22 May, 2015

SECOND EDITION

FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015

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Jyoistha 8, 1421, Sha’ban 3, 1436

RAIL STAFF BAILED IN JIHAD DEATH CASE PAGE 3

Regd No DA 6238, Vol 3, No 39

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www.dhakatribune.com

RAJEEB MURDER INSTIGATION CHARGE REVISED PAGE 5

| 32 pages plus 24-page Weekend | Price: Tk10

GOVT POWER FIRMS TO GO PUBLIC PAGE 15

more metro rail tenders this year 10 citizens get Two n ‘Ansarullah death threats’ Shohel Mamun

n Mohammad Jamil Khan and Arif Ahmed A radical Islamist group, believed to be Ansarullah Bangla Team, has threatened to kill 10 eminent citizens of the country including ruling party leaders, academicians and secular activists terming them atheists and anti-Islam.

Copies of the same computer-composed letter, that had the names of the recipients and a warning message from “Alkaida A-Bangla Team:13,” were sent to the persons’ home addresses on Wednesday. The registered letters were sent by post.

The warning reads: “Must you will prepare for dead.”

The names include Prime Minister’s Adviser HT Imam, Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor AAMS Arefin Siddique, Awami League lawmaker Tarana Halim, DU Jagannath Hall Provost Ashim Sarker, Gonojagoron Moncho Spokesperson Imran H Sarker, DU teacher Kaberi Gayen, writers Bikash Saha, Paltan Sutradhar and Md Iqbalur Rahim, and Shahjalal University teacher Prof Muhammed Zafar Iqbal.

In the letter, the names were mentioned chronologically as “H.T Imam (Anti Islam.Advisor), Dr.Arifin Siddik (I.Dusmon. VC, or enemy of Islam), Tarana halim (Nastic or atheist), Ashim sarkar (Hindu moulobad or radical), Imran H sarkar (bloger), Kaberi gain (I, enemyDU), Bikash saha (I.Dusmon), slam Enemy), Md.Iqbalur Rahim (I.enemy), Paltan Sutar (Anti Bang.Raw.Adv) and Md.Zafor Iqbal (se.lar).”

State Minister for Home Affairs Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal said the government would ensure security for the listed persons. Detectives observe that through the letter, the militants are trying to publicise their organisation.

Police recently requested the Home Ministry to impose ban on radical Islamist group Ansarullah, believed to be involved in the killing of at least seven secular activists and bloggers since 2013. It claimed responsibility for the murders in Twitter.

Detectives think Ansarullah might have link with international terrorist group Al-Qaeda. In recent video posts, the Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent claimed responsibility for the murder of several secular activists including Avijit Roy. Ansarullah chief Jasim Uddin Rahmani (now in jail) in his sermons, available on the Internet, admitted to his link to Al-Qaeda and Taliban. He also supported Jamaat-e-Islami and Hefazat-e-Islam saying that the two organisations are working to establish Islam in Bangladesh. He also professed to kill atheists.

Jasim and seven of his followers are now facing trial for the killing of war crimes trial campaigner and blogger Ahmed Rajeeb Haider on February 15, 2013.

When contacted, Arefin Siddique said: “I received the letter on Wednesday morning. The letter contains a list of several noted personalities, targeted by the members of an extremist group.

We are not afraid after the threat. The senders must be identified and brought under trial.”

The government will float two tenders this year to speed up the implementation of the Dhaka Mass Rapid Transit Development project, better known as the metro rail, an official said.

“The tender for procuring rolling stock [coach and locomotive] and equipment of a depot will be floated in October and the tender for engineering and management system in November,” said Mofazzel Hossain, director of the metro rail project.

He said this while addressing a press conference at the seminar room of Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) in Dhaka yesterday.

The project comprises eight contract packages with Tk5,400 crore allocated for the rolling stock and equipment and E&M systems.

The first tender for pre-qualification of rolling stock and equipment of the Uttara depot was floated in January.

The tender for the pre-qualification of E&M system was floated in March.

More than 10 companies submitted organisational profiles for those two tenders.

Mofazzel said: “Building the metro rail is a fast track project of the Bangladesh government. We are working very sincerely. We hope to float some important tenders by the beginning of 2016.

“We will face two big challenges in

implementing the project – one is transferring the utility services from the project’s lineament area and the other is traffic management.”

Project expert Nurul Islam said: “Basic topographical, traffic and geo-technical surveys at the field level have already been completed.” A few other necessary surveys will be completed in a short time.  PAGE 2 COLUMN 3

 PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

PAGE 3 Slow progress in Pallabi double murder case

PAGE 4 HC stays Bar Council election for 3 months

PAGE 7 Fund crunch hits nine government jute mills

PAGE 10 Italy says over 900 migrants rescued at sea, one dead

PAGE 32 Suicide after killing on the rise in recent times

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2 NEWS

FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015

Rana Plaza reports now June 28 n Md Sanaul Islam Tipu A Dhaka court yesterday deferred until June 28 the submission of probe reports in three cases filed over the 2013 collapse of Rana Plaza in Savar.

Dhaka Judicial Magistrate Md Shahinur Rahman set the new date after Bijoy Krishna Khar, a Criminal Investigation Department officer who is investigating the three cases, failed to submit the reports yesterday.

On April 15, the court asked the CID to submit the reports by yesterday.

On April 24, 2013, Rana Plaza, which housed five garment factories, crumbled, leaving more than 1,100 people, mostly garment

workers, dead and another 2,000 injured.

One of the three cases was filed by Rajuk official Helaluddin against Rana, owner of the collapsed building, for faults found in the multi-storey structure and for constructing it with second-rate materials.

Another case was filed by police with Savar police station against Rana, his father Abdul Khalek and owners of the garment factories housed in the nine-storey building for the loss of lives.

The other case was lodged by the family of a victim with a Dhaka court.

A total of 22 people, including Rana, were arrested in connection with the cases and 14 of them, including Khalek, have been released on bail. l

AL leader asks BNP to drop Khaleda n Abu Hayat Mahmud Awami League leader Dr Hasan Mahmud suggested that BNP policy makers should reconstitute its committee without Khaleda Zia. He made the remark while addressing a discussion organised in Dhaka yesterday.

“Khaleda Zia and her son Tarique Rahman are the main problems in the BNP.” Tarique is continuously placing conspiracy theories against the country. Following her

son’s suggestions, Khaleda is ordering party men to attack common people, he said.

Hasan also said that if BNP does not boycott Khaleda and Tarique, the party will never gain sufficient popularity.

Criticising civil society members for their proposal to hold a dialogue with BNP, Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque said: “They want to ruin the country’s democracy by forcing the government to talk with terrorists and militants.” l

Government conspiring to eliminate BNP leadership n Tribune Report The BNP has alleged that the government is hatching a conspiracy to eliminate the leadership of the opposition party.

“A conspiracy was hatched in 2008. [Now, once again] one false case after another are being filed against uncompromising leader Khaleda Zia and BNP’s Senior Vice-Chairman Tarique Rahman,” said Selima Rahman, a vice-chairperson of the party.

“Our senior leaders are detained in false cases. Grassroots leaders and activists cannot stay at home because of repression by the government,” she also said while addressing

a press conference at the BNP’s Nayapaltan head office.

“Recently, a daily has published a report that there is instability in Gulshan office [Khaleda Zia’s political office]. That news is completely false and fabricated,” Selima said.

She also advised journalists to verify with party spokespersons before publishing any news on BNP. She also said: “There are grievances in every big political party. Sometimes party men express their grievances in public forums instead of closed party forums. But that does not mean that they are challenging the leadership,” Selima explained. l

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina receives a crest from FBCCI leaders at a reception programme in Dhaka yesterday BSS

PM: It is high time to boost business ties with neighbours n BSS After the resolution of land and maritime boundary issues with the neighbouring countries, it is high time to expand mutual trade and business relations and work together for peaceful coexistence, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said yesterday.

“We want to build such relations with neighbours that would ensure our peaceful coexistence and at the same time every country, big or small, can live with dignity as an independent and sovereign nation,” she said at a reception accorded to her by Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre.

The FBCCI accorded the reception to the prime minister on her successful leadership in culminating Land Boundary Agreement (LBA) with India in light of the historic Mujib-Indira Accord signed in 1974 and resolve the longstanding problems of the people of the enclaves across the Indian border.

Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed and Foreign Minister Abul Hasan Mahmud Ali also spoke on the occasion, among others.

President of FBCCI Kazi Akram Uddin

Ahmed presented the prime minister with flowers and delivered the welcome speech.

Terming the LBA as one of the most important instruments for Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina said the agreement with India is a milestone in the relations between the two counties. The agreement would resolve 68 years of woes of the people in the enclaves and pave the way for their development.

“The agreement has also opened up new scope to expedite our efforts for putting in place better connectivity with neighbours, creating business opportunity and prosper together. Digital technology also eased the trade and business between the two countries,” she said.

The prime minister urged the business community to take the opportunity of good relations with neighbouring countries and work together to strengthen trade ties to make the country’s economy stronger.

Pointing out her government’s constant efforts to resolve all contentious bilateral issues with India including the Ganges Water Sharing Agreement and Chittagong Hill Tracts Peace Treaty, the prime minister said her government had to overcome many hurdles and false propaganda by a vested quarter while signing the deals. l

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

10 citizens get death threats Jagannath Hall Provost Ashim said: “I got the letter around noon on Wednesday. I am passing my days in fear as my name is mentioned in number four of the list circled with red ink.”

He filed a general diary with Shahbagh police yesterday, OC Abu Bakkar Siddique confirmed to the Dhaka Tribune.

DU Proctor Amzad Ali said: “The GD was filed on behalf of the university authorities as some of our teachers received death threats through identical letters.”

According to media reports, Ansarullah and other radical Islamist groups targeted secular activists based on a list of “84 atheist bloggers” – given to a government committee, probing anti-Islamic activities, on March 31, 2013. Of them, nine persons have been killed.

The junior home minister yesterday said

there was something mysterious behind the killing of bloggers and the letters.

After attending a programme in the city, Asaduzzaman said these incidents might not be linked. “The people who killed bloggers may have different kind of thoughts. All these 10 persons are not bloggers...” He hoped that the mystery would be unearthed through investigation.

“We will take steps to ensure their security.”

Monirul Islam, joint commissioner of the Detective Branch of police, said they were evaluating security measures of the listed persons.

Also the spokesperson of the DMP, Monirul said: “It can be a publicity move for such a new organisation [Ansarullah].”

He doubts Ansarullah has the capacity to carry out such attacks. “But we are not taking the issue lightly.” l

2 more metro rail tenders this year On January 26, an amended Metro Rail Bill 2015 was passed in parliament. The aim of the project is to curb traffic jam by ensuring quick and improved transport services in the capital.

The first phase of construction of the metro railway will be finished by December 2019, and the entire project will take another year to finish although the duration of the project on papers is 2024.

The metro rail project, the second largest infrastructure project in the country after the Padma bridge, has faced problems in the last few years over modification of routes following objections from the Air Force and avoiding overlapping with the Gulistan-Jatrabari flyover.

The trains will run from Uttara to Motijheel

via Pallabi, the west side of Rokeya Sarani and Farmgate, Hotel Sonargaon, Hotel Ruposhi Bangla, TSC of Dhaka University, Doyel Chattar and Topkhana Road. The routes would be extended up to Sayedabad from Bangladesh Bank through the Atish Dipankar Road.

According to a study conducted by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica), the trains will operate every three minutes and carry 60,000 passengers an hour.

Jica has committed to provide Tk16,594.59 crore for the project, while Bangladesh government will allocate Tk5,390.48 crore.

A Japanese consortium is now working on the detailed design of the project. It is also carrying out topographical, traffic and geo-technical surveys in different parts of the project. l

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NEWS 3

FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015

Slow progress in Pallabi double murder case n Kamrul Hasan Investigators probing the case filed over the May 13 killings of a housewife and her uncle-in-law in a Pallabi flat have made little progress, with the criminals still remaining unidentified.

Pallabi zone’s Assistant Commissioner, Md Kamal Hossain, yesterday said police were still in dark about who killed the two.

He said the investigation was still underway and nothing could be said until it ended.

On May 13, chairman of Independent Power Limited, Sweety Khatun, who was the wife of Desco Engineer Jahidul Islam, was killed along with her uncle-in-law, Aminul Islam, in the flat.

A case was filed accusing Shahin, business partner of Sweety, with Pallabi police station the following day.

“Police earlier grilled Shahin after he was put on a four-day remand. He was taken to court on May 19 and was remanded again for two days,” said Kamal.

Officer-in-Charge of Pallabi police station, Dadan Bhuiyan, said: “We have received critical information from Shahin and the case will be solved soon.” l

Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Syed Nasim Manzur speaks during a presentation on ‘Overcoming Business Challenges in Bangladesh’ jointly organised by the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh and MRB yesterday RAJIB DHAR

Charge-sheeted rail official gets bail in Jihad death case n Md Sanaul Islam Tipu

vice called off a nearly 23-hour search in the abandoned shaft.

Doctors declared Jihad dead after he was taken to the DMCH. The victim’s father filed the murder case with Shahjahanpur police station against Jahangir Alam and Abdus Salam, owner of contractor firm SR House that installed the deep tube-well on the Shahjahanpur Railway Colony premises.

The complainant said the incident was the result of negligence by the contractor and the railway officials concerned as they had not sealed the pipe. l

A Dhaka court yesterday granted bail to a railway official, who was charged with culpable homicide not amounting to murder in connection with the death of four-year-old Jihad, after he surrendered before it.

Metropolitan Magistrate Ashok Kumar Dutta passed the order after engineer Jahangir Alam surrendered before the court seeking bail in the case.

Earlier in the day, the plaintiff ’s lawyer Jasimuddin Khan submitted an affidavit to the court saying the plaintiff had no objection

to granting bail to the defendant.

However, when asked whether he sought justice for the death of the child, Nasir Fakir – Jihad’s father and also the plaintiff – told the Dhaka Tribune: “I am not feeling well. I cannot talk much over the issue.”

Jahangir Alam, a senior sub-assistant engineer of Bangladesh Railway, had been on the run since the case was filed by Jihad’s father on the night the child was pulled out from the 17-inch diameter deep tube-well.

The body of Jihad was pulled out by a band of volunteers around 2:45pm on December 27 last year, around 15 minutes after the fire ser-

Canada to supply potash to Bangladesh n Tribune Report

Three out of 16 wanted war crimes suspects held

Canada has signed a $44m contract with Bangladesh for supplying high-quality potash.

Canadian Commercial Corporation (CCC) signed the contract with Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation (BADC), said a Canadian High Commission press release.

The contract, signed last week, includes an option to supply an additional amount of potash worth $22m. It builds on last year’s $40m contract to supply potash to the BADC, which was signed and delivered in 2014.

Canada resumed potash export to Bangladesh last year after a long hiatus.

“Trade deals such as this ensures mutual prosperity and development,” said Canadian High Commissioner to Bangladesh BenoîtPierre Laramée about the contract. l

n Tribune Report Police yesterday arrested three war crimes suspects from Maheshkhali of Cox’s Bazar, hours after a war crimes tribunal issued arrest warrants against them and 13 other suspects.

Nurul Islam of Sonajanpara, Osman Gani of Sikderpara in Maheshkhali town and Zinnat Ali of Muhurirdail village of the upazila were picked up from their houses in the afternoon, Cox’s Bazar Additional Police Superintendent Tofael Ahmed told reporters.

“The law enforcers are conducting drives to arrest other suspects,” he said.

Based on a prosecution plea, the International Crimes Tribunal 2 issued the warrants

earlier in the day for their alleged involvement in crimes against humanity during the country’s Liberation War in 1971.

Investigators found their involvement during investigation against three alleged war criminals – former BNP lawmaker Md Rashid, 84; Cox’s Bazar unit BNP leader Salamat Ullah Khan, 80; and Md Zakaria, prosecutor Rana Das Gupta told the court.

Rashid and Salamat were arrested on March 1 while Zakaria is on the run.

During yesterday’s hearing, the prosecution placed its first progress report against the three suspects and sought more time. The tribunal then fixed July 22 for submitting the progress report. l

Salahuddin in ICU at Shillong hospital n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla BNP Joint Secretary General Salahuddin Ahmed has been admitted to the intensive care unit of North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (Neigrihms) in India’s Shillong where he is under the supervision of a specialist.

Neigrihms Director Dr AG Ahangar told reporters Salahuddin had undergone some medical tests and the next steps in his treatment would be taken based on the reports.

“Neigrihms is a specialised hospital and visitors cannot talk to Salahuddin anytime they wish. During his diagnosis, he talked to his wife,” Abdul Latif Jony, BNP’s assistant office secretary who was with Salahuddin in Meghalaya, told the Dhaka Tribune over phone.

He said Salahuddin would not appear in court until he was deemed medically fit by doctors.

“Salahuddin’s wife Hasina Ahmed told her husband that she has been in close contact with his lawyer, SP Mohonta.”

On Wednesday, the BNP leader was shifted to Neigrihms from Meghalaya Civil Hospital for better treatment.

Police in Meghalaya lodged a case against him for entering India without valid documents and his entry into a third country is now subjected to legal proceedings.

SP Mohonta, a senior lawyer at the Meghalaya High Court, will be representing Salahuddin.

The BNP leader went missing on March 10 and reappeared in Shillong on May 11.

After his disappearance, his wife repeatedly claimed that he had been picked up by police.

But police strenuously denied the allegation.

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

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4 NEWS

FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015

HC stays Bar Council election for 3 months n Tribune Report The High Court has stayed for three months the Bangladesh Bar Council elections, which was scheduled to be held on May 27.

The High Court bench of Justice Kazi Rezaul Haque and Justice Abu Taher Md Saifur Rahman passed the order yesterday, responding to two separate writ petitions that sought stay on the polls.

The court also issued two rulings, questioning the prevailing procedures of the election.

In the first ruling, the High Court asked the government and authorities of Bar Council to explain by four weeks why the polls schedule should not be declared illegal.

In the second one, the court asked authorities to show reasons why the amendment of Bar Council Act 2003, which reduced a member’s right to cast votes for all 14 posts, should not be declared illegal.

Supreme Court lawyer Eunus Ali Akond filed the petitions on May 17.

In one of his petitions, the lawyer stated that there are anomalies in the existing voters list of the council, while in the other he challenged the legality of the amendment to the Bangladesh Bar Council Act 1972, that allowed a lawyer to cast 14 votes for total 14 posts.

The government amended the Bar Council law in 2003, incorporating rules allowing lawyers of the Supreme Court, Khagrachhari, Bandarban and Rangamati bar associations to cast seven votes each, while allowing eight votes each for other lawyers of the remaining 73 bar associations.

The election for the lawyers’ regulatory body was shifted from May 20 to May 27 after objections were raised against the voters list.

An initial electoral roll comprising 48,465 voters was also published on April 9.

Five elected members of the council and

Chevron boss accorded reception n Tribune Report Chevron Bangladesh President Kevin Lyon was recently accorded a reception by a school near the Bibiyana gas field, during his first visit to the community there.

Nadampur High School, which organised the programme, is one of the 17 educational institutions that receive support under Chev-

ron’s Quality Education Support Initiative, and was recently recognised as the best secondary school in Nabiganj upazila of Habiganj.

The school felicitated Lyon, expressing their appreciation for the role Chevron has played in improving the quality of learning for their students.

In a brief message, the Chevron boss also praised the students for their hard work. l

another 101 lawyers wrote to the chairman and the secretary, claiming the voters list was vague with repetition of names.

The petition filed by Akond said the rules stipulate the publication of the final voters list 30 days before the polls but the clause had not been complied with in this case.

The Bar Council polls elect a total of 14 members. Of them, seven are elected through votes of registered lawyers and each of the rest by the seven regional Bar Associations across the country.

These 14 members vote to elect a vice-chairman. The attorney general acts as the Bar Council’s chairman as per the regulations.

The Bar Council secretary and three aspirants went to the chamber judge against the High Court order yesterday, but it sent the petition to a regular bench of Appellate Division.

The Appellate Division will hear the petition on Sunday. l

BBC relocates Uttara Teaching Centre n Tribune Report The British Council has moved its Uttara Teaching Centre to a new location in partnership with the International Turkish Hope School, Bangladesh.

A press release said services offered at Trust College, Uttara would no longer be available. The new location of the Teaching Centre is Turkish Hope International School at Gate 2, Plot 7, Road 6, Sector 4, Uttara.

“I’m delighted that we’re able to work with Turkish Hope in Uttara, providing educational opportunities through excellence in English learning,” said Barbara Wickham, director of British Council Bangladesh.

Course registration at this new venue begins today and will continue until Wednesday, May 27. The British Council Teaching Centre offers regular weekday courses and also premium weekend courses. l

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NEWS 5

FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015

Charge against instigator of Rajeeb murder revised n Md Sanaul Islam Tipu

The Dhaka’s Speedy Trial Tribunal 3 yesterday indicted afresh Ansarullah Bangla Team chief Mufti Jasim Uddin Rahmani and seven of his followers in Ahmed Rajeeb Haider murder case.

Jasim is mentioned in the charge sheet as an instigator, but the charge against him was not pressed under section 107 (instigating crime) of the Penal Code.

Earlier all the accused were charged with murder (section 302) with common intention (section 34).

Yesterday was set for recording testimony of the prosecution witnesses. Plaintiff Nazim Uddin, father of the victim, was present at the court.

The prosecution filed a petition yesterday

to the court saying that the murder spot was not mentioned clearly in the charge sheet submitted earlier and that a charge against Jasim needed to be revised.

Judge Sayeed Ahmed accepted the petition and framed the charges against the accused freshly. The court also fixed May 27 for starting the trial.

The Fourth Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge Court indicted the eight militants on March 18 and fixed April 21 to start trial. On May 11, the case was shifted to the tribunal, following a Home Ministry decision, for quick disposal.

The other accused in the case are planner Redwanul Azad Rana (fugitive), Md Faisal Bin Nayem alias Dweep, Maksudul Hasan alias Anik, Md Ehsan Reza alias Rumman, Nayem Sikdar alias Iraj, Nafis Imtiaz and Sadman Ya-

sir Mahmud.

Of them, Rana fled the country last month while the others were brought to the court yesterday.

According to the charge sheet, the seven NSU students had vowed to kill “atheist bloggers” after reading Jasim’s books and listening to his sermons. They targeted Shahbagh movement activist Rajeeb, who used to write under the pseudonym Thaba Baba, and killed him on February 15, 2013.

Ansarullah is also blamed for the killing of six other secular activists including Rajshahi University teacher Prof AKM Shafiul Islam in November and science writer Ananta Bijoy Das this month.

Follower of international terrorist groups al-Qaeda and Taliban, activities of Ansarullah came to light after Rajeeb murder. l

NGOs call for specific excise tax on tobacco products n Nure Alam Durjoy Some NGOs have proposed making the current price slab-based taxation system of tobacco products void and impose specific excise tax to curb tobacco consumption in the country.

Professor Abul Barkat, principal adviser to Human Development Research Centre (HDRC), presented the proposal on tobacco taxation for Bangladesh at a press conference in Dhaka Reporters’ Unity yesterday morning.

The HDRC jointly organised the conference with Progya, Anti-Tobacco Media Alliance and Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids, ahead of the FY2015-16 budget.

“The current tax structure for tobacco products is complex and tax management is not sufficient enough, leading to tax evasion,” Prof Barkat said at the conference.

Reading the proposal, he said the current four price slabs should be reduced to three and there should be no “low” price slab in 2015-16.

For example, for each 10-stick pack of cigarettes, based on the three price slabs, the specific excise tax should be Tk40, Tk60 and Tk100, respectively. In the FY2016-17, the three price slabs should be reduced to two and for each 10-stick pack of cigarettes, the specific excise tax should be Tk66 and Tk110, respectively. In the FY2017-18, the price slabs should be abolished and each 10-stick cigarette pack should be charged with TK121 excise tax.

He said the most effective way to reduce tobacco use is to raise tobacco price through tax increase, but in reality the price of tobacco products are among the lowest in the world.

There is law, but specific directives regarding price and tax measures are lacking and the law implementation is unsatisfactory, he said. l

Oil Gas Committee demands cancellation of Rampal plant n Tribune Report

National Committee to Protect Oil, Gas, Mineral Resources, Power and Port demonstrates in front of the National Press Club yesterday demanding that the government protect the Sundarbans by halting the Rampal power plant RAJIB DHAR

DU teachers unhappy with new pay scale n DU Correspondent

The teachers of Dhaka University have expressed resentment at the proposed 8th national pay scale, saying their precedence has been lowered while an uplift appears for secretaries.

At a press conference yesterday, the Dhaka University Teachers’ Association (DUTA) demanded a review of the pay scale.

In a statement, DUTA Secretary General Prof ASM Maksud Kamal said: “The upcoming pay scale fails to ensure due dignity of the teachers and gives opportunities to the secretaries.”

Terming the pay scale a conspiracy against teachers, he placed some recommendations including setting professors’ salary and bonus equivalent with the senior secretaries, ensuring honorarium for research work and books,

upgrading DU vice-chancellor’s rank to the principle secretary as well as ensuring other benefits for assistant and associate professors and lecturers.

DUTA President Dr Farid Uddin Ahmed, Prof Shafiul Alam Bhuiyan and Prof Aktaruzzaman were present at the briefing.

Later, DUTA announced to stage a human chain on May 24 in front of the Aparajeyo Bangla to press home their demands. l

The National Committee to Protect Oil, Gas, Mineral Resources, Power and Ports yesterday demanded cancellation of the Rampal power plant project which is being planned near the Sundarbans mangrove forest.

It also urged Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to call off the deal during the latter’s visit to Bangladesh.

Addressing a programme in the capital as chief guest, Engineer Sheikh Mohammad Shahidullah, convener of the committee, said multinational companies were conspiring to loot the country’s oil, gas, coal and other natural resources by any means.

Underscoring the need of the Sundarbans, he said electricity could be produced in alternative ways, but there were no alternatives to the ecologically critical to mangrove forest.

“The Sundarbans is being damaged due to the government’s wrong policies, corruption and aggression. Rampal power plant is now the biggest threat to the forest,” he added.

Shahidullah alleged that both Bangladesh and India were violating the environmental laws of their countries with the move.

He urged people to unite to save the Sundarbans. l

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6 NEWS

FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015

Erosion threatens Dacop upazila, 34 points of embankment in danger n Our Correspondent, Khulna Hundreds of people living in Dacop upazila on the coastal region of Khulna are in the risk of river erosion as 34 points along the flood-protecting embankment developed cracks.

Rising waters of Shibsha, Dhaki, Chunkuri, Poshur, Jhopjhopia and Manga rivers are threatening to swallow houses, crop fields, roads and other infrastructure.

Three areas – 31, 32 and 33 – of the coastal protection belt are more vulnerable and could be breached any moment. Residents of these areas complained of non-cooperation from the Water Development Board, which is in charge of building and maintaining the embankments.

Odud Mir of Gunari village said: “The of-

ficials of the board are nonchalant. We have been continuously asking them to take action.

Now we are worried.”

Chairman of Tildanga Union Parishad Jalal Uddin said the three areas of the embankment were under the Water Development Board and it was up to that authority to repair the cracks.

Shafiqul Gazi, UP member of Kamarkhola said: “The water level of the nearby rivers has been increasing by three to four millimetres even before the monsoon. We have seen cracks at 18 points of the Wapda embankment and already water is flowing in through those points.”

Nimai Chandra Das, a local businessman, expressed fear that if the cracks were not repaired soon, vast areas of the upazila would be under water. “Already people are moving

to other places. Some of them are also working voluntarily to repair the river banks.”

Among the places that are vulnerable to river erosion, the areas of Sutarkhali union’s Nalian Bazar, Gunari, west side of Sutarkhali forest office, roads of Kamarkhola union, Jaliakhali, Bhitedanga, Joynagar, Tildanga union, Mozamnagar, Andharmanik, Gorkhali, Banishanta bazar, Bajua union’s Chunkuri area, Khona, Moukhali, Dacop union’s Launchghat, Shingjora area, Kheyaghat and Chalna bazar are at greater risk.

When contacted, Executive Engineer of the Water Development Board Pijush Krishno Kundu said the World Bank had taken a project to repair the river bank of the 32 and 33 no areas. “They will begin the work in June. And the work at 31 no area is underway.” l

Suspected robber shot dead while attacking police van n Our Correspondent, Joypurhat A suspected robber was shot dead while a gang of criminals was launching an attack on a patrol police van in Dhamshonda area under Khetlal upazila in Joypurhat yesterday.

The deceased could not be identified immediately. UNO Abdullahel Baki said: “A group of robbers attacked OC Munirul Islam and six other police officials while the law enforcers were returning to the upazila after patrolling around 11pm.”

He said: “The robbers fled the scene when police opened fire. Later, police recovered the bullet-hit body of the robber from a paddy field.”

Khetlal OC Munirul Islam said: “Some other robbers might have been injured in the shootout. We are trying to catch them.”

A case was filed in this connection. l

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NEWS 7

FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015

Fund crunch hits 9 public jute mills n Our Correspondent, Khulna A cash crunch has hit nine state-owned jute mills in Khulna and Jessore regions, with the workers demanding that money be allocated to purchase raw jute.

But the mills’ authorities say this is the result of unsold jute products piling up at the factories and is not particularly a financial problem.

In mills where jute has not been stored, however, productions have fallen and workers have not been paid on time.

To highlight their five-point demands, jute workers are now on strike as part of an 18day programme announced by CBA-Non CBA Sramik-Karmachari Oikya Parishad. The demands include a 20% dearness allowance, adequate allocation in the jute sector, and forming a wage commission board for state-owned factory workers like the pay commission.

Md Rafiqul Islam, deputy general manager

of Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation’s (BJMC) Khulna zone, said the present cash crisis was caused by a large volume of jute products that could not be sold during the season last year.

“The mills had a stock of 50,000 tonnes of jute products. Those could not be sold in the global market while the domestic market offered low prices. That is where the working capital of the sector is stuck at and the BJMC failed to allocate funds,” he explained.

“Now the stock of jute products has been reduced to 17,000 tonnes. Productions cannot be ramped up as there is a shortage of raw jute. The present stock of raw jute could last for a month because production is slow.

“The mills received no allocation in the last season as the BJMC lacked working capital. Even though stocks of jute products will become smaller, the amount of allocation in the budget will determine if the mills will be provided with money to buy jute,” he added.

Chief of Crescent Jute Mill’s Jute Division, Nizam Uddin Faruki, said production had fallen from the daily target of 90 tonnes of jute products to 25-30 tonnes.

The mill’s General Manager, Gazi Shahadat Hossain, said cash could solve the existing jute crisis but the 3,500 tonnes of unsold jute products heaped up at the factory was a big cause for concern. CBA-Non CBA Sramik-Karmachari Oikya Parishad Member Secretary, Syed Zakir Hossain, said the strike was focused on the five-point demands as a lack of allocation would mean disaster for the mills.

At Alim Jute Mill, production stopped on May 3 because of a shortage of jute and the factory’s privatisation is due. Productions at the remaining eight mills have also gone down by a third. But Md Abdur Rashid, labour leader at Alim Jute Mill, said workers were fiercely opposed to the idea of privatisation and they would strongly protest against it. l

GCC mayor sent to Birdem n Our Correspondent, Gazipur MA Mannan, Gazipur City Corporation mayor and advisor of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, was sent to Birdem from Kashimpur jail yesterday afternoon.

Dhaka Central Jail Part 1 Jailer Faridur Rahman Rubel said he was sent to hospital as his blood pressure was fluctuating. “He was taken to Birdem Hospital upon the jail doctor’s recommendation around 4pm,” he added.

The mayor is suffering from diabetes, high blood pressure and kidney problems, he said.

On February 11, Detective Branch of police arrested Gazipur City Corporation (GCC) mayor MA Mannan from DOHS in Baridhara area of the capital on charges of arson attack and vandalsiing vehicles in Gazipur on December 27 last year.

On April 30, police filed a charge sheet against him. l

Cigarettes worth Tk10 lakh seized at Dhaka airport n Tribune Report Custom intelligence officials seized 3,500 cartons of illegally imported cigarettes worth Tk10 lakh and arrested one in this connection at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport yesterday.

The arrested is Mohammed Shahin Sheikh.

A case was filed against him. l

WEATHER THUNDERSHOWER WITH RAIN

FRIDAY, MAY 22 TODAY SUN SETS 6:37PM

DHAKA

TOMORROW SUN RISES 5:13AM

FORECAST FOR TODAY 36 35 40 35 38 37 32 34

Dhaka Chittagong Rajshahi Rangpur Khulna Barisal Sylhet Cox’s Bazar

29 28 28 25 28 28 24 28

YESTERDAY’S HIGH AND LOW

36.4ºC

24.0ºC

Mongla

Sylhet Source: Accuweather/UNB

PRAYER TIMES Fajr Sunrise Jumma Asr Magrib Esha

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

Authorities of Lal Kuthi Bhaban located in the capital’s Shyambazar area through a notice asked people not to paste any poster or hang banner on the archeological site. But supporters of a councillor who won in the recent city polls have pasted posters on the structure built during the British period MEHEDI HASAN

‘Lack of cleanliness main problem of Ctg’ n Tarek Mahmud, Chittagong

AJM Nasir Uddin, the newly-elected mayor of Chittagong City Corporation, yesterday said not waterlogging but uncleanness was the chief problem for the port city’s residents.

The mayor said residents experience waterlogging after modest rains, as the waste management system had not been improved in the last five years. He also emphasised on upgrading the garbage system to ease waterlogging in the port city.

AJM Nasir said this while addressing a reception arranged by AJM Nasir Uddin Nagarik

Sangbordhona Committee at Laldighi Ground yesterday afternoon.

A total of 41 ward councilors and 14 female ward councilors of the Chittagong City Corporation were also accorded reception at the programme.

Chittagong University Vice-Chancellor Professor Anwarul Azim Arif, also the convener of the committee, presided, with ruling Awami League’s Chittagong city unit, district north and south units and different pro-AL professionals in attendance.

Nasir, also the general secretary of the city unit of AL, in his speech added that he would

visit every ward of the city physically after taking formal charge of the corporation on June 26.

“I will sit with the respective ward’s senior political leaders, senior residents and other prominent persons, and will identify the area-based problems, while I will chalk out plans with everyone’s suggestions to solve these problems,” he said.

“I am determined to make Chittagong into a developed, green, healthy, and digitalised citizen-friendly city in my five-year tenure,” he added, seeking blessings from the city residents. l

DT

8 WORLD

FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015

China navy warns US spy plane over South China Sea

An aerial file photo taken May 11 though a glass window of a Philippine military plane shows the alleged on-going land reclamation by China on a reef in the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea REUTERS

n Reuters The Chinese navy warned a US surveillance plane flying over artificial islands that Beijing is creating in the disputed South China Sea to leave the area eight times, according to CNN, which was on board the flight on Wednesday.

At one stage, after the American pilots responded by saying the plane was flying through international airspace, a Chinese radio operator said with exasperation: “This is the Chinese navy ... You go!”

The P8-A Poseidon, the US military’s most advanced surveillance aircraft, flew at 15,000 feet (4,500 meters) at its lowest point, CNN said.

The incident, along with recent Chinese

warnings to Philippine military aircraft to leave areas around the Spratly archipelago in the South China Sea, suggests Beijing is trying to enforce a military exclusion zone.

Some security experts worry about the risk of confrontation, especially after a US official said last week the Pentagon was considering sending military aircraft and ships to assert freedom of navigation around the Chinese-made islands.

A spokesman for China’s Foreign Ministry said he was not aware of the incident.

Footage taken by the P8-A Poseidon and aired by CNN showed a hive of construction and dredging activity on the new islands the plane flew over, as well as Chinese navy ships nearby.

CNN said it was the first time the Pentagon had declassified video of China’s building activity and audio of challenges to a US aircraft.

Military facilities on Fiery Cross Reef, including a 3,000-metre (10,000-foot) runway, could be operational by year’s end, one US commander recently told Reuters.

Asia’s rising power China claims sovereignty over most of the South China Sea, through which $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year. The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei also have overlapping claims.

Foreign Minister Wang Yi last week asserted Beijing’s sovereignty to reclaim the reefs, saying China’s determination to protect its interests was “as hard as a rock.” l

Denmark’s fabled Bronze Age girl may have been German n AFP In a feat of laboratory sleuthing, scientists yesterday provided a background to a mysterious Bronze Age teenager who died in modern-day Denmark 3,400 years ago.

The “Egtved Girl,” uncovered at a village in the Jutland peninsula, was probably born in southwestern Germany and may have been married off to cement ties between powerful families, they said.

One of Denmark’s proudest relics, the Egtved Girl was found in 1921 at a burial mound, inside an oak coffin that dates her interment to a summer’s day in the year 1370 BC. She was aged between 16 and 18 at the time of death and would have been around 1.6 metres (five feet three inches) tall.

Buried alongside her head was a small container with some cremated bones of a five- to six-year-old child.

The site and her clothes clearly pointed to a person who was cherished and of high rank. But who was she? And where did she come from?

Seeking an answer, researchers led by Karin Margarita Frei from Denmark’s National Museum of Denmark and Centre for Textile Research analysed the precious find for levels of the radioactive element strontium.

One of the girl’s first molars, a tooth that was fully formed when she was aged three or four, had a strontium signature in the enamel that showed she had not grown up in Jutland, the study said.

Instead, it matched a “geologically older” region – most probably the Black Forest area of southwestern Germany, a whole 800 kilometres (500 miles) to the south.

She then likely moved to another location – possibly Jutland – and after spending nine or 10 months there travelled back home.

She stayed there for four to six months before travelling to what is now Egtved, but died about a month later. l

Hundreds of Boko Haram survivors in military custody n AP, Yola, Nigeria

All 275 women, girls and children rescued from Boko Haram and taken to the safety of a northeast Nigerian refugee camp have been taken into military custody amid suspicions that some are aiding the Islamic extremists, a camp official and a Nigerian military intelligence officer said Wednesday.

They said soldiers on Tuesday took the group from Malkohi Camp to the airport at Yola city, where a military plane flew them to an unknown destination.

Spokesman Sani Datti of the National Emergency Management Agency, which manages the camp, said he was aware that soldiers removed the group but said he had no other information about an “entirely military affair.”

The army spokesman for 23rd Armoured Brigade in Yola could not be immediately reached for comment.

An intelligence officer told The Associated Press the move followed fears that some women were communicating at night with Boko Haram. The camp official said the suspicions were voiced during trauma counseling

sessions. Both requested anonymity because the affair is sensitive.

The group — which includes 67 women and girls and the rest young children — was brought to Malkohi on May 2.

They told The Associated Press heartrending stories of their captivity and the trauma of their rescue from a Sambisa Forest camp, where Boko Haram fighters stoned several of them to death. Others were crushed accidentally by a military armored car and three women died when a land mine exploded. All the rescued children were badly malnourished.

One young woman, Binta Ibrahim, told how at 16 she rescued three children aged between 2 and 4, cared for them during a year of captivity under Boko Haram and brought them to the safety of the refugee camp.

Ibrahim’s humanity so moved US UN Ambassador Samantha Power that she called her an inspiration at the commencement address for the University of Pennsylvania this week.

“Binta is a Muslim. The three kids she saved are Christian. Tell me a more powerful rejection of Boko Haram’s perversion of Islam than Binta’s love for those kids,” she said. l

Binta Ibrahim described how she rescued three children and cared for them during a year of captivity under Boko Haram AP

DT

WORLD 9

FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015

Gaddafi’s home town falls to IS in Libya n Reuters, Sirte, Libya Standing guard at his frontline post, Libyan soldier Mohammed Abu Shager can see where Islamic State militants are holed up with their heavy weaponry less than a kilometre away.

The militants have effectively taken over former dictator Muammar Gaddafi’s home city of Sirte as they exploit a civil war between two rival governments to expand in North Africa.

Libya, which has descended into near anarchy since Nato warplanes helped rebels overthrow Gaddafi in a 2011 civil war, is now the third big stronghold for the Sunni Islamist group. By occupying Sirte they have claimed a major city in the center of the country, astride the coastal highway that links the east and west.

Their gains in Libya, just across the sea from Italy, are worrying European governments and north African neighbors. l

Fire is seen from the Noqum Mountain after it was hit by an air strike in Yemen’s capital Sanaa on Tuesday

REUTERS

Saudi shells hit Yemen, killing five n Reuters, Cairo Saudi shells hit an international humanitarian aid office in northern Yemen yesterday, killing five Ethiopian refugees and wounding ten, a local official said.

Artillery fire and air strikes hit the town of Maydee along Yemen’s border with Saudi Arabia in Hajja province, a stronghold of the Iran-allied Houthi militia that a Saudi-led Arab alliance has been bombing for eight weeks.

Saudi forces and Houthi militiamen exchanged heavy artillery and rocket fire, and Arab air strikes hit Houthi positions inside Yemen yesterday, violence that may compli-

cate plans for UN-backed peace talks set for May 28 in Geneva.

The Saudi-Yemen frontier has in some cases become a frontline between the two sides, and the Houthis’ Al Masira TV channel broadcast footage on Wednesday it said showed its fighters entering a Saudi border post after being fired on by Saudi tanks and helicopters. “(Saudi) military hardware was deployed, but after a few moments they vanished, fleeing the Yemeni advance attacking them,” the channel said.

There was no immediate Saudi confirmation. Tribal sources along the Saudi-Yemeni border said that more than 15 Houthi fighters

and at least one Saudi officer were killed in intense clashes on Wednesday.

Residents and local fighters opposing the Houthis said air strikes hit a southern air base controlled by the militia and their positions outside the southern city of Aden yesterday.

Tribal and militia fighters in Yemen’s south support the Arab campaign and back president Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, who lives in exile with his government in Saudi Arabia.

UN chief Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday announced talks between the warring Yemeni parties in Geneva on May 28, and both Hadi’s government and the Houthis have indicated they will attend. l

Islamic State takes control of ancient Palmyra n Reuters, Baghdad Islamic State seized full control of both ancient and modern Palmyra in central Syria yesterday, just days after it captured a provincial capital in neighboring Iraq.

The twin successes pile pressure not just on Damascus and Baghdad, but also throws doubt on US strategy to rely almost exclusively on air strikes to defeat the Sunni Muslim movement, which is an offshoot of al Qaeda.

Islamic State said in a statement posted by followers on Twitter that it was in full charge of Palmyra. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said IS now controls more than half of Syrian territory.

The radical group has destroyed antiquities and monuments in Iraq and there are fears it might now devastate Palmyra, an ancient World Heritage site and home to renowned Roman-era ruins including well-preserved temples, colonnades and a theater.

“This is the fall of a civilisation,” Syria’s antiquities chief Maamoun Abdulkarim told Reuters by telephone yesterday.

IS fighters in Syria have entered the ancient ruins of Palmyra. There are no reports so far of any destruction of antiquities REUTERS/FILE PHOTO “Human, civilised society has lost the battle against barbarism. I have lost all hope.”

Clashes in the area since Wednesday killed

at least 100 pro-government fighters, said Rami Abdulrahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. l

Egypt militants call for attacks on judges n AFP Islamic State group jihadists in Egypt have called for attacks on judges in retaliation for the hanging of six convicted militants and a crackdown on Islamists.

The audio message, posted online on Wednesday night, comes days after militants in the Sinai Peninsula gunned down two judges, a prosecutor and their driver, in the first such attack in Egypt.

Militants who pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group have killed scores of soldiers and policemen in Sinai since the army toppled Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in 2013.

Morsi’s overthrow unleashed a deadly crackdown on his followers, with hundreds killed in street clashes and thousands imprisoned.

Dozens of people have been sentenced to death, but only seven have been executed, including the six convicted militants who were hanged on May 17 for killing soldiers. l

Ukraine rips up key cooperation deals with Russia n AFP, Kiev Kiev lawmakers yesterday annulled five crucial security agreements with Moscow that allowed Russia to transport troops to a separatist region of Moldova and purchase weapons only produced in Ukraine.

The deals were effectively suspended with the onset of the pro-Russian uprising in Ukraine’s industrial east 13 months ago that Kiev blames the Kremlin for fomenting.

But the Verkhovna Rada parliament’s decision means that legislative support from Ukraine’s dominant nationalist and pro-European parties would be required before such cooperation could resume once the separatist conflict is resolved.

It also underscores how little an east Ukrainian truce deal reached in February has done to rebuild trust between Moscow and Kiev. l

DT

10 WORLD

FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015

Italy says over 900 migrants rescued at sea, one dead n Reuters, Rome

More than 900 migrants were rescued in one day from three overcrowded boats en route to Europe from North Africa, an Italian coast guard official said yesterday. One body was recovered.

All the rescues were carried out on Wednesday, the official said, with no details about the one death or the migrants’ nationalities. No boats had yet been spotted yesterday as sea conditions worsened, he said.

With Libya engulfed in strife, people smugglers are increasingly free to pack migrants onto unsafe boats, and they are expected to

A total of 62,500 have reached Europe by boat, with Syrians making up a third and Afghans and Eritreans 10 percent each push total arrivals in Italy for 2015 to 200,000, an increase of 30,000 on last year, according to an Interior Ministry projection.

Italy is bearing the brunt of the Mediterranean rescue operation while European Union authorities press other member states to share the burden more fairly via a resettlement quota system for refugees.

Two Italian coast guard patrol boats and a merchant ship whose country of origin was not given saved 328 migrants from a boat in Maltese waters on Wednesday. A French navy vessel participating in the EU’s border control mission Triton picked up 297 people, including 51 women and children.

Finally, an Italian navy ship rescued 286 and picked up one body. All of the migrants have been or will be brought to Italian ports,

the coast guard said.

Refugees escaping war and political persecution, and economic migrants desperate for a better life have been pouring into Italy this year, with approximately 35,500 arriving there up to the first week of May, the UN refugee agency estimates.

Also including arrivals in Greece, Spain and Malta, a total of 62,500 have reached Europe by boat, with Syrians making up a third and Afghans and Eritreans 10 percent each.

The number of dead or missing this year is about 1,800 compared with 3,500 during the whole of last year, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees says. l

DT

EDITORIAL 11

FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015

INSIDE

Does BNP have a future?

The BNP needs to understand the challenges we face today if they are to restructure their party well PAGE 12

Ground zero for climate change By 2050, climate change alone will force an unprecedented 250 million people to move out of their homes

NASHIRUL ISLAM

PAGE 13

Tourism starts at home

What Bangladesh can learn from LKY Singapore unwaveringly enacted laws on apparent harmless issues like failing to flush toilets after use and the selling of chewing gum.

PAGE 14

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W

e hope this weekend’s Bangladesh International Tourism Fair 2015 will draw more attention to the untapped opportunities offered by this growing sector.

According to the World Travel and Tourism Council, travel, hospitality, and tourism underpin over 1.2m jobs in Bangladesh.

The fair attended by 55 airlines from 15 different countries expects to generate $20m in new bookings. It places a welcome spotlight on Bangladesh’s diverse array of attractions, from tea gardens and historical sites to the natural wonders of the Sundarbans and Cox’s Bazar’s sandy beach.

We should remember however that 97% of our tourism income is generated domestically. The sector’s growth depends on encouraging bigger numbers of domestic tourists to take day trips and short breaks within the country.

Tourism is inhibited for the same reasons that economic growth is held back, with occupancy rates in many hotels being hard hit recently by blockades and political uncertainty.

For the sector to flourish, it, like the rest of our economy, needs political stability and new investment in improving infrastructure and transport links.

The government can help by supporting targeted VAT and duty-waiver schemes to incentivise investment in improving resorts and facilities, and by expanding visa-on-arrival programs for overseas visitors.

Reviving confidence in tourism can do much to help the economy.

By promoting the country and its culture, it can attract new business visitors and travelers and be used to encourage other forms of inward investment and development. A sustainable and healthy tourism and heritage sector is part and parcel of building a stronger economy and boosting Bangladesh’s image.

The government can help by supporting targeted VAT and duty-waiver schemes to incentivise investment in improving resorts and facilities

DT

12 OPINION

FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015

Does BNP have a future? n Muhammad Quamrul Islam

T

he media is agog about where the BNP stands after the indefinite blockade and three city corporation elections, and what their next plans will be. Apparently, they will now buy time to reorganise their party from top to bottom before announcing their next course of action!

Supporters of the BNP repeat the same arguments, especially in front of foreigners, telling them the same old stories and hiding their failure to participate in the last national election and their defeats in the city corporation elections. On the contrary, pro-AL groups are countering them as usual, but they seem to want to keep BNP as their main opponent for many different reasons, particularly to face religious militants. What then, does the future hold for BNP? The general public is probably not thinking about it, especially since they have just cast their votes at the city corporation elections and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has already gotten the public’s confidence. It goes without saying that she has the capability, experience and courage to take appropriate decisions, without waiting for anybody’s advice. The same cannot be said for BNP Chairperson and former prime minister Begum Khaleda Zia. She is quite dependent on those around her.

Even when news about the sufferings human traffickers are inflicting on the poor innocent Bangladeshis crammed on boats are being widely reported in the media, the BNP chooses to completely ignore it.

The government is doing its part but the opposition has responsibilities too. But in Bangladesh, the opposition lacks credibility and is only concerned about their position and power.

It is painful to see how politics has stooped so low. It was different in the 1960s when we attended Dhaka University. We did

MEHEDI HASAN

The BNP needs to understand the challenges we face today and they must also look at our history if they are to restructure their party well

not hesitate to leave behind our comfortable lives to join the 1960s movements leading to the emergence of independent Bangladesh in 1971.

We were lead by leaders like Bhashani and Mujib and we respected them notwithstanding which student organisation we belonged to or which party we later decided to side with. We were in the then largest student organisation erstwhile EPSU and later liked the ideology of National Awami Party (NAP), which became part of the mainstream Awami League when Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman declared his six-point demand in 1966.

Back then student politics was not what it is today. Those were simpler times. I still remember how much more affectionate people were in those days. More democratic and vibrant too. The spirited politics of our time lost its appeal when Bangabandhu was tragically killed on August 15, 1975.

A lot of communist parties came to the political scene but were not able to exercise much influence. In this melee, under the leadership of Ziaur Rahman, a nationalist front was constituted on May 7, 1978. Its partners were Jatiyatabadi Ganotantrik Dal (Jagdal), Bhashani NAP (Moshiur), UPP, Bangladesh Muslim League, and Tafsil Federation.

After Zia became president, the front was abolished and the BNP was formed on September 1, 1978. He became chairman, and the manifesto of the party was declared by Dr AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury. Some critics said that it was no party at all, but an amalgam of opportunists. Over the years, some AL leaders also joined the BNP and Jatiya Party, which was set up by General Ershad after ousting elected President Sattar in a military coup.

This is how power mongering was introduced to the political scene and the ideologies of AL and NAP were put aside. Ershad debased the electoral process and sowed the seeds of corruption that we are still fighting today.

The political integrity of the land was then redeemed when the AL and the BNP launched a united democratic movement and Ershad was forced to step down on December 6, 1990.

But parliamentary elections held on February 27, 1991, had many limitations. It was held without updating voter lists and Ershad’s party members came back to power by winning seats through manipulating local voters and creating support in dubious ways.

The democratic period started from 1991.

It was, however, interrupted by the caretaker government, which is a system that has no democratic value or basis and is unheard of in other parts of the world. It resulted in the dissolution of the parliament and hindered democratic morality and developments.

The crisis in student politics continued unabated and issues were never properly addressed. The teachers and university authorities took partisan lines and contributed little to the dynamism of campus politics.

The government allowed private universities in 1992, and they mushroomed everywhere. But unfortunately, even authorities at private universities started wearing party labels.

The BNP needs to understand the challenges we face today and they must also look at our history if they are to restructure their party well. I am sure if they leave their power hungry ways and dedicate themselves to the cause of the country, the PM will not hesitate to help them. But they will not get any support from the people if they continue with their ambitious and abhorrent ways.

Bangladeshis will not tolerate it. l Muhammad Quamrul Islam is an economist, advocate, and columnist.

DT

OPINION 13

FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Ground zero for climate change n Armin Zaman Khan

irreversible changes.

arina Begum has a reputation for being an invincible woman. In her small village in Satkhira district, in southern Bangladesh, she has lived 35 years of her life witnessing, facing, and fighting so many floods and droughts that she has lost count.

Shrimp-breeding cycles disrupted from one year to the next, land rendered water-logged for the whole year with no scope for planting crops, young boys infiltrating the Sundarbans and joining gangs of timber and tiger-skin smugglers, stealing money to pay trafficking agents in exchange for promises of a stable job in what appears to be an inviting, comforting bed in a faraway land called Malaysia -- Jarina Begum has seen it all.

Two days ago, the boy from next-door had come running, shouting that the boat that was carrying her only brother to the faraway land was abandoned by the agents in the middle of the sea, and that everyone in the boat was jumping ship straight to their deaths.

She simply turned her head and got back to work. After all, it made very little difference if Salim was dying in the middle of a sea or living here and dying. Very little.

A growing body of research raises evidence that by 2050, climate change alone will force an unprecedented 250 million people -- the size of the entire population of the US -- to move out of their homes. And scientists see Bangladesh as ground zero for these

When is the money coming?

J

The year 2015 is a big year for climate change.

In September 2014, the presidents of the US and China, the two global economic powerhouses, agreed to work with each other, and with other countries, to adopt a legal protocol under the UNFCCC during the events leading up to COP 21 in Paris this year.

agree to pour in the $100bn a year in the climate fund (starting in 2020), when, and in what form, that money will see the light of day in our country, if at all.

Bangladesh, along with the other developing countries of the LDC group, have been promised a combined total of $30bn dollars a year, leading up to 2020. The much acclaimed leadership of the Bangladeshi negotiators among LDC countries, for important adapta-

By 2050, climate change alone will force an unprecedented 250 million people -- the size of the entire population of the US -- to move out of their homes

At this point, it is important to ask if the hand-shaking of the two biggest puppeteers of the entire world will place the parties with slightly less inclination to be as cordial going into slightly unfavourable corners, given the continuing economic recession and the absence of a Fairy Godmother.

It’s probably even more important to ask, in the event of an extremely unlikely incident where a legally-binding agreement is indeed produced in Paris, and the Annex 1 countries

tion issues such as loss and damage, might signal a favourable stance by the country in achieving a principal share of support at the negotiation tables.

Hypocrisy much?

Questions arise about how a country which has been so vehemently short-sighted (and gluttonous) as to disregard the warnings and dismissal of not only world-class sustainability experts, but also of its very

own people, to establish Rampal, a major fossil fuel power plant that is poised to destroy the Sundarbans, our only chance to fight with climate change-induced disasters, is fit to lead the band of major sufferers in a global stage.

Questions also arise about how, in a country that has so openly claimed itself as the “pioneer of solar revolution,” the government can expect to get away with scrappy policies such as making it compulsory for new buildings to include rooftop solar power units with outputs no less than 3% of the building’s total peak load, without taking into account factors such as efficiency, load management, connection to the national grid, and most importantly, the latest technological advancements in the renewable energy field, to deem the approach “holistically sustainable.”

If our own puppeteers can shed their shiny skin for a change and accept the double standards in their own policies -- be it the energy policy or budget allocation -- and manage to keep the pivot balancing on both ends at the monumentally significant upcoming Paris deal, objectives toward climate change adaptation and sustainable development can become a reality for us -- a deal that can save people like Jarina and her family, and give them at least enough social security to earn their livelihoods and live a decent, respectable life. l Armin Zaman Khan is Innovation Fund Assistant (Monitoring), Access to Information (A2I) Program, PMO.

DT

14 OPINION

FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015

REUTERS

What Bangladesh can learn from LKY n Asadullah Minhaz

I

was not quite familiar with LKY until 2007 when I joined the Singapore Command and Staff College in January that year as a would-be student officer.

Nevertheless, nine months later and on completion of the training course, I came back to Bangladesh downright captivated by a single man’s ability in shaping and changing the destiny of a nation, placing it in the front rows of living and development standard, good governance, meritocracy, and economic prowess.

I am of course referring to the founder and architect of Singapore, Mr Lee KuanYew, popularly known by his initials, LKY. At the staff college, Lee’s policies were not quite a part of the curriculum. But they were subtly and powerfully present in the lectures and discourses. It could be a lesson of Strategic management, organisational behaviour, or a hypnotic session of Professor Wee Chow Houon Sun Zi Bing fa, LKY was ever-present!

We were taking a fascinating tour of discovering a country that had bluntly relinquished the colonial legacy and started an ingenious scheme that suited them regardless of disapproval from the “other” world.

Lee, for instance, did not hesitate to obligate “caning” as a corporal punishment for all citizens! “We found caning more effective than long term prison terms and imposed it,” he says in his memoir. He also describes how the well-known 1994 Michael Fay incident had shaken Singapore.

A New York Times columnist labelled that incident as “torture of choice,” when the 19-Year-old US teenager was caned four strokes for vandalism in Singapore. The judgment was upheld (reduced from six strokes) despite US President Bill Clinton’s appeal to Singapore President Ong Teng Cheong.

Likewise, when felt necessary, Singapore unwaveringly enacted laws on apparent harmless issues like failing to flush toilets after use, littering, jaywalking, possessing pornography, and the selling of chewing gum. The citizens didn’t mind; Singapore has since then become one of the safest countries in the world with almost no crime.

LKY hence creates a spellbinding water-

mark inside a Bangladeshi trainee’s psychological domain. So when the news of his passing away was being aired on 23 March 2015, I felt more bemused than grieved. This man is not to be “late” in thousands and millions of hearts. His magnanimous deeds are already outliving his physical presence.

LKY is not as well known a figure as Kamal Ataturk or other similar statesmen. Perhaps he never cared for publicity, media attention, or egocentric self-promotion. But if someone had lived in Singapore for a couple of months -- viewed its contrasting past and present -- they would simply be amazed seeing how a well-orchestrated vision and hard-nosed execution have transformed what was once a fishing harbour.

For those who don’t know much about Singapore, it is smaller than Dhaka and has high population density. It needs to import all food stuffs including water. However, Singapore has the third highest GDP per capita in the world ($78,762 based on PPP), which is better than the USA or China.

Singapore also possesses the world’s 10th largest foreign-exchange reserve ($249,449mn). Regularly rated among the least corrupt countries in the world by Transparency International, Singapore is also ranked among the top countries with regards to “Order and Security,” “Absence of Corruption,” and “Effective Criminal Justice.”

Singapore ranked second out of 144 countries in the Global Information Technology Report 2014 by the World Economic Forum.

The WHO ranks Singapore’s healthcare system as sixth overall in the world. Singapore’s Changi Airport has been rated one of the best international airports by international travel magazines, including being rated as the world’s best airport for the first time in 2006.

Singapore’s port is the world’s second-busiest cargo port behind Shanghai.

The country’s two main public universities -- the National University of Singapore and Nanyang Technological University -- are among the best in the world. Singapore is a world leader in numerous economic areas: World’s fourth leading financial centre, one of the world’s top three oil-refining centres, and the world’s largest oil-rig producer. The World Bank has named Singapore as the “eas-

iest place” in the world to do business and ranks Singapore the world’s top logistics hub.

With the highest percentage of millionaires, Singapore does not have people living below the poverty line. The city state receives more than 15 million tourists per year, together with 200,000 healthcare patients and 80,000 foreign students. Singapore is also called a “nanny state” since it reminds and teaches its citizens how to be courteous, how to be less noisy, and when to flush the lavatory!

It is nearly a utopia; a country without mentionable crime, corruption, disorder, and poverty, with people mostly living in carefully organised HDB flats surrounded by sports complexes, well-planned markets, gardens, parks, schools, buses, and metro stations.

This compilation can go further; there are several other “bests,” “firsts,” and “leading” areas. Amazingly, all these standards were achieved in just about three decades, with the help of a loyal population and LKY’s visionary leadership.

LKY came first among amongst all students in Singapore and Malaya in 1940 and won a John Anderson Scholarship to Raffles College (now National University of Singapore). After World War II, Lee briefly attended London School of Economics in England and later enrolled to study law at Cambridge.

He graduated with First Class in both parts of the undergraduate examinations and topped the merit list with a perfect score for Part II Law. He also won the prestigious Fitzwilliam’s Whitlock Prize.

Lee’s wife Kwa Geok Choowas was also an all-star student, topping the whole of Malaya in the 1936 Senior Cambridge Examination.

In 1940, Geok Choo entered Raffles College where she beat her future husband in the English and Economics examinations. Geok Choo won the Queen’s Scholarship and joined Kuan Yew in Cambridge in 1947 to study law. It is no wonder that Lee would subsequently build Singapore based on meritocracy as its topmost core value.

Lee introduced a merit-based system for the government’s recruitment, appointment, promotion, and rewards, with emphasis on identifying and preparing brilliant young citizens for positions of leadership. It places

strong emphasis on academic credentials, seen as a natural outcome of both intelligence and effort, and it sets the tone for National Education as well. The systems of early age “subject-based banding” and “segregation through the Gifted Education Program” may sound ruthless to many by denying a chance to late bloomers, but has so far proven excellent.

I comprehended this better when my companions at the staff college told me how their promotions and incentives were based on CEP but not on experience and service seniority. All government officials in Singapore are rated by the current estimated potential which is an estimate to gauge the highest appointment or level of work an officer can handle competently before retirement.

One of Lee’s first challenges was to ensure the safeguarding of the new state’s sovereignty by building an army from scratch. The policy of conscription and National Service was introduced. Later Singapore smartly incorporated the concepts of the Total Defence policy which was so enthralling that I decided to do my graduation thesis paper on this.

“Total Defence involves every Singaporean playing a part, individually and collectively, to build a strong, secure, and cohesive nation that is prepared and able to deal with any crisis,” says the official portal.

Someone described Singapore aptly as “a wonder created out of a tear drop,” remembering a tearful Mr Lee at the press conference when Singapore was separated from the Malaysian Federation in 1965. Maybe the tears solidified the determination of the nation to rise and create history.

LKY breathed his last on March 23, 2015.

Some might criticise him for being authoritarian, but he showed the world what is to be done when existence is threatened and resources are scarce. He started with an unprepared society that needed to be trained and converted, and he did that well. He was, conclusively, one of the greatest statesmen on Earth. l Asadullah Minhaz is a Bangladesh Army professional; currently a PhD fellow of International Relations at the Jahangirnagar University, Dhaka.

16

Industry: India’s gold monetisation plan lacks lustre

17

‘Central banks playing with fire in growth push’

19

Stocks finish flat amid higher trading

State-run power companies to offload shares in market n Aminur Rahman Rasel The government has decided to offload shares of all its power companies in the stock market to raise funds for setting up more power projects.

To make the process faster, a committee, led by power secretary Monowar Islam has been formed and it was asked to submit reports on preparing necessary documents required for listing with the stock exchanges by 30 working days.

The decision was taken at a meeting held at the Bidyut Bhaban in the city yesterday, with energy adviser to the Prime Minister Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury in the chair.

State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid and other related officials were also present at the meeting.

Representatives from Finance Division, Power Division, Power Development Board, Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission, Investment Corporation of Bangladesh and Dhaka Stock Exchange are also members of the committee.

Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury told the meeting that the purpose for offloading shares of power companies is to implement different power projects by raising funds from the market.

The name of companies under the Power Division are Power Division include Dhaka Power Distribution Company, West Zone Power Distribution Company, Electricity Generation Company of Bangladesh, North-West Power Generation Company, Rural Power Company and Coal Power Generation Company of Bangladesh Limited.

Currently, two state-owned power companies – Dhaka Electric Supply Company (Desco) and Power Grid Company of Bangladesh (PGCB) – are listed with the stock exchanges.

The government in 2006 offloaded 25% of its shares in Desco and 23.75% of its shares in PGCB through direct listing.

Over the last five years, the government failed to offload shares of the state-owned enterprises after repeated attempts since January 2010, when it selected 26 SoEs and instructed related public agencies to offload shares in the next six months.

Since then, only two companies – Bangladesh Submarine Cable Company Limited and Bangladesh Shipping Corporation – have sold out parts of their stakes through IPOs amid repeated instructions from the finance ministry. l

20

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Business

15

FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015

Accord: RMG sector continues slow pace of remediation work

International Tourism Fair 2015 kicks off n Tribune Report A three-day Bangladesh International Tourism Fair (BIFT) 2015 kicks off here in the capital with a view to earning $15m from this event through promotion of tourism and building tourism linkage with neighbouring countries.

Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Rashed Kahan Menon yesterday inaugurated the exposition at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in the city yesterday.

In his address, Menon said the government has declared 2016 a tourism year to promote the sector.

“Last year about 5 lakh foreign tourists came to visit our country and we expect double next year.”

Through the development of tourism sector the country’s remittance earning will increase and the government will be able to build infrastructure, he said, adding that private sectors and tour operator companies have to take steps in this regard. l

Corruption discourages new business ventures

Syed Nasim Manzur, president of the Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI), addressing the report launching ceremony in the capital yesterday RAJIB DHAR

n Tribune Report Rampant corruption is taking heavy toll on the country’s trade and business as it is a major roadblock to fresh entrepreneurs in Bangladesh, trade analysts expressed the concern at a report launching ceremony in the capital yesterday.

“Corruption has become almost inevitable even in getting a license for launching a new business in the country,” the function was told.

Trade analysts and business people also identified some challenges in doing business, which include difficulty in getting utility services, higher cost of lands or rental spaces as well as higher lending rate.

“Pervasiveness of corruption is shocking for us. Although some of the organisations

are already automated, the corruption is not going down as yet,” said Syed Nasim Manzur, president of the Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI).

He noted that the existing rental cost of a business space or land for setting up a new factory and higher lending rate is disappointing for a new entrepreneur.

He was addressing the launching ceremony of the survey report on “Overcoming Business Challenges in Bangladesh.”

Nasim underscored the need for identification of business potentials, SME definition and strengthening institutions to overcome the challenges in doing business in Bangladesh. “It is high time to introduce Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) for resolving business disputes as 95% of dispute are resolved

through ADR in the developed countries.”

According to findings of the report, corruption is exceptionally high in Bangladesh as between 93.8% and 97.7% of the respondents had to pay bribes in getting theirtrade license, Tax Identification Number (TIN) or any other government services.

In the first year of business, about 94% entrepreneurs started business with theirown funds and made up an estimated 78.8% of the average firms’ funding portfolio, said the report.

The extreme concern identified in the survey is entrepreneurs’ overwhelming reliance on their own resources to start up and grow their business, said Daniel M. Sabet, team leader and former director, CES, ULAB. Disclosing the report, Sabet said, “We’ve explored three broad types of strategies that entrepreneurs might take to overcome business challenges including strengthening the business institutions, using personal and professional networks, or simplifyinghardworkand relying more on entrepreneurial risks.”

Only a few firms have adopted more formal approaches to human resource management and there is considerable reliance on head-hunting firms, he added.

Four business challenges discovered by the survey are-access to financing, developing reliable forward and backward linkages, obtaining government

permissions and services as well as hiring and developing effective human resources.

Findings from the survey indicate that employers express greater satisfaction with their employees than expected and rely less on family and friend networks than anticipated.

The University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh’s Center for Enterprise and Society in collaboration with MRB Bangladesh has published a comprehensive report on the strategies that entrepreneurs use to overcome the obstacles faced when setting up businesses in Bangladesh.

The survey report was based on the Overcoming Business Challenges Survey (OBCS) that also explored effective strategies leading to positive outcomes in the respective sectors.

The survey was conducted over 536 CEOs and managing directors from small, medium, and large firms from real estate, information technology (IT), and furniture sector in 2013. l

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16 BUSINESS

FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015

Industry: India’s gold monetisation plan lacks lustre n Reuters, Singapore A proposal in India to attract thousands of tonnes of gold owned by households into a bank deposit scheme will likely fail in its current form as it does not address some key concerns for banks and consumers.

Support from banks would be crucial for the success of the monetisation plan. Deposit schemes, similar to the one proposed on Tuesday by the Narendra Modi-led government, have previously failed as the incentives offered were not profitable for banks.

The idea is to attract gold lying idle among Indian homes into the banking system. This amounts to an estimated 20,000 tonnes of gold - or almost seven times global annual output.

‘If banks ask for proof for source of income, many people will chicken out’ Banks would be allowed to treat the deposits as part of their reserves - boosting their balance sheets. In turn, the metal would be refined and sold to meet demand in the world’s top consumer, reducing the country’s need for imports. Gold is the second-biggest expense after oil on India’s import bill.

But bank officials expressed caution about the proposed gold monetisation scheme, saying it would not cover the costs of the deposit plan and that the government would have to give subsidies to encourage their participation.

“Initial subvention from government may be required to make the scheme attractive (for banks),” said Shekhar Bhandari, executive vice-president of Kotak Mahindra Bank, adding that this could possibly be included in the final guidelines.

Sudheesh Nambiath, an analyst at precious metals consultancy GFMS, owned by Thomson Reuters, agreed.

“Banks would need interest rate subvention,” he said.

Banks, including the State Bank of India

A woman checks gold bangles inside a jewelry showroom on the occasion of Akshaya Tritiya, a major gold buying festival, in the southern Indian city of Kochi REUTERS - the country’s biggest lender by assets, declined to comment on the interest rates they would offer on gold deposits.

“We’ll have to find out what is the cost of the scheme in terms of risks involved,” said B. Sriram, a managing director at the State Bank of India.

Consumers hard to convince

The other key element needed for success is to draw in consumers who hold gold. Indians’ penchant for bullion spans centuries but it is hard to convince households to part with their gold because the metal is seen as providing financial security.

“Banks need to propose at least 3 to 4% interest rate to attract gold depositors,” said Bachhraj Bamalwa, director at the All India Gems and Jewellery Trade Federation. “Other-

wise they will not come forward to go through the cumbersome process of testing, melting their jewellery and opening bank accounts.”

Current gold deposit plans offer up to 1% interest.

While the proposed scheme does not spell out the rate to be offered to depositors, it is unlikely banks will be able to pay much as they would struggle to deal with costs of refining, assaying, distribution and other potential risks.

An issue for depositors is that they might be asked to show proof of ownership of the gold, which will be difficult for many Indians because the precious metal is often passed on from generation to generation.

“If banks ask for proof for source of income, many people will chicken out,” an industry official said. l

Five global banks to pay $5.7bn in fines over rate rigging n Reuters, New York Five of the world’s largest banks, including JPMorgan Chase & Co and Citigroup Inc, were fined roughly $5.7bn, and four of them pleaded guilty to US criminal charges over manipulation of foreign exchange rates, authorities said on Wednesday.

A fifth bank, UBS AG, will plead guilty to rigging benchmark interest rates, the US Justice Department said.

U.S. banks JPMorgan Chase and Citigroup will pay $550m and $925m in criminal fines, respectively, as part of their guilty pleas.

British banks Barclays Plc will pay $650m in criminal penalties and Royal Bank of Scotland Plc $395m. Each will plead guilty to one felony count of conspiring to fix prices and rig bids for US dollars and euros in the foreign ex-

change spot market.

Euro dollar traders at four of the banks described themselves as members of “The Cartel” and used an electronic chat room and coded language to manipulate exchange rates to increase profits, the Justice Department said.

The $5.7 billion total includes $1.6bn in fines separately imposed by the U.S. Federal Reserve on the five banks.

Separately, the Fed fined Bank of America Corp $205m for unsound practices in foreign exchange.

Barclays also will pay an additional $1.3bn to settle with the New York State Department of Financial Services, the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission and the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority, authorities said.

As part of the agreement, Barclays will fire eight bank employees involved with rigging

foreign exchange rates, the New York regulator said.

In addition, Barclays will pay a $60 million criminal penalty for violating an earlier non-prosecution agreement with the Justice Department to resolve a probe of the manipulation of the London interbank offered rate, or Libor, and other benchmark interest rates.

Swiss-based UBS will separately plead guilty to manipulating Libor and other benchmark interest rates. It will also pay a $203m criminal penalty for breaching a 2012 non-prosecution agreement with the Justice Department over Libor.

The fines announced on Wednesday follow agreements in November with many of the same banks over currency trading and bring total penalties to nearly $9bn, the Justice Department said. l

Apple, Android app makers cool to Microsoft overtures n Reuters, Seattle Microsoft’s plan to make its new version of Windows a mobile hit by letting it accept tweaked Apple and Android apps has met an obstacle: some of the software developers the company needs to woo just aren’t interested.

Windows phones accounted for just 3% of global smartphone sales last year, compared with about 81% for devices with Google’s Android system and 15% for Apple and its iOS system, according to research firm IDC. One reason is that Windows doesn’t run as many or as attractive apps as its rivals.

To boost sales of its phones and new operating system, Microsoft said last month that it would provide tools to software developers to make it easier to design apps for Windows based on apps that run on Android or Apple.

But because so few people use a Windows phone, most developers remain focused on the more popular systems and don’t see a need to develop apps for Windows. They also said they doubt how easy the new tools will be to use.

“Windows phone will have to gain a significant share of the market before this becomes something that saves us time and/or money,” said Sean Orelli, a director at app development firm Fuzz Productions in New York, which makes apps related to Citibank, the New York Post, and Conde Nast, among others.

For Microsoft, the world’s biggest software company, there’s a lot at stake this summer as it rolls out Windows 10, the first operating system designed to run on PCs, tablets and phones. If developers don’t embrace the new platform, it will seriously damage the prospects of the new operating system, which Microsoft hopes will power one billion devices in two or three years.

Candy crush

interviews with more than a dozen developers found just one planning to move an app from Apple or Android to Microsoft. That’s King. com, which ported its popular Candy Crush Saga game from iOS to Windows 10 “with very few code modifications” and will be installed automatically with upgrades to Windows 10, according to Microsoft. King.com confirmed the move but declined to comment further.

Eight developers said they aren’t planning to develop for Windows 10 at all. Four who already have Windows apps said they would continue to do so. l

Christoph Horn, Head of Global Communication Passenger Cars Mercedes-Benz, and Rob Moran, Director Mercedes-Benz USA Communications, receive the “World Car of the Year” award on behalf of the brand at a ceremony held on the occasion of the New York International Auto Show.

DT

BUSINESS 17

FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015

‘Central banks playing with fire in growth push’ n

Reuters, New York

The “spectre of deflation” is spurring the world’s major central banks into a dangerous struggle for stronger domestic growth that imperils financial markets and ignores the needs of developing nations, the head of India’s central bank said on Tuesday.

Reserve Bank of India Governor Raghuram Rajan, making a familiar argument for better global coordination on monetary policy, said central bankers in developed economies should take more seriously their international responsibilities.

He called for better leadership from the International Monetary Fund. The Fund, Rajan said, should examine each unconventional monetary policy that is proposed or in place around the world and decide whether it meets the greater good of the global economy.

“The current non-system in international monetary policy is, in my view, a source of substantial risk, both to sustainable growth as well as to the financial sector,” Rajan told an audience of economists and investors in New York.

“I fear that in a world with weak aggregate demand, we may be engaged in a risky competition for a greater share of it,” he added.

“We are thereby also creating financial sector risks for when unconventional policies end.”

The U.S. Federal Reserve, the European Central Bank and the Bank of Japan have purchased more than $10 trillion in bonds to fight deflation and help kick-start growth in their respective economies following the global recession.

The mass monetary easing had sent a rush of funds into developing economies like India, sending currencies and stocks to records.

More recently, the end of the Fed’s bond-buying and the prospect of a US interest rate hike has had the opposite effect, stoking volatility

Reserve Bank of India Governor Raghuram Rajan speaks to The Economic Club of New York, in midtown Manhattan REUTERS in financial markets.

Rajan, a former IMF chief economist, said that since “the spectre of deflation haunts central bankers,” it is no wonder that developed countries do not want to settle for low growth “even if that is indeed their economy’s potential.”

Still they should not ignore their responsibilities to developing economies, he said, adding the IMF should be the arbiter of whether accommodative policies are “in- or out-of-bounds.”

The “IMF is perfectly capable of doing these things. But it needs leadership. Because the central banks won’t do it themselves, (the IMF)

needs the political leadership,” Rajan said after a speech to the Economic Club of New York.

“We have the organisation. It needs people to recognise that we are moving from crisis to crisis.”

American, European and Japanese central bankers often acknowledge the volatile effects their policies have on the rest of the world. But they argue that even developing economies benefit from their stronger domestic economies.

IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde has applauded the aggressive monetary easing by major central banks and has warned against a premature tightening in the United States. l

Asian refiners forced to get creative to stay competitive n Reuters, Kuala Lumpur Faced with competition from mammoth new refineries in the Middle East and soft fuel demand in key markets, Asian refiners are trying a variety of tactics to cope from investing in refineries in emerging markets to using cheaper energy sources.

Less complex and older refineries in Asia, however, might be forced to cut run rates or shut, industry executives said at an energy conference.

“We have to explore ways and means to survive the decline in demand and try to maintain refining capacity,” vice-president Michio Ikeda of JX Nippon Oil & Energy Corp said on the sidelines of the Asia Oil and Gas Conference in Kuala Lumpur.

Japan’s largest refiner is considering investments in markets such as Vietnam and Indonesia and also increasing petrochemical production. It is also using lower cost energy sources such as bitumen and petroleum coke, and alternative feedstocks such as naphtha, reformate and vacuum gasoil, Ikeda said.

Japan’s Idemitsu Kosan Corp has started construction at its joint project in Vietnam, while Asia’s largest refiner Sinopec also plans to upgrade a refinery in Indonesia.

South Korean refiners have lifted output of lubricant oil, the feedstock for engine oils and greases, which helped them weather an industry downturn last year.

Elsewhere, the Philippines’ Petron Corp is increasing output of high value cleaner fuels.

As Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates add at least 1.2 million barrels per day of new capacity between 2014 and this year, Asian refiners are being forced to find new growing markets.

The Middle East will for the first time in a lengthy period start exporting gasoline by the end of the year, oil consultancy FGE’s President Jeff Brown said. l

Food inspectors order recall of Maggi noodles, say found excess lead n Reuters, New Delhi Food inspectors have ordered Nestle India to recall a batch of Maggi noodles from shops across the country, saying the product contained dangerous levels of lead.

The Food Safety and Drug Administration (FDA) in Uttar Pradesh said high lead content was found during routine tests on two dozen packets of instant noodles, manufactured by Nestle in India Two FDA officials said all the packets of instant noodles tested in the state-run laboratory were contaminated. They found a lead concentration of 17.2 parts per million (ppm), nearly seven times the permissible limit. The FDA officials said the acceptable limit of lead ranges between 0.01 ppm and 2.5 ppm.

The scientists also found high levels of added monosodium glutamate (MSG), a taste enhancer, in the noodles.

“Maggi instant noodles contained dangerous amount of lead and MSG. We had to immediately issue orders against the company,” D.G. Srivastava, deputy inspector general of the FDA in Lucknow, capital of Uttar Pradesh,

told Reuters. Nestle India, a subsidiary of Swiss-based Nestle SA, said it had strict safety and quality controls in place for all raw materials used to make Maggi noodles.

“We do not add MSG to Maggi Noodles, and glutamate, if present, may come from naturally occurring sources. We are surprised with the content supposedly found in the sample as we monitor the lead content regularly as a part of the regulatory requirements,” it said.

A company spokesman confirmed Uttar Pradesh had ordered it to withdraw the batch dating back to March 2014, but added the items concerned had either already been consumed or were beyond the sell-by date, making the recall difficult.

Srivastava said his team collected more than two dozen packs of instant noodles from stores across the state and tested each pack separately before making the findings public.

“Our experts conducted several tests and each time the results were shocking,” he told Reuters, adding they had approached federal food inspectors in New Delhi to launch a wider investigation of the noodles. l

File picture of a Nestle logo printed by a 3D printer during a display for the inauguration of the system technology centre for the design, development and deployment of their products in Orbe REUTERS

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18 BUSINESS

FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015

News, analysis and recent disclosures 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.

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.

MERCANBANK: Credit Rating Information and Services Limited (CRISL) has rated the Company as AA- in the long term and ST-2 in the short term along with a stable outlook in consideration of its audited financials up to December 31, 2014, unaudited financials up to March 31, 2015 and other relevant quantitative as well as qualitative information up to the date of rating declaration.

PREMIERCEM: Credit Rating Information and Services Limited (CRISL) has rated the Company as AA- in the long term and ST-3 in the short term along with a stable outlook in consideration of its audited financials up to June 30, 2014, unaudited financials up to March 31, 2015 and other relevant quantitative as well as qualitative information up to the date of rating declaration.

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 KPCL: 40% cash, AGM: 25.06.2015, Record Date: 31.05.2015.

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.

Turnover (Volume) Number of Contract

Company Premier Leasing-Z Power Grid Co. -A Ifad Autos -N Standard Insurance-A Shampur Sugar -Z Fareast Finance-A ACI Formulations-A Meghna PET Ind. -Z City G Insu.-A Meghna Con. Milk -B

Closing (% Change) 10.00 9.94 9.91 9.89 9.84 9.80 9.59 9.09 8.96 8.82

CSE GAINER Company Power Grid Co. -A H.R. Textile -A Prime Islami Life -A BD Fixed Income MF-A BD Finance-A Fareast Finance-A Premier Leasing-Z Standard Insurance-A B I F C -A City G Insu.-A

Closing (% Change) 9.91 9.48 9.40 9.09 9.00 8.74 8.70 8.57 8.40 8.15

DSE LOSER Company IFIC Bank - A United Power-N MJL BD Ltd.-A FAR Chemical-N Samata LeatheR -Z Square Textile -A The Peninsula CTG.-N Sinobangla Indu.-A Prime Textile -A BD. Thai Alum -B

Closing (% Change) -10.53 -10.52 -9.48 -9.35 -9.22 -8.99 -5.91 -5.75 -5.45 -4.75

CSE LOSER Company United Power-N Square Textile -A FAR Chemical-N IFIC Bank - A MJL BD Ltd.-A Wata Chemicals -A Kohinoor Chem -A Prime Textile -A The Peninsula CTG.-N Eastern InsurA

Closing (% Change) -11.23 -10.99 -9.65 -8.85 -8.82 -7.32 -6.47 -5.36 -5.15 -5.13

SECTORAL TURNOVER SUMMARY

DSE key features May 21, 2015 Turnover (Million Taka)

DSE GAINER

Sector

7,797.80 217,497,015 172,360

Traded Issues

308

Issue Gain (Avg. Price Basis)

218

Issue Loss (Avg. Price Basis)

89

Unchanged Issue (Avg. Price Basis)

1

Market Capital Equity (Billion. Tk.)

2,514.41

Market Capital Equity (Billion US$)

30.48

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 460.67 402.16 56.96 792.21 202.49 2083.28 1.72 839.24 985.04 42.75 355.09 15.16 262.81 97.97 113.45 81.16 168.51 318.22 406.22 112.54 0.16

% change 5.91 5.16 0.73 10.16 2.60 26.72 0.02 10.76 12.63 0.55 4.55 0.19 3.37 1.26 1.45 1.04 2.16 4.08 5.21 1.44 0.00

Million Taka 39.97 49.91 5.18 87.07 12.62 163.79 76.36 45.54 4.53 23.90 1.60 12.84 11.34 7.47 2.78 10.74 37.33 43.32 12.10 0.00

Average (% Change) 6.32 8.67 3.95 7.15 9.18 7.50 3.97 9.32 7.90 6.28

Average (% Change) 9.68 9.54 9.33 9.09 8.94 8.41 7.36 8.57 8.44 7.05

Average (% Change) -10.07 -7.13 -7.76 -8.10 -8.54 -9.21 0.87 -0.90 -0.37 0.54

Average (% Change) -7.40 -8.34 -5.72 -9.96 -8.12 -6.27 -6.47 -3.79 -0.35 -5.31

CSE

ClosingAvg. 7.57 37.34 108.19 19.64 6.66 11.03 203.34 5.98 14.47 7.28

ClosingAvg. 37.63 23.07 45.37 7.20 10.84 11.22 7.44 19.00 12.98 14.42

ClosingAvg. 20.37 204.26 113.94 50.40 18.84 75.54 23.27 25.27 15.96 39.37

ClosingAvg.

% change 6.16 7.70 0.80 13.43 1.95 25.26 0.00 11.78 7.02 0.70 3.69 0.25 1.98 1.75 1.15 0.43 1.66 5.76 6.68 1.87 0.00

203.44 76.05 51.44 20.43 113.69 178.00 321.00 15.99 23.06 25.87

Closing 7.70 37.60 113.10 20.00 6.70 11.20 205.70 6.00 14.60 7.40

Closing

DHIGH 7.70 37.60 113.10 20.00 6.70 11.20 206.40 6.00 14.70 7.40

DHIGH

37.70 23.10 45.40 7.20 10.90 11.20 7.50 19.00 12.90 14.60

Closing

196.00 75.30 48.70 20.60 113.70 176.00 321.00 15.90 22.10 25.90

Million Taka 500.64 452.07 62.14 879.28 215.11 2247.07 1.72 915.60 1030.58 47.28 378.99 16.76 275.65 109.30 120.92 83.94 179.25 355.56 449.54 124.64 0.17

7.10 34.70 102.40 18.00 6.30 10.30 190.20 5.80 13.50 7.00

DLOW

37.70 23.10 45.60 7.20 11.00 11.30 7.50 19.00 13.00 14.80

DHIGH

20.40 197.40 112.70 48.50 18.70 75.90 22.30 24.60 15.60 38.10

Closing

DLOW

36.00 22.90 44.90 7.20 10.10 10.40 6.60 19.00 12.70 14.00

DLOW

20.80 213.90 118.00 54.10 18.70 76.90 23.90 26.40 17.00 41.00

DHIGH

19.60 194.20 110.00 48.20 18.60 73.00 21.90 24.40 15.30 37.90

DLOW

213.00 78.40 57.00 21.00 117.50 180.00 321.00 16.30 23.90 26.40

Total

192.60 72.20 48.60 20.00 111.00 176.00 321.00 15.80 22.00 25.10

% change 5.93 5.35 0.74 10.41 2.55 26.60 0.02 10.84 12.20 0.56 4.49 0.20 3.26 1.29 1.43 0.99 2.12 4.21 5.32 1.48 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

3.718 16.174 143.166 0.949 0.010 20.371 173.505 0.130 5.508 0.263

Turnover in Million

0.07 -0.15 2.60 2.88 -69.41 1.88 6.80 -0.53 1.72 -4.49

Latest EPS

1.301 0.014 0.069 0.000 4.416 4.936 0.198 0.030 1.071 0.440

Turnover in Million

108.1 -ve 41.6 6.8 -ve 5.9 29.9 -ve 8.4 -ve

Latest PE

-0.15 0.86 4.95 0.51 -4.64 1.88 0.07 2.88 1.41 1.72

Latest EPS

10.198 536.547 279.714 205.527 0.027 13.199 21.487 4.448 2.657 90.515

Turnover in Million

Latest PE

-ve 26.8 9.2 14.1 -ve 6.0 106.3 6.6 9.2 8.4

Latest PE

2.80 9.52 2.84 3.23 -0.05 5.00 1.39 0.92 0.99 2.80

Latest EPS

59.555 0.327 10.944 0.599 19.357 0.071 0.002 0.116 2.216 0.051

7.3 21.5 40.1 15.6 -ve 15.1 16.7 27.5 16.1 14.1

Latest PE

9.52 5.00 3.23 2.80 2.84 5.79 8.25 0.99 1.39 3.52

21.4 15.2 15.9 7.3 40.0 30.7 38.9 16.2 16.6 7.3

CSE key features May 21, 2015 Turnover (Million Taka) Turnover (Volume) Number of Contract

648.39 22,400,843 28,327

Traded Issues

239

Issue Gain (Avg. Price Basis)

147

Issue Loss (Avg. Price Basis)

89

Unchanged Issue (Avg. Price Basis)

3

Market Capital Equity (Billion. Tk.)

2,450.23

Market Capital Equity (Billion US$)

29.70

DT

BUSINESS 19

FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015

Stocks finish flat amid higher trading n Tribune Report

DSE TURNOVER LEADERS Company United Power-N Khulna Power-A MJL BD Ltd.-A RAK Ceramics-A BD Submarine Cable-A UNITED AIR-A FAR Chemical-N Baraka Power-A Unique Hotel RL - A ACI Formulations-A

DESCO Ltd. -A Familytex (BD) Ltd.-A SummitAlliancePort.-A AFC AgroBiotech-A SAIF Powertec-N

VolumeShares 2,626,769 6,307,693 2,454,973 3,402,843 1,377,822 20,423,472 4,078,241 5,188,536 2,892,453 853,261

Value in Million 536.55 458.45 279.71 249.92 217.61 205.68 205.53 188.94 179.06 173.51

% of TotalTurnover 6.88 5.88 3.59 3.21 2.79 2.64 2.64 2.42 2.30 2.23

VolumeShares

Value in Million

% of TotalTurnover

2,351,388 8,938,634 2,737,447 2,747,311 1,950,515

CSE TURNOVER LEADERS Company United Power-N Khulna Power-A UNITED AIR-A BD Submarine Cable-A Familytex (BD) Ltd.-A MJL BD Ltd.-A WesternMarine -N BSRM Ltd. -N People`s Leasing-A DESCO Ltd. -A

SummitAlliancePort.-A RAK Ceramics-A SAIF Powertec-N FAR Chemical-N G Next Fashions-A

292,732 524,783 3,538,024 202,862 1,485,329 170,261 358,866 249,550 779,994 169,363

201,448 163,607 134,524 212,746 723,276

165.85 165.44 163.82 160.69 159.49

59.55 38.05 35.41 32.01 27.11 19.36 16.34 14.42 12.51 12.20

12.08 11.99 10.99 10.94 9.68

2.13 2.12 2.10 2.06 2.05

9.18 5.87 5.46 4.94 4.18 2.99 2.52 2.22 1.93 1.88

1.86 1.85 1.70 1.69 1.49

ClosingP 197.40 70.70 112.70 71.30 156.30 9.60 48.50 36.10 62.80 205.70

69.30 17.80 58.10 59.90 80.10

ClosingP

Change % -10.52 0.00 -9.48 -2.86 3.72 -1.03 -9.35 2.27 5.37 9.59

2.21 -1.11 -2.84 6.77 -0.50

Change %

196.00 70.40 9.60 156.40 17.60 113.70 45.30 57.40 16.00 69.60

58.20 71.30 79.90 48.70 13.10

-11.23 -0.42 -1.03 3.23 -2.22 -8.82 -0.66 -1.03 8.11 4.04

-2.84 -2.86 -1.48 -9.65 -2.24

ClosingY 220.60 70.70 124.50 73.40 150.70 9.70 53.50 35.30 59.60 187.70

67.80 18.00 59.80 56.10 80.50

ClosingY

220.80 70.70 9.70 151.50 18.00 124.70 45.60 58.00 14.80 66.90

59.90 73.40 81.10 53.90 13.40

DHIGH 213.90 74.50 118.00 75.80 161.70 10.50 54.10 37.10 63.70 206.40

72.20 19.50 61.70 61.00 84.30

DHIGH

213.00 74.50 10.50 161.00 19.50 117.50 46.30 58.80 16.20 73.50

61.40 75.40 83.90 57.00 14.00

DLOW 194.20 70.00 110.00 70.80 153.00 9.50 48.20 35.60 59.60 190.20

68.40 17.40 57.40 56.00 79.10

DLOW

192.60 70.00 9.50 153.70 17.10 111.00 45.10 57.10 14.80 68.10

57.80 70.80 79.20 48.60 13.00

AvgPrice 204.26 72.68 113.94 73.45 157.94 10.07 50.40 36.42 61.91 203.34

70.53 18.51 59.84 58.49 81.77

AvgPrice

203.44 72.52 10.01 157.78 18.25 113.69 45.54 57.79 16.04 72.01

59.94 73.28 81.72 51.44 13.38

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

4483.28209

(+) 0.62%

1683.43042

(+) 0.27%

13826.72400

(+) 0.36%

11046.64470

(-) 0.04%

8458.98310

(+) 0.47%

▲ ▲ ▲ ▼ ▲

Stocks finished the week flat yesterday with financial insurers and power gathering interest.

The benchmark index of the Dhaka Stock Exchange, DSEX, rose 27 points or 0.7% to finish at 4,483, hitting a seven-week high.

The Shariah Index DSES witnessed fractional losses of 0.5 points to 1,082. The comprising blue chips DS30 gained 4 points or 0.3% to 1,683.

Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) Selective Categories Index, CSCX, ended at 8,457 with a rise of 47 points.

Trading activities remained almost static at the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE), as its turnover stood at Tk780 crore from previous session’s Tk783 crore.

Finances gathered interest at lows with Fareast Finance rallying 9.8%, National Housing Finance and Investment Limited 8.3% and BD Finance 8%.

Power soon took charge with state-owned power distribution company Power Grid surging almost 10% on hopes of additional shares to be offloaded in the stock

market.

Banks also witnessed a significant gain almost 2% with Rupali Bank rising 3%.

Food and allied, pharmaceuticals and non-life insurance closed flat while telecommunications, cement and textile also moved down.

IDLC Investments said the session was bullish from the very start of the day and DSEX crossed 4,500 points in the early hours.

However, investors still lacked confidence enough to sustain index at that level, given that it had recovered around 500 points in just 12 past sessions, it said. “Resultantly, some sell-off took place.”

Shares of 307 companies were traded on the day.

At the end of the day, 171 stocks closed higher, 114 declined while 22 remained unchanged.

United Power Generation Company Limited was the most traded stocks with shares worth nearly Tk54 crore changing hands, followed by Khulna Power Company Limited, Mobil Jamuna Bangladesh, RAK Ceramics, Bangladesh Submarine Cable Company Limited and United Airways. l

ANALYST

The session was bullish from the very start of the day and DSEX crossed 4,500 points in the early hours

DT

20 BUSINESS

FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015

Accord: RMG sector StanChart re-launches ‘Orjon’ to mark continues slow pace 110-year celebration in Bangladesh of remediation work n Tribune Report

n

Tribune Report

Remediation work in the country’s RMG sector is progressing slowly, with only 20% redressing completed in last two years, Accord yesterday said.

Accord on Fire and Building Safety In Bangladesh made the comment while talking about the progress of remediation after its inception in 2013 and sharing followup inspection findings currently.

According to Accord findings as of yesterday, the factory owners have corrected 2,579 of 54,432 flaws in fire, electrical and structural safety, which were identified by the first inspection.

Now, a total of 42,212 flaws are under remediation and 9,641 pending.

To date, all 1500-plus factories covered under the Accord have been inspected for fire, electrical and structural safety.

The Accord has approved about 1,000 Corrective Action Plan (CAP) and it carried out follow-up inspection of 462 factories out of 1,500 already inspected.

Only two factories – Jeacon and Corcord Fashions – have fully implemented CAPs. The progress of remediation

is very slow and it is unfortunate, said Brad Loewen, Chief Safety Inspector of the Accord.

“We warned factory owners of sanction on their business and got immediate response,” he said.

Fixing all these hazards is a massive task for the RMG industry, but safety remediation work at the inspected factories is underway, said Brad.

There has been especially good progress on electrical remediation which is positive as most factory fires are caused by electrical hazards. As a result, we have helped prevent fires in factories covered by the Accord,” said Brad.

“We are pleased to also report that we have verified the first fully remediated factories where all fire, electrical, and structural safety corrective actions from the initial inspections are complete,” he added.

Identifying the issues and developing plans to correct them is the first step, said Rob Wayss, executive director of the Accord.

He added that in the remaining three years, the Accord will work with its signatories and suppliers to complete the remediation at all factories. l

Telenor: Ageing Asians left behind mobile revolution n Tribune Report Telenor Group has released data from four Asian markets, indicating that senior citizens are not fully receiving benefits of mobile internet.

While the mobile internet continues to explode across Asia, recent research by the Telenor Group in four of its regional markets suggests that not all citizens in societies are getting access to the benefits of connectivity, said a press release Grameenphone issued yesterday.

The research notes that the senior citizens of some of Telenor’s Asian markets like India, Thailand, Bangladesh and Malaysia represent as little as 2% of active mobile users with only a few using smartphones.

In Bangladesh, Telenor’s local subsidiary Grameenphone observed a distinct drop in the number of customers over the age of 55, with only 2% of the user base being over 60 years

of age.

Only about 1 million of Grameenphone’s 52 million customers are above 60.

The data volume sees a drop of half of those subscribers over 60 years of age compared to the overall customer base, with older women even less well-represented than men – only 4.5% of women over the age of 65 using data in contrast to 7.5% of men the same age.

Overall, less than 1% of Bangladeshis surveyed over the age of 65 use a smartphone – consonant with Telenor’s findings in India, where the vast majority of the elderly still use basic and feature phones.

Sigve Brekke, executive vice-president and head of Asia operations, Telenor Group, said: “Given our vision of Internet for All, it is a source of concern for Telenor that senior citizens in our Asian markets are not fully receiving the benefits of the mobile internet. l

Standard Chartered Bank has relaunched a programme titled “Orjon”, a business installment loan for women entrepreneurs, marking the celebration of its 110 years of presence in Bangladesh.

It handed over two cheques under the programme to Phowzia Khan, proprietor of Petro Products Company and Roksana Hussain, proprietor of Ananda Restaura amounting to Tk1 crore and Tk40 lakh respectively at a func-

tion at its corporate headquarters in the capital yesterday.

Bangladesh Bank Governor Atiur Rahman inaugurated the function when British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Robert W. Gibson and CEO of the bank Abrar A Anwar were present.

Atiur invited the multinational bank to open up investment opportunities for expatriate Bangladeshis who want to invest in the country sitting their own desk abroad.

He appreciated the bank for its in-

itiatives to introduce Bangladesh as an investment-friendly country to the outside world, and called upon the bank to work for all instead of only corporate clients.

“SCB has been actively engaged in the growth and development of Bangladesh,” said Abrar.

He said the bank is now providing SME and farm loans in the rural areas through linkage programme. It is now beating the SME and farm loans targets set by Bangladesh Bank. l

DT

21

FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015

T-JUNCTION INSIDE

Sublime seclusion Photo: Rahat Bin Kamal

22 recipe

a perfect parfait

23 review

Simple and delicious

24 news

Samsung’s Exclusive Limited Time Offer for Galaxy S6

DT

22 T-JUNCTION

Tantalise

FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015

recipe

Mango parfait

review

The ultimate summer dessert

Café 108 is one of those places you just go and not think about. Once you do, there’s nothing much to think about but go Rad Sharar Bin Kamal

n Md Mahmudullah-Al-Mamun Mango parfait is a wonderful, mouthwatering dessert made with mangoes, kiwis, custard and whipped cream.

This delicate dessert is so easy to whip up, you’ll feel sorry you didn’t come Serves: 4-5 people Ingredients: • 2 cups ripe mango (pureed) • 1 cup liquid milk • 2 egg yolks • Few drops of vanilla essence • 6 tablespoons of icing sugar • 2 sachets of whipped cream powder • 1 can of double cream Garnishing: • ½ cup freshly ripened mango (diced) • 2 tablespoons of kiwi fruits (diced) • 1 tablespoon of almond (toasted) Instruction: 1. First begin by making the whipped cream with ½ cup liquid milk and cream powder. Beat well until foamy and then set aside. Chill it immediately by placing it into the refrigerator or the chiller.

2. Make the custard by mixing the egg yolk, the rest of the milk and 2 tablespoons of sugar. Now mix this with the beaten fluffy double

across the recipe before. Made with juicy, ripe mangoes, this chilled dessert can be the ultimate refreshment after a heavy dawaat meal or can even be served as a sweet dish for guests. cream. Set aside and chill as soon as possible.

3. Make the custard cream by mixing whipped cream and custard. Chill it immediately.

4. Puree the mangoes to create a smooth texture; use 2 tablespoons of icing sugar if required.

5. Cut the rest of the mangoes into small cubed to use for garnishing.

6. Prepare the kiwi fruits and mix with 2 tablespoons of icing sugar for garnishing.

7. Layer the custard cream first on the bottom of the glass.

8. Again layer with the pureed mango on top of the cream.

9. At the end, the dish is topped with whipped cream, then diced mango, kiwi fruits and toasted almond as garnishing.

10. Chill for at least 2 hours before serving.

Md Mahmudullah-Al-Mamun is an Instructor (chef course) for UCEP Catering Training Center, Mirpur, Dhaka.

There aren’t many cozy places remaining where you may enjoy a soulful, delicious meal in peace, without your wallet niggling your conscience. Of the few, Café 108 suits the requirements perfectly. The place itself is far from the busy streets of Gulshan 2, intentionally enough at road 108 itself, and is not exactly a place you would stop your car to gape at. The venue is nice, small and comfortable, and has an immediate effect of relaxation from the carefully decorated interior. Not too shabby, not too bright. It leaves you in no mood for serious business, but for a light conversation and have you asking for the menu after you let out that first breath of relief. The homey environment of Café 108 makes you subtly fall back and enjoy. It’s not exactly the place you go to impress, but tag along with friends who don’t need a second impression.

The name doesn’t really imply what’s on their menu, but it comes with no extraordinary surprises - at first. Their limited options of oriental dishes to savoury delights, cultural picks and fast food makes it easy to choose. But that’s the point. Whatever they make, they make it well. We tried five of their dishes before tears of contentment washed over our faces, and here they are.

T-JUNCTION 23

DT

Tantalise

FRIDAY, MAY 29, 2015

Hot Garlic Prawns (with Egg Fried Rice) Tk255 Succulent prawns steeped in a chilli garlic sauce with the perfect blend of sweet and sour Seems like the average, but far from it. The prawns aren’t exactly as described - as ‘hot’.

But once you stop expecting it to be something else, you can start to appreciate its superb combination of flavours. The tease of the sweet garlic gravy plays in your mouth, while the layered prawns promise a proper bite instead of fading away, leaving you quite satisfied.

Hainanese Chicken Rice Tk290 Succulent chicken steeped in a flavorful broth and served skin-on with fragrant rice This Singaporean national dish is something you cannot prepare yourself for, for the authenticity of its flavours are spot on. The fish/soy sauces served with the rice simply fill you up. The fresh taste of the skin-on chicken tingles in the background, leaving you craving for more, which isn’t really an issue because the quantity served is more than enough.

Mac N’ Cheese Tk270 Macaroni drenched in a creamy cheese sauce with a surprise of sausages inside A Continental classic, one which is absolutely dangerous if your life goals include cheese. It is astonishing the sheer amount of cheese this dish promises, while the pasta fuses happily on your tongue, as you get a proper chew on the sliced sausages playing hide-and-seek, a game you’ll surely win.

Beef with Black Bean Sauce (with Egg Fried Rice) Tk 235 Tender beef strips cooked in Thai black bean sauce with just the right hint of chilli This one is a mean dish that packs a sneaky punch, making your taste buds beg for mercy in the powerful, heavy yet balanced flavours of the beef. You can’t rush this dish, but take your time so you can savour every bite.

Chocolate Fudge Cake Tk150 A deliciously moist chocolate cake coated with a rich fudge sauce that tastes as decadent as it looks Once out of the spices, you’ll find another surprisingly appeasing side to Café 108 – their desserts.

The chocolate fudge cake is as gooey and moist as it can get, and with the option to take ice cream with it, it gets downright captivating.

Photos: Rahat Bin Kamal

DT

24 T-JUNCTION

FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015

News

Samsung’s Exclusive Limited Time Offer for Galaxy S6 Samsung Mobile Bangladesh has come up with an exclusive limited time offer for their latest flagship device Samsung Galaxy S6. Now, with every purchase of Galaxy S6, customers will receive amazing cashback. The lucrative offer includes cash discounts up to TK15,000 with each Galaxy S6 purchase.

During the purchase of Samsung Galaxy S6 from any Samsung Store, customers will have to send an SMS with the serial number of the purchased phone to avail this offer. A return SMS will inform the customers the amount of cash back they have received. Upon the SMS confirmation, the customers will receive cash back of up to Tk15,000.

In this limited time offer, customers

will not go back empty handed and will receive a guaranteed cash back at least of Tk7,000. This offer is available for on-spot purchases only.

Along with this cashback campaign, Samsung Bangladesh is also running a Smart Exchange campaign whereby customers can trade in their old smartphones for a brand new Galaxy S6. A special 10% cashback offer is also available for the cardholders of Standard Chartered Bank when they purchase Samsung Galaxy S6. Customers can avail any of these offers.

To know more about Galaxy S6 cashback campaign, customers can call at 09612-300300 or visit the nearest Samsung Store.

Fifa presidential candidate Michael van Praag has withdrawn from next week’s election yesterday and thrown his weight behind Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein

Sport 26

MOBILE OPERATOR ROBI NEW SPONSOR OF TIGERS

27

PAKISTAN GETS READY FOR RETURN OF INT’L CRICKET

(L-R) Shafiul Islam, Rubel Hossain, Robiul Islam and Taskin Ahmed take a breather during training at SBNS in Mirpur yesterday

28

25

DT

WITHDRAWAL

FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015

XAVI CALLS TIME ON BARCA CAREER

MAINOOR ISLAM MANIK

Full-strength Indian side pleases Tigers n Minhaz Uddin Khan Given their bitter experiences in the past, Bangladesh had every right to be concerned over whether India would send a full-strength side for the upcoming home series. The last time the Tigers faced India in a bilateral series at home, the visitors had sent a second-string side. Many were upset but had to maintain their silence, probably due to the might of the Board of Control for Cricket in India.

This time however, there proved to be no surprises as BCCI announced a full-strength side for the tour of Bangladesh, comprising one Test and three one-day internationals.

Consequently, the Bangladesh cricketers expressed their utmost pleasure over the BCCI’s decision, sensing that the upcoming home series would be a great opportunity to show their mettle against the two-time world champions.

“Everyone was hoping for their best team.

They finally did it. It will be a challenging series for us. It will show where we are standing at the moment,” Bangladesh ODI captain Mashrafe bin Mortaza told the media yesterday.

Against all speculations and rumours, BCCI named Virat Kohli the Test captain following the retirement of MS Dhoni. The ODI side, meanwhile, will be skippered by Dhoni.

Both the Test and ODI squads are formidable to say the least. While the Test side boast regulars like Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane and Rohit Sharma, the ODI team feature seniors like Shikhar Dhawan, Suresh Raina and Ravichandran Ashwin.

“I hope we will be able to continue our rich vein of form at home. Any Indian team are tough, especially at these kinds of conditions.

As it is their full-strength team, the challenge is even greater,” said Mashrafe.

Mashrafe informed that a tough challenge awaits the Tigers bowlers, considering the batting strength of the Indian side.

“Their ODI squad is quite identical to the one that played in the [2015 ICC] World Cup. Only [Mohammad] Shami is not there due to injury. Their batting is undoubtedly the world’s best. It will be a huge challenge for our bowlers,” he said.

The last time Bangladesh encountered India in a bilateral series, the latter registered a 2-0 win in the three-match ODI series in Dhaka last year in June. The second-string Indian side, led by Raina, were largely unhindered on their way to a series victory as Bangladesh plumbed to a new low, having been skittled out for 58 in one of those three ODIs. Times though, they are a changing.

Ever since the Zimbabwe series at home in November last year, the Tigers have displayed brilliant cricket. The ensuing World Cup was

another memorable outing for the Tigers as they reached their first ever quarter-final.

The World Cup was followed by another impressive performance in the recently concluded Pakistan series.

“We are not worried about their strength.

We just want to focus on our strength and play our natural cricket. We want to stick to the basics that earned us wins in the past,” opener Anamul Haque told the media yesterday.

Anamul, who recently recovered from a right shoulder injury incurred during the World Cup against Scotland in March, added that he is working hard to get back to the national fold.

“I have been working hard, knowing that it would be tough for me to return to the national team. But, I am waiting for my turn and if it comes, I will not let it go,” said Anamul.

India will arrive in Dhaka on June 7.l

DT

26 Sport

FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015

The Bangladesh footballers jog during training at the Sheikh Jamal DC field in Dhanmondi yesterday

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Mobile operator Robi becomes new sponsor of Tigers n Minhaz Uddin Khan Robi Axiata Limited, an award-winning mobile telecom and data services provider of the country with nearly 25m subscribers, was named the new sponsor of the Bangladesh cricket team for the next two years.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board last Wednesday oversaw the bidding process where Top of Mind, a media-planning company, quoted the most – Taka 41 crore 41 lakhs – to bag the

deal. And yesterday, the company sold the rights to Robi, who are now the proud sponsors of the Tigers. This is the first time Robi has been able to affiliate themselves with the Bangladesh cricket team despite several failed attempts in the past.

In a press conference held at Sher-eBangla National Stadium in Mirpur yesterday, the BCB introduced Robi as the new sponsors.

Mahtab Uddin Ahmed, chief operating officer of Robi, said, “We are delighted for

being able to be a part of the Tigers’ journey towards success. Robi believes team-work can make one overcome the hardest obstacle.

Our Tigers have already displayed their fighting spirit to the world which they obtained through their skill, honesty and hard work.”

Kazi Inam, chairman of the BCB’s sales and marketing committee, welcomed Robi and informed that the board is happy to have them on-board.l

Obituary

n Raihan Mahmood

Bangladesh men’s and women’s handball teams are all set to feature in an eight-match series against visiting West Bengal men’s and women’s teams in Dhaka and Chittagong respectively.

The series will get underway in Dhaka from this Wednesday. A 40-member West Bengal contingent, including 26 men and women players and 14 officials are scheduled to arrive in Dhaka this Tuesday.

The men’s and women’s teams of West Bengal will play four matches in Dhaka against Border Guard Bangladesh and Bangladesh Ansar respectively before travelling

In total, the Asian Age, Mousumi Industries Ltd and Orient Bread will provide Tk0.45m out of the estimated budget of Tk0.67m

n Tribune Desk Siraj Uddin Bulbul, father of Mazhar Uddin Omi, sports reporter of Dhaka Tribune, passed away last Wednesday night at National Heart Institute Hospital.

He was 62.

A resident of Lalbagh and a businessman, Siraj was suffering from brain haemorrhage. He is survived by his wife, a son and a daughter.

His namaz-e-janaza was held yesterday at Talgach Mosque at Lalbagh and his body was later buried at the Azimpur graveyard.

The Dhaka Tribune family and Bangladesh Sports Journalists Association expressed deep shock at the demise of Siraj and prayed for the salvation of the departed soul.

His Qulkhani will be held at Talgach Mosque tomorrow after the Asr prayers.l

Handball teams to face West Bengal

BCB’s chairman of the sales and marketing committee Kazi Inam Ahmed (2L) and chairman of the media committee Jalal Younus (R) address the media during a press conference yesterday DHAKA TRIBUNE

to Chittagong to play the next four matches.

The visitors will compete against Chittagong men’s and women’s teams and Border Guard Bangladesh in the next four matches that will take place from May 31-June 1.

In total, the Asian Age, Mousumi Industries Ltd and Orient Bread will provide Tk0.45m out of the estimated budget of Tk0.67m.

All the details were disclosed in a press conference at the handball federation yesterday. Shoyeb Chowdhury, chairman of the organising committee, Kazi Rajibuddin Ahmed Chapal, Bangladesh Olympic Association treasurer and director of Mousumi Industries, Asaduzzaman Kohinoor, federation general secretary, and Nurul Islam, secretary of the organising committee, were present on the occasion.l

DT

Sport 27

FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015

Pakistan gets ready for return of int’l cricket n AP, Lahore With security measures so far holding up, international cricket returns to Pakistan on Friday for the first time in six years when it hosts Zimbabwe in a Twenty20 match.

Thousands of policemen have been busy over the last three days providing protection to the Zimbabwe team as Pakistan tries to avoid a repeat of 2009 when gunmen attacked the Sri Lanka team bus in Lahore.

“It’s very positive and we guys have been waiting for this for the last six years,” Pakistan Twenty20 captain Shahid Afridi told reporters on Thursday. “I especially want to thank the Zimbabwe government ... and I hope their players do enjoy their trip here.”

Zimbabwe cricketers volunteered to tour Pakistan for two Twenty20s and three oneday internationals in the same city where gunmen killed six police officials and a van driver in an ambush on the Sri Lanka team.

Pakistan has deployed at least 4,000 policemen and paramilitaries to protect the visitors, whose team bus has been surrounded by vans with armed guards on its daily trips for evening training sessions at the Gaddafi Stadium.

Hundreds of armed policemen also stand on alert on the roadsides during the team’s travel to the stadium from its hotel, which takes not more than seven minutes. All other traffic has been diverted along the route.

The six-year home isolation has seen Pakistan players like Ahmed Shehzad and Umar Akmal making their international debuts abroad. Only five players on the Twenty20 squad — Afridi, Sarfraz Ahmed, Wahab Riaz, Mohammad Sami and Shoaib Malik — have previously played in front of home fans.

Despite Zimbabwe sitting 12th in world Twenty20 rankings, Afridi said he’s not un-

derestimating his rivals.

“It’s only a three-hour game, you can make a comeback in test matches but it’s difficult to do so in shorter formats and we have to take our opportunities,” he said.

It will be the first time in seven years that Zimbabwe plays without Brendan Taylor as he retired from international cricket after the World Cup in Australia.

Charles Coventry is among seven changes Zimbabwe has made from its World Cup squad. Graeme Cremer, Chris Mpofu, Vusi Sibanda, Brian Vitori and Richmond Mutumbami are the others making their way into the

The six-year home isolation has seen Pakistan players like Ahmed Shehzad and Umar Akmal making their international debuts abroad squad, while 23-year-old allrounder Roy Kaila might also get his debut during the series.

“It’s not (about) having new guys in the team, (it’s about) having the guys on the day and win the game,” Zimbabwe captain Elton Chigumbura said.

Chigumbura also hoped coach Dav Whatmore would pass on valuable information on the opposition after the Australian spent two years with the Pakistan team before his contract ended last year. “It’s always good to have an insight and hopefully we will be using this to our advantage,” he said.

A packed crowd of 27,000 is expected to witness the return of international cricket and the Pakistan Cricket Board said all the tickets for the two Twenty20s have been sold.l

Pakistan T20 captain Shahid Afridi (R) and his Zimbabwe counterpart Elton Chigumbura hold the T20 International trophy at the Gaddafi Cricket Stadium in Lahore yesterday AFP

PAKISTAN

SQUADS

Shahid Afridi (captain), Sarfaraz Ahmed, Ahmed Shehzad, Mohammad Hafeez, Mukhtar Ahmed, Noman Anwar, Shoaib Malik, Umar Akmal, Mohammad Rizwan, Anwar Ali, Hammad Azam, Immad Wasim, Bilawal Bhatti, Wahab Riaz, Mohammad Sami

ZIMBABWE

Elton Chigumbura (captain), Sikandar Raza, Chamu Chibhabha, Charles Coventry, Graeme Cremer, Craig Ervine, Roy Kaia, Hamilton Masakadza, Christopher Mpofu, Tawanda Mupariwa, Richmond Mutumbami, Tinashe Panyangara, Vusi Sibanda, Prosper Utseya, Brian Vitori, Sean Williams

Walson sinks Ctg Abahani n Raihan Mahmood

The Farashganj (blue) and Muktijoddha footballers in action during their Manyavar Bangladesh Premier League tie at BNS yesterday MAINOOR ISLAM MANIK

Haitian forward Augustine Walson’s prowess proved too much for Chittagong Abahani as Brothers Union wrapped up their commitment in the first phase of the Manyavar Bangladesh Premier League with a 2-0 win at Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.

Walson was the live-wire of the orange-clad Gopibagh outfit as his brace undid their portcity opposition. He was cool and calm but razor-sharp with his onslaughts. Chittagong Abahani had no answer as Brothers goalkeeper Biplob Bhattacharjee was the most relaxed man on the pitch yesterday.

It was Walson who sent the first chill through the Abahani spine in the 33rd minute, taking control of an Imtiaz Sultan Jitu corner in the centre of the box. He tried a quick back-heel but defender Kaushik Barua’s sliding effort saw the ball cleared from the goal-line.

In the 61st minute, Walson danced down the left flank and curved a cross for Cameroonian midfielder Germain Kenfack who blasted the ball over the crosspiece from a convenient position.

Brothers continued their onslaught and in the 65th minute, Walson had no clue whatsoever over what went wrong when his 20-yarder rattled the side-post.

However, the deadlock was finally broken in the 69th minute and it was Walson’s curling free-kick from the left flank. His right-footer dipped into the near post with custodian Shohag Hossain missing the flight.

The fate of the match was sealed seven minutes from time when Walson repeated the act from almost the same spot. Shohag was too late to react when the ball crashed in the near-post again.

RESULT Brothers Union

2-0

Chittagong Abahani

Augustine Walson 69, 83

TODAY’S MATCH

Team BJMC v Feni Soccer Club, 4:45PM

Walson, who has eleven league goals in his account, narrowly missed his treble in the 86th minute when Shohag dived to his right to grip a grounder.

Third-placed Brothers now have 20 points from 10 matches while second-bottom Chittagong Abahani have five points from the same number of matches.

Meanwhile, the other match of the day at the same venue between Farashganj and Muktijoddha was postponed after 40 minutes of play due to rain. The remainder of the match will be played today. l

DT

28 Sport

FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015

1-2 Juventus’ players pose with the trophy after winning the Italian Tim Cup final 2-1 against Lazio at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome on Wednesday

AFP

Xavi calls time on Barca career

It’s time for treble, says Allegri

n Reuters

n AFP, Rome

If you ask Barcelona and Spain fans about their most cherished footballing memories over the past decade the chances are they will involve an exquisite intervention from midfield maestro Xavi.

Widely regarded as one of the best playmakers the game has produced, Xavi has been the tireless dynamo at the heart of a glittering run for his club and country, effortlessly controlling play in the central areas and able to pierce even the most stubborn defences in a heartbeat.

The 35-year-old from Terrassa announced on Thursday he was leaving Barca after more than two decades with the Catalan club he joined aged 11, during which he has won 23 titles, including three Champions League crowns and eight La Liga trophies.

With Spain, he helped end a 44-year trophy drought at Euro 2008, sending Fernando Torres clear to score the winner against Germany in the final, and went on to lead La Roja to their first World Cup success in 2010 and another continental crown two years later.

Spain destroyed Italy 4-0 in the Euro 2012 final in Kiev, when Xavi created two of their goals including another for Torres, and the general consensus after the news emerged he had agreed a three-year deal with Qatari club Al Sadd was that Spain is unlikely to see a player of his quality again anytime soon.

“Xavi has been a key man in the run we have had in Spanish football,” Spain coach Vicente del Bosque said on Wednesday. “It’s hard to find a player coming through who can replace him. He is irreplaceable.”

Age, of course, was finally starting to catch up with Xavi, while the prospect of a lucrative stint in the Middle East will also have played its part in his decision. He was close to leaving Barca after they ended last season without winning a major trophy and decided to retire from internationals following Spain’s flop at the 2014 World Cup. New Barca coach Luis Enrique, a former

team mate, persuaded him to stay on and he has made a vital contribution, mostly from the bench, to their charge towards repeating 2009’s treble of Champions League and Spanish league and Cup titles.

The La Liga triumph Barca secured with victory at Atletico Madrid on Sunday was Xavi’s eighth and he was given a standing ovation by fans of both sides at the Calderon when he replaced Andres Iniesta in the second half.

He can win another two trophies before he departs, with Barca through to the Cham-

XAVI HERNANDEZ Age Born Birthplace

: 35 : January 25, 1980 : Terrassa, Spain

Barcelona Debut : August 18, 1998 v Mallorca Appearances : 764 Goals : 83

Spain Debut : Nov 15, 2000 v Netherlands Appearances : 133 Goals : 12

Honours Club La Liga (8): 1998/99, 2004/05, 2005/06, 2008/09, 2009/10, 2010/11, 2012/13, 2014/15 Champions League (3): 2005/06, 2008/09, 2010/11; Copa del Rey (2): 2008/09, 2011/12; UEFA Super Cup (2): 2009, 2011; FIFA Club World Cup (2): 2009, 2011; Spanish Super Cup (6): 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013 International World Cup (1): 2010; Euro (2): 2008, 2012 Individual FIFA/FIFPro team of the year (6): 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013; UEFA team of the year (5): 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012; Third place in the Ballon d’Or (3): 2009, 2010, 2011; Euro 2008 player of the tournament

pions League final to play Juventus on June 6 and set to host Athletic Bilbao in the King’s Cup final a week earlier.

“I have run out of words of praise, I can’t find a compliment that does justice to what he represents, what he means as a person and a player,” Iniesta said on Barca’s website.

“He is a unique, once in a lifetime player who has been fundamental in almost everything good at his club and with the national team. For me it has been ... a true pleasure and honour to have played my whole career by his side.”l

A boldly-worded message by Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri has revealed the worst kept secret in Turin: the Serie A giants’ confidence of a first Champions League title in 19 years is growing.

“We’ve won our 10th (trophy) under the stars of Rome,” Allegri wrote on Twitter following Juventus’s Italian Cup triumph over Lazio on Wednesday. “On our jerseys we’ll soon have another (star) that no one else has.

This Juventus team has some character !”

Missing influential goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, striker Alvaro Morata and midfielder Claudio Marchisio, both suspended, Juventus kept their hopes of an unprecedented club treble on track thanks to Alessandro Matri’s extra-time winner in a 2-1 defeat of Lazio on Wednesday.

Lazio defender Stefan Radu silenced the black and white half of a packed Stadio Olimpico after just four minutes when he rose to meet a free kick and send a header past a flailing Marco Storari.

Juve levelled barely six minutes later when Paul Pogba nodded Andrea Pirlo’s free kick from the back post towards Giorgio Chiellini, who bundled a half-volley past Etrit Berisha from close range.

After the match finished level, Juventus put one hand on what was their first Italian Cup in 20 years when Matri, who had replaced Fernando Llorente on 86 minutes and saw a perfectly good goal chalked off for a wrong offside decision a minute later, fired past Berisha from Tevez’s well-worked lay-off in the 96th minute.

Having reverted to a 3-5-2 formation that Allegri has deployed only in emergency situations in the Champions League this season, it was far from a spectacular stuff from the recently-crowned Serie A champions.

But amid the key absences of Buffon, Marchisio and Morata, Juve’s strength in depth shone through against a Lazio side that has been the second most successful side in Italy’s top flight since January.l

DT

Sport 29

FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015

QUICK BYTES Sterling won’t sign Liverpool deal: agent Raheem Sterling’s agent has fuelled the fire surrounding the player’s contract standoff with Liverpool by saying the England winger would not sign a new deal at Anfield - even for 900,000 pounds ($1.41 million) a week. The player and his agent, Aidy Ward, are set for a showdown with Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers and chief executive Ian Ayre on Friday when Sterling is expected to tell the club he wants to leave. “He is definitely not signing,” Ward told the Evening Standard. “He’s not signing for 700, 800, 900 thousand pounds a week.

He is not signing.”

–Reuters

Retired umpire Dickie Bird rings the five minute bell during play on the first day of the first Test match between England and New Zealand at Lord’s cricket ground in London yesterday

Fabregas ban reduced Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas has had his three-match ban following his bizarre sending off against West Browmwich Albion reduced to one game, the Premier League champions said on Wednesday. The Spaniard was shown a red card in the first half of Monday’s 3-0 defeat at the Hawthorns for unsportsmanlike conduct by referee Mike Jones.

–Reuters

Sunderland secure EPL safety

Sunderland secured their Premier League survival after manning the barricades to tough out a 0-0 draw at Arsenal, for whom a point was enough to all but seal third place and a spot in the Champions League group stage on Wednesday.

The battle to avoid relegation is now a straight shootout between Hull City and 17th-place Newcastle United, who are two points better off heading into Sunday’s final round. Hull are at home to Manchester United while Newcastle host West Ham. –Reuters

DAY’S WATCH Channel 9 4:45PM Bangladesh Premier League Team BJMC v Soccer Club, Feni

Sony Six 8:30PM Indian Premier League Qualifier 2: Chennai v Bangalore

Ten Cricket 8:00PM Zimbabwe Tour of Pakistan 1st T20

Star Sports 1 12:00AM Natwest T20 Blast Hampshire v Kent

Star Sports 2 4:00PM New Zealand Tour of England 1st Test, Day 2

AFP

Austin, Vardy, Heaton get England call-ups n AFP, London Uncapped trio Charlie Austin, Jamie Vardy and Tom Heaton were on Thursday named in England’s squad for next month’s friendly in Ireland and 2016 European Championship qualifier away to Slovenia.

Queens Park Rangers striker Austin, 25, and 28-year-old Leicester City forward Vardy have been drafted into an attacking department depleted by Daniel Sturridge’s injury and the inclusions of Harry Kane, Saido Berahino and Danny Ings in the England Under-21 squad.

Austin also began his career outside England’s top four divisions. He has scored 17 league goals this season despite QPR’s relegation.

Burnley goalkeeper Heaton, 29, owes his call-up to the long-term knee injuries sustained by Ben Foster and Fraser Forster.

Kyle Walker, Luke Shaw, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Michael Carrick also miss out due to injury, but there was no recall for in-form Manchester United winger Ashley Young, who last played for his country in 2013.

Hodgson said that Young had been left out on the advice of United’s medical department, explaining that he had a “slight issue”, but praised his recent performances.

England squad

Goalkeepers: Robert Green (Queens Park Rangers), Joe Hart (Manchester City), Tom Heaton (Burnley)

Defenders: Ryan Bertrand (Southampton), Gary Cahill (Chelsea), Nathaniel Clyne (Southampton), Kieran Gibbs (Arsenal), Phil Jagielka (Everton), Phil Jones (Manchester United), Chris Smalling (Manchester United) Midfielders: Ross Barkley (Everton), Fabian Delph (Aston Villa), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool), Adam Lallana (Liverpool), Ryan Mason (Tottenham Hotspur), James Milner (Manchester City), Raheem Sterling (Liverpool), Andros Townsend (Tottenham Hotspur), Theo Walcott (Arsenal), Jack Wilshere (Arsenal) Forwards: Charlie Austin (Queens Park Rangers), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United), Jamie Vardy (Leicester City), Danny Welbeck (Arsenal) l

Dortmund’s Hummels turns down Man United n AFP, Berlin Germany defender Mats Hummels has ended speculation about a possible transfer to Manchester United by confirming he will play for Borussia Dortmund next season, according to a report on Thursday.

The 26-year-old has turned down an approach from the English league giants and the Dortmund captain has told Borussia he will fulfil his contract which expires in 2017, according to magazine Kicker.

“It was fair enough that Mats gave it some thought, but I have always pointed out that he is firmly part of our plans,” said Dortmund’s director of sport Michael Zorc.

Zorc said he had met with Hummels and his father Hermann, who is also his agent, in which there was a “clear consensus” that he would stay with Dortmund. Hummels fuelled speculation that he was considering a move

to United in recent weeks by repeatedly admitting he was weighing up his options.

Reports in the UK media suggested Louis van Gaal’s United had offered 40 million euros ($44.6m) for Hummels.

But the Germany star will now play a central role in the plans of future Dortmund coach Thomas Tuchel, who will replace current boss Jurgen Klopp next season.

A bruised foot meant Hummels sat out last Saturday’s 2-1 league defeat at VfL Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga, a dress rehearsal for the German Cup final on May 30. He should be fit for Saturday’s final home match against Werder Bremen with Dortmund needing a win, and for other results to go their way, in their bid for a Europa League place next season.

Hummels, a World Cup winner, came to Dortmund in 2008 on loan basis from Bayern Munich before signing a full contract and has made 194 league appearances scoring 17 goals. l

Manuel Neuer pose for a photo after receiveing the AIPS ‘Player of the Year 2014’ award (L) in Munich on Wednesday AFP

DT

30 DOWNTIME

FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015

CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Meal (6) 5 Faucet (3) 7 Danger (5) 8 Quickness of perception (6) 10 Thickness (3) 12 Honey drink (4) 13 Large deer (3) 14 Presage (4) 16 Pith of a matter (4) 17 Monkey (3) 18 WA river (4) 20 Opening (3) 23 Roof of the mouth (6) 24 Falter (5) 25 Cunning (3) 26 Fault (6)

DOWN 1 Wander (4) 2 Showy feathers (6) 3 Utter (5) 4 Look after (4) 5 Gratuity (3) 6 Everyone (3) 9 Dissolve (4) 11 Japanese monetary unit (3) 14 Gem (4) 15 Threaten (6) 16 Band’s engagement (3) 17 Conscious of (5) 18 Hurried (4) 19 Joke (4) 21 Boring tool (3) 22 Discharge a debt (3)

CODE-CRACKER How to solve: Each number in our CODECRACKER grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. For example, today 14 represents H so fill H every time the figure 14 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 31

FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015

Ochena Hridoy hits cinemas n Showtime Desk

Emon, Prosun Azad and newcomer ABM Sumon star in Ochena Hridoy, alternatively called Unknown Love, which has finally been released today in cinemas. Initially set to release in October last year, a delay of more than seven months has been noticeably long.

The directorial debut by Shafiqul Islam Khan has confirmed the film will be shown to at least 40 cinema halls throughout the country.

The 134-minute film features a love story involving three people and it falls into the mixed category of romanticaction thriller. The story revolves around a university student named Rupa, who falls in love with a senior. A second man, with a secret crush on her, enters the scene. Rupa is unaware of her crush and continues her relationship with the senior as tragedy unfolds afterward.

Emon Saha is the music director of the film, featuring six songs composed

by Belal Khan, while Pinto Ghosh, Konal, Naomi, Sukonna Tithi and Shamim Hasan lent their voice as playback singers. l

CELEBS ON SOCIAL

Khloé @khloekardashian Oh hi Las Vegas!!! who’s coming to party with me at @1OAKLV this Friday?!?! #MemorialDayWeekend https:// instagram.com/p/26GnnsBRgl/ Riteish Deshmukh @Riteishd Riteish Deshmukh retweeted Sania Mirza That was an evening to be remembered.

Hrithik Roshan @ iHrithik Guess I’m great at remembering faces and emotions , dresses not so much. (thankfully!)

WHAT TO WATCH

The tale of assassins n Mahmood Hossain

Half century n Showtime Desk

Sam Zaman was one of the leading figures of the Asian Underground music scene in the UK. It had been reported a couple of days ago that he had suffered a cardiac arrest in London, England. A very influential figure in underground music, Sam Zaman has worked with the likes of stiartis/compser Anoushka Shankar and singer Bjork.

In the early 80s, Zaman created the group State of Bengal, which included his brother Deedar and MC Mushtaq. Their music took off after their best-known track, Flight IC408, which is a sound that appeared on the 1997 Talvin Singh’s compilation Anokha - Soundz of the Asian Underground. The success continued to sore into the 90s as they became regulars in the UK electronic music scene. This caught the attention of Icelandic singer Bjork and the UK trip hop group Massive Attack.

It was truly an influential music career for Sam Zaman, and sad news for all in the UK music scene. l

Guns, cars, a hero, diabolical villain, a catchy title track and parkour. Wait, what? Parkour?

After watching the trailer to a new action movie, Musafir, we had to smirk and applaud.

In all honesty, we were a tad confused if this was a Bollywood production or perhaps some kids went a long way to making one heck of a trailer. Ultimately, we were pleasantly surprised. The truth is we’re actually quite surprised by the execution of the entire trailer. With editing skills aside, from what

we’ve seen from the trailer itself, it looks to be a proper action flick.

We’ve all been graced with the Ananta Jalil effect, and have cracked endless jokes, but this seems to catch our attention the right way. We actually have a genuine desire to watch the film. Musafir is directed by Ashiqur Rahman, and stars Arifin Shuvo, Marjaan Jenifa, Misha Shoudagor, Tiger Robi, Jadu Azad, Cindy Rolling, Shimul Khan and Rebeca.

You can actually view this exciting trailer on YouTube: https://youtu.be/5zjTBJfx9Mg. l

Ride Along, 3.2/5 Star Movies, 5:28pm Security guard Ben must prove himself to his girlfriend’s brother, top cop James.

He rides along James on a 24-hour patrol of Atlanta.

Casts Ice Cube, Kevin Hart, John Leguizamo, Bruce McGill, Tika Sumpter, Laurence Fishburne Days of Thunder, 3/5 HBO, 7:19pm A young hot-shot stock car driver gets his chance to compete at the top level. casts Tom Cruise, Robert Duvall, Randy Quaid, Nicole Kidman, Cary Elwes The Hangover Part II, 3.5/5 Movies Now, 5:25pm Two years after the bachelor party in Las Vegas, Phil, Stu, Alan, and Doug jet to Thailand for Stu’s wedding. Stu’s plan for a subdued pre-wedding brunch, however, goes seriously awry.

Casts Bradley Cooper, Zach Galifianakis, Ed Helms, Justin Bartha, Ken Jeong

DT

32 BACK PAGE

FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015

WHAT BANGLADESH CAN LEARN FROM LKY PAGE 14

FULL-STRENGTH INDIAN SIDE PLEASES TIGERS PAGE 25

OCHENA HRIDOY HITS CINEMAS PAGE 31

Suicide after killing on the rise in recent times n Mohammad Jamil Khan When Rumena Khatun of Nobiganj upazila in Habiganj district married sharecropper Farid Uddin a few years ago, together they shared the dreams of a better life. Soon their family got bigger and they were living happily.

But as their daughter Muslima, 7, and Musa, 4, started growing up, things began to change. They began to feel that whatever they had was probably enough for the two of them, but now that their family had got bigger, they needed much more.

Sharecropper Farid’s limited income was nowhere near what Rumena needed to fulfil her dreams. Inevitably, discontent and disagreements ensued and the couple would often get locked in furious altercations.

Soon, this became a daily thing and Rumena could not take the pressure anymore and

on the night of March 21, 2015, she threw her two children into the pond near their house, saw them drown and then hanged herself to a nearby tree.

According to Prof Kazi Saifuddin, teacher of psychology at Jagannath University, this happens when people fall into deep depression from a long lasting sense of deprivation.

In recent times, there have been several reports of people killing their children or loved ones and then committing suicide themselves.

Last week, a man named Abdul Gani of Chokoria in Cox’s Bazar killed his three children Saraban Tahura, 2, Nure Jannat Shiuli, 8, and Ayesha Siddiqa, 10. News reports said that the killings were results of family conflicts.

Prof Nehal Karim, who teaches sociology at Dhaka University, said that financial problems, addiction and illiteracy have been weak-

ening family ties, resulting in family conflicts.

There cannot be one single solution this, the professor said, adding that raising awareness, bringing stability back to the society, better law and order situation and ensuring capital punishment for those who committed similar crimes in the past could reduce the incidence.

On May 18, police recovered the bodies of a couple in their house at Hazaribagh in Dhaka. The wife, Umme Ara Iffat, was from a rich family but the husband, Rasel, was from a poor background.

The first few days of their married life went quite peacefully but things started worsening after Iffat’s rich father gave Rasel Tk3 lakh for doing business and he wasted all the money.

That gave rise to an everlasting fight between the two. One night, Rasel slaughtered Iffat and then hanged himself.

Bangladeshis thrown off migrant boat swim two hours to shore

Govt yet to decide on Saarc satellite n Sheikh Shahariar Zaman The government is yet to decide on whether to join Saarc satellite, an Indian initiative, as it might jeopardise the business prospect of its own satellite.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Saarc Summit held in Kathmandu last November urged the member countries to join the Saarc satellite initiative.

He termed it a Saarc satellite but it will be funded, built and controlled by India.

The Indian side in the same month also sent letters to all countries to provide “principle concurrence” to join the initiative.

n AFP Seventeen Bangladeshis finally returned home yesterday after being thrown off a boat bound for Malaysia and forced to swim two hours to shore, after attempting to join a migrant exodus, officials said.

The Bangladeshis had spent two months aboard the boat in the Bay of Bengal packed with migrants fleeing poverty to South-east Asia, before they were thrown overboard in the early hours yesterday.

After two hours in the water, they finally reached shore in neigbouring Mynamar, seeking refuge in a village before authorities were alerted, Border Guard Bangladesh commander Abujar al-Jahid said.

“All 17 of the returnees are Bangladeshi nationals. They looked emaciated. They said they were thrown from a Malaysia-bound Thai human smuggling ship,” he told AFP. Malaysia and Indonesia had until Wednesday refused to take in boats overloaded with persecuted Muslim Rohingya from Myanmar and Bangladeshi economic migrants, but relented on that policy after strong international criticism.

Nearly 3,000 have swum to shore or been rescued over the past 10 days after a Thai crackdown on human-trafficking threw the illicit trade into chaos, with some of the syndicates involved abandoning their helpless human cargo at sea.

One of the Bangladeshis, Mohammad Nabi, said smugglers had forced him to call home and ask relatives to give Tk70,000 ($900) to intermediaries.

“Some 37 of us who paid them the money were pushed off the ship before dawn. We then swam for about two hours,” Nabi said,

Prof Ziaur Rahman, chairman of the Criminology Department at Dhaka University, said that married partners need to be able to share the conjugal successes as well failures. When one refuses to do that, things fall apart. Sometimes, drug addiction emerges as a major reason behind deadly family conflicts.

In 2010, the government enacted a law to curb family conflicts and give protection to the victims.

Monirul Islam, a joint commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, said laws are there to stop criminals from coming crimes.

“But when a father or a mother kill their children, it is not just a matter of putting laws into effect. There are always social reasons behind such incidents. We need to find out the social reason in order to stop these incidents from happening,” Monirul said. l

If the business plan and orbital position of the Saarc satellite does not conflict with our satellite, we do not have a problem

A ship used to save Bangladeshi and Rohingya migrants lies off the coast of Indonesia’s East Aceh Wednesday. Nearly 3,000 have swum to shore or been rescued over the past 10 days AFP adding that only 27 of them made it to shore.

Speaking from the southern Bangladesh coastal district of Cox’s Bazar where he is now in police custody, Nabi said the smugglers gave him and around 200 others on board one cup of rice a day each and dried chillies during their two-month ordeal.

“They (the smugglers) used to tell us that

things have heated up in Thailand and it was not possible for the ship to make a journey to Malaysia,” he said by phone from a police station.

Coast Guard officer Shahidul Islam said Bangladesh has stepped up patrols of its waters in a bid to rescue those stranded on boats off the coast. l

But it has so far provided no details.

“We have very little knowledge about the project. We are also going to launch our own satellite. Before providing our concurrence, we need to make sure it will not have any negative impact on our own initiative,” said a senior government official.

When contacted, a senior Foreign Ministry official said India is going to hold a meeting on Saarc satellite with stakeholders next month.

Bangladesh has undertaken a Tk2,967 crore project to build a commercial satellite with its own business plan to rent frequency for recovering the money.

“India must have its own business plan. If Bangladesh finds that the business plan and orbital position of the Saarc satellite do not conflict with Bangabandhu satellite, then we do not have any problem in giving concurrence,” said another government official. l

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