11 May, 2015

SECOND EDITION

MONDAY, MAY 11, 2015

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Boishakh 28, 1422, Rajab 21, 1436

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Regd No DA 6238, Vol 3, No 28

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

4,778 NEW POLICE DB UNIFORM FOUND AT SEVEN-MURDER ACCUSED JOBS APPROVED PAGE 3 ASHULIA ROBBER’S DEN PAGE 4 NUR HOSSAIN SACKED PAGE 5

Is this all police are good for?

Kamrul Hasan and Arif Ahmed Police charged truncheons, hurled tear gas cannisters and used water cannon in Dhaka yesterday to disperse a group of unarmed leftist students who were protesting the force’s inaction regarding assaults on women during Pohela Boishakh celebrations.

About a hundred members of Bangladesh Chhatra Union had gathered at the TSC roundabout on Dhaka University campus around 11:45am as per a previously announced schedule for laying siege to the office of Dhaka police chief.

After about a 15-minute stay there and a few speeches, the gathering brought out a procession. The protesters marched through some of the streets on the campus and headed towards the Shahbagh intersection.

But they had to turn back towards the Doyel Intersection because there was heavy traffic in Shahbagh. Chhatra Union later alleged that police created the traffic jam artificially to block them.

The march then turned back towards the Doyel Intersection, looking to leave the DU campus through the High Court point.

“A truck, loaded with barricades, was standing near the Bangla Academy. As soon as the protesters reached the TSC roundabout, the truck sped towards the Doyel Intersection,” said Dhaka Tribune’s photojournalist Mahmud Hossain Opu. At Doyel, police tried to block the protesters using barricades. But the protesters breached the barricade and kept marching towards Minto Road, where the office of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) chief is located.

After having overcome two more smaller obstacles at Matsya Bhaban and Kakrail, the protesters reached near the Officer’s Club around 1pm. Police however did not allow them to move any further by putting up a strong barricade. So, the protesters decided to stage a sit-in right there.

According to witnesses, there were around 150 policemen including riot police, an armoured car and a water cannon stationed in the area. Law enforcers had by then stopped vehicular movement on the road from Kakrail church to the Moghbazar intersection.

Dhaka Tribune’s senior photojournalist Syed Zakir Hossain heard a police officer telling his superior over phone: “Do not worry, Sir. We will not allow them to move even an inch further.”

Soon, riot police personnel started replacing the regular police members in the front row of the barricade. A police officer asked the Chhatra Union men to go back; but the protesters replied that they would not until the DMP commissioner came and explained why they had not yet arrested anyone for as-

saulting women on DU campus on the Bangla New Year’s day.

While ruling Awami League’s student front Chhatra League has been surprisingly keeping mum about the assault on women, Chhatra Union, the student front of the Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB), has been leading the protests for nearly a month.

The riot police members tried to push the protesters back and a scuffle ensued. In no time, the policemen started charging truncheons on the gathering and the protesters started running to and fro to avoid getting beaten up.

Some of them started fighting back by hurling bricks at the police and the law enforcers retaliated with tear gas cannisters and water cannon.

Photos taken by journalists showed policemen brutally beating up some of the protesters, including women, who got caught up in the middle of the skirmish, with rifle butts, truncheons and boots.

The police action on unarmed protesters went on for about 10 minutes and by 1:30pm, the protesters were completely dispersed.

Police arrested five Chhatra Union members from the spot.

PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

Police beat up a female Chhatra Union leader, top, near the Officer’s Club in Dhaka yesterday. Bottom, her fellow male protesters are struck by rifle butts as police in full riot gear charge them, wielding truncheons and shotguns to disperse a peaceful protest against police’s inaction in rounding up the culprits of the Pohela Boishakh assault on women PHOTO: MEHEDI HASAN and MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

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2 NEWS

MONDAY, MAY 11, 2015

Consular team to interview 92 ‘Bangladeshis’ Tribune Report A consular team from the Bangladesh Embassy in Thailand will interview 92 reportedly Bangladeshi nationals who have been kept in Rathaphum police station in Songkhla Province.

The embassy confirmed that the Thai authorities rescued 123 more individuals from the jungle in Thailand on May 8 near the Thai-Malaysian border.

Of the rescued, 92 claimed that they were Bangladeshi nationals.

The team will interview those 92 to gather more information about them to make sure if they are from Bangladesh.

With the ongoing Thai combing operations

Rajuk likely to hand over flats in December 2016 Tribune Report the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) will start handing over its flats to the allottees from December next year, Minister of Housing and Public Works Engineer Mosharraf Hossain said yesterday.

The minister made the statement while visiting Rajuk project area at Sector 18 in Uttara Residential Model Town Third phase in the capital.

Although satisfied over the progress of the construction work, Mosharraf asked high-ups of the Rajuk and the Public Works Department to quicken the work and complete it as soon as possible.

The minister further said those who had withdrawn their deposits earlier would be able to book flats again, adding that the government would accept fresh applications for allotment for the rest of the flats.

He said the government took up the project to construct 100,000 flats in Uttara, Purbachal and Jhilmil suburban areas in 2000.

on traffickers more trafficking victims are expected to be rescued in the days to come, said a press release of the Foreign Ministry.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh Ambassador to Thailand Saida Muna Tasneem and her team met and exchanged views with 15 of those rescued rescued by Thai police from a jungle near the Thai-Malaysia border on May 1.

The ambassador visited a person named Toton Saha, who claimed to be a Bangladeshi, at the Sadao district hospital where he was being treated under police protection.

She spent two hours with Toton enquiring about his well-being, details of his experience about being trafficked to Thailand and his permanent address in Bangladesh for a subse-

quent nationality verification.

The ambassador assured Toton Saha, who said he was from Narayanganj, of a safe repatriation.

Saida Muna Tasneem also visited the protection centre in Ratthaphum district, Songkhla and interviewed 15 more people to verify their nationality.

Of them, a 17-year-old young man had been rescued near the Thai-Malaysian border in an anti-trafficking drive by Thai police.

The ambassador met Songkhla Vice-Governor Ekkarat Leesen and the senior commander of Thai police at the governor’s House.

She thanked the Songkhla administration for taking care of the survivors.

Inu: Media can destroy democracy BSS Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu has said failure of politicians may damage democracy, but the media’s failure could destroy it.

He called upon the media not to evaluate development builders with arsonists.

The minister was speaking at a function yesterday at Karwan Bazar to celebrate 10 years of the founding of Bangla daily Bhorer Pata.

In his speech, the information minister described the mass media as the eternal sentinels of democracy.

Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Rashed Khan Menon was present at the function.

PM: Resolve existing problems of private EPZs BSS Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday directed the authorities concerned to undertake steps in order to resolve the existing problems of two private export processing zones (EPZs) to make them functional.

The prime minister gave the directives at the 18th meeting of the board of governors of Bangladesh Private Export Processing Zone (BPEPZ) held at the Prime Minister’s Office

yesterday, which she chaired herself.

The private EPZs in question are the Korean EPZ and the Rangunia EPZ. PM’s Press Secretary AKM Shameem Chowdhury said the meeting discussed in details the overall progress and existing problems of the EPZs. Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith, Industry Minister Amir Hossain Amu, Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed, Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan, Land Minister Shamsur

Rahman Sharif, Environment and Forests Minister Anwar Hossain Monju, Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anisul Haque, PM’s Economic Affairs Adviser Dr Moshiur Rahman, Executive Chairman of the Board of Investment SA Samad, State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid, Bangladesh Bank Governor Dr Atiur Rahman, Attorney General Mahbube Alam and concerned secretaries were present at the meeting as well.

Goods worth Tk60 crore seized, 12 firearms recovered by BGB in April Tribune Report Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) seized a huge amount of contraband, including drugs worth Tk60.77 crore and 12 firearms, during several operations throughout the country last month.

Illegal goods worth more than Tk45.65 crore were confiscated as they were traded within the

country while goods worth more than Tk15.12 crore were seized while they were being smuggled, said a press release issued by the BGB. The seized materials include bottles of Phensidyl, 5,34,904 pieces of Yaba tablets, 995kg cannabis, 12,48,304 pieces of various medicines and supplies of local and foreign liquor.

The BGB also recovered 12 firearms includ-

ing 8 pistols, two guns, two revolvers, six magazines and 34 rounds of bullets.

In April, the BGB handed over 229 criminals involved in smuggling to police and filed some 2,652 cases related to those crimes.

The press release also said the BGB had rescued 60 women and children from being trafficked.

retary of Jahangirnagar University (JU) unit; Ariful Islam Anik, member of JU unit; Antu Chandra Nath, member of Dhaka unit; and Saddam Hossain Joy, member of Dhaka unit.

Chhatra Union President Hasan Tarek later announced protest marches across the country for today and peaceful strikes at all educational institutions for tomorrow. Over the past month, the leftist student organisation organised a number of human chains and rallies protesting the Boishakh assault on women.

When contacted, Mashiur Rahman, the OC of Ramna police station, told the Dhaka Tribune: “Six police members including Second Officer-in-Charge Kamrul Islam and Inspector Ali Hossain were injured.”

Confirming that they had arrested five leaders and activists of Chhatra Union, the OC said that they were still to decide whether to show them arrested or release them after primary investigation.

“We detained those students because they were assaulting on-duty police members and were trying to obstruct the law enforcers

from performing their duties,” OC Mashiur claimed.

The Dhaka Tribune also contacted Abdul Baten, deputy commissioner of Police’s Ramna Zone, who was leading the policemen during the incident.

He said: “The protesters were obstructing traffic in the area. Police asked them to move away and send their representatives with their demands. But they did not listen to us and created chaos in the VIP area.”

On April 14, several women, who joined the Bangla New Year celebrations, were sexually assaulted by a group of miscreants at Dhaka University’s TSC and Suhrawardy Udyan gate areas.

Liton Nandi, president of DU unit of Chhatra Union, along with other activists were injured while trying to rescue a few of the victims.

When contacted yesterday, police spokesperson Monirul Islam said they had some pictures of the Boishakh attackers but did not have enough proof to identify and arrest them.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Is this all police are good for?

In a press conference at Modhu’s Canteen on DU campus later in the afternoon, Chhatra Union said that at least 34 of their leaders and activists were injured in police beating.

Lucky Akter, general secretary of Chhatra Union, told reporters at the presser: “Over the last 26 days, we have been staging peaceful protest programmes against the assault on women on Bangla New Year’s day … In these 26 days, the police administration has not been able to make the least of progresses in arresting the culprits. On top of that, they clarified their stance in favour of the attackers by questioning the authenticity of the incident.

“Today’s [Sunday] siege was part of a series of peaceful protest programmes to press home a set of six specific demands. Police personnel, obeying orders from the DMP commissioner, lodged a brutal attack on our programme.

“With this attack, the university and police authorities have made it even clearer that they are on the side of the attackers,” said Lucky, who rose to prominence during the

POHELA BOISHAKH ASSAULT TIMELINE

Around 20 women and children were subjected to sexual assault by a number of groups of stalkers on DU campus on April 14 April 15: Police file case April 16: DU authorities and police blame each other April 17: Police claim media exaggerating the incidents April 18: Police form two bodies – to probe police’s role and analysing allegations

April 19: Confusion over withdrawal of SI Ashraful, who released stalkers caught red-handed April 20: Sexual assaults downplayed; DMP chief terms it mere scuffle April 21: Police’s hotline numbers for information on attackers found switched off April 22: Police mark four to five youths from CCTV footage April 23: Police claim most of the info and photos they got are fake April 26: Police probe finds no fault of law enforcers deployed at DU 2013 Shahbagh movement.

The arrested members are Anik Roy, organising secretary of Chhatra Union’s Dhaka city unit; Dipanjan Siddhanta Kajal, general sec-

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NEWS 3

MONDAY, MAY 11, 2015

4,778 new police recruitments get Finance Ministry nod Asif Showkat Kallol The Finance Ministry has recently given its nod to a Home Ministry proposal for creating 4,778 posts in the police force.

Officials said this is part of a plan to recruit 50,000 personnel in police to improve the law and order situation in the country.

The approved recruitments and the associated pays and allowances would cost the state coffer around Tk507 crore every year. If all the 50,000 personnel are to be appointed, the government will have to spend Tk10,000 crore annually.

An official said that the Finance Ministry has not yet approved another request for a Tk500 crore fund for purchasing motor vehicles and building a new police station for these new recruits.

“More than Tk1,000 crore will be a monetary pressure on the budget for the next fiscal year,” the official said.

Khaleda concerned about rule of law in country Tribune Report BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia yesterday expressed concern over the rule of law in the country.

She wondered if any rule of law was really in place. “Nobody is accountable to anyone and nobody takes any responsibility.”

“If a state and its administration can remain silent after the disappearance of an important leader like Salahuddin Ahmed then where is the security of common citizen?” she questioned.

She said this in a press release signed by party spokesperson Asaduzzzaman Ripon.

The BNP chairperson demanded immediate return of Salahuddin to his family members and to ensure security, safety, rights to justice for all the citizens.

She demanded restoration of the rule of law and institutional norms in every sphere of life.

BNP Joint Secretary General Salahuddin Ahmed has gone missing for the last two months.

His family members alleged that law enforcers picked him up from a house of capital’s Uttara area.

The law enforcers, however, have repeatedly denied the allegation.

Khaleda alleged that law enforcers picked up many BNP leaders including Ilyas Ali, Chowdhury Alam and Saiful Islam Hiru who have never returned.

“Relatives of those leaders are passing their days in deep concern. They do not know whether their beloved ones became victims of extrajudicial killings,” the release said.

She also alleged that Salahuddin’s wife went to police station to lodge a case but police did not register the case but they filed a general diary instead.

According to Finance Division sources, Finance Minister AMA Muhith signed the summary of the police directorate proposal after returning from the Asian Development Bank annual meeting in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan.

The proposal says that the 4,778 include 156 cadre and 664 non-cadre posts. The remaining manpower will be appointed for the Armed Police Battalion (APBn), Gazipur Metropolitan Police, Rangpur Metropolitan Police and the Dhaka Range. Of these, Rangpur will get the highest 2,370 new recruits.

The Home Ministry will get the necessary approvals from the committee of secretaries and the Public Administration Ministry before making the appointments. The cadre posts will be created under the BCS (Police) Composition and Cadre Rules 1980, the proposal says.

A letter – that the Dhaka Tribune has accessed – sent by Finance Minister Muhith to the Expenditure Control Department reads: “During a meeting in my office, State Minister for

Home Affairs Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and the inspector general of police discussed creating 4,778 and the disbursement of Tk518 crore for procuring motor vehicles.”

The minister’s letter also said that he had not yet given his consent about the procurement of vehicles because he was yet to discuss the matter with the Expenditure Control Department.

In February, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressed her resolve to bring all militants and terrorists to book and announced that 50,000 people would be appointed in the police force.

Hasina also said that over the last five years, her government had created more than 31,000 new posts, including 614 cadre posts.

A Home Ministry official said that the Public Administration Ministry had been processing the creation of 32,563 posts and the Finance Division had approved 4,778 posts.

But the police directorate has not yet sent any proposal regarding creating the remaining 13,039 posts, the official said.

HC: Stop pornography in social media, mobile service Ashif Islam Shaon The High Court yesterday directed the government to stop the spread of pornography contents by mobile phone content providers and in social media within seven days.

The bench of Justice Moyeenul Islam Chowdhury and Justice Md Ashraful Kamal issued the order following a writ petition filed by Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh.

The court also asking the government to explain in four weeks why its inaction to stop such activities should not be declared illegal.

The chairman of Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission and the secretary to the Information Ministry will have to take steps to comply with the directives.

Manzill Murshed, counsel for the petitioner, said these are punitive offences under the Pornography Act, 2012 and the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Act of 2006.

“More people are losing morality nowadays due to such trend. The authorities have not taken any effective steps to stop such illegal activities,” he said.

Sluggish progress in gold smuggling cases Mohammad Jamil Khan The Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport continues to be a sieve for smuggled gold, as corrupt employees and authorities collude together to sneak in the product evading the eyes of law.

Their causes are being helped as many gold smuggling cases remain in limbo in the courts, while the majority of detained smugglers are allowed to go free on bail.

Despite regularly catching smugglers red-handed, the failure to identify and arrest the ring leaders have also allowed the illegal business to flourish and grow over the years.

Asked about the failure to make progress in gold smuggling cases, both police and customs intelligence officials blamed the existing system of legal processing for the detained smugglers.

Mostafizur Rahman, joint director of customs intelligence, said the customs officials have no other authority than to apprehend the smugglers from the airport; following the detainment, the responsibility is handed over to the police force – who then file the necessary case, carry out investigation and submit the charge sheet to the court.

“If punishment was ensured by submitting charge sheet in each of the smuggling cases,

then it would strike fear among the smugglers and the situation would be brought under control,” added Mostafiz.

Many of the criminals who go on to have their day in court, eventually manage to secure bail from the High Court, even though all gold smuggling cases are filed under the Special Powers Act – the section 25 (b) 1 (b) of which makes it a non-bailable case.

Seeking anonymity, a lawyer who specialises in criminal cases, said: “Any person facing a case under this act is not generally allowed bail. The lower court has never granted bail to any accused in such cases.

“But the accused gets bail from the High Court because of the police’s failure to investigate such cases properly or to present proper evidence against them [smugglers],” he added.

However, Shaikh Nazmul Alam, deputy commissioner of DB police, said the police were thoroughly continuing their investigation into all gold smuggling cases and were hopeful of wrapping them all up shortly.

Even though airlines officials or airport staffs have often been found involved in the gold smuggling ring, little has been done by authorities concerned to screen the employees.

Seven top officials of Biman Bangladesh

Airlines – suspected of acting behind the gold smuggling scene – were arrested last year; but no charge sheet has so far been filed against them.

Customs intelligence sources said between July 2013 and April 2015, about 1,000kg of gold worth Tk500 crore had been recovered from the Dhaka airport.

During this time, arrests were made in only 25 incidents; the culprits managed to secure bail in each case as they were caught with only small amounts of gold.

However, during the past three years, large amounts of gold had been found in abandoned states inside different aircrafts with no clues regarding who might have left it there. The suspicion has always been towards airlines officials or flight crews, but little proof has so far been found.

During this time, customs officials have filed at least 90 cases regarding large-scale gold hauls where no culprit was identified; investigation of all these cases remain pending.

At least 118 cases were filed in 2014 alone, but investigation report of only 87 of those cases have been filed so far. The rest of the cases continue to be investigated by Criminal Investigation Department and Detective Branch of police.

HC summons 3 factory officials over baby birth in toilet Ashif Islam Shaon The High Court yesterday summoned three officials of a footwear factory in Gazipur’s Kaliakair in connection with not granting a female worker leave who was in labour.

Managing Director of Apex Footwear Factory Syed Nasim Manzur, Product Inspector Azizur Rahman and Supervisor Ratan Mia were summoned a day after the worker, Hamida Akhter, was forced to give birth to her

baby in a toilet of the factory.

But the newborn was declared dead after it was taken to a local hospital. The three officials were asked to appear in court on May 24 and explain their roles in the incident.

The High Court bench of Justice Dr Quazi Reza-Ul Hoque and Justice Abu Taher Md Saifur Rahman also directed the Kaliakair upazila nirbahi officer to carry out an inquiry into the incident and submit the report on May 24.

Deputy Attorney General Tapash Kumar Biswas told reporters that the court summoned the three officials after Hamida’s story was published in a Bangla daily on Sunday.

The report said Hamida on Saturday afternoon had urged the supervisor for granting her a maternity leave after she had been feeling unwell but he refused to approve it.

Ratan had rather asked Hamida to go back to work, according to the report.

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MONDAY, MAY 11, 2015

DB uniform found at Ashulia robbers’ den Kamrul Hasan Ashulia police have busted a “safe home” of robbers that was used allegedly for hiding after committing robbery.

The police also found several jackets used by the Detective Branch of police along with fake medicine and a large amount of bottles of energy-boosting oil in the house, owned by Shajahan Mia at Aragaon village.

The house is situated only two and a half

kilometres from the Bangladesh Commerce Bank branch that was robbed on April 21.

However, police could not arrest the owner of the tin-shed house. His wife Hasina Begum could not give any information as to his whereabouts. Their three sons study at a local madrasa.

Assistant Superintendent of Police (Savar circle) Nazmul Hasan said Shajahan’s wife and sons had been kept under surveillance.

Police searched the house following infor-

mation given by one of the robbers held on Saturday, the ASP said. Nazmul did not reveal identity of the robber. A team of Ashulia police started searching the area around 5:30am and located the house around 8am.

“It took us much time to find the house as two women in veils misled the police during the operation,” the ASP said.

Police suspect the robbers might wear the DB-inscribed jackets to escape or commit other crimes.

“Three of the robbers, having stains of blood of the people they killed, hid in this den after the robbery,” Nazmul said.

Police have so far arrested eight people for their suspected link to the robbery in Savar when seven locals were killed for resisting them. A robber held by the locals was lynched.

Earlier, police said members of Islamist militant group Ansarullah Bangla Team or JMB were behind the robbery.

Minister: Country’s assets grow but not utilised properly Shadma Malik Terming the upcoming budget optimistic, State Minister for Finance MA Mannan yesterday said it would mainly focus on implementing the new pay scale that requires around Tk14,000 crore.

The junior minister also mentioned that country’s assets had grown gradually but “we are not utilising it properly. Most of the time we are investing in the wrong sectors from where we will never get anything in return.”

He made the remarks at a roundtable titled “Economic Decentralisation and Local Governance Budget” organised

by Municipal Association of Bangladesh (MAB) held at the National Press Club. The MAB advocates for decentralising budgetary allocation.

The government can implement the budget properly with the support of the civil society, he said.

Mannan also emphasised on eliminating discrimination in allocating budget for rural and urban areas. “It is a concern for the government that most of the development activities take place in the capital.”

He said the tax net would be increased in the next budget.

Shamim Al Rizvi, secretary general of MAB, said the objectives of the budget could be fulfilled if the municipalities were made stronger. He also demanded that the loopholes in audit of municipalities be removed.

Referring to Bangladesh’s earning foreign exchange worth around $12b from the readymade garments sector last year, Rizvi said 40% of the amount was earned by factories in Gazipur.

“If the local government bodies are supported by the government, then road and infrastructure will be developed while agriculture will get a boost too,” he added.

AIUB organises MPH research workshop and career seminar Tribune Report The Department of Public Health of American International University Bangladesh (AIUB) arranged a career seminar and a research workshop on May 8 on public health on its campus in the capital.

More than 250 participants attended the programme which was inaugurated by Professor Charles Villanueva, Pro-VC of AIUB along with Professor Ahmed Neaz, Professor Md Nazrul Islam, Dr M Sadikur Rahman and Dr Mohammad Aurangzeb.

Special guest Dr M Sadikur Rahman, director of Central Police Hospital described the importance of public health and career opportunities in the future. Dr Mohammad Nazrul Islam, former head of the Department of Maternal and

Child Health and course director of NIPSOM, conducted the research methodology workshop as chief facilitator.

Dr A K M Musha, country director of Concern Worldwide and Dr Zahangir Hosssain, program director of CARE Bangladesh shared their valuable opinion and experience regarding public health career in the career seminar.

Closing ceremony and prize distribution was conducted by Dr Mohammad Aurangzeb with vote of thanks by Professor Tazul Islam, dean, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. The programme ended with a speech from Professor Tafazzal Hossain, vice president, Academics, AIUB. The Dhaka Tribune, Radio Today, Channel i, and Aquafina were the partners of this programme.

Bangladesh Basic Graduate Nurses Society brings out a rally on Dhaka University campus yesterday demanding recruitment in government jobs MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

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MONDAY, MAY 11, 2015

Seven-murder accused Nur Hossain sacked as councillor Shohel Mamun

Annisul Huq, left, and Sayeed Khokon, the newly-elected mayors of Dhaka North and South respectively, exchange views at a reception in the Raowa Club in the capital’s Mohakhali yesterday DHAKA TRIBUNE

Mayor urges PPP investment for Dhaka infrastructure Tribune Report DSCC Mayor Sayeed Khokon urged businesspeople to invest in public-private partnership ventures for developing Dhaka’s infrastructures and making the capital a liveable city.

“There is a lot of opportunities in PPP investment and your investment will be secure,” said the newly elected mayor of Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) at a reception program accorded by trade bodies the BGMEA, the BKMEA and the BTMA. Even though Dhaka is a problem-prone city, the root of its troubles were known and would be solved with everyone’s cooperation, he added.

Also present there, Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Mayor Annisul Huq said: “I will try to keep my pledges with honesty and introduce facilities for city dwellers to make their lives comfortable.”

Business leaders present at the programme urged the Dhaka mayors to develop the city’s infrastructure to ensure smooth business op-

eration and healthier and friendly living opportunities.

They also requested the mayors to reduce tax rates for businesses, in order to allowing them to grow rapidly.

“Cost of doing business went up manifold and if you [mayors] make the Dhaka city free from traffic congestion, it will bring down cost,” said BGMEA President Atiqul Islam.

BTMA President Tapan Chowdhury said: “Bring some changes, not only for the business community but also for the all walks of life.”

“Set the target and take steps; the businesspeople will extend their helping hand to make the city liveable,” said Abdus Salam Murshedy, president of Exporters Association of Bangladesh.

BKMEA President Nasim Osman, International Chamber of Commerce Bangladesh President Mahbubur Rahman, Bangladesh Federation of Women Entrepreneurs President Rokeya Afzal, BGMEA Vice-Presidents Shahidullah Azim and Reaz-Bin-Mahmood also attended the programme.

HC orders arrest of wife-beating man in Lohagara Ashif Islam Shaon The High Court has ordered Narail police to arrest the man who tortured his wife by tying her up to a tree in the district’s Lohagara upazila.

The bench of Justice Quazi Reza-Ul Hoque and Justice Abu Taher Md Saifur Rahman passed the order yesterday and told police to arrest the accused within 48 hours.

The court also directed the deputy commissioner of Narail and the OC of Lohagara police station to submit a report on May 18 on whether the accused have been arrested or not.

The order came following a writ petition filed by Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh seeking the arrest of the accused.

Besides, the court asked the district’s deputy commissioner and superintendent of police, as well as the upazila nirbahi officer of Lohagara

and all authorities concerned to ensure proper medical treatment and security for the victim.

The accused, Shafiqul Sheikh, along with some family members, allegedly tied up his wife Bobita Khanam to a tree trunk and beat her on suspicion of stealing in Salbarad village on April 30.

At one point of the torture, Bobita fell unconscious, and her husband locked her up inside a shop in a village market nearby. The police rescued Bobita after they were notified. She is now being treated at Narail Sadar Hospital.

Bobita’s mother filed a case with Lohagara police station under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act, while the police arrested two people on May 5.

The court also issued a ruling asking the government why legal action should not be taken against the accused.

The government has dismissed Narayanganj City Corporation councillor of ward 4 Nur Hossain from the position for his conviction in a case under the Wildlife Conservation Act 2012.

A circular, signed by Senior Assistant Secretary Jasim Uddin Haider of the Local Government Division, yesterday also requested the Election Commission to take measures for filling the vacant position within 90 days.

Nur, a charge-sheeted prime accused in Narayanganj seven murders, was removed from his post in line with section 12 of the City Corporation Act 2009.

On September 30 last year, a Narayanganj court sentenced him to a year in jail for possessing 41 types of animals in violation of the law.

Police raided his Narayanganj residence on

May 15 last year and found the animals. They also recovered 3,500 phensidyl bottles, 37 beer cans, nine liquor bottles and seven sharp weapons from five shops owned by the accused.

Siddhirganj Awami League relieved him from the post of vice-president of the unit on May 10 last year and recommended expulsion for his involvement in the abduction and murder of seven people.

Nur is now in Kolkata jail following his arrest there on June 14 last year for illegal entry and possession of arms. The government has since been trying for his extradition.

Nur was sued for the abductions and subsequent killings of seven people including Narayanganj panel mayor Nazrul Islam last year.

The DB submitted charge sheet in the sensational case on April 8.

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MONDAY, MAY 11, 2015

Pilot project on Dhaka-Sylhet 4 outlawed party men arrested Highway a success, zero road accident in 5 months Our Correspondent, Tangail

Our Correspondent, Narsingdi Road mishaps in three accident-prone areas of Narsingdi on the Dhaka-Sylhet Highway have significantly been reduced thanks to a pilot project launched by a non-governmental organisation.

Among the highways in the country, the Dhaka-Sylhet highway has been infamous for frequent road accidents. Roads and Highways Department (RHD) identified at least 11 accident-prone areas on this highway and has been working to improve the blind spots.

Road Safety Demonstration Pilot Project, implemented by the Centre for Injury Prevention and Research Bangladesh (CIPRB) with support from the Netherlands-based non-profit organisation Safe Crossing, worked in three risky areas – Nilkuthi, Kundarpara and Namapara on the highway.

The pilot project set up improved signage, road marking, rumble strip, zebra crossing, speed breaker, parking and bus bays at those three spots. At the same time campaigns and informative initiatives have been taken to educate drivers, pedestrians and general people.

As part of the campaigns leaflets are distributed, children are trained and shown vid-

eos on safe road crossing and vehicle drivers are given orientation on safe driving.

Professor Md Mazharul Haq of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) said: “The pilot project has already borne fruits. In the last five months, there has been no road accidents in those areas. In 2014, before the project began, at least 12 people died in road accidents on that highway.”

“It has been possible by involving people, especially the drivers and pedestrians, and encouraging them to follow traffic rules,” he added.

The pilot project, which started on January 2015 and will continue for two years, was formally inaugurated on May 9. RHD Chief Engineer M Firoz Iqbal, senior officials of the department, CIPRB Executive Director AKM Fazlur Rahman and Executive Engineer of Narsingdi RHD Md Moniruzzaman were present among others.

Talking about the initiative, AKM Fazlur Rahman hoped that this would be imitated by private and government organisations to check road accidents in other parts of the country.

RHD Chief Engineer M Firoz Iqbal told the Dhaka Tribune that they had already planned to replicate the project in other highways gradually.

Sodullapur Model Government Primary School brings out a rally on World Mother’s Day 2015 yesterday in collaboration with Department of Women Affairs and Education Office of Sodullapur upazila in Gaibandha DHAKA TRIBUNE

Call on Mother’s Day: Make Barisal women-friendly Our Correspondent, Barisal The environment in Barisal must be made safe and friendly for women, speakers made the call at a programme arranged by Bangladesh Girl Guides Association on the occasion of Mother’s Day 2015 yesterday.

The zone should be made free of all kinds of threats and stalkers and mothers must be provided with necessary facilities so that they can nurture their children as good citizens, they said.

Mothers must have the confidence that their upbringing would result in a grown up who will be self-dependent and will be able to help others, they observed adding that if

mothers remain happy the children will be enlightened more.

The programme took place at Gournadi Pilot School and Barisal Islamia College premises yesterday. With the attendance of a number of mothers and children, the programme featured discussions, quiz competitions and award giving ceremonies.

Gournadi Upazila Nirbahi Officer Masud Hasan Patowary, Prof Mohsin Ul Islam Habul, acting Principal of Barisal Islamia College were chief guests at the programmes presided over

by Nigar Sultana, Gournadi Girl Guides Association Commissioner and Prof Dinara Begum, teacher of Barisal Islamia College respectively.

At least four members of outlawed Purba Bangla Communist Party ML (Lal Pataka) were arrested with firearms by Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) in Tangail early yesterday.

The arrested were identified as Md Afzal Hossain,32, regional leader of the party and his team members Md Abul Hossain,45, Md Abdur Rahman,32, and Md Abdur Rahim,26, of Beguntal village in Sadar upazila.

Additional Superintendent of Police Muhammad Mohiuddin Faruquee also commander of Crime Prevention Companny-3 of RAB said, on a tip-off, a team of RAB conduct-

ed a drive in the house of Afzal Hossain in Beguntal village around 5am.

When we tried to enter the house breaking open the door, Afzal opened fire on the RAB personnel.

The law enforcers caught him red handed with two US made 7.65mm pistol, five bullets and two magazines.

Following his confessional statement, three others were arrested from several houses.

The arrested were involved with the outlawed party and warranted fugitive, said Mohiuddin Faurquee.

A case was filed with Tangail Model police station.

DT

NEWS 7

MONDAY, MAY 11, 2015

AL leaders: Khulna to be economic model by 2018

Chemically treated mango, lychee flood Rajshahi markets

Our Correspondent, Khulna Local senior leaders from the ruling party Awami League in a programme yesterday opined that the district would be the glaring example of the country’s economic development by 2018.

They urged the ordinary people to be cautious against any bar created by the vested quarters to the development projects being implemented there.

The speakers made the remarks while addressing a rally hosted by the local unit AL to thank the government for taking several development projects there.

The event was presided over by city unit AL President and former lawmaker Talukder Abdul Khalek while district unit AL President and district administrator Sheikh Harunur Rashid was as the chief guest.

Pointing at the LBA ratification, the speakers said India is a trusted state from Bangladesh.

The neighbouring country has extended its helping hands during the junctures of Bangladesh, they went on.

Our Correspondent, Rajshahi A group of unscrupulous traders in Rajshahi are using toxic chemicals to artificially ripen mango and lychee posing a serious health hazards to the consumers.

Sources sad fruit growers and traders are using various harmful chemicals such as growth hormones, insecticides, carbide and formalin to get their produce out in the market before the season begins. This allows them to charge high price from consumers who are also eager to try out these seasonal fruits.

Conscious consumers, however, expressed worry about the use of harmful chemicals and urged authorities to take action against the dishonest traders.

“Though the main season for mangoes and lychees is yet to come, they are appearing in

the markets in large numbers and consumers are also buying them to get an early taste,” said Ataur Rahman, a Rajshahi city dweller.

Tanjima Khandaker, a school teacher told the Dhaka Tribune: “I have bought some hundred lychees and 2 kg of mangoes as my children demanded but I am worried of serious health problem thinking that the fruits might be adulterated with harmful chemicals.”

A fruit vendor in Katakhali bazaar near Rajshahi city, Sazzad Hossain, said some chemicals usually gave the fruits a lucrative and fresh look and that was why he used them.

The chemically adulterated mangoes and lychees are being found at almost all upazila markets of Rajshahi district.

Sources said carbide, copper sulphate, different kinds of textile dyes and pesticides, which are readily available at all drug stores,

Houses of murder accused demolished, looted

WEATHER

Our Correspondent, Habiganj

THUNDERSHOWER WITH RAIN

MONDAY, MAY 11 DHAKA TODAY

TOMORROW

SUN SETS 6:32PM

SUN RISES 5:17AM

FORECAST FOR TODAY Dhaka

34

26

Chittagong

34

26

Rajshahi

35

26

Rangpur

33

24

Khulna

35

25

Barisal

34

26

Sylhet

32

24

Cox’s Bazar

33

26

YESTERDAY’S HIGH AND LOW

36.4ºC

19.5ºC

Mongla

Tangail Source: Accuweather/UNB

PRAYER TIMES Fajr

3:52am

Sunrise

5:17am

Zohr

11:55am

Asr

4:33pm

Magrib

6:32pm

Esha

are very popular among the food traders and growers.

“These chemicals are harmful to human health. They can cause kidney and liver related diseases and even cancer if consumed for long. Children are the worst victims of this malpractice,” said Monowar Hossain, a professor of pathology at Rajshahi Medical College.

Though the Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC) is supposed to visit and test the quality of the products sold at city markets, it has no mechanism or method to do so, said Ajhar Ali, chief executive of RCC. Rajshahi Deputy Commissioner Mejbah Uddin Chowdhury however assured the Dhaka Tribune that the mobile courts would soon launch a drive against the unscrupulous traders.

8:02pm SourceL IslamicFinder.org

Chittagong Mayor AJM Nasir Uddin and former mayor M Manjur Alam, who both ran for mayor in the just concluded city corporation polls in Chittagong exchanged greetings when they meet yesterday DHAKA TRIBUNE

Nasir: I welcome suggestions from my predecessors Tarek Mahmud, Chittagong Chittagong Mayor AJM Nasir Uddin said he would welcome suggestions from the former mayors to build the port city as a green megacity, after paying a courtesy visit to his immediate predecessor M Manjur Alam yesterday.

Meeting with Manjur at his residence in Kattali area around 11:30am, Nasir also sought Manjur’s cooperation to achieve his goal.

Nasir and Manjur, who both ran for mayor in the recent city corporation polls in Chittagong, shook hands and embraced each other when they met. They were seen having pleasant conversation throughout the 40-minute visit.

Talking to reporters, the newly elected mayor said: “It is not possible for a man to do everything alone; everyone’s cooperation is needed to run the city corporation. Manjur has the experience of running the corporation. I hope I will be able to turn the city into a green megacity with the help from Manjur, as well as ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury.”

He also said corruption would not be able to touch him while he was mayor.

“I took oath along with the two Dhaka mayors on May 6. However, I have to wait around two months to officially take office due to legal formalities. Nonetheless, I am already in touch with the officials of the city corporation and the local government. I have already identified various problems in the city.”

Manjur also said he would help the new mayor in the Chitagong’s development.

“It has become customary that the newly elected mayor exchange pleasantries with the outgoing one. I did the same with my predecessor Mohiuddin Chowdhury. The friendly terms among politicians will help develop the country’s political culture.

“I ran the city corporation for a long while.

Social welfare runs in my blood. The city corporation is like a family, and 6,000,000 people are linked with it. If I am asked, I will extend all my support and cooperation to the newly elected mayor.”

Nasir was accompanied by Awami League lawmakers MA Latif and Didarul Alam, and Peshajibi Samannay Parishad’s General Secretary Riaz Haider on the visit, among others.

The houses of two murder accused in a village in Habiganj have been destroyed but whether it was a retaliatory attack made by someone related to the victim remains unclear.

Minhaz Uddin Lechu and Badu Mia and their family members are among the 19 people accused in the murder case of Shamsuddin Ahmed, who was their neighbour.

Shamsuddin, a resident of Eralia village in Baniachang upazila, was killed over a trivial matter of cutting off tree branches on April 18.

Two of the 19 accused in the case were arrested soon after the murder while the rest are on the run since the case was lodged.

Lechu and Badu have had their houses knocked down on Friday and the attackers also looted cash, gold ornaments, furniture and cattle.

Lechu’s son Kaiser claimed his family alone incurred a loss of Tk70-80 lakh because of the demolition of his father’s abode.

But he did not accuse Shamsuddin’s family of the ravages and claimed there was no dispute between Shamsuddin and his father.

“My father’s relation with some locals turned sour over choosing a headman for our locality which is why he and his family members were accused of Shamsuddin’s killing.”

Shamsuddin’s sister Sakhina Begum claimed the accused flattened their houses themselves to have their names removed from the lawsuit.

But she kept mum when asked how the accused who had absconded after the killing could bring their own houses down.

Rafiqul Islam Palash, son of Shamsuddin, said the general people had razed the houses to the ground but could not specify anyone who had done this.

He just said he wanted justice for his father’s murder.

The local union parishad chairman refused to comment on the incident while police said they were unaware of the destruction of homes of the accused.

DT

8 WORLD

MONDAY, MAY 11, 2015

Typhoon lashes northeast Philippines, landslides feared Reuters Typhoon Noul crashed ashore on the northeastern tip of the Philippines yesterday, as officials warned of landslides and called on residents along the coast to evacuate to safer ground.

The category five storm packed winds of up to 185 kph (115 mph) near the center, with gusts of up to 220 kph. It made landfall in the rice-producing province of Cagayan about 400 km (250 miles) north of the capital, Manila, the weather bureau said.

Power was cut in Tuguegarao city, the capital of the province of around a million inhabitants. The typhoon is expected to move northwest at 17 kph and head towards southern Japan on Tuesday.

“We strongly advise pre-emptive evacuation while we still have time, and we expect there will be a confluence of events - a high tide, heavy rainfall in the mountains, the possibility of a storm surge and strong winds,” Alexander Pama, head of the national disaster agency, told a news briefing before the typhoon hit land.

The typhoon was expected to trigger landslides and flash floods in parts of the Cagayan Valley, the weather bureau said, adding that heavy to intense rainfall was likely within the typhoon’s 100 km diameter.

More than 5,000 passengers and about 100 vessels were stranded in ports on Saturday, mostly along the eastern seaboard. Airline Cebu Pacific canceled at least six domestic flights to the northern Philippines.

Officials in northern Philippine provinces

Residents along Manila Bay repair the roofs of their homes yesterday in anticipation of Typhoon Noul as it approaches the northern Philippines. More than 2,000 people were fleeing their homes as Typhoon Noul approached the northern Philippines, triggering warnings of possible flash floods, landslides and tsunami-like storm surges AFP have alerted rescue units and positioned relief goods. The government readied trucks to ferry people away from low-lying and floodprone areas.

An average of 20 typhoons cross the Philippines each year, with the storms becoming fiercer in recent years. More than 8,000 people died or went missing and about a million

Russian soldiers quit over Ukraine Reuters, Moscow/Donetsk Some Russian soldiers are quitting the army because of the conflict in Ukraine, several soldiers and human rights activists have told Reuters. Their accounts call into question the Kremlin’s continued assertions that no Russian soldiers have been sent to Ukraine, and that any Russians fighting alongside rebels there are volunteers.

Evidence for Russians fighting in Ukraine – Russian army equipment found in the country, testimony from soldiers’ families and from Ukrainians who say they were captured by Russian paratroopers – is abundant.

Associates of Boris Nemtsov, a prominent Kremlin critic killed in February, will soon publish a report which they say will contain new evidence of the Russian military presence in Ukraine.

Until now, however, it has been extremely rare to find Russian soldiers who have fought there and are willing to talk. It is even rarer to find soldiers who have quit the army. Five soldiers who recently quit, including two who said they left rather than serve in Ukraine, have told Reuters of their experiences.

One of the five, from Moscow, said he was sent on exercises in southern Russia last year but ended up going into Ukraine in an armored convoy.

“After we crossed the border, a lieuten-

ant colonel said we could be sent to jail if we didn’t fulfil orders. Some soldiers refused to stay there,” said the soldier, who served with the elite Russian Kantemirovskaya tank division. He gave Reuters his full name but spoke on condition of anonymity, saying he feared reprisals.

He said he knew two soldiers who refused to stay. “They were taken somewhere. The lieutenant colonel said criminal cases were opened against them but in reality – we called them afterwards – they were at home. They just quit.”

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly denied that Moscow has sent any military forces to help rebels in eastern Ukraine. Officials say that any Russian soldiers fighting in Ukraine are “volunteers,” helping the rebels of their own free will.

The former tank soldier from Moscow said he would not have gone to Ukraine voluntarily. “No, what for? That’s not our war. If our troops were officially there it would be a different story.”

He said he had been sent to fight in Ukraine last summer and returned to Russia in September when the first peace talks took place. His crew operated a modernized Russian T-72B3 tank, he said. “[Back in Russia] we were lined up and told that everyone would get a daily allowance, extras for fighting and medals,” he said.

But he said that they did not get the extras they expected. “We decided to quit. There were 14 of us.”

The names of nine soldiers who quit the Kantemirovskaya division are mentioned in an exchange of letters between Viktor Miskovets, the head of the human resources department of Russia’s Western Military District, and Valentina Melnikova, who runs the Alliance of Soldiers’ Mothers Committees, a group based in Moscow.

The soldiers left the service on December 12, according to a letter signed by Miskovets.

He and his deputy did not answer calls.

Field Conditions

Another soldier who said he quit the army over the Ukraine conflict is a 21-year-old who was a member of a Grad missile unit.

He told Reuters that in the summer of 2014 his team took up position about 2 km from the Ukrainian border in the Rostov region of southwest Russia. “We drove there without insignia. We took off all the buttonholes and stripes. We were told that we did not need them in field conditions.”

In early September the men were ordered to fire their rockets at a target “about 17 km” away, “maybe less.” It was possible the target was in Ukraine, he said.

“I was hoping I did not aim at any people.

Or at least that I missed the target.”

were made homeless by Haiyan, another category 5 typhoon that struck the central Philippines in 2013, bringing 5-metre high storm surges.

Indian Maoist rebels kill 1, release 250 AP, Patna, India Maoist rebels killed one villager and released around 250 others they had held for a day to stop the construction of a bridge in central India, police said yesterday.

The rebels accused one of the villagers of being a police informer before killing him, said RK Vij, inspector general of police in Chhattisgarh state. No other details were immediately available about the man who was killed.

Turkish PM visits Ottoman tomb in Syria AFP Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu travelled into Syria yesterday to visit a relocated historic tomb inside the country, his office said.

The trip, which was not announced in advance, is the first such visit by a Turkish political leader to the tomb of Suleyman Shah, grandfather of the Ottoman empire’s founder Osman I, just 200 metres (650 feet) from the Turkish border inside Syrian territory.

The latest visit comes amid speculation that Turkey is preparing to intervene militarily in Syria, a claim rejected by Davutoglu.

DT

WORLD 9

MONDAY, MAY 11, 2015

Castro to thank pope for US mediation role AFP, Vatican City Cuban President Raul Castro arrived at the Vatican yesterday to thank Pope Francis for his role in brokering the rapprochement between Havana and Washington.

The first South American pope played a key role in secret negotiations between the United States and Cuba that led to the surprise announcement in December that they would seek to restore diplomatic ties after more than 50 years of tensions.

Castro, who was accompanied by his Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla, was due to hold a “strictly private” meeting with the pontiff in a small room adjoining the Paul VI Audience Hall, where large gatherings are held in the Vatican.

The Holy See has said the Argentine pope personally mediated between the two sides, and the Vatican hosted delegations from the two countries in October.

Key suspect in Philippine massacre gets hero’s welcome A Southern Popular Resistance fighter secures a street during fighting against Houthi fighters in Yemen’s southern port city of Aden on Saturday

REUTERS

Yemen’s Houthis accept Saudi truce Reuters Yemen’s dominant Houthi group accepted yesterday a five-day humanitarian ceasefire proposed by its adversary Saudi Arabia but said it would respond to any violations of the pause.

Neighboring Saudi Arabia had said on Friday that the ceasefire could begin on Tuesday if the Iranian-allied militia agreed to the pause, which would let in badly needed food and medical supplies.

Backed by the United States, a Saudi-led coalition has been conducting air strikes against the Houthis and army units loyal to ex-president Ali Abdullah Saleh since March 26 with the aim of restoring the government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi.

“We will deal positively with any efforts, calls or serious and positive measures that would help lift the suffering and allow aid, supplies and ships to move safely to Yemen,” the Houthis said in a statement carried by state media Saba.Colonel Sharaf Luqman, spokesperson for the Houthi-allied army, said yesterday Yemeni forces had agreed to the truce but would confront any attacks by Hadi loyalists on battlefronts which stretch across much of the impoverished country.

The Houthis say their campaign is aimed at defeating al-Qaeda militants based in Yemen and accuse Hadi’s forces of supporting the group.

Arab planes bombed for a second day in a row the vast compound in the capital Sanaa

which is home to ex-president Saleh, a key player in Yemen’s political crisis whose loyalists in the army fight on the Houthis’ side.

Saleh, a wily political operator, appeared unscathed and stood before the ruins of his political residence to taunt Saudi Arabia in remarks televised by his TV channel, Yemen Today. “It isn’t just me who is being targeted but every citizen ... This aggression is cowardly. Go ahead and come by land, we’ll make a welcome for you,” Saleh, wearing sunglasses, said calmly.

Arab air strikes also hit weapons caches at a military base and a presidential palace in the southern city of Aden, the epicenter of fighting for more than six weeks, and southern fighters questioned the proposed pause.

Rohingya boat people rescued off Indonesia AP, Jakarta Boats carrying more than 500 members of Myanmar’s long-persecuted Rohingya Muslim community washed ashore in western Indonesia yesterday, with some people in need of medical attention, officials and a nonprofit organization said. They warned that thousands more are believed to be stranded at sea.

Steve Hamilton, deputy chief of mission at the International Organization for Migration in Jakarta, Indonesia’s capital, said his teams were racing to the Aceh province sub-district of Seunuddon, where the boats landed.

Of the four boats found, three had apparently been abandoned by the smugglers and the other ran out of fuel, he said.

Most of those on the boats were Rohingya, but there were also some Bangladeshis on board, Hamilton said.

“We had nothing to eat,” said Rashid Ahmed, a 43-year-old Rohingya man who was

AFP One of the key defendants in the Philippines’ worst political massacre returned home to a hero’s welcome yesterday following his release on bail after five years in prison.

Sajid Ampatuan, whose politically-influential family is suspected of ordering the murder of 58 people in the southern island of Mindanao in 2009, was greeted by hordes of supporters and a huge feast at the home of a political ally in the troubled region.

“It’s a mix of emotions. I’m happy now but I’m sad because my dad and siblings are still in prison,” he said.

They are also on trial for the killings that shocked the world.

The court granted Sajid Ampatuan a provisional release in March, ruling against the government which wanted to keep him in prison along with more than 100 other suspects in the slaughter.

The bail petitions for the other Ampatuans are still pending.

Five killed in Swiss shooting AFP

Ethnic Rohingya women and children whose boats were washed ashore on Sumatra Island board a military truck to be taken to a temporary shelter in Aceh, Indonesia yesterday AP on one of the boats. He said he left Myanmar’s troubled state of Rakhine with his eldest son three months ago.

“There were about 20 children on our boat — they were so hungry,” he said, crying as he

spoke to The Associated Press by phone. “All we could do was pray.”

The Rohingya have for decades suffered from state-sanctioned discrimination in Myanmar.

Five people were killed in a shooting in northern Switzerland, police said yesterday.

The shooting on Saturday evening in the town of Wuerenlingen, was linked to a personal conflict, police said.

All the victims, including the shooter, were Swiss. Police have ruled out a terrorist angle.

He said the shooter was a 36-year-old Swiss national but did not reveal his identity. Local media reports described him as a policeman and father of three.

He did not have a gun licence and did not fire with a police weapon, the police said.

“This is not possible, we are after all the richest and happiest country in the world,” said the German-language Swiss newspaper Blick.

Switzerland is one of the world’s top countries in terms of the circulation of firearms, after the United States, Yemen and Serbia.

DT

10 WORLD

MONDAY, MAY 11, 2015

European ministers mull migrant tide AFP Defence ministers from five EU countries met yesterday on a military campaign to stop human trafficking and reinforce the region’s defences against the flow of migrants from North Africa.

Officials from France, Germany, Poland, Italy and Spain will use events commemorating the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Lorient, western France, to discuss how to battle the new threat facing Europe that has already cost thousands of lives.

After some of the most deadly migrant shipwrecks ever seen in the Mediterranean this year, the ministers “will examine possible options for European [military] action,” according to the French defence ministry.

But critics say military action in Libyan waters or to stop a vessel flying the country’s flag without an international mandate would break international law.

UN Secretary–General Ban Ki– moon has criticised a plan to destroy smugglers’ boats.

For now, Brussels is concentrating on stopping unflagged boats and sharing intelligence.

Still a headache for eurozone AP, London It may only account for 2 percent of the eurozone economy but Greece has a habit of punching above its weight when it comes to bruising the currency union.

While official figures on Wednesday are expected to show that the 19-country eurozone grew by 0.4 percent Q1 of 2015 from the previous three-month period.

But this could be another “false dawn” for the eurozone.

Last week, the European Union slashed its projection for Greek growth this year to just 0.5 percent from 2.5 percent previously — assuming Greece secures a deal with creditors that will help it pay off debts.

If the bailout talks fail, the country could default on its debts, have to put limits on the free flow of money and eventually even exit the euro - causing a massive recession in Greece.

But the repercussions of a socalled Grexit could be far and wide — a hit to confidence could limit investment and consumer spending.

If officials from Greece and the creditors are to be believed, progress is being made. Whether there’s enough to secure a deal at a meeting Monday of eurozone finance ministers remains an open question.

Israel’s West Bank housing policy by numbers AFP, Jerusalem Since seizing the West Bank in 1967, Israel has held full control over all planning matters for both Palestinians and Jewish settlers in an area covering over 60 percent of the territory.

Although settlers can secure building permits with ease, the opposite applies for Palestinians who are forced to build illegally, with Israel bulldozing hundreds of such unauthorised structures every year, rights groups say.

Last year, Israel issued 911 demolition orders on grounds of a lack of building permits.

Over 60 percent - around 360,000 hectares or 890,000 acres - of the West Bank is classified as

Area C, which Israel aims to retain under any final settlement.

This is where Israel has full control over security and also civilian affairs which are managed by the Civil Administration, a unit of the defence ministry. UN figures show there are an estimated 298,000 Palestinians living in Area C, grouped into 532 residential areas.

There are also 341,000 Israelis living in 135 settlements and 100 or so unauthorised outposts.

Less than one percent of Area C is designated for Palestinian development, compared to 70 percent which falls within the domain of local settlements, the UN says.

Palestinian construction in the other 29 per-

cent of Area C is subject to severe restrictions and almost impossible to carry out.

Since the 1993 Oslo autonomy accords were signed, Israel has issued more than 14,600 demolition orders, according to Israeli planning rights watchdog Bimkom.

So far, about 2,925 structures have actually been demolished.

A Bimkom architect estimates there are an average of two structures per order, meaning that over the past two decades, Israel has issued demolition notices to nearly 30,000 Palestinian-owned structures. There are currently more than 9,100 outstanding demolition orders which can be implemented, Bimkom says.

DT

EDITORIAL 11

MONDAY, MAY 11, 2015

Join up action against child labour

T

he government needs to improve co-ordination of social safety net schemes to direct more help and education services towards the large numbers of children in informal employment and domestic labour.

According to a recent survey by the Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies and Unicef, the total number of street children stands at 1.2 million in the country.

A further 400,000 children are engaged in full time domestic service.

While programs which provide non-formal education and skills training have had some success, collectively they are not proving effective in lifting these children out of poverty or ending the cycle of child labour.

Of most concern is that hundreds of thousands of children are still known to be working in harmful and hazardous conditions in industries such as construction and recycling.

The National Child Labour Elimination Policy 2010 is rightly focused towards such activities and tackling the most dangerous and onerous forms of labour, particularly work that impacts negatively on a child’s mental and physical well-being and development.

More attention needs to be directed towards addressing the needs of children who are excluded from education and have not benefited from the good progress which has been made in rooting out child labour from the formal employment sector and in increasing general enrollment in schools.

As a society, we need to get better at helping the large numbers of children who are being deprived of right to education and opportunities.

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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Focus more effort on helping children in informal employment and domestic labour

Delaying power price rises harms our future

W

e are concerned by the delay by the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) in announcing electricity and gas price increases.

According to officials, the commission has faced pressure to postpone announcing electricity price increases during the peak summer period even though it is legally required to deliver them within 90 days of the public hearings held on the issue during January and February.

This does not make much sense even if one takes into account the expected unpopularity of any price increases among consumers.

The whole point of having an independent commission hold public hearings in advance is to transparently debate arguments for price changes and give notice to businesses and consumers of expected changes free from political pressures.

Higher energy prices are essential to attract further investment in new power plants and distribution systems to help end the curse of load shedding.

They can also support moves recommended by the IFC and others to cut the huge amounts of public funds currently spent on inefficient subsidies which only serve to encourage wasteful consumption.

More importantly, they can help promote investment in renewable energy supplies and take the country forward towards a more reliable and sustainable energy future.

It would be far better for the government to openly make the case for the benefits which higher prices can deliver for the future of the nation, rather than pressure BERC to delay its announcement.

Price increases are essential to end load shedding and promote sustainability

Boishakh celebration: Women harassed near TSC April 19

shondhani Thanks to Liton Nandi for his courage and humanity.

Dev Saha The police have been becoming the new spectators of criminality?

Kiki Dev Saha: Worse, the perpetrators. Many young, unarmed people have been shot and killed by police officers recently. The officers get off scot-free in the majority of such cases, not facing any charges, and only being suspended from the force during the farce of an investigation.

You’ve probably heard of Mike Brown, but also there’s Tamir Rice, Aiyana Jones, Eric Garner, and many, many more.

The statistics, as they stand, are a young black person who is unarmed killed by police at least once a week since August of

last year. zaria The police always enjoy stuff like this. This happened right in front of me, but they didn’t help when I asked for help -- they used abusive language against myself, my mom, my dad, and my brother in front of everyone. We girls don’t have any security.

We want to walk the streets without any fear.

M Sirajullah anindita: It will never stop. These young men, as my understanding goes, are nursed by political parties and priests. By doing such heinous deeds, they will go straight to heaven ... no judgement needed. What happened in 1971? Women were raped with the understanding that all Bangladeshis were Hindus and by raping Hindu women they were trying to produce Muslim children!

DT

12 OPINION

MONDAY, MAY 11, 2015

REUTERS

A challenge for human security

H

Amdadul Haque

uman trafficking, as a component of illegal immigration, is a great threat to human security. Due to the lack of legislation which would necessitate the identification of the people being trafficked, the problem has worsened.

The recent incident in the Mediterranean Sea has been the worst case of human trafficking in recent years, shaking the world’s conscience, with the death toll reaching 800.

The ship was carrying even more migrants, migrants who wished to enter Europe for a better life. The BBC has reported that 28 alive and 24 dead bodies have been found so far.

This is the largest migrant-related tragedy in the Mediterranean, with over 1,800 having disappeared in 2015 alone.

An incident closer to home is the identification of more than 30 mass graves in the Sadao district of Songkhla provice in Thailand. The area is adjacent to Thailand’s border with Malaysia. It is believed that the graves belong to migrants -- who were victims of human trafficking -- from Bangladesh and Myanmar.

The number of dead bodies found in the graveyard was 32 initially, but has been estimated to rise further. It is assumed that these bodies are the result of journeys on sea where they were either shot to death or starved by human traffickers.

These dead bodies, belonging to jobseekers hoping for a better life and wanting

to change their fortunes, were being taken via Thailand to Malaysia. The UNHCR reports that over 200 people, in the last year alone, may have died through this route.

Every year, many working class labourers such as mechanics, painters, small businessmen, and the self-employed become targets of local brokers who dupe them with offers of better salaries and better lives abroad.

inhumanely. Subsequently, the victims are kept as hostages in the jungle with little food and water, and held for ransom.

The mass graveyards indicate the fate befallen to the people whose families failed to pay the ransom. The Wall Street Journal reports that others are sold to the fishing industry as slave labour or forced to work in the jungle camps.

From Myanmar, the Rohingyas -- who are

The mass graveyards indicate the fate befallen to the people whose families failed to pay the ransom

According to migration experts, push (poor economic activity and lack of job opportunities) and pull (the opposite) factors attract poorer citizens to embark on this hazardous journey. Brokers also abduct children and poor people from coastal areas and send them to foreign traffickers who wait in the offshore islands of the Bay of Bengal, with each being sold for less than Tk20,000.

After being handed over to the smugglers, the victims are tied up, beaten, and tortured

not recognised as Burmese citizens and are treated as stateless -- try to go to other countries since there aren’t enough job facilities at home.

Human trafficking through this route plays host to a variety of human maladies: The hindering of legal migration, using the sea route for illegal arms and drugs like Yaba, gearing up trans-national smuggling groups which result in a number of casualties, making countrymen slaves and the women

prostitutes, and the overall insecurity of the route for trans-national trade and fishing trawlers.

To mitigate the challenges, the following three levels of measures can be taken as soon as possible. Nationally, Bangladesh needs to implement the Overseas Employment and Migrants Act 2013 as per Chapter VIII, which defines human trafficking as offences and enforces penalties for the brokers and agents with 10 years of prison as well as a Tk500,000 fine.

The government should also take the necessary measures against human traffickers by working with the NGOs who have been dealing with this issue for a long time, such as the IOM-Dhaka and RMMRU. The places where human trafficking takes place must be taken over by the police with increased security at night. A regionally-joint forum can be formed by the human trafficking-prone nations such as Bangladesh, Myanamar, Thailand, and Malaysia, which would tighten national and international laws to discourage traffickers.

Globally, this problem can be solved through engaging influential actors such as the UNHCR, the US, and the EU. Already, the US government has downgraded Thailand for recent events as per the Trafficking in Persons Report and the EU has warned of imposing trade sanctions.

Amdadul Haque is a research analyst at the Microgovernance Research Initiative.

DT

OPINION 13

MONDAY, MAY 11, 2015

Climate change: The final episode

A

Asha Naznin

few months ago, when I visited Dhaka, a close friend of mine, with whom I shared my enthusiasm about climate change, asked me: “Do you have many examples from the past where developed countries had been very worried for the developing countries?” I was confused.

I couldn’t say much. “Why are you asking this?” I asked in turn. “Well, you know, it’s all about politics ... environmental politics,” she replied.

Well, although you may observe politics in everyday matters, there are often realities that underpin political interests -- facts which cannot be ignored, such as climate change.

“Huh, so I want to know exactly when will your TV mega serial come to an end? I mean, the last episode.” He went on to say: “Do you know how long a TV series lasts? Your climate talk or negotiation drama has lasted even longer than our most popular current soap opera.”

It didn’t take me long to understand his frustration. However, within days, I realised that my friend wasn’t alone. There are many in Dhaka city who barely believe in the human contributions associated with climate change.

I have met some who are concerned about the increasing heat in the capital, however, they also think this climate talk each year

might not bring any good for the country.

And yes, I don’t see anything wrong with this attitude.

With close to 160 million people, this very cramped country is more concerned about today’s survival -- for them, the future is far away. On the other hand, Bangladesh will be the hardest hit from climate change. I can’t remember how many times I had heard this from the international experts in recent years.

country by sitting idle?

Let me be clear, I was once a sceptic too. I wish I could go back to 2010, when I used to argue with Professor Martin Todd at Sussex on behalf of climate change sceptics. Gradually, as I learned all the theories and saw the realities of the increasing natural disasters that hit Japan, Haiti, Philipines, and most recently Nepal, I cannot sit idly listening to and believing in sceptics.

Yes, there have been disasters in the past

Bangladesh is one of the lowest emitters of the world, that’s why we should raise our voice even more

Being in the middle of these two groups, if I may be honest, I can remember those disastrous moments -- people’s tears, the deaths and riots over survival following the impacts of natural disasters in Bangladesh.

So, what are we waiting for? Action or scepticism? Scepticism is good, it often pushes an activist’s work in the right direction.

However, what good are we doing for the

as well, but were they this frequent and intense? Of course not. This is what we all are about to face and suffer, that’s why we need to take the issue seriously. Yes, Bangladesh is one of the lowest emitters of the world, that’s why we should raise our voice even more.

Because, the country doesn’t deserve to be affected for other’s contributions to climate change.

As Bangladesh plans to submit its INDCs (Intended Nationally Determined Contributions) by August of this year, as part of the commitment to a new international climate agreement in the Paris summit on climate change, it should use it as an opportunity. An opportunity to explore international benefits and express the limitations of a populous country, something which cannot be done without international support.

The World Resources Institute explains it well: “INDCs are the primary means for governments to communicate internationally the steps they will take to address climate change in their own countries. INDCs will reflect each country’s ambition for reducing emissions, taking into account its domestic circumstances and capabilities.”

So, what is the Bangladesh government’s take on this? Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has indicated that the country will take action without affecting its prospects for growth. However, if there were incentives for Bangladesh, we would probably hear more “for climate’s sake” instead of the “economy’s sake.”

And if the Paris summit fails, and the INDCs don’t come to an agreement, frustrations over negotiations will be prolonged.

Certainly, the world is waiting to see the last episode.

Asha Naznin is a climate change and development scientist by training, currently based in Australia.

NASHIRUL ISLAM

DT

14 OPINION

MONDAY, MAY 11, 2015

A lion in the room

E

MJ Akbar

very election shifts politics. It takes an unusual one to alter geopolitics.

Britain became, in the first week of May, a different country.

The big story is not that David Cameron converted a precarious toehold into an agile perch. Or that Ed Miliband will stumble out of the frame with the weird ineptitude he displayed when eating a sandwich.

The news with historic momentum is that Scotland declared political independence from England without leaving Britain. How this will impact governance, stability and unity is the narrative waiting to unfold.

The Scottish Nationalist Party, a name which is quite uninhibited about intentions, won on a scale that ended ambiguity. It took 56 of 59 seats in Scotland. Both the Tories and Labour have been reduced to English parties, while the tired Liberal Democrats have been reduced to ash.

Labour’s demolition had two reasons; and the second will be more difficult to resolve.

It lost the argument on the economy because it cannot appreciate that faux socialism is passé.

There is a message here for anyone who can read: Voters are not interested in the economics of sulking. They demand the economics of aspiration and delivery.

Political literacy can be determined by a simple measure; whether your mind is open or closed. There are still politicians in many Indian parties, particularly Congress, who imagine that pink blotting paper is a substitute for ideas.

Any electorate wants governance to lead to a better quality of life. That has not changed since Adam came down to earth.

Everyone wants elimination of poverty and a rise in prosperity.

The useful aspect of democracy is that voters understand the rational routes to prosperity. They know the difference between pseudo-patronage and growth that brings jobs across the spectrum.

But there was an important subtext to this general election that makes it unique in British annals. If Scots voted for their nationalists, then the English also voted for an English party: The Tories. That was the decisive undercurrent which swept Cameron to victory.

Labour, neither here nor there, was lost in more senses than one. Even formations that claimed to have their nose close to the alley, like the United Kingdom Independence Party, or UKIP, missed this tide. UKIP was so busy protecting Britain from Europe that it forgot to stand up for England against an assertive Scotland. The Tories won the “England for the English” vote.

Cameron won a majority just from the seats in England, with 36.9% of support. But that figure, like a good statistic, or, more famously, like a bikini, hides more than it reveals.

Take away Scotland, where its support was dismal, or Wales, where it was dismal, and then minus the immigrant section, and you find that the Tories won more than 40% of the white English vote.

REUTERS

If Scots voted for their nationalists, then the English also voted for an English party: The Tories. That was the decisive undercurrent which swept Cameron to victory

The challenge before the next Cameron administration is enormous. England is adrift of both its unions: The arranged marriage with Scotland crafted five centuries ago, and the rather more recent, unsteady affair with the European Union. The ménage à trois is coming apart at the seams. Much of England wants to opt out of Europe.

Most of Scotland wants to opt out of Britain, and hold on to Europe as an alternative anchor. The seams will be tested when Cameron holds the referendum on Britain’s association with the European Union within

two years. They will be strained when the Scots ask a logical question: What happens next?

The short answer, preferred by the Tory establishment, is to offer Scotland greater autonomy leveraged by further economic handouts.

A compromise works when there is room for give and take. Every previous elected government in Whitehall had its unwritten quota of Scottish ministers. This will be the first government in Britain without an elected Scottish minister.

Cameron cannot share power with SNP because SNP wants power in Scotland, not Britain. There is another question whose answer remains difficult to find: Have the Tory and SNP constituencies drifted too far apart?

Britain will, in all likelihood, be too engrossed in its internal problems to find the energy for a meaningful presence on the world stage in the next five years.

That is perfectly understandable. A break-up of the union would be too traumatic for the Tories, a party which still privately mourns the loss of Hong Kong during the Margaret Thatcher era. But, as Alex Salmond, father figure of SNP, said, a lion has roared in Scotland.

Cameron would surely prefer to view Scotland as merely an elephant in the room: Huge problem, and dangerous when provoked, but still a vegetarian. Lions hunt. Elephants nibble at leaves. London will offer a feast of nibbles. We shall see if the Scottish lion changes its diet.

MJ Akbar is an Indian journalist. He is the founder of The Sunday Guardian. This article was first published in The Sunday Guardian.

16

Apple set to lead surging smartwatch market

17

Vietnam devalues dong to boost growth

19

DSEX hits biggest ever single-day rise

20

DT

Business

15

MONDAY, MAY 11, 2015

Muhith: Rice import duty imposed to protect farmers

No BB condition met by BKB, RAKUB Jebun Nesa Alo The state-run Bangladesh Krishi Bank (BKB) and Rajshahi Krishi Unnayan Bank (RAKUB) have failed to meet any of the conditions set at MoU for the year 2014 by the Bangladesh Bank to recover their financial crises.

This was revealed at a meeting the central bank held over MoU review report of 2014 with managing directors of two specialised banks yesterday at the central bank headquarters.

According to the review report, non-performing loans of BKB has gradually increased to 33% till the end of December last year against the target of reducing the default loan rate to 20% by June 2015.

The default loan rate of RAKUB rose to 32.39% on December against the same target set at MoU. Of the total classified loans, BKB has bad loan of 66% and RAKUB 68% till the end of last year.

The Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) of BKB and RAKUB was negative 38.86% and 5.16% respectively in December despite obligation of maintaining CAR at 10%.

The capital shortfall of BKB stood at Tk6,195 crore and RAKUB at Tk598.72 crore at the end of December.

The cash recovery against the default loans of BKB was Tk361 crore last year which was only 26.37% of the target of Tk1,370 crore as per the MoU review report.

The RAKUB recovered default loans of Tk167 crore which was 42.68%, slightly more than BKB, of the target of Tk392 crore.

The loan recovery from top 20 defaulters by two banks were also very poor. BKB recov-

Muhith: Five-year savings certificate rate lowered Tribune Report

Bangladesh Bank sets a series of conditions signing MoU with BKB and RAKUB to recoup the banks’ financial losses DHAKA TRIBUNE ered loans from top defaulters of around Tk16 crore and RAKUB Tk58 lakh against the target of Tk70 crore and Tk40 crore respectively set for June 2015.

Moreover, the two banks provided loans to the single party, violating the single borrower exposure limit.

BKB provided loans of Tk227 crore to 12 clients beyond the limit of 15% of bank’s paidup capital while RAKUB Tk5.25 crore to three groups, exceeding the limit.

BKB Managing Director MA Yousoof and RAKUB’s Manjur Ahmed admitted their fail-

ure to go with the Bangladesh Bank’s prescription at the meeting.

Finance Minister AMA Muhith expressed dissatisfaction over the performance of Krishi banks at an interview reported in a most circulated newspaper of the country.

Bangladesh Bank set a series of conditions at MoU every year as a routine duty and the banks continuously failed to meet ultimatums, said a senior executive of central bank.

The banks mainly do not care about the MoU as the central bank does not react strongly against the banks callousness, he said.

Rural people may come under tax net Tribune Report Finance Minister AMA Muhith yesterday said the government will widen its tax net to the rural level to boost revenue incomes.

“More tax office will be set up in the upazila level to bring rural people under the next net,” he said, adding that capacity of rural people has increased over the years as rural economy has become stronger.”

His announcement came in response to the parliamentary standing committees’ recommendations at a pre-budget meeting at the National Economic Commission in the city.

Members of the parliament placed a set of recommendations, including taking measures in the budget for boosting investment, infrastructure development, preventing capital flight, turning remittance into investment and giving priority in education, health and human development, and revamp of Board of Investment.

The finance minister said the government will shift its strategy to give priority to education, health and sanitation from energy sector in the coming budget.

“Education has indirect impact for making economic growth faster.”

On Monthly Pay Prder (MPO) system, he said the government will set new criteria, including teachers’ qualifications, number of students and availability for the area in the fiscal year 2016 for giving allocations to the schools.

About tax on ago-processing products, he said over the years, agricultural products have increased tremendously and existing tax policy will continue this fiscal year.

There were no projects for hand-loom industry but materials used in the industry will have some changes, he said, adding the animal industry growth remained stagnant for many years.

This sector will have special attention this

year, added the minister.

Chairman of Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance Abdur Razzak urged the finance minister to increase tax according to GDP ratio. “We need to make a policy to bring doctor, homeowners and lawyers under tax net.”

Chairman of standing committee on the Ministry of Science and Information & Communication Technology Ruhul Haque recommended giving incentives for the pharmaceutical industry.

He said it was a potential sector for increasing exports.

Chairman of standing committee for the Planning Ministry Abul Kalam Azad advocated for creating environment for attracting investment both form foreign and local investors.

He put emphasis on lowering income tax rate.

The interest rate of five-year national savings certificate has lowered to 11.26% from 13.19% with immediate effect, said Finance Minister AMA Muhith yesterday.

The announcement was made in response to the parliamentary standing committees’ recommendations to lower bank interest rate at a pre-budget meeting at the National Economic Commission in the city.

Chairmen of the bodies urged the finance minister to bring down interest rate of banks.

In reply, Muhith said: “I have no capacity to lower bank interest rate, bankers can do it.

But what I can do is to cut interest rate of national savings certificates so the bankers can feel pressure to cut bank interest rate.”

Last year, the government had raised national savings interest rate due to poor sales of such schemes, he said.

According to the Directorate of National Savings data, net investment in the savings instruments hit record high of Tk21,184 crore, a sharp rise of nearly 184% in nine months (July-March) of this fiscal year, as low bank deposit rates drove investors to put funds on national savings certificate.

The net investment in the NSCs crossed its annual target in just four months in this fiscal year as the figure stood at Tk9,077.60 crore in the period against the fiscal year’s target of Tk9,056 crore.

The savings instruments worth Tk30,864.18 crore were sold through banks, national savings bureaus and post offices between July and March of the FY15 whereas the sales of the NSCs in the same period of the FY14 were Tk17,150.06 crore.

DT

16 BUSINESS

MONDAY, MAY 11, 2015

Oil mixed as US jobs report gives modest lift to WTI AFP, New York

A Google employee demonstrates the features of the Moto smartwatch at the Google I/O developers conference in San Francisco

Apple set to lead surging smartwatch market AFP, Washington The Apple Watch is fueling the emerging smartwatch market and is expected to be the top seller in the segment for next few years, a market research report showed Wednesday.

The IHS Technology report said the smartwatch market will grow to 101 million units by 2020 from just 3.6 million last year.

Apple Watch shipments this year will hit 19 million units, or 56% of the total smartwatch market.

Over time, IHS said Apple’s share of the market will fall to 38% in 2020 with Android vendors and others slowly increasing their share.

Apple however will remain the single largest vendor through 2020, according to the study.

“The smartwatch will become an important accessory device offered by most leading smartphone manufacturers,” said Antonios Maroulis, analyst at IHS Technology.

IHS said that by 2020, one of every 20

smartphone users will also have a smartwatch, compared with one in 500 in 2014.

Apple, which began selling the watch last month, is likely to lift the market by raising consumer awareness of the category and by explaining the benefits of the wearable tech accessory, IHS said.

“Should Apple stumble with its foray into smartwatches, the smartwatch market will suffer similarly,” said IHS analyst Ian Fogg.

“Smartwatches could then follow the fate of Google Glass. Without Apple and its marketing strength, the smartwatch category need greater marketing spend from other smartwatch makers to overcome damage to consumer perceptions. Apple’s smartwatch competitors need Apple Watch to succeed.”

But the report said the high cost of the Apple Watch - which starts at $349 and requires a newer-model iPhone - leaves a huge market for other vendors with lower-cost devices.

“Delivering a wide range of apps will be critical to success,” Maroulis said.

“Apple’s and Google’s success with existing

REUTERS

smartphone application stores will give them an invaluable head start over challengers.”

Leveraging Android base

The report said that in the next five years, Google’s Android Wear will account for 96 million units, leveraging the large Android smartphone base. That would give the Android platform slightly more than 20% of the market by 2020.

But if Google adds iPhone support, as some media have reported, it could boost its market share, IHS added.

Some other operating systems, such as Samsung-backed Tizen, will also see gains, but those could be limited by a smaller ecosystem of applications, according to the report.

The Apple Watch made its global debut last month in a launch aimed at making the California giant the overnight leader in wearable technology. Apple has not released any figures on sales, but some reports said the company is having difficulty meeting demand.

Oil prices traded mixed Friday as traders weighed the global oversupply and modest demand, with an in-line US jobs report helping to lift the US benchmark contract.

US benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) for June delivery rose 45 cents to finish at $58.93 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

Brent North Sea crude for June, the European benchmark, fell 15 cents to settle at $65.39 a barrel in London.

Both WTI and Brent hit their highest levels of 2015 on Wednesday then dived Thursday on renewed oversupply worries.

“You had a situation where oil was overbought a couple days ago, so you definitely could justify a pullback in both commodities, but you had a couple events here in the US that were supportive of the market,” said Bob Yawger of Mizuho Securities.

Yawger said that the Labor Department’s US jobs report Friday, showing firm job growth and a dip in the jobless rate to 5.4% in April, implied “some demand” in the US, the largest consumer of crude oil.

In addition, he cited the weekly Baker Hughes count of active US oil rigs, which fell for the 22nd consecutive week, by 11 rigs. The falling oil rig count has led to expectations that US crude output will fall in the medium term.

“These were both distinctly American events, and I think that was probably the reason why we’re higher and the Brent is lower,” Yawger said.

Gene McGillian of Tradition Energy pointed out that some North American producers were saying they would start increasing activity if WTI prices top $65 a barrel.

“Even though there are expectations production levels are going to be dropping, we haven’t seen that happen significantly,” McGillian said.

Meanwhile, a poor China trade report raised concerns about growth in the world’s top energy consumer. Chinese trade data published Friday showed imports fell for the sixth month in a row in April, suggesting sustained weakness in domestic demand.

“The trade data indicate that current growth momentum remains soft, calling for more monetary policy easing,” Nomura economist Zhao Yang said in a note.

CORPORATE NEWS

Star Ceramics Limited, a tiles and sanitary ware manufacturing company has recently been formally launched at a hotel in Dhaka.

The company’s chairperson, Dr Khater Massaad hosted the event along with its managing director, SAK Anwaruzzaman

First Security Islami Bank Limited has recently its 16th annual general meeting at a hotel in Chittagong. The bank’s vice chairperson, Alhaj Mohammed Abdul Maleque presided over the meeting

Walton Group has recently opened its exclusive showroom at Jamuna Future Park. The group’s executive director (policy, HRM and Admin), SM Zahid Hasan inaugurated the showroom

DT

BUSINESS 17

MONDAY, MAY 11, 2015

App gives fans another shot at soldout events AFP, San Francisco

An employee stacks bundles of Vietnamese dong banknotes at a bank in Hanoi

REUTERS

Vietnam devalues dong to boost growth AFP, Hanoi Vietnam’s central bank said Thursday it would devalue the dong currency for the second time this year in a bid to boost exports and drive the economy forward.

The State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) will devalue the reference rate by one percent to 21,673 Vietnamese dong per dollar to “cope with adverse impacts of international markets”, it said in a statement.

The dong was last devalued by one percent in January.

The second devaluation of the dong in five

Germany eyes modest tax cut next year AFP, Berlin Germany’s finance minister said Thursday he would cut taxes from next year after experts forecast a nearly 40bn euro ($45bn) tax windfall for Europe’s top economy over the next five years.

The coffers of the states, regions and municipalities can expect almost 40bn euros more in taxes until 2019 than had been predicted until now, according to an official forecast released Thursday by an expert panel.

Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said the extra money provided room to reform the phenomenon of tax bracket creep where employees who get pay rises slip into higher tax groups, making their net pay lower than before.

months follows the “evolution of national and international financial markets”, the SBV statement said.

The new measure came into force Thursday.

In December SBV governor Nguyen Van Binh said that the regulator will not weaken the dong by more than two percent in 2015.

The dong devaluation will help keep Vietnam’s thriving exports - including smartphones and other electronics manufactured

by Korean giant Samsung in its Vietnamese factories -- competitive with regional rivals.

Rising exports helped Vietnam to achieve

its highest GDP growth in three years in 2014 with the economy growing an estimated 5.98%, while inflation slowed to 4.09 percent, official figures showed.

But the exports boom has yet to spill over into the domestic economy, which remains sluggish in part due to lingering problems in the banking sector and the dominance of inefficient state-owned enterprises.

Vietnam’s central bank cut policy interest rates last year to spur lending and help businesses.

The government is targeting growth of 6.2% this year.

During more than a decade as a ticketing agent, Jean-Sebastien Gosuin over and again saw empty seats at sold-out events from FIFA soccer matches to the Olympics.

This inspired him to team up with two other Belgian entrepreneurs to create Seaters, a ticket-fielding platform and app designed to give fans second shots at seats that become available at events that are technically sold-out.

“Even if an event is sold-out, there are always empty seats,” Gosuin told AFP at a Collision technology conference in Las Vegas this week.

Organizers typically hold back seats for problem solving or to have spaces available in the event of unexpected need.

Meanwhile ticket resellers who buy bulk lots often return seats they don’t sell, and sponsors or corporations that buy blocks of seats for promotions or as employee perks sometimes have tickets they can’t use.

Some ticket holders simply cancel for personal reasons.

Seaters comes into play after an event is officially sold out, creating a dynamic waiting list that provides aspiring ticket-buyers with a percentage probability of getting a spot in the stands.

As seats once claimed become available, Seaters gives those in the queue opportunities to snatch them up.

Tickets are priced at face value, with Seaters charging a 20% handling fee.

“It is bringing fair trade to a very dark market,” Gosuin said.

“It is an official gateway to the last seats that remain; the long-term vision is no more empty seats.”

Fans, teams, food vendors and sponsors whose logos adorn stadium walls benefit from making sure seats aren’t wasted at events, he added.

Seaters established headquarters early last year in New York.

Meanwhile in Europe, French financial services titan BNP Paribas has already used it to redistribute employee tickets to sponsored events, according to Gosuin.

And French soccer club Olympique Lyonnais is rolling out Seaters for matches, the startup chief said.

IMF: Nepal economy to ‘decelerate’ following devastating quake AFP, Singapore The International Monetary Fund (IMF) said Thursday quake-stricken Nepal’s economy will “decelerate” in the short term as the impoverished nation reels from plunging tourism revenue and higher imports following the deadly disaster.

The UN body said the country, with a per capita GDP of just $1,000 per person, will suffer “substantial output losses” following the April 25 quake which devastated much of the capital Kathmandu and has killed more than 7,600 people.

“Growth will decelerate in the short-term.

Loss of tourism revenues and higher imports will strain the external position,” said documents circulated at a media briefing in Singapore.

The IMF did not specify an updated GDP forecast following the disaster, Nepal’s deadliest quake since 1934. In its World Economic Outlook report released on April 14 - before the earthquake - the IMF forecast Nepal’s economy to grow 5% in 2015 and 2016.

Changyong Rhee, the director of the IMF’s Asia and Pacific Department, said the body would try to build resilience in Nepal in the wake of the disaster.

An IMF team “will go to Kathmandu next

week to assess the current situation and coordinate with other donors and international organisations,” Rhee told reporters in Singapore at a briefing on the body’s latest Asia and Pacific regional economic outlook report.

Before the earthquake, Nepal had a solid external position, with official reserves covering eight months of imports and public finances that were in “good shape”, according to the IMF. Nepal’s GDP grew 5.48% last year, the country’s central bureau of statistics showed on the trading economics site, much improved from the 0.16% recorded at the height of a Maoist insurrection in 2002.

DT

18 BUSINESS

MONDAY, MAY 11, 2015

News, analysis and recent disclosures ISLAMIINS: 5% cash and 10% stock dividend, AGM: 13.06.2015, Record Date: 19.05.2015. EPS of Tk. 2.04, NAV per share of Tk. 13.96.

NFML: Credit Rating Agency of Bangladesh Limited (CRAB) has announced the entity rating (surveillance) of the Company as BBB3 with a Stable outlook based on audited financial statements up to December 31, 2014, bank liability position as on March 31, 2015 and other relevant quantitative as well as qualitative information up to the date of rating declaration.

AFTABAUTO: Credit Rating Agency of Bangladesh Limited (CRAB) has announced the entity rating (surveillance) of the Company as AA3 with a Stable outlook based on audited financial statements up to August 31, 2014, bank liability position as on March 31, 2015 and other relevant quantitative as well as qualitative information up to the date of rating declaration.

SAFKOSPINN: National Credit Ratings Limited (NCR) has announced the rating of the Company as BBB in the long term based on audited financial statements of the Company up to December 31, 2013.

UnAudited Financials: [Company: (Quarter): Current EPS/ Previous EPS in taka] IPDC: (Q1 Un-audited): 0.38 (restated 0.34)/0.16 (0.15).

ISLAMIBANK (Q1): 0.25/ 0.24.

BDFINANCE (Q1): -1.16/-0.19.

IPO Subscription: Aman Feed Limited Subscription 25.05.2015 TO 04.06.2015.

Offer Price per share Tk. 36.00, Market Lot (Shares) 200.

Dividend/AGM NCCBANK: 10% stock dividend, AGM: 24.06.2015, Record Date: 18.05.2015.

PEOPLESINS: 13% cash dividend, AGM: 09.06.2015, Record Date: 18.05.2015.

LEGACYFOOT: 5% stock, AGM: 13.06.2015, Record Date: 14.05.2015.

RUPALIBANK: 15% stock , AGM: 31.05.2015, Record date: 14.05.2015.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Turnover (Volume) Number of Contract

Company Islami Ins.BD-A Paramount Insur-A Takaful Islami Insu-A Phoenix Fin. 1st MF-A Meghna Life Ins. -A Beximco Pharma -A Dhaka Ins. Ltd.-A Shurwid Ind. -N Karnaphuli Insur -A Sun Life Insurance-N

Closing (% Change) 18.99 10.00 10.00 10.00 9.98 9.95 9.94 9.94 9.93 9.93

CSE GAINER Company Janata Insur -A Popular Life 1st M.F.-A Eastland Insur -A Rupali InsurA City G Insu.-A Orion Pharma-N MeghnaCement -A I P D C -A Northern G Insur-A Republic Insu.-A

Closing (% Change) 10.00 10.00 9.95 9.93 9.92 9.78 9.77 9.77 9.76 9.66

DSE LOSER Company 3rd ICB M F-A ACI Formulations-A Dulamia CottonZ GeminiSeaFood-B Berger Paints-A Reckitt Benckiser -A Marico BD Ltd-A Apex Footwear-A Standard Ceramic -A Monno Stafllers -A

Closing (% Change) -5.71 -5.53 -4.23 -3.27 -2.21 -2.18 -1.78 -1.40 -1.20 -0.89

CSE LOSER Company AB Bank 1st Mutual Fund-A ACI Formulations-A Central Insur -A Reckitt Benckiser -A Eastern Cables-A Berger Paints-A ACI Limited- A BDCOM Online-A Premier Leasing-Z Rahima Food -Z

Closing (% Change) -7.41 -5.16 -2.91 -2.40 -0.78 -0.67 -0.62 -9.34 -9.20 -9.17

SECTORAL TURNOVER SUMMARY

DSE key features May 10, 2015 Turnover (Million Taka)

DSE GAINER

Sector

5,208.14 132,518,460 129,821

Traded Issues

310

Issue Gain (Avg. Price Basis)

283

Issue Loss (Avg. Price Basis)

26

Unchanged Issue (Avg. Price Basis)

1

Market Capital Equity (Billion. Tk.)

2,446.99

Market Capital Equity (Billion US$)

29.66

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 206.78 245.82 64.56 732.32 119.69 1301.47 1.61 458.36 872.62 17.12 215.69 17.44 141.61 136.88 162.44 55.20 80.74 192.39 54.74 130.33 0.35

% change 3.97 4.72 1.24 14.06 2.30 24.99 0.03 8.80 16.75 0.33 4.14 0.33 2.72 2.63 3.12 1.06 1.55 3.69 1.05 2.50 0.01

Million Taka 14.91 16.99 3.10 66.42 5.83 102.07 70.70 39.06 2.83 11.55 1.18 8.09 13.35 6.20 1.84 4.11 31.11 12.19 20.37 0.00

Average (% Change) 15.21 9.30 9.96 9.00 7.57 5.06 10.16 6.16 9.67 7.48

Average (% Change) 12.24 9.75 9.95 10.24 11.96 9.23 9.75 9.55 9.76 9.52

Average (% Change) -5.69 -1.03 -2.58 -4.71 -1.15 -1.45 -0.78 -0.06 2.56 -0.28

Average (% Change) -7.41 -1.65 -3.75 -2.38 -0.80 -0.67 -0.78 -9.23 -8.53 -8.12

CSE

ClosingAvg. 18.10 13.05 20.86 4.36 67.94 47.16 18.75 17.40 15.42 30.47

ClosingAvg. 12.10 4.39 23.20 15.50 13.29 38.94 90.98 14.57 18.00 15.88

ClosingAvg. 193.33 200.26 6.80 261.35 1477.25 1450.94 1218.67 349.52 34.83 259.52

Closing

DHIGH

18.80 13.20 20.90 4.40 69.40 48.60 18.80 17.70 15.50 31.00

Closing

19.30 13.20 20.90 4.40 69.40 48.60 18.80 17.70 15.50 31.00

DHIGH

12.10 4.40 23.20 15.50 13.30 39.30 91.00 14.60 18.00 15.90

Closing 193.30 194.90 6.80 260.00 1462.70 1436.40 1218.40 344.80 33.00 257.00

DLOW 16.50 12.50 20.40 4.00 62.40 44.50 18.10 16.50 14.90 28.50

DLOW

12.10 4.40 23.20 15.50 13.30 39.30 91.10 14.60 18.00 15.90

DHIGH

12.00 4.20 23.20 15.50 12.80 37.30 90.00 14.50 18.00 15.70

DLOW

200.00 211.00 6.80 275.00 1507.00 1469.00 1230.00 367.00 36.00 272.90

190.00 191.80 6.80 255.70 1455.10 1431.00 1212.00 343.60 33.00 252.10

ClosingAvg.

Closing

DHIGH

DLOW

5.00 199.54 20.00 1,445.00 102.30 1,490.00 531.68 23.30 7.94 20.03

5.00 194.70 20.00 1,445.00 102.30 1,490.00 529.00 23.30 7.90 19.80

5.00 205.80 20.00 1,445.00 113.40 1,490.00 540.00 23.30 8.30 20.50

5.00 192.20 20.00 1,445.00 102.10 1,490.00 526.00 23.30 7.90 19.70

% change 3.45 3.93 0.72 15.38 1.35 23.63 0.00 16.37 9.04 0.66 2.68 0.27 1.87 3.09 1.43 0.43 0.95 7.20 2.82 4.72 0.00

Million Taka 221.69 262.81 67.66 798.74 125.51 1403.54 1.61 529.06 911.68 19.95 227.24 18.62 149.69 150.23 168.63 57.04 84.85 223.49 66.93 150.70 0.35

Total

% change 3.93 4.66 1.20 14.16 2.23 24.89 0.03 9.38 16.16 0.35 4.03 0.33 2.65 2.66 2.99 1.01 1.50 3.96 1.19 2.67 0.01

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

Turnover in Million

Latest EPS

1.377 1.400 1.083 0.628 3.230 51.820 1.436 7.468 0.574 1.217

Turnover in Million

2.04 1.47 1.40 0.65 6.45 4.15 1.84 0.53 1.53 0.00

Latest EPS

0.081 0.145 0.012 0.050 0.366 2.584 3.402 0.047 0.013 0.027

Turnover in Million

8.9 8.9 14.9 6.7 10.5 11.4 10.2 32.8 10.1 -

Latest PE

0.37 0.63 2.65 1.79 1.45 5.07 8.52 1.36 1.84 1.71

Latest EPS

0.058 265.795 0.007 1.548 5.909 4.392 2.363 12.981 0.007 0.436

Turnover in Million

Latest PE

32.7 7.0 8.8 8.7 9.2 7.7 10.7 10.7 9.8 9.3

Latest PE

19.15 6.80 -3.15 9.58 49.64 68.56 42.69 18.05 0.49 2.53

Latest EPS

0.010 8.912 0.010 0.007 0.591 0.007 3.671 0.031 0.164 0.100

10.1 29.5 -ve 27.3 29.8 21.2 28.5 19.4 71.1 102.6

Latest PE

0.76 6.80 2.05 68.56 1.12 49.64 7.92 1.68 0.08 -0.42

6.6 29.3 9.8 21.1 91.3 30.0 67.1 13.9 99.3 -ve

CSE key features May 10, 2015 Turnover (Million Taka) Turnover (Volume) Number of Contract

431.88 12,940,603 19,330

Traded Issues

246

Issue Gain (Avg. Price Basis)

132

Issue Loss (Avg. Price Basis)

13

Unchanged Issue (Avg. Price Basis)

1

Market Capital Equity (Billion. Tk.)

2,374.81

Market Capital Equity (Billion US$)

28.79

DT

BUSINESS 19

MONDAY, MAY 11, 2015

DSEX hits biggest ever single-day rise Tribune Report

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

BD Submarine Cable-A Shasha Denims -N LafargeS Cement-Z Baraka Power-A Agni Systems -A

VolumeShares 2,436,166 1,327,229 1,379,524 2,205,126 1,892,962 280,812 796,747 2,152,668 2,435,131 1,824,565

Value in Million 509.61 265.80 178.42 158.25 156.47 149.61 144.96 136.63 115.96 112.71

% of TotalTurnover 9.78 5.10 3.43 3.04 3.00 2.87 2.78 2.62 2.23 2.16

VolumeShares

Value in Million

% of TotalTurnover

798,940 2,646,659 860,645 2,829,167 3,106,218

CSE TURNOVER LEADERS Company United Power-N Mozaffar H.Spinning-A BD Submarine Cable-A BSRM Ltd. -N BEXIMCO Ltd. -A WesternMarine -N MJL BD Ltd.-A UNITED AIR-A Shahjibazar Power-N ACI Formulations-A

SAIF Powertec-N FAR Chemical-N Grameenphone-A RAK Ceramics-A LafargeS Cement-Z

254,314 1,303,035 176,225 348,709 590,669 277,302 89,297 1,320,826 51,990 44,663

112,355 214,468 23,686 117,257 59,166

106.02 101.42 97.49 90.82 89.13

53.09 43.94 23.27 19.05 16.36 13.26 11.52 9.81 9.48 8.91

8.10 7.88 7.84 7.42 6.72

2.04 1.95 1.87 1.74 1.71

12.29 10.17 5.39 4.41 3.79 3.07 2.67 2.27 2.20 2.06

1.88 1.83 1.81 1.72 1.56

ClosingP 211.80 194.90 130.90 71.80 82.80 529.50 183.30 63.40 48.40 61.60

132.00 38.80 112.90 32.20 28.80

ClosingP

Change % 6.59 -5.53 3.31 4.06 5.08 -0.58 5.10 4.11 7.08 3.01

6.45 3.74 4.34 3.54 9.92

Change %

209.10 35.50 131.30 54.90 28.30 48.70 130.60 7.50 182.90 194.70

72.00 37.30 331.50 63.40 113.00

5.29 5.34 6.57 1.29 9.69 7.51 3.57 7.14 4.69 -5.16

4.20 9.71 1.91 3.76 4.53

ClosingY 198.70 206.30 126.70 69.00 78.80 532.60 174.40 60.90 45.20 59.80

124.00 37.40 108.20 31.10 26.20

ClosingY

198.60 33.70 123.20 54.20 25.80 45.30 126.10 7.00 174.70 205.30

69.10 34.00 325.30 61.10 108.10

DHIGH 214.90 211.00 131.80 73.20 85.60 542.00 185.00 64.90 49.50 62.80

136.00 39.00 115.00 32.60 28.80

DLOW 204.00 191.80 126.80 70.50 78.10 527.10 175.00 60.80 46.00 61.00

127.00 37.50 110.00 31.30 26.50

DHIGH

DLOW

214.00 37.00 134.90 56.00 28.30 49.40 131.20 7.60 185.00 205.80

203.50 33.30 127.80 53.60 26.00 46.00 127.00 7.10 176.00 192.20

73.20 37.40 333.90 64.50 117.50

70.50 34.50 325.60 61.00 110.00

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

4277.05335

(+) 3.75%

1617.17840

(+) 3.78%

13182.62110

(+) 3.70%

10690.55240

(+) 3.60%

8010.88370

(+) 3.65%

AvgPrice 209.19 200.26 129.33 71.77 82.66 532.76 181.94 63.47 47.62 61.78

132.71 38.32 113.28 32.10 28.69

AvgPrice

208.76 33.72 132.04 54.63 27.69 47.80 129.04 7.42 182.36 199.54

72.10 36.75 330.91 63.28 113.58

Stocks skyrocketed yesterday with the benchmark index DSEX hitting the highest single-day rise since its inception two years back.

The DSEX ended at 4,277, jumping around 155 points or 3.8%, its biggest rise since January, 2013, when the index was launched.

The Shariah Index DSES rose 31 points or 3% to 1,041.

The comprising blue chips DS30 was up 59 points or 3.8% to 1,617.

Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) Selective Categories Index, CSCX, ended at 8,019, rising 293 points.

IDLC Investments, a merchant bank, said, “Continuing gaining streak, indication of lower interest rate in savings certificates coupled with natural budgetary expectations, created a scope for the market to rebound.”

“Investors jumped in vigorously to take advantage of the scope, putting immense buy pressure on almost all stocks, which pulled up 289 issues in positive zone, while 77 of them advanced 9.0% or more from previous session’s close price,” said the merchant bank.

Powered by such abnormal upsurge across the

bourse, broad index DSEX posted the biggest gain in its history, outperforming all regional peers for this session, it said.

Lanka Bangla Securities said, “The market has opened on strong note adding to the substantial gain posted in the previous sessions.”

The market has opened on strong note adding to the substantial gain posted in the previous sessions Turnover also crossed Tk500 crore-mark on the prime bourse and stood at Tk520 crore, which was 24% higher over the previous session.

Most sectors fired up with NBFIs leading the rally of 6.6%, followed by banks 3.4%. Power registered a gain of 5% in the session.

Cement also appreciated by 4%. Telecommunication and pharmaceuticals went up by 1.6% and 1.5% respectively.

Gainers outpaced losers as out of 309 issues traded, 289 advanced, 17 declined and three remained unchanged at the DSE.

ANALYST

Continuing gaining streak, indication of lower interest rate in savings certificates coupled with natural budgetary expectations, created a scope for the market to rebound

DT

20 BUSINESS

MONDAY, MAY 11, 2015

Muhith: Rice import duty imposed to protect farmers Abu Bakar Siddique The government has imposed 10% on import of rice to ensure that local farmers get fair price for their rice production.

“The duty is effective from today (Sunday),” said finance minister AMA Muhith while addressing a pre-budget discussion of the parliamentary standing committee on Agriculture ministry in the city yesterday.

Explaining the reason for undertaking the move, Muhith said: “The decision aims at ensuring fair price of rice during the current Boro purchase season, which has begun this month.”

However, the National Board of Revenue (NBR) officials clarified that imposition of a 10% duty on rice import was at the final stage and the board would soon issue a Statutory Regulatory Order (SRO) in this regard.

“We’ve finalised the duty as per recommendation from the food ministry and the finance minister has also approved it. The decision was made just to help the farmers get their fair prices,” said an NBR high official.

As there was no duty on rice import, importers have been taking advantage of zero duty and was importing rice from India as the rice price is lower in India than Bangladesh,

that has created an uneven competition.

Earlier on April 12, the food ministry requested the NBR for imposing import duty on rice to ensure fair price for domestic rice growers.

The NBR is likely to issue the order by this week to make the decision effective.

Earlier on Saturday, the Agriculture Minister MatiaChowdhury hinted that the government was planning to do so to check the rice import as the country has achieved self sufficiency in producing rice.

Though the government itself has not been importing rice for the last three years, some Bangladeshi importers are importing rice mainly from India at a comparatively cheaper rate.

The farmers have long been alleging that they are not getting fair prices of their production due to the import of rice from India at a lower price.

During the current season, the Boro farmers have been experiencing the lowest prices (Tk450 per 40kgs) of their production, which is the lowest in the last few years.

Boro is considered as the largest produced rice in the country and its production was around 189-lac tons, out of the total 346-lac tons paddy production, in 2013-14 season.

Denim makers set to go green Ibrahim Hossain Ovi Bangladesh’s denim industry is all set to introduce green chemicals in factory production eliminating the generation of hazardous substances.

It is expected to produce significant environmental benefits and ensure industrial sustainability. The concept of green chemical is a new idea in Bangladesh which is aimed at developing a natural evolution of pollution prevention initiatives.

The issue will be broadly discussed in the two-day “Bangladesh Denim Expo,” which kicks off today in Dhaka.

“The introduction of green chemicals will help the country develop chemical processes and earth-friendly products,” Mostafiz Uddin, organiser of the expo and managing director of Denim Expert Limited, told Dhaka Tribune.

“Thus pollution can be prevented and the use of green chemicals will also create alter-

natives to hazardous substances,” he added.

Mostafiz said the focus of the Expo would be on innovation and sustainability, which is mostly needed to face the future competition.

“We will showcase products with newness and designed for the fair, which are to demonstrate Bangladesh’s strength in production of denim,” he said. He said seminars would also be organised to discuss ways to make progress in the country’s denim industry.

The expo aims to fetch $7bn exporting denim products annually in the journey towards achieving $50bn RMG export target by 2021.

Currently, there are 27 denim factories in the country with an investment of $900m, while about 10 factories are poised to come into operation soon. Local denim factories produce around 30m yards of fabrics a month, meeting half of the local consumption.

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

DT

21

MONDAY, MAY 11, 2015

Photo: Bigstock

NEWS

Samsung’s exchange offer

T-JUNCTION

Her lips are devil red

INSIDE

Smartphone lovers eyeing to use the latest Samsung Galaxy S6 now have a new option to own one. Samsung Bangladesh has introduced Smart Exchange through which users can exchange their old smartphone for a brand new Galaxy S6.

Interested customers can bring their old smartphone to the selected Samsung Stores, where they will receive a price offer for their phone.

Customers will receive the best price offer available in the market for their phones, along with an exchange bonus. After the price of the old smartphone is determined,

customers can pay the remaining amount to receive a brand new Galaxy S6. The remaining amount can also be paid in 3-6 months EMI. While making the exchange, the customer must bring his/her original passport or national ID, and submit a copy of the passport or national ID along with a photograph.

Commenting on this Hasan Mehdi, head of mobile, Samsung Bangladesh said “When a customer buys a new phone, they are confused about what to do with their old smartphones, that are perfectly functioning. This Smart Exchange campaign takes care

of that and places in their hands the Galaxy S6 so they remain updated with the latest technology.”

Cardholders of Standard Chartered Bank on the other hand will receive 10% cash back on purchasing Samsung Galaxy S6 with their Standard Chartered credit cards.

Customers will also have an option to pay in 12 equal monthly installments (EMI) with 0% instabuys.

To know more about this campaign, customers can call at 09612-300-300 or visit the nearest Samsung outlet.

22

school survival

Brain begging

23 beauty

Like mother, like daughter

24 diet

Foods you didn’t think were so sneaky

DT

22 T-JUNCTION

MONDAY, MAY 11, 2015

Schoologistics

school survival

Brain begging From studying hard to studying smart Rad Sharar Bin Kamal With the exams closing in with you staring at that pile of question papers to solve, there’s not much else to do but groan and dive in.

However, hour after hour of relentless effort only makes you forget what you studied in the end. Why does that happen? Here’s why.

Firstly, never underestimate the sheer amount of fresh content (assuming it is the first round, naturally) you are cramming inside your head. Plus your brain has a limit as well and needs to rest. Imagine trying to run a 50 mile marathon when your average walking distance is from the bed to the bathroom. But the brain recovers quicker as well, and some tricks can make the most of it. Take notes.

No seriously, take notes. It takes a monumental effort to memorise a concept you never really grasped in the first place.

Jot it down the way you want it, and understand complicated topics before you start revising them. If you wish to confirm to

yourself if you really have it in your head, an effective method would be to teach it to someone else or yourself in the mirror.

This all becomes easier to do if you find the right time and place.

Your brain doesn’t function equally all day.

There are moments when it is at its optimum peak and hungry for

knowledge, and this differs for different people. For most, the mind stays fresh

in the morning rather than the afternoon.

But for many, just like how we feel the natural urge when we’re in the loo, the brain sharpens up when they hit the study table, or a specific area where you usually hit the books. But even then, you can’t just finish in one go. Spread it out.

The average concentration span is from 20 to 25 minutes tops, a point from which you’ll start staring at one specific place, dreaming. Enjoy the process a little. Study for 20 minutes, get up and walk around for 5 to 10 minutes, and get back. Do not extend the resting time though, thinking the night is still young. That does not work, and is liable for more mistakes in your exam than you’d think. Get enough sleep.

A little geeky info, when you sleep the short term information in your brain’s right hemisphere clears itself out by pushing it into the left hemisphere, or the long term storage unit. In normal terms, sleep is the way your brain backs up information. Sleep it off buddy.

news

Women Professionals Network launching

Bangladesh Brand Forum (BBF) with support from Grameenphone Ltd and BRAC Bank Ltd launched Women Professionals Network (WPN) on May 9 at GPHOUSE, Bashundhara.

WPN is the third phase of Women in Leadership project and aims to empower more women to reach leading positions in their career across various corporate sectors. The event started with the welcome address from president of Women in Leadership, Nazia Andaleeb Preema. Quazi Mohammad Shahed, chief human resources officer, Grameenphone shared his appreciation of the initiative and ended by assuring that Grameenphone will support the platform to reach its objectives.

Shariful Islam, founder, Bangladesh Brand Forum, shared the objectives of WPN and how those objectives will be achieved. He explained that the members of WPN will be connected at all times through a comprehensive online platform and every month

there will be a meeting among the participants. A special complementary offer is given during the first six months for female professionals.

The event also included a panel discussion titled “Why corporates should have more female professionals and how?” moderated by M Zulfiquar Hussain, CEO and lead consultant of Grow n Excel. The panel discussion was joined by Rajeev Sethi, chief executive officer, Grameenphone Ltd; Syed Mahbubur Rahman, managing director and CEO, BRAC Bank Limited; Dr Syed Saad Andaleeb, vice chancellor, BRAC University; Farzana Chowdhury, managing director and CEO, Green Delta Insurance Company Limited and Sonia Bashir Kabir, managing director, Microsoft Bangladesh.

The WPN launching event was also assisted by HR Next as leadership development partner, Masthead PR as PR partner, Aamra as technology partner and Webable as social media partner.

Women Marketeers Day at United International University

The first “Women Marketeers Day” was recently held at United International University. This programme was organised by UIU Marketing Forum, a wing of UIU Career Counseling Center (CCC).

Prof Dr M Rezwan Khan, vice chancellor, United International University presided over the ceremonies while Selima Ahmad, president and founder of the Bangladesh Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry was present as chief guest at the inauguration ceremony. The panel discussion session was generated

by Zareef Tamanna Matin, country manager, CIMA Bangladesh, Farzana Khan, general manager-sales, marketing and customer service, Rangs Properties Ltd and Faija Sajia Ansari, HR director, Bangladesh Srilanka Cluster, Reckitt Benckiser. The closing session was led by Geeteara Safiya Choudhury, chairman and managing director of Adcomm Ltd and former advisor of the caretaker government of Bangladesh.

Different public and private university students and faculty members also attended the programme.

T-JUNCTION 23

DT

Tempt

MONDAY, MAY 11, 2015

beauty

pointers

Like mother, like daughter

Pump up that pout (reprise)

Because mom was always right

Two more ways to get a bigger pout, naturally Sabrina Fatma Ahmad Photos: Bigstock

put on your face). Another popular method of waking up the skin was rubbing cucumbers on it. We still do this as it’s an instant

Sabah Rahman Ah mothers! Where would we be without them? They were our first teachers, tailors, doctors, counsellors and a whole lot more.

There is that ever popular adage, “Mom knows best,” and we can hardly argue with the fact. Apart from everything they taught us, they schooled us in the subject of beauty and some of the practices are still very precious to the following generations.

And why not? There is no dearth of gorgeous, glowing mothers everywhere around us. Let’s explore some of their thoughts on beauty rituals.

DIY treatments Sure there were beauty salons back in the day, but women preferred to take the natural route when it came to skin treatments and took matters into their own hands. Here are some combinations they swear by:

4 V_XTa f_TgX- Instead of using a soap (which is super drying) to get rid of impurities, a paste was made from raw turmeric, cream, (the dairy kind) and lime juice for super soft and radiant skin. Some even incorporated some lentils to the mix for an added kick.

ETc\W eXYeXf[Xef- Some women used sliced tomatoes on their skin, which is really great for your skin. Lycopene, anyone? It’s even better if you eat some slices (maybe not the ones you

pickme-up and temporarily tightens the face.

Fbbg[\aZ fXafTg\baf- Whenever our mothers or even we developed itchy allergies, they would boil neem leaves and turmeric and mix them with the bath water for relief. Neem paste also helps with chicken pox.

Expensive potions are not a must Unless your mom was lucky enough to be

a jet setter, travelling to fancy destinations and bringing back exotic elixirs that promised them everlasting youth, they probably had a bottle of good old Oil of Olay lotion on their dressers. Let’s not forget that ubiquitous navy blue tin of Nivea cream that our mothers used and shared with us. There is absolutely nothing wrong with affordable brands. Don’t let the pricey companies tell you any different.

Kneading it out If you are a Bangladeshi baby, your mother most definitely used to give you oil massages and indulge in them herself. Mustard oil was the go-to standard because of its tremendous benefits for skin as well as easing congestion.

At the end of the day, no product will ever moisturise the epidermis better than natural oils. Use them daily if you can.

The added bonus is that regular massages tone our bodies by stimulating circulation.

Less is always more You may have gotten livid at your mama in your pre-teens when she asked you to wipe the gunk off your face before you walked out the door. What we thought was brilliant make-up application just looked wrong in their eyes and rightly so. This is a lesson that can and should stay with you for the rest of your life. Take it easy on the war-paint and let your real beauty shine through.

Last week, we talked about natural oils that can help you achieve Kylie Jenner’s big pout without resorting to shotglasses and bruised lips.

This week, we talk about two more painless ways in which you can get the juicy lips of your dreams.

2...4...6...8, let’s all exfoliate!

Nothing gets your blood flowing and gives your skin a boost the way exfoliation does, and the same goes for your lips. There are two ways you can do this. The first way is to use a sugar scrub. You can get the Bodyshop ones from Bodyline in Banani, or online from Kaymu.com, or you can make your own by mixing some sugar into Vaseline or a lip balm of your choice, and gently scrubbing your lips with it.

Another way to do it is to use a baby toothbrush to scrub your lips.

Remember to follow up with some moisturising product like lip balm or petroleum jelly, and your lips will stay plump and kissable.

Make-up magic It’s amazing what make-up can achieve when done right, and bigger lips are actually one of the easier things to achieve. Start by applying a lip primer, and pat on some foundation. After that settles in, use a lip pencil in a shade darker than the lip colour you’re planning to use, and line along your natural lip line, just outside the line. Using lip colour a shade lighter than the one you’re planning to use, fill in the centre of your lips, in a petal shape. Now fill in the rest of your lips with your intended colour, and top up with a gloss. It’s like contouring, but for lips, and will create the illusion of a fuller pout.

DT

24 T-JUNCTION

MONDAY, MAY 11, 2015

Take Care

health

Foods you didn’t think were so sneaky

How diet plans go wrong Adila Hoque

You surf the Internet every few months to plan a new diet chart, and yet, something or the other goes wrong. You just can’t seem to shave off those stubborn kilos.

You’ve tried everything from going vegan to living on a fluid-based diet, and it hasn’t worked out.

The problem probably lies way deeper in the plan.

Now there are foods that help you retain a healthy metabolism. But there also some foods you think are super healthy and nutritious, but, in reality, they’re nothing but Snow White’s stepmom in disguise.

Some of those items are as follows:

Multiple ingredient drinks If a drink has over two ingredients in it, it is probably wise to skip it. With so many ingredients, it probably has added calories or even artificial sweeteners, and none of those things are actually good for you if you’re trying to get back in shape.

Trail mix This might be a little tricky. A healthy trail mix is actually possible if you’re making

it from scratch, but the ones you find at the store are usually candy coated or have banana strips in them. And from each handful you put in your mouth, you’re looking at 600 calories in 10 minutes. Think about that.

Bars Energy, fibre and protein bars are normally two steps away from being your average candy bar. It is because other than the added nutrients, there’s not much else in them.

Just stick to a balanced diet, and it should be alright.

Frozen yogurt There, there. You can get back to these little things right after you’re done losing weight.

You probably thought they’re way better

than ice creams when it comes to saturated fats, but if you compare the sugar content of the two, they’re more or less the same thing.

Sorry.

Fat-free sweets Just know this: fat-free is not equal to calorie-free. Okay?

efficacy

Photo: Bigstock

Tea junction Getting to know your cup

Pareeza Shehnaaz Khan Black, green, or ginger tea - no matter which one we prefer, we Bangladeshis can’t seem to go without a cup every few hours. Most of us already know that there is a whole lot more to tea than just a quick jolt of energy to help perk us up from those weary moments. However, each different variation has their own unique benefits when it comes to your health.

Black Everyone’s go-to tea, especially locally.

Whether you like yours doused with milk and sugar, or just raw (remember that the raw version is a better choice if you’re watching your weight), black tea just doesn’t seem to get all the hype that green tea gets when it comes to antioxidants and some may wonder why. The green version does indeed have a leg up on its

competition, due to the fact that it is less processed and hence better for us, when it comes to fighting free radicals. This doesn’t mean you have to switch.

Black tea helps ward off conditions such as cardiac issues and strokes. Regular consumption can also actually prevent diabetes.

Green We’ve already mentioned the antioxidants, let’s talk about some more benefits. Green tea can promote weight-loss, balances blood sugar levels, helps fight prostate cancer and promotes healthy, youthful skin. Some people seem to think that green

tea is caffeine free. That is an absolute myth and can be quite the pickme-up during a long day.

Chamomile Many associate the consumption of this golden brew with a good night’s rest as it acts like a calming agent, but there is more than meets the eye when it comes to this one. It can soothe your belly, help heal minor cuts and scrapes and is really good for your skin and hair.

Peppermint The most refreshing of them all, peppermint tea helps digestion, alleviates nausea and even provides relief from menstrual cramps. The real kicker is that it is chock full of antibacterial properties which means you’ll be less susceptible to common ailments Honourable mentions Tulsi tea: This herbal concoction helps you unwind after a long day, not to mention many other benefits such as the prevention of headaches and wards off oral and dental diseases.

Ginger tea: Relieves nausea, soothes coughs and stimulates blood flow.

Jasmine tea: Not only is it aromatic, it fights cholesterol and can also be used as a weight loss aid.

Nico Rosberg beat Mercedes team mate Lewis Hamilton with a commanding victory in the Spanish GP yesterday. Hamilton claws back second place from Ferrari’s Vettel

Sport 26

YOU CANNOT STOP HERE, YOU HAVE TO GO ON: TAMIM’S WIFE

27

WEDSON, EMEKA GUIDE SK JAMAL

Guard of Honour

28

25

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FLAWLESS

MONDAY, MAY 11, 2015

BARCELONA ON BRINK OF LIGA TITLE

Test series loss will not undo recent good work Mazhar Uddin

Liverpool give Chelsea the Guard of Honour, Six and the City send QPR down

6-0

Liverpool have given Premier League champions Chelsea a guard of honour ahead of their clash at Stamford Bridge yesterday.

Meanwhile, Queens Park Rangers bowed out of the Premier League with a whimper after Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero scored a hat-trick to lead his side to a crushing 6-0 victory over the London club on Sunday. Aguero scored a hat-trick while Aleksandar Kolarov, James Milner and David Silva completed the rout REUTERS

With the exception of the 1-0 defeat in the two-Test series, Bangladesh have displayed tremendous consistency and played some brilliant cricket during the just-concluded bilateral home series against Pakistan. The fans might be a bit disappointed with the series loss in Tests but they will be elated nonetheless with the whitewash in the three-ODI series and the lone Twenty20 international.

Ever since the Zimbabwe series and right till the 2015 ICC World Cup, the Tigers continued with their brand of fearless cricket. The Pakistan series was no different as the Tigers recorded their first win over their sub-continent rival in 16 years. The victory in the solitary T20I also came as a relief to the supporters as it was the Tigers’ first win in the format against Pakistan.

Although many had suggested that Pakistan are experiencing a transition period, no one can underestimate the clinical fashion of the Tigers’ victories in the ODI series. En route to their ODI series victory, the Tigers usurped Pakistan from the number eight position in the International Cricket Council’s team rankings. And on an individual level, several Bangladesh batsmen and bowlers improved on their previous rankings.

In recent times, the batting department has been simply extraordinary with the impressive Tamim Iqbal leading the way. The domineering southpaw returned to form in some style, scoring back-to-back centuries.

The other opening slot, however, was a slight worry prior to the Pakistan series. The Tigers think-tank was a bit concerned after opener Anamul Haque injured himself during the World Cup. But young Soumya Sarkar put paid to all their doubts, registering a scintillating hundred in the third ODI. Run-machine Mushfiqur Rahim continued to display his class while Sabbir Rahman and Nasir Hossain were largely unable to exhibit their skills, which shows the batting depth of the side.

ODI skipper Mashrafe bin Mortaza yet again spearheaded the fast-bowling department with aplomb while the young Taskin Ahmed and Rubel Hossain continued from where they had left off in the World Cup. Spinners Shakib al Hasan and Arafat Sunny, meanwhile, continued with their consistent displays, taking regular wickets and at the same time checking the scoring rate.

Bangladesh also unearthed two new talents in pacemen Mohammad Shahid and Mustafizur Rahman. The persistent Shahid bowled a tight line and length in the Test series while Mustafizur impressed all and sundry with his ability to swing the ball.

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26 Sport

MONDAY, MAY 11, 2015

‘You cannot stop here, you have to go on’ Prior to the Pakistan series, his inconsistency frustrated a lot of people. Many wanted his removal from the side. Some even claimed that he had nothing left to offer Bangladesh cricket. However, opener Tamim Iqbal did what he does best. He fought against the odds and bounced back hard in the Pakistan series, registering a host of records. Yesterday, the Chittagong cricketer managed to take some time out of his daily chores to talk with Minhaz Uddin Khan of Dhaka Tribune. An honest Tamim shed some light on his comeback to form and talked about several topics, including the record-breaking opening partnership in the Khulna Test. Here are the excerpts: How is life after the Pakistan series?

It is nothing different for me, to be honest. I am trying to be as calm as possible. Whatever I have done in the series is already in the past now. I am now looking forward to the home series against India. I will try my best to perform to my capability and win a few matches for the team and for the country.

Nothing has changed. I do not remember what I have done against Pakistan. What I do know is that I have been in good touch and I will try to hold onto that as long as I can because you never know when the bad times come back.

Prior to the series, you were criticised in many quarters for your indifferent form. Some people literally wanted you out of the team. In this kind of situation, it is often tough for a sportsperson to script a comeback. What inspired you to come back the way you did?

It is true that the situation I was in was very disappointing. But, I always had the belief in me that I would come back and strongly. My close ones – family and friends - helped me a lot during my bad patch. They stood firmly beside me and tried their level best to keep me motivated. They enabled me to wipe out the negative tension in my mind and think positively and concentrate on my job. So, I thank them.

What was going on in your mind when you smashed a hundred in the first ODI?

I was relieved, to be honest. There was a lot of pressure on me and a good knock was long overdue. I was relieved. I was a bit frustrated because of all the criticism which made me celebrate the way I did. It was a happy moment for me.

Did any word of motivation cross your mind when you blasted the unbeaten hundred in the second ODI?

My wife (Ayesha Siddiqa Iqbal) always believed that I would bounce back strongly.

After I scored the first hundred, she called me and said, “You are not stopping here.

You have to continue the way you are playing.” She normally does not talk about cricket that much. She does not understand cricket all that much, to be honest, which is good for me (laughs), because that way, she cannot give me tips on my game! Those were the few words that she had told me, I think. It was very nice of her and I thank her for that.

How do you deal with all the criticism?

See, I am a professional sportsman and if I do not play to my potential, if I am not scoring runs, critics will criticise. I have to take it in a positive way. And, if I score runs, which I have done in the Pakistan series, people will praise me. So, that is the way of life, you know. What I have said over and over is that if they want to criticise me, make sure it’s only me. They should not involve my personal life or my family.

What was more difficult? The hundred in the first ODI or the double hundred in the first Test?

By far, it was the century in the first ODI. As I have already said, I was under immense pressure and when you are under pressure, you cannot play your natural game, you cannot play all the shots you want. But, I got the hundred in the first ODI while playing my shots and that was the beauty of it. I did not think of what I had done in the past. So, that was really special to me.

You and your opening partner Imrul [Kayes] rewrote the history books in the Khulna Test.

You two broke a record that had stood for 55 long years – the highest opening partnership in the second innings. What was going through your and Imrul’s mind when you guys went out to bat with Bangladesh trailing by a huge margin of 296 runs?

We were not concerned with the total that Pakistan had posted which was massive, something like 600-odd. We went out, talked at the middle and said to each other - we cannot look at the scoreboard, we just need to play our individual game. We had decided to enjoy our batting which I think was the most important part. And, everything went well for us. He did his job and I did mine. I played my shots and while he took his time, he did play his shots later. So, that was the best part of the partnership, I think.

Bangladesh played brilliantly in the ODI series, lone Twenty20 international and parts of the Khulna Test. You guys had all the confidence heading into the Dhaka Test, which was the series decider. What went wrong?

You cannot score 300-plus partnerships in every Test match. I think, this is not humanly possible. It’s true we did not have the best of times in the second Test but if you see the whole series, you will notice that it was a brilliant one for us. We won the ODI series, we won the T20 match and we did fantastically well in the first Test. Yes, we could not finish it off nicely.

I think Shahadat’s [paceman Shahadat Hossain] injury was the key because you are playing on a green wicket with a bit of

moisture on it, you have won the toss and you have opted to field first. So, you expect your fast bowlers to get you some early wickets. So, it’s a huge drawback when your fast bowler gets injured in just the second ball of the game.

It demoralises the whole team. His injury meant we had only one fast bowler to look up to and it was [paceman Mohammad] Shahid and you cannot expect him to bowl 50 overs in a day. So, that was the key drawback and everyone saw that we took two early wickets which unfortunately were no-balls. Azhar Ali, who went on to score 226, was initially out after scoring only 15 runs. Those two no-balls and Shahadat’s injury were the key reasons and to be very honest, we did not bat well in the first innings and that cost us the game.

They scored 550-odd but if we could have scored a few more runs in the first innings, something around 350-plus, we could have had a better chance.

Were you surprised to see a green wicket at Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur?

Yes, I was a bit surprised. I will not lie to you, I was a bit surprised. The plan we had, I think we did everything possible. We won the toss, which was vital, and elected to field. That was the plan and we did that. But, injuries are accidents and you cannot help it. So, these things went against us. If Shahadat was fit or if we were able to take two or three early wickets or if the no-balls did not take place, maybe Pakistan would have ended up scoring 250 or 300 runs and that could have got us back into the game. In the second innings, the ball was not doing as much as it was doing on the first day.

Taking into account Bangladesh’s performance in the Zimbabwe series, the 2015 ICC World Cup and the Pakistan series, do you think the Tigers have come of age in recent times?

There is no question about it. We have beaten Pakistan 3-0 in the ODI series, we have beaten them in the T20 and we have drawn a Test. If you see the whole series, we were on top. There should be no doubt that Bangladesh have improved a lot.

Bangladesh have improved massively, I think.

Bangladesh have taken the next step already.

Yeah, our consistency is the main thing here.

You know, this summer we are having a lot of cricket at home.

We have big teams coming here like India, South Africa and Australia. I am not telling you that we will win all the series or we will be able to do the same that we have done in the Pakistan series. But, if we can win a few games in the upcoming series, I think it will continue to prove that there has been an improvement in the team.

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MONDAY, MAY 11, 2015

QUICK BYTES Pakistan propose India Test series in December Pakistan wants to host the first bilateral Test tour by India in eight years in the United Arab Emirates in December, the country’s cricket chief Shaharyar Khan said on Sunday. The tour, comprising three Tests, five one-dayers and two Twenty20 games is part of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed between the two boards last year to play five series in the next eight years.

–AFP

Murray to face Nadal in Madrid final

Andy Murray will meet Rafael Nadal in the final of the Madrid Open after continuing his flawless start to the European clay court season with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Kei Nishikori. Earlier, Nadal powered past the Czech Republic’s Tomas Berdych 7-6 (7/3), 6-1 to reach his seventh final in the Spanish capital. “This year and in the off-season I put in a lot of hard work on my game and made a few changes and tried to get back to playing the way that I was playing when I was my most successful,” said Murray.

–AFP

Pakistan fined for slow over-rate

Pakistan’s players were Sunday fined for a slow over-rate during their victorious second Test against Bangladesh in Dhaka. The visitors crushed Bangladesh by 328 runs on Saturday, with a day in hand, to take the two-Test series 1-0. Match referee Jeff Crowe imposed the fine after Misbah-ul-Haq’s side was ruled to be two overs short of its target when time allowances were taken into consideration.

–AFP

Pep to City rumours fly after Bayern lose again

Fresh claims linking Pep Guardiola to Manchester City are circulating after Bayern Munich warmed up for their Champions League semi-final second leg against Barcelona by slumping to a fourth straight defeat. The Bundesliga champions were beaten 1-0 at home by Augsburg on Saturday, hardly the best preparation for Tuesday’s clash with Barcelona, when they must somehow overturn a 3-0 first-leg deficit.

–AFP

Tough day for Tiger at TPC Sawgrass

Former world number one Tiger Woods slipped further down the Players Championship leaderboard on Saturday with a third-round 75 that included double bogeys on two par-five holes. The 14-time major champion, now ranked 125th in the world, had never before had two double bogeys at par-fives in the same round, and the disappointed superstar departed the course without discussing his day.

–AFP

Sheikh Jamal players celebrate a goal during their Manyavar Bangladesh Premier League match against Muktijoddha at BNS yesterday

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Wedson, Emeka guide Sk Jamal Shishir Hoque Wedson Anselme and Emeka Darlington were on target yet again as table-toppers Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club returned to winning ways in the Manyavar Bangladesh Premier League following a hard-fought 2-1 win over Muktijoddha SKC at Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.

Nigerian striker Emeka made his return to the starting XI and showed his worth by giving Sheikh Jamal an early lead before his teammate Nasiruddin Chowdhury’s owngoal cancelled out the lead after a silly blunder from goalkeeper Hemel. Haitian forward Wedson though scored his sixth goal of the top-flight to seal victory. All the goals were scored in the opening half.

Following consecutive draws against Brothers Union and Mohammedan, the Dhanmondi-outfit registered their seventh win in the league this season and they are still the only unbeaten side in the top-flight.

Defending champions Sheikh Jamal now

have 23 points from nine matches and are atop the 11-team standings. The holders are comfortable six points clear of Muktijoddha who are second.

With just two minutes into the clock, Emeka put Sheikh Jamal ahead with a calm header. Following a short corner from midfielder

RESULT Sheikh Jamal

2–1

Emeka Darlington 2 Wedson Anselme 23

Muktijoddha Nasiruddin 5

TODAY’S MATCHES

Farashganj v Abahani, 4:15PM Sheikh Russel v Soccer Club, Feni, 6:30PM

Monaem Khan Raju, left-back Mohammed Linkon provided a curved cross that met the unmarked Emeka, who made no mistake heading home from the centre of the box.

The delight, however, barely lasted three minutes after a silly mistake by Hemel.

Hemel’s fumble allowed Muktis to bring pari-

Both BCL four-dayers end in draws on rain-hit day Mazhar Uddin Both the Walton Central Zone-Prime Bank South Zone and Islami Bank East Zone-BCB North Zone ties in the Bangladesh Cricket League longer-version ended in draws yesterday on a rain-interrupted day.

At Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium in Fatullah, Central posted 69/4, facing as many as 56 overs, in their second innings before the umpires signalled the end of the fourth and final day’s play.

National discard Raqibul Hasan played 120 balls for his unbeaten 17 while skipper Mosharraf Hossain encountered 74 deliveries for his eight not out.

Earlier, South ended their first innings on 541-allout after resuming the final day’s proceedings on 538/8. Central’s Mosharraf was adjudged the player-of-thematch for his seven-wicket haul in the first innings.

Central had put up 413-allout in their first innings.

Meanwhile at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong, South scored 106/4 in their second innings before the end of the day’s play.

Earlier, East managed an 89-run first-innings lead after they bundled out North for 384. East had scored 473-allout in their first innings.

ty. Nasir delivered a back-pass to Hemel, who failed to receive the ball. The ball then slowly, but surely, rolled into the open net.

Wedson continued his fine form to put Sheikh Jamal ahead again in the 23rd minute when the Haitian winger evaded the offside trap and collected a through pass from Emeka.

Wedson slotted home past goalkeeper Titumir Chowdhury and into the far post. The Muktijoddha players protested against the goal, claiming it was offside, but the referee was unmoved with his decision to award the goal.

Following the end of the game, Sheikh Jamal coach Maruful Haque said, “I am satisfied with the result. The players performed sixty percent to their ability. We managed to control midfield and did not concede goals like we did in the Federation Cup final. We successfully marked Camara Sarba and Enamul [Haque], the two in-form forwards of Muktijoddha.”

Muktijoddha coach Abu Yousuf on the other hand said, “I think the players showed a lack of commitment in the game.”

BRIEF SCORES CENTRAL ZONE VS SOUTH ZONE

Central Zone 413 and 69/4 Rony Talukdar 106, Mosharraf Hossain 89 Mustafizur Rahman 3/40

South Zone 541/10 Shahriar Nafees 161, Mosaddek Hossain 153, Sohag Gazi 106 Mosaddek Hossain 7/173 Result: Match Drawn NOTH ZONE VS EAST ZONE

East Zone 473/10 and 106/4 Alok Kapali 228, Asif Ahmed 103 Sanjamul Islam 3/39

North Zone 384/10 Junaid Siddique 193 Result: Match Drawn

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28 Sport

MONDAY, MAY 11, 2015

2-0

2-2

Barcelona forward Neymar, right, celebrates after scoring against Real Sociedad during their Spanish La Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo, right, reacts after missing a chance to score against Valencia Liga match at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona on Saturday AP during their Spanish La Liga match at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid on Saturday REUTERS

Barcelona on brink of Liga title AFP, Madrid Barcelona are just one win away from a 23rd La Liga title after Cristiano Ronaldo missed a penalty in Real Madrid’s 2-2 draw at home to Valencia on Saturday.

The league leaders are four points clear with two games to play after earlier claiming a comfortable 2-0 win over David Moyes’s Real Sociedad thanks to goals from Neymar and Pedro Rodriguez.

Barcelona can now seal the title when they travel to reigning champions Atletico Madrid next Sunday should a potential players’ strike due for the weekend be called off.

First-half goals from Paco Alcacer and Javi Fuego gave Valencia a commanding halftime lead.

However, despite goalkeeper Diego Alves

denying Ronaldo from the spot just before the break, Madrid roared back in the second-half to earn a point thanks to goals from

LA LIGA RESULTS Granada

2-0

Cordoba

2-0

Real Sociedad

Mainz 45, El-Arabi 69-P

Barcelona Neymar 50, Pedro 85

Real Madrid

2-2

Pepe 55, Isco 83

Athletic Bilbao Aduriz 14

Valencia Alcacer 19, Javi Fuego 25

1-1

Deportivo La Coruna Lopo 90+3

Pepe and Isco.

However, the Italian refuted suggestions the result could be a blow to his side’s con-

fidence ahead of their crucial Champions League semi-final, second-leg against Juventus on Wednesday.

Alcacer wasted a big early chance when he spooned over when clean through on Iker Casillas, while at the other end Gareth Bale saw a brilliant free-kick come back off the bar.

Madrid suffered a huge injury blow ahead of the Juventus clash as Toni Kroos limped off to be replaced by Asier Illarramendi.

Seconds later it was 2-0 as Dani Parejo’s free-kick was brilliantly guided into the far corner by Javi Fuego.

Meanwhile, Atletico Madrid squandered a chance to all-but secure their place in next season’s Champions League group stage when Fernando Torres had to come off the bench to rescue a 2-2 draw at La Liga strugglers Levante on Sunday.

Milan upset Roma to blow open UCL race AFP, Rome

Milan players celebrate after scoring against Roma in the Serie A on Saturday AFP

Roma failed to strengthen their grip on second place in Serie A after goals from Marco Van Ginkel and Mattia Destro saw struggling AC Milan win 2-1 to blow the race for the Champions League wide open.

Van Ginkel’s first Serie A goal five minutes before half-time and a close range header from Destro just before the hour mark were enough for Milan to win for the first time in six games, despite a Francesco Totti penalty letting Roma back into the game 17 minutes from time.

Rudi Garcia’s Roma stay second on 64 points but they are only a point ahead of local rivals Lazio, who host Inter Milan on Sun-

1-1

AC Milan Van Ginkel 40, Destro 59

Cagliari Rossettini 85

2-1

W 29

D 3

L 4

Pts 90

Real Madrid

36

Atletico Madrid Valencia

36 36

28

2

6

86

23 21

8 10

5 5

77 73

Sevilla Villarreal

35 35

21 14

6 12

8 9

69 54

Athletic Bilbao Espanyol

36 36

13 13

10 10

13 13

49 49

Malaga Celta Vigo

35 35

13 12

8 10

14 13

47 46

Real Sociedad Rayo Vallecano

36 35

10 13

13 4

13 18

43 43

Elche Getafe

35 35

11 10

7 6

17 19

40 36

Levante Almeria

36 35

9 8

9 8

18 19

36 32

Deportivo La Coruna Granada

36 36

6 6

13 13

17 17

31 31

Eibar Cordoba (R)

36 36

8 3

7 11

21 22

31 20

Reuters, Sao Paulo

SERIE A RESULTS Pogba 45

P 36

Pelé leaves hospital after prostate surgery

day night, after a disastrous display that puts their Champions League credentials in doubt.

In Saturday’s earlier game, Cagliari spoiled Juventus’ home title celebrations and Paul Pogba’s goal-scoring return after two months out by snatching a late 1-1 draw to keep their slim Serie A survival hopes alive. Pogba was the best player on the pitch before being substituted an hour into the match.

Juventus

SPANISH LA LIGA TABLE Team Name Barcelona

Roma Totti 73-P

Brazilian soccer legend Pelé left hospital on Saturday after undergoing prostate surgery and tests showed he has a benign condition.

Pelé, 74, whose given name is Edson Arantes do Nascimento, left Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein at around 6:30 p.m. local time (5:30 p.m. Eastern time), a statement from the hospital said. This was the second time the former footballer has been hospitalized in six months. With more than 1,280 career goals, and an unequaled three World Cup titles during his playing career, Pelé is widely considered the greatest soccer player of all time.

He was recuperating after a transurethral resection of the prostate, a procedure that involves the removal of an internal part of the prostate gland.

DT

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MONDAY, MAY 11, 2015

Kvitova thrashes Kuznetsova to win Madrid Open AFP, Madrid Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova romped to the Madrid Open title on Saturday with a crushing 6-1, 6-2 victory over Svetlana Kuznetsova.

The Czech ended Serena Williams’s 27-match winning streak in the semi-finals and was far too good for Kuznetsova, who looked heavy-legged after spending more than 11 hours on court to reach the final.

“I am very happy, I am really glad that I could win here for the second time in Madrid,” said Kvitova, after a timely win just two weeks out from the French Open.

“It is unbelievable for me to finish the week like this. I know that Svetlana wasn’t feeling very well, so I wish her good luck.”

The world number four only recently returned to action after a six-week break after admitting to being physically and mentally exhausted by the travails of the tour.

And that break looks to have done her the world of good as she was the far fresher player in sealing her 16th career title and second in Madrid.

Kuznetsova fended off three break points to hold serve at 1-1, but was blown away thereafter as Kvitova reeled off five straight games to take the first set.

The Russian took a medical timeout at

RESULTS Aston Villa

1-0

West Ham

1-2

Manchester United

Cleverley 31

Crystal Palace Puncheon 57

Mata 19-P, Fellaini 78

0-2

Everton

Sunderland Graham 53, Defoe 85

0-1

Hull

Burnley Ings 62

Leicester

2-0

Southampton

1-1

West Brom

Mahrez 7, 19

Newcastle Perez 41

Anichebe 32

3-0

Stoke

Tottenham

Adam 21, N’Zonzi 32, Diouf 86

DAY’S WATCH Sony Six 8:30PM Indian Premier League Hyderabad v Punjab

Star Sports 2 12:45AM Spanish La Liga Rayo Vallecano v Getafe

Star Sports 4 1:00AM English Premier League Arsenal v Swansea City

Ten Action 12:45AM Sky Bet Championship SF: Swindon Town v Sheffield United

the change of ends, but that didn’t disrupt Kvitova’s rhythm as she moved 4-0 up in the second.

Kuznetsova, who had knocked Maria Sharapova out in Friday’s semi-finals, showed great determination to finally get on the board in the second.

But that only delayed the inevitable as Kvitova rounded off victory in little over an hour on court.

Kvitova insisted that the five-minute injury delay had not distracted her as she set her sights on victory.

“It’s not always nice to just sit on the bench and wait,” said the 25-year-old Czech who fired 33 winners in the final.

Kuznetsova, a former French and US Open champion, admitted that she had been bothered by a leg injury which may yet force a withdrawal from the Italian Open in Rome next week.

Nevertheless, the Russian said she was proud of her efforts after a topsy-turvy week in the Spanish capital.

“I think I had the most weird schedule in my life. Some days I felt like I was basically sleeping on the court, not in my room,” said Kuznetsova who turns 30 next month.

“I just go there to take a nap and then I go back. I played first day at 11:00; second day I had a night match.”

Czech Republic’s Petra Kvitova kisses the trophy after winning the final match against Russia’s Svetlana Kuznetsova at the Madrid Open tennis tournament in Madrid on Saturday REUTERS

Burnley down, United consolidate 4th spot Reuters, London Burnley were relegated from the Premier League despite beating Hull City 1-0 on Saturday as results elsewhere sent them back to the Championship after one season in the top flight.

The humble Lancashire club needed to win their last three games to have any hope of avoiding the drop but there proved no escape after Sunderland, Leicester City and Aston Villa all won and Newcastle United drew.

Manchester United won 2-1 at Crystal Palace to consolidate fourth spot, a first win in four games for Louis van Gaal’s side ensuring they need only one point from two games to get back into the Champions League frame.

United ended a run of three consecutive defeats when they won 2-1 at Crystal Palace thanks to a 19th-minute Juan Mata penalty and a 78th-minute header from Marouane Fellaini.

United are seven points clear of Liverpool, who have three games remaining.

Danny Ings capitalised on slack Hull defending to score Burnley’s first goal in over 10 hours but it proved in vain.

Steve Bruce’s Hull are 18th following the defeat by Burnley and they are two points behind Newcastle after John Carver’s side ended a run of eight successive defeats with a 1-1 draw against West Bromwich Albion at St James’ Park.

Sunderland claimed a vital 2-0 win over

Everton at Goodison Park to climb out of the bottom three and level on 36 points with arch-rivals Newcastle, but Dick Advocaat’s side have a game in hand.

Leicester have now won six of their last seven league matches and remain on course to avoid the drop after a comfortable 2-0 victory over Southampton.

FA Cup finalists Aston Villa rose to 14th after Tom Cleverley tapped home Jack Grealish’s cross to give Tim Sherwood’s men a 1-0 win over West Ham United at Villa Park.

Sixth-placed Tottenham Hotspur hold a point advantage over Southampton in the battle for Europa League qualification despite a 3-0 defeat against Stoke City.

Ten-man Bayern suffer fourth straight defeat AFP, Berlin Ten-man Bayern Munich suffered a morale-sapping fourth straight defeat by losing 1-0 to Augsburg on Saturday ahead of their mission-impossible Champions League semi-final, second-leg against Barcelona.

Augsburg’s Paraguay striker Raul Bobadilla followed on from Barcelona’s Lionel Messi by inflicting more misery on Bundesliga champions Bayern.

Bayern host Barca in Tuesday’s home semi-final facing an uphill task having been routed 3-0 in Spain, when Messi scored twice, which followed defeats to Borussia Dortmund in the German Cup semi-final and a league defeat at Bayer Leverkusen.

“It’s not easy, after the defeat to Barcelona, to play 80 minutes with a man down,” said

Bayern coach Pep Guardiola, who is missing injured wingers Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben.

“We haven’t got any more wingers, so our wing-backs have to attack as well.”

On Tuesday’s clash with his former club Barcelona, Guardiola added: “If we just focus on scoring goals, we will lose heavily.

“We have to stay calm and try to control our game.”

Guardiola named a near full-strength team against Augsburg, resting only Xabi Alonso and goalkeeper Manuel Neuer.

But the German giants played nearly 80 minutes with ten men after reserve goalkeeper Pepe Reina was shown a straight red card.

Neuer came on to face a penalty after Reina was sent off with just 13 minutes gone for fouling Bobadilla.

RESULTS Bayern Munich

0-1

Augsburg Bobadilla 71

Borussia Dortmund

2-0

Hertha Berlin

3-0

Bayer Leverkusen

1-1

Werder Bremen

Subotic 9, Durm 47

Moenchengladbach Kruse 50, Herrmann 81, Traore 88

Hanover 96 Stindl 21

Eintracht Frankfurt

Junuzovic 78

3-1

Oczipka 18, Seferovic 27, Chandler 34

VfB Stuttgart Didavi 66, Kostic 79

Hoffenheim Volland 51

2-0

Mainz 05

DT

30 DOWNTIME

MONDAY, MAY 11, 2015

CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Long lock (5) 5 Wagers (4) 8 Annul (6) 9 Wrath (5) 10 Fish (4) 11 Church assembly (5) 12 Male swan (3) 15 Nidus (4) 18 Make into a statute (5) 21 Female pig (3) 22 Easy pace (4) 24 Silent (4) 25 Tears (5) 28 Smooth and even (mus) (6) 29 Stagger (4) 30 Separates (5)

DOWN 1 Catalepsy (6) 2 Work unit (3) 3 Observes (4) 4 Nimble (4) 5 Conductor’s wand (5) 6 Escapes artfully (6) 7 Mineral spring (3) 13 Upon (2) 14 Hostile encounter (6) 16 Accordingly (2) 17 Intertwines (6) 19 Fish basket (5) 20 In the direction of (2) 23 Snare (4) 24 Spoil (3) 26 Greek letter (3) 27 And not (3)

CODE-CRACKER How to solve: Each number in our CODECRACKER grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. For example, today 15 represents O so fill O every time the figure 15 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 DE FG H I J K L MN O P Q RST UVWXYZ

CALVIN AND HOBBES

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

PEANUTS

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTIONS CODE-CRACKER

CROSSWORD

DILBERT

SUDOKU

DT

SHOWTIME 31

MONDAY, MAY 11, 2015

playlist

This one’s for you, mom!

CELEBS ON SOCIAL

Turn it up Hugh Jackman @ RealHughJackman Happy Mother’s Day to my Mum!!!! And to all yours too.

Arafat Kazi People never ask me what’s on my playlist, but I tell them anyway. They respond by saying I have terrible taste in music- that Chris Martin and Zohad from Nemesis are both very handsome, and will I just please pay them back the money I owe and then leave? I decided to go public. Instead of being ignored by a single person, I can now be ignored by the thousands of people who read Dhaka Tribune.

Arjun Kapoor @arjunk26 Miss u Mom...

He Died Fighting - Brian Blade and the Fellowship Band, Landmarks, 2014 If you’re a drummer, listen to this. If you have a soul, listen to this.

Savages - Marina and the Diamonds, Froot, 2015 I love everything Marina does. Froot is probably her best album yet. I’m torn between “Savages” and “I’m a Ruin” as my favorite.

Troll’s Story (Furioso Disco) - Jean-Jacques Perrey and Dana Countryman, The Happy Electropop Music Machine, 2006 Jean-Jacques Perrey pretty much invented electronic music. In his 90s now, he still goes on tour, resplendent in a golden space suit. This is one of my favorite albums from his newer material. But he has 60 years of amazing stuff to choose from.

Flight of the Sparrow - X Factor, Rock XOX, 2015 Iqbal Asif Jewel represents not just the apotheosis of instrumental music in Bangladesh, but is also one of the boldest hat designers in Asia.

Showtime desk A single titled “Maa Chhara Prothom,” the first installment of 101 songs written and composed by architect and filmmaker, Enamul Karim Nirjhar, was released on May 10 through a radio show on ABC Radio FM89.2. The number was sung by newcomer Mahnaz Islam Moitree and the music was arranged by Rezaul Karim Limon. Released on Mother’s Day, the song was meant to pay homage to mothers all over the country. Apart

from the single release, a music video of the song also went on air on Gaan Bangla. Nirjhar’s album “Ek Nirjharer Gaan,” consisting of as many as 101 contemporary Bangla tunes, is all set to release next month. The album features popular artists including Andrew Kishore, Subir Nandi, Nakib Khan, Fuad Naser Babu, Chandana Majumder, Fahmida Nabi, Samina Chowdhury, Arnob and Bappa Majumder along with other emerging artists. The album is produced

by Gaanshala.

rising star

And the songbird sings

Priyo Akashi - James, Palabe Kothaye, 1994 I always say, “Asmane guru Azam Khan, prithibite James.” This is one of the living guru’s greatest songs. I first heard it 21 years ago and it still gives me goosebumps.

Come - Jaggery, For the Record, 2014 Here’s a live version of a great song by one of my absolute favorite bands. Everything they do is genius.

Shongkolpo - The Attempted Band, Shongkolpo single, 2015 This band has the most handsome drummer ever! The song is dedicated to the indefatigable Wasfia Nazreen. And it’s free!

WHAT TO WATCH

Udhao

Your Ride - Bad Passion, Doin’ It Slow, 2011 Bad Passion are a Toronto-based duo making slow, soulful, sexy electronic music. This one is from their first EP. Tiny Invasion - Rabbit Rabbit, Rabbit Rabbit Radio, Vol. 2-Swallow Me Whole, 2015 I discovered Rabbit Rabbit just days ago, and their live performance left me breathless. I didn’t even know music could be this beautiful.

Russell Crowe @russellcrowe Dear Mums, you are amazing ! Givers of life & love,deepest appreciation, love and respect to mine, my boys and all Mothers #HappyMothersDay

When: 3:00pm and 7:00pm, May 23,s Where: Red Shift LoungeRadius Centre, Bays Galleria, 5th floor, 57 Gulshan, Dhaka.

Showtime desk To mark International Mother’s Day, artist Suha Anadil Chowdhury released her album titled “Chotto Pakhi”, by Prokriti Entertainment. The music was produced by noted singer Tanvir Alam Sajeeb. At only nine years of age, Suha enthralled audiences with the track “Ma” at the launch that took place at Lakeshore Hotel, Dhaka.

The launching ceremony had an audience filled with big names from the industry who were treated to a special viewing of two new music videos

from the album. Surrounded by social delegates and the media, singer Samina Chowdhury and Shafin Ahmed from the ever popular band Miles unveiled the cover of “Chotto Pakhi.”

A student of standard two at Scholastica, this young star has already achieved a lot with the completion of a course at Chayanot, as well as bagging the Best Singer Award from Gulshan Youth Club in 2013 and 2014.

Suha also is also a student of the works of Tagore, Nazrul, Lalon and modern music and practices on a regular basis.

Grab your tickets for the screening of this film, written and directed by Amit Ashraf, while they last. “Udhao” was first released in 2013 at Star Cineplex, Balaka and Blockbuster theatres, but is back by popular demand in Gulshan.

The film is an exciting drama-thriller about Babu, a rickshaw puller turned bounty hunter who chases down men that lurk in the shadows of Dhaka city.

The real treat about this screening is the fact that Amit Ashraf and the cast will be present for a question and answer session.

Tickets are available at Jatra in Banani, as well as Just Juice and Red Shift in Gulshan for Tk500 a pop.

DT

32 BACK PAGE

MONDAY, MAY 11, 2015

NO BB CONDITION MET

BY BKB, RAKUB PAGE 15

GUARD OF HONOUR PAGE 25

THIS ONE’S FOR YOU, MOM! PAGE 31 Tigress loses three cubs in Cox’s Bazar safari park Abu Bakar Siddique

Jui, whose three newborns died in the span of two days, lies near their bodies in her cage at Dula Hazra Safari Park in Cox’s Bazar. Experts believe that Jui’s inexperience of the wild may have caused her cubs’ untimely demise DHAKA TRIBUNE

Tragedy struck at the Dula Hazra Safari Park in Cox’s Bazar as a tigress lost three cubs in the span of two days, supposedly for her lack of experience in the wilderness.

Among the three cubs, two died on Saturday near their mother and one died yesterday at the hospital, sources at the Forest Department said.

The authorities concerned have yet to find a plausible reason behind the sudden death of the newborn cubs, but they suspect their mother Jui’s inexperience of the wild may be a reason.

“The newborn cubs died because their mother could not provide care properly,” Tapan Kumar Dey, conservator of forest (wildlife), said.

Jui is a rescue tigress, along with her siblings Jyoti and Joy, who were rescued as cub themselves by a team of Rapid Action Battalion from poachers in June 2012. They have been living at the safari park ever since.

She gave birth to the cubs on Tuesday.

Tiger expert Monirul H Khan said: “Jui never experienced her mother’s care, which is why she could not care for her own cubs.

Her inexperience of growing up in an environment suited for her kind contributed to her failure in rearing her cubs, which may have caused their death.”

Police officer suspended for assaulting JU teacher Sergeant Imran dragged Prof Rakib by the collar to a police box and beat him up Mohammad Jamil Khan and Mahadi Al Hasnat Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) authorities yesterday temporarily suspended sergeant Imran for assaulting Assistant Professor of Journalism and Mass Communication Department of Jahangirnagar University (JU) Rakib Ahmed.

“Sergeant Imran was temporarily suspended and closed to DMP control room,” SM Jahangir Alam Sarker, acting deputy commissioner of DMP, said.

Jahangir said two separate probe bodies were also formed to investigate the incident and the committees were asked to submit their reports within three working days.

Necessary actions will be taken against Sergeant Imran after the probe reports are submitted, he says.

Kuddus Amin, deputy commissioner of Traffic of North Division, will lead the inves-

tigation of a probe body while Iqbal Hossain, DC of Uttara Division of police, the other one.

The suspension order came within hours after students of JU started demonstrating yesterday afternoon blocking the Dhaka-Aricha highway protesting the harassment of their teacher Rakib Ahmed.

The agitating students demanded punishment to the policeman responsible for the assault.

On Saturday night, Prof Rakib was harassed by the police official in the House Building area of Uttara Model Town while he was going to Airport Railway Station along with his parents in their private car for a visit to Sylhet.

Rakib told the Dhaka Tribune that as they reached the House Building area, sergeant Imran flagged down their car and asked for car documents.

After the sergeant browsed through the pa-

pers he declared that the car be seized without mentioning any reason.

When Rakib requested him to let them go as they might miss the train he refused to give in. Exasperated, Rakib produced his university ID card but the sergeant became more furious and dragged him by the collar to the nearby police box.

The sergeant beat him up in the police box.

Asked about filing any cases, Rakib said he contacted with Uttara West police station to file a complaint but they said the area was under Uttara East police station.

When I went to the Uttara police station they told me the area belonged to Uttara West.

Finally he could not lodge any complaint.

Several hundred students of the university staged demonstration on the campus and Dhaka-Aricha highway around 1pm yesterday demanding punishment to the police officer who assaulted Rakib.

The demonstration caused a huge traffic tailback on the highway.

The agitating students withdrew their demonstration at 3pm after JU VC Prof Farzana Islam assured them of taking proper action against the sergeant responsible for the incident.

Dr Tapan Kumar Saha, JU proctor, says the vice-chancellor of the university has already sent a letter to the inspector general of police and the Home Ministry as well to take action against the police personnel.

Meanwhile, Dhaka University Journalist Association gave a 48-hour ultimatum for punishment to be meted out to the accused police official. Rakib Ahmed is a former president of the association.

The ultimatum was issued from a human chain organised by the DUJA in front of the Aparajeo Bangla of the Dhaka University around 12 noon.

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