26 June, 2015

SECOND EDITION

FRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2015

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Ashar 12, 1422, Ramadan 8, 1436

ZERO PROGRESS OVER BOALKHALI OIL SPILL PAGE 3

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Regd No DA 6238, Vol 3, No 74

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www.dhakatribune.com

PALESTINE SUBMITS CASE MATERIALS AT HAGUE PAGE 9

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

LALBAGH FORT WALL DEMOLISHED PAGE 32

Myanmar returns Razzak n Mohammad Jamil Khan After eight days of drama, Myanmar Border Guard Police yesterday released Border Guard Bangladesh Naik Abdur Razzak.

He was abducted by Myanmar’s BGP from the zero line on the Naf River in Cox’s Bazar on June 17 following a scuffle between the members of the two countries’ border security forces.

“BGP handed over Razzak, unhurt, to us [BGB] around 5:30pm along with his personal firearm, 22 rounds of bullet and other equipment, following a three-and-a-half-hour flag meeting in the morning,” said Maj Gen Aziz Ahmed, director general (DG) of BGB. A team, led by 42 BGB Battalion Commanding Officer Lt Col Abu Jar Al Zahid, had went to the Mongdu area in Myanmar in the afternoon to bring the naik back. Maj Md Shah Alam,  PAGE 2 COLUMN 3

Militant leader wanted to fight poverty with jihad n Mohammad Jamil Khan

Naik Razzak talks to media at Teknaf in Cox’s Bazar yesterday

The chief of recently emerged Bangladesh Jihadi Group had launched the militant platform as a means of changing his financial condition by sending members to Syria and Iraq to fight for the Islamic State, detectives say.

Md Asaduzzaman alias Milon alias Milu alias Abdullah alias Anik, the suspected commander of the group arrested on Wednesday, was unable to bear the family needs with Tk100 that he used to get by assisting a lawyer.

At the court, Asad had met with the brother of Harkat-ul Jihad Al Islami Bangladesh (HujiB) chief Maulana Abdur Rouf and soon became close to work together.

The group also planned robbing banks to raise funds. But most of its members DHAKA TRIBUNE

 PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

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FRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2015

Khaleda attends Jamaat’s iftar n Tribune Report

Navy chief Vice Admiral M Farid Habib and Air Force chief Air Marshal Abu Esrar adorn newly appointed Chief of Army Staff Lt Gen Abu Belal Muhammad Shafiul Huq with the General rank badges at Ganabhaban in the presence of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday BSS

War crimes convict Quader Mollah and Kamaruzzaman were killed in a planned way through a controversial trial, said Jamaat Nayeb-e-Ameer Mujibur Rahman at an iftar party in presence of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia yesterday.

Jamaat-e-Islami, a component in the BNPled 20-party opposition alliance, hosted the party at Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel in the capital.

“The government was basically trying to

Boy killed, sister hurt in blast inside house n Tribune Report

A seven-year-old boy was killed and his sister sustained serious injuries in a bomb blast inside the house in the capital’s Lalbagh area yesterday.

The boy, Miraz Rahman, and his 10-yearold sister Neha Akhter were taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital with critical injuries.

Doctors declared Mirza dead around 5:30pm.

Miraz suffered splinter injuries in his abdomen, back, hands and other parts of the body, doctors said.

The blast occurred inside the tin-roofed house near Lalbagh Fort intersection around 5pm when the siblings were playing.

Victims’ father Yakub Ali, a plastic products vendor, said the bomb might have been

thrown from outside.

Lalbagh zone Deputy Commissioner Mofiz Uddin said police were investigating whether the bomb was thrown at the house or had been put there beforehand.

A man named Yakub was detained for interrogation. “But it is also likely that the children found the bomb outside and brought it in after mistaking it for a ball. l

eliminate Jamaat,” said Mojibur Rahman in his welcome speech. He urged the Jamaat leaders and activists to stand united to foil the government’s “evil plan.”

A good number of Jamaat leaders attended the programme. They said this was the only programme where they can gather publicly.

The BNP chief entered the venue a few minutes after the Iftar started as she was stuck in traffic jam. BNP standing committee members Nazrul Islam Khan and MK Anwar also attended the programme. l

SEHRI & IFTAR TIME

Day Ramadan 8/June 26 Ramadan 9/June 27

Sehri – 3.40am

Iftar 6.53pm 6.53pm

For Barisal, deduct one minute, and for Sylhet and Chittagong deduct six minutes; for Khulna add four minutes, for Rangpur five minutes, and for Rajshahi seven minutes.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Militant leader wanted to fight poverty Myanmar returns Razzak including the second-in-command, Maulana Nurullah Kashemi, were arrested before committing the robbery at a private bank in Saidpur.

Both Asad and Kashemi met with Rouf at the jail before launching the platform in October last year, officials at the Detective Branch of police say.

Asad completed his LLB from Darul Ihsan University, but did not get a job anywhere. He then started working as an assistant of a lawyer at the Dhaka Judge’s Court. But since the pay was tiny, he had to lend money from his relatives and other lawyers.

“He was feeling helpless, and at some point decided to change the society and the people through jihad,” DB Joint Commissioner Monirul Islam told reporters yesterday.

Brother of the HujiB chief often went to the court to deal with Rouf’s cases and came in contact with Asad.

Kashemi had served as resident preacher at a mosque while staying in Kuwait. Returning home recently, he opened a branch of AlAzhar University of Egypt. But failing to make profit from the business, he shut it down. He later started writing Islamic books and giving sermons at different religious functions. During his bad times, Kashemi contacted a number of people to do something significant for Islam, but none supported him. Then he met Asad, who took him to Rouf.

The group was recruiting students from madrasas and private universities with radical views as members, and working to send them to the Middle East as IS fighters after training in Shariatpur and some bordering areas in the northern part of the country.

“Asad was planning to go abroad to collect funds,” Monirul said.

The platform had invited the members of all banned and little-known militant organisations to work together to establish a Shariah state by undermining the democratic process, castigating the rulers and terrorising the secular forces and the law enforcers.

A team of counter-terrorism and transnational crime unit of the DB police arrested Asad and Firoz Md Tomal, the key financier of Bangladesh Jihadi Group, during a drive in the capital’s Mohammadpur area.

Detectives also recovered three foreign pistols, 16 rounds of bullet, 1kg explosives and two laptops from their possessions, Monirul said.

A case was filed against the arrestees with Mohammadpur police under the Anti-Terrorism Act. They were placed on a five-day remand yesterday by a Dhaka court.

The duo were arrested on information given by the nine members of the group including Kashemi held on June 7. Their explosives suppliers, a lab assistant of Dhaka University and three others, were arrested on June 16.

Ex-defence, police trained recruits As part of their plan to provide extensive training to the new recruits, the Jihadi Group leaders were trying to convince terminated and retired officials of different forces to work as trainers, Monirul said adding that some of them had already agreed to assist the group.

Once the training was completed, their target was to send the members to Syria to work for IS. On return, they were supposed to work to establish Shariah rule in Bangladesh.

Tomal financed Hailing from a rich family, Tomal had completed graduation on electrical engineering at Independent University of Bangladesh. His father, an assistant commissioner of customs, has at least 17 houses and flats in the capital.

Tomal used to collect the rents, Monirul said.

“Tomal used to finance the outfit through Asad. But as it was difficult to run the outfit only by one financier, they were planning to conduct bank robbery.”

Both the arrestees admitted that Tomal owned the recovered pistols.

Sanowar Hossain, additional deputy commissioner of DB police, told the Dhaka Tribune that they had got identities of 25-30 members of the group and hoped that the others would be arrested shortly. l

the medical officer in the team, checked Razzak’s physical and mental conditions and certified that everything was fine.

According to our Cox’s Bazar correspondent, the BGB team left Mongdu on a boat around 5:45pm and reached Teknaf Bazar area around 6:15pm.

Razzak was in his uniform and came down from the boat on his own feet. Asked how he was, the BGB naik replied: “I am fine now.” He however did not make any comment when asked whether he had been tortured in BGP custody.

Asked about the injury marks on his nose, he said he had got those during the scuffle at the Naf River border on the night he was abducted.

In the same incident on that night, another BGB member Biplob was injured by gunshots fired by BGP members. The Dhaka Tribune has learned that the BGP personnel also took the boatman and his helper and later released them but held Razzak back.

At a press conference at the BGB Pilkhana Headquarters in Dhaka in the evening, the paramilitary force’s chief Maj Gen Aziz said: “Actually, BGP has been locking into clashes at all those points on the border where we had strengthened surveillance to stop yaba trade.

Asked whether the BGP did this intentionally, Aziz said: “The place where Razzak was abducted from is one of the hotbeds of the yaba trade. A boatman named Lal Miah informed us that BGP men had been looking for one of our habildars named Lutfor, who had seized yaba pills worth Tk12 lakh from that spot and had been rewarded for his good work.

“Moreover, just a year ago, the BGP members did the same thing after we had set up a BOP [border outpost] after identifying an area as smuggling-prone and took necessary actions.”

On May 28 last year, another BGB naik Mizanur Rahman was allegedly abducted and killed by the Myanmar frontier force

near the Paanchhari border in Naikkhongchhari of Bandarban. Two days later, the BGP was supposed to return Mizanur’s body to the BGB. But, when the Bangladeshi border guards went to receive the body, the BGP men opened fire on them instead of handing over the body.

The BGB chief also said: “I cannot say why the incidents took place but you people are clever enough to understand the reason.”

Asked about the flag meeting, Maj Gen Aziz said: “Not just regarding taking action against yaba trade, the BGP members crossed the limits even at the flag meeting as well.

“The meeting’s agenda was the issue of handing over Naik Razzak but they brought up other issues such as border management and shipping. They accused BGB men of not being in uniforms while on duty and crossing the border. But we did not agree to these accusations and replied that it was their people who crossed the border and abducted our men,” the BGB boss said at the press conference.

“Could Razzak have given out any information sensitive for the state?”

In reply, Maj Gen Aziz said that naik is not a very high-ranked post and therefore he is not supposed know anything sensitive.

“However, now that he has come back, we will definitely ask him about it [what happened in BGP custody] and whether any BGB official’s irresponsible actions led to the incident,” he added.

When reminded that BGB’s capabilities had come under scrutiny because of these incidents, Aziz said they work with patience and responsibility at the border since many sensitive issues depended on them. “That is why sometimes we cannot make decisions immediately.”

He also said that they had protested the posting of Naik Razzak’s photograph on Facebook by BGP officials and had been assured that appropriate steps would be taken against such an irresponsible act. l

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FRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2015

A week of zero progress over Boalkhali oil spill n Tarek Mahmud, Chittagong Even though seven days have passed since a train derailment leading to an oil spill in Chittagong, authorities have neither been able to salvage the submerged oil wagons nor resume the rail link between the port city and Dohajaree.

The lack of adequate salvage equipment and inclement weather have been blamed for the sluggish recovery process. However, two probe bodies formed to look into the incident have also been unable hand in their reports as of filing this report yesterday; their deadline was Tuesday.

Last Friday, thousands of litres of furnace oil spilled into the Boalkhali canal after a locomotive and three oil wagons derailed when the Number 24 Bridge – locally known as Shakerpool – collapsed.

Two train drivers were injured in the in-

cident, while it is feared that around 90,000 litres of oil spilled into the water of the canal, which later spread to Karnaphuli and Halda Rivers with rain and tidal waters.

Bangladesh Railway (East) Divisional Traffic Officer Firoze Iftekhar said the rail tracks have been repaired, but the salvage operation was slowed down in the last two days by heavy downpours and strong tides in the canal.

“We hope the situation would be okay within a couple of days,” he said.

Mofizur Rahman, divisional manager for BR (East), said they were working hard to fix the problem, adding that the probe committees were yet to submit their reports.

“All the senior officials and staffs of Bangladesh Railway are busy at the [accident] spot over the salvage operation; so there is little opportunity to carry out administrative work in this situation,” he added.

Two probe bodies – one led by BR Chief

Mechanical Engineer Harun-or-Rashid and another by BR (East) Divisional Engineer-1 Abidur Rahman – were formed to look into the incident.

A power crisis looms

Meanwhile, the snapping of the Chittagong-Dohajaree rail link meant the supply of furnace oil to the 100MW Dohajaree Peaking Power Plant remained suspended as of yesterday.

This may lead to a power crisis in the port city, cautioned officials at the power plant.

The supply is expected to resume only after the rail link is restored.

The plant’s Manager Arifur Rahaman said the plant had a 10-day stock of furnace oil for production at the time of the accident. As seven days have already passed, a power crisis may arise if supply does not resume within the next few days, he added.

Boalkhali bridges are falling down

The bridge which partially collapsed on Friday had already been blacklisted by the BR as a vulnerable “dead spot” around eight years ago.

This is the second such incident in the Boalkhali upazila, where another oil-carrying wagon train derailed on July 31, 2013, from the Kalurghat Bridge.

According to BR (East), a total 58 small bridges on the Chittagong-Dohajaree route were in bad shapes, while four small bridges were identified as “dead spots” similar to Friday’s collapsed bridge.

Following the Kalurghat accident of 2013, the Department of Environment urged the BR to repair rail infrastructure on the route and recommended introducing bottom-line mouth for oil wagons instead of up-line mouths, so that oil would not be spilled even if the wagons turned turtle. But those recommendations are yet to be implemented. l

Cattle trader killed as BSF men hurl bomb, open fire n Our Correspondent, Naogaon

Sandbags are dropped to protect the embankment near Padma bridge site at the Mawa ghat yesterday

MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

Dhaka, Bangkok eye mega connectivity n Sheikh Shahariar Zaman

Dhaka and Bangkok have agreed to discuss how Bangladesh and the Asean region can be connected to boost trade, services and investment.

Foreign Secretary M Shahidul Haque at a joint press conference with his Thai counterpart Norachit Sinhaseni yesterday said the mega connectivity had a huge potential.

The upbeat foreign secretaries talked about the mega connectivity for the first time in the four-hour-long first foreign office consultation meeting between the two countries.

“We have also decided that we will have joint working group on connectivity to see the road connectivity possibilities and how it can help facilitate trade and mobility,” Shahidul said.

In the meeting, Bangkok agreed to provide duty-free access of 6,998 Bangladeshi products to Thai market.

The Thai foreign secretary said under the

East-west Asean Corridor Network, Vietnam is connected with Kunming of China through Laos, Thailand and Myanmar.

Under the North-south Asean Corridor, Singapore is connected with Kunming through Malaysia, Thailand and Myanmar, he said.

The significance of this that both of them are functional and terminate at Kunming and the road between Bangladesh, India, Myanmar and China (BCIM) would connect Kolkata with Kunming through Dhaka, he said.

“As soon as the BCIM is materialised, you will be able to go from Bangladesh all the way to Vietnam and Singapore,” Sinhaseni said.

The Bangladesh foreign secretary supplemented: “This is the first discussion to get a link between BCIM and Asean corridor.”

He said naturally in the BCIM discussion, they had not looked at that possibility.

“It’s time that we should also look to how we can go beyond BCIM and link it to other

already operational similar connectivity,” he said.

When contacted, Shahidul told the Dhaka Tribune that Bangladesh would discuss the huge potential with other three BCIM countries so that all can have the benefit of this connectivity.

Shahidul said four South Asian countries are linked after signing of BBIN motor vehicle agreement.

“If it gets linked both by roads and waterways to Southeast Asia and hopefully to the far east that will have a huge bloc for trade, services and investment. We are looking for all kind of possibilities,” Shahidul said.

He said they also discussed a possible shipping link with Ranon Shipping Port in Thailand with Chittagong or Mongla Port.

They also agreed to have technical level discussion to understand its feasibility in terms of business, he added. l

A cattle trader was killed while another injured when members of the Indian Border Security Force fired rubber bullets and hurled hand bombs at them yesterday near Porsha border in Naogaon.

The deceased was Zahurul Islam, 32, and the injured is Bokul Hossain, 30, from Nimtola village in the upazila.

Lt Col Rafiqul Hasan, captain of 14 Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) Battalion deployed in Naogaon, told the Dhaka Tribune that the traders were coming back to Bangladesh with a herd of cattle from India when they were attacked.

A patrolling team of 31 Pannapur BSF Battalion chased after them, and later fired rubber bullets and hurled the bombs at them near Pillar 232 on the border around 3:30am.

Zahurul and Bokul were injured in the sudden attack and brought back to Bangladesh by the other traders. Zahurul died on his way to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital around 7am.

His companions said there were several bruises all over his body as well as splinter injuries. Police later recovered his body and brought it to Porsha police station.

Bokul was treated at a local clinic for minor injuries before he was released.

The BGB has officially protested the attack and sent a letter to the BSF in this regard, Lt Col Rafiqul said.

The BSF was recently ordered by Indian Home Minister Rajnath Singh to crack down on cattle traders. He asked the BSF personnel to intensify their vigil along the Bangladesh-India border so that cattle smuggling from India to Bangladesh stops completely, the Times of India reported in April.

The Indian government, currently led by right-wing Bharatiya Janatra Party, has been working to effectively ban cow slaughter in the country since it was formed following the national elections last year.

Beef consumption, sale and export was completely banned in the country's Maharashtra state in March, and advocacy has been taking place in other states to follow Maharashtra's lead. l

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JU BCL allegedly beats Buet closed sine die as students besiege VC office n three students DU Correspondent

n JU Correspondent Leaders and activists of Jahangirnagar University (JU) unit of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) allegedly beat up three students including one female on the campus yesterday.

According to witnesses, the incident occurred around 2pm at Shaheed Rafiq-Jabbar Hall of the university.

Md Shahjahan Badsha, Indrajit Bhoumik and one female student of history department – all studying master’s – were having a chat in the guest room of the hall.

The female student requested this correspondent to not publish her identity.

While they were chatting, Md Kamrul Hasan, an executive member of BCL JU unit and a resident of the dorm, arrived at the spot and shouted at them for keeping their legs on a table. Indrajit apologised to him while Shahjahan asked him to stop rebuking and leave the guest room.

Kamrul along with other BCL activists of the hall – Naziul Hasan Pial, Al Amin, Sharif Hossain Laskar and Asaduzzaman Abir – attacked Shahjahan with iron rods and wooden sticks. Indrajit and the female student also received injuries, they said.

The female student told the Dhaka tribune that as she went to protest, the leaders of Chhatra League, the student wing of the ruling Awami League, pushed her on the ground and hit her with a rod on her wrist.

Fellow students took the injured to the JU Medical Centre where they received primary treatment.

BCL leader Kamrul Hasan claimed that Shahjahan had slapped him and he beat him up in retaliation.

JU Proctor Prof Tapan Kumar Saha said authorities would take action against the attackers following rules of the university.

Mahmudur Rahman Jony, president of JU Chhatra League, said the organisation would take necessary steps against the accused leaders if they were found guilty. l

Gazprom to get 5 more wells n Asif Showkat Kallol

The Energy and Mineral Resources Division has proposed drilling of five wells by Russian energy giant Gazprom under the Speedy Supply of Power and Energy (Special Provision) Act 2010.

The proposal would be placed in the cabinet committee on public purchase on Wednesday.

As per the latest proposal, the average drilling cost per well would increase to $19.64m from an average cost $19.35m in 2012 – a 1.47% rise, officials said. Gazprom will get the job bypassing tender procedure. As per the proposal, Gazprom International Investment BV will drill development wells in Bakhrabad 10, Rashidpur 9, 10, 12, and Srikail 4 at a cost of Tk22.05 crore.

The proposal states that the cost rose due to increase in drilling cost by 20.8% and oil cement by 14.2%.

Sources in the Energy Division said Gazprom would be given the task even though Petrobangla reportedly got poor output form the same company for the drilling of 10 onshore gas wells, despite paying the company $193.35m or about Tk1,500 crore so far. l

Chevron scholarships awarded to Sylhet students n Tribune Report Chevron Bangladesh awarded scholarships at separate events in Habiganj, Sylhet and Moulavibazar as part of its ongoing yearly scholarship distribution programme for financially disadvantaged, meritorious students.

In all, 1,668 students from 41 educational institutions near Chevron’s Bibiyana, Jalalabad and Moulavi Bazar natural gas fields were recently awarded stipends this year.

After Ramadan, scholarships will also be distributed amongst 49 students who received excellent grades in the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) exams this year.

Chevron Bangladesh has been running the scholarship programme since 2006 to improve the learning environment of schools near its three gas fields. l

Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) has been declared closed for an indefinite period following the attack on its academic

building. Students were asked to vacate all the dormitories by 5pm yesterday.

The decision was made at an emergency meeting held at Buet campus yesterday, said Buet Public Relations Officer Shah Alam.

A group of students, mainly of 2009 batch, besieged the offices of Buet VC and registrar on Tuesday, demanding that the terminal examinations be taken after Eid vacation instead of the scheduled June 27. l

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FRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2015

Noor stresses on proper Bangla pronunciaiton

n Tribune Report Cultural Affairs Minister Asaduzzaman Noor yesterday told parliament that his ministry had taken some initiatives to ensure proper Bangla pronunciation in drama.

The minister said among the initiatives, drama will be staged in district and upazila levels and the ministry would organise workshops on Bangla pronunciation and acting.

Replying to a query in the budget session of the parliament, Noor said that according to Rajdhani Unnayan Kartipakha (Rajuk), there are some 93 historic establishments in the capital.

Of them, 32 are under the process of being conserved.

“The government has taken a programme worth Tk452 crore to protect and renovate those establishments.” l

Nasim: 76.6% capable couples adopting family planning

Menon: Ban Jamaat immediately n Tribune Report

n Tribune Report

Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Rashed Khan Menon yesterday demanded an immediate ban on the Jamaat-e-Islami.

“The Jamaat is accused of terrorism and militancy at present… I am placing our party’s demand for a ban on the Jamaat,” she told the parliament participating in the budget discussion.

Menon also said the BNP now wants to reach a political compromise especially after failing to topple the government.

“If they want compromise, they will have to return to democratic ways leaving violence and they will have to sever ties with the Jamaat,” he told parliament.

He expressed his dissatisfaction over the government’s failure to ensure good governance and effective steps against recent incidents of sexual harassment of women.

“We could not take proper steps to this end. When a woman does not feel safe to move freely at night, a society cannot be called a civilized one.”

He also alleged that tender manipulation, violence, killing and forced disappearance were tarnishing the government image.

On privatisation of power sector, Menon said: “We have to consider how it would be convenient for an independent country to make the power sector privatised.”

The government move for rental power plants and quick rental power plants to resolve power crisis by enacting a special law goes against the national interest of the country.

Menon maintained that if corruption is curbed, country’s GDP growth rate will increase by 2.5%. l

Health and Family Planning Minister Mohammad Nasim yesterday said 76.6% couples capable of procreation adopts family planning method in the country.

“Out of 2.69 crore such couples, nearly 2.12 crore have adopted family planning method across the country in April last,” he said replying to a query of a lawmaker in the parliament’s budget session discussion.

Responding to another query, the health minister said a total of 3,393 posts out of 8,340 have remained vacant in the Union and Upazila-level hospitals and medical colleges across the country.

Issuing a note of warning, Nasim said stern

action would be taken against those who indulge in corruption in the health sector.

“If proven, stern action will be taken against them. Corruption cannot be acceptable in any service providing organisation.”

Nasim also said the Health Ministry had received the least amount of allocation in last two years compared to last two decades in the budget.

“In 2012-13 FY, allocation for health was 4.82% and in 2013-14 FY allocation was 4.60%. From 1990-91 to 2013-2014, the average allocation in health sector was 6.53%,” he said replying to a query.

Nasim also said the health sector received the highest percentage of allocation in 199697 fiscal year. The allocation was 8.66%. l

budgetary allocation for the state-owned banks to overcome the capital shortfall caused by the money plundering.

Criticising Finance Minister AMA Muhith, he said: “Who gave you the right to replace looted money with money of taxpayers? The allocation will have to be cancelled.”

He also expressed dissatisfaction over the absence of Finance Minister AMA Muhith, State Minister for Finance and Planning Abdul Mannan and officials of the NBR during budget discussion in the House.

Bablu said the government had failed to take actions against the mastermind behind the share market scams even after the probe report of Khondkar Ibrahim Khalid.

The Jatiya Party leader said: “Some Tk4283 crore was smuggled and deposited in Swiss Bank.”

“We want to know about those who siphoned off money abroad,” he said asking the government to bring those money back and identify those money launderers. l

JaPa: Bring back smuggled money n Tribune Report

Jatiya Party lawmaker Ziauddin Ahmed Bablu yesterday slammed the government and the finance minister for failing to ensure good governance and bring back smuggled money from abroad.

Some Tk10,000 crore was looted from the state-owned Sonali Bank, he said adding that the government could not recover the plundered money. It is not the government but people who are to bear the brunt of such looting, he told parliament.

The Jatiya Party general secretary demanded cancellation of proposed Tk5000 crore

Industrial Police SI held for kidnapping n FM Mizanur Rahaman, Chittagong An officer of Industrial Police in Chittagong and one of his aides were detained yesterday for allegedly kidnapping an insurance company official and realising ransom.

Mahbubur Rahman, a sub-inspector of the Chittagong Industrial Police, and his aide Md Faridul, 28, were detained by Kotwali police of the port city.

The SI was later handed over to Industrial Police along with a written complaint about the alleged crime that he had committed, but Kotwali police kept Faridul in their custody.

Kotwali OC Jasim Uddin said Mahbubur was detained at an ATM booth in the morning.

Sources said that the duo had allegedly abducted insurance company official Ziaul Karim, 30, from the city’s Tigerpass area. They then took Zia to a residential hotel named Martin near Kadamtali railway station.

Mahbub introduced himself as a DB official to Zia and threatened to arrest him unless he paid Tk50,000 as ransom. Zia agreed and went to an ATM booth of the Dutch Bangla Bank Limited in Tinpoler Matha area.

In the meantime, Zia had somehow managed to inform Kotwali police, based on which law enforcers acted.

OC Arifur Rahman Arif of Industrial Police’s Detective Branch told the Dhaka Tribune that SI Mahbubur was mentally unstable when Kotwali police handed him over. “Action will be taken against the SI after investigation,” Arif said. l

HC ruling on Khaleda’s petition on June 29 n Tribune Report

The High Court yesterday fixed June 29 for passing an order on a petition filed by BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia seeking the court’s directives on the lower court to take fresh deposition of the plaintiff in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case.

The bench of Justices Md Moinul Islam Chowdhury and JBM Hassan set the date after hearing on the petition yesterday afternoon.

AJ Mohammad Ali moved for Khaleda and Khurshid Alam Khan represented the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) during the hearing.

Khaleda submitted the petition through her lawyer on June 14. In the petition she prayed to expunge the deposition and sought a rule on the matter and pleads for freezing the case proceedings until it is resolved.

Dhaka’s Third Special Judge’s Court is holding the trial of the graft cases against Khaleda.

The court has already recorded the testimony of the plaintiff Harun-or-Rashid, also director of the Anti-Corruption Commission, in one of the cases filed by the ACC. The court heard the plaintiff ’s testimony in absence of Khaleda Zia as she had skipped several hearings.

In her petition, Khaleda said the Special Judge Court 3 of Dhaka has recorded the statement in her absence for six days.

As per a relevant rule, the court has to take the deposition of a witness in the presence of the accused but a Dhaka court did not follow the rule, she said.

On May 25, the Special Judge Court 3 of Dhaka rejected a plea by Khaleda’s lawyers to scrap the testimony and set June 18 for the next hearing.

The prosecution that day argued that Khaleda had several times sought time as she could

not attend the court and the court granted that time petition. She did not appeal to halt the court proceedings while she was absent.

The BNP chief’s lawyers, however, following the fixing of the new date, moved the High Court against the trial court’s order. l

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FRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2015

Legal hassles delay Khulna Textile Palli project n Our Correspondent, Khulna The implementation of Khulna Textile Palli project is being delayed by legal problems that have not been solved in years.

The project was decided in 1999 and work was slow until 2010 when a man named Mahmud Ali Mridha filed a writ petition.

The petition has not yet been disposed of because of repeated dissolution of the judicial bench, throwing the project’s implementation into uncertainty.

Sheikh Mosharraf Hossain, convener of Khulna Textile Palli implementation committee, said the long delay in implementation had enraged locals.

He stressed taking immediate steps to resolve the legal issues in order to facilitate the project’s implementation. “Otherwise, it will only exist in the project documents.”

General Manager of the project Md Saifur Rahman said the writ petition could not be disposed of as the judicial bench dealing with it was dissolved twice.

He said he was optimistic that a new bench would be formed soon, adding that judges were trying to retain the line-up of the previous bench.

The 2010 petition was filed with the High Court over transfer of shares of the now defunct Khulna Textile Mills Limited, the site of which was chosen for building Khulna Textile Palli.

Responding to the petition, a High Court bench ordered the government in 2011 to refrain from handing over shares of Khulna Tex-

tile Mills Limited.

But Bangladesh Textile Mills Corporation (BTMC) appealed against the court order and both sides were awaiting the verdict when proceedings ended.

The verdict, however, was not handed down because of the dissolution of the bench, prompting the case to be transferred to the bench of Justice Refat Ahmed.

Fresh hearings then began in December last year but the bench was dissolved again during proceedings.

Saifur said the unfinished project now employs 20 people, including 16 security guards, who are paid by the BTMC. “The project, once completed, will create at least 28,000 jobs,” he said.

Built on 25.63 acres of land to the west of Khulna New Market, Khulna Textile Mills Limited, which was nationalised in 1972 in line with a presidential order, was shut in 1993 on financial grounds.

In 1999, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance Ministry Affairs decided to build Khulna Textile Palli at the site of Khulna Textile Mills Limited.

Tenders for selling the defunct factory’s complex and machinery were floated in February 2002 but Rupali Bank’s Khulna branch officials filed a petition with the High Court seeking a directive to stop sales of machinery, thus suspending the project for the first time.

Implementation of the project resumed after the dispute with the bank was settled but the 2010 writ petition caused suspension again. l

Robbery spree in Kapasia villages; 8 hurt n Our Correspondent, Gazipur

A gang of robbers has looted belongings from about ten houses in Kenduab, Tuknagar and Ulosara villages of Kapasia upazila here early yesterday. During the incidents, the robbers injured about eight people including a woman as they tried to resist robbery.

The woman named Halima, 45, wife of exparitate Eiakub Hossain from Kenduab village, got critically injured and was undergoing treatment in Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmad Medical College Hospital.

The victims named Hazi Gias Uddin, Osman, Makbul and Kader said about 25 masked robbers broke into their houses at dead of the

night and looted belongings worth about Tk10 lakh at gun point.

Besides, three familites became victim of robbery in Ulosara village while the another three such sort of incidents were reported from Tuknagar village.

During the incidents, the robbers beat up also some members of the families when they approached to resist the gang.

Sources said most the victims were expatriates. However, it could not be known immeditely whether just one gang caused the incidents.

When asked, Kapasia police staion OC Ahsan Ullah assured of receiving complaints from the robbery victims. l

3 suspected robbers beaten to death n Our Correspondent, Faridpur Three alleged robbers were killed in a mob beating in Bodpur village in Faridpur district yesterday night. The deceased were identified as Bachhu Howlader,28, son of Shirgan Ali of Patakata village in Barguna district, Rezaul Sheikh,30, son of Shajahan Sheikh and Mosharraf Sheikh,34, son of Moslem Sheikh of Hogladanga village in Khulna district.

Sub-Inspector Monir Hossain of Kotwali po-

lice station said local people caught the three robbers around 9pm while a gang of robbers was preparing to commit robbery in the area.

Later, the villagers beat up them, leaving the trio seriously injured.

They were rushed to Faridpur Medical College Hospital where on-duty doctors declared them dead around 12:30am. On information, police recovered the bodies and sent those to the hospital morgue.

A case was filed in this connection. l

DT

NEWS 7

FRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2015

Nonstop downpour floods low-lying areas n Tribune Report Daily life of Chittagong city’s people were hampered badly and they suffered because of waterlogging and traffic congestion as many parts of the port city went under water due to non stop downpour yesterday.

During a visit to different parts of the city, the correspondent found that low-lying areas were submerged in knee-deep water.

The low-lying areas of the port city including Paschim Madarbari, Bakalia, Chawkbazar, Agrabad, Halishahar, Kapasgola, Chandgaon, Shulakbahar, Enayet Bazar, Boropol, Muradpur, Sholoshahar, Bahaddarhat and Probartak intersection, went under water due to the heavy rain causing misery to the people living in those areas.

Motor vehicles were hardly seen in those areas while rickshaws and vans were seen plying on the city roads, but they charged extra fare showing the rain as a cause.

Commuters had to suffer through filthy water from overflowing roadside drains to reach their destination.

Besides, continuous water logging from the early of rainy season developed giant potholes on most of the city roads. The city people alleged that the dilapidated city roads hamper smooth transportation.

Mohiuddin Mohi, a businessman of Khatungonj, said poor drainage system caused water logging which was now daily trouble for the area people resulting the shops and warehouses of the county’s biggest wholesale business hub are flooded regularly.

Agrabad area’s resident Sultana Yasmin said regular flood resulted skin and waterborne diseases to her family members.

Meanwhile, the district’s low lands of Hathazari, Chandanaish, Fatikchhari, Satkania and Banshkhali upazilas were also flooded due to the downpour.

According to Bangladesh Metrological Department, Squally weather is unlikely over North Bay and adjoining coastal area of Bangladesh.

The maritime ports of Chittagong, Cox’s Bazar, Mongla and Payra have been advised to keep hoisted local cautionary signal number three.

All fishing boats and trawlers over North Bay have been advised to remain close to the coast and proceed with caution till further notice.

Monsoon showers started on June 21 night till yesterday midday would be continue for next few days, said Meteorological Assistant Rezaul Karim of Met Office in Chittagong city’s Patenga; adding the met office recorded 112.20 millimetres of rainfall in last 24 hours till yesterday 3:00pm.

As there is possibility of hillside, district administration was campaigning over loudspeaker saying hill-side dwellers for going to safe place like nearby school building and cyclone centre.

Loading and uploading of the goods at Chittagong Port jetties were continued like others days while nonstop rain caused little disruption of port activities, said port sources.

Out of the city, Hathazari’s Dholoi, Mekhol, Mirzaur, Alampur; Fatikchhari’s Suabil, Bubirhat, Bhujpur, Kanchannagar; Satkania’s Sadaha, Keochia, Amilaish, Choroti; Chandanaish’s Dohazari, Boiltoli, Borkol and other low lying areas of the district went under water by tidal water.

Aus paddy growers are happy with the rain. But they are apprehending that if water are logged in paddy fields, saplings will rot within a few days.

Besides, some hatcheries of Banshkhali upazila’s low areas were flooded due to rising tidal water. The coastal area people are in fear of landslide and flood due to the heavy downpour.

The water level of Karnaphuli, Halda and Shonkho Rivers raised up due to nonstop shower which may cause permanent flood in the areas while the cultivations at the areas would be destroyed due to the flood, said lo-

Protesting teachers publish white paper on SUST VC’s corruption n Our Correspondent, Sylhet

WEATHER THUNDERSHOWER WITH RAIN

FRIDAY, JUNE 26 DHAKA TODAY

TOMORROW

SUN SETS 6:50PM

SUN RISES 5:13AM

FORECAST FOR TODAY 31 30 29 29 29 29 30 30

Dhaka Chittagong Rajshahi Rangpur Khulna Barisal Sylhet Cox’s Bazar

26 26 26 25 26 26 26 26

YESTERDAY’S HIGH AND LOW

35.1ºC

23.5ºC

Sylhet

Feni Source: Accuweather/UNB

PRAYER TIMES Fajr Sunrise Jumma Asr Magrib Esha

3:42am 5:12am 12:01am 4:42pm 6:50pm 8:20pm SourceL IslamicFinder.org

cal sources. The over-11-hour-long monsoon downpour paralysed normal life in Barisal city yesterday, disrupting river communication with different areas.

Barisal River Port authourity suspened operations of ML water transports (vessels less than 65-feet long) on the river routes from the port since Monday, informed Mustafizur Rahman, Barisal river port officer in-charge.

Medium to heavy rainfall started from Wednesday night and continued with breaks untill writing of this report yesterday noon.

After visiting the city areas it was found that most of the people were confined to their homes as transport became scarce. Makeshift shops, hawker markets remained closed in most parts and kitchen markets saw very few customers.

Canal encroachment, lack of proper drainage and sewerage system, and absence of city protection embankment aggravated the waterlogging situation, Barisal City Corporation Mayor Ahsan Habib Kamal explained.

Local met office recorded 208mm rainfall in 24 hours till 9am yesterday, said Abdul Quddus, senior observer of the office.

In Bandarban, two people went missing in the Matamuhuri River under Alikadam area due to heavy downpour, reports our correspondent. l

Fruit traders occupy an embankment road with their trucks leaving no space for vehicular movement at Badamtoli in Old Dhaka yesterday MEHEDI HASAN

Teachers of ‘Mohan Muktijuddher Chetonay Udbuddho Shikshok Porishod’ who has been waging demonstration against the Vice-chancellor (VC) of Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) have published a white paper on the corruption committed by the VC. Convener of the platform, Professor Syed Shamsul Alam, revealed the white paper at around noon yesterday during the sit-in programme in front of the VC Professor Aminul Haque’s office.

The paper said the university saw no development since the VC joined in 2013. Instead he has committed nepotism by appointing his family members.

“No new department has been opened and the session jam has stretched to one year during his tenure. He also has not submitted any project proposal for the development of the university,” Professor Alam said quoting the white paper.

It further recounted the nonchalant attitude of the VC when Jamaat’s men vandalised the ‘Chetona 71’ sculpture and beat up students on the eve of Abdul Quader Molla’s execution.

The white paper also criticised the VC’s India tour during the vulnerable situation where a non-residential student was killed in Chhatra League’s factional conflict on November 20 in 2014.

After uncovering the white paper, the protesting teachers announced new programmes including sit-in in front of the VC’s office on Friday and Saturday, marching towards VC’s residence and demonstrating there on Sunday. l

DT

8 WORLD

FRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2015

Saudi downplays leaks as chequebook diplomacy revealed n AFP, Dubai Thousands of diplomatic cables released

by WikiLeaks reveal how Saudi Arabia apparently uses its deep pockets to buy international support, but the kingdom insists it is doing nothing out of the ordinary.

The whistleblowing website has released about 70,000 documents it said were obtained from the Saudi foreign ministry, of more than half a million it says it received.

So far they paint what analysts say is the expected picture of a regional powerhouse courted for handouts and using its oil wealth to boost its influence.

Saudi officials have sought to downplay the leaks, while also warning citizens against websites posting “forged” cables.

The leaked cables, whose authenticity could not be confirmed by AFP, did reveal politicians and media organisations in Arab countries seeking cash in return for supporting Saudi policies.

One cable showed the Saudi ambassador in Lebanon in 2012 recommending financial support to Lebanese Christian leader Samir Geagea after he complained of money problems.

Geagea has been vocal in supporting Riyadh’s regional policies and its position on Syria while strongly opposing Lebanon’s Iran-linked Hezbollah Shiite militia.

Other cables revealed that the foreign ministry would decide on granting visas to politicians and journalists based on their affiliations, excluding those opposed to Riyadh or linked to Tehran.

London-based analyst Abdulwahab Badrakhan said: “There are no surprises or scandals that could trigger regional or international problems. For Saudi Arabia, the damage is limited.”

Many of the cables point to Sunni Saudi Arabia’s regional rivalry with main Shiite power Iran.

In the Syrian conflict, Riyadh backs the rebellion against President Bashar al-Assad, who relies on direct support from Teh-

ran and Hezbollah, which has sent thousands of fighters to prop up his regime.

“Those linked to Iran are the ones extremely happy to flaunt these cables,” Badrakhan said.

Elie al-Hindi, a politics lecturer at Lebanon’s Notre Dame University, said: “Unfortunately, we live in a region that is rife with clientelism and foreign allegiances.”

The cables do offer some insight into the inner workings of the Saudi foreign ministry.

One cable reveals how the Saudi embassy in Geneva was left holding the bill after a Saudi princess and her entourage left the Swiss city without paying a limousine charge of more than $1 million.

Another cable shows the son of late al-Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden asking the United States for a death certificate after he was killed by US Navy SEALS. Badrakhan said future releases of more cables could have more impact. l

Philippines pushes for Japanese arms amid China dispute n AFP, Manilla

The Philippines said yesterday it wants to acquire defence equipment from Japan, as the two allies strengthen defence ties in the face of China’s increasing assertiveness in the South China Sea. Manila was particularly keen on the P-3C Orion surveillance plane flown by Japanese pilots during recent joint exercises over disputed waters also claimed by Beijing, a defence ministry spokesman said.

“Yes, we are interested in getting a P-3,” Peter Paul Galvez told reporters.

“Naturally, we are looking if it will become an excess defence article, then we can get it at a very low price,” he added.

Cash-strapped Manila has been strengthening military ties with better-equipped allies such as Japan and the US as tensions have flared with regional superpower China.

Beijing is locked in disputes with several neighbours over its claims to almost the entire South China Sea, where it has started reclaiming land, as well as with Japan over islands in the East China Sea. The Philippines has conducted naval exercises with Japan and is now pushing for an agreement to allow large-scale joint military exercises similar to those it holds annually with the US. It has also asked a United Nations tribunal to reject China’s claims to most of the Sea, a move angrily rejected by Beijing.

Philippine President Benigno Aquino visited Japan earlier this month where he discussed closer defence relations, including the transfer of military equipment for his country’s poorly equipped armed forces.

The cash-strapped Philippines has relied on donations of military equipment from its allies such as the US and Australia in the past. l

People mourn the death of a woman who died from her wounds after she was injured during what activists said was violence by Islamic State fighters in Kobani, as they wait at the Syrian-Turkish border crossing of Tel Abyad, Syria yesterday REUTERS

IS attacks Syrian army and Kurds in twin assault n Reuters, Beirut Islamic State fighters launched simultaneous attacks against the Syrian government forces and Kurdish militia, moving back onto the offensive after losing ground in recent days to Kurdish-led forces near the capital of their “caliphate.”

After losses to the Kurds backed by US-led air strikes, Islamic State sought to retake the initiative with incursions into the Kurdish-held town of Kobani at the Turkish border and govern-

ment-held areas of Hasaka city in the northeast.

In a separate offensive in the multi-sided Syrian civil war an alliance of rebels in the south of the country also launched an attack with the aim of driving government forces from the city of Deraa.

The attacks by Islamic State follow a rapid advance by Kurdish-led forces deep into the hardline group’s territory, to within 50 km (30 miles) of its de facto capital Raqqa, hailed as a success by Washington. l

Queen’s Europe speech raises eyebrows in Britain n AFP, London

A speech by Queen Elizabeth II warning against “division” in Europe as Prime Minister David Cameron plans a referendum on Britain’s EU membership was interpreted by British media yesterday as a political statement.

“We know that division in Europe is dangerous and that we must guard against it in the west as well as in the east of our continent,” the monarch said at a state banquet in Germany on Wednesday.

“That remains a common endeavour,” she said.

The speech was also a strong defence of Britain’s role in Europe.

“The United Kingdom has always been closely involved in its continent. Even when our main focus was elsewhere in the world, our people played a key part in Europe,” she said.

British newspapers were quick to express their surprise yesterday, the same day that Cameron is due to address EU leaders in Brussels on Britain’s desire for a looser association with the EU bloc.

“This is not about the EU. The queen is apolitical. She would never make a political point,” a Buckingham Palace aide said, adding that the queen had been referring to risks of wider differences dividing the continent.

The queen has an impartial role in Britain and rarely makes any public statement that could be interpreted as relating to current political events. l

DT

WORLD 9

FRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2015

French minister urges UberPOP ban as taxi protest blocks airports n Reuters, Paris

French riot police push an overturned car as striking French taxi drivers demonstrate at the Porte Maillot to block the traffic on the Paris ring road during a national protest against car-sharing service Uber, in Paris, France yesterday. French taxi drivers stepped up protests against US online cab service UberPOP, blocking road access to airports and train stations in Paris and other cities REUTERS

Palestinians submit first case material against Israel to Hague court n Reuters, The Hague The Palestinian Authority made its first submission of evidence of alleged Israeli war crimes to the International Criminal Court yesterday, trying to speed up an ICC inquiry into abuses committed during last year’s Gaza conflict.

The move may leave Israel in a quandary since it must decide whether to cooperate with the ICC investigation or find itself isolated as one of a very few countries that have declined to work with its prosecutors.

Israel denies allegations of war crimes by its forces during the 2014 Gaza war and ac-

cuses Islamist militants who control the Gaza Strip of atrocities in firing thousands of rockets at Israeli population centers.

Standing outside the ICC after meeting the court’s chief prosecutor Fatou Bensouda, Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki said he had submitted dossiers on the Gaza conflict, Israeli settlements on occupied land where Palestinians seek a state, and treatment of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.

“Palestine is a test for the credibility of international mechanisms ... a test the world cannot afford to fail. Palestine has decided to seek justice, not vengeance,” Maliki said.

A ceasefire in August ended 50 days of fighting between Gaza militants and Israel in which health officials said more than 2,100 Palestinians, mostly civilians, were killed. Israel put the number of its dead at 67 soldiers and six civilians. UN investigators said on Monday that Israel and Palestinian militant groups committed grave abuses of international humanitarian law during the conflict that may amount to war crimes.

The Hague-based ICC, with no police force or enforcement powers of its own, is looking into alleged crimes by both sides of the conflict but cannot compel Israel to give it information. l

Sri Lankan soldier handed death sentence for civilian massacre n AFP, Colombo

A Sri Lankan court yesterday handed the death sentence to a soldier convicted of slitting the throats of eight Tamil civilians, including four children, during the island’s separatist war.

Sergeant Sunil Ratnayake was ordered hanged over the massacre in 2000 of the ethnic minority Tamils who had returned to their bombed out homes on the northern Jaffna peninsula to try to salvage their belongings.

Ratnayake is said to have slit the throats of the eight, including the children, a five-year-old and three teenagers, before

burying them in a mass grave, according to prosecutors.

The High Court in Colombo acquitted four other soldiers yesterday over the killings, citing a lack of direct evidence, court officials said.

Soldiers are rarely tried in civilian courts in Sri Lanka. The military has faced international condemnation for alleged atrocities committed during the decades-long conflict that ended in 2009 when the military crushed Tamil rebels.

Sri Lanka has some 300 prisoners technically on death row, but there is an unofficial moratorium on capital punishment and authorities have not carried out

an execution since 1976.

President Maithripala Sirisena came to power in January promising reconciliation and accountability for abuses during the war, including allegations that up to 40,000 civilians were killed in the final phase.

During the trial, prosecutors alleged the five soldiers had arrested the civilians in December 2000 in their village before carrying out the killings.

One of the civilians survived the attack and raised the alarm, triggering a military investigation and the suspension of Ratnayake’s entire unit of soldiers. Five were later indicted in 2003. l

France’s interior minister called for a nationwide legal clampdown on UberPOP yesterday, siding with taxi drivers who blockaded major transport hubs in angry protests against the US online ridesharing service.

Arguing that the service represented unfair competition, cabbies blocked roads to the French capital’s Charles de Gaulle (CDG) and Orly airports, prompting operator Aeroports de Paris to warn travellers to use local train services.

“Access by road is completely blocked,” the company said on its website. “The only way to get to CDG is (by train).”

French TV showed images of burning tires blocking part of the ring road around Paris, overturned vehicles, and scuffles between cabbies and other drivers. Police in riot gear at one point intervened using tear gas.

Cabbies set up barriers around Marseilles and Aix-en-Provence in southeast France, including at motorway exits, and blocked access to train stations in the two cities.

In a toughening of the French stance, Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve ordered Paris police to issue a decree banning the activity of UberPOP, “given the serious public order disturbances and development of this illegal activity.”

He also ordered local police chiefs and prosecutors to clamp down on what he said was a failure by Uber to pay social and tax charges in France.

Uber spokesman Thomas Meister accused Cazeneuve of over-riding the normal legal process. “The way things work in a state of law is that it’s for the justice to judge whether something is legal or illegal,” he said. l

India, China pledge nearly $1.5 billion in Nepal quake aid n Reuters, Kathmandu

India and China pledged nearly $1.5 billion in aid for earthquake reconstruction in impoverished Nepal yesterday, as the Asian giants try to help it back on its feet and expand influence in the buffer state.

Two quakes, on April 25 and May 12, killed 8,832 people, injured more than 22,000 and forced tens of thousands into temporary shelters. Nepal’s government has estimated the cost of recovery at over $6.6 billion, equivalent to one third of its gross domestic product.

India offered $1 billion and Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj told a donors’ conference that a quarter would be in the form of grants and was over and above India’s existing aid pledges to Nepal. The rest would be loans.

“This takes our total assistance to Nepal over the next five years to $2 billion,” she said.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi pledged $483 million to help Nepal rebuilt after the quake, saying it wanted to focus on sustainable development of the Himalayan nation.

“China will help Nepal in every way it can ... to promote its socio-economic development,” Wang said. l

DT

10 WORLD

FRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2015

Pakistan heatwave deaths pass 1,000 n AFP, Karachi

The death toll from Pakistan’s killer heatwave rose past 1,000 yesterday, with more fatalities expected, as cloud cover and lower temperatures brought some relief to the worst-hit city Karachi.

Morgues and gravediggers in Karachi, Pakistan’s largest city and economic hub, have

struggled to keep up with the flow of bodies since the scorching temperatures began last weekend. Hospitals have been on a crisis footing and dedicated heatstroke treatment centres have been set up around the city to treat the tens of thousands affected by heatstroke and dehydration.

“The death toll is more than 1,000 and it may reach up to 1,500,” Anwar Kazmi, a

spokesman for the Edhi Foundation, Pakistan’s largest welfare charity and a leading provider of emergency medical care in Karachi, told AFP. According to figures collected by AFP from hospitals around the city, a total of 1,079 people have died as a result of the heatwave.

Karachi hospitals have treated nearly 80,000 people for the effects of heatstroke and

dehydration, according to medical officials.

After days of temperatures hovering at highs in the mid-40s Celsius (around 110 Fahrenheit), sea breezes and cloud cover have brought some respite to the port city in the last two days.

The Met Office forecast temperatures of around 34 degrees Celsius on Thursday, with 75 percent cloud cover. l

DT

EDITORIAL 11

FRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2015

INSIDE

Does the gender budget empower women?

It is important to have a gender-responsive budget to utilise resources to reduce the gender gap in various sectors PAGE 12

A Westminster-type democracy?

While political power has practically see-sawed between the BNP and the AL, the pattern of their rule has remained the same

PAGE 13

BIGSTOCK

China’s southern Silk Route plan shows the way ahead

W Are we there yet?

The problem of traffic is not going to go away by itself. As people buy more vehicles and neglect public transportation, our streets will only grow more crowded PAGE 14

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

Send us your Op-Ed articles:

opinion.dt@dhakatribune. com www.dhakatribune.com Join our Facebook community: https://www.facebook. com/DhakaTribune

e welcome the Chinese proposal to establish a high speed railway link between Kunming and Kolkata via Chittagong and Dhaka.

The high speed route supported by the Yunnan provincial government has huge potential to boost trade among all the nations of the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar (BCIM) corridor.

By connecting Yunan with Chittagong, which lies 700km closer to the major Southern Chinese city than the nearest Chinese port, the 2,800 km rail route would be a game-changer in connecting the South West of China with the economies of South Asia and South East Asia.

Bangladesh should respond pro-actively to this proposal which is underpinned by the large pledges China has made to commit $40bn to develop Silk Route proposals and invest $50bn in the AIIB. The link would provide a strong fillip to trade and help the country attract the new investment it needs to advance on the government’s target of securing 7% GDP growth.

As Bangladesh lies at the crossroads of South and South-East Asia, and has a large growing market of its own, it has much to gain by developing this new economic corridor.

For Bangladesh to take advantage of the opportunities offered by the proposal, the government needs a long term vision to boost investment in infrastructure.

We should be pressing ahead with improving connectivity within our own borders by investing in faster railways and roads and pursuing plans to build a new deep sea port to help drive growth.

China’s plans to boost connectivity and its offer to invest in a new railway link between Dhaka and Chittagong, can all help to support a better vision for Bangladesh. We cannot afford to miss out on the mutual gains that such infrastructure investment can bring.

The link would provide a strong fillip to trade and help the country attract the new investment it needs to advance on the government’s target of securing 7% GDP growth

DT

12 OPINION

FRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2015

BIGSTOCK

Does the gender budget empower women? n Nazneen Ahmed

A

few days back, I attended a program called Policy Breakfast organised by the National Democratic Institute (NDI) Dhaka office where I had to take part in a debate on whether or not the gender budget is empowering women in Bangladesh.

While preparing myself for that event, I cast a renewed look on the impact of having had a gender budget in Bangladesh for the last six years. Exploring various documents and data, it became clear to me that a gender budget by itself cannot ensure the empowerment of women in Bangladesh.

The gender budget was first announced by the finance minister during the budget speech of financial year 2009-10. At the time, it covered only for four ministries. The gender budget report for the coming year, 2015-16, covers 39 ministries and two government divisions. The reason behind this announcement of the gender budget was to identify the level of gender-responsiveness of the national budget.

It is again important to have a gender responsive budget to utilise resources to reduce the gender gap in various sectors including education, health, nutrition, participation in labour force, wage, inheritance rights etc.

Thus, it is envisaged that identification of gender sensitivity of various government projects and program activities would help to channel resources and to meet vital gender needs.

Therefore, it is expected that the gender budget will not only identify gender responsiveness of resources in the true sense but also detect the problems of achieving the goal of eradicating gender gap and taking the initiative to reallocate resources according to the findings. In this process, it is expected that there will be no gender gap in opportu-

nities and output, which will go a long way to empower women socially and economically.

As a result, the country will also benefit from utilising the female population in a more productive way.

It needs to be mentioned here that the gender budget is not actually a separate allocation, it is just a separate analysis and calculation of part of the national budget from the viewpoint of gender sensitivity of, or gender coverage of, various development and non-development activities of the government. So it is only a tool to understand and raise awareness regarding the gender responsive policies and programs, many of which are necessary for the empowerment of women.

has gradually increased over the last decade.

The Labour Force Survey (LFS) data reveals a number of gender discrepancies.

The size of the female labour force has more than doubled from 1999-2000 to 2010, from 8.6 million to 17.2 million, respectively.

In spite of the increase in the labour force, with the participation rate of women increasing from 23.9% in 1999-2000 to 36% in 2010, the relative rate remains quite low.

Only about 36% of women (of 15 years and above) participate in the labour force compared to about 82.5% of men. The unemployment rate among women is much higher than that of men: 5.8% compared to 4.1%. Moreover, women are mostly engaged in unpaid family work. Among 11.8 million

It is important to have a gender-responsive budget to utilise resources to reduce the gender gap in various sectors, including education, health, inheritance rights

However, just separately reporting allocation of resources on the basis of gender can hardly address the root elements of empowering women in Bangladesh. What is needed is focused policies and programs for women and their implementation with good governance.

The most important route to making women empowered is their economic empowerment. In Bangladesh, women largely remain outside the labour force, though women’s participation in direct economic activities

unpaid family workers, 9.1 million are women. Therefore, we need more investment in education, training, and health of women, so that their participation in remunerative employment increases.

Many elements which are the main obstacles for women empowerment in Bangladesh are rooted in the mindset of people towards gender roles and a lack of awareness. Even at the presence of resources and policies, women may remain reluctant towards economic

or political empowerment, if the mindsets of both men and women remain unchanged.

Under the refinancing scheme of the Bangladesh Bank, credit for small and medium-sized entrepreneurs is available at a lower interest rate, and 15% of the credit is supposed to be sanctioned to women for the participating commercial banks to get concessional interest rates.

It is interesting to note that even after this opportunity, the banks often fail to fulfill the target of 15% female borrowers. The root cause behind this is the mindset. Many women consider business to be a difficult job -- they lack training, they have limited access to information, and also they do not have a supporting family environment. Until these deficiencies are addressed with proper programs, a separate gender budget report will be meaningless.

The current process of developing a gender budget has a number of shortcomings. It is not transparent how the gender impact of various budget allocations is calculated. In most cases, 50% of the beneficiaries of a program are claimed to be female. But in most of the cases, it appears to be calculated on an ad hoc basis.

Without changing the current administrative structure and process of developing the gender budget, we cannot expect much from it. Moreover, till date, there is no monitoring of the gender budget to investigate whether or not various programs mentioned in it were successful in achieving any sort of impact.

Thus, what we need are gendersensitive policies and programs, and proper implementation. The gender budget is necessary but not sufficient for women empowerment. l Nazneen Ahmed is a Senior Research Fellow, Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS).

DT

OPINION 13

FRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2015

A Westminster-type democracy? n Brig Gen (Retd) Shamsuddin Ahmed

P

rime Minister Sheikh Hasina, during her recent visit to the UK, said Bangladesh was following the Westminster type of democracy, ie the British model. She also said it was a difficult job following such a style of democracy, and that we were improving, but gradually. She made these observations at a reception at the office of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, UK Chapter, at the British parliament, on June 15.

Now, this sort of statement by our visiting prime minister may have gone down well with the people of Great Britain, who may not know exactly how democracy is functioning here in Bangladesh.

But can the democracy-loving people of Bangladesh take to heart what our prime minister had said?

True, soon after our independence in 1971, we opted for parliamentary democracy and the government, headed by Bangabandhu as prime minister, was something this nation was proud of. Here was the man we loved and admired for having led us to our freedom and independence. Here was the man who epitomised democracy and the democratic aspirations of our people. Here was the man who came back to freedom from captivity in Pakistan.

But the euphoria did not last long. Barely three years of democracy, and our leading players in politics grew wary of it. Ironically, it was Bangabandhu who soon got disenchanted with democracy and who drove the first nail in its coffin by introducing BAKSAL, a one-party rule. He became the most powerful individual in the country, with all the powers the state could bestow upon a ruler. Then followed a nightmarish and tragic interregnum.

Finally, with the fall of Lt Gen HM Ershad, the despicable autocrat and impostor, in December 1990, a new era of politics began, with parliamentary democracy being institutionalised once again in this country. It has been more than two decades now since our second journey on the road to democracy began.

But sadly enough, democracy has remained a far cry in this godforsaken country. While political power has practically see-sawed between the BNP and the AL -- the pattern of their rule has remained the same.

While in power, both have preferred to rule the country like Ershad had done for nine long years. All sane voices of dissent have been systematically stifled. Both have demonstrated sheer arrogance of power and a pathological distaste for rule of law and functioning democratic institutions. They have politicised, by turn, the police, the civil bureaucracy, the Election Commission , the Public Service Commission, and even the judiciary.

While in power, both have tried to whittle down the opposition to the extent that it becomes so effete that it can never challenge the government, either in the parliament or on the streets. While out of power, both have gone flat out in destabilising the country through repeated hartals and agitations on the streets.

How similar is our democracy to Great Britain’s?

REUTERS

Sadly enough, democracy has remained a far cry in this country. While political power has practically see-sawed between the BNP and the AL, the pattern of their rule has remained the same

Both have sought to render the parliament dysfunctional by continuous boycott of parliamentary sessions for months and years, without forsaking their perks and privileges, including pay and allowances.

The present government is indeed a queer Westminster-type democracy that she has laboured hard to improve upon. It came into being following the January 5 parliamentary election in 2014, which was boycotted not

only by the BNP-led alliance, but by all the opposition political parties.

In 153 constituencies in a 400-seat parliament, voters did not have to cast their votes to elect their representatives because the ALled alliance had put up a single candidate in each of these constituencies, and they were declared elected, unopposed, by the EC. The magic figure of 153 MPs elected unopposed cannot but raise curiosity because a political

party needs just about 151 MPs to form the government.

The election in the remaining constituencies was marred by various irregularities and a very low turnout of voters for obvious reasons. The election apart, the government has an array of unelected advisers enjoying status and privileges of cabinet ministers. Besides, the parliament puts forward the Jatiya Party as an opposition party, led by Ershad, sharing power with the government.

While Rowshan Ershad enjoys the status of the leader of the opposition in the parliament, three Jatiya Party MPs are cabinet ministers.

Ershad himself is a special envoy of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, enjoying the status and privileges of a cabinet minister. The Jatiya Party is reportedly clamouring for more seats in the cabinet.

It is indeed a queer version of democracy. l Brig Gen Shamsuddin Ahmed (Retd) is a former Military Secretary to the President of Bangladesh.

DT

14 OPINION

FRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2015

Are we there yet? n Salman Mehedy Titas

I

know there are many who fear being stabbed in a dark alley, or shot down in broad daylight, or being run over by a speeding vehicle -- but not me. I can say for certain that it will be traffic jams which will bring about my death. I fear that I’ll die waiting in the streets.

In an age where life is speeding past us and we’re struggling to barely hold on, our roads aren’t much help. I bet turtles can move faster. Forever packed with immobile cars, buses, and motorcycles, one could question whether these are roads or parking lots. I know I can never be certain, when I’m waiting in line, holding my breath, when I’ll move by a foot.

Traffic jams are nothing foreign to the world -- they are present in every country.

For most countries, they are occasional inconveniences, but in Bangladesh, the problem is an integral part of daily life. We deal with it by normalising it. In fact, we have accepted it to such an extent that it is impossible to think about Bengali life without thinking about the traffic. I think it’s more appropriate to say I live on the road, rather than at a particular address when asked, because it seems that is where I spend most of my time.

The problem of traffic is not going to go away by itself. As people buy more vehicles and neglect public transportation, our streets will only grow more crowded

But enough complaining. It seems that nowadays all we do is complain. Complaining about how our roads have become the major obstacles in our modern lives, or how the government is failing to improve this will not get us anywhere -- regardless of how entertaining we find. Everyone has a share in the blame, but dishing it out will not solve our problems. For that, we have to find the roots of the problem.

I’ll refrain from bringing in the common “poor road and city construction” argument.

That might be true, but arguing about it will not give us better roads. Until someone finds a way to raze the entire city and rebuild it without any collateral damage, we’re stuck with what we have.

Love me or hate me for saying this, but rickshaws are not part of the bigger problem.

I’m not saying that rickshaws are innocent. Every now and then, we can find one blocking a part of a road here, or taking a crazy turn there. They might have their share of the blame, but they cannot be called the major contributor.

Another group often framed for this

problem is public transport -- how old and large vehicles are killing our streets. The real culprit is private transportation. If you take a look at any photograph displaying traffic jams, what you’ll see is that the ratio of public transport to private transport is approximately 1 to 25. You’re lucky if you can find a bus -- which has empty seats -- in the swarm.

It is difficult to explain how this situation has developed. People believe there are many advantages of private transport over public transport. For one, it gives you the privacy of your very own box, away from the venomous stare of the world. Private cars tend to have air conditioners, available in only a few buses. Besides, there are also the bragging rights that come along with the ownership of your very own car, which public transports cannot dream of providing.

It seems that the reasons mentioned above outweigh the negative factors, such as increasing traffic jams, contributing to climate change, making lives slow and miserable, etc.

Owning a private vehicle is not necessarily a bad thing. But when we use that vehicle every single day, contributing to the buildup of traffic jams, we are at fault.

I do not take any particular pleasure in accusing my readers of being spoilt or being braggarts, so forgive me if I break a few hearts. But if we all were to avoid using private transport for every daily task -- such as going to school, work, or grocery shopping -- we would all be heroes. Not only would we be saving Bangladesh a lot of trouble, we would also be fighting climate change and save a pretty penny in the process. Public transportation is cheap, and would save us quite a lot of money we would otherwise spend on fuel.

This might sound a little hypocritical of me, considering how I happen to use private transport more often than not. And I’d be lying if I said that I did not enjoy the benefits of private transportation. If I am to be honest, I’ll have to admit that there are many good reasons for avoiding public transport.

For one, the quality of public transport is not at all appealing to the people. Most buses on the street are so battered that one could say they were held together by tape, threatening to fall apart. 20 luxury buses could be afforded and maintained with a 10cr budget, assuming that the money was not eaten away by corruption.

Another reason why people are reluctant to use public transportation is that Bangladesh is not a safe place at all. When you walk around the street, there is the ever-present risk of being mugged, raped, or murdered. People who can afford private transport would rather not take the risk, and unless Bangladesh can be made safer, it is illogical to assume that people will step outside their comfort zones to make the world a better place.

The problem of traffic is not going to go away by itself. As people buy more vehicles and neglect public transportation, our streets will only grow more crowded. There are certain issues that need to be dealt with before we can expect people to accept public transport as ideal. Unless measures are taken, this image of Bangladesh will remain unchanged. l Salman Mehedy Titas is a freelance writer.

Is it fair to say we live on the road?

NASHIRUL ISLAM

16

Greek deal or not, the euro is now a different beast

17

Uncertain future for global diamond trade as profits vanish

19

Stocks finish flat in volatile trading

Proposed export source tax likely to be reduced n Ibrahim Hossain Ovi

The government is likely to reduce the tax at source to 0.80% from the proposed 1% for the fiscal year 2015-16 for all export oriented industries including the readymade garment.

Officials said the proposed tax could be slashed due to intense opposition by different quarters including the RMG industry people.

“The government has been facing huge pressure from different sectors’ people including those of apparel industry to cut the proposed tax at source rate,” said a finance ministry official asking not to be named.

He said the tax could be cut to 0.80% from the proposed 1%, which would be treated as

Tk62cr stamp duty exempted for Summit 341MW power project n Tribune Report The government has exempted Tk62.25 crore as stamp duty on registration of finance documents signed between Summit Bibiyana II Power Company Limited (SBIIPCL) and three global lenders for implementation of a 341MW gas-fired combined cycle power plant in Sylhet.

The Internal Resources Division (IRD) on June 24 gave the remission of Tk62,25,35,720 on stamp duty.

The lenders are IFC, ADB and IDB. IRD Joint Secretary Parvin Banu signed the gazette notification that has remitted the duty on instruments and deeds registered between the company and the lenders.

Summit is implementing the plant - one of the largest independent power producer projects at Nabiganj Thana in Hobiganj District.

According to three separate finance agreements signed on June 2, the lenders will provide $210 million - IFC $75 million, ADB $75 million and IDB $60 million. The tenure of the direct loans, which are the largest amount given to a Bangladeshi project is 14 years.

China Northeast Electric Power Engineering and Service Company will carry out operations and maintenance of the plant while Brac Bank will oversee the account and security of international financing transaction.

The construction of the power plant, which will produce around 2,500 GW-hours of power annually, is scheduled to be completed by October 2015. l

the final tax liability for all export-based industrial sectors.

Finance Minister AMA Muhith, in his budget speech on June 4 at Parliament, proposed the uniform rate of tax.

Currently, the clothing industry owners pay 0.30% tax at source, while the other export-oriented industries including jute products, frozen foods, leather goods and packed foods pay 0.60% tax.

“The government should treat tax at source as the final tax liability for all export-based sectors, if it is set at 0.80%,” Shahidullah Azim, vice president of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association, told the Dhaka Tribune.

He said the country’s export-oriented sectors, especially the RMG, were facing difficulties to run the business as euro was devalued

against dollar and supply chain was broken during three-month political unrest since the beginning of this year.

“If the proposed tax at source is implemented, it will increase production cost and reduce competitiveness in the global market,” said the RMG industry association leader.

Shafiul Islam Mohiuddin, senior vice president of FBCCI, also urged the government to change the tax at source proposal in the budget taking the country’s present situation into account.

The country’s apex trade body leader said if the export-oriented sectors could flourish, the government would get more tax indirectly.

He stressed that many small and medium entrepreneurs, which were struggling to survive, needed support from the government. l

Indian firm BARSYL may get work of Kulaura-Shahbazpur rail rehabilitation project n Asif Showkat Kollol and Sohel Mamum

The cabinet committee on public purchase is going to approve a proposal to rehabilitate of 51.5km Kulaura-Shahbazpur section of Bangladesh Railway.

The railway ministry’s proposal under India’s $1bn credit line will be placed before the committee on Wednesday, said ministry sources.

Indian rail construction firm Balaji Railroad Systems Ltd (BARSYL) will implement the project.

“Kulaura-Shahbazpur railway section rehabilitation project will be redesigned and remodelled under the Indian credit line,” project director M Shaidul Islam told Dhaka Tribune yesterday.

He said the project implementation cost would increase because of developing double-line rail track and expansion of six stations along with the Kulaura-Shahbazpur section.

Kulaura-Shahbazpur project works will end in 2019, he said.

Meanwhile, a shortlist of companies has been prepared to appoint as project management consultant.

A total of six Indian companies have submitted expression of interest for the task while the proposal evaluation committee

shortlisted four firms.

They are BARSYL, STUP Consultant Pvt Ltd, Aarvee Associates and TATA Consulting Engineers Ltd. Later, three companies except Tata Consulting Engineers submitted the technical and financial proposal.

From the proposal, only BARSYL gets responsive as the consultant as the rest of the two companies were made non-responsive for selecting same persons as deputy team leader (national).

The evaluation committee’s later proposed the deal at the rate of Tk23.68 crore for hiring the consultant firm.

Of the amount, around Tk18.95 crore is the negotiated deal rate and around Tk4.74 crore is from income tax and value added tax.

After the commissioning of the line, an important connectivity between Sylhet, Comilla and Indian state of Assam will be re-established, officials expected.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi jointly laid the foundation stone of the project during the latter’s recent visit to Dhaka. l

20

DT

Business

15

FRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2015

Cotton trousers prices in US market down by 41%

Forex reserves hit new record of $25bn mark n Tribune Report The country’s foreign exchange reserves crossed $25bn mark yesterday, setting a new record.

“Forex reserves reached a new height, thanks to the stable inflow of remittance and export growth,” said Kazi Sayedur Rahman, general manager of Forex Reserves and Treasury Management Department of Bangladesh Bank.

The reserves, which had earlier crossed $24bn mark for the first time in April this year, are currently strong enough to meet the country’s import bills for seven months.

Foreign-exchange reserves also surged over $23bn in February and in March.

Currently, Bangladesh is ranked second in South Asia in forex reserves, right behind India.

Stable remittance inflow is considered to be the major contributor to the recent reserves hike.

Foreign-exchange reserves also surged over $23bn in February and in March

Remittance inflow in Bangladesh is expected to see a record rise this year in the wake of recent reopening of labour market by Saudi Arabia and global economic recovery, says a World Bank report.

Shedding a negative trend for more than a year, remittance inflow in the country rebounded from the middle-eastern countries in the last nine months, thanks to the reopening of manpower market for Bangladeshi workers in some Gulf nations after seven years.

Remittance inflow rose by 7.6% in the first nine months of current fiscal year.

During the same period in last fiscal year, the country experienced a fall of 13% in remittance earning.

The country received a remittance of $6.68bn in July to March of 2014-15 fiscal year from the gulf countries compared to $6.21bn in the same period of 2013-14 fiscal year, according to the Bangladesh Bank data. l

DT

16 BUSINESS

FRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2015

Greek deal or not, the euro is now a different beast n

Reuters, London

By invoking a Greek euro exit as a possible outcome of failed bailout negotiations, European governments have effectively rewritten a key tenet of the shared currency - and maybe even for the better.

Deal or no deal on staving off Greek default or ‘Grexit’, euro governments have talked openly for the first time of how Greece could slide uncontrollably out of the currency bloc if it failed to agree bailout terms and meet debt payments.

Of course, all insisted that keeping Greece in the bloc was still ‘Plan A’ at least. But the signaling was clear for all who wanted to hear: failure to reach a deal could reverse the ‘irrevocably fixed exchange rates’ of European Union Treaties into something that was, after all, revocable.

The message was certainly clear to Greek depositors, who have withdrawn tens of billions of euros from banks this year and more than 4bn euros last week alone.

And while German Chancellor Angela Merkel has studiously avoided talking of a Greek exit, her hawkish finance minister Wolfgang Schaueble made clear on a number of occasions that this was still a potential, if undesirable, outcome.

“We can’t rule it out,” he said in March, when asked if Greece could accidentally slide out of the euro.

Closer to the EU centerground, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, a founding father of the euro, said Grexit was not on the table but that he couldn’t “pull a rabbit out of a hat” to prevent it.

Smaller countries bailed out along with Greece five years ago spoke likewise. Irish finance minister Michael Noonan said euro leaders had gone as far as they could to prevent Grexit. “The option now is to prepare for Plan B.” While talk of an accidental Greek exit may have been a negotiating bluff never truly contemplated by European Union leaders, others claim powerful voices argued that a euro without Greece may be better off and that the rest of the zone could survive the divorce.

Either way, the message from European capitals was a far cry from European Central Bank chief Mario Draghi’s defiant 2012 speech on doing “whatever it takes” to safeguard the euro.

And the change of tone is important way beyond the Greek brinkmanship.

Reversible?

If it’s now conceivable that Greece could leave the bloc when push comes to shove, then it has to be at least theoretically possible for any euro member to go - however low the chances or unlikely the circumstances.

And this matters because of the way investors behaved in decade leading up to 2008, where the seeds of the crisis were sown in the huge buildup of banking, household, corporate and public debts across the currency zone when benchmark borrowing rates collapsed to Germany’s ‘risk free’ rate.

In effect, private creditors saw no difference in risk between sovereign credits and were lending to all countries at ludicrously low rates regardless of government balances,

A picture illustration shows the Euro currency logo reflected in a person’s eye, in the central Bosnian town of Zenica REUTERS default possibilities, political or redenomination risks.

Once the Lehman crisis hit and later when Greece revealed its public accounts hole in 2010, investors raced to the other extreme, ballooning bond spreads, forcing serial bailouts and threatening the collapse of the whole bloc.

If neither peak nor trough seemed terribly well thought through, there are reasonable questions over political messages that bordered on guarantees and unreasonable ‘certainties’.

The ECB’s interventions since 2012, its backstops, liquidity injections and this year’s quantitative easing program, have helped to collapse spreads once again in recent years.

Yet few think a return to pre-2008 spreads makes any more sense than it did back then.

“There are a lot of idiots in financial markets: I don’t believe in rational markets. The idea that people were lending money on that scale to Greeks at German interest rates - they wanted their heads examined,” former UK fi-

nance minister and pro-EU Conservative Ken Clarke told the BBC on Monday.

Investors counter that they were simply taking the irreversibility of euro membership on the word of its designers and assumed, as proved at least partly correct over 2010-13, that bailouts would prevent sovereign default within the bloc.

University College Dublin professor Karl Whelan argues there was never a strict ‘no bailout’ clause in euro treaties to begin with and, despite all the political rhetoric, financial rescues were always possible in extremis.

Markets opted to believe politicians about ‘no exit’ but saw through the ‘no bailout’ line and assumed the sheer political will behind the euro would trump all. Given the disastrous consequences, the political message needs a rewrite.

And if these Greek talks have ushered in a new world where exit and default are no longer unthinkable, bond investors will simply have to work harder on risk assessment. l

UN forecasts rebound in global investment flows this year n AFP, Geneva Global foreign direct investment is expected to rebound in 2015 after falling 16% last year due to a fragile world economy and political and military crises, the UN said Wednesday.

FDI flows worldwide dropped to $1.23tn (about 1.1tn euros) in 2014, largely due to shaky investor confidence, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) said in its annual report.

The past year saw an unprecedented rise in conflicts, according to the UN, including the Ukraine conflict which pitted Russia against the West in the worst post-Cold War standoff.

But flows to developing nations reached their highest level at $681bn - a two percent rise, the World Investment Report 2015 said.

China, the world’s second biggest economy, drew a total of $129.6bn of FDI in 2014, it said.

“I think foreign direct investment will continue to grow steadily,” Shen Danyang, ministry spokesman, said recently.

Asia drew a total of $465bn in FDI, the report said.

The biggest recipients of overseas investment after China were Hong Kong at $103bn, the United States at $92bn, followed by Britain, Singapore, Brazil, Canada, Australia, India and the Netherlands.

The report however forecast an 11% rise in FDI this year to $1.4tn, spurred by higher investments by multinational organisations.

“Expectations are for further rises to $1.5tn in 2016 and to $1.7tn in 2017,” it said.

“The share of MNEs (multinational enterprises) intending to increase FDI expenditures over the next three years (2015–2017) rose from 24 to 32%,” it said.

But it also warned that the projected recovery could be upset by a number of economic and political risks, “including ongoing uncertainties in the eurozone, potential spillovers from conflicts, and persistent vulnerabilities in emerging economies.”

FDI flows to developed countries fell 28% last year to $499bn, UNCTAD said, adding that flows to Europe dropped 11%.

The report said overseas direct investments in services had grown steadily over the past decade due to increasing liberalisation of the sector.

“In 2012, services accounted for 63% of global FDI stock, more than twice the share of manufacturing,” it said, adding that the primary sector represented less than 10 percent of the total.

The report noted that there was a worldwide trend to tailor policies to attract investment with measures to ease red tape and other irritants and boost investor confidence.

“In 2014, more than 80 percent of investment policy measures aimed to improve entry conditions and reduce restrictions,” it said.

“A focus was investment facilitation and sector-specific liberalisation (for example in infrastructure and services),” it added.

UNCTAD said another significant shift was the increase in investment between developing countries over the last 10 years, adding that this now comprised over a third of global flows.

“The largest outward investing economies include Brazil, China, Hong Kong (China), India, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Singapore, South Africa and Taiwan,” it said. l

DT

BUSINESS 17

FRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2015

Uncertain future for global diamond trade as profits vanish n Reuters, Tel Aviv The family businesses that make up the global diamond trade have seen their profits wiped out over the past five years, hit by shaky financing, increased costs and uncertain demand from customers who prefer hitech gadgets to bling.

Manufacturers who cut and polish diamonds have found themselves caught between giant mining companies charging high prices for rough stones, and big retail chains that demand gems at low margins to keep sales moving.

While the $80bn overall spent on diamond jewelry last year was a record, the manufacturers are expected to share a profit of just $100m in 2015. That is half last year’s total and down from $900m in 2010, according to Chaim Even-Zohar of Tacy Ltd and Pranay Narvekar of Pharos Beam in Mumbai, two of the industry’s top consultants.

Even-Zohar estimated that 300,000 Chinese and Indian workers had been laid off out of nearly 1 million employed in gemcutting in those two countries, where most manufacturing takes place.

“The rule of supply and demand doesn’t necessarily apply to the diamond sector,” said Yoram Dvash, a high-end polisher in Israel who outsources his rough stones to smaller Israeli polishers.

Over the past year he has been sending his subcontractors 20% less volume.

“Manufacturing is not just work, it’s out of love - taking the rough stones, with all their odd shapes, and bringing out the most precious thing in the world. But this love costs a lot of money. And rough prices have been going up and up with no connection to demand.”

In the longer term, the industry needs to sustain consumer demand at a time when the prized possession of many people with disposable income is more likely to be a smartphone than a piece of jewelry. The hottest wristwatch this year does not have diamonds on its face - it has an Apple touch screen.

“Have you ever heard of a 20-year-old standing outside a store all night to buy jewelry?” Ernest Blom, president of the World Federation of Diamond Bourses, asked delegates at an industry conference at a Tel Aviv luxury hotel.

“I haven’t,” he answered. “We have fallen behind the times.”

Last month, the leading mining companies formed a Diamond Producers Association with a focus on stimulating consumer demand. But its annual budget is just $6m, which many delegates at the conference said was not enough.

High cost miners

The manufacturers and dealers depend on just a handful of miners, which control most of the world’s diamond production and say they have had no choice but to pass on high costs further down the supply chain.

No major deposits have been discovered in about two decades. The miners say they are

investing heavily to keep supplies coming.

Production in 2013 was down 26% since 2005, although estimates suggest it has risen slightly since.

De Beers, a unit of South Africa’s Anglo-American which is the market leading diamond miner in terms of value, says current projects are costing it more than $3bn.

Russia’s Alrosa, the world’s top producer by volume, just finished building three underground mines at $1bn each.

De Beers acknowledged that high costs for rough diamonds were forcing changes on gemcutters.

“Overall, this trend is expected to affect the way the industry operates,” De Beers said a 2014 report. Less well-established midstream companies may have to close, it said, forcing a consolidation in the market.

Martin Rapaport, whose Rapaport Group is the primary source of diamond price information, said the miners had taken an unsustainable short-term approach by charging high prices.

When polishers and traders can no longer afford to buy rough diamonds, De Beers and Alrosa will suffer. To prevent this, they will have to lower prices, and “no longer make windfall profits,” he said.

De Beers has already reduced its output forecast for 2015 because of weaker demand.

Alrosa’s prices have fallen 6 percent this year.

Alrosa President Andrey Zharkov told Reuters the price drop “will help the manufacturers have enough oxygen in order to generate profits and keep consuming”. Nevertheless, the company said it still sees prices rising later this year.

Retail consolidation

Manufacturers’ margins are also being squeezed by retailers, including big chains that have been consolidating to cut costs.

Last year, the two largest US mid-tier jewelry store chains combined, with Signet Jewelers buying Zale Corp for $1.46bn. Hong Kong’s Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group, the world’s largest retailer by market value, bought USbased Hearts on Fire for $150m.

Even-Zohar said that although overall retail jewelry sales were buoyant, jewelers were now putting fewer and smaller diamonds in their pieces.

“There is little comfort for a diamond manufacturer or trader if the retail jeweler sells more diamond jewelry, when the pieces contain less diamonds. So much for the retail growth figures,” he said.

The low profits make it harder for manufacturers to pay for the financing they need to buy rough diamonds and hold them until they can be sold. Even-Zohar and Narvekar estimate this debt totaled $15.4bn at the end of last year.

The manufacturers service the debt while they work on the diamonds, bearing the risk that prices could fall before they have a finished product to sell. That risk has put off banks, which have cut back lending or pulled out entirely. l

Kuwait expects oil prices to rise further n AFP, Kuwait City Oil prices are expected to extend a rebound thanks to improved global growth, a drop in stockpiles and fewer drilling rigs, Kuwaiti Oil Minister Ali al-Omair said.

“We have reached a stage where a drop in oil prices is unlikely,” he said, cited by the official KUNA news agency on Tuesday night.

The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), which earlier this month left its output target unchanged, has seen a decline in excess crude supply in the international market which will push prices up, Omair said.

There has also been a drop in rig count and crude inventories, he added.

As a result of a production glut and a weak

global economy, crude prices plummeted by more than 60% from June 2014 to January before recovering part of the losses.

Oil prices extended their gains in Asia Wednesday on expectations of a decline in US crude inventories and robust economic data from the eurozone.

US benchmark West Texas Intermediate for August delivery was up 12 cents at $61.13 a barrel and Brent climbed 11 cents to $64.56.

Omair said that the oil sector had requested additional funding of more than one billion dinars ($3.3bn) for the Gulf state’s new refinery after bids by international consortia exceeded budget estimates.

He said that the estimated cost of the 615,000-barrel-per-day (bpd) Al-Zour refinery would now surpass 5bn dinars ($16.5bn), up from the initial cost of $13.2bn. l

DT

18 BUSINESS

FRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2015

News, analysis and recent disclosueres UTTARAFIN: The Board of Directors has recommended 20% cash dividend and 10% stock dividend for the year ended on December 31, 2014. Date of AGM: 29.07.2015, Time: 10:30 AM, Venue: Spectra Convention Centre, House No. 19, Road No. 7, Gulshan-1, Dhaka-1212. Record date: 08.07.2015. The Company has also reported net profit after tax of Tk. 176.51 million, EPS of Tk. 1.55, NAV per Share of Tk. 43.21 and NOCFPS of Tk. 18.93 for the year ended on December 31, 2014 as against Tk. 59.74 million (restated), Tk. 0.52 (restated), Tk. 44.66 (restated) and Tk. 10.14 (restated) respectively for the year ended on December 31, 2013.

OAL: (Q3): The Company has reported its profit after tax Tk. 42.43 million and basic EPS Tk. 0.44 for the 3 (three) months ended on 31 March 2015 (Jan 2015 March 2015) as against profit after tax of Tk. 31.19 million and basic EPS of Tk. 0.32 for the same period of the previous year. It is to be noted that basic EPS has been calculated based on weighted average Pre-IPO paid-up number of shares i.e.

96,910,000 shares for both the periods. However, considering Post-IPO 116,910,000 number of shares the Company s basic EPS for the 3 (three) months ended on 31 March 2015 would be Tk. 0.36. For the period of 9 (nine) months (July 2014 to March 2015) ended on 31 March 2015 profit after tax was Tk. 123.46 million and basic EPS was Tk. 1.27 as against profit after tax of Tk. 96.56 million and basic EPS

of Tk. 1.00 for the same period of the previous year. It is to be noted that the said EPS has been calculated based on weighted average Pre-IPO paid-up number of shares i.e. 96,910,000 shares for both the periods. However, considering Post-IPO 116,910,000 number of shares, Company s basic EPS would be Tk. 1.06 for 9 (nine) months ended on 31 March 2015 (July 2014 to March 2015) and NAV per share would be Tk. 16.31 as on 31 March 2015.

SPCL: The Company has informed that Pertromax Refinery Ltd. (PRL), a subsidiary of Shahjibazar Power Co. Ltd. (SPCL) has entered into a Condensate sale and Purchase Agreement with Rupantarita Prakritik Gas Company Ltd. (RPGCL). The contract shall initially be for two years of validity to supply a total of 1.50 lac Metric Ton condensate to PRL subject to the availability at Ashuganj Condensate Handling Installation of RPGCL. Dividend/AGM NATLIFEINS: 45% cash , AGM: 09.08.2015, Record Date: 30.06.2015.

RUPALILIFE: 10% stock, AGM: 10.08.2015, Record Date: 09.07.2015.

ASIAINS: 10% cash, AGM: 11.07.2015, Record Date: 23.06.2015.

LAFSURCEML: 5% interim cash.

Record date for entitlement of interim dividend: 02.07.2015.

FAMILYTEX: 10% stock dividend, EGM & AGM: 07.08.2015, Record Date: 09.07.2015.

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

Turnover (Volume) Number of Contract

Company Hakkani P& Paper -B Jute SpinnersA Dacca Dyeing-A Samata LeatheR -Z 3rd ICB M F-A Imam Button -Z 2nd ICB M F -A Stylecraft -A 7th ICB M F-A ISN Ltd. -Z

Closing (% Change) 9.89 9.13 7.45 7.37 7.27 6.82 6.26 6.25 5.72 5.21

CSE GAINER Company Hakkani P& Paper -B Dacca Dyeing-A Rangpur Dairy-Z Midas Financing-Z Peoples Insur -A Premier Leasing-Z Sun Life Insurance-N Tosrifa Industries -N Shahjibazar Power-N National Life I -A

Closing (% Change) 9.81 6.83 6.40 6.32 4.83 4.00 3.62 3.54 3.07 2.83

DSE LOSER Company Kay & Que (BD) -Z ICB AMCL 1st NRB -A Asia Insur. Ltd.-A Modern Dyeing -Z BD Fixed Income MF-A R. N. Spinning-Z Sinobangla Indu.-A Eastern Cables-A National Tubes -A Prime Finance-A

Closing (% Change) -6.92 -6.67 -5.73 -5.42 -5.06 -4.42 -3.83 -3.82 -3.73 -3.68

CSE LOSER Company Eastland Insur -A Asia Pasific Insu. -A Imam Button -Z Daffodil Computers -Z 1st ICB M F -A AIMS First -A Monno Ceramic -B PrimeFin. 1st MF-A AMCL 2nd MF-A Janata Insur -A

Closing (% Change) -9.09 -9.04 -6.59 -6.06 -6.05 -5.78 -5.23 -4.13 -4.00 -3.94

SECTORAL TURNOVER SUMMARY

DSE key features June 25, 2015 Turnover (Million Taka)

DSE GAINER

Sector

3,466.22 87,348,957 96,786

Traded Issues

320

Issue Gain (Avg. Price Basis)

92

Issue Loss (Avg. Price Basis)

222

Unchanged Issue (Avg. Price Basis)

6

Market Capital Equity (Billion. Tk.)

2,513.83

Market Capital Equity (Billion US$)

30.47

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 294.27 83.56 24.20 656.76 176.51 445.51 0.85 333.96 662.54 15.93 123.28 49.34 57.57 145.82 22.35 16.76 36.70 99.09 103.34 117.73 0.14

% change 8.49 2.41 0.70 18.95 5.09 12.85 0.02 9.63 19.11 0.46 3.56 1.42 1.66 4.21 0.64 0.48 1.06 2.86 2.98 3.40 0.00

Million Taka 12.40 4.90 1.22 113.28 12.42 24.99 35.88 30.93 4.43 8.56 2.69 2.07 36.26 4.16 0.42 5.25 9.96 12.24 28.35 0.00

Average (% Change) 3.88 11.11 7.32 7.26 6.09 6.13 5.70 5.36 5.20

Average (% Change) 2.50 1.27 4.40 6.42 2.21 4.00 3.29 1.05 2.21 2.24

Average (% Change) -6.06 -6.52 -6.45 -4.71 -4.94 -5.01 -2.93 -3.99 -1.77 -3.44

Average (% Change) -9.09 -9.04 -6.99 -5.27 -6.05 -4.46 -5.30 -10.91 -3.81 -4.23

CSE

ClosingAvg. 46.80 50.00 16.53 20.39 253.60 9.40 281.25 1,108.51 90.61 10.11

ClosingAvg. 46.41 16.77 12.82 10.11 14.82 7.80 31.40 31.88 147.35 176.94

ClosingAvg. 12.10 19.63 14.94 61.56 7.50 24.25 22.84 117.74 101.52 13.19

ClosingAvg. 20.00 15.10 8.51 12.40 1,010.00 26.11 27.18 11.60 4.80 12.23

% change 3.54 1.40 0.35 32.33 3.55 7.13 0.00 10.24 8.83 1.26 2.44 0.77 0.59 10.35 1.19 0.12 1.50 2.84 3.49 8.09 0.00

Closing 47.80 50.20 17.30 20.40 253.70 9.40 281.60 1,113.60 90.50 10.10

Closing 47.00 17.20 13.30 10.10 15.20 7.80 31.50 32.20 147.90 178.00

Closing 12.10 19.60 14.80 61.10 7.50 23.80 22.60 118.20 100.70 13.10

Closing 20.00 15.10 8.50 12.40 1,010.00 26.10 27.20 11.60 4.80 12.20

Million Taka 306.68 88.46 25.42 770.04 188.93 470.50 0.85 369.84 693.47 20.36 131.83 52.02 59.64 182.08 26.51 17.18 41.95 109.05 115.59 146.09 0.14

DHIGH 47.80 50.20 17.70 20.40 256.00 9.40 285.00 1,113.60 93.00 10.50

DHIGH

DLOW 42.00 50.10 15.30 19.00 250.00 9.40 275.00 1,050.00 90.00 9.70

DLOW

47.00 17.60 13.30 9.40 15.20 8.00 31.50 32.70 149.70 178.80

DHIGH

41.00 15.40 12.00 10.40 14.70 7.70 31.00 31.10 144.50 171.00

DLOW

12.10 20.70 15.70 62.00 7.50 25.40 23.80 121.00 106.50 13.60

12.10 19.50 14.20 61.00 7.30 23.60 22.40 115.00 100.10 13.00

DHIGH

DLOW

20.00 15.10 8.60 12.40 1,010.00 26.30 27.40 11.90 4.80 12.30

20.00 15.10 8.20 12.20 1,010.00 26.00 27.00 11.50 4.80 12.10

Total

% change 8.04 2.32 0.67 20.18 4.95 12.33 0.02 9.69 18.17 0.53 3.45 1.36 1.56 4.77 0.69 0.45 1.10 2.86 3.03 3.83 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

7.849 0.015 17.480 0.021 0.317 0.009 0.045 0.521 0.280 0.176

Turnover in Million

0.29 -31.68 0.84 -0.05 19.15 -1.21 34.88 44.44 9.73 0.16

Latest EPS

3.353 1.637 5.622 0.001 0.017 0.012 0.004 13.544 0.438 0.282

Turnover in Million

161.4 -ve 19.7 -ve 13.2 -ve 8.1 24.9 9.3 63.2

Latest PE

0.29 0.84 0.80 -1.55 1.20 0.07 0.00 1.80 8.44 12.46

Latest EPS

0.008 0.429 0.680 0.037 0.030 12.351 7.896 0.551 2.144 7.443

Turnover in Million

Latest PE

160.0 20.0 16.0 -ve 12.4 111.4 17.7 17.5 14.2

Latest PE

0.28 2.61 0.92 0.76 0.51 0.44 0.62 1.12 -1.36 -1.60

Latest EPS

0.000 0.001 0.055 0.013 0.003 0.138 0.005 0.082 0.004 0.043

43.2 7.5 16.2 81.0 14.7 55.1 36.8 105.1 -ve -ve

Latest PE

2.60 2.32 -1.21 0.80 39.55 1.70 0.16 0.40 0.71 0.96

7.7 6.5 -ve 15.5 25.5 15.4 169.9 29.0 6.8 12.7

CSE key features June 25, 2015 Turnover (Million Taka) Turnover (Volume) Number of Contract

350.42 10,843,314 17,690

Traded Issues

231

Issue Gain (Avg. Price Basis)

66

Issue Loss (Avg. Price Basis)

161

Unchanged Issue (Avg. Price Basis)

4

Market Capital Equity (Billion. Tk.)

2,432.78

Market Capital Equity (Billion US$)

29.49

DT

BUSINESS 19

FRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2015

Stocks finish flat in volatile trading n Tribune Report

DSE TURNOVER LEADERS Company Olympic Accessories -N Square Pharma -A Olympic Ind. -A Brac Bank -A AFC AgroBiotech-A LafargeS Cement-A Khulna Power-A SAIF Powertec-N Ifad Autos -N BEXIMCO Ltd. -A

Tosrifa Industries -N UNITED AIR-A Grameenphone-A Beximco Pharma -A RAK Ceramics-A

VolumeShares 8,721,731 742,220 576,870 3,145,766 1,896,870 968,143 1,250,320 959,003 681,445 2,380,485

Value in Million 396.39 190.22 133.16 123.97 114.72 108.42 85.52 81.59 76.32 75.02

% of TotalTurnover 11.44 5.49 3.84 3.58 3.31 3.13 2.47 2.35 2.20 2.16

VolumeShares

Value in Million

% of TotalTurnover

CSE TURNOVER LEADERS Company Olympic Accessories -N LafargeS Cement-A BEXIMCO Ltd. -A Tosrifa Industries -N UNITED AIR-A SAIF Powertec-N BD Submarine Cable-A Beximco Pharma -A Square Pharma -A United Power-N

Khulna Power-A Rangpur Dairy-Z Familytex (BD) Ltd.-A WesternMarine -N BSRM Ltd. -N

2,138,801 7,244,119 190,361 962,321 694,917

1,927,236 317,372 749,834 424,871 1,191,443 87,046 58,219 122,033 26,849 39,549

88,711 438,642 353,713 105,858 65,437

68.41 66.39 61.63 56.69 50.26

87.70 35.38 23.71 13.54 10.99 7.39 7.33 7.16 6.90 6.09

6.06 5.62 5.18 4.62 4.61

1.97 1.92 1.78 1.64 1.45

25.03 10.10 6.77 3.87 3.14 2.11 2.09 2.04 1.97 1.74

1.73 1.60 1.48 1.32 1.32

ClosingP 48.40 258.30 233.30 39.40 61.00 112.40 68.10 84.90 112.20 31.60

32.40 9.20 324.10 60.00 72.60

ClosingP

Change % 0.00 1.41 0.43 3.41 3.92 -1.40 -1.73 1.92 -0.53 -1.25

ClosingY 0.00 254.70 232.30 38.10 58.70 114.00 69.30 83.30 112.80 32.00

DHIGH 49.90 259.00 233.90 39.80 61.50 114.40 69.80 86.20 114.70 32.50

35.00 253.40 230.00 38.40 58.40 111.00 67.60 83.00 109.50 31.10

DLOW

3.85 -3.16 0.22 2.56 0.28

31.20 9.50 323.40 58.50 72.40

32.80 9.50 325.50 60.40 73.00

Change %

ClosingY

DHIGH

48.10 111.60 31.60 32.20 9.20 84.90 125.10 59.90 258.20 152.60

68.10 13.30 14.60 43.60 70.70

0.00 -1.67 -1.25 3.54 -3.16 2.04 -3.62 1.53 1.25 -2.80

-1.87 6.40 -1.35 -1.13 0.00

0.00 113.50 32.00 31.10 9.50 83.20 129.80 59.00 255.00 157.00

69.40 12.50 14.80 44.10 70.70

DLOW

49.80 113.90 32.50 32.70 9.40 86.50 129.50 60.50 258.80 157.00

69.80 13.30 14.80 44.20 71.90

31.10 9.00 322.10 57.60 71.60

38.00 110.40 31.20 31.10 9.10 82.80 124.50 57.70 254.10 152.10

67.70 12.00 14.50 43.20 69.50

AvgPrice 45.45 256.28 230.82 39.41 60.48 111.98 68.40 85.08 112.00 31.51

31.98 9.16 323.77 58.91 72.32

AvgPrice

45.51 111.48 31.63 31.88 9.22 84.85 125.92 58.69 256.91 153.89

68.31 12.82 14.64 43.64 70.50

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

11136.01660

(-) 0.04%

1715.66082

(-) 0.08%

13727.06290

(-) 0.12%

11136.01660

(-) 0.02%

8361.23520

(-) 0.10%

▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼

Stocks finished flat with volatility yesterday, extending their losing streak for the sixth session, as investors adopted continuously cautious mood over dipping declining volume of trade.

After losing more than 30 points in the mid-session, the benchmark of the Dhaka Stock Exchange, DSEX, recovered well and edged almost 2 points lower to close at 4,455.

The Shariah index, DSES, witnessed fractional gain of 0.09 points to 1,092. However, the blue chip comprising index DS30 was marginally down more than 1 points to 1,715. The Chittagong Stock Exchange prime index, CSCX, settled at 8,361, slipping 16 points.

Investors preferred to hold back their investments, pushing the DSE turnover to Tk346 crore, down 7% over the previous day. In its first trading day, Olympic Accessories gained 384% to Tk48.4 a share on its offer value, before rising as high as almost Tk50 and as low as Tk35.

The debutant was the most traded stocks with shares worth nearly Tk40

crore changing hands, accounting for more than 11% of the total turnover. the prices of majority issues declined as out of 318 issues traded on the day, 93 advanced, 172 declined and 53 remained unchanged.

The market went in red immediately after opening, mainly dragged down by cement, mutual fund, power and textile stocks. However, buying interest on banks, non-banking financial institutions and pharmaceutical stocks recovered some losses in the wee hour.

Lanka Bangla Securities said market consistently struggled under selling pressure since it broke the 4500mark and closed on red zone for the sixth successive session.

IDLC Investments said market resumed with investors in selling mode, bringing down indices in the early hours of the session. As time passed by, buyers reemerged in the market mopping up some of the supply, it said.

After Olympic Industries, other top turnover leaders include Square Pharmaceuticals, AFC Agro, Lafarge Surma Cement, Khulna Power Company and Saif Powertech. l

ANALYST

Market consistently struggled under selling pressure since it broke the 4500-mark and closed on red zone for the sixth successive session

DT

20 BUSINESS

FRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2015

Accord to work in accordance with law of the land n Tribune Report The Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh will continue to operate in Bangladesh in accordance with the law of the land.

The Accord came up with the decision at its steering committee meeting held in Dhaka from June 22-24 to discuss about progress and ways forward amongst signatory representatives and key Bangladeshi constituents.

“The steering committee reconfirms its commitment to work together with its company and trade union signatories, RMG factories, and other key constituents to implement the Accord agreement and make RMG factories safe,” said an Accord statement released yesterday.

BGMEA President Atiqul Islam speaks at a programme yesterday to unveil a study report on RMG clothing prices in US market presented by Penn State University Prof Dr Mark Anner DHAKA TRIBUNE

Cotton trousers prices down by 41% in US market in 14 years n Tribune Report The prices of men and boys cotton trousers produced by Bangladeshi RMG factories have gradually declined in US market over the years due to monopsony of the buyers, a study has revealed.

The study on “Prices and Development in the Global Apparel Industry: Bangladesh in Comparative Perspective” revealed the fact.

Mark Anner, associate professor, Penn State University, unveiled his study report at BGMEA headquarters yesterday.

According to the study, prices of men and boys cotton trousers exported to the US market declined by 40.89% in the last 14 years.

The prices of the clothing have been taken into account as Bangladesh is the number one exporter of those items to the US market.

In terms of square metre, China is the second exporter while Mexico is third.

The study was conducted over the prices from 200 to 2014.

“Monopsony helps big buyers put pressure

on reducing prices,” said Mark Anner in his presentation.

The term ‘Monopsony’ refers to a market situation similar to monopoly except that a large buyer not seller controls a large proportion of the market and drives the prices down. Sometimes it is referred to the buyers’ monopoly.

If constantly improved, efficiency on the part of supplier results in constantly reduced prices, then the gains in efficiency will be captured at the top of the supply chain, he added.

Mark suggested sharing information among the market players and advocated for breaking up monopsony that occurs due to unfair competition.

He added that it is necessary to establish coordination among weaker actors to address power imbalance in supply chain.

“The US government has a role to play. It can help increase the prices of Bangladeshi RMG products as the buyers are paying lower prices to the manufacturers and selling the clothing at higher prices to the consumers,” said Nazneen Ahmed, senior research fellow of Bangladesh

Institute of Development Studies (BIDS).

Since consumers are not getting the benefits of buying products at lower prices and the brands are making hefty profits, the US government should take the matter into account and can introduce slab, she added.

Naznin also urged the government not to change the rules of origin for Bangladesh as it would be a big challenge for the country.

“Considering the prevailing situation of the country, the government should revise the proposed source tax,” said FBCCI Senior Vice-President Shafiul Islam Mohiuddin.

If the sector can flourish, the government will get more tax indirectly, he added.

He also said a good number of SME factories are struggling to survive, which need support.

In his address, BGMEA President Atiqul Islam also urged the government to keep source tax at 0.30%.

“We should keep in mind that employment is needed to reach the goal of economic development.” l

Just over two years, since the agreement was signed in 2013, all 1500-plus factories covered under the Accord have been inspected The Accord commitment to work with all the key constituents was reconfirmed in the meetings with the Industriall Bangladesh Council, Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), the International LabourOrganisation, foreign embassies and high commissions and the Accord Advisory Board.

An open and constructive discussion was held with the BMGEA to discuss about their concerns and a mutual commitment was expressed to strengthen the relationship and continue the dialogue in good faith, the Accord said in its statement.

Just over two years, since the agreement was signed in 2013, all 1500-plus factories covered under the Accord have been inspected for fire, electrical and structural safety.

More than one thousand Corrective Actions Plans (CAPs) have been developed and the Accord safety engineers are conducting more than 200 follow-up inspections per month to monitor and verify the remediation.

Accord signatory companies and all factories covered by the Accord need to expedite their efforts to stick to the agreed timelines in the CAPs and ensure that any reasons for delays are taken away. l

US economy contracts mildly in Q1, but growth rebounding n Reuters, Washington The US economy contracted in the first quarter but less than previously estimated as it struggled with bad weather, a strong dollar, spending cuts in the energy sector and disruptions at West Coast ports.

Growth, however, has since rebounded in the second quarter as the temporary drag from unusually heavy snowfalls and the ports dispute faded. Retailers reported strong sales in May and employers stepped up hiring.

Housing is also strengthening and manufacturing activity is beginning to stabilize.

A steadily firming economy could encourage the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates later this year.

The Commerce Department said on Wednesday gross domestic product shrank at a 0.2% annual rate in the January-March quarter instead of the 0.7% pace of contraction it reported last month.

A fairly stronger pace of consumer spending and inventory accumulation than previously estimated accounted for the upward revision to GDP. Business investment spending was less weak than the government had estimated last month.

“These revisions have a marginally positive impact on our view of the second quarter.

Demand is still solid, but the adjustment to the strong dollar has not run its course,” said Nariman Behravesh, chief economist at IHS in Lexington, Massachusetts.

Consumer spending, which accounts for more than two thirds of US economic activity, was raised to a 2.1% growth pace from the 1.8% rate reported in May. With more Americans getting a paycheck and a tightening labor market finally spurring stronger wage growth, consumer spending could accelerate in the second quarter.

Spending could also get a boost from rising household wealth as home prices accelerate.

Personal savings increased at a robust $720.2bn pace in the first quarter.

Though export growth was revised higher, that was offset by an upward revision to imports, leaving a still-large trade deficit that subtracted almost 2 percentage points from GDP. US stocks were trading slightly lower as debt negotiations between Greece and its foreign creditors hit a snag. The dollar was little changed against a basket of currencies, while prices for longer-dated US Treasury debt rose. l

DT

21

FRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2015

T-JUNCTION

A job well done Photo: Shafquat Ameen

INSIDE

22 review

The Pit Grill at a glimpse

22 news

“ICT Accessibility for Personal Disability Challenges and Solutions” seminar

24

Listology

Why are you fasting?

news

Special iftar items at Chiswic

DT

22 T-JUNCTION

Tantalise

FRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2015

The Pit Grill at a glimpse review

A review of Dhaka’s most talked about steak joint

n Chisty Rahim Pit Grill, as you might have already presumed, is all about grilling. Whether it’s a family night out or a dinner date; or simply brunch with few friends, if you fancy the succulence of a perfectly cooked steak, Pit Grill is the place to go.

The rugged wooden seating, plain brick walls, black painted ceiling and customised lights atop each table lends a rough-country look to the joint. This, to me, seemed like the perfect steak house ambiance to dine in.

Since taking my word for it alone won’t suffice, I’d suggest you pay Pit Grill a visit to experience the extravagance first hand.

Having said that, my night out at Pit Grill could not have been better. As soon as I walked in, waiters welcomed me in the most homely manner, escorted me to one of the fine tables and served both me and my friend a glass of watermelon juice and a plate of crispy fries (on the house). Apart from the steaks they also have other grilled items along with chilled beverages and desserts. Read on to find our take on some of their top items.

Cajun grilled shrimp The Cajun grilled shrimp platter consisted of a tantalising combo of cracker-filled diversity making it the ultimate celebration of the tastebuds. It included six king sized fried prawns, crispy potato fries, a side of my choice and a butter lemon sauce that perfectly complimented the platter.

With so many versions of this platter made available to us, only a tasting would allow us to really find out which one suited our taste best. For me this dish was undoubtedly one of the best of the lot.

Even my friend Shafquat seemed lost in the pool of variations, teasing his taste buds by trying different combinations of seafood from the platter.

Entrée Rib eye steak Whether you like your steak with baked or mashed potatoes, French fries or grilled veggies, any side dish compliments their steak perfectly. The chef also ensures that it’s cooked to your personal preference, be it rare, medium-rare or well-done.

When I cut through the 250gm chunk of premium grilled beef, I could already imagine the tender deliciousness of every bite. The meat was cooked to perfection, each bite melting in my mouth. The well seasoned and flavor-filled dish stole the show and made my night, and on my way out I could already see myself planning a second visit just to have the steak once more.

Appetisers

Signature wings and sautéed mushroom Mild, medium, hot, honey basted and lemon pepper - take your pick and wait for a delicious surprise.

The wings, without a doubt, will blow your mind away with its crispy crunchy exterior and juicy, tender insides. The smokey flavoured mushrooms, on the other hand, will take you back to those good old barbeque days. The caramelised onions added just the right amount of sweetness to the dish, making it another must-try item from their menu.

news

“ICT Accessibility for Personal Disability Challenges and Solutions” seminar held at UIU A Seminar on “ICT Accessibility for Personal Disability Challenges and Solutions” was held recently at United International University (UIU) organised by AIMS Lab (Advanced intelligent Multidisciplinary Systems Lab). Prof Dr Chowdhury Mofizur Rahman, pro-vice chancellor, United International University presided over the ceremonies while Dr Ravi Vaidyanathan, senior lecturer in Bio-Mechatronics,

Imperial College, London was present as the Key Note Speaker. Among other, Dr Khondaker A Mamun, director, AIMS Lab and Associate Prof Dept of CSE, UIU was present at the seminar. The talk will review methodologies for the enhancement of engineering (robotic) design based upon biological studies with emphasis on subsystem coupling and systems thinking. Architectures founded

upon biological inspiration will be summarised with specific examples from the speaker’s work, including recent research that has been featured in New Scientist, Flight Global, and The Engineer magazines and on television specials produced by the BBC, Tokyo Broadcasting Systems, and the Discovery Channel. Applications highlighted will include medical and mobile robotic systems including: insectinspired mobile robots, cybernetic robot

Dessert

Oreo cheesecake Home made by a special friend of the chef himself, their Oreo cheesecake is exclusively made and served at the Pit grill. With just the right amount of sweetness, whipped cream on the top, a thick layer of Oreo cheese in the middle and an Oreo base; the cheesecake is the perfect dessert to end the night with.

Pit Grill House # 105, Road # 9/A Dhaka 1205 Dhaka, Bangladesh Ph: +8801974-847455

exoskeletons, and brain-implant and robot interface systems. Different invited guest, students and faculty member were present at the seminar. l

T-JUNCTION 23

DT

Tantalise

FRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2015

Rapid fire with Bappi Rahman During our visit, we had the opportunity to have a quick chat with Bappi Rahman, the chef and owner who shared some of his experiences and future plans with us.

When and how did you first acknowledge your love for gastronomy?

I lived in USA since 1995. My gastronomic journey began with me helping out a cousin of mine, Asif, to open a steak house in Atlanta, Georgia, called Windy City Grill. I consider that experience to be the beginning of my learning curve.

I always loved cooking even though I went to business school there - cooking was my passion. As for steaks: well, it’s my favorite kind of food ever since I remember. I admire the coordination of heat and cooking or shall I say “grilling”, to be exact.

Ahmed and Mahfoz Anam James and I joined hands to open Pit Grill.

Tell us a little about the conception of Pit Grill.

In 2006 I did a two year diploma in culinary arts when I was in California.

I decided to move back to Bangladesh in 2008 with the idea of opening my very own steak house. Since I wasn’t familiar with the market here, I had a tough time at first and had to research a lot before making this investment.

I travelled a lot with James, my partner at Pit Grill and a few other friends, visiting different steak houses wherever we went. After I came back to Bangladesh, two close friends, Tanveer

What made you decide to focus on steaks rather than other main course dishes?

Pit Grill for me is my passion project.

Many customers ask me why I have such few items on my menu, it’s because I don’t want to diversify. I want to stick with steaks and specialise in steaks alone. We change our menu depending on seasons and availability of products.

The meat we buy are aged here for better taste and we only use fresh, local ingredients. Moreover, we do not refrigerate any of our products in order to maintain quality. l

Photos: Shafquat Ameen

news

Especial iftar items at Chiswic This RamadanChiswic Restaurant will be offering special iftar items. For only Tk499, they are offering a combo package that includes fried rice, 2 pieces of spring roll, crispy chicken, vegetable curry, chili chicken, mango juice and lots of other delicious items. Moreover, they also have a

Chiswic “happy hour” from 12pm to 3pm, offering 20% discount for all customers.

They are located at House 74, Road 5/A, Level 6, Dhanmondi, Dhaka. For more information contact +8801712564629 or log on to their Facebook page at www.facebook. com/chiswick.bd. l

DT

24 T-JUNCTION

FRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2015

Listology

Why are you fasting?

8 types of people who fast

n Raisa Rahim You know the month is here when you see banners veiling petty food courts, empty roads for a change, and absolutely no cheesy Hindi music playing at your salon.

It is the holy month that brings out the Muslim in us. So, are you fasting? Read on to see if you can relate to one of the seven reasons why people fast during Ramadan.

to fast. It is true that there’s a certain age after which fasting becomes mandatory. However, forcing someone to fast is questionable. Fasting is the primary means of restoration. It is a very powerful spiritual discipline that needs to be performed humbly and not reluctantly.

LISTOLOGY

Pretenders The month of Ramadan will introduce you to a bunch of liars who go around pretending to be true believers, but all they are capable of doing is sneaking their way to the kitchen when you’re not looking.

Tis, tis.

Religious souls Let’s start with the most genuine reason from the list. Some people fast simply because they are religious. They not only deprive themselves from food all day till iftar, but also pray five times a day like they do throughout the year, make donations and behave their best.

To lose that extra pound Some take it as an opportunity to burn all the calories that they’ve been stuffing in their bodies throughout the whole year.

Little do they know about the true essence of fasting, sigh!

Fast to fit in And then there are the ones who aren’t fond of fasting but do so to avoid feeling shamefaced at iftar parties. These fellows try too hard to fit in and expect to go to heaven. But let’s not be so quick to judge, they at least ‘try’.

Parental pressure This is a very dismaying reason as to why some people fast; more like are forced

news

Going with the flow Now, these people are the ones who fast just because they are born Muslims and are asked to do so from childhood. They do not question God’s existence neither do they preach. They just are.

Competition They fast and they are furious! These folks are crazy competitive with their fellow mates. To them it is like a trophy to fast on all 30 days of Ramadan and show off at iftar gatherings. If not against others, they opt for breaking their own record from last year.

Cutting down on cash Fasting makes it easy for many to not only cut down on carbs but also cost. The process requires you to prepare only two meals a day, sehri and iftar. Hence, many fast because they won’t have to prepare three meals a day and thus can also be at financial ease. Sounds like a good deal, and a cheap ticket to hell. Every religious act requires good intention and humbleness.

It may provide financial ease to some, but remember, besides depriving yourself from food, you’re also supposed to feed your underprivileged neighbours and devote yourself to the Almighty. l

Open discussion on “Students’ Thoughts on National Budget 2015-16” at Eastern University

An open discussion on “Students’ Thoughts on National Budget 2015-16” organised by the Faculty of Business Administration (FBA) was held on June 24, 2015 at the Seminar Room of Eastern University. M A Mannan, MP Hon’ble State Minister of Finance, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh was present as the Chief Guest of the discussion. Abul Khair Chowdhury, chairman of BoT of EU was present as the guest of honour and Dr Ahsan Monsur, executive director, Policy Research Institute of Bangladesh and Dr Jamaluddin Ahmed, FCA, chairman, Emerging Credit Rating Ltd were present as the special guests. The

seminar was chaired by the Vice Chancellor of Eastern University, Prof Dr Abdur Rab. More than 200 students, teachers and officials attended the programme. In the opening address, Prof Dr Sharif Nurul Ahkam, the dean of Faculty of Business Administration and the Convener of the programme said that EU is the first private university of the country that arranged open discussion for the third consecutive year on “Students’ Thoughts on National Budget”. Prof Dr Abdul Hannan Chowdhury, pro-vice chancellor of EU said that quality of budgeted expenditure is to be ensured. l

Teaming up with Spain’s Marcel Granollers at the Nottingham grasscourt this week meant Indian Leander Paes, a doubles specialist, having now experimented with 100 different players in men’s doubles

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NEW-LOOK TIGERS CONTINUE WINNING HABIT

27

‘WE CAN BEAT TAJIKISTAN IN SECOND LEG’

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100 & COUNTING

FRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2015

PIRLO READY FOR BITE OF BIG APPLE

The license to play freely makes it easy, says Soumya n Minhaz Uddin Khan

Bangladesh’s Mustafizur Rahman was the center of attraction when the players left the team hotel following the end if India series yesterday

MI MANIK

Five things that will polish Mustafizur n Reazur Rahman Rohan

The lanky 19-year old Mustafizur Rahman is the talk of the country after the fearless teenager popped up from nowhere and announced his grand arrival in world cricket. Setting records with his left-arm craftsmanship seemed as easy as playing backyard cricket; the kid is a natural. No doubt, Mustafizur was the chief architect behind Bangladesh’s successful one-day international bilateral series win over India and now, he is rightly under the spotlight.

Mustafizur made his debut in the recently concluded ODI series and in the three matches he played in, he made a few records of his own; most wickets in the first two matches, most wickets in the first three matches and most wickets in a three-match series.

Bangladesh fast bowling coach Heath Streak and captain Mashrafe bin Mortaza are probably the two best fast bowlers Mustafizur could have had as mentors in his early days.

And most importantly for Mustafizur, both Streak and Mashrafe care a lot for his well-being as they urged that the youngster needs to be taken good care of.

Here are the five things that the Bangladesh Cricket Board must ensure in order to help Mustafizur grow into a better person and a player who can serve the country for a long time to come.

Education

“He was never keen on studies but had reached 10th grade in school. He was supposed to undertake the SSC examinations in 2013 but that did not materialise,” his brother Mokhlesur Rahman Paltu was quoted as saying in bdnews24.com. BCB must ensure the minimum level of education – at least college graduation – for the Satkhira-born lad. Knowledge always helps a person to think right and go in the right direction, therefore the cricket board must find a way to provide him proper education alongside his cricket venture.

BCB also has the responsibility of making him aware of the corruption that exists in this world. Mustafizur idolises the bowling of Pakistani Mohammed Aamer, but he surely does not want to end up on Aamer’s track.

Diet/Nutrition

Mustafizur is 5’ 11’’, thin and tall. To become a fast bowler and continue for a long period is not easy, therefore the BCB physicians/nutritionists must chalk out a healthy diet plan and a nutrition chart for the pacer. He must know the amount of protein intake that he should have while he must also be directed to what drinks/medicines/substances he should stay away from.

Physical training

His workload must be categorised. Being a

fast bowler, he needs to have proper gymnasium strength and muscle training. However, overworking at the gym can often give out adverse results so Mustafizur must be given the knowledge and the areas he should work on.

Hanging out with the right people

It is probably one of the most important factors Mustafizur must be cautioned about. Often being in or around a wrong circle of crowd has demolished a cricketer’s career many a time before. May that be playing at the league, working under the guidance of a club coach or even the friend circle where he hangs out; Mustafizur must know his well-being and stay away from any kind of advice or activity that can prove to be costly or harmful.

Do not overuse the talent

No matter how many records Mustafizur bagged in his first three matches against India, one cannot expect Mustafizur to deliver on each and every outing he makes. He is a human being after all and he will disappoint at some point. He may be out of form, opponents might read his tricks but the BCB must not overuse the talent. In order to get long service from Mustafizur in all three formats – Twenty20, ODI and Test – the 19-year old should feel the urge to give back to cricket and to keep his dedication intact. He must also not be pressurised. l

It was Soumya Sarkar’s domestic performance that saw him drafted in the Bangladesh World Cup squad and although he is a genuine top-order batsman, selectors emphasised on his medium pace as they clarified his inclusion as a “pace bowling all-rounder”.

However, his courage and stroke-playing caliber as a top-order batsman was not under the covers for long as he batted at No 3 during the World Cup in Australia-New Zealand before partnering Tamim Iqbal to open the innings against Pakistan recently.

The team management stuck with Soumya at the opening slot and the 22-year old aggressive yet stylish batsman did not disappoint. Pacer Mustafizur Rahman might have grabbed all the attention with his record-making bowling figures in the just-concluded home series against India, but Soumya was also near perfect with the bat. His scores of 54, 34 and 40 suggests that he got the starts but could not capitalise.

Soumya, while speaking to Dhaka Tribune yesterday, said he is also concerned for not being able to convert the flying starts.

“I have always been an aggressive batsman starting from age-level cricket. I had faced a similar problem when I played for Under-19.

I was getting starts and was scoring 30 or 40 runs but was failing to convert. I had worked on that and it was cured but it seems I am facing the trouble again,” said Soumya, who featured in 13 one-day internationals and averages in the 40s.

“It will take time. The coaching staff is providing me enough support. Let’s see how soon I can get rid of the problem.”

The World Cup was the tournament where Bangladesh resurfaced as a team. It was the first time the Tigers displayed their aggressive and fearless brand of cricket “You see, we were too concerned when we went to Australia. We were concerned with how our attitude in the field should be. But we were given the free license there and were told to be the way we are and not to worry of the consequences. That was a great booster to the team and for me as an individual.

So I think we gained the confidence there.

Everyone thought that we have performed well in foreign conditions so why not better at home,” said Soumya, who also credited his skipper Mashrafe bin Mortaza for his support.

“It was during the World Cup when Mashrafe bhai asked me to go after the bowlers and play the way I have always done. He said what the worst can happen to me is I can give away my wicket. The advice was crucial to me, it becomes easy to perform when you are given the free license.” l

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FRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2015

Shakib at the summit again Maverick Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib al Hasan yet again regained his No 1 spot in all three formats of the game

ALL ROUNDER RANKINGS TEST

Rank 1 2 3 4 5

Name Shakib Al Hasan V.D. Philander R. Ashwin M.G. Johnson S.C.J. Broad

Rank 1 2 3 4 5

Name Shakib Al Hasan T.M. Dilshan A.D. Mathews J.P. Faulkner Mohammad Hafeez

Rank 1 2 3 4 5

Name Shakib Al Hasan Mohammad Hafeez S.R. Watson Shahid Afridi Yuvraj Singh

Country BAN SA IND AUS ENG

Rating 381 341 336 283 267

Country BAN SL SL AUS PAK

Rating 408 404 378 361 343

Country BAN PAK AUS PAK IND

Rating 408 340 319 315 310

ODI

T20I

MAINOOR ISLAM MANIK

New-look Tigers continue winning habit n Mazhar Uddin

Following the Tigers’ brilliant display in the 2015 ICC World Cup where they reached the quarter-final for the very first time in the history of the flagship event, many thought the fearless Bangladesh side would be unable to sustain their superb run or their attacking brand of cricket in the ensuing series.

Even ODI captain Mashrafe bin Mortaza mentioned after their World Cup triumph that their main challenge would be to continue their streak of consistency and prove that their appearance in the last eight was no fluke.

The Tigers have beaten the established powers several times in the near and distant past but the main area of concern was still their inconsistency. The cricketers somewhat put paid to all the doubts as they swept Pakistan 3-0 in the three-ODI series. However, the reason why the cricketing fraternity did not sit up and take notice was due to the transitional phase that the Pakistan side were going through.

One party that did pay attention to Bangladesh’s recent run of impressive results was the Board of Control for Cricket in India. The

Mat 3 3 3 3 3

first two ODIs with Mashrafe, Rubel Hossain and Taskin Ahmed lending valuable support to Mustafizur.

In contrast, the Tigers’ batting department has been a relative let-down. Soumya Sarkar and Shakib al Hasan are perhaps the only exceptions, having totalled 128 and 123 runs respectively in the three-ODI series.

Tamim Iqbal and Mushfiqur Rahim, who had a great time with the bat in the Pakistan series, disappointed the home crowd, having scored only 78 and 69 runs respectively.

The positive and attacking intent might have been expected from seniors like Tamim and Shakib but they were instead provided by promising youngsters Soumya, Sabbir Rahman, Liton Kumar Das and Nasir Hossain as they added a new dimension to the Tigers’ set-up.

However, there is still room for improvement ahead of the bilateral home series against South Africa comprising two Tests, two Twenty20 internationals and three ODIs. The Tigers faithful though can rest assured knowing that the Bangladesh cricketers will leave no stone unturned in their preparation for the South Africa series. l

BDvIND, 3-MATCH ODI SERIES

TOP 5 BATSMAN Player S Dhawan (India) Soumya Sarkar (Ban) Shakib Al Hasan (Ban) MS Dhoni (India) SK Raina (India)

BCCI might have sent a second-string side to Bangladesh last year but they committed no such mistake this time around as they named a full-strength team for the solitary Test and three ODIs against their neighbours.

However, it made no difference as the Tigers thumped the visitors in the first two ODIs and sealed the series. This time, the cricket pundits all over the globe paid heed to their clinical displays and praised the whole-hearted commitment exhibited by the Bangladesh cricketers.

Chief among them is youngster Mustafizur Rahman, who has been the find of the series for the Tigers. The 19-year old announced himself in a grand manner, picking up 13 wickets in three ODIs and registering a host of records. In a country dominated by rightarm pacemen, Mustafizur’s arrival has been a breath of fresh air.

Besides Mustafizur, the rest of the pace-bowling department have also played their part and put their hands up when the going got tough. Usually a spin-dependent nation, Bangladesh surprised everyone by naming four seamers in their line-up in the

Runs 158 128 123 121 112

HS 75 54 52 69 40

Ave 52.66 42.66 61.50 40.33 37.33

SR 92.39 105.78 81.45 76.10 96.55

50 2 1 2 1 0

Player Mustafizur Rahman (Ban) R Ashwin (India) Mashrafe Mortaza (Ban) D Kulkarni (Indai) S Raina (India)

TOP 5 BOWLER Mat 3 3 3 3 3

Wkts 13 6 4 3 3

BBI 6-43 3-51 3-76 2-34 3-45

Five-for 2 0 0 0 0

Zaheer Abbas named new ICC president n Reuters Former Pakistan captain Zaheer Abbas was named president of the International Cricket Council for the next year at the annual conference of the sport’s world governing body in Barbados on Tuesday.

Zaheer, 67, filled the vacancy in the largely honorary role left by Mustafa Kamal, who resigned with a blast at the organisation in April after falling out with the ICC’s Indian chairman over who should hand out the World Cup trophy.

Kamal, as the titular head of the ICC, expected to present the trophy but chairman Narayanaswami Srinivasan awarded it to the victorious Australian side at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in late March.

The Bangladeshi, who was criticised by the ICC for an outburst over a no-ball decision earlier in the tournament, slammed the governing body saying “these type of people should be kept away from cricket”.

Zaheer, one of his country’s finest batsmen who played 78 tests and 62 one day internationals from 1969 to 1985, is likely to prove a less controversial holder of the office.

“I feel truly honoured and humbled to be appointed as the president of the governing body of our great game,” he said in a news release.

“This is the sport which has given us friendship, respect, recognition and an opportunity to serve our countries in different capacities. Personally speaking, it has given me more than I can ever possibly repay.” l

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FRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2015

QUICK BYTES Table tennis tournament dates finalised Bangladesh Table Tennis Federation (BTTF) has finalised the date of three upcoming domestic tournaments all of which is set to be held this year starting from August. In a tournament committee meeting held yesterday the committee announced to hold Prize Money Open Singles Table Tennis Tournament from August 7-10 while National Junior Table Tennis Tournament will take place on August 20-24. The Federation Cup Open Table Tennis Tournament will be held on November 6-9.

TRIBUNE DESK

Well-travelled Eto’o to join Turkey’s Antalyaspor Cameroon’s former international striker Samuel Eto’o is set to join newly-promoted Turkish side Antalyaspor from Sampdoria of Italy, the Turkish club said on Wednesday. Antalyaspor finished fifth in the 2014/2015 Turkish First Division but won promotion to the Super Lig after winning the play-offs.

AFP

Argentine Tevez heading back to Boca Carlos Tevez is set to return to his first club, Boca Juniors, after the Argentines reached agreement with Italian champions Juventus, a club official announced. Boca general secretary Cesar Martucci told the radio station AM1050 the Tevez transfer was a done deal, even though there was no official confirmation either in Buenos Aires or Turin.

AFP

Ramos wants to leave Real Madrid Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos has told the club he wants to leave after falling out with its president Florentino Perez, media reported Thursday, saying Manchester United were interested in buying the player. Spain’s major sporting and general dailies reported that Ramos met top club officials on Wednesday and asked them to listen to offers from other clubs.

AFP

Huth seals permanent Leicester switch German international defender Robert Huth on Wednesday signed a three-year deal at Leicester, the club he helped save from relegation last season.

The 30-year-old spent a large part of the 2014/15 season on loan at Leicester from Stoke as the club battled to save their Premier League status.

AFP

Capello keeps Russia job, for now Under fire Russia coach Fabio Capello will remain in his job “for the moment”, his bosses said Wednesday although his fate could be sealed within the next two weeks. The former England, Real Madrid and AC Milan coach took over the Russian national team in July 2012 but he has come under pressure after a series of poor results left their qualification for Euro 2016 in trouble.

AFP

‘We can beat Tajikistan in second leg’ Jahid Hasan Amile is arguably Bangladesh’s top scorer in the international arena with 23 goals. His last goal came against Tajikistan during Bangladesh’s second match in the Fifa World Cup Qualification where the Sheikh Russel KC striker netted the only goal for home side in the 1-1 draw. After a month’s break from domestic action, Amile will put on the blues jersey as the Bangladesh Premier League will resume on Sunday.

Amile shared his views and aims of both international and local games with Shishir Hoque of Dhaka Tribune.

How do you evaluate Bangladesh’s performance in the World Cup qualifiers this month?

We played very well against Tajikistan and should have won the game as well. Conceding a late goal cost us the game. But in the match against Kyrgyzstan, only two-three of our players managed to perform well but we learnt a lesson from the 3-1 loss that helped us put up better display in the second game.

Our initial target was to earn more points than what we have achieved as the upcoming fixtures are tougher.

Are you satisfied with your own performance in the two matches?

The first match was not up to the mark and I was not happy with my display. But I tried my best in the second match against Tajikistan and scored a goal. There is still a lot of room for improvement specially for competing in the international level. I want to increase my

fitness level for the international matches.

After playing two matches in the qualifiers now you have a better view of Bangladesh’s standing in the group. What do you think of Bangladesh’s chances in the upcoming fixtures?

The way we performed against Tajikistan at home I think it is possible to beat them in the second leg. We will also try our best against Kyrgyzstan although they are a very strong side.

Australia are the strongest side in the group and they are also one of the best team in Asia zone so playing against them is one kind of achievement and there’s a lot to learn from them.

What’s your target with the club for the second phase of premier league starting on Sunday?

I have no personal target in the league. All I want is to contribute and make Sheikh Russel champions. After the arrival of (coach) Maruful Haque (from Sheikh Jamal DC) the team is now in better shape and position compared to the first phase.

Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) is planning to naturalise three foreign players.

If that happens then two of the players – Ismael Bangoura and Kingsley Chigozie – are strikers, and as a striker how do you see it?

Those who perform better in the national jersey will get the chance to represent the side.

But there’s a difference playing with the club and playing with the country. Let’s see what happens. l

Kaushal, Prasad wreck Pakistan in second Test n AFP, Colombo Young off-spinner Tharindu Kaushal grabbed five wickets as Pakistan were shot out for 138 on the opening day of the second Test against Sri Lanka in Colombo on Thursday.

Seamer Dhammika Prasad chipped in with three wickets as the tourists collapsed in 42.5 overs by tea after skipper Misbah-ul Haq elected to bat on a fresh, bouncy pitch at the P. Sara Oval.

Kaushal, a 22-year-old playing only his second Test match, finished with five for 42 runs in 10.5 overs of accurate spin bowling in helpful conditions. Mohammad Hafeez top-scored with 42 as Pakistan lost eight wickets in the afternoon session after resuming at the lunch score of 70 for two.

Prasad, who took the field despite having suffered a finger injury during net practice on Wednesday, struck with the first ball of his second over to make it five for one.

He forced Ahmed Shehzad to edge a rising ball to second slip where the 37-year-old Kumar Sangakkara dived to his right to pick up a low catch. Azhar Ali, who put on 46 for the second wicket with Hafeez, was dismissed for 26 when TV umpire Paul Reiffel upheld Sri Lanka’s review for an edge off Prasad after onfield official Richard Illingworth had turned

down the appeal.

Younis Khan, making his 100th Test appearance, survived a confident leg-before appeal on zero, but was caught behind by Dinesh Chandimal off Prasad for six in the first over after lunch.

Kaushal began his wicket hunt by bowling Hafeez in his fourth over and, six deliveries later, trapped Asad Shafiq leg-before for two as the tourists slid from 74-2 to 95-5.

A sharp shower just as Shafiq was walking back to the pavilion halted play for an hour, but Pakistan’s woes multiplied on resumption. Misbah ran himself out after making seven, failing to regain his ground after dashing down the wicket for a sharp single which was refused by non-striker Sarfraz Ahmed.

Sarfraz, the batting hero of Pakistan’s 10-wicket win in the first Test, made 14 when he edged a drive off Kaushal on to his pad and the ball lobbed to Angelo Mathews in the slips.

Kaushal then claimed Wahab Riaz leg-before through a review after umpire Sundaram Ravi had turned down a loud shout from the bowler and the close-on fielders.

Zulfiqar Babar was bowled to give debutant seamer Dushmantha Chameera his first Test wicket, before a fine running catch at long-on

by Sangakkara to dismiss Yasir Shah terminated the innings. l

PAK v SL, DAY 1 PAKISTAN Mohammad Hafeez b Kaushal Ahmed Shehzad c Sangakkara b Prasad Azhar Ali c Chandimal b Prasad Younis Khan c Chandimal b Prasad Misbah-ul Haq run out Asad Shafiq lbw b Kaushal Sarfraz Ahmed c Mathews b Kaushal Wahab Riaz lbw b Kaushal Yasir Shah c Sangakkara b Kaushal Zulfiqar Babar b Chameera Junaid Khan not out Extras: (lb4, w3, nb7) Total (all out, 42.5 overs)

R 42 1 26 6 7 2 14 4 15 5 2 14

B 75 3 45 38 20 7 29 21 17 7 2

138

Fall of wickets 1-5 (Shehzad), 2-51 (Azhar), 3-74 (Younis), 4-89 (Hafeez), 5-95 (Shafiq), 6-96 (Misbah), 7-113 (Sarfraz), 8-117 (Wahab), 9-124 (Babar), 10-138 (Yasir)

Bowling Prasad 13-2-43-3 (w3), Mathews 9-4-16-0, Chameera 10-0-33-1 (nb5), Kaushal 10.5-0-42-5 (nb2)

SRI LANKA D. Karunaratne c Sarfraz b Junaid K. Silva not out K. Sangakkara not out Extras: (b2, nb1)

R 28 21 18 3

Total (for one wicket, 32 overs)

70

B 67 90 36

Fall of wicket 1-47 (Karunaratne)

Bowling Wahab 9-2-19-0 (nb1), Junaid 10-3-26-1, Babar 7-4-9-0, Yasir 6-0-14-0

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FRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2015

Chilean defender Mauricio Isla (3R) shoots to score against Uruguay during their Copa America quarterfinal match in Santiago on Wednesday

AFP

Uruguay furious as Chile advance in Copa battle n AFP, Santiago Chile sent nine-man Uruguay crashing out of the Copa America on Wednesday, winning a bruising quarter-final 1-0 as controversy over lurid provocation tactics rocked the tournament.

An 81st-minute strike from Juventus defender Mauricio Isla settled a pulsating encounter at Santiago’s Estadio Nacional as holders Uruguay saw striker Edinson Cavani and defender Jorge Fucile sent off.

Fucile’s dismissal for a second yellow card in the closing minutes triggered a mass confrontation involving players and officials from both sides, with even Uruguay’s veteran coach Oscar Tabarez coming onto the pitch.

But the post-match commotion focused

1

1. Chile defender Gonzalo Jara pokes at the back of Uruguay forward Edinson Cavani during their Copa America 2015 quarterfinal match at the National Stadium in Santiago, Chile on Wednesday.

2. Later Referee Sandro Ricci shows a second yellow card to Edinson Cavani following the incident as Gonzalo Jara (18) looks on REUTERS

around the dismissal of Cavani, who flicked a hand into the face of Chile defender Gonzalo Jara after a clash midway through the second half. Camera footage of the moments leading up to the flashpoint, however, appeared to show Jara attempting to insert his finger into Cavani’s anus, prompting the Uruguay player’s reaction.

It is not the first time Jara has been involved in controversy involving a Uruguayan opponent. In 2013, Luis Suarez punched the defender after the Chilean reportedly grabbed the Uruguay striker’s genitals during a World Cup qualifier.

It was a miserable end to the tournament for Cavani, who had been booked in the first half for aggressively confronting a linesman after a tackle involving Chile midfielder Vidal.

RESULT Chile

1-0

Uruguay

Mauricio Isla 81

On Monday, Cavani’s father was arrested in Uruguay after his involvement in a fatal traffic accident which left a 19-year-old motorcyclist dead. Uruguay reacted to Cavani’s dismissal doggedly, and had appeared to be on their way to taking the game to a penalty shoot-out with a superb defensive performance led by center-half Diego Godin.

But as the match entered the final 10 minutes, Chile pounced on Uruguay goalkeeper Fernando Muslera’s failure to clear a cross.

Chile playmaker Jorge Valdivia slipped a pass to Isla, who drilled in a low finish to spark

2

wild celebrations.

It got worse for Uruguay a few minutes from time when Fucile clattered into Chile star Alexis Sanchez. Uruguay protested that Fucile had played the ball but there was no denying that his trailing leg followed through on the Arsenal man. Play was interrupted for several minutes as Uruguay’s players and officials protested but the red card stood.

Sanchez later revealed one unnamed Uruguayan player had said sorry to him for the rough treatment he had been given during a bruising encounter.

“They like to fight, argue, go forward all out; one player told me in the first half ‘Move you wimp’ -- but then later he said to me: ‘I am sorry’,” Sanchez said, without identifying the opponent in question. l

Tabarez fury over Cavani ‘provocation’ n AFP, Santiago Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez leapt to the defence of dismissed striker Edinson Cavani on Wednesday as footage appeared to show a Chilean player attempting to provoke the star by inserting a finger into his anus.

Tabarez said Cavani had been the victim of provocation by Jara which should have been spotted by the match officials.

Post-match camera footage of the altercation appears to show Jara shoving a finger into the back of Cavani’s shorts.

“For the expulsion of Cavani, you can see what happened and what the challenge was. I refer you to the television and photos of it, it is all there,” said Tabarez.

“I can see that the referee has not seen it, but the linesman had to be able to see it from his position.”

“We had the game under control but when we were left with 10 men it became a little more difficult because it limited our opportunities to attack,” said Tabarez. l

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FRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2015

Wozniacki beats Kuznetsova to reach Eastbourne quarters n Reuters, London

WOMEN’S WORLD CUP

Germany, USA continue quest for third title n AFP, Vancouver

Former world number one Caroline Wozniacki reached the quarter-finals of Eastbourne’s Aegon Championships with a topsy-turvy defeat of Svetlana Kuznetsova on Wednesday.

The Dane surrendered the first set after leading 5-1 but recovered to win 6-7(3) 6-3 6-1 as Kuznetsova faded.

Despite taking charge of the match, second seed Wozniacki said she was worried right to the end against the former U.S. Open and French Open champion.

“I was 5-1 up in that first set, so when I was 5-1 up in the third set I was thinking to myself that I really couldn’t repeat what happened earlier,” she said.

“I served better as the match went on, tried to take the ball a little earlier.”

The world number five plays Andrea Petkovic next at the traditional seaside grasscourt tournament after the German beat American CoCo Vandeweghe 6-3 6-4.

Eugenie Bouchard’s problems continued as last year’s Wimbledon runner-up retired with an abdominal injury when trailing Belinda Bencic 6-4 3-0.

“I was feeling it during the match,” Canada’s Bouchard told reporters. “It just wasn’t smart for me to take a risk, and, you know, potentially be out for a long time.

“It’s something I want to kind of take care of right away.”

“I’m going to play (Wimbledon) no matter what, even if I’m on one leg,” added Bouchard, who has suffered a string of early defeats this year. l

DAY’S WATCH Ten Cricket 10:30AM Pakistan Tour of Sri Lanka 2015 2nd Test, Day 2

Sony Six 5:30AM Copa America, Quarterfinals Argentina v Colombia

Star Sports 1 Men’s FIH Hockey World League 6:00PM Ireland v China 8:00PM Pakistan v India 10:00PM Malaysia v Belgium 12:00 AM Australia v Poland

Star Sports 2 11:30 PM Natwest T20 Blast Lancashire v Birmingham Bears

Ten Action 4:30 PM Moto GP : Qualifying Motul TT Assen

Ten Sports 8:00 PM WTA : Aegon Eastbourne Intl, Semifinal 2

Footballing giants Germany and the United States continue their quest for a record third title on Friday when they meet France and China respectively in the Women’s World Cup quarter-finals.

Top-ranked Germany, winners in 2003 and 2007, face an ambitious France in the largely French-speaking city of Montreal. The French seek their first major title after finishing fourth in Germany 2011 and the 2012 Olympics.

Over in Ottawa, the United States will be up against a resilient Chinese side who are rekindling memories of their glory days, when they reached the 1999 final but lost to the Americans in a penalty shootout. The USA also won the inaugural edition of the tournament in 1991.

QUARTERFINAL

Germany China

Denmark’s Caroline Wozniacki in action during her third round match against Svetlana Kuznetsova in the Eastbourne’s Aegon Championships on Wednesday REUTERS

v v

France United States

The Chinese failed to qualify for the 2011 tournament and the London Olympics, with their 1-0 last-16 win over Cameroon earning them a bonus of around one million yuan ($160,000) from the national football association.

Champions Japan, the only team to have won all their matches in the tournament, move to Edmonton where they next play 10th-ranked Australia on Saturday, the same day that England tackle hosts Canada in Vancouver.

Germany coach Silvia Neid dismissed talks of her side being favourites after demolishing Sweden 4-1 in the last 16.

“I’m not convinced of it yet,” she said.

“France are ranked third and it won’t be easy. We know where we stand but we’re not yet a world champion.” l

Pirlo ready for bite of Big Apple n AFP, Milan

Andrea Pirlo’s move to Major League Soccer is imminent, according to reports in Italy that claim the Juventus and Italy star will sign an 18-month deal with New York City FC. Midfield legend Pirlo was a linchpin for the Turin giants on their way to a first league and Cup double in 20 years last season.

But reports in La Gazzetta dello Sport insist the 36-year-old former World Cup winner will leave Italy behind and end his career in the

United States.

Pirlo, whose contract expires in June 2016, was distraught at the final whistle of last month’s Champions League final when Juventus were beaten 3-1 by Barcelona.

That may have represented Pirlo’s last chance to add a third Champions League winner’s medal to his collection having triumphed with AC Milan in 2003 and 2007.

Gazzetta’s report said Pirlo will sign an 18-month contract in August with Jason Kreis’s side after deciding whether to include

‘New Bolt’ sprints into controversy n Reuters, London Whether he is a “plastic Brit” or a legitimate new member of “Team GB”, teenage sprinter Zharnel Hughes is the latest face of one of the most contentious issues in world sport -- nationality switches.

Hughes, 19, has held a British passport since his birth on the Caribbean island of Anguilla, a British overseas territory not recognised by the International Olympic Committee. On Tuesday, he became one of five athletes to switch alle-

giance to Britain proper. The move might have gone generally unnoticed but for the fact that Hughes is very, very fast, the latest in an admittedly long line of sprinters to carry the burden of being described as the “next Usain Bolt”.

Earlier this month he was, in fact, the next after Jamaican Bolt as he pushed the world record holder all the way to finish second over 200 metres in New York. His best time over the distance of 20.15 seconds has immediately put him top of the British rankings this year. His target is to run for his new country in the 2016 Olympics. l

a clause that would allow him to opt out of another year, if he desired.

Former Juventus teammate Sebastian Giovinco quit the Bianconeri during last season to sign for Toronto FC, who meet New York City FC in an Eastern Conference clash on July 12.

“I talked to him via message, but not from New York. Some time ago he called to ask me how I was getting along,” said Giovinco.

“I told him it was a great experience, something he should try. But I don’t think it’s me who will convince him.” l

DT

30 DOWNTIME

FRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2015

CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Sacrificial table (5) 5 Long, protruding tooth (4) 8 Keen insight (6) 9 Ventures (5) 10 Family member (4) 11 Agitates (5) 12 Male swan (3) 15 Transmitted (4) 18 Vagrant (5) 21 Female deer (3) 22 Tarnish (4) 24 As well (4) 25 Afflicted (5) 28 Suffer (6) 29 Headwear (4) 30 Discourage from (5)

DOWN 1 Slave to a habit (6) 2 Sailor (3) 3 Top airmen (4) 4 Corrosion (4) 5 Lacerates (5) 6 As new (6) 7 Outfit (3) 13 Alternatively (2) 14 Type of hound (6) 16 Denial (2) 17 Offer (6) 19 Satellites (5) 20 Greek letter (2) 23 Praise (4) 24 Tree (3) 26 Anger (3) 27 Permit (3)

CODE-CRACKER How to solve: Each number in our CODECRACKER grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. For example, today 17 represents L so fill L every time the figure 17 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, JUNE 26, 2015

CELEBS ON SOCIAL

Agnee sequel plans for wider release

Jimmy Fallon @jimmyfallon Friend once sent me a link and said “Keep this in mind when you vote.”

It was a video of a cat with a Kleenex box on its head. #EmailFail

Pharrell Williams @Pharrell Pride yourself on your individuality. That’s what makes you who you are.

n Showtime Desk The second installment of Mahiya Mahi’s action flick, Agnee 2, plans to reach a wider audience by exclusively releasing in at least eight countries.

Jaaz Multimedia, the production company behind the film has already drafted a plan to hold screenings for Iftakar Chowdhury’s directorial venture in eight countries including India, China, Hongkong, Malaysia, UK, Australia and USA on August 14. For the audience in China and Malaysia, the film will be dubbed to Chinese and Malay respectively.

The film’s star cast and crew, which include Mahiya Mahi, Om and Iftakar Chowdhury, will tour these countries and take part in the premiers and promotion campaigns. However, the local audience will not have to wait that long since the film will be hitting cinemas this Eid. Although the film was originally scripted keeping the previous cast in mind, the film stalled for a while as the lead actor Arifin Shuvo pulled out of the film due to professional differences and scheduling issues. Apparently, Mahi is the only actor from the previous franchise to carry her legacy while Raja Goswami Om and Ashish Vidyarthi will be playing pivotal roles this time around.l

Priyanka @priyankachopra Yummy jamuns.. #simplePleasures #beautifulbhopal #gangaajal2

WHAT TO WATCH

The World’s End Star Movies 7:30pm Five friends who reunite in an attempt to top their epic pub crawl from 20 years earlier unwittingly become humankind’s only hope for survival.

Cast: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Martin Freeman

Wedding bells n Showtime Desk The latest buzz in B-Town is that Shahid Kapoor has sent out a formal invitation to his ex-girlfriend, Kareena Kapoor Khan and her husband Saif Ali Khan. Usually this would stir up some drama, but it seems as if both parties are as mature as the other.

Reports say that the first invites were sent to the Nawab and Begum of Pataudi, as Kareena is currently working with Saif in Vishal Bhardwaj’s Rangoon. Not too long ago, Kareena stated that if she was ever given an invite she’d make it an obligation to attend the event.

Shahid Kapoor’s fiance, Mira Rajput, is a Delhi native and they will be tying the knot on July 8 this year. The festivities will begin next month on July 6 in New Delhi. The couple are to spend four days in the capital,

Rush Hour WB 9:30pm Two cops team up to get back a kidnapped daughter.

Cast: Jackie Chan, Chris Tucker, Ken Leung

followed by a hosted reception in Mumbai on July 12.

After winning the best actor award at the IIFA Awards, Shahid will be participating as a judge in the dance

reality TV show, Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa. He will also be preparing for two new releases, with Shandaar and Udta Punjab.

Here’s to wishing him and his soon-to-be new bride a happy marriage. l

Transformers: Dark of the Moon Zee Studio 9:30pm The Autobots learn of a Cybertronian spacecraft hidden on the moon, and race against the Decepticons to reach it and to learn its secrets.

Cast: Shia LaBeouf, Rosie HuntingtonWhiteley, Tyrese

DT

32 BACK PAGE

FRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2015

PROPOSED EXPORT SOURCE TAX LIKELY TO BE REDUCED PAGE 15

FIVE THINGS THAT WILL POLISH MUSTAFIZUR PAGE 26

AGNEE SEQUEL PLANS WIDER RELEASE PAGE 31

Authorities demolish Lalbagh Fort wall to build car park n Abid Azad Part of the massive ancient wall surrounding Lalbagh Fort, built over 400 years ago when the Mughals founded Dhaka, has been demolished because the archaeological authority wants to build a car park at the cost of Tk30 lakh.

The action has drawn protests from a number of quarters, especially since the government often neglects historical restoration work on a plea of a lack of funds.

Following a visit to the site on Thursday morning, Bangladesh Poribesh Bachao Andolon (POBA) Chairman Abu Naser Khan said: “The construction of the parking area is clearly an adverse action against the main design of Lalbagh Fort. It is also a violation of the Antiquities Act, 1968.”

But Director General Altaf Hossain of the Archaeological Department said: “This will not adversely affect the main design of the fort.”

On the telephone with the Dhaka Tribune yesterday, Altaf added: “But still, I will look into it. If I find something wrong, I will take action.”

POBA’s Abu Naser continued: “They are destroying the boundary wall to build a parking area. But even if they build the parking lot without destroying the wall, the main design will be adversely affected.

To construct a parking area, a part of the ancient wall surrounding the Lalbagh Fort is broken, tarnishing the main design of the 400-year-old archaeological site MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU “This is about the entire historic site. Anything that changes the main design, whether something is demolished or not, adversely affects the fort’s design.”

“Whenever we ask for traditional and historical

monuments to be protected, preserved and restored, the authorities claim a lack of funds makes such work difficult if not impossible. But we see that they have managed to find Tk30 lakh to build a parking lot,” Abu Naser said.

Nearly Tk1,400 crore earthquake response project gets a go-ahead n Tribune Report The government has approved a Tk1,381.45 crore project to minimise losses during natural disasters like earthquake in the four most vulnerable cities – Dhaka, Gazipur, Narayanganj and Sylhet.

Under the project titled Urban Resilience Project, Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakhha (Rajuk) will prepare a risk-prone land use plan and mark land zoning in those cities – through which it is expected to determine which areas are suitable for constructing multi-storey buildings.

The project would enhance the capacity of the relevant government agencies through comprehensive training programmes.

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) approved the project in a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at the NEC conference room yesterday.

After the meeting, Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal said since Bangladesh was vulnerable to earthquakes, the preventative measures were necessary to reduce the impact and losses of the natural disasters.

The project would help strengthen the disaster management capacity, especially in Dhaka and Sylhet metropolitans – the most quake-vulnerable cities. Officials said the project was part of the government’s cautionary measures following the devastating Nepal

quake in April.

Four public agencies – Planning Commission, Rajuk, Dhaka (North) City Corporation (DNCC) and Department of Disaster Management – will implement the project by June 2020. Out of the total project cost, Tk49.35 crore will come from public coffer and Tk1,332.10 crore as project assistance from the World Bank.

Under the project, emergency operating centres and satellite control rooms would be set up in Dhaka north and Sylhet. Besides, the Fire Service Department would also set up its mobile emergency command and control room, and procure life-saving equipment and emergency response equipment.

Kamal said the Urban Resilience Project, a World Bank-supported umbrella project, aims to strengthen the capacity of the relevant government agencies to efficiently and effectively respond to emergency events in Dhaka and Sylhet cities.

In December 2011, the ERD requested the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery of the World Bank to lend support to Bangladesh for strengthening its capacity to tackle disasters.

The above project was one of the seven projects worth over Tk2,003 crore approved by the Ecnec yesterday.

Of the total seven project cost, Tk652.83 crore will come from the national exchequer,

Tk18.14 crore from the related public agencies’ own coffer and Tk1,332.10 crore as project assistance.

Developing level crossings

The meeting also approved two separate projects for rehabilitation and development of level crossing gates of western and eastern zones of Bangladesh Railway in a bid to ensure safe train communication and reduce the risk of accidents.

Bangladesh Railway will implement both the projects by June 2017 as Tk47.84 crore has been allocated against the western zone project and Tk49.34 crore for the eastern zone project.

Under both projects, there will be the appointment of some 851 gatekeepers at 326 level crossings in the western zone of BR, and around 1,038 gatekeepers at 346 level crossings in the eastern zone.

Other projects approved at the Ecnec meeting were: procurement of cold recycling plant and equipments for maintenance of the major roads under Dhaka South City Corporation with Tk51.82 crore, increasing crop intensity at Sylhet region with Tk74.85 crore, rehabilitation of the damaged polders under Cox’s Bazar district with Tk259.76 crore, and protection of both embankment of Sangu and Chadkhali rivers under Chandanaish and Satkania upazilas of Chittagong district with Tk138.01 crore. l

The High Court on October 26, 2011, ordered the authorities concerned to remove illegal structures inside and around the fort.

But the order has been very weakly enforced, and the fort and other historic structures around the city are routinely illegally encroached upon for commercial purposes.

“The Mughal period fort is unprotected in many ways. The parking area, which is only for VIPs, is being constructed in the name of protecting the fort.

But the proposed parking lot will benefit a certain interested quarter,” he said.

The parking lot is being constructed near the fort custodian’s office, Abu Naser said, adding: “The custodian has failed to produce any legal document or permission to construct the parking lot.”

“The custodian informed us that the construction of the parking lot was a temporary measure being taken after receiving verbal permission,” Abu Naser told the Dhaka Tribune.

“If this disregard for monuments is displayed by the authorities themselves, we will not be able to protect heritage sites that embody hundreds of years of our history,” he said.

He said POBA demanded an immediate halt to the construction work and punishment for those involved in trying to derive financial and business benefits from the historic site. l

CCDB to build climate tech park next year n Abu Bakar Siddique A Climate Change Technology Park will be set up next year where relevant practices and technologies for tackling global warming adopted in Bangladesh will be demonstrated.

The Christian Commission for Development in Bangladesh (CCDB), an NGO, has been planning the park at Shreepur of Gazipur.

The message came from the Information Sharing and Policy Workshop yesterday at the city’s Spectra Convention Centre.

With an aim to create a knowledge hub on adaptation and mitigation, we decided to set up such a park, said Md Khalid Hossain, project coordinator of CCDB. Although several initiatives have been taken in Bangladesh, there has been very little coordination. CCDB wishes to compile them on a single platform.

The development practitioners as well as the local people can learn from the park the kind of methods that are fit for reducing specific vulnerabilities, he added.

According to the 5th Assessment report of Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Bangladesh is at specific risks due to exposure to sea-level rise and extreme events like salinity, drought, erratic rainfall and tidal surge which will hamper the country’s food and livelihood security.

Khalid said the park will also showcase the indigenous knowledge that local communities have been practicing since, facilitating sharing of such knowhows with a wider audience. l

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