07 may, 2015

SECOND EDITION

THURSDAY, MAY 7, 2015

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Boishakh 24, 1422, Rajab 17, 1436

MILITANTS IN 7-SISTERS WORRY THE NIA PAGE 3

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Regd No DA 6238, Vol 3, No 25

BANGLADESHIS IN UK ELECTION PAGE 5

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

SALMAN KHAN JAILED IN HIT-AND-RUN CASE PAGE 32

Al-Qaeda proxy in Bangladesh New video strengthens suspicion of Ansarullah’s terror links n Mohammad Jamil Khan Detectives suspect that local militants Ansarullah Bangla Team may be linked with the international Al-Qaeda and has been working as a proxy of “Al-Qaeda in the Indian Sub-Continent” – AQIS, in Bangladesh and Myanmar.

According to the investigators, the plan to set up Al-Qaeda in the sub-continent to establish an Islamic state was first exposed in September last year.

Inspired by a video of Al-Qaeda chief Ay-

man Al-Zawahiri, Bangladesh-born British Samiun Rahman alias Ibne Hadan, 28, admitted after his arrest on September 29 last year that they were indeed working for the international terrorist group.

Detectives earlier said top leaders of banned local militant groups and Ansarullah had decided to work together since they had the same goal of establishing an Islamic state in Bangladesh including parts of bordering areas of Myanmar and India.

The link between local militants and

Al-Qaeda and Taliban surfaced again after a recent video message from Al-Qaeda claimed the responsibility of killing Bangladesh-born American Avijit Roy. A Twitter account of Ansar Bangla 7 commended the murder on Dhaka University campus. Later detectives claimed that sleeper cells of Ansarullah, run by Mufti Jasim Uddin Rahmani, had planned and executed the murder. Rapid Action Battalion personnel soon arrested Shafiur Rahman Farabi, leader of banned Hizb ut-Tahrir, for instigating the

murder as he had on several occasions threatened to kill Avijit.

Detectives first traced the activities of Ansarullah after the killing of secular blogger Ahmed Rajeeb Haider on February 15, 2013, although Rahmani had started operations five years before in 2008.

Police arrested Rahmani from a militant training centre of Barguna on August 12, 2013 with 31 followers. Now in jail, Rahmani is facing trial for Rajeeb murder.  PAGE 2 COLUMN 2

Indian bill paves way to LBA n Sheikh Shahariar Zaman The map of Bangladesh could be in for changes as the Indian parliament has passed a constitution amendment bill paving the way for ratifying and implementing the decades old Land Boundary Agreement between the neighbours.

The implementation of the agreement would lead to Bangladesh relinquishing enclaves within India of over 7,000 acres with a population of 17,000. India would have to give up enclaves with a total area of over 17,000 acres with 37,000 people.

This bill will also settle the long standing issue over disputed lands along the border amount to about 5,000 acres on both sides of the border.

The enclave inhabitants, would however, be given the choice to decide their citizenship on both sides of the border.

“This is a historic day. The agreement, which was signed 41 years ago, is going to be completed now,” said a jubilant Sushma Swaraj, the Indian Foreign Minister, in her speech at the Indian parliament on Wednesday.

She piloted the bill Wednesday afternoon and over 30 lawmakers took part in the debate. All of them supported the bill and it is scheduled to be placed in Loksabha today for approval.

Sushma Swaraj said Bangladesh and India enjoyed a very warm relationship but from now on it would be even better.

She started her speech by congratulating everybody for supporting the bill.

“I am very happy that Manmohan Singh  PAGE 2 COLUMN 2

PAGE 2 RAB arrest two traffickers

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina administers oath to the mayor-elects of Dhaka North, South and Chittagong city corporations – Annisul Huq, Sayeed Khokon and AJM Nasir Uddin – at her office yesterday BSS

New mayors vow liveable cities n Abu Hayat Mahmud The newly-elected mayors and councillors of the three city corporations in Dhaka and Chittagong have promised to implement their pledges at their oath taking ceremony yesterday.

Annisul Huq, Sayeed Khokon and AJM Nasir Uddin – the pro-Awami League mayors of Dhaka north, south and Chittagong were sworn in yesterday morning, six days after the Election Commission declared them winners.

PAGE 3 Gazprom contract prices raised

PAGE 4 Turag pillars to stay

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina administered the oath at the PMO’s Shapla Hall while LGRD and Cooperatives Minister Syed Ashraful Islam inducted the general and women councillors.

Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury, Leader of the Opposition Rawshan Ershad, cabinet members, state ministers, lawmakers and leaders of different political parties were present.

Talking to reporters after the ceremony, the mayors reaffirmed their commitment to

build Dhaka and Chittagong as liveable metropolitan cities.

Expressing his resolve for a clean city, Annisul said: “I am seeking everybody’s cooperation to make the city clean and liveable.”

Sayeed Khokon, the son of Dhaka’s first mayor Mohammad Hanif, said he would make all-out efforts for the development of the city, easing traffic congestion, repairing roads and footpaths, and making them free from garbage.

PAGE 7 Water, power crisis add to the brunt of summer heat

 PAGE 2 COLUMN 2

PAGE 8 Four to die for killing Farkhunda

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THURSDAY, MAY 7, 2015

Two international human traffickers arrested n Kamrul Hasan The Rapid Action Battalion has arrested two members of an international gang of human traffickers running business in the country.

One of the accused, Faisal R Rashid alias Reyal, 30, was apprehended in East Baniya area, Khulna around 12:30am, and the other, Md Mujibur Rahman, 50, was nabbed in front of the IDB Bhaban at Agargaon in the capital around 11am yesterday.

RAB 2 Commanding Officer Lt Col SM Masud Rana revealed the information at a press conference yesterday.

During primary interrogation, both the arrestees confessed to being involved with an

38 BNP leaders, including Khaleda Zia indicted in Jatrabari arson case n Md Sanaul Islam Tipu Two separate charge sheets were submitted against BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and 37 leaders and activists of the BNP-led 20-party alliance in an arson attack on a bus on January 23 in the capital’s Jatrabari area.

Sub-Inspector Bashir Ahmed of the Detective Branch (DB) of police, also the investigation officer of the cases, submitted the charge sheets yesterday to the Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrates’ court (CMM).

The charge sheets were submitted in two separate cases – one for killing and the other under the explosive substances act.

Confirming the submission, SI Ujir Ali, general recording officer of CMM court, told the Dhaka Tribune: “Two separate charges sheets were submitted against 38 people including Khaleda Zia in a case.”

The other accused include advocate Khandaker Mahbub Hossain, BNP leader MK Anwar, Shimul Biswas, Maruf Kamal Khan, Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, Barkat Ullah Bulu, Amanullah Aman, Habibu-Nabi Khan Sohel and Azizul Bari Helal.

At least 28 people suffered burns as two petrol bombs thrown by suspected blockaders exploded inside a bus at Jatrabari on January 23. Of the injured, one named Nur Alam, 60, died at Dhaka Medical College and Hospital on February 1. A day after the incident, SI KM Nuruzzaman filed the case with Jatrabari police station against 68 BNP-Jamaat leaders and activists mentioning Khaleda Zi’s name as an abettor.

According to the case statement, the BNP Chief called for a non-stop blockade across the country on January 5 to topple the incumbent government.

Following the order, BNP leaders ordered the party men and associate organisations to carry out acts of sabotage.

Following their directives, former BNP lawmaker Salauddin Ahmed, Tanvir Ahmed, Robin, Nabiullah Nabi, Badal Commissioner, Atiqullah Khan and Shahin and 50 others carried out the arson attack on a bus at Jatrabari in the city, the case statement said.

18 BNP leaders were accused for planning the attack and 50 party activists of its Jatrabari unit were sued for executing the plan. l

international human traffickers’ ring.

The case was brought to RAB’s attention when four alleged survivors filed a complaint against Planet Overseas Consultants, a company based in Lalmatia, Dhaka promising lucrative jobs overseas, with RAB on March 20.

Mujibur, who was the leader of the Bangladesh wing of the gang, first lured the victims in with the promise lucrative, risk-free job contracts abroad at the cost of Tk20 lakh per person, and even offered to receive partial payment after the “clients” reached their destinations, the RAB 2 commanding officer quoted the victims.

They were promised jobs in Canada and

told that they would be travelling to their destination via India. The victims, six of them, were first taken to Siliguri in India, but from there they were transported to Kakarvitta, a remote area in Nepal near the India-Nepal border.

At Kakarvitta, the victims were held hostage in a house under the supervision of two foreigners named Harry and Yuvraj.

While in hostage, the victims were frequently beaten by Mujibur, who forced them to contact their families and say that they had reached Canada.

He also demanded that they pay the rest of the money, threatening to kill them otherwise.

Of the six captive, four managed to escape the clutches of the traffickers and return to Dhaka.

After receiving the complaints, RAB 2 started a shadow investigation which led them to the trail of Mujibur and Reyal. They also found that Planet Overseas Consultants was not a legitimate company.

Senior Assistant Superintendent of Police Maruf Ahmed, operation officer of RAB 2, said the accused would be handed over to Dhanmondi Model police station.

“The arrestees have given us valuable information regarding human trafficking. We will continue our investigation based on that information,” Lt Col Masud said. l

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

New mayors vow livable cities “I will coordinate with Dhaka Wasa to save Buriganga River,” he added.

Nasir Uddin said his first priority was to mitigate water-logging in the port city by implementing the Drainage Master Plan of 1995.

He also vowed to turn Chittagong into a green and clean city.

Later in the day, the mayors went to Dhanmondi 32 and placed wreaths at the portrait of

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

After the polls on April 28, the Election Commission published gazette on April 30.

There are 131 general councillors and 45 female councillors in the three cities.

The BNP and its allies pulled out of the race halfway into the polls alleging massive rigging by ruling party supporters while left-leaning parties expressed no confidence on the EC lat-

er in the day. Moreover, concerns were raised by the UN, the US, the UK, Transparency International Bangladesh, Election Working Group and Asian Human Rights Commission among others over allegations of vote-rigging, intimidation and violence.

However, both the EC and the Awami League brushed off the allegations claiming that the polls were fair and peaceful. l

Al-Qaeda proxy in Bangladesh After the recent bank heist at Ashulia, police found the involvement of Ansarullah members in the incident.

During interrogation, Rahmani claimed that he had formed Ansarullah with Al-Qaeda help.

“Ansarullah is one of Al-Qaeda’s closest militant outfits and its members follow Al-Qaeda’s operational style. We have found involvement of the group with some recent killings,” Monirul Islam, joint commissioner of Detective Branch of Police, told the Dhaka Tribune.

“We are not certain, though, whether it is a front for Al-Qaeda,” said Monirul, also chief of DB police, who are investigating the Avijit murder case with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Regarding the recent video posted report-

edly by the AQIS, Monirul said they were analysing the source.

According to detectives, Rahmani claimed that he had visited Afghanistan in 2004 to meet Taliban chief Mullah Omar and Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden. But he failed to meet Laden for security reasons.

Rahmani returned to Bangladesh after getting important instructions from Mullah Omar. He also went to Pakistan. In March 2010, Yousuf Mehzabin and Mohammad Ishaq Mollah, two Pakistani citizens who are involved with al-Qaeda, visited Bangladesh and met with Rahmani.

In absence of Rahmani, the outfit is believed to be run by Redwanul Azad Rana, a former North South University student.

Rana is also named in Rajeeb murder case as a planner and police are after him for alleged

involvement in Avijit’s murder.

But detectives recently said Rana had fled the country after Avijit murder.

Sources in the intelligence agencies say the spiritual leader of Ansarullah is Anwar al-Awlaki, a Yemen-based al-Qaeda cleric.

Several other banned militant outfits including Harkat-ul-Jihad-al Islami (Huji) and Islamist parties have links with Al-Qaeda and Taliban, according to law enforcers.

Ansarullah members, estimated to be around 400, are active on Facebook, Twitter and blogs to inspire youths towards armed struggle to establish Islam by spreading the sermons of Rahmani.

DB chief Monirul claimed that they were keeping an eye on the social media sites and hoped to arrest the militants by tracing their location. l

Indian bill paves way to LBA [former Indian Prime Minister] is also here among us. He started it and today I am going to conclude it,” she said.

The bill was placed by former Indian foreign minister Salman Khurshid before the Rajyasabha in 2013 and after one year, the standing committee submitted its report to the parliament for consideration.

Bangladesh and India signed the agreement in 1974 and it was ratified by Dhaka the same year. Both countries also signed a protocol in 2011 to implement the agreement.

In her 10-minute speech, Sushma said Assam was unhappy about implementing the agreement. “Some people over there are not happy.”

She admitted that New Delhi wanted to negotiate with Dhaka about 268 acres which Assam will have to give away.

“We did not know what would be the result of the negotiation but we wanted to give it a try,” she said.

She, however, said when everybody requested them to pass the bill including Assam, they gave in.

Explaining the bill, she said inhabitants of the enclaves would determine their citizenship.

“If they want, Bangladeshis in India will be given Indian citizenship and Indians in Bangladesh will be given Bangladeshi citizenship,” she said.

Out of total 162 enclaves, 111 Indian enclaves are located in Nilphamari, Panchagarh, Kurigram and Lamonirhat in Bangladesh while 52 Bangladeshi enclaves are located in Kuchbihar in India.

Over 34,000 people live in Indian enclaves in Bangladesh while over 17,000 live in Bangladeshi enclaves.

The Indian foreign minister said West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee asked for 3,008 crore rupees for rehabilitation of enclave inhabitants.

Trinamool Congress, the ruling party of West Bengal adjacent to Bangladesh, lent its support to the bill too, she said.

Leader of the Opposition at the Rajysabha and Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said the ruling party, BJP, had opposed the bill when it was introduced in 2013.

“But their minds and hearts have changed with the change of power,” he said.

BJP came to power with a landslide victory in 2014 Loksabha elections.

Meanwhile, Foreign Affairs State Minister Mohammad Shahriar Alam said a big hurdle had been removed in the implementation of the agreement.

He congratulated the Indian government and the parliament for endorsing the amendment bill. “I cannot confirm a time frame but rest assured that it will be implemented soon.”

He said Bangladesh government would also take an initiative to provide civic amenities for the enclave inhabitants. l

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Militant network in bordering areas worries NIA n Mohammad Jamil Khan

Officials of India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA) have expressed concerns over the spread of banned militant outfit Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) in its seven-sisters and their taking shelter crossing the porous border.

At several meetings during their visit to Dhaka since Saturday, the NIA officials asked the Bangladeshi law enforcers to work jointly with a view to uprooting the militant dens in both the countries.

The NIA members also handed over to the police a list of Bangladeshi phone numbers, suspected to be used by JMB members. The Burdwan blast accused had communication with them on a regular basis. The NIA officials asked the police to track the persons using those numbers.

The three-member team led by its chief Sanjeeb Kumar Singh will leave Dhaka today.

The NIA investigators assume that not only the three Bangladeshi JMB members, but also six other fugitives, all accused in the Burdwan blast case, have been hiding in Bangladesh since the incident occurred on October 2 last year.

The top Indian agency has so far arrested 12 out of the 21 charge sheeted accused including one Bangladeshi, and sought the assistance of Bangladesh to arrest the nine absconders.

Yesterday, the NIA officials held a meeting with members of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), the elite crime busters tasked with tackling militancy, at its headquarters in the capital’s Uttara.

RAB’s intelligence wing Director Lt Col Abul Kalam Azad told the Dhaka Tribune that the NIA officials had discussed militant activities in both the countries. They met with Col Ziaul Ahsan,

Joy urges media to serve impartial news n Tribune Report Sajeeb Wazed Joy, speaking at a seminar yesterday, urged the media to remain impartial in delivering news regardless the matter favours the government or not; he alleged that a fraction of journalists practice yellow journalism and denigrate the achievements of the government.

Referring to a news from a Bangla national daily that listed 40 complaints regarding alleged rigging in the April 28 city polls, the prime minister’s ICT affairs adviser said that certain media organisations are bringing government and the election commission into disrepute.

Contradicting the report, He stated that the city polls were free and fair as the complaints come from 1.5% of polling centres. The percentage might reduce if the EC investigated the votes properly, he claimed.

“The complaints came from 40 polling centres out of a total of total of 2701. These are silly complaints,” he said.

The news is actually good for the election commission and the government as it proves that vote rigging has not taken place during the city polls, he added. l

acting director general of RAB. Earlier, the NIA members held a meeting with the Detective Branch of police on Monday and met top officials at the Police Headquarters on Tuesday.

Officials who attended the meetings told the Dhaka Tribune that the NIA members had requested the police to work jointly to destroy the militant networks as they might be threatening for both countries.

Sources say the NIA members also shared their findings with the Bangladeshi law enforcers about the JMB’s plans. They said the JMB had established stronghold not only in West Bengal, but also in some parts of the seven-sisters of India including Assam and Jharkhand.

They asked Bangladesh officials to strengthen patrol along the bordering areas.

JMB has been operating its unit in India since 2006. Its founder Shayakh Abdur Rahman in a statement in 2006 mentioned about the West Bengal chapter terming it to be their 65th unit.

Banned in Bangladesh on February 23, 2005, the outfit aims to establish Islamic laws.

Sources said the visiting team also discussed the killings of secular bloggers including Avijit Roy, link of local militant groups with Al-Qaeda, snatching of JMB militants from police in Mymensingh last year and the recent bank heist in Ashulia, conducted reportedly by militants.

Another NIA delegation visited Bangladesh in November last year. Later a Bangladesh delegation comprising high officials of law enforcement and intelligence agencies visited India and assured the Indian intelligence of their assistance in locating the militants believed to be hiding in India. l

A motorcade of motorbikes escorts the Awami League blessed councillor-elect Farid Uddin Ahmed Ratan for ward 20 of Dhaka South City Corporation on his way to take oath at the Ganabhaban yesterday.

The photo was taken from Kazi Nazrul Islam Avenue in the capital DHAKA TRIBUNE

Contract prices raised for well drilling by Gazprom n Tribune Report The government has increased contract prices for the drilling of four wells by Russian energy giant Gazprom under the Energy Division’s fast-track measures.

The Cabinet Committee on Public Purchase yesterday gave its consent on an Energy Division proposal on increasing the price. The meeting was presided by Industries Minister Amir Hossain Amu in the absence of Finance Minister AMA Muhith.

The cabinet committee also approved another Energy Division proposal for appointing a consultant to conduct a feasibility study for extracting methylene gas from the Jamalganj coal mine.

After the meeting, Cabinet Division Additional Secretary Mostafizur Rahman said contract prices will increase for Gazprom’s sister concern Gazprom Investment BD for drilling four wells under the Bangladesh Gas Field Company Limited (BGFCL) and Sylhet Gas Fields

Limited (SGFL).

“As per the latest proposal of the Energy Division, the contract price for Gazprom will be increased by $17m from previous contract price of $100m,” he said.

Mostafizur added that an Indian firm named Mining Association Private Limited would conduct the feasibility study in Jamalganj.

Earlier this year, the Energy and Mineral Resources Division approved a proposal for Gazprom to drill the four wells – Bakhrabad 10, Rashidpur 9, 10 and 12.

The move came even though Petrobangla reportedly got poor output from the same company for the drilling of 10 onshore gas wells, despite paying the company $193.55m or about Tk1,500 crore so far, sources said.

In April 2012, the BGFCL, SGFL and Bapex signed contracts with Gazprom under Speedy Supply of Power and Energy (Special Provision) Act 2012 – to drill the 10 wells in five fields. l

Dhaka-Guwahati bus service yet to begin

n Shohel Mamun

Trial bus service between Dhaka and Guwahati – the largest city in the Indian state of Assam - is yet to begin due to several limitations of Bangladesh government.

Earlier, the government planned to launch the passenger bus service on a trial basis on May 2.

The Tamabil port, which is to be used by the bus service, is not ready to provide immigration and customs facilities as the construction work has not been completed yet, said the Road Transport and Highways Division (RTHD) officials.

In an official notice signed by the Deputy Secretary Manindra Kishore Majumder of the RTHD on April 30, the government said it was not possible to start the trial run of the bus service.

He further said RTHD Secretary MAN Siddique was out of the country then and a new date would be fixed when he returned.

On May 3, MAN Siddique, upon returning to Dhaka, told the Dhaka Tribune: “The service will be launched shortly and we have already requested the related division to do their tasks within shortest time possible.”

Moreover, the government is yet to sign deal with any company to run the buses needed for this new route. l

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Turag pillars to stay

Goyeshwar bailed temporarily, has to n Ashif Islam Shaon remain jailed n Tribune Report The High Court yesterday granted an ad-interim bail to BNP standing committee member Goyeshwar Chandra Roy in a case filed for planning subversive acts last December.

The court issued a rule asking the government to explain why he should not be granted regular bail in the case.

The HC bench of Justice Md Rezaul Haque and Justice Md Khasruzzaman granted the bail until the rule is disposed of.

He, however, cannot be released from jail following the HC order as he is shown arrested in two other criminal cases, said his lawyer Nitai Roy Chowdhury Police filed the case with Turag Police Station on December 26, 2014, under the Special Powers Act, 1974. He was arrested on the same day.

The bail petition was filed last month. l

The Supreme Court has stayed a High Court order regarding the demarcation pillars in Turag River, allowing the pillars in the capital’s Mohammadpur area to stand.

A four-member appeals bench led by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha gave the order after resolving a leave to appeal petition yesterday.

In June 2009, the High Court issued 12 instructions to prevent the encroachment of Buriganga, Shitalakhhya, Turag and Balu rivers after rights body Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB) filed a petition.

The High Court had instructed authorities concerned to evict all illegal establishment along the banks and install pillars to mark the rivers in accordance with the cadastral survey.

The petitioners later filed another plea as the pillars were not installed in the right places. On July 24, 2013, the High Court ordered authorities to put up pillars within 14 days ac-

cording to the river’s high season.

The pillars were then put up after evicting real estate developer Amin and Momin Company from a nine-acre piece of land in Mohammadpur, which had been illegally grabbed by the company.

The company then moved the High Court to recover the land and remove the pillars.

The court had issued a status quo on the matter on February 22 this year.

The HRPB filed a petition with the Chamber Judge’s Court against the order. The court stayed the order for three weeks and the matter was forwarded to a regular bench for hearing.

The chief justice-led appeals bench heard the matter yesterday and stayed the High Court order.

“The Appellate Division has frozen the High Court’s status quo and resolved the leave to appeal plea,” lawyer Manzill Murshid, who represented HRPB, told reporters yesterday.

He said that following the order, the pillars on Turag River would remain in place. l

Ahsanullah Master’s death anniversary today

n Tribune Report

The 11th death anniversary of prominent labour leader and former AL lawmaker Ahsanullah Master will be observed nationwide today, and especially in his home district, Gazipur, with a daylong programme.

On this day in 2004, Ahsanullah, elected twice from the Gazipur Sadar-Tongi parliamentarian seat to the Jatiya Sangsad (1996 and 2001) was gunned down by assailants at MA Mazid Miah High School in Tongi, while speaking at a party rally.

He was a member of the ruling AL National Committee, and was involved in the Teachers Association and other national and international institutions and organisations.

Programmes include placing of wreaths at Ahsanullah’s grave at Haiderabad village in Gazipur, recitation of verses from the holy Quran, wearing of black badges, a milad and doa mahfils, discussions and publication of a souvenir.

Tongi Thana AL will hold a discussion tomorrow afternoon at MA Mazid Miah High School to pay their respects. l

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Bangladeshis in the UK general election Six are running with Labour tickets and one each for Conservatives and Liberal Democracts n Tribune Report Eight British citizens of Bangladeshi origin are running in today’s general elections in the UK with blessings from the three major political parties.

Of them, six – the highest – are running with the opposition Labour Party’s banner and one each under the banners of ruling coalition partners Conservative Party and the Liberal Democrats.

Rupa Huq

Rushanara Ali

Tulip Siddiq

Ali Akhlakul Islam

Anwar Babul Miah

Marina Ahmad

Mina Sabera Rahman

Rupa Huq

Sadik Chowdhury

Rushanara Ali

Rushanara Ali, born in Bangladesh, immigrated to the East End of London at the age seven with her family. She attended the Mulberry School for Girls and Tower Hamlets College.

She grew up in Tower Hamlets and studied Philosophy, Politics and Economics at St John’s College, Oxford.

On 6 May 2010, she was elected a Labour Party Member of Parliament with a majority of 11,574 votes.

She is the first person of Bangladeshi origin to have been elected to the House of Commons and along with Shabana Mahmood and Yasmin Qureshi, became one of the United Kingdom’s first female Muslim Mps. Four years later, Rushnara resigned from the Labour front bench so that she did not get forced to vote in favour of a motion permitting military action in Iraq.

Tulip Siddiq

Tulip joined Labour Party at the age of 16. She has worked for Amnesty International, the Greater London Authority, Philip Gould Associates, Save the Children, and Brunswick.

She worked on Ed Miliband’s campaign to be leader of the Labour Party. In 2008, she campaigned for Barack Obama in the USA. In May 2010, She became the first Bangali woman in Camden Council, where she held a cabinet position for the next four years.

In 2013, following a vote by local party members, Labour chose her as its prospective candidate from Hampstead and Kilburn constituency for today’s general elections.

She describes herself as a socialists and in opposition to the Iraq War. Siddiq is married to William St John Percy, a Cambridge-educated strategy consultant, and lives in West Hampstead of London with her family.

She is the daughter of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s younger sister Sheikh Rehana.

Ali Akhlakul Islam

Ali Akhlakul Islam has been living in Luton since he was a boy and studied in Denbigh High school. His family immigrated to the UK in 1960. He has worked in restaurants and has management experience. He had to work hard to get this nomination.

He said he would run campaigns on reducing crime, create more opportunities for elderly, increase health care provision and bringing in for jobs and facilities for the youth. He also said that his vision is to bring positive changes in the society.

Anwar Babul Miah

Anwar Babul Miah was born in Sunamganj district in Bangladesh. His father, late Alhaj Barik Miah, settled in the United Kingdom in

1957 and is the founder of a major British investment company.

Anwar, president of the British Bangladeshi Practicing Barristers Association, is an expert on complex financial arrangements and practices law from Great James Street Chambers near Chancery Lane in Central London. His chambers have been involved in cases associated with 9/11 attack and the Enron Corporation of America scandal.

He is the Labour Party nominee for his home constituency Welwyn Hatfield in Hertfordshire.

Anwar is married to Sony Sadaf Haroon, who is also a barrister of the Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn and runs her own law firm in St Albans Hertfordshire.

Marina Ahmad

Marina Ahmad is a Labour nominee from Beckenham Constituency of Greater London. Marina Ahmad, a barrister by training, is a course facilitator of various children’s centres. She has been a labour party member for the last 30 years and her constituency has been known as a Conservatives stronghold.

Her father was a restaurant businessman.

She moved to the UK with her parents when she was only six months old.

Marina took her BA Honours in English and History at the University of Surrey. Later she obtained post graduate diplomas on Development Studies and Law. She worked as

Health Promotion Officer and Manager in NHS. She spent two years in Bangladesh as part of her International Development Department job and worked for street children’s literacy.

Mina Sabera Rahman

Mina Sabera Rahman was born in Chhatak of Sunamganj in Bangladesh. She came to the UK with her parents as a 21-day infant and lived in Birmingham with her family before moving to London in the 1970s. Now she lives in Redbridge with her four children and husband.

Initially a health service worker, Mina switched to the housing industry in 1992 and secured a job with the London Borough of Tower Hamlets as a part-time estate officer.

Later, she became a full-time Housing Officer at the same office.

In spite of family commitments, established career, studies and voluntary duties, Mina continued developing excellent leadership skills.

Rupa Huq stood as a candidate for Labour Party in the European Parliament election the North West in 2004. In the 2005 UK general elections, she stood unsuccessfully as the Labour candidate in the safe Conservative seat of Chesham and Amersham in Buckinghamshire.

Rupa was one of three Labour candidates campaigning for a council seat in Walpole in the constituency of Ealing. In 2010, after local elections, she became the Deputy Mayor of the London Borough of Ealing. In November 2013, Huq was chosen by Labour for the Ealing Central and Acton constituency.

Rupa’s teaching career started In 1998, when she moved to Mancheste. From 1998 to 2004, she was a lecturer at the University of Manchester. Then she served as a senior lecturer in Sociology and Criminology at Kingston University in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences.

She also teaches Media and Cultural Studies.

Rupa Huq has a column in Tribune, and regularly contributes to The Guardian, New Statesman, Progress magazine and The Times Higher Education Supplement.

Sadik Chowdhury

Sadik Chowdhury is an accomplished local politician and community activist who has gained immense respect both in Northamptonshire and nationally.

While pursuing a career as a barrister at The University of Northampton, his interests in Politics grew. Thereafter, he joined the Liberal Democrats and won a seat in the Borough Council election of 2007. He was the only British-Bangladeshi Councillor in Northamptonshire from 2007 to 2011.

His family moved to Northamptonshire in the early 1970s and he has been a permanent resident of Northampton for over 25years.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said Sadik’s commitment, dedication and work ethic have been impressive over the years. l This article was first published in week Bangla Mirror

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THURSDAY, MAY 7, 2015

Rescue operation begins to salvage ship n Our Correspondent, Bagerhat Department of forests started to remove fertilizer yesterday from the cargo vessel which capsized in the Bhola River at Swarankhola area of Sundarban on Sunday.

Amir Hossain Chowdhury, Divisional Forest Officer of the Sundarban East Zone, said cargo vessel ‘Jabalenoor’ stuck in a shoal in the river and began sinking on Tuesday afternoon as the keel of the ca go got fractured when two rescue vessels tried to move the cargo during

high tides. ‘Water of the canals and the river over a vast area near the capsize spot has taken a red hue because of the dissolution of the chemical fertiliser,’ he said adding that the cargo was carrying 200 tonnes of potash fertiliser.

The DFO noted that as the cargo sank during

the high tide, the chemical fertiliser has spread across a vast area of the mangrove forest and will endanger the wildlife. However, the impact on wildlife cannot be predicted yet, he noted.

Steps have been taken to remove the fertiliser of the sunken cargo, he said. l

Alleged robber killed in ‘gunfight’ Two crushed under wheels n Our Correspondent, Khulna A suspected robber was killed and three police personnel were killed in a gunfight at Bagmara upazila, Khulna.

Additional Deputy Commissioner of Khulna Metropolitan Police SM Moniruzzaman Mithu a team of police had gone to Burir Bagan area along with AL-Mamun, who was arrested earlier in connection with a robbery, to recover arms and ammunition on Tuesday

night, then his accomplices opened fire on law enforcers, triggering a gun battle.

During the gun battle, Mamun received bullet injury. Police took him to Khulna Medical College Hospital (KMCH) where on duty doctors declared him dead.

Sub-Inspector of Khulna Sadar Police station Debashis Roy told the Dhaka Tribune that Officer-in-Charge of the police station Sukumar Biswas and Sub-Inspector Aziz were undergoing treatment at the KMCH. l

of train in Gazipur n Our Correspondent, Gazipur Two unidentified people were killed under wheels of train in the district yesterday.

ASI Dadon Mia of Joydebpur police station said a man was killed near Mouchak railway station while a train coming from Lalmonirhat hit him.

On the other hand, another unidentified man was critically injured in Dhirasrom area on the Dhaka-Mymensingh Railway when a train coming from Mymensingh hit him.

Later, he was sent to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital where he died.

On information, police recovered the bodies and sent those to the hospital morgue. l

DT

NEWS 7

THURSDAY, MAY 7, 2015

Water, power crisis add to the brunt of summer heat n Tarek Mahmud, Chittagong Rampant water and power crisis along with the excessive heat this summer has made life almost intolerable in Chittagong and adjoining areas.

People of residential areas are the worst sufferers of the water and power crisis; industrial and business sectors are also being affected due to the shortages, alleged city people.

However the concerned authorities claimed water and power supply condition across the city is currently better than before.

Chittagong Met Office sources said the average temperature in the port city was more than 30 degree celsius for the last couple of days and this would continue.

Acute water crisis was reported in most areas of the city’s including Bakalia, Chawkbazar, Dewan Bazar, Bahadderhat, Badurtala, Pahartali, Halishahar, Anderkilla, Love Lane, Jamal Khan, Kapashgola, Kazir Dewri, Sholoshahar, Muradpur, New Market, Enayetbazar and Kotwali.

Aeysha Siddiqua, a housewife of Halishahar Residential Area, said: “I have been collecting five drums of water a day for Tk500 from the nearby water bodies since there was no water supply the last couple of days.”

DRY WEATHER THURSDAY, MAY 7 DHAKA TOMORROW SUN RISES 5:20AM

FORECAST FOR TODAY 35 34 38 32 36 35 33 33

Dhaka Chittagong Rajshahi Rangpur Khulna Barisal Sylhet Cox’s Bazar

25 26 25 23 25 25 23 27

YESTERDAY’S HIGH AND LOW

37.4ºC Rajshahi

21.7ºC Srimangal Source: Accuweather/UNB

PRAYER TIMES Fajr

3:56am

Sunrise

5:20am

Zohr

11:55am

Asr

4:33pm

Magrib

6:29pm

Esha

AKM Fazlullah said about 70% water demand can be met after completion of the Karnaphuli Water Supply Project at Rangunia upazila in the district which will add 143 MLD to the supply.

He added that after completion of another similar project at Madunaghat in Hathazari upazila about 97% of the demand in the city will be met.

The MD urged to reduce the wastage of water to ensure equal water supply amongst the city people and claimed the crisis of water is comparatively less this year.

Claiming there is no load shedding in the city, Mohammed Moniruzzaman, public relation officer of Power Development Board (PDB) in Chittagong region, said sometimes technical failures caused power disruption for a few moments but the power supply is enough than in the past.

He said at present about 700-750 megawatts (MW) is produced against the daily demand of about 800-850MW. “In May last year, we had 100MW power deficit while this May we have below 20MW deficit,” he said, adding that there are a total of 13 power plants in Chittagong of which production at Shikalbaha Power Plant and a unit of Raozan Power Plant are suspended due to gas crisis. l

A tense situation has again appeared at Sher-E-Bangla Medical College and Hospital (SBMC) as Chhatra League’s two rival groups showed their presence with different activities in last two days.

Followers of one group led by Imran Hossain and Anup Das demonstrated on the campus yesterday morning demanding immediate action against their rivals Monjurul Islam Rafi and Mostafizur Rahman Tuhin.

Earlier on Tuesday evening, Rafi and Tuhin accompanied by some BCL activists from outside entered the campus and took position in front of the dormitories as a show of threat to their rivals.

Soon after the incident, Imran-Anup group locked hostel and hospital gates including emergency department around 9pm.

The moves of both groups created panic among the students, doctors and patients.

Shariful Islam Suvo, spokesman of the group, alleged SBMC unit BCL Joint Conveners Rafi and Tuhin along with more than 50 outsiders led by BM College unit BCL leader Kazi Milon entered the campus with lethal and sharp weapons.

They threatened the students who submitted memorandum to the principal demanding expulsion of Rabbi and Tuhin on charge of extortion, drugs trading and other illegal activities. l

Controversy over CU VC intensifies

WEATHER

TODAY SUN SETS 6:30PM

Homeowner Md Nur Nabi of Bowbazar said: “Many owners in my area have set up deep tube-wells finding no other way out of the water crisis. Yet we cannot get enough water as the ground water level is going down.”

Besides, people of Agrabad, Halishahar, Pahartoli, Bakalia, Nasirabad, Patharghata, Mehedibug, Alkaran, Patharghata, Chawkbazar, Patenga and Chandgaon areas said they were experiencing power outages seven to eight times a day.

Businessman Mamunur Rashid Mamun of Mehedibagh area said his garment factory production went down due to insufficient power supply and the load-shedding at night is intolerable.

“Food items stored in the refrigerator keeps going bad because of the repeated power failure; we cannot even sleep at night due to the scorching heat,” said Fatema Tuz Zohora from Bayezid area.

The Chittagong Water and Sewerage Authority (CWSA), since its inception in 1963, has been failing to meet the demand for water in the city areas inhabited by about 70 lakh people. CWASA can supply 210-220 million litres per day (MLD) of water which is 42% of the 500MLD demand.

CWASA Managing Director (MD) Engineer

Turmoil again at SBMC as BCL factions face off n Our Correspondent, Barisal

7:59pm SourceL IslamicFinder.org

n CU Correspondent The Bangladesh Muktijodha Sangshad, Satkania upazila unit in Chittagong, yesterday protested the allegations which was brought against Chittagong University (CU)’ Vice-Chancellor (VC) Professor Anwarul Azim Arif by another platform of freedom fighters Muktijoddha Odhikar Sangrakkhon Parishad.

The Bangladesh Muktijodha Sangshad protested derogatory comments, told against CU VC, at a press conference held at Engineer Abdul Khalek auditorium of Chittagong Press Club.

Commander of Bangladesh Muktijodha Sangshad Freedom Fighter Abu Taher read out a written statement at the press conference.

Abu Taher at the written speech said Prof Arif was a real freedom fighter adding that allegations brought against him was fabricated and baseless.

The person, Mohammed Idris who lead the so called organisation of freedom fighters’ Muktijoddha Odhikar Sangrakkhon Parishad, had been leading his life through extortion and other illegal processes using freedom fighters’ name, added Abu Taher.

The freedom fighter said as Mohammed Idris failed to realise his illegal demands from Prof Arif; he had held the press conference to raise question about Prof Arif’s activities.

“We want to clear it before everybody that Prof Arif was really a freedom fighter and his role during Liberation War has been remained forever”, he added.

Earlier, Muktijoddha Odhikar Sangrakkhon Parishad holding a press conference at the same venue on Monday termed Prof Arif as a fake freedom fighter and protesting his ‘corruptions and anomalies’ at Chittagong University.

President of District (south) Sector Com-

manders’ Forum 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 dur-

ing Liberation War in 1971. Professor Anwarul Azif Arif was taken the charge of the university as 16th VC on June 14 in 2011 while his tenure will be ended in next month. l

DT

8 WORLD

THURSDAY, MAY 7, 2015

Four to die for killing Farkhunda n Reuters An Afghan judge sentenced four men to death yesterday for the mob killing of 27-year-old woman accused of burning a Koran in Kabul, a case that sparked outrage and rare street protests against religious extremism in the capital.

The caretaker of a Muslim shrine who falsely accused the woman of desecrating Islam’s holy book was among those sentenced to death.

Eight defendants were jailed for 16 years for participating in the attack in which a crowd beat and kicked the woman, named Farkhunda, and set her body on fire in central Kabul as bystanders chanted “God is great.”

Judge Safiullah Mujadidi found 18 others not guilty due to lack of evidence.

The four men sentenced to death were convicted of murder, in part on the basis of mobile phone footage of the attack that was played in court during the five-day trial.

Some of those arrested were tracked down after posting footage of the attack on social media and bragging about taking part.

Nineteen police officers were also on trial, accused of standing by and doing nothing to stop the violence. Their verdicts and sentencing are due later in the week.

The attack proved a polarising incident in Afghanistan, a deeply conservative Muslim country. Initially, some clerics said the killing was a defence of Islam.

Many others were outraged by the attack,

Afghan women carry Farkhunda’s coffin, the young woman beaten to death by a mob after being falsely accused of burning Koran even before an investigation showed that Farkhunda had been falsely accused of desecrating Islam’s holy book.

Farkhunda, who was a long-time student of Islam, had a running dispute with Zain-ul Abedeen, the caretaker of a local shrine, over his selling of amulets and other good luck charms.

She considered the practise un-Islamic.

Apparently in retaliation, he publicly ac-

cused her on March 19 of burning a Koran and led the crowd that surrounded her and beat her to death.

Zain-ul Abedeen and the three others condemned to death can appeal against their sentences.

Several protests against religious extremism and violence against women sprung up in Kabul, including one in the last week that

REUTERS

re-enacted the attack.

Such demonstrations are rare, even though women’s rights were enshrined in the constitution after the Taliban’s hard-line Islamist regime was ousted in 2001.

Under the Taliban’s five-year rule, women were banned from leaving home without a male guardian, denied education and forced to wear the all-covering burqa. l

Thai army finds six more bodies near human trafficking camp n Reuters Authorities in Thailand have dug up the bodies of six suspected Rohingya migrants from Myanmar at a rubber plantation near a mountain where a mass grave was found at the weekend, the military said yesterday.

The discovery was made in Thailand’s Songkhla province near the country’s border with Malaysia around 4km from the site where the 26 bodies were found a few days ago.

“Villagers living nearby told us the bodies buried here are the bodies of Rohingya migrants from Myanmar from nearby human

trafficking camps,” Colonel Jatuporn Klampasut, deputy secretary general of the Internal Security Operations Command Region 4, told Reuters. The bodies were four women and two men, said Jatuporn.

Many illegal migrants in Thailand are Rohingya Muslims from western Myanmar and from Bangladesh who brave often perilous journeys by sea to escape religious and ethnic persecution.

Authorities on Tuesday said they had found a second, abandoned camp used for human trafficking. Three people were rescued from the near the camp, Thai police said. l

Migrant misery continues as Italy backlash gathers force n AFP Italy’s financial and customs police said yesterday they had rescued 98 starving migrants who had been drifting in the Mediterranean for two days without food or water.

The asylum seekers picked up overnight by the Monte Cimone patrol boat off Sicily had been at sea for a total of 12 days in a 50-metre boat. Among those on board were 35 women including three who were pregnant.

The latest dramatic chapters in what is becoming a humanitarian saga were played out

against a backdrop of signs that a backlash against Italy’s acceptance of thousands of migrants washing up on its shores is gathering force, particularly in the north of the country.

Authorities in the mountainous region of Val d’Aosta on the border with France yesterday said they would not accept a batch of 79 people allocated to them by the Interior Ministry as part of efforts to spread the burden of processing new arrivals. Regional President Augusto Rollandin said it was “absolutely impossible” for the region to find adequate lodging for the new arrivals. l

DT

WORLD 9

THURSDAY, MAY 7, 2015

King’s changes make Saudi policy less predictable n Reuters Changes in Saudi Arabia’s leadership have concentrated power in an inner circle of the Al Saud dynasty, removing constraints on the monarch and making the conservative kingdom’s strategic positions less predictable.

The world’s top oil exporter has always prized stability, developing policies slowly and altering them rarely, partly because of the need to balance rivalries among ruling family members and their conflicting interests.

That may now be changing. Since inheriting the throne from his brother in January, King Salman has embarked on a war in neighbouring Yemen, restructured the oil sector and shaken up domestic governance, including the line of succession.

Whether this is the beginning of a much more assertive foreign policy aimed at countering rival Iran, a new energy strategy or a more authoritarian security approach, as analysts have speculated, remains unclear.

But what is increasingly apparent is that Riyadh’s new rulers enjoy more scope to make dramatic and unexpected interventions than their predecessors did.

“If the king wants, for example, to send ground troops to Yemen, he doesn’t have to call the whole family to do that any more,” said Jamal Khashoggi, general manager of television station al-Arab.

While the monarch has always had the last word in policy decisions, he has usually had to win consensus among a group of powerful princes, often his own brothers, for any big changes.

That no longer appears to be the case, as a growing number of offices are absorbed into the hands of a new triumvirate of the king and his two heirs, his nephew Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef and his son Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

“If you look at the two princes, they are

Kerry to discuss ‘humanitarian pause’ in Yemen with Saudi Arabia

controlling the state under the supervision of the king,” said Khalid al-Dakhil, a Saudi political scientist.

Unpredictability

A further sign of growing consolidation came with last week’s decision to split state energy company Aramco from the Oil Ministry, a move that could improve the prospects of another of Salman’s sons, Abdulaziz, becoming minister.

At the same time, Aramco was given a new supreme council headed by Prince Mohammed bin Salman, making him the first Al Saud member to directly oversee the world’s biggest oil company, which has historically been kept away from royal politics.

Some analysts have speculated that the changes represent a final victory for the Sudairi branch of the ruling family, the descendents of seven sons of Abdulaziz born to his favourite wife, including both Salman and the

crown prince’s father Nayef.

But it is far from clear whether the ties that for decades united brothers whose place in the succession was clear will survive their own deaths and continue to bind cousins who might regard each other as rivals rather than partners.

The five other Sudairi branches do not feature in the new dispensation. Instead, power appears to be consolidated among the individuals who are named in the line of succession and who control strategic departments.

That appears to put the levers of government in the hands of Mohammed bin Nayef, 55, and his 30-year-old cousin Mohammed bin Salman. One other consequence of a more concentrated power structure, however, is that the succession is less predictable.

King Salman got rid of an heir chosen for him by his predecessor. There are no guarantees that Mohammed bin Nayef will not eventually do the same. l

Netanyahu’s efforts to form Israeli government go down to wire

n AFP

n Reuters

US Secretary of State John Kerry yesterday said he will discuss with Saudi Arabia the implementation of a “humanitarian pause” in military operations in Yemen in order to help aid operations.

The possibility of a halt in the US-backed Saudi-led coalition raids in the country comes after UN’s warnings that key infrastructure in Yemen is on the brink of collapse and that an arms embargo was hampering the delivery of aid.

“I will be there in Saudi Arabia tonight.

We will be discussing the nature of the pause and how it might be implemented,” Kerry told reporters during a stop in Djibouti, where he held talks on regional security issues. “I am convinced of their desire to implement a pause,” Kerry said of the Saudi authorities, who are leading a coalition fighting anti-government Shiite rebels in Yemen. l

Benjamin Netanyahu, locked in down-to-thewire coalition talks, faces a midnight deadline to form a government or risk being denied a fourth term as Israel’s prime minister.

Nearly two months after a convincing election victory, Netanyahu is struggling to build a solid parliamentary majority, with a former ally abandoning him this week.

The key to his political future now lies with the ultranationalist Jewish Home party, which advocates annexation of parts of occupied territory Palestinians seek for a state.

Shortly after the March 17 vote, Netanyahu and his Likud party appeared to be coasting toward a right-leaning government with control of 67 of parliament’s 120 seats.

But on Monday, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, whose once-strong relationship with the Israeli leader turned sour long ago,

dropped a bombshell by taking his far-right Yisrael Beitenu party out of the coalition talks.

That left Netanyahu with the support of two ultra-Orthodox Jewish parties and a centrist faction, a total of 53 seats, making the addition of Jewish Home’s eight legislators crucial for a majority.

Such a narrow government would make Netanyahu vulnerable to policy demands from even his most junior coalition partners.

Jewish Home is certain to push for the expansion of Jewish settlement in occupied territory, a policy that could deepen Israel’s rift over the issue with its main ally, the United States, and the European Union.

The party’s leader, Naftali Bennett, has called for the annexation of parts of the West Bank. That goes beyond Netanyahu’s pledge to continue to build in settlements in areas Israel intends to keep in any future peace deal with the Palestinians. l

Pakistan army accuses India of backing terrorism

n Reuters

Pakistan’s military has accused India’s main intelligence agency of whipping up terrorism in Pakistan in rare public criticism that could increase tension between the nuclear-armed rivals.

The accusation came after a meeting of the army’s top commanders at the military’s headquarters in the city of Rawalpindi on Tuesday to review an offensive against militants in the northwest and other security issues.

“The conference also took serious notice of RAW’s involvement in whipping up terrorism in Pakistan,” the army said in a statement, referring to India’s Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), its external intelligence arm.

While Pakistani army officers often privately accuse India of meddling, it is rare for the military to accuse India’s spy agency in an official statement. l

Khamenei says US threats against Iran endanger nuclear talks

n Reuters

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei yesterday said US military threats made in the last few days may scupper nuclear talks as Tehran and six major world powers try to meet a June 30 deadline for a final deal. Khamenei, who has the final say on all state matters, said two US officials have threatened Iran with military action if the talks fail.

“Holding nuclear talks under shadow of threat is unacceptable for Iran ...Our nation will not accept it... Military threats will not help the talks,” he said in a speech to a gathering of teachers broadcast live on state TV. Khamenei repeated his cautious support for the nuclear talks but said that the country’s “red lines” should be respected by the Iranian negotiators.

“Our negotiators should continue the talks with respect to our red lines...But they should not accept any imposition, humiliation and threat,” he said.

The negotiations between Iran, the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Russia, China and the European Union will resume in Vienna next week to pave the way for the final deal. l

Germanwings co-pilot deliberately crashed plane on French Alps

n AFP The co-pilot of the doomed Germanwings flight deliberately crashed the plane into the French Alps after “rehearsing” the descent on an earlier flight, French investigators said yesterday.

The BEA civil aviation investigators said the co-pilot, 27-year-old Andreas Lubitz, had practiced the manouevre on the outbound trip from Duesseldorf to Barcelona just hours before his suicidal actions on the return flight. l

DT

10 ADVERTISEMENT

THURSDAY, MAY 7, 2015

DT

EDITORIAL 11

THURSDAY, MAY 7, 2015

Unlock the optimism of our entrepreneurs

W

e are not surprised that the Pew Research Centre’s annual survey of people’s attitudes toward the free market and equality once again shows that 80% of Bangladeshis support a free market, trade-oriented system for our economy.

As our I’m Made in Bangladesh series shows, there is no shortage of creativity, innovation and talent in our population. It is the entrepreneurial instincts and hard work of ordinary people which has allowed Bangladesh to keep growing its economy and improving the quality of life for citizens.

Bangladesh ranks second only to Vietnam out of the 44 countries surveyed, which included India, China, the US, and UK, in terms of support for the free market system.

The survey makes clear most people believe free markets are the most effective way to fight poverty and reduce long term inequality. It also indicates that 71% of people, the fourth highest rate in the world, are optimistic about the earning capacity of the next generation.

If Bangladesh’s economy is to match this optimism and develop as it needs to serve our growing population, the government must do more to make national policies complement and underpin people’s strong entrepreneurial instincts, not hinder them with red tape and bureaucracy.

Bureaucracy, corruption, and outdated policies are getting in the way of the publics strong entrepreneurial instincts. It is preventing the economy from meeting its potential of matching the higher GDP growth rates seen in China and India.

The government needs to make sure policies help unleas , not constrain, the creativity and optimism of Bangladesh’s people.

Make policies complement and unleash, not constrain, the public’s entrepreneurial instincts

A new vision for Chittagong

W

e welcome the forthright commitments made by the new mayor of Chittagong AJM Nasir Uddin in his interview with the Dhaka Tribune on his manifesto pledges to make the country’s leading port and second city cleaner and greener and about his vision to grow it into a world-class metropolis.

Chittagong’s future is of critical importance to the nation. The mayor should work with Dhaka’s mayors to use their influence to bring about the infrastructure improvements which both their cities and the country needs.

Developing a new deep sea port in or around Chittagong is vital to help the country go forward. It is the best way for Bangladesh to take advantage of the prospects offered by initiatives to improve regional connectivity via the BCIM corridor and Bimstec.

Connectivity is the key to making this vision work properly and to maximising the opportunities offered by Bangladesh’s growing market and demographic dividend.

Improving communications between Dhaka and Chittagong needs to be high on the agenda of all parties and government. Building a faster and more efficient Dhaka-Chittagong highway is absolutely essential to speed up journey times between our major metropolises. It should be supported by taking advantage of Chinese offers to build a new, modern train link between the two cities.

Together, they can form a stronger hub for our manufacturing and export industries to develop and flourish.

We wish the new Chittagong mayor well in his plans to build on Chittagong’s long commercial heritage.

A better vision for Chittagong will be be good not just for its citizens, but for the whole country.

Connectivity and a new deep sea port are key

Be heard

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

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Radicalisation of the youth April 16

Dev Saha It is rather hilarious to see these people opposing the celebration of the Bengali new year. What would be next? Change the language, culture, and traditions as envisioned by these lunatics, who simply want to be more like the Arabs than the “pure bred” Arabs? Talk about low self-esteem!

Munazir Seems that these radicals (who are not anarchists or terrorists) are inspired by Wahabism. They may seem harmless, but they, for some reason, will condone the acts of ISIS. They dont mind fuelling rage against Hindus, Jews, or any other religion at the slightest provocation. A big chunk of these people are influenced by Western Wahabists and some have had exposure to the developed world as well. They are against anything that is Bengali.

Rabindranath was Hindu, and so must be avoided. Sarees are hindu clothing. Better wear the Pakistan-styled Kurtas, better if you wear Saudi-styled burkhas. They will support anyone using Islam for politics such as the Jamaat or Hefazat because they are against Bengal-ism or the culture. Killing atheists is halal.

They will support those killings and will never protest murder unless it’s a Muslim killed by a Hindu or Jew or Christian. Muslims killing Muslims is halal since Shias dont deserve to live.

These wannabe Saudi beduins will look for all sources to find out if their ancestors had come from Saudi Arabia because having a Hindu ancestor is akin to being one yourself. riazo Munazir: They should just move to the Islamic State.

Dev Saha riazo: Might not even get a toilet cleaning chore as evidenced by some of their past incidents. riazo One can try reminding them of the following. The reason Jamaat assisted the Pakistani army in the mass killings and rape of Bengalis in 1971 was out of fear of what would happen if a united Pakistan did indeed disintegrate. Bangla is a Sanskrit-based

language, hence a Hindu one. And Hindus were culturally prominent in the entity that dreamt of statehood. Thus Pakistan must be kept united at all costs “in order to safeguard Islam.” This is the sickening thought process that went along with preventing Bangladesh’s birth. And some of this continues till today, and is increasing.

These neo-radicals forget that Bangladesh was not born with any religious identity. It was born with a Bengali cultural identity, something that is defined by the Bangla lanuage, it’s creed, and the inclusiveness of all faiths that are practiced in the land. It is therefore only natural that a mainstream culture will develop in the country that encompasses traditions from all the faiths. Pohela Boishakh is one such beautiful manifestation. It is non-communal and encompasses people of all faiths, including those who have none. Bangladeshis are Bengali first, religious second. If the neo-radicals don’t like it, they can move to the Islamic State in the Levant.

Zed riazo: So all Bangladeshis are Bengalis? Anyway, which identity is most important to a person ultimately depends on the individual, it cannot be mandated by the state. You are Bengali first, that’s your primary identity.

Fine. Someone else can be Muslim or Hindu first, Bengali second. That should be fine too.

Dev Saha Zed: Your country is first and then comes your religious identity. Secular countries like US and EU have this unwritten rule, and that is why Muslims are not integrating into these societies very well. And the results are already very visible and traumatic. No country would tolerate the fifth columnists for too long. Integrate as others have done or move out!

Kmak Dev Saha: That’s not entirely accurate.

Muslims are pretty integrated in the US, although it is true that they lag behind in some European nations. However, even in these European nations, some groups do better than others; for example, in the Netherlands, North African Muslims are pretty behind, but the Turks are doing quite well for themselves. It is bad research to use religion as the sole explanatory variable for measuring integration. riazo Kmak: It is not bad research at all. The reason why Turks have integrated better in the Netherlands is because they are more secular in nature.

DT

12 OPINION

THURSDAY, MAY 7, 2015

REUTERS

Ignore the cartoons or … n Towheed Feroze

I

t’s of course easier said than done; one other logical step can be to leave the country where, in the name of free speech, faith is ridiculed.

Just a few hours ago, there was a shooting in Garland, Texas, USA, where reportedly, two men were shot and killed by police after they fired and wounded a security guard at the entrance of an anti-Islamic cartoon contest declaring a $10,000 award for the winning drawing.

That means, the caricature depicting the darker side of radical Islam using the Prophet would be applauded and the cartoonist handed a cash prize!

Sometimes a thought piques the mind -- since there is so much debate about the sanctity of liberated expressions, why don’t we arrange something similar in Bangladesh?

Let’s say, anyone lampooning a religion would be given a Tk5 lakh prize, and maybe some TV or car manufacturer would come forward with a free gift.

After all, we are supposed to pick up the best practices of developed nations.

Er, but what about social harmony and hurting the belief of minority faith communities?

Oh! Who cares what they think, since attaining mutual social respect is certainly not an issue, whether they feel offended or not is of little consequence.

Free speech, free speech, hell yeah!

Maybe a good idea would be to invite the self-proclaimed secularists (those who bash religion to appear stylishly nihilist) at the event to form a panel board -- faith be damned!

The right to speak out one’s mind stands supreme.

By the way, freedom of speech seems to have lost some fiery potency when it comes to speaking up against the irregularities that took place in the recent municipal elections.

A week after the polls, everything is back to normal.

So, we live in an age when despite empirical evidence, irregularities are carried out with blatant impunity.

Declaring a hefty cash prize for demeaning someone’s faith is like deliberately picking a fight. Such actions will only dissuade minorities in Western societies from trying to integrate

But tell me honestly: Since so much brouhaha has happened over attacks on atheist bloggers, isn’t it just about time a cartoon exhibition is held here in Bangladesh?

We do have large vocal exponents of the Western-style secularism.

Going to the Texas shooting -- it seems that the event was a plot to fish out those who may feel the urge to react to events that publicly mock a religion, Islam to be precise.

Or maybe such moves are deliberate drives to further widen the already existing gap

between the Muslim communities residing in Western nations and the so-called secular sections.

Perhaps I am not wrong in stating that with the ongoing global economic tumult, the faith-based provocation card is being played strategically to upset social harmony and trigger widespread communal tensions, leading to either social ostracisation or to mass exodus.

A few months ago, the Charlie Hebdo magazine came under attack, following which, security in France was ratcheted up on the rationale that all elements that may prove to be a threat to secular values need to be dealt with pre-emptively.

This can be deconstructed in two ways -one, with such high level of security, certain minority communities will be kept under pressure and made to adhere to values of the majority and, two, any possible migration of minorities would be deterred.

But what it won’t be able to do is tackle the resentment simmering inside people who will accept the laws of the land for the time being, but will wait for an opportune moment to strike back.

Now, while former imperial nations can easily state that either people from previous colonies must blend in or leave, they cannot simply drive out millions of people because they have become part of their societies as a by-product of centuries of imperial links.

Just a very moral observation: When imperial forces went to other countries, they did not comply to the mores of their victim nations, at least not after they managed to create a mess in those states with complex shenanigans.

The Europeans during the reign of Mughal Emperor Jahangir behaved very well,

respecting all local customs. When the Portuguese became unruly, fortifying Port Hoogly, Emperor Shahjahan, Jahangir’s successor, sent forces to give the renegade European settlement a lesson.

Of course, we know what happened eventually … some can only wonder if Shahjahan had been more rigorous in dealing with outsiders then …

Contradictions and possibilities aside, in real terms, present day minority communities in developed societies should either blend in or just stop staying in foreign nations.

That way, cartoons won’t bother!

On the other hand, no matter how much Western societies harp on the inviolable power of free speech, they need to acknowledge that for certain communities, religion is sensitive, hence it’s better not to stir up tensions by going into sensitive areas.

Declaring a hefty cash prize for demeaning someone’s faith is like deliberately picking a fight. Such actions will only dissuade minorities in Western societies from trying to integrate.

Even the liberal Muslim will feel disgruntled which may, in certain cases, snowball thus sowing the first seeds of radical belief.

Anyway, Western leaders, social thinkers know a lot more so let’s come back to the plan of arranging a cartoon festival in Bangladesh. Maybe some of the representatives of countries that value free speech above all else would want to be the sponsor?

The question is: Will Bangladesh as a whole, believing that mockery has a limit, permit such an exhibition in the spirit of free expression? l Towheed Feroze is a journalist currently working in the development sector.

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OPINION 13

THURSDAY, MAY 7, 2015

BIGSTOCK

The ethical banker n Mamun Rashid

W

hen Bangladesh Commerce Bank’s Kathghar branch manager died after being shot, along with a few of his colleagues and clients, many people told me how the man was a fool, how he should have handed the keys over to the miscreants, and saved his own and others’ lives.

The manager was still in his early days in the banking sector, and could only think of protecting his bank’s property by all means, and that included risking his own life.

This is about a bank executive and a professional. When I look at newspaper headlines saying banks are unnecessarily keeping their staff late in the office, I feel compelled to say: “No, it is not true.”

People in banks treat each other as family members, and don’t mind staying a little late to complete the day’s work or even help others with theirs. It is the clients who mostly control banks’ or their executives’ behaviours, everywhere in the world.

According to textbooks, banks’ principal functions are: Financial intermediation, maturity transformation in deposit and loan management, credit allocation, and the facilitation of payments.

In running their businesses, banks must comply with all laws and regulations, they must ensure fair and equitable treatment to all stakeholders-sponsors, shareholders, clients, and people. They must make adequate disclosures about their health as well as risk coverage, and they must be socially responsible.

A bank’s primary job is to create value out of a happy relationship between clients and their people, without losing sight of

the shareholders. To ensure continuity of business, without any reputation loss, they must focus on regulatory compliance and give back to the community that they make money from.

Maintenance of the customer’s confidentiality and continuous client solution-building are the most significant matters here. In my 26 years in the banking sector, at home and abroad, I’ve learned one thing: Clients want their confidentiality to be maintained, no matter how much adversity bank executives face.

Profitability remains the core issue for all commercial enterprises. Banks cannot be an exception

It is equally important for bank professionals to be of use to the clients by offering continuous product or service solutions. Here, one should be able to differentiate between selling and marketing, customer service and customer loyalty, occupying shelf space and occupying the mind space.

Banks survive out of long-term client loyalty, making clients their ambassadors, not through a tendency to only “sell what they have.”

Even when they have many other alternatives, clients never forget the bank, which have stood by their side during their toughest times and kept on designing new products or solutions to bring them out of the mess.

To me, just as important, if not more, is how the bank behaves as a “corporate citizen,” ensures the migration of the best practices, and create space for its employees.

Banks need to always be upfront with their clients, be it about interest rates, exchange rates, or handling fees -- and yes, this means no hidden charges.

While giving out Nurul Matin’s memorial lecture on “ethics in banking” at BIBM, our distinguished seniors mostly focused on “financial inclusion,” “tolerable interest rates,” “better customer service,” and “behaving responsively.”

If I am not mistaken, there has been very little discussion on maintaining the “firewall” by regulators or watchdog agencies. While in the past, the number of regulated institutions was lower and comprised of mostly stateowned enterprises, deposits and loans were small and bank activity was limited.

Regulators’ jobs, more or less, remained confined to a few inspections and issuances of prudential guidelines.

Now, businesses have become huge and complex, foreign trade and foreign exchange transactions have increased manifold, and private sector operators are commanding the market. Banks and bank executives are much smarter and more organised now, with owning a bank now seen as just another “feather in the cap” for many sponsors, and clients are often forced to take the backseat in the entire show.

It’s here that the role of the watchdog

agency becomes important. There are commercial bank seniors, who, even today, are found engaged in various shady deals with their clients (at times even with the defaulting ones) in exchange for personal gains, and it is rumoured that a few regulatory agency officials have been compromised as well in exchange for various personal favours.

Added to this, of course, are supervisory failures due to capacity constraints. Some seniors, with backgrounds in regulatory bodies, would also tell you about the compromises being made, while the retiree regulatory agency seniors are employed in the commercial banks immediately after retirement.

Banking has become a big game over the years, while their owners are identified by the same age-old practices of governance failure and cutting corners. They often seek refuge under the regulators’ umbrella to maximise profits, and misinterpret laws to elbow out competitors.

But profitability remains the core issue for all commercial enterprises. Banks cannot be an exception. Instead, banks should be more involved in devising new ways of making money as fast as possible.

Any ethical bank is therefore judged by how it performs in the midst of cut-throat competition, how respectful it is towards a robust risk management culture, how it treats its clients (be it depositors or borrowers), and how it invests in its people and its delivery and distribution network to make sure there is a winning bond between the client and their people. l Mamun Rashid is a business professor and financial sector entrepreneur.

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14 OPINION

THURSDAY, MAY 7, 2015

Let’s talk about sexual violence n Shuprova Tasneem

O

n Pohela Boishakh, a group of men attacked women at Dhaka University in so vicious a manner that it made us all sit up and take notice.

Article after article was written, social media was littered with condemnations, protests were organised, and the constant tirade on our many talk shows were littered with denunciations and calls for justice.

While it was disappointing to not see any central political figures make strong statements on the matter, it was reassuring to see many people taking a stand.

In the event of any sort of mass movement or protest, the rhetoric used is essential in determining its nature and sustainability. The first instance when the current rhetoric made one squirm is the labelling of the perpetrators as monsters, not men.

While the attacks that were carried out on Pohela Boishakh were no doubt completely barbaric, using this sort of language gives the impression that these were one-off events carried out by a distant “other” and does not represent the common Bangladeshi.

While there is no denying the possibility that these men may belong to a certain group of religious fanatics who would have us forget our secular roots and force women to carry out purdah, it takes the focus away from the fact that sexual abuse and harassment is commonplace in our country.

According to Ain o Salish Kendra, there were 123 reported cases of rape from January to March 2015 alone, of which 15 cases resulted in death. Recently, the Bangladesh Indigenous Women Network reported on 117 cases of violence against indigenous women and children in 2014.

The Acid Survivors Foundation reported 70 acid survivors last year, which, arguably, is a great improvement on the 496 victims in 2002. But even one victim is one too many.

And these are just the reported cases.

Underneath all of this is a dark undercurrent of what we consider even more commonplace in our society. I doubt any woman can say that she has walked the streets of Dhaka without being commented on; her body parts have been fetishised, and she has been touched and humiliated in the most innocent-looking of crowds.

Even then, we have managed to frame this in a less serious light by calling it “eveteasing” rather than what it actually is -sexual harassment -- and these incidents have inevitably led to questions of what the women were wearing or who they were with, instantly shifting the responsibility to the woman.

Another notable thing in the rhetoric used is the use of “mother-sister” examples. It seems strange that in a country which has so much respect for mothers and uses the term “motherhood” as a symbol of patriotism and nationalistic fervour, we still have so many incidents of violence against women.

However, it is precisely this language itself, and our tendency to deify motherhood, that makes it so much easier to discriminate against women who do not fit the mould of how traditional, maternal women should behave.

DHAKA TRIBUNE

We need to stop talking about men protecting our women, and start talking about why we need this protection in the first place

The protests against the violence on Pohela Boishakh have led to many male voices speaking for women’s rights, and demonstrate positive integration into the gender discourse of both sexes.

However, speeches that include: “Would you let this happen to your mother?” and “I will protect my sister from this” lead to two dangerous conclusions -- that men are responsible for protecting their women from other men, and only on the occasion when these are women they are personally invested in.

The language we use has a cyclical effect on our perceptions; what we perceive shapes what we say and the current rhetoric shapes

our perceptions on said issues. We have a long way to go in terms of women’s rights -- equal land rights, criminalisation of rape within marriage, and transfer of citizenship through mothers, to name a few.

However, there is another burning issue that we must address -- the culture of disrespect (or even overt respect!) for women that stems from the perception that women are somehow innately different from men. The protests that used saris and bangles as an example of the ineffectiveness of police are an example of how we continue to use heavily gendered language that separates men and women in the public consciousness.

We cannot change our perceptions on women if we do not rethink the language we use and focus on more gender-sensitive rhetoric.

We need to stop “othering” those who engage in gender-related violence and harassment, and talk about the rape culture in a society that allows these incidents to occur on a regular basis.

We need to talk about sexual harassment -- not eve-teasing -- to get the message on exactly how unacceptable this sort of behaviour is.

We need to stop talking about men protecting our women, and start talking about why we need this protection in the first place.

We need to talk about why there aren’t more women in positions where they decide how best to maximise security, and why our leaders only seem to talk of gender-related issues on International Women’s Day. We must continue to be vocal and we must protest so that the rights of women do not again slip from the public eye. But if we don’t begin to use gender-neutral rhetoric, I fear women will remain the victims and men the perpetrators or protectors. l Shuprova Tasneem is Deputy Manager, Targeting the Ultra Poor, Brac.

16

Climate change sparks tension in India’s tea gardens

17

Qatar to house 250,000 labourers in new ‘cities’

19

Institutional investors keep stocks afloat

Inflation continues to rise

20

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Business

15

THURSDAY, MAY 7, 2015

NBR revenue collection falls short of target in July-March

n Kayes Sohel

Circuit breaker from 2nd day of trading n Tribune Report

Inflation moved up for the third straight month in April, rising to 6.32% from 6.27% in March, due to the ongoing negative impact of the supply chain disruption occurred in the wake of the recent countrywide political violence, observe analysts.

Inflation increased as prices of some food items spiked, according to the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics latest data released yesterday.

Analysts blamed the continued effect of disruption in products’ supply chain due to three-month long countrywide transport blockade from January 5..

“The effect of supply chain disruption still exists, pushing the country’s inflation marginally up, which is not worrisome,” said Mirza Azizul Islam, former finance adviser Mirza Azizul Islam, while talking to the Dhaka Tribune.

He also stated that inflation might come down in the coming months due to restoring supply of goods, declining rice price due to good boro harvesting, price falling of the petroleum products and other key commodities globally.

Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal, however, explained that the causes of soaring inflation as saying, “Overwhelming celebration of the recent Bengali new year ‘Pahela Baishakh’ across the country has pushed the demand side against the supply side, which leads to increase inflation in April.”

According to the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh, Hilsha price rose 6.25% in the last month compared to the previous month.

Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission has modified circuit breaker system on the newly listed companies with immediate effect.

From now on the circuit breaker system will be applied on the newly listed companies from second day of trading instead of earlier fifth day.

The circuit breaker system in the stock exchanges controls the prices of individual shares from going up or down by a certain limit.

Recently, the newly listed companies like Shahjibazar Power Company and United Power Generation Company, saw abnormal price hike in their first trading days, which has prompted the regulator to take the decision.

“Newly listed companies were traded without circuit breaker for five days. But from now on, this circuit breaker will be effective from the second day of trading,” said the BSEC in a statement yesterday.

Earlier on April 30, Dhaka Stock Exchange, the premier bourse of the country, urged the BSEC to impose a circuit breaker on new stocks to check unusual increase in share prices of the newly listed companies.

A press release issued after a meeting at BSEC chaired by its Chairman Khairul Hossain ensured the new regulation.

As per the decision, newly listed companies of DSE will be allowed to trade without circuit breaker for the first two days.

Up till now, there was no circuit breaker for 5 days for the trading of newly listed companies of DSE. l

Prices of potato was up 5.88%, onion (imported) 11%, onion (local) 8% and garlic 25% while other items including rice, oil, sugar and pulse dropped slightly during the period.

Political turbulence along with non-stop transportation blockades and series of strikes caused severe supply chain disruptions for more than 90 days, beginning from January first week.

Prices of food increased at a slower pace last month as supply disruption cautiously and slowly moved back to normal in recent weeks.

Overall month to month food inflation rose to 6.48% in April from 6.37 % in March, the BBS data showed.

In contrast, non-food inflation moved down 6.08% from 6.12% in the previous month. Prices of goods, mostly produced in

the rural area, increased because of the supply chain disruption.

“Consumers proffered to buy food items rather than non-food items in any celebration, resulting in surging food inflation,” said an official.

BBS data also showed that in the urban area, inflation rate in April was 6.88%, which was 6.77% in March and in rural area, it was up 6.03% from 6.01%.

In urban area, food inflation surged 7.62% from 7.36% and in rural area, it rose to 5.99% from 5.95% during the period. In case of nonfood inflation, it went down both in urban and rural areas.

The government aims to trim inflation to 6.5% in the current fiscal year. The national wage index rate witnessed a rise of 9.36% growth in April from 9.27% in March. l

Amended Labour Act rules keep provision for workers welfare fund n Tribune Report The government has finalised the rules of amended Labour Act 2013, keeping a provision of depositing 0.03% of export value to the workers welfare fund.

Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed made the announcement after a meeting with the employers organisations including Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA), Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA) and Bangladesh Employer’s Federation at a media briefing yesterday.

“We have finalised the rules of amended labour act, keeping a provision of of depositing 0.03% of export value to the workers welfare fund,” Tofail said, adding that the workers would be the most beneficiaries of the rules.

The government was under pressure from the international community after the Rana

Plaza incident to amend the Labour Act and formulate the rules under the act.

The US government has suspended Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) over the issues and set 16 conditions that have already been met, the minister said.

“From the welfare fund, we will provide the insurance claim of Tk2 lakh and the fund will be utilised for the welfare of workers.”

“As per the current export value of $24.5bn, the owners contribution to the welfare fund would be Tk72 crore,” said BGMEA President Atiqul Islam.

The amount will reach Tk150 crore in 2021 when the export value is expected to be $50bn, he added.

According to the draft rules, if the factory shifts his factory within 50 kilometre and the workers are unwilling to relocate and resigns they will get benefit as per the labor law.

On the other hand, if the owner closes factory he or she has to pay termination benefits

and other job benefits.

“After a wide range of discussion with owners and workers, we came to a consensus to finalise the rules for amended Labour Act 2013 that would get the workers to be most benefited,” said Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Engineer Khandker Mosharraf Hossain at a media briefing yesterday at his office.

There were some difficulties, but after the negotiation in presence of the commerce minister, it was resolved, and the owners have accepted the rules cordially, he said.

The rules have been made in such a way that both workers and owners can be benefited and the industry be operated smoothly, he added.

Following discussion with

the prime minister and vetting from the Ministry of Law, the rules would be published as gazette, said Mosharraf.

Talking to the Dhaka Tribune, BKMEA immediate past first vice-president Mohammad Hatem said the rules are workers-friendly and they would be the most beneficiaries. l

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16 BUSINESS

THURSDAY, MAY 7, 2015

Climate change sparks tension in India’s tea gardens n Reuters, Jorhat Usha Ghatowar smiles wryly when asked about the pay she earns picking leaves at a colonial-era tea garden in Assam.

“Do you think 3,000 rupees are enough when your monthly expenses can be double that?” she mumbles, as she puts on her “jaapi” hat of woven bamboo and palm leaves and takes a sip of tea from a steel mug.

As the women workers around Ghatowar nod in agreement the heavens open - it has started raining heavily in recent days after three largely dry months.

Unrest is brewing among Assam’s so-called Tea Tribes, whose forefathers were brought here by British planters from neighbouring Bihar and Odisha more than a century ago, as changing weather patterns upset the economics of the industry.

Scientists say climate change is to blame for uneven rainfall that is cutting yields and lifting costs for tea firms such as McLeod Russel, Tata Global Beverages and Jay Shree Tea. While rainfall has declined and become concentrated, temperatures have risen - ideal conditions for pests like looper caterpillar and tea mosquito to infest the light green tea shoots just before they are ready to be plucked for processing.

Use of pesticides and fertilisers has nearly doubled as a result in Assam’s 800 big tea plantations, known as gardens, and the rising costs are making Indian tea less competitive.

As a result, firms in Assam are resisting calls from activists and student leaders to lift the daily wage of tea workers from about $2 agreed to recently, blaming weak prices and the doubling of crop expenses over the past 10 years.

Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, whose Congress party was routed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the 2014 general election, has sided with the workers ahead of state polls due early next year.

Courting the tea vote

state elections have national significance in India - Modi needs to win most of the state assembly contests in the next four years if he is to take control of the upper house of parliament

A tea garden worker plucks tea leaves inside Aideobarie Tea Estate in Jorhat in Assam and ease the passage of his reform agenda.

Tea tribe votes can swing results in about a quarter of the seats in Assam, the country’s main growing area, and the BJP has been making inroads.

In an interview to Reuters, Gogoi denied an opportunistic motive behind his call for the wage to be raised to about $3 a day.

“I had warned the tea planters about climate change but they did not take care for a long time,” Gogoi said. “They thought it would be easy money. I can’t allow injustice for tea labourers.”

Assam Tea Planters Association (ATPA) Chairman Raj Barooah said they would examine Gogoi’s demand but “there has to be a fair wage that can sustain the industry”.

The average temperature in Assam has risen by 1.4 degrees Celsius in the past century and rainfall is down by 200 mm (8 ins) a year, said

R.M. Bhagat, chief scientist at the Tea Research Association in Assam’s tea hub of Jorhat.

“In the last 30 years we have seen that the magnitude of the effect of climate change is pretty high,” he said. “Rainfall has gone topsy-turvy. There is either too much or too little water, forcing planters to use sprinklers on what is a rain-fed crop.”

Several tea garden labourers and planters Reuters spoke with said tea factories in Assam now only run for about six months compared with round-the-year operations earlier.

Less rainfall resulted in an 8 percent fall in tea exports last year, according to the Indian Tea Association (ITA).

India is the world’s No 2 tea producer but is less export-oriented than other producers thanks to its big home market, and Sri Lanka has been extending its lead as the world’s third largest exporter behind China and Kenya.

REUTERS

Learning to adapt

labour accounts for 60% of the total costs for tea firms in Assam, whose prices last year were higher than those auctioned in Mombasa in Kenya, Chittagong in Bangladesh, Limbe in Malawi and Indonesian capital Jakarta.

Profit margins at Kolkata-based McLeod Russel, the world’s largest tea producer, are estimated to have fallen to their lowest in six years in the year ended March 31, according to Thomson Reuters data.

To cut labour costs, tea companies like Aideobarie Tea Estates, owned by ATPA’s Barooah, are exploring greater use of machines to harvest and spray nutrients or pesticides.

Barooah, whose company employs 48-year-old leaf plucker Ghatowar, her husband and now her eldest son, is also thinking of expanding into high-margin white tea made from tea buds. l

CORPORATE NEWS

‘IFS Applications 9’ launched n Tribune Business Desk IFS, a global enterprise applications company has recently launched IFS Applications™ 9, the new core version of its extended enter-

Dhaka WASA has recently inaugurated its ‘Realtime Online’ bill payment service with NRB Commercial Bank for its customers. The bank’s MD & CEO, Dewan Mujibur Rahman and Engr Taqsem A Khan, MD of Dhaka WASA was present on the occasion

prise applications suite.

New version of IFS Applications features major enhancements in user experience, architecture and functionality, said a press release. l

NRB Global Bank Limited has recently held an annual business review meeting for the year 2015 with all its branch managers and divisional heads. The bank’s chairperson, Nizam Chowdhury inaugurated the meeting as chief guest

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BUSINESS 17

THURSDAY, MAY 7, 2015

EU to probe big tech companies in digital market overhaul n Reuters, Brussels

Foreign laborers at the al-Wakrah stadium construction site

Qatar to house 250,000 labourers in new ‘cities’ n AFP, Doha Qatar is to build seven “cities” to house more than a quarter of a million migrant labourers building major infrastructure and projects for the 2022 World Cup, officials said Tuesday.

Ministers said all seven should be built by the end of 2016 and that the largest, “Labour City” for 70,000 people and complete with its own 24,000-seat cricket stadium, will begin housing workers in the next few weeks.

The move to construct more modern facilities comes amid continued criticism of the accommodation provided by Qatar for the vast number of migrant workers and with Doha admitting that sub-standard and illegal living conditions are still being used.

In total, 258,000 workers - some 25% of Qatar’s migrant labourer population - will be housed, officials said.

Dr Abdullah bin Saleh al-Khulaifi, labour and social affairs minister, told AFP the new accommodation centres were the “future”.

“That’s the blueprint,” he said of Labour City.

“There are in the pipeline (several) cities around the nation. I know our people want to have better accommodation for their labourers.”

Khulaifi added that Qatar has effectively doubled its number of housing inspectors to 300, and that should increase to 400 soon.

“We have labour accommodation standards and we are monitoring them and penalising those who are violating (the rules),” he said.

“Our business community knows we are taking it very seriously.”

The cities, a mixture of government and private sector accommodation, will be built across Qatar, from the fringes of the capital Doha to one in the north.

Most will house around 28,000 workers.

Our agent deceived us.

He said we are being paid in US dollars but we came here and we are receiving the payment in riyals Khulaifi said there was no final figure for how much the projects will cost.

However, Labour City, with 55 buildings including a mall, clinic and the second largest mosque in Qatar, cost 3bn Qatari riyals ($825m, 740m euros) to build.

Most workers who will end up living there will be transferred from other accommodation centres in Qatar, but officials have said the number of migrant workers in the country will more than double to 2.5 million two years before the World Cup.

Squalid conditions

The scale of the housing problem is apparent just a 45-minute drive from where Khulaifi was speaking.

REUTERS

On a government-organised trip this week to existing compounds, workers in Doha’s dusty Old Industrial Area were seen living in desperate conditions.

In one run-down camp, living in a cramped room housing eight people, where clothes were hanged to the walls and valued possessions were stuffed under tiny bunk beds, was Hassan, a new arrival from Ghana.

Along the vast, squalid corridor of tiny bedrooms was a filthy kitchen where labourers have to prepare their food.

A driver back home in Accra, Hassan said he had been duped into coming to Qatar to work.

“Our agent deceived us. He said we are being paid in US dollars but we came here and we are receiving the payment in riyals,” said the 34-year-old.

Hassan, who has a wife and two boys to support back in Ghana, said he thought he would be receiving $900 per month as a labourer but instead receives the equivalent of about $250.

Human Rights Watch researcher Nicholas McGeehan called the plan to build new accommodation a “useful step”, adding “we don’t want anyone housed in degrading conditions that we still see far too often in the Industrial Zone”.

However, he added: “Housing has never been identified as the major problem in Qatar, it’s the system that’s the problem.”

“The problems are the mechanisms of control which place an inordinate amount of power in the hands of employers.” l

The European Union will announce a wide-ranging probe on Wednesday into how big technology companies such as Google, Amazon and Facebook use their market power as it considers whether to regulate them more tightly.

The inquiry, which by its nature will inevitably focus heavily on US firms, follows calls from France and Germany for regulation of so-called “essential digital platforms”, encompassing everything from e-commerce sites such as eBay to social media companies.

European Commission Vice-President Andrus Ansip will unveil his “Digital Single Market Strategy” at noon (6:00 am EDT) in Brussels. It will aim to update copyright rules, knock down barriers to cross-border parcel deliveries and ensure European online businesses can compete with their bigger US counterparts.

The inquiry differs from an antitrust investigation of the kind launched by the EU into Google five years ago, in that it is not aimed at enforcing existing law through penalties.

Rather it will look at whether Internet platforms are transparent enough in how they display search results and if they promote their own services to the detriment of competitors, according to a draft of the strategy seen by Reuters.

Politicians and businesses across Europe have been calling for the market power of dominant U.S. tech firms to be curbed to help Europe’s fledgling web industry compete, leading to accusations of protectionism from U.S. President Barack Obama.

‘Geo-blocking’

the Computer and Communications Industry Association (CCIA), whose members include Google, Microsoft, eBay, Facebook and Amazon, said the idea of regulating platforms was ill-conceived given that businesses from newspapers to e-commerce sites to cars were increasingly becoming digital platforms.

“Platform regulation would hit European platform companies hardest given they grow here,” it added.

As part of its strategy, the Commission will also announce on Wednesday an “ambitious overhaul” of the bloc’s regulation of the telecoms sector, to take place next year. It will take into account the increased competition from services such as Facebook-owned WhatsApp and Skype, a decision that will be cheered by the telecoms industry.

The Commission wants to boost economic growth in the 28-country bloc by knocking down barriers between countries in the online world as it has done in the offline one, pushing businesses to sell across borders.

It will seek to clamp down on so-called “geo-blocking”, the practice whereby businesses restrict access to websites based on location or re-route customers to their local website, which may have different prices.

“These unjustified practices should be expressly prohibited so that EU customers and businesses can take full advantage of the single market in terms of choice and lower prices,” the draft strategy states. l

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18 BUSINESS

THURSDAY, MAY 7, 2015

News, analysis and recent disclosures LEGACYFOOT: The Board of Directors has recommended 5% stock dividend for the year ended on December 31, 2014. Date of AGM: 13.06.2015, Time: 2:00 PM, Venue: Factory Premises at Vannara, Mouchak, Gazipur.

Record Date: 14.05.2015. The Company has also reported EPS of Tk. 0.57, NAV per share of Tk. 18.50 and NOCFPS of Tk. 0.13 for the year ended on December 31, 2014.

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

Date of AGM: 31.05.2015, Time: 11:00 AM, Venue: Institution of Diploma Engineers, Bangladesh, (Muktijoddho Smriti Milionayaoton Hall) 160/A, Kakrail, VIP Road, Dhaka. Record date: 14.05.2015. The Company has also reported consolidated EPS of Tk. 2.35, consolidated NAV per share of Tk. 71.40 and consolidated NOCFPS of Tk. 145.15 for the year ended on December 31, 2014.

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

UNIONCAP: National Credit Ratings Limited (NCR) has announced the surveillance rating of the Company as AA in the long term and ST-1 in the short term based on audited financial statements of the Company up to December 31, 2014.

Dividend/AGM UNIQUEHRL: 20% cash divi-

dend, 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.

RENATA: 80% cash and 20% stock dividend, AGM: 20.06.2015, Record Date: 13.05.2015.

Turnover (Volume) Number of Contract

Company Legacy Footwear -A Golden Harvest Agro-N Al-Haj Textile -A GQ Ball PenA ICB -A National Tubes -A AIMS First -A Navana CNG-A BSRM Ltd. -N Sinobangla Indu.-A

Closing (% Change) 12.96 10.00 9.97 9.94 9.92 9.91 9.91 9.91 9.90 9.78

CSE GAINER Company Legacy Footwear -A Bangladesh Welding -Z GreenDeltaInsu -A GQ Ball PenA First Finance- A National Housing Fin.-B Fareast Finance-Z FAR Chemical-N Hakkani P& Paper -B Northern G Insur-A

Closing (% Change) 12.88 10.00 9.96 9.94 9.90 9.88 9.80 9.80 9.66 9.66

DSE LOSER Company AIBL 1st Is. M. F.-A Zeal Bangla Sugar -Z BD. Autocars -Z SonarBangla Insu. -A Eastern Lubricants -A Eastern InsurA BATBCL -A ACI Limited- A IFIL Islamic M.F.1-A Eastern Bank - A

Closing (% Change) -9.76 -4.84 -4.71 -3.91 -3.71 -3.08 -2.16 -2.13 -1.96 -1.87

CSE LOSER Company Rupali Bank - A LR Global BD MF1-A Reliance1 M.F.-A Standard Ceramic -A Pragati Gen. I -A Rangpur Foundry -A Rupali Life Insur.-B Rahima Food -Z Reckitt Benckiser -A Anwar Galvanizing-B

Closing (% Change) -14.36 -14.29 -7.27 -6.25 -6.00 -5.26 -4.26 -3.83 -3.17 -2.63

SECTORAL TURNOVER SUMMARY

DSE key features May 6, 2015 Turnover (Million Taka)

DSE GAINER

Sector

3,648.46 90,777,423 101,831

Traded Issues

312

Issue Gain (Avg. Price Basis)

273

Issue Loss (Avg. Price Basis)

35

Unchanged Issue (Avg. Price Basis)

4

Market Capital Equity (Billion. Tk.)

2,360.74

Market Capital Equity (Billion US$)

28.62

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 245.98 145.48 27.98 534.17 87.74 936.27 0.94 279.00 722.87 10.63 118.22 9.54 95.62 97.13 50.66 19.72 38.44 97.87 39.40 90.09 0.75

% change 6.74 3.99 0.77 14.64 2.40 25.66 0.03 7.65 19.81 0.29 3.24 0.26 2.62 2.66 1.39 0.54 1.05 2.68 1.08 2.47 0.02

Million Taka 12.30 139.48 0.72 53.34 5.11 72.39 38.05 34.49 0.67 11.58 0.83 6.12 8.86 4.10 0.38 0.89 14.79 6.62 10.52 0.01

Average (% Change) 14.22 8.09 6.35 7.57 6.79 8.06 9.00 5.59 3.61 7.24

Average (% Change) 12.80 10.00 10.03 12.48 8.81 9.88 9.80 8.56 9.66 8.62

Average (% Change) -20.80 -26.61 -7.27 -4.45 -3.59 -0.79 -1.92 -0.65 1.59 -2.64

Average (% Change) -14.36 -12.20 -7.27 -6.13 -6.00 -5.26 -6.41 -3.83 -3.19 -4.17

CSE

ClosingAvg. 18.31 18.03 69.71 69.64 101.30 85.80 23.00 48.77 50.54 20.00

ClosingAvg. 18.42 15.40 49.70 70.55 10.99 17.80 11.20 32.10 19.30 15.75

ClosingAvg. 3.77 4.55 15.69 12.23 316.81 22.54 2983.12 547.87 5.11 26.18

ClosingAvg. 35.20 3.60 5.10 30.04 23.50 90.00 30.79 20.10 1,480.25 37.00

% change 2.92 33.11 0.17 12.66 1.21 17.18 0.00 9.03 8.19 0.16 2.75 0.20 1.45 2.10 0.97 0.09 0.21 3.51 1.57 2.50 0.00

Closing 18.30 18.70 71.70 71.90 104.20 87.60 23.30 51.00 53.30 20.20

Closing

DHIGH 19.00 18.70 71.70 71.90 104.20 87.60 23.30 51.00 53.30 20.20

DHIGH

18.40 15.40 49.70 70.80 11.10 17.80 11.20 32.50 19.30 15.90

Closing 3.70 5.90 16.20 12.30 316.20 22.00 2974.00 541.30 5.00 26.20

Closing 35.20 3.60 5.10 30.00 23.50 90.00 31.50 20.10 1,480.50 37.00

Million Taka 258.28 284.96 28.71 587.51 92.85 1008.65 0.94 317.06 757.36 11.30 129.80 10.37 101.74 105.99 54.76 20.10 39.33 112.66 46.02 100.61 0.76

DLOW 16.90 17.20 65.80 65.40 95.50 81.20 22.00 46.00 47.90 18.60

DLOW

19.00 15.40 49.70 70.80 11.10 17.80 11.20 32.50 19.30 15.90

17.00 15.40 49.70 69.80 10.50 17.80 11.20 31.00 19.30 15.60

DHIGH

DLOW

4.00 6.10 16.20 13.80 320.00 23.20 3030.00 561.00 5.30 26.90

3.70 5.70 16.00 12.00 315.00 21.00 2963.80 539.00 4.90 25.60

DHIGH

DLOW

35.20 3.60 5.10 34.50 23.50 90.00 32.60 20.10 1,481.00 37.00

Total

35.20 3.60 5.10 30.00 23.50 90.00 30.20 20.10 1,480.00 37.00

% change 6.35 7.00 0.71 14.44 2.28 24.78 0.02 7.79 18.61 0.28 3.19 0.25 2.50 2.60 1.35 0.49 0.97 2.77 1.13 2.47 0.02

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

Turnover in Million

Latest EPS

4.797 4.173 8.298 1.445 7.414 3.376 5.259 16.354 64.859 2.119

Turnover in Million

0.57 1.18 0.98 2.21 6.08 -1.36 1.70 3.53 0.73 0.92

Latest EPS

0.687 0.048 0.010 0.072 0.045 0.000 0.160 2.101 0.000 0.013

Turnover in Million

32.1 15.3 71.1 31.5 16.7 -ve 13.5 13.8 69.2 21.7

Latest PE

0.57 0.44 2.96 2.21 0.63 1.97 1.88 2.76 0.42 1.84

Latest EPS

1.862 0.001 0.016 3.392 0.179 0.445 2.121 166.023 0.803 0.462

Turnover in Million

Latest PE

32.3 35.0 16.8 31.9 17.4 9.0 6.0 11.6 46.0 8.6

Latest PE

0.11 -46.80 0.14 1.65 2.48 2.31 104.70 16.58 1.04 3.50

Latest EPS

0.000 0.011 0.005 0.004 0.001 0.009 0.026 0.007 0.006 0.012

34.3 -ve 112.1 7.4 127.7 9.8 28.5 33.0 4.9 7.5

Latest PE

2.35 -0.70 0.62 0.52 2.47 3.20 5.33 -0.47 42.33 0.64

15.0 -ve 8.2 57.8 9.5 28.1 5.8 -ve 35.0 57.8

CSE key features May 6, 2015 Turnover (Million Taka) Turnover (Volume) Number of Contract

421.29 18,750,307 14,733

Traded Issues

233

Issue Gain (Avg. Price Basis)

190

Issue Loss (Avg. Price Basis)

35

Unchanged Issue (Avg. Price Basis)

8

Market Capital Equity (Billion. Tk.)

2,296.35

Market Capital Equity (Billion US$)

27.83

DT

BUSINESS 19

THURSDAY, MAY 7, 2015

Institutional investors keep stocks afloat n Tribune Report

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

Khulna Power-A Shasha Denims -N BSRM Ltd. -N Grameenphone-A Baraka Power-A

VolumeShares 1,533,479 1,108,288 1,124,181 303,036 1,023,869 1,293,368 1,570,292 368,158 1,878,162 1,101,882

Value in Million 288.59 210.40 201.12 166.02 132.92 105.51 93.38 89.85 85.68 78.01

% of TotalTurnover 7.91 5.77 5.51 4.55 3.64 2.89 2.56 2.46 2.35 2.14

VolumeShares

Value in Million

% of TotalTurnover

1,219,538 1,731,349 1,283,322 183,309 1,925,551

CSE TURNOVER LEADERS Company Intl. Leasing-B United Power-N Mozaffar H.Spinning-A BSRM Ltd. -N MJL BD Ltd.-A Shahjibazar Power-N BD Submarine Cable-A SAIF Powertec-N ACI Formulations-A BEXIMCO Ltd. -A

ACI Limited- A WesternMarine -N Grameenphone-A Navana CNG-A LafargeS Cement-Z

10,540,062 191,899 584,974 364,266 91,966 59,969 76,136 118,396 41,339 305,521

11,722 139,306 18,872 130,400 56,515

74.19 64.93 64.86 60.70 60.19

131.77 36.11 20.00 18.69 11.90 10.74 8.55 8.43 7.87 7.69

6.42 6.36 6.24 6.17 6.07

2.03 1.78 1.78 1.66 1.65

31.28 8.57 4.75 4.44 2.83 2.55 2.03 2.00 1.87 1.82

1.52 1.51 1.48 1.47 1.44

ClosingP 186.40 190.50 180.80 541.30 128.60 81.10 60.00 245.00 45.60 70.30

60.60 37.60 53.30 330.90 31.40

ClosingP

Change % 0.76 2.86 4.09 -2.13 0.31 -0.12 4.53 2.08 1.79 -0.57

1.34 1.08 9.90 -0.03 1.62

Change %

13.10 186.60 34.30 53.60 128.40 181.50 112.00 70.30 189.70 25.40

540.00 45.70 330.10 47.30 108.80

3.97 0.65 3.00 9.84 0.86 4.43 1.54 -0.57 1.93 2.01

-2.05 1.33 0.24 2.83 3.52

ClosingY 185.00 185.20 173.70 553.10 128.20 81.20 57.40 240.00 44.80 70.70

59.80 37.20 48.50 331.00 30.90

ClosingY

12.60 185.40 33.30 48.80 127.30 173.80 110.30 70.70 186.10 24.90

551.30 45.10 329.30 46.00 105.10

DHIGH 193.40 194.80 184.00 561.00 131.90 83.40 61.00 245.40 46.40 72.00

61.60 38.40 53.30 334.00 31.60

DHIGH

13.20 192.60 34.50 53.60 131.60 183.00 114.00 72.80 195.00 25.60

560.00 46.10 333.50 50.60 110.00

DLOW 182.00 181.70 174.30 539.00 128.00 80.00 58.00 242.00 44.90 69.30

59.50 36.70 47.90 329.00 30.80

DLOW

12.80 183.00 32.80 47.90 126.10 175.00 110.30 69.80 184.50 24.80

538.00 45.00 329.20 46.70 104.50

AvgPrice 188.19 189.84 178.91 547.87 129.82 81.58 59.47 244.06 45.62 70.79

60.83 37.50 50.54 331.12 31.26

AvgPrice

12.50 188.17 34.20 51.31 129.44 179.13 112.30 71.20 190.34 25.16

547.40 45.69 330.55 47.34 107.48

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

4089.88449

(+) 1.88%

1548.68839

(+) 1.74%

12606.45610

(+) 2.08%

10265.06580

(+) 2.17%

7659.61910

(+) 1.98%

▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲

Stocks continued to move upward yesterday with the benchmark index DSEX rising almost 2% amid institutional investors’ buying pushed by the securities regulator, dealers said.

The DSEX closed steeply higher gaining more than 75 points or 1.9% to 4,089, extending its gaining streak for the second straight session.

The Shariah Index DSES rose 20 points or 2% to 1,008.

The comprising blue chips DS30 was up 26 points or 1.8% to 1,548.

Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) Selective Categories Index, CSCX, ended at 7,660, rising 149 points.

The rally was led by non-banking financial institutions that gained 6.6%, engineering 4.6%, cement 3%, textile 2.4%, fuel & power 2%, and banks 1.5%.

“Investors were encouraged by the fact that institutional investors turned net buyers after securities regulator asked institutional investors to give support the falling market,” said an analyst at a leading brokerage firm.

He, however, said investors should be cautious as market is pulled up by an artificial move, which is not sustainable in the long run.

Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) on Monday called an urgent meeting with stakeholders — brokerages and merchant banks – requesting them to become active for few days to bring back investors confidence.

Trading activities improved slightly as the DSE turnover stood at around Tk365 crore, up more than 11% over the previous session.

IDLC Investments said opportunistic investors continued buying into new positions, lured by market level undervaluation, along with an expectation of systematic turnaround of the market.

LankaBangla Securities said the benchmark index was currently standing above its psychological support of 4,000mark which brought some calmness among investors.

Non-banking financial institutions gained steeply, driven by state-owned ICB that rallied 9.9%. Small-cap companies also gained while food and allied sector lost 1.6%. l

ANALYST

Opportunistic investors continued buying into new positions, lured by market level undervaluation, along with an expectation of systematic turnaround of the market

DT

20 BUSINESS

THURSDAY, MAY 7, 2015

NBR revenue collection falls short of target in July-March

PKSF, BSFF tie up for boosting aquaculture n Tribune Report

n Tribune Report The National Board of Revenue (NBR) officials find the revenue achievement target challenging as the board has to collect around Tk56,991 crore in April to June of the current fiscal year.

The tax authority witnessed Tk4,515.53 crore short from target in July to March of this fiscal.

There was a shortfall in collection of income tax, Value Added Tax and other taxes, but the customs wing managed to surpass the target, according to NBR data released on Wednesday.

In the first nine months, NBR was able to mobilise Tk92,729.47 crore from its target of Tk97,245 crore.

The income tax wing witnessed Tk2,322 crore shortfall as the wing has mobilised around Tk30,017 crore against its target of Tk32,339 crore.

The VAT wing witnessed Tk3589.71 crore short of target as it collected Tk35,115 crore against the target of Tk38,705 crore.

NBR has collected around Tk620 crore against the target of Tk690 crore.

However, the customs wing has successfully surpassed the target as it has mobilised Tk26,977 crore against its target of Tk25,541 crore.

NBR officials said the revenue shortfall was not unexpected as the board failed to collect expected level of revenue due to po-

National Board of Revenue office in Dhaka litical turmoil in the country that had affected the economic growth, resulting in economic downtrend.

“Investment was sluggish due to political situation while domestic consumption of products, that is closely related to VAT collection, fell significantly,” said a senior NBR official while pointing to reasons behind revenue shortfall.

Currently, NBR is working on how to find out potential sectors and taking different steps including settlement of cases through Alternative Dispute Resolution, increasing

DHAKA TRIBUNE

surveillance on taxpayers and bringing effectiveness in the Large Taxpayers’ Unit (LTU) to reach the target.

Officials however said NBR might come close to the target after revision as revenue collection gains momentum in last two to three months every financial year.

The government is now planning to revise down the revenue target at Tk1,35,028 crore from the original estimate of Tk1,49,720 crore on apprehension that the target would not be achieved as the collection faced setback due to political turmoil. l

Palli Karma Sahayak Foundation (PKSF) and Bangladesh Shrimp and Fish Foundation (BSFF) have tied up for sustainable and inclusive growth of aquaculture sector in the country.

To this effect, PKSF Deputy Managing Director (operations) Golam Touhid and BSFF Chairman Syed Mahmudul Huq have signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on behalf of their respective organisations at the conference room of PKSF yesterday.

Under the MoU, the two organisations will work together for increasing the access of shrimp and prawn products originating from small-scale farmers in Bangladesh to international market, reducing the risks of diseases in shrimp and prawn aquaculture, developing national code of conduct for responsible aquaculture and introducing contract farming arrangements, if possible, for production of safe and quality products.

A policy workshop on Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF) project was also held in the same venue.

STDF was based on cluster farming approach, establishing backward linkage with the inputs supplies and forward linkage with the market processors, addressing the key issues relating to productivity, food safety, environmental sustainability and social acceptability.

The project was implemented for the period of 14 months and it will end by June, 2015. l

SMEF wants 5-year tax holiday for plastic industry n Tribune Report The SME Foundation has made a series of proposals to be incorporated in the upcoming budget for accelerating the growth of SME industry.

The proposals include imposition of higher duty on imported products and cutting tax and VAT for domestic products.

The state-owned organisation placed 27-point budget proposals to the National Board of Revenue (NBR) on Tuesday to encourage domestic SMEs, particularly plastic and electric goods, light engineering, agro-processing and printing industries.

The budget proposals were prepared after a series of meetings with industry people and different stakeholders. The foundation recommended giving a 10-year tax holiday for labour intensive plastic industry for helping the sector increase production and facilitate exports.

“The tax holiday in the plastic industry will also help generate employment,” said an SME statement. Tariff withdrawal from recycling of plastic wastage was also proposed in order to reduce environment pollution.

Slapping 60% uniform complementary duty on imports of plastic products like boxes, cases, crates and similar articles, furniture, tableware, kitchenware, plastic hanger and accessories was also proposed. At present such duty ranges from 0% to 60%.

The foundation said the government has announced ago-processing industry as thrust

The file photo shows a stall at a Dhaka SME fair sector and gave 20% subsidy.

It added: “Higher corporate tax on this sector hindered SME’s expansion and so we proposed to cut such tax to 20% from existing 35%.”

DHAKA TRIBUNE

The foundation also proposed to increase duty to 25% from existing 10% on importing primary and secondary curriculum books to boost local printing industry and to lower

import duty on equipment used in toy manufacturing to 5% from existing 10-25% to make domestic toy manufacturing industry to flourish. l

DT

21

THURSDAY, MAY 7 2015

T-JUNCTION INSIDE

22

Hot Topic

Treeism Foundation

Bloom where you are planted Photo: Bigstock

24 Ticket

Getting to the point news

Celebrate Mother’s Day with Kaymu. com.bd

DT

22 T-JUNCTION

Hot Topic

THURSDAY, MAY 7 2015

Treeism Foundation Observing Earth Day at Manikganj

nShakir Haque Bearing the slogan “One Student One Tree,” Treeism Foundation observed Earth Day at Manikganj this year. On April 22 this environmental organisation arranged an event at Manikgonj Govt High school. It includes planting trees around the school campus, cleansing it from non-disposable materials, and holding a session with the students on environmental phenomena.

Around 500 students of the school joined the activities in the presence of teachers, guardians along with volunteers from Treeism. In the session, volunteers discussed various environmental aspects, contemporary crisis due to negligence towards nature, and the inevitable pathways to keep the environment healthy with the students.

Thereafter almost 400 students had signed in a banner that reads “Say No to Pollution, Say Yes to Green,” agreeing their awareness to nature. Advocate Golam

Mohiuddin, administrator of Manikganj Zilla Parishad was the chief guest of the programme. He said, “There is no alternative rather than tree plantation to

keep the environment in proper balance.”

In his speech, he highly appreciated the initiative taken by Treeism, and also encouraged the students as they could

involve themselves with the green peace activities. However, at the end of the programme the participating students were given inland saplings on behalf of Treeism.

T-JUNCTION 23

DT

Hot Topic

THURSDAY, MAY 7 2015

It is remarkable that Treeism Foundation had been selected by the international environmental organisation Earth Day Network as an official partner for the year 2015. Earlier this year news on Treeism also got published at Tunza Eco Generation, the environmental networking platform for children and youth by UNEP and Samsung Engineering. Saiful Islam, founder of Treeism Foundation said, “Being selected as an Earth Day partner is undoubtedly a big achievement for us. As an environmental organisation from Bangladesh we are only here to represent them for the year.”

Islam also said, “It will definitely reinforce our activities and will help our Treeists (volunteers of Treeism) feel that now we are responsible enough to run our activities for the sake of nature.” Rajiya Khan, a treeist of the organisation who is an undergrad student at a private university in Dhaka mentioned, “We have hosted a number of events in different educational institutes and tourist spots in different districts of the country.

We try to persuade school-going students to engage themselves with eco-friendly activities from an early age. For them our theme is simple - plant a tree and treat it as if it was your loving pet. Think about it: don’t you have a duty to your pet? Nurture it and allow it to grow.”

Treeism is a nonprofit organisation working on re-greening the environment through massive plantation, introducing the concept of voluntourism in Bangladesh by providing environmental education to school going students. It is a phenomenon that only involves paying back debts which have been credited from the environment for decades. As the environment is going under stress, Treeism is trying to repair this situation through the best way possible, starting now to help the future generations.

This organisation runs with the fund collected from its own volunteers. It started its visionary journey with only 30 volunteers and now it has more than 300 to work with.

Though most of the treeists are universitygoing students its threshold is open to all people irrespective of age and profession.

Treeism works as a bridge between the people who have the ability to donate a tree, to the people who are willing to host a tree.

With the hope for a greener world Treeism thrives with time. l

Shakir Haque is a staff reporter of an English daily and is with the Treeism Foundation. He can be reached at: shakirhaque21@ gmail.com

*For more detail about Treeism: www.facebook.com/ treeismfoundation *To see the Earth Day partnership: www.earthday.org/partners2015

DT

24 T-JUNCTION

THURSDAY, MAY 7 2015

Ticket

Getting to the point

news

Celebrate Mother’s Day with

Kaymu.com.bd

n Alexander Wadud Aspiration With just a few episodes left to wrap up Arrow season 3, many fans have become even more inspired to become Oliver Queen himself, but to do that, you need his badass survival skills and expertise in archery. Just having passion may not be enough, to make your efforts come to fruition you need three things, motivation, knowledge and practice.

For most enthusiasts, the first step to take is the hardest, that’s because they lack proper information, in this piece you’ll get to know exactly what you need to jump start your impressive new hobby.

The premise Archery is a sport which requires an adequate amount of space, proper equipment and sufficient training. Although Bangladesh has won quite a few gold medals in Asia there aren’t any places that offer training courses. Dhaka doesn’t have many shops that sell archery equipment, and being a novice might lead to getting ripped off and having to suffer the consequences of a cheap bow and arrow set. As there is a lack of any formal training and instructors, you have to study up, read a few books on proper training methods and practices, how to preserve your equipment and safety measures to take before starting.

Even with the limitations in this country an enthusiast will never quit, he’ll find a way to do what he loves. I myself practice on my roof given that I take a lot of safety precautions. If you want to continue down this path you’ll need equipment, starting from three kinds of bows to choose from, straight, recurve or compound.

The way For beginners it is recommended to start with a straight bow and then transition to a recurve as it requires greater strength to shoot, while compound bows are usually used for hunting as they deliver far greater power and range. Then you’ll need to select an adequate string, you can use cheap ones at first but as you get more experienced you’ll require better quality strings. Finally you have to select which type of arrows to shoot, carbon arrows are cheap and durable and recommended for amateurs, while wooden and aluminium ones are quite expensive.

Steps Provided with your newfound knowledge you need to start by buying everything that you need to start, the best way to go about this is shopping online, researching about bows and arrows, reading reviews and deciding which will be best suited for you.

For beginners I would recommend a 62inch Martin Archery Alder 29 lb Recurve Bow and 30-inch Fiberglass Target Practice Arrows from Shiny Black which will cost around Tk12,000 altogether. Sites like Amazon and eBay offer a wide range of products but they usually take up to a month to deliver and have various costs involved.

A means to that end is backpackbang. com, a site that allows you to get what you want in a matter of one to two weeks rather than the usual month long wait from other sites. It is easy to use as you can either pay by bank deposit, bKash or PayPal, and reliable too as you are directly linked and can easily communicate with the traveller delivering your product.

You’ve got the proper knowledge now, the first step is complete, now it’s time for you to take the second and gather all that you’ll require to start by yourself. Then begin, practice diligently, put in your best and maybe one day you can take on the role of

Tk13,588

Martin Archery 62” Alder Recurve Bow

Amazon.com

Tk10,608

Martin Alder 54” Recurve Bow

eBay

Tk10,046

Martin Archery Alder 62” Recurve Bow

BackpackBang.com All costs are inclusive of shipping.

Kaymu.com.bd, one of the online shopping communities in Bangladesh has extended its services with the latest addition – a “Mother’s Day store.” The recently launched Mother’s Day store has thematic gift items for this special day for the most special person in your life – your loving mother.

Kaymu.com.bd is committed to offering consumers relevant products for every significant gift giving occasion or event. Mother’s Day celebration in Bangladesh is rapidly gaining popularity due to the emotions attached with this day. For our Mother’s Day initiative we have put together a range of products that would find acceptance from both the buyers as well as the mothers to whom these products would be gifted.

For all the numerous unaccountable acts of kindness every mother deserves appreciation. Mother’s Day is the perfect time to honour mothers and cherish the special bond of love.

Gifts are the best way to show your mother how much she means to you.

Kaymu.com.bd offers an easy to use and user friendly platform for ordering the Mother’s Day gifts.

The Mother’s Day store is available at Kaymu Bangladesh’s website (http:// www.kaymu.com.bd/mothers-day/)

Kumar Sangakkara has given Australia’s Big Bash a major shot in the arm by signing up to play for the Hobart Hurricanes. He will be based at the picturesque Bellerive Oval for the next two editions

Sport 26

SHAHADAT’S WORST NIGHTMARE REALISED

27

BCB-PCB RELATION FLOURISHING, SAYS SHAHRYAR

28

25

DT

BIG BASH CALL

THURSDAY, MAY 7, 2015

JUVE’S CUT-PRICE TEVEZ UPSTAGES RONALDO, BALE

Younis dedicates ton to earthquake victims n Minhaz Uddin Khan

Pakistan batsmen Younis Khan (L) and Azhar Ali run between the wicket during the first day of the second Test against Bangladesh at SBNS in Mirpur yesterday.

Azhar and Younis put on 250 runs for the third wicket MAINOOR ISLAM MANIK

Azhar, Younis make most of luck n Mazhar Uddin The opening day of the deciding Test was an eventful one for the Tigers, albeit for all the wrong reasons, as centuries from Younis Khan and Azhar Ali propelled Pakistan to 323/3 at Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium yesterday.

Younis smashed his 29th Test hundred to equal Sir Don Bradman while Azhar blasted his eighth ton but Bangladesh could have been in a much better position had the centurions not been dismissed off no-balls earlier in their innings.

Choosing to field first, the hosts made the worst possible start as paceman Shahadat Hossain, replacing fellow fast bowler Rubel Hossain, injured his right knee after tumbling in his follow-through. Although Shahadat returned to the field and caught opener Sami Aslam (19) off the bowling of spinner Taijul Islam, he suffered a recurrence of the injury and was ruled out from bowling in the remainder of the Test match.

The Tigers, however, somewhat recovered from the unfortunate hiccup as paceman Mohammad Shahid (2/43) induced an edge off opener Mohammad Hafeez (eight) to Mushfiqur Rahim.

Resuming the post-lunch session on 70/2, Pakistan were looking to build a partnership and Azhar and Younis provided exactly that.

It was not always plain-sailing, however.

Azhar, on 18, was caught brilliantly by Soumya Sarkar at third slip off Shahid while Younis, on 78, was caught by Shakib al Hasan at short cover off Soumya but both survived as they were dismissed off no-balls. From there, the third-wicket partnership did not have to look back.

During their 250-run association, the Pakistan duo executed some delightful strokes and dominated the opposition. After reaching their respective half-centuries in the postlunch session, they kicked on and posted centuries to enable the visitors to the driving seat.

Younis scored 148 off 195 balls before departing late in the day. He struck 11 bounda-

ries and three sixes and created a number of records.

Among all the cricketers who have played more than 95 Tests, the 37-year old has the fourth highest average after Sachin Tendulkar, Jacques Kallis and Kumar Sangakkara.

To add to that, of all the players in the history of Test cricket who have played more than 98 matches, no one with the exception of Brian Lara has scored more than Younis by their 98th Test. Lara had 8626 runs while Younis has 8508. With 118 more runs required to make the record his own, Younis will get the opportunity to surpass Lara in the second innings.

He is also the only player from Pakistan who has registered centuries against all the Test-playing nations.

Azhar, on the other end, reached his eighth Test hundred and remained unbeaten on 127 off 258 balls. In the process, Azhar crossed 3000 Test runs.

Alongside Azhar, Misbah-ul Haq was undefeated on nine. l

Veteran Pakistan top-order batsman Younis Khan yesterday dedicated his 148-run knock against Bangladesh to those who have lost their lives in a deadly earthquake which shook Nepal on April 25, killing more than 7,200 people and injuring twice as many.

Asked to bat first, Pakistan lost two early wickets in the morning session as the Bangladesh bowlers made early inroads on the opening day of the deciding Test at Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur. Pakistan, however, recovered brilliantly from the early damage, riding on the 250-run third-wicket stand between Younis and Azhar Ali. Younis smashed his 29th Test hundred while Azhar struck his eighth century to take Pakistan to a strong position of 323/3 following the conclusion of the first day’s proceedings.

Earlier, Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim decided to field first after winning the toss. His decision raised a few eyebrows as the Mirpur wicket traditionally favours runscoring in the first two days of a Test match.

Younis, however, justified Mushfiq’s decision and said it was not a bad choice given the fact that the Bangladesh bowlers did make an early impact.

“Because of the grass, sometimes captains look for that early moisture. It was not a bad decision to win the toss and elect to field. The way they bowled the first few overs and got [Mohammad] Hafeez, who is in very good knick at the moment, I don’t think it was a bad decision. But, whenever partnership comes to the game and you are in a bad position, these sorts of questions are raised. Myself and Azhar scored 250 and I think that partnership was what made the difference,” Younis told the media at the post-day press conference yesterday.

“The pitch supported both bowlers and batsmen today (yesterday) but I think if you play properly you have the chance to score because the outfield is really quick. The Bangladesh bowlers, I think, bowled well in the first hour of the day. Whenever I go out with the bat, I try to think that my team need me and I need to score for my team and I love doing that. By the grace of God, I scored a century. This is really good for me and my team,” he said.

Younis also praised Azhar’s unbeaten 127run knock.

“It’s a good innings. Whenever you score under pressure for the team, it’s a good sign. I think he will get some ease from the pressure now,” said Younis. l

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THURSDAY, MAY 7, 2015

Shahid laments dismissals off no-balls n Minhaz Uddin Khan

Bangladesh pacer Mohammad Shahid reacts after the dismissal of Pakistan batsman Younis Khan (unseen) at SBNS in Mirpur yesterday MAINOOR ISLAM MANIK

Bangladesh were rewarded with two early wickets following the home side captain Mushfiqur Rahim’s decision to bowl first in the deciding Test against Pakistan at Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur yesterday. The wicketkeeper-batsman, who termed the match as an extremely important one, opted to field after winning the toss. He had expected that the moisture and the grass on the wicket will give some edge to the Bangladesh bowlers but other than the removals of the two Pakistan openers, nothing seemed to go well for the Tigers.

Bangladesh received their first blow when paceman Shahadat Hossain incurred an injury to his right knee and was subsequently ruled out from bowling for the remainder of the Dhaka Test. The right-arm pace bowler was brought in to the playing XI in place of the injured Rubel Hossain.

With one pacer down, seamer-allrounder Soumya Sarkar was given the responsibility.

The early Pakistan wickets were supposed to boost the Bangladesh attack but the momentum was taken away courtesy a 250-run stand for the third wicket between Younis Khan and Azhar Ali. While the former grabbed his 29th Test hundred, Azhar smashed his eighth.

Bangladesh, however, had the golden opportunity to remove the two before they reached their respective centuries. Azhar was on 19 and Younis was on 78 when paceman Mohammad Shahid and Soumya accounted for their wickets but both survived as the Tigers bowling duo overstepped.

On a disappointing day for the home side, Shahid was the only bowler who had some

bite and enthusiasm. He had done a good job removing Mohammad Hafeez early before dismissing Younis later on the day to give some breathing space to the hosts.

“The wicket had grass which was making the ball move. We were getting some good help. We had plans and tried a few things but those did not work. I am still hopeful, to be honest. But, our spinners will need to bowl well tomorrow (today) and if we have a good bowling session ahead of lunch, we will get some momentum,” Shahid told the media at the post-day press conference.

Shahid admitted that the dismissals off the two no-balls made Bangladesh suffer but said, “You need to understand that one does not simply bowls an illegal delivery willingly.

And, a few catches fell short of the fielders. I hope we will come better tomorrow (today),” said Shahid.l

SCORECARD, DAY 1 PAKISTAN 1ST INNINGS

R

B

Mohammad Hafeez c Mushfiq b Shahid Sami Aslam c Shahadat b Taijul Azhar Ali not out Younis Khan c Shuvagata b Shahid Misbah-ul-Haq not out Extras (lb 6, w 1, nb 5)

8 16 19 58 127 258 148 195 9 18 12

Total (3 wickets; 90 overs)

323

Fall of wickets 1-9 (Mohammad Hafeez, 3.3 ov), 2-58 (Sami Aslam, 22.5 ov), 3-308 (Younis Khan, 84.5 ov) Bowling Shahadat 0.2-0-4-0, Soumya 11.4-1-32-0, Shahid 21-6-43-2, Taijul 30-2-102-1, Shuvagata 8-0-47-0, Shakib 14-0-68-0, Mominul 2-0-8-0, Mahmudullah 2-0-12-0, Kayes 1-0-1-0

Shahadat’s worst nightmare realised n Minhaz Uddin Khan Bangladesh paceman Shahadat Hossain experienced a disappointing outing during the opening day’s play of the second and final Test against Pakistan in Mirpur yesterday.

The right-arm spearhead will not bowl in the remainder of the Dhaka Test after twisting his right knee during the lunch break.

Shahadat, who replaced fellow fast bowler Rubel Hossain, was only able to bowl two deliveries in the morning session before being forced to walk out of the field. Bangladesh Test captain Mushfiqur Rahim deployed Soumya Sarkar to complete Shahadat’s opening over.

In the 17th over, Shahadat returned to the field after receiving some first-aid treatment.

Things were looking good for him as he completed a catch at deep mid-wicket to dismiss opener Sami Aslam.

It seemed some decent rest might enable him to bowl in the afternoon session but injury intervened once again. Bowling at the nets during the lunch break under the supervision of head coach Heath Streak, Shahadat fell over and was taken out of the field on a stretcher.

Although he is unlikely to bowl again in the series-decider, Shahadat might be allowed to bat.

Shahadat’s injury meant Bangladesh only had one paceman - Mohammad Shahid – to compliment the three spinners – Shakib al

Hasan, Taijul Islam and Shuvagata Hom. Shahadat was later taken for an MRI scan where it was revealed that the paceman is suffering from a torn ligament and a small meniscus fracture on his right leg.

Bangladesh Cricket Board media manager Rabeed Imam informed that Shahadat will most likely need to undergo a surgery. Initially though, he will be under observation for four-five days. l

Bangladesh paceman Shahadat Hossain is attended by officials as he lies on the ground following an injury at SBNS, Mirpur yesterday

MAINOOR ISLAM MANIK

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THURSDAY, MAY 7, 2015

QUICK BYTES Sharapova survives to oust Garcia in Madrid Holder Maria Sharapova needed more than two and a half hours of battle to see off a challenge from Frenchwoman Caroline Garcia on Wednesday, with the third seed finally posting a 6-2, 4-6, 7-5 win to advance to the quarter-finals of the Madrid Masters. Sharapova ended the dramatic third-round match with an ace, which had to be confirmed from the chair.

–AFP

Outcry over rise of Russian footballer with Putin pal dad The unexpected rise of a little-known defender with a very influential father has embroiled one of Russia’s top clubs in a high-profile dressing room spat over alleged nepotism. For the past four years Boris Rotenberg Junior, 28, has been warming the bench at the Premier League Dynamo Moscow side after a string of unsuccessful stints at a number of middling clubs.

–AFP

Former Portsmouth owner loses extradition case

The former owner of English football club Portsmouth on Wednesday lost a High Court bid to avoid extradition to Lithuania, where he faces £400 million ($608 million, 540 million euros) fraud charges. Russian Vladimir Antonov, 39, and his Lithuanian business partner, 57-year-old Raimondas Baranauskas, are accused of stripping assets and funds from a leading Lithuanian bank, Snoras, when it was nationalised in 2011.

–AFP

Kenya marathon champ survives armed robbery

Kenyan marathon champ and Olympic medallist Catherine Ndereba has survived an armed robbery at her home outside the crime-ridden capital Nairobi.

Police said Ndereba, a two-time Olympic silver medallist, four-time Boston marathon champion and former world record holder, was targetted by a gang on Monday but survived the incident unharmed.

–AFP

Five cities ‘interested’ in hosting 2024 Games

Five cities - Boston, Hamburg, Rome, Paris and Budapest - “are interested” in hosting the 2024 Olympic Games, IOC executive director Christophe Dubi disclosed on Tuesday. Cities have until September 15 to enter bids and the International Olympic Committee will make a decision in mid-2017. Paris is close to entering an intense Olympic battle, the French capital that lost out to London for the 2012 Games has only to officialise its candidature after backing from the Paris City Hall in April.

–AFP

Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Shahryar Khan (L) and Bangladesh Cricket Board’s media committee chairman Jalal Yunus walk through the outfield of the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur yesterday MAINOOR ISLAM MANIK

‘BCB-PCB relation flourishing’ n Mazhar Uddin Ever since Bangladesh Cricket Board declined to send its national team to Pakistan three years ago owing to security reasons, the relation between the two boards started souring.

According to Pakistan Cricket Board president Shahryar Khan, however, the ice has started to melt. Shahryar, who is in Dhaka to witness the second and final Test between the two teams, even went on to inform that they are progressing towards a cordial relationship. Shahryar added that there are currently no restrictions on the Pakistan cricket-

ers to participate in the domestic leagues of Bangladesh.

“We will give NOC (No-Objection Certificate) to Pakistani players to participate in Bangladesh’s domestic leagues. There is no ban from Pakistan for the players to play in Bangladesh, we encourage that. According to our book, politics and cricket are different. We play cricket and we are not interested in politics. So, if cricket demands that our players play in Bangladesh, fine, we are very happy to see that happen,” Shahryar told the media at Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur yesterday.

“We had a problem. Bangladesh were supposed to come to us in 2012 but they couldn’t for security and other issues. Since then, there was a gap. But, we want Bangladesh-Pakistan cricket to continue on an evenkeel, on a regular basis. That is why we have come here. We want to keep Pakistan-Bangladesh cricket going. I think this gap has been covered. I know that the Bangladesh Cricket Board will reciprocate by coming to us later on, after one year, after two years, whenever.

Meanwhile, they are sending their women’s team, they are sending their youth teams and we are quite happy,” he said.l

Holders Sheikh Jamal held, Rahmatganj post rare win

FM Parag claims Golden SC chess title n Shishir Hoque

n Shishir Hoque

Fide Master Mehedi Hasan Parag of Leonine Chess Club emerged as the unbeaten champion in the Golden Sporting Club International Rating Chess Tournament after beating Dilip in the final round yesterday.

Both Parag and International Master Abu Sufian Shakil began the day with the same number of points. The duo also won their respective ninth-round matches yesterday but Parag clinched the title with a much better Buchholz. Both were locked at 7.5 points following the ninth round before the tie was broken by the tie-breaking system.

In the last round at Muktijuddho Smriti Stadium Bhaban in Rajshahi, Shakil managed to beat Shrutarshi while Debaraj drew with Rani Hamid, Saiful beat Fahad, Shahnaz defeated Shafiq and Rashid beat FM Mahfuzur Rahman.

FM Debaraj Chatterjee, Women’s International Master Rani Hamid, Mohammad Saiful Islam Chowdhury and Shahnaz Mohammad Faruk finished third, fourth, fifth and sixth respectively.

Another average performance from Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club saw them concede yet another draw in the Manyavar Bangladesh Premier League as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Mohammedan at Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.

Following a barren opening half, Jewel Rana put the traditional Black and Whites ahead a few minutes into the second half before Haitian forward Leonel Saint Preux cancelled out the lead immediately for Sheikh Jamal.

Mohammedan are third with 14 points from eight matches, six behind table-toppers Sheikh Jamal, who have played the same number of matches.

Meanwhile in the day’s other match at the same venue, Rahmatganj registered only their second victory in this season as they pipped Team BJMC 1-0.

Midfielder Nurul Absar netted the all-im-

portant goal in the added time of the first half to keep Rahmatganj in a comfortable position to avoid relegation. They are now seventh in the 11-team standings with eight points from seven matches while BJMC remained at the bottom with only one point, having played the same number of points.

BJMC were reduced to 10 men in the 34th minute when Redwad Bin Rakin received a straight red card. He received his marching orders after felling Nigerian Gideon Solomon from behind.l

RESULTS Sheikh Jamal

1-1

Leonel Saint Preux 58

Team BJMC

Mohammedan Jewel Rana 53

0-1

Rahmatganj MFS Nurul Absar 45+1

TODAY’S MATCHES Sheikh Russel v Farashganj, 4:15PM Feni Soccer Club v Chittagong Abahani, 6:30PM

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28 Sport

THURSDAY, MAY 7, 2015

Juve’s cut-price Tevez upstages Ronaldo, Bale n Reuters, Turin

Juventus’ Carlos Tevez scores their second goal from the penalty spot against Real Madrid at Juventus Stadium, Turin in Italy on Tuesday

Juventus move a step closer n Reuters, Turin

Juventus’s win over Real Madrid has strengthened their conviction that they are good enough to rejoin European football’s elite after years of watching the Champions League final stages from the sidelines.

Once regarded as one of the continent’s biggest and most powerful clubs, the twice European champions have had to fight their way back to the top following the Calciopoli match-fixing scandal which saw them stripped of two Serie A titles and relegated.

Their life has been further complicated by the steady decline of Serie A, where dwindling budgets means that clubs are no longer

able to attract the world’s top players.

Boosted by the opening of their own stadium in 2011, however, Juventus believe that, by investing wisely, they can once again compete alongside the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona.

RESULT

2-1

Juventus Morata 8, Tevez 57-P

Real Madrid Ronaldo 27

They have already re-established themselves as the dominant force in Italian football and last Saturday wrapped up a fourth successive Serie A title with four matches to spare.

REUTERS

“We wanted to prove to ourselves that we can play at this level and face the European champions on level terms,” said goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon The 37-year-old is the only survivor from the Juventus side which beat Real Madrid 4-3 on aggregate in their last semi-final appearance in 2003, having stayed at the club even when they played in Serie B in 2006/7.

Juventus were regarded as relative lightweights in the semi-final draw which also featured Barcelona and Bayern Munich.

They spent around 42 million euros in last year’s July-August transfer window, just over half of the amount Real Madrid splashed out on Colombia forward James Rodriguez alone.l

PLAYS OF THE DAY BANGLADESH v PAKISTAN, 2ND TEST, DAY 1, MIRPUR Oh, no! No ball!

The Bangladesh bowlers had only themselves to blame yesterday for not being able to put more pressure on the opposition as two noballs denied them the opportunity to be in a position of authority.

The Tigers dismissed both Azhar Ali and Younis Khan, albeit off illegal deliveries, and the Pakistan duo duly took advantage, going on to smash centuries.

Right-arm paceman Mohammad Shahid, who was on rhythm after dismissing opener Mohammad Hafeez early on the day, induced an edge off Azhar when he was batting on only 18 and Soumya Sarkar, stationed at third slip, took a brilliant diving catch. A jubilant Shahid started celebrating only for the umpire to signal a noball. Azhar went on to blast an unbeaten 127.

Meanwhile, the experienced Younis, on 78, presented a simple catch to Shakib al Hasan at short cover off Soumya. Shakib grasped the simple opportunity but the umpire yet again signalled a no-ball. Younis eventually departed but not before scoring 148.

Fall-guy Shahadat Hossain

It was indeed a bad day in the office for rightarm paceman Shahadat Hossain, who returned to the Bangladesh side for the second and final Test. Shahadat, who tumbled on the field twice, had a day to forget as he injured himself and is unlikely to bowl in the remainder of the Dhaka Test.

The tall paceman was out of the field after bowling only two deliveries in his first over.

Collapsing on his follow-through, Shahadat was replaced by Soumya who bowled out the remaining deliveries of the over.

Shahadat did recover temporarily and returned to the field in the 17th over. He took a decent catch running towards his right side to dismiss opener Sami Aslam. His worst nightmare though was yet to be realised.

Gearing to return to the field in the postlunch session, Shahadat injured himself once again while bowling during the lunch break.

As it stands, he will not bowl any more although he might bat depending on the situation of the game.l –MAZHAR UDDIN

Juventus spent about 12 million euros ($13.42 million) to sign Carlos Tevez, a fraction of what Real Madrid paid for Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo, yet it was the Argentine who called the shots in their Champions League clash on Tuesday.

Tevez, who has been playing some of the best football of his career and is leading Serie A scorer with 20 goals, gave another inspiring performance as he tipped the first leg of the semi-final in Juventus’s favour by helping them to a 2-1 win.

Real’s defence never got to grips with Tevez’s speed, tenacity and close control as the Argentine revelled in the tie, the highest profile match he has played since his move to Juventus at the start of last season.

Often dropping deep to collect the ball in midfield, Tevez then ran at the heart of the Real defence, creating a sense of danger and anticipation among the home fans almost every time.

Tevez’s powerful low drive led to Juve’s opening goal in the ninth minute when Real keeper Iker Casillas could only parry the ball to the feet of Alvaro Morata, who tapped the ball into the net against his old club from close range. The run which led to the winner summed up Tevez’s qualities.

After being sent clear by Morata, Tevez charged into the Real area and, although he appeared to be running into a corner, he tricked Dani Carvajal into knocking him over, winning a penalty which he smashed home himself for the winner.

The 31-year-old Argentine arrived at Juve under a cloud, worn out after four eventful seasons at Manchester City where he infamously refused to warm up during a Champions League match at Bayern Munich.l

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THURSDAY, MAY 7, 2015

Napoli fans don’t know whether to laugh or cry n Reuters, Turin

Fight fans sue loser Pacquiao over injury n AFP, Los Angeles

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 and qualify for the Champions League.

Napoli host Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk in the first leg of their Europa League semi-final with the team still maintaining a media blackout on the orders of outspoken president Aurelio Di Laurentiis.

The blackout was imposed a month ago after Napoli, having dropped to sixth in Serie A following five matches without a win, were knocked out of the Coppa Italia at home by Lazio.

Their season appeared to be all but over and it was not even clear whether Benitez would make it to the end of the campaign.

Two Nevada men filed a class-action lawsuit against Manny Pacquiao on Tuesday, seeking millions in damages because they say he fraudulently concealed a shoulder injury before his defeat to Floyd Mayweather.

It is just the latest fallout from Mayweather’s victory in Las Vegas on Saturday in a unanimous decision, with Pacquiao saying afterwards that the shoulder complaint hampered his performance in the welterweight world title showdown.

The plaintiffs argue that by failing to go public with the injury before the feverishly anticipated bout, the Philippine icon and his camp violated the Nevada Deceptive Trade Practices Act. The suit filed in a US District Court in Las Vegas names Pacquiao, his manager Michael Koncz, promotional company Top Rank and Top Rank chairman Bob Arum and president Todd duBoef.

According to court documents available online, the lawsuit claims that when plaintiffs Stephane Vanel and Kami Rahbaran -- who bought tickets, forked out pay per view fees or bet on the fight -- the defendants “knew and had full knowledge and information that defendant Pacquiao had been seriously injured and was suffering from a torn rotator cuff.”

“Defendants further know that such injury would severely affect his performance,” the lawsuit says.

“None of the defendants informed or apprised the public or even the Nevada Athletic Commission about the injury to defendant Pacquiao.”l

SSC Napoli Sevilla

v Dnipro v Fiorentina

They are now back up to fourth in Serie A, however, challenging AS Roma and Lazio for a place in the Champions League, which they could also reach by winning the Europa League.

There is even talk of Benitez renewing his contract which expires at the end of the season and Napoli fans do not know whether to laugh or cry at their team’s unpredictability.

They have scored seven goals in their last two home Serie A games, sweeping aside Sampdoria and AC Milan, yet in between were thrashed 4-2 at Empoli.l

DAY’S WATCH BTV, Gazi TV, Star Sports 1 10:00AM Pakistan Tour of Bangladesh 2nd Test, Day 2

Channel 9 4:15PM Bangladesh Premier League Sheikh Russel v Farashganj

Sony Six Indian Premier League 4:30PM Rajasthan v Hyderabad 8:30PM Kolkata v Delhi

Ten Action 12:45PM UEFA Europa League SF, Leg 1: Sevilla v Fiorentina

Ten Sports 3:00PM WTA: Mutua Madrid Open Quarter Finals 5:00PM ATP: Mutua Madrid Open Round of 16 12:00AM UEFA Europa League SF: Napoli v Dnipro

New Zealand’s Ross Taylor grabs a ball during a practice session at Lord’s in England on Tuesday

REUTERS

Sania wants to inspire subcontinent girls n Reuters, New Delhi Outside Bollywood films, Sania Mirza might be the only Indian success welcomed as warmly in neighbouring Pakistan and the 28-year-old expects her doubles feats to inspire girls on both sides of the border to pick up a tennis racquet.

Mirza has long been the face of the women’s game in India and her high-profile cross-border wedding to Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik five years ago placed her in a unique position.

Her rise to the top ranking in WTA doubles was hailed in both countries, though they remain suspicious of each after fighting three wars since independence in 1947.

Malik’s international career has stalled since his last one-day match two years ago, but Mirza last month became the first Indian to climb to the top after winning the Family Circle Cup in Charleston, South Carolina, her third successive title partnered with Martina Hingis.

“It feels good,” Mirza told Reuters in an interview.

“Me and my husband, we live in a kind of extraordinary situation because we both are professional athletes from different countries who still represent their own country after marriage and I don’t think that happens very often.

“We both are very active, still playing and it’s great if it can inspire not just people in India and Pakistan but hopefully girls can pick up tennis racquets in the whole subcontinent, really think that sports can be a career option.

“That does not come first to the head of any girl or parent ... Whether it’s India, Pakistan or anywhere in the subcontinent, I’d like to believe people hopefully will get a little inspired by this and hopefully things change.”

Once a top 30 singles player with a potent forehand, Mirza was the first Indian to win a WTA singles title in 2005, but after battling knee and wrist injuries, feels her switch to doubles has been vindicated.

“I ended my singles career solely for the reason that my body was not just able to take it anymore,” said Mirza, calling it a “surreal feeling” to top the doubles rankings.

“I had three surgeries in seven-eight years and in those years ... it was either playing doubles or not playing tennis at all. I love tennis too much to have given up on it so soon.”

Finally at peace, Mirza has set herself a couple of goals.

“It would be great to try and get records on how long I stay there and definitely try and win a women’s doubles grand slam which has not happened. (I) have come close so many times even though (I) won mixed grand slams. Hopefully try and end the year at one, if not this year, next year.” l

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30 DOWNTIME

THURSDAY, MAY 7, 2015

CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Worth (5) 4 Do wrong (3) 6 First man (4) 8 Draw off gradually (5) 9 Excavates (4) 11 American state (4) 12 Mustering rope (5) 15 Bullock (5) 18 Maori charm (4) 20 Single entity (4) 21 Within the law (5) 22 Narrate (4) 23 Respectful fear (3) 24 Surrender (5)

DOWN 1 Mannequin (5) 2 Wanders (5) 3 Dance (5) 4 Send out (4) 5 Skin eruption (4) 7 Mature person (5) 10 Strong wind (4) 13 Of like nature (4) 14 Venomous ill will (5) 15 Foolish (5) 16 Bird of prey (5) 17 Governed (5) 18 Musical instrument (4) 19 Flying toy (4)

CODE-CRACKER How to solve: Each number in our CODECRACKER grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. For example, today 18 represents C so fill C every time the figure 18 appears.

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

Some letters of the alphabet may not be used.

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

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

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

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SHOWTIME 31

THURSDAY, MAY 7, 2015

Panchonari Akhyan speaks for women

n Hasan Mansoor Chatak Dhaka Theatre recently launched a two day long show by its acclaimed production house Panchonari Akhyan at the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy. The show entirely focuses on the burning issue of women being oppressed, harassed and neglected

Attack of the clone n Mahmood Hossain Grooveshark seems to be back online by an individual simply known as Shark. The new cloned version is now being hosted at Grooveshark.io, whereas the original site was a .com. For those unfamiliar, the site allows visitors to stream, download, and search for music files. Many of them, of course, were copyrighted files which got the original site and hosts in trouble with music labels. The creator of the clone backed the idea of keeping Grooveshark alive when the word got around the site would be taken down.

But Shark doesn’t seem to be alone, as he/she has an entire team working together to bring back the popular features, such as playlists and favourites.

The original Grooveshark was known for their easy ability to search and stream music for free that were of copyrighted material. And since the users themselves uploaded those files, they were somewhat protected by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. Even though many of the files were taken off by request, copyrighted files remained and became very easy to find. Shark and his/her team aren’t letting down as they have bigger plans for the new cloned Grooveshark. Keep pressing play, and keep sharing. l

in rigid patriarchal societies. The play is written by Harun Rashid and directed by Shahiduzzaman Selim.

As the name suggests, the play is a thematic amalgamation of five monologue pieces depicting five women in different spheres of their life. It shows their journey as these women go through stage after

stage of repression and negligence. Rosy Siddique, who has been outdoing herself on stage over the last one and a half decade, has donned all five characters herself.

The tale of five characters includes that of an estranged wife of an expatriate who is blackmailed to be a sex worker.

Another character shows the journey of the condemned, barren wife of an impotent husband. She chooses her family’s honour over her will to protest against the physical harassment inflicted on her by her husband. This clearly represents the notion that women are still not recognised as individuals and they are subjugated by their male counterparts. The final act of the play includes Mumtaz Mahal, the mistress (as described in the play) of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, as well as a historical character who urges others to take down all the fabricated myth surrounding her.

The play speaks for women by portraying their agonies in different social contexts.

As a production house that focuses on pressing social issues, every scene, especially the one where the mental state of the protagonist is portrayed, Rosy’s subtle acting skills as well as resemblances with the protagonist are evident.

The 37th production of the troupe has employed minimalistic stage design, courtesy of Afzal Hossain while Shimul Yusuf and Chandan Chowdhury have arranged the music which often sufficed in illustrating the mood of the play itself. l

Walking the Tagore Lane n Tausif Sanzum Painter, singer, song writer, poet, musician, Tagore was a man of many facets. What where will you be celebrating the celebrated Noble Laureate’s birthday?

26th National Rabindra Sangeet Festival Where: Shawkat Osman Memorial Auditorium of Central Public Library When: May 5-9 What: Bangladesh Rabindra Sangeet Shilpy Sangstha in association with Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre is hosting this 5 day long music festival to celebrate Tagore 154th birthday. There will be solo and group performances by various artistes.

A musical evening by Nirjher Chowdhury at IGCC Where: Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre, House No. 35, Road No. 24, Gulshan-1 When: May 8 What: Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre is hosting a musical soiree with singer Nirjher Chowdhury. Chowdhury is a noted Rabindra Sangeet Singer who has been awarded two National awards in the classical (Gold) and Rabindra Sangeet category (Bronze).

Rabindra Utsab Where: Chayanaut, Satmasjid Road, Dhanmondi When: May 8- 9 What: A celebration of Tagore through recitation, dance and song

Chitrangada Where: Studio Theatre Hall, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy When: May 8 What: Directed by Zahid Repon, Chitrangada is the 11th production of theater group, Swapnadal. Based on a play

by Rabindranath Tagore the play revolves around the character of Arjun and Princess Chitrangada who is brought up as a son by her father and trained to be warrior. l

CELEBS ON SOCIAL Ellie Goulding @elliegoulding Was really obsaaaaassed with my hair and make up last night....

Thank you squad @ctilburymakeup and… https:// instagram.com/ p/2TPrEAzfYJ/ Esha Deol @Esha_Deol Our prayers are with Salman and his family! He is a brave and wonderful human!

May god bless !

Pharrell Williams @Pharrell So proud of my team for making it to the #VoiceTop5 Congrats @ SawyerFrdrx @ KorynHawthorne #TeamPharrell

WHAT TO WATCH Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows: Part 2 A WB 9:30pm Harry, Ron and Hermione search for Voldemort’s remaining Horcruxes in their effort to destroy the Dark Lord as the final battle rages on at Hogwarts.

Cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Ralph Fiennes, Emma Watson, Alan Rickman Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End

BZee Studio 6:05pm Captain Barbossa, Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann must sail off the edge of the map, navigate treachery and betrayal, and make their final alliances for one last decisive battle.

Cast: Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley Fast Five B Star Movies 11:18pm Dominic Toretto and his crew of street racers plan a massive heist to buy their freedom while in the sights of a powerful Brazilian drug lord and a dangerous federal agent.

Cast: Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Dwanye Johnson

DT

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THURSDAY, MAY 7, 2015

INFLATION UP FOR 3 STRAIGHT MONTHS

PAGE 15

AZHAR, YOUNIS MAKE MOST OF LUCK PAGE 25

PANCHONARI AKHYAN SPEAKS FOR WOMEN PAGE 31

Bangladeshi student kidnapped and killed in Malaysia n Kamrul Hasan At least one Bangladeshi university student was recently killed by kidnappers in Malaysia.

The body of 22-year-old Raisul Hasan Rabbi, who arrived in Kuala Lumpur only a month ago to study at Lincoln University College, was flown back to Dhaka on April 30, amid media reports of Bangladeshi expatriates being abducted and buried in mass graves continue to come in from Thailand.

Rabbi, along with his room-mate Omtajul Islam Jim, were abducted on April 18 by eight Bangladeshis living in Malaysia, claimed Rabbi’s family. They said the abductors murdered Rabbi the following day fearing their identities would be exposed.

Jim, however, was able to escape as locals heard his shouts when his abductors left him alone at one point during the ordeal.

Mahmudul Haque Rubel, another roommate of the kidnapped youths, was behind the abductions and murder, claimed Rabbi’s family.

Rabbi’s sister Era Jahan said she received a call from Rabbi around 8pm on April 18, when

her brother only managed to say he had been abducted before the line was disconnected. A minute later, another call came from the abductors, who demanded Tk50 lakh in ransom.

Md Ismail Hossain, Rabbi’s father, said he initially refused to pay the ransom, following which the kidnappers revealed details about their family that only someone close to Rabbi could have known.

Rabbi’s uncle Sobhan Ali Matin, who also lives in Malaysia, told the Dhaka Tribune that the police there have already detained four Bangladeshi nationals including Rubel in connection with the crime.

The other detainees are Shahriar Milon – owner of the flat where Rabbi and Jim lived with Rubel, a person known as Khan Bhai, and another unidentified individual.

“Milon has confessed his involvement in similar prior crimes to the police,” the uncle said.

He also quoted Jim as saying Khan Bhai – who was familiar to Jim – abducted the two from the city’s LRT bus station on the evening of April 18.

Rabbi’s father, meanwhile, said Jim’s fa-

ther Md Saiful Islam called him on April 19 and said the abductors had also called him to ask for Tk1 crore in ransom. To prove that they were serious about their threat, the kidnappers told Saiful to look for the dead body of Rabbi near Kuala Lumpur’s Shah Alam Kelang Road.

Although the local police at the time had claimed that a body of an elderly person was recovered from the mentioned area, later on April 24 the body was identified to be of Rabbi’s. The autopsy revealed that Rabbi had been strangled.

When contacted, Bangladeshi High Commissioner to Malaysia Shahidul Islam said he knew little about the matter as he was only recently assigned.

He asked that future queries on the matter be forwarded to the High Commission’s First Secretary of the Consular Section MSK Shaheen, who could not be reached over phone.

Jim’s father Saiful Islam, who is a director of Meghna Bank, did not pick up his phone either.

Jim’s younger brother Joy Sakib told the Dhaka Tribune that Jim was still in Malaysia, but refused to comment about the abduction. l

Salman Khan jailed for five years n BBC

An Indian court sentenced Bollywood star Salman Khan to five years in prison yesterday for killing a homeless man in a 2002 hit-andrun driving incident in Mumbai.

The man was among five people who were run over in the incident. The actor was charged with culpable homicide.

Khan had said his driver was behind the wheel, but the judge said the actor was driving the car and was under the influence of alcohol at the time.

Khan’s lawyers filed for an appeal against his sentence at the Bombay High Court on the same day, following which the court granted the actor an interim bail for two days. The appeal will be heard on Friday.

Correspondents say the guilty verdict is a huge setback for Khan although he could have been jailed for 10 years.

The actor is one of Bollywood’s biggest stars, appearing in more than 80 Hindi-language films. Several of his films, including “Dabangg,” “Ready,” “Bodyguard,” “Ek Tha Tiger,” “Maine Pyar Kiya” and “Hum Aap Ke Hain Kaun,” have been huge commercial hits.

As the actor drove to court with his family and friends yesterday morning, his fans prayed for his acquittal.

But Judge DW Deshpande found him guilty on the charge of culpable homicide.

“You were driving the car; you were under

PDB to build new power plant in Khulna n Aminur Rahman Rasel State-owned Power Development Board (PDB) is going to build a large dual fuel (gas and furnace oil) combined cycle power plant having a capacity of 200-300MW in Khulna through bidder’s financing.

“Implementing through bidder’s financing means the contractor will arrange international financing for the project,” PDB Chairman Md Shahinul Islam Khan told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday.

The PDB under the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources, has already invited international tender for the project, with the last date for tender submission being July 2.

After the contract is signed with the bidder, the construction period for this project is 900 days, including a simple cycle completion time of 540 days.

“Setting up a new plant was not in the government’s plan but two plants in Khulna’s Goalpara, which were once known as the power house of the district, turned unusable allegedly because of negligence and lack of monitoring. This has compelled the government to take the new project,” said A PDB official seeking anonymity.

The two furnace oil-based plants were built with a capacity of 110MW and 60MW. The new plant will be built in Goalpara on a 10-acre land owned by the PDB. The estimated cost of the project is Tk2,500-Tk3,000 crore.

The eligible firms will take care of engineering, design, supply, erection, installation, testing and commissioning on turnkey basis.

It also will provide two years’ warranty.

The eligible company has to provide $1.5m in the form of an irrevocable and unconditional bank guarantee issued by a scheduled bank of Bangladesh or a foreign bank duly endorsed by a scheduled bank.

Currently, there is no gas supply in Khulna region but the option of using gas as fuel has been kept in the project. Till now, Khulna has a number of fuel oil-based power plants, with the biggest one having a capacity of 150MW. l

Sculptor Novera Ahmed dies in Paris n Tribune Report

Bollywood actor Salman Khan sits in a car as he leaves a court in Mumbai, India yesterday. An Indian court sentenced him to five years in prison for killing a man in a hit-and-run accident REUTERS the influence of alcohol,” he told the actor as soon as the court proceedings began.

After that, for the next three hours as the lawyers from both the sides presented their arguments over his punishment, Khan, who was dressed in a white shirt, remained calm and composed.

The 49-year-old actor was also found guilty of negligent driving and causing grievous harm to the victims, but defence lawyers said all the sentences would run concurrently.

Several of his Bollywood colleagues spoke out in his support and expressed their sympathies. l

Novera Ahmed, one of the collaborators of Central Shaheed Minar’s original design, died yesterday in a hospital in Paris. She was 85.

Born in Kolkata in 1930, Novera Ahmed is considered one of the first modern sculptors of Bangladesh. She was awarded a diploma from Camberwell School of Art in London in 1955.

Novera Ahmed collaborated with Hamidur Rahman and was credited with the original design of the Central Shaheed Minar.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressed deep shock at the death of the sculptor, saying it is a great loss for the whole nation. l

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