21 May, 2015

SECOND EDITION

THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2015

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Jyoistha 7, 1421, Sha’ban 3, 1436

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Regd No DA 6238, Vol 3, No 38

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www.dhakatribune.com | 36 pages | Price: Tk10

ANNISUL SITS WITH DIRECTORS’ SHAREHOLDING MALAYSIA, INDONESIA URBAN PLANNERS PAGE 3 UNDER REVIEW PAGE 15 ACCEPT BOATPEOPLE PAGE 36

Rooted to their enclaves Enclave-dwellers, who may not face displacement because of LBA, fear they may not be able to hold on to their land

Mahidur, Afsar to die in jail for war crimes n Ashif Islam Shaon War criminals Mahidur Rahman and Afsar Hossain have been jailed until death for their involvement in killing 24 people and committing large-scale atrocities in Shibganj, Chapainawabganj during the 1971 Liberation War. They were also jailed for five years on charge of looting and arson in Kabirajtola and Eradot Biswasertola villages on October 13, 1971 with the help of armed razakars, an auxiliary force of the Pakistani occupation forces.

The three-member International Crimes Tribunal 2 led by its Chairman Obaidul Hassan delivered the verdict as it found Mahidur, 84, and Afsar, 65, guilty in two of the three charges levelled against them.

The judges unanimously sentenced the duo to imprisonment until death on the first charge. On the second charge, the tribunal maintaining majority ordered them five years’ prison term.

The third charge was dropped as the duo had already been sentenced under the 1972 Collaborators Act for the same offence. The tribunal blamed the investigator for his inefficiency.  PAGE 2 COLUMN 2

Salahuddin admitted to Neigrihms hospital Rocky’s world in the Balapukuri enclave in Lalmonirhat has been quite like the small window – a patch of India surrounded by Bangladesh – through which he looks out. Although his parents are gripped by a palpable tension over the fate of their land, the five-year-old remains blissfully unaware of what could be grave consequences SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

Al-Masum Molla back n Mohammad from Lalmonirhat With the Indo-Bangla Land Boundary Agreement set to become a reality, enclave residents, technically Indian citizens, are concerned about their rights to their land.

While displacement is not among their utmost concerns, since they will have the option to choose their domicile, the imminent implementation of the agreement raises a deep concern over their land that they have enjoyed for generations.

Mostly arable, the enclaves have never really been subject to strict legal obligations and as such the locals have come to enjoy rights to their land by inheritance.

PAGE 3 Six-year-old killed after rape

However, the 2011 protocol, signed by Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Indian counterpart of that time, Manmohan Singh, moves away from what the 1974 Land Boundary Agreement stipulated, seeking to maintain the status quo of adverse possessions instead.

Azizar Rahman, a resident of the Balapukuri enclave, said: “I have no official documents of my land. We use stamp on a white paper for selling and buying lands. We have been living here for generations.”

Asked what he will do after the LBA is implemented, Azizar, who grows crops on a small patch of land surrounded by Bangladesh, said: “We neither want to move to Bangla nor to India. We want to stay here.”

PAGE 4 Fakhrul sent to jail in three cases

n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla

Only about 350 people live in that enclave.

And having lived for so long in such proximity have turned them into a big family. “All the residents are like relatives. Where would I go?”

Citing a field-level consultation with people living in the Bangladeshi exclaves in India, an Indian foreign ministry booklet on the LBA also says that “people residing in the areas involved did not want to leave their land and would rather remain in the country where they had lived all their lives.”

Like many other enclave dwellers, Azizar too has managed a Bangladesh national identity card with his name but under a fake address. His son Afjal Hossain, who pulls a rickshaw in Dhaka, is married to a Bangladesh

BNP Joint Secretary General Salahuddin Ahmed was shifted to North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences from Meghalaya Civil Hospital yesterday.

He was admitted to the hospital around 6:30pm on advice of doctors after stone had been found in his kidney, Abdul Latif Jony, assistant office secretary of the BNP who was with Salahuddin in Meghalaya, told the Dhaka Tribune over phone.

“Doctors of the Civil Hospital found some complications in Salahuddin’s body after examining him. He needs better treatment,” Jony said.

He also said as Salahuddin is ailing he is unlikely to appear before the court soon. He will be produced before the court after doctor’s certification.

 PAGE 2 COLUMN 2

 PAGE 2 COLUMN 2

PAGE 5 Happy unhappy as Rubel given clean chit

PAGE 8 Laden was bent on spectacular US attack

PAGE 9 N Korea says can arm longrange nuclear missiles

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2 NEWS

THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2015

AL leaders: BNP, Jamaat serve Pakistan’s interests n

Abu Hayat Mahmud

Senior leaders of the ruling Awami League allege that those who had opposed the birth of Bangladesh in 1971 have still been actively propagating against the spirit of the Liberation War in and outside the country.

Addressing different events in the capital yesterday, they asked the countrymen to come under a platform and resist the conspirators and the religious extremists patronised

by BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami.

The ruling party organised the programmes marking the homecoming day of party President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Industries Minister Amir Hossain Amu said: “Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been trying her level best for the development of the country by ensuring the voting rights of the countrymen. But BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and the Jamaat-e-Islami are trying to foil the initiatives.

Terming the BNP-Jamaat alliance a religious extremist group, Amu alleged that they were again trying to take the country under Pakistan.

“BNP chief Khaleda Zia and the Jamaat did not accept the country’s independence,” Amu said at a meeting at the National Press Club.

Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed said the BNP-Jamaat alliance had burnt people and destroyed properties in the name movement since January.

“When BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and the Jamaat-e-Islami ordered activists to carry out arson attacks on innocent people, the country men refused them and supported the government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina,” he said at another programme in the city.

“The BNP-Jamaat alliance has been hatching conspiracy against the country aimed at fulfilling the interest of Pakistan,” he claimed. l

RAB busts illegal water factories, arrests college principal n Kamrul Hasan A college principal was arrested in a drive by Rapid Action Battalion 3 at an illegal mineral water bottling plant in the capital’s Malibagh area yesterday.

SA Malek, principal of Dhaka Bigyan College and also the owner of Dhaka Beverage, was arrested along with his brother MA Rahim on charges of bottling contaminated water without licence and proper certification.

A mobile court led by magistrate Rezaul Karim also fined them Tk2 lakh each and Tk25,000 for two of the factory employees, said Major Kamran Kabir Uddin, deputy director of RAB 3.

The RAB team found the factory’s employees filling up jars with tap water. “There was no purification processes, let alone chemists and laboratories.”

“In the beginning SA Malek tried to obstruct the drive by instigating his students as the factory is near the college. He provoked the students to attack us,” he said.

Operation officer of RAB 3 ASP Md Saiful Islam said they busted another illegal water factory in Modhubagh area and fined its owner, Putul, Tk1.5 lakh and employee, Miraj, Tk50,000. l

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Salahuddin admitted to Neigrihms hospital When Salahuddin was being taken into an ambulance from the Civil Hospital he told journalists to tell people of Bangladesh to pray for him.

He also thanked Meghalaya state government as well as the Indian government for taking initiative for his better treatment.

Earlier, Salahuddin’s wife Hasina Ahmed met him for the third time and talked to the media emerging from hospital.

“Better treatment was getting priority before producing him in the court. Salahuddin is

a cardiac and kidney patient. He needs better treatment. We want to take him to Singapore,” she said.

She met Salahuddin’s lawyer SP Mohonta.

She told journalists that Mohonta would look into all legal procedures after analysing the whole situation and the best option for Salahuddin.

Police in Meghalaya lodged a case against the BNP leader for entering India without legal documents. Now, if Salahuddin has to go to a third country he will have to exhaust all

Rooted to their enclaves woman and has a child. Such marriages are also very common in the enclaves.

The issues centring possession and management of land have other facets as well, which may complicate things once the two governments start implementing the LBA. For an outsider, it would be impossible to know where Bangladesh territory ends and an enclave begins. In most cases, it is Bangladesh on one side of a road and an enclave, officially India, on the other and only the locals can distinguish.

The Balapukuri enclave is just 3km away from Patgram upazila headquarters. The entrance to the enclave is muddy and rough. The 350 residents have no option but come to Bangladesh for everything. Most of them are poor farmers. Some of them pull rickshaws and vans.

Abul Hossain, a Bangladeshi citizen, bought 1.5-acres of land inside the Balapukuri enclave from a Hindu family when they migrated to India.

“Enclave people do not have any documents of lands and properties. I do not know what will happen to our lands. We want a fair survey to know who owns how much. We do not want to lose out,” he told the Dhaka Tribune.

Sabuktageen Rumi, 75, a resident of the Khengir Chhit enclave, has 3.50 acres inside

the enclave and 2.5 acres outside, just like many other enclave dwellers.

“We are happy that the India-Bangladesh treaty has been done at last. Now, we want to have identity. We want to live in Bangladesh on our lands and with proper documents,” the old man said.

Baskata is the biggest enclave in Lalmonirhat district. As many as 55 out of the 111 Indian territories in Bangladesh fall within the boundaries of this district. Out of the 5,000 people living in Baskata, many are Bangladeshis who had moved into the enclave after losing their land to riverbank erosion.

Bangladeshi citizen Momtazuddin, who lives in Baskata, said: “20 years ago, Dharla river ate up all the land I had. Then I bought some lands from a Hindu family and started living here.”

Moksul Haque, another resident of Baskata, has a different fear. “As we do not have any documents, influential and powerful people may try to grab our lands during land survey.

We will not be able to go to court because we have no papers.”

Because these enclave people are not entitled to any kind of legal services, they maintain low profile and avoid chaos.

legal procedures.

SP Mohonta, a senior lawyer of the Meghalaya High Court, will fight the legal battle on behalf of Salahuddin.

The BNP leader went missing from Dhaka on March 10 and reappeared in Shillong on May 11. Soon after his disappearance, his wife Hasina Ahmed alleged that he had been picked up by Bangladeshi law enforcers.

Salahuddin has recently said that he does not remember much of what happened to him after March 10. l

Golam Matin, chairman of the Chhitmahal United Council, said: “We are more concerned than happy. Land grabbers may pose a big problem. A fair share of lands for enclave people is our main demand. We want the government to involve the enclave dwellers in this survey.”

Asked whether the enclave people will go to India after the LBA is implemented, Motin said: “Why will people go to India? They were born and brought up here in Bangladesh.”

The leader of the enclave dwellers also warned of dire consequences like riots if the two governments did not handle the situation carefully.

When contacted, Haider Ali, a government land surveyor for the Patgram upazila in Lalmonirhat, said: “Land management will be a big problem. But we are waiting for a government decision. We will act exactly as the government tells us. It will be hard to say anything before that.”

The good thing is that the 2011 Hasina-Manmohan Protocol looks to “allow people living in these adversely possessed areas to remain in the land to which they have deep-rooted ties, sentimental and religious attachments.” l

Mahidur, Afsar to die in jail for war crimes “This is an absolute failure of the investigation officer,” Justice Obaidul said.

Investigation Officer Altafur Rahman did not carry out the probe sincerely as “he brought a charge against them for which the convicts had already served life-term imprisonment under the Collaborators Act after the Liberation War.” Abdul Hannan Khan, coordinator of the investigation agency, told reporters that there were definitely mistakes in the investigation.

“The IO should have paid more attention.”

The matter of the previous conviction came to light during the trial.

However, Altaf was not available for comment on the issue as he is staying abroad.

After the verdict, the plaintiff of the case and family members of the martyrs expressed dissatisfaction over the verdict saying that they expected death sentence for both the war criminals.

Complainant Badiur Rahman Buddhu said razakars led by Afsar and Mahidur had killed 15 villagers in August 1971 and 48 people in October on a ground near Binodpur High School. They buried the bodies there. His father was among the victims.

“The duo should have been awarded death sentence,” said Badiur, who filed the case in 2013.

Safikul Islam, who lost nine members of his family, echoed Badiur.

However, the prosecution expressed satisfaction over the verdict while the defence said they would appeal before the Supreme Court’s Appellate Division after getting a copy of the full verdict.

Prosecutor Shahidur Rahman said: “We are happy with the verdict and will decide whether to file an appeal or not after receiving a copy of the verdict.”

Mahidur, son of Subedar Ali Biswas of Dadanchak village under Durlabhpur union of Shibganj, was a farmer in 1971. He was an active worker of Muslim League, the case says.

During the war, he openly opposed the independence struggle and joined the local Peace Committee and razakar forces. He used to live in a razakar camp and committed killings, looting and torture in the locality with the help of the Pakistan Army.

Son of Kutub Mondol, Afsar hails from Satrasia village of Binodpur in Shibganj. He too was a farmer and involved with Muslim League. He joined the Peace Committee and the razakar forces during the war.

The duo were arrested on September 16 last year in a local criminal case. The prosecution submitted a petition to show them arrested in war crimes offences and they were produced before the tribunal on September 23. However, the tribunal did not accept the petition to show them arrested in the case.

But following investigation, as the prosecution submitted formal charge sheet against them on November 16 last year, the tribunal took the charges into cognisance on November 24. The duo were shown arrested in the case that day.

The tribunal indicted them on three charges on December 11 last year. Ten prosecution witnesses including the IO testified in the case but no one stood in favour of the war criminals.

After hearing closing arguments, the court ended the trial on April 22 and kept the case for verdict.

Charges

Mahidur and Afsar, aided by hundreds of armed razakars and members of the Pakistani Army, had attacked Chandshikari, Chamatol, Kabirajtola and Eradot Biswasertola villages, and abducted 39 people in two phases on October 6, 1971. They were later tortured in confinement and 24 of them shot dead.

According to the second charge, the duo, accompanied by razakars, launched a systematic attack in Kabirajtola and Eradot Biswasertola villages and burnt down houses after looting on October 13.

The third charge says the duo together with 30-35 armed razakars attacked the houses of Kalumuddin Mondol, Abdur Rashid, Gajal and Ilias Mondol of Sherpur Bhandar village, detained and tortured them on November 2. l

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NEWS 3

THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2015

Annisul sits with urban planners to make plan for a livable city n Tribune Report

Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) emphasises the issues of waste management, controlling billboard and traffic jam as the first steps towards implementing its plan to make a green, clean and livable city.

Mayor Annisul Huq held a meeting at his Banani residence on Tuesday evening with reputed personalities of civil society, sharing ideas for a Green Dhaka.

Urban Planner Professor Nazrul Islam, Architect Iqbal Habib, Professor Shamsul Haque, Architect Mobashar Hossain, World Bank representatives, among others, attended the meeting, says a press release yesterday.

The meeting proposed to give more concentration on the waste management to make the system more environmentally friendly.

Moreover, the meeting decided to send letters containing dos and don’ts to private companies and other organisations along with several other related issues.

The meeting also proposed recommenda-

tions to build U-loop at the city’s busiest intersections to reduce the city’s traffic congestion.

The discussants proposed to grow trees on rooftops of every public, private, commercial and residential buildings, apartments and along with their boundary walls.

Annisul Huq at the meeting acknowledged that there were some minor flaws in the city polls but “my election expenditure was within the limit set by the EC.” The DNCC newly elected mayor said this in reply to a question from journalists on a report of Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) after the inauguration of a campaign of Action Aid titled Safe City, Women Without Fear at Chhayanat Bhaban at Dhanmondi yesterday.

“I do not know on what basis the TIB prepared the report. However, my election expenditure was within the limit,” Annisul said.

He said development work is going on in the city and there will be a huge change in next one to two years.

The playgrounds in the city would be freed

from illegal occupation soon, the mayor asserted.

Earlier, the Action Aid campaign for safe city for women was inaugurated in Dhaka along with 20 cities in the world.

Anisul Huq said repression of women has increased in the recent times. This type of problem would have to be faced by creating awareness among people of all strata, he added.

According to Action Aid statistics, 97% women consider sexual harassment as violence. 81% of the victims of such harassment fear to seek assistance from police.

Besides, 47.5% women suffer from insecurity to travel by public transport and walk on roads and open places in the city.

Moderated by Action Aid Country Director Farah Kabir, the inaugural ceremony was addressed by DNCC Mayor Anisul Huq, Department of Women Affairs Director General Shahin Ahmed Chowdhury and Dhaka University Women and Gender Studies Professor Tania Haque. l

6-yr-old killed after rape n Kamrul Hasan A teenage boy killed a six-year-old girl after rape in Mohammadpur, Dhaka a week ago, police said yesterday.

The body of victim Nasima Akhter Mukta was found inside a reserve water tank at Satmasjid Housing area, where she lived with her parents, near Mohammadpur embankment on May 14. Killer Al Amin, 16, is the son of the manager of the rented house, a press release issued by Dhaka Metropolitan Police stated.

Mukta’s father Mostafizur Rahman said Mukta went missing around 1pm on the day of the incident. They found her body floating in the tank around 4pm and notified police.

On information, a team from Mohammadpur police station went and recovered the body around 4:45pm and sent it to DMCH. Police started investigating the incident after Mostafiz filed a case with the police station in this regard on May 15, said Azizul Haque, OC at Mohammadpur police station.

Al Amin was arrested at his residence in the same neighbourhood on Monday, the OC said.

He was produced before Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court on May 19, where he confessed to killing Mukta after raping her on May 14 afternoon, the DMP press release said. l

Child budget to be included in next budget

n Tribune Report For the first time in the country’s history, a child budget is set to be included in the national budget for the next fiscal year, in an effort to protect the rights and welfare of children.

Finance Minister AMA Muhith made the disclosure to reporters yesterday following a meeting with the Parliamentary Caucus on Child Rights. He added that the upcoming child budget would be big enough to be recognised and appreciated by everyone.

The parliamentary caucus recommended that the child budget should cover Primary and Mass Education Ministry, Health Ministry, Women and Children Affairs Ministry, Social Welfare Ministry, and Youth and Sports Ministry. Recommendation was also made for allocating Tk50 crore for the next fiscal year for development of the country’s children. l

CID given more time to probe Milky murder n Md Sanaul Islam Tipu A Dhaka court yesterday asked the Criminal Investigation Department to submit by June 29 a report on further probe into the murder of Jubo League leader Riazul Haque Khan Milky.

Metropolitan Magistrate Md Mahbubur Rahman fixed the fresh date, as the investigation officer failed to submit the report before the court on the scheduled day.

The further probe was ordered on June 17 last year after Milky’s family submitted a no-confidence plea against the charge sheet.

RAB pressed the charges on April 15 last year against 12 Jubo League men. The prime accused was arrested by RAB, and was later killed in a gunfight with RAB. Milky, an organising secretary of Jubo League Dhaka city (south) unit, was gunned down on July 30, 2013, in the capital’s Gulshan. l

Following his arrest in the capital’s Malibagh area yesterday, one of the two owners of a fake pure-water factory sits relaxed in a RAB car without any handcuffs on. A mobile court fined the detainees Tk2 lakh for obstructing the drive DHAKA TRIBUNE

Financing deal signed for 168kWp solar mini-grid n Aminur Rahman Rasel The Infrastructure Development Company Limited (IDCOL) has signed a financing agreement with Baraka Renewable Energy Ltd (BREL) for a 168kWp (kilowatt-peak) solar mini-grid to be set up at the river island known as Nooner Tek in Sonargaon of Narayanganj.

The estimated total cost of the project is Tk7.14 crore, of which IDCOL will provide 30% as soft loan and 50% as grant. IDCOL has re-

ceived fund for financing such projects from the World Bank, DFID, JICA, KfW, ADB and USAID. From next January, the project is expected to supply electricity to 688 households and 19 commercial entities on the island, which is situated on the confluence of the Meghna River.

Once implemented, the project will ensure uninterrupted supply of grid-quality electricity to the people of that area, which will in turn increase the quality of life and increase income generating activities.

IDCOL, a government owned non-bank financial institution, promotes renewable energy technology in Bangladesh. As of April 2015, more than 3.6 million solar home systems, 38,313 domestic biogas plants, 148 solar irrigation pumps, five biogas-based power plants have been installed under IDCOL’s renewable energy programme.

IDCOL has a vision to finance 1550 solar irrigation pumps, 50 solar mini grids, 130 biogas based power plants by 2017. l

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4 NEWS

THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2015

Mirza Fakhrul sent to jail in 3 cases n Md Sanaul Islam Tipu A Dhaka court rejected both the bail and remand prayers for BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir in three cases of arson attack, vandalism and obstructing police from performing duties in Dhaka.

Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Ashok Kumar Datta passed the order yesterday when Shafiqul Islam and Morshed Alam, sub-inspectors at Paltan police station who are the cases’ investigation officers, produced him before the court.

The investigation officers had submitted the petition on Tuesday for 30-day remand to interrogate Fakhrul. The court said the prosecution could interrogate him at jail gate within May 23 if they needed to.

Meanwhile, defence counsel Md Masud Ahmed Talukder filed a bail petition for Fakhrul, but the court rejected it.

According to sources at the court, one of the three cases was filed by police on January 5 against Fakhrul and 28 others for vandalising and torching a bus in front of Bangabandhu Hawkers Market in Gulistan. The second case was filed against Fakhrul and 49 other BNP leaders and activists for setting fire to a police motorbike in Fakirapool area on January 5. Another case was filed against Fakhrul and 33 others for torching a BRTC bus at Purana Paltan area on January 6.

Police arrested Fakhrul in front of the National Press Club in the capital on January 6. He has been made accused in 87 cases so far. l

Career Boot Camp 2015 ends at EMK Centre n Bushra Sadaf A three-day career workshop titled Career Boot Camp 2015 took place at the EMK Center in Dhanmondi, Dhaka on May 17-19, aiming to develop career and leadership skills among public and private university students.

The workshop was conducted by G Sumdany Don, of Don Sumdany Facilitation and Consultancy.

“Our youth has a lot of potential and not enough guidance to follow the right path. This boot camp will equip these young individuals to achieve their dream,” Don said about the workshop.

The first day of the boot camp started with the participants learning about the realities of job market and the importance of CGPA and extracurricular activities. They also discussed how to set goals aligned with one’s personality, interest area and natural talent.

“I was truly lost before I attended this career boot camp. Now I can find what really clicks for me,” said Tahmid Hasan, a third-year student at North South University.

On the second day, participants were taught how to write CVs, and how to dress up for and behave pro-

fessionally in an interview. Corporate professionals were present at the event to conduct mock interviews, who later provided feedback on the participants’ performances.

Navila Zaman, a first-year student at Brac University, said: “This has been an interesting experience because in real life, no one ever gets a feedback on how their interviews. Today I saw what an interviewer focuses on and what we really need to watch out for.”

On the last day of the workshop, Don delivered his signature lecture on presentation skills and leadership.

Guest speakers of the event included Nafis Ahmed, MD and CEO of Livesquare, Tausif Alam Khan, MD of Vertical Horizon, Hamimur Rahman, HR head at Envoy Textiles, and Rumana Habib, marketing manager at the Dhaka Tribune. They spoke about their struggles and achievements, and all of them stressed on the need for persistence.

The workshop was sponsored by the EMK Center, and its media partners were ColoursFM, Shout and popcornlive.tv. HubDhaka, Omicon group of Industries, GEEKY Social Advantage, Studio Cheesecake, Hifi Public, CriticaLink and YEF were event partners. l

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NEWS 5

THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2015

POHELA BOISHAKH SEXUAL ASSAULTS

Police bar students from besieging Home Ministry n Mohammad Jamil Khan Scuffles broke out between police and students in the capital when the latter were marching towards the Home Ministry to besiege it in protest at the sluggish probe into the Pohela Boishakh sexual assaults on Dhaka University campus.

This came after police attacked Bangladesh Chhatra Union members who organised a march on May 10 and were heading towards Dhaka Metropolitan Police headquarters seeking assurance from the DMP commissioner that the assaulters would be arrested.

A policeman was suspended in this connection and two committees are still probing police action on demonstrators.

Around 11:45am yesterday, several hundred protesters under the banner of Pragatishil Chhatra Jote marched from Aparajeyo

Police put up barricades at Doyel Chattar to bar protesters headed for the Home Ministry to besiege it yesterday, demanding that Pohela Boishakh assaults case probe be expedited SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN Bangla of Dhaka University and broke through police barricades at Doyel Chattar.

But there were no casualties, according to witnesses.

Housewife, two others get life term for murder Mahmud, n Tarek Chittagong A Chittagong court yesterday sentenced a housewife and two others to life and another person seven years imprisonment on charges of killing a Mansur Ahammad in Chittagong’s Boalkhali upazila in 2010.

The convicts sentenced to life term imprisonment are the victim’s wife Saleha Begum Munni, Md Jasim, and Md Jahid; another accused Roni Dutta got seven years, said court sources adding that the four were also fined Tk10,000 or an additional one-year imprison-

ment in default.

The court of First Additional District Sessions Judge, Md Rakibul Islam, passed the order yesterday in presence of accused Munni and Jasim while the other two accused are absconding, said Inspector Onu Mong of Chittagong district court.

According to the case documents, the four convicted including the wife of Mansur strangled him to death in his residence at Paschim Saroatoli of Boalkhali on March 29, 2010 over conjugal feud.

Later, the killers cut up the body, put it in a sack and dumped it into a river. l

Happy unhappy as Rubel given clean chit n Md Sanaul Islam Tipu National cricketer Rubel Hossain came out clean as a Dhaka court yesterday exempted him from rape charges in a case filed by actress Najnin Akter Happy.

Judge Tanjina Ismail of the Fifth Special Tribunal for Prevention of Women and Children Repression passed the order rejecting Happy’s no-confidence (naraji) petition after a hearing.

Both Rubel and Happy were present before the court.

Happy’s lawyer Tuhin Hawlader on May 17 filed the petition against police’s final report that says no evidence of rape was found against Rubel.

In the petition, Happy mentioned that the investigators

had not interrogated eight witnesses including her family members before preparing the final report.

After the order, lawyer Tuhin said they would challenge the order at the High Court.

On April 6, police inspector Halima Khatun, also the investigation officer of the case, submitted the final report seeking Rubel’s exemption.

In the order, the judge yesterday said since Happy, 19, is an adult woman and the duo had consensual physical relation, it does not amount to rape as per section 9(1) of the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act 2000.

The medical report also mentioned that there was no sign of recent rape on her body. l

“Demonstrators were intercepted by police again in front of High Court Mazar area and did not allow them to proceed, triggering scuffles,” said Snehadri Chakrabarty, secre-

tary of Samajtantrik Chhatra Front.

Students later held a rally there for nearly half an hour and condemned police action to obstruct them.

Leaders of pro-left organisations, including Bangladesh Chhatra Union and Samajtantrik Chhatra Front, at the rally blamed police inaction for little progress in the investigation into April 14 sexual assaults, mentioning that no assaulter had yet been arrested.

They said police were not diligently investigating the case and even attacking students who were holding demonstrations.

They ended the rally, threatening that they would besiege the Prime Minister’s Office if no progress was made.

Asking not to be named, a senior police official said the Secretariat is a highly protected area and protests could not be allowed in front of it. l

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6 NEWS

THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2015

UP chairman eats up senior citizens’ allowances

Ansar, VDP demand arrears

n Our Correspondent, Gopalganj

Agitated members of Bangladesh Ansar Bahini and Village Defence Party (VDP) held a demonstration at Kashipur area of Barisal city yesterday demanding their due wages.

They also cordoned off the district office of the force and brought out a procession.

Chairman and members of Kushla Union Parishad (UP) of Gopalganj’s Kotalipara upazila have been accused of misappropriating allowances of senior citizens by showing dead persons as alive.

Social welfare officer of Kotalipara upazila Subhash Chandra Chowdhury revealed the information yesterday following an investigation.

He said a complaint was lodged about a month ago accusing UP member Zakaria Sheikh and Chairman Samsul Haq Hawlader of withdrawing old-age allowances of people who passed away.

According to the complaint, Mia Molla of Chourkhuli village of the union died on April 5, 2013. But UP member Zakaria Sheikh withdrew old-age allowance of Mia Molla by show-

ing him alive. In the same way, old-age allowances of Ensan Uddin, Jochhona Mitra, Moiful Bibi and Shubhashini Dutta were collected with the support of Chairman Shamsul Haq. “An investigation was subsequently launched and we have found proof of involvement of the UP member and the chairman. I have already sent the report to the higher authorities,” Shubhash Chandra said.

Manager of Kotaliapara branch of Agrani Bank, which is responsible for disbursing the allowance, Mohammad Nurul Islam said: “After being informed about the matter, I checked the allowance books and found that the perpetrators tampered the books and changed the photos of the beneficiaries.”

However, when contacted, UP Chairman Shamsul Haq claimed that he was unaware of the matter and was not involved in anyway. l

n Our Correspondent, Barisal

The protesters said 100 people who were recruited by the Ansar and VDP on February 23, 2015 were not given their due salaries even after all these months of employment.

Bhuiyan Amzad Hossain, director of Ansar and VDP Barisal zone, said he had informed the authorities about the situation and hoped that the crisis would be resolved soon. l

DT

NEWS 7

THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2015

Schoolchildren beaten EKRAM MURDER for protesting obscene video n Our Correspondent, Panchagarh n Our Correspondent, Feni

Family wary of getting justice

A peon of Pukuridanga Government Primary School in the upazila has allegedly beaten up its two students on Tuesday as they protested his indecent video showing to several female pupils.

The victims are class-V students, namely Imran Hossain,11, son of Mojibur Rahman and Zahid Hasan,11, son of Jashim Uddin, from Ambari village in the upazila.

Locals said school peon named Zakir Hossain around 2:30pm was screening obscene videos to several class-V female students in the office room in absence of the teachers.

Observing the situation, Imran and Zahid entered the room and questioned the peon of the videos. Being infuriated by their move, Zakir mercilessly beat up the duo, leaving them seriously injured.

Soon after spreading the news, the guardians and villagers locked the school and got admitted the injured students to Panchagarh Sadar Hospital.

Sources at the hospital said Imran’s right hand was fractured in the assault.

Some guardians, namely Ashraf Ali, Hossain Ali and Moslem Uddin, alleged peon Zakir is drug addict and he used to do the misdeed for long.

When asked, the school’s Headmaster Md Faruk Hossain said he along with other teachers were in an enclave to conduct survey when the incident occurred.

“We will take stern action against Zakir Hossain after holding a school committee meeting,” the headmaster continued. l

WEATHER THUNDERSHOWER WITH RAIN

THURSDAY, MAY 21 TODAY SUN SETS 6:37PM

DHAKA

TOMORROW SUN RISES 5:13AM

FORECAST FOR TODAY 35 34 37 33 36 34 32 33

Dhaka Chittagong Rajshahi Rangpur Khulna Barisal Sylhet Cox’s Bazar

29 27 28 24 27 28 25 27

YESTERDAY’S HIGH AND LOW

37.0ºC

24.2ºC

Jessore

Rangpur Source: Accuweather/UNB

PRAYER TIMES Fajr Sunrise Zohr Asr Magrib Esha

3:50am 5:14am 11:55am 4:35pm 6:36pm 8:01pm SourceL IslamicFinder.org

It has been a year since Fulgazi upazila chairman Ekramul Haque Haque Ekram was shot and burnt to death by miscreants in front of Bilash Cinema Hall in Academy area, Feni town.

On May 20, Ekram, president of Fulgazi upazila unit Awami League, came under attack in the morning on his way to the Fulgazi municipality office.

The miscreants intercepted his microbus, shot at him from close range, and then set fire to the vehicle. The attackers left the scene after confirming Ekram’s death at the scene.

Jasim Uddin, Ekram’s elder brother, filed a case with Feni Model police station against 25 people, including Ekram’s arch rival Mahtabuddin Chowdhury Minar.

Family members alleged that law enforcements agencies were reluctant to take action

against the accused as most were leaders and activists of the ruling Awami League.

When this correspondent phoned Ekram’s wife Tasmim Atket, she said: “Please let me live with my children.” Then she demanded a speedy trial of the case.

Jasim Uddin sought the government’s intervention in the murder case and hoped the government would ensure justice for Ekram as quickly as possible.

But locals said, as most of the accused were from the ruling party and Ekram’s family also belongs to the ruling party, he kept mum over the issue. But Jasim Uddin differed with the allegations.

Officer-in-Charge of Feni Model police station told the Dhaka Tribune that at least 27 of the accused were produced before court senior Judicial Magistrate Alamgir Mohammad on April 26. The court fixed June 2 for the next hearing.

After the hearing, the court refused the

bail prayers of two of the accused, Nayan and Paban. Meanwhile, the primary accused in the case, Mahtabuddin Chowdhury Minar, is now undergoing treatment under police custody.

Police arrested Minar fromn Dhaka on May 27 and sent him to Feni jail on June 4 after interrogating him.

Later, the High Court gave him six-month bail on July 17 on health grounds.

Later, the Appellate Division scrapped the bail and ordered him to surrender in the trial court.

As Minar ignored the order to surrender, a Feni court issued a warrant and Adabar police arrested him at the BIRDEM Hospital on September 21.

According to local sources, police submitted a charge sheet against 56 people on August 28. Later, the court accepted the charges on November 12.

At present, 27 accused in the case are in Feni prison. l

Balaghat-Mamar Dukan Road in bad shape n Our Correspondent, Sylhet

Three Kilometer-road from Balaghat to Mamar Dukan of the Sylhet-Tamabil Highway has been in bad shape over few months causing suffering to the commuters.

Sources said the 55 kilometer-long highway from Sylhet to Ballaghat has linked the tourist spot Jaflong. The main entrance of the tourist spot Mamar Dukan to Balaghat has been in a bad shape as potholes developed at many points of the road.

The popular tourist spot is losing public interest and stone laden vehicles are plying with risk due to poor condition of the road, allege locals.

A number of accidents had taken place recently causing unbearable sufferings to commuters who were heading to the tourist spot, they said.

Locals have been holding many pro-

Tk3,000 fined for illegal parking in port city n Tribune Report A mobile court yesterday fined 14 people Tk3,000 over indiscriminately and illegal parking and evicted 10 makeshift shops on the road in Chittagong city’s Court Building road area.

Executive Magistrate Mohammed Ruhul Amin also Assistant Commissioner (AC) of Chittagong District Administration led the mobile court at the entrance of Court Building.

Executive Magistrate Ruhul Amin said due to illegal and indiscriminately parking on the road and driving the vehicles in wrong side, the court fined 14 owners at Tk3,000 as per as existing law.

Beside the mobile court also evicted ten vendors during the drive, added the magistrate. l

grammes demanding repairs of the road for long time. But little impact seems to be made on the concerned authorities, alleged Abdul Matlib Khan, a resident of the area.

Monjur Ahmed, a local resident, said: “Jaflong’s stone as well as the tourist spot contribute to the national economy. But, the concerned authorities have no attention of this road.”

Illias Uddin Lipu, General Secretary of the Jaflong Stone Crusher Mill Owners Association said: “We have repeatedly contacted with the authorities to repair the road, but all our

efforts went in vein.”

Recently leaders of Jaflong Stone Business Association, Jaflong Stone Crusher Mill Owners Association, Truck Malik Sommittee, Truck Drivers Association and Ballaghat Stone Suppliers Association in a meeting have demanded urgent repairs to the road.

About the dilapidated condition of the road, Kurshed Alom, Sub divisional Engineer of the Road and Highway Department said: “We are trying to take a project in this regard.”

“We have already discussed the issue at the district co-ordination committee,” he added. l

DT

8 WORLD

THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2015

Bin Laden was bent on spectacular US attack until the end n AFP, Washington Hunkered down in his Pakistani compound, Osama bin Laden pleaded with his followers to stay focused on attacking the United States instead of being dragged into Muslim infighting.

Documents declassified yesterday shed new light on the mindset of Al-Qaeda’s founder, his debates over tactics, his anxiety over Western spying and his fixation with the group’s media image.

“The focus should be on killing and fighting the American people and their representatives,” Bin Laden wrote in one of the newly revealed documents.

The letter was among thousands of files found by US Navy SEALs on May 2, 2011 when they descended on Bin Laden’s hideout in the garrison town of Abbottabad and shot him dead.

US intelligence agencies have now declassified more than 100 of these documents taken from Bin Laden’s archive, after lawmakers ordered the move and critics accused the CIA of withholding material.

AFP was given exclusive access to the documents in advance of their release.

The documents are Central Intelligence Agency translations of the originals in English, and AFP had no way to independently verify the materials or the accuracy of the translation. The release came shortly after US journalist Seymour Hersh alleged that Washington’s official account of the hunt for Bin Laden and the raid that led to his death was a lie.

From the strategic and theological discussions to the mundane details of domestic funding and security measures, the documents show the man behind 9/11 preoccupied with once again attacking the West in a spectacular fashion.

Mindful of drone strikes taking out senior leaders, Bin Laden frequently refers to security headaches and advises against communicating by email.

He scolds his followers for gathering in large groups and frets about a microscopic bug being inserted in his wife’s clothes.

He lays out plans to groom a new cadre of leaders willing to risk the dangers of joining Al-Qaeda, and his associates discuss arrangements for smuggling Bin Laden’s favorite son and likely heir, Hamza, to Pakistan.

Citing domestic US public opposition to

the Vietnam War, Bin Laden argues that the only way to alter US foreign policy is to “start striking America to force it to abandon these rulers and leave the Muslims alone.”

But the documents also highlight deep divisions among the militants over how to wage their terror campaign.

Bin Laden warns that conflict with regimes in the Middle East would distract the extremists from hitting hard at what as far as he is concerned is the real enemy – America.

Al-Qaeda’s branch in Iraq, which would later morph into the Islamic State group -and which now increasingly overshadows Al-Qaeda -- also comes up in the documents.

Bin Laden writes of the need for largescale terror operations, even though some of his deputies are finding it difficult to organise massive attacks as they try to avert drones overhead and US eavesdropping.

One document recently declassified in a terrorism trial in New York but not released yesterday quotes Abu Musab al-Suri, an Al-Qaeda veteran, who advocates going after smaller targets of opportunity as a more realistic approach, intelligence officials said. l

Iran’s Khamenei rules out interviews with nuclear scientists n Reuters, Ankara Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said yesterday Tehran would not accept “unreasonable demands” by world powers during negotiations over its disputed nuclear programme, and ruled out letting inspectors interview its atomic scientists.

The comments, broadcast live on state TV, were the latest in a series of forthright statements on inspections in the countdown to a June 30 deadline to resolve a decade-old standoff over Iran’s nuclear work.

“We will never yield to pressure...We will not accept unreasonable demands...Iran will not give access to its (nuclear) scientists,” Khamenei said. “We will not allow the privacy of our nuclear scientists or any other important issue to be violated.”

Khamenei, who has the final say for Iran on any deal, last month ruled out any “extraordinary supervision measures” over nuclear activities and said military sites could not be inspected.

The UN International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has been trying to investigate Western allegations that Iran has worked on designing a nuclear warhead. Iran says its nuclear programme is peaceful and that it is working with the IAEA to clear up any suspicions.

UN inspectors regularly monitor Iran’s declared nuclear facilities, but the IAEA has complained for years of a lack of access to sites, equipment, documents and people relevant to its probe.

Western officials say Iran must step up cooperation with the IAEA if it wants to reach a broader diplomatic deal with world powers that would gradually end crippling financial and other sanctions on the oil producer. l

Air raids on Yemen capital mount as scores displaced n AFP, Sanaa Saudi-led warplanes intensified their air strikes against Yemeni rebels in the capital yesterday, fuelling panic as political efforts to end a war that has displaced half a million people foundered.

The Arab coalition has waged an air campaign against the Iran-backed Shiite rebels since March 26 in an effort to restore the authority of exiled President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi, who fled to Riyadh.

Witnesses in rebel-held Sanaa described yesterday’s bombing as the most violent so far, prompting residents to flee.

Loud explosions ripped through Sanaa until the early hours as warplanes targeted rebel-held arms depots for a second straight night, residents said.

“Sanaa witnessed during the night the most violent raids since the start of the bombing” by coalition warplanes, said Saleh Moqbel, one resident of the capital’s Old City.

Strikes since Tuesday have hit arms depots in hills overlooking Sanaa as well as the rebel-held presidential complex, with explosions lighting up the skies, residents said.

The raids prompted many families to flee residential areas surrounding the hills and seek refuge elsewhere in the city, witnesses said. l

IS overruns northern part of Syria’s ancient Palmyra n AFP, Beirut

The Indonesian navy scuttles foreign fishing vessels caught fishing illegally in Indonesian waters near Bitung, North Sulawesi yesterday in the is photo taken by Antara Foto. A total of 19 foreign boats from Vietnam, Thailand, Philippines and one from China were destroyed near Bitung as part of an ongoing crackdown by the Indonesian government on illegal fishing REUTERS

Egypt appoints outspoken Brotherhood critic justice minister n Reuters, Cairo Egypt appointed a hardline judge and outspoken critic of the Muslim Brotherhood as justice minister yesterday in a move decried by a leading opposition figure as a disaster for justice in the world’s most populous Arab country.

Ahmed el-Zend, a former appeals court judge, has in contrast to his predecessor been publicly outspoken in his criticism of the Islamist movement removed from power in mid-2013 by the army and banned as a terrorist organisation.

Some Egyptian judges are seen by critics as hardliners whose rulings are in line with the toughest crackdown on Islamists in the

country’s history. The judiciary says it is independent.

Liberal activist Shady el-Ghazaly Harb said the appointment was part of a trend towards empowering opponents of the 2011 uprising that ousted veteran autocrat Hosni Mubarak.

“There is a particular approach which describes the January 25 revolution as a conspiracy and a setback, and Zend belongs to this camp,” he told Reuters by telephone.

Khaled Dawoud, spokesman for the opposition Dostour Party, called Zend’s appointment “a disaster” that would raise doubts about the application of justice in Egypt, a strategic ally of Western powers. l

Islamic State jihadist fighters took control of the northern sector of the Syrian city of Palmyra yesterday, a monitor and activists said, sparking renewed fears over its historic treasures.

“The situation is very bad,” Syrian antiquities director Mamoun Abdulkarim said by telephone.

“If only five members of IS go into the ancient buildings, they’ll destroy everything,” he added, calling for international action to save the city.

Palmyra’s Unesco world heritage site ruins, including ancient temples and colonnaded streets, are in the city’s southwest.

Hundreds of statues and ancient artefacts from Palmyra’s museum have already been transferred out of the city, Abdulkarim said, but many others -- including massive tombs -- could not be moved.

It was the second time IS has overrun northern Palmyra, after it seized the same neighbourhoods on Saturday but held them for less than 24 hours.

Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said IS fighters had seized roughly “a third of Palmyra” yesterday. After fierce clashes on the northern edges of the city, IS entered the northern quarter “without their vehicles.”

They seized a state security building and fanned out across northern districts as regime forces fled, the monitoring group’s head said.

IS began its offensive on the ancient city on May 13, seizing a nearby town and two gas fields, and leaving more than 350 people dead. l

DT

WORLD 9

THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2015

N Korea says can arm long-range missiles with nuclear warheads n AFP, Seoul

North Korea ramped up its nuclear threats yesterday, boasting of its ability to deliver miniaturised warheads on high-precision long range rockets – a claim denied by the United States.

At the same time, the North denounced “reckless” remarks made in Seoul this week

by US Secretary of State John Kerry, and cancelled an invitation to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon to visit a joint industrial zone on its side of the border with South Korea.

Pyongyang has been flexing its advancing military muscle of late, most recently announcing it had successfully test-fired a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM).

Yesterday its National Defence Commission (NDC) claimed that the country’s nuclear arsenal was already highly developed.

“It has been a long time since we began miniaturising and diversifying our means of nuclear strike,” the commission said in a statement carried by the North’s official KCNA news agency.

“We have also reached the stage where the highest accuracy rate is guaranteed, not only

for short- and medium-range missiles but long-range missiles as well,” the NDC said.

However, Washington rejected the nuclear claim.

“Our assessment of North Korea’s nuclear capabilities has not changed. We do not think that they have that capacity” to miniaturise weapons, a US National Security Council spokesman told AFP. But the spokesman agreed Pyongyang was “working on developing a number of longrange missiles, including intercontinental ballistic missiles, that could eventually threaten our allies and the homeland”.

Reducing the size of a nuclear warhead to the point where it can fit on a missile would be a major leap forward in establishing a genuine deterrent, and Pyongyang has claimed progress with miniaturisation before.

In January the South Korean Defence Ministry said it believed the North’s ability to miniaturise a nuclear device had reached a “significant” level.

The top US homeland security commander, Admiral William Gortney, said last month the North was already capable of mounting a warhead on a missile.

Expert doubts

But other senior officials in both countries have questioned such assessments, and independent analysts yesterday stressed that the North’s claims were often overblown.

“There are differences between their statements and their actual operational reality,” Daniel Pinkston, a Seoul-based senior researcher of the International Crisis Group, told AFP. “Some of it is bluster or exaggeration and maybe for internal audiences, and some of it is probably also for external audiences in an effort to test and to see if they can use systems for blackmail or coercion,” he said.

Cho Han-Bum, an analyst at the Korea Institute for National Unification, said Pyongyang was “too cash-strapped” to perfect such intricate technology as miniaturising a warhead.

“I find the claim hard to believe,” he said.

Experts have voiced similar doubts over the recent SLBM test, suggesting it was probably not submarine-launched at all, but likely fired from a submerged barge.

And it was probably an “ejection test” in which the missile is launched underwater, breaks the surface and then falls back after a few seconds of partial fuel burn. l

Cardinal tried to bribe child sex victim n AFP, Sydney An Australian inquiry into child sex abuse heard yesterday that the nation’s former top Catholic cleric, now Pope Francis’ finance chief, tried to bribe a victim of a paedophile priest to keep him quiet.

David Ridsdale, who was abused by his priest uncle Gerald Ridsdale, told the royal commission that he confided in Cardinal George Pell, about the sex assaults in 1993.

“I told George I had been abused by Gerald.

His first reaction was ‘Oh, right’,” Ridsdale told the hearing in Ballarat in Victoria state, alleging that Pell went on to ask what it would cost to buy his silence.

Pell has repeatedly disputed Ridsdale’s version of the conversation, a lawyer for the Church told the hearing.

Ridsdale told the inquiry that his uncle began to abuse him when he was 11 and that this continued until he was 15.

He said he later confided in family friend Pell because he felt he could trust him but the cleric began to talk about Ridsdale’s family and their needs, suggesting he would have to buy a car or house to look after them.

When he asked Pell what he was talking about, he allegedly replied: “I want to know what it will take to keep you quiet.” l

Hundreds rescued, several thousands still remain adrift

Rohingya migrant children who arrived by boat, receive biscuits from a volunteer at the port of Julok village in Kuta Binje, Indonesia’s Aceh Province yesterday REUTERS

A Rohingya migrant who arrived by boat holds her child at the port of Julok village in Kuta Binje, Indonesia’s Aceh Province yesterday REUTERS

Rohingya and Bangladeshi migrants wait on board a fishing boat before being transported to shore, off the coast of Julok, in Aceh province yesterday REUTERS

A plastic water bottle from Thailand and a plate of dried chilis are pictured on the desk of an abandoned ship that carried Rohingya migrants who were rescued earlier yesterday AFP

DT

10 WORLD

THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2015

Netanyahu suspends imposed bus travel regulations on Palestinians

Palestinian car rams 2 Israeli police, driver shot dead

n Reuters, Jerusalem

n AFP, Jerusalem

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday suspended new bus travel and checkpoint regulations for Palestinian labourers only hours after they were imposed to an outcry by critics accusing Israel of racial segregation.

Effectively overruling his defence minister, Netanyahu froze the edicts ahead of a meeting later in the day in Jerusalem with Federica Mogherini, foreign policy chief of the European Union, a group highly critical of Israeli policies in the occupied West Bank.

Netanyahu drew accusations at home and abroad of racism two months ago when he warned on election day that Arab citizens were voting in “droves”. He later apologised to members of Israel’s Arab minority for the remarks.

The “transit point programme” that began

early yesterday would have required Palestinians labourers in Israel to return to the occupied West Bank at the end of the workday via one of four checkpoints, where they would be registered. They would have needed to use Palestinian-only buses to get there.

Israeli civil liberties groups objected, as did Palestinian officials and Israeli legislators, including several from Netanyahu’s right-wing Likud party and the leader of the opposition, Isaac Herzog of the centre-left Zionist Union.

One Israeli official said the plan stemmed only from a need to “monitor the entry and exit of labourers who are not citizens, for security reasons, as any normal country would do”.

But as criticism of the move echoed in the Israeli media, a Netanyahu aide said the prime minister viewed the proposal as unacceptable. l

Two Israeli policewomen were injured in annexed east Jerusalem yesterday when they were hit by a car driven by a Palestinian who was then shot dead, police said.

It was the latest in a string of lone-wolf attacks by Palestinians using cars to ram pedestrians or police, a trend which began in Jerusalem in October but has also spread to the West Bank.

The incident took place in A-Tur on the Mount of Olives, with police spokeswoman Luba Samri saying the driver veered off the road and struck two border police officers, both of them female. They had earlier been identified as male officers.

“Another border policeman opened fire at the terrorist and neutralised him,” Samri said,

confirming that the driver had died.

The two policewomen were moderately injured and taken to different hospitals in the city, she said.

The driver was identified by relatives as 41-year-old Imran Abu Dheim from the east Jerusalem neighbourhood of Jabal Mukaber.

“We’re absolutely stunned by what’s happened,” a cousin of the driver told AFP, describing him as a very quiet man with five adult children. “It was an accident and when he tried to reverse, they killed him,” he said, citing eyewitnesses.

Israel seized the eastern Arab sector of the city during the 1967 Six-Day War and later annexed it in a move never recognised by the international community.

The Palestinians want east Jerusalem as the capital of their future state. l

DT

EDITORIAL 11

THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2015

INSIDE

What AL gains and loses from the Salahuddin case The BNP, if it comes to power, would follow a similar path of punishing the AL leaders PAGE 12

Ready to serve Let’s accept that we are failing to attract good people into our civil bureaucracy, and that we are failing to nourish them PAGE 13

India challenges old assumptions For a leader viewed as provincial before the elections, Modi has shown great diplomatic agility PAGE 14

Be heard Write to Dhaka Tribune FR Tower, 8/C Panthapath, Shukrabad, Dhaka-1207 Email letters.dt@ dhakatribune.com

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Plug the skills gap to create more jobs at home

M

illions of Bangladeshis travel abroad in search of a better livelihood. Their contribution via remittances is vital to the national economy.

There is no reason, however, why we should not aspire to strengthen our economy, so fewer people leave the country for employment.

It is short-sightedness and lack of sufficient investment in education and skills training which is preventing Bangladesh from making the most of the potential offered by its demographic dividend.

Skills shortages hinder our ability to attract new industries and compete with nations such as Vietnam for FDI. Bangladesh is 99th out of 124 countries in the World Economic Forum’s latest Human Capital Index, a long way short of the our economy’s GDP ranking, which falls in the world’s top 60.

In the index, WEF highlights, as weaknesses, Bangladesh’s scarcity of skilled employees and a failure to nurture local talent.

The government must aim to boost public spending on education and skills centres to turn this picture around.

It is not acceptable that Bangladesh spends only just over 2% of its GDP on education. The global benchmark is 2.5% and many nations spend far more, with Brazil, for instance, setting a target to double expenditure to 10% of GDP by 2020.

The country needs our growing workforce to become skilled and more productive in as many different sectors as possible, to make the most of our economy’s potential.

Everyone will benefit if we can provide more productive jobs and opportunities at home.

Invest in skills to strengthen our own economy

DT

12 OPINION

THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2015

BIGSTOCK

What AL gains and loses from the Salahuddin case n Kamran Reza Chowdhury

T

he “agitation-time” spokesperson Salahuddin Ahmed’s arrest in Meghalaya has added a new dimension in our confrontational political practices that continues to erode democratic values.

The majority of the common people who do not have any political fascination for either the Bangladesh Nationalist Party or the ruling Awami League feel that Salahuddin Ahmed may have been pushed into Indian territory by security personnel to avoid the controversy that would follow in case he was found elsewhere, in any part of Bangladesh.

They are not ready to accept that Salahuddin may have gone into hiding in India for two months for political gains.

It is good news that the former minister did not meet the fate of his fellow politician Ilias Ali who has been missing for years.

The media reported that Ilias Ali may not be alive.

I think it is hard to believe that Salahuddin sneaked into India, because he belongs to a brand of politics that harbours anti-Indian sentiments, and the government he was with was reportedly in favour of giving shelter to northeastern separatists in Bangladesh.

Given our excellent bilateral relations with Delhi, the people would point the finger at

security agencies. Had he been found in Pakistan or any Middle Eastern country, or even a Western country, people would believe the government’s version of the story -- that he went into hiding willingly.

He may be jailed for illegal entry under the foreign act. His arrest in India has given the ruling AL a chance to shrug off its role in Salahuddin affairs for he has violated Indian law and faces charges there.

The BNP, if it comes to power, would follow a similar path of punishing the AL leaders. They may dump some opposition leaders in some parts of Pakistan, or other countries

The Bangladesh law enforcers, since 2009, arrested many top northeastern separatist leaders enjoying safe haven in Bangladesh and pushed them into Indian territory in the absence of an extradition treaty, according to Indian media reports.

The fateful BNP leader, who issued statements announcing “violent” hartals and blockades from undisclosed locations in absence of the secretary general and Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, must now face the troubles of the Indian legal system.

it.

So, the government has nothing to do with

A reason for which Salahuddin may have been thrown across the border is to intimidate the opposition leaders who may dare, in the future, take leadership in support of Khaleda Zia’s anti-government movement that killed many people with petrol bombs.

The over-cautious BNP, which tried to establish good relations with the BJP government several times, is apparently mum over the issue due to the sensitivity associated

with it.

The BNP now believes that they are unlikely to dislodge Sheikh Hasina’s government through hartals and other violent moves. Only friendly ties with the Indian political system would help them come to power in the future.

The AL has primarily gained, at the cost of people’s trust. In politics, the facts do not matter. What matters is the people’s perception.

The AL paid a huge price for the propaganda involving Sheikh Kamal’s alleged role in a bank robbery.

A huge number of people believed the false story involving him. The AL paid the price for a crime they never committed. In Salahuddin’s case, the ruling party must take responsibility from this perspective.

The most dangerous side of the Salahuddin story is: The BNP, if it comes to power, would follow a similar path of punishing the AL leaders. They may dump some opposition leaders in some parts of Pakistan, or other countries.

If such practices go on, we are sure to see a government, but no opposition -- without which a political system is non-existent. We need to save politics through the rule of law, not through witch-hunts. l Kamran Reza Chowdhury is a journalist.

DT

OPINION 13

THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2015

BIGSTOCK

Ready to serve n Mamun Rashid

P

ublic policy champion Dr Akbar Ali Khan has written a fantastic book: Gresham’s Law Syndrome and Beyond. Thank God all his CSP friends are either retired or dead. Knowing many of them, those East India Company relics were not ready to accept any criticism. I don’t know how many of our new civil bureaucrats friends will, or even can, read Dr Khan’s book. If at all, they are likely to keep mum.

I had the opportunity of giving lectures in front of the mid-ranking and senior civil servants at Bangladesh public administration training centre (BPATC) for a few years. While I found many of them to be law-abiding citizens respectful to the chain of command, a few of them were very rowdy and kept their upper chambers shut from any learning.

I’d even heard from some of the faculty there that a few civil servants were found resorting to various “short-cuts” for passing internal exams. This may be reflective of the recent degradation of our society. We have even seen BCS examinees resorting to damaging public property on the streets. Even in our wildest dreams, we didn’t expect our would-be public servants, our “custodians of conscience,” to behave with disrespect towards the norms they are expected to uphold.

Maybe it is the reflection of a weak democracy or our “winner take all” mentality, or even the ruling party’s own perceived infallibility -- there is a growing impatience in our society and country. We are approaching a resolution which prescribes that “only street movements can help us achieve our targets,

our legitimate claims.”

We don’t trust our governments, we can’t rely on the institutions which are supposed to safeguard the interest of the common man, or provide us with the right answer to a dispute or a question.

Much damage has been dealt to our civil service, and we are actively failing to attract further talents into our civil service.

Even though we can attract many, they are increasingly losing their seats to the “belowaverage” people due to the “my man or their man” style campaigning seen recently.

you will see firsthand how some of the joint secretaries or additional secretaries are behaving like the joint or additional secretaries of the ruling party.

I have recently witnessed an additional secretary at the Ministry of Education behaving more like a party loyalist than a public servant. I have seen a bigtime “policeman,” employed at the passport and immigration services department, addressing the honourable prime minister as “netri” or “leader” every now and then. He was telling us what she should be doing in handling the

Let’s accept that we are failing to attract good people into our civil bureaucracy, and that we are failing to nourish them according to their core competence

Even if we take into cognisance the steps taken lately -- the increasing of the age limit, introduction of the senior secretary designation, elevation of the status of a few police jobs, and mass promotions to the posts of deputy secretary and joint secretary -- it becomes quite clear that those are the cunning designs of the ruling party established for passing the election, the popularity battle, at the cost of the public exchequer.

Go to the ministries or the secretariat and

opposition.

Of course, civil servants are citizens themselves, and are likely to subscribe to one political school of thought or other. As long as they are voters, they are supposed to go to a polling centre and vote for a political party or candidate.

However, behaving like a “political worker,” trying to marginalise their colleagues sitting at the table next to them for belonging to a different school of thought, or even

independent thoughts, is not right. Abusing power for personal gain is not acceptable either.

The entire world is changing. The private sector, in most emerging countries, are taking the “centre of the plate” position. Bangladesh cannot be so different. Civil bureaucracy should be seen as a catalyst for driving change in this country too.

Exceptions are always there. Everything is not gone either. While we can’t rely much on the judiciary or even the parliament or the Anti Corruption Commission, we can’t expect much from the civil bureaucracy either. Even within the civil bureaucracy, there are plenty of bright men and women. They are not being harnessed well, however, they are not being groomed well to bring in easy solutions to an issue only thought to be complex.

I still remember the additional secretary at the Home Ministry who solved a friend’s long-pending renunciation case within minutes. Hats-off to our few bureaucrat friends at the finance division, the energy division, and even the land ministry -- their knowledge base is perhaps second to none, even compared to their predecessors.

But again, exceptions, unfortunately, can’t be the rule. Let’s accept that we are failing to attract good people into our civil bureaucracy, and that we are failing to nourish them according to their core competence. If we really wish growth to be real, and for sustainable growth with distributive justice, then we must invest in our civil bureaucracy -- there’s no other way. l Mamun Rashid is a business professor and financial sector entrepreneur.

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14 OPINION

THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2015

India challenges old assumptions n Harsh V Pant

T

he US president’s visit to India in January as the chief guest at the Republic Day celebrations has imparted a new sense of dynamism to a relationship that was seemingly drifting in recent years. A weak government in Delhi coupled with Washington’s lack of interest in India ensured that the two nations continued to talk past the other.

The possibilities engendered by the civilian nuclear agreement, announced in 2005 and concluded in 2008, were a thing past with the bilateral relationship becoming a victim of recriminations and unfulfilled expectations.

Today the relationship stands on the threshold of new possibilities, and much of the credit for this remarkable turnaround should go to India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who in a short few months has given a new direction to Indian foreign policy.

For a leader viewed as provincial before the elections, Modi has shown great diplomatic agility. The sheer audacity with which he seems to challenge the foreign policy shibboleths of the past is striking. The non-alignment ideologues in India stand confounded by the prime minister’s diplomatic successes.

For years, the nation has been told that the only way the foreign policy establishment can secure Indian interests is by working within the rubric of non-alignment.

Even a recent template on how Delhi should conduct its foreign and security policy by some of the best and the brightest in the Indian foreign policy establishment was termed “Non-Alignment 2.0.”

But today, Indian foreign policy is being shaped by a government not trapped in the rhetoric of the past, busily engaging major global powers with a confidence not seen in previous administrations. Defensiveness of the past is now replaced by an explicit acknowledgment of convergence with key partners including the US. Though Modi was denied a US visa in 2005, his government boldly reached out to Washington after coming to power. He recognised that the challenges India faces with a domestically fragile Pakistan, political uncertainty in Afghanistan, instability around India’s periphery and an ever-more assertive China cannot be managed without a productive US-India relationship, and Modi lost no time in reaching out to Washington, agreeing on a September 2014 bilateral summit meeting with President Barack Obama in Washington.

Modi showed his trademark decisiveness in attempting to mend Indo-US ties, which had tapered off under his predecessor, and underscored the significance of the United States in Indian foreign-policy priorities.

Modi cemented his reputation as a leader not only willing to stand up for Indian interests but also ready to find ways to move forward with others after signing a pact on the sidelines of the East Asia Summit in Nay Pyi Daw in November, reassuring the United States that India was not opposed to World Trade Organisation’s nearly-completed Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA).

The prime minister followed this with a surprising move when he invited Obama

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to the 2015 Republic Day celebrations -- an invite traditionally viewed as a celebration of India’s closest diplomatic partnerships. Obama’s visit to India saw the two leaders trying to sort out issues ranging from the nuclear deal to defense cooperation. The nuclear deal had been held up for six years amid concerns over the liability for any nuclear accident.

A great leap forward was made after Obama used his executive powers to roll back the condition that US authorities be allowed to monitor use of nuclear material purchased by India even from third countries, and the US agreed to India’s proposal to build a risk-management insurance pool with a liability cap of 15bn rupees, or $244m, to provide cover to suppliers who shunned the civil nuclear agreement over liability in the event of a nuclear accident.

Bilateral defence cooperation was also energised with the two states agreeing to extend the Defence Cooperation Agreement for another 10 years, expanding its scope by declaring partnerships on issues including “technology transfers, trade, research, co-production and co-development.” Modi’s arrival in office gave new momentum to the India-US Defence Trade and Technology Initiative (DTTI), originally launched in 2012, to promote technological collaboration and co-development of critical defence systems ranging from anti-tank missiles to launch systems for aircraft carriers.

There is an attempt underway to make the DTTI more operational and result-oriented.

Since its institutionalisation in 2012, no major projects emerged, but now scheduling has begun. This is a major step forward and also ambitious, with talk of working groups on aircraft-carrier and jet-engine technologies.

Apart from the US, the Modi government is trying to increase its scope for diplomatic manoeuvering vis-à-vis China by building substantive ties with states like Japan, Vietnam, and Australia. This week Modi is visiting Indian Ocean island nations -- the Seychelles, Mauritius, and Sri Lanka -- offering military and civilian assistance and shoring up India’s credibility as a net security provider in a region where China’s dominance has become significant in the last few years.

At a time when the US-India relationship is being viewed through the prism of strategic changes in the larger Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean region, it’s striking how marginal Pakistan has become in the relationship.

The nation was not mentioned during the joint press conference of Modi and Obama. In their joint statement, the two leaders merely reiterated their call for Pakistan to bring the perpetrators of the 2008 terrorist attack in Mumbai to justice even as they reaffirmed the need for joint and concerted efforts to disrupt entities such as Lashkar-e-Tayyiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad, D Company and the Haqqani network.

There is growing nervousness in Pakistan about the changing US role in South Asia.

Islamabad has moved quickly to reinforce its all-weather partnership with Beijing, and Chinese President Xi Jinping is likely to visit Pakistan sometime this year in what will be the first trip by a Chinese head of state to the western neighbour in nine years.

Chinese officials have also now confirmed that Beijing is involved in at least six nuclear power projects in Pakistan and is likely to export more to the country. Taking aim at Obama’s robust support for India’s perma-

nent membership of the UN Security Council, China and Pakistan have underlined that any change in the 15-member body should be achieved through “consensus.”

Underscoring its desire to play a more active role in South Asia, China has offered in recent months to mediate in stalled efforts to engage the Afghan Taliban in peace negotiations. Though there are tensions in the Sino-Pak bilateral relationship, especially pertaining to the presence in Pakistan of the East Turkestan Islamic Movement, founded by separatists from the Uighur ethnic minority native to the western Chinese region of Xinjiang, both sides have an interest in maintaining a viable partnership, especially as US-India ties take an orbital leap.

Pakistan is also reaching out to new actors like Russia from which it hopes to buy three dozen Mi-35 helicopters. With trouble in Russia’s ties with the West and Moscow losing its privileged position in the Indian defence policy, new equations in South Asia won’t be too surprising.

Under the Modi government, India charts new territory in its foreign policy, predicated on the belief that rather than proclaiming non-alignment as an end in itself, India needs deeper engagement with friends and partners to develop leverage in dealings with adversaries and competitors. The implications are already being felt in the region and beyond as India’s interlocutors try to configure responses to New Delhi’s proactive diplomatic manoeuvering. l Harsh V Pant is professor of international relations at King’s College London and the author of India's Afghan Muddle (HarperCollins). This article first appeared on Yale Global.

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Disappointing growth brings German investor sentiment down

21

UK inflation turns negative for first time since 1960

23

Stocks inch down on profit booking

24

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Business

15

THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2015

Mobile operators reluctant to join internet.org

Directors’ shareholding obligation under review n Asif Showkat Kallol Finance Minister AMA Muhith wants to revise shareholding obligation for sponsor directors of both listed and non-listed companies in accordance with their respective proportion in the company’s paid up capital to prevent selling out shares at their will, officials said yesterday.

He wrote to Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) for taking necessary measures to implement the revised rules.

The demo official letter reads, most of the sponsor directors had released their holdings to make windfall profits in 2010 when the market was in peak, accelerating to the crash in the later part of 2010.

Over the last three years, the capital

Paid up capital Individual (Tk Cr) director share

All director shares

200 above

2%

30%

200-499

1.5%

20%

500-999

1%

15%

0.05%

10%

1,000 or above

Source: Finance minister demo official letter. market remained stable after making the rules mandatory by the regulator, and the existing 2% stakes is too big for a company having large paid up capital, according to the letter.

“I personally talked to the BSEC chairman about the revision of the rules on shareholding by company directors and my personal

opinion is to make shareholding for the sponsors in accordance with the paid up capital of the company,” said the letter.

The securities regulator on November 22, 2011 made mandatory for sponsors, directors and promoters of listed companies to hold at least 2% stakes individually and cumulative 30% of the paid-up capital of their respective companies.

The regulator had also directed the companies to comply with the directives within six months of issuance of the notification.

In more than three years, the BSEC directive has failed to succeed due to stay order as most of the directors and shareholders went to the court and filed writ petition challenging the BSEC’s directive.

On May last year, the High Court scrapped the BSEC’s provision for sponsor-directors to

individually hold at least 2% shares in listed companies.

Hearing a petition filed by a sponsor shareholder of NCC Bank, the court had argued that the provision has superseded Banking Companies Act 1940 that governs the banking sector. It also observed that the parliament’s power of making laws cannot always be delegated into an agency.

Tofazzal Hossain, director of National Life Insurance, welcomed the move and said it would bring discipline in the board of directors in the banking and insurance sector.

He, however, opined that the rules should be canceled forever because it would bring nothing good for the companies.

Hossain was excluded from the board of directors of NCC Bank for not complying with BSEC rules in due time. l

Levy on rice import fails to bring smile for paddy farmers n Kayes Sohel

Duty hike on rice import has failed to bring smile for the paddy farmers as the move has pushed the prices at a level that is not enough to bring them out of woods, according to farmers and traders.

Farmers said during the ongoing boro season (April-May) they are selling paddy at least 20% lower than their production cost. Boro paddy is the largest rice crop, accounting for 55% of total annual rice production in Bangladesh.

Yesterday, freshly-harvested boro paddy was traded at Tk600 per maund (40kg) in the areas of Pabna district and Tk650 in Joypurhat, according to them.

Before imposition of levy, boro paddy was traded at Tk500-Tk550 per maund and these prices were much lower than the last year’s price of Tk800-Tk850 a maund.

Higher domestic production and rising imports were blamed for the price downturn below last year’s level, bringing hardship both for millers and farmers.

For this season, the government estimated that the farmers’ production costs to produce one kilogramme of paddy would be Tk20 during the current boro season, meaning the growers would come to the break-even point if they get Tk800 on average for each maund of paddy.

On May 12, the government imposed 10% duty on import of rice to ensure that farmers in Bangladesh get fair price for the rice they cultivate.

“We are selling boro paddy at Tk600 per maund now. It took more than Tk700 to produce a maund paddy,” said Mohammad Alam Sheikh, a farmer in Nagarbari area of Pabna district.

A Joypurhat farmer Abdul Quddus was

A farmer is seen crushing paddy after harvest selling boro paddy at Tk650 a maund yesterday. “But before duty imposition, I was selling this at Tk500-550.”

Quddus was also a small miller but gave up rice milling since the government allowed to import rice from India last year.

Traders and millers fear that fall in rice price in India after duty hike in Bangladesh would deny safeguarding the interests of farmers further to get remunerative prices for boro paddy.

“This may cause hardship to the farmers and millers as levy hike did not bring any good for them of the remunerative prices,” said Md Layek Ali, general secretary of Bangladesh Auto, Major and Husking Mills Association.

“Rice price increases here but decreases in India due to the government move. This

SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

might bring joy for local importers.”

After raising import duty in Bangladesh, rice price in India has fallen almost 20% particularly in the eastern Indian states as well as Andhra Pradesh in south India as these regions export quite a good volume of non-aromatic parboiled rice to Bangladesh, according to Economic Times.

Sushil Kumar Choudhary, a leading rice exporter to Bangladesh said: “Since the news came in, prices have fallen in domestic market by almost 20%.”

Grain analyst Mahabub Hossain said rice import can-

cellation and further raising duty might ensure fair prices for the farmers.

He said another effective measure can be huge quantity of rice procurement by the government from the domestic market and later during scarcity or flood period, the government can sell at higher price, which will also bring profit for farmers.

For effective rice price, the government may procure rice, fixing price instead of setting procurement target, said Hossain, also a former director general of Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies.

According to the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), Boro has been cultivated on 4.84 million hectares of land this year and more than 50% of the crop was so far harvested.

According to the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) and the Directorate General of Food, the country produced 34.465m tonnes of rice in the last financial year against the demand for 31m tonnes.

Earlier, the zero tariff on rice import, coupled with the lower prices in Indian markets, encouraged the private importers to go for import on a wide scale in the current fiscal. l

DT

16 BUSINESS

THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2015

Disappointing growth brings German investor sentiment down to earth n AFP, Frankfurt Investor sentiment in Germany is at its lowest level in five months after weaker-than-expected growth in the first quarter begins to deflate exaggerated expectations for Europe’s biggest economy, data showed on Tuesday.

After already slipping last month, the widely watched investor confidence index calculated by the ZEW economic institute fell by a steeper-than-expected 11.4 points to 41.9 points in May, ZEW said in a statement.

Analysts had been expecting a much shallower decline this month to around 49 points and the index is now at its lowest level since December 2014.

“Financial market experts have adjusted their optimistic expectations downward in May due to unexpectedly poor growth figures in the first quarter of 2015 and turmoil on the stock and bond markets,” said ZEW president Clemens Fuest.

“However, only a small number of survey participants actually expect a deterioration of the economic situation,” he added.

Growth in Europe’s biggest economy slowed unexpectedly in the first quarter, with first-quarter gross domestic product (GDP) expanding by a modest 0.3%, down from 0.7% in the preceding three months.

For the survey, ZEW questions analysts and institutional investors about their current assessment of the economic situation in Germany, as well as their expectations for the

Pedestrians walk past a shop window with a sale sign, in Munich coming months.

The sub-index measuring financial market players’ view of the current economic situation in Germany slipped by 4.5 points to 65.7 points in May. ZEW said.

No trend reversal

Despite the steeper-than-expected drop, analysts insisted the German recovery remains on track.

“Today’s ZEW index shows that German

REUTERS

investors have lost parts of their earlier optimism,” said ING DiBa economist Carsten Brzeski.

But despite the drop, both components of the ZEW “remain far above their historical averages.”

The expert conceded there were still major risks for the German economy.

These included the Greek crisis, which “could still escalate and is clearly more dangerous and explosive than financial market

participants seem to believe.”

Weak growth in the United States could harm German exports. And what appeared to be a new strike culture in Germany - with train drivers set to stage an open-ended walk-out - could also have a negative impact, Brzeski said.

But all in all,” today’s ZEW correction is not the beginning of a trend reversal and no reason to become concerned about the German economy. It is rather a sign of ... a return of realism,” he said.

Berenberg Bank economist Christian Schulz agreed.

“On balance, far more investors still expect improving rather deteriorating conditions, which shows that we are witnessing a moderation, not a reversal in optimism,” he said.

Natixis economist Johannes Gareis said “two consecutive monthly decreases in the ZEW headline index do not make a trend. The ZEW index has also a tendency to be erratic.

“All in all, we think that the German economy is in a good condition at the moment, spurred in particular by a healthy domestic economy.”

BayernLB economist Stefan Kipar said he expects the German economy to continue to grow at rates of around 0.5% in the coming quarters.

“The framework conditions, with the weak euro and low oil prices, remain favourable,” Kipar said. l

CORPORATE NEWS

BRAC Bank Limited has recently organised a workshop on development of secondary market for Bangladesh government treasury bills and bonds. The bank’s deputy managing director, Mohammad Mamdudur Rashid inaugurated the workshop First Security Islami Bank Limited has recentled signed a corporate health care agreement with Al-Helal Specialized Hospital Limited for its employees, debit cardholders and relatives. The bank’s deputy managing director, Quazi Osman Ali and the hospital’s director (of medical services) Prof Dr Md Abu Shamim was present at the signing ceremony

OK World has recently signed an agreement with United Commercial Bank Limited for providing its customers with credit facilities through INSTABUY scheme on purchasing products of OK Mobile, OK World and OK Lights. The agreement was signed by Kazi Zashimul Islam, president of OK Mobile Ltd and M Shahidul Islam, the bank’s additional managing director

Executive committee of Modhumoti Bank Limited has recently held its 27th meeting. The committee’s chairperson, Barrister Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh presided over the meeting

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THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2015

Government of The People's Republic of Bangladesh Office of the Superintending Engineer Dhaka PWD Circle-III Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka.

Invitation for Tenders IFT No- 05/2014-2015, Dated: 19-05-2015 Memo no.: kaj-4/76/3849 1

Ministry/Division

Ministry of Housing & Public Works

2

Agency

Public Works Department (PWD)

Date: 19/05/2015 Tender may be submitted in any days from date of IFT up to last date and time of receiving tender either personally or express service.

3

Procuring Entity Name

Superintending Engineer, Dhaka PWD Circle-III

4

Procuring Entity Code

–

5

Procuring Entity District

Dhaka

6

Invitation for

Works

7

Invitation Ref No

Memo no. D-3/wcwcGBP-31/2003/597 Date: 18-05-2015

8

Date

Date: 19-05-2015

d) Opening Tender Document (Date/ Time/ Place of opening)

e) Pre-Tender Meeting (Date/ Time/ Place of opening)

KEY INFORMATION 9

Procurement Method

Open Tendering Method

OTM

FUNDING INFORMATION 10

Budget and Source of Funds

Developers own resource

PARTICULAR INFORMATION

Tender will be opened on 23-07-2015at 3:00 PM in the office of the Superintending Engineer, Dhaka PWD Circle-III,Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka. Intending Tenderers or their authorized representatives may remain present during opening of tenders.

Date 14-06-2015 Time at- 11:30 AM in the office of the Chief Engineer, PWD Mini Conference Room, Purta Bhaban, 1st floor, Dhaka.Intending Tenderers or their authorized representatives may remain present at pre-tender meeting.

INFORMATION FOR TENDERER 21

Eligibility of Tenderer

This invitation for Tenders is open to all eligible Tenderers as mentioned below and as further detailed in the Tender Data Sheet (TDS) of the Tender Document.

21.1 General Experience:

11

Project / Programme Code

12

Project / Programme Name

Construction of Multistoried Apartment Building having 4662 nos. flats with other utility & ancillary facilities at Lalasarai, Mohakhali, Dhaka on Public Private sharing basis.

13

Tender Package no

Mohakhali MFP-01

14

Tender Package Name

Construction of Multistoried Apartment Building having 4662 nos. flats with other utility & ancillary facilities at Lalasarai, Mohakhali, Dhaka on Public Private sharing basis.

Date

Time

21.1.1 i) The minimum number of years of general experience of the Tenderer in the construction works as Prime Contractor or Subcontractor shall be 15 (Fifteen) years. ii) In case of Individual on JVCA Tenderer /Reputed Contractors/ Construction Firms / Developers/ Builders from home and abroad who have minimum 15 (Fifteen) years of general experience in Building Construction works for lead partner and minimum 8 (eight) years for other partners.

15

Tender Publication Date

Date: 19-05-2015

16

Tender Last Selling Date

Date:22-07-2015

Time: Up to 5.00 PM

Date

Time

Date: 23-07-2015

Time: Up to 12.00 PM

21.1.3 Local firms/ Developers/ Builders can form JVCA with overseas firms or overseas construction company eligible to directly participating in the tender. However, the overseas firm must be eligible as per qualification criteria.

Time: At 3.00 PM

21.2 Similar Experience & Work Cost:

17

Tender Closing Date and Time

18

Tender Opening Date and Time

Date: 23-07-2015

19

Name & Address of the office(s)

Address

20

a) - Selling Tender Document (Principal)

Office of the Executive Engineer, PWD Mohakhali Division- Dhaka.

b) - Selling Tender Document (Others)

c) - Receiving Tender Document (Date/ Time/ Place of Receiving)

Office of the Executive Engineer, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar PWD Division-I/II/III/ PWD City Division/ Dhaka PWD Division-I/II/ III/IV/ Medical College PWD Division/ Motijheel PWD Division/ Azimpur PWD Division/ PWD Resources Division/ Savar PWD Division/ Mirpur PWD Division/ Maintenance PWD Division, Dhaka/ PWD Chittagong Division-I, Chittagong/ PWD Khulna Division-I, Khulna/ PWD Rajshahi Division-I, Rajshahi/ PWD Sylhet Division, Sylhet/ PWD Barisal Division, Barisal/ PWD Rangpur Division, Rangpur. Office of the PWD sub-division-5, Purtobhabon, Dhaka.

(NO CONDITIONS APPLY FOR SALE , PURCHASE OR DISTRIBUTION OF TENDER DOCUMENTS) Date 23-07-2015up to 12:00 PM in the i)Office of the Superintending Engineer, Dhaka PWD Circle-III, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka. ii) Office of the Divisional Commissioner, Dhaka. iii) Office of the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Dhaka. iv) Office of the Executive Engineer, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar PWD Division-II, Dhaka. v) Office of the Executive Engineer, Mohakhali PWD Division, Dhaka.

21.2.1 Successful completion experience of Tenderer/ one of the JVCA Member as a Prime contractor or SubContractor in construction work of at least 1 (one) no. of “Residential ApartmentConstruction Project” including electrical installation & internal sanitary and water supply. etc arrangement in the same premises during the last 20 (Twenty) years.

21.2.2 (i) Minimum work cost of the project mentioned in 21.2.1 (in a single Project) work for “Residential Apartment Construction Project” in the same premises shall be amounting BDT 430000.00 (four lac thirty thousand) lac or equivalent US Dollar. (Considering exchange rate as per Bangladesh Bank at tender calling date, exchange rate in terms of USD (US Dollar) to BDT (Bangladesh Taka) or vice versa). ii) Applicants shall have experience of successfully completion of installation of 3 (Three) nos. Lift each of 1000 kg. capacity (20 stop, speed 1.6m/sec), & 1(one) no. bed lift capacity 2000 kg (20 stop, speed 1.6m/sec), conforming to international standard. with a value of at least Tk. BDT 500.00 (Five hundred) lac or equivalent US Dollar. (Considering exchange rate as per Bangladesh Bank at tender calling date, exchange rate in terms of USD (US Dollar) to BDT (Bangladesh Taka) or vice versa).

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18 ADVERTISEMENT

THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2015

21.2.3 The above mentioned single project work in the same premises mentioned in 21.2.1 could have been completed under a single or multiple numbers of contracts under Govt. / Semi-Govt. / Private / Autonomous bodies or by REHAB members.

22

Brief Description of Works

22.1 Infrastructure Details: 22.1.1. Construction of 17 residential buildings and 4 NonResidential Buildings which will be complied as follows: 1.

21.2.4 Certificate of authentication in respect of the work should have to be furnished by the tenderer along with tender documents in the following manner as applicable. i)

In case of the work done under PWD/RAJUK, the certifying and authenticating authority shall be the concerned Executive Engineer, under whom the work has been executed.

ii)

In case of the work done under any Government / SemiGovernment / Private / Autonomous Bodies/ Organization other than PWD/RAJUK the certifying authority shall be an officer not below the rank of Executive Engineer in their official Pads or Authorized signatory of the employer.

iii) In case of Bangladeshi Developer, they must be member of REHAB, Copy of membership certificate is to be submitted along with tender document.

iv) The value of the proof work submitted by the tenderer should be re-confirmed by an officer not below the rank of Executive Engineer in their official Pads or Authorized signatory of the employer as the case may be. v) In case of foreign construction company participating in the Tender and if they are awarded, attested copy of registration from the Board of Investment (BOI) of Bangladesh shall have to be submitted before signing the contract agreement.

2. Residential Building Type : A2 Number of Building : 4 nos Unit size : 1,550 sft to 2,600 sft (different sizes) No. of Stories : G + 24 + 4 Basements (Partly Community Space in the Roof top/Ground Level/Basement 01 Level) Total No. of Unit / Floor : 12 nos.

Total Number of Unit / Building : 288 nos.

Area / Floor in SFT : 27,000 sft (appx.)

Buildup Area / Building : 7,83,000sft (appx.)

Total Number of Units in A2 : 1,152 nos.

Total Buildup Area for A2 Type Building (including Ground floor & Basement : 31,32,000sft (appx.)

3.

vi) In case of Foreign Bidder or Foreign JVCA member all documents (Trade license, tax documents, Certificate of incorporation, memorandum and article of association, export, import related licenses) must be attested by the originated country`s embassy situated in Bangladesh.

21.3 Financial Eligibility: 21.3.1 a) The minimum amount of liquid asset or working capital or credit facilities of the tenderer/ bidder shall be Tk. 400000.00 (Four lac) lac BDT or equivalent US Dollar .

(Considering Dollar Conversion rate at 1st January/ 2015 taka 78.15 per dollar). Document submitted along with the tender must be issued in between publication date and submission date of the tender. Liquid asset assurance certificate must be against the name of Project work. In case of Credit Facility / credit line a comfort letter from National / International Banking / Non-banking Financial Institution must be submitted under the project name. Also this portion of money should be available throughout the project implementation period both in base and stand by financial plan using form no PW3-13. b) The minimum amount of net worth of the Tenderers/JVCA member of the tenderer shall be Tk. 700000.00 (Seven lac) lac.

The minimum amount of Net worth of the tenderer/ bidder shall be Tk. 700000.00 (Seven lac) lac BDT or equivalent US Dollar. (Considering exchange rate as per Bangladesh Bank at tender calling date, exchange rate in terms of USD (US Dollar) to BDT (Bangladesh Taka) or vice versa). Document submitted along with the tender must be issued in between publication date and submission date of the tender.

21.3.2 The tenderers/ bidder shall have a minimum average annual construction turnover during last 5 (Five) financial years of Tk. 400000.00 (Four lac) lac BDT or equivalent US Dollar. (Considering exchange rate as per Bangladesh Bank at tender calling date, exchange rate in terms of USD (US Dollar) to BDT (Bangladesh Taka) or vice versa).The period may be the best three years of the last five years. Turnover may (i) Total Annual payment received aginest Construction work in a definite financial year or (ii) Total Annual sell of apartment in a definite financial year. All the document may be submitted after audited by a recognized audit firm in home & abroad or Supported Certificate of NBR

Residential Building Type : A1 Number of Building : 11 nos Unit size : 1,550 sft to 2,600 sft (different sizes) No. of Stories : G + 25 + 4 Basements (Partly Community Space in the Roof top/Ground Level/Basement 01 Level) Total No. of Unit / Floor : 12 nos.

Total Number of Unit / Building : 300 nos.

Area / Floor in SFT : 27,000 sft (appx.)

Buildup Area / Building : 8,10,000sft (appx.)

Total Number of Units in A1 : 3,300 nos Total Buildup Area for A1 Type Building (including Ground floor &Basement : 89,10,000sft (appx.)

Residential Building Type : B Number of Building : 1 no Unit size : 2,000 sft to 2,300 sft (different sizes) No. of Stories : G + 19 + 3 Basements (Partly Community Space in the Roof top/Ground Level/Basement 01 Level) Total No. of Unit / Floor : 8 nos.

Total Number of Unit / Building : 120 nos.

Area / Floor in SFT : 18,000 sft (appx.)

Buildup Area / Building : 4,14,000sft (appx.)

Total Number of Units in B : 120 nos.

Total Buildup Area for B Type Building (including Ground floor & Basement: 4,14,000sft (appx.)

4. Residential Building Type : C Number of Building : 1 no Unit size : 2,000 sft to 2,300 sft (different sizes) No. of Stories : G+19+2 Basements (Partly Community Space in the Roof top/Ground Level/Basement 01 Level) Total No. of Unit / Floor : 6nos Total Number of Unit / Building : 90 nos.

Area / Floor in SFT : 14,000 sft (appx.)

Buildup Area / Building : 3,08,000sft (appx.)

Total Number of Units in B : 90 nos.

Total Buildup Area for B Type Building (including Ground floor &Basement: 3,08,000sft (appx.)

5.

Non-Residential Building Type : International School Number of Building : 1 no No. of Stories : G+7 Area / Floor in SFT : 17,000 sft (appx.)

Buildup Area / Building : 1,36,000sft (appx.)

Total Buildup Area (including Ground floor): 1,36,000sft (appx.)

6. Non-Residential Building Type : Health Care Center Number of Building : 1 no No. of Stories : G + 7 + 1 Basement Area / Floor in SFT : 22,000 sft (appx.)

Buildup Area / Building : 1,98,000sft (appx.)

Total Buildup Area (including Ground floor& Basement): 1,98,000sft (appx.)

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THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2015

7.

Non-Residential Building Type : Retail Mall + Mosque Number of Building : 1 no No. of Stories : G+3 Area / Floor in SFT : 18,000 sft (appx.)

Buildup Area / Building : 72,000 sft (appx.)

Total Buildup Area (including Ground floor): 72,000sft (appx.)

8. Non-Residential Building Type : Community Center + Mosque + Other Facilities Number of Building : 1 no No. of Stories : G+3 Area / Floor in SFT : 35,000 sft (appx.)

Buildup Area / Building : 1,40,000sft (appx.)

Total Buildup Area (including Ground floor): 1,40,000sft (appx.)

1.3: Other Facilities (a) Construction of one Recycling Water System for 40,000 people and the water body plus the rain water. (b) Construction of Sewerage Treatment Plant for 40,000 people (c) Rain Water Harvesting (d) Landscaping & Lakeside Development (e) Boating & Swimming Facility (f) Family Park & Gardening with Walkway

5. 3DRendering 5.1 Aerial View of the Project 5.2 Road View Perspective 5.3 Lake View Perspective & brief description of work mentioned in sl. 22.1.1 from 1 to 8 & also in Section 1.3 others facilities from (a) to (q) of NIT. a)

In Addition to that the following documents is to be attached and guide line should be followed during preparation of the tender document:-

(i)

The variation of floor space and flat unit with area between brief description of building & in preliminary architectural plan must be in between 0-10%

(ii) Conceptual Interior design need to be submitted along with the tender. (ii) Supplying and installation of required numbers of lift with capacity. All lift will be of European Standard. (iii) Supply and installation of required number of electrical Substation /Transformer with necessary accessories & capacities. (iv) Construction of boundary wall, Security box, Internal and approach roads. (v) All type of preliminary drawings required against the item of work stated in (a) to (n) of 1.3.

(g) Children’s Play Area

(vi) For the above activities all type of expenditure and consultancy payment should by bear by bidder.

(h) Surface Car parking Facility

b)

Contractor/ developer/ builders will be selected according to the Basis of offering highest percentage of flat for residential bldg and floor space for non-residential bldg.

For this purpose tenderer offer means how many the percentage sharing of building flat (for residential bldg.) or floor space (for non-residential bldg.) will be given to the Govt. by the developer.

c)

i) Quoting sharing of residential & non-residential bldg. only percentage is need to write in the BOQ but in case of residential bldg sharing means sharing of flats between Contractor/ developer/ builder& Govt. & in case of non-residential bldg sharing means sharing of floor area between developer & Govt.

ii)

During actual sharing of flats between Contractor/ developer/ builders and Government the sharing will be governed by no of flats as well as area of flats which is more advantageous to the Government.

iii)

Actual Sharing of equal area flats must be according to the percentage share quoted. In this case also the advantage of Govt. will be prevailed between number of flats and area of total flats.

(i)

Internal & External Roads & Walkway

(j)

Special Paving for Disable People

(k) Roof Gardening (l)

Pump House at Suitable Location

(m) Indoor & Outdoor Games Facility (n) Total Parking Facility for the Project must be in between 6,300 to 6,400 parking bays inside the building and arrangement of additional parking for 600 to 700 cars outside the built-up area. (o) Substations in Suitable Places (p) Fire Detection and Protection System (q) The open space of the Project must be maintained minimum 60% of the Project Land (including water body). (r)

Slum Rehabilitation and relocation by own cost of bidder for existing 300 (Three Hundred) nos. Slum dweller families with 400 sft floor spacein a R.C.C. pucca walk up Building constructed following BNBC for each dweller family on 5 (Five) bighas bidder’s own land at a aerial distance of maximum 15 (fifteen) Km from the Zero Point of Dhaka City. 100% slum relocation work must be completed within one year & 50% within maximum 6 (six) month from the date of signing of contract.The registered land documents of the land must be submitted during the bid submission. These land documents must be registered under the bidder`s name / in case of JVCA registered under any JVCA member.

1.4 Special Attention & instruction to the Bidder : A. For submission of tender document only Bidder will submit the following documents along with tender ARCHITECTURAL DRAWINGS 1. MasterPlan 2.LocationPlanof ResidentialBuildings 2.1 Location Plan of Each Residential Building 2.2 Floor Plans of Each Residential Building 2.3UnitNumbers &Room Plan of Each Residential Building 2.4Elevation of Each Residential Building 2.5Section Plan of Each Residential Building as required but not less than 3 (Three).

iv) Actual Sharing of flats in number must be a integer value but not in a fraction value. v)

vi) All the buildings of Govt. part will be in one compound of the project area and all the buildings of contractor/ developer/builder part will be in another compound of project area. vii) Actual Sharing of area of non-residential building between Contractor/ developer/ builders and Government may be preferred by floor or by left and right side of middle stair.

In this case also the advantage of Govt. will be prevailed for area sharing. d)

3.LocationPlanof Commercial& Non-ResidentialBuildings 3.1 Location Plan of Each Non-Residential Building 3.2 Floor Plans of Each Non-Residential Building 3.3Elevation of Each Non-Residential Building 3.4Section Plan of Each Non-Residential Building as required but not less than 3 (Three).

4.Landscaping Plan 4.1 Zoning Concept 4.2 Landscape of Conceptual Plan 4.3 Landscape of Conceptual Roof Plan 4.4 Landscape of Circulation System

Actual Sharing of flats between contractor/developer/ builder and Govt. must be on the basis of individual building.

2)

1) The management of the non-residential part of the building/structure in/c rowing, open car parking and children park will be under the management control of developer/builder/contractor for a period of 5 (five) years after completion of whole project work. The period may be extended year wise on the basis of good management performance of the developer/builder/ contractor but not more than another 5 (five) years. After passing 5(five) years or additional 5(five) years or any period within the period of additional 5(five) years if any mismanagement occur, PWD of MOH & PW may lease the management system of the above facilities to different management organization.

Sharing of profit in between developer & Govt. will be distributed according to the actual share mentioned in the BOQ during the time of submission of tender on which basis contract signed.

DT

20 ADVERTISEMENT

THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2015

sum in BOQ for which, developer will bear all the cost required to construct these item of works in addition all these item of works after completion of the project will be under the full managerial control as well as maintenance of PWD under MOH & PW.

All types of structures/ buildings under the project should be according the building Construction Act of that area of construction and as per clause No. 5.3 & 5.4 miKvix Rwgi

DciAskx`vwi‡Z¡iwfwˇZAeKvVv‡gvDbœqb(d¬vUevox wbg©vY) bxwZgvjv-2008

b)

3) Sharing of profit in between developer/builder/ contractor and the government will remain same as stated in BOQ whether the management of the above facilities is operated by the developer or by PWD of MOH&PW. e)

ii)

i) The items included for the works of Construction of common facilities which includes sub-station, generator and pump house, site improvement, boundary wall, Construction of Water Recycling System for around 40,000 people and the Lake water treatment the rain water Harvesting, Sewerage Treatment Plant for around 40,000 people, Landscaping & Lakeside Development, Boating & Swimming Facility, Family Park & Gardening with Walkway, Children’s Play Area, Surface Car parking Facility, Internal & External Roads & Walkway, Substations in Suitable Places, Special Paving for Disable People, Roof Gardening, Pump House at Suitable Location, Fire Detection and Protection System, Indoor & out door Games Facility, Slum Rehabilitation and relocation by own cost of bidder for existing 300 (Three Hundred) Nos. Slum dweller families with 400 sft floor space for each dweller family on 5 (Five) bighas bidder’s own land at a aerial distance of maximum 15 (fifteen) Km from the Zero Point of Dhaka City (100% slum relocation work must be completed with in one year & 50% with in maximum 6 (six) month from the date of signing of contract.), Total parking facility for the Project must be in between 6,300 to 6,400 parking bays inside the building and arrangement of additional parking for 600 to 700 cars outside the built-up area & external electrification etc. as per master plan. For these items of works no payment will be given to the developers it will be treated as provisional

ii) The variation of floor space and flat unit with area between brief description of building & in detailed architectural plan must be in between 0-10%

i)The cost of all types of preliminary architectural, structural & others infrastructures drawing design with payment for consultancy as well as all types of cost related for the submission of tender document must be bear by the intended developer/contractor/builder. ii) Govt. will provide only brief description of work & employers requirement with site plan & land for the project. On the other developer will deliver to the Govt. the percentages of share against flat of residential building & floor space of non-residential building as per percentages share written in BOQ or according to percentages of share signed in contract agreement.

g)

B. a)

Plan should be prepared according to the town development authorities rules & regulations properly & the layout plan of the building/ project should be approved from the authority with their own cost.

d)

i) Finishing schedule for individual building should be prepared individually according to the position of land, amount of land & Govt. necessity. Finishing schedule should be prepared & approved by DOA of MOH & PW work with their own cost. Work should be implemented according to that. ii) The minimum standard of finishing for individual building must be according to the finishing schedule specification approved by the department of DOA of MOH &PW.

e)

f)

g)

ii) Actual Sub-Structure Design Should be based on the extensive soil report beneath every building/structure by the selected developer. i)The cost of all types of architectural, structural, electro-mechanical, sanitary, gas, telephone, service line and others working drawings and consultancy services required (as per section no. 8 of the tender document) will be borne by the selected developer/contractor/ builders.

If the actual cost of construction for all the items mentioned in e(i) increases than the cost mentioned as provisional sum in BOQ then the increased cost must be bear by the contract signed developer.

23

Brief Description of Physical Services

The Tenderer / Contractor has to be arranged all physical facilities for the execution of the works by their own cost.

24

Price of Tender Document (Tk)

3000.00 (Three thousand) Taka only.

25

Package no.

Identification of Lot

Location

Tender Security Amount

Completion Time in Months

Mohakhali MFP-01

Construction of Multistoried Apartment Building having 4662 nos. flats with other utility & ancillary facilities at Lalasarai, Mohakhali, Dhaka on Public Private sharing basis.

Lalasarai, Mohakhali, Dhaka, Bangladesh

16500.00 Lac

36 months

PROCURING ENTITY DETAILS 26

Bidders must be accomplished with employers requirement as stated in section 7 of tender document & section 14 Allotment/ sell/ distribution and sharing of developed structures.

For successful/ selected bidders only The successfully selected developer/contractor/builders will submittal the procedure of implementation of the project, all types of architectural, structural, electromechanical, sanitary, gas, telephone, service line and others working drawings and consultancy services required& item wise work specification in/c methodology of execution should be according to the guide line (as per section no. 8 of the tender document) must be within 90 (ninety) days from receiving the NOA (Notification of Award). All cost related to these will be borne by the selected developer/contractor/builders.

i) Only preliminary foundation size and type can be guess according to the soil report furnished in section-9(A)

ii) Govt. will provide only land for the construction & completion for the project. On the other hand developer will deliver to the Govt. the percentages of share against flat of residential building & floor space of non-residential building as per percentages share written in BOQ or according to percentages of share, signed in contract agreement

(iii) The actual cost required for taking electrical connection from PDB/DESA/ DESCO, Dhaka or if any overhead Electrical High Voltage lines exists over the proposed project area, then the cost required as demanded by PDB/DESA/ DESCO for shifting the high voltage lines etc. should be bear by the contract signed developer/ builder.

f)

c)

If the actual cost of construction for all the items mentioned in e(i) increases than the cost mentioned as provisional sum in BOQ then the increased cost must be bear by the contract signed developer/contractor/builder.

(iv) The actual cost for shifting the existing sewerage lines within the project area/ proposed building if any as well as any type of connection & others fees demanded by WASA, Dhaka should be bear by the contract signed developer/builder .

i) Architectural drawings prepared by the selected developer/contractor/builder should be approved from Department of Architecture under MOHPW. All others services & working drawings like structural, electromechanical, sanitation, gas, telephone etc. should be approved by PWD under MOHPW.

Name of Official Inviting Tender

Abdul Momen Chowdhury

Designation of Official Inviting Tender

Superintending Engineer, Dhaka PWD Circle-III

Address of Official Inviting Tender

Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka.

Contact details of Official Inviting Tender 27

Tel. no.

02-8171412

Fax: 02-8171412

email: se_dhk3@pwd.gov.bd

i) The competent authority reserves the right to accept or reject any or all tender without assigning any reason whatsoever.

(Abdul Momen Chowdhury) Superintending Engineer Dhaka PWD Circle-3, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka.

DT

BUSINESS 21

THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2015

UK inflation turns negative for first time since 1960 n AFP, London British inflation sank into negative territory last month for the first time in more than half a century, official data showed Tuesday, sparking fears of deflation or prolonged falling prices.

The rate hit minus 0.1% in April, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said in a statement, risking a period of damaging deflation for Britain’s economy.

That was the lowest rate on record - since the data series began in 1996 - and comes after two previous months of zero inflation.

The ONS added that it was the first time that inflation has turned negative since 1960, citing comparable historic estimates. An experimental data series created by the ONS indicated that CPI was last negative in March 1960, when it stood at minus 0.6%.

The Consumer Prices Index (CPI) fell by 0.1%

in the year to April compared with no change in the 12 months to March, the ONS added.

“The title of the ONS note ‘UK enters deflation’... suggests the UK statistics office put today’s numbers in this category,” said Investec economist Philip Shaw.

“However, we prefer to classify this as ‘negative inflation’, with deflation more strictly defined as a period of falling prices that are both sustained and general.”

Prices were pushed into negative territory on the back of falling transport services - notably air and sea fares - and the earlier timing of Easter.

“Seasonal factors were at work in this month’s figures,” said economist Ben Brettell at stockbroker Hargreaves Lansdown.

Inflation has been dragged lower in recent months by slumping world oil prices and supermarket price wars in Britain.

However, Tuesday’s data also showed a

Google backs farmfocused startup as ‘AgTech’ blooms n AFP, San Francisco Google on Tuesday pumped $15m into a farming-focused technology startup, the latest in a surge of investment applying Internet innovations to growing food.

The funding round led

by Google’s investment arm brings to nearly $28m the total amount of money pumped into Farmers Business Network (FBN) by backers including powerhouse Silicon Valley venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers.

“Farmers are quintessential entrepreneurs; they are on their own and are mechanics, hackers, managers, animal specialists and more,” FBN co-founder Charles Baron told AFP. “Agriculture has always seen lots of innovation. What you are seeing more of now is venture-backed companies pushing into agriculture.”

Silicon Valley-based FBN is part of a flourishing sector known as agricultural technology, or “AgTech’ for short.

FBN is a platform that lets farmers pool and share data gathered from arrays of sensors and computers involved with tilling the soil.

Data is analyzed by computers in the Internet cloud to extract insights on anything from which seeds grow best in which soil to optimizing irrigation tactics or anticipating weather patterns, according to Baron.

“FBN connects the world’s farmers together and allows

them to share knowledge to farm better,” Baron said.

Tech-powered harvests

Modern farming has grown technologically advanced, with sensors and computing chips woven into operations and equipment, according to FBN. For example, tractors dispensing seed or fertilizer are typically self-guided using GPS mapping.

FBN helps farmers put such data to work in plans for handling fields, and to see for themselves which seeds or fertilizers meet their needs instead of relying on marketing pitches from sellers.

“We allow them to consult with each other about optimizing products,” Baron said.

“Now, a single farmer has access to more information than they ever had.”

FBN launched last year and has spread to farms in 17 US states. Annual member to FBN costs each farmer $500.

“Farmers have been advising each other for generations; farmers get together at diners, coffee shops, co-ops, grain elevators,” Baron said.

“FBN taking that anecdotal conversation and backing it with data and putting it in a usable format online.”

About $2.36 billion in venture capital was pumped in AgTech last year, compared to $2.1 billion investors poured into clean tech, according to Rob Leclerc, co-founder of AgFunder.com, a marketplace for AgTech investment. l

sharp drop in “core” inflation - which excludes the volatile elements like energy, food, alcohol and tobacco.

Core inflation grew by just 0.8%, which was the lowest level since March 2001.

‘Seasonal factors were at work in this month’s figures’ Pound slides

The data sent the pound sliding against the dollar, as they cemented expectations that the Bank of England will not start lifting interest rates until well into next year.

British finance minister George Osborne, whose Conservative government won the election earlier this month, described the data as “good news” for families.

However, Chancellor of the Exchequer Osborne was quick to play down talk of “damaging deflation”.

“Today we see good news for family budgets with prices lower than they were a year ago,” Osborne said.

“As the governor of the Bank of England said only last week, we should not mistake this for damaging deflation.

“Instead we should welcome the positive effects that lower food and energy prices bring for households at a time when wages are rising strongly, unemployment is falling and the economy is growing,” he added.

Deflation can be good for consumers because it means that their wages go further.

But it can trigger a vicious spiral in which companies and households delay their investments and purchases in the hope of even lower prices and costs. In turn, that can throttle demand and spark hefty job cuts. l

DT

22 BUSINESS

THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2015

News, analysis and recent disclosures AMBEEPHA: 28% cash dividend, AGM: 14.06.2015, Record Date: 25.05.2015.

ISLAMIINS: 5% cash and 10% stock, AGM: 13.06.2015, Record Date: 19.05.2015.

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.

KPCL: The Board of Directors has recommended 40% cash dividend for the year ended on December 31, 2014. Date of AGM: 25.06.2015, Time: 10:30 AM, Venue: Krishibid Institution, Bangladesh Khamarbari Road, Farmgate, Tejgaon, Dhaka-1215. Record Date: 31.05.2015. The Company has also reported EPS of Tk. 2.30, NAV per share of Tk. 22.81 and NOCFPS of Tk. 3.29 for the year ended on December 31, 2014.

FIRSTSBANK: The Company has informed that it has credited the bonus shares for the year ended on December 31, 2014 to the respective shareholders BO Accounts. The payment of the sale proceeds of fraction shares will be paid in due course.

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 BDWELDING: 5% stock dividend AGM: 25.06.2015, Record Date: 09.06.2015.

NBL: 10% stock dividend, AGM: 14.09.2015, Record date: 30.08.2015.

ORIONPHARM: 15% cash dividend, AGM: 28.06.2015, Record Date: 21.05.2015.

ISNLTD: No dividend, AGM: 28.06.2015, Record date: 16.06.2015.

PURABIGEN: 15% stock dividend, AGM: 30.07.2015, Record date: 07.06.2015.

JANATAINS: 10% stock dividend, AGM: 25.07.2015, Record Date: 21.05.2015.

Turnover (Volume) Number of Contract

Company Hakkani P& Paper -B Atlas BD-A H.R. Textile -A Maksons Spinning-A Delta SpinnersA Familytex (BD) Ltd.-A Rahima Food -Z Legacy Footwear -A Global Heavy Chemicals-N Savar Refractories-Z

Closing (% Change) 10.00 9.92 9.90 9.89 9.82 9.76 9.72 9.64 9.45 9.26

CSE GAINER Company Delta SpinnersA Paramount Textile Ltd.-A Global Heavy Chemicals-N Familytex (BD) Ltd.-A Zahintex Ind.-N Hakkani P& Paper -B Apex Foods -A Metro Spinning -A Sinobangla Indu.-A Legacy Footwear -A

Closing (% Change) 9.82 9.78 9.77 9.76 9.66 9.55 9.41 9.38 8.51 8.37

DSE LOSER Company Samata LeatheR -Z Islami Ins.BD-A Modern Dyeing -Z BD Fixed Income MF-A Apex Tannery -A GBB Power Ltd-A ACI Formulations-A SonarBangla Insu. -A Navana CNG-A Eastern InsurA

Closing (% Change) -9.65 -9.50 -8.89 -7.81 -7.55 -7.05 -5.73 -5.11 -4.98 -4.59

CSE LOSER Company SonarBangla Insu. -A Islami Ins.BD-A Apex Tannery -A GBB Power Ltd-A Intl. Leasing-B Northern G Insur-A Navana CNG-A ICB AMCL3rd NRB MF-A S. Alam CR Steel -A Aftab Auto.-A

Closing (% Change) -15.20 -11.11 -8.43 -7.08 -5.00 -4.93 -4.67 -4.65 -4.46 -4.26

SECTORAL TURNOVER SUMMARY

DSE key features May 20, 2015 Turnover (Million Taka)

DSE GAINER

Sector

7,829.06 223,195,932 174,378

Traded Issues

308

Issue Gain (Avg. Price Basis)

140

Issue Loss (Avg. Price Basis)

165

Unchanged Issue (Avg. Price Basis)

3

Market Capital Equity (Billion. Tk.)

2,519.04

Market Capital Equity (Billion US$)

30.53

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 311.44 208.64 42.64 1075.25 300.18 1376.44 1.02 1028.11 1097.86 103.89 484.83 27.90 243.29 73.43 192.78 49.48 97.67 436.24 328.96 348.68 0.36

% change 3.98 2.66 0.54 13.73 3.83 17.58 0.01 13.13 14.02 1.33 6.19 0.36 3.11 0.94 2.46 0.63 1.25 5.57 4.20 4.45 0.00

Million Taka 26.14 40.59 3.02 106.56 13.77 97.73 108.96 63.40 8.40 38.63 2.52 18.81 468.84 13.56 2.88 10.40 56.53 53.95 44.29 0.01

Average (% Change) 10.46 3.22 7.09 5.43 7.81 7.16 10.13 5.95 9.63 55.72

Average (% Change) 7.02 5.66 9.60 7.17 6.59 9.61 9.46 6.90 7.55 5.37

Average (% Change) -9.65 -8.83 -8.36 -17.06 -7.26 -8.69 -3.45 -4.13 -0.13 -5.61

Average (% Change) -14.86 -11.11 -4.79 -7.84 -6.54 -4.80 -1.24 -2.12 -3.31 -0.42

CSE

ClosingAvg. 21.97 105.47 21.75 9.70 11.87 17.67 31.52 21.20 43.62 51.90

ClosingAvg. 11.89 19.80 43.61 17.63 15.52 21.79 100.00 10.38 25.51 21.59

ClosingAvg. 20.60 16.10 65.98 5.30 104.99 20.81 195.57 16.71 60.67 26.58

ClosingAvg.

% change 2.22 3.44 0.26 9.04 1.17 8.29 0.00 9.24 5.38 0.71 3.28 0.21 1.60 39.77 1.15 0.24 0.88 4.79 4.58 3.76 0.00

14.50 16.00 105.25 20.93 11.44 21.21 60.45 4.15 30.35 66.16

Closing

DHIGH

22.00 113.00 22.20 10.00 12.30 18.00 31.60 21.60 44.00 51.90

Closing 12.30 20.20 43.80 18.00 15.90 21.80 100.00 10.50 25.50 22.00

Closing 20.60 16.20 65.60 5.90 101.70 21.10 187.70 16.70 59.20 27.00

Closing 14.50 16.00 103.20 21.00 11.40 21.20 59.20 4.10 30.00 65.10

Million Taka 337.57 249.23 45.66 1181.81 313.95 1474.17 1.02 1137.06 1161.26 112.30 523.46 30.42 262.10 542.27 206.33 52.35 108.06 492.76 382.91 392.97 0.37

DLOW

22.00 113.00 22.20 10.00 12.30 18.00 31.60 21.60 44.20 51.90

DHIGH

21.50 103.00 20.20 9.10 11.10 16.80 30.00 19.90 41.10 51.90

DLOW

12.30 20.20 43.80 18.00 15.90 21.80 100.00 10.50 25.80 22.30

DHIGH

11.10 18.30 42.30 16.80 14.40 21.70 100.00 9.60 24.60 19.50

DLOW

20.60 16.50 66.00 5.90 110.00 21.40 204.90 16.80 63.80 27.50

DHIGH

20.60 15.90 65.10 5.80 100.10 19.90 185.00 15.50 58.80 25.50

DLOW

14.50 16.00 109.20 21.50 11.90 21.50 62.00 4.30 31.90 68.90

Total

14.50 16.00 103.00 20.10 11.20 20.80 58.80 4.00 30.00 64.80

% change 3.75 2.77 0.51 13.12 3.49 16.37 0.01 12.62 12.89 1.25 5.81 0.34 2.91 6.02 2.29 0.58 1.20 5.47 4.25 4.36 0.00

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

2.164 6.281 2.194 35.736 50.317 107.509 1.968 6.287 55.606 0.001

Turnover in Million

0.29 -1.24 0.86 0.34 0.59 3.25 -0.47 0.20 2.08 -0.64

Latest EPS

13.130 5.247 1.697 14.265 2.149 0.167 0.181 1.094 0.546 2.026

Turnover in Million

75.8 -ve 25.3 28.5 20.1 5.4 -ve 106.0 21.0 -ve

Latest PE

0.59 1.81 2.08 3.25 1.03 0.29 0.36 0.35 0.92 0.20

Latest EPS

0.030 1.160 0.051 0.004 5.257 53.786 130.904 0.419 81.737 1.282

Turnover in Million

Latest PE

20.2 10.9 21.0 5.4 15.1 75.1 277.8 29.7 27.7 108.0

Latest PE

-0.05 1.32 0.76 0.51 2.19 1.36 6.80 1.52 3.53 3.52

Latest EPS

0.001 0.005 0.289 4.210 8.866 0.025 5.298 0.039 1.241 7.878

-ve 12.2 86.8 10.4 47.9 15.3 28.8 11.0 17.2 7.6

Latest PE

1.52 1.32 2.19 1.36 -3.08 4.80 3.53 0.48 1.56 2.42

9.5 12.1 48.1 15.4 -ve 4.4 17.1 8.6 19.5 27.3

CSE key features May 20, 2015 Turnover (Million Taka) Turnover (Volume) Number of Contract

1,178.98 29,030,959 30,898

Traded Issues

235

Issue Gain (Avg. Price Basis)

114

Issue Loss (Avg. Price Basis)

118

Unchanged Issue (Avg. Price Basis)

3

Market Capital Equity (Billion. Tk.)

2,445.43

Market Capital Equity (Billion US$)

29.64

DT

BUSINESS 23

THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2015

Stocks inch down on profit booking n Tribune Report

DSE TURNOVER LEADERS Company Khulna Power-A SummitAlliancePort.-A BD Submarine Cable-A RAK Ceramics-A Square Pharma -A SAIF Powertec-N UNITED AIR-A Grameenphone-A Baraka Power-A BEXIMCO Ltd. -A

Shasha Denims -N ACI Formulations-A Ifad Autos -N FAR Chemical-N S Purbanchol Power-N

VolumeShares 9,197,512 4,431,160 1,606,600 3,053,028 816,342 2,459,259 20,580,268 574,019 4,609,109 4,866,406

Value in Million 635.11 260.04 245.73 229.64 205.46 201.25 196.31 190.51 163.94 160.00

% of TotalTurnover 8.11 3.32 3.14 2.93 2.62 2.57 2.51 2.43 2.09 2.04

VolumeShares

Value in Million

% of TotalTurnover

3,722,792 669,351 1,179,874 2,202,261 2,042,536

CSE TURNOVER LEADERS Company HeidelbergCement -A LafargeS Cement-Z BD Submarine Cable-A UNITED AIR-A Khulna Power-A BEXIMCO Ltd. -A SummitAlliancePort.-A WesternMarine -N BSRM Ltd. -N RAK Ceramics-A

G Next Fashions-A SAIF Powertec-N AFC AgroBiotech-A IDLC Finance -A Familytex (BD) Ltd.-A

500,615 2,042,633 317,120 4,845,651 609,950 688,030 365,694 433,737 316,427 228,062

1,271,113 199,432 270,249 291,058 809,095

151.36 130.90 122.80 120.77 116.38

245.30 220.64 48.19 46.23 42.25 22.59 21.51 19.85 18.60 17.36

16.74 16.33 15.62 15.11 14.26

1.93 1.67 1.57 1.54 1.49

20.81 18.71 4.09 3.92 3.58 1.92 1.82 1.68 1.58 1.47

1.42 1.39 1.33 1.28 1.21

ClosingP 70.70 59.80 150.70 73.40 251.10 80.50 9.70 330.20 35.30 32.90

41.40 187.70 102.90 53.50 56.10

ClosingP

Change % 6.32 7.75 -2.33 -3.42 -0.71 1.77 6.59 -1.26 0.57 2.17

3.50 -5.73 -2.28 -3.25 0.54

Change %

484.90 107.80 151.50 9.70 70.70 33.00 59.90 45.60 58.00 73.40

13.40 81.10 56.00 49.80 18.00

-0.49 -0.55 -1.88 6.59 6.16 2.80 8.12 -0.65 -2.68 -3.29

8.06 2.53 -2.44 1.01 9.76

ClosingY 66.50 55.50 154.30 76.00 252.90 79.10 9.10 334.40 35.10 32.20

40.00 199.10 105.30 55.30 55.80

ClosingY

487.30 108.40 154.40 9.10 66.60 32.10 55.40 45.90 59.60 75.90

12.40 79.10 57.40 49.30 16.40

DHIGH 72.00 61.00 158.00 77.20 254.90 84.30 9.90 337.80 36.50 33.20

41.70 204.90 109.80 57.30 58.50

DHIGH

490.00 110.00 157.80 9.90 72.00 33.30 60.90 46.40 60.40 80.00

13.60 84.10 58.90 52.90 18.00

DLOW 65.00 55.40 150.00 73.00 250.00 80.00 9.00 328.10 34.60 32.30

39.70 185.00 100.00 52.80 55.30

DLOW

480.10 107.20 149.20 9.00 66.00 31.90 55.50 45.30 57.60 73.00

12.20 80.00 54.80 48.90 16.80

AvgPrice 69.05 58.69 152.95 75.22 251.68 81.83 9.54 331.88 35.57 32.88

40.66 195.57 104.08 54.84 56.98

AvgPrice

489.99 108.02 151.97 9.54 69.27 32.84 58.83 45.77 58.78 76.13

13.17 81.89 57.82 51.93 17.63

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

4455.57281

(-) 0.08%

1678.87193

(-) 0.45%

13776.59030

(+) 0.14%

11051.12510

(-) 0.25%

8419.01600

(+) 0.12%

▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼

Stocks closed marginally lower amid volatility yesterday as investors went for booking profits on previous two days of sharp gains.

The market moved between positive and negative in the early trading, making intra-day volatility 57 points.

The benchmark index of the Dhaka Stock Exchange, DSEX, edged almost 4 points to settle at 4,455.

The Shariah Index DSES witnessed fractional drop of 0.4 points to 1,083. The comprising blue chips DS30 lost 7 points or 0.5% to 1,678.

Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) Selective Categories Index, CSCX, ended at 8,410 with a marginal rise of 6 points.

Trading activities declined at the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE), as its turnover stood at Tk783 crore, down 6% over the previous session.

IDLC Investments said having two consecutive sessions’ robust gain of 143 points, market faced correction as some investors realised profit or re-balanced their portfolios.

It said participants focused more on low priced

micro-cap scrips, generating a volume of Tk220 crore as against Tk210 crore while turnover understandably declined slightly.

Consequentially, despite advancement in 140 scrips against decline in 136 scrips broad index stayed flat.

At the end of the day, micros caps rose sharply by 1.4%, while large caps eroded 0.8%.

Among the major sectors, textile was the top gainer with a rally of more than 4% while cement was the top loser, dropping 1.5%.

Lanka Bangla Securities said the market took a slight correction after making a large gain in last two trading sessions.

There has been significant buoyancy in equity market as investors are expecting that the market will enjoy on the reduced rate in banking sector whittling away all the business losses caused by political unrest in the last few months.

Khulna Power Company Limited was the most traded stocks with shares worth nearly Tk63.6 crore changing hands, followed by Summit Alliance Port Limited, Bangladesh Submarine Cable Company Limited, RAK Ceramics and Saif Powertech. l

ANALYST

Having two consecutive sessions’ robust gain of 143 points, market faced correction as some investors realised profit or rebalanced their portfolios

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24 BUSINESS

THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2015

Mobile operators reluctant to join internet.org n Ishtiaq Husain Most of the mobile phone operators are not willing to join the recently introduced internet.org, the limited version of free-internet use, as the platform is being criticised by both local and global experts.

Operators said the internet.org, which was introduced by facebook, was not the service that could serve the customers’ real needs.

Meanwhile, Grameenphone and Banglalink have introduced free browsing facilities in facebook without internet.org. Airtel is also planning to offer an affordable package to its customers.

It is noted that after introducing free internet, Robi is incurring a revenue loss of TK20 lakh everyday.

“Banglalink introduced free browsing facilities long before for different valued sites and apps like Wikipedia, Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp, Prothom-alo, Bikroy.com etc,” Chief Commercial Officer of Banglalink Shihab Ahmad told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday.

Shamit Shahbuddin, head of PR & internal communications of Airtel, said: ‘’We are not thinking to introduce free internet services with internet.org as we are going to initiate different internet data package soon, which would be affordable to the customers.’’

‘We are deeply concerned as internet.org has been misleadingly promoted with a promise to provide access to full internet’ Head of External Communications of Grameenphone Sayed Talat Kamal said, “We are in discussions with Facebook and other relevant authorities and also analysing whether our subscribers could benefit from this service.”

“We are deeply concerned as internet.org has been misleadingly promoted with a promise to provide access to the full internet servic-

Tofail assures facilitating Chinese investment n BSS As entrepreneurs from China are keen in investing more in Bangladesh, Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed assured them of all possible assistance in doing business here.

“We will welcome more investment from China offering the Chinese investors various types of assistance for doing good business here,” he said, inaugurating the office of the Bangladesh-China Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCCI) in the capital city yesterday.

Referring to the initiatives of establishing 17 special economic zones (SEZs) in different parts of the country, he said interested Chinese investors would have the opportunity of establishing their business there.

Tofail said China had long been contributing to the development of Bangladesh providing

financial, technical and other necessary supports to develop infrastructure and increase bilateral trade and business.

For example, the minister cited that Chinese entrepreneurs have already made big investment in different sectors and projects.

Besides, he said more investment would come in the projects including an industrial park in Munshiganj and the planned permanent venue in Purbachal for the international trade fair.

“I hope, the BCCCI would help increase further to bring in more investment from China and boost bilateral trade and business,” the minister said.

Prime Minister adviser Salman F Rahman, Chinese ambassador Ma Mingqian and BCCCI President Gulam Dastagir Gazi also addressed the function. l

BSTI accredited in India n BSS National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL), national testing standard organization of India, has accredited the testing certificate of Bangladesh Standard and Testing Institute (BSTI).

The NABL has acknowl-

edged the testing certificate of 25 products and 143 parameters forwarded by chemical and physical laborites of BSTI, which would help increase the export of Bangladeshi products.

It was revealed at a discussion organised by BSTI at Man Bhaban yesterday to mark the World Metrology Day. l

es. In fact, it only provides access to a limited number of Internet-connected services that are approved by Facebook and local ISPs,” said Abu Saeed Khan, a telecommunication expert and senior policy fellow of Lirneasia.

Being the country’s first operator, Robi launched free-internet access on May 10 to selected websites by Internet.org, a non-profit group that allows free online browsing through mobile gadgets.

The internet.org app is an invention of the social media platform Facebook. The project was launched in Zambia, India, Colombia, Guatemala, Tanzania, Kenya, Ghana, the Philippines, Indonesia and Malawi in 2014.

Talking to the journalists at a press conference on Tuesday Mahtabuddin Ahmed, chief operating officer of Robi said, “Many internet subscribers those were not using it, came back.

Last one week increase of free data was 40 percentage than average time period, if all mobile operators in Bangladesh join this free internet access program, within a year total internet penetration will increase 8 percentage.’ l

United Air to resume flights on five international routes n Tribune Report United Airways, a private airliner, is likely to resume its suspended flights to five international destinations soon.

“We hope to resume five international flights to Dubai, Muscat, Singapore, Bangkok and Kolkata in the second week of June. At the same time, we are planning to begin our operations on a few new international routes also, said Kamrul Islam, deputy general manager of United Airways.

The airline sources said United Airways will operate seven flights on Dhaka-Kolkata route from first June while flights on Dhaka-Kuala Lumpur and Dhaka-Singapore routes will resume in mid-June.

For the first time, the airline is going to introduce its direct flight on Sylhet-Dubai route.

In September 2014, the airline temporarily suspended its international flight operation in the wake of financial crisis. It has 11 aircraft in its fleet.

Founded in 2005, United Airways began its flight operation on July 10, 2007 with a Bombardier Dash 8-100. It is the first listed company in the aviation sector of Bangladesh. l

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THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2015

T-JUNCTION INSIDE

26

Hot Topic

I’m not fluent in English bhalo bhabe

28 Ticket

One click away

Infograph: Tahsin Momin

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26 T-JUNCTION

Hot Topic

THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2015

I’m not fluent in English bhalo bhabe n T-Junction Desk If you haven’t noticed, we tend not to speak completely in English or Bangla in a certain conversation, while also that many of us cannot proceed to complete that conversation in one particular language. “Banglish,” a fusion of both, has become progressively popular and has raised a concern on the quality of education on these languages in schools, for neither, specially English, have witnessed a rise in fluency regardless of the rise in ratio of English Medium/Version Schools.

While the quantity and availability of English education rises, the quality remains relatively “motamoti” in general.

Not that schools are responsible, for the introduction of more English Medium/Version Schools is a sign of further development. But it is more on the refinement of proper English that is the concern. To be honest, few attribute the fluency and perfection of their vocal English to school; it was more focused on building fundamentals than training. l

We at T-Junction, state what we mainly attribute our English skills to:

“Books mainly, Harry Potter being the initiator and the best contributor.”

“The Simpsons.”

“Music! When awareness of your “Comic books. Speech writing vocals are high, I realised no one develops vocal English as well.” judges your English when you sing.”

“Enid Blyton books.”

“Mom and dad, plus cartoons.”

“Goosebumps!”

“TV series and cartoons.”

T-JUNCTION 27

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Hot Topic

THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2015

As stated above, schools were not always the sole contribution, even though some parents never understood this. The development to fluency and perfection begins at home, habits and the environment.

“Building proficiency in or a working knowledge of English, by all means, depends on knowing and practicing the basics of this particular language.

Most of the guardians put the blame on schools. Yes, school is the most important factor and best guideline provider, but not the basic factor. The main factor is a combination of students learning desire and providing them the required sources at the appropriate time.”

- Mahabuba Rahman, mother of a 10th grader, Viquarunnisa Noon School and College “Students and the contemporary education system cannot be blamed everytime as to hide our own duty as parents. There still is an existing mentality among parents to try to tie up their children with textbooks in a way that swallows their learning process.

There is a saying, the more you read the more you learn. Giving the children an incentive to read other books, watching movies and hearing correct English will be a good way to improve their second language skill.”

- Kashmiri Sultana, mother of a third grader, Dhaka Residential Model College “I would completely agree that schools cannot be the complete attribute to a student’s development of the English language. They need to develop their pronunciation, accents, skills, vocabulary, etc. by watching cartoons, movies and reading at a younger age. Exposure to different cultures and styles makes the entire process of learning more complete and concrete.”

- Tahmina Khatoon, mother of a seventh grader, Chittagong Grammar School

Schools never really had the time when you consider it - 45 minutes at the very least in English Version schools, and the faculties often aren’t always fluent themselves, their TTT (Teacher Talking Time – time the teacher speaks fluently in a specific language straight) being less than 30 seconds. But that doesn’t really matter. They have the tools to teach you the basics, and what most don’t understand, that’s their most important contribution. The rest, the suave and sublime nature of your English, should come from you and your personal activities.

“We didn’t open the English Version branches all of a sudden. It was a decision by the school’s governing body as per contemporary demand. In our school, we started it from 2005 along with only 50 students from class 3, as to give the top-quality since everything was new. At

the beginning, it was like a test project.

We have gone through a lot of preparation and one of the crucial steps was preparing the teachers. And we still care about it.

To deliver the topic with appropriate language the right way, the teachers are being trained at the Institute of Modern Languages, Dhaka University for 42 weeks.”

- Ferdous Ara Begum Vice principal (Day section) Dhaka Residential Model College “My teachers were great, but it was understandable later on that their English needed more polishing and the best homework I needed were TV and story books. School taught me vocabulary and grammar theories. Habits and entertainment taught me English.”

- High-school graduate English Version St Joseph Higher Secondary School Photos: Bigstock

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28 T-JUNCTION

THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2015

Ticket

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Fresh vegetables, fruits, meat, fish, rice, spices, you name it, they’ve got it.

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Log in to the following and shop away!

(Sobjibazaar.com is currently serving in Gulshan, Niketan, Banani, Baridhara, DOHS Banani, DOHS Mohakhali, DOHS Baridhara, Basundhara, Nikunja, Uttara and Dhanmondi only.) sobjibazaar.com +88 017 3333 2314 +88 017 3333 2315 chaldal.com 01919-123123

Photos: Courtesy

news

One Degree Initiative Foundation on it’s 10th year of changemaking One Degree Initiative Foundation welcomed 170 newly recruited volunteers for this year to their organisation on May 8 at Bangladesh Basketball Federation grounds in an occasion bannered as Activation 10.1. On the occasion, founder Sabhanaz Rashid Diya greeted the new faces with a brief introduction of the organisation, stating how it has been mentoring changemakers to fight apathy in the society and shared their global impact.

Following the opening presentations, Dr Ferdinand von Weyhe, deputy head of Mission at the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany, addressed imperative role that youth plays to bring changes in the society and how top-down approaches differ from bottom-up.

The event then had several activities,

including an exclusive documentary featuring the country’s role models, such as Nemesis’ Zohad Reza Chowdhury, singer-songwriter-actor Tahsan Khan and wildlife conservationist Iqbal Hussain amongst others were also premiered at the event.

One Degree Initiative Foundation’s goodwill ambassador Elita Karim, a renowned singer, writer, journalist and activist conducted an interactive session with this year’s recruits by motivating them on the journey of positive change.

Shanto aka BeatBaksho drew the conclusion of Activation 10.1 by demonstrating how we can create beats using our body parts easily and together, the group clapped and stomped their feet to create “We Will Rock You.” l

Former Brazil manager Luiz Felipe Scolari has left Gremio after a run of poor results, the club said on Tuesday

Sport 30

LATE IBRA STRIKE INSPIRES MSC WIN

31

BANGLADESH GEARING UP FOR ASIAN TOUR BOW

33

29

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BIG FLOP

THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2015

PAKISTAN’S AAMER FIRED UP AFTER ‘TOUGH’ FIX BAN

Fitness at its place n Minhaz Uddin Khan

Fitness of the Bangladesh cricketers has always been under the scanner of the critics. They are often tagged ‘lazy’ in the field – a common criticism faced by majority of the cricketers in the sub-continents. However, national strength and conditioning coach Mario Villavarayan expressed his satisfaction over the fitness of his charges after the first of the two-day camp.

Bangladesh have been engaged in international commitments for quite few months now which gave hardly any time to work on the fitness. With some decent time in hand ahead of their next mission, at home against India next month, the national team management programmed the two-day fitness camp at Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium.

“It was just some testing to see where the individual players are (in terms of fitness) because we haven’t done anything for a while because of the World Cup and the Pakistan series. So this was just a simple test to see where the players are individually and what we need to do in the months coming forward,” informed Mario yesterday.

It has been almost a year I’ve been here. So I was telling the guys that I’m very happy with the change in attitude and training habits “It has been almost a year I’ve been here. So I was telling the guys in the morning today (yesterday), that I’m very happy with the change in attitude and training habits over the last year. Again this is going to be another busy year for us till the 2016 World Cup. So that’s what I said, they need to keep working hard like the last year because it’s going to be busy,” said the former Sri Lanka first-class cricketer.

The queried about the recent injury concerns of Bangladesh Test skipper and wicket-keeper Mushfiqur Rahim and Tamim Iqbal, Mario said, “Mushfiq’s injury is looked into by the physio, Tamim’s is obviously an ongoing thing, an ongoing process, so we need to take it day by day because the knee is a complicated joint. So we need to assess it and take it day by day. Yes we are looking at it, and we are treating it as we go.”

The short fitness camp will end today as the cricketers will join their respective Bangladesh Cricket League side for the last phase of the longer version tournament. Scorching heat troubled the fast bowlers during the Pakistan Test series as Mario emphasised and said that the decision to send the players to play in the BCL was taken to keep them under match practice before they head into the Test match against India. l

Naeem Islam (stump in hand) cracks a joke during training in Mirpur yesterday, much to the amusement of Shakib al Hasan, Mashrafe bin Mortaza, Arafat Sunny and Rony Talukdar MAINOOR ISLAM MANIK

India recall Harbhajan for Bangladesh Test n AFP, New Delhi

India on Wednesday selected Harbhajan Singh for a one-off Test in Bangladesh next month, ending the veteran off-spinner’s twoyear absence from the international game.

The 34-year-old, whose 413 wickets in 101 Tests make him the most successful current spinner in the game, last played for India in the Hyderabad Test against Australia in March 2013.

“With several left-handers in the Bangladesh team, we decided to go in with two off-spinners in Harbhajan and (Ravichandran) Ashwin in the Test squad,” chairman of selectors Sandeep Patil told reporters in Mumbai.

The selectors named full-strength Test and one-day squads for the short tour, despite

media speculation that senior players may be rested after being on the road since October.

Injured seamer Mohammed Shami was the lone omission as the selectors picked the same one-day squad which reached the World Cup semi-finals under Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s captaincy earlier this year.

TEST

Virat Kohli, who took over the Test captaincy after Dhoni retired from the longer format during the Australian tour, was reappointed captain for the lone Test match in Fatullah from June 10-14. The Test will be followed by three one-day internationals in Dhaka on June 18, 21 and 24. l

SQUADS

Virat Kohli (capt), Murali Vijay, Shikhar Dhawan, Lokesh Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, Wriddhiman Saha, Ravichandran Ashwin, Harbhajan Singh, Karn Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umesh Yadav, Varun Aaron, Ishant Sharma l

ODI

Mahendra Singh Dhoni (capt), Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umesh Yadav, Mohit Sharma, Stuart Binny, Dhawal Kulkarni l

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30 Sport

THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2015

Top of Mind bags Tigers sponsorship rights n Minhaz Uddin Khan

A gleeful Mohammad Ibrahim rides on the back of his Mohammedan team-mates following their 1-0 win over arch-rival Abahani in the Manyavar Bangladesh Premier League at Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday MAINOOR ISLAM MANIK

Late Ibra strike inspires MSC win n Shishir Hoque A late Mohammad Ibrahim strike in the dying stages showered immense joy upon Mohammedan as the traditional Black and Whites earned a sweet 1-0 win over arch-rival Abahani in a thrilling Dhaka derby in the Manyavar Bangladesh Premier League at Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.

Just when it appeared that the encounter will peter out in a dull, goalless affair, Ibrahim came out of nowhere to help Mohammedan salvage three vital points with a cool finish in the 90th minute.

Mohammedan, following their final match of the first phase, rose to second and in the process, decreased table-toppers and defending champions Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club’s lead in the 11-team standings. Mohammedan, on 20 points from 10 matches, trail Sheikh Jamal by three points while Abahani are fifth with 17 points from the same number of games.

Heading into yesterday’s crucial clash, the Sky Blues made just one change in their line-up from the previous match. Emon Babu came in place of defender Nasirul Islam Nasir while Mohammedan remained unchanged.

The Motijheel outfit orchestrated their

first real attack of the game in the 12th minute when Towhidul Alam Sabuj failed to connect an Ibrahim corner. On the other end, Mohammedan goalkeeper Ashraful Haq Rana was in inspiring form. Rana, who recently received his maiden call-up to the national side, continued his fine touch in the top-flight, producing two back-to-back saves in quick succes-

RESULTS Abahani

0-1

Mohammedan Mohammad Ibrahim 89

Sheikh Russel Jahid Hasan Ameli 90+1

1-1

Rahmatganj Mannaf Rabby 90+2

TODAY’S MATCHES

Brothers Union v Chittagong Abahani, 4:15PM Farashganj v Muktijoddha, 6:30PM

sion. Rana first denied Abahani’s Ghanaian forward Osei Morrison before punching away Wahed Ahmed’s rebound shot from a corner.

The best chance of the game for Abahani came two minutes into the second half.

Pranatosh provided a long ball from almost the half-way point. Wahed received the ball and fed it towards Morrison who was sta-

tioned in the opponents’ terrain. Morrison unleashed a powerful strike from just outside the box but the ball shook the woodwork.

Samad Yussif made a goal-line clearance to block Ibrahim’s shot on an empty net and help Abahani from conceding the opener in the 55th minute after Jewel Rana’s initial effort was saved by the onrushing keeper Abahani custodian Ziaur Rahman Zia. Ibrahim, however, was not to be denied for long as he grabbed the all-important goal 30 seconds before the end of stipulated time.

The midfielder smashed home past Zia after Nigerian defender Ubom Henry failed to clear a Rana free-kick.

Meanwhile in the day’s other match at the same venue, Sheikh Russel and Rahmatganj played out a 1-1 draw. National striker Jahid Hasan Ameli gave the Blues the lead in the first minute of injury time before Mannaf Rabby equalised for Rahmatganj in the very next minute.

Courtesy the draw, Sheikh Russel jumped to third with 20 points from 10 matches while Rahmatganj remained at seventh with nine points from the same number of games. Mohammedan and Sheikh Russel have the same number of points but the former are ahead by virtue of a better goal difference.l

Top of Mind, a media planning company, has, again, won the two-year sponsorship rights for the Bangladesh national cricket team. In a three-stage bidding held yesterday at the Bangladesh Cricket Board office premises, Top of Mind, bagged the deal quoting the highest amount Taka 41 crore 41 lakhs – the biggest sponsorship deal signed till date.

BCB president Nazmul Hasan appreciated the deal and said, “This is the result of the people’s belief in our team. The real credit goes to the players. I know that if we ask for international bids, we will get bigger offers.

Our ranking has gone higher, so this had an effect.”

BCB’s previous deal with Sahara was worth Taka 112 crore approximately which also included branding rights for the national team and the national cricket academy, title sponsorship and in-stadia sponsorship.

Nazmul informed the board is happy with the deal but it was not more than their expectations. “When Sahara took it last time, none of the Bangladeshi offers were close to theirs. Now we are seeing that we are getting higher offers than Sahara from local companies. We are happy that they have come forward.”

This is Top of Mind’s second stint with the Tigers as they also bagged the team sponsorship deal for Bangladesh’s home series against Pakistan last month.

Six companies took part in the bidding yesterday with the base price set at Taka 30 crore.

It was an interesting and close three stage bidding with Grameenphone and Top of Mind as major competetors.

The telecom giants had bid Taka 30 crore 50 lakh while Top of Mind quoted Taka 30 crore 33 lakh in the first phase. Top of Mind won the second round by quoting Taka 35 crore 63 lakh, 53 lakhs more than GP. The third and final round was held only between the top two bidders – GP and Top of Mind where the latter outbid the former by 41 lakhs. The other participating bidders were Impress Telefilms, Property Development, AKC Pvt Ltd and Bangladesh Lift Company.l

Salma expresses concerns n Minhaz Uddin Khan

Bangladesh women’s cricket team captain Salma Khatun last Tuesday said they should not travel to Pakistan if there are concerns with the security arrangements in place.

The world’s premier all-rounder in women’s Twenty20 internationals, Salma added that Zimbabwe’s ongoing tour of Pakistan will be observed very closely by the Bangladesh Cricket Board before a final decision is taken over whether the national women’s side should tour the terror-stricken country.

“Zimbabwe have reached Pakistan after a lot of confusion and uncertainty. So, we will see how this tour pans out. To be honest, we are concerned of certain occurrences in Pakistan.

So, why should we travel to that place if there are issues? However, the final decision rests

with the board. I believe they will make a decision after a profound study of the whole thing,” Salma told a Bengali web-based news portal.

The 24-year old cricketer from Khulna also expressed her disappointment with the gap between international matches. Bangladesh last played an international match seven months ago in the Incheon Asian Games where they clinched the silver medal.

“It is very usual for us to fall behind if we do not play international matches. And, it also becomes difficult to cope when we play a game after a long hiatus. Even if the Pakistan tour does not take place, I hope the board will arrange a national team tour in the neighbouring countries. That way, we will bag some much needed international experience.

It will also give the girls confidence. I hope the board will look into this,” she said.l

Dhaka Tribune along with their guest cricketer, Bangladesh opener Shamsur Rahman, pose for a selfie after beating The Daily Star by five wickets in the Walton-BSJC Media Cup yesterday. In pursuit of The Daily Star’s paltry 30-allout, Dhaka Tribune coasted to victory with more than four overs to spare with man of the match Shamsur playing a starring role with both bat and ball that included a hat-trick

DT

Sport 31

THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2015

QUICK BYTES Amateur succumbs to unique no-ball dismissal An amateur cricketer from England is believed to be the first batsman to have been given out for handling a no-ball, British newspaper The Times reported on Wednesday. Bryn Darbyshire, 35, was batting for Lymington in Hampshire, southern England when the bowler overstepped the crease and the umpire declared a no-ball.

–AFP

Casillas turns 34 with Real future uncertain

Real Madrid goalkeeper and captain Iker Casillas turned 34 on Wednesday with uncertainty still clouding his future with the European champions and Real reportedly lining up David De Gea as his replacement. Casillas has been blamed by some fans for Real’s woes this season, when they failed to win any of the three major trophies.

–Reuters

Gatlin ‘fine’ with organisers despite snub

American sprinter Justin Gatlin said his relationship with organisers of the Beijing World Challenge meeting was “great” on Wednesday, less than 24 hours after furiously claiming he had been “kicked out” of the event.

–Reuters

Kane in, Shaw out for England Under-21s

Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane was on Wednesday named in England Under-21s’ provisional 27-man squad for this year’s European Championship, but Manchester United’s Luke Shaw was left out. Kane, 21, was elected the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) Young Player of the Year after scoring 20 Premier League goals and made a goal-scoring England senior debut against Lithuania in March.

–AFP

Bangladesh gearing up for Asian Tour bow n Shishir Hoque The Kurmitola Golf Club is all set to host the country’s first ever Asian Tour event, the Bashundhara Bangladesh Open, which is just six days away. Golfers from around the world have already started arriving in the capital to take part in the $300,000 event. The 6500yard golf course is in tip-top shape to hold the country’s biggest golfing event while the course and practice facilities will be closed from today for the final preparation of the golfers.

The Bangladesh Golf Federation is hopeful that the local golfers will benefit from the tournament if they are able to utilise their opportunities. A total of 31 local golfers will participate, including ace golfer Siddikur Rahman and five leading amateurs.

“We have spent Tk1.4m to bring in two coaches to train the 30 local golfers who are taking part in the event. If they can perform well, there will be an opportunity for them to play in the Asian Tour for two years,” said BGF secretary general Brig. Gen. Abul Fazal Mohammad Sanaullah yesterday during a press conference.

Sanaullah also hoped that the four-day event will help brand Bangladesh anew as a

tourist and golfing destination. He informed that 24-hour golf channel Ten Golf will cover one highlight programme immediately after the event and 20 highlight programmes throughout this year.

Sunday and Monday have been earmarked as the official practice dates for the participants while a Pro-Am warm-up event will be held this Tuesday where 25 selected professional golfers will team up with 75 local amateurs to sharpen their skills ahead of the main event.

The Bashundhara Bangladesh Open can act as the breakthrough event for golfing sensation Siddikur who missed the cut in four of his last five professional tournaments this season.

Siddikur is one of 150 participants, among which 10 are former Asian Tour winners. Thai golfer Prom Meesawat is the highest-ranked golfer among the 150 participants while seven golfers who are ahead of Siddikur according to the latest Asian rankings will grace the event with their presence.

Meanwhile, the federation has set the ticket prices of the event. A club member will be able to witness the action for Tk300 while the general spectators will have to spend Tk500 every day. l

Troops, checkpoints for Pak v Zim n AFP, Lahore

Bemused players said they hoped to take the focus off security and put it back on cricket after authorities mounted an unprecedented operation to guard insurgency-hit Pakistan’s first home international in six years.

Thousands of police and paramilitaries have been deployed and helicopters will be buzzing over Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium, which has been turned into a fortress for Friday’s Twenty20 game against lowly Zimbabwe.

The fixture is Pakistan’s first on home soil since 2009, when militants launched a gun at-

tack on Sri Lanka’s team bus in Lahore, killing eight police and civilians and leaving seven players wounded.

Roads around the stadium will be closed and shops and restaurants have been shuttered for the duration of the series, consisting of two Twenty20s and three ODIs, all in Lahore.

Jammers are in use to cut out radio signals, hampering wifi at the stadium, and fans will have to go through metal detectors at three security checkpoints, raising the prospect of hours of queuing. Zimbabwe have been under tight wraps since their arrival early on

Tuesday, when they were whisked from the airport to their hotel watched by thousands of security personnel.

They are far from the usual arrangements for a cricket match, and Zimbabwe captain Elton Chigumbura said it was a new experience for him and his team.

“Yes, it’s obviously something new for us,” said Chigumbura. “But we know why it is like this and players are not worried because Pakistan have done this for us, to be secure and safe.

“For us the main thing is to play good cricket and I don’t think it will affect us.”l

Boycott slams ‘shambolic’ England n AFP, London

Sinclair seals Villa deal Aston Villa have signed Manchester City midfielder Scott Sinclair on a four-year contract after a successful loan spell, the Premier league club said on Tuesday.

The 26-year-old former Chelsea and Swansea City player, who has been at Villa Park since January, has committed his long-term future to the FA Cup finalist.

–Reuters

Reus refuses to press GBH charges after foul

Germany winger Marco Reus has refused to press charges of grievous bodily harm against Dresden defender Dennis Erdmann. Having investigated Erdmann for what was seen as a malicious, rather than sporting challenge, Dresden police have confirmed they have closed the matter.

–AFP

Ace Bangladesh golfer Siddikur Rahman practises at Kurmitola Golf Club yesterday

England captain Alastair Cook and New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum pose with the Test series trophy at Lord’s yesterday REUTERS

Geoffrey Boycott said Tuesday the way in which English cricket had been run lately amounted to a “shambles” ahead of this week’s first Test against New Zealand.

England crashed out of the World Cup at the group stage and then managed only a 1-1 Test series draw in the Caribbean against a West Indies side recently.

“The last six months have been traumatic for England,” wrote Boycott in his column.

“Our cricket has been poor and the administration of our game a shambles,” the former England opener added. Boycott said it had been a “monumental mistake” to recall Jonathan Trott for all three Tests in the Caribbean only for the batsman to subsequently announce his international retirement after a run of low scores and fresh struggles against the short ball.l

DT

32 Sport

THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2015

Sterling wins Liverpool award, booed by some fans n Reuters, London

Madame Tussauds New York officially unveils the wax figure of football icon and star forward for FC Barcelona Lionel Messi portrayed in his Argentina national team uniform from the 2014 FIFA World Cup in New York City on Tuesday AFP

Raheem Sterling has been named Liverpool’s young player of the year but was booed by a small number of fans when he collected the award on Tuesday amid speculation that the England winger is angling for a move away from Anfield.

Sterling was jeered by some supporters, while others shouted “Stay, Raheem” as he picked up the accolade a day after British media reported that the 20-year-old was poised to request a transfer.

In February, Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers said that Sterling had been offered an “incredible” new contract, with some reports suggesting the club had put forward a deal worth 100,000 pounds ($154,980) per week.

Sterling denied he was a “money-grabbing 20-year-old” in an interview with the BBC last month but also said he was in no rush to sign a new contract.

Speaking at the club’s awards ceremony, Rodgers said this season has been a struggle for fifth-placed Liverpool because of a number of “distractions”.

“Expectancy from last season was going to be high,” Rodgers said. “Things that have happened, the distractions, you can’t plan for them.

“It has been a difficult, trying season but the players will all be better for it next year.l

Atletico primed for further Barca, Real slips: Simeone n Reuters, Madrid

Last season’s Spanish champions Atletico Madrid will be ready to pounce again if wealthy heavyweights Barcelona and Real Madrid show any more signs of weakness, according to coach Diego Simeone.

Barca clinched the La Liga title on Sunday with a 1-0 win at Atletico, exactly a year after Simeone’s side pipped them to the Spanish league trophy, their first in 18 years, with a 1-1

draw at the Nou Camp.

Atletico were able to capitalise on Barca and Real’s inconsistency in 2013-14 but with one game remaining this term, are left fighting for third place and a berth in the Champions League group stage.

Atletico have 77 points in third, three ahead of fourth-placed Valencia, with Sevilla a point further adrift in fifth.

Simeone’s men face a tricky final match on Saturday at Granada, who are 16th and fight-

ing for the top-flight survival.

“We have to prepare as a team for when Real Madrid and Barcelona are not so attentive,” Simeone told Spanish radio station Onda Cero in a late-night interview on Tuesday.

“Last year, they were not so focused and we were able to get in the mix but Valencia and Sevilla are also aware of this and that strengthens the league,” the Argentine added.

“To become champions again we have to work to finish second, third and when

they (Real and Barca) get distracted win the title again.”

Once Barca’s prolific Argentina forward Lionel Messi, who scored the winner on Sunday, retired, Atletico would have an even better chance, he joked.

Despite losing top scorer Diego Costa to Chelsea, Atletico have still put together an impressive season, twice beating Real in La Liga, including a 4-0 drubbing of their neighbours at the Calderon in February.l

Van Gaal steals show at Man United awards n AFP, London Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal was the talk of social media in Britain on Wednesday after an eccentric turn at the club’s end-ofseason awards ceremony at Old Trafford.

The 63-year-old Dutchman clipped assistant manager Ryan Giggs around the ear after the Welshman outbid him for a round of golf with former United striker Dwight Yorke during an auction at the event on Tuesday.

He then took to the stage to deliver a rambling seven-minute speech, at one point punching the air and roaring “Yes!” as he recalled a team meeting at which captain Wayne Rooney had urged the team to push for second place in the Premier League. Van Gaal also said that United had been “very close” to winning the title, despite the fact they currently

trail champions Chelsea by 15 points.

After concluding his speech, which was broadcast live on United’s in-house television channel MUTV, Van Gaal returned to the stage and interrupted the presenter by saying: “Hello, hello! Pay attention to the manager!”

He went on to chastise the crowd for not applauding a female saxophonist, saying: “I have seen a lady who plays the saxophone fantastically. Give her a big applause!”

Former United captain Gary Neville tweeted: “LVG is cracking me up here. Great entertainment! One of the best/funniest 20 mins I’ve ever had!”

United goalkeeper David de Gea, who has been strongly linked with a move to Real Madrid, won both the Players’ Player and Fans’ Player of the Year awards for the second season running.l

(From Top Left) Manchester United’s Dutch manager Louis van Gaal and players Falcao, Rooney , Victor Valdes, Robin Van Persie and Marcos Rojo pose for pictures on the red carpet of the ‘Manchester United Player of the Year Awards’ at Old Trafford stadium in Manchester on Tuesday AFP

DT

Sport 33

THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2015

No withdrawal from Fifa election: Figo n Reuters, London

Palestinian children hold up red cards during a protest held upon the arrival of Fifa president Sepp Blatter to his hotel in Jerusalem on Tuesday

REUTERS

FIFA presidential candidate Luis Figo says he has no plans to quit his campaign at a joint news conference in the Netherlands with fellow hopeful Michael van Praag.

Figo was reacting on Wednesday to a story published earlier in the day by Dutch newspaper De Volkskrant.

A spokesman working for Figo’s campaign told Reuters from Lisbon: “We reiterate what we said on the first day.

Figo and Van Praag, along with Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein of Jordan, are all standing against incumbent Sepp Blatter at the election at the FIFA Congress in Zurich on May 29.

They have met at least once in the last two weeks to discuss their strategies, and to consider if all three would continue with their bids. The report said Figo and Van Praag would jointly end their campaigns on Thursday. l

Blatter proposes holding Israeli-Palestinian ‘peace match’ n Reuters, Jerusalem FIFA chief Sepp Blatter, visiting the Middle East to try to persuade the Palestine FA (PFA) to drop a proposal to suspend Israel from the world body, on Tuesday proposed a peace match between their national teams.

Blatter appeared at a news conference in Jerusalem after meeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and said he was “on a mission of peace”. He meets Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Palestine FA chief Jibril Rajoub on Wednesday.

The PFA accuses Israel of hampering its activities and restricting the movement of

players between the Gaza Strip and the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

Israel cites security concerns for the restrictions it imposes.

Although Blatter declined to detail what was said in his meeting with Netanyahu and Israeli FA chairman Ofer Eini concerning the Palestinian agenda item at the FIFA Congress on May 29, he said he could reveal his plan for a “peace match”.

“One item I can tell you that I spoke about with (Netanyahu)... to arrange a match for peace between the national teams of Israel and Palestine and FIFA would be happy to organise it,” Blatter said.

He added that Netanyahu promised he would attend such a fixture but, with enmities between Israelis and Palestinians running high, it is hard to envision such a match taking place in the foreseeable future.

The PFA has also cited curbs Israel places on the import into the Palestinian territories of sports equipment, visits by foreign teams and individuals and protests Israel’s inclusion of teams from settlements in the occupied West Bank in its leagues.

Swiss Blatter told reporters in Jerusalem he did not have the power to remove the item from the agenda and described it as “a very unusual and very serious matter.”l

FIFA president Blatter (R) releases a dove as Palestine Football Association President Jibril Rajoub (C) claps during his visit to the West Bank city of Ramallah yesterday AFP

CONMEBOL rejects Boca appeal n Reuters, Buenos Aires

Pakistan’s Aamer fired up after ‘tough’ fix ban

Boca Juniors’ appeal against their expulsion from this year’s Libertadores Cup has been rejected, the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) said on Tuesday.

Boca were kicked out the tournament after a fan sprayed pepper in the faces of rival River Plate players during their last 16 tie on Thursday.

The club was also given a $200,000 fine and ordered to play four home games behind closed doors and four away matches without its fans.l

n AFP, Sydney

DAY’S WATCH Star Sports 2 4:00PM New Zealand Tour of England 1st Test, Day 1

Star Sports 4 2:00PM & 6:00PM F1: Monaco Grand Prix Practice Sessions

Cricketer Pietersen tees off during the Pro-Am Golf in Virginia Water, Surrey yesterday REUTERS

Pakistan’s Mohammad Aamer admits he almost gave up cricket after being hit with a five-year ban for spot-fixing, but the paceman is now fired up to take wickets and repair his reputation.

The left-arm quick, along with new-ball partner Mohammad Asif and then-captain Salman Butt, was banned for delivering pre-arranged no-balls in return for money during the Lord’s Test against England in 2010.

“I must admit I have been given a new life,” Aamer said on the Cricket Australia website Wednesday.

“I will try my best to avail this opportunity.

I am ready to put in the hard yards to serve Pakistan.”

Aamer said he is aiming for a gradual return to international cricket, but only after regaining his full rhythm. There have been suggestions he is focusing on a place in the Pakistan Test side for a potential series to be played against India in the UAE in December.

“I am extremely pleased to see the crowd and fans supporting me after the comeback.

It really is huge force of motivation for me,” he said.

“They have lot of expectations from me.

Now it is my responsibility to not let them down.”

During his long hiatus, Aamer admitted that he thought about giving up cricket but his coach Asif Bajwa convinced him to stay focused on the game.

“I don’t have words to explain how tough last four years were for me. It is not easy when your bread and butter is stopped and you have no other income. I was in a situation that I wasn’t even allowed to touch a ball. It was really difficult,” he said.

“To be honest, yes, there were a few moments when I had lost hope, when I couldn’t see anything coming my way.”

Now he is in the groove again, Aamer said his immediate task was to improve his fitness and retrieve his reputation -- but he admitted not everyone would be happy to see him back.l

DT

34 DOWNTIME

THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2015

CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Slender support (4) 4 Book of the Bible (4) 8 By way of (3) 9 Scottish dance (4) 10 Augury (4) 11 Transmit in stages (5) 12 Flower (4) 14 Cricket score (3) 15 Sphere (3) 17 Immerse (3) 19 Precious stone (3) 21 Absent (4) 23 Indian wonderworker (5) 26 Target (4) 27 Affirm with confidence (4) 28 Melody (3) 29 Furniture item (4) 30 Currency unit (4)

DOWN 1 Impassive (6) 2 At all times (4) 3 Person under age (5) 4 Land measure (3) 5 Stringed instrument (5) 6 Beverage (3) 7 Arch (3) 11 Replenish (5) 13 Sweetener (5) 16 Dance form (6) 18 Prods (5) 20 Legerdemain (5) 22 Time long past (4) 23 Passing craze (3) 24 Hail! (3) 25 Annoy (3)

CODE-CRACKER How to solve: Each number in our CODECRACKER grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. For example, today 10 represents H so fill H every time the figure 10 appears.

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

Some letters of the alphabet may not be used.

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

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

CALVIN AND HOBBES

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

PEANUTS

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTIONS CODE-CRACKER

CROSSWORD

DILBERT

SUDOKU

DT

SHOWTIME 35

THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2015

Nagorik Nattyangan brings 8-day theatre fest

CELEBS ON SOCIAL

n Showtime Desk Marking 20 years of its journey in the country’s theatre arena, Nagarik Natyangan hosted an eight-day theatre festival, comprising of nine staging by eight participating troupes at Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA).

The festival was inaugurated yesterday through a programme of conferring veteran theatre persona, Ferdousi Mazumdar, with a lifetime achievement award for her immense contribution in generating interest in the medium. Besides receiving the accolade, Ferdousi performed parts of Abdulliah Al Mamun’s acclaimed monodrama Kokilara on opening day.

Later, Dhaka Theatre stages two of the troupe’s acclaimed plays, Golpo Niye Golpo and Iti Patromita.

Dhaka Theatre, Loko Natyadal (Siddheswary), Padatik Natya Sangsad (TSC), Somoy Natyadal and the host, Nagarik Natyangan are the participating local troupes. Also, Indian troupe Abhash will stage two of its plays, while Naye

Fahim Music presents Ami ashbo bole Azizul Abedin sings about love and nature. Azizul Abedin’s album Ami ashbo bole was recently published under the banner of Fahim Music. The album features Azizul Abedin, Unmadfamed cartoonist, lyricist, composer and singer who has sung 10 songs in the album. A telecom executive by profession, Azizul Abedin said: “Through my songs I have tried to describe and portray my thoughts on life and the various colours and shades in human relationships.”

“I had the opportunity of travelling through many mountains, nomadic deserts and endless oceans. I wrote the song Akasher kachhe jante cheyechhi while on a voyage in a vast sea. Ami ashbo bole is based on my ideas on teenage love. It was a big hit when it was first heard on the radio as a single.

I penned Shada kalo to express the hardship in my life. All in all, I really put in my all when it came to making this album for my listeners,” he stated.

It might also be mentioned that some of the tracks by this artist have been made available by renowned websites such as www.hungama.com and www. artistaloud.com.

The album is now available at all outlets of Fahim Music in the country.

In addition, the songs can also be downloaded as welcome tunes from any of the top mobile operators in country. Code for the most popular track Ami ashbo bole is as follows: Grameen-4408131, Banglalink-5585392, Robi/Teletalk-4408131 and Airtel-4408131. l

Kim Kardashian West @KimKardashian Excited to present the @CFDA Media Award to Instagram’s founder @Kevin Systrom at the 2015 #CFDAAwards on June 1st!

Natua will stage one play at the fest.

In addition, Nagarik’s own production Pragoitihashik will see its 100th staging on May 23.

The festival - themed as Chitto Amar Bhoyshunno, Uccho Amar Sheer - has

been dedicated to English playwright William Shakespeare and Indian actordirector Shambhu Mitra, will conclude through the staging of Rupkotha Chupkotha by visiting Indian troupe Abhash on May 28. l

Where it all began

Jimmy Kimmel @jimmykimmel My Aunt Chippy & pal Yehya watch (and HATE) Sunday’s #GameOfThrones #GoT Stella McCartney @ StellaMcCartney Celebrating 10 years of adidas by Stella McCartney at the #Cheongdam store! #aSMC @ adidaswomen… https:// instagram.com/p/251tpxLmPm/

WHAT TO WATCH

n Tausif Sanzum Before they became big screen legends.

Meryl Streep Before she became the record holder for the highest number of Academy Awards nominations, Streep had a humble stage debut in the production Trelawny of the Wells at the Public Theatre in New York. She also took part in Broadway and off-Broadway productions winning an Obie for Alice in the Palace.

Judi Dench The Dame, who is considered one of the best actresses ever seen on the big screen, started her career playing the role of Ophelia in Hamlet for a stage production with the Old Vic Company at the Royal Court Theatre in Liverpool.

Helen Mirren Another Dame joins this list. After being accepted and making a mark for herself by a tender age of 20 at the National Youth

Theatre, Mirren was invited to join the Royal Shakespeare Company. She became a regular, acting in popular productions such as As You Like It, The Other Place, Troilus and Cressida.

Recently she was awarded with the coveted Laurence Olivier Award for her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II in the production The Audience.

Ralph Fiennes If you are wondering where this acting wizard honed his acting talents at, think no more.

Back in the late 1980s, Fiennes performed at the National Theatre, which led to regular appearances at the Royal Shakespeare Company. This was followed by his big screen debut as the brooding anti-hero in Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights.

Sarah Jessica Parker Before Carrie Bradshaw’s takeover in the streets of New York, SJP and her siblings appeared in a production of The Sound of Music at a Municipal Theater. This was followed by a year long stint in the Broadway Musical Annie. l

127 Hours A Star Movies 7:37pm A mountain climber becomes trapped under a boulder while canyoneering alone near Moab, Utah and resorts to desperate measures in order to survive.

Cast: James Franco, Kate Mara, Amber Tamblyn, Sean Bott, Treat Williams Avatar B+ Movies Now 1:30pm A Paraplegic Marine dispatched to the moon Pandora on a unique mission becomes torn between following his orders and protecting the world he feels is his home..

Cast: Sam Worthington, Zoë Saldaña, Sigourney Weaver, Michelle Rodriguez, Stephen Lang Blade Trinity C WB 9:30pm Blade, now a wanted man by the FBI, must join forces with the Nightstalkers to face his most challenging enemy yet: Dracula.

Cast: Wesley Snipes, Kris Kristofferson, Ryan Reynolds, Jessica Biel, Dominic Purcell

DT

36 BACK PAGE

THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2015

POLICE BAR STUDENTS FROM BESIEGING HOME MINISTRY PAGE 5

BHAJJI RECALLED FOR BANGLADESH TEST PAGE 29

NAGORIK’S 8-DAY THEATRE FEST PAGE 35

Malaysia, Indonesia accept boatpeople n Agencies Malaysia and Indonesia said they would no t turn away boatpeople and Myanmar softened stance, a breakthrough in the migrant crisis that came hours after hundreds more starving people were rescued at sea.

But anxious not to encourage a fresh influx, Malaysia and Indonesia made it clear that their assistance was temporary and they would take no more than the 7,000 believed to still stranded at the sea.

A total of 433 people, all Myanmar Rohingyas, were rescued by local fishermen from their wooden vessel off Indonesia’s Aceh province yesterday, reports AFP. The breakdown of those on board was 70 children and babies, 70 women and 293 men.

Indonesian official Sadikin told AFP that fishermen “found the boat bobbing about, the engine was dead, the fishermen felt pity for them … Some looked very sick and weak, some looked dehydrated, there seems to be a lack of water and food at sea.”

Nearly 3,000 boatpeople have swum to shore or been rescued off the three countries over the past 10 days after a Thai crackdown on human-trafficking threw the illicit trade into chaos.

The UNHCR believes that at least 2,000 migrants may be stranded on boats off the Myanmar-Bangladesh coasts.

Earlier, Myanmar, whose policies toward its ethnic Rohingya minority are widely blamed for fuelling the human flow, also softened its line by offering to provide humanitarian aid to stricken migrants.

Myanmar state media quoted a foreign ministry statement as saying that the government “shares concerns” expressed by the international community.

Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand sparked international outrage by driving off boats

A Rohingya woman, who arrived by boat, cries at Indonesia’s Aceh yesterday. Hundreds of Rohingya and Bangladeshi migrants landed in Indonesia’s northwestern province early yesterday REUTERS overloaded with Rohingyas and Bangladeshis.

Malaysian Foreign Minister Anifah Aman, in a joint press appearance with his Indonesian counterpart Retno Marsudi, announced that the “towing and the shooing” are not going to happen any more.

“We [Malaysia and Indonesia] agreed to of-

fer them temporary shelter provided that the resettlement and repatriation process will be done in one year by the international community,” Anifah said.

The two ministers spoke after talks with Thai Foreign Minister Tanasak Patimapragorn.

Thailand however did not sign on to the offer

but a Thai foreign ministry statement later said officials would not push back migrants stranded in their waters.

US Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken, during a stop in Jakarta, said he would push Myanmar to improve conditions for Rohingya when he visits Naypidaw today. l

Govt rejects US request to resume A list of 237 victims sent to Rohingya resettlement Bangladesh for verification n Asif Showkat Kallol As a head count of the undocumented Rohingyas in Bangladesh is going on, the government has recently rejected an US request for resuming the process of resettling the Myanmar refugees in a third country.

Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) launched the head count in April and it is scheduled to continue until June next year.

The Tk21.75 crore project is titled “Census of the Undocumented Myanmar Nationals Staying in Bangladesh 2015” and under this, the BBS will give a count of Rohingya population in five districts.

The news of the rejection is sourced from the minutes of a recent meeting of a national task-force at the Foreign Ministry.

The list of “third countries” include Cana-

da, Australia, the UK, Ireland, New Zealand, Sweden, the USA and Norway.

In 2012, the government of Bangladesh decided to put the resettlement process on hold in the wake of a major Rohingya influx. The government said that if the process continued, it would have acted as a “pull factor” and would have encouraged more refugees to cross the border and illegally enter Bangladesh.

Before the process was stalled, 309 Rohingyas went to Canada, 242 to Australia, 190 to the UK, 82 to Ireland, 56 to New Zealand, 19 to Sweden, 14 to the USA and four to Norway between 2006 and 2010.

Instead, the Bangladesh government wanted the interested third countries to adopt a comprehensive approach to facilitate the resettlement of the entire refugee case-load, which is 32713 at present. l

n Sheikh Shahariar Zaman The Bangladesh Mission in Indonesia has sent a list of 237 people for verification of their Bangladeshi citizenship.

“We received the list last night [Tuesday] and sent it to the Home Ministry today [Wednesday] for citizenship authentication,” said a senior official of the Foreign Ministry.

The embassy officials visited the place and took interview of those who claimed that they were Bangladeshis, the official said.

“They compiled relevant information about them and sent them to Bangladesh for verification,” he said.

A total of 582 people were rescued on May 11 along the Indonesian coast when they were trafficked through the sea routes.

These people were given shelter at Aceh

province of Indonesia.

The Bangladesh Mission in Malaysia sent a list of 22 people for citizenship verification early this week.

“The Home Ministry will send the lists to respective police station and on the basis of their reports the government will undertake repatriation process,” the official said.

There is no time limit when the verification process will be completed but it is expected that it would be done promptly, he added.

The official admitted that it is still unclear who would bear the repatriation cost. “The government, relatives or International Organisation for Migration will bear the costs,” he said.

Bangladesh and Myanmar citizens use the sea routes to get into Malaysia illegally and are often are taken hostage at Malaysian-Thailand border to extract money from the victims. l

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