Monirul Islam and Mojibur Rahman to the Bridges Division, Najrul Anwer and Mejbahul Islam to Jute Ministry, Nasrin Ahmed to Local Government Ministry, KFM Parvin Akter to Liberation War Ministry, Jikrul Reza Khanam and Ekramul Haque to Fishing Ministry, and Jakir Hossain to Power Division. l

n Shohel Mamun The highest allocation for a single project is going to be sought for the Padma Multipurpose Bridge Project in the upcoming budget, with the Bangladesh Bridge Authority officials saying that the amount will be Tk7,400 crore.

Bridges Division sources said the BBA would also seek Tk1,400.71 crore for the Dhaka Elevated Expressway Project.

BBA officials said Tk8,100 crore was earmarked in the current fiscal year’s budget for the Padma bridge project as it was given the top-most priority, but the authorities concerned could spend Tk4,500 crore and the remaining amount remained unutilised. They said the total allocation could not be spent because of the delay in starting work at the field level.

The government will again deem the Padma bridge a mega project and the target will be to complete it by December 2018, according to BBA officials.

The Dhaka Elevated Expressway project got an allocation of Tk600 crore in the current budget but BBA officials said the total expenditure climbed to Tk696 crore.

An allocation of more than Tk1,000 crore will be sought for the project in the next budget only for rehabilitation of people who were victims of land acquisition, they said.

Bridges Division Joint Secretary (finance) Habibur Rahman told the Dhaka Tribune the allocation to be sought for the Padma bridge project might change.

“The amount will be finalised after revising the current fiscal year’s budget.” l

“It could be tomorrow [today], but it’s a parliamentary decision,” he added.

Asked if the Business Advisory Committee of the Rajya Sabha took any decision to discuss the bill today, Pankaj said: “I am not aware of it but the intention is to introduce it as early as possible.”

About the exclusion of Assam from the bill, he said: “I would just say, just wait and watch.”

Regarding Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s possible visit to Dhaka, the high commissioner replied: “Just wait and watch.”

The Indian cabinet, chaired by Modi, yesterday approved the LBA bill including territories in Assam along with those in West Bengal, Tripura and Meghalaya, reports PTI. It would

require ratification of at least 50% of the state legislatures before it comes into effect.

The BJP leaders from the state had earlier demanded that Assam be delinked from the bill as exchange of territories to Bangladesh had become an “emotive issue” in the state.

Meanwhile, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee yesterday said her government supported the LBA as the people wanted it. She, however, also sought a package from the central government for rehabilitation of those affected, Zeenews reported.

“I talked to the local people. We are supporting it because the people were in favour of it. It is not that we are imposing it [on them],” she said. l

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Dhaka ready to respond Shahriar said the Indian side had informed them that there was a good chance of endorsing the bill in the ongoing session of the parliament.

Asked if the complexities would be resolved by this week, the junior minister said: “I do not want to make any premature comment. All activities have some procedural matter. Government and parliament are two independent bodies while the government cannot influence the parliament.

“We can only hope [for a positive result] since we have been assured by the top level of the Indian government.”

The problems could not be resolved in the last 40 years, “but now both the countries are very close to resolve it,” he added.

Bangladesh and India signed the Land Boundary Agreement in 1974 and its protocol in 2011. Dhaka ratified the LBA in 1974 but India is yet to do that. Once the agreement is implemented, the neighbouring countries would exchange 162 enclaves and solve all other problems related to land boundary.

When asked, Indian High Commissioner to Dhaka Pankaj Saran said India had an intention to endorse the bill by today.

“But right now the bill is the property of the parliament. So, we have to wait for the parliament to do its business,” he said after having a meeting with Foreign Secretary M Shahidul Haque for about two hours yesterday afternoon.

‘My dream is to build the port city into a mega-city’ my waiting, the newly elected mayor of the CCC came to the room and asked: “How are you? Did you visit Chittagong during the polling time on April 28?”

I hadn’t. I am based in Dhaka and that was covered by our Chittagong bureau. Anxious to move on, I hurriedly asked him how he felt just a day before taking his oath of office.

He answered with a smile: “I’m happy, but not only for myself. This post is for all the people of Chittagong city, and I am excited to get started on the people’s work.”

He continued: “I’m the mayor of the 60 lakh people of the whole Chittagong city, not only for a platform, party, organisation, or group of people.

“My target is all the 60 lakh. This is my commitment. Already I told the city corporation’s officials, employees, other staffs, and my party [Awami League] men.

“I am seeking the support and help of all the quarters, not only the men and supporters of the party and its affiliated bodies,” he added.

How did he feel when his main competitor BNP-backed M Manjur Alam boycotted the polls in the middle of polling? I asked him. His response took me by surprise.

“It did not make me happy, rather this situation put me in tension. Because, after Manjur’s boycotting the polls, many of my supporters and voters also left the polling

centres. Otherwise I would have got more votes than I did.

“Moreover, he (Manjur) just announced that he was boycotting, but he did not really withdraw from the polls. The process continued. If Mr Manjur ended up with more votes than me, he would have become the mayor!” he added.

When asked about his election manifesto, the CCC boss pledged to turn Chittagong into a dream mega-city, to bring the entire city under WiFi, and to make it free from water-logging, which was the major agenda of his election manifesto.

Nasir, also general secretary of Chittagong Awami League, claimed his motivation for taking the mayoral post is to take responsibility for solving the crisis issues that face the city, adding he also joined politics for social welfare, not for his own interests.

“I will not take my salary allowance from the city corporation, and even I will not enjoy other facilities of the corporation. The CCC officials offered me the corporation’s car to come to Dhaka on Sunday to take the oath tomorrow (today). But I’ve declined that offer and came to Dhaka by my own car,” the new CCC mayor pointed out.

He appears genuinely committed to his campaign manifesto, a set of objectives that come from long previous experience in city politics.

Among the 36-point development plan in his election manifesto, Nasir has pledged to restore the city’s water bodies and form a separate committee for managing waste and digging canals from Bahaddarhat to Karnaphuli point with a sluice gate.

Previous mayors ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury and M Manjur Alam were not able to solve the water-logging, so how does he think he will be able to?

In response, Nasir stressed the Drainage Master Plan of Chittagong 1995 to mitigate the water-logging and build Chittagong into a green and clean city.

He further said he would work to preserve hills and plants, prevent Karnaphuli river pollution, meet the increasing demand for safe drinking water, and save natural water resources.

Warming to this theme, he further promised to undertake massive income generating projects like his predecessor, subsidise student buses, and to build flats for low income earners.

How will he implement his manifesto?

Nasir pledged to sit individually with every councillor, local people, and social workers along with urban planners to make plans, specifying the individual problems of each of the 41 wards under city corporation jurisdiction, and then to act. l

Savar bank robber admits others were handed over to police by a local mob. Jasim is believed to be one of the members of the band who managed to flee. They also left behind more than Tk6 lakh that they had looted.

In a press conference at the DMP media centre in Dhaka yesterday, Khandakar Golam Faruk, an additional deputy inspector general of police, said that the film-like robbery was meant for getting money for Ansarullah’s militant activities.

Jasim is also suspected for hacking the manager of the bank to death and injuring an old man, Faruk said.

In reply to a query, the police high up said that they had also detained a security guard of the bank on suspicion that he might have been involved with the heist.

Law enforcers have already arrested two suspected militants from Tongi of Gazipur in connection with the robbery.

Police said the matter of Ansarullah’s involvement came up during custodial interrogation of two suspected robbers Borhan, 35, and Saiful, 25.

An investigator said that Borhan is well connected with Ansarullah chief Jashim Uddin Rahmani, now in jail, and is one of the suspects for the Burdwan blast in India as well. l

DT

NEWS 3

WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2015

Cases over Hefazat anarchy in limbo Probe in none of the 42 cases has been completed in two years due to negligence n Mohammad Jamil Khan No one knows when the investigation into the 42 cases filed by police over the havoc perpetrated by supporters of radical Islamist platform Hefazat-e-Islam on May 5, 2013 in Dhaka, Narayanganj and Chittagong is likely to end.

Talking to the Dhaka Tribune, a number of senior police officials said they were optimistic about completing the investigation soon.

However, more than one senior official said they were yet to get specific instructions from the higher authorities on how to work with the cases.

Incidents of killing and attack on law enforcers and journalists, damage of public property and burning Qur’an took place during Hefazat’s demonstrations, on the way to Shapla Chattor of Motijheel and nearby areas on that day, enforced to realise their 13-point charter of demands.

The movement got huge media coverage as well as created panic among the commoners after the BNP-led alliance and HM Ershad’s Jatiya Party had expressed solidarity with the Hefazat, whose top leaders reportedly aimed at toppling

the government if the demands were not met.

In the night, they were flashed outside the capital in a combined operation by the law enforcers.

The government refuses to implement the demands terming those contrary to the country’s constitution and the liberal Bangali culture.

Police filed 42 cases against more than 30,000 people – all top leaders and supporters of the platform. Of the 42 cases, 14 were filed with police stations in Narayanganj and Chittagong. The Detective Branch (DB) of police is investigating 15 cases.

The cases were filed under seven types of sections including for damaging public property, killing a police constable and attacking law enforcers, obstructing police from performing duty and use of arms and explosives.

The law enforcers then arrested Hefazat Secretary General Junaid Babunagari and 41 others, and questioned them for several days.

After the release of Babunagari and others on bail, there have been no progress in the cases.

Babunagari is accused in 11 cases.

However, the law enforcers then claimed that they had got sensational information

from the Hefazat leader during interrogation.

BNP Standing Committee members MK Anwar, Rafiqul Islam Mia and Moudud Ahmed were also interrogated. After two years, now all the accused are roaming freely and continuing their extremist activities without any intervention by the law enforcers.

Officials involved in the investigation process say it is a huge task to complete the probe.

They have so far been unable to identify the culprits responsible for the attacks from video footage and photographs since there were hundreds of thousands of supporters.

In the meantime, the accused leaders and activists of Hefazat – a platform of Qawmi madrasa-based teachers and students, led by Islamist leaders of the 20-party alliance – are regularly attending press briefings, issuing statements, attending religious conferences and rallies under the nose of the law enforcers.

The accused include Hefazat’s Chittagong unit President Mainuddin Ruhi, Joint Secretary General Farid Ullah, Shamsul Alam, Mahibullah Babu, Tazul Islam, Abul Malek Halim, Azizul Haque Islamabadi, Fazlul Haque Zihadi, Harun Izahar, Iliash Osmani, Nur Hossain Ka-

Mayors, councillorselect to take oath today n Tribune Report The newly elected mayors and councillors of Dhaka North, South and Chittagong city corporations will take oaths today.

Local Government Ministry spokesperson Md Mominul Haque told the Dhaka Tribune that the ceremony would begin at 9am at Shapla Hall of the Prime Minister’s Office.

He said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is expected to administer oath to the mayors while Local Government Minister Syed Ashraful Islam will do so for the councillors.

The Election Commission published the gazette last Thursday.

Ruling Awami League led 14-party backed mayoral aspirants Annisul Huq, Sayeed Khokon, and AJM Nasir Uddin won in Dhaka North, Dhaka South and Chittagong city corporations respectively. l

45 police officials promoted n Tribune Report A total of 45 police officers have been promoted to the post of superintendent of police.

The Home Ministry issued a circular in this regard yesterday, undersigned by the ministry’s Joint Secretary (police) ASM Imdadul Dastagir.

Of them, 42 were promoted from the post of additional superintendent, and three were promoted from the post of acting superintendent.

On April 7, as many as 134 police officers were promoted to the posts of additional deputy inspector general and additional superintendent of police.

Of them, 21 were promoted to the post of additional DIG and 113 to the post of additional superintendent. l

semi, Mufti Faezullah, Mahfuzul Haque, Golam Uddin Ekram and Rafiqul Islam Madani.

Jahangir Hossain Matubbor, deputy commissioner of the DB (west) police, said: “We are investigating the cases but it will take time since we have to collect evidence from among thousands of people.” He, however, could not say for certain when the charge sheets could be submitted to court.

DB Joint Commissioner Monirul Islam gave a similar statement.

Apart from the DB police, 27 other cases are being investigated by Motijheel, Paltan and Ramna police.

When contacted, Paltan OC Morshed Alam, Ramna OC Moshiur Rahman and Motijheel OC BM Farman Ali claimed that they had made some progress in the investigation but were waiting for instructions from the high officials.

On the other hand, police officers of Narayanganj and Chittagong police stations dealing with the 14 other cases said the investigations would be completed soon.

Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, state minister for Home Affairs, said charge sheets in the cases would be also submitted in the right time. l

Owner of collapsed Rampura house on remand n Md Sanaul Islam Tipu

BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir being taken to BSMMU from Kashimpur Jail as his physical condition deteriorated yesterday DHAKA TRIBUNE

Fakhrul sent back to jail n Tribune Report

BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir was sent back to Kashimpur jail as physicians found his condition stable.

Fakhrul was taken to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University from Khashimpur jail around 8am yesterday.

Abdul Mazid Bhuiyan, director of the hospital, said: “A six member medical board was formed and they have diagnosed him. He does not have any serious problem right now.

Doctors have suggested some tests for a routine check up.”

Earlier, Prasanta Kumar Banik, Jail Super of Kashimpur Jail 2, said: “Fakhrul was suffering from high blood pressure, diabetes and heart complications. He suddenly fell sick in the morning and later he was shifted to the hospital.”

When reporters queried if Fakhrul was advised for admission, Rafiqul Alam, head of the medical board, said: “The hospital authorities

would decide whether he needs admission.”

When asked, the hospital director said as his condition was not serious he did not need admission at the hospital.

Fakhrul, who was arrested on January 6 from in front of the National Press Club, was released from the hospital around 3pm and reached in Jail around an hour later.

The BNP alleged that its leaders have been ailing again and again as they are being taken into remand repeatedly.

“All the leaders were physically sound before they were arrested...we came to know that Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir was brought to BSMMU for treatment as he fell ill. But he was sent back to jail without being admitted to the hospital which is concerning to us,” Asaduzzaman Ripon, international affairs secretary of the party, said.

Addressing a press briefing at the party's Nayapaltan headquarters, Ripon demanded humanitarian behaviour for the detained leaders. l

A Dhaka court yesterday placed Jubo League leader Md Moniruzzaman Chowdhury on a five-day remand in a case field over the murder of 12 people.

A two-storey house in the capital’s Rampura Boubazar area, owned by Moniruzzaman collapsed around 3pm on April 15 killing at least 12 people including four members of a family.

Rampura police station Sub-Inspector Abdur Rashid lodged a murder case against him on April 16 in this connection. The leader of the Malibagh unit (south) Jubo League had been on run since then.

According to the case statement, around 100 low-income people used to live in the house built with tin and bamboos erected on a muddy bed of a water body filled with water-hyacinths in Hajipara.

Rampura police station Sub-Inspector Md Julhas Miah, also the investigative officer of the case, produced Moniruzzaman before the court yesterday with a prayer for a 10-day remand for interrogation.

After a hearing, Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Zakir Hossain Tipu granted five-day remand to Moniruzzaman rejecting his bail plea.

The accused was arrested from a house in Tiprabazar area of Comilla on Monday.

“Moniruzzaman had built the house on illegally occupied land,” said RAB 3 Commanding Officer Lt Col Golam Sarwar.

However, Moniruzzaman claimed that he had not occupied the land illegally and submitted legal documents to Rampura police.

The RAB officer said Moniruzzaman was accused in several cases including three filed for murder, two arms haul cases and other cases over extortion. l

DT

4 NEWS

WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2015

Experts urge reversal on fuel subsidy policy n Aminur Rahman Rasel Eminent economist AB Mirza Azizul Islam advised the government not to allocate subsidies for imported fuel oil in the next budget and to reduce the price of fuel in the domestic market.

He said the government should reverse the decision to sanction fuel oil subsidies to state-owned oil importer Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC).

Currently the government is not considering any price reductions of petroleum products in the domestic market even though the price of these products slumped to a four-year-low in

the international market.

In FY2013-14, BPC incurred a loss of Tk2,477.73 crore. The government compensated the state-owned body under a subsidy package.

Official sources at the Energy Ministry said the government provides subsidy to the energy sector though a credit programme to keep pressure on state entities to pay back the amount.

They said another objective of such a mechanism is to show the amount as a loan instead of a direct subsidy to avoid the financial implications of this when receiving foreign loans.

In reality, the amount is a subsidy which is never paid back by the state-owned entities,

University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh launches “Bangladesh’s Changing Mediascape: From State Control to Market Forces,” a publication focusing on the Bangladeshi media yesterday COURTESY

ULAB launches book on changing mediascape Haque and Advisor of Communications & Stun Tribune Report dents Affairs Juditha Ohlmacher, among others.

University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB) yesterday launched “Bangladesh’s Changing Mediascape: From State Control to Market Forces,” a publication focusing on the Bangladeshi media, says a media release.

During the inaugural, Information Minister Hasanul Haque Inu was present as the chief guest to unveil the book while cultural activist Sara Zaker was present as the special guest along with ULAB VC Prof Imran Rahman, Pro-VC Dr Jahirul

The book was jointly edited by Dr Brian Shoesmith and Dr Jude William Genilo. This publication brought together distinguished media scholars from Bangladesh, Australia, the Philippines and the USA exploring the contemporary Bangladeshi media from a variety of perspectives.

The articles were written by experts who discussed issues such as press ownership, media policy, censorship and nationalism and the media. l

Singer Bangladesh Ltd Holcim Bangladesh gets new chairman promotes road safety for children n Tribune Report The Board of Directors n Tribune Report of Singer Bangladesh Limited in its 213th meeting held on Thursday elected Gavin J Walker as the chairman of the company, says a media release.

Walker joined the board of Singer Bangladesh limited as director on October 23, 2005.

Besides, he was president and chief executive officer of Singer Asia Limited in August, 2005.

Earlier, he held offices as managing director and chief executive officer of public quoted and private companies in the United Kingdom and South Africa. Walker served as chief executive officer of a multi-brand retailer of electrical appliances and furniture with operations in 16 African countries and Australia.

In Singer Asia Limited, he owns 4.8% of the shares. l

On the occasion of UN Road Safety Week, Holcim Group is supporting a campaign called #SaveKidsLives in order to raise awareness about road safety for children.

As part of the Road Safety promotion campaign, Holcim Bangladesh has organized various community events engaging children to raise awareness about the importance of safe roads for children.

The events include, drawing competitions for children at various schools in the vicinity of Holcim facilities at Meghnaghat, Mongla and Dhaka.

Holcim Bangladesh’s Vice-President Kwang Se Chung said: “Holcim is not only concerned with its commercial operations; it is also meaningfully contributing towards developing the communities in which it operates.” l

they claimed.

Officials said the BPC’s profit was around Tk2,000 crore during the first seven months of FY2014-15 following the drastic fall in international oil prices.

Finance Minister AMA Muhith recently rejected the World Bank’s advice to drop subsidies to the power and energy sectors at a meeting between the governemnt and the multilateral in the US capital, according to media reports.

For FY2014-15, the government has set aside Tk2,400 crore for petroleum subsidies. Of the amount, only Tk350 crore is likely to be used in the end, said a BPC official.

“Subsidies are a costly burden on the taxpay-

er which should be progressively eliminated.

The consequent consumer benefit depends on the price adjustment at the domestic market commensurate with the international price,” Mirza Azizul, the finance adviser to the past caretaker government, said.

Lower oil prices help reduce the cost of living by lowering transport costs and bringing down inflation, he said.

The former finance adviser suggested adjusting the price of petroleum products as quickly as possible. “It is common in Bangladesh that if the international price of anything goes up, we do not raise our price and if the price goes down, we do not reduce it. This results in subsidies.” l

DT

NEWS 5

WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2015

Khaleda and her lawyers warned for skipping court n Md Sanaul Islam Tipu Dismayed, a Dhaka court warned BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia for her absence during the proceedings in two corruption cases yesterday saying that her bail might be revoked if she failed to appear before it on the next scheduled date.

Judge Md Abu Ahmed Jamadar of the Special Judge’s Court 3 said as the court would follow local and international laws, the threetime former premier might not get bail next time.

The judge made the remarks after Anti-Corruption Commission prosecutor Musharraf Hossain Kajal sought legal action against Khaleda for “ignoring” the bail condition.

None of the senior defence lawyers were present at the court on behalf of Khaleda yesterday and instead they filed an application seeking exemption from her personal appearance only for the day. The petition said Khaleda would definitely appear in the next date.

Without giving any order on the plea, the

judge suggested that Khaleda file an appeal seeking exemption to let the trial continue smoothly.

On April 5, the same court granted Khaleda bail until yesterday after she surrendered along with the other accused before the court, nearly 40 days after it had ordered her arrest.

The court yesterday recorded cross-examination of the plaintiff, ACC Deputy Director Harun-or-Rashid, in the Zia Orphanage Trust fund embezzlement case.

Harun also testified in another case filed over the alleged embezzlement of fund of the Zia Charitable Trust.

The plaintiff described before the court how a large sum of money was collected from different “beyond known sources” and “misappropriated.”

He accused Khaleda’s former political secretary Abul Harris Chowdhury and his assistant private secretary Ziaul Islam Munna, and then Dhaka city mayor’s assistant private secretary Monirul Islam Khan for collecting the money for the Zia Charitable Trust fund.

The plaintiff said Tk1.35 crore was deposited in the fund in the name of Metro Makers Developer Limited.

“But, in interrogation, Metro Makers Developer Limited Managing Director AFM Jahangir said neither he nor his firm made any payment. They even did not donate to the fund,” Harun said.

During investigation, the plaintiff said they had found misappropriation of Tk7.8 crore from the fund. “Apart from this, Tk1.24 crore was illegally withdrawn from the fund in the name of buying a piece of land in Kakrail from one Suraiya Khan.”

After recording his deposition, the court adjourned the trial until May 25.

Defence counsel Aminul Islam later told the court that they were yet to get the documents from the prosecution needed to cross examine the plaintiff. The court, however, said they documents were already given to them.

Aminul then said they had not received the copy of the resolution made on March 28, 2004 and the 17 deeds related to the cases. l

Bail petition hearing of Mirza Abbas dropped n Ashif Islam Shaon A High Court bench dropped a bail petition of BNP leader Mirza Abbas in connection with a corruption case from its hearing list yesterday.

The bench of Justice Md Moinul Islam Chowdhury and Justice JBM Hassan passed the order as Abbas’s lawyers delayed the trial by praying multiple times for deferring the date of hearing of the petition.

The HC bench was scheduled to hear the bail petition of the BNP leader on April 21, 27, and May 4.

On May 4, Abbas’ lawyer Nitai Roy Chowdhury prayed to the bench for deferring the hearing, saying Abbas’ filing lawyer AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon and senior lawyer Khandaker Mahbub Hossain, who will place the arguments, were busy with the May 20 Bangladesh Bar Council polls.

On that day, the bench fixed Tuesday for passing an order on the time prayer. Abbas’ lawyers had prayed for time thrice before the HC order of dropping the bail plea from the hearing list.

“We may place the bail petition before the same bench for its hearing later on,” AKM Ehsanur Rahman, a lawyer for Abbas told reporters yesterday following the HC order.

The Anti-Corruption Commission filed the corruption case with Shahbagh Police Station on March 6 last year against BNP leader Alamgir Kabir and three others on charges of causing a loss of around Tk15.52 crore to the government by allocating lands to journalists.

Abbas filed an anticipatory bail petition on April 12 with the HC, apprehending that he might be arrested in the case as the ACC prepared charge sheet against him along with other accused. l

Chemical Day kicks off at Buet n Tribune Report Chemical Day 2015 jointly organised by Chemical Engineering Association and Chemical Engineering Department of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) will hit the ground on the campus in a great maneuver today, says media release.

Exciting events and activities will be staged in the three-day programme.

All engineering students and alumni from all over the country are cordially invited to join the event and make it a successful one. l

Some street children enjoy a shower in the capital’s Hatirjheel lake to escape the scorching heat in the capital yesterday

MEHEDI HASAN

Sylhet landfill to become pollution-free n Our Correspondent, Sylhet A Tk30 crore project is going to bring the landfill of Sylhet City Corporation under scientific waste management system as early as possible.

Consequently, people in the nearby areas would be relieved from foul stenches from the landfill.

Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the SCC are jointly implementing the project on 10-acre area at Lalmatia in Dakkhin Surma,

which is used as the SCC landfill.

Sanitary and solid waste management expert Martin Feelgreen and other SCC officials on Wednesday and Thursday visited various areas of the city to establish a sanitary landfill, implemented under Urban Public and Environment Health Sector Development project Sylhet City Corporation’s Chief Executive Officer Enamul Habib said: “The ADB-financed project will eliminate pollution caused by the waste dumping ground. I hope

its works will be ended by the mid 2016 starting from June or July this year.”

The project’s acting chief engineer Noor Azizur Rahman said its primary tasks including the design have already finished and a tender in this regard would be floated soon.

Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA) Sylhet Division Coordinator advocate Shah Shaheda Akter said the project would vastly contribute to lessen the pollution of the open dumping zone. l

Remote control factory launched by PEEIL n Tribune Report Paradise Electric and Electronics Industries Ltd (PEEIL) recently opened a factory named Paradise Remote at Mulaid in Sreepur of Gazipur district, says a press release.

PEEIL Managing Director Farhan Mosharrof inaugurated the unit on April 25. In the event, the company’s Vice-Chairman Mahiur Rahman and Head of Brand and Media Mobarak Hossain Rana were also present.

Anyone can operate two lights and one fan with the remote control. Paradise is only company in Bangladesh marketing this kind of remote. l

DT

6 NEWS

WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2015

Habiganj hospital still not functional, patients suffer n Our Correspondent, Habiganj The new 50-bed health complex at Chunarughat upazila in Habiganj, built six years ago, has yet to be inaugurated and become fully functional, keeping improved healthcare still out of reach of around 500,000 residents in the upazila.

Talking to the Dhaka Tribune, several locals claimed that they were suffering because of the lack of a functioning modern medical facility and had little hope that the health complex would be up and running anytime soon.

It is especially difficult for the impoverished locals who cannot afford to go to the cities such as Sylhet and Dhaka to acquire the medical help that they may need.

One such patient, Abdur Bashir Miah, resident of Durgapur village who went to the old health complex for treatment, said: “I do not have the money to go to the city for better treatment. I heard we can have better facilities at the new health complex. It must be inaugurated soon.”

Sources said the construction of the new Chunarughat Upazila Health Complex started

in December 2006 and was finished in August 2009. Upgraded from the 31-bed old health complex to a 50-bed facility, the hospital has at least 50 vacant posts for medical and other staff, 21 of which are posts of specialist doctors.

Officials at the Chunarughat Upazila Health and Family Planning Office have written to the Ministry of Health and Family Affairs several times regarding the recruitment of doctors and staff to launch the hospital’s operations, but they have yet to receive any positive response.

Due to this negligence, the building and the medical equipment worth crores of taka are going to waste, the sources said.

When contacted in this regard, Dr Imtiaz Mamun, resident medical officer of Chunarughat health complex, said the local lawmaker was working to get the hospital up and running as soon as possible.

“We have written to the authorities concerned a number of times for the hospital.

We hope it will be open for public soon, and we will be able to provide better healthcare to people,” said Dr Debashish Acharya, Chunarughat family planning officer. l

Two suspected robbers killed in ‘gunfight’ with cops n Our Correspondent, Joypurhat Two alleged robbers were killed in ‘gunfight’ with police at Bhutgari in Panchbibi upazila early yesterday. The deceased were identified as Salam and Babu.

Farid Hossain, officer-in-charge of Panchbibi police station said on a tip-off,a team of police conducted a drive in the area around 3am while a gang of robbers was preparing to commit a robbery at Shirtri Bazar.

Sensing the presence of police, the hood-

lums opened fire on the law enforcers, prompting them to retaliate that triggered a gun battle, he said.

Two members of the gang were caught in the line of fire and died on the spot.

Two policemen were also injured during the gunfight. Police arrested an injured robber named Boilashi. The law enforcers also recovered two foreign pistols, one magazine and three rounds of bullet from the scene.

Superintendent of police Molla Nazrul Islam confirmed the incident. l

Barisal Polytechnic BCL-members clash again over drug abuse n Our Correspondent, Barisal Three students and four outsiders (non-students of the institute) were injured in a Bangladesh Chatra League factional clash that started as a resident student resisted the abuse of substances in his room at the Barisal Government Polytechnic Institute Hostel.

The fracas started late on Monday, and was over by an hour into yesterday. A hostel-room was vandalised in the incident.

Among the injured polytechnic students Avik, Tamim and Mohsin were admitted to the Sher E Bangla Medical College Hospital in Barisal.

Witnesses said, a few students -- Imon, Sohag, Jasim, Saidul, Jewel, Samsuddin, Faisal,

Towhid, Sabuj, Wahid, Wazidul, Marzan – and a group of outsiders, all followers of Barisal city BCL president Jasimuddin, came to room no 201 of the main hostel at about 11:00 PM on Monday to abuse substances.

The resident of the room, Zahirul Islam Tamim, opposing the presence of the outsiders, asked the group to leave the room.

Enraged, the group started to beat Tamim and ransacked the room, damaging his belongings.

Hearing the commotion resulting from the clash, other students and the followers of Abdur Razzak, a former BCL president of the institute and also the present district BCL secretary, chased the outsiders out of the campus. Both groups clashed using lethal and sharp weapons. l

Four to die for killing n Our Correspondent, Joypurhat

A court in the district yesterday sentenced four men to death for killing a Swechchhasebak League leader in 2005.

Additional District Session Judge Mizanur Rahman handed down the verdict.

The convicts are Taslim Uddin Tiplu and his brother Farhad Hossain, sons of Majibar Rah-

man, Haider Ali, son of Alauddin Akanda, resident of Teghar Bisha village in Sadar upazila, and Shafin, son of Nazrul Islam, a resident of Dewan Para of the district town. According to the prosecution, Sirajul Islam, vice-president of the district unit Swechchhasebak League, and also son of Majibar Rahman, a resident of the village, was hacked to death by the convicts following a previous enmity on November 30, 2005. l

DT

NEWS 7

WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2015

JU ACCOMMODATION CRISIS

Academic activities of three departments come to a halt n Mahadi Al Hasnat Academic activities of three departments at Jahangirnagar University have remained suspended for over a month as teachers and students of the departments are in a dispute over accommodation at the newly-constructed science building.

Campus sources said teachers and students were not obeying decision of university syndicate regarding accommodation allotment.

Computer science and engineering (CSE) department and geological science department set up on the ground and first floor of New Science Building launched separate protest movements against the decision in which the authorities had allotted the second floor to environmental science department.

Twenty-seven teachers of CSE and geological science department have submitted resign letters to the university authorities protesting the syndicate decision while some 15 students of these departments launched a hunger strike till death to press home their demand, said the sources.

The crisis began on March 28 when the

teachers and students of computer science and engineering department and geological science department seized the second floor of the building and claimed the floor.

The protesting teachers and students kept the entrances of the building locked and resisted the environment science department from shifting to the new science building while the rejected teachers and students launched a separate protest on campus to meet home their demand.

Since then, most of the classes and examinations of these three departments have been paused due to the ongoing movements.

Although previous authorities of the university assured CSE and geological science department to hand over the second floor of the building to them, the floor was officially gone to environmental science in the syndicate meeting in 2002.

Later, the authorities formed a five-member review committee on April 7 over the problem and on April 30, the JU syndicate again allotted the second floor to environmental science department.

Since then, the academic activities of CSE

and geological science have remained stopped for indefinite period. In the meantime, the environmental science department cannot start their classes and examinations as the entrances of the second floor have been kept locked.

Acting chairman of geological science department Mazeda Islam said: “The protest movement would continue. Ten teachers of the department have decided to resign as the department is yet to get necessary classrooms and laboratories.”

Mashiur Rahman Saikat, a masters student of English department, said: “It seems that the protesting teachers and students are creating pressure to the authorities by resigning from the department and launching hunger strike. There is no way for disobeying syndicate’s decision as it is against of the university rules and regulation.”

JU Vice-Chancellor Prof Farzana Islam said syndicate’s decision would remain unchanged because the authorities were determined to solve the problems of all departments.

She said: “There are many problems in different departments and the syndicate has taken its decision considering these problems.” l

WEATHER

DRY WEATHER WEDNESDAY, MAY 6 DHAKA TODAY SUN SETS 6:29PM

TOMORROW SUN RISES 5:21AM

FORECAST FOR TODAY 36 34 38 34 37 35 33 33

Dhaka Chittagong Rajshahi Rangpur Khulna Barisal Sylhet Cox’s Bazar

26 26 26 23 25 26 23 26

YESTERDAY’S HIGH AND LOW

38.5ºC Rajshahi

23.5ºC Syedpur Source: Accuweather/UNB

PRAYER TIMES Fajr

3:56am

Sunrise

5:20am

Zohr

11:55am

Asr

4:33pm

Magrib

6:29pm

Esha

7:59pm SourceL IslamicFinder.org

People gather in front of Eastern Plaza in Hatirpool, Dhaka after a fire broke out inside the shopping complex yesterday DHAKA TRIBUNE

JnU BCL leader expelled for assaulting female teacher n JnU Correspondent The Jagannath University authorities yesterday expelled for life Chhatra League leader Md Araz Miah for assaulting a female teacher on April 26.

Araz, an assistant secretary of JnU unit Chhatra League, ruling party’s student wing, and a student of Islamic history and culture, was caught and handed over to police by the university authorities after he assaulted the teacher in public. But he

was later released from police custody.

The victim, a lecturer of public administration department of the university, said the student was walking before her and attempting to bar her intentionally. As she asked for reason, he hurled abuse, pulled her clothing and at one stage slapped her. The teacher then slapped the student and dragged him to the proctor’s office. Araz was suspended immediately while the authorities formed a probe body.

She also filed a case with Kotwali police. l

Freedom fighters’ platform, authorities face-off makes CU campus unstable n CU Correspondent A conflicting situation has created over allegations and counter allegations between Chittagong University authorities and a freedom fighters’ platform.

The CU authorities yesterday denied allegations brought out by Muktijodha Odhikar Sanrakhon Parishad against the Vice-Chancellor Professor Anwarul Azim Arif.

The authorities in a press release, signed

by Md Farhad Hossain, deputy registrar (information), termed all the allegations as fabricated and baseless.

Earlier, a section of freedom fighters at a press conference on Monday demanded immediate removal of vice-chancellor for his alleged corruptions and anomalies.

About the allegations, the press release said the persons who were present at the press conference had come to Professor Arif with some unlawful and illegal demands. As the VC refused to fulfill their demands, they are now spreading false and fabricated allegations against the Prof Arif.”

It also said Prof Arif was a freedom fighter and Ministry of Freedom Fighters registered his name as a freedom fighter by publishing gazette.

Meanwhile, CU Teachers Association also raised voice against the allegations.

In a statement signed by CUTA’s general secretary Dr Khasrul Alam Kuddsi said the freedom fighters platform has been misguiding common people terming about 350 teaches of CU as Jamaat-Shibir background who have been appointed during Professor Arif’s tenure.

“Following all the rules and regulations, the CU has made appointed of the teachers through a fair process,” said the statement.

President of District (south) Sector Commanders’ Forum freedom fighters Mohammed Idris on Monday’s press conference said Prof Anwarul Azim Arif was a fake freedom fighter as he did not accomplish or carry out any kind of battle during Liberation War in 1971.

After taking charge as VC at CU, Prof Arif has appointed a number of Jamaat-Shibir backed teachers and he also appointed his son, sister-in-law and daughter-in-law violating the university rules and regulations.

The VC has so far appointed over 400 teachers and staffs during his tenure. Of them, 300 teachers are engaged with Jamaat-Shibir politics, he said. l

One dies in Ctg accident

n Tribune Report

A person was killed and 12 others were injured in a road accident on the Dhaka-Chittagong Highway at Sitakunda upazila in Chittagong yesterday morning.

He said two buses of Choice Paribahan which were heading towards Mirsarai upazila raced with each other on the highway. Then, one bus collided with a stone-laden truck parked on the roadside from behind in Soto Darogarhat area around 8:30am, leaving 10 people injured.

Of the injured, five were taken to Chittagong Medical College Hospital where on duty doctors declared one dead. The four others were admitted to the CMCH, said the ASI. A case was filed in this connection. l

DT

OPINION 13

WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2015

Climate change and our plan of action n Nausheen Khan

J

ust last week, the air in Dhaka was filled with excitement, anxiety, and hope, as we approached the Dhaka North and South City Corporation Elections 2015 that were held on April 28. As residents of Dhaka city, we are all extremely invested in and concerned about the direction that this megacity will take in the near future.

Similarly, the environment in New York at the UN is also full of suspense since this is the year when all of our futures, at least for the next 15 years will be decided. That’s right -- 2015 is the deadline for achieving the Millennium Development Goals and the adoption of a new development framework comprised of the Sustainable Development Goals.

As citizens of Bangladesh, it is important to know and/or follow the different negotiations and ensure that our priorities are reflected

Climate change is at the heart of these negotiations since it plays a crucial role in sustainable development. Research has shown that Bangladesh’s geographical location, geomorphic conditions, and demographic status has made it one of the most vulnerable to climate change. According to a survey conducted by MapleCroft that looks at 42 indicators across 170 countries, Bangladesh is on the top of among 16 countries that are most vulnerable to climate change in the next 30 years.

A number of important negotiations and meetings are lined up for 2015. The World Conference on disaster risk reduction was held in Sendai, Japan in March to discuss and strategise on how to reduce the risk of disasters.

The outcome of this meeting was that 187 UN member states adopted a new framework, the Sendai Framework for disaster risk reduction, 2015-2030 with seven targets and four priorities for action which include reductions in global disaster mortality, the number of affected people, economic losses in relation to GDP, damage to critical infrastructure, and disruptions in basic services among others.

The Green Climate Fund board meeting was also held in March in Songdo, Korea.

The GCF was founded as a mechanism to redistribute money from the developed to the developing world, in order to assist the developing countries in adaptation and mitigation practices to counter climate change. This meeting was a crucial step

towards the goal of operationalising the fund and taking decisions on program and project proposals by October 2015.

The GCF accredited seven entities for them to begin developing and submitting project proposals for consideration. The GCF also adopted decisions on a number of strategies and action plans which include analysis of the expected role and impact of the GCF, and interim gender policy and action plan among others.

In July, the Financing for Development meeting will be held in Addis Ababa to discuss and strategise on how to raise more money for projects that would speed development. This meeting is very timely and crucial given that the post-2015 framework will be adopted this year and hence financing of this framework is a key issue.

The Post-2015 Summit will be held at the UN headquarters in New York this September. The goal of this summit is the adoption the sustainable development framework. A total of 17 goals with 169 targets (as of now) are expected to replace the eight MDGs. The negotiations are expected to conclude and the outcome document to be finalised in July. It is important to note goal 13 which is: “Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.”

Acknowledging that, the UNFCCC is the primary international, intergovernmental forum for negotiating the global response to climate change.

The final conference, COP21 will be held in Paris in December, when governments hope to sign a global treaty on tackling climate change.

Surrounding the climate change negotiations, one contentious issue between developed countries and least developed countries is the Common But Differentiated Responsibilities (CBDR) principle of international environmental law establishing that all states are responsible for addressing global environmental destruction yet not equally responsible due to differences in states’ contributions to, as well as their abilities to address, these problems.

This originated in Principle 7 of the 1992 Rio Declaration and also appears in the UNFCCC, Principles, Article 3. However, actual implementation remains weak and/ or absent. Small island developing states and LDCs including Bangladesh are concerned that developed countries plan to evade responsibility (financial and other) since they would like to replace CBDR with “applicable to all” in the climate negotiations, and “universally applicable” in the post-2015 negotiations.

As citizens of Bangladesh, it is important to know and/or follow the different negotiations and ensure that our priorities are reflected so that we can become more resilient to climate change. An important message moving forward is that there is an overarching need for strong commitment, political will, and comprehensive means of implementation. l Nausheen Khan is a democracy and human rights activist working at Khan Foundation.

BIGSTOCK

DT

14 OPINION

WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2015

Liberating computer education n Zeeshan Hasan

N

owadays, the only desktop computer operating system that most people have ever heard of is Microsoft Windows. This has created the perception that knowing how to use a computer means learning how to use MS Windows and MS Office.

This assumption is even reflected in the ICT SSC and HSC syllabus and textbooks in Bangladesh; however, it is not true. The history of the modern software industry is in many ways a story of corporate-controlled software versus the individual creativity of programmers. If the goal is to produce creative programmers, this history should inform our ICT education policy.

Let’s look at the history of the software industry as we now see it. When the American computing corporation IBM introduced its first PC (short for personal computer) in 1981, it was mainly a manufacturer of large, expensive mainframe computers.

However, IBM became convinced that there was a large market for cheaper personal computer hardware. Hence, it developed the IBM PC, which was so popular that almost all PCs after that were based on IBM designs (with the exception of Apple).

Since IBM was mainly interested in selling hardware, it decided not to create its own PC operating system. Instead, it licensed a copy of Microsoft’s operating system for each PC it sold. The success of IBM PCs ultimately made Microsoft the wealthiest and most famous software company in the world.

But parallel to the rise of the PC industry and the Microsoft software empire in the 1980s, a free/open-source software world was developing around the older Unix operating system. The large mainframe computers, which were the main business of IBM, ran Unix. Unix had originally been developed at Bell Labs in the 1970s, and was so popular that it spawned many clones from IBM and others. Unix was designed to run on expensive mainframe computers, and was expensive.

However, in the 1980s, Richard Stallman, a graduate student in Computer Science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, became dissatisfied with the restrictions related to software licenses and source code supplied by companies to his computer lab.

He believed that as a programmer, he should have the freedom to inspect the source-code of the software he used, and to make any improvements and modifications that he needed.

However, proprietary software licenses prevented anyone except the company that owned the software from viewing and modifying the software source-code.

Therefore, Richard Stallman started a collaborative project to produce a free Unix which he called GNU (short for Gnu’s Not Unix, to distinguish his software from the many proprietary Unix clones). To this end he published the GNU Manifesto in September 1983, requesting other programmers to help him create an operating system. By 1991, the GNU project had

BIGSTOCK

If the goal of computer education is to create local programmers with the skills to create world-class software, then that education should be entirely conducted using free software

completed most of the components required for a free Unix operating system. The only missing piece was the operating system “kernel,” which would interface with the computer hardware.

Fortunately, in August 1991, Linus Torvalds, a computer science student in Finland, used the GNU tools to write a free kernel which he called Linux. Together with the previously developed GNU software, the Linux kernel enabled computer users to run an entirely free operating system. This operating system is usually called Linux, but should properly be called GNU/Linux in recognition of the years of work done by the GNU project prior to the Linux kernel.

Today, most commonly used proprietary

software has a free/open source alternative available. For example, GNU/Linux is a free replacement for MS Windows; LibreOffice is a free replacement for MS Office; Mozilla Firefox is a free replacement for MS Internet Explorer; Gimp is a free replacement for Photoshop. The Android phone operating system is a free replacement for Apple’s iOS, and is based on GNU/Linux.

Core to the growing abundance of free/ open source software has been the assertion of individual programmers like Richard Stallman and Linus Torvalds that they were not just consumers of software. The free/ open source software movement was always about giving members of the public with programming skills the freedom to create

their own software.

The “free” in free/open-source software means “liberated” in this context, not just “free of cost.” In the light of the above, what should computer education mean in Bangladesh? It depends on the goal. If the goal is to create a nation with clerical knowledge of office software, then simply teaching MS Windows and MS Office skills are sufficient. The ambitious computer programming syllabus recently made compulsory at HSC level is not required in that case.

However, if the goal of computer education is to create local programmers with the skills to create world-class software, then that education should be entirely conducted using free software like GNU/ Linux and LibreOffice.

Free/open source software enables students to inspect the source code of all software on their PC, encourages them to understand how it works, and ultimately allows them to experiment with modifying and improving it. Experimenting with software source code is what creates all great programmers.

Bangladesh is not an exception to that rule. l Zeeshan Hasan is a member of the Board of Trustees of Central Women’s University, www.cwu.edu.bd, which runs entirely on GNU/Linux

16

Simplified process stressed to file income tax return

17

Gulf oil exporters should cut spending, diversify

19

Stocks rebound on BSEC move

Interest rate spread comes below 5% after 13 months n Tribune Report The interest rate spread came down to 4.87% in March, below the desired level of 5%, thanks to the lending rate cut amidst excessive liquidity in the banking sector.

The gap between the lending and deposit rates was 4.99% in January last year and since then it continued to hover above the desired level.

The spread came down at the expected level in the last three months after it went up five month’s high level to 5.21% in December last year.

“Bangladesh Bank’s effort to cut the lending rate helped to bring down the spread,” said a central bank press release issued yesterday.

The press release claimed that the spread was rising above 5% as the banks were reducing deposit rates more than the lending rates.

The lending rate came down to 11.93% at the end of March compared to 12.23% in February this year while deposit rate also came down to 7.06% from 7.19% respectively, according to the Bangladesh Bank data released yesterday.

The country’s banking sector has witnessed a rebound in private sector credit growth in February, thanks to lower lending rate.

The private sector credit growth rose to 13.6% in February from 13.3% in the previous month.

The banking sector saw a fall in credit growth in the first month of the year from 13.5% in December last due to the ongoing political turmoil.

On the other hand, public sector credit posted negative growth of 0.7% in February as the government project implementation

remained slower amid political unrest.

A drastic fall in government borrowing from the banking system over the last couple of months is also one of the factors that pushed the private sector credit growth higher, said a senior banker.

Moreover, the banking sector was awash with liquidity due to negative credit demand from public sector, he said.

According to the Bangladesh Bank data, public sector credit growth fell to 2.6% in December last year from 6% in the previous month and later it came down to 1.5% in January this year.

The banking sector is burdened with surplus money of over Tk1,00,000 crore after fulfilling the requirement of minimum liquid asset as of December last year, according to the central bank data. l

20

DT

Business

15

WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2015

DCCI seeks budgetary support for unrest losses

Remittance rises 5% in April n Tribune Report The remittance increased by 5% in April compared to the same month of the previous year thanks to increased manpower export to the Middle Eastern countries.

The country received a total of US$1.29bn in April compared to $1.23bn in the same period of the last year, according to the Bangladesh Bank data released yesterday. The remittance inflow, however, declined by 3% compared to $1.33bn in the previous month.

The Ministry of Labour of Saudi Arabia overturned the ban on the recruitment of Bangladeshi manpower in February, 2015.

The middle eastern countries, the main source of remittance, imported 25,883 workers from Bangladesh in February, a rise by 30% compared to the same period of the last year.

Bangladesh sent 31,443 migrants in March to the Middle East and the number is gradually increasing, said Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training. l

German envoy: Change mindset 2 RMG factories recommended for evacuation as cracks found of buying garments cheap n Tribune Report New German Ambassador to Bangladesh Thomas Prinz said the consumers should change their mindset of buying clothes at low prices.

“In Berlin one can buy a T-shirt at 3 euro only and a pair trousers at 9 euro,” Thomas Prinz said describing price situation of products of Bangladesh’s largest industry which has been struggling to ensure workers’ safety after the 2013 Rana Plaza disaster. He urged the German people to pay more for the purchase of Bangladeshi garment products so standards can be maintained in the industry.

The envoy made the call at a reception accorded to him by the Bangladesh German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BGCCI) at a Dhaka hotel yesterday.

“Customers in Germany should change their behavior of purchasing RMG products made in Bangladesh at low prices,” Thomas Prinz stressed, adding “It is very tough to maintain standard of the products at such low prices.”

He criticised Accord and Alliance – two safety initiatives of the Western buyers - for not questioning low prices of the products at the time when they were working to ensure safety in garment factories.

The ambassador said the bilateral trade between Bangladesh and Germany increased by 12% in 2014. “I will try to boost the economic relationship and development between the two countries.”

He said the volume of bilateral trade reached almost 4.5bn euro in 2014, of which Bangladesh export was 3.8bn euro and German’s export to Bangladesh was about 600m euro.

“Bangladesh is a dynamic market with excellent perspectives for future economic development. I see huge potentials for further development of trade ties not only by scaling up but also diversification of products.”

He mentioned Bangladesh’s shipbuilding and ICT as potential sectors in diversification of export goods.

German investment in Bangladesh has for years remained on a modest level due to problems such as bureaucracy in combination with corruption, energy shortage, land security for factory building, blockades and country-wide political turmoil, said Thomas Prinz.

He said an image problem is also to add to these obstacles. He said: “I want to focus on the economic possibilities, development cooperation and people.”

BGCCI President Sakhawat Abu Khair also spoke at the event.

According to Export Promotion Bureau data, in first nine months of the 2014-15 fiscal year, Bangladesh earned $3.5bn from exports to Germany, of which, $3.26bn came from the RMG products. In the FY2013-14, Bangladesh’s export earnings from Germany was $4.72bn.

About 92% of Bangladesh export to German is RMG products, 2.5% sea foods, 2% leather products and the rest is other products. l

n Tribune Report The Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh has recommended the review committee for evacuation of two RMG factories as its engineers found cracks in the buildings during a post-earthquake safety assessment.

The factories are Ethical Garments Limited located in the capital and Man Trust Sweater Limited in Gazipur.

“The Accord has sent the names of two RMG factories for review. During the ongoing post-earthquake safety assessment, the retailers platform identified cracks in those buildings in the wake of recent earthquake,” said Syed Ahmed, Inspector General of the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments.

visit our website @

www.dhakatribune.com

Ahmed said Accord recommended immediate evacuation of the factory buildings for safety concerns.

The next course of action regarding the evacuation of two factories would be taken after the inspection by the review committee, which is comprised of representatives from the government, Accord, Alliance, BUET, BGMEA and BKMEA, he added.

After the 7.9 earthquakes hit Nepal on April 25, the Accord launched inspection to identify the immediate impact of the earthquake and it will inspect approximately 200 factories, which were deemed structurally the most vulnerable from its initial inspections.

In the inspection, the Accord found modest cracks in three factories in its post-earthquake safety assessment in 61 factories. l

DT

16 BUSINESS

WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2015

Simplified process stressed to file income tax return n Tribune Report The Economic Reporters Forum yesterday urged the National Board of Revenue to simplify the income tax return form and return filing process to help people feel encouraged to pay tax to boost the revenue collection.

They said many people want to engage in tax net, but avoid it due to the complex procedure and are afraid of tax officials, so awareness should be made along with simplification of the process.

Economic Reporters Forum (ERF) made the recommendation at a meeting with NBR at its headquarters with NBR Chairman Nojibur Rahman.

ERF Vice-President Syed Shahnewaz Karim said the tax body should work for an easier process for income tax return filing to encourage people paying tax.

“Tax payment is considered rewarding in other countries, while in Bangladesh, people consider it to be a hazard. The NBR should simplify the tax payment process to eliminate fear among people for increasing tax collection,” said ERF former secretary general Badiul Alam.

The forum’s former president Zakaria Kajol recommended that NBR initiate community-based awareness campaign on the need of tax payment.

ERF member Raju Ahmed said the revenue authority should develop a group of volunteers countrywide to help taxpayers in income tax return form filing.

ERF senior member Asish Chowdhury asked NBR to think on how to provide income tax return certificate online.

Former general secretary of the forum Abu Kawsar said NBR should now concentrate on administrative reform along with revenue collection mechanisms.

“NBR should take up long term plan for internal resource collection through identification of revenue potentiality, problems in revenue collection and risks associated with it,” he said.

He also suggested that NBR should restructure the tax at source rates, bring members of posh clubs under super tax net, focus on surcharge instead of introduction of property tax, cancel provisions for voluntary disclosure of undisclosed money, restructure corporate tax slabs etc.

With regard to Value Added Tax, he said the NBR should not extend the tax rate rather it should focus on more monitoring on 58 service sectors under VAT net now.

He also opined that the board should work on opening a monitoring cell for tax administration reform, introduction of a coordination cell for three wings and strengthening its research wing.

The economic reporters have suggested that the tax-free income limited for individual taxpayers should be set at Tk3 lakh while 10% tax can be imposed for taxpayers having income up to Tk4 lakh, 15% for Tk6 lakh, 20% for Tk7 lakh and 25% if the income exceeds Tk7 lakh.

The forum also said the board should now focus on payment of some incentives to encourage exports, protect local industries and combat imports through false declaration.

ERF member Doulat Akter Mala asked NBR to strengthen its taxpayers’ survey and put more focus on Electronic Tax Deduction at Source (ETDS) project.

The forum president Sultan Mahmud said the capital flight is happening as there is no proper opportunity and atmosphere for investment in Bangladesh.

“Earlier, businesspersons used to make investments into construction of house abroad, but now they are investing money abroad in different businesses. Focus should be made on how to have them invest in Bangladesh,” he said.

In response, NBR chairman Nojibur Rahman said the tax authority has taken up different programmes for motivation of taxpayers.

“We are now working on how to get the authority to investigate cases under Money Laundering Act. Works are underway with Tax recovery rule and tax evasion rule,” he said. l

Cement makers Holcim and Lafarge win US antitrust approval to merge n Reuters, Washington Holcim Ltd a Swiss company, and Lafarge SA which is based in Paris, on Monday won US antitrust approval to merge after they agreed to divest assets, the Federal Trade Commission.

The companies agreed to divest plants, terminals and a quarry to gain approval of their $25bn deal, the FTC said.

The companies won approval for the deal from European Union antitrust enforcers in December.

In the United States, the two companies agreed that Lafarge would sell a cement plant and quarry in Iowa as well as terminals and distribution centers in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Tennessee and Louisiana.

Lafarge said previously that it would sell its Davenport cement plant in Iowa and seven terminals along the Mississippi River to Summit Materials for $450mn in cash plus Summit’s Bettendorf, Iowa, cement terminal.

Holcim will sell slag cement plants in Chicago and New Jersey and terminals in Massachusetts, Michigan, Illinois and elsewhere.

Slag cement is specialty cement used to make more durable buildings.

The two companies - the biggest cement makers in the world - announced the megadeal in April 2014, saying it was the biggest ever merger of equals. l

Facebook opens up new Internet.org website n Reuters, Mumbai Facebook Inc opened up its Internet.org platform to new websites and applications from developers on Monday, a move the social media giant said would boost efforts to get people online in low-income and rural areas in emerging markets.

However, the decision drew criticism from some online activists in India who expressed concern over Facebook’s control over all data accessed on the service and said it violated the principles of an open web.

Internet.org offers free access via mobile phones to pared-down web services, focused on job listings, agricultural information, healthcare and education, as well as Facebook’s own social network and messaging services.

It has been launched in nine countries in Africa, Latin America and Asia, including India, bringing over 8 million people online, said Chris Daniels, vice president of product for Internet.org, who was in New Delhi to speak with partners and operators.

The platform will be open to all developers who meet certain guidelines, including that they produce content that can be browsed on both basic mobile phones as well as smartphones and is accessible in limited bandwidth situations, Facebook said.

The US company partnered with Reliance Communications to launch Internet.org in India in February.

But a number of e-commerce firms and content developers pulled out of the service

after activists claimed it violated principles of net neutrality - the concept that all websites on the internet are treated equally.

Nikhil Pahwa, volunteer with pro-net neutrality campaign group savetheinternet.in, said the service would cause a permanent shift in the way the internet works.

The principles of neutrality must co-exist with programs that also encourage bringing people online “Did we give unlimited free calls to people so that more people start making calls? So why this almost patronising approach to the Internet. You’re effectively disadvantaging other companies and broader usage of the web,” said Pahwa, who is also the founder of Medianama.com, a New Delhi-based digital media publication.

But Daniels said Internet.org was open to mobile operators and involved no payments, either to or from the developers.

“The principles of neutrality must co-exist with programs that also encourage bringing people online,” he told Reuters.

Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg said in a video post: “Access equals opportunity. Net neutrality should not prevent access.

We need both, it’s not an equal Internet if the majority of people can’t participate.” l

Rangs Workshop Limited, authorized service provider of Mitsubishi Motors in Bangladesh has launched a weeklong servicing campaign of it most popular SUV lineup on Sunday at its service center in Tejgaon I/A, Dhaka. Mahbub Hossain, COO of SHELL Lubricants inaugurated the service campaign

TomTom CEO: Our maps destined for use in self-driving cars n Reuters, Amsterdam Dutch navigation company TomTom aims to become a main provider of technology for self-driving cars as it charts its way back to success after seven lean years, chief executive Harold Goddijn said.

Goddijn told Reuters that an overhaul of TomTom’s digital mapping architecture lies behind a renaissance that has seen its automotive division win big contracts in recent months, prompting analyst upgrades and a 40% surge in its shares.

He said carmakers are now betting on

TomTom as one of the few companies besides Google capable of providing location data good enough and fast enough to meet the safety requirements for computer assisted driving - and ultimately, self-driving cars.

“We are seen by our customers as the guys with the right ideas on how you do those things,” he said in a interview, relishing the company’s comeback story.

A rare example of a global consumer electronics brand to come out of Europe in the 2000s, TomTom went into a tailspin after overpaying for digital map-maker TeleAtlas in 2008. l

DT

BUSINESS 17

WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2015

Gulf oil exporters should cut spending, diversify n AFP, Dubai Gulf oil exporters must reduce spending, including subsidies, and diversify their economies to cope with lower revenues caused by the sharp drop in crude prices, the International Monetary Fund said.

The wealthy monarchies, however, should “not react in a knee-jerk way to lower oil prices”, the IMF Middle East and Central Asia chief Masood Ahmed told AFP in an interview Monday.

They would be better off to “adjust gradually” using the large financial reserves they have accumulated during several years of bumper oil receipts, he said in Dubai.

But as oil prices have dropped lower than budgeted breakeven levels, “it is important that they gradually, but in a determined way, progressively reduce their spending (and) consolidate their fiscal position,” Ahmed said.

Oil prices have shed half of their value since June 2014, and are expected to be lower than the breakeven point for Gulf countries in the next three to four years.

The Gulf Cooperation Council includes Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates - economies all heavily dependent on energy revenues.

A combined budget surplus for 2014 of $76bn is expected to turn into deficit of $113bn this year, the IMF said in its latest regional report.

The forecast did not account for fallout from the conflict in Yemen, where a Saudi-led coalition launched in March an air campaign against Iran-backed Shiite rebels in support of exiled President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi.

“They need to act to reinforce their efforts to diversify their economies to become less dependent on oil,” said Ahmed, pointing out that many have already taken such measures.

“The UAE is more advanced in terms of diversification. The others also are in varying degrees trying to encourage private sector activity outside the oil area.”

Unilever: Socially responsible brands outperform rest n Reuters, London Consumer goods maker Unilever says its brands that most fully embrace its CEO’s passion for sustainability perform the best, adding fuel to its oft-repeated argument that social responsibility is good for business.

Of the more than 400 brands Unilever sells, those with the strongest sustainability credentials - such as Dove, Lifebuoy, Ben & Jerry’s and Comfort - have seen sales grow at a high single-digit or double-digit rate over the past three years, Unilever said yesterday.

“These brands accounted for half the company’s growth in 2014 and grew at twice the rate of the rest of the business,” said Unilever CEO Paul Polman in a statement. Consumers are “increasingly demanding responsible business and responsible brands”.

Polman is known throughout the business world for his commitment to socially responsible causes like fighting climate change and poverty, even as Unilever’s sales have slowed under the weight of a weak margarine business and upheaval in emerging market economies. l

A car is filled with unleaded petrol at a filling station in London

Curb subsidies

GCC countries were also urged to cut energy subsidies in a bid to minimise public spending and trigger a change in consumer behaviour.

“Most GCC countries still have the domestic sale price for energy products below the international prices... We think that over time it is important to tackle the issue of energy subsidies to reduce them,” Ahmed said.

Gulf countries should also contain salary growth in the public sector, which usually employs nationals as opposed to the

private sector that depends on millions of foreigners.

In addition, GCC countries would need to prioritise investment projects that “most advance the development agenda,” said Ahmed.

Oil-export revenues for GCC countries are forecast to be $280bn lower this year than a year ago.

With the exception of gas-rich Qatar and Kuwait, all GCC states are expected to face budget deficits this year, said Ahmed, adding this could persist for two or three years.

FILE PHOTO

“The important thing to recognise is that GCC countries have built up financial buffers that put them in a very strong position to be able to use these saving to finance expenditure and to have a gradual decrease in spending over the coming years,” he said.

This in turn would minimise the economic impact of the drop in oil prices. GCC states are estimated to have foreign reserves of about $2.5tn.

“The impact on (economic) growth is quite limited,” said Ahmed. l

Brent crude slips towards $66 on Saudi plan to halt Yemen bombing n Reuters, Singapore Brent crude oil futures slipped towards $66 a barrel yesterday, falling from a 2015 high, as Saudi Arabia considered halting bombing in Yemen to allow the delivery of aid, which eased concerns about oil supply from the Middle East.

A stronger US dollar also weighed on the dollar-denominated commodity, while investors waited for data on US commercial crude oil inventories later this week for more direction.

Brent crude oil futures were down 5 cents at $66.40 a barrel at 0357 GMT, after touching a 2015 high of $67.10 on Monday.

US crude oil futures fell by 6 cents to $58.87 a barrel.

“The stronger US dollar and also news out of Saudi Arabia that they are halting the bombings in Yemen are two push-pull factors affecting the oil prices at the moment,” said Ben Le Brun, a market analyst at OptionsXpress in Sydney.

The Saudi foreign minister said on Mon-

day the Saudi-led Arab alliance conducting air strikes against Houthi fighters in Yemen was considering calling a truce in specific areas to allow humanitarian supplies to reach the country.

Phillip Futures Energy analysts do not expect prices to change by more than 1 percent on Tuesday as long as geopolitical tensions remain the same.

Investors are also waiting for inventory data out of the United States later this week, Le Brun said. “Obviously if we see a further tightening in supplies in the US, then that might be a catalyst to drive prices higher.”

A Reuters poll on Monday suggested commercial crude stockpiles had risen nearly 2 million barrels last week, building for a record 17th straight week.

Industry group the American Petroleum Institute will issue its own expectations for last week’s stockpiles yesterday, before official data from the government’s Energy Information Administration later today.

Investors are also waiting for the US nonfarm payrolls report for April due on Friday

for clues on when the Federal Reserve may raise interest rates.

Still, oil price losses were limited by concern about supply out of Libya, with protesters shutting down the eastern Libyan port of Zueitina, one of the few Libyan ports still exporting oil.

Libyan oil production has fallen to less than 500,000 barrels a day, a third of what it used to pump in 2010.

A US delegation will visit Iran this week to review energy investment opportunities as Tehran negotiates a final deal with world powers on its nuclear programme.

US benchmark West Texas Intermediate for June delivery fell 12 cents to $58.81 while Brent crude for June eased 18 cents to $66.27 in afternoon trade.

“Oil prices are drifting with low volumes, indicating dealers across the Asia-Pacific region are sitting back with no major developments at the moment,” Michael McCarthy, chief market analyst at CMC Markets in Sydney, told AFP. l

DT

18 BUSINESS

WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2015

News, analysis and recent disclosures Unaudited Financials: [Company: (Quarter): Current EPS/Previous EPS in taka] FEDERALINS: (Q1): 0.19 / 0.34. TRUSTBANK: (Q1): 1.06 / 0.43.

EMERALDOIL: (Q3): 2.16 / 2.04. SAIFPOWER: (Q3): 2.02 / 1.16.

ISLAMICFIN: (Q1): 0.05 (restated 0.04) / 0.24 (0.23). APOLOISPAT: (Q3): 0.84 / 1.05. RAHIMAFOOD: (Q3): -0.35 / -0.76. RELIANCINS: (Q1): 1.28 / 1.27. CONFIDCEM: (Q1): 1.56 / 2.13. RDFOOD: (Q1): 0.20 / 0.28. GP: (Q1): 3.96 / 3.82. QSMDRYCELL: (Q3): 1.36 / 1.22. DACCADYE: (Q3): 0.63 / 1.42.. BDCOM: (Q3): 1.25 / 0.93. MONNOCERA (Q3): EPS of 0.12 / 0.21. SHURWID: (Q3): 0.40 / 0.81. DAFODILCOM: (Q3): 0.60 / 0.51. BENGALWTL: (Q3): 2.51 / 1.95.

FAREASTFIN: The Company will be placed in A category from existing Z category with effect from May 6, 2015 as the Company has reported disbursement of 10% cash dividend and 2.5% stock dividend for the year ended on December 31, 2014.

Notice: InShaAllah Financial Information of All companies will be updated by Thursday.

Dividend/AGM

UNIQUEHRL: 20% cash dividend, AGM: 25.06.2015, Record Date: 24.05.2015.

WATACHEM: 5% cash and 25% stock dividend, AGM: 11.06.2015, Record Date: 14.05.2015.

CMCKAMAL: 12.50% stock dividend, AGM: 31.05.2015, Record Date: 17.05.2015.

ARAMITCEM: 10% cash dividend, AGM: 13.06.2015, Record Date: 13.05.2015.

GOLDENSON: 12.50% cash dividend, AGM: 27.06.2015, Record Date: 14.05.2015.

GQBALLPEN: 10% cash dividend, AGM: 25.06.2015, Record Date: 14.05.2015.

SUMITPOWER: 10% cash and 5% stock dividend, AGM: 28.06.2014, Record Date: 17.05.2015.

SPPCL: 25% cash dividend, AGM: 28.06.2015. Record Date: 17.05.2015.

TAKAFULINS: 12% stock dividend, AGM: 25.07.2015, Record Date: 21.05.2015.

PRAGATIINS: 10% cash dividend, AGM: 25.06.2015, Record Date: 20.05.2015.

PLFSL: 10% stock dividend, AGM: 25.06.2015, Record Date: 17.05.2015.

BSRMLTD: 10% cash dividend, AGM: 15.06.2015, Record Date: 13.05.2015.

ZAHEENSPIN: 15% stock dividend, AGM: 23.06.2015, Record Date: 21.05.2015.

BAYLEASING: 15% cash dividend, AGM: 08.06.2015, Record Date: 13.05.2015.

Turnover (Volume) Number of Contract

Company Samata LeatheR -Z ISN Ltd. -Z SAIF Powertec-N Quasem Drycells -A Salvo Chemicals-B FAR Chemical-N Legacy Footwear -A Fareast Finance-Z Anlima Yarn -A Zaheen Spinning -N

Closing (% Change) 10.00 10.00 9.95 9.90 9.85 9.52 9.46 9.38 9.09 8.98

CSE GAINER Company SAIF Powertec-N Salvo Chemicals-B AMCL (Pran) -A Fareast Finance-Z FAR Chemical-N Quasem Drycells -A Legacy Footwear -A Rangpur Dairy-N Trust Bank-A Ambee Pharma -A

Closing (% Change) 9.95 9.85 9.71 9.68 9.23 9.18 8.67 8.54 7.94 7.09

DSE LOSER Company Pioneer Insur -A Provati Insur.-A Kay & Que (BD) -Z Islamic Finance-A BD Fixed Income MF-A SonarBangla Insu. -A Shurwid Ind. -N Padma Islami Life*-N ICB AMCL 1st NRB -A Standard Ceramic -A

Closing (% Change) -23.19 -14.18 -9.48 -6.90 -6.78 -6.57 -5.70 -5.68 -5.33 -4.94

CSE LOSER Company Provati Insur.-A Dhaka Ins. Ltd.-A Paramount Insur-A H.R. Textile -A MBL 1st M. F.-A Saiham Tex.A Shurwid Ind. -N Eastern Cables-A Continental Insur. -A Delta Brac HFCL-A

Closing (% Change) -16.15 -9.63 -9.30 -9.20 -8.57 -7.08 -6.25 -5.58 -5.31 -5.27

SECTORAL TURNOVER SUMMARY

DSE key features May 5, 2015 Turnover (Million Taka)

DSE GAINER

Sector

3,273.01 72,632,317 92,586

Traded Issues

313

Issue Gain (Avg. Price Basis)

207

Issue Loss (Avg. Price Basis)

101

Unchanged Issue (Avg. Price Basis)

5

Market Capital Equity (Billion. Tk.)

2,324.29

Market Capital Equity (Billion US$)

27.17

Bank NBFI Investment Engineering Food & Allied Fuel & Power Jute Textile Pharma & Chemical Paper & Packaging Service Leather Ceramic Cement Information Technology General Insurance Life Insurance Telecom Travel & Leisure Miscellaneous Debenture

DSE Million Taka 193.92 69.79 16.10 429.21 140.68 831.52 0.92 192.41 777.81 5.67 138.52 8.79 59.20 80.54 45.50 16.21 39.35 119.37 47.85 57.52 2.12

% change 5.92 2.13 0.49 13.11 4.30 25.41 0.03 5.88 23.76 0.17 4.23 0.27 1.81 2.46 1.39 0.50 1.20 3.65 1.46 1.76 0.06

Million Taka 13.83 4.50 0.88 35.59 4.72 75.18 15.28 38.84 0.46 11.02 0.78 5.86 6.91 2.92 0.79 2.05 18.80 7.45 8.32 0.01

Average (% Change) 10.00 9.68 4.97 5.26 8.01 9.74 6.72 7.28 7.97 3.93

Average (% Change) 5.06 9.88 8.81 8.86 8.47 5.29 8.72 6.31 7.81 7.07

Average (% Change) -26.43 -16.69 0.00 -4.47 -8.47 -8.24 -5.77 -5.94 -5.49 -5.77

Average (% Change) -16.46 -9.63 -9.30 -9.20 -8.05 -5.67 -6.38 -5.57 -5.74 -5.27

CSE

ClosingAvg. 15.40 10.99 68.85 44.19 14.29 29.86 16.03 10.46 15.44 17.74

ClosingAvg. 69.17 14.35 187.04 10.20 29.57 44.80 16.33 8.76 13.53 283.96

ClosingAvg. 25.83 11.38 10.48 10.90 5.40 12.80 15.19 25.51 16.00 30.52

ClosingAvg.

% change 5.44 1.77 0.35 14.00 1.86 29.58 0.00 6.01 15.28 0.18 4.33 0.31 2.31 2.72 1.15 0.31 0.81 7.40 2.93 3.27 0.00

10.86 16.90 11.70 14.80 3.20 19.98 15.25 103.20 10.68 70.10

Closing

DHIGH

15.40 11.00 70.70 45.50 14.50 29.90 16.20 10.50 15.60 18.20

Closing 70.70 14.50 188.60 10.20 29.60 46.40 16.30 8.90 13.60 284.00

Closing

15.40 11.00 70.70 45.50 14.50 30.00 16.20 10.50 15.70 18.30

DHIGH

DHIGH

DLOW 67.10 12.80 184.70 10.20 28.80 42.60 15.70 8.20 13.00 270.00

DLOW

27.00 12.00 10.60 11.30 5.50 13.10 15.80 27.60 16.20 32.00

DHIGH

10.90 16.90 11.70 14.80 3.20 19.70 15.00 103.20 10.70 70.10

Million Taka 207.75 74.29 16.98 464.80 145.40 906.71 0.92 207.68 816.65 6.13 149.53 9.57 65.06 87.45 48.42 17.01 41.40 138.17 55.30 65.84 2.13

15.40 10.00 67.30 42.50 13.50 28.10 15.40 10.10 14.50 17.10

70.70 14.50 189.00 10.20 29.80 46.70 16.50 9.00 13.80 288.00

26.50 11.50 10.50 10.80 5.50 12.80 14.90 24.90 16.00 30.80

Closing

DLOW

24.90 11.20 10.50 10.60 5.40 12.40 14.70 24.50 15.70 30.80

DLOW

11.20 16.90 11.70 14.80 3.20 20.10 16.40 114.00 11.00 70.10

Total

10.70 16.90 11.70 14.80 3.20 19.60 14.80 100.00 10.20 70.10

% change 5.89 2.11 0.48 13.18 4.12 25.71 0.03 5.89 23.15 0.17 4.24 0.27 1.84 2.48 1.37 0.48 1.17 3.92 1.57 1.87 0.06

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

0.000 0.156 97.118 14.317 13.598 20.054 0.984 0.747 0.249 3.117

Turnover in Million

-0.46 0.13 2.69 1.81 1.15 2.76 0.28 1.88 0.74 1.32

Latest EPS

8.939 1.810 0.140 0.006 4.319 0.222 0.637 0.230 1.224 0.025

Turnover in Million

-ve 84.5 25.6 24.4 12.4 10.8 57.3 5.6 20.9 13.4

Latest PE

2.69 1.15 6.19 1.88 2.76 1.81 0.28 0.80 4.24 4.68

Latest EPS

0.587 0.298 0.065 1.934 0.027 1.966 7.803 1.127 0.104 0.047

Turnover in Million

Latest PE

25.7 12.5 30.2 5.4 10.7 24.8 58.3 11.0 3.2 60.7

Latest PE

5.44 1.84 -1.41 0.16 0.48 1.65 0.53 1.10 2.86 0.52

Latest EPS

0.077 0.002 0.006 0.001 0.010 0.295 1.354 0.026 0.005 0.014

4.7 6.2 -ve 68.1 11.3 7.8 28.7 23.2 5.6 58.7

Latest PE

1.84 1.84 1.47 0.86 0.12 2.42 0.53 1.52 1.66 6.04

5.9 9.2 8.0 17.2 26.7 8.3 28.8 67.9 6.4 11.6

CSE key features May 5, 2015 Turnover (Million Taka) Turnover (Volume) Number of Contract

254.17 6,747,127 13,074

Traded Issues

221

Issue Gain (Avg. Price Basis)

137

Issue Loss (Avg. Price Basis)

77

Unchanged Issue (Avg. Price Basis)

7

Market Capital Equity (Billion. Tk.)

2,255.20

Market Capital Equity (Billion US$)

27.34

DT

BUSINESS 19

WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2015

Stocks rebound on BSEC move n Tribune Report

DSE TURNOVER LEADERS Company United Power-N ACI Formulations-A ACI Limited- A Ifad Autos -N MJL BD Ltd.-A SAIF Powertec-N Grameenphone-A Shahjibazar Power-N Square Pharma -A RAK Ceramics-A

Khulna Power-A WesternMarine -N Olympic Ind. -A Summit Power -A BSRM Ltd. -N

VolumeShares 1,794,425 1,357,948 413,316 1,416,586 828,937 1,410,621 279,003 466,047 240,333 1,006,103

Value in Million 339.46 255.39 227.94 112.73 104.40 97.12 91.77 78.88 57.73 57.55

% of TotalTurnover 10.37 7.80 6.96 3.44 3.19 2.97 2.80 2.41 1.76 1.76

VolumeShares

Value in Million

% of TotalTurnover

962,826 1,266,294 233,374 1,728,285 878,245

CSE TURNOVER LEADERS Company United Power-N ACI Formulations-A BSRM Ltd. -N MJL BD Ltd.-A Grameenphone-A BD Submarine Cable-A SAIF Powertec-N WesternMarine -N ACI Limited- A BEXIMCO Ltd. -A

RAK Ceramics-A Ifad Autos -N UNITED AIR-A Shahjibazar Power-N LafargeS Cement-Z

243,189 74,812 246,785 80,834 28,813 83,798 129,244 184,994 14,409 258,836

99,374 64,213 735,452 28,491 45,270

57.23 56.49 49.17 47.38 42.84

45.96 14.00 12.07 10.17 9.46 9.34 8.94 8.28 7.94 6.44

5.65 5.20 5.10 4.87 4.70

1.75 1.73 1.50 1.45 1.31

18.08 5.51 4.75 4.00 3.72 3.68 3.52 3.26 3.12 2.54

2.22 2.05 2.01 1.92 1.85

ClosingP 185.00 185.20 553.10 81.20 128.20 70.70 331.00 173.70 240.00 57.40

59.80 44.80 212.40 27.60 48.50

ClosingP

Change % -2.17 -0.05 1.41 5.73 4.65 9.95 2.60 6.30 0.84 4.55

4.91 4.19 -0.14 -1.43 2.97

Change %

185.40 186.10 48.80 127.30 329.30 110.30 70.70 45.10 551.30 24.90

57.30 81.60 6.90 173.80 105.10

-1.38 0.59 3.17 4.09 2.24 0.09 9.95 4.16 1.57 3.32

4.37 7.09 1.47 5.78 2.64

ClosingY 189.10 185.30 545.40 76.80 122.50 64.30 322.60 163.40 238.00 54.90

57.00 43.00 212.70 28.00 47.10

ClosingY

188.00 185.00 47.30 122.30 322.10 110.20 64.30 43.30 542.80 24.10

54.90 76.20 6.80 164.30 102.40

DHIGH 194.50 198.00 558.00 82.10 129.40 70.70 331.90 176.00 243.90 58.50

60.70 45.40 214.60 29.40 50.10

DHIGH

194.00 198.90 50.10 129.00 331.50 114.50 70.70 45.60 554.90 25.30

58.30 82.00 7.10 175.00 105.90

DLOW 183.00 180.00 540.00 77.10 123.20 67.30 325.00 162.80 238.70 55.50

58.30 43.90 210.00 26.00 47.30

DLOW

183.30 180.00 47.00 123.50 325.00 109.00 67.10 44.00 543.00 24.40

55.00 77.80 6.80 164.00 102.00

AvgPrice 189.17 188.07 551.48 79.58 125.94 68.85 328.91 169.26 240.20 57.20

59.44 44.61 210.71 27.41 48.78

AvgPrice

189.00 187.08 48.92 125.81 328.20 111.48 69.17 44.78 550.80 24.89

56.88 81.03 6.94 170.87 103.73

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

4014.37080

(+) 1.38%

1522.16659

(+) 1.09%

12349.76840

(+) 1.15%

10046.71750

(+) 0.57%

7510.95070

(+) 1.04%

▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲

Stocks rebounded yesterday after the securities regulator called upon the brokerage houses and merchant banks to give support to the falling market.

The benchmark index of Dhaka Stock Exchange, DSEX, gained more than 54 points or 1.4% to close at 4,014, recovering from its previous session’s 18-month low.

The Shariah Index DSES rallied 14 points or 1.5% to 988.

The comprising blue chips DS30 was up 16 points or 1% to 1,522.

Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) Selective Categories Index, CSCX, ended at 7,510, rising 77 points.

Being worried over the continuous slide of stock markets, Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) on Monday convened an urgent meeting with stakeholders – brokerages and merchant banks – asking them to give support to the market for few days to bring back investors’ confidence.

“The regulator’s move has helped the market go into the positive territory,” said an analyst.

He said: “But, it is an artificial move. So, the rally would not be sustainable in the long run. Rather, it will help burn fingers of some retailers afresh.”

Despite BSEC’s move, some investors preferred to stay on the sidelines, as turnover failed to increase. The DSE turnover stood at Tk327 crore, slightly down (little more than 1%) over the previous session.

IDLC Investments said the natural buy pressure was reinforced with BSEC’s meeting with stakeholders which tried to reinstate investors’ confidence.

Lanka Bangla Securities said investors might have responded positively to the news that institutional investors will play active role in reviving the investors’ confidence for bringing back normalcy in the capital market.

Mostly bank, power, textile and engineering stocks were in buying spree, it said.

All the major sectors closed higher except food & allied that declined 13%.

Telecommunication shot up highest 2.5%, followed by pharmaceuticals 1.4%, cement 1.3% and power 0.4%.

In the financial sector, banks and non-banking financial institutions closed marginally higher.

United Power Generation and Distribution Company Limited continued to top the turnover list with shares worth Tk35 crore. l

ANALYST

Lower earning disclosures resulting from first quarter’s political blockade soared pessimism and brought another collapse across the market

DT

20 BUSINESS

WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2015

DCCI seeks budgetary support for unrest losses n Tribune Report The Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) has urged the National Board of Revenue (NBR) to take special measures for businesses to cover up the losses incurred due to the political turmoil in the country.

During formulation of the budget for fiscal year 2015-16, the NBR should put emphasis on a realistic budget with a guideline for business-friendly environment in the country, said the DCCI leaders.

A DCCI delegation led by its president Hossain Khaled made the plea at a pre-budget meeting with NBR Chairman Md Nojibur Rahman held at the conference room of NBR headquarters in the city yesterday.

“The business community has faced the worst economic situation due to the political turmoil in the country. In addition, the revenue shortfall from July to March of current fiscal was around Tk 2000 crore,” said DCCI President Hossain Khaled while placing a charter of demand with a-53 point recommen-

dations.

He also requested the NBR to take necessary measures in the upcoming budget to help businesses cover up the losses.

“Although the banks have now additional deposits, no new investments are not coming up due to lack of confidence and bottlenecks.

As the rate of high bank interest and cost of doing business are increasing, there should be a proper guideline for ensuring business friendly atmosphere in next budget,” he added.

The chamber leader has demanded that the businesses, which pay fixed VAT, should be exempted by 50% as a special rebate as they could not run their businesses smoothly, especially during the period of political uncertainty.

The DCCI President also requested the NBR to help the VAT paying businesses with a minimum 50% rebate on all port related charges as businesses have failed to release goods from different ports due to political turmoil and had to count additional port charges.

The association proposed to reduce the corporate tax rate for the merchant banks

from existing 37.5% to 35%, for listed companies from 27.5% to 25%, and for brokerage operations at 30% from the existing 35%.

For the individual taxpayers, the chamber has recommended for fixing the tax-free income limit at Tk2.75 lakh from existing Tk2.20 lakh while it has advised the revenue watch dog to finalise the limit for women and elderly persons from Tk2.75 lakh to Tk4 lakh and for physically disabled persons from Tk3.5 lakh to Tk4 lakh.

DCCI Director AKD Khair Mohammad Khan noted that the NBR should extend the annual week-long income tax fair by one day more and should aware the people on how to fill-up the income tax return form with the help of mass media.

DCCI Vice President Shoaib Choudhury opined that the NBR should work towards lessening the fear on VAT payment through awareness building campaign.

The other demands from DCCI include finalisation of tax-free limit of the wealth tax at Tk4 crore from the existing Tk2 crore, identify

and seal the source of black money generation, introduction of tax card for all level of taxpayers instead of only VIPs, expansion of tax base, reduction of advance income tax at 3% from the existing 5%, withdrawal of tax on income of chamber and trade bodies, tax holiday for automobile and automotive assembling factories, cancellation of minimum tax at the rate of 0.3% on any company’s gross receipts, preparation of separate policies and road map for the domestic automobile industry, and withdrawal of 15% VAT on use of internet.

In response, NBR Chairman Md. Nojibur Rahman explained that the next budget is important for three reasons–conclusion of sixthfive year plan and beginning of seventh-five year plan, conclusion of Millennium Development Goals and beginning of Sustainable Development Goal, and as the government will have only five years from vision 2021.

He, however, assured that the NBR team would soon scrutinise the DCCI’s proposals and would be considered for the upcoming budget for FY2015-16. l

WB lends $200m to improve SAP to launch special rural livelihoods package for RMG, textiles n Tribune Report

Bangladesh yesterday signed a US$200m financing agreement with the International Development Association (IDA) for the Nuton Jibon Livelihood Improvement Project, says a World Bank statement. IDA is the World Bank’s concessional arm that helps the world’s poorest countries.

The project aims to benefit approximately five million rural poor by providing livelihood support and enabling access to market through business partnerships.

The agreement was signed by Additional Secretary of Economic Relations Division Kazi Shofiqul Azam and Acting Country Head of WB Bangladesh Christine Kimes on behalf of their respective organisations at the ERD. The credit from IDA has a 38-year term, including a 6-year grace period, and a service charge of 0.75%.

The project will mobilise the poor and extreme poor people, who often remain left out from micro credit schemes, by building and strengthening community institutions including Nuton Jibon Community Societies.

In addition, the project will raise nutrition awareness, share agricultural knowledge and

focus on enhancing youth skills so that they can take advantage of employment opportunities. The project will also fund small scale rural infrastructure.

“While Bangladesh has made tremendous progress in reducing poverty over the past four decades, poverty remains more pervasive in rural areas than in urban areas in Bangladesh,” said Christine Kimes.

“The Nuton Jibon Livelihood Improvement Project will scale-up the activities of predecessor programs to improve economic wellbeing and empower the poorest households, and especially poor women.”

The project builds on earlier projects Social Investment Program Project (I & II) which started as a pilot in Jamalpur and Gaibandha districts and has now expanded to 16 of the poorest districts in Bangladesh.

The monitoring and evaluation data showed significant improvement in the income and living standards of project beneficiaries. The project will cover around 2,500 new villages in 12 districts in addition to around 3,200 villages supported under the earlier projects.

“The project is a testament to the government’s continued commitment for accelerating pro-poor growth,” said Shofiqul Azam. l

n Tribune Report Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed yesterday said the introduction of System Application Products (SAP) to RMG and other industries will enable companies to be more competitive in the global market by reducing their costs, increasing their profitability and addressing workers safety.

The minister came up with the remarks at a seminar organised by Bangladesh German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BGCCI) and SAP Bangladesh in a city hotel yesterday.

BGCCI along with its Gold partner SS Solutions organised the programme titled “SAP RMG, Textile and Pharma Meet” to launch the special solution package and SAP Education Academy in Bangladesh.

The seminar focused on how businesses can integrate and automate manufacturing, supply chain, sales and financial process with an integrated solution specifically designed for RMG, Textiles and Life Science industries at an affordable price with SAP. Bangladesh Football Federation President and Chairman of SS Solutions Kazi Salahuddin, Managing Director Sarazeen Kazi, Exporters As-

Bangladesh among most pro-capitalist nations n Tribune Report Bangladesh has recently been identified as one of the most pro-capitalist nations in the world and the most pro-capitalist among developing countries, according to a recent sentiment survey.

The survey by Pew Research Centre looked into people’s attitudes toward inequality-related issues in 44 countries including Bangladesh.

Out of the 44 countries surveyed, which included India, China, US, and UK, Bangladesh

ranked second only to Vietnam in terms of support for the free market system.

Bangladesh was listed as the most pro-capitalist of the 9 developing countries in the survey (Vietnam, the only country with stronger support for free markets, is categorized as an emerging country by the survey).

Eighty percent or four in every five of surveyed people in Bangladesh expressed their support for free markets.

This contrasts with 72% in India and 70% in the US. This was despite the fact that they are also

very concerned about the rising gap between the rich and the poor.

They survey found that they prefer the free market system better because they believe its benefits outweigh the cost of income inequality.

In addition, 71% of the surveyed people in Bangladesh also expressed their optimism about the earning capacity of the next generation, which placed Bangladesh as the fourth most optimistic country among the 44 surveyed countries, after Vietnam, China, and Chile. l

sociation of Bangladesh (EAB) President Abdus Salam Murshedy and stakeholder Tabith Mohammed Awal were present at the programme.

In his address, Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed said: “I am pleased to know that SAP is launching a special package for Bangladesh Garments and Textiles.”

He added that SAP solutions for garments and textiles will enable companies to be more competitive in the world market by decreasing their costs and thereby increasing their profitability.

“As 97% of the life science companies in the Forbes Global 2,000 are SAP customers, I am pleased to know that SAP is conducting a special workshop for the pharma industry, which, in order to be compliant with FDA and other regulations for export, requires a global solution with compliant processes,” said Thomas Prinz, German Ambassador to Bangladesh.

Mentioning Bangladesh’s position among the dynamic emerging markets, he stressed the importance of using technology for bigger achievements in all those sectors.

Prinz also praised the time-appropriate initiative of SAP for the RMG, textiles and Pharmaceutical industries of Bangladesh. l

NBR offices open on Saturdays till June 30 n Tribune Report The National Board of Revenue has decided to keep open all of its customs houses, tax zones and VAT commissionerates every Saturday till June 30.

The decision is to expedite operation of revenue ahead of 2015-16 fiscal year, said a NBR circular issued yesterday.

During the period, the businessmen will be able to submit their tax returns and VAT Challans. l

NEWS

ULAB launches book on Bangladesh’s Changing Mediascape Yesterday, University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB) launched “Bangladesh’s Changing Mediascape: From State Control to Market Forces,” a publication focusing on the Bangladeshi media. Minister of Information, Hasanul Haque Inu was present as the chief guest in the ceremony and unveiled the book. Cultural activist Sara Zaker was present as special guest along with ULAB vice chancellor Professor Imran Rahman, pro-vice chancellor Dr Jahirul Haque, advisor of Communications and Students Affairs Juditha Ohlmacher, and other ULAB faculty and admin members.

“Bangladesh’s Changing Mediascape” was jointly edited by Dr Brian Shoesmith and Dr Jude William Genilo. This publication brought together distinguished media scholars from Bangladesh, Australia, the Philippines and the United States exploring the contemporary Bangladeshi media from a variety of perspectives.

DT

Photo: Bigstock

T-JUNCTION

Up in the attic

21

WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2015

INSIDE

22

Trial Room

I see what you did there!

24 décor

The pastel palette

DT

22 T-JUNCTION

Trial Room

WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2015

I see what you did there!

Towards transparent business practices

Photos: Courtesy

n Sabah Rahman Nawshin Khair has a whole lot on her plate. For those who aren’t in the know, she is the director of Bengal Art Lounge as well as Bengal Group itself. Khair is also the executive director of Ice Media Limited, the founder of Paera and the senior designer at Aranya. We had a chance to have a chat with this vibrant young lady and wanted to concentrate on her thoughts as the country coordinator for Fashion Revolution.

Aiming to ignite a consumer led revolution to radically change the way fashion is made, sourced and purchased. FR is active in more than 60 countries now and have been successful in creating an awareness amongst conscious consumers. It is very crucial that Bangladesh works towards a long term industry wide change so fashion becomes a force for good and that all businesses are conducted in a safe, healthy and fair way. In order to make a positive impact we need to bring people together for the length of the value chain, from farmers to factory workers, brands to buyers, consumers to campaigners to connect the broken links between those who produce, sell and buy clothes.

As the country coordinator for Fashion Revolution, were there any obstacles you faced with this brilliant initiative or was all the feedback positive?

Many factories and brands are wa ry of new initiatives. A few companies including RMG industry giants like BexTex, (Upcycle Project) and Desh Garments as well as social initiatives such as Living Blue and Friendship Bangladesh, have stepped forward to open up about their brand and supply chain, the steps they are taking to rectify and improve their worker and environment standards, wages and safety issues of their workers.

We need more support from the different factories and more importantly brands to come forward as being the role models and teach the best practices of the industry to fashion design students. Our aim is to grow gradually and work long term. Hopefully next year we will get a better response from all stakeholders.

The EU parliament was eager to know about Fashion Revolutions activation in Bangladesh. I believe our initiative is being well received worldwide. It is very important that we keep working towards assisting in creating a healthier environment for the fashion industry.

All of us country coordinators are very passionate about sustainable growth for the fashion industry and continue to work towards raising awareness of the true cost

of fashion and its impact at every stage in the process of production through to consumption and disposal. Carry Somers, founder of Fashion Revolution is an amazing visionary whose support and guidance made it possible for us to come this far.

What has been done so far when it comes to garment workers safety? What more do you think needs to be done?

After the Rana Plaza disaster there have been many initiatives to tackle the issue of worker safety. We are moving towards an exceptionally transparent system for workplace safety and have achieved many milestones in the last two years. The audit firms Accord and Alliance have been working with the factories and brands to improve the safety standards of factory workers.

However there are many factories, mainly sub factories that may not be under Accord or Alliance’s radar.

NYU’s Stern Center of Business and Human Rights is also working to map these factories. I think this is a great initiative and look forward to the developments.

BGMEA have amended labour laws; initiated relevant trainings with the help of Bangladesh Government, have compensated the victims of Rana Plaza, and rehabilitated the injured workers and their families. But what still remains a big question mark, is the

commitment of the brands to provide for the Rana Plaza victims who were working hard to meet their demands. I hope the compensation is dispersed in the right manner and soon.

ILO has also initiated a plan to implement labour unions for the RMG Sector. This will no doubt put proper rights for the labourers in place, only if they are rightfully and successfully implemented apolitically.

USAID’s recent three year commitment to the Worker Empowerment Programme in Bangladesh to support labour rights, union organising, and women’s empowerment in the readymade garment sector is a positive step forward.

I believe we also need to focus on the sub factories to improve the safety standards of those factories which need more attention.

The GOB also needs to monitor and make a strict compliance policy for those countries who do not necessarily have the strictest compliance issues allowing room for export orders.

After the Rana Plaza tragedy, a large number of people called for blanket boycotts. How effective would that kind of protest be?

I do not agree with the blanket boycotts for the existing brands. Fast fashion has become a part of our lives and have also allowed growth for economies such as that of Bangladesh. However there are many

T-JUNCTION 23

DT

Trial Room

WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2015

environment issues that need be addressed due to the impacts directly from the apparel industry. An ethical and sustainable business practice is mandatory to overcome this problem. A boycott will only add to the economic instability of the producing country. I would encourage more factories, brands, donor agencies and governments to focus on the environmental impact and really work towards combating river contamination and waste management.

Bangladesh’s RMG sector plans to convert and introduce many green factories in the near future. I think this is a positive way forward. The consumers play a big role and have a responsibility towards finding out how their clothes were made. As long as the consumers practice ethical buying, producers will continue to source ethically.

Many fast fashion brands like Primark, Benetton, G-Star and donor agencies like Danida now have established CSR projects in Bangladesh to combat social, economic and environmental degradation.

In your opinion, what is a sensible balance between economic growth and social responsibility?

Fashion Revolution believes in a fashion industry that values people, the environment, creativity and profit in equal measures. The sensible balance between economic growth and social responsibility can only be achieved if all stakeholders of the fashion industry including brands, producers, consumers, government, NGOs, agencies, media and individuals come forward to make the positive change.

Bangladesh is very resilient and have already taken many positive changes to address these issues. I believe we are on the right path to rectify and improve our standards.

Do you think the fashion industry generally gets a bad rap?

The fashion industry thrives on consumers’ disposable income. Fashion plays a big role on the consumers’ psyche and at the end

we all want to feel good when we wear our clothes. Raw material sourcing becomes a challenge for the global market as cultural, economic and empowerment issues of individual countries vary. Ethical cotton and metal sourcing is a priority for many brands because of working conditions and practice of child labour.

It is important to be aware and make hard decisions in regards to sourcing. This process will actually contribute to a positive change of ethical and transparent sourcing. This will also allow countries to change their practices of using child labour to compete in the global market.

In a recent article published in The Guardian, you said that you want to concentrate on ensuring that local university students have the opportunity to land mid and top tier positions in the clothing industry that are only offered to foreigners. How can we make this change come about?

There has been a lot of focus on improvements for economic empowerment, workers’ wages, safety, rights, and environment sustainability in Bangladesh’s RMG sector. These are no doubt imperative issues which need to be addressed but I also strongly believe there is a need for systematic change in the education sector to address the above topics. The sustainability of the RMG sector of Bangladesh depends on a shift to a more responsible decision making process. To achieve that we need to prepare more Bangladeshis to combat problems and implement ethical decisions.

At the moment Bangladeshis are not applying or considered for the top and medium tier jobs in this sector. In order to make this shift, education institutes need to take advantage and focus on creating skilled bodies to join Bangladesh’s biggest export industry. Universities like BRAC, BUFT, BUET, DU, IUB and ULAb need to consider having specialised departments for this sector.

Fashion Revolution Bangladesh in collaboration with TORU, a local innovation hub, will host a seminar in June to address these issues with key stakeholders.

Nawshin’s picks

Let’s talk about the future. Where would you like to see the local fashion industry in the years to come?

The local fashion industry has come a long way. Even 10 years ago, joining a fashion institute was a distant dream. Now, we not only have design graduates we also have many strong local brands. These local brands are spin offs of the years of experience in the RMG sector. I believe we can launch global brands in future.

The traditional hand loom and handicraft industries, however need more focus. The neglect has resulted in near extinction of many practices. Even though Bangladesh is capable of sourcing the finest raw materials from abroad we often struggle to find good quality raw materials for the local producers.

Hand spun yarn and making of Khadi and silk from our own yarn are slowly diminishing.

There are also many commendable initiatives of NGOs which are addressing economic empowerment of women through producing handmade products with local materials such as jute and other fibres.

Let’s get personal. You have three adorable children and a full schedule when it comes to your career. How do you manage to get everything done and make time for your family?

My children mean the world to me. It is very important for me to be able to be there for them both emotionally and physically.

At first it was very hard to find the right balance. But with the help of my husband and our parents we could make a great support system. I also like to work on independent projects which allow me to take breaks in between. As for working in the family business I have a great support structure at work which also allows me to work from home when needed. l

What is your ideal way to unwind after a long day?

Spending time with my children.

Hearing how their day went and finally watching a movie with my husband.

What song do you have on repeat?

Coldplay’s Fix You Who is your fashion icon?

I don’t really have a fashion icon but I am a junkie when it comes to high-end fashion and follow the trends very closely.

Describe your personal sense of style?

I fall in love with good designs when i see them! I love handbags, the ones that are crafted beautifully. I like to reinvent my style and explore many ways to wear an ensemble. That’s why I love designing as well, as it lets me make something new and unique.

Who would you invite to the dinner party of your dreams?

I always wanted to hangout with Sting. I’d rather get to know people one on one than have many people at a dinner party where I will only get to spend a few minutes with each person. I have actually had the privilege of meeting many celebrities, artists, musicians and dignitaries and shared dinners with them and enjoy the opportunity every time!

For more information about the Fashion Revolution project, log in to fashionrevolution.org.

DT

24 T-JUNCTION

WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2015

Tucked In

decor

The pastel palette

Haven’t you had enough of bold neons already?

n Adila Hoque

Dining hall: Now the dining hall is one part of your house that should breach the subtlety of the general pastels. Use a rich plum on the walls or maybe even purple and opt for sand or taupe curtains. You could even add some geometric patterns on the walls or curtains to give your dining room a whole new dimension. Just make sure you don’t clash plum/purple with the pastel pink. l

Soothing and welcoming, pastel paint will give a gentle glow to any room you choose.

Given the colours available in this range, such as light lemonade to pink and a soft minty green, they are often mistaken for feminine and therefore not used very often.

However, they happen to be your ideal choice if you think those solid colours are too much for your tired eyes and you need something delicate without jumping into the cream-beige family all over again.

What’s amazing about pastels is how easily they can be mixed and matched. The subtlety of the hues allows you to match almost a limitless number of colours with each other and use your furniture to spice up the ambiance of your home. Pastels are probably the only way you can sit yellow and pink together without turning your home into a daycare centre.

Bedroom: No one ever said bedrooms have to be monochromatic. A soft beige on the walls can be easily complemented with sky blue curtains or a pastel green rug/bed cover.

Remember that when it comes to pastels, the trick lies in the details. Use different items of your home furnishings to bring together a whole colour concept and it’ll look as elegant as you’ll ever imagine.

Living room: This is the only part of your pastel home where you’ll want to add a little

bit of playfulness. Balance off creamy-white or grey curtains and couches with a buttery yellow on the walls. For seasoning, use patterned upholstery and modern lighting fixtures. Since your walls are going to be an exciting shade, you should probably still try to use as much natural sunlight as possible. Pro tip: Use vintage mirrors and paintings to add a little kick to the whole arrangement.

news

Samsung Celebrates Mother’s Day

To make mothers feel a bit more special, Samsung Mobile Bangladesh came up with a unique initiative to celebrate this Mother’s Day. Now people can send a voice message to their mothers wishing them on this special occasion.

Under this campaign, one can give a missed call at 09666777222 and Samsung will call them back. On this call, you can record a voice message for your mother wishing them on Mother’s Day. The message will be sent to their mothers on Mother’s Day. Five selected voice message senders will win Samsung Z1 handsets as gifts for their mothers.

Commenting on this special offer, Hasan Mehdi, head of Mobile, Samsung Bangladesh said, “We always strive to delight our customers and their loved ones. This can be a beautiful gesture from children who live away from their mothers.”

Under this campaign, from May 8 to May 10 on any purchase from Samsung stores in Dhaka, customers will receive a special Mother’s Day card and gift coupons.

To know more about this campaign, please call 09612-300-300. l

NBA player of Indian origin Sim Bhullar presents a cheque of Rupees 500,000 to Pingalwara members during his visit to the Bhagat Puran Singh Museum, Amritsar yesterday

Sport 26

MUSHFIQ VOWS TO END BEST-SERIES ON A HIGH

27

SARBA STRIKE PROPELS MUKTIJODDHA

28

25

DT

DONATION

WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2015

PEP DOESN’T LEAVE ANYTHING TO CHANCE: MESSI

ALL IN PRIME FORM

(L-R) Bangladesh cricketers Imrul Kayes, Tamim Iqbal, Mushfiqur Rahim and Shakib al Hasan will look to spearhead the Tigers when the deciding Test against Pakistan begins today in Mirpur MAINOOR ISLAM MANIK

Watershed moment awaits clinical Tigers n Minhaz Uddin Khan An upbeat Bangladesh will look to hammer the final nail on the coffin when they encounter Pakistan in the second and deciding Test at Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, starting today at 10am. The BTV, GTV and Star Sports 1 will telecast the five-dayer live.

The rampant Tigers have dominated the ongoing bilateral home series, starting from the lone ODI practice match. The home side followed it up with a whitewash in the threeODI series and a thumping win in the solitary Twenty20 international.

There were a few doubts with the Tigers’ ability in the longer-version but they have turned it around in the Tests too as they ruled the roost in the final two days to draw the opening five-dayer in Khulna.

The Tigers’ batting department is in scin-

tillating touch and they will be looking to put the cherry on the cake in the Dhaka Test.

The series win in the ODIs was Bangladesh’s first against Pakistan and if the home side’s batsmen are able to continue exerting their influence on the opposition bowlers then the Tigers can might as well seal their maiden Test series victory against their sub-continent rival.

The Bangladesh batsmen have been on song throughout the series and the same will be expected this time. The cricket-mad supporters of the country will yet again expect great things from opener Tamim Iqbal, who is experiencing a brilliant run. Tamim bludgeoned the Pakistan bowlers in Khulna on his way to his maiden double hundred.

The Chittagong lad is just 52 runs shy of overtaking Habibul Bashar as the Tigers’ highest run-scorer in Tests and few will bet against him to achieve the feat in the Dhaka Test.

Tamim’s partner, Imrul Kayes, will also be expected to deliver after his fine showing in the previous Test. The Tigers’ opening partnership created all sorts of records during their 312-run association in the second innings of the Khulna Test so they will be desperate to make the most of their good fortune in recent times.

Bangladesh top-order batsmen Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah all registered starts in the Khulna Test but were unable to score big. The trio will be looking to make it right this time.

The wicket at the home of cricket is likely to play similar to the one in Khulna. It will have ample amount of runs on it while the bowlers will get the golden opportunity to work their magic from the third day onward when cracks on the pitch will start to appear.

Given the form of the Tigers batsmen, all the bowlers need to do is be patient and bowl

a tight line and length. It was not evident in the Khulna Test so they went for 628 runs in one innings alone. Despite home advantage, the Bangladesh bowlers were a mere shadow of themselves so the onus will be on the bowlers to compliment the efforts of the batsmen.

Ace all-rounder Shakib al Hasan, the leader of the bowling pack, was largely ineffective in the drawn first Test. Coupled with his batting, the maverick all-rounder had a below-par outing according to his own high standards.

A lot will depend on Shakib, therefore, if the home side are to display a much-improved bowling performance. Left-arm spinner Taijul Islam will continue to provide valuable support. The young spinner scalped his third five-wicket haul in the Khulna Test and if juvenile leg-spinner Jubair Hossain is named in the starting XI, then the Tigers will boast a potent trio of slow bowlers at their disposal.l

DT

26 Sport

WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2015

Mushfiq vows to end best-series on a high n Minhaz Uddin Khan Bangladesh Test skipper Mushfiqur Rahim labelled the ongoing bilateral series against Pakistan as their best ever and vowed to end it on a high note when the two sides meet in the second and final Test today at Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium.

“Of course, this is one of our best. So far, the way we have performed, I do not think we have performed like this in the past. We had different teams for the three formats so the challenge did not get any easier. There were of course expectations from the home crowd that we will be able to retain our World Cup performance,” Mushfiq told the press conference previewing the second Test.

Mushfiq informed that the Dhaka Test will virtually be a final and added that their new-found maturity will stand them in good stead as they bid to win the match and, subsequently, the series.

“There were also expectations in the Test series. Thanks to Allah, everything went in our favour. Hopefully, when the next Test begins tomorrow (today), we will be able to continue our form in the next five days and end the series on a bright note. I think everyone has become more mature, that is why you are seeing some gutsy, individual performances, be it batting or bowling. This is the outcome of the confidence that he had derived from consistent performances in the last three months,” said Mushfiq.

Mushfiq stated that the opposition would try to come out with all guns blazing as they are yet to win a single game on the tour but expressed belief that the home side’s bowlers would be able to get 20 wickets and keep the visitors winless.

“We have bagged some good and big achievements in the last few weeks. I will hope to begin this Test confidently with all our positives from the previous game. And, there is certainly just one goal, this is the final Test of the series and we will do whatever we need to do to win the match. And everyone is working hard for it,” said Mushfiq before adding, “We played well in the Khulna Test but it will be challenging for us here because they will try to play attacking cricket, I think. And, we will target 20 wickets. Our aim will be to try to keep them winless.”

The 26-year old said if the Tigers are to win the match and the series, it would not be termed an upset, given Pakistan (third) and Bangladesh’s (ninth) positions in the International Cricket Council’s Test team rankings.

“I do not think it will be an upset. It is because of the way the boys have been playing in the last two or three months. There were lots of talks doing the rounds that we play well in the ODIs and not in the Tests. But, we have shown that we are capable of doing well in the Tests too,” he said.

Mushfiq believes the SBNS pitch will play different to the wicket used in the Khulna Test.

“Almost every time we played here (Mirpur), it has produced a result, unless weather played a part. That is why I would say this wicket is bowler-friendly and at the same time, batting friendly. It is quick and also spins so everyone can take advantage,” he said.

“Still, I will say it’s a different pitch, different ground so we have to be prepared for a fight. I think the boys are ready to fight for five days and after that, hopefully we will grab a win and seal the series.”l

PLAYERS TO WATCH

BANGLADESH v PAKISTAN, 2ND TEST, MIRPUR

Bangladesh Test captain Mushfiqur Rahim talks with head coach Chandika Hathurusingha during a practice session at SBNS in Mirpur yesterday MAINOOR ISLAM MANIK

‘Former players have nothing better to do’ n Mazhar Uddin

MUSHFIQUR RAHIM

YOUNIS KHAN

Wicketkeeper-batsman Mushfiq is in outstanding form, having blasted 220 runs in the recently-concluded three-match ODI series against Pakistan.

However, the Bangladesh Test captain had a disappointing outing in the drawn first Test in Khulna. The 26-year old was dismissed for 32 and nought in the first and second innings respectively. He will, therefore, look to post a significant knock in the second and deciding Test.

The elegant right-hander has scored 2543 runs in 44 Tests at an average of 33.02 and has 14 fifties and three hundreds to his name.

He was the highest individual run-scorer for Bangladesh in Tests until Tamim surpassed him a few days ago.

No doubt one of the world’s most dependable batsman in five-day cricket, Younis would have been dejected by his return of 33 in the first Test. The 37-year old was clean bowled by left-arm spinner Taijul Islam.

With a staggering average of 53.24 in 97 Tests, Younis will be on the lookout for a big score and he will not be short of confidence, given his tally of 8360 runs in five-dayers, including 28 centuries and 29 fifties.

Form guide

Pakistan DLDWW

Bangladesh DWWWL

Bangladesh (probable)

1 Tamim, 2 Imrul, 3 Mominul, 4 Mahmudullah, 5 Mushfiq (C & WK), 6 Shakib, 7 Soumya, 8 Jubair, 9 Taijul, 10 Shahadat, 11 Shahid

Form guide

Pakistan (probable)

1 Aslam, 2 Hafeez, 3 Azhar, 4 Younis, 5 Misbah (C), 6 Shafiq, 7 Sarfraz, 8 Wahab, 9 Junaid, 10 Yasir, 11 Babar –MAZHAR UDDIN

The ongoing bilateral series between Bangladesh and Pakistan has been a terrible one so far for the latter, who have succumbed to defeats in all of the matches bar the first Test in Khulna. As a result, a few former Pakistan cricketers and captains have criticised the ability of their side.

Pakistan Test skipper Misbah-ul Haq, however, came to the rescue of his charges yesterday, saying the former cricketers have nothing productive to do other than criticising the current side.

“They (the former Pakistan cricketers) are saying such things because the former cricketers have nothing else to do,” said an angry Misbah at Sher-e-Bangla National stadium, on the eve of the second and final Test starting today.

The sub-continent powerhouse have experienced some convincing defeats in the limited-over leg of the series which paved the way for former Pakistan cricketers like Saqlain Mushtaq, Ramiz Raja and a few others to question the motivation of the side.

Misbah though expressed his hope that they would be able to eke out a positive result in the second Test and take something back from the series.

“Every game for us is important and it’s not like this match is everything for us and nothing else. We take every game seriously but results are not in our control. The only thing we can ensure is our efforts and we are doing our best,” said the 40-year old.

Dashing opener Tamim Iqbal is in terrific touch with the bat, having blasted his maiden double hundred in the drawn Khulna Test and Misbah informed that they have plans in place to thwart the southpaw, who also had a brilliant run in the three-match ODI series with 312 runs.

“We had plans for him and it’s not like we never tried them. We did but he, being at his prime form, has been dealing them very well.

But, we are looking at some new strategy against him and lets see how we implement them,” he said. l

DT

Sport 27

WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2015

QUICK BYTES Lewandowski jets to Barca, but no Ribery Bayern Munich’s injured top-scorer Robert Lewandowski flew with the squad on Tuesday to Barcelona for their Champions League semi-final, first-leg, but French winger Franck Ribery was amongst those left behind.

–AFP

Cambodia PM refuses bet payout after Pacquiao loss

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen admitted Monday he won’t make good on a $5,000 bet he lost on the recent bout between Floyd Mayweather and regional hero Manny Pacquiao because he was so incensed by the match outcome. The 62-year-old strongman delivered a nine minute rebuke of judges who ruled Mayweather had squarely beaten Pacquiao in Las Vegas on Saturday.

–AFP

Hamilton drives like an ‘extra-terrestrial’

Formula One legend Niki Lauda said Tuesday that current world champion Lewis Hamilton is driving like an “extra-terrestrial”. Hamilton is driving “in a phase where everything is always perfect,” Lauda, non-executive chairman of Hamilton’s Mercedes team, told the APA news agency in an interview.

–AFP

Pacquiao to undergo shoulder surgery, report

Manny Pacquiao’s camp accused the Nevada Athletic Commission on Monday of denying them treatment for an injury to his right shoulder which will now require surgery to repair. Pacquiao, who lost a unanimous decision to Floyd Mayweather in their welterweight unification fight on Saturday, is expected to undergo surgery later this week for a torn rotator cuff, ESPN reported on Monday.

–AFP

Jimmy Greaves in intensive care after stroke

Former Tottenham Hotspur and England striker Jimmy Greaves has suffered a severe stroke and is in intensive care in hospital, his family said on Monday. A prolific goalscorer throughout his career, Greaves scored 44 goals in just 57 appearances for England -- the fourth-highest total of all time.

–AFP

Napoli fans don’t know whether to laugh or cry

Napoli’s season has already been written off as a failure by critics, but Rafael Benitez’s side could still land only their second European title. Napoli host Dnipro in the first leg of their Europa League semis with the team still maintaining a media blackout on the orders of president Aurelio Di Laurentiis.

–Reuters

Pakistan’s Mohammad Hafeez (L) and Azhar Ali stretch during a practice session at SBNS in Mirpur yesterday on the eve of their second and final Test match against Bangladesh MAINOOR ISLAM MANIK

Sufian, Mehedi face off for chess title today n Shishir Hoque International Master Abu Sufian Shakil and Fide Masters Mehedi Hasan Parag jointly shared the lead in the Golden Sporting Club International Rating Chess Tournament following the eighth round yesterday.

Shakil might have drawn with Parag in their eighth-round game held at the Muktijuddho Smriti Stadium Bhaban in Rajshahi but still retained first position. Today’s ninth and final round games will separate Sufian and Mehedi, who are both tied on seven points.

In the day’s other matches, Dilip drew with Shrutarshi, Rani Hamid beat Shahnaz,

Debaraj defeated Mohammad Manik, Fahad beat Kingshuk Das, Saiful defeated Raja Mia, Shafiq beat Shibli Noman, Nasim defeated Faisal Hossain and Babul Prang drew with FM Syed Mahfuzur Rahman Emon.

Today’s ninth and final round games will separate Sufian and Mehedi Four players - FM Debaraj Chatterjee of Titas Club, Women’s International Master Rani Hamid, Dilip Das and Shrutarshi Roy of India - are jointly sharing second position with 6.5 points each. l

Sarba strike propels Muktijoddha n Shishir Hoque Camara Sarba grabbed the all-important goal as Muktijoddha SKC pipped Abahani 1-0 in the Manyavar Bangladesh Premier League at Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.

The Senegalese forward’s solitary strike in the 12th minute enabled the All Reds to second place in the 11-team standings. Table-toppers Sheikh Jamal DC lead the Reds by three points.

The victory took the Muktis’ tally to 16 points from eight matches but defending champions Sheikh Jamal have played a game less. The holders will face a tough test to extend their lead when they take on Mohammedan today at 4:15PM. Abahani, meanwhile, are down at fourth with 13 points from seven matches.l

Prince Ali vows to stay in Fifa race to ‘the end’ n AFP, Paris FIFA vice president Prince Ali bin al Hussein on Tuesday vowed to stay in the campaign to be leader of football’s world body “until the end” following speculation that he could withdraw.

The 39-year-old Jordanian royal is one of three challengers to FIFA president Sepp Blatter facing an uphill challenge against the Swiss veteran in an election on May 29.

The prince, Dutch Football Association chief Michael van Praag and former Portugal star Luis Figo have all said an accord may be necessary to pick one candidate against Blatter.

But Prince Ali, a FIFA vice president, said in a statement he will stay in the presidential race “especially after the supportive and positive responses from the football federations he visited in different countries, and the warm welcome his manifesto has received worldwide.”

“I will continue the race until the end,” Prince Ali said.

The prince said the statement followed

social media speculation that he would consider withdrawing to back a single challenger.

He said he is still visiting football associations around the world to get support for his campaign to “change the reputation of FIFA.”

The prince told the BBC in an interview that “at some point” there would have to be a discussion on a single challenger. Blatter, 79, is strong favourite to win a fifth term at the head of the world’s most powerful sporting federation. l

Jordan’s Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein (L), Fifa presidential candidate, poses with Argentine football legend Diego Maradona after he spoke in the Soccerex Asian Forum on developing the business of football in Asia at the King Hussein Convention Center at the Dead Sea, Jordan on Monday REUTERS

DT

28 Sport

WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2015

(L-R) Barcelona’s Luis Suarez, Lionel Messi, Gerard Pique and Sergio Busquets take part in a training session at the Sports Center FC Barcelona Joan Gamper in Sant Joan Despi, near Barcelona yesterday AFP

FACTFILE

Guardiola doesn’t leave anything to chance: Messi n AFP, Barcelona

BARCELONA

BAYERN MUNICH FORM

Barcelona come into their first meeting against old coach Pep Guardiola in supreme form having struck 14 goals without reply in their last two La Liga games. Luis Suarez scored his first hat-trick for the club as Luis Enrique’s team maintained their twopoint lead ahead of Real Madrid with three games to play thanks to an 8-0 demolition of Cordoba at the weekend. That victory extended Barca’s unbeaten streak to 16 games and they have won 26 of their last 28 matches in all competitions.

Bayern already have a 25th Bundesliga title wrapped up, but Guardiola’s side have been rocked by injuries in recent weeks. An under-strength Bayern side were beaten for just the third time this season on league duty 2-0 by Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday, but have now lost four of their last 10 in all competitions after being knocked out of the German Cup on penalties by Borussia Dortmund last week and losing 3-1 at Porto in the first-leg of their quarter-final.

COACHES Luis Enrique Martinez Garcia (ESP) - 44 yrs

Pep Guardiola (ESP) - 44 yrs

LEADING SCORERS IN ALL COMPETITIONS Lionel Messi (51 goals)

Robert Lewandowski (23 goals)

DOMESTIC LEAGUE PERFORMANCE Top of La Liga, two points ahead of Real Madrid and an insurmountable 11 clear of defending champions Atletico Madrid in third.

Champions of Germany for a third consecutive year, they lead Wolfsburg by 14 points with three games remaining.

ROAD TO SEMI-FINALS Winners of Group F ahead of PSG. Beat Manchester City 3-1 on aggregate in the last 16 and eased past PSG once more 5-1 on aggregate in the quarter-finals.

Winners of Group E ahead of Manchester City.

Beat Shakhtar Donetsk 7-0 in Munich in the last 16, second leg clash after a goalless draw in Ukraine and needed an even more remarkable performance at home in the quarter-finals by thrashing Porto 6-1 having lost 3-1 in Portugal a week previously.

EUROPEAN CUP/CHAMPIONS LEAGUE BEST PERFORMANCES Winners 1992, 2006, 2009, 2011

Winners 1974, 1975, 1976, 2001, 2013

OTHER HONOURS 22 x Spanish champions, 26 x Copa del Rey winners, 4 x Cup Winners’ Cup winners, 3 x Inter-Cities Fairs Cup winners, 4 x UEFA Super Cup winners, 2 x Club World Cup winners

25 x German champions, 17 x German Cup winners, 1 x UEFA Cup winners, 1 x UEFA Super Cup winners, 1 x Club World Cup winners, 2 x Intercontinental Cup winners

Lionel Messi believes former Barca boss Pep Guardiola will not leave anything to chance when he takes his Bayern Munich side to the Camp Nou for the first-leg of their Champions League semi-final on Wednesday.

However, despite winning 14 trophies in a stunning four-year spell in charge of Barca between 2008 and 2012, the four-time World Player of the Year doesn’t think his inside knowledge of the Catalans will be a big advantage to the German champions over the two legs.

“He was with us for a long time and we had the luck to win many title and experience important moments. He is a coach that studies everything,” said the Argentine on Tuesday.

“It is the same for both sides. Pep knows

us very well and we know what he asks of his players. It is 50-50, we both know each other very well.”

Barca also have revenge on their minds, though, after Bayern inflicted their heaviest ever European defeat in a 7-0 thrashing at the same stage of the competition two years ago.

“We need to prepare for the game knowing what it means playing in a semi-final of the Champions League and against a great team.

“That semi-final hurt us a lot, but a lot of time has passed since. We come into the game differently, as do they, and it will be a different tie to that one.”

Guardiola is expected to get a hero’s welcome on his first visit to the Camp Nou in the opposition camp after 15 years at the club as a player and coach.l

Luis Enrique shining in Guardiola’s shadow n AFP, Barcelona Despite the presence of Lionel Messi and 14 World Cup winners, the attention will be on the touchline as much as the pitch when Pep Guardiola leads his Bayern Munich side into the stadium he called home for so long on Wednesday.

Guardiola has been to Barcelona’s Camp Nou hundreds of times, as captain during an 11-year playing career and most memorably in winning 14 trophies in a four-year spell as the club’s most successful ever coach.

The last time he was there, for Barca’s Champions League win over Manchester City in February, he sat in his seat, a season ticket in the stands next to his father.

This midweek, though, he will experience the vast concrete bowl of a ground from a different angle, as the opposition coach as Bayern travel to Catalonia in the first-leg of their Champions League semi-final.

His visit couldn’t have come at a better time for his former teammate and friend Luis Enrique.

The Barca boss has followed in Guardiola’s footsteps throughout his playing and coaching career.l

Bayern Munich’s head coach Pep Guardiola arrives at the team hotel in Barcelona yesterday AFP

DT

Sport 29

WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2015

Trott retires from int’l cricket

n AFP, London England batsman Jonathan Trott announced his retirement from international cricket on Monday.

Trott struggled on his return to the Test arena during England’s 1-1 drawn series with the West Indies in the Caribbean concluded Sunday, managing just 72 runs in six innings including three ducks.

“This was a tough decision to make but I don’t feel my game is at the level you need to be at to play for England,” said Trott in an England and Wales Cricket Board statement.

“I was honoured to be given the opportunity to come back and play international cricket again and I’m disappointed it didn’t work out.

“I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has helped me and given me the chance to represent England and to thank supporters for all their backing over the years.

“I also want to wish the lads all the very best for what will be an incredibly exciting summer.”

The 34-year-old Trott, who intends to continue his county career with Warwickshire, added: “I’ve had incredible highs and some real lows in an England shirt but wouldn’t change a thing.

“I look forward to continuing my career at Warwickshire and hopefully helping us win more silverware.”

The West Indies series saw Trott recalled

by England for the first time since his prema-

ture exit from the 2013/14 Ashes series in Australia following the first Test in Brisbane with what team officials later said was “situational anxiety”.

England captain Alastair Cook, paying tribute to Trott, said: “It has been an absolute honour to play alongside Trotty in every one of his 52 Tests.

“He can be incredibly proud of all he has achieved in his career and it is no coincidence that his time in international cricket has seen the team achieve some very special things often with Trotty at the heart of our success on and off the field.”

Cook added: “To come back from events around the Brisbane Test in 2013 and earn a place back in this side is testament to his character and spirit, and although things didn’t work out as we all hoped on this current tour, he gave absolutely everything to the Three Lions every time he wore the cap.”

Following Trott’s exit from the Australia tour, where he struggled against the short ball and the pace of left-arm fast bowler Mitchell Johnson in particular, England lost the Ashes 5-0.

Australia batsman David Warner accused Trott of being “poor and weak” for the way in which he was dismissed by Johnson in the second innings at Brisbane’s Gabba ground, comments for which he apologised when details of the England batsman’s condition were made public.

Trott took some time out from cricket before forcing his way back into the England setup through sheer weight of runs for Warwickshire and the second-string England Lions.

At his best Trott, who played 52 Tests, 68 ODIs and seven T20s in his eight-year international career, was a re-assuring presence at the crease. Indeed the South Africa-born batsman made nine Test hundreds, starting with a century on debut against Australia at The Oval in the 2009 Ashes, and went on to make 3,835 Test runs at an average of 44.08.l

BTV, Gazi TV, Star Sports 1 10:00AM Bangladesh tour of Pakistan Second Test, Day One

Channel 9 4:15PM Bangladesh Premier League Sheikh Jamal v Mohammedan

Sony Six 8:30PM Indian Premier League Bangalore v Punjab

Star Sports 2 7:00PM Italian Serie A 2014/15 Torino v Empoli

Star Sports 4 4:30PM AFC Champions League 2015 Hyundai Motors v Shandong Luneng

Ten Action 12:45PM SF, Leg 1 Barcelona v Bayern

Arsene Wenger has challenged his Arsenal side to finish the season unbeaten and secure second place in the Premier League. The Gunners cruised to a 3-1 win at Hull City on Monday, their 10th straight match unbeaten all but securing a top-four finish for the 18th successive season.

Chelsea were crowned champions on Sunday but Wenger said finishing second for the first time in a decade was an important target in a campaign that could yet end with holders Arsenal retaining the FA Cup in a Wembley final against Aston Villa later this month.

“For me it makes a difference,” said Wenger. “We want to finish as high as we can.

That’s a competitive attitude,” added the veteran French boss who has been in charge of the north London giants since Sep 1996.”l

EPL POINTS TABLE Team Name

P

W

D

L

GD

1 Chelsea

35

25

8

2

42

Pts 83

2 Man City

35

21

7

7

35

70

3 Arsenal

34

21

7

6

33

70

4 Man United

35

19

8

8

24

65

5 Liverpool

35

18

7

10

11

61

6 Tottenham

35

17

7

11

5

58

7 Southampton

35

17

6

12

20

57

8 Swansea City

35

15

8

12

-1

53

9 West Ham

35

12

11

12

1

47

10 Stoke City

35

13

8

14

-5

47

11 Everton

35

11

11

13

0

44

12 Crystal Palace

35

11

9

15

-6

42

13 West Brom

35

10

10

15

-13

40 35

14 Aston Villa

35

9

8

18

-21

15 Newcastle

35

9

8

18

-24

35

16 Leicester City

35

9

7

19

-15

34

17 Hull City

35

8

10

17

-15

34

18 Sunderland

34

6

15

13

-22

33

19 QPR

35

7

6

22

-22

27

20 Burnley FC

35

5

11

19

-27

26

Murray working to acclimate to Madrid n AFP, Madrid

DAY’S WATCH

UEFA Champions League

Wenger tells Gunners to set sights on second n AFP, Kingston upon Hull

Russian tennis player Maria Sharapova returns a ball during day four of the Madrid Open tournament at the Caja Magica (Magic Box) sports complex in Madrid yesterday AFP

Andy Murray was working on Tuesday to make a one-day turnaround from slow, heavy conditions in Munich to the high-altitude, faster-bouncing clay of the Spanish capital in order to be ready for an opening challenge at the Madrid Masters.

The third-ranked Scot arrived after winning his first clay title in Munich in a delayed Monday final, but was facing a race against time to adjust to the totally different courts of Madrid’s Caja Magica. “(Winning on Munich clay) is obviously a positive for me, it was a goal that I had for this year,” said Murray, who can boast of only a trio of quarter-final placings since Madrid changed to clay in 2009.

Murray beat German Philipp Kohlschreiber in the three-hour German final and could run into his opponent in the second round on Wednesday should Kohlschreiber defeat qualifier Alejandro Fall in the first round.

“It was an extremely tough match and a dramatic finish. That always makes it a little bit nicer,” Murray said of his success. “This gives me a little bit more confidence obviously with the French Open just a few weeks to go. l

DT

30 DOWNTIME

WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2015

CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Slender (4) 4 Younger son (5) 9 Female bird (3) 11 Nominate (4) 12 Proficient (5) 13 Show amusement (4) 14 Allows (4) 15 Vestige (5) 19 Cultural presentation (5) 21 Book of the Bible (4) 25 Heavy horse-drawn vehicle (4) 26 Entertain (5) 28 Fencing sword (4) 29 Pull along (3) 30 Prophets (5) 31 Keen relish (4)

DOWN 1 Former Iranian leader (4) 2 Was ahead (3) 3 Unsuitable (5) 5 Fisher (6) 6 Venture (4) 7 Send out (4) 8 Time in grammar (5) 10 Thong (5) 16 Duty list (6) 17 Tree (5) 18 Confronts (5) 20 Intense (5) 22 Sleeveless garment (4) 23 Woody plant (4) 24 Salamander (4) 27 Distress call (3)

CODE-CRACKER How to solve: Each number in our CODECRACKER grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. For example, today 13 represents H so fill H every time the figure 13 appears.

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

Some letters of the alphabet may not be used.

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

A B C D E FG H I J K L M N O P Q RST UVWXYZ

CALVIN AND HOBBES

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

PEANUTS

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTIONS CODE-CRACKER

CROSSWORD

DILBERT

SUDOKU

DT

SHOWTIME 31

WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2015

Met Gala red carpet n Mahmood Hossain This year’s theme for the event was “China: Through the Looking Glass” and the largest country and culture of the Orients came in full force through every head-turning look on our favourite celebrities.

Uma Thurman in Atelier Versace and Anna Hu jewellery. This is what she was meant for. Look at her. Grecian goddess.

The most talked about model Kendall Jenner in Calvin Klein Collection and Chopard jewels.

She was looking absolutely exquisite.

CELEBS ON SOCIAL

Varun SURESH Dhawan @ Varun_dvn

Last nite stories @priyankachopra #kangana #nationalaward winners.

E! Online @ eonline Jennifer Lawrence in Dior Haute Couture.

We are never disappointed with JLaw on the red carpet.

Rihanna in Guo Pei and Christian Louboutin shoes. RiRi looked like a princess straight out of the Ming dynasty dripping in gold.

Anne Hathaway in custom Ralph Lauren and Repossi jewels.

Elegance is in its simplicity, the hood attached rested perfectly at the right spot. It was just right.

Nostalgia alert! Aly Michalka is getting married! Inside her perfect bridal shower: http://bit. ly/1F2HYUZ

Baba Sehgal @ OnlyBabaSehgal green tea reduces weight only if you go & pick d leaves from d mountains yourself..

WHAT TO WATCH

Cannes update:

Media Luna acquires 3 new movies n Showtime desk Media Luna New Films has recently acquired world sales rights to Martin Tuta’s thriller Talion, drama I was there and docudrama The Duel of Wine. As the run up to this years Cannes Film Market gets closer, Media Luna’s American and Latino Cannes slate has totaled to 5 movies.

This year they are set to host 10 market screenings.

Talion tells the story of “Mirubin” who’s actually a masked avenger who begins hijacking and inflicting violence on pedophiles. Although this does make him a criminal to some, opinions vary.

At one point, his personal war against pedophiles even leads him to the city’s mayor, putting his life at risk. The story unfolds as a journalist Amira tries to uncover the avengers identity not because of her strong sense of justice, but because she wants to revive her stagnant career.

Interestingly, the running theme of the film isn’t pedophilia or justice but rather the lack of communication between families as mentioned by Tuta, seasoned TV director.

I was there, on the other hand, depicts the story of a New York firefighter who’s haunted by guilt as he survived the crash of the World Trade Center. Several years later he confronts the truth to a journalist, admitting how he ran away from the

The Prestige A HBO 4:58pm Two stage magicians engage in competitive one-upmanship in an attempt to create the ultimate stage illusion.

Cast: Hugh Jackman, Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Scarlett Johansson, David Bowie Toy Story 2 A Star Movies 3:15pm When Woody is stolen by a toy collector, Buzz and his friends vow to rescue him, but Woody finds the idea of immortality in a museum tempting.

Cast:Tom Hanks (Woody), Tim Allen (Buzz Lightyear), Joan Cusack (Jessie the Yodeling Cowgirl), Ocean’s Twelve B WB 7:14pm Daniel Ocean recruits one more team member so he can pull off three major European heists in this sequel to Ocean’s 11.

Cast: George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Catherine Zeta-Jones

building unable to deal with his fear. It’s a co-production between Mexico’s Addiction House, JVJ Productions and Wing and a Prayer Productions in the U.S. and Hungary’s Umbrella, “I Was There” with James A Lee playing the lead character.

Docudrama The Ways of Wine features real-life celeb sommelier Charlie Arturaola in a comedy. Ever since losing face after starring in Ways as a wine taster who lost his palette, he promises to make a comeback. He plans to do so at The Great

Wine Duel, the ultimate battle between wine tasters.

Media Luna will also screen Luis Zorraquin’s Guarani, winner of the European Vision Award at Ventana Sur’s Primer Corte pix-in-post showcase, curated

by Georges Goldenstern. Alongside this, they will be screening Sergio Castro San Martin’s The Mud Woman, starring Catalina Saavedra, a Sundance Festival best actress winner for The Maid. l

Rabindra Mela Channel I 10am Channel i is organising their 10th Rabindra Mela on May 8 marking the 154th birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore at their premises in Tejgaon. Noted artists, litterateurs, Tagore enthusiasts and media personalities along with the Channel i family will inaugurate the day long fair at 10am. Channel i will telecast the event live.

DT

32 BACK PAGE

WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2015

INTEREST RATE SPREAD COMES BELOW 5% PAGE 15

MUSHFIQ VOWS TO END BEST-SERIES ON A HIGH PAGE 26

Death sentence or life in jail for killing someone after rape n Ashif Islam Shaon Either death sentence or life imprisonment can be awarded as the highest punishment for the rape and murder of any child or woman, the Supreme Court ruled yesterday.

A four-member Appellate Division bench, led

by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha, passed the judgement while disposing a writ petition.

The apex court upheld a High Court verdict that declared the sections 6 (2), 6 (4) of the Women and Children Repression Prevention (Special) Act 1995 unconstitutional and illegal. It also declared section 34 (2) of Women and Children Repression Prevention (Special) Act 2000 illegal and unconstitutional.

The provisions of section 6 (2) and section 6 (4) said if any individual or more than one person caused the death of any child or woman in or after committing rape, they shall be handed the death sentence.

On March 2, 2010, the High Court annulled those sections of the law saying it was illegal and unconstitutional to have death as the only punishment for any crime.

Attorney General Mahbubey Alam yesterday told reporters that the Appellate Division has declared the sections 6(2), 6(3), and 6(4) illegal and void. An amendment to the law made in 2000, which offers life imprisonment as an alternative punishment along with the death penalty, will now take effect, he added.

The apex court also declared unconstitutional and illegal the section 34 (2) of the 2000 act, according to which the cases running under the previous 1995 act’s sections 6 (2) and 6 (4) were supposed to be continued under the previous sections.

Asked how the cases filed under the 1995 law will now be run, the attorney general said: “We cannot say about that until the Appellate Division releases the full judgement. But personally, I think that the cases may follow the act of 2000.”

The High Court verdict was given in response to a writ petition filed jointly by rights organisation Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST) and Shukur Ali, who was awarded the death sentence for violating and killing a seven-year-old girl in 1996, when

Shukur himself was only 14 years old.

The death sentence ruling by a tribunal was later upheld by the High Court and also the Appellate Division.

But the BLAST and Shukur filed a joint petition with the High Court, challenging the validity of section 6(2) and the legality of Shukur’s detention.

In 2010, the High Court annulled the section of the law, but said it did not think that Shukur’s detention was illegal.

The BLAST then moved to the Appellate Division against the High Court order and appealed seeking the detention of Sukur to be illegal. Yesterday, Appellate Division accepted the appeal and scrapped three sections of the 1995 act.

Contacted, BLAST lawyer Naznin Nahar said: “As the Appellate Division has accepted our appeal, Shukur’s detention has become invalid. However, we will wait for the full judgement to be released.”

The attorney general, however, said it was not clear whether or not Shukur’s sentence would be executed until the full judgement was released. l

A man walks by a clean wall and dry footpath, suggesting that the Arabic language prohibitions against public urination issued by the Religious Affairs Ministry have largely been successful. The photo was taken from Tejgaon, Dhaka yesterday SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

MET GALA RED CARPET PAGE 31

Ecnec approves Tk545cr for Bagerhat airport n Tribune Report The government has approved Tk545 crore for the construction of the proposed Khan Jahan Ali Airport in Bagerhat to make it operational in three years.

However, due to a lack of funds, very little work, apart from land acquisition and earth filling, have been done since 1996.

The airport will be strategically important especially because it is located very close to the industrial city Khulna and the Mongla seaport in Bagerhat.

Of the project cost, Tk490 crore will come from the state coffer and the remaining amount will be arranged by the public agencies concerned. The Civil Aviation Authority is in charge of implementing the project by June 2018.

This is one of the 10 projects that the the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) in a Prime Minister Hasina-led meeting yesterday.

After the meeting, Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal said the airport is meant for speeding up communication to expand business activities centring the Mongla seaport, the export processing zone, the local shrimping industry and the under-construction Rampal Power Plant.

“The proposed airport is just 20km from both Khulna and Mongla, and so it will boost regional tourism centring the Sundarbans, the single biggest mangrove forest in the world, the Shat Gambuj Mosque [the sixty dome mosque] and the shrine of Khan Jahan Ali,” the minister said.

Kamal also said the airport will also facilitate faster distribution of relief in case there is a natural disaster.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has directed the authorities to keep options open for setting up a three-star hotel in the area.

The Ecnec yesterday okayed another project titled “Construction and Improvement of Roads, Drains and Footpaths in Gulshan, Banani and Baridhara Diplomatic Areas” that will cost Tk200 crore. “This is the maiden project for new Mayor Annisul Huq,” said Kamal adding that the Dhaka South City Corporation would also get a new project soon.

Under the new project, 40km new roads, 56km footpaths, 25km drainage pipeline and 55km open drains will be constructed in the posh areas of the capital city.

The other projects approved by the Ecnec include construction of a six-lane flyover at Mohipal in Feni at a cost of Tk158 crore, 478.171 metres of PC Girder Bridge on Chotto Feni River on the Sonagazi-Olamabazar-Chardarbeshpur-Companyganj road at a cost of Tk73.30 crore, development of public libraries in six districts at Tk49.53 crore and renovation, repair and maintenance of shilpakala academies in 15 districts at a cost of Tk40.56 crore. l

Editor: Zafar Sobhan, Published and Printed by Kazi Anis Ahmed on behalf of 2A Media Limited at Dainik Shakaler Khabar Publications Limited, 153/7, Tejgaon Industrial Area, Dhaka-1208. Editorial, News & Commercial Office: FR Tower, 8/C Panthapath, Shukrabad, Dhaka 1207. Phone: 9132093-94, Advertising: 9132155, Circulation: 9132282, Fax: News-9132192, e-mail: news@dhakatribune.com, info@dhakatribune.com, Website: www.dhakatribune.com