28 July, 2015

SECOND EDITION

TUESDAY, JULY 28, 2015

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Shraban 13, 1422, Shawwal 11, 1436

5 DIE IN COX’S BAZAR LANDSLIDE PAGE 3

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Regd No DA 6238, Vol 3, No 103

BB RAISES FARM LOAN 5.5% FOR FY16 PAGE 15

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HUMANS CUT SUNDARBANS TIGER POPULATION PAGE 32

Flood situation likely to worsen in next 24 hours n Abu Bakar Siddique Flooding in the country’s southeast caused by incessant rain over the past few days is likely to get worse, weather experts said yesterday.

The Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC), under Bangladesh Water Development Board, said flood in some areas of Feni, Bandarban, Chittagong and Cox’s Bazar districts may further deteriorate in the next 24 hours.

Meanwhile, the met office yesterday warned the country’s maritime ports in Cox’s Bazar, Chittagong, Mongla and Payra to stay alert due to the monsoon depression that has formed over the north part of the Bay of Bengal.

The met office also instructed the port authorities to keep the local Cautionary Signal 3 hoisted and advised all fishing boats and trawlers in the North Bay to anchor close to the coast until further notice.

They said heavy to very heavy rainfall, caused by the depression, is likely to occur at places over Khulna, Barisal and Chittagong divisions.  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

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Several days of torrential rain and flash floods have inundated the Chandnaish portion of the ChittagongCox’s Bazar Highway, causing trouble for commuters and pedestrians DHAKA TRIBUNE

Public salaries to cost exchequer extra Tk12,212.29cr n Asif Showkat Kollol The government is expected to implement the Eighth Pay Scale for civil servants by October, incorporating a new provision for 5% annual increments, official sources said.

It is estimated to cost the government an additional Tk12,212.29cr above what it spent on basic salaries last fiscal year. This is an increase of 59.5% in allocations for the payment of basic salaries.

The new pay scale does away with time scales and selection grades, replacing these two provisions with annual cash increments instead.

A Finance Division official said dropping the time scales and selection grades provisions were causing the government trouble since a large number of government employees benefited from the two provisions and they were unhappy with the change.

Three-fifths of all government employees, roughly 2.1 million people, have benefited from the scrapped provisions.

“The Pay Commission’s recommendations to drop the provisions and replace them with annual increments has inspired stiff opposition from public employees who are causing delays in implementing the pay scale,” he said.  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

Indian exclave residents choose to become Bangladeshi n Jebun Nesa Alo from Lalmonirhat

APJ Abdul Kalam dies n Tribune Report Former Indian president APJ Abdul Kalam has died of cardiac arrest at a hospital in Shillong, Meghalaya. Dr Kalam, 84, breathed his last around 6:30pm yesterday, the Hindustan Times reported.

According to Press Trust of India, he was giving a lecture at the Indian Institute of

Long ignored and neglected, exclave residents are in the spotlight as they make choices about their livelihood, identity and future. The third part of this report explores why some exclave residents are choosing to become Bangladeshis

 PAGE 2 COLUMN 4

PAGE 3 BSF firing kills one on Naogaon border

PAGE 4 Rajon murder: Jalalabad OC suspended for negligence

Confident that he will receive the basic rights that he has been deprived of living in an Indian exclave, Shri Rajkumar Ovidash is opting to become a Bangladeshi.

“I want to live in Bangladesh because I grew up in this culture despite living on Indian land,” Ovidash, a resident of the Indian exclave of Bans Pachai in Lalmonirhat district, told the Dhaka Tribune.

Bans Pachai contains 152 families, numbering a total of 556 people, of whom not a single one wants to go to India.

Despite living on islands of Indian sovereignty within Bangladesh’s borders, India provided these exclave dwellers with pre-

PAGE 5 Corrupt police officials to face action

cious little in the way of services; what amenities and facilities they were able to access, they accessed in Bangladesh.

There is a sense that Ovidash and others like him feel disconnected from and abandoned by India.

The 28-year-old bootmaker says he and his kin have been deprived of every basic amenity and public service, like medical care, education and administration, since the Liberation War. “Now we will get Bangladeshi nationality and we hope the Bangladesh government will take responsibility for providing us with public services as soon as possible” he said.

“I do not want to go to India because I have

PAGE 8 British lord exposed in ‘drugs and prostitute’ romp

 PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

PAGE 32 9 dead in battle at Indian Punjab police station

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TUESDAY, JULY 28, 2015

PM: Revive confidence in student politics n Tribune Report

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday asked the newly elected office bearers of Bangladesh Chhatra League to revive public trust in student politics.

“You will have to regain the people’s confidence in student politics so that everyone can see that they can deliver something for the nation. This is how the Chhatra League can show the path to others,” she said at a meeting with the new Chhatra League central

committee at Ganabhaban in the afternoon, UNB reported.

The prime minister reiterated that she had neither given nor would give shelter to those who commit offences.

Earlier, newly elected Chhatra League

President Saifur Rahman Sohag, General Secretary SM Zakir Hossain, and other members of the committee paid tribute to Bangabandhu at the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum in Dhanmondi around 12:30pm. l

in Dasiar Chhara exclave in Kurigram district, does not want to go to India either. He says his kith and kin live in these parts and he wants to remain here as well.

Abdur Rashid works in a crop field and has sometimes gone to India for work.

“There are lot of work opportunities in India but I want to live in Bangladesh because my relatives are here,” he says.

Tied to the land by blood and sweat, he has decided to become a Bangladeshi citizen.

For many of those who live in the Indian exclaves, Bangladesh has provided a sense of home and hope.

With the intrusive and awkward boundary removed and the freedom to move around Bangladesh without let or hindrance restored, these soon-to-be Bangladeshis are hopeful.

He says: “Bangladesh should try to provide basic facilities including work opportunities to us. We have been deprived of our rights for a very long time.”

Moniruddin, 55, also a resident of Dasiar Chhara, is opting for Bangladesh as well. He too is hopeful about the future.

“I do not want to leave my homeland. I know we will get power connections and roads soon.” l

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Indian exclave residents some land here and have grown up surrounded by Bangladeshi people and culture,” he said.

The decision to become Bangladeshi is rooted in these exclave residents’ real ties to the land and culture – for them, nationality is rooted in a sense of community and continuity.

But, despite their preference for becoming Bangladeshi, doubts remain about their future.

“There remains some uncertainty about how we will be rehabilitated and facilitated by the Indian government,” he says.

Exclave resident Hafijur Rahman, who says

he studied in Bangladesh using a fake address, is now an Intermediate-level student.

As Indian nationals, exclave residents were not allowed to be admitted to schools or colleges in Bangladesh.

“We faced hassles using medical facilities in Bangladesh as well, because we did not have Bangladeshi citizenship.”

“Now, I have the opportunity to secure Bangladeshi nationality and I want to live in Bangladesh. Whatever the hassles I have faced, all the facilities I have enjoyed in my life were from Bangladesh,” he says.

Abdur Rashid, who spent 55 years of his life

APJ Abdul Kalam dies

Flood situation likely to worsen Meteorologist Bazlur Rashid said the current trend of rainfall in those areas would continue for the next two days.

The FFWC on yesterday evening said water level in the Brahmaputra-Jamuna river system was on the rise and was likely to remain so for the next 48 hours.

However, the Ganges-Padma river system is in the falling trend, which may continue for the next 24 hours. The Surma-Kushiyara river system is also in falling trend and will likely remain so for 48 hours.

At least 10 out of the 85 river water-level monitoring stations in the southeast part of the country recorded water flow over danger level, the FFWC said.

Of these stations, the Sangu River was recorded to be flowing 220cm above danger level in Bandarban and 120cm above danger level in Dohazari, and the Matamuhuri River was recorded to be flowing 161cm above danger level at Lama and 144cm above danger level at Chiringa in Cox’s Bazar.

Among the rest, 21 stations showed a rising trend, 60 stations registered a falling trend and the rest were stable.

In Feni, thousands of people were marooned as flood water inundated their households. The Feni met office said water level in the Muhuri-Kahua river system was flowing 10cm above danger level, damaging the river embankment in Sreechandrapur, Joypur and Jagatpur areas.

The Feni met office recorded 185mm of rainfall, the highest this year so far, in the last 24 hours.

Meanwhile, launch and speed boat services on Shimulia-Kawrakandi route in the Padma River remained suspended due to bad weather for the second day yesterday.

As weather turned rough and there was strong current in the river, the authorities concerned suspended operation of launches, speed boats, sea boats, trawlers and small boats to avoid accidents, Traffic Inspector Tofazzal Hossain at Shimulia River Port told the UNB. The heavy weather conditions had fatal effect in Cox’s Bazar, where five people were killed and two others injured yesterday in a landslide triggered by continuous downpour.

A chunk of a hill near Radar Station

collapsed on two houses near Hilltop Circuit House around 2am, killing a woman and her daughter in one house and a couple and their niece in another, Cox’s Bazar’s acting deputy commissioner Anupam Saha told the UNB. Cox’s Bazar just recovered from a flash flood, caused, again, by heavy rainfall, that occurred about a month ago. The flash flood and landslides in Cox’s Bazar and Bandarban districts claimed at least 17 lives and left thousands of people marooned.

A better part of both the districts were inundated by flood water, disrupting communication with the rest of the country.

A few weeks before that, heavy rainfall in the northern part of the country along with India’s Assam and Meghalaya states caused floods in several districts, including Kurigram, Sunamganj, Bogra, Sylhet and Gaibandha districts in mid-June – an unusual time for such a phenomenon.

The flood caused damage to many crop fields and killed herds of cattle. It also intensified river erosion in Gaibandha and Kurigram which intensified after the flood and displaced thousands of people. l

Management Shillong when he collapsed on the stage. He was rushed to the Bethany Hospital, where the on-duty doctors declared him dead on arrival.

IIM-S officials told the Hindustan Times that Kalam had showed no signs of illness after he reached the Meghalaya capital. He even tweeted about the function in the morning.

His body will be flown to New Delhi via Guwahati this morning, said Meghalaya state’s Chief Secretary PBO Wajiri.

Born in 1931, Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam was a renowned space scientist, who was considered to be the mastermind behind India’s space launch vehicle and missile programme. He was famously known as the missile man of India.

He became the 11th president of India in 2002 and held office until 2007. After his term, he returned to a life of education, writing and public service.

The Indian government has declared a national mourning of seven days, the Hindustan Times reports.

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressed deep shock at Dr Kalam’ sudden passing. l

Public salaries to cost exchequer extra Tk12,212.29cr Government spending on salaries in FY2015-16 Description of Salaries

Money involvement for pay hike of salaries

by Pay and Services Commission

Allocation increases

FY2015-16 allocation Allocation amount Additional allocation requirement for FY2014-15 compared to FY2014-15 Govt Enterprises

Tk19,020.90cr

Tk11,246.39cr

Tk7,774.51cr

69.1%

Autonomous Bodies

Tk2,354.09cr

Tk1,391.89cr

Tk962.20cr

69.1%

MPO Teachers

Tk7,623.22cr

Tk5,676.83cr

Tk1,946.39cr

34.3%

Armed Forces

Tk3,742.79cr

Tk2,212.98cr

Tk1,529.81cr

69.1%

Total

Tk32,741.00cr

Tk20,528.09cr

Tk12,212.91cr

59.5%

Source: Finance Division

A big chunk of this fiscal year’s budget allocation will go to paying government staff basic salaries, the official said.

Finance Minister AMA Muhith yesterday said: “The report on the pay scale might be placed before the next cabinet meeting.”

Muhith earlier said the government would implement the new pay scale on July 1, no matter when public servants finally receive their cheques.

Earlier, Finance Secretary Mahbub Ahmed told the Dhaka Tribune: “We have already prepared a write-up about the 5% increment. It explains everything about the new provision.”

The finance ministry sent a report on the proposed pay structure, including the disputes surrounding it, to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina last week.

Sources in the Finance Division said the prime minister asked for committees to be formed to solve university teachers’ problems

with the pay hike and to sort through problems with scrapping time scales and selection grades.

According to a Finance Division estimate, basic salary allocations would rise by 59.5% next fiscal year compared with this year.

The biggest percentage increase – 69.1% – will be to pay the basic salaries of public servants, the staff of autonomous bodies and Armed Forces personnel. Teachers of educational institutions under the Monthly Payment Order would see a 34.3% rise.

A secretary-level committee submitted its updated report to the finance minister on the government’s eighth pay revision on May 13.

The Pay Commission, headed by former Bangladesh Bank governor Mohammed Farashuddin, had made its recommendations on Dec 21 last year.

It had proposed 16 grades, although the secretary-level committee revised it to 20 grades. l

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5 die in Cox’s Bazar landslide n Our Correspondent, Cox’s Bazar

At least five people from two families have been killed as incessant heavy downpour caused massive landslide in Dakkin Baharchhara Kabarstan area of the district town yesterday.

Besides, two people were rescued from the accident spot and they got admitted to the Sadar hospital in a critical condition.

The sorrowful incident took place around 3:30am yesterday.

The deceased are Josna Akter alias Junu, 28, wife of Khairul Amin, and the couple’s seven-year-old daughter Niha Moni while the rest are Shah Alam, 35, his wife Rokeya Begum, 25, and his niece Rina Akter, 17.

Confirming the death Cox’s Bazar Fire Service Station Manager Abdul Mazid said Shah Alam was the president of district unit Bastohara League.

The official continued that heavy chunk of mud from a hill collapsed on at least four houses at dead of the night in Radar Station area owing to incessant rainfall over the last couple of days.

Being informed, members of army, police and three firefighting units rushed to the spot and started a rescue operation with the help of locals. They finally recovered five bodies from the spot.

However, they managed to rescue one

BSF firing kills one on Naogaon border n Our Correspondent, Naogaon

Indian Border Security Force (BSF) has shot dead a Bangladeshi cattle trader on Adatala border in Shapahar upazila early yesterday.

The trader is Ziaur Rahman, 35, son of Motiur Rahman, from Dakkin Patari village of the upazila.

When asked, Naogaon 14 Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) Commanding Officer Rafiqul Hasan acknowledged the killing, saying the incident took place around 5am.

The BGB commander continued that a patrol team from Rangamati BSF camp opened fire on some cattle traders including Ziaur while they were returning to Bangladesh near 242/10 border pillar in the village, leaving him dead on the spot.

After the incident, the BSF men took away the body to Indian territory.

Being informed, local BGB sent a letter to its Indian counterpart protesting the incident and asked them to return the body, the BGB official went on, adding that the BSF in the reply said the handover could take some time. l

n Tribune Report

Rescue workers busy retrieving the dead bodies of those who got killed yesterday in a landslide at the hill adjacent to the Cox’s Bazar Hilltop Circuit House DHAKA TRIBUNE Nurun Nabi after two-hour of frantic efforts.

Cox’s Bazar DC Dr Anupam Shaha and some senior police officials visited the spot.

Earlier, Geological Survey of Bangladesh floated a cautionary message of excessive

rain-induced landslide and the local administration on Sunday directed the people living on the risky hill areas to move safe place. Many people did not pay any heed to the order and remained staying in their hilltop residents. l

SQ Chy verdict leak case deferred again n Md Sanaul Islam Tipu

The indictment hearing against convicted war criminal Salauddin Quader Chowdhury’s family members and lawyers for leaking a part of the draft verdict in the BNP leader’s war crimes case has been adjourned again.

Dhaka Cyber Tribunal Judge KM Shamsul Alam gave the order accepting a defence petition, and set September 20 for further hearing in the case.

Counsel for the war criminal’s wife Farhat Quader Chowdhury filed the time petition mentioning that his client could not appear before the court due to illness.

Farhat and her son Humam Quader Chowdhury were earlier given bail in the case.

The tribunal took the case into cognisance on October 12 last year.

On August 28, DB Inspector Mohammand Shahjahan, also investigation officer of the case, submitted the charge sheet against seven persons to Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Mag-

istrate Court, mentioning 25 people as prosecution witnesses.

The five other accused are Salauddin’s manager Mahbubul Ahsan, his lawyer Barrister AKM Fakhrul Islam, Fakhrul’s deputy Mehedi Hasan, tribunal’s office assistant Faruk Hossain and janitor Nayan Ali. On October 1, 2013, the International Crimes Tribunal 1 awarded Salauddin death sentence for committing crimes against humanity and genocide in Chittagong during the war.

Shortly after the verdict, his family members and defence counsels claimed that the verdict had been leaked before it was pronounced and that the officials at the Law Ministry had dictated the verdict.

Later, the tribunal filed the case with Shahbagh police.

During investigation, it was found that Salauddin’s family members had spent a lot of money to steal the draft verdict from the computer of the tribunal chairman with the help of the tribunal staff. l

Supreme Court cancels BNP leaders’ bail n Tribune Report

The Supreme Court canceled bail for three BNP leaders and asked them to surrender before a lower court within a week in 52 separate violence cases yesterday.

The High Court had granted bail to BNP standing committee member MK Anwar, Adviser to chairperson Abdul Awal Mintoo and Joint Secretary General Aman Ullah Aman.

SC to pass order on Zafrullah’s petition today

The cases were filed against them with different police stations in and outside Dhaka during the movement enforced by BNP-led 20-party alliance after January 5.

Scrapping the bail a four-member bench of Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha yesterday told the concerned lower courts to consider their bail prayers after surrender.

On the other hand the SC upheld an HC

order that had granted bail to BNP leader Tariqul Islam in four cases filed for arson and vandalism.

The SC orders came following hearing into 56 separate petitions of the government seeking stay on the HC anticipatory bail awarded to those leaders. The court had given four week’s anticipatory bail to MK Anwar in nine cases, Mintoo in one, Tariqul in four and Aman in 42 cases. l

The Supreme Court is set to pass an order today on the petition filed by public health activist and freedom fighter Zafrullah Chowdhury against a verdict of the war crimes tribunal that fined him for contempt.

A four-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha fixed the date after hearing petitioner’s arguments yesterday.

Toufique Hossain, lawyer of Magsaysay award-winner Zafrullah, told the Dhaka Tribune: “During the hearing, the SC asked us whether the public health activist, Zafrullah, would apologise for criticising the punishment of Dhaka-based British journalist David Bergman.

“We replied that we will take decision on the matter Tuesday.”

On June 10, one of the war crimes tribunals found Zafrullah guilty of contempt, imprisoned him at the courtroom for an hour and fined him Tk5,000. According to media reports, Zafrullah said on that day: “Today’s contempt of court verdict is the proof of the mental sickness of the three judges.”

Responding to a plea on June 16, the SC stayed the tribunal verdict that fined Zafrullah Tk5,000. However, two days later, the tribunal issued an arrest warrant because he had not paid the fine. On June 21, the tribunal recalled him after he submitted the SC stay order.

On July 12, the tribunal asked Zafrullah to appear before it and explain why he should not be punished. On July 22, the tribunal gave him two more weeks for giving the explanation.

Accepting a petition, the three-member tribunal led by Justice Obaidul Hassan fixed August 5 for submission of the explanation.

The freedom fighter gained prominence after playing a key role in formulating the Bangladesh National Drug Policy in 1982. In 1971, he was one of the organisers of the 480-bed Bangladesh Hospital for freedom fighters and the refugees during the 1971 Liberation War. l

BNP questions inclusion of 15-17 year-olds in voter list

n Tribune Report The BNP has expressed concerns over the inclusion of 15-17-year-olds in the voter list update.

“There is an ill-intent of the Election Commission behind including 15-17 year old citizens in the voter list, which is completely illegal,” Asaduzzaman Ripon, acting spokesperson of the party, told journalists at a press briefing at the party’s Nayapaltan headquarters in the capital.

The BNP leader expressed his concern saying there might be a conspiracy to rig voting in the local government elections.

Terming the Election Commission (EC) a failed one, Ripon said: “The chief election commissioner and his associate commissioners should resign voluntarily for engaging in anti-constitutional activities.”

He said though it is supposed to be a routine activity of the EC to update the voter list, this commission has completely failed to carry out the duty earlier. l

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RAJON MURDER

Jalalabad OC suspended for negligence n Our Correspondent, Sylhet Police authorities have suspended Jalalabad Police Station’s officer-in-charge (investigation), Alamgir Hossain, for negligence of duty in the investigation of Rajon murder case.

He was suspended from his duty and attached to the Rangpur Police Range yesterday, as directed by the Police Headquarters, said Additional Deputy Commissioner Rahmatullah of Sylhet Metropolitan Police (SMP).

Earlier on Friday, Alamgir was closed and assigned to the SMP Police Line, while Sub-inspectors Aminul Islam and Zakir Hossain were suspended.

Sheikh Samiul Alam Rajon, 13, was beaten to death at Kumargaon on the outskirts of Sylhet city on July 8 morning.

His killers recorded the entire torture session with a mobile phone camera and uploaded the 28-minute video to the internet. The video showed Rajon tied to a pole in front of a workshop at Sultan Ali Market, continuously beaten by what seems like a group of five or six men.

A murder case in this regard was filed with Jalalabad police station, in which Rajon’s father Sheikh Azizur Rahman later became a plaintiff.

However, the police officials were accused of mistreating Rajon’s father when he went to file a case, delaying in taking appropriate action and letting prime accused Kamrul Islam go in exchange of bribe.

To look into the allegations, the SMP formed a three-member probe body on July 14, which submitted a 424-page report on Thursday. l

35th BCS written test begins Sept 1 n Tribune Report Bangladesh Public Service Commission (PSC) has published on Sunday the written test schedule for the 35th Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) exam.

The examination will be held from September 1-10.

Tests on the compulsory subjects will run from September 1-7 and the post-related subjects on September 9 and 10.

The written tests will be held in Dhaka, Rajshahi, Chit-

tagong, Khulna, Barisal, Sylhet and Rangpur centres altogether. The schedule is available on the PSC website at www.bpsc. gov.bd.

The test of 200 marks will be held for four hours and the 100 marks examination will be held for three hours. The candidates have to pass both the written and viva tests separately.

A total of 20,391 candidates have passed the preliminary test, which was held on March 6. l

Shantanu Kaiser wins Farabi Memorial Award n Tribune Report Essayist Shantanu Kaiser has won this year’s Khan Mohammad Farabi Memorial Award.

He received the accolade at a programme arranged in memory of poet Khan Mohammad Farabi at Brahmanbaria Shilpakala Academy auditorium on Saturday.

Among others, noted poet Asad Chowdhury, researcher Sajedul Awal, Zahirul Haque Dulal, Piash Majid, Hasin Ara Kashem and Jabed Chowdhury Kayes addressed the programme, which was arranged by Brahmanbaria Sahitya Academy.

In his address, the president of the academy, poet Joydul Hossain, recalled the brilliance of Farabi, describing him as a luminary of poetry.

“Farabi died when he was very young, only 22 to be exact. But he succeeded in making a name for himself as a poet fast.

“One of his memorable works is the book ‘Mamar Biyer Borjatri’,” said Joydul.

Khan Mohammad Farabi Memorial Award was introduced in 2012 and Professor Abdullah Abu Sayeed was the first to win it.

In 2013, poet Asad Chowdhury was given the award. l

HC issues stay order against RCC acting mayor n Nazim Mridha, Rajshahi A High Court bench yesterday issued a sixmonth stay order on the official gazette of Local Government Ministry regarding the appointment of Nizam-ul Azim as acting mayor of Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC).

The order reached RCC at noon, said RCC Chief Executive Officer Ajahar Ali. On July 5, a bench of the court passed the order following a writ petition filed by freedom fighter Nazrul Islam Khoka challenging the legality of the official gazette of the ministry to appoint acting RCC mayor, said Aminul Haque Helal, advocate on behalf of the petitioner.

The bench also issued a rule to the Assistant Secretary of the ministry Soroj Kumer Nath asking why the appointment of acting

RCC mayor would not be declared illegal.

Soroj Kumer was asked to submit his explanation before the bench within August 2, said advocate Aminul.

On June 2, Nizam-ul Azim, councillor of Ward 21, was given the post following an order from the Local Government Ministry.

Awami League-backed councillor Nizam took over the mayor’s office from RCC CEO Azahar Ali who said they received the order sent following the president’s directives and signed by Deputy Secretary Soroj Kumar Nath on June 1.

On May 7, the ministry had suspended Mosaddek Hossain Bulbul from the post of RCC mayor as he was charge sheeted in three criminal cases including a murder during BNP-sponsored blockade. Now Bulbul is absconding. l

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Corrupt police officials to face action n Kamrul Hasan Police officials who have been in service for 25 years and were accused of being involved in corruption will be disciplined by the police department, say sources.

Such policemen could be forced into retirement in order to make the force more dynamic.

Besides, any police official found guilty of any accusation will be expelled from the force as per the existing law, according to sources.

A list of 500 such police officials was said to have been sent to the Home Ministry and a response is now awaited.

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal told the Dhaka Tribune reorganising the police force is usual.

“A list of police officials who were accused in cases filed by the police department was sought from an intelligence agency. Stern action will be taken if any of the accused is found guilty,” he said.

“To restructure the force, a number of measures have been taken and there have been some promotions recently. Besides, officials who deserve to be promoted will get the good news soon,” he added.

A Home Ministry source said Asaduzzaman, after becoming a full-fledged minister, asked for a list of police officials who had been involved, or had been accused of being involved, in corruption with a view to reforming the police department.

‘A list of officials accused in cases filed by the department was sought from an intelligence agency.

Stern action will be taken if anyone is found guilty’ He also sought a list of policemen who deserve promotions.

According to intelligence reports submitted to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, more than 150 police officials released a total of 252 accused and criminals in 24 districts in exchange for bribes.

Police headquarters data show the number of complaints against officials ranging from

superintendents to constables have been on the rise, despite repeated warnings issued by the home minister, police chief and the Dhaka Metropolitan Police commissioner against such incidents.

Crime and security experts observe that strict monitoring, tough punishment and an end to culture of impunity could have stopped police’s involvement in serious crimes.

Police Headquarters Security Cell data say they got around 6,000 complaints against officials of different tiers from January to May this year. Of those, complaints were filed against 5,566 police officers – 28 were arrested red handed while committing crimes – across the country.

So far, police headquarters have taken action against 787 officials. Of them, 57 were sacked or sent to forced retirement. Probe against the remaining accused is under way.

Of the accused officials, three are police superintendents, seven additional police superintendents, 18 senior assistant police superintendents, 48 inspectors, 812 sub-inspectors, 1,218 assistant sub-inspectors, 1,115 sergeants and trainee sub-inspectors, 431 habildars, and 3,132 are naiks and constables. l

12 get life term in BCL man Raju murder case n Our Correspondent, Bagerhat A court here has sentenced life term of imprisonment to 12 people for killing local Chhatra League activist Arif Hasan alias Raju about nine years ago.

The convicts are Abdur Razzak Sheikh, Hossain Sheikh, Lavlu Sheikh, Nazrul Sheikh, Abdur Sattar Sheikh, Sheikh Faroque, Shawkat Sheikh, Nuru Sheikh, Kamrul Sheikh, Ziarul Sheikh, Abdul Kader Sheikh and Sheikh Tipo Sultan.

All of them are residents of Jatrapur village in the district town. Bagerhat Session Judge Mizanur Rahman Khan handed down the verdict yesterday in presence of the convicts and acquitted three accused of the case.

Besides, the court fined them Tk10,000 each and they will have to suffer one year more in jail in case of default of the amount.

According to case briefing, the convicts brutally beaten up Raju with hammer and later strangulated him to death in a betel nut orchard in the village on September 4 in 2006.

In the incident, Raju’s father Sheikh Noor Islam launched case against the 12 and the court pronounced the verdict after examining all witness and evidence. l

New police recruits to take on intensive anti-cyber crime training n Kamrul Hasan

Police high-ups yesterday afternoon decided to provide newly-appointed police officers with thorough anti-cyber crime training during their compulsory training period after joining the force.

Previously, recruits were given introductory knowledge about the crime during training.

The decision was taken at a meeting of senior police officials chaired by Inspector General of police AKM Shahidul Haque at police headquarters.

During the meeting, he said, besides violent crimes, police have to deal with cyber crimes that have been increasing rapidly.

He said police have been providing services using information communications technology and intended to launch an online GD (general diary) process soon. Besides, to handle foreign law enforcement agencies, police also have to use the media.

Many police officials and officers have shown tremendous success in handling cyber-related crimes. Others should also have awareness of such crimes, he added.

At present, a cyber crime course is being run at Rajarbagh Police Line, and very soon one will be included in the training at Sarda Police Academy, he also said.

Additional IGP (Admin) Md Mokhlesur Rahman, Additional IGP (Finance and Development) Md Abul Kashem and Additional IGP (HRM) Md Moinur Rahman Chowdhury also attended the meeting.

According to police headquarters, some 9,373 newly-appointed police officers in the fourth tier of its appointment procedure by police first received the training. The 50,000 police officers scheduled to be appointed shortly will also come under the procedure. l

Thousands of young men gather at Uttara yesterday to take part in the recruitment test for the Armed Police Battalion (APBn)

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Cabinet nods draft petroleum, ship recycling laws n Abu Hayat Mahmud The Cabinet has approved the final draft of two laws formulated to better regulate the country’s petroleum and ship recycling industries.

The proposed laws, Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation Law 2015 and Bangladesh Ship Recycling Law 2015, were approved at the Cabinet’s regular meeting at the Secretariat yesterday, with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in chair.

Cabinet Secretary M Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan briefed reporters after the meeting.

He said the petroleum bill was approved, subject to the vetting of the Ministry of Law, to regulate the import, storage and transportation of petroleum more efficiently by making the existing law more time-befitting.

“The Energy and Mineral Resources Division placed the draft in Bangla in today’s (yesterday) meeting in line with an earlier cabinet decision after necessary review and updating of the Petroleum Law 1934 and the Petroleum Amendment Ordinance 1986.”

Rules will also have to be followed under the law on petroleum production, mixing, refining, recycling and reuse, he added.

Strict measures has been adopted to punish whoever violates the law, Mosharraf said.

Referring to the draft, he said offenders who do not provide information regarding any accident to the authorities concerned will be subject to six-month jail, or a Tk10,000 fine, or both, while earlier it was three-month jail and Tk5,000 fine.

If the offence is repeated, the punishment

will be raised to one year in jail, or Tk20,000 fine, or both.

Meanwhile, the draft of the ship recycling law was approved in principle at the cabinet meeting to limit the industry to a designated area considering environmental hazards.

Similar to the petroleum bill, the recycling bill also has the provision of strict punishment.

He said a recycling zone and a board would be formed as per the proposed law, and the board would be formed along with the relevant ministry, organisations, representatives of the Ship Re-cycling Association and others.

“Any person or company that tries to establish a shipyard or import ships without the board’s permission will be sentenced with a year in jail, or fined Tk10-30 lakh, or both,” Mosharraf said. l

DT

6 NEWS

TUESDAY, JULY 28, 2015

Relentless rain threats farming in Chandpur n Our Correspondent, Chandpur Continuous heavy showers of the last few days have become a threat for the Chandpur Irrigation Project (CIP), one of the largest projects of its kind in the country.

Stagnant water has submerged vast areas of Aman seedbeds creating panic among the farmers. Fish cultivation within the project area is also under the risk of being affected.

Moreover, the irrigation system is also falling apart as the water level of Meghna River has been on the rise. If this continues, a huge area of region is expected to be flooded affecting lives of thousands of people.

According to the Water Development Board of Bangladesh (WDB), CIP located at the confluence of the Meghna and Dakatia

River was initiated in 1963 to solve the problem of flooding and improve the socio-economic condition of the people.

A multi-purpose project, CIP included flood control, drainage and irrigation facilities together with agricultural development.

Within a 100km embankment, the project has 57,000 hectares of arable land, planned fisheries and 500,000 inhabitants.

For proper irrigation and flood control, modern sluice gates were constructed but due to non-maintenance one of them is not operational.

Moreover, locals alleged that due to unplanned embankment and roads constructed within the project by powerful people, flow of water has been disrupted.

A recent visit to the upazila’s Noachar, Col-

‘Drug trader’ killed in gunfight in Patuakhali n Our Correspondent, Barisal A drug trader was reportedly killed in a gunfight with Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) in Bisic area near the Laukathi Riverbank of Patuakhali district town early yesterday.

Dead Toriqul Islam Taru, 30, was listed criminal and drug trader accused in at least 28 criminal cases, said Major Adnan Kabir, deputy director of RAB-8 headquarters, Barisal.

He said a gang of miscreants opened fire on a patrol car of the elite forces in the area in the morning, forcing them to fire back that triggered a gun battle.

Later, they rescued bullet-injured Toru from the spot and took him to Patuakhali Sadar Hospital where doctors declared him dead.

RAB claimed to have recovered two pistols, two locally-made light guns, 20 bullets and over 600 bottles of contraband phensidyl from the spot.

Taru’s family alleged that he was missing since July 17 and RAB cooked up the gunfight story after picking him up.

However, RAB refuted the allegation.

“My husband was shot dead. There was no gunfight,” said Rekha Begum, wife of the deceased.

High officials of law enforcing agencies, administration and local people went to the hospital to identify the victim.

S M Tariqul Islam, officer-in-charge of Patuakhali Sadar police station confirmed the incident. l

Nephew kills aunt n Our Correspondent, Kishoreganj A woman was allegedly killed by her nephew in Sadar upazila on Sunday night.

The deceased was Begum Akter, 47, wife of Sahab Uddin of Noagram village under Chouddasata union.

Police and local sources said Momin Mian, 27, hacked his aunt Akter by axe over

trifling matter around 9pm while she was sitting in her house, leaving her dead on the spot.

On information, police recovered the body and sent it to Kishoreganj Sadar Hospital morgue for autopsy.

The police also arrested Momin, said Mir Mosarraf Hossain, officer-in-Charge of Sadar police station. l

Man held with Yaba pills in Chittagong n Tribune Report Police arrested a physically challenged man along with 1,000 Yaba tablets from Shah Amanat Bridge area under Bakalia police station in Chittagong city early yesterday.

The arrestee was identified as Abul Hossen,38, hailing from Teknaf upazila of Cox’s Bazar, said police sources.

Quoting the arrestee, Officer-in-Charge (OC) Mohammed Mohsin of Bakalia police station said Abul’s two legs were cut off in

1991 when he was suffering from cancer.

The OC said during regular checking at the vehicles in Shah Amanat Bridge check post, police searched a Dhaka-bound bus of Soudia Transport and detained Abul suspecting his movement in the early hours of the day.

Later, police recovered 1,000 pieces of yaba tablets from his possession hiden inside his body, added the OC. Legislative process against the person was under processing with Bakalia police station in this regard. l

legechar, Dhanuachar, Gazipur, Charbashanta and Kalirbazar has found the areas to be under water. Fishes cultivated in these shoals have already been swept away the flood water.

A fish trader from Noachar Kamal Miji said they were facing loss worth some hundred crores Taka as their hatcheries were affected by the flooding.

Fisheries officer of Faridganj upazila Mahmud Mostafa said an emergency meeting had been called for next week. “I have informed the higher authorities about the situation and we are trying to estimate the loss.”

Zahirul Islam, agricultural extension supervisor of CIP, said: “We have a target of cultivating Aman on 16,700 hectares in the

project this year. But the monsoon deluge has destroyed many seedbeds. If the farmers want to produce saplings again, they will find shortage of seeds.”

Deputy Assistant Engineer of CIP, Badr Uddin Molla, said they had been trying to pump out excess water by six machines. “Also the sluice gates of Haijmara and Charbagadi are operating. But the situation is not improving as the amount of rainfall is higher than the water pumped out.”

About the maintenance of the sluice gates, another CIP official Mohammad Alauddin said they could not do so due to lack of funding.

Mohammad Shawkat Ali, Chandpur WDB engineer, said they were trying their best and hoped that the water would recede in a week if it stopped raining. l

DT

NEWS 7

TUESDAY, JULY 28, 2015

GK Gaus attacker confesses n Our Correspondent, Habiganj

The man who attacked former finance minister Shah AMS Kibria killing accused GK Gaus in Habiganj jail on the day of Eid-ul-Fitr has made a confessional statement.

Ilius made the statement under Section 144 to Judicial Magistrate Kaushik Ahmed in the latter’s room yesterday.

What Ilius said in his statement could not be known exactly as it was made in private but Habiganj Sadar Model police station Officer-in-Charge Md Nazim Uddin said he had learned that Ilius confessed to attacking Gaus following an altercation over a contract.

“Ilius said he had made a contract with Gaus for killing Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith and Habiganj 3 lawmaker advocate Md Abu Zahir. He attacked Gaus in jail after a row over the contract,” said Nazim.

“But the authenticity of Ilius’ statement will be verified,” added the policeman.

The jail authorities filed a case against Ilius after he attacked Gaus in prison, leaving the victim seriously injured.

Gaus was sent to Dhaka Medical College Hospital for treatment after the attack. l

WEATHER

Inclement weather hampers transportation across country n Tribune Report People across the country get stuck in several places as road communication has remained suspended due to inclement weather.

Road communication in Rangamati, Chittagong and Cox’s Bazar remained suspended yesterday for the third consecutive day as many roads have been inundated by rainwater and landslides at many places.

Local sources said Lama, Ali Kdam, Naikhangchhari, Thanchi upazila’s low-lying areas had been submerged causing suffering for local residents.

Moreover, tourists who are visiting the hilly district get stuck as they cannot move.

As the Sangu and Matamuhuri Rivers are flowing over danger level, thousands of people have been left marooned and a vast tract of crop lands, houses and educational institutions have been submerged.

Bandarban Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer Shafiqul Islam said they had already distributed relief materials among flood affected people.

Yesterday, hundreds of traffic got stuck

in Boroduara area as a road was inundated by rainwater.

Moreover, a bridge on Pulpara area has been submerged disrupting communication between Bandarban and Rangamati.

Meanwhile, launch and speed-boat services on Shimuliya-Kawrakandi route remain suspended for the second day for bad weather.

Shimuliya River Port’s traffic inspector Tofazzal Hossain said the authorities on Sunday noon decided to stop the plying of launch, speed boat, sea-boat, trawler and small boats through the route to avoid accident as the weather turned rough and there was strong current in the river.

He said services would resume once the situation becomes normal.

Abdul Halim, manager of BIWTC, said the passengers are crossing the route through ferry as the ferry services remained normal.

Apart from this, ferry service of Bhola-Laxmipur route came to a halt as a road was devoured near Elisha Ferry Ghat area by the Meghna River in Sadar upazila in the morning.

Three sued for fund embezzlement in Chittagong

THUNDERSHOWER WITH RAIN

TUESDAY, JULY 28

n Tribune Report

DHAKA TODAY

TOMORROW

SUN SETS 6:44PM

SUN RISES 5:26AM

FORECAST FOR TODAY Dhaka

28

25

Chittagong

30

25

Rajshahi

32

25

Rangpur

33

25

Khulna

27

25

Barisal

27

25

Sylhet

30

24

Cox’s Bazar

29

26

YESTERDAY’S HIGH AND LOW

36.7ºC

22.4ºC

Dinajpur and Syedpur

Feni Source: Accuweather/UNB

PRAYER TIMES Fajr Sunrise Zohr Asr Magrib Esha

4:03am 5:25am 12:05am 4:44pm 6:44pm 8:07pm SourceL IslamicFinder.org

Locals said all types of the vehicular movement on the road came to a halt as it was totally damaged due to the erosion caused by the strong waves of the Meghna River.

Though the river erosion has been taking its toll on the road since Sunday morning, the officials of the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) could not take any step to stop it because of rough weather.

Abdul Hekim, executive engineer of Bhola BWDB, said, at least 300-metre road has been damaged following the rough weather and they could not take any measures for the weather condition.

Besides, ferry services on the Daulatdia-Paturia route in the Padma River was disrupted on Thursday morning due to inclement weather.

Official of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation in Daulatdia Sazzadur Rahman said the authorities suspended ferry services on the route from 6am as marking lights become blurred due to heavy fog.

Huge numbers of vehicles are waiting on both sides of the ferries, causing immense suffering to hundreds of passengers. l

Students of Abhoy Binodini High School form a human chain in front of the National Press Club yesterday demanding punishment to rapist Sharifuzzan and his cohorts SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

7 held over Jisan murder case n Kamrul Hasan

Decetive Branch of Police arrested seven youths from different parts of the capital on Sunday night in connection with the killing of Aminul Islam Jisan.

The detectives also recovered the mobile phone, used by the victim, from the possession of the arrestees.

The arrested were identified as Mehedi Hasan, Sharif Hossain, Md Imon, Md Hasan Ahmed and Md Asif Iqbal alias Anik, Md Amit Hasan and Md Wasif Ullah alias Gourav.

A gang of unidentified miscreants beat Jisan with iron rods on the bank of Dhanmondi 32 lake in the evening on May 12.

He was taken to Bangladesh Medical College Hospital in Dhanmondi from where he was shifted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital. He, however, succumbed to his injuries at the DMCH on May 14.

A case was filed with Dhanmondi police station the following day and later it was transferred to Detective Branch of Dhaka Metropolitan Police.

DB sources said a special DB team, led by its senior assistant commissioner Md Nur Alam Siddique, conducted drives in different areas of the capital on Sunday and arrested the seven suspected killers. During preliminary interrogation, the arrestees confessed to their involvement in the a murder. l

The Anti-Corruption Commission has launched three cases against Selim Ahmed, managing director of Super Refinery, as well as his wife and son on charge of misappropriating over Tk3.60 crore.

ACC Deputy Director (Special Inquiry and Investigation 2) Mirza Jahidul Alam booked the lawsuits with Bayezid police station yesterday morning, says Bayezid police station OC (investigation) Nurul Absar.

Of them, the MD and his wife Luttfunesa Ahmed were sued in two cases while the couple’s son Sajir Ahmed was in the rest, added the OC. Lutfunnesa is the chairman of the private oil refinery company and Sajir is director.

According to the case statement, the company had refined around 3.35 lakh litre of oil in 2007-2008 fiscal year and evaded over Tk16.86 lakh against condensate refinery amount.

In addition, Tk21,775,318 Tk1,02,63,966 were misappropriated against 36.27 lakh and 950 liters and 22.93 lakh and 799 liters oil condensate during refinery in 2008-2009 and 2009-2010 fiscal year respectively, said the police sources.

The MD and his wife were sued in two cases allegedly swindling out over Tk16.86 lakh and Tk275,318 while their son Sajir was sued for misappropriating the rest of money, Manush Barua, sub-inspector of Baizid police station, told the Dhaka Tribune.

Inspector Nurul Absar said the ACC has booked the cases and they will investigate the cases in next. l

DT

8 WORLD

TUESDAY, JULY 28, 2015

British lord exposed in ‘drugs and prostitutes’ romp n AFP, London

Protesters burn an effigy of President Benigno Aquino during a rally near Batasang Pambansa in Quezon city, Metro Manila in the Philippines yesterday. Aquino will address a joint session of Congress delivering his last State of the Nation address REUTERS

British PM in Southeast Asia to talk trade and tackle Islamic State n AFP, Jakarta British Prime Minister David Cameron began a visit to Southeast Asia yesterday, looking to seal $1.2 billion in trade deals and push for greater cooperation in the fight against the Islamic State group.

Cameron arrived in Indonesia on the first stop of a four-day trip, accompanied by 30 British business leaders and his minister of state for trade Francis Maude, before he heads to Singapore, Vietnam and Malaysia.

Following talks with Indonesian President Joko Widodo in Jakarta, he said the pair had agreed to step up efforts to combat the “evil threat” posed by IS. Hundreds of young Britons have joined IS in Syria and Iraq, sparking fears they could launch attacks on home soil upon their re-

turn, while Indonesia fears up to 500 of its citizens have been lured to the Middle East by the jihadists.

“We’ve agreed to step up our joint efforts both to tackle the terrorist threat and to counter the extremist narrative,” he said in a statement with Widodo at the presidential palace, adding IS was a “shared enemy.”

Cameron said Britain would provide support for counter-terrorism efforts in Indonesia, which is the world’s most populous Muslim-majority country and has long struggled with Islamic extremism.

Measures will include helping to improve security at airports, enhanced cooperation on terrorism investigations and the training of Indonesian police officers in Britain, he said.

Cameron is also set to use a meeting this week with Prime Minister Najib Razak of

Muslim-majority Malaysia to discuss the threat posed by IS jihadists, who have seized vast swathes of territory in Iraq and Syria.

The issue is in sharp focus in Britain after 30 of its nationals were killed in an attack in Tunisia claimed by the jihadists, and Cameron suggested earlier yesterday his government would be willing to take military action against the group if there was a threat to the country.

With trade a major focus as Britain seeks new markets in fast-growing Asia, Cameron is pushing for deals worth more than £750 million ($1.2 billion) during the trip.

After meeting Widodo, he said Indonesia could “benefit from British expertise,” and referred to engineering and energy companies that could help with the president’s plans to build more infrastructure, and to top British universities. l

Gunmen attack Afghan wedding, killing 21 n Reuters, Kabul

Armed men opened fire at a wedding ceremony in northern Afghanistan, killing at least 21 guests and wounding eight, provincial officials said yesterday.

Violence has increased sharply this year in most parts of Afghanistan, after US-led forces formally ended their combat mission at the end of 2014, leaving a small contingent of about 12,000 NATO troops to train Afghan forces.

It was not immediately clear what prompted the attack in the northern province of

Baghlan, but insurgent activity has increased in the province over the past year and private militias have proliferated.

“There was a wedding party, which turned to a tragedy, after some armed men entered and opened fire on male guests,” Baghlan police chief General Abdul Jabar Pordeli told Reuters by telephone.

“An investigation is ongoing and police will arrest all perpetrators,” added the police chief.

Around 2,500 armed members of illegal groups operate in Deh Salah district, where

the attack took place, said district police chief Color Gulestan.

Civilian casualties have risen 16 percent in the first four months of 2015, according to the United Nations, which recorded a total of 2,937 civilian casualties over the period.

More the 10,000 Afghan civilians were either killed or injured last year, UN figures show, the most violent year since it began tracking numbers in 2009.

Weddings in rural Afghanistan start in the evening and parties follow a custom of keeping men and women guests apart. l

A deputy speaker of Britain’s House of Lords responsible for upholding standards was facing calls yesterday to quit the chamber after he was filmed allegedly snorting drugs off a prostitute’s breasts.

Lord John Sewel resigned as deputy speaker of parliament’s upper house and chairman of its privileges and conduct committee – an £82,525 ($128,000, 115,600 euros) a year post – following a sting in The Sun newspaper on Sunday.

However, he remains under pressure to stand down from the chamber altogether.

The police are aware of The Sun’s footage showing him partying naked with two women and snorting a white powder, alleged to be cocaine.

The main opposition Labour Party also suspended his membership yesterday.

The video showed the married 69-yearold father with a rolled-up five-pound note wedged in his left nostril, sniffing powder from a woman’s breasts and from a tabletop.

The former government minister is also seen relaxing in an orange bra and leather jacket belonging to one of the prostitutes in a picture published yesterday.

Lords Speaker Baroness Frances D’Souza said the “revelations about the behaviour of Lord Sewel” were “shocking and unacceptable.” “These serious allegations will be referred to the House of Lords Commissioner for Standards and the Metropolitan Police for investigation as a matter of urgency,” she said.

If he is found to have breached the code of conduct, Sewel could become the first peer to be expelled from the Lords under rules he helped to introduce. l

Saudi coalition suspends Yemen strikes to allow aid n AFP, Sanaa

The Saudi-led coalition fighting rebels in Yemen suspended its air war yesterday to allow desperately needed aid deliveries, although clashes broke out in several areas despite UN calls for a truce.

The Huthi Shiite rebels, who control swathes of Yemen including the capital Sanaa, said they had not been consulted about the unilateral coalition ceasefire that began at midnight (Sunday 2100 GMT).

The Arab regional coalition, which has waged four months of air strikes in support of exiled President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi, announced the five-day truce to allow emergency supplies to flow into the impoverished nation.

It reserved the right to respond to “military activity or movement” but there were no reports of new air raids by dawn despite several new attacks by the rebels.

UN chief Ban Ki-moon earlier made a plea for all sides to “agree to and maintain the humanitarian pause for the sake of all the Yemeni people.” But Mohammed Ali al-Huthi, the self-described “president of the High Committee of the Revolution,” a body formed by Huthi militants, said his group had not been consulted by the UN about the ceasefire. l

DT

WORLD 9

TUESDAY, JULY 28, 2015

Syrian Kurds say they are hit as Turkish army battles IS n Reuters, Istanbul/Beirut Kurdish fighters in northern Syria accused the Turkish army of shelling their positions yesterday, highlighting the precarious path Ankara is treading as it simultaneously battles Islamic State in Syria and Kurdish insurgents in Iraq.

Long a reluctant member of the US-led coalition against Islamic State, Turkey last week made a dramatic turnaround by granting the alliance access to its air bases and bombarding targets in Syria linked to the jihadist movement.

The NATO member also launched a second night of air strikes on Kurdish insurgent camps in Iraq on Sunday, part of what a senior government official described as a “full-fledged battle against all terrorist organisations.”

The renewed military campaign against the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which has waged a three-decade insurgency against the Turkish state partly from camps in northern Iraq, has raised suspicions that Turkey’s real agenda is checking Kurdish territorial ambitions rather than fighting Islamic State.

In a statement only likely to deepen Kurdish suspicions, the YPG said that the Turkish army had shelled its positions in a village on the outskirts of the Islamic State-held border town of Jarablus and urged Ankara to halt attacks on its forces.

Several tank rounds from across the border hit its positions and the Turkish army was targeting them instead of the “terrorists,” the YPG statement said.

A senior Turkish official confirmed that the Turkish army had shot back after it came under fire from across the border late on Sunday, but said it was unclear which group was involved and stressed that the YPG was not a target.

“The ongoing military operation seeks to neutralise imminent threats to Turkey’s national security and continues to target Islamic State in Syria and the PKK in Iraq,” the official said, adding that Ankara was investigating.

The YPG made further gains against Islamic State in northern Syria yesterday, capturing a town near the Euphrates River after

a month-long offensive aimed at cutting their supply lines, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which monitors the conflict, and YPG spokesman Redur Xelil said.

The PYD has emerged as the only notable partner so far on the ground for the US-led alliance as it fights Islamic State in northern Syria. But the Kurdish group has links to the PKK, which is considered a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the European Union and the United States. The two share not only ideology but fighters, with the PKK drawing Syrian Kurdish fighters to its camps in northern Iraq and Turkish Kurds among the PYD ranks.

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu was quoted yesterday as saying the PYD could “have a place in the new Syria” if it did not disturb Turkey, cut all relations with the administration of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and cooperated with opposition forces.

Washington has reiterated that it labels the PKK as a terrorist organisation and stressed that it respects Turkey’s right to take action against the militant group. l

Greece, creditors arrive in Athens for bailout talks n AFP, Brussels

Representatives of Greece’s EU-IMF creditors have arrived in Athens and immediately started talks with Greek authorities on a third bailout package for the debt-wracked government, the EU said yesterday.

“Teams from the institutions are already on the ground in Athens and work is starting immediately as we speak,” European Commission spokeswoman Mina Andreeva told a news briefing. “Work has started, meaning that the institutions are talking to the Greek authorities.”

But a Greek government source insisted that the “negotiations with the technical teams start on Tuesday.”

The EU spokeswoman said the arrival of the teams came after the Greek parliament passed two sets of reforms demanded by the eurozone as part of a bailout deal sealed at a tense summit on June 12-13. l

Obama challenges key ally Ethiopia on democracy n AFP, Addis Ababa

A masked far left-wing protester walks during clashes with riot police at a demonstration against the death of Gunay Ozarslan, a member of the far left People's Front who, according to local media reports, was killed by Turkish police during a security operation on Friday, in Istanbul's Gazi neighborhood, Turkey on July 26 REUTERS

US blasts Russia, Thailand in trafficking report n AFP, Washington The United States yesterday accused Russia, Thailand, Iran and Libya of insufficient action against human trafficking, in a damning report on a global scourge which the State Department decried as “modern slavery.”

Those nations – as well as Venezuela, Algeria, Syria, Yemen, North Korea, South Sudan and Zimbabwe – were at the bottom of a ranking compiled annually by the State Department and announced by Secretary of State John Kerry.

By contrast Malaysia, a Southeast Asian nation which had plummeted last year to the lowest rung, was raised a notch this year to

the “Watch List” category of Tier 2, after Kuala Lumpur exhibited “significant efforts” in fighting the trafficking of human beings.

The countries in Tier 3, the lowest category, are those whose governments do not respect international norms or laws on trafficking and “are not making significant efforts to do so,” according to the State Department’s 382-page report.

Russia has languished in Tier 3 since 2013, a condition which prompted Moscow’s wrath at the time.

China meanwhile rose a notch in 2014 to the Tier 2 Watch List, where it remained this year.

Most Western countries, particularly those

in Europe and Australia but also Israel, Taiwan and Armenia, are listed in the top tier, praised for their fight against trafficking and for remaining in full compliance with international standards.

According to the International Labour Organization, trafficking in persons represents a $150 billion-a-year industry, including $99 billion for the sex industry alone.

Washington estimates that some 20 million people are victims.

“Trafficking in persons is an insult to human dignity and an assault on freedom,” Kerry declared in the introduction to yesterday’s report as he called for a comprehensive “fight against modern slavery.” l

US President Barack Obama delivered a blunt appraisal of Ethiopia’s democracy deficit during a landmark visit yesterday, but indicated it would not scuttle their close security and political relationship.

“There is still more work to do, and I think the prime minister is the first to admit there is still more to do,” Obama said, standing next to Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, whose party won 100 percent of seats in parliament two months ago. “We are very mindful of Ethiopia’s history,” Obama added, after lauding the country’s regional role in fighting Somalia’s Shebab militants and peace efforts in war-torn South Sudan.

Rights groups have warned that Obama’s visit could add credibility to a government they accuse of suppressing democratic rights – including the jailing of journalists and critics – with anti-terrorism legislation said to be used to stifle peaceful dissent.

“There are certain principles we think have to be upheld,” Obama added. “Nobody questions our need to engage with large countries where we may have differences on these issues. We don’t advance or improve these issues by staying away.”

But Hailemariam pushed back against criticism his government has quashed opposition voices and suppressed press freedom.

“Our commitment to democracy is real and not skin deep,” he said, adding that Ethiopia is a “fledgling democracy, we are coming out of centuries of undemocratic practices.”

The US State Department has noted Ethiopia’s “restrictions on freedom of expression,” as well as “politically motivated trials” and the “harassment and intimidation of opposition members and journalists.”

But Hailemariam insisted Ethiopia needed journalists.

“For us it’s very important to be criticised, because we also get feedback to correct our mistakes. Media is one of the institutions that have to be nurtured for democracy.” l

DT

10 ADVERTISEMENT

TUESDAY, JULY 28, 2015

DT

EDITORIAL 11

TUESDAY, JULY 28, 2015

INSIDE

Setting a new standard for democracy?

The type of democracy may vary from parliamentary to presidential, but the essential features of an election are immutable -- it must be conducted through secret ballots and without hindrance

PAGE 12

Bio-fertilisers: Growing a new industry If this system continues, the top soil fertility in Bangladesh may approach near zero level, igniting a very serious future environmental migration hazard from this part of the world

PAGE 13

No sustainability without dignity Even while standing in knee-deep water, poor communities, when offered emergency relief, said “not for now�

PAGE 14

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

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Tackle water pollution to make food safer

P

ublic concern about adulterants such as formalin in food, underlies the growing number of enforcement drives we are witnessing to make the food we eat safer.

However, awareness also needs to be raised about the hidden problem of food being contaminated by high traces of heavy metals such as arsenic, lead, and mercury.

These have accumulated hugely in our food chain because of irrigation waters and soil being contaminated by pollution.

A major study conducted by Bangladesh Agricultural University which examined samples from kitchen markets in Gulshan, Karwan Bazar, and Hazaribagh found widespread contamination of food by heavy metals and other minerals.

Many major food groups including cereals, vegetables, spices and rice were found to contain excessively high concentrations suggesting many people are consuming far higher amounts than the generally accepted tolerable weekly intake levels. While cooking methods can have an influence on how such contaminants are absorbed, the study found the problem recurring across all price levels affecting wealthier and poorer consumers alike.

Although we expect consumers and retailers to work together to demand more stringent enforcement of food safety standards, a concerted national effort is also needed to clean up our rivers and water supplies.

Whether used for irrigating crops or washing food, the unhealthy concentrations of metals and other minerals in our water supplies present a huge hazard to the public’s health and well-being.

The government must speed the pace of efforts to ensure effluent treatment plants in all industries which dump waste. It must also step up awareness initiatives among farmers and food companies of the need to ensure that run-offs from the use of pesticides do not contaminate the food supply.

Clean water is not a luxury but absolutely vital for all aspects of life.

The public needs zero tolerance for pollution of water in order to ensure the safety of the food we eat.

A concerted national effort is needed to protect the food chain

DT

12 OPINION

TUESDAY, JULY 28, 2015

Setting a new standard for democracy? n Brig Gen (Retd) Shamsuddin Ahmed

O

ne of the essential criteria of a democratic government is that it is formed with the popular mandate of the people, expressed through a general election. Hence, the importance of a general election -- the first step on the road to democracy.

The type of democracy may vary from parliamentary to presidential, but the essential features of an election are immutable. While the election must not be above public scrutiny at any time, it must be conducted through secret ballots and without hindrance.

Most importantly, the election must be credible and, to this end, it has to be ensured that the entire election process has been transparent, free, fair, and participatory. And it is for the Election Commission (EC) which is the arbiter, to decide and ensure that the election held is credible. In democracies, the EC is the most powerful independent state institution, there to ensure that the parliament truly and genuinely reflects the democratic aspirations of the people.

Now, let us talk about the state of our democracy, and more pointedly, about the January 5 parliamentary elections held in 2014 through which the present AL government came to power, and which is determined to hold on to power for a full fiveyear term. Can we say by any stretch of the imagination that the election was free, fair, and credible, as envisaged in a democracy?

The election was boycotted not only by the BNP, one of our two mainstream political parties, but also by all other opposition parties on the ground that in the absence of a non-party caretaker government and, more precisely, under the ruling AL government which had politicised the state institutions, including the police, the bureaucracy, and the EC, no free, fair and credible election was possible.

The contention of the BNP and all other opposition parties was borne out of the fact that in the January 5 elections, in as many as 153 constituencies in a 300-seat parliament, voters could not exercise their democratic right of electing their representatives. That is because in each of these constituencies, there was only one candidate put up by the AL-ruling alliance, and the EC had already declared them elected unopposed.

In the remaining 146 constituencies also, there was not much of a choice for the voters because it was a ruling party affair, involving, as it invariably did, an AL candidate pitted against either a rebel AL candidate or an alliance party candidate or candidates.

Besides, voter turnout was poor, hovering around 10% or so. One polling officer of a polling centre was seen getting a haircut, courtesy of a private TV channel transmission, because he had nothing else to do.

This deeply flawed general election of January 5 has given us a parliament not only with impaired legitimacy, but practically a one-party rule. The JP, the so-called opposition party in the parliament, is very much a coalition partner of the government, with its chairman HM Ershad being a special

The type of democracy may vary from parliamentary to presidential, but the essential features of an election are immutable -- it must be conducted through secret ballots and without hindrance

emissary of the prime minister, with the rank and status and perks and privileges of a cabinet minister, and another three of its MPs being members of the cabinet as well.

Such elections are unheard of anywhere else. Holding such an election was not only a futile exercise but a colossal waste of money for a developing country like ours.

In a democracy, someone has to be held accountable.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has defended holding the January 5 election on the grounds of constitutional necessity. But the president using his authority could have very well deferred holding the election until an amicable settlement was reached between the government and the opposition.

After all, nothing is more supreme than the interest of the state and the well-being of the people.

Does not the constitution demand that the election be credible and reflective of the wishes and democratic aspirations of the people?

Holding a one-party election and denying more than half the voters of the country their democratic rights of exercising their franchise run counter, not only to fundamental norms of democracy, but also to the spirit of the constitution our ministers and lawmakers are oath-bound to protect.

Now, what will happen when this government completes its five-year term in 2019?

If the government does not agree to step down and opt for a neutral caretaker dispensation to oversee the next parliamentary election as is being demanded now by Begum Khaleda Zia, it may pave the way for a repeat of the previous election, and the continued AL rule for yet another term, and yet another term fitting into the oft-repeated wish of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to preside over the celebration of Bangladesh graduating to mid-income status and, finally, to developed country status.

And should this happen, it may as well be a new “standard� for democracy for Bangladesh. l Brig Gen (Retd) Shamsuddin Ahmed is a former Military Secretary to the President of Bangladesh.

Elections need to be credible and fair

BIGSTOCK

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OPINION 13

TUESDAY, JULY 28, 2015

Bio-fertilisers: Growing a new industry n Ziaur Rahman

G

iven the ever-increasing population in Bangladesh, the need for creative and import-substituting business has become a necessity, especially when the business tends to be eco-friendly. Businesses in the field of agro-ecology have been gaining currency in today’s world simply because environment, health, and climate change have forced humanity to review its own sustainability paradigms.

Scientists have claimed that current approaches to farming with population growth, receding water levels and forestry, aggressive use of chemicals, urbanisation, and pull of labour from rural communities to cities have contributed to this precipitous decline in agro-ecological sustainability. Additionally, the onslaught of Mother Nature is creating a world of environmental nightmares, starting from tsunamis to flash floods.

Given the perilous context, it is all the more apt to be an entrepreneur supporting humanity and still profit from running businesses in the agro-ecology field, the bio-fertiliser industry in particular.

Truth is, a bee travels where the nectar is available. Similarly, an entrepreneur happily engages in a business where he/she has a reasonable opportunity to grow, earn a profit, and enjoy the “feel-good factor” of remaining in the trade. In other words, an entrepreneur is normally excited to be in a business when there is some glamour involved.

This common thread is true for any business. In the bio-fertiliser business, the glamour factor perhaps may not be accentuated as other businesses. However, if a presentable packaged product is introduced, the glamour factor is also captured.

In short, the concept of marketing with colourful presentations of any product removes the consumer from the immediate idea of the product at hand. With a business plan that delivers profit, an entrepreneur will desire to partake in it. Hence, enticing new entrepreneurs as well into this business is a great possibility.

Therefore, the major thrust of reaching out to entrepreneurs lies in promoting the business, its benefits, and then inviting entrepreneurs in this field to grow greater interest and involvement.

Integrated market communication will need to be properly addressed in bringing the societal mind-set change for furthering the growth of this business cluster. The same logic will also apply to bringing entrepreneurs from other fields to join this industry.

There are several reasons that entering the bio-fertiliser business is justified endeavour:

Climate change

Climate change is bringing more peril to the world, and if one only sees that a business has to be done for profit, then society loses the larger picture of “doing well by doing good.” The bio-fertiliser business can be promoted as a business that does society good.

So the entrepreneur engages in a corporate social responsibility act by simply carrying on with it.

International impact funds are continually

The bio-fertiliser industry is a unique opportunity for investors focusing on finding businesses that generate socially responsible outcomes, and what better way to promote a business than by staying involved in this business segment?

If this system continues, the top soil fertility in Bangladesh may approach near zero level, igniting a very serious future environmental migration hazard from this part of the world

Competitive rivalry

The rivalry condition remains low in this industry due to low numbers of competitors.

Given the nature of this business, and the relatively low scientific inquiry in the field, the demand for raw material is low, while nature creates huge quantities of raw material daily that can easily be found in cities, farms, etc.

It is noted that no more than 4-5% of Bangladesh’s entire supply of organic waste is used while many more millions of tons of processed organic fertiliser potential lies unattended.

The large landfills are piling up, creating environmental hazards across Bangladesh.

With ingenious planning, policy support, and entrepreneurial zeal we can actually reclaim the landfills into other productive endeavors.

Food security risks

Food security has always been a risk in Bangladesh. The government and the private sector have to import huge quantities of chemical fertiliser to ensure that crop yields do not fall in the country.

Billions of dollars of imports are done while the raw materials of bio-fertiliser go to waste periodically. This is not a good public

policy initiative and awaits correction.

If this system continues, the top soil fertility in Bangladesh may approach near zero level, igniting a very serious future environmental migration hazard from this part of the world.

Keeping the societal view in mind, our country needs to bring more entrepreneurs to reap the natural advantage that Bangladesh offers and earn revenue at the same time.

Approximately $2bn worth chemical fertilisers are imported each year, causing other environmental harms.

Government policy and support

The government has reiterated its priority in converting our disposed waste into resource, therefore, with technical support, entrepreneurs are in a favourable position to conduct business in a policy-friendly climate. The government is also considering revising the licensing period and procedure to accommodate more entrepreneurs to enter this market.

With greater interest and participation, the government will extend greater policy support.

The bio-fertiliser trade association in Bangladesh currently has an emaciated existence as a wing under the chemical fertiliser industry, and hence, there is little policy effort in bringing out its true potential.

Municipality

The municipalities are increasing their awareness and sensitivity to waste-disposal planning and hence, entrepreneurs can be supported by the favourable and business-friendly environment. This is great incentive for an entrepreneur.

Supply chain

Supply chain constraints have been a major impediment to this business. Many companies have an interest, but managing the entire waste-collection process is tedious, needing dedicated human resource support.

If investment support at reduced interest rates is received, then entrepreneurs may actively engage in this business. This will also create more interest in the labour supply industry, which continues to grow due to rising population.

BIGSTOCK

Environmental awareness

The people of Bangladesh are increasingly becoming aware of their environment and people are forced to live in confined spaces.

Households are trying to incorporate the touch of green living within their immediate environments. Given this interest, we see more greens and flowering plants in our compounds.

This has increased the demand for organic fertilisers manifold. Similarly, large nurseries have come up to support the demand of farmers and even small plantations. Additionally, crop density and yield necessitate more consumption of fertilisers. These are natural consequences of urbanisation resulting in more reasons for an entrepreneur to jump into the business.

Profitability

Prior analysis/market study of the bio-fertiliser sector of Practical Action -- a UK based development organisation -- has shown that the bio-fertiliser industry offers a viable business model with annual net profits in the range of 15-20%, even with a small, mobilised resource base, hinting that, with greater capacity, the profitability potential increases.

Stakeholder engagement

The stakeholders in this business have to be brought closer to support each other for a profitable and sustainable future. Knowledge and learning of the various stakeholders -- farmers, wholesalers, retailers, financiers, and entrepreneurs -- are to be significantly improved upon, otherwise, even small technical issues may jeopardise the entire value chain. The finance companies cannot consider equating this business model with any other business model. This understanding must be embedded in their hearts, so financing companies/banks may design their finance products catering to the exacting needs of the market.

The bio-fertiliser business has unique opportunities in Bangladesh. Simply because of the nature of the business, the exorbitant cost of imported bio-fertiliser products will experience a tough market battle here at home. l Ziaur Rahman is CEO of IITM.

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14 OPINION

TUESDAY, JULY 28, 2015

No sustainability without dignity Even while standing in knee-deep water, poor communities, when offered emergency relief, said ‘not for now’

When the land floods, the poorest are hit the hardest

DHAKA TRIBUNE

With the onset of the floods, the communities faced days of no food and no water. Donors offered funds for providing emergency relief

n Runa Khan

I

n the summer of 2012, the floods were particularly strong in the Brahmaputra river islands, or “chars,” where we’ve worked for 10 years through our mobile hospitals and other services with an integrated development approach. These islands host the poorest of the poor of Bangladesh.

With the onset of the floods, the communities faced days of no food and no water. Donors offered funds for providing emergency relief. We felt that, instead of just giving this to the communities, we should first consult with them.

And so we did. Standing in knee-deep

water in their house with water all around, and even their few livestock in danger of being washed away at any moment, they replied, “Not for now. We have enough food to eat for a week or so. If the flood continues for longer than that, then we shall need help, but not today.”

How does one evaluate dignity? The Schwab Foundation award is geared at promoting sustainable projects. When Friendship received the award in 2012, it was not because its projects would be financially self-sustainable; indeed, many of them are not, particularly in health.

Our work must have been found to be sustainable because, from the beginning, the one thread that wove our work together was to imbue self-respect into the communities we worked in so that they have the opportunity to live with dignity and hope -only then could they reach the tipping point from where they would be able to take off by themselves.

Dignity cannot be given or taught. Dignity arises from a reciprocal action and emotion of giving and taking. It is one of the most needed elements of true and everlasting sustainability in development work.

In order for dignity to be preserved and to be where need is, restored by our interventions, we must ensure that the

right support is given at the right time, that it meets a true need of the recipient -- as opposed to our availability of funds or donor wishes -- and that the way in which we deliver the service is respectful.

Otherwise, it creates a negative chain of money flowing in and out, without achieving any sustainable impact.

And it happens so easily and just too often that due to unconsidered giving, a previously dignified person loses self-respect and therewith her capacity to take off by herself again.

Over the years of servicing the ultra-poor, we have learned that the poor cannot afford poor solutions.

And that solutions are poor, not only where the quality of the service delivered is defective, but also where the mind-set behind the giving is poor.

And finally, that the recipients respond equally, building on the support they receive, only where the mind-set of the giver is one of truth and respect.

There can be no sustainable development without mutual respect and, therefore, dignity. l Runa Khan is the Founder and Executive Director of Friendship Bangladesh. This article first appeared in The Huffington Post.

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Shanghai stocks see worst fall since 2007

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Fed policy meeting: Is Yellen turning bullish?

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Stocks edge lower as profit booking continues

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Business

15

TUESDAY, JULY 28, 2015

NBR reshuffles duties of 16 tax officials

Farm loan target raised by 5.5% for FY16 n Tribune Report

TREND OF AGRICULTURE CREDIT

Bangladesh Bank (BB) has raised farm loan target by 5.5% for the current fiscal year compared to the previous year.

Under its expanded farm loan policy for FY16, it set a target for disbursing Tk16,400 crore among farmers.

Of the targeted amount, six state-owned banks – Sonali, Janata, Agrani, Rupali, BASIC and Bangladesh Development Bank – will have to lend at least Tk2,890 crore and two specialised state banks – Bangladesh Krishi Bank and Rajshahi Krishi Unnayan Bank – Tk 6,400 crore.

BB Governor Atiur Rahman unveiled the new farm loan policy at a press conference at its headquarters yesterday with senior bankers from private, public and foreign banks attending the programme.

Private and foreign banks will have to lend at least 2.5% of their total loans to the agriculture sector, and the rate is 5% for nine new

Fiscal Year

Target in Disbursed Tk crore in Tk crore

Recovery in Tk crore

2015-16 16,400 2014-15 15,550

15,978.46

13,696.00 (July-May)

2013-14 14595

16036.81

17046.02

2012-13 14130

14667.49

14362.29

2011-12

13132.15

12359.00

13800

‘Banks should consider disbursing loan to promote crops marketing’ private commercial banks, according to the new agriculture and rural loan policy and programmes for FY16.

“Those banks that will fail to fulfill the

target will have to deposit their undisbursed amounts in a blocked account with the BB and will get no interest on that deposit as punishment,” said Atiur.

“The central bank will not show any relaxation about the matter. But those who will meet the target will get priority in opening new and authorised dealer branches like every year.”

The new farm credit policy has encouraged banks to lend in producing vermicompost (red wiggler), a kind of manure that is good, cheap and affordable and works as an alternative of chemical fertiliser.

“Bangladesh Bank is in the process of launching re-financing scheme against the banks’ funding in this sector,” said Rahman.

The central bank will consider the banks’ performance of the farm loan disbursement to calculate their (banks) CAMELS rating from this financial year. According to the BB data, all banks collectively disbursed Tk15,978.46 crore, up 3% from Tk15,550 crore targeted for

disbursement in FY15.

Some banks failed to achieve the farm loan disbursement target in four crops – pulses, oil seeds, spices and maize – in FY15, it said.

The banks would have to upload the farm loan application form with their respective websites and publish media advertisements in this regard in a bid to encourage the farmers, according to the new policy.

Earlier, some banks dilly-dallied to provide the farm loan application form, thereby discouraging the farmers to receive the loan.

BB Deputy Governor SK Sur Chowdhury said the central bank plans to introduce the crop insurance to minimise the losses of farmers in natural calamity.

“Banks should consider disbursing loan to promote crops marketing.”

He advised that banks should avoid farm loan disbursement through non-government organisation as such type of activities hamper the rate of interest and interest rate spread. l

Dhaka luxury hotels feel pinch for lack of guests

OCCUPANCY RATE OF DIFFERENT HOTELS

Sonargaon Radisson Westin Sarina

n Ishtiaq Husain Hotel business in the capital is going through a lacklustre period as the foreigners visit came down drastically.

Before Ramadan

Since Ramadan

80% 70% 80% 65%

40% 35% 40% 25%

Industry insiders said the business is down by almost 50% over the last one month.

The number of garment buyers visiting the country has reduced due to fall in the readymade garment orders.

According to Salman Kabir, assistant director of Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel, the number of guests started falling at the beginning of Ramadan while ahead of Eid ul-Fitr the number fell drastically and the trend continues.

“The business is expected to rebound soon as the government offices have reopened,” said Salman.

Before Ramadan the average room occupancy rate was 80%, said an official of the hotel.

Zaireen Sultana Lupa, the marketing communications manager of Le Méridien Dhaka, said though the hotel was newly launched in Bangladesh, they made a brisk business during the off-peak hour.

“We hope the business will turn around as the Eid has ended,” said Lupa.

Besides, this is an off-season for tourists in Bangladesh as the rainy season has set in, said an official of Hotel Sarina.

According to sources, the number of room occupancy in Westin Dhaka also went down by 50%, which was 80% before Ramadan.

An official of Radisson Blu Water Garden Hotel said their hotel room occupancy was 70% one month ago, which stands at 35% at present.

Although the government and private offices have opened, the business is yet to turn big profit, he said, adding that it will take one to two

weeks more to get back on track.

Hotel Sarina also is also posting a bleak trade scenario over the last one month.

Its average occupancy rate now stands between 25% and 30% while it was 60% to 65% before Ramadan.

Abdus Salam Murshedy, former president of BGMEA, the apex trade body of apparel industry in the country, said the number of buyers visiting the country decreased significantly due to cancellation of ready-made garment orders.

“This was the peak time for garment buyers to visit Bangladesh, but the export growth has reduced due to lack of production capacity, fluctuation of exchange rate in Euro zone and closure of some factories in the wake of compliant issues.”

But unlike the hotel business in the capital, hotels in the Cox’s Bazar, Bandarban, Rangamati are making brisk business. l

DT

16 BUSINESS

TUESDAY, JULY 28, 2015

Shanghai stocks see worst fall since 2007, defying government efforts n AFP, Hong Kong Shanghai shares yesterday suffered their biggest one-day decline in more than eight years, plummeting 8.48% in defiance of government efforts to prop up the market.

Hong Kong’s benchmark Hang Seng index fell 3.09 percent, or 776.55 points, to 24,351.96 on turnover of HK$116.25bn (US$14.99bn).

But the biggest falls came in mainland China.

The Shanghai Composite Index closed down 345.35 points at 3,725.56 on turnover of 721.3bn yuan ($117.9bn), on worries the world’s second largest economy is heading for a sharp slowdown, dealers said.

The drop was the biggest since February 2007, Bloomberg News reported.

The Shenzhen Composite Index, which tracks stocks on China’s second exchange, slid 7%, or 162.62 points, to 2,160.09 on turnover of 667.7bn yuan.

The falls came as economic data caused sentiment to turn, despite official efforts to support the stock market following a rout that began last month.

“Investors are not confident that the bull market will return any time soon,” Jimmy Zuo, a trader at Guosen Securities, told Bloomberg.

“People want to pocket profits after the benchmark index rose past the 4,000 mark.”

On Monday the government said that profits of major industrial firms slipped 0.3% year-on-year in June to 588.57bn yuan.

On Friday the preliminary reading of Caixin’s Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) - an independent survey of manufacturing activity - came in at 48.2 for July, the weakest reading since 48.1 in April 2014.

Officials have unveiled a range of measures,

An investor walks past an electronic board showing stock information at a brokerage house in Hangzhou REUTERS

including a police crackdown on short-selling and a six-month ban on big shareholders selling stock, to avert a slump which began in mid-June.

But Shanghai stocks sank 1.29% on Friday, ending a six-day rally, after the PMI figures.

On Monday securities firms lost ground in Shanghai. Industrial Securities plunged by its 10% daily limit to 10.38 yuan and Dongxing Securities also slumped 10 percent to 21.92 yuan.

Toll road-related shares also fell. In Shanghai, Hubei Chutian Expressway dropped by its 10% daily limit to 6.26 yuan and Shandong Hi-speed lost 10% to 7.49 yuan.

In Hong Kong China-related stocks suf-

fered the biggest declines. Telecoms operator China Unicom fell 5.88% to HK$10.56 while China Life Insurance declined 5.53% to HK$29.05.

Despite official denials, investors are also worried over whether the Chinese government will exit the market by removing the support funds which have propped up prices.

China’s securities regulator last week denied studying an exit plan for market-stabilisation funds.

The state-backed China Securities Finance Corp., tasked with restoring market stability, also denied reducing its holdings in listed companies, state media reported on Wednesday. l

Asia markets sink after US losses, eyes on Fed meeting n AFP, Hong Kong Asian markets mostly retreated yesterday following a fourth successive sell-off in New York, while investors await the US Federal Reserve’s next policy meeting looking for a handle on its plans for interest rates.

The dollar also remained weak after a disappointing read on the US housing market, while oil was also under pressure owing to a global supply glut.

Tokyo fell 0.95%, or 194.43 points, to 20,350.10, Seoul gave up 0.35%, or 7.15 points, to 2,038.81 and in late trade Hong Kong shed 2.57% and Shanghai was 3.2% lower.

However, Sydney ended higher, adding 0.43% on gains by retailers.

Investors took a lead from their US counterparts, who continued to cash out on Friday as data showing sales of new single-family homes fell in June and May sales were much lower than previously reported.

The news, which followed a downbeat Chinese manufacturing report, trumped forecast-busting earnings from online retailer Amazon.

The Dow fell 0.92%, the S&P 500 dropped 1.07% and the Nasdaq sank 1.12%.

“Share markets are likely to remain volatile as we are still going through a seasonally weak period of the year for shares,” Shane Oliver, Sydney-based global strategist at AMP Capital Investors Ltd., told Bloomberg News.

“Uncertainties remain regarding Chinese economic growth and a likely Fed interest rate hike lies ahead for later this year.”

The focus is now on the Fed’s policy meeting this week. While it is not expected to raise rates, dealers are hoping for some forward guidance, with most analysts tipping a hike in either September or December. l

Google throttles back vision for its social network n AFP, San Francisco

First Security Islami Bank Limited has recently started the 17th foundation training course for its trainee assistant cash officers. The bank’s MD, Syed Waseque Md Ali inaugurated the course

Modhumoti Bank Limited has recently held a meeting of its board’s audit committee in Gulshan. The committee’s chairperson, Shaikh Salahuddin has presided over the meeting

Google yesterday said it is throttling back on its vision of having profiles at its social network serve as people’s identities across its range of online offerings.

“Important changes” coming to Google+ in the months ahead will include users no longer needing an account at the social network to post videos or comments on YouTube.

YouTube will be among the first products

to uncouple itself from Google+ profiles.

Google has slowly been backing away from linking services to the social network.

Google recently moved popular picture handling features into a separate Google Photos apps for mobile devices, and said it is putting location sharing into other applications such as Hangouts.

Google+ launched in June of 2011 in a challenge to Facebook, but still has a small fraction of its rival’s huge user base. l

BEPZA has recently signed annual performance agreement for FY16 with its EPZs and different departments. The agreement has been signed by BEPZA’s executive chairperson, Major General Mohd Habibur Rahman Khan and 8 EPZs including other departments of the executive office

DT

BUSINESS 17

TUESDAY, JULY 28, 2015

Black economy clouds Spain’s recovery from crisis n AFP, Madrid

Federal Reserve Board Chairwoman Janet Yellen testifies before a House Financial Services committee hearing on Monetary Policy and the State of the Economy on Capitol Hill REUTERS

Fed policy meeting: Is Yellen turning bullish? n AFP, Washington Bullishness is not a word much associated with Janet Yellen since she became Federal Reserve chair 18 months ago, but that could change with the Fed’s next policy meeting.

With a global focus on when the US central bank will begin raising interest rates after nearly seven years locked at zero percent, analysts will be looking for a shift in how the Yellen-led Federal Open Market Committee on Wednesday describes the US economy.

No decision to raise rates is expected in the end-July FOMC meeting Tuesday and Wednesday. But the language of the policy statement could point to a date, which could be as early as September.

Long seen as the key voice of caution over tightening monetary policy, the 68-year-old economist in recent weeks has sounded more confident in the US economy, even as she stated publicly the risks that could challenge growth.

In two separate statements this month, Yellen triggered surprise by sticking firmly to the view that the FOMC will decide on a rate rise before the end of the year.

To many analysts, spotty US economic performance data - strong hiring but weaknesses in building, consumer spending and manufacturing - combined with generally sluggish global economic activity justified holding off on the first rate increase in nine years.

Roots of growth

Some say the Fed should wait until early 2016 to be sure the roots of US growth reach deep.

And indeed, in a speech on July 10 and then a policy statement to Congress on July 15, Yellen acknowledged that the weaknesses that have nagged at the FOMC for more than two years are still there.

‘Too many people are not searching for a job but would likely do so if the labor market was stronger’ Even as the jobless rate has fallen, to 5.3% in July, the labor force participation rate is still extremely low at 62.6%; the level of part-time employment is high at 6.5 million people, two million more than before the crisis; and wage growth has remained stubbornly slow.

“Too many people are not searching for a job but would likely do so if the labor market was stronger,” Yellen said.

“And, although there are tentative signs that wage growth has picked up, it continues to be relatively subdued, consistent with other indications of slack.”

Even so, she said, prospects are for more

improvement in the second half of the year.

The economy “also might snap back more quickly” than generally expected, she allowed.

“Economic growth abroad could pick up more quickly than observers generally anticipate, providing additional supports for US activity.

“If the economy evolves as we expect, economic conditions likely would make it appropriate at some point this year to raise the federal funds rate target, thereby beginning to normalize the stance of monetary policy,” she concluded.

Amid constant market volatility over the question, Yellen has repeatedly stressed that the first rate hike is less important than how the Fed implements subsequent increases, which at this point are expected to be slow and small.

Nevertheless, it is the first step that analysts are focused on.

Waiting until September will give the FOMC another two months’ data on employment -- July and August - and other issues, including inflation, needed to make a rate decision. Most analysts expect continued improvement all around.

Yet any signal given on Wednesday is likely to be less than absolute.

“With the ongoing possibility of further Greece or China induced market volatility, the FOMC likely wants to avoid a situation in which markets become too certain of a September hike,” said Barclays in a client note. l

Many of Spain’s five million unemployed dream of finding a steady job in the economic recovery vaunted by the government - but a legion of undeclared workers still scrape by cash-in-hand.

“Nowadays the phrase ‘steady job’ means nothing in Spain,” said Paloma Sotillo, 43.

She is one of 1.7 million people in Spain who admit to earning at least part of their pay in the “black economy”, without tax or social security contributions.

Spain’s economy returned to growth in 2013 after five years of economic crisis, but its unemployment rate is still the second-highest in the eurozone after Greece.

The rate dipped to 22.37% in the second quarter of this year, according to official data published this week.

A study by Catalan business school Esade indicated however that one in 10 employees and one in five unemployed people in Spain did work for earnings that they did not declare to the taxman.

Sotillo said she had been unemployed for a year when she found a job in a Madrid toyshop in December 2013. She worked there for a year before stopping in order to look after her sick mother.

“I had a contract to work 30 hours a week, but I worked 35 and they paid me the difference cash-in-hand,” she said - a salary of 700 euros plus an undeclared supplement of 120 euros.

‘Corruption encourages tax-dodging’

The tax collectors’ union Gestha says the vast black economy has for decades undermined Spain, the eurozone’s fourth-biggest economy.

It estimates the black economy equals about a quarter of Spain’s gross domestic product - or roughly a quarter of a trillion euros.

For Gestha, that makes Spain one of the fiscal bad boys of Europe, along with Greece, Italy, Portugal and Poland.

Economists say the cash-in-hand habit is strongest in agriculture, building, domestic work, trade and tourism.

“The high level of unemployment has increased it,” said Gestha’s president, Carlos Cruzado.

He said Spain suffers from a culture of tax avoidance, fuelled by indignation over constant reports of political corruption, and also lacks enough tax inspectors.

During the boom decade before Spain’s crisis broke out, companies subcontracted a lot of their work to workers whom they paid in cash in order to keep up with demand, said Princeton University sociologist Alejandro Portes.

Then in the crisis, this gave way to “an informal economy of survival” of technically unemployed people living hand-to-mouth from casual jobs, he said.

Cruzado complained that the black economy persists partly due to a belief that stopping people earning that way in a crisis could have explosive consequences.

It is hard to do away with a system that supports many people who have exhausted all their welfare subsidies in the crisis.

“There is a theory in Spain that, with five million people unemployed, there would be a revolt on the street if it were not for the underground economy,” Cruzado said. l

DT

18 BUSINESS

TUESDAY, JULY 28, 2015

News, analysis and recent disclosures RECKITTBEN: The Company has informed that the Board of Directors has approved 500% interim cash dividend for the year 2015. It is to be noted that, total interim cash dividend amount will be Tk. 236.25 million, out of which 137.48 million will be from current year s (January to June 2015) profits and rest 98.77 million will be funded from undistributed profit lying as free reserve which has been transferred to retained earnings for the distribution of dividend.

Record date for entitlement of interim dividend: 05.08.2015.

The Company has also reported EPS of Tk. 29.10, NAV per share of Tk. 63.84 and NOCFPS of Tk. 38.52 for the half year ended on June 30, 2015.

PHENIXINS: (H/Y): NPAT= Tk. 79.79 million with EPS of Tk. 1.98 as against Tk. 86.72 million and Tk. 2.15 respectively.

RECKITTBEN: (H/Y): NPAT= Tk. 137.48 million with EPS of Tk. 29.10 as against Tk. 85.92 million and Tk. 18.18 respectively.

SHAHJABANK: (H/Y): NPAT= Tk. 572.24 million with consolidated EPS of Tk. 0.78 as against Tk. -594.12 million and Tk. -0.81 respectively.

DUTCHBANGL: (H/Y): NPAT= Tk. 1,115.64 million with EPS of Tk. 5.58 as against Tk. 928.60 million and Tk. 4.64 respectively.

NCCBLMF1: (H/Y) NPAT=Tk. 50.95 million with Earnings per unit of Tk. 0.47 as against Tk. 24.81 million and Tk. 0.23 respectively.

RAKCERAMIC: (H/Y): NPAT= Tk. 421.60 million with consolidated EPS of Tk. 1.25 as against

Turnover (Volume) Number of Contract

Company Hakkani P& Paper -B Rupali Bank - A Bangladesh Lamps -A BSRM Ltd. -A People`s Leasing-A Zaheen Spinning -N GeminiSeaFood-B Pragati Gen. I -A PragatiLife Insu. -Z BD Fixed Income MF-A

Closing (% Change) 9.91 9.80 9.20 9.01 7.74 7.52 7.16 7.11 6.62 5.48

CSE GAINER Company Bangladesh Lamps -A Hakkani P& Paper -B Kay & Que (BD) -Z Rupali Bank - A BSRM Ltd. -A EXIM Bank 1 MF-A Zaheen Spinning -N People`s Leasing-A ISN Ltd. -Z Imam Button -Z

Closing (% Change) 9.94 9.94 9.76 9.45 8.78 8.57 8.48 7.74 7.37 7.00

DSE LOSER Company MeghnaCement -A Continental Insur. -A Dutch Ban. Bnk- A Republic Insu.-A Kay & Que (BD) -Z CMC Kamal Tex. -A IFIL Islamic M.F.1-A Rupali InsurA Saiham Cotton-A Brac B.C. Bond-A

Closing (% Change) -9.82 -7.65 -4.35 -4.35 -4.32 -4.29 -4.17 -3.70 -3.69 -3.66

CSE LOSER Company Linde (BD) Ltd. -A Aramit -A MeghnaCement -A Standard Insurance-A Bata Shoe Ltd. -A Takaful Islami Insu-A Saiham Cotton-A Malek Spinning-A Eastern Bank - A Trust Bank 1st MF-A

Closing (% Change) -8.83 -8.67 -6.62 -6.25 -6.13 -5.56 -4.17 -4.15 -3.92 -3.77

SECTORAL TURNOVER SUMMARY

DSE key features July 27, 2015 Turnover (Million Taka)

Tk. 297.79 million and Tk. 0.88 respectively.

NCCBANK: (H/Y): NPAT= Tk. 482.21 million with consolidated EPS of Tk. 0.55 as against Tk. 349.96 million and Tk. 0.40 respectively.

GLAXOSMITH: (H/Y): NPAT= Tk. 371.43 million with EPS of Tk. 30.83 as against Tk. 410.53 million and Tk. 34.08 respectively.

MEGHNACEM: (H/Y): NPAT= Tk. 82.04 million with EPS of Tk. 3.65 as against Tk. 102.47 million and Tk. 4.55 respectively.

UNIQUEHRL: (H/Y): NPAT= Tk. 431.21 million with EPS of Tk. 1.46 as against Tk. 437.70 million and Tk. 1.49 respectively.

PRIMELIFE: (H/Y): Decrease in life revenue account of Tk. 200.34 million with total life insurance fund of Tk. 6,919.44 million as against an increase of Tk. 22.02 million and Tk. 6,239.62 million respectively.

Dividend/AGM LINDEBD: 200% interim cash dividend, Record date for entitlement of interim dividend: 03.08.2015.

GP: Interim cash dividend 80%, Record date for entitlement of interim dividend: 29.07.2015.

SQURPHARMA: 30% cash and 12.50% stock dividend, AGM: 16.09.2015, Record Date: 13.08.2015.

MEGHNALIFE: 13% cash and 20% stock, AGM: 27.08.2015, Record Date: 30.07.2015.

FAREASTLIF: 35% cash and 10% stock, AGM: 16.08.2015, Record Date: 23.07.2015.

STYLECRAFT: 60% cash, AGM: 27.08.2015, Record Date: 30.07.2015.

DSE GAINER

Sector

6,482.39 149,478,878 139,936

Traded Issues

320

Issue Gain (Avg. Price Basis)

126

Issue Loss (Avg. Price Basis)

184

Unchanged Issue (Avg. Price Basis)

10

Market Capital Equity (Billion. Tk.)

2,706.54

Market Capital Equity (Billion US$)

32.81

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 320.31 341.84 71.73 895.30 222.30 1298.90 4.02 600.18 1115.91 24.05 147.72 23.18 287.88 438.00 37.80 43.44 66.95 219.06 128.45 195.15 0.23

% change 4.94 5.27 1.11 13.81 3.43 20.04 0.06 9.26 17.21 0.37 2.28 0.36 4.44 6.76 0.58 0.67 1.03 3.38 1.98 3.01 0.00

Million Taka 17.49 28.40 3.67 97.32 11.46 78.23 42.58 54.76 3.73 10.68 1.30 11.68 44.30 2.40 0.91 4.09 18.70 10.90 22.19 0.01

Average (% Change) 4.86 7.80 2.49 3.58 4.08 8.24 4.15 6.03 5.37 6.40

Average (% Change) 9.82 4.00 9.76 13.54 3.90 8.57 12.04 3.73 8.82 4.93

Average (% Change) -9.46 -5.71 -3.30 -4.56 -4.18 -4.36 -0.28 -0.05 -2.88 -1.23

Average (% Change) -1.40 -8.67 -4.98 -6.25 -6.13 -5.44 -3.55 -1.66 -3.92 -1.89

CSE

ClosingAvg. 49.45 49.35 138.92 93.73 16.32 24.04 270.02 26.72 106.78 7.65

ClosingAvg. 136.95 48.91 13.50 49.82 93.89 7.60 23.92 16.39 10.24 10.65

ClosingAvg. 115.75 16.18 93.34 15.70 13.30 15.80 7.11 18.63 21.22 1066.67

ClosingAvg. 1,198.55 226.50 121.39 15.00 1,307.10 17.02 20.93 18.94 24.50 5.18

% change 3.76 6.11 0.79 20.94 2.47 16.83 0.00 9.16 11.78 0.80 2.30 0.28 2.51 9.53 0.52 0.20 0.88 4.02 2.35 4.77 0.00

Closing 51.00 50.40 148.40 96.80 16.70 24.30 279.70 27.10 107.90 7.70

Closing

DHIGH 51.00 50.40 149.30 97.60 16.80 24.50 282.00 27.40 111.00 8.00

DHIGH

137.10 50.90 13.50 49.80 96.60 7.60 24.30 16.70 10.20 10.70

Closing 114.80 15.70 92.30 15.40 13.30 15.60 6.90 18.20 20.90 1040.50

Closing 1,167.00 226.50 121.40 15.00 1,307.10 17.00 20.70 18.50 24.50 5.10

Million Taka 337.79 370.24 75.40 992.62 233.76 1377.13 4.02 642.76 1170.68 27.78 158.41 24.47 299.56 482.30 40.20 44.35 71.04 237.76 139.35 217.34 0.23

DLOW 47.20 46.40 132.00 87.20 15.60 22.90 260.00 24.70 102.00 7.40

DLOW

137.10 50.90 13.50 50.00 97.40 7.60 24.60 17.00 10.40 10.70

DHIGH 121.50 17.00 96.30 16.10 13.30 16.20 7.30 19.10 21.70 1041.00

DHIGH

132.00 47.10 13.50 49.00 87.60 7.60 23.60 15.80 10.10 9.80

DLOW 114.60 15.30 91.50 15.20 13.30 15.50 6.80 17.90 20.80 1040.00

DLOW

1,240.00 226.50 128.00 15.00 1,307.10 18.20 21.20 19.20 24.70 5.30

Total

1,167.00 226.50 117.00 15.00 1,307.10 16.50 20.70 18.50 24.50 5.10

% change 4.86 5.33 1.09 14.29 3.36 19.82 0.06 9.25 16.85 0.40 2.28 0.35 4.31 6.94 0.58 0.64 1.02 3.42 2.01 3.13 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

15.549 5.019 42.770 169.548 139.314 45.759 3.005 2.345 10.424 0.314

Turnover in Million

0.29 5.84 4.32 2.16 0.56 1.18 9.58 1.64 2.38 0.51

Latest EPS

1.274 2.994 0.000 0.151 26.177 0.000 4.202 15.031 0.110 0.039

Turnover in Million

170.5 8.5 32.2 43.4 29.1 20.4 28.2 16.3 44.9 15.0

Latest PE

4.32 0.29 0.28 5.84 2.16 0.56 1.18 0.56 0.16 -1.21

Latest EPS

27.161 5.363 3.489 3.782 0.009 21.738 7.348 5.783 4.133 0.016

Turnover in Million

Latest PE

31.7 168.7 48.2 8.5 43.5 13.6 20.3 29.3 64.0 -ve

Latest PE

7.30 2.84 11.16 1.55 0.28 1.24 0.95 2.60 1.43 0.00

Latest EPS

0.630 0.023 0.346 0.000 0.012 0.511 0.062 0.250 0.007 0.157

15.9 5.7 8.4 10.1 47.5 12.7 7.5 7.2 14.8 -

Latest PE

32.00 13.84 7.30 2.88 42.84 1.40 1.43 1.65 4.16 0.69

37.5 16.4 16.6 5.2 30.5 12.2 14.6 11.5 5.9 7.5

CSE key features July 27, 2015 Turnover (Million Taka) Turnover (Volume) Number of Contract

464.80 12,135,849 19,252

Traded Issues

243

Issue Gain (Avg. Price Basis)

92

Issue Loss (Avg. Price Basis)

143

Unchanged Issue (Avg. Price Basis)

8

Market Capital Equity (Billion. Tk.)

2,605.00

Market Capital Equity (Billion US$)

31.58

DT

BUSINESS 19

TUESDAY, JULY 28, 2015

Stocks edge lower as profit booking continues n Tribune Report

DSE TURNOVER LEADERS Company LafargeS Cement-A RAK Ceramics-A DESCO Ltd. -A Square Pharma -A Shahjibazar Power-N ACI Limited- A BSRM Ltd. -A Grameenphone-A Olympic Accessories -N Khulna Power-A

FAR Chemical-N United Power-N People`s Leasing-A BEXIMCO Ltd. -A Beximco Pharma -A

VolumeShares 2,888,209 3,603,150 3,481,752 975,195 1,340,986 326,116 1,808,819 496,828 2,531,105 2,030,994

Value in Million 356.24 280.48 262.46 260.88 260.55 187.92 169.55 167.46 160.97 159.29

% of TotalTurnover 5.50 4.33 4.05 4.02 4.02 2.90 2.62 2.58 2.48 2.46

VolumeShares

Value in Million

% of TotalTurnover

2,903,849 906,380 8,535,568 3,665,133 1,830,851

CSE TURNOVER LEADERS Company LafargeS Cement-A Olympic Accessories -N BSRM Ltd. -A United Power-N People`s Leasing-A BEXIMCO Ltd. -A Square Pharma -A MJL BD Ltd.-A Shahjibazar Power-N Beximco Pharma -A

RAK Ceramics-A BD Submarine Cable-A UNITED AIR-A Khulna Power-A ACI Limited- A

338,144 490,217 278,796 113,277 917,301 449,810 48,845 110,395 62,512 166,643

136,996 78,109 930,729 117,900 15,785

148.45 145.66 139.31 122.07 120.69

41.63 31.20 26.18 18.27 15.03 14.96 13.02 12.29 12.16 11.00

10.71 10.66 9.77 9.25 9.14

2.29 2.25 2.15 1.88 1.86

8.96 6.71 5.63 3.93 3.23 3.22 2.80 2.64 2.62 2.37

2.30 2.29 2.10 1.99 1.97

ClosingP 122.50 78.10 73.80 268.90 194.70 571.70 96.80 337.40 62.20 77.90

52.00 162.10 16.70 33.20 65.50

ClosingP

Change % -2.70 -1.88 -0.81 1.09 1.51 -1.45 9.01 -0.35 -2.05 -1.27

1.76 2.99 7.74 -1.48 -1.21

Change %

122.00 62.30 96.60 162.10 16.70 33.10 268.50 111.10 194.80 65.40

78.20 135.90 10.40 77.90 574.20

-2.40 -1.89 8.78 2.72 7.74 -1.49 1.36 0.09 1.78 -0.91

-1.88 -1.02 -1.89 -1.27 -1.09

ClosingY 125.90 79.60 74.40 266.00 191.80 580.10 88.80 338.60 63.50 78.90

51.10 157.40 15.50 33.70 66.30

ClosingY

125.00 63.50 88.80 157.80 15.50 33.60 264.90 111.00 191.40 66.00

79.70 137.30 10.60 78.90 580.50

DHIGH 126.00 80.00 76.40 269.00 201.50 584.50 97.60 339.20 65.40 79.90

52.80 164.00 16.80 34.00 67.00

DLOW 121.50 76.20 72.50 264.10 185.20 569.10 87.20 336.10 60.00 77.50

50.00 155.70 15.60 33.00 65.00

DHIGH

DLOW

125.50 65.50 97.40 163.80 17.00 33.80 269.00 112.60 201.80 66.90

121.40 61.00 87.60 157.40 15.80 33.00 264.30 110.60 186.30 65.00

79.00 139.00 10.70 79.70 587.90

76.50 135.00 10.40 77.50 572.60

AvgPrice 123.34 77.84 75.38 267.52 194.30 576.23 93.73 337.06 63.60 78.43

51.12 160.71 16.32 33.30 65.92

AvgPrice

123.10 63.65 93.89 161.26 16.39 33.25 266.58 111.33 194.53 66.02

78.14 136.48 10.50 78.50 578.84

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

12097.45650

(-) 0.23%

1869.25741

(-) 0.41%

14626.40120

(-) 0.26%

12097.45650

(-) 0.25%

8906.71330

(-) 0.28%

▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼

Stocks edged lower in choppy trading yesterday as moderate profit booking continued for the second straight session.

The market opened lower and moved up and down heavily within the red territory throughout the session as investors booked profit.

The benchmark of Dhaka Stock Exchange, DSEX, lost 11 points or 0.3% to close at 4,775, hitting highest about 4,794 at open and 4,767 immediately after open.

The Shariah index, DSES, inched over 4 points or 0.4% down to 1,182.

The blue chip comprising index, DS30, fell marginally 7 points or 0.5% to 1,869.

The Chittagong Stock Exchange Selective Category Index, CSCX, was down 37 points to settle at 8,906.

Mixed half-yearly earning declarations were now pouring in the market, which made investors cautious, dealers say.

The volume of trade continued to decline on Dhaka Stock Exchange as its turnover dropped more than 14% to Tk648 crore compared to the previous session.

Cement continued to experience the highest sale pressure, led by Lafarge Surma Cement that shed 2.7%

and became the most-traded stocks.

Textile, non-banking financial institutions and pharmaceuticals also continued to fall on profit booking.

Among the other major sectors, bank, food and allied, and engineering continued to show positive performance like previous session.

Lanka Bangla Securities said the market remained in balance and recorded slight losses affected by overall business results posted on DSE. It said power, pharmaceuticals and construction stocks came under pressure, while strength among selective stocks of bank, food and allied, and engineering sectors helped limit the downside for the market.

IDLC Investments said investors turned cautious and decided to tread lightly while contemplating on the future market moves.

“Being uncertain of whether the market is at an inflection point or taking a slight detour from the uptrend, participants took a pause, causing the turnover to shrink,” it said.

Unimpressive earnings disclosures from FMCG (first moving consumer goods) and construction materials put a leash on the upbeat momentum while banks dazzled in performance, it said. l

ANALYST

Investors turned cautious and decided to tread lightly while contemplating on the future market moves

DT

20 BUSINESS

TUESDAY, JULY 28, 2015

Philips launches new consumer products n Tribune Report

Small vendors taking vegetables on a boat after buying from Shyambazar wholesale market. Vegetables become dearer due to supply constraint in the wake of heavy rain SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

NBR reshuffles duties of 16 tax officials n Tribune Report The National Board of Revenue has rearranged administrative duties of its 16 officials, including promoting two additional commissioners at income tax wing as commissioner.

The changes and promotions have been made in order to bring dynamism in the country’s tax administration. Separate official orders were issued in this regard on Sunday.

According to the new postings, Khulna Zonal Commissioner Radheshyam Roy and BCS Tax Academy, Dhaka Director General Ranjan Kumer Bhowmik have been made members of Tax Appellate Tribunal, Dhaka.

Tax Appellate Tribunal, Dhaka members

Sazzad Hossain Bhuiyan was transferred as tax commissioner of Tax Appeal Zone-3, Dhaka, M Harun-ur-Rashid as commissioner at Mymensingh zonal tax office and Khandker M Ferdous Alam as director general of BCS Tax Academy, Dhaka.

Barisal Tax Commissioner M Abdul Baten has been made member at Tax Appellate Tribunal, Dhaka.

Rajshahi Zonal Income Tax Commissioner Sunil Kumer Saha was transferred to Khulna Tax Zone, Chittagong Tax Zone 1 Commissioner M Dabir Uddin to Rajshahi, Chittagong Tax Zone 2 Commissioner Apurbo Kanti Das to Chittagong Tax Zone 1, Chittagong Tax Zone 4 Commissioner Pradyut Kumer Sarker to Chittagong Tax Zone 2, Mymensingh Zonal

Tax Commissioner Begum Humayra Saida to Tax Appeal Zone-4, Dhaka and Comilla Zonal Tax Commissioner M Motaher Hossain to Tax Zone 4, Chittagong.

The NBR has also promoted two additional commissioners as commissioner. Inspecting Range 1 Additional Commissioner under Dhaka Tax Zone 1 Mohammad Zahid Hasan was promoted as commissioner at Barisal Tax Zone and Inspecting Range 1 Additional Tax Commissioner under Dhaka Tax Zone 2 M Rezaul Karim Chowdhury as commissioner at Comilla Tax Zone.

The revenue board is assigned to mobilise Tk176,370 crore for the current 2015-16 fiscal year. Of the figure, an amount of Tk65,932 crore will be collected from income tax. l

Philips Electronics Bangladesh has expanded its portfolio with the launch of a range of new products, focusing on personal health.

The portfolio includes kitchen appliances, grooming, coffee, baby care products and air purifiers.

Aiming to tap customers in every corner of the country, the company tied up with Butterfly—a leading local electronic goods marketing company of some world’s top brands.

Philips Bangladesh has primarily focused on its healthcare business which offers health solutions focusing on diagnosis, treatment, recovery and homecare for patients.

Its healthcare portfolio includes diagnostic imaging products like CT, MRI, X-rays, cardiovascular systems, nuclear medicine, PET-CT, and ultrasound imaging systems; obstructive sleep apnea management and home respiratory care products; as well as cardiology and patient monitoring solutions.

“With the introduction of new products focused on consumer health, we will now make sure that people are able to lead a good life, by monitoring and managing their health, be it the air they breathe, the food they eat or their personal hygiene,” says Sanjay Bapna, CEO, Philips Electronics Bangladesh Limited while launching new products in a city hotel yesterday.

The company has already established a strong retail footprint for its products focused on personal health and is offering these across more than 1,000 touch-points, including traditional and modern retail, in all major cities.

“Over the next few years, the company plans to increase this footprint to over 10,000 touch-points across top 20 cities,” said Sanjay.

Philips Electronics Bangladesh Pvt Limited, a subsidiary of The Netherlands-based Royal Philips, announced the expansion of its business in Bangladesh through the introduction of new products focused on personal health.

The company’s CEO said since its establishment in 2011, Philips has grown its business significantly in Bangladesh based on healthcare product customers that have tripled over the past three years.

Today PEBL enjoys a leadership position in the healthcare industry, with all leading healthcare institutions like Apollo, Greenlife, Popular Group, CMH Dhaka, Kurmitola Hospitals, Dhaka Medical College and many more as its customers, he said. l

House Building Corporation to expand easy credit in rural areas n Asif Showkat Kallol Finance Minster AMA Muhith has given consent on Tk500 crore fund supply to Bangladesh House Building Finance Corporation (HBFC) to expand easy home loan facility in rural areas.

He singed a summary on Thursday on the financial support from the government’s budget allocation of this fiscal year to the state-run body, said finance division sources.

A HBFC official said the potential borrowers had already started lobbying and using political influence to get the loan given on easy terms.

But it sparked a fear that the target people who are comparatively much needy might

miss the credit facility if such use of political influence continued, he said.

The corporation set Tk400 crore as target to disburse in this fiscal year. Unless the government provided the fund, the target would be failed, the finance ministry summary statement said.

Besides, the lender has taken an initiative to amend the existing HBFC law to achieve financial viability within next couple of years so that it could be run like a commercial bank.

“Earlier, it was not possible for the government to fund the corporation due to shortage of budget allocation. But this is one of good state-owned companies which give returns at the end of the day,” a finance division official

clarified.

He said the state-owned commercial banks like Sonali, Janata, Agrani, Rupali and BASIC didn’t give any return to the government exchequer from their trading gain in local stock exchanges.

According to the finance minister summary, the finance division will provide the Tk500 crore fund at a 3% interest rate and to be disbursed in three instalments during three consecutive fiscal years.

In first two years, the corporation will receive Tk400 crore and then Tk100 crore in the final year, the summary said.

Earlier, the finance division provided the corporation with Tk300 crore loan in four in-

stalments during 2009-2013 period.

The government will provide 4% subsidy to HBFC investment on interest rate and 6% subsidy on loans to non-municipality and rural areas at an interest rate of 10%.

HBFC provides house-building loans in the capital Dhaka and Chittagong city at 12% interest rate as it gets fund from government at 9%.

While the HBFC targets Tk400 crore loan disbursement in this fiscal, it also aims to provide Tk543.89 crore to the government exchequer as income tax and debenture expenditure during the year.

HBFC default loans dropped 5.92% in last fiscal year and the recovery rate was 86.64%. It made a net profit of Tk185 crore in the year. l

T-JUNCTION

Photo: Bigstock

DT

Press play

21

TUESDAY, JULY 28, 2015

INSIDE

22 news

A different Eid take from Takeout

23 event

A Snap on Kolpokoushol

24 gadget

For your six

DT

22 T-JUNCTION

News

TUESDAY, JULY 28, 2015

A different Eid take from Takeout Square launches Magic Total Clean toothpaste Square Toiletries Limited has recently introduced a new toothpaste brand to the market: Magic Total Clean toothpaste. The toothpaste is fortified with the natural cleaning abilities of salt, and the healing and refreshing abilities of clove, ensuring complete cleansing of the mouth.

Square Toiletries Limited delivers reputed products such as Sepnil, Senora, Meril Baby and many others, and their new brand Magic Total Clean toothpaste promises to deliver the same quality. l

This year, local food franchise Takeout celebrated Eid in a unique way, spending the day with street kids to share some happy moments. The owners of Takeout visited Rampura slum and with remote control cars, kites, sweets and burgers for up to 200 children.

Takeout co-owner Fahim Kabir said, ”Everyday, I notice street kids in front of my

shop who are called ‘Tokai’ because they collect bottles, waste materials. They watch people eating delicious burgers they can’t afford. Hence, my partners and I decided we will spend an amount of our earnings for them.”

Takeout started their journey a year ago from their Dhanmondi outlet, and now have expanded to Banani. l

Rare tumour successfully removed at Apollo Hospitals Dhaka An 18-year-old boy, suffering from respiratory distress, fatigue and palpitation for last two months, came to Apollo Hospitals Dhaka for treatment.

After a careful examination, the patient’s echo showed a large mobile tumour occupying the RVOT and extending up to the main PA bifurcation. Cardiac MRI also showed a huge tumour attached to the right ventricle.

The rare heart tumour, of about 4.2 x 3.8 x 2.4 cm encroaching through right ventricular outflow tract into the pulmonary valve orifice, was successfully after a complicated surgery, which was performed by the cardiac surgeon Dr Sohail Ahmed.

The patient was discharged from the hospital without any complications on the seventh post-operative day. l

NSU signed MOU with University of Maryland

The North South University (NSU) successfully concluded the MOU signing ceremony with University of Maryland, USA on July 26.

The program was graced by the presence of chairman, BOT, M A Kashem as chief guest and chaired by Prof G U Ahsan, PhD, dean, School of Health and Life Sciences.

Prof Amin U Sarkar, vice chancellor, North South University, Prof Anwar Huq, Maryland Pathogen Research Institute, University of Maryland and Muqeed Majumdar Babu, chairman of Prokriti O Jibon Foundation attended the program as special guests.

The welcome speech was delivered by Prof Mizan R Khan, director of external Affairs, NSU, followed by special guest Muqeed Majumdar Babu. M A Kashem illustrated on the value of research collaboration between the two top universities of the respective countries. At the end of the program, Dr G U Ahsan, congratulated all the distinguished dignitaries, guests and faculties for becoming a part of this monumental achievement. l

Minions offer from Banglalink With the release of the international hit animation Minions, Banglalink customers can now avail a buy-one-get-one offer with the purchase of each movie ticket on selective shows. To get a free ticket, one simply has to type “priyojon” and send a free SMS to 2012.

This offer is valid on 40 selective shows distributed evenly among the offer period.

Customer can avail this offer throughout the month for any specific show. A maximum of two tickets will be free at a time.

This will be valid from July 10 to August 9.

T-JUNCTION 23

DT

Event

TUESDAY, JULY 28, 2015

A Snap on Kolpokoushol n Syeda Samira Sadeque “Segregation between students creates social divide,” Nazmus Saquib, founder of Kolpokoushol.

What encouraged you to start Kolpokushol?

At different points in my life, I studied in Bengali and English medium schools as well a Madrasah. Since then, I have seen students are very segregated – they don’t talk to each other. I have witnessed a social divide that has been fundamentally formed.

When I left for the United States for my undergraduate degree at Bard College, I noticed another kind of distinction: engineers don’t talk to designers, artists don’t talk to engineers, and they kind of have a clash. And that’s why we’re missing out a big collaboration opportunity.

When I went to MIT Media Lab, I saw that they put everyone together there – artists, scientists, mathematicians, architects – students from all kinds of backgrounds. The research being done is very innovative and that’s where the research trend is heading – towards multidisciplinary thinking. I started Kolpokoushol to break these stereotypes and bridge this gap – that’s why we bring all kinds of students together.

What do you aim to teach your participants?

In order to be a functioning citizen, you have to be an entrepreneur, a designer, an engineer – everything together. If your TV suddenly stops working, open it up and try and see for yourself what’s wrong. You think your wall is missing an artwork? Make something yourself.

It’s about having an idea of how everything works. Before trying to figure out how to help someone, we have to learn to identify the strength in each person and know to whom each activity should be delegated to.

An artist will have strength in one area, an engineer in some other area – but I need to know a bit of both art and engineering to identify that.

You said there’s an age-old divide between artists and scientist. What do you identify as?

I don’t confine myself in either of the definitions – I am a technologist. I am a musician as well - an artist. I consider myself a good citizen and that’s what I try to promote in our workshop – what do you need to be to be a good citizen?l

Kolpokushol workshop reaches its final leg n Syeda Samira Sadeque

A snap on Toru: The Idea Tree n Syeda Samira Sadeque “Knowledge is the mother of innovation,” Saif Kamal, founder of Toru: The Idea Tree.

Where does Toru’s vision match that of Kolpokushol’s?

There are multiple reasons why innovations do not go on to become enterprises in Bangladesh. Since ORS and microfinance, there have not been major innovations in our country. Because there is a large knowledge gap that exists.

And that is what we’re trying to address – to build capacity of young innovators to pace up with global standard.

That’s why we partnered with Kolpokushol.

What is currently lacking in the system today?

For Innovation, we need the right set of knowledge and skills. Unfortunately in Bangladesh the education system does not nurture these. Despite their interest in making changes in various sectors, the youth is unable to develop marketable products and services – and that is what we aim to address.

After a week-long workshop, participants of Summer 2015 workshop

by Kolpokushol, an initiative by Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) students and alumni, will be presenting their projects at University of Liberal Arts (ULAB) tomorrow. The product demonstration will be held at Campus A, from 3-6pm, and will be open to all.

Kolpokushol is a platform for students and alumni of MIT to engage with the youth of Bangladesh and inspire and create new ideas and possibilities for the local community.

The workshop had 60 participants of various backgrounds, and was facilitated

by Toru – the idea tree. The Dhaka Tribune caught up with Nazmus Saquib and Saif Kamal, founders of Kolpokushol and Toru, respectively.

Standard Chartered Bank Ltd is a gold sponsor of the workshop. l

What do you aim for the participants to learn from this?

We are trying o instill the idea that innovation is an integrated effort rather than just something done by engineers, and each of these disciplines bring their core competencies to build a product or service. l

Dettol Bangladesh Plaantik Fantasy League After a nine month long wait, Dettol Bangladesh, in partnership with Plaantik, is proud to present the first champion from their jointly held online Fantasy Football Competition. The winner of the competition is Farhad Hussain, winning by a single point among over a thousand players. Farhad was presented the grand prize that came in the form of a Playstation 4 console.

The prize giving ceremony was held at

Reckitt Benckiser Bangladesh Ltd office premises. Mahbub Baset, marketing director, Faria Yasmin, cluster marketing manager, Reckitt Benckiser Bangladesh - Sri Lanka cluster and Syed Md Zubair Parvez, senior brand manager, presented the prize to the lucky winner. Aarony Zade was also present as the representative of Plaantik, a football fan group which has received much fame and acclaim on social media platforms in the recent past. l

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24 T-JUNCTION

TUESDAY, JULY 28, 2015

Tech

For your six gadget

Still haven’t mastered the iPhone 6? We got you covered

n Mahmood Hossain Here is a solid list of tips you can use on your iPhone 6 to make your navigating and overall experience as smooth as possible.

• You can close up to three apps at once.

Relieve the stress on your thumb by simply swiping up with three fingers on your screen. Now, you can force-close multiple apps faster than usual.

• Shut your flashlight off in a flash. You have the access to your flashlight through the iOS’ Control Centre, but you’ll be able to shut it off quickly by using the camera shortcut from the lock screen.

• There are plenty of useful tools you didn’t know about. Like checking to see if an object is perfectly horizontal or vertical. The iOS’ built-in leveling tool uses the phone’s gyroscope, and in order to access this, launch the compass, then swipe right to reveal the level or degree.

• Typing e-mails are as important as sending iMessages. You can actually change plain text into bold, italic or underline them by highlighting a part of the sentence and tapping the arrow in the copy/paste pop-up. Once that shows up, choose “B / U” to change the format of your text.

• The majority of Android phones have a dedicated “back” button, which is lacking on the iPhone. Fortunately, in Messages, Mail or Safari, you can swipe

•

•

•

•

•

right from the edge of the screen to go to the previous page. Social media apps like Instagram also have this feature.

You can customise vibrations on any given contact. Go to Contacts, choose the contact, tap the Edit option in the upper-right hand corner. Scroll down until you find Vibration > Create New Vibration.

And well, you can take it from there.

Data or Wi-Fi? You choose. You can actually choose which apps should only use your phone service’s data plan and which of them can only be turned on and used with Wi-Fi. Go on over to the Settings > Cellular and toggle between the services on your list.

It’s a small feature but can become significant. You can reveal the time stamps on a message by dragging the message screen to the left.

There’s a much faster (really fast) way to charge your iPhone 6. All you have to do is switch to Airplane mode. Seriously, that’s all you have to do. Well, don’t forget to turn the backlight off either.

You might be wondering why there are both blue and green messages in your conversations. Blue ones mean they have been sent or received using Apple’s iMessage technology, while the green ones are traditional SMS texts that are being sent. l

Photos: Bigstock

tips

Sneaky earbuds 10 different things you possibly never knew what those stock earphones with your iPhone could do

n Mahmood Hossain

Photos: Bigstock

These are considered hidden tricks that can be performed by your stock iPhone earphones, which not too many people know about. When you look at a pair of earphones that come with the latest flagship phones, you think they only serve a single purpose. Here’s a list of things you might not have known that was possible through your earphones.

1. When listening to music, you can toggle the pause or play by tapping the centre button once. Obviously.

2. Here’s the not too obvious. To fastforward a song, tap the centre button twice and long-press the button on the

second tap.

3. To rewind? Tap the button three times and long-press on your third tap.

4. In order to skip a song, simple double tap.

5. To head back to the previous song, tap it three times.

6. Another basic feature is answering calls by tapping the centre button once to answer, and tapping it again to hang up once the conversation is over.

7. However, there are those pesky callers you rather avoid. To ignore an incoming call, long-press the centre button. Once you hear two beeps, then it’s been a successful dodge.

8. If you’re already in a call, and you have

a new incoming call, press the centre button twice to switch between calls. To end the new call, hold the centre button for two seconds.

9. This one is a doozy. You’ll be able to take some very steady shots from your camera by using your earphones as a shutter release. Tap the volume-up button to capture a photo.

10.And if you happen to have an iPhone 4S, you can prompt Siri by long-pressing the centre button.

Chris Froome won his second Tour de France title on Sunday. The 30-year-old Briton crossed the line with his Sky team-mates to clinch a second Grand Boucle crown following his 2013 success

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MORE RAIN THAN PLAY FRUSTRATES ELGAR

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RIVAL KINGS RUMBLE AS CHELSEA TESTS BARCELONA

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WINNER

TUESDAY, JULY 28, 2015

WALCOTT SEALS EMIRATES CUP FOR ARSENAL

Soumya Sarker has been phenomenal with the bat for Bangladesh this year. The left-handed opening batsman played 15 of his 16 career one-day internationals in 2015 and is the leading Bangladeshi run scorer in the format this year with 672 runs at an average of 51.69 and strike-rate of 102.28. However, as sorry as it may sound the in-form 22-year old was not part of the playing combination in the first Test against South Africa in Chittagong last week. With Test specialists like Imrul Kayes and Mominul Haque batting at the top, at No 2 and 3, and two wicket-keepers (Liton Kumar and Mushfiqur Rahim) in the line-up, a place for Soumya was not available. Among the three Tests Soumya played so far, he batted at No 7 on four occasions and made the highest of 33 while his career best 36 came in his fifth innings batting at No 6. Given the home side’s performance in the opening match, changes are unlikely in the team, but whenever Soumya gets to play his next Test, the Bangladesh think-tank should consider sending him at the top, where he is comfortable, rather than making him bat out of his place. This picture was taken yesterday when Soumya was gearing up to bat at the Mirpur indoor during Bangladesh’s practice session ahead of the second Test against South Africa starting on Thursday MAINOOR ISLAM MANIK

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26 Sport

TUESDAY, JULY 28, 2015

‘Draw will be a huge achievement’ n Mazhar Uddin

South Africa’s Dean Elgar (L) and their team security official (R) take a walk under the umbrella on the wet outfield at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium yesterday BCB

More rain, less play frustrates Elgar n Minhaz Uddin Khan The rain affected dull draw in opening Test of the two-match series frustrated both Bangladesh and South Africa as both believed to have the upper-hand in the match that lasted three days.

Persistent down pour washed away the fourth and fifth day of the Chittagong Test and although the teams returned to Dhaka couple days back for the second Test starting on Thursday, they are yet to hold an outdoor practice session due to continuous rain.

So yeah it is frustrating because of the rain there is a lot of dead time, especially now because of the monsoon. It is a frustrating time for both the sides I believe and we have got to deal with it in the best possible way Speaking to the media at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium yesterday, South Africa’s opening batsman Dean Elgar expressed how the weather is playing foul in their tour.

“It is very frustrating for us at the moment especially after what have happened in Chittagong. Now it looks like the rain has followed us (to Dhaka) and it has been raining here for a while.

“In cricket you talk of controlling the controllable but this is one of factor that you don’t have control over. In regards of the preparation we are trying and use the facility that we

have. We had the indoor facilities for today’s (yesterday) practice. But we are lucky that we have got some experience from the Chittagong Test and know how things will be and the requirements of each player. It is unfortunate that it is raining and we cant do much about that,” said In Chittagong, a total of 221 overs out of expected 270 were played on the first three days with Bangladesh 17 runs ahead and South Africa 61 for no loss in their second innings.

According to weather forecast, the drizzle is likely to continue on and off till August 1 in Dhaka, putting full play in the first three days of the second Test under threat.

When quarried how tough it becomes to stay focused knowing that the game is not likely to be played in full pace, Elgar said, “I think it is all about switching on and switching off. I think its important to switch off from the game totally at times. So I have my ways of not thinking about cricket and not deal anything with cricket, but during practice time and game you switch back on.”

“So yeah it is frustrating because of the rain there is a lot of dead time, especially now because of the monsoon. It is a frustrating time for both the sides I believe and we have got to deal with it in the best possible way.”

The two-match Twenty20 international series at the beginning of South Africa’s monthlong bilateral tour was a one-sided contest with the visitors dominating thoroughly. The home side counter punched with a 2-1 win in the one-day international series. With the Test drawn in Chittagong, the series is evenly poised although South Africa are the leading Test nation and Bangladesh lurking at ninth place.

Elgar informed the Dhaka Test is important to them and their experience in Chittagong

taught them a lot. However, losing to Bangladesh is not a worry for the visitors.

“It is never that we have to win all the game. I think there is a process that has got us to the number one position as a Test side. It is a big test for us. But there is a process that we want to follow for the five days and we understand that process.

“The result will look after by itself if we do the key elements and the key areas of the game well. Their bowlers had done well in Chittagong and they should be credited. I think we have learnt from our mistakes and are ready to come strong here (in Dhaka),” said the 28-year-old who has three hundreds and equal number of half centuries in his 16-match Test career so far. l

Bangladesh’s Imrul Kayes expects that the confidence derived from the opening Test will give additional boost to the home side when they take the field in Dhaka for the second and ultimate Test match against world number one Test nation South Africa.

According to the Test opener, another draw, if not a win, will be a huge achievement for Bangladesh who are ranked ninth in the ICC Test standings.

The first of the two-Test between the hosts and the African nation in Chittagong ended in a tame draw as rain washed out the last two days after some competitive cricket from both the sides till day three.

The down pour is still a threat for the second Test at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium that starts on Thursday. Continuous rain confined both Bangladesh and South Africa to practice sessions at the indoor facilities in Mirpur yesterday.

“As I said before if we can draw the Dhaka Test it will be a huge achievement for us. We have displayed positive attitude in batting, bowling and fielding in the Chittagong Test but unlucky for us that it was a washout. If we can remain positive and perform according to our plan then we can put up a good show,” said Imrul who scored 26 in the first Test.

“We are playing against the number one ranked side where they don’t bowl lose deliveries often. Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel are amongst the top bowlers in world cricket, they read the pitch immediately and knew that short balls were not going work on that wicket. The pitch in Chittagong, you can spend some time in the middle but still scoring wasn’t easy.”

The 28-year old continued, “And we are concentrating on playing good cricket and not thinking about the result. After losing the ODI series, South African side are hungry to do well against us.”

Imrul, who scored 150 in a record 312-run opening stand with Tamim Iqbal against Pakistan earlier this year, has established himself as a Test opener under coach Chandika Hathurusingha as he credited the Sri Lankan for giving the freedom to the batsmen to play their natural game. Imrul also praised his younger teammate Liton Kumar Das for his impressive batting in Chittagong. l

(L-R) Bangladesh Test opening pair Tamim Iqbal and Imrul Kayes is joined by Liton Kumar as the trio speak to spin bowling coach Ruwan Kalpage before the indoor net session at Mirpur yesterday MAINOOR ISLAM MANIK

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Sport 27

TUESDAY, JULY 28, 2015

QUICK BYTES Ctg Abahani held at home

Chittagong Abahani and Farashganj SC played out a 1-1 draw in the lone Manyavar Bangladesh Premier League at the M A Aziz Stadium yesterday. Farashganj, only club not to win a game this season, are close to getting relegated having only five points in their tally from 16 matches. To survive they need at least six points from their last four matches. Peter Akinyele scored in the 58th minute for Abahani who are five points clear of bottom table side Team BJMC (12 points). A 87th minute strike by local booter Koushiq saved the day for Farashganj.

TRIBUNE REPORT

Mymensingh beat Khulna Mymensingh U-14 women’s district team handed Khulna district team a crushing defeat of 16-0 in the final round Group A match of JFA U-14 Women’s National Football Championship at the BFF artificial turf yesterday. Marzia netted five goals while Sanjida also scored four to complete the rout. Samsunnahar and Sajeda added a brace apiece. Meanwhile, Dinajpur and Satkhira district team played out a goalless draw at the same venue.

TRIBUNE DESK

Bangladesh swimmers leave for Russia Bangladesh swimmers Mohammad Jewel Ahmed and Sonia Akter Tumpa left the country for Russia yesterday morning to take part in the 2015 Fina World Championship in Kazan. The tournament began on July 24 and will end on August 9. The third member of the team Mahfizur Rahman Sagor flew from Thailand where he took higher training for last few months. Sagor will take part in the men’s 50m freestyle, Jewel in the 50m butterfly while Tumpa will take part in 50m freestyle and 50m butterfly event.

“This will be the first time I will be playing in the World Swimming Championship. We have little opportunity to do well so our target will be to improve personal timing and gain confidence before SA Games,” said Jewel Ahmed before leaving.

TRIBUNE REPORT

Tevez steers nine-man Boca to 1-0 win over Belgrano

Carlos Tevez inspired nine-man Boca Juniors to a 1-0 away win over Belgrano that gave them a three-point lead at the top of the Argentine championship. Boca, who scored through Argentina midfielder Fernando Gago in the 37th minute of Sunday’s match in Cordoba, were down to 10 men for the last half hour and nine for the last 22 minutes.

REUTERS

Jovetic set for Inter switch from Manchester City Montenegrin international striker Stevan Jovetic’s injury-plagued spell at English side Manchester City is set to come to an end as he is to join Serie A outfit Inter Milan, the buying club announced on its’ Twitter account on Sunday.

The 25-year-old -- who was restricted to around 30 appearances for City in the two years since he joined them for £22million ($34million, 31million euros) from Fiorentina -- will undergo a medical in Milan on Tuesday.

AFP

Atletico Madrid’s newly signed Colombian striker Jackson Martinez (C) poses with fans during a media presentation at the Vicente Calderon stadium in Madrid, Spain,on Sunday REUTERS

Rival kings rumble as Chelsea tests Barcelona n AFP, Washington Reigning European kings Barcelona and English Premier League champions Chelsea, each training in the first steps of defending their crowns, meet Tuesday in a pre-season friendly in suburban Washington.

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho says evaluating talent and testing combinations is more important than winning, even with the International Champions Cup tournament linking numerous pre-season matches for some of the world’s top clubs as they fill huge stadiums in a rare treat for US fans.

“This is a match in which you are not obsessed with the result,” Mourinho said. “You want to train. You make changes in the team

because you have a plan for a certain amount of minutes, but all the people make it a big atmosphere.”

Barcelona manager Luis Enrique likes the idea of facing top-flight foes early in training.

His side became the first European club to sweep the treble twice after taking the Champions League and La Liga plus the Copa del Rey last season, six years after first achieving the feat.

“At this point of the pre-season we’ve got a good tempo,” Enrique said. “It’s really effective to play against top-level sides. It’s interesting. It’s important to see players in these types of games. They can show what they are able to do.”

Both clubs are off the pace in the tro-

phy chase for the pre-season event. Chelsea dropped an opener 4-2 to the New York Red Bulls while beating Paris St. Germain 6-5 on penalty kicks after playing to a 1-1 draw. Barcelona vanquished the Los Angeles Galaxy 2-1 to start but fell 3-1 Saturday to Manchester United.

Barcelona have used a depleted squad missing such stars as Argentina’s Lionel Messi and Brazil’s Neymar, both excused after playing in the Copa America.

Chelsea had been without Colombian striker Radamel Falcao, on loan to the Blues from Monaco, due to Copa America service. But he and countryman Juan Cuadrado and Willian each played 20 minutes against PSG. Falcao pleased Mourinho in his Chelsea debut. l

Pato scores again, angles for Europe return n Reuters, Sao Paulo Alexandre Pato scored Sao Paulo’s winner against champions Cruzeiro on Sunday and said he hopes his good run of form will win him a transfer back to Europe.

The former AC Milan striker has scored four goals in his last four games at loan club Sao Paulo and says he has unfinished business in Europe.

“What I did there isn’t over, I want to go back and play in Europe,” he told reporters after Sao Paulo’s 1-0 win.

The comments came after he was quoted in Spanish newspaper Marca saying he wanted to return to Europe, where he played five years with Milan, before the end of this year.

Corinthians would love to recoup some of the 15 million euros ($16.50 million) they shelled out for the player in 2013. Pato never settled at Corinthians and was loaned to city rivals Sao Paulo last year.

Pato got his team’s winner just before half time on Sunday, setting them up for a big game with league leaders Atletico Mineiro on Wednesday.

Atletico beat Figueirense 1-0 on Sunday to record their seventh win in eight games.

Sao Paulo’s city rivals Palmeiras kept up their good run with a 4-1 win at Vasco that lifted them into third, just behind Corinthians, who drew 1-1 at second-bottom Coritiba.

Vasco and Goias make up the bottom four relegation spots. l

Brazilian star Neymar takes part in the Neymar Jr Charity Home Game poker tournament in Sao Paulo on Sunday REUTERS

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TUESDAY, JULY 28, 2015

Villa scores twice as New York City FC win on Pirlo’s debut n AFP, New York

Real Madrid Welsh midfielder Gareth Bale (R) and Inter Milan Colombian defender Jeison Murillo vie for the ball during their International Champions Cup in Guangzhou yesterdahy. Real Madrid won the match 3-0 AFP

Goalie Romero joins Man Utd n Reuters Manchester United have confirmed the signing of Argentina goalkeeper Sergio Romero on a three-year deal, reuniting manager Louis van Gaal with a player who helped bring him a Dutch title but also caused him World Cup heartache.

The 28-year-old, who played under Van Gaal at Dutch side AZ Alkmaar, joins United as a free agent after leaving Sampdoria at the end of his contract.

“To play for the biggest club in the world is a dream come true for me,” he told United’s website.

“Louis van Gaal is a fantastic manager and I cannot wait to get started on this new and exciting challenge in my career.”

Romero, who has an option for an additional year on his contract, has joined United on their pre-season tour of the United States, where they beat Barcelona 3-1 on Saturday.

“Sergio is a very talented goalkeeper. He was a young keeper during my time at AZ Alkmaar and I am delighted he is joining Manchester United,” Van Gaal said.

Romero’s arrival is expected to herald the departure of United’s backup Victor Valdes, who was left out of the tour party and told to leave the club due to a row with the manager. l

David Villa scored twice to help ensure new team-mate Andrea Pirlo launched his Major League Soccer career in style with New York City FC’s 5-3 victory over Orlando.

Pirlo, a 36-year-old World Cup-winning midfielder who enjoyed star turns at AC Milan -- where he won two Champions League titles and for the past four seasons at Juventus where he won four Serie A crowns -- was the center of attention in the match at Yankee Stadium between the two MLS expansion clubs.

Chants of “We want Pirlo!” were answered in the 57th minute, when the Italian entered the game to a standing ovation from the crowd of 32,041.

He spoke briefly to former Milan teammate and now Orlando star Kaka then settled in quickly, his deft touch enchanting fans who cheered his every touch of the ball.

“It was very emotional when I got on the pitch,” Pirlo said. “Despite the heat, it felt great. Since we won, it’s even better.”

Pirlo’s skill and poise immediately affected his new team-mates.

“Special, special player, obviously, a guy who sees passes that most of us don’t, who can really open up the game,” New York city coach Jason Kreis said.

“From what I saw right away is our team opening up and really using every ounce of space out there because they felt like he could find them.”

Added Spanish forward Villa, NYCFC’s top scorer and captain: “His half-an-hour was fantastic.”

But it was Villa who was the main difference-maker.

Villa’s first strike gave the hosts a 1-0 lead on the stroke of halftime, controlling a ball from Angelino with one touch, turning and blasting a right-footed shot past Orlando keeper Tally Hall.

His second goal in the 67th minute saw NYCFC edge ahead 3-2, Villa’s strike from the top of the penalty area taking a deflection past Hall. Thomas McNamara made it 4-2 just four minutes later after Pirlo threaded a ball to Kwado Poku, who found McNamara. l

Walcott seals Emirates Cup success for Arsenal n AFP, London Arsenal stepped up their impressive preparations for the new season by winning the Emirates Cup for the first time since 2010 as Theo Walcott’s strike clinched a 1-0 win over Wolfsburg on Sunday.

Walcott’s second half goal ensured Arsene Wenger’s side took the silverware as they finished above Villarreal, who also won both their matches but had an inferior goals scored record, in the four-team pre-season tournament at their Emirates Stadium.

After a swaggering 6-0 rout of Lyon on Saturday, this was a more prosaic performance from the hosts, but there was still plenty to encourage Gunners boss Wenger ahead of their Premier League opener against West

Ham on August 9.

Former Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech marked his home debut with the kind of composed display that was so often missing during Arsenal’s goalkeeping woes in recent years.

After starting last season’s FA Cup final win against Aston Villa in the central striker’s role he has coveted for much of his career, Walcott’s cool finish provided further evidence the winger might be ready to make a permanent transition this season.

“Our technical level was good, but it was maybe less spectacular than yesterday because our final ball wasn’t at the top level,” Wenger said.

“We gave them many more problems in the second half because we pushed up more and overall it was two good days.” l

Mexico celebrates with the Gold Cup after winning the CONCACAF Gold Cup final match against Jamaica at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday. Mexico won 3-1 REUTERS

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TUESDAY, JULY 28, 2015

Rogers gets through nets session n AFP, Birmingham

England will bowl short to dizzy Rogers, says Wood n Reuters, London

Australia opener Chris Rogers came through a nets session against the tourists’ pace attack with no visible ill-effects at Edgbaston on Monday as he aimed to prove his fitness for the third Ashes Test.

The 37-year-old left-hander succumbed to a sudden bout of dizziness during the second Test at Lord’s last Sunday and had to leave the field as Australia completed a 405-run thrashing of England to level the five-match series at 1-1.

A week of tests in London revealed nothing more serious than a balance problem in the inner ear, thought to have been caused when he was hit on the helmet by a short ball from James Anderson at Lord’s in his first-innings 173 -- Rogers’s Test-best score.

Rogers, who plans to retire after the Ashes, missed the three-day tour match at Derby completed Saturday where Shaun Marsh -- who replaced him in Australia’s recent 2-0 series win in the Caribbean after he suffered a concussion while batting in the nets -- made a first-innings hundred in a rain-affected draw.

Australia do have a back-up opener in their squad in Shaun Marsh while all-rounder Shane Watson has had spells as an opener during his Test career.

Rogers, who plans to retire after the Ashes, missed Australia’s recent 2-0 series win in the Caribbean with concussion after being hit on the head while batting in the nets. l

Australia opeing batsman Chris Rogers is seen during the nets session at Edgbaston, Birmingham yesterday. The third Ashes Test between Australia and England begins tomorrow AP

South Africa announce landmark India tour n Reuters

Sri Lanka end Pakistan ODI series with big win

South Africa will play four test matches in India for the first time as part of their longest ever tour to the sub-continent later this year, the country’s cricket board announced on Monday.

The Proteas will also play five One-Day Internationals and three Twenty20 matches between Oct. 2 and Dec. 7 in what has been described as a landmark tour by Cricket South Africa (CSA).

“This will be the longest tour that we have undertaken to India and the first time we will play a four-Test series,” CSA CEO Haroon Lorgat said in a statement. If fit, leading South African batsman AB de Villiers will play his 100th test in Bangalore, a city he represents in the Indian Premier League Twenty20 competition.

South Africa have drawn their previous two test series in India, the last in 2010, but did claim a 2-0 series win in 2000, their only success in five visits since readmission to international cricket in 1992. l

n AFP, Hambantota Kusal Perera led Sri Lanka’s strong batting display to give the hosts a comprehensive, but academic, 165-run win over Pakistan in the fifth and final one-dayer in Hambantota on Sunday.

The left-handed opener struck 116 off 109 balls and Tillakaratne Dilshan joined the 10,000-run ODI club as Sri Lanka piled up

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their highest one-day total against Pakistan of 368-4 in 50 overs.

Pakistan managed only 203 in reply, but took the series 3-2 to build on their 2-1 success in the preceding Test series, clinching a double in Sri Lanka for the first time since 2006.

Pakistan were sailing at 116-2 in the 20th over following an opening partnership of 51 between skipper Azhar Ali and Ahmed Shehzad, before the last eight wickets crashed for 87 runs. Hafeez (37) and Azhar (35) were the principal contributors as the tourists faltered badly under lights despite good batting conditions.

Off-spinner Sachithra Senanayake claimed 3-39 in his first appearance in the series, while seamer Thisara Perera chipped in with two wickets. Kusal reached his second century after a 164-run stand for the first wicket with Dilshan, who became only the 11th batsman to compile 10,000 one-day runs.

Skipper Angelo Mathews hammered an unbeaten 70 and Milinda Siriwardana clubbed 52 not out off 26 balls as Sri Lanka plundered 136 runs in the last 11 overs to surpass their previous best against Pakistan of 349-9 in Singapore in 1996. l

Pakistan’s captain Azhar Ali poses with the trophy after his team’s series victory agaisnt Sri Lanka in Hambantota on Sunday AFP

Sri Lanka 368 for 4 (Kusal 116, Mathews 70, Dilshan 62) Pakistan 203 (Hafeez 37, Senanayake 3-39) Srilanka won by 165 runs Pakistabn won the sereis 3-2

England will continue to bowl bouncers at Australian batsman Chris Rogers if the opener is passed fit for this week’s third Ashes test at Edgbaston after suffering from dizziness, seamer Mark Wood has said.

Rogers was forced to retire on 49 not out on the fourth day of Australia’s 405-run second test victory against England at Lord’s, which levelled the series 1-1. The 37-year-old left-hander, who was struck on the helmet by James Anderson off the first ball of the second day of the match but recovered to score 173 in Australia’s first innings, was later diagnosed with an inner ear problem.

“If he declares himself fit for the next game, that will not deter me from bowling a bouncer though. I’m sure the rest of our lads will be the same,” Wood told the Telegraph.

“I don’t wish him any harm. But if he’s fit then he’s fit.”

The 25-year-old Wood is playing in his first Ashes series and the intensity of the matches has given him sleepless nights.

“My mind is in overdrive and it gets to you.

It keeps happening but it is just excitement for the next day and wanting to do well,” he said.

Wood struggled for wickets, like most of the England bowling attack, in the second test but the Durham seamer is determined to feature in the rest of the series. l

Tomic shrugs off troubles to defend Bogota title n AFP, Bogota Controversial Australian Bernard Tomic retained his Bogota ATP title on Sunday with a 6-1, 3-6, 6-2 victory over France’s Adrian Mannarino.

Second seed Tomic was playing his first tournament since his arrest in Miami earlier this month following a rowdy penthouse party.

The 22-year-old had also been dumped from Australia’s Davis Cup squad after publically criticising his country’s ruling body.

Tomic took his record in Bogota to 9-0 having also captured the title in 2014 with victory over Ivo Karlovic. l

DT

30 DOWNTIME

TUESDAY, JULY 28, 2015

CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Small fish (5) 4 Female horse (4) 7 Evil intent (6) 8 Flaxen cloth (5) 10 Main actor (4) 11 Projecting corner (5) 12 40 winks (3) 14 Building division (4) 17 Woody plant (4) 19 Wildebeest (3) 20 Grinding tooth (5) 23 Hindu garment (4) 25 Choose by vote (5) 26 Obligations (6) 27 Precious stones (4) 28 Echo sounder (5)

DOWN 1 Mute (6) 2 Prayer ending (4) 3 Strong flavour (4) 4 Niggard (5) 5 Perform (3) 6 Sanity (6) 9 Back of the neck (4) 13 Gallery of shops (6) 15 Wicked giant (4) 16 Assemble (6) 18 Sends out (5) 21 Liquor dregs (4) 22 As well (4) 24 Spirit (3)

CODE-CRACKER How to solve: Each number in our CODECRACKER grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. For example, today 16 represents S so fill S every time the figure 16 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

TUESDAY, JULY 28, 2015

Where Shafin covers Kamal Das Gupta

CELEBS ON SOCIAL

n Showtime Desk Marking the 103th birth anniversary of Kamal Das Gupta, his son, and Miles vocalist Shafin Ahmed, have performed some great numbers composed by Kamal for a musical TV programme. Titled, Ei Ki Go Shesh Daan, the programme will air today on BTV at 10:30pm.

Along with rendering some of the hit numbers in it including Tumi Ki Ekhon Dekhichho, Swapan, Kotodin Dekhini Tomay, Menechi Go Har Menechi, Duti Pakhi Duti Teere and Ami Bonoful Go. Shafin will be seen sharing some intriguing memory of his father.

One of the most prolific Bengali composers of all time, Kamal has an astonishing 8,000 songs to his credit of which 400 are Nazrul songs, and the rest based on various styles such as Geet and Meera Bhajan; Kabir Bhajan in Hindi; Urdu Naat; Thumri and Ghazals – his standing is incomparable.

Rubayet Rakib has anchored and designed the programme. l

Peace at last

Shah Rukh Khan @iamsrk There’s no place i’d rather be than dancing with T&T. True and unbridled happiness. The trophy is beautiful.

Neymar Jr @neymarjr #homegameNJR @ InstitutoNJr

Spike’s Tutankhamen n Mahmood Hossain

n Showtime Desk After being in an induced coma for months, the daughter of and Bobby Brown and the late Whitney Houston, Bobbi Kristina Brown has passed away at the age of 22. She was found unresponsive in her bathtub at Atlanta in January and died this past Sunday. There is a chilling echo of her death, following her mothers death from three years before, in similar fashion.

One tragedy after another, being romantically involved with her foster brother Nick Gordon, the family drama has been escalated. The relations between Gordon and some other relatives continued to break down and sour, as they accused the young man of abuse and neglect towards Bobbi Kristina. He was also the one to have found her in the bathtub unconscious. A lawsuit had been slapped on Gordon for assault, battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, unjust enrichment and conversion.

Growing up was a difficult time for Bobbi Kristina, as both her parents went through a roller coaster of a relationship that involved drugs, physical and emotional abuse. As unfortuante as it is, it seems she can finally rest, just as Oprah Winfrey’s tweet states, “Peace at Last! #BobbiKristina.” l

The TV network Spike took a page from the books of HBO and Netflix and invested themselves in a periodical, thrilling drama simply called Tut. Set in 1332 BCE (Before the Common Era) Egypt, we take an in-depth look of the very brief history of Pharaoh Tutankhamen or King Tut, played

by Avan Jogia. Thrust onto the throne at the ripe age of nine, his dying father marries him off to his sister to keep the bloodline pure. Oh, you didn’t think the Lannisters and the Targaryens were the first in campaigning sibling intimacy, did you? Although, it’s important to note that the show only acknowledges the strategical purposes of sibling marriage, and leaves the incestuous nature of the same in the dark.

There isn’t much to the actual historical accounts of King Tut’s short reign, so the show runners decided to skip 10 years into the future, accordingly. Now, very matured at 19, Tutankhamen soon realises there are forces planning to rid him from the thrown in order to hold power for themselves.

And, well, that’s where the similarities and references to the Game of Thrones ends. There are plenty of cliche and cheesy one liners here and there, but the overall execution of this miniseries as been done quite well.

The first element of this series that will capture the audience is its authenticity - the cast and atmosphere is more believable than most epics. There are lessons to be learned from the making of this show that the filmmakers of Exodus could have picked up. The direction isn’t to be bragged about, as it can get a tad annoying in certain battle scenes. But overall, it stays within the blueprints of a successful epic without feeling too overwhelmed. The attention to detail is what shines the most. The performances from the cast aren’t stellar, but paves the way for the story to be told in an appropriate manner. And having Ben Kingsley in a role close to King Tut doesn’t hurt either. The political intrigue, backstabbing and murder is nothing new to the audience, but it’s a fresh and proper take of the chronicles of King Tut. It’s important to remember that the source material is limited; the creators have been given free reign without harming the true essence of Tut’s story - the enigma of his death. Keeping the aesthetic appeal aside, we have a miniseries worth watching.

Warning: This is for a mature audience and shouldn’t be watched with too many expectations. l

Ricky Gervais @rickygervais When someone tweets you something unpleasant just look at their bio & their previous tweets & I guarantee you’ll feel better.

WHAT TO WATCH

Titanic Star Movies 9:30pm A seventeen-year-old aristocrat falls in love with a kind, but poor artist aboard the luxurious, ill-fated R.M.S. Titanic.

Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Billy Zane Ocean’s Thirteen WB 9:30pm Danny Ocean rounds up the boys for a third heist, after casino owner Willy Bank doublecrosses one of the original eleven, Reuben Tishkoff.

Cast: George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon Curse of the Golden Flower Zee Studio 7:15pm During China’s Tang dynasty the emperor has taken the princess of a neighboring province as wife. She has borne him two sons and raised his eldest. Now his control over his dominion is complete, including the royal family itself.

Cast: Yun-Fat Chow, Li Long, Jay Chou

DT

32 BACK PAGE

TUESDAY, JULY 28, 2015

HBFC TO EXPAND EASY CREDIT IN RURAL AREAS PAGE 20

MORE RAIN, LESS PLAY FRUSTRATES ELGAR PAGE 26

WHERE SHAFIN COVERS KAMAL DAS GUPTA PAGE 31

Humans cut Sundarbans tiger population n Abu Bakar Siddique

Another survey held in 2012 using camera trapping method estimated the number of tigers in the forest to be around 200.

The Department of Forest carried out the latest census with the help of an Indian consultant.

The survey team used camera trapping method with the primary data of a 2010 survey conducted by Khal Survey method, when the researchers had visited only the water bodies to know about the abundance of tigers.

This time, the researchers first conducted a Khal Survey to select three densely populated locations – Bagerhat’s Shoronkhola, Satkhira and Khulna, covering 1,264 sq-km area – and then used camera tapping method.

They found 18, 13 and seven tigers in those three spots respectively, and then multiplied the number as per the ratio of the total 6,000 sq-km.

The report also states that the researchers used baits to lure tigers to come under the camera traps – an act termed illegal as per the Bangladesh Wildlife Protection and Safety Act 2012.

Prof Monirul H Khan, who conducted the 2012 census and assisted in the latest one, said that the result of the current survey was more reliable than the one done in 2004.

Asked about the changes in the current and the 2012 surveys, he said that human interventions including poaching and navigation had increased inside the forest by this time.

He suggested that the government stop poaching and suspend the navigation routes inside the forest. “Otherwise, the number of tigers will continue to fall.” l

Human interventions as well as excessive navigation inside the mangrove forest Sundarbans, poaching and development of industrial infrastructures in and around the forest are to be blamed for the drastic fall of the Bengal Tiger population in Bangladesh, a recent study finds.

Tiger density is negatively correlated with human disturbance, which is high in the Sundarbans. Poaching of tigers and their prey are a major concern for tiger conservation globally, the Sundarbans being no exception, the report mentions.

The study titled “Tiger Abundance in Bangladesh Sundarbans” warns that the existing practices centring the forest would create more obstacles to the current tiger population in future.

It was conducted under a regional wildlife protection project funded by the World Bank for both Bangladesh and Indian portions of the Sundarbans in between 2013 and 2014.

It was found that the number of tigers in the Bangladesh part – stretching around 6,000 sq-km – is only 106 while the number is 170 together with the other part – having an area of around 4,000 sq-km.

“This is the first ever effort to quantify tiger abundance in the Bangladesh Sundarbans based on a robust scientific protocol – using camera traps in an SECR (Spatially explicit capture-recapture) framework and double sampling approach,” the report mentions.

“The current assessment covers a reason-

ably large area of the Sundarbans by camera traps. Entire Sundarbans was surveyed by Khal surveys for evaluating tiger occupancy...

Tiger population in Bangladesh was estimated to be between 83 to 130, with a midpoint of 106 tigers.”

Pregnant mother and child survive shooting n Kamrul Hasan

10 dead in battle at Indian Punjab police station

DC Conference 2015 begins today

A pregnant woman and the child she was carrying have survived bullet injuries received after being shot at on Friday, allegedly by members of the Chhatra League.

The mother, Nazma Khatun, 30, of Dolaipar was taken to Magura Sadar Hospital the night of the incident on July 24.

Her infant daughter was born three months prematurely after doctors operated her out of the womb, Nazma’s sister-in-law, Sheuli Begum, said.

The neonate was admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital on Sunday morning, where doctors are monitoring her condition.

The mother is in Magura, in stable condition.

According to Sheuli, the child had sustained two bullet wounds while in the womb.

Sheuli said on the day of the incident, men belonging to the local Chhatra League demanded extortion money from one Kamrul Bhuiyan, but he refused to pay them.

Angered at his refusal to pay the money, the Chhatra League men shot at him, injuring Nazma, her unborn child and Kamrul’s associate, Miraz, 35 in the process. l

n Agencies

The three-day Deputy Commissioner Conference 2015 will start in the capital today. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the conference at Shapla Hall of the Prime Minister Office at 10am.

In an open discussion, the DCs will exchange views with ministers, secretaries, prime minister’s advisors and other highups on issues concerning public interest and field-level administration.

They will also call on President Abdul Hamid tomorrow at Bangabhaban.

Cabinet division sources said the DCs will urge PM to enact two draft laws – Public Service Act 2015 and the Mobile Court Act 2015 – to protect their rights and power.

The laws would give district and executive magistrates more power to punish offenders even in the absence of a confessional statement.

Cabinet Secretary Muhammad Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan said the PM would give DCs the necessary direction to implement government strategies, decisions, policies and programmes at the grassroots level across the country. l

This photo of a tiger cub was taken at Bangabandhu Safari Park in Gazipur last year

Indian police overcame a group of heavily armed men dressed in military fatigues yesterday after a 12-hour gun battle that ended in a small-town police station near the border with Pakistan, and at least nine people were killed.

Police in the frontier state of Punjab killed three unidentified assailants who had pulled up at the police complex in a stolen car, automatic weapons blazing, at about 5am local time.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his top ministers have not made detailed statements on the attack, which is certain to raise tensions with Pakistan if it is proven to have originated across the border.

Pakistan has denied any involvement in insurgencies in Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir, and said it was not aware of any reports that its citizens were involved in the attack.

The gunmen shot dead a barber and tried to hijack a bus before rushing the police station, witnesses said.

Throughout the day, regular bouts of small arms fire echoed across the town of Dinanagar

SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

The latest study also rejects a previous estimation made during the BNP-Jamaat government in 2004 that put the number at 440.

It was done by pug mark method, which the new study claims is not scientific or globally acceptable.

and the paddy fields surrounding it, some 15km from the international border, witnesses said.

Three policemen and three civilians were killed, according to India’s Home Ministry.

Police sources said the attackers entered India from Pakistan two days ago a short distance to the north in the state of Jammu and Kashmir.

Jitendra Singh, a junior minister in Modi’s office, said he would not rule out Pakistani involvement.

“There have also been earlier reports of Pakistan infiltration and cross-border mischief in this area,” said Singh, whose constituency is in the Jammu border region of Gurdaspur.

Kashmiri separatist leader Syed Salahuddin, who is based in Pakistan, denied involvement in the attack.

“They are not Kashmiris ... They could be home-grown militants,” he said.

Attacks on security installations by militants dressed as soldiers or police are common in Jammu, but this was the first such assault in Punjab in 13 years, according to data from the South Asia Terrorism Portal, which tracks militant violence. l

n Abu Hayat Mahmud

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