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3 | BADI TO RESIGN IF GRAFT PROVED 7 | ON THE EDGE OF ORDER AND CHAOS 8 | PROTESTERS LEAVE KIEV CITY HALL 15 | LAVILLENIE BREAKS RECORD

Bangladesh Islamist militants Hunt for ‘al-Qaeda’

maintain links with al-Qaeda audio source
Many went to Afghanistan, visited Taliban camps and met Laden
n Julfikar Ali Manik
Some Bangladeshi Islamist militant
leaders and their outfits have had
longstanding relation with terrorist
organisation al-Qaeda and its leaders
including Ayman al-Zawahiri, an audio
message of whom has caused concerns
across the country since Saturday.
The links have been established
through journalistic investigations,
findings of independent and local re-
searchers, and government investiga-
tors, and records in different consider-
able websites.
The country’s first openly formed
Islamist militant outfit Harkat-ul-Ji-
had-al Islami (Huji) was not only the
Bangladeshi chapter of international
Huji, but the leaders of this organisa-
tion were also linked with al-Qaeda
leaders including slain founder Osama
Bin Laden. Many of those Huji leaders
are now at the helm of Hefazat-e-Islam.
Huji officially emerged through a
press conference at the National Press
Club in the capital in 1992. The press
conference was addressed by a group
of Bangladeshi Afghan war veterans
who had gone to Afghanistan in the
1980s to join hands with the local Mu-
jaheedins there against the then Soviet
occupational force.
AL-QAEDA AND ITS LINK WITH BANGLADESHI ISLAMISTS
World Islamic Front for Jihad Against Jews and
Crusaders: Initial “Fatwa” Statement
Nass Bayan al-Jabhah al-Islamiyah al-Alamiyah li-Jihad al-
Yahud wa-al-Salibiyin
23 February 1998 issue of “Al-Quds Al-Arabi.”
Habibur Rahman Mufti Izhar
Maulana Muhammad Habibur Rah-
man, widely known as Bulbuli Huzur,
was one of the organisers of Hefazat’s
long march and Dhaka rallies last year.
He also addressed a rally.
Jihad Against Jews and Crusaders
World Islamic Front Statement
23 February 1998
Shaykh Usamah Bin-Muhammad Bin-Ladin
Ayman al-Zawahiri, amir of the Jihad Group in Egypt
Abu-Yasir Rifa’i Ahmad Taha, Egyptian Islamic Group
Shaykh Mir Hamzah, secretary of the Jamiat-ul-Ulema-e-
Pakistan
Fazlur Rahman, amir of the Jihad Movement in Bangladesh
“On that basis, and in compliance with Allah’s order, we
issue the following fatwa to all Muslims:
The ruling to kill the Americans and their allies --
civilians and military -- is an individual duty for every
Muslim who can do it in any country in which it is
possible to do it, in order to liberate the al-Aqsa Mosque
and the holy mosque [Mecca] from their grip, and in or-
der for their armies to move out of all the lands of Islam,
defeated and unable to threaten any Muslim....”
Jasimuddin Rahmania Fazlur Rahman
He is the founding principal of ad. Habibur was leader of the banned
Jameya Madania Islamia of Kazi Bazar Islamist militant Huji Bangladesh and
Madrasa in Sylhet city as well as ameer has links with international militant
(chief) of Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish groups.
and convener of Sahaba Sainik Parish-  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1
continues
n Sheikh Shahariar Zaman,
Muhammad Zahidul Islam
and Rabiul Islam
The government is investigating the
source of an audio clip reportedly re-
leased by international terrorist group
al-Qaeda, and to identify those in-
volved in producing and releasing the
message.
“We are trying to identify the source
of al-Qaeda audio message. We can tell
you everything after the investigation
is completed,” State Minister for Home
Affairs Asaduzzaman Khan told report-
ers at the ministry yesterday.
In reply to a query, he said: “We do
not consider it as a threat for us.”
The Arabic audio clip, with English
subtitles, available on a website “Ji-
hadology,” created hype in the country
on Saturday, as it claims that the voice
behind the message is that of al-Qae-
da’s leader Ayman al-Zawahiri, who is
heard urging Bangladeshi Muslims to
fight against secularists and atheists.
The government early yesterday
blocked the website, “jihadology.net,”
said officials at the Bangladesh Tele-
communication Regulatory Commis-
sion (BTRC).
The government was not aware of
the clip posted in “Jihadology” on Jan-
uary 14, State Minister for Foreign Af-
fairs Md Shahriar Alam said yesterday.
It is reported that the clip became avail-
able on different websites since then.
“We do not know whether the clip
is authentic or not,” he said. “We do
have a process to verify the authentici-
ty of such videos. But I cannot disclose
Jihadology.net blocked;
BTRC asks Google
to withdraw clip; US
rejects Zawahiri’s
characterisation of
Bangladesh
the process to the media. We expect to
know about it within a day or two.”
The minister said al-Qaeda has no
operation in Bangladesh and that the
government is capable to destroy ter-
rorist networks in the country.
Al-Qaeda is banned in Bangladesh
following a resolution adopted in the
UN Security Council in 1999. Bangla-
desh also imposed a ban on holding
any asset by al-Qaeda, or any of its
members, in the country. It also put
a travel ban on a number of al-Qaeda
 PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

HC stays case
proceedings
against four
bloggers
n Tribune Report
The High Court yesterday stayed for
three months the proceedings of two
cases against four bloggers. It also is-
sued a ruling seeking explanation in
four weeks as to why the cases should
not be quashed.
The bench of Justice M Enayetur
Rahim and Justice Mohammad Ullah
passed the order after hearing both
sides on petitions that sought annul-
ment of the cases against the bloggers.
Police lodged one of the cases
against Asif Mohiuddin and the other
against Mashiur Rahman Biplob, Sub-
rata Adhikari Shuvo and Rasel Parvez
underthe Information and Communi-
cation Technology Act 2006.
Supreme Court lawyers Sara Hos-
sain and Jyotirmoy Barua argued for
the bloggers while Additional Attor-
ney General Mumtaz Uddin Fakir and
Assistant Attorney General Gazi Ma-
munur Rashid contended for the state.
On September 8, Md Jahurul
Haque,senior special judge of Dhaka,
 PAGE 2 COLUMN 5
AL rebel candidates
feel neglected
n Emran Hossain Shaikh
Local Awami League leaders in many
upazilas have gone “rebel” from a
sense of deprivation that has devel-
oped over the last five years.
That sense has not only prompted
them to apply for nomination in the
first place against their fellow party
leaders in the upcoming upazila parish-
ad polls, but in many areas not comply
with senior party leaders’ effort to make
sure that they do not run against the
candidates that the party has backed.
Some grassroots Awami League
leader said the local politicians had
their own equations and since they had
been deprived of the “cream of power,”
“rarely listened to” and “ignored” over
the last five years, they are refusing
to pull out from contesting their par-
ty-mates.
“Why will they listen to us [central
leaders]? We promised a lot in the last
five years but could not give them an-
ything,” an organising secretary of the
party told the Dhaka Tribune.
The Awami League appointed seven
of its senior most leaders as the chief
of separate committees for the seven
divisions tasked with making sure that
local leaders do not run against each
other in the upazila polls.
Despite efforts to convince, stern
warnings and expulsions, the senior
leadership has largely failed to ensure
single candidate from the party ranks
for every upazila.
No local council in many
years has meant that
the senior leaders have
little idea about the
grassroots’ aspirations
Up until yesterday, the Awami League
has expelled at least 50 of its local lead-
ers, who flouted party decision to run
for various posts, including the chair-
man, of many upazila parisahds.
Party Presidium Member and Ag-
riculture Minister Matia Chowdhury,
head of one of the seven committees,
told the Dhaka Tribune: “It is a local
body election. All things will not go the
way we want them to. We are trying
 PAGE 2 COLUMN 1
BNP comes down hard on
grassroots leaders
n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla
The BNP that has been trying to ensure
lone chairman candidates at every seat
for the upcoming upazila parishad polls,
has expelled some 50 grassroots leaders
because they refused to pull back from
contesting against their party-mates.
Sources said apart from those ex-
pelled, show cause notices had been
served to many local leaders for violat-
ing party decision.
Some 15 leaders had been expelled
on Saturday, although there had been
clear directives from party chief Khale-
da Zia to manage the “rebel” candi-
dates avoiding expulsion.
Some of these so-called rebels, who
reportedly enjoy huge support in their
localities, said the expulsion would
only weaken the grassroots.
In many upazilas, party backing went
to those leaders, who maintained good
relation with the central command, they
alleged, adding that dedication, popu-
larity and influence in the area were not
being considered in many places.
Many rebel leaders accused their
contenders of persuading the central
leaders to expel them.
Our district correspondents report-
ed that it had become tough for BNP
to ensure single candidates in many
upazilas. The high command had been
finding it hard to choose between those
who had been maintaining good liaison
with the centre and those who com-
manded good popularity in their areas.
‘BNP will have to pay
for choosing the
wrong candidates
and expelling the
dedicated ones’
Lack of coordination among the grass-
roots and the central command was
another reason behind the chaos,
sources said.
Abu Taib, a “rebel” BNP candidate
running for the chairman post of Nikli-
upazila of Kishoreganj, said he was
yet to get any expulsion order. He also
claimed that he had support from the
local party ranks and so there was no
question of pulling out.
 PAGE 2 COLUMN 5
MPs link BNP-
Jamaat with
‘Zawahiri’
statement
n Tribune Report
Senior MPs yesterday linked the BNP
and Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami with
al-Qaeda and urged the government to
find out those who translated the audio
message reportedly from top al-Qaeda
leader Ayman al-Zawahiri published in
the media on Saturday.
They observed that the statement
asking Muslims to wage a jihad against
the “massacres” in Bangladesh was
similar to recent statements of BNP
chief Khaleda Zia, Jamaat and Islamic
group Hefazat-e-Islam.
The lawmakers, however, said
Zawahiri’s call would not work in Bang-
ladesh because Islam had spread here
through Sufism, not through swords
“as happened in many Arab states.”
“This is a deeply rooted conspira-
cy against Bangladesh. Zawahiri said
what BNP-Jamaat publicised before…
BNP-Jamaat have been doing what the
militant outfits do,” said Sheikh Selim,
initiating the unscheduled discussion.
“We will resist the evil force, even if
 PAGE 2 COLUMN 5

INSIDE
News
5 Jhilmil project in Keraniganj remains
limited to comparatively small area as
Rajuk failed to acquire land.
Nation
6 Rainwater harvesting across nine
upazilas in Kurigram has failed to attract
people.
Op-Ed
11 Many Muslims today ask: How do
we reconcile Islam with our lives in the
modern world? Can we uphold women’s
rights and be true to our faith?
Tigers gearing up
for the first ODI
n Minhaz Uddin Khan
Bangladesh will need to pay special
attention to their finishing when they
lock horns with visiting Sri Lanka in
the first of the three-match ODI series
at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket
Stadium today.
The month-long bilateral series,
which is in the last phase now, has seen
Bangladesh progressively raise their
competitiveness against the islanders.
The series started with Bangladesh suf-
fering a humiliating defeat in the first
Test in Dhaka, but bounced back in
the second game in Chittagong to draw
their first-ever test match at home
against the Lankans.
Throughout the two-match Twen-
ty20 series, Bangladesh fought hard
against the world number one Twen-
ty20 side. Both the games saw last-ball
finishes, with the visitors winning the
games and the series.
The positives should boost the Ti-
gers in the game today, a format in
which they are most successful, espe-
cially in home conditions. The last time
Bangladesh faced Sri Lanka in an ODI
series, it was a drawn affair. The se-
ries in Sri Lanka in March last year saw
Bangladesh lose the first game in Ham-
bantota, while the second was rained
off. Bangladesh won the third one in
Pallakele.
A good sign for Bangladesh is the
return of skipper Mushfiqur Rahim to
the side. The wicket-keeper batsman
missed the Twenty20 series after pick-
ing up an injury in the second Test.
Mushfiq is back after a short break, but
will play only as a batsman. This will
make the job of selecting the playing
eleven for Bangladesh complicated.
Mushfiqur not keeping wickets means
Anamul Haque or Shamsur Rahman
will take on the gloves.
Recent ODI performances are likely
to be taken into consideration where Bangladesh cricketer Shamsur Rahman, right, tries to catch the ball as Nasir Hossain looks on during a team training session at the Sher-
 PAGE 2 COLUMN 1 e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka yesterday AFP
2 DHAKA TRIBUNE
PM: Build high-rises on labour ministry land
n Tribune Report
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has sug-
gested constructing high-rise buildings
on abandoned and illegally occupied
land of the Labour Welfare Centre, tak-
ing loans from Bangladesh Bank at mini-
mum interest.
She has also instructed labour minis-
try officials to form labour welfare com-
mittees comprising factory owners and
employees in EPZs and other commer-
cial areas where forming trade unions is
difficult.
“Apart from establishing new EPZs,
the government will establish industrial
zones in seven divisions,” the premier
yesterday said in her first meeting with
the officials of the labour and employ-
ment ministry.
Hasina, who is in charge of the minis-
Tigers gearing up
 PAGE 1 COLUMN 3
Mominul Haque or Anamul would
compete for the number three batting
spot. A place in the middle order will
need to be decided between Naeem
Islam and Mahmuddlah, while in the
pace bowling department, either Shafi-
ul Islam or Al-Amin Hossain will come
in as second choice behind Mashrafe
Mortaza and Rubel Hossain. The ser-
vices of veteran spinner Abdur Razzak,
suffering a hamstring injury, will be
AL rebel candidates feel neglected
 PAGE 1 COLUMN 3
to convince the rebel candidates to re-
main inactive. If they do not listen to
us, organisational steps will be taken
against them.”
Although the party held a national
council in 2012, most of the 73 organ-
isational districts and upazilas of the
party have not seen any council in
many years.
As a result, not only is there little co-
ordination at the local levels, the senior
district and national level leaders have
very little idea about the hopes and as-
pirations of the grassroots.
There are also allegations that Awa-
mi League General Secretary Syed
Hunt for ‘al-Qaeda’ audio source continues
 PAGE 1 COLUMN 6
operatives, including Zawahiri.
Monirul Islam, joint commission-
er of the Detective Branch of Dhaka
Metropolitan Police, on Saturday said:
“Until and unless al-Qaeda officially
denies their responsibility over this
audio message, we will have reasons to
believe that they published it.”
Zawahiri’s audio voice came with
footages of Hefazat-e-Islam’s violent
rallies in Dhaka last year. Though some
parts of the message gives an impres-
sion that he was talking about the Ja-
maat-e-Islami leaders who are facing
war crimes charges, he did not mention
anything specific.
According to the subtitles, Zawahi-
ri says: “Thousands are being killed in
the streets of Bangladesh without any
reason, except to have come out to
protest the collusion of the anti-Islam-
ic secular government with a bunch of
transgressing secularists who are heap-
ing insults and vulgar abuses on Islam
and the Prophet of Islam, may peace be
Bangladesh Islamist militants maintain links with al-Qaeda
 PAGE 1 COLUMN 4
He himself exposed the links in his in-
terview published on August 20, 1998
in Sylhet in a bulletin titled “Islami Bi-
plob” (Islamic revolution). The publi-
cation was released on August 20, 1998
to celebrate “the total victory of Tali-
bans and establishment of an Islamic
state in Afghanistan.”
In the interview, Habibur said: “It
is possible to change the fate of the
nation only by establishing a Khilafat
[pan-Islamic movement]-based state
following the path of Taliban.”
Habibur revealed the names of peo-
ple with whom he had travelled to Af-
ghanistan via Pakistan in 1988, visited
some Taliban militant camps and also
met al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.
Other Huji Bangladesh top brass in-
clude Shaikhul Hadith Allama Azizul Haq
(passed away in August 2012), who was
also chief of a faction of Islami Oikya Jote,
a former partner of the BNP-led alliance;
Ataur Rahman Khan of Kishoreganj; Sul-
tan Jaok of Chittagong; Abdul Mannan of
Faridpur; and Habibullah of Noakhali.
All of them were involved with differ-
ent Islamic organisations and madrasas.
Ataur was a BNP lawmaker during 1991-
1996 from Kishoreganj 3 constituency.
During his trip, Habibur had a din-
ner with some others including Laden,
son of one of the richest Saudi families,
who formed al-Qaeda in 1988.
In the interview, he asserted: “An in-
vitation from Harkat-ul-Jihad-al Islami
made it possible for me to make the for-
tunate trip to Afghanistan.”
try,arrived at the ministry at 10:30am and
stayed until1:30pm.She held the meeting
with ministry officials and agencies and
departments under the ministry.
After the meeting, State Minister for
Labour Mojibul Haque Chunnu told the
Dhaka Tribune that the premier had
given consent to recovering the land of
labour welfare centres (LWCs) from grab-
bers and construction of buildings there.
The ministry officials had placed a
proposal in this regard as land of most
LWCs had either remained unused or en-
croached upon. The ministry wanted to
construct buildings for hospitals, train-
ing centres and dormitories for workers,
the state minister said.
Hasina also ordered the ministry offi-
cials to solve medical, training and resi-
dential problems of workers.
Chunnu said there were 23 factory in-
missed. As a result, Sohag Gazi, may
lead the spin attack although his bowl-
ing form is a concern and Arafat Sun-
ny, who made his international debut
in the Twenty20 series, is likely to be
picked for the game.
Sri Lanka on the other hand will
look to maintain their record of win-
ning all bilateral series in Bangladesh.
The side will be led by regular captain
Angelo Mathews, with T20 skipper
Dinesh Chandimal as his understudy.
Ashraful Islam is never available – nei-
ther over phone nor in person.
A number of upazila chairman aspi-
rants, who have not got party backing,
said since these were local elections, the
party could not interfere directly. So,
many of them were not concerned with
organisational steps such as expulsion.
In Belabo upazila in Narsingdi, se-
nior leaders have managed to convince
a “rebel” candidate named Shahidullah
to pull out. But another, Nazrul Islam, a
local Jubo League leader, has not pulled
out. Incumbent UP Chairman Shamsher
Zaman Bhuiyan got the party backing.
“I will prove that the party decision [to
back Shamsher] is wrong,” Nazrul said.
upon him.”
The voice goes on to say hundreds of
religious scholars were also facing “hard-
ships, manhunt, imprisonment, trials,
death sentences and life imprisonment,
only because they have taken a stance
against the agents of this Crusade.”
Zawahiri invited Muslims in Bangla-
desh to confront this Crusade against Is-
lam, “which is being orchestrated by the
leading criminals in the subcontinent
and the West against Islam, the prophet
of Islam, and the Islamic creed, so that
they may turn you into slaves of a des-
potic and disbelieving system.”
The state minister for home affairs
yesterday said in some countries, ter-
rorist organisations like al-Qaeda with
the instigation and support of the peo-
ple can carry out evil purposes. “But
people in our country do not like or
support the activities of such terrorist
organisation.”
“We are confident to face any chal-
lenges,” Asaduzzaman said, adding the
threat of al-Qaeda was nothing new.
The Bangladeshi delegation was giv-
en Kalashnikov [AK-47] rifles one day as
there was information of possible attack
in the camp where they were staying.
Long after this incident, there is a re-
cord that Laden in February 1998 came
up with a coalition of Islamic militants
named “International Islamic Front for
Jihad against the Jews and Crusaders”
to fight against the US. The five coali-
tion founders, including a Bangladeshi
militant leader and Zawahiri, were sig-
natories of a statement issued by the
Islamic Front in February 1998.
Al-Qaeda was a member organisation
of the Islamic Front and Laden was one
of the five signatories in favour of his
own organisation al-Qaeda. Zawahiri
was another signatory of the statement
on behalf of Jihad Group in Egypt. Za-
wahiri was ameer (chief) of this group.
The other signatories were Abu-Yasir
Rifa’i Ahmad Taha of Egyptian Islamic
Group; Shaykh Mir Hamzah, secretary
of the Jamiat-ul-Ulema-e-Pakistan;
and Fazlur Rahman, ameer of the Jihad
Movement in Bangladesh.
It was always difficult to trace Fa-
zlur Rahman for more than a decade
as none among the militants in the
network could give his whereabouts.
But some unconfirmed sources said he
used to live in Pakistan.
But the initiative of forming the
Islamic Front and the role of Bangla-
desh’s Fazlur Rahman as a founder
made it clear that the Bangladeshi mil-
itants have long been involved with
al-Qaeda to implement their global
News
spectors’ offices across the country. The
offices are working to rehabilitate child
workers. The prime minister ordered the
ministry to set up training centres for
the children’s training and schooling so
they became qualified for any job.
“She also directed to train female
workers. We have already set up four
training centres in Rangpur division…A
total of 14,500 women were selected
for training there. They would be re-
habilitated within next three years,” he
added.
The training programme for women
would be taken across the country in fu-
ture, he said.
Terming house rent a big problem,
the state minister said:“The government
has already announced new wages for
garment workers. At least 85% garment
factory owners have already implement-
The islanders, most importantly, will
want the spinners and batsmen to ac-
climatize to local conditions prior to
the Asia Cup starting from February 25
and the ICC World Twenty20 in March,
with both events taking place in Ban-
gladesh. The side is settled, with the
batsmen in good form and the bowlers
among the wickets. However, Sri Lanka
has won just one of the last five bilater-
al ODI series, which is something that
will rattle them.
A rebel chairman aspirant of the Pa-
lash upazila parishad of the same district
claimed that he had spent hundreds of
thousands of taka to keep the party to-
gether; but the party did not choose him.
“In the 2009 upazila election, I listened
to the centre’s decision and withdrew my
candidature. How many times will I do it?
I want to serve people by becoming their
representative. If I pull out again, the peo-
ple of my area will blame me.”
There are also examples where
grassroots leaders have been aggrieved
by the selection that the local lawmak-
er has made.
In Mirsarai of Chittagong, local law-
maker Engineer Mosharraf Hossain has
The law enforcement agencies had
been asked to examine and identify the
culprits. They would be brought to the
book, he said.
“We are sharing experience about
counter terrorism with the US and the UK.”
When contacted, Kelly S McCarthy,
the press officer at US Embassy in Dha-
ka, said they were aware of the video.
“The United States rejects al-Qae-
da and the use of violence for political
purposes. Moreover, we reject Zawa-
hiri’s characterisation of Bangladesh,
which is a moderate, tolerant Muslim
society that rejects the kind of extrem-
ism espoused by Al Qaeda,” McCarthy
told the Dhaka Tribune.
BTRC requests NTMC
The telecom regulator has requested
the National Telecom Monitoring Cen-
tre (NTMC) – maintained by the Armed
Forces Division – to track down the
source of the audio message and con-
firm whether it is real of false.
Early yesterday, the BTRC blocked
agenda of Jihad.
Journalist Shahriar Kabir, who con-
ducted extensive research on this issue
and made several documentaries, said:
“Bangladesh was part of al-Qaeda’s
global Jihadi terrorist network.”
In one documentary tiled “The Ulti-
mate Jihad,” he cited Fazlur Rahman’s
role in the formation of World Islamic
Front along with other likeminded groups
in different countries. Fazlur Rahman was
playing the leading role for implementing
similar Jihadi agenda in Bangladesh.
Mufti Izharul Islam Chowdhury,
founding principal of Jamiatul Ulum Al
Islamia Madrasa – otherwise known as
Lalkhan Bazar Madrasa in Chittagong –
also played a significant role in spreading
the network of radical outfit Huji across
the country since early 1990s with the
ultimate goal of launching a jihad.
Mufti Izhar, aged around 70, is one
of the senior leaders in the Islamist par-
ties in the country. He is the ameer of
a faction of the Islami Oikya Jote (IOJ)
and also the chairman of a faction of
Nezam-e-Islam.
He and his madrasa have close ties
with the fundamentalist Islamist outfit
Hefazat-e-Islam of which he is a nayeb-
e-ameer (vice-president).
The Dhaka Tribune published a re-
port on October 8 last year, following
blasts inside the madrasa that killed
three people who were reportedly
making hand grenades there, about his
link with Huji and al-Qaeda.
Sources in the militant network con-
firmed that Mufti Izhar had very close
Monday, February 17, 2014
ed the new wages. The rest will also im-
plement it.
“But, implementation of the mini-
mum wages is not a trouble. The main
problem is hike in house rent. We have a
rent control act…We have taken an initia-
tive to amend the act to save people from
unethical increase of house rent.
“We will send a proposal to the law
ministry soon in this regard.”
Chunnu said Hasina had also in-
structed the ministry officials to initiate
a plan for constructing high-rise build-
ings for slum dwellers to eliminate their
sufferings.
On reinstatement of the GSP facilities,
he said: “We have already appointed 242
factory inspectors for the directorate of
factories and institutes. The recruitment
process of 200 more will be finished by
March 15.” l
Sri Lanka might announce two
changes to their side. Nuwan Kulase-
kara could get back in the team, while
Thisara Perera also has a chance of
being in the starting eleven. There is
likely to be a toss-up between Ashan
Priyanjan and Kithuruwan Vithanage.
Dhaka has seen overcast weather
and occasional drizzle in last two days
but clear skies are being predicted for
match day. The game is scheduled to
begin at 1pm BST. l
chosen one Sheikh Ataur Rahman for
party backing, a decision that outgoing
UP Chairman Gias Uddin did not like.
“I have had conflicts with him [En-
gineer Mosharraf] in the past. That is
why he chose another person ignoring
the grassroots’ opinion [which is in my
favour],” Gias claimed.
Mosharraf, however, claimed that
the selection was made considering the
grassroots’ opinion.
“We are trying our best to follow
party chief’s instruction. We are trying
to convince the rebel candidates to pull
out from the next phases of the elec-
tions. In other places, we are trying to
make them inactive,” Mosharraf said. l
“jihadology.net” through the Internet
Gateway (IIG) of the country. A senior
executive officer said they had blocked
the website after getting a letter from
the BTRC around midnight.
In a letter, the BTRC has also asked
Google to withdraw the audio message
from the web.
“Though we have technical experts,
we are not technically equipped,” a
high official told the Dhaka Tribune
yesterday.
He said earlier the BTRC had sent
similar requests to Facebook author-
ities but in reply the top social media
site questioned the BTRC’s jurisdiction
in seeking such information, or asking
it to withdraw clips from the web.
Last year, the BTRC took an initiative
to filter contents from the internet after
some user generated videos and mes-
sages had created nationwide contro-
versy, but little progress has been made.
Sources at the telecom regulator said it
received nine proposals and shortlisted
seven firms to carry out the works.l
links with Laden and Mollah Omar of
al-Qaeda. He had travelled to Afghani-
stan on several occasions and met Laden,
Omar and many other Taliban leaders.
Security analyst Maj Gen (retd) Ab-
dur Rashid, who closely follows Isla-
mist militancy and terrorism issues,
told the Dhaka Tribune that Zawahiri’s
audio message had not been surprising
for him as he was aware of the connec-
tions of local militants with the inter-
national militant and terrorist groups.
“This is nothing new that Bangla-
desh’s militants have link with al-Qae-
da and other foreign militant outfits,”
he said. “Al-Qaeda was founded in a
bordering area of Afghanistan and Pa-
kistan in 1988.
“Many Bangladeshi militants went
to Afghanistan to fight with the Mujahi-
deens there and they met the leaders of
al-Qaeda and many other foreign mili-
tant and terrorist organisations,” he said.
“When the Bangladeshi militants re-
turned home from Afghanistan, they
came back along with their acquaintances
with those militant and terrorist leaders,”
the former army personnel observed.
He said later many Bangladeshi mil-
itants had visited or revisited Afghani-
stan through Pakistan and they main-
tained the links established earlier. The
communication between them became
easier with the availability of internet.
Rashid thinks that though al-Qaeda
gradually has become weak, the lo-
cal small militant groups are trying to
reinforce in line with the ideology of
al-Qaeda. “They are inspired to carry
HC stays case proceedings
 PAGE 1 COLUMN 1
framed charges against the four blog-
gers for their alleged involvement in
posting demeaning content about Is-
lam and Prophet Muhammad on the
internet.
They were also charged for making
belittling comments about the prime
BNP comes down hard on
grassroots leaders
 PAGE 1 COLUMN 5
“Expelling me will be suicidal for the
party because it will only end up ham-
pering the movement in future,” Taib
told the Dhaka Tribune.
Central leaders Barkatullah Bulu,
Mohammad Shahjahan, Salahuddin
Ahmed and Ruhul Kabir Rizvi Ahmed
had been tasked with convincing the
“rebel” leaders to not run against those
with party backing.
However, in many areas, local lead-
ers have not heeded the directives is-
sued by these central leaders.
A couple of days ago, Bhola district
unit Chhatra Dal president Aktaruz-
zaman Titon, an upazila chairman as-
pirant, was expelled from the party for
violating party rules.
On Thursday, a central leader of the
party expressed concern over Titon’s
expulsion saying he was a competent
and active local leader.
“The leaders, who remained in
hiding [during the movement a few
months ago], have been instigating
the expulsion of those, who took part
and led the movement in the streets.
Instead of going to their constituen-
cies, they keep on hanging around the
Gulshan office [of BNP] and try to win
party support for the candidates they
favour. The high command should im-
mediately look into this,” the central
leader told the Dhaka Tribune.
The party has also been allegedly
maintaining double standard in taking
action against the rebel leaders. While
in some upazilas, the rebel candidates
were directly expelled, in other areas,
they were only show-caused for the
same fault. Those belonging to the lat-
MPs link BNP-Jamaat with
‘Zawahiri’ statement
 PAGE 1 COLUMN 6
it costs our blood,” said Selim.
Mayeen Uddin Khan Badal of the
Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal said: “Zawahiri
should have studied Bangladesh before
making such message. Islam came here
through Sufism, not through sword as
happened in many Arab states.”
Terming al-Qaeda a “non-state” and
“fugitive” outfit, he defended Ban-
gladesh’s secular state policy, saying
Prophet Mohammad (SM) had estab-
lished Madina as a secular state.
Quoting a Time magazine report,
Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury
said Zawahiri had visited Bangladesh
thrice between 2001 and 2006. “It hap-
pened because of the hospitality of the
then government.”
She termed Khaleda “lady Laden”
and Tarique Rahman “junior Laden”
and said Zawahiri’s audio message had
been aimed at boosting the morale of
the BNP chief.
“This message will not work. The
people of Bangladesh liberated the coun-
try through a liberation war,” she said.
out violent activities when an al-Qaeda
leader spreads this type of audio mes-
sage asking them to wage Jihad.”
Last year, the Detective Branch of
Police arrested some members of a mil-
itant group known as “Ansarullah Ban-
gla Team” and investigators found that
they were inspired by Anwar al-Awlaki,
the “spiritual leader” of al-Qaeda in the
Arabian Peninsula.
Laden and Awlaki both were killed
in separate US attacks.
Muhammad Jasimuddin Rahmania,
inspired by Awlaki, has been building
radical Islamist networks in the country
for at least six years. Jasimuddin was
not a follower of Laden; rather he pre-
ferred to follow Awlaki, a US-born Ye-
meni who was killed in his country in a
US drone attack on September 30, 2011.
Shahriar Kabir does not see the is-
sue of authenticity of Zawahiri’s audio
message as important at all. “The im-
portant thing is whether the Bangla-
deshi militants are in the network of
al-Qaeda or not, whether Hefazat-e-Is-
lam, Jamaat-e-Islam and other Islamist
parties have links with al-Qaeda.
“There are plenty of journalistic re-
ports in the last 15 years on how these
local organisations are linked with
al-Qaeda and other international ter-
rorist and militants group,” he said.
Meanwhile, after Hefazat’s statement
on Saturday denying any link with the
audio message, BNP’s ally Jamaat also
issued a statement yesterday which
said: “We have no knowledge about hav-
ing any relation of Bangladesh’s Alem
minister and former home minister
Shahara Khatun on social media.
On April 2, Detective Branch of po-
lice nabbed Mashiur, Rasel and Shuvo
as suspects under Section 54 of the
Code of Criminal Procedure for “hurt-
ing religious sentiments.” Asif was ar-
rested on April 3 on the same charge. l
ter group were spared because they had
strong connections with central leaders.
Insiders said two committees had
been formed to make sure that the
rebel candidates did not run against
those who got party backing. However,
those committees failed to be of much
effect because of interference by
central leaders and feud among the
local ones.
Sources also said all these problems
were reported to the party chairperson
in written form and the expulsion or-
ders were issued and withdrawn on the
basis of that report.
Salahuddin Khan, a rebel BNP can-
didate from Sathiaupazilain Pabna, al-
leged that there was a serious lack of co-
ordination in selecting the candidates.
“District-level leaders did not coor-
dinate properly among the centre and
the grassroots. They chose candidates
on their whims picking only those who
had strong ties with them. The party
will have to pay for choosing the wrong
candidates. The expulsion of the ded-
icated candidates will be reflected in
the election results,” Salahuddin Khan
told the Dhaka Tribune.
Abdur Rahim Kalu, a rebel contes-
tant from Pabna’s Chatmohor upazila,
said local BNP leaders and activists had
already been divided into two groups
in many areas – one group campaigning
for the rebel candidates while the other
for the one who got party backing.
“This impact of this dividewill be
visible not only in the results of the
upazilapolls but also in the upcoming
movements. However, I believe that
the party still has a chance to reorgan-
ise its grassroots,” he said. l
Health Minister Mohammad Na-
sim said the government should find
out those who had dubbed Zawahiri’s
statement as al-Qaeda leader did not
know Bangla.
“We have to find out whether
al-Qaeda issued the statement or the
local al-Qaeda made it,” he added.
Workers Party MP Fazle Hossain
Badsha said the House should adopt
a resolution condemning the Pakistan
parliament’s resolution on the execu-
tion of Jamaat leader Abdul Quader
Molla and Zawahiri’s audio message.
In her speech on the president’s
address in parliament, former for-
eign minister Dipu Moni said Zawahi-
ri’s statement was similar to those of
Khaleda Zia, Tarique Rahman, Amar
Desh Editor Mahmudur Rahman and
Odhikar chief Adilur Rahman. “The
government must investigate whether
it was a coincidence or the BNP and Ja-
maat were involved in it.”
MPs of the main opposition Ja-
tiya Party did not take part in the
discussion. l
[Islamic scholars] community and main-
stream Islamic parties with al-Qaeda.”
Jamaat’s acting secretary general
Shafiqur Rahman issued the statement
where the party expressed concern over
Zawahiri’s audio message. It said the
party was also wondering whether it
was a new conspiracy against country’s
independence, sovereignty and Islam.
The statement claimed that Jamaat
and its students’ organisation Islami
Chhatra Shibir did not have any in-
volvement with terrorism, militancy
and unruly activities.
Zawahiri’s audio message did not
mention name of Jamaat and Hefazat.
But some parts of the message give an
idea that he was talking against the tri-
al of some top Jamaat leaders who are
in jail and facing war crimes charges
while some of them have already been
sentenced for crimes against humanity
during the 1971 Liberation War.
Similarly, the audio gives a sense
that al-Qaeda leader was talking about
the propaganda of killing thousands of
people after Hefazat’s rally at Motijheel
on May 5 last year.
Though the government agencies are
checking authenticity of the clip, pub-
lished in a website named “Jihadology”
on January 14, Shahriar Kabir said an
US think tank named “The Jamestown
Foundation” reported about it on January
23 with a title “Al-Qaeda Leader al-Zawa-
hiri Urges Jihad against the Anti-Islamic
Government of Bangladesh.” He said: It
indicates that it was in their hands before
coming to our knowledge.” l

MP Badi to resign if graft charges proved Court accepts Khaleda’s
n Tribune Report
Awami League lawmaker Abdur Rah-
man Badi has said he will resign from
his parliamentary post if graft allega-
tion, now being investigated by the An-
ti-Corruption Commission, are found
to be true.
Badi, who was elected Cox’s Bazar 4
constituency in the tenth parliamenta-
ry elections, made the announcement
to newsmen after coming out of ACC
headquarter, where he was summoned
for questioning, at the capital’s Segun-
bagicha yesterday.
Refuting the allegations, the law-
maker said all the allegation against
him are baseless and incorrect and was
intended to harm his political image.
“If you can prove that I have laun-
dered a single penny, or I have con-
cealed wealth information on my elec-
tion affidavit, I will resign from the
parliament,” Badi said.
The ACC is now conducting an in-
quiry into the wealth of seven lawmak-
ers from the ruling party, whose wealth
were inconsistent with their known
sources of income.
Badi also claimed his total wealth
is valued Tk13.08crore, and has paid
Tk3.40crore in income taxes.
“Some journalists, in collusion with
the opposition party, has published
34th BCS written
test begins
March 24
n Tribune Report
The written tests of 34th Bangladesh
Civil Service will begin on March 24,
according to a notice issued by Public
Service Commission yesterday.
The notice, signed by examination
controller AIM Neser Uddin, also said
detailsof the time-table and exam-
ination centres would be informed
through advertisements in newspapers
and the PSC website. The PCS also de-
cided to allow 280 indigenous candi-
dates, who were left out in the revised
results, to take part in the written tests,
announcing them qualified. l
DHAKA TRIBUNE
Abdur Rahman Badi
negative reports against me to harm
my image. The allegations are false and
incorrect,” he added.
Responding to a query on how the
wealth of the lawmaker witnessed sig-
nificant 351 times rises, he said: “Jour-
nalists reported that my income has
rose to 351 times in last five years and
stood at Tk36 crore, but where is the
money?,” he said.
He said his affidavit, that was placed
before the Election Commission, did
not have any information on the said
Tk36 crore.
Badi further added that he has al-
ready filed several cases with Cox’s Ba-
3 rental plants apply for extension
n Aminur Rahman Rasel
Three gas-based rental power plants
with a combined capacity of 200MW
have applied to the government for ex-
tension of their contracts for five more
years.
“We have received their applica-
tions and we have sat with them sever-
al times. As these are gas-based plants,
we may extend the contracts consider-
ing the low cost fuel,” Power Division
Secretary Monowar Islam told the Dha-
ka Tribune recently.
The three plants are: 50MW Kumar-
gaon plant ofEnergyprima Limited and
70MW Brahmanbaria plant and 80MW
Ashuganj plant of Aggreo.
Under the original contract the ten-
News
zar police station in relation to the false
news reports.
“My affidavit has information on
some Tk9, 19,67,056, and the mon-
ey was generated from import export
businesses, that is wood, dry fish and
rice import businesses,” he said.
In reply to the query on how he has
make these huge money in last five
years, the lawmaker said he was unable
to run businesses during the tenure of
BNP-led alliances as at least 40-45 cas-
es were filed against him.
“During the BNP-led opposition’s
tenure, 40-45 cases was filed against me
and I was unable to run my businesses.
I belong to a family of businessmen and
I did not whiten any black money, rath-
er I ran by businesses and paid taxes re-
spectively,” he told journalists.
ACC Deputy Director Ahsan Ali, who
is the investigation officer of the case,
grilled the lawmaker from 10:00am to
1:00pm at the ACC headquarter.
Regarding the inquiry, ACC Public
Relations Officer Pranab Kumar Bhat-
tacharjee said the inquiry official has
cross-checked the information and
allegation against the lawmaker after
newspaper reports.
“If the commission thinks it needs
to gather more information or quiz oth-
ers, we will work in accordance with
the commission instruction,” he added.
ure of the three plants was three years
each. The contract of the Brahmanbaria
plant will expire on March 05, 2014 and
that of Ashuganj plant on May 30, 2014.
The contract with Energyprima for the
50MW Kumargaon plant had already
been extended once for three years
which ends this July.
The government buys electricity
at an average Tk3 per unit from these
plants.
It is likely to extend two more rent-
al power plants for five years during
which it will purchase electricity worth
Tk4,408 crore from these plants.
The Power Division has proposed
extending the three-year tenure of the
50MW DPA Power Generation Ltd run
by the Bangladesh Armed Forces in
Monday, February 17, 2014
Earlier on January, Ahsan Ali went
to Cox’s Bazar and visited different ad-
ministrative offices and collected docu-
ments related to the MP’s wealth.
Sources said, the investigation of-
ficer also acquired the wealth state-
ment of the lawmaker and income tax
return statements of MP Badi and his
wife Shahina Akhter.
Cox’s Bazar MP Badi’s earnings rose
astronomically, increasing by more than
500 times over the past five years. The
lawmaker’s annual income was only
Tk3.01 lakh in 2008, but rose to Tk15.46
crore by 2013, according to his affidavits
placed before the Election Commission.
On January 22, the ACC initiated an
inquiry against seven ruling party law-
makers, including two former minis-
ters, a state minister and four MPs, in
a bid to trace the sources of their phe-
nomenal rise in wealth.
Apart from MP Badi, the commission
has also summoned former state minis-
ter for housing and public works Abdul
Manna Khan for questioning over similar
allegations of amassing wealth illegally.
According to the summon notice, the
Awami League leader has been asked to
appear before the ACC at its headquar-
ters on February 20. ACC Deputy Direc-
tor M Nasir Uddin has been assigned to
investigate the graft allegations against
Abdul Mannan Khan. l
Narayanganj and the 78.5MW Max Pow-
er Ltd in Ghorashal for another five years.
The government has also recently ex-
tended the contracts ofsix rental plants
with a combined capacity of 425MW for
five more years.The cabinet committee
on public purchase approved the exten-
sionson November 14 last year.
The six plants were the 110MW
Bheramara diesel-fired plant of Quan-
tum Power Ltd, the 100MW Siddhirganj
diesel-fired plant of Desh Energy Ltd,
the 55MW Ashuganj gas-fired plant of
Precision Energy Ltd, the 55MW Sikal-
baha HFO-fired plant of Energies Pow-
er Corporation Ltd, the 55 MW Khulna
diesel-fired plant of Aggreo, and the
50MW Thakurgaon diesel-fired power
of RZ Power Ltd. l
time petition
n Court Correspondent
A Dhaka Court yesterday granted a time
petition to BNP Chairperson Khaleda
Zia in connection with Zia Orphanage
and Zia Charitable Trust graft cases, for
the last time.
The court also deferred the hearing
on charge framing till March 19 in two
cases.
Khaleda last appeared before the
court on January 15, 2013, and secured
a permanent bail in the graft cases.
However, Judge Md. Rezaul Islam of
the Special Judge Court-3 passed the or-
der after her counsel Md Sanaullah Miah
filed a petition for time before the court.
In the petition, the defense said
the BNP chairperson could not appear
before the court due to cold-related
illness.
Opposing the petition, Anti-Corrup-
tion Commission’s counsel Mosharref
Hossain Kajal told the court that the
charge-framing hearing in the two cas-
es has been deferred for 52 times in the
last two years.
He also noted that Khaleda has
taken time extentions in the last two
years by showing various pretexts,
which was completely illegal. He urged
the court to enforce an arrest warrant
against Khaleda Zia.
With this deferment, the court has
adjourned for 41 times, in the Zia Or-
phanage Trust graft case and 11 time
for the Zia Charitable Trust graft case
for hearing on charge framing.
After hearing from both the prose-
cution and defense, the judge fixed the
3
new date and asked Khaleda Zia to ap-
pear during the hearing.
Zia Charitable Trust graft case
On August 8, 2011, the Anti-Corrup-
tion Commission (ACC) filed the case
with Tejgaon police station accusing
the four, including Khaleda, of abus-
ing power in raising funds for the trust
from unknown sources.
ACC Deputy Director Harun-ur
Rashid, the investigation officer of the
case, pressed charges against the ac-
cused on January 16, 2012.
The other accused are Khaleda Zia’s
former Political Secretary Harris Chowd-
hury; his former Assistant Personal Sec-
retary Ziaul Islam Munna and Manirul
Islam Khan, former personal secretary
of BNP leader Sadeque Hossain Khoka.
Of them, Harris Chowdhury has
been staying abroad since 2007. He was
mentioned as an “absconding accused”
in the charge sheet, while Ziaul and
Monirul are now on bail.
Zia Orphanage Trust graft case
The ACC filed the case with the
Ramna police station on July 3, 2008,
accusing Khaleda Zia, her son Tarique
Rahman and four others of misappro-
priating over Tk2.10 crore, which came
as “grants” from a foreign bank.
The other accused are Mominur
Rahman, nephew of late president
Ziaur Rahman; Khaleda’s former Prin-
cipal Secretary Dr Kamaluddin Sid-
dique; and former BNP lawmakers Kazi
Salimul Haque and Sharfuddin Ahmed.
ACC deputy director Harunur
Rashid submitted a charge sheet on the
case on August 5, 2010. l
4 DHAKA TRIBUNE News Monday, February 17, 2014

National prevalence
survey on TB soon
n Moniruzzaman Uzzal
The Directorate General of Health Ser-
vices is taking an all-out preparation to
conduct the survey on the prevalence
of tuberculosis across the country.
The country’s biggest ever national
survey on tuberculosis will take place
over next three months.
The epidemiologists and other ex-
perts will collect samples and examine
one lakh people randomly from 120
cluster groups.
In 2007-2008,
Bangladesh ran a
national survey on
the prevalence of
tuberculosis among
52,000 people of 40
cluster groups
Different types of essential tests– Spu-
tam, X-ray and Jean– will be doneto get
the reliable national prevalence rate of
the disease.
Mobile X-ray machine and other ex-
amination kits will be kepton standby
to do the necessary tests.
The survey will be conducted
through the guidelines of World Health
Organisation, which is providing the
technical assistance for Bangladesh.
Although the process to carry out
the survey started in June 2013 the
main activities like sample collection,
examination and other field works
would start inthe coming June.
It would take one year to complete
the survey and the Directorate General
of Health Services(DGHS) set the target
to publish the final survey report by
June 2015.
Prof Dr Mahmudur Rahman, direc-
tor of the Institute of Epidemiology
Disease Control and Research,told the
Dhaka Tribune on Saturday at present
there were four countries in the world
– Bangladesh Korea and Nepal –yet to
complete the survey on the prevalence
of tuberculosis.
Of the four, Indonesia had been con-
ducting the survey currently and Ban-
gladesh was in the pipeline.
Mahmudur said a 10-member team
would goto Indonesia for more than a
week-long trip to learn how the surve-
yin the country was being carried out.
Md Ashek Hossain, line direc-
tor of the National Tuberculosis
Programme,told the Dhaka Tribune
preparations for conducting the survey
started last year, and currently they
were working on the operational pro-
cedure.
The survey in the field level would
start by June, he hoped.
It was learnt that there was no reli-
able statistics of tuberculosis patients
in Bangladesh.
In 2007-2008, Bangladesh ran a na-
tional survey on the prevalence of tu-
berculosis among 52,000 people of 40
cluster groups.
The national tuberculosis survey
was conducted between October 2007
and March 2009 which was a cross-sec- Three hawkers in front of Shishu Hospital in the capital try to save their goods and themselves from the afternoon drizzle yesterday, hiding under a polythene sheet. The late winter
tional community-based multistage- rain disrupted the daily life of city dwellers, businesses and commuters SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN
cluster survey.
The survey identified33 new spu-
tum smear-positive pulmonary tuber-
culosis cases.
The mean ageof the detected pa-
23 vandalised schools yet to be repaired
tients was 47.2 year. The overall crude
prevalence of newsmear-positive tu-
berculosis was 63.3 per 1,00,000.
n Our correspondent, Lakhsmipur centres.
Headmistress of Nunapara Govern-
ments were torched. Miscreants set fire
to the office room of the school.”
step to restore a healthy educational
environment,” he said.
Dr Asek Hossain, line director of Educational activities of around 23 ment School Jhumur Rani Pal said: Dilip Kumar, headmaster of Sriram- Kamal Hossain, upazila secondary
the National Tuberculosis Programme, institutions in Lakhsmipur that were “Miscreants set fire to the school as pur High School, said miscreants had education officer, said: “We cannot
told the Dhaka Tribune the World damaged in election related violence it was being used as a polling centre. torched the office and class rooms dur- repair the schools because of lack of
Health Organisationdidn’t recognise during January 4-5, are in jeopardy as They also vandalised and torched two ing late night on January 4. fund, we have issued an application to
the survey. the authorities are yet to renovate the chairs, one table, one closet and all President of the school management the ministry concerned in this regard.”
So they were going to conduct the buildings. windows and doors.” committee Amir Hossain alleged that Md Nobir Uddin, upazila education
national survey again, he mentioned. l Sources at the Upazila Secondary “Now around 185 students are at- police had failed to arrest the culprits officer, said: “Necessary steps will be
and Primary Education office said BNP tending classes under open sky which despite having complaints filed against taken after holding a meeting with the
and Jamaat-Shibir men had vandalised is hampering their concentration,” she them. upazila education committee.”

Jamuna distillery show and torched four secondary schools,

one dakhil madrasah and 18 govern-
said.
Headmaster of Horicchor Govern-
“We immediately informed the mat-
ter to the officials of Upazila Secondary
The newly-elected MP of Laxmipur
1 constituency MA Aowal said: “The

caused for river pollution

ment primary schools in Ramganj ment School Bidhubhushon said: “I and Primary Education Office but the fund will reach the schools and ma-
upazila that were being used as polling am in trouble as many important docu- authorities concerned did not take any drasahs within a few days.” l

n Our Correspondent, Natore filed by Sirajul Islam from Kandivitua

A Natore court yesterday passed a show
cause notice to authorities of Jamuna
distillery to reply, within seven days,
on why the court should not pass a
temporary prohibition on the distillery
on dumping chemical wastes into the
Narod River.
The court passed the show cause
notice after hearing a case filed against
Jamuna distillery, accusing the enter-
prise of dumping chemical wastes into
the Narod River without any treatment.
Jamuna distillery Chairman Nu-
rul Islam Babul, Director Salma Islam,
Shahmim Islam, Roselina Islam, Mon-
ika Islam, Rowson Ara Mahabub and
Managing Director Shamsul Islam have
been made respondents to the case,
moholla and Saiful Islam of Tebaria Ut-
tarpara area of Sadar upazila.
According the case, Jamuna distill-
ery has been dumping chemical wastes
of the factory into the Narod River
causing huge damage to its environ-
ment and aquatic life.
Locals of the area have made many
demonstrations against such dumping,
but Jamuna authorities paid no heed.
Lastly on February 9, the locals sub-
mitted a memorandum to the Deputy
Commissioner Jafar Ullah, but that too
failed to bring any measures to stop the
illegal practice.
The case also sought a decree from
the court to declare the accused of be-
ing responsible of destroying human
lives and livestock in the area. l
BNP's Aman denied bail in four
cases, granted in four others
n Md Sanaul Islam Tipu
A Dhaka court sent BNP Joint Secretary
General Amanullah Aman to jail in four
cases although another court granted
him bail in four other cases yesterday.
Senior Judicial Magistrate Toybul
Hasan rejected his bail petition and
passed the order after he surrendered
to the magistrate’s court yesterday
morning.
Aman has been on a High Court
bail for four weeks that expired on
Saturday.
The BNP leader surrendered to the
magistrate’s court after the bail expired
and appealed for bail again.
The four cases were lodged with Ker-
anigonj police station against Aman in
connection with violence, arson attack
and impeding police men in performing
duties during blockade programmes
sponsored by the BNP-led alliance.
On the other hand, another Dhaka
court granted bail to Amanullah Aman
and BNP Standing Committee Member
Goyeshwar Chandra Roy and BNP Dha-
ka unit Secretary Abdus Salam in four
cases filed with Ramna and Shabagh
police stations on different dates dur-
ing last two months.
The cases were filed in connection
with the murder of police constable
Ferdous Khalil, arson attacks in Sha-
bagh area and vandalism during BNP
enforced blockade.
Metropolitan Magistrate Asaduzza-
man Noor granted the bail to the BNP
leaders upon signing Tk50,000 bonds.
Defense counsel Md Sanaullah Miah
and Taherul Islam Tohid filed the bail
petitions. l
Six accused in
smuggling case on
four-day remand
n Court Correspondent
A Dhaka court yesterday placed six
people on four-day remand each for
their alleged involvement in smuggling
and abduction.
They were Rezaul Haque, former
army man, Faziqul Islam, assistant sub-
inspector of Savar police station, Miran
Khan, Shamsul Haque, Sujon Sheikh
and Sabur Khan, a union parishad
chairman in Tangail district.
Senior Judicial Magistrate Wasim
Sheikh granted the remand.
According to sources, RAB arrested
the six persons on February 15, for

WEATHER 54,412 students get primary their alleged involvement in smuggling

and abduction in Savar and Ashulia.

Drizzles scholarships In the guise of law-enforcers, they

had long been engaged in abduction and
smuggling of gold and foreign currencies.

throughout the day n Tribune Report sina is now considering a proposal for
raising the status of head teachers and
The RAB filed two cases with Savar
model police station in this connection.
n UNB A total of 54,412 students received schol-
arships based on their primary school
salary of assistant teachers of primary
schools." An announcement would be
Inspector Dipak Chandra Saha pro-
duced them before the court with 14
Rain or thundershowers accompanied certificate exam results published yes- made as soon as she gives her nod, the days’ police remand in the cases.
by temporary gusty wind is likely to terday. minister added. The court granted the four-day re-
occur at a few places over Rangpur, Among them, 21,978 students who The status of headmasters would mand. Defense Counsel Md Shawon Ali
Rajshahi, Dhaka, Khulna, Barisal, Chit- earned scholarships in the talent pool also be elevated to class II and scales of filed bail petition with a remand rejec-
tagong and Sylhet divisions until 6pm quota will receive Tk200 each per month, assistant teachers would be upgraded, tion prayer. l
today. while the rest awarded in the general Mostafizur said, adding that the PM
Night and day temperature may re- quota will receive Tk150 per head. had already given instructions in this 7 doctors suspended
main nearly unchanged over the coun-
try, Met Office said.
The results have been posted on the
education board’s website at www.ed-
regard.
The minister made the remarks at in Dhamrai
The sun sets in the capital at 5:55pm
today and rises at 6:30am tomorrow.
ucationboard.gov.bd.
Meanwhile, the government is
a press conference organised to an-
nounce the primary scholarships 2013
n Moniruzzaman Uzzal
Country’s highest temperature 29.0 considering to announce a separate at his ministry’s conference room. The Ministry of Health and Family Wel-
degrees Celsius was recorded yesterday pay-scale for primary school teachers, The minister also said the govern- fare suspended seven doctors yesterday
in Cox’s Bazar and lowest 13.0 degrees Primary and Mass Education Minister ment was considering an increase in in Dhamrai upazila under the capital
in Rangpur. Students of Jagannath University stage a demonstration in front of the campus yesterday, Mostafizur Rahman said yesterday. scholarship money and free education due to time-negligence at work place.
Highest and lowest temperature re- demanding recovery of the illegally occupied student halls at the university RAJIB DHAR He said: "Prime Minister Sheikh Ha- for all students. l The suspended doctors were junior
corded in some major cities yesterday consultants Jane Alam Mridha and Dr
were: Syed Ahsan Touhid of Dhamrai Upazila
City
Dhaka
Chittagong
High
22.1
25.5
Low
16.8
17.2
Cruden: Good governance requires integrity Health Complex, Dr Md Shakhawat
Hossain, emergency medical officer of
the same hospital, Dr Rumana Akhter
of Kushura union sub health centre,
Rajshahi 19.6 14.8
Rangpur 21.5 13.0 n Abu Bakar Siddique Brac Centre Inn auditorium organised by
the Bangladesh Enterprise Institute.
the importance of decentralisation of
the government and also empowerment
ment, and said the government had
been trying to ensure accountability
Dr Jerin Zindia Hossain of Belishor sub
health centre, Dr Zannatul Ferdousi,
Khulna 20.0 17.5 The country’s future development re- In her address, Canadian High Com- of the local government to achieve sus- and transparency. assistant surgeon of Boail union sub
Barisal 21.5 16.5 lies on ensuring good governance in missioner Heather Cruden said: “It will tainable development in the country. Regarding the government move health centre and Dr Nazmun Nahar of
Sylhet 21.5 15.0 all levels including politics and civil be tough for Bangladesh to be a middle- Without implementing decentrali- towards ensuring good governance, Gangutia sub health centre.
Cox’s Bazar 29.0 17.0 administration, discussants said at a income country unless ensured good sation system and empowering the Gowher Rizvi said the government had MM Niazuddin, health secretary, is-
programme yesterday. governance in all sectors as this is the local government, rural Bangladesh taken different initiatives like imple- sued the suspension order.
PRAYER TIMES They added that the government key to development.” would not experience real develop- menting Right to Information Act to According to sources, a team of Joint
Fajar 5:14am must have mechanism to ensure good Good governance requires integrity in ment, he said, adding that corruption ensure transparency in the activities of Health Secretary Basu Dev Ganguly
Sunrise 6:30am governance for the sake of the coun- the works of all including politicians, gov- could not be removed from the country public sector. and Director of the Directorate Gen-
Zohr 12:13am try’s development. ernment officials and the media worker unless ensured empowerment of the He added that the government had eral of Health Services (DGHS) Dr Shah
Asr 4:18pm The speakers stressed the need for which ultimately makes the total process local government. almost finalised Public Service Act and Newaz visited the Dhamrai Upazila
Magrib 5:55pm good governance at a seminar titled transparent and reliable, she added. Gowher Rizvi, International Affairs National Integrity Strategy with an aim Health Complex and different union
Esha 7:11pm “Good governance in Bangladesh: an Farooq Sobhan, president of Bangla- adviser to the prime minister, acknowl- to ensure responsibility and account- health sub centres for inspections and
Source: IslamicFinder.org agenda for the future” held at the capital’s desh Enterprise Institute,emphasised edged the existing flaws in the govern- ability of public offices. l found the seven physicians absent. l

Government fails to extend Jhilmil Project
Rajuk housing initiative limited while that of private companies extended
n Abu Hayat Mahmud Friendship Bridge over the river Burig-
anga beside the Dhaka-Mawa Road at
The Jhilmil Residential Area in Kerani-
ganj near the capital remains limited to
comparatively a small area of land be-
cause of failure of Rajuk to acquire land
from the local powerful landowners.
The development of Jhilmil housing
project, a new satellite town in Kerani-
ganj, covers a 381.11-acre land although
the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartipakkha (Ra-
juk) planned to extend over 22,000 acres.
The apex city development author-
ity initiated the residential project in
1997, but was yet to complete even af-
ter more than 13 years.
A section of influential people are
calling the shot.
To extend its project into a large area
like other mega housing projects – Ut-
tara Residential Model Town Project
and Purbachal New Town Project – Ra-
juk ran a study on 32 mouzas in Keran-
iganj upazila, but was forced to limit its
housing initiative into only the three
mouzas – Shubadda, Chunkutia and
Teghoria in the study area.
Sources said the Rajuk acquired the
land from common people in the study
area, but failed to do so from a section
of influential persons.
The project is situated at a distance
of 2km west of China-Bangladesh
Four frauds held
with foreign
currencies in
Chittagong
n Tarek Mahmud, Chittagong
Police nabbed four members of a fraud-
ster gang, including its head, with cur-
rencies of different countries from a
residential hotel in Chittagong city’s
Station Road area yesterday afternoon.
The arrestees, Shakir Akhter, 28,
gang leader, Abu Bakar Siddique, 24,
Morsheda Akhter Mukta, 23, and Suruj
Jamal Mia, 45, were involved in a gang
which used to bag huge money in ex-
change of Bangladeshi currency and
make fool to common people, said AKM
Mohiuddin Selim, officer-in-charge of
Kotwali police station.
On receiving information, a team
from Kotwali police station nabbed
the four from Relax Inn around 1:30pm
with some notes of different countries,
including Sri Lanka, Brazil, Oman,
Dubai, Kuwait and Myanmar, he said.
Sub-Inspector Kazi Masud Ibn An-
war 0f Kotwali police station told the
Dhaka Tribune that the members of the
gang, dividing into sep arate groups,
using CNG-run auto-rickshaws, roam-
ing around their respective areas and
deceive people by selling foreign cur-
rencies in exchange of taka.
The group, comprising five mem-
bers, generally target passerby, show
some foreign currencies and propose
to their targeted person to purchase
the currency in a lower rate from bank
expressing the deceivers’ patience.
Sometimes, they board the target
into CNG and snatch all valuables from
him or her, said the SI, who led the
drive.
“We nabbed a group of the gang and
we are conducting drives to nab the en-
tire gang,” he said.
A case was lodged with Kotwali po-
lice station in this connection. l
26 thatched
houses gutted
in Chittagong
n Tarek Mahmud, Chittagong
At least 26 thatched houses were gut-
ted in two separate incidents of fire in
Chittagong city yesterday.
Fire Brigade sources said a fire had
originated from an electric short cir-
cuit at a thatched house at Koborsthan
(Muslim Graveyard) Colony located at
the inner side of Amin Jute Mill area
around 4am and engulfed the adjoin-
ing 16 houses.
On receiving the information, a
fire-fighting unit from Bayezid fire sta-
tion rushed to the spot and doused the
fire around 6:20am.
Meanwhile, nine other thatched
houses were gutted as a fire originated
from a stove in Jelepara in Bandar area
around 11am, the sources said, adding
that two fire fighting units from Bandar
fire station extinguished the blaze in an
hour’s effort.
The fire brigade officials estimated
that valuables worth Tk10 lakh were
burnt into ashes in the incidents. l
Keraniganj.
Though the government-owned
agency Rajuk failed to extend its resi-
dential project area, a large number of
private housing companies made it.
Private companies like Priya Pran-
gon Housing Ltd of Hamid Real Estate,
Bashundhara River View Project of
Bashundhara Group, Navana Real Es-
tate Ltd and Bhuian city of Navana Real
Estate, Bangladesh Development Com-
pany Ltd, Bismillah Real Estate, Ram-
jan Nagar Housing, M/S Amir Enter-
prise, Mawlana Real Estate, Action City
Project, Anwar Real Estate Ltd etc are
implementing their residential projects
on large acres of land in and around the
Jhilmil study area.
Sources said the private companies
were running the housing projects in
Keraniganj in an unplanned way with-
out the Rajuk approval.
Besides, a Rajuk official said they
sent a proposal to the Ministry of Hous-
ing and Public Works to extend its
Jhilmil Project, but the ministry was
yet to come up with any response.
Contacted, Nurul Huda, chairman of
the Rajuk, told the Dhaka Tribune, “At
first we want to complete the current
phase of project development covering
English medium schools against
government fixing tuition fees
n Tribune Report
English medium schools opposed
a government move to put all such
schools under a category and fix the tu-
ition and admission fees.
According to the authorities of cer-
tain schools, the government should
have no restrictions on English medi-
um school tuition fees like it does over
other service sectors.
A meeting between education min-
istry officials and authorities from var-
ious English medium schools ended
without any decisions being made, on
Thursday.
Education ministry Additional Sec-
retary AS Mahmud told the Dhaka Tri-
bune that they could not make any de-
cisions in the meeting.
Sources who were in the meeting
said the ministry had told the English
PIROJPUR-GOPALGANJ ROAD CONNECTIVITY
Key route becomes fraught with danger
n Our Correspondent, Barisal
Part of a road connecting Nazirpur
upazila of Pirojpur district with
Tungipara and Kotalipara of Gopalganj
has became accident-prone as the road
has narrowed down considerably.
Local people alleged that more than
one-kilometre-long part of the road
near Jhanjhania Bazar  had not only
become narrower, but has also become
dangerously curvy, making vehicular
movement highly risky.
The road connecting Tungipara,
Bashbaria, Jhanjhania and Kotalipara
is important because it connects two
districts and business points.
Local people roam around the Amin Jute Mill area where a fire broke out yesterday
DHAKA TRIBUNE News
381.11 acres of land, and the issue of proj-
ect extension will be dealt afterwards.”
“The implementation of the project
is at its final stage, and we have already
started handing over plots to landown-
ers.”
Asked about the extension of the
housing project and difficulties of land
acquisition, the Rajuk boss fought shy of
answers.
Meanwhile, the Jhilmill Project will
medium school authorities that the
government wanted to put all English
medium schools under a category and
have the tuition and admission fees
fixed according to that category.
The government can
monitor quality but
imposing restrictions
on fees will not bring
any good
Dhaka Tribune approached the school
authorities for comment but no one
wanted to open up regarding the mat-
ter.
Seeking anonymity, the principal of
an English medium school in the capi-
tal told the Dhaka Tribune that impos-
After visiting Bashbaria and talking
with locals it was found that road
on the west bank of Bashbaria canal
connected Tungipara upazila and that
on the east bank Kotalipara upazila of
Gopalganj district. Tanvir Shovan, a
local businessman of the bazar, said the
breadth of Bashbaria-Jhanjhania road
was so narrow that pedestrians were
forced to leave the road if two rickshaw-
vans crossed one another.
Asaduzzaman Dulal Talukdar, a local
elite, said in the last three years, at least
three people were killed on this road,
hit by vehicles.
“Almost every day we face accidents
on this busy road due to its narrowness
Monday, February 17, 2014
have about 1,740 plots to build 9,500
apartments for lower- and middle-in-
come groups.
Rajuk officials said they just started
developing the plots, and the construc-
tion of apartment would follow the suit.
Land and infrastructural develop-
ment, ie. roads, culverts and bridges, are
now at their final stage.
The Rajuk has handed over about 150
plots to the landowners and some 50
ing restrictions on tuition and admis-
sion fees would destroy the sector.
“The government can monitor
quality but imposing restrictions on
fees will not bring any good,” he said.
“Every year we have to increase
teachers’ salaries to ensure quality.
Without a reasonable tuition fees, we
would not be able to hand out a decent
salary to the teachers,” he said.
“The government does not have
any restrictions on what hospitals
charge for their services, why should
restrictions be imposed on English
medium schools?” he raised the
question.
Principal of Scholastica Brig Gen
(Rtd) Kaiser Ahmed, principal of
Mastermind School Syed Fakhruddin
Ahmed and Sunnydale School principal
Tazeen Ahmed were present in the
meeting. l
and curves,” Asaduzzaman added.
Monira Zaman, founder member
of the local educational institution
Kulsum Begum Bidyapith, said even
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina faced
traffic jam at this point on her way
to Gopalganj after attending a public
meeting at Kotalipara.
MA Karim, local Jhanjhania ward
member of Malikhali Union Parishad,
acknowledged that this road was
the only short cut to the mausoleum
of Bangabandhu at Tungipara from
Barisal region. But due to narrowness
and curves on the road, vehicles run
with risks and people often speak ill of
the local government authorities that
FOCUS BANGLA
plot owners have got registration.
During a recent visit the Dhaka Tri-
bune correspondent found that con-
struction of most of the roads in and
around the project had been completed,
and digging of lake and construction of
bridges on the lake were going on.
Of the utility services – electricity,
gas and water – the work for setting
power connection is going on while the
rest are yet to be done. l
JnU paralysed as students
demanding hall recovery
n Mohammad Jamil Khan
Agitated students of Jagannath Uni-
versity (JnU) yesterday held a protest
rally and blockaded several roads in
Old Dhaka demanding recovery of their
dormitory from grabbers.
In the morning, hundreds of JnU
students, chanting slogans and carry-
ing banners and placards, took out a
procession from the front of the uni-
versity’s Shaheed Minar area. Later, the
students observed a sit-in programme
in front of the university’s main admin-
istration building.
Students also boycotted regular
classes and examinations as part of
their demonstrations.
During the sit-in programme, the
protesters said JnU authorities have
failed to recover any of the 12 dormi-
tories of the university, allegedly being
occupied by some land grabbers, even
after eight years had passed since the
hardly take any steps to improve the
road condition, the UP member said.
All local people alleged that the local
government engineering department
paid no attention even after their
repeated appeals and attempts to make
the authorities aware of the necessity to
expand the road.
Engineer Abul Kalam Azad, sub-
assistant engineer of LGED Pirojpur,
admitted that a 1.5-kilometre road of
Bashbaria-Jhanjhania section needed
expansion.
“However to do that we have to get
assistance from local people to acquire
land for the work,” added the LGED
official. l
ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury
granted bail
n Tarek Mahmud, Chittagong
A Chittagong court yesterday granted
bail to ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury
in a case lodged against him for
discrepancies found in the wealth
statement.
The Judge of Chittagong Division-
al Special Tribunal Md Ataur Rahman
passed the order in the morning follow-
ing a bail plea of Mohiuddin’s lawyers,
said the court sources.
The former Chittagong City Corpora-
tion mayor was in an ad-interim bail on
surrender before the court from Janu-
ary 28, following the arrest warrant
issued against him on January 27 from
the same court.
Iftekhar Saimul Chowdhury, one of
Mohiuddin’s counsellor, said though
the former mayor’s health was not
good, he had been regular in appearing
before the court and the judge consid-
ered granting him bail.
Earlier, the same court on January
27 issued an arrest warrant against Mo-
hiuddin, president of Chittagong city of
Awami League, as he did not appear be-
5
Psychotherapist
of Sweden calls
on DU VC
n Du Correspondent
Professor Hanna Egli-Bernd, psycho-
therapist, trainer and supervisor of
Humanitarian Assistance Programme
(HAP) of Switzerland, called on
Vice-Chancellor of Dhaka University
Prof Dr AAMS Arefin Siddique at the
latter’s office yesterday.
Dr Shamim F Karim, professor of the
Department of Educational and Coun-
selling Psychology of Dhaka University
was also present at the meeting.
During the meeting, they discussed
matters of mutual interest specially the
on-going joint collaborative academ-
ic and research programmes between
Dhaka University and the HAP of Swit-
zerland.
They also stressed the need for un-
dertaking more projects of collabora-
tion between the two institutions to
enrich knowledge of students of both
the institutes.
Prof Arefin Siddique apprised the
guest of the history of Language Move-
ment and contribution of the DU stu-
dents to the movement.
The Vice-Chancellor thanked the
guest for her visit to campus and show-
ing keen interest in its academic activ-
ities in the field of psychological coun-
seling. l
university’s establishment.
The protesters alleged that the uni-
versity authorities and the government
have assured them many times in this
regard, but no progress was ever seen.
They also warned that their demon-
strations would continue until and un-
less their demands are met.
Later, the agitated students blocked
the Rayshaheb Bazar intersection by
burning tyres on the road. The block-
ade, which continued for two hours,
halted traffic movement in the area.
In the afternoon, an eight member
delegation from the protesters, led by
JnU BCL President Shariful Islam and
general secretary Shirajul Islam, went
to home ministry to submit a mem-
orandum to State Minister Asaduz-
zaman Khan Kamal in this regard.
Meanwhile, different teacher and
student organisations of the university
expressed their support for the ongoing
protests. l
BCL men assault
Shibir leader at CU
n CU Correspondent
Bangladesh Chhatra League activists beat
up a Shibir leader on Chittagong Universi-
ty campus yesterday.
The injured leader Mir Hosen is a
master’s student of Islamic History de-
partment and also the Students’ Welfare
Affairs Secretary of Islami Chhatra Shibir
CU unit.
Witnesses said a group of BCL men
of “Sixty nine”, a faction of BCL and also
belong to metropolitan AL secretary AZM
Nasir group on the campus, beat up the
leader with iron rods and sticks in front
of central library around 1:30pm, leaving
him critically injured. Later, a teacher res-
cued the injured and sent him to univer-
sity medical centre. l
fore the court during trial period.
On December 2 in 2007, Abu Mo-
hammad Arif Siddique, deputy direc-
tor of Anti-Corruption Commission
(ACC) in Chittagong, lodged a case
against Mohiuddin for possessing il-
legal wealth and not mentioning it in
his wealth statement, said Mahmudul
Haque Mahmud, prosecutor for ACC in
Chittagong.
Mozammel Hossain Khan, depu-
ty director of ACC, submitted charge
sheet against Mohiuddin on Novem-
ber in 2008 while the court indicted
the Awami League leader on February
5, 2009, he said adding that the High
Court stayed the case when nine prose-
cution witnesses had already been tes-
tified before the trial court.
On November 27, 2013, the HC with-
drew the stay order and ordered the
lower court to resume the trial while
Mohiuddin was ordered to surrender
before the trial court. But Mohiuddin
did not appear before the trial court
during the hearing session. The court
later issued the arrest warrant against
him. l
 DHAKA TRIBUNE
On the edge of order and chaos
More such pictures await unless the AL government can establish and maintain the stability and order that they have promised
I
n Jyoti Rahman
t seems that every man, woman,
child, their pets, even their
Apple devices seem to have an
opinion on what BNP should
have done. Well, I am not going
to add to that volume.
I don’t presume to lecture politi-
cians, who have been practising their
craft since before I was a twinkling in
my parents’ eyes, on what they should
have done. I can, however, revisit
what I wrote exactly halfway through
the Awami League’s last term, and
make an educated guess about how
things could unfold from here on.
“[T]here are good reasons to expect
an AL win in 2013 election. What
happens then?”
“AL may well win the 2013 election,
but its ability to hold on to power and
govern successfully will depend on
four key powerbrokers in Bangladesh:
the bureaucracy, the army, foreign
powers, and the business sector.”
All the prime minister has is the promise – seemingly
justified at this stage – that she can provide order,
while her rival invites the risk of chaos
That’s what I wrote in July 2011. To be
sure, I got a lot of things wrong. I was
fearing that a fragmented BNP would
hand Awami League a narrow victory
in a flawed election.
The reality is that while BNP was
more united than at any time in its
history – not a single member of any
standing left the party to join the
January 5 election – and might have
won any semi-decent election in a
landslide, Mrs Wazed decided to hold
an election that surpassed the 1996 or
1988 farces to rival the 1971 “by-elec-
tions” held under Lt Gen Niazi.
Clearly, I did not see this coming.
But then again, very few did.
As such, the prime minister’s abili-
ty to push the envelope should not be
underestimated. Nonetheless, it might
still be instructive to think about how
the four bastions of power needed
to govern Bangladesh are likely to
behave from here on.
The analysis is most straightfor-
ward with the army. The only likely
scenario under which a military coup
Long Form
is plausible is during a political crisis
where the army is asked to crack
down on civilian population. And
let me stress the “crack down” – not
mere deployment, not a specific
operation by a select unit in a faraway
place like Satkhira, but a general or-
der to kill hundreds, if not thousands,
of people.
The AL government has thus far
managed to keep the army away from
any such conflagration. With the
opposition’s street protests essential-
ly ending, at least for now, the army
is not expected to be asked to crack
down on anyone. Hence, at least for
now, Mrs Wazed is probably not fear-
ing any coup.
It’s slightly trickier to analyse the
civilian bureaucracy, whose active
co-operation is needed to govern the
country. Let me reproduce what I said
in July 2011:
“The people who make up mid-
to-senior ranks of the bureaucracy
have spent most of their working
lives during the post-1990 era. Like
everything else in the country, these
officers are directly or indirectly cat-
egorised (by themselves, their peers,
and their bosses) along partisan lines.
And most officers have learnt to live
with the system – if your party is out
of power, you cover your head, put up
with the situation, and survive for five
years, after which your party will be
back, and you’ll make up for the lost
time with accelerated promotions and
foreign trips.
The two years of 1/11 rule had
slightly upset this balance. But
because both Awami/pro-71 types
and nationalist/Islam-pasands were
hurt equally, it was a wash overall. If
all of a sudden it appears that there
is no prospect of a non-AL govern-
ment beyond 2013, a significant part
of the bureaucracy will reassess the
situation.
One possible scenario is that an-
yone who lacks the strongest Awami
credential (family from Gopalganj,
elected into some student council in
SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN
the 1980s with a Mujibist BCL ticket,
suffered under BNP) will become
extremely risk averse. The result, im-
plementation of various programmes
and policies will become even more
lacklustre than is already the case.
But beyond worsening the quality
of governance, it’s not clear whether
the bureaucracy will actively precipi-
tate a political crisis, let alone recreate
a civilian coup like 1996.”
One reading of the new cabinet line
up – whereby the political nobodies
like Dipu Moni and Rezaul Karim
Heera are out and stalwarts like
Tofail-Amu-Naseem are back – is that
the prime minister is well aware of
Monday, February 17, 2014
RAJIB DHAR
bureaucratic lethargy undermining
her government. And nowhere would
a seasoned, experienced minister be
needed more than in the ministry that
deals with the big end of the town.
In this government, after the prime
minister herself, the most important
person is the commerce minister. He
is the man who has to ensure that
major business houses (and NGOs) are
not hostile to the government.
For the most important industry
that matters for the economy – the
readymade garments – Minister Tofail
Ahmed is already working to ensure
that the international buyers come
back quickly, and stick around (the
outlook for the industry is much rosier
than some would have you believe).
For other products, Minister Tofail
will have to work with the business-
men to ensure that Dhaka markets are
well supplied so that the city-folk are
content.
As long as the prime minister can
maintain overall stability, it’s quite
likely that the commerce minister
will keep the business sector content
– after all, what matters most to the
businessmen is certainty and stability.
Stability is also the thing that
foreigners ultimately want in Bangla-
desh. India-China-America, everyone
has their agenda, and these agendas
may not align. But no one wants
instability in a country of 150 million
Muslims.
Given the distrust – justified or
otherwise – of Tarique Rahman
and Jamaat-e-Islami, and the BNP
chairperson’s practical difficulties in
dissociating with them, the prime
minister appears to have convinced
the interested foreigners that she is
better placed to provide stability and
certainty.
Thus, it appears that the powers-
that-be needed to govern Bangladesh
are willing to stick with a prime
minister who promises order. And at
least for now, it’s hard to see what BNP
can do to alter this. But perhaps BNP
doesn’t need to do anything.
One cannot stress enough that the
prime minister’s grip on the pil-
lars-of-power rests on one and only
one claim: she can provide stability.
Not the spirit of 1971. Not develop-
ment records. Not Digital Bangladesh.
Nothing like that. All she has is the
promise – seemingly justified at this
stage – that she can provide order,
while her rival invites the risk of chaos.
What can make lie of this promise?
Why, events, my dear reader, events.
Just consider if something like two
events from the prime minister’s last
term were to occur now.
Just imagine that there is a sudden
and violent mutiny in the headquar-
ters of RAB, killing dozens of majors
and colonels, while the prime minister
dithered.
In 2009, when this happened at
the BDR headquarters, the govern-
7
In the specific
circumstances of early
2013, the government
had gotten away with
the events of May 5,
2013. But 2014 and
beyond will be very
different
ment wasn’t even two-months old,
and frankly, even people like Farhad
Mazhar and Nurul Kabir propagated
the downtrodden-BDR-vs-fat-cat-
army line. If something like this
happened now, the reaction from all
quarters would be very, very different.
Alternatively, just imagine that a
Bangla translation of the book, In the
shadow of the sword: The birth of Islam
and the rise of the global Arab empire,
is associated with Hassanul Huq Inu or
some other leftist minister of the cur-
rent government, the word is spread
around the Bangla cyberspace rapidly,
and a hitherto little-known group of
Islamists, based in the capital’s major
education institutions, organise a
million-strong march in the heart of
the capital?
You see, in the specific circum-
stances of early 2013, the government
had gotten away with the events of
May 5, 2013. But 2014 and beyond will
be very different.
The prime minister has told the
powers-that-be that she will keep
order. The reality, however, is that
she stands on the precipice of chaos,
for the simple reason that Bangla-
desh – a super-densely populated
humid swamp – is always at the edge
of chaos.
Usually, mandate from a demo-
cratic election, or the prospect of the
next one, keeps us from falling over
the cliff. By taking away the option
of a democratic election, the prime
minister has effectively put a ticking
time bomb on herself. l
Jyoti Rahman is a political blogger. This
article was first published on jrahman.
wordpress.com.
8 DHAKA TRIBUNE
Hamas rejects Iraqi Shia cleric Sadr quits politics
international force
n AFP, Najaf
in future Palestine
n AFP, Gaza City
Gaza’s ruling Hamas movement has
ruled out the idea of internation-
al troops being stationed in a future
Palestinian state under a peace deal
with Israel.
“From time to time we hear people
making offers during the negotiations,
primarily about the idea of an interna-
tional force following the retreat of the
(Israeli) occupier,” Hamas spokesman
Sami Abu Zuhri said in a statement
published on Saturday.
“We in Hamas, we will not allow the
presence of an international force (in a
future Palestinian state) which would
be just like the Israeli occupation.”
Security arrangements in a future
state have become a major bone of con-
tention in ongoing peace talks, with
Israel insisting on maintaining a mili-
tary presence along the Jordan Valley
which runs down the eastern flank of
the West Bank, bordering Jordan.
The Palestinians have rejected such
Armed group kills
four inTunisia
n AFP, Tunis
Gunmen who set up a roadblock in
western Tunisia shot dead two people
in a car they stopped and two police-
men who later sped to the scene, the
interior ministry said Sunday.
The killings occurred during the night
in the Jendouba area, the ministry said in
a statement. Tunisia has been wracked
by violence blamed on jihadist groups
since the January 2011 Arab Spring rev-
olution that ousted long-time dictator
Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. The statement
said a National Guard patrol was sent to
investigate reports that a civilian and a
prison warden had been shot dead by
an armed group at a roadblock set up by
armed men in Jendouba. “On their ar-
rival at the scene, four terrorists opened
fire,” killing two policemen and wound-
ing another two, it said. l
Possible radiation
leak at New Mexico
military nuclear
waste site
n Reuters
Unusually high levels of radioactive
particles were found at an under-
ground nuclear waste site in New Mex-
ico on Saturday in what a spokesman
said looked like the first real alarm
since the plant opened in 1999.
US officials were testing for radi-
ation in air samples at the site where
radioactive waste, such as plutonium
used in defence research and nucle-
ar weapon making, is dumped half a
mile below ground in an ancient salt
formation.
“They (air monitors) have alarmed
in the past as a false positive because of
malfunctions, or because of fluctuations
in levels of radon (a naturally occurring
radioactive gas),” Department of Energy
spokesman Roger Nelson said.
“But I believe it’s safe to say we’ve
never seen a level like we are seeing.
We just don’t know if it’s a real event,
but it looks like one,” he said.
It was not yet clear what caused the
air-monitoring system to indicate that
radioactive particles were present at
unsafe levels, Nelson said.
No one was underground at the
Department of Energy Waste Isola-
tion Pilot Plant near Carlsbad, in New
Mexico’s south east, when the alarm
went off at 11:30 p.m. MST on Friday,
and none of the 139 employees work-
ing above ground at the facility was
exposed to radioactive contaminants,
he said.
Workers were asked to shelter
where they were until the end of their
shifts and were allowed to leave the fa-
cility at 5 p.m. local time on Saturday,
Nelson said. No air exchange with the
surface was occurring after the ventila-
tion system automatically switched to
filtration, he said.
Nelson said the facility may have ac-
curate measurements as early as Sun-
day on the number of airborne alpha
and beta particles, which can be harm-
ful if inhaled or ingested.
A team could be sent below ground
before the end of the weekend and Nel-
son said the plant was “not in active
operations. We’re in a period we have
normally reserved for shutting down
the facility for maintenance.” l
International
an idea, although they have said they
would accept NATO troops or another
international force.
“We demand (US Secretary of State
John) Kerry and others revise their po-
sitions because we won’t let anyone
undermine our rights,” Abu Zuhri said.
“This so-called Kerry plan was put
together by the Americans and the Zi-
onist entity to eradicate the Palestinian
cause. We will not let such an agree-
ment give away our people’s rights,”
he said, calling for “a united front of
factions to reject the talks and their
outcome.”
Peace talks began at US urging in late
July between Israel and the Palestinian
Authority based in the West Bank with
the aim of reaching a deal within nine
months.
But so far, there has been little vis-
ible progress, with Washington now
focused on getting the sides to agree
a framework which would allow the
negotiations to continue until the
year’s end. l
Bomb on Egypt tourist
bus kills three
n AFP, Cairo
A bomb tore through a bus carrying
sightseers near an Egyptian resort
town bordering Israel on Sunday, kill-
ing at least three tourists and wound-
ing 14, police said.
The bus was carrying 33 tourists
near the south Sinai resort town of
Taba when it was hit by the blast, po-
lice officials said.
A spokesman for the Israel Airports
Authority, which is responsible for border
security, told AFP that the Taba crossing
had been closed in the wake of the blast.
No one immediately claimed re-
sponsibility for the attack.
Militants in the restive peninsu-
la have waged a deadly insurgency
Anti-government demonstrators march along a street after a rally in front of the General Prosecutor Office demanding the release of
detained protesters in Kiev
Protesters evacuate Kiev city hall in
symbolic concession
n AFP, Kiev
Protesters in Kiev vacated city hall on
Sunday after occupying the building
for over two months as part of anti-gov-
ernment unrest sweeping Ukraine, in a
highly symbolic gesture ahead of a new
mass protest.
The building in Kiev’s city centre
had been bustling with activity day and
night since it became the “headquar-
ters of the revolution” after protesters
trying to oust President Viktor Yanu-
kovych stormed it in December, but on
Sunday morning it stood eerily empty.
The evacuation was authorised in
return for a last-minute concession on
Friday which saw the authorities re-
lease all those detained in the unrest.
But it caused consternation among
some protesters as key opposition de-
mands such as constitutional reform
and a new government still showed no
sign of materialising.
“It’s a bad decision... We can’t trust
the authorities, they’re crooks. The op-
position is making a big mistake,” said
Powerful Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr,
leader of a major political movement
and a key figure in post-Saddam Iraq,
has announced his exit from politics
two months before elections.
The decision, if confirmed as perma-
nent, brings to a close a political career
that began with his fierce opposition to
the US military presence in Iraq, and
has spanned more than a decade.
“I announce my non-intervention in
all political affairs and that there is no
bloc that represents us from now on,
nor any position inside or outside the
government nor parliament,” Sadr said
in a written statement received by AFP
on Sunday.
Ahead of legislative elections in
April, Sadr’s movement currently holds
six cabinet posts as well as 40 seats in
the 325-member parliament.
He also said his movement’s politi-
cal offices will be closed, but that oth-
ers related to social welfare, media and
education will remain open.
It was not immediately clear if the
move was temporary or permanent, with
Sadrist officials saying they had been
taken by surprise and could not clarify.
One official from Sadr’s office told AFP
that no one wanted to discuss the issue
“because it was a surprise decision.”
against the military and police since
the overthrow of Islamist president
Mohamed Morsi in July.
Scores of policemen and soldiers
have been killed in bombings in Sinai
and the Nile Delta, but Sunday’s blast
is the first targeting tourists since Morsi
was deposed.
The unrest has severely hit tourism,
a vital earner in Egypt, which has been
targeted sporadically by militants over
the past two decades.
Between 2004 and 2006, scores of
Egyptians and foreign tourists were
killed in a spate of bombings in resorts
in south Sinai.
In 1997, Islamist militants massa-
cred dozens of tourists in a pharaonic
temple in the southern city of Luxor. l
Volodymyr Penkivski, a 56-year-old
protester who had come from northern
Ukraine.
“Yanukovych will take other (pro-
testers) hostage. We can’t beat a retreat.
Otherwise we will all go to prison.”
Ruslan Andriyko, who had been in
charge of city hall, handed the building
over to the authorities in a ceremony
overseen by Switzerland’s ambassador
to Kiev, whose country holds the rotat-
ing presidency of the Organisation for
Security and Cooperation in Europe, of
which Ukraine is a member.
“Switzerland... was invited by both
conflicting parties to participate in
the process of transferring city hall
to authorities,” ambassador Christian
Schoenenberger said as he signed an
official transfer document at a table
in front of the building, flanked by
Ukrainian and Swiss flags.
Several hours later, a new demon-
stration kicked off on Kiev’s central
Independence Square, which is still oc-
cupied by protesters and has become a
sprawling tent city barricaded off on all
Iraqis walk past a giant portrait of Iraqi Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr displayed
“I do not think it will be reversed...
because it is a very strong decision,”
the official added.
Sadr said the decision to leave pol-
itics was taken from the standpoint
of Islamic law and of “preserving the
honourable reputation of Sadr, espe-
cially of the two Sadr martyrs,” refer-
ring to his father and another rela-
tive who were killed during Saddam
Hussein’s rule.
The move also aims to “end all the
corruptions that occurred or which are
likely to occur” that would harm the
Morsi faces spying charges as third
trial to begin
n AFP, Cairo
Deposed Islamist president Mohamed
Morsi was Sunday facing charges of
espionage and carrying out “terror at-
tacks” in Egypt, as a third trial against
him was due to get under way.
The latest court case is part of a relent-
less government crackdown targeting
Morsi and his Islamist supporters since
he was ousted by the military on July 3.
Morsi and 35 others, including for-
mer aides and leaders of his Muslim
Brotherhood, are accused “of spy-
ing for the international organisa-
tion of the Muslim Brotherhood, its
military wing and the (Palestinian)
Hamas movement.”
They are also charged with “carry-
REUTERS
sides from riot police.
The protest – attended by thousands
– is the 11th since demonstrators first
rose up against Yanukovych in Novem-
ber when he rejected a key EU pact in
favour of closer ties with former master
Russia.
The president had initially ignored
protesters’ demands, but after demon-
strations turned deadly at the end of Jan-
uary, he dismissed his unpopular gov-
ernment and started negotiating with
the opposition. He also signed an amnes-
ty law, promising to release all protesters
detained since unrest began and drop
charges against them in return for the
evacuation of some key parts of the cap-
ital, including city hall. Last week, nego-
tiations between the warring parties had
appeared at a standstill until authorities
unexpectedly announced Friday they
had freed all 234 people detained in the
protest movement. The opposition has
also agreed to vacate part of Grushevsky
Street, where the deadly riots took place
at the end of January, to allow traffic to
move freely. l
Monday, February 17, 2014
AFP
Sadr reputation, he said.
Sadr’s political career began with
his fierce opposition to the presence
of foreign troops in Iraq after the 2003
US-led invasion of the country that
toppled Saddam.
His rise was aided by the famed
reputation of his father Mohammed
Mohammed Sadiq, who was killed
along with two of Moqtada’s broth-
ers in 1999 by gunmen allegedly
sent by Saddam, and another rel-
ative, Mohammed Baqir, who was
executed in 1980. l
ing out terror attacks inside the coun-
try against state property, institutions
and their employees to spread chaos.”
If found guilty, the defendants could
face the death penalty.
Morsi, who was ousted by the mil-
itary after a single year of turbulent
rule, is already on trial for his alleged
involvement in the killing of opposi-
tion protesters in December 2012.
Along with 130 others, including
dozens of members of Hamas and Leb-
anon’s Shia militant movement Hez-
bollah, Morsi is separately being tried
on charges linked to a jailbreak during
the 2011 uprising that toppled strong-
man Hosni Mubarak.
The ousted leader is also to be tried
separately for “insulting the judiciary.”
UN refugee chief to visit
Iran for talks about Afghans
n AFP, Tehran
UN refugee chief Antonio Guterres vis-
its Iran on Monday for talks with offi-
cials on the plight of hundreds of thou-
sands of Afghan refugees, the UNHCR
said in a statement.
The visit comes ahead of transition
in Afghanistan, where a presidential
election is due to take place in April
and as US-led NATO forces prepare to
leave the country by the end of 2014.
“With the transition in Afghanistan
in 2014, the need for humanitarian as-
sistance may very well increase,” said
the statement by the United Nations
High Commissioner for Refugees.
“Iran and Pakistan, the world’s two
largest refugee hosting countries, will
need continued international support
to maintain asylum space for refugees
during these difficult times.”
Some five millions Afghans driven
by war, oppression and poverty have
crossed the border into Iran and Paki-
stan in the past three decades, seeking
better lives and jobs.
Almost one million Afghans are il-
Clashes mark anniversary
of Bahrain protests
n Agencies
Security forces have clashed with
protesters trying to march towards
the Bahraini capital’s symbolic Pearl
Roundabout to mark the third anniver-
sary of the country’s anti-government
protests, witnesses said.
Protesters, who gathered in several
Shia villages on Friday to walk towards
the roundabout, where demonstra-
tors camped out for a month in early
2011 before being violently dispersed
by troops, were met with tear gas and
bird shot, according to witnesses who
spoke to AFP.
Several demonstrators were wound-
ed as forces beefed up security around
the area and dispersed protesters emerg-
ing from nearby villages, sources said.
“Down with Hamad,” protesters,
some wrapped in white shrouds and
Lebanon gets new
government after
10-month deadlock
n AFP, Beirut
Lebanese Prime Minister Tammam
Salam on Saturday unveiled a compro-
mise government, capping 10 months
of political wrangling during which the
war in neighbouring Syria exacerbated
sectarian tensions.
The 24-member government, in-
cluding only one woman, brings to-
gether the powerful Shia movement
Hezbollah and its allies with the Sun-
ni-led bloc of former prime minister
Saad Hariri, who back opposing sides
in the Syria war.
“After 10 months of efforts, of pa-
tience, a government protecting the
national interest is born,” said Salam,
who had been tasked with forming the
cabinet in April.
“It is a unifying government and the
best formula to allow Lebanon to con-
front challenges,” he said, announcing
the line-up to replace that of his prede-
cessor Najib Mikati.
Syria’s nearly three-year war has
deeply divided Lebanon, and the vio-
lence has spilled across the border into
the tiny Mediterranean country, which
has been hit by car and suicide bomb
attacks. l
A date for that has yet to be set.
During Morsi’s short-lived presi-
dency, ties between Cairo and Hamas,
a Palestinian affiliate of the Muslim
Brotherhood which rules the neigh-
bouring Gaza strip, had flourished.
But since July, Egypt’s military-in-
stalled government has accused Hamas
of backing Morsi and his Brotherhood
and carrying out terrorist attacks in-
side Egypt.
The army has destroyed several
hundred tunnels used to ferry crucial
supplies, including fuel, into the block-
aded Gaza Strip. Since Morsi’s ouster,
his supporters have faced a relentless
crackdown by Egypt’s government that
has left more than 1,400 people dead
according to Amnesty International. l
legal immigrants in Iran while some
840,000 have been able to register as
refugees, according to police figures.
The UNHCR and non-governmental
organisations say Afghanistan – whose
economy is mostly supported by for-
eign aid – is ill-prepared to host a large
return of refugees after the departure
of NATO forces.
Iran is also facing its own economic
hardships, exacerbated by internation-
al sanctions over its disputed nuclear
drive that have crippled its economy.
During his two days visit, “will meet
Iranian officials and international mis-
sions stressing the commitment of
UNHCR to support the Government of
Iran,” said the statement.
A UN source said Guterres was also
likely to discuss with Iranian officials
the Syrian conflict and the plight of
millions of people who have fled the
nearly three-year war.
Iran is a staunch supporter of Syri-
an President Bashar al-Assad’s regime,
which has been battling rebels trying
to topple his government. The conflict
has killed more than 140,000 people. l
others covering their faces, chanted,
referring to the king.
“We will never surrender,” they shout-
ed as police helicopters hovered over-
head and police forces manned check-
points outside Shia villages, witnesses
said. Earlier on Friday, Bahrain Centre for
Human Rights (BCHR) announced that
they had documented 36 arrests while
seven were released from jail.
The opposition has called for three
days of protests to mark the anniversa-
ry as it seeks to give new momentum
to its campaign for the ruling al-Khalifa
family to surrender its grip on all key
cabinet posts in favour of an elected
government. The Pearl Roundabout
and its popular namesake monument,
which were a symbol of the 2011 eral-
lies, was later demolished in March the
same year and the site remains heavily
guarded ever since. l

UN seeks foreign probe of
Sri Lanka war crimes
n AFP, Colombo
The United Nations’ human rights chief
has recommended an international inves-
tigation into war crimes committed in Sri
Lanka during the final stages of its Tamil
separatist conflict, a report said Sunday.
The local Sunday Times newspa-
per in Sri Lanka said Navi Pillay has
asked the UN Human Rights Council
(UNHRC) to set up independent probe,
saying that Colombo “consistently
failed to establish the truth” and en-
sure accountability for the atrocities,
despite repeated calls.
“Establish an international inquiry
mechanism to further investigate the
alleged violations of international hu-
man rights and humanitarian law and
monitor any domestic accountability
process,” the Sunday Times quoted Pil-
lay as saying.
The newspaper quoted from Pillay’s
report to next month’s UNHRC sessions
in Geneva, an advance copy of which
had been given to Colombo for its obser-
vations. It accused Sri Lanka of failing to
probe rights abuses and continuing to
violate democratic freedoms.
There was no immediate comment
from the Sri Lankan foreign ministry,
but Colombo has repeatedly said that its
troops did not commit any war crimes.
However, it has asked for more time
to ensure ethnic reconciliation be-
tween majority Sinhalese and minority
ethnic Tamils.
Pillay’s recommendations noted
fresh emerging evidence of what took
Kerry warns of bleak
climate future
n AFP, Jakarta
US Secretary of State John Kerry Sunday
issued a clarion call for nations to do to
more to combat climate change, calling
it “the world’s largest weapon of mass
destruction.” In a keynote speech, one
of a series planned in different countries
throughout the year, Kerry sought to
make both a moral and economic argu-
ment for greater urgency in cutting green-
house gases. He warned that low-lying
Asian nations and their rich ecosystems
were particularly at peril from rising sea
levels. Talking to a crowd of Indonesian
agriculture, energy and marine stu-
dents, he said the country and Southeast
Thai police fail to reach
deal with protesters
n Reuters, Bangkok
Thai police and a prominent protest
leader failed to reach a deal on Sun-
day to reopen state offices and roads
in Bangkok that have been occupied
for months by protesters seeking to
overthrow Prime Minister Yingluck
Shinawatra.
Talks with Buddhist monk Luang Pu
Buddha Issara, a protest leader, failed
to free up an occupied government
complex in the north of the capital as
a third day of a security operation de-
signed to retake sites occupied by pro-
testers drew to a close.
Buddha Issara said the government
Afghan ghost towns a symbol of lost hope Australia says spying ‘for
n AFP, Aliceghan
Aliceghan was supposed to be a haven for
the benefit of our friends’
war-torn Afghanistan’s returning refugees
and a symbol of resurgence after the dark
years of the Taliban. Six years on, it has
come to highlight the myriad obstacles
facing development projects in the country
and an exodus of residents has left it
feeling like a ghost town. Located about an
hour’s drive north of Kabul, the settlement
was constructed on a stretch of dry, rocky
land allocated by the government to house
1,100 families driven out of their homeland
during more than four decades of conflict.
Opened in 2008, it was financed by the
Australian government to the tune of $7.2
million, while the United Nations Devel-
opment Program (UNDP) took the lead in
building homes, schools, roads and water
tanks. Today, visitors are greeted by rows
of abandoned homes and empty streets as
most of its residents have been driven out by
a lack of running water, electricity and high
commuting costs to Kabul, the nearest city.
DHAKA TRIBUNE International
A man walks past a mural in Colombo depicting fighting during the war that ended in May 2009
place during the final stages of the eth-
nic war that ended in May 2009 with
the crushing of the top leadership of
the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
(LTTE) in a no-holds-barred offensive.
The UN has previously alleged that
up to 40,000 Tamil civilians may have
been killed during the final months of
fighting and blamed many of the atroc-
ities on government forces, a charge
Colombo vehemently denies.
“...National mechanisms have con-
Asia were “on the frontlines of climate
change.” “It’s not an exaggeration to say to
you that the entire way of life that you live
and love is at risk,” Kerry said at a US-run
cultural centre in Jakarta, in a speech also
fed live to hubs on the islands of Borneo
and Sumatra. He compared global warm-
ing to other threats such as terrorism or
nuclear proliferation, in which countries
must work together to make things safer,
with the key being an informed energy
policy. “We all have to approach this chal-
lenge together,” he insisted, adding that
“in a sense climate change can now be
considered another weapon of mass de-
struction, perhaps even the world’s most
fearsome weapon.” l
was using a request to reopen roads as
an excuse to crack down on protesters.
“If there is blood loss...will the au-
thorities take responsibility? Or will
you blame it on provocateurs?,” Buddha
Issara asked police representatives.
Speaking to the monk during a tele-
vised video conference, Naret Nan-
thachot, commissioner of Provincial
Police Region 1, said police would not
use force.
“I am asking for your kindness and
understanding...tens of thousands of
people are frustrated each day by their
inability to use roads,” said Naret.
Both sides agreed to talk at a
later date. l
Residents also complained of “culturally
inappropriate” homes which lacked outer
walls for privacy, meaning women were
confined to their houses as a result.
Many of those who left have returned
to slums and shelters in the capital they
once fled. “In the first year, there was work,
people were constructing houses,” said
79-year-old Khoja Mohammad, who lived in
Iran for 20 years but decided to return for
what he hoped would be a better life.
“But the following year when construc-
tion of houses was completed, people found
themselves unemployed, so they started to
leave. And now it is like a ghost town,” he
added. He said there were only about 500
families left in Aliceghan and the number
was decreasing. Mohammad is one of the 5.7
million Afghans who had fled the civil war in
their country, but returned with great hopes
of a better life after the US-led invasion that
ousted the Taliban regime in 2001.
He and his relatives live with another
family – around 20 people in total – spread
across two small houses with four rooms.
sistently failed to establish the truth
and achieve justice (in Sri Lanka),” Pil-
lay noted. “The High Commissioner
(Pillay) believes this can no longer be
explained as a function of time or tech-
nical capacity, but that it is fundamen-
tally a question of political will.”
The United States, which leads
international calls for war crimes in-
vestigations in Sri Lanka, has said it
will move its third censure resolution
against Colombo in as many years
US Secretary of State John Kerry (C) tours the Istiqlal Mosque with Grand Imam KH Ali Mustafa Yaqub
Kerry visits largest mosque in SE Asia
n AFP, Jakarta
US Secretary of State John Kerry visited
Southeast Asia’s largest mosque during
his visit to Indonesia Sunday, paying
tribute to Islam in the world’s most
populous Muslim-majority nation.
After removing his shoes outside the
Istiqlal mosque in the heart of Jakarta,
Kerry took a 20-minute tour through
the vast building accompanied by grand
imam Kyai al-Hajj Ali Mustafa Yaqub.
Calling it an “extraordinary place,”
the top US diplomat told Indonesian
reporters: “I am very privileged to be
here and I am grateful to the grand
He says life is hard, especially this winter,
with temperatures dropping to -20 degrees
Celsius. In his home, blankets are piled up at
the corner of a room that is transformed to
bedroom at night. A car battery connected
to a solar panel is placed on the edge of the
window and used to light the room when it
gets dark. The township is one of the 60 scat-
tered settlements across the country built for
the returning refugees. But “there were some
weaknesses in implementing the strategy”
Islamuddin Jurat spokesman of ministry of
refugees and repatriation told AFP. “The
towns were built but lack of coordination
between other key ministries such as power
and energy and others to provide them basic
needs of life made the plan a failure,” he said,
adding that the government was only able
to provide shelters for around 300,000
returnees. Antonia Paradela, a UNDP official,
told AFP their plan to dig wells in the area has
been delayed due to land disputes between
the government and residents who claim
that the land where the underground water
source was located belonged to them. l
REUTERS
when the UNHRC holds its next session
from early March.
A report released by the Public Inter-
est Advocacy Centre in Australia earlier
this month claimed that Sri Lankan sol-
diers committed the “vast majority” of
crimes in a final government offensive
against Tamil Tiger who fought for
outright independence. The UN has
estimated that at least 100,000 people
were killed in Sri Lanka’s Tamil sepa-
ratist war between 1972 and 2009. l
imam for allowing me to come.”
He then said in Arabic “As-salaam alai-
kum” (peace be upon you), a greeting
often used by Muslims around the world.
The administration of US President
Barack Obama has worked hard to try
to repair relations with the Muslim
world, which were badly frayed under
the previous administration with the
2003 invasion of Iraq.
Obama, who spent part of his
childhood in Jakarta, also visited the
mosque in 2010 when he travelled to
the archipelago.
The United States and other West-
ern powers have often referred to
n AFP, Sydney
Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott
said Sunday his government used intel-
ligence material “for the benefit of our
friends” and “to uphold our values” fol-
lowing fresh reports it spied on Indonesia.
Relations between the neighbours
plunged to their lowest ebb in years in
November after reports that Australia
tried to tap the phones of Indonesian
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyo-
no, his wife and several top officials
in 2009.
Jakarta responded furiously to the
claims, which were based on docu-
ments leaked by US intelligence fugi-
tive Edward Snowden, recalling its am-
bassador and suspending cooperation
with Australia on key areas including
people-smuggling.
Fresh claims published in the New
York Times on Sunday alleged Aus-
Monday, February 17, 2014
Kejriwal’s party pushes
ahead with election plans
n AFP, New Delhi
The party of firebrand anti-corruption
campaigner Arvind Kejriwal pushed
ahead Sunday with preparations to
contest India’s looming general elec-
tion, just days after he dramatically re-
signed as Delhi chief minister.
Kejriwal’s upstart Aam Aadmi
(“common man”) party (AAP) an-
nounced its first 20 candidates in the
election due by May, including those
who will stand against the two main
political parties.
“This is our first list of 20 clean
candidates and we will be putting out
more lists to contest from different
parts of the country in the days ahead,”
senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia told
a press conference.
The move comes less than 48 hours
after Kejriwal resigned as chief minis-
Seven dead in Pakistan
passenger train bomb
n AFP, Karachi
A bomb targeting a passenger train in
southern Pakistan killed at least seven
people and wounded more than 30 on
Sunday, officials said, the latest in a se-
ries of attacks this year.
The bomb went off near Unar sta-
tion, 450 kilometres (279 miles) north-
west of Karachi, and badly damaged
several carriages.
AFP
Indonesia – the world’s third big-
gest democracy – as a bridge to the
Muslim world.
90% of Indonesia’s 250 million peo-
ple identify themselves as Muslims,
and most practise a moderate form of
Islam.
But the two-day visit that began on a
colourful note may be marred by fresh
spying allegations that emerged Sun-
day in a New York Times report.
The report said Australia offered
intelligence to the US National Secu-
rity Agency (NSA) to give Washing-
ton leverage during a trade dispute
with Jakarta. l
tralian agencies spied on Indone-
sian officials during a trade dispute
with the United States and offered to
share back-room information with
the Americans.
Abbott refused to confirm the re-
port, also based on Snowden-leaked
material, that the Australian Sig-
nals Directorate listened in on trade
talks between the Indonesians and
their US lawyers and offered infor-
mation gleaned to the US National
Security Agency.
“We never comment on operational
intelligence matters, that has been the
long-standing practice of all Australian
governments of both political persua-
sions,” Abbott told reporters.
However, Abbott observed that Aus-
tralia did not “use anything that we
gather as part of our ordinary security
and intelligence operations to the det-
riment of other countries.” l
9
ter of Delhi state, along with his cab-
inet colleagues, when the two main
parties combined to thwart his efforts
to introduce a new anti-corruption bill.
Kejriwal quit only 49 days after his
party took power in the capital, fol-
lowing a stunning breakthrough in the
Delhi state election in December that
highlighted widespread public anger
with the political establishment.
The move leaves Kejriwal, a former
anti-graft campaigner, clear to lead his
party into battle against the ruling Con-
gress and main opposition Bharatiya
Janata Party (BJP). The list of AAP candi-
dates includes activists and professionals
who quit their jobs including in the law,
industry and media sectors to join the
new party. On Friday the BJP and Con-
gress blocked Kejriwal’s move to intro-
duce the anti-graft bill, a key promise at
the Delhi polls, into the state assembly. l
“The death toll in the explosion rose
to seven after two injured persons died
of their wounds in a hospital in Jaco-
babad town,” a senior local administra-
tion official, Sardar Jamali, told AFP.
He said the Khushhal Khan Khat-
tak express was travelling to Peshawar
from Karachi when it was hit by the
blast, which injured more than 30 peo-
ple and damaged hundreds of metres
of track. l
Passenger plane
carrying 18 missing
in Nepal
n AFP, Kathmandu
A Nepal Airlines plane carrying 15 pas-
sengers and three crew went missing
on Sunday afternoon shortly after take
off from a popular tourist resort, police
and an airline spokesman said.
“The Nepal Airlines plane with 14
passengers took off from Pokhara air-
port at 1.30 pm and disappeared 15
minutes later,” Nepal police spokesman
Ganesh KC told AFP.
A total of 18 people were on board, the
14 adult passengers, plus one infant and
three crew, an airline spokesman said.
“One of the passengers is from Den-
mark,” spokesman Ram Hari Sharma
told AFP. The rest of those on board are
from Nepal.
The airline has alerted police to
“find the plane’s location” and are
“preparing for rescue operations,”
Sharma said.
The state-run carrier was travelling
from Pokhara to the town of Jumla, 353
kilometres (220 miles) west of the cap-
ital Kathmandu, when air traffic con-
trollers lost contact with the pilot.
The incident highlights safety con-
cerns about the Himalayan nation’s
aircraft.Nepal, which counts tourism
as a major contributor to its economy,
has suffered a number of air crashes in
recent years, which have usually been
attributed to inexperienced pilots, poor
management and maintenance.
A Chinese tourist and a local pilot
were killed when an ultra-light aircraft
crashed into a hill in the tourist town of
Pokhara last October.
The European Union in December
blacklisted all the country’s airlines,
citing their poor safety record, and
banned them from flying to the EU. l
Heavy snow kills 12
in Japan, disrupts
power and flights
n Reuters, Tokyo
Heavy snow hit Tokyo and other parts
of eastern Japan over the weekend,
leaving 12 people dead, hundreds of
thousands of households without elec-
tricity, and causing major disruptions
to air and ground traffic.
Tokyo saw as much as 27 cm (10.6
inches) of snow, on par with last week-
end’s snowstorms, which were the
heaviest in 45 years.
ANA Holdings, Japan’s largest car-
rier, said 338 domestic flights and 12
international flights were cancelled on
Saturday due to the heavy snow.
In Kawasaki, west of Tokyo, a train
crashed into another after the snow
rendered its brakes ineffective, leaving
19 passengers injured. It also snarled
traffic on some of Tokyo’s most heavily
travelled roads. The heavy snow also
caused wide-spread power outages. l
10 DHAKA TRIBUNE Editorial Monday, February 17, 2014

www.dhakatribune.com Letters to the Editor

LETTER OF THE DAY

Help EC ensure fair

Scars from corporal punishment lasting Majority voters want
February 15 caretaker government

upazila polls
Frank Peters has long campaigned forcefully for schoolteachers to respect the Bangladesh High Court ban February 13
on corporal punishment and for parents to demand that their children be spared from it. In his provocative
reports he calls for an end to this violence against children. I enthusiastically agree that it should be ended Jahidul Islam

I
immediately. Violence begets violence. Children who are hit are more likely to be aggressive, to hit their And along with requesting a caretaker
t is good news that both AL and BNP leaders are taking the siblings and use violence against others, even as adults. government, I would argue that most people
forthcoming upazila parishad elections seriously and have been As one who has studied this subject, as a school psychologist and a campaigner against school corporal also want a new, and fair, election.
campaigning for their grassroots supporters. punishment, I have talked to hundreds of children and families who have been cruelly impacted by this
The local elections, whose first phase starts this month, are being harmful practice. Many children have required medical care. Sometimes the scars are inside and ever-last- Babul Sarwar
contested by a record number of candidates from all political parties. ing; they experience long-term humiliation, anger, resentment, and hatred of school and teachers. The majority of voters want many good things
Fair, free and full participation in these polls will ensure that people While teachers sometimes say they only use it as a last resort, many children are slapped for small from both the ruling and opposition parties, but
can choose the best available representatives for their local areas infractions. At best, slapping stops misbehaviour for the moment, but it does not teach children what to they never get them!
Every support must be given to the Election Commission to guar- do in the future when a heavy hand isn’t there to punish misbehaviour.
antee these elections are The goal of education is to develop citizens to become self-disciplined, caring, responsible and
conducted smoothly. productive. Children learn best in a nurturing, friendly environment where they can be active, involved,
As there is an increased able to ask questions, and to solve their own problems. Teachers should ask themselves how they want to 2 get life for raping RMG
level of participation be treated when they make mistakes. Don’t they want to be able to learn from their mistakes instead of worker
and the police have had being smacked? They should treat children likewise. February 13
a chance to learn les- Support the EC to Nadine Block
sons from last month’s
parliamentary polls, there
guarantee these USA PB
Why not the death penalty?
should be a lower risk of elections are conducted
any repeat of the violence
experienced last month.
smoothly The Mancha that went astray Ahnaf Saber
The two should have received the death penal-
February 9
Nonetheless, it is right that ty. And speaking of the garments sector, what
Sam for support; that’s such complete hogwash. And I’d
the Election Commission happened to Sohel Rana? Would be grateful if
This is a very courageous article and, frankly, I am argue that BNP’s political stance on the ICT trials and
has asked local administra- DT brought back that issue.
beyond impressed at the incisiveness of the author liberation-oriented issues isn’t negatively affected by
tions to stay alert and law
who, while prudently mincing words, has essentially the theatrical slogans of a manipulated crowd of young
enforcers are taking special
let the cat out of the bag. The Mancha was nothing people who, with any luck, now know better.
security precautions.
Voters deserve reassurance that they can fairly express their
like the popular uprisings in the Middle East to which BD workers get job-shift
its acolytes love to compare it too. Simply put, it is
opinion and cast their votes without being exposed to intimidation or
a pressure group of the Awami League, made up of
Breadbitten scope in KSA
harassment. Agree wholeheartedly with your closing paragraph! February 14
youth who enjoy being uber-culturalists and have not
The EC needs to be strict in taking action against any violations Great article.
found much else to express their angst. The Mancha
of the electoral code of conduct ahead of or during the upazila polls. If this turns out to be effective in the long run, it
has not only not done anything about endemic nds
Any allegations of harassment by or against candidates during cam- would be great news indeed, because so many
corruption and human rights violations by a tyrannical To expect Ganajagaran Mancha to fight against feudal-
paigning must be properly investigated and appropriate action taken workers have been misled and taken advantage
regime but, rather, served as the apologist for it. ism or all pervasive corruption in society is in the first
if needed. of. This step may reduce some of that.
We hope the polls run smoothly. The results are going to be place a misplaced idea. Essentially it originated out of a Bonny Hybrid Haque
Ronnie
watched closely as a high turnout might also provide a barometer for demand of the young generation to ensure a just trial of
The Mancha was an AL-sponsored relentless public (and
the national popularity of the parties. It is important the EC is helped the war criminals surrounding which various conspira-
political) gimmick that left me very weary, and frankly,
to do its job effectively. cies was being made from different quarters to foil the
downright disgusted the longer that tawdry theatre on
the road went on. Of course, it was no pro-democracy,
very trial process. Even the AL, which belatedly started Be Heard
the trials, was found wavering in its role to carry on the
pro-justice “uprising”; gosh, then where is that righteous trial process in its due course to realise their parochial
Write to us at:
and inspired youth brigade today? Imran Sarkar’s political interest. The uprising of the youth using the Dhaka Tribune

More cross border

populist stunts don’t impress me much. Nor did the Mancha as one of its best suited platform put their en- FR Tower, 8/C Panthapath
Mancha crowd’s orchestrated baying for blood, overkill tire focus on the war crime issue and I think they should
of Jamaat-bashing, and the horrendous old conceit
Sukrabad, Dhaka-1207

contests in sport
about who constitutes “pro-liberation” and “anti-
liberation” in this country. This crowd’s cherry-picking
of what merits outrage, and convenient side-stepping
stick to their mission with this single-minded emphasis
Email us at: letters@dhakatribune.com
and must not dilute or dissipate their energy in making
any digression from its charted course. To fight against Send us your Op-Ed articles:

W
feudalism and corruption there is no dearth of political opinion@dhakatribune.com
of inconvenient issues struck me as terribly dishonest. parties of various hues and colours. Why did the author
e congratulate Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club for reaching Visit our website: www.dhakatribune.com
I disagree with the author’s reference to BNP’s being not draw their attention to undertake that task? Why
the 118th Indian Football Association shield final in Kolkata. Come join our Facebook community:
dealt a “fatal blow” by the Mancha. I can’t fathom single out Ganajagaran Mancha to be the sole arbiter of
Fans may still be commiserating after seeing their team
how that is so. And the BNP hadn’t been “scavenging” all maladies the country is suffering from? https://www.facebook.com/DhakaTribune
lose a tense penalty shoot-out, but they can take encouragement
from their club providing the tournament’s two leading scorers.
The annual IFA shield carries much prestige, and is the fourth
oldest club cup competition in the world.
Sport’s greatest quality has always been its ability to appeal across CALVIN AND HOBBES
borders of all types. This has long been evident in the global appeal of
the English Premier League and La Liga, but the rapid growth of crick-
et’s IPL adds new weight to
the picture.
The time is ripe to en-
courage more team based
cross-border competitions.
Team sports are already
Team sports are already
increasingly globalised increasingly globalised
both in the makeup of
their players and their fan
so it makes sense to
base, so it makes sense to capitalise on their
capitalise further on their international appeal
international appeal.
While FIFA has reserva-
tions about cross-border
leagues, there is no reason
why football authorities
should not encourage more international competitions in South
Asia. Bangladesh and Bengal are historical bastions of football in the
PEANUTS
sub-continent and fans would welcome moves that bring more spec-
tators and money into the sport.
In the case of cricket, IPL was created from the start to appeal
internationally so is readymade for a Bangladesh based franchise.
Such a move could help the IPL grow in the direction it has set itself
and would undoubtedly be popular with Bangladeshi cricket fans and
advertisers.
So long as ability and competition are rewarded fairly, there should
be no limit to imaginatively developing sport across borders.

CROSSWORD SUDOKU YESTERDAY’S SOLUTIONS

ACROSS DOWN Crossword
1 Thespian (5) 1 Gallery of shops (6)
4 Quick (4) 2 Augury (4)
7 Evil intent (6) 3 S African currency unit (4) How to solve
8 Gathering of witches (5) 4 Primary (5) Sudoku:
10 Scottish dance (4) 5 Top card (3) Fill in the
blank spaces
11 S American mountains (5) 6 Teeter (6)
with the
12 Lair (3) 9 Weathercock (4)
numbers
14 Small duck (4) 13 Develop gradually (6) 1 – 9. Every
17 At all times (4) 15 Consumes (4) Sudoku
row, column
19 Respectful fear (3) 16 Letting contracts (6) and 3 x 3 box
20 Not concealed (5) 18 Henhouse (5) must contain
23 Singer (4) 21 Paradise (4) all nine digits
25 Prescribed amounts (5) 22 Acting part (4) with no num-
26 Ship (6) 24 Perfect score (3) ber repeating.
27 Fasting period (4)
28 Cosy retreats (5)

Can you be a Muslim and feminist at the same time?
D R
The ethical Muslim
M
n Mohammad N Miraly
any Muslims today
ask: How do we rec-
oncile Islam with our
lives in the modern
world? Can we uphold
women’s rights and be true to our
faith? Can we be Muslims in a secular
society?
These questions, though simple,
become complicated by the larger
questions they do not ask. One answer
is that the Qur’an taught an ethical
system that allowed believers to live
anywhere, anytime, and be Muslim.
Ethics
Islam, at its core, is a system of ethics.
The Qur’an never advocated any par-
ticular political system. It realised that
the world is in constant flux, and that
humans must continuously change
and update their laws in order to keep
up with the times. Laws change all the
time, but ethics remain eternal. For
this reason, Islam can be practiced no
matter where or when a believer lives,
because to be a Muslim means simply
to uphold the ethics of the Qur’an.
The Qur’an’s most overarching ethi-
cal concern is social justice. The Qur’an
has always advocated equality, justice,
pluralism, and human rights. Luckily,
we now live in a world in which the
majority of people believe in these
things also. So, modern Muslims can
ask themselves: What are the tools that
we have today that will help us achieve
the Qur’an’s goal of social justice?
Today, we tend to adopt liberal
democracy as the framework that
best allows us to implement human
rights, equality between the sexes, and
freedom – the ingredients that make up
social justice.
Feminism
Can you be a Muslim and a feminist
at the same time? Yes, you can. One
famous example is Shirin Ebadi, the
S E R P
Sheikh Jamal Club reignites a doused flame
n Towheed Feroze
T
he end did not happen the way
we wanted it. Sheikh Jamal
Dhanmondi Club’s dream
journey in the IFA Shield in Kolkata
fell short by one penalty in the tie-
breakers, and the boys are coming back
with the runner-up trophy.  mass interest in the game will remain
 There is of course a lot of grievance
as to why Sony Norde, the unstoppable
Haitian import, was given the
marching orders with the red card, but
the best thing to do is to forget all the
bitterness and take the positives from
the tournament, where a team from
Bangladesh made a mark and triggered
a wave of fiery speculation.
With the current state of football
in Bangladesh, where people do not
even care about the once-famed Dhaka
derby between Mohammedan and
Abahani, this rare success on foreign
soil, though by a club side featuring
foreign players, will bring back a sport
languishing in a coma.
When Sheikh Jamal brushed off
Kolkata giants East-Bengal by three
goals to nothing, captain Mamunul
reportedly said that at last he can
exorcise the ghosts of a failed SAF
Games campaign in Nepal.
DHAKA TRIBUNE
M S
Iranian human rights lawyer and No-
bel-prize winner.
But, to ask if “Islam” and “fem-
inism” are compatible is not a fair
question. Islam is an old, ideological
system, while feminism is a modern
social philosophy. We cannot ask if a
pre-modern, ideological system advo-
cates a modern philosophy.
The more illuminating question
would be: Does Islam advocate the
same ethics and values that feminism
advocates? Yes, Islam supports women’s
rights. The Qur’an is adamant about the
equal value of men and women.
Islam as a religion is adamant about the need for
social justice, which includes women’s rights
Islam has always been a fervent
supporter of women’s rights. At the
time of its revelation, Islam instituted
revolutionary reforms for women. It
was the most progressive rights-based
system in the world. That example
of progressive reform was an ethical
standard established by the Qur’an,
which became the responsibility of
later generations to strive towards
until achieving the ultimate goal of
complete social justice.
One barrier to social justice is
humankind itself. While Islam as a
religion is adamant about the need for
social justice, which includes women’s
rights, certain societies around the
world – from Asia to America – have
not supported the equality of women.
This has less to do with religion, which
tends to support the equal worth of all
humans, and more to do with culture.
Social justice
The Qu’ran’s overarching concern
E N
Well, it’s unquestionably true that
back-to-back victories against Indian
club giants provide some solace, but
these can never be a replacement for
the debacle of the national side.
Unless the national team can
bring in some solid results in regional
meets and show consistent form,
elusive. In simple terms, this means
winning at least two consecutive SAF
meets.
Given that some have shockingly
voiced hopes of playing in the
World Cup in ten years, retaining
regional supremacy for two straight
tournaments may sound like a walk in
the park, but it’s anything but.
South Asian football is a totally
different format of the game, with its
distinct nuances influenced by long
monsoon, natural grounds, and style
of play.   scored by foreigners – an indication
Training players in the European
format often proves counter-
productive. A glaring example can
be the total collapse of the national
team at the SAF after three months of
rigorous camping and several practice
matches.
Anyway, coming back to Sheikh
Jamal, the team has unquestionably
Op-Ed
A Y
has always been social justice.
This was an ethic that medieval
Muslim civilisations took seriously.
Considering the times, life in medieval
Muslim civilisations – like Cordoba,
Cairo, Baghdad, Istanbul, or Delhi –
was far more egalitarian than living
under the rule of aristocratic privilege
in Europe, or the caste system in India.
For example, Jews in Muslim polities
lived side-by-side with Muslims and
occupied high posts, unlike Jews in
Europe, who lived in ghettos.
The Qur’an conceived of a human
community that struggled together to
create a just society. In this conception,
part of being a responsible Muslim is
ensuring justice in the community.
This, however, is also the responsibility
of every citizen living in a liberal
democracy. So, for Muslims living in
liberal states, it becomes a doubly-
sworn responsibility to help create a
just society in which maltreatment of
any human being does not occur.
Secularity
Islam has always been a secular
religion. It has always separated
religion from state.
“Secularity” is the practice of
separating the powers of authority in a
state. In this sense, mediaeval Muslim
civilisations were secular: The Caliph
was simply the enforcer of the law; he
was not involved in how the jurists
made the law.
“Secularism” is the idea that religion
has no place in the public sphere.
This has never been concordant with
T I
won hearts in Kolkata, though as
rational football fans, we need to look
closer at the successes because while
the team was lauded as a whole, it’s the
foreign players that triggered the most
debates.
Again, Norde was at the centre of
discussion as he clearly proved to be
of a totally different league. Half-way
into the tournament, speculation
developed over the interest of Indian
clubs to employ this skilled Haitian
forward.
Other African players also shone,
leaving local players at the second best
slot.
This means that the much used
rhetoric by many so-called local
football gurus that the game standard
has faltered due to the import of low
quality foreigners is untenable.
Almost all the goals by Jamal were
that local clubs are placing full reliance
on foreign strikers. It is of course
common sense that clubs need to put
wining before all else. However, the
downside is that due to the excessive
dependence on foreign strikers, local
scorers ultimately lose their touch
or become shaky in front of the goal
during national team missions.
Monday, February 17, 2014
BIGSTOCK
S someday in the near future there won’t
Islam. There is a movement in many
European countries today to remove
all elements of religion from the public
sphere. Some might argue that this
goes against human rights because
it would limit the identities and
the expression of a large part of the
population.
Religion certainly has much to offer
the liberal state, most importantly –
ethics. Religion teaches the ethics that
make up the basis for how citizens
interact peacefully in the liberal
state. In fact, the values that make up
the liberal state – tolerance, justice,
equality – come directly from religion.
Liberalism is the child of Christian
political theorists who studied Muslim
philosophers.
But, by the same token, modern
Islam can learn from the modern
liberal state. There is a movement in
modern Islamic thought that argues
that believers can only be Muslims in a
Muslim state. But, if we are to believe
the Qur’anic promise, Muslims can
be Muslims anywhere as long as they
are free to live ethically. Today, that
place is the liberal democratic state,
which separates powers of authority,
ensuring that citizens are not coerced
by religious authority, and that they
have the freedom to believe and live
however they choose.
The Ethical Muslim
Islam has always been applied in
different ways in different places. The
Qur’an recognised that humankind
is diverse, and that different human
beings have different psychological
constitutions. For this reason, it taught
an eternal system of ethics, so that
no matter how the world changed or
where a believer lived, the definition of
being a Muslim would always remain
the same – one who lives ethically. l
Mohammad N Miraly holds a PhD from
McGill University in Religion, Ethics, and
Public Policy.
N E
The necessity of foreign strikers
has reached such a state that even first
division clubs now look to rope in a
foreigner.    announced attractive bonus packages
Interestingly, a horde of African
players can be found in the city,
playing only ‘Khap’ or paid matches to
earn a living.   work wonders.
This is not to say that players
like Norde, Darlington, Ameka, and
Ibrahim should not be there, but at the
same time, one local striker has to be
mentored to play along with foreign
players.  
In the national team, Emili is the
lone man upfront, sometimes aided
by Mithun, which is why scoring is a
major problem for Bangladesh.
In the last SAF Games, the goal
scored by the team against India was
not a score due to a planned build-up,
but a deflection that luckily went in.
Be that as it may, let’s not be too
morose. For the time being, let’s cel-
ebrate Sheikh Jamal’s sterling perfor-
mance – they held on till the end on
foreign soil, facing a large, intimidat-
ing, partisan crowd.
The team comes back with the hope
that from now on, the crowd at the
stadiums will be larger. We also hope
this feat will bring the game back from
The price we pay
n Raihan Hadi
W
e pay for things we wear,
eat, live on, can or cannot
touch but still buy because
we need to survive and thereafter
please ourselves. I want to talk about
the prices of these things, prices that
are never going down because we just
don’t want them to.
We love struggling to buy things
we need for a mere survival, and then
we struggle more to buy things that
we consider to be luxuries. You think
I’m blaming only the readers and not
myself as well? I beg to differ.
We have all become part of this
never-ending process of life, where we
are born to study, study to earn, earn
to get married and then multiply. The
estimated population of Earth exceeds
seven billion (2012) as I sore-heartedly
write about its consequences on our
lives.
Of course the rich ones are buying
land in places where we can’t go, and
even be that. Why? Overpopulation.
The uncontrollable rise in the
overall population of mother Earth is
affecting our lives on a daily basis by
making natural and artificial resourc-
es more and more scarce, ergo more
expensive to avail.
We sometimes let out that sigh of
disappointment and tell our friends
and family how much simpler the
world was when we could buy
everything we wanted because their
prices were within our reach, and then
we could save, not just for rainy days,
but the sunny and snowy ones too.
Many of us can’t do that anymore
because we have that urge to contrib-
ute more to our population than to our
future. Don’t get me wrong here, I love
babies. But imagine the world where
we can’t feed our babies anymore and
have to watch them die of malnutri-
tion because we just couldn’t afford
their milk.
Of course the closest reference here
is that of Somalia, where kids die on
a daily basis, and theories like that of
Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen (with all
due respect) just don’t work because
sadly, and shamefully enough, people
would rather waste than give away.
And just how many children can
big-hearted people like Brad Pitt and
Angelina Jolie adopt to feed and give a
proper life to? Not too many.
Before I go on a tangent, let’s talk
about the soaring prices of necessities
in Bangladesh alone. There was a time
when, as my father used to tell me, a
chicken could be bought for 10 paisa
How long can dhaka bear this?
the edge of oblivion.
Incidentally, before the club played
a match, the team management
which possibly inspired the players to
go all out. Whether it sounds merce-
nary or not, cash incentives always
Let’s celebrate Sheikh Jamal’s sterling performance
– they held on till the end on foreign soil
While players have the duty to play for
the club to which they belong, some-
thing extra always brings out the best.
This realisation explains the com-
mon complaint put against national
team colours – they save their legs first
and refrain from taking risks.
During the SAF Games, no special
packages were announced, and inev-
itably some were accused of feigning
illness and injuries.
We admit that having the national
colours plastered on the chest should
11
(equivalent to approximately a dime or
10 cents today), and for someone like
my grandfather, a father of 10 children,
feeding a family was a piece of cake.
Wait, did I just say piece of cake?
Well, even that is quite a luxury today.
What we could have for lunch just
within Tk40 two or three years ago
can’t be bought for even Tk120 today.
More and more people
are migrating from rural
regions to cities
Of course, the global economic
recession has taken its toll on us
ever since 2008, creating massive
differences in exchange rates
of currencies whose values are
fluctuating to date. And governments
are struggling to keep prices right for
people to survive like proper human
beings.
Yet their struggle is in vain because
no matter how hard we try to keep
prices steady, the rise in the world
population is causing necessities to
become scarcer, and the old theories of
economics are crying out loud because
those graphs of supply and demand
are just not that useful anymore.
Moreover, every single day, more
and more people are migrating from
rural regions to cities for a better shot
at life and to reach for the stars, not
knowing how much their migration
is affecting not only the overall
congestion, but also the city’s ability to
withstand its population.
Everyone deserves a shot at their
dreams, but the question is: “Is my
dream bigger than the sake of humani-
ty and its survival?”
Why aren’t we trying to raise aware-
ness of this population problem? I
don’t think it’s solely the duty of WHO
and other counterparts, but all of ours.
We know we don’t want a dire
future where basic needs become
unaffordable luxuries. Then why don’t
we comply with that thought and work
for it? In case you were sitting idly and
musing on some food for thought,
voila! l
Raihan Hadi is Founder, Ideas for Bangladesh,
and Senior Executive, Korea-Bangladesh
Chamber of Commerce & Industry.
SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN
D E N
be enough inspiration. Then, on the
other hand it cannot be ruled out – for
a player the game is a profession and a
livelihood. Patriotism is always there.
And if certain prizes are promised on
top of that, the combination translates
into this – the country pledged so
much, let’s give it our best shot!
Reportedly, Sheikh Jamal’s Manzur
Kader was forthcoming in offering
extra impetus, and consequently the
team did their best.
Hopefully, alongside Norde, the club
will also nurture some local strikers.
Sheikh Jamal coming back with a
trophy, plus the admiration of millions
of fans on the other side of the border –
I call that a victory, what say you? l
Towheed Feroze is a journalist currently
working in the development sector.
12 DHAKA TRIBUNE Entertainment Monday, February 17, 2014

Fahmida Nabi’s new album gets

Celebrating 115th birthday of web release
Jibanananda Das’ today n Entertainment Desk
On the occasion of Valentine’s

Barisal BM College marks the occasion with a daylong event
n Entertainment Desk
Legendary poet Jibanananda Das’ 115th birthday is to-
day. Dimly recognised during his lifetime, today Das is
considered as the premier poet of the post-Tagore era in
India and Bangladesh. He is knows as Bengal’s most loved
Day Fahmida Nabi releases her
new album Bhalobashar Kono
Mane Nei on web.
poet and “most alone of Bengali poets” too as he was an Lyricist Golam Morshed has
introvert. During his lifetime, only seven volumes of his written all the songs of the album
poems were published. After his death, it was discovered that has a total of six songs. Five of
that apart from poems, Das wrote several novels and a them are composed by Nipu Nowroz
large number of short stories. and another by Tomal. This is the first
Jibanananda Das was born in 1899 in a Vaidya-Brah- time Fahmida Nabi has released a whole
min family in the small district town of Barisal. The poet album on the web.
is considered one of the precursors who introduced mod- Regarding the web release, Fahmida
said: “Nowadays everyone is on the internet,
ernist poetry to Bangla literature, during the period when
we have become very much technology oriented
it was influenced by Rabindranath Tagore’s romantic
and depend on it more and more. In this time and
poetry. During the latter half of the twentieth century, Ji- age, where life has become more fast paced, it makes
banananda emerged as the most popular poet of modern sense to release an album on the web rather than pro-
Bengali literature. ducing CD’s. I believe that listeners do not have the time
His notable poetic works are Jhora Palok, Dhushor to buy a CD and try it out. That is why, like many other excellent and the audience will hopefully find these
Pandulipi, Bonolota Sen, Mohaprithibi, Shaat-ti Tarar singers, I chose to release my album on the web, so that it is notes in the album.”
Timir, Shrestho Kobita and Ruposhi Bangla. more easy reached by my audience.” Apart from this, Fahmida Nabi also lends her voice
Das died on October 22, 1954, eight days after he was She also said: “The songs are very melodious and rhyth- in two mixed albums which released on the occasion of
hit by a tramcar. The witnesses said that though the tram- mic. Anyone can feel the love in these songs. The lyrics are Valentine’s Day under the banner of G-series and Laser
car whistled, he did not stop and got struck. Some believe really moving and full of emotions. Overall, the songs are Vision. l
the accident as an attempt at suicide.
On the occasion of the prolific poet and writer’s 115th
birthday, Barisal BM College is holding a daylong pro-
TODAY IN DHAKA
gramme today from 10am to 9pm on the premises of the Ghuddi By Hashem Khan and Mohammad Iqbal
college. Film Time: 3pm – 7pm Time: 12pm – 8pm
A concert titled Amar Shokol Gaan Tobu O Tomare The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, National Art Gallery Auditorium Gallery Twenty One, Taj Lily, 751 Satmasjid
Lokkho Kore organised by Jibanananda Uthshob Udja- Thor: The Dark World, Pacific Rim in 3D, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy Road (level 11)
pan Parishad and supported by Drupodi.com will be held The Conjuring
at the venue in the afternoon. The concert will feature Time: 10am – 10pm Exhibition Theatre
popular band Maqsood O’ Dhaka, noted poet-singer Kafil Star Cineplex, Level 8 Celebrated Violence Shopnopothik
Ahmed, band Chitkar and Shohojia. Time: 3pm – 8pm By Aranyak
The programme will also comprise discussions, rec- Film Festival Dhaka Art Center (DAC) House-60 Time: 6:30pm – 8:00pm
itations, screening of films and cultural performances by Akaler Shondhane Road-7A Dhanmondi R/A National Theatre, Shilpakala Academy,
local cultural organisations. l Shankhanaad Dui Bangal Shegun Bagicha

ON Merlin airs today Mannan Hira emerges

TV n Entertainment Desk as feature filmmaker
MOVIE For those who love to be transported
to the mythical world of magic, drag-
n Entertainment Desk
6:10pmZee Studio
ons, kings and knights, they are in for Mannan Hira’s debut feature film
Pirates of the Caribbean: On
a treat, as the popular TV series Mer- Ekatturer Khudiram’s Muharat was
Stranger Tides
lin airs on ATN Bangla every Monday held at BFDC on February 15. The
9:30pmWB 6:20pm. For the benefit of the audience shooting of the film will start from to-
Welcome to the Jungle of the country, the show is dubbed in day. Following the path of many other
Bangla. filmmakers who chose to tell the sto-
Merlin is a British fantasy-adventure ry of the gruesome nine months that
television programme, created by Ju- lead to the independence of the coun-
DRAMA lian Jones, Jake Michie, Julian Murphy try, Mannan Hira took a step further
8:30pm Star Plus and Johnny Capps and starring Colin by not only directing the movie, but
Meri Bhabi Morgan in the title role. The show is also wrote the story and screenplay.
9:30pm Sony loosely based on the Arthurian legends and then learning to master his mag- magical self-study, and warns him of The music direction of the film is
Nandini of the young wizard Merlin and his re- ical gift. Magister Gaius, King Uther Uther’s strong aversion to magic. Mer- by Shujay Sham and it is produced
lationship with Arthur Pendragon but Pendragon’s learned court physician to lin becomes squire to the noble but im- by EPIC. The star cast includes Sho-
differs from the traditional versions. whom he’s assigned as humble page, prudent crown prince, Arthur, whose cho, Fojlul Rahman Babu, Mamunur
MISC Young Merlin is a teenager, discovering teaches him medicine, coaches his fate is linked with Merlin. l Rashid, Momena Chowdhury, Enam-
ul Haq, Chobi, Firoj-al-Mamun and
12:30pm AXN others. Mannan Hira
So You Think You Can Dance? The story is about how a group of
10:30pm TLC youngsters gets motivated to join the
Taste off Loko Natyadal will stage their
Liberation War of 1971. In the small
famous production Kanjus at the
Comedy town of Shonamukhi, every year, the idea. When the war is in full swing,
National Theatre Hall of Bangladesh
10:00am Comedy Central high school arranges an annual dra- Biharis kill Khokon Banarji by the
Shilpakala Academy this evening.
Key & Peele ma. Senior teacher Khokon Banarji order of the Urdu speaking teacher.
The play is an adaptation of The
Miser by the famous French decides to stage a drama titled Sahid When Alal and his fellow classmates
playwright Moliere. Popular theatre Khudiram. A student named Alal from sees this injustice, they get motivated
NEWS personality and veteran actor Tariq the eighth grade is chosen for the to join the war.
6:45pm Rtv Anam Khan has adapted the play lead role. During this time, an Urdu About his film, Mannan said: “It
Shondhar shongbad that has been directed by Liaquat Ali speaking teacher opposes on staging was my dream to make a film about
Lucky, the troupe president and the the drama and asks them to show- the Liberation War. Many young ac-
10:00pm Maasranga Tv
director general of BSA case a play on Mohammad Ali Jinnah. tors will be on the lead role of the
Prime Time Maasranga News
Khokon refuses the script and goes on film. I hope the viewers will be able to
making arrangement for his original relate to the story.” l

Chander Pahar creates history in Tollywood Chinese thriller takes top

n Entertainment Desk
Director Kamaleshwar Mukhodpadhayay’s lat-
est work Chander Pahar, based on Bibhutibhu-
san Bandopadhyay’s 1909 novel of the same
name, broke all the past box office records
of Kolkata film industry popularly known as
Tollywood. After 50 days of successful run,
the film managed to collect over Rs 15crore
which is the biggest ever estimate for a Tolly-
wood movie.  deviations are needed for Shankar though.
Dev and Koyel starrer  Paglu  was the pre-
vious most successsful film which collected
around Rs 10crore.  journey takes him on an incredible path from
Claimed to be the biggest budget film of
Tollywood,  Chander Pahar  is still running in
a few cinemas and after adding the satellite
rights, the film might touch 20crore landmark,
said celebrated trade analyst Taran Adarsh  
The storyline follows Bibhutibhushan
Bandyopadhyay’s classic novella set in
1909 quite closely, with some necessary
adjustments. So the gutsy Diego Alvarez,
played by Gerard Rudolf, is shown as hailing
from Portuguese Chinsurah, which is why he
can speak a smattering of Bengali. No such
Just as in the book, Dev’s character is a
dreamer who wants to travel the world. His
his quiet Bengali village to the heart of Africa
in search of a fabled diamond mine.
The film has been extensively shot in South
Africa. 
This opportunity of a lifetime to play the
role of Shankar in the film was quite challeng-
ing and tough, said Dev in an interview. 
“The journey to the shooting spot was quite
an adventurous experience as the crew had to
walk through narrow lanes between rivers,
cliffs & the forests full of snakes, insects and
wild animals.”
From rock climbing to diving to crossing a
river full of crocodiles, Dev learnt all the stunts
required. Not only that, he also took a con-
scious decision to detach himself completely
from the outside world to get into the skin of
the character. l
Berlin prize
n Entertainment Desk
Asian films were big winners at the Berlin
International Film Festival, led by gritty
Chinese thriller Bai Ri Yan Huo (Black Coal,
Thin Ice) about an overweight detective
pursuing a serial killer, which took the top
Golden Bear prize.
Liao Fan, who said he put on 20 kilograms
and drank more alcohol to play the role of
detective Zhang Zili, was named Best Actor.
“Chinese films are accepted more and
more,” said Diao Yinan, director of the win-
ning film.
“It seems every time we take them
abroad, there is a greater enthusiasm for
Chinese cinema. We hadn’t expected that,
but film is global nowadays.”
Asked about censorship in China, Diao
said: “Of course there is censorship, I be-
lieve that exists around the whole world,
doesn’t it? When it comes to Chinese cen-
sorship, I think the fact we are here in Ber-
lin shows our censors are becoming more
open, although there are difficulties.”
A scene from Bai Ri Yan Huo (Black Coal, Thin Ice) that
Haru Kuroki, who won Best Actress for won the Golden Bear prize
her portrayal of a housemaid in Tokyo be-
fore and during World War Two in the Jap-
anese film Chiisai Ouchi (The Little House), Boyhood, which uses the same child actors
said she wanted to leap for joy but wearing over a 12-year span, while Wes Anderson’s
a kimono made it difficult. Grand Budapest Hotel, the festival opener
American Richard Linklater was named set in a fictional central European country,
Best Director for his coming-of-age film took the Silver Bear grand jury prize. l
 Monday, February 17, 2014 DHAKA TRIBUNE 13

Sport
Did you know?
Daniel Sturridge has
now scored in seven
consecutive Premier
League appearances,
the first Liverpool
player to do this

0 2 7 14 McCullum ton 15 Lavillenie

stalls India’s breaks pole-vault
DAYS TO GO victory push world record

FACT BOX
Form guide
(last 5 completed matches, most recent first)
Bangladesh WWWLL
Sri Lanka WLLWL
Pitch and conditions
The Dhaka wicket will be slow and low,
as it has usually been over the years.
Curator Gamini de Silva will stick to the
tried and tested, and ensure runs are
aplenty on the surface. There was rain
in the air around Mirpur on the eve of
the match, but clear skies are predicted
on match day.
Stats and trivia
Mushfiqur Rahim is 49 short of 2500
runs in ODIs
Dinesh Chandimal has scored only a
single fifty in his last ten ODI innings.
That innings came in the last ODI,
against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi.

Mathews aware of Mushfiq ready for tough challenge Sheikh Jamal

the ‘fighting unit’
Angelo Mathews had already cau-
tioned his side about the strengths of
the Bangladesh team in the shorter for-
mats and after earning two hard fought
Twenty20 victories the Sri Lankan skip-
per looks to carry the momentum in the
three-match ODI series starting today.
“Well, I thought it was a hard fought
couple of wins for us, it wasn’t easy at
all for us,” said Mathews at the Sher-e-
Bangla National stadium yesterday. “As
I said, they are going to come hard at us
and they are going to be very strong in
the ODIs and T20s. We hope the guys
will keep the momentum and go for-
ward in the ODIs. Hopefully the weath-
er stays away and we get a good game
in our hands.”
In contrast to the Test series the
all-rounder admitted that they were
pushed back to the wall to get the T20
wins as he labelled the young Bangla-
desh side as a “fighting unit”.
“Yeah I think especially looking at
the Test series and T20 they played dif-
ferently. I thought it was very hard for
us in the T20s. We know that they are
a young team and a fighting unit. They
don’t give up at any stage. They almost
defended 120 in the last game. We can’t
go off guard at any given time and per-
Bangladesh announce Norde, Mamunul targeted
form to our abilities,” said Mathews.
Beside the two senior players in
the side, Kumar Sangakkara and Til-
lakaratne Dilshan, the 26-year-old Sri
Lankan captain is looking forward to
the newcomers in the team.
“Obviously we have got two seniors
in the team. We got a few exciting play-
ers who played in the Pakistan series as
well. We got Priyanjan, Kithu (Kithuru-
wan Vithanage), Angelo Perera. We still
haven’t decided on the composition.
They have all got the talent to play in
the eleven,” he added.
Mathews supported the attacking
approach from his openers Kusal Per-
era and Dilshan and said Sangakkara at
number three is always there to stable
the situation. “Both are aggressive,
that’s the sort of openers we want. We
have got a more stable number 3 in Ku-
mar Sangakkara, to control things. We
can’t really ask our openers to change
their style.”
Meanwhile in the absence of vet-
eran left-arm spinner Rangana Herath
it will be Ajantha Mendis and Sachithra
Senanayake controlling the spin de-
partment and Mathews expressed full
faith on the two.
“Mendis has played a lot of games
and also Sachithra. They are two of the
best spinners that Sri Lanka have.” l
Bangladesh skipper Mushfiqur Rahim
wants to forget the close defeats in
the two-match Twenty20 series and
looks forward for tough competition
against the visitors in the ODIs starting
today at Sher-e-Bangla National
Stadium (SBNS).  Test. It’s just a matter of time,” said
Mushfiqur, who missed the T20
series due to a finger injury, said that
Bangladesh fought till the end in both
the T20s and it was due to the small
mistakes that cost them.  Tamim Iqbal, Shamsur Rahman, Anamul
“We have played good cricket in the
last one and a half years. Although, we
were not consistent in Tests and T20s,
with home advantage our line up is ca-
pable of beating any team,” said Mush-
fiqur in the pre-match press confer-
ence at SBNS yesterday.  ODI wickets. I was with him last
“We are confident. But they (Sri
Lanka) are a tough side and it will be
a hard competition. We are ready for
it. I think all the three games will have
good competition,” he added.  “We have four genuine pacers in
Since 2011, Bangladesh did not lose
a bilateral ODI series at home. The last
time the Tigers lost at home in their
strongest format, ODI, was against
Pakistan more than two years ago. They
were victorious against West Indies in
2012 after they had pushed Pakistan in
the Asia Cup final few months earlier.
And in October-November last year,
they earned a comprehensive series
win over New Zealand for the second
time in a row. 
“So far we did lose three matches
this year, but were also unlucky not
to win two of those. We have plenty of
hard cricket ahead in this year. Results-
wise, it was disappointing, but we
have gradually improved from the first
Mushfiqur.  spinner Abdur Razzak who is also suf-
PROBABLE XI
Bangladesh
Haque/Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim
(capt and wk), Naeem Islam, Shakib
al Hasan, Nasir Hossain, Sohag Gazi,
Mashrafe bin Mortaza, Arafat Sunny, Rubel
Hossain
Sri Lanka
Kusal Perera, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kumar
Sangakkara (wk), Dinesh Chandimal,
Ashan Priyanjan/Kithuruwan Vithanage,
Angelo Mathews (capt), Thisara Perera,
Nuwan Kulasekara, Sachithra Senanayake,
Lasith Malinga, Ajantha Mendis
Mushfiqur’s injury, which he picked
up during the second Test, will deny
him from keeping in today’s game and
he informed that either Anamul Haque
or Shamsur Rahman will take his place
behind the stumps.  have left-arm spinners, pacers and off
“There is no pain when I am batting,
but because it is in the little finger,
keeping the wicket will be a risk. If
it hits there again I will be out for a
long time. Team management thinks
I will do fine with the bat. We have
enough keepers in the side so it will
not be an issue tomorrow,” informed
Mushfiqur.   Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club might
Besides Mushfiqur’s keeping, Ban-
gladesh will also miss the service of
fering from injury too. The veteran
spinner has been a leader with the ball
in the 50-over game and also the high-
est wicket-taker for the side against Sri
Lanka – 19 wickets.  the football fans, despite not winning
“We will miss [Abdur Razzak] Raj
bhai a lot. Although [Arafat] Sunny
bhai has bowled very well in the last
two matches, Raj bhai is our most
experienced bowler and has the most
week as he was recovering from the
hamstring injury. We want him to be
fully fit for the tournaments ahead,”
said the 25-year-old.  Their performance throughout
the side and we have a long time to
put together a playing XI. Dew factor
might come into play and there was
overnight rain on Sunday too. We
might play three pacers or even three
spinners and it will depend on the dew
factor. We have the flexibility as we
spinners. We will wait till tomorrow
(today),” he added. l
president
content
have lost the 118th IFA Shield final but
their performance won the hearts of
millions, both from Bangladesh and
the other side of the Bengals.
Before they left the country for Kol-
kata 70 days ago, even they would not
have expected such appreciation from
it and coming close to making history.
Football lovers of the country, after
such a long time, gathered under the
same tent to support a Bangladeshi
club, the popularity they didn’t
even get after winning their maiden
Bangladesh Premier League title three
years ago and the Federation Cup this
season.
the tournament, especially Mamunul
Islam, Sohel Rana and foreign trio
Sony Norde, Wedson Anselme and
Emeka Darlington got great attention
from the Indian media and I-League
clubs as well. Sheikh Jamal interim
manager Abdul Gaffar also admitted
that Mohun Bagan made Mamunul and
Sony offers to join.
Peoples of Kolkata also
applauded Sheikh Jamal’s
performance. I managed
big clubs like Abahani
and Muktijoddha but I

World T20 squads by Kolkata clubs never achieved anything

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB)
announced the men’s and women’s
squads for the ICC World Twenty20
Bangladesh 2014 yesterday.  Jamal DC captain Mamunul Islam for
The two-match Twenty20 series
the two domestic Twenty20 competi-
tion held in December last year was the
arena for experiments for the national
selection panel. And after much calcu-
lation, the selectors have come up with
a team with a blend of experience and
youth, believes chief of the selection
panel Faruk Ahmed.  Islam, Fahima Khatun, Panna Ghosh,
“We have considered the fact
that this was a world event and
experience was necessary as well
as giving opportunity to youngsters
like Mominul (Hoque) and Shabbir
(Rahman) who have the potential to
excel in the shortest format,” said
chief selector Faruk in a media release
yesterday.  ing. There are three pace bowlers and
The men’s squad is identical to what
it was seen in the Twenty20 series
against Sri Lanka, except for Abdur
Razzak coming in place of another left-
arm spinner, Arafat Sunny.  he added.  rently the highest paid player in Ban-
Sunny in the two games against Sri
Lanka, which Bangladesh lost off the
last ball, took three wickets. He could
have replaced Sohag Gazi, who is not
in his best form, but that would have
made three left-arm spinners in the
side, along with Shakib al Hasan and
Razzak.  opportunities to play against strong
“Someone like Sunny, who has im-
pressed everyone and had been per-
SQUADS
MEN
Mushfiqur Rahim (Captain), Tamim Iqbal,
Anamul Haque, Shamsur Rahman, Shakib
Al Hasan, Muminul Hoque, Nasir Hossain,
Shabbir Rahaman, Mahmudullah, Abdur
Razzak, Shohag Gazi, Masrafe Bin Mortaza,
Farhad Reza, Rubel Hossain, Al-Amin
Hossain  The century-year old traditional
WOMEN
Salma Khatun (Captain), Jahanara Alam
(VC), Rumana Ahmed, Fargana Hoque,
Ayasha Rahman, Lata Mondol, Sanjida
Sharmin Akter, Nuzhat Tasnia, Khadijatul
Kubra, Shohaly Akther, Shamima Sultana,
Saila Sharmin
forming consistently at domestic level,
had to miss out because we needed to
have that balance,” Faruk explained.  more than one I-League clubs are in-
 “We have a lot of depth in our bowl-
a seaming all-rounder. However, in
our conditions spin will be the main
strength and we are well covered in
that area with Shakib, Abdur and Gazi,”
Faruk is also confident that the
women’s team would give a good ac-
count of themselves in home condi-
tions.  Sheikh Jamal president Manjur Kad-
“We have tried to pick the best
squad available. The preparation has
been good and the team will get more
sides in the lead up to the main event,”
he said. l
After Sony Norde, the Kolkata’s I-
League clubs are chasing to sign Ban-
gladesh national team and Sheikh
next season, following their sparkling
display in the recently concluded IFA
Shield.
Mohun Bagan are in the lead to snap in
Bangladesh’s ace midfielder and have
talked to him as well as Norde about a
possible transfer. It was also learnt that
Kolkata the outfit have made a sub-
stantial fee for the pair.
Sheikh Jamal’s acting manager for
IFA Shield Abdul Gaffar confirmed the
news. “Mohun Bagan officials talked
to Sony Norde and Mamunul about the
transfers in front of me. I also heard
terested in them,” he said.
Rumour has it that Mohun Bagan
offered Sony Norde around $150,000
- more than the double what he gets
from Sheikh Jamal - and Mamunul got
an offer of $80,000. Sony Norde is cur-
gladesh Premier League. He left Sheikh
Russell, along with Mamunul, to join
Jamal this season for Tk6m.
er, earlier, dismissed all the rumours
regarding Sony Norde saying, “Sony
Norde is not for sale”. However, the
sports loving man has now thrown a
challenge to the Kolkata clubs, “How
much money do they have? I will see
how they can take him away from us.”
Earlier, Norde was quoted in the In-
dian media as saying he wanted to play
in India next season, after the Haitian
was visited by officials from Mohun
Bagan and Mohammedan Sporting
Club, Kolkata in hotel room. Norde
also said that two other I-League clubs
- Dempo and Sporting Goa - contacted
Sony Norde
him over the phone.
The 24-year-old winger has been
in outstanding form since last season.
Helping Sheikh Russell win a historic
treble, the Haitian forward was the
architect of Jamal’s Federation Cup tri-
umph this season and also struck four
goals at the 118th IFA Shield - including
one each in the semi-final and final. l
Mamunul Islam
like this before
Whatever happened in the final, in-
cluding the red card incident, Sheikh
Jamal president Manjur Kader wants
to forget and take the positive from the
tournament that left the Dhanmondi
outfit frustrated in the breath taking
tie-breaker.
“I’m only frustrated with the final.
Otherwise, I’m contented with every
other matches we played before the
final. The peoples of Kolkata also ap-
plauded Sheikh Jamal’s performance.
I managed big clubs like Abahani and
Muktijoddha but I never achieved any-
thing like this before. Last 15-16 days,
I spent fantastic time there,” said Man-
jur Kader.
Kader also talked about the red
card. “This is nothing new in this re-
gion. There’s no value of talking about
this right now as it would not give us
the title. This tour prolonged the rela-
tionship between the two countries,”
he added.
Meanwhile, following Kolkata me-
dia who reported that Sheikh Jamal
boycotted the prize distribution cer-
emony of the Shield final on Saturday
smelling a conspiracy, its manager Ab-
dul Gaffar dismissed the claim and ex-
plained the reason.
“It was totally a misunderstand-
ing. Mohammedan supporters entered
into the field after the match and we
couldn’t get out of our dressing room.
We waited for 35 minutes then we
came back,” said Gaffar.
The team will return to the city to-
day morning at 10.20am. l
14 DHAKA TRIBUNE Sport Monday, February 17, 2014

'Rooney contract extension not yet'
Reports that the England striker Wayne Rooney has signed a record-breaking
new contract with Manchester United are premature, club sources said on
Sunday. The Sun on Sunday newspaper reported that Rooney had signed a new
four-and-a-half year deal to stay at Old Trafford, worth 70 million pounds ($117
million) which would make him the best-paid player in the Premier League.
“There is no deal, which is why we haven’t announced it,” a United spokesman
said. Negotiations are believed to be ongoing. –Reuters
Nishikori in Memphis title
Defending champion Kei Nishikori will face big-serving Croatian Ivo Karlovic
in Sunday’s final of the $647,000 ATP US National Indoor Championships after
each breezed to a semi-final victory on Saturday. Japanese star Nishikori, top
seeded for the first time at an ATP event, defeated American Michael Russell 6-3,
6-2 while Karlovic advanced when Taiwan fourth seed Lu Yen-Hsun retired after
losing the first set 6-1. Nishikori, ranked 16th, seeks his fourth ATP crown while
Karlovic, ranked 80th, seeks his sixth career title. –AFP
Hamburg sack Van Marwijk
Hamburg fired coach Bert van Marwijk after just 143 days in charge in the
wake of Saturday’s 4-2 drubbing at Bundesliga bottom side Eintracht Braunsch-
weig, the club has confirmed. “We were forced at this time to make this regretful
decision and we thank Bert van Marwijk for his work,” said Hamburg’s sporting
director Oliver Kreuzer in a statement after the board met on Saturday night.
The 61-year-old ex-Netherlands boss, who steered the Oranje to the 2010 World
Cup final, was sacked after eight straight defeats with Hamburg. –AFP

Peace breaks out

after Mourinho’s McCullum ton
stalls India’s
war of words

Having escalated a war of words with his
rivals, Jose Mourinho closed a week of
petty sniping by admitting “football is at
peace” after his Chelsea side were beat-
en by Manchester City in the FA Cup.
Following verbal spats with City
manager Manuel Pellegrini and Arse-
nal boss Arsene Wenger in the run up
to the match at the Etihad Stadium,
Mourinho might have hoped his team
would do the talking for him in Satur-
day’s fifth round clash.
As it was, his Premier League lead-
ers were muted as City rediscovered
their scoring touch in a one-sided 2-0
defeat that left Mourinho facing ques-
tions about whether his bravado had
backfired.
Mourinho and Pellegrini exchanged
barbs last week about money spent in
the transfer market and which team
were favourites.
After calling Arsenal boss Wenger
a “specialist in failure” on Friday,
the Portuguese coach, who claims
everything he says and does is mind
games, was asked if his own side had
failed him.
“My team didn’t fail, but City played
much better than us and when the best
team wins, football is at peace,” he told
reporters.
“The situation is simple to analyse:
They were the best team, they won.
“Today proved how difficult it is to
win here, which shows how well my
team did in the last game.” l
SCORECARD, DAY 3
New Zealand 1st innings 192
K. Williamson 47; I. Sharma 6-51, M.
Shami 4-70
India 1st innings 438
A. Rahane 118, S. Dhawan 98, M. Dhoni
68; Southee 3-93, Boult 3-99, Wagner
3-106
New Zealand 2nd innings
(overnight 24-1)
P. Fulton lbw Khan
H. Rutherford c Dhoni b Khan
K. Williamson c Dhoni b Khan
T. Latham c Dhoni b M. Shami
B. McCullum not out
C. Anderson c & b Jadeja
B. Watling not out
Extras (b2, lb6, nb4)
Total (five wickets; 99 overs)
Fall of wickets
1-1 (Fulton), 2-27 (Williamson), 3-52
(Rutherford), 4-87 (Latham), 5-94
(Anderson)
Bowling
I. Sharma 23-3-63-0 (4nb), Khan 25-
8-60-3, M. Shami 25-4-72-1, Jadeja
26-6-49-1
victory push
New Zealand captain Brendon McCul-
lum stubbornly provided a glimmer of
hope for his side on the third day of the
second test against India as he battled
to his ninth test century to thwart the
visitors’ push for a series-levelling vic-
tory on Sunday.
McCullum, troubled with what ap-
peared to be injuries to his left shoulder
and right elbow, blasted the only six of
his innings over long on off Ishant Shar-
1 ma to bring up the milestone about 45
35 minutes before the end of play.
7 The 32-year-old McCullum was 114
29 not out at stumps having shared in an
114 unbroken 158-run partnership with
2 wicketkeeper BJ Watling (52) that guided
52 the hosts to 252 for five and stalled India’s
12 drive for victory at the Basin Reserve.
252 Corey Anderson was the only wick-
et to fall during the final two sessions,
having joined McCullum at the re-
sumption of play following the lunch
break after New Zealand had slumped
to 87 for four in the final over of the
morning session.
Anderson had tried to work Ravin-
Captain of New Zealand Brendon McCullum hits a six to score century against India dra Jadeja into the leg-side only to get
during day 3 of their 2nd Test in Wellington at the Basin Reserve yesterday AFP a leading edge and it ballooned back to
the left-arm spinner.
Anderson’s dismissal reduced the
hosts to 94 for five and in danger of not
seeing out a sun-drenched day, before
Watling and McCullum dropped an-
chors and took their side through two
sessions to ensure they would be back
for a fourth day.
The normally free-flowing McCullum
faced 237 balls and had been batting for
just under six hours while Watling was
even more obdurate with his 52 coming
from 208 deliveries. He had been at the
crease for more than four hours.
New Zealand had resumed the day
on 24 for one, a deficit of 222 runs, and
slumped further into the mire when Za-
heer Khan grabbed two early wickets to
put India firmly in charge of the match.
The 35-year-old left-armer had the
ball move slightly away off the seam
to catch the thinnest of outside edges
of both Kane Williamson (seven) and
Hamish Rutherford (35) to reduce the
hosts to 52 for three inside the first hour.
India must win the match to level the
two-test series after New Zealand won
the first game at Eden Park by 40 runs and
McCullum said he felt while the visitors
were still in the ascendancy the match
could still turn the home side’s way. l

Bayern rout Freiburg, Sterling and MESSI TOPS DI STEFANO

Leverkusen slump again

Bayern Munich warmed
up for Wednesday’s
Champions League last
16, first-leg clash at Arse-
nal by trouncing Freiburg
4-0 on Saturday to stretch
their Bundesliga lead to 16 points.
Bayern coach Pep Guardiola – whose
side extended their record unbeaten
league run to 46 matches – rested sev-
eral stars ahead of the clash with the
Gunners in London, but still started
with 10 internationals.
Meanwhile, second-placed Bayer
Leverkusen, who host Paris Saint-
Germain in the Champions League on
Tuesday, crashed to another home de-
feat when they lost 2-1 to Schalke 04.
Schalke took the lead when 19-year-
old midfielder Leon Goretzka scored
on 28 minutes before Royal Blues
centre-back Felipe Santana netted a
second-half own goal to restore parity.
Having already won 1-0 at Eintracht
Frankfurt in the German Cup quarter-
Zaha give
Hodgson wings
Superb Barcelona crush Rayo
gentine, who hails from Messi’s home Barca, chasing a fifth La Liga title in
finals on Tuesday, Dortmund enjoyed a town of Rosario. six years, totally outclassed Madrid-
4-0 romp against Armin Veh’s side. Lionel Messi overhauled Barcelona, who play their Champi- based Rayo and took the lead in the
Hoffenheim enjoyed a 4-1 romp at England manager Roy Hodgson feels Alfredo Di Stefano’s La Liga ons League last 16, first leg match at second minute when fullback Adriano
home to VfB Stuttgart, while on Fri- the sparkling form of Raheem Sterling goals tally as Barcelona and Manchester City on Tuesday, and At- cut inside from the left and his low ef-
day Mainz inched closer to a Europa and the re-emergence of Wilfried Zaha Atletico Madrid warmed up letico, who visit AC Milan in the com- fort scooted inside the far post.
League place next season with a 2-0 could leave him spoilt for choice in for midweek Champions Messi and Pedro then cracked shots
win over Hanover 96. l wide areas at the World Cup. League action with wins RESULTS off the frame of the goal before a pin-
Sterling, 19, has produced some on Saturday that put them three points 3 0 point Cesc Fabregas pass sent Messi
RESULTS scintillating displays for Liverpool in clear of Real Madrid at the top.
Atletico Madrid
Raul Garcia 3,
Valladolid
clear in the 36th minute and he pro-
Dortmund 4 0 Frankfurt recent weeks, notably scoring twice in Back to his best after returning from Diego Costa 4, Godin 74 duced a trademark chip over onrushing
Aubameyang 10, 21, the 5-1 demolition of Arsenal last week- a two-month injury layoff in early Jan- Levante 1 0 Almeria goalkeeper Ruben.
Lewandowski 47-P, Jojic 68 The four-times World Player of
end that relaunched his side’s Premier uary, Messi struck twice in Barca’s 6-0 Barral 62
Bayern Munich 4 0 Freiburg League title challenge. thrashing of Rayo Vallecano at the Nou
Barcelona 6 0 Rayo Vallecano
the Year released Alexis on the right
Dante 19, Shaqiri 34, 42, Zaha, meanwhile, is belatedly en- Camp to take his total in Spain’s top Adriano 2, Messi 36, 68, to make it 3-0 eight minutes after the
Pizarro 88 break before a moment of inspiration
joying some first-team action after flight to 228 goals from 263 matches, Sanchez 52, Pedro 56,
Werder Bremen 1 1 M'gladbach joining Cardiff City on loan from Man- one more than Real Madrid great Di Neymar 88 from Andres Iniesta helped create Bar-
Obraniak 88 Raffael 6 chester United last month. Stefano managed in 329 games. Villarreal 0 2 Celta Vigo ca’s fourth in the 56th.
Hoffenheim 4 1 VfB Stuttgart Sterling made his England debut in Still only 26, Messi climbed above Orellana 83, Nolito 90 The Spain playmaker’s backheel
Schipplock 12, 66, Ruediger 78 a 4-2 friendly defeat away to Sweden in his Argentine compatriot to joint third put Fabregas through and he squared
Volland 49, November 2012, but he vanished from on the all-time list behind record petition on Wednesday, have 60 points for Pedro to tap into an empty net as
Firmino 90+2-P
view in the second half of the 2012-13 marksman Telmo Zarra (251) and Hugo from 24 matches, ahead of Real who a dominant Barca turned the screw on
Braunschweig 4 2 Hamburg campaign as Liverpool manager Bren- Sanchez (234) and level with Raul. play at Getafe on Sunday. their hapless visitors.
Kumbela 51, 61, 85, Lasogga 23, dan Rodgers elected to rest him. “I would like to think that Messi has Celta were leading 1-0 and after Messi scored his second with a pre-
Hochscheidt 90+3 Ilicevic 76
The move has paid off in spectacu- still not completely recovered (from play restarted Nolito made it 2-0 with cise shot from the edge of the area in
Leverkusen 1 2 Schalke 04 lar fashion this season and Hodgson his injury),” Barca coach Gerardo Mar- a free kick in the 90th minute meaning the 68th and Neymar crowned a near-
Felipe Santana 66-og Goretzka 28, has been delighted by Sterling’s return tino told a news conference. Villarreal missed a chance to close to perfect night for the home side when he
Huntelaar 74
to form. l “If he wants to, he will break all the within a point of fourth-placed Athletic came off the bench and netted a fierce
records that he likes,” added the Ar- Bilbao. long-range drive in the 89th minute. l

Only Zidane
better than
Gerrard: Owen
Steven Gerrard is second only to Zine-
dine Zidane in terms of his world-class
status, says former England and Liver-
pool striker Michael Owen.
Gerrard, the current England and
Liverpool captain, has recently con-
verted to playing a deeper role for his
club, a transformation that is paying
dividends and should offer food for
thought for England boss Roy Hodg-
son, according to Owen.
“I have played alongside some of the
greatest footballers of my generation,
but there is only one ex-team mate I
would rate higher than Steven Ger-
rard,” he said in the Daily Telegraph.
“The biggest compliment I can give
him is he is second only to Zinedine Zi-
dane in terms of his world-class status.”
“As he evolves his game in the latter
years of his career for club and country,
it is no surprise he is continuing to ex-
cel. His new role at Liverpool as a deep
midfielder is a position he can play
blindfolded,” Owen added. “So far, it is
working ideally, offering plenty to pon-
der for England manager Roy Hodgson
as much as Brendan Rodgers.” l
James scores brace as
Monaco past Bastia
can side, saw them remain in eighth.
James, Joao Moutinho and Em-
James Rodriguez steered Monaco back to manuel Riviere were all recalled to
within five points of Ligue 1 leaders Paris the starting line-up after the trio were
Saint-Germain after netting both goals in on the bench for Wednesday’s French
a 2-0 win away to Bastia on Saturday. Cup victory at Nice. However, the Mon-
The Colombian struck a goal in ei- egasques were without Dimitar Ber-
batov after the Bulgarian picked up a
RESULTS knee injury in that midweek win.
Elsewhere, Zambian defender Stop-
Bastia 0 2 Monaco
James Rodriguez 45, 77 pila Sunzu scored a late winner for
Sochaux as they beat Guingamp 1-0 to
Lorient 1 3 Toulouse
claw to within five points of safety.
Lautoa 41 Ben Yedder 59, Aurier 73,
Braithwaite 80 Reims climbed to sixth after a 1-0
win at home to Bordeaux, while Tou-
Nice 0 0 Nantes
louse came from behind to beat 10-
Reims 1 0 Bordeaux man Lorient 3-1 in Brittany.
De Preville 64 Souleymane Camara snatched a late
Rennes 2 2 Montpellier equaliser for Montpellier in a 2-2 draw
Toivonen 10, 65 Congre 54, at Rennes, while Nice against Nantes
S. Camara 90 ended in a goalless stalemate. Third-
Sochaux 1 0 Guingamp placed Lille travel to face Evian on Sun-
Sunzu 84 day before fourth and fifth face off at
the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard as Saint-
ther half as Monaco won for the first Etienne meet Marseille.
time in three league matches to main- On Friday, PSG strolled to a 3-0 win
tain the status quo at the top of the at home to struggling Valenciennes
French table. through goals from Ezequiel Lavezzi,
Defeat for Bastia, just a second Zlatan Ibrahimovic and an own-goal Barcelona's Argentinian forward Lionel Messi celebrates his goal Rayo Vallecano during their Spanish league match at the Camp Nou
home loss of the season for the Corsi- from Kagelmacher. l stadium in Barcelona on Saturday AFP

QUICK BYTES
No scare but need to
curb Johnson: Smith
South Africa will turn their attention to
finding a way to negate the formi-
dable threat posed by fiery Australian
Mitchell Johnson, captain Graeme
Smith said following his team’s com-
prehensive 281-run defeat in the first
test on Saturday. “There is no doubt
Mitchell Johnson was the difference in
this game and we have to find way to
curb him and put him under pressure
in the next two tests,” said Smith as
South Africa licked their wounds after
losing the first of the three-test series.
Johnson’s 12-wicket haul came as a
result of some vicious deliveries, one of
which cut Ryan McLaren behind the ear
and the other hit Hashim Amla full in
the face. The left-arm paceman bowled
consistently around the 150km mark
and scythed through the home team’s
batting to produce career best figures.
–Reuters
Only Zidane better
than Gerrard:Owen
Steven Gerrard is second only to
Zinedine Zidane in terms of his world-
class status, says former England and
Liverpool striker Michael Owen. Ger-
rard, the current England and Liverpool
captain, has recently converted to
playing a deeper role for his club, a
transformation that is paying dividends
and should offer food for thought for
England boss Roy Hodgson, accord-
ing to Owen. “I have played alongside
some of the greatest footballers of
my generation, but there is only one
ex-team mate I would rate higher than
Steven Gerrard,” he said in the Daily
Telegraph. “The biggest compliment I
can give him is he is second only to Zin-
edine Zidane in terms of his world-class
status.” Owen played alongside Zidane
at Real Madrid as well as lining up with
Gerrard from Liverpool’s youth sides all
the way through to the national team.
–Reuters
Spurs teenager
Bentaleb to represent
Algeria at World Cup
Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Nabil
Bentaleb has agreed to play for Algeria
at the World Cup in Brazil in June and is
in the squad for next month’s warm-up
fixture against Slovenia. The 19-year-
old is a French junior international but
because he holds dual nationality can
change his allegiance in accordance with
the rules of world soccer’s governing
body FIFA. Bentaleb has played once for
France’s under-19s in a friendly which
means he will not have to go through the
official process of changing footballing
nationality. “He has agreed to play for
the country of his parents after meeting
Algerian Football Federation president
Mohamed Raouaraoua,” the federation
said in a statement. “He will be called up
for the game on March 5 against Slovenia
in Blida.” Bentaleb’s situation had been
the cause of much speculation in the
Algerian media in recent weeks.
–Reuters
Serena aims to dispel
anxieties in Dubai
Serena Williams’ bid to extend her phe-
nomenal career into her 33rd year will
take a tentative but crucial step forward
when she unexpectedly lines up at the
head of the field for the Dubai Open
which starts on Monday. Tennis’ iconic
female had planned to give the popular
and lucrative tournament a miss until
a back injury at last month’s Australian
Open altered the shape of her year. She
needs to prove that it won’t alter the
shape of her career either. Serena has
already confounded countless predic-
tions by recovering from a hematoma
and a life-threatening pulmonary embo-
lism, and improbably regaining the
world number one ranking a year ago.
But injuries at this age, especially back
injuries, can be a cause for anxiety.
–AFP
DAY’S WATCH
Massranga TV
1:00PM
Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka
1st ODI
Star Sports 4
3:25 PM
Sochi Winter Olympic Games 2014
Day 10
Ten Action
2: 00 AM
Saint- Etienne vs. Olympique De
Marseille
Ten Golf
6:30 PM
European Tour 2014
Day 1: Africa Open
DHAKA TRIBUNE
Arsenal's Lukasz Fabianski makes a save from Liverpool's Daniel Sturridge during their FA Cup fifth round match at the Emirates Stadium in London yesterday
Arsenal edge Liverpool, City down Blues
n AFP, London
Arsenal set up an
FA Cup quarter-
final meeting with
Everton after over-
coming Liverpool 2-1 in a feisty and
gripping fifth-round match at the Emir-
ates Stadium on Sunday.
Liverpool had trounced Arsenal 5-1
at Anfield in the Premier League last
weekend, but the London club took
revenge through goals in each half by
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Lukas
Podolski.
Steven Gerrard halved Arsenal’s ad-
vantage with a 59th-minute penalty
after Podolski was adjudged to have
tripped Luis Suarez.
The visitors felt they should have
been awarded a second spot-kick mo-
ments later after Oxlade-Chamberlain
Lavillenie breaks Bubka’s
pole-vault world record
Frenchman Renaud Lavillenie broke
Sergei Bubka’s 21-year-old indoor pole
vault world record on Saturday at the
same Donetsk meeting where the Ukrai-
nian great set the old mark in 1993.
Lavillenie, the Olympic champion,
easily vaulted 6.16 metres at his first at-
tempt to improve the record by one cen-
timetre and to make the moment sweet-
er, Bubka was present to witness it.
An ecstatic Lavillenie, or ‘Airvalle-
nie’ as his fans nickname him, put his
head in his hands and ran round the
auditorium celebrating.
“It was totally crazy. I wanted to do
my best. It was incredible,” said the
27-year-old, who also sent out a jubi-
lant tweet that he was “still in the air”
over his victory.
Bubka cleared 6.15 metres in 1993
and still holds the outdoor world re-
cord of 6.14m set in 1994.
Rain forces draws in NCL
Dhaka Metro batsman Asif Ahmed receives
man of the match COURTESY
Sport
appeared to foul Suarez, but their ap-
peals were dismissed by referee How-
ard Webb.
Victory in a game splattered with
yellow cards means that Arsenal will
host Everton in the last eight, but they
will have bruises to nurse ahead of
Wednesday’s meeting with Bayern Mu-
nich in the Champions League last 16.
On Saturday, Manchester City
avenged their recent loss to Chelsea in
the Premier League with a 2-0 home
win on Saturday that sent them into
the quarter-finals of the FA Cup.
City’s perfect home record in the
league was spoilt last week when Chel-
sea pulled off a 1-0 win at the Etihad
Stadium, but goals in each half from
Stevan Jovetic and Samir Nasri gave
Manuel Pellegrini’s side revenge.
Both managers named strong
teams for the heavyweight fifth-round
The 50-year-old former champion,
dressed in a suit, was among the first to
congratulate his successor.
“A new era has arrived in this sport...
We expected this and we are delighted
that it took place exactly here, in Do-
netsk,” Bubka told AFP.
“I am very fond of this boy. I am sure
this is not the last summit he will reach
and that other brilliant successes await
him.”
Lavillenie, who subsequently made
an unsuccessful attempt at 6.21m, re-
vealed he had changed his pole in be-
tween a successful attempt at 6.01m
and the record vault, something he had
never done before.
“I asked for 6.16m because it was
the best place to break the record of
Sergei Bubka, 21 years after he set the
mark,” he said.
“I thought it was the best place to
try as the best was there,” he added, re-
ferring to Bubka’s presence. l
Overcast conditions
added with drizzle
throughout the day
allowed none of the
three ongoing matches of the National
Cricket League roll on the field yester-
day. Sylhet remained the only side to
claim a win in the third round as they
had beaten table toppers Dhaka divi-
sion inside three days on Saturday.
Overnight rain earlier washed away
the third day of the matches in Bogra
and Rangpur and conditions did not
improve on the final day yesterday as
both the matches – Chittagong versus
Khulna and Rajshahi versus Rangpur –
had to be called off as a draw without
any ball bowled.
Meanwhile, the match between
Dhaka Metropolis and Barisal at the
Fatullah Outer ground also ended as
a draw with only three overs played
Monday, February 17, 2014 15
Berdych, Cilic
to play for
Rotterdam title
Tomas Berdych and Marin Cilic will
square off on Sunday as both men bid
for a first career title at the Rotterdam
World Tennis.
Third-seeded Czech Berdych played
impeccable tennis to defeat Ernests
Gulbis 6-3, 6-2 on Saturday while Cilic
lost serve for the first time this week
but recovered for a 5-7, 6-3, 6-2 win
over Dutchman Igor Sijsling.
Berdych, who has not lost a set so
far this week, dropped just six points
on serve in the 29-minute first set as
he quickly took charge against Lat-
via’s Gulbis, who earned his place in
the semis after putting out top-seeded
holder Juan Martin del Potro.
Berdych is bidding for his first ATP
title since October 2012 and was the
only member of the ranking top 10
not to lift a trophy during 2013 despite
reaching the quarter-finals or better in
15 of his 23 tournaments.
Cilic, meanwhile, will be trying to
win a second straight trophy after tri-
umphing in Zagreb last week.
The 37th-ranked Croatian, who once
stood in the top 10, owns 10 titles and
had won 16 straight sets before fall-
ing in the first to an inspired Sijsling.
Berdych beat Cilic in their last meeting
on grass at Queen’s in 2013 and has won
REUTERS four of their six previous meetings. l
Halep serves
another shock to
RESULTS grin forward broke the deadlock in the reach Doha final
16th minute.
Arsenal 2 1 Liverpool Edin Dzeko was the architect with a
Oxlade-Chamberlain 16 Gerrard 59-pen
Podolski 47 measured pass into the box for Jovetic, Simona Halep, voted newcomer of
who placed a delicate shot into the net the year on the WTA Tour, served up a
Everton 3 1 Swansea via the base of the left-hand post. second shock in two days on Saturday,
Traore 4, Naismith 65, Baines 72 De Guzman 15
Wigan Athletic’s defence of the FA beating Agnieszka Radwanska to reach
Sheffield United 3 1 Nottingham Cup remains on course, meanwhile, af- the final of the Qatar Open.
ter the second-tier side won 2-1 at Pre- The 22-year-old Romanian not only
Cardiff 1 2 Wigan
mier League club Cardiff City to reach
overwhelmed Radwanska, the second-
Campbell 27 McCann 18,
Watson 40 the last eight. seeded former Wimbledon finalist, by
Man City 2 0 Chelsea
Earlier, Craig Gardner scored a mag- 7-5, 6-2, but unleashed an unstoppable
Jovetic 16, Nasri 67 nificent winning goal as Sunderland
beat top-flight rivals Southampton 1-0
torrent of winners which suggested that
a climb up the top 10 is more than likely.
Sunderland 1 0 Southampton to become the first side to progress That will see the young Romanian
Gardner 49
from the fifth round. play Angelique Kerber, who also upset
clash, but hosts City dominated from After a low-key first half, Gardner the seedings with another diligent per-
the off. illuminated proceedings in the 49th formance.
Jovetic seemed determined to im- minute with a goal of shimmering qual- Kerber reached the final in the city
press and after clipping a shot just over ity, side-stepping Victor Wanyama and she has made her training base by
the crossbar when Petr Cech spilled an dispatching a 25-yard shot that crashed quelling a spirited fight-back from Jele-
effort from Yaya Toure, the Montene- in off the bar. l na Jankovic. l
France's Renaud Lavillenie clears the bar to break Sergei Bubka's 21-year-old indoor pole vault world record on Saturday in Donetsk, at
the same Donetsk meeting where the Ukrainian great set the old mark in 1993 AFP
Disgraced Ryder misses out
on NZ’s World T20 selection
on the fourth day. Metro resumed the
day on 104 for four and lost overnight
batsman Marshal Ayub (31) in the fifth “Character is really important and if
delivery to left-arm spinner Monir we feel ... it does not stack up we will not
Hossain. After a couple more overs the Jesse Ryder’s latest off-field indiscretion select a player.”
players had to run back to their dressing has predictably cost him a place in New Edgar said Ryder’s future selection,
room with the drizzle getting heavier Zealand’s squad for the World Twenty20 particularly for New Zealand’s tour of
tournament in Bangladesh next month.
POINTS TABLE Ryder, 29, was dropped from New SQUAD
Teams M Won Lost Draw Aban Pts Zealand’s squad for the second test Brendon McCullum (captain), Corey
Dhaka Div 3 2 1 0 0 52 against India at the Basin Reserve after Anderson, Trent Boult, Anton Devcich,
Rajshahi 3 2 0 1 0 52 being involved in a late-night drinking Martin Guptill, Roneel Hira, Mitchell
Dhaka Metro 3 1 0 2 0 43 session on the eve of the first test in McClenaghan, Nathan McCullum, Kyle
Sylhet 3 1 1 1 0 37 Auckland. That indiscretion also count- Mills, Colin Munro, James Neesham,
Khulna 3 0 0 3 0 27 ed against his inclusion in the World Luke Ronchi, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor,
Barisal 3 0 1 2 0 18 Twenty20 squad, national selection Kane Williamson
Rangpur 3 0 1 2 0 17 manager Bruce Edgar told reporters at
Chittagong 3 0 2 1 0 15 the Basin Reserve on Sunday. West Indies in May, would depend on
“It certainly created a gap for us,” Ed- the player himself.
before the match was officially called gar said, naming the side for the tourna- “It’s really up to Jesse to work through
off at 4.20pm. Metro’s right-handed ment that starts on March 16. the process with New Zealand Cricket,
batsman Asif Ahmed was named as the “Mike (Hesson) and I certainly the players’ association and Otago Crick-
man of the match for his career best weren’t happy with his preparation and et,” he added. “Until that time I can’t re-
200 in the first innings. l therefore we have had to exclude him. ally answer that. It’s up to Jesse.” l
16
Health minister
slams private
hospitals
Nasim asks for more care for patients
n Moniruzzaman Uzzal
Health Minister Mohammed Nasim has
come down hard on private hospitals,
clinics and diagnostic centres for mak-
ing ultra-profit by holding patients hos-
tage.
Citing examples, the minister said
sometimes private medical centres
make 400 times profit for doing a sim-
ple laboratory test. He said centres
often charged as much as Tk200 for
simple blood test that cost a laboratory
only about Tk2.
‘You will be allowed
to do rational profit.
I will take all necessary
steps to ensure the
quality of service at
affordable prices’
Nasim said it was not that the health-
care centres installed new machines
every day. There was no point in mak-
ing so much profit since they used the
same machines, installed years ago, for
doing the tests.
“I am not the health minister of the
rich. I am the health minister of the
poor,” he said, warning the private hos-
pitals, clinics and diagnostic centers
that he would not tolerate such prof-
it-driven business activities.
“You will be allowed to do rational
profit. I will take all necessary steps to
ensure the quality of service at afford-
able prices,” he affirmed.
The minister made the remarks
while speaking as the chief guest at a
seminar in a city hotel yesterday.
He asked the divisional directors
Prime minister asks labour ministry to
finalise domestic workers policy
n Mohosinul Karim
A draft policy to protect domestic
workers, prepared three years ago,
would be announced as soon as it is
finalised according to the direction of
the prime minister.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yes-
terday asked labour ministry officials
to place the draft of the Domestic Work-
ers’ Protection and Welfare Policy 2010
before the cabinet soon for approval.
Hasina, who is in charge of the la-
bour and employment ministry, gave
the directive when the draft policy was
placed before her as she attended office
at the ministry for the first time.
The ministry, which prepared the
draft in association with civil society
members after consulting with labour
and rights groups, is considering plac-
ing the draft before the cabinet within
a month, State Minister for Labour Mo-
jibul Haque Chunnu told the Dhaka Tri-
3kg smuggled gold
seized at Dhaka airport
n Kailash Sarkar
Another haul of smuggled gold,
weighing three kilograms and worth
about Tk1.35 crore, was seized from
a Dubai-based Bangladeshi expatri-
ate at Dhaka international airport
yesterday.
Customs Intelligent and Investiga-
tion Directorate (CIID) agents at Shah-
jalal International Airport arrested
Morshedul Alam with 26 bars of gold
as he arrived on a Biman Bangladesh
Airlines flight from Dubai yesterday af-
ternoon, CIID Director General Moinul
Khan said.
The DG said Morshedul, who is
from Chittagong, was detained when
he tried to cross the “green chan-
nel” with the gold bars, dodging
customs.
“The CIID officials first challenged
the expatriate for his suspicious move-
ment, and found the gold bars after
searching his body and luggage,” said
Moinul.
Editor: Zafar Sobhan, Published and Printed by Kazi Anis Ahmed on behalf of 2A Media Limited at Dainik Shakaler Khabar Publications Limited, 153/7, Tejgaon Industrial Area, Dhaka-1208. Editorial, News & Commercial Office: FR Tower, 8/C Panthapath, Shukrabad, Dhaka 1207.
DHAKA TRIBUNE
and civil surgeons to strengthen mon-
itoring and supervision at the grass-
roots-level healthcare facilities to en-
sure the presence of enough doctors.
“If other government officials can
stay at the upazilas, why not the doc-
tors?” the minister inquired, adding
that “all kinds of facilities including
electricity, internet, mobile phones,
schools and colleges are now available
in the upazilas.”
There would be both rewards and
punishments for doctors based on their
performance, Nasim said.
In Bangladesh, private hospitals,
clinics and diagnostic centers are run
according to a 1982 ordinance. Profes-
sionals said there were very few private
hospitals at that time.
But at present, there are more than
8,000 registered private hospitals, clin-
ics and diagnostic centers in the coun-
try. It is also said that the number of
unregistered private hospitals, clinics
and diagnostic centers will surpass the
number of registered ones.
Since 1996, many initiatives have
been taken to formulate a law for gov-
erning the operations of private health-
care facilities. A draft of the law was
placed in parliament during the tenure
of the BNP-Jamaat-led government
which eventually never saw light.
The subsequent army-backed inter-
im and the Awami League-led govern-
ments also made several drafts of the
law.
Seeking anonymity, a number of
officials of the health ministry and the
health directorate told the Dhaka Tri-
bune that many ministers, MPs and
political leaders were directly involved
with the business of private hospitals.
As a result, they always block the way
of passage of such laws. l
bune after the PM’s visit.
The PM arrived at the ministry in-
side the secretariat at 10:30am and held
a three-hour meeting with officials of
the ministry and other agencies and
departments under it.
Registration of
domestic workers will
be mandatory, while
registered workers
would get basic
facilities
The state minister said the PM asked
them to place the policy at a cabinet
meeting after finalising it through con-
sultations with stakeholders.
Meanwhile, the draft of adomestic
workers’protection act, which would
be finalised once the policy is approved,
He said the detained man was hand-
ed over to police after lodged a case
with Airport Police Station.
Sources said Morshedul’s passport
and travel history show that he travels
frequently. The detained man is also
suspected to be a member of a ring in-
volved in smuggling gold from Dubai,
they added.
According to airport sources,
around 60 gangs of smugglers are
active in trafficking gold, precious
stones, currencies and other valu-
ables through the airport in collu-
sion with a section of unscrupulous
officials and employees of different
government and non-government
agencies.
The sources said around 600kg of
gold, currencies amounting toTk500
crore and other valuables worth
Tk1,000 crore were seized in the last
one year, while more than 950 sus-
pects, including officials and employ-
ees of different airlines and customs,
were arrested. l
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Back Page
Muhith: Govt
mulling private
sector pension
scheme
n Tribune Report
The government is thinking about
bringing the “organised” private sec-
tor under a pension scheme alongside
the existing one for government em-
ployees, Finance Minister AMA Muhith
has said.
“There are some 20 lakh govern-
ment officials and employees under
the national pension scheme and if it
[the private sector pension scheme] is
implemented for the organised private
sector, then the number would jump to
50 lakh,” he said.
The minister was addressing the
first National Dialogue on the Draft
National Social Protection Strategy
(NSPS) in the capital yesterday as the
chief guest.
Referring to the Awami League’s
election manifesto, Muhith said initia-
tives for introducing pension schemes
would have to be launched in all pri-
vate organisations by 2018 and so-
cial security for all has to be ensured
by 2021.
Underscoring the need for a nation-
al database for the various pension
schemes to avert overlapping and re-
moving errors, he said: “We should
now have a farsighted thinking for our
social safety net programmes. In the
next five years, we are certainly going
to have a powerful local government,
which is one of the biggest promises
of this government …the devolution of
power and decentralisation of the ad-
ministration.”
The minister claimed that only
about 11% of the country’s population
was now in extreme poverty and the
rate of poverty was 26%
He also proposed changing the name
of the discussed strategy to “National
Plan for Social Security.”
Also present at the programme,
Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Ka-
mal said because of the immediate past
government’s proactive role, poverty
rate had come down to around 26%
from 40%. l
would be placed later, Mojibul said.
“The act will be finalised according
to the policy. So, we have given empha-
sis on finalising the policy,” he said.
Mojibul said the registration of do-
mestic workers would be made manda-
tory, while registered workers would get
facilities like appointment letters, iden-
tity cards, fixed wages, fixed working
hours, leave and rest period, education
and training, medical allowance and
compensation for any kind of accidents.
“The prime minister made some ob-
servations during her meeting with the
officials. The draft will be finalized by
including the PM’s directives. It will be
announced shortly after getting the ap-
proval of the cabinet,” headded.
According to ministry officials, the
draft of the policy has remained stuck
at the cabinet division since it was pre-
pared in 2010, while the draft of the act
was yet to be sent to the division.
The state minister said the drafts of
Commuters wait for buses at the capital’s Sonargaon intersection yesterday. A sudden rainfall in the capital had caused traffic deadlocks
in several points across the city
Monday, February 17, 2014
A dark, quiet day at the fair
59
new
books
published
A M A R E K U S H E Y B O O K FA I R 2 0 1 4
n Ahmed Zayeef
The month-long Amar Ekushey Boi Mela
yesterday saw few visitors as unexpected
rain stopped many from coming to the fair.
The venue grounds became muddy, and
power cuts also disrupted the usual liveli-
ness of the fair.
Fearing an accident, the authorities sus-
pended power supply in the evening, and
as a result, darkness fell all around the fair.
The publishers had to rely on lamps and
their own initiatives.
Defying rain and cold, a few enthusiastic
book lovers were seen strolling inside the
fair with umbrellas and raincoats. Abdullah
al Masud, an avid book lover, chose the day
to hit the fair anticipating fewer visitors.
the act and the policy were prepared to
protect domestic workers from phys-
ical, mental and sexual harassment,
limit their working hours and stop the
employment of under-12 children.
According to a study by Unicef and
International Labour Organisation,
there are around 20 lakh domestic work-
ers,including more than 450,000 child
servants, in Bangladesh. Among them,
around 150,000 workers are employed
in different households in the capital.
“There are different rules and reg-
ulations on protection and welfare of
domestic workers. There is a regula-
tion on not employing children below
12 years of age. There is also a High
Court directive in this regard. We have
to work for effective implementation of
these regulations,” Mojibulsaid.
He added that the ministry planned
to enact a security policy for the pro-
tection of domestic workers andbring
them under a social welfare network. l
“I came to the fair expecting a thin
crowd. The sales executives at the stalls are
more friendly and sincere to meet queries
of the visitors and buyers on such a day,
which they usually do not do on more hec-
tic days,” he said.
Publishers passed a relaxed day at their
stalls, chatting with friends and enjoying
cups of tea.
Milan Kanti Nath, proprietor of Anupam
Prokashoni, said: “City dwellers did not ex-
pect rain in this season, it is expected that
they would not take the trouble to come to
the fair in such rough weather. This day was
disastrous one for the book sellers.”
“We expected more visitors in the eve-
ning; however, the power cut spoiled that
as well,” he added.
Shaheda Khatun, member secretary of
the fair committee told the Dhaka Tribune
that the decision to suspend power supply
came out of concern for security at the fair.
“We took the decision upon suggestion
of an electrician as the rain water started
seeping into the electricity lines at several
points,” she said.
She blamed the unplanned design of the
HC questions uncontested
winner provision
n Tribune Report
The High Court yesterday issued a rul-
ing, asking why the RPO provision for
declaring an uncontested candidate
winner in parliamentary poll should
not be held unconstitutional.
The bench of Justice Mirza Hussain
Haider and Justice Khurshid Alam
Sarkar passed the order following a
writ petition lodged on December 17 by
Jatiya Party Vice-Chairman Khandker
Abdus Salam.
It asked the cabinet secretary, law
secretary, chief election commissioner
and the Election Commission secretary
to reply to the ruling within 10 days.
According to section 19(1) of the
Representation of the People Order
1972, if there is only one valid candi-
date for election after scrutiny, or there
is only one contesting candidate after
withdrawal of nominations, the return-
ing officer shall declare that candidate
RAJIB DHAR
RAJIB DHAR
stalls by the publishers for the disruption
that occurred.
At a press conference held yesterday,
Bangla Academy Director General Sham-
sujjaman Khan expressed satisfaction over
the development of the fair so far.
He said the sale of books had risen be-
yond expectation.
A total of 59 new books were published
yesterday, including Selina Hossain’s “Poth
Cholatei Anondo” from Jagriti Prokashoni, Dr
Emajuddin Ahmed’s “Bangladesher Rajneeti:
Shomoshsha O Shomadhan,” Pronoy Kanti
Nath’s “Budhdhir Mukti O Bedona Madhuri”
and Oporajita Onu’s “Tomar Shomashongge
Kobitar Uthon” from Shudhhoshor.
A total of 13 new books were unveiled
at Nazrul Mancha on the Bangla Academy
premises. A discussion titled “Gyanbhittik
Shomaj O Digital Bangladesh Nirmane To-
ththo Projukti” was held at the central stage
with Secretary of Ministry of Information
and Communication Technology Nazrul Is-
lam Khan as the keynote speaker.
Professor Jamilur Reza Chowdhury,
vice-chancellor of University of Asia Pacific
presided over the session. l
elected to the seat by a public notice.
Supreme Court lawyer Hassan MS
Azim, who argued for the petitioner,
told the court that the provision had
been contrary to the constitution as it
left the people, who were owners of all
powers of the republic, with no option
to express their views through voting
The section negated the guarantee
of effective participation of the people
through their elected representative
in administration at all levels, he said.
“The provision also contradicts the
constitution as it inherently possesses
the scope of arbitrary and discrimi-
natory use of the election process by
the political parties and, thereby, get
their choice of candidates declared by
the Election Commission to have been
elected avoiding participation of the
people,” says the writ petition.
A total of 153 candidates became law-
makers without votes in the 10th parlia-
mentary election held on January 5. l
Sudden rainfall a
farmer’s bliss
n Abu Bakar Siddique
A sudden rainfall across the country
since yesterday morning may have
disrupted daily life, however, farmers
across the nation have welcomed it.
Most farmers said the rainfalls play a
vital role in providing a natural boost to
the irrigation of winter crops, such as
wheat and maize.
“Despite bringing back the cold
spell, the sudden rainfall has provided
a natural boost to the crop field,” said
Abdur Razzaq, a farmer from Northern
District Dinajpur.
“The rainfall also helped me save
around Tk3,000, as I do not need ad-
ditional efforts to irrigate my 2-acre
maize cropland,” he added.
According to the Bangladesh Mete-
orology Department, the rain was ex-
pected, as such usually takes place just
before and after the winter as a mode
of transition.
“However, rainfall is a bit higher this
year due to the presence of a Western
low in the Bay near West Bengal of In-
dia,” said Shah Alam, a director of the
Met office. l
Continue to the
Business section...

Business
 B3 No appetite for big con-
sumer goods? Try their
suppliers
Banks divert investment to risk-free BSEC chairman, four
government securities members may serve
‘BB is selling the government securities keeping in mind whether the government
would face interest burden’
n Jebun Nesa Alo
The investment of banks in the govern-
ment securities increased by 43% year-
on-year in January this year as private
sector entrepreneurs were reluctant to
take loan due to sluggish business cli-
mate.
It increased to Tk141,942 crore in
January 2014 over the last 12-month
period from Tk99,000 crore in January
last year, according to latest Bangla-
desh Bank statistics.
During the period, private sector
credit growth increased by 13% to
Tk783,709 crore, which is much less
than the monetary policy target.
The country’s commercial banks
are awash with excess liquidity due to
less than expected investment amid
lower credit demand with almost all
kinds of business expansion remained
suspended amid political uncertainty
ahead of the general election held on
January 5.
As a result, banks increased their in-
vestment in the government securities
instead of keeping the money idle, said
a Bangladesh Bank senior executive.
“Bangladesh Bank is selling the gov-
ernment securities keeping in mind
whether the government would face
interest burden,” Deputy Governor SK
Sur Chowdhury told the Dhaka Tri-
bune yesterday.
Excess money after maintaining
statutory liquidity ratio (SLR) in the
banking system as of January 9 this
year stood at Tk89,337 crore, includ-
Apparel exports fall
1.6% in January
n Tribune Report
Bangladesh’s readymade garment ex-
ports have declined by 1.66% or $38m
in January from December as, apparel
makers said, production was disrupt-
ed by political unrest.
The exports fell to $2.24bn in Jan-
uary from $2.28bn one month earlier,
Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) data.
“Political unrest has dented the
RMG factory production, which re-
flects in the fall of exports,” said Ab-
dus Salam Murshedy, president of
Exporters Association of Bangladesh
(EAB).
He feared the export might further
fall in the coming month as “the sec-
tor continues to face order crisis from
the buyers while many orders still re-
main pending.”
Dr Khondaker Golam Moazzem,
additional research director of Centre
for Policy Dialogue (CPD), identified
workers’ unrest and shipment delay
caused by political turmoil as reasons
for the export fall.
However, the country’s total ex-
port earnings surged 15% to $17.44bn
Users’ help sought to popularise
Pangaon container terminal
n Tribune Business Desk
Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan
urged the port users to help continue
the operation of Pangaon Inland Con-
tainer Terminal, a newly-built infra-
structure to carry goods between Dha-
ka and Chittagong.
He assured of his ministry’s support
and all necessary facilities to the port
users.
“We will provide every necessary
facility to the port users for keeping the
Pangaon terminal operational,” the min-
ister said during an exchange of views
with the terminal users in Keraniganj.
The meeting was aimed at finding
ways to popularise the new terminal,
reports UNB.
The shipping ministry organised the
meeting with the terminal users at Pan-
gaon Container Terminal Bhaban.
Chaired by Shipping Secretary Syed
Monzurul Islam, the meeting was ad-
B4 Something to
learn from
ing Tk79,000 crore or 88.5% remained
invested in the government securities.
“The banks are not bound to invest
in government securities, but they in-
vested here for risk-free return,” said
a senior executive of a private bank.
“The amount of investment increased
when the banks considered it risky to
invest in private sector due to political
turmoil.”
The banks get around 10% interests
on investment in government securities
against an average of above 15% they
could get through lending otherwise.
“Lending to private sector has the
in the first seven months of the cur-
rent fiscal year from $15.15bn in the
same period one year ago.
The January 2014 exports also rose
to $2.75bn with 7.81% up from $2.55bn
in January 2013, according to EPB fig-
ures.
The volume exceeded the target of
$2.67bn by 2.83% in the month.
RMG exports posted nearly 15%
growth and stood at over $14.17bn in
the July-January period of the current
fiscal year from the same period of
last year’s $12bn.
The knitwear and woven garments,
the two largest export earners, regis-
tered 18.13% and 17.32% growth re-
spectively in the period.
The knitwear export volume to-
talled nearly $7bn and woven gar-
ments more than $7bn.
The data showed frozen foods ex-
port increased 26%, shrimps 34%,
vegetables 31.21%, footwear 32.21%
and leather 45.38% in the period.
Jute and jute products export
dropped 21.24%, specialised textiles
3% and ships, boats and floating struc-
tures 95%. l
dressed, among others, by State Min-
ister for Power, Energy and Mineral
Resources Nasrul Hamid, Chittagong
Port Authority Chairman Rear Admiral
Nizamuddin Ahmed, BIWTA chairman
Dr M Samsuddoha Khondaker and vice
chairman of Bangladesh Container Ship-
ping Corporation M Shamimul Haque.
Leaders of the Federation of Bangla-
desh Chambers of Commerce and In-
dustry (FBCCI), BGMEA, BKMEA, Ban-
gladesh Shipping Agents Association
and Bangladesh Container Shipping
Association attended the meeting.
Shajahan Khan said the government
has already brought two ships to carry
containers on the water route between
Dhaka and Chittagong Port.
“We’ll collect three more ships by
mid-year. One will come from abroad
while another two from Khulna Ship
Dockyard,” he said.
The Shipping Minister said facilities
must be increased in the port area to
risk of becoming classified, but there
is no risk of investment in government
securities,” Bangladesh Bank Execu-
tive Director Mahfuzur Rahman told
the Dhaka Tribune.
Banks can lend up to 81% of their li-
quidity. It was about 56% in case of the
state-owned banks till December 13
last while about 78% for private com-
mercial banks.
The investment in government secu-
rities in the first quarter of last year in-
creased by 7% to Tk100,000 crore when
private sector credit posted negative
growth by 0.15% to Tk425,000 crore.
Atiur hopes non-performing
loans to stay moderate
n Tribune Report
Bangladesh Bank Governor Dr. Ati-
ur Rahman yesterday hoped that the
non-performing loans (NPL) of the
scheduled banks would remain under
a moderate level in the balance-sheet of
December 2013 just because of flexible
policy undertaken by the central bank.
He was addressing the General Man-
agers Conference held at the central
bank headquarters.
To recover the financial health of the
banks, International Monetary Fund
(IMF) has long been putting pressure
on the central bank to reduce the NPL.
Addressing the conference BB gov-
ernor said, “We have to closely monitor
the banks that have taken the oppor-
tunity of loan rescheduling, so those
loans won’t turn into classified again.”
“As the rate of classified loans in
the banking sector increased slightly
12.79% in September, 2013 after adopt-
ing internationally best practices in
loan classifying and provisioning, the
central bank has relaxed the rules of
loan-rescheduling, so the NPL rate re-
duces in the balance sheet.’’
keep the terminal operational, and an
integrated plan should be taken in this
regard.
“We must carry out dredging on reg-
ular basis on rivers to ensure smooth
navigability of the rivers,” he added.
In November 2013, Prime Minister
Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the Panga-
on Inland Container Terminal on the
bank of the Buriganga River at Pangaon
in South Keraniganj.
The Bangladesh Inland Water Trans-
port Authority (BIWTA) and the Chit-
tagong Port Authority jointly built the
terminal spending Tk154 crore.
The project aims to ease the pressure
of cargo movement on the Dhaka-Chit-
tagong railway and highway corridors.
The terminal will have a storage capac-
ity of 3,500 TEUs (Twenty Equivalent
Units) of containers and handle 116,000
TEUs containers annually. The capac-
ity will gradually be raised to 160,000
TEUs. l
The quarterly credit growth in the
government securities increased by
6.45% to Tk118,000 crore in June last
year, followed by 2% to Tk130,000
crore in September and 7.1% to
Tk141,000 in December while private
sector credit growth increased by 2.7%
to Tk446,000 crore, 1% to Tk442,000
crore and 2.6% to Tk 463,000 crore re-
spectively.
The excess liquidity increased by
Tk29,000 crore or 48% last year to
stand at Tk89,000 crore in January
2014 from Tk60,000 crore in the same
month last year. l
Bangladesh Bank had earlier asked
the commercial banks issuing a circular
in December, 2013, to offer privileges to
small and medium enterprises (SMEs),
agricultures and other productive sec-
tors in case of loan rescheduling.
It also asked the banks and financial
institutions to consider the impact of
political unrest on various productive
sectors and business to receive down
payment and allow loan rescheduling.
We have to closely
monitor the banks
that have taken the
opportunity of loan
rescheduling, so those
loans won’t turn into
classified again
The banks and financial institutions
should, however, need to obtain
permission from their respective
authorities and no objection from the BB
before allowing anyone the extended-
time for the loan rescheduling.
Although the BB circular is applica-
Income tax falls
Tk4,300cr short of
target in 7 months
n Syed Samiul Basher Anik
Income tax collection by the Nation-
al Board of Revenue (NBR) in the first
seven-month of the current fiscal year
(July-January) fell short of target by
Tk4,300 crore mainly due to excessive
target amid volatile political scenario.
According to the provisional data,
the revenue board collected only
Tk18,300 crore in income tax in the
first seven months of the FY 2013-14
against the target of Tk22,600crore.  nue target would be lowered in the re-
“The NBR fell short of Tk800 crore
in January as it was able to collect
Tk2,700 crore against its target of
Tk3,500crore set for the month,’’ said
NBR officials.
All the income tax offices, excepting
two have failed to achieve their reve-
nue target, they added.
The NBR officials have categorical-
ly blamed the finance ministry for the
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2014 www.dhakatribune.com/business
one more term
n Asif Showkat Kallol
The government has decided to extend
by one more term the appointment of
the present chairman and four mem-
bers of Bangladesh Securities and Ex-
change Commission (BSEC).
According to Finance Minister
AMA Muhith, the present manage-
ment of the stock regulator performed
well since they took charges in mid-
2011.
The three-year term of the offi-
cials will end between May and July
this year. After the amendment of
the SEC law however, the term will
be four years now from the next ap-
pointment.
According to experts and market
analysts, the present chairman and the
members cannot be said successful in
controlling the market volatility during
their tenure.
But Finance Minister AMA Muhith
commented that the “performance of
BSEC chairman Prof M Khairul Hossain
and four members has been good as we
saw the country’s two bourses more or
less stable in their time.”
He wrote the comment on a propos-
al of extension by the BSEC chief. The
process of extending the tenure will
start from March, said a senior official
of Bank and Financial Institutions Di-
vision.
“I want to extend their tenure by
another term as the chairman and
members’ hard work and directives
made the stock markets stable for a
time,” said Finance Minister in his
comment.
ble to the affected businessmen only,
on the contrary, the central bank is also
allegedly allowing all the non-compli-
ance rescheduling cases. As a result,
many businessmen are taking the
chance to reschedule their loans de-
spite not being affected.
Country’s commercial banks start-
ed loan rescheduling comprehensively
in order to reduce the non-performing
loan (NPL) amount in the balance sheet
of the year end 2013.
Bangladesh Bank has so far ap-
proved over 300 such loan resched-
uling cases which don’t comply with
the loan rescheduling requirements.
Among the loan-rescheduling recipi-
ents, Beximco Group got the highest
privileges with around Tk2,000 crore,
according to the Bangladesh Bank data.
Exchange rate remained stable in
the interbank call money market and in
foreign money market due to the close
monitoring by the central bank, said
the governor at the conference.
“However, inflation remained
higher in last three-month because of
supply disruption amid political
unrest.” l
poor revenue collection as it had earli-
er set a highly ambitious target despite
the political turmoil.
“So, the revenue shortfall is not at
all unexpected to us.”
“We were unable to reach the target
at the end of the fiscal year due to the
highest target set for us. We are taking
preventive measures, but those will
not work if the target is not lowered,”
said a NBR official.
He, however, hinted that the reve-
vised budget.
The NBR has been assigned to col-
lect Tk48,300 crore for the FY2013-14
with 36.82% growth.
In 2012-13 fiscal, revenue collection
grew by over 14% to Tk109,216 crore
against the target of Tk1,12,259 crore.
For the current fiscal year, the revenue
collection target is set at Tk136,090
crore with a growth target of 21%. l
The whole BSEC management will
be serving the extended period, he
said, adding that the government’s
new administrative division would
clear matters related with their salaries
and allowances.
On February 11, the BSEC chief Prof
M Khairul Hossain sent the proposal to
the finance minister.
The present commission took steps
to amend the Securities and Exchange
Commission Act 1993, which is now
Securities and Exchange Commission
(Amendment) Act 2012.
Through the amendment, the three-
year term turned to four years.
BSEC chairman said the administra-
tion division was yet to sign the con-
tracts of their appointment though it’s
almost three years.
Dr Shahdeen Malik, a senior lawyer,
said the appointment was made legal-
ly through gazette notification, “but it
is unfortunate that the contracts have
not been signed yet.”
Former finance adviser to last care-
taker government Dr M Mirza Azizul
Islam wondered how the chairman and
members were getting salaries and al-
lowances if the contracts had not been
signed yet.
On the present management, he
said: “The performance was assessed
not only on the basis of stock indices,
but also of their role in formulation and
implementation of stock rules and reg-
ulations and making directives.”
But BSEC chief claimed Prime
Minister’s Office approved their
appointment three years ago. “So, it
was legal.” l
BASIS announces
five-year vision
n Muhammad Zahidul Islam
BASIS, the apex body of the Software &
Information Services industry, has de-
clared five-year vision where it expect-
ed that the country would earn at least
US $bn from software exports.
“The booming ICT sector would be
also be able to contribute to the GDP by
1% within five years,’’ reads the BASIS
declaration.
Bangladesh Association of Software
& Information Services (BASIS) pres-
ident Shameem Ahsan yesterday for-
mally declared their campaign “One
Bangladesh- Next Five Years Vision of
Bangladesh Software & IT Services In-
dustry” at a city hotel yesterday.
Attending the function, Finance
Minister AMA Muhith lauded the plan
undertaken by BASIS and expressed
his all-out support for the overall de-
velopment of this sector.
Md. Shahriar Alam, state minister
for foreign affairs, and Zunaid Ahmed
Palak, state minister of ICT division
and other high-ups of the government
also attended the function.
According to the BASIS vision, the
ICT industry intends to train and to
create job opportunities for at least one
million IT skilled professionals, which
currently stands at only 200,000.
“We want to make sure access to in-
ternet for one more crore new users ev-
ery year through the “One Bangladesh”
campaign. Currently country’s total in-
ternet users stands on 3.5 crore,’’ as per
the BASIS vision.
Addressing the function, Abul Maal
Abdul Muhith said, “ICT should pick
up the young talented people from the
society for creating innovative things
for the human being.”
Finance minister also praise the
contribution of the mobile industry for
connecting the people but at the same
time he categorically blamed the oper-
ator for creating various problems.
“They have to think about their in-
frastructure facilities as I think their in-
frastructure is weak comparing to the
money they charge for their services.”
State minister for foreign affairs
Shahriar Alam said, “BASIS needs to
formulate a proper roadmap for mar-
keting the ICT products, specially tar-
geting the USA and Europe market.”
BASIS also requested the
government to withdraw VAT form
internet uses and e-commerce which is
now booming in the country.
BASIS Secretary General Russel T
Ahmed delivered a welcome speech at
the ceremony. l
B2 DHAKA TRIBUNE Stock Monday, February 17, 2014

DSE GAINERS

Stocks fall with

DSE key features Aver-
Closing (% Closing Turnover Latest Latest
February 16, 2014 Company
change)
age (%
average
Closing Daily high Daily low
in million EPS PE
change)
Turnover 3,902.99 GeminiSeaFood-Z 9.98 9.98 175.20 175.20 175.20 175.20 0.613 6.44 27.2

low turnover
(Million Taka) Savar Refractories-Z 9.25 10.32 62.00 61.40 61.80 60.90 0.031 0.60 103.3
CVO PetroChem RL-Z 5.43 6.56 823.41 823.60 839.00 781.00 31.726 -4.06 -ve
Turnover 71,007,358 AFC AgroBiotech-N 5.09 0.60 61.99 64.00 64.80 58.50 83.940 1.53 40.5
(Volume) Standard Ceramic -A 4.81 4.53 39.20 39.20 39.30 38.90 0.392 1.06 37.0
NCCBL Mutual Fund-1-A 4.76 3.28 11.01 11.00 11.20 10.60 9.833 1.03 10.7
Number of Contract 84,912 Usmania Glass -Z 3.62 5.44 155.74 154.40 160.90 135.00 7.421 5.10 30.5
n Tribune Report and telecommunications.
“Preceding week’s waning
Meghna PET Ind. -Z 2.94 2.94 7.00 7.00 7.30 6.80 0.056 -1.30 -ve
Traded Issues 287 JMI Syringes MDL-A 2.58 1.81 222.76 222.50 225.90 220.50 31.744 1.97 113.1
Stocks fell for the second consec- tone extended further as session Popular Life Insu. -A 2.33 5.43 267.53 263.20 274.00 255.00 28.364 17.00 15.7
utive session yesterday with turn- resumed with price correction. Issue Gain 98
over dipping below Tk400 crore During the whole trading session, (Avg. Price Basis) CSE GAINERS
after six weeks. the market level correction took Closing (%
Aver-
Closing Turnover Latest Latest
After rising more than 30 points place and forced prime index to de- Issue Loss 185 Company
change)
age (%
average
Closing Daily high Daily low
in million EPS PE
change)
in the morning, the benchmark cline,” said IDLC Investment. (Avg. Price Basis) Prime Islami Life -A 8.15 8.15 126.00 126.00 126.00 126.00 0.315 4.95 25.5
DSEX index lost 45 points or 1% to CVO PetroChem RL-Z 6.92 6.22 828.50 834.00 838.50 800.00 0.696 -4.06 -ve
end at 4,713.
Unchanged Issue (Avg. 4
The total turnover
Rahima Food -Z 6.67 8.90 67.20 67.20 68.50 65.10 0.571 -1.00 -ve
Shariah-based DSES index was Price Basis)
AFC AgroBiotech-N 6.30 1.87 62.23 64.10 65.00 59.50 17.921 1.53 40.7
down 10 points or 1% to 985.The
blue-chip comprising DS30 index
at DSE saw a sharp Market Capital Equity 2,286.53 Usmania Glass -Z
BDCOM Online-A
4.87
3.61
5.37
3.28
155.86
34.29
155.10
34.40
160.00
34.90
152.60
33.00
0.132
0.352
5.10
1.70
30.6
20.2
ended at 1,680 with a drop of 16 decline by 27% (Billion. Tk.)
Imam Button -Z 3.49 3.84 8.93 8.90 9.00 8.80 0.036 -2.58 -ve
points or 1%. to Tk390 crore Market Capital Equity 27.72 Fine Foods A
Intl. Leasing-B
2.59
2.56
2.07
2.24
19.76
15.95
19.80
16.00
20.00
16.50
19.20
15.70
0.445
0.686
-0.98
-0.21
-ve
-ve
The Chittagong Stock Exchange
Selective Category Index, CSCX, over the previous (Billion US$) Golden Son -A 2.49 1.55 61.59 61.80 62.50 60.50 6.744 3.35 18.4
shed 92 points to close at 9,869. session. The
The total turnover at DSE saw
a sharp decline by 27% to Tk390
turnover is lowest
crore over the previous session. since January 6 this
The turnover is lowest since Janu-
ary 6 this year.
year
The market falling with sharp
decline in turnover may indicate It said investors somewhat pre-
that investors are unwilling to sell ferred to remain meticulous and
stocks at this price level, said Lan- conservative regarding turnaround
ka Bangla Securities in its market phenomenon.
analysis. Delta Life Insurance topped the
The market breath remained turnover chart for the second con-
negative as out of 287 issues trad- secutive session with the stock
ed, 83 closed in red, 166 green and worth Tk26 crore changing hands,
38 remained unchanged. Food and making up almost 4% of the total
allied was the only sector that per- turnover.
formed positive with a gain of more
than 1%.
Profit booking pushed down all
It was followed by Square Phar-
maceuticals, Bangladesh Subma-
rine Cable Company Ltd, Meghna
CSE key features
February 16, 2014
Turnover (Million Taka)
News from trade server
other sectors, including pharma- Petroleum, Olympic Industries, 350.33 DACCADYE: (H/Y): As per un-audited half date will be given in due course. of 90% Interim cash dividend which has
ceuticals, banks, power, cement Jamuna Oil and Southeast Bank. l Turnover (Volume) yearly accounts as on 31.12.2013 (July'13 RIGHT SHARE: ARAMITCEM: Subscription already been paid) AGM: 09.04.2014, RD:
7,424,250
to Dec'13), the Company has reported net 23.03.2014 to 17.04.2014. Record date for 20.02.2014.
Number of Contract 12,893 profit after tax of Tk. 65.49 million with EPS entitlement of rights share: 09.01.2014. GREENDELT: 15% cash and 15% stock,
Daily capital market highlights Traded Issues 223
of Tk. 0.91 as against Tk. 104.42 million and RUPALILIFE- Subscription 06.04.2014 to AGM: 15.03.2014, RD: 17.02.2014.
Tk. 1.45 respectively for the same period of 05.05.2014. Record date for entitlement of RAKCERAMIC: 15% cash and 10% stock,
DSE Broad Index : 4713.87695 (-) 0.95% ▼ Issue Gain 83 the previous year. Whereas net profit after rights share: 16.01.2014. BRACBANK: Subscrip- AGM: 02.04.2014, RD: 13.02.2014.
(Avg. Price Basis) tax was Tk. 45.27 million with EPS of Tk. tion 20.04.2014 to 15.05.2014. Record date SALAMCRST: 13% cash, AGM: 29.03.2014,
DSE Shariah Index : 985.42959 (-) 1.04% ▲ 0.63 for the period of 3 months (Oct'13 to for entitlement of rights share: 10.02.2014. RD: 11.02.2014.
Issue Loss 137 Dec'13) ended on 31.12.2013 as against Tk. GENNEXT: Subscription 18.03.2014 to 1STPRIMFMF: 10% cash, RD: 11.02.2014.
(Avg. Price Basis) 65.45 million and Tk. 0.91 respectively for 09.04.2014, Record date: 25.02.2014. HRTEX: 15% cash, AGM: 21.04.2014,
DSE - 30 Index : 1680.68313 (-) 0.94% ▲
Unchanged Issue (Avg. 3 the same period of the previous year. IPO Subscription: Matin Spinning Mills Record date: 20.02.2014.
BRACBANK: The Company has further Limited subscription date 26-30 January MAKSONSPIN: 5% stock, AGM:
CSE All Share Index: 14618.5334 (-) 0.96% ▼ Price Basis)
informed that the Bank was supposed 2014, NRB upto 08 Feburay 2014. @ Tk. 13.03.2014, RD: 16.02.2014.
Market Capital Equity 2,164.81 to conduct a discussion session with 37/-, face value taka 10 and market lot 200. GSPFINANCE: 12% stock, AGM:
CSE - 30 Index : 12364.0174 (-) 1.25% ▼ (Billion. Tk.) Bangladesh Bank Inspection team prior Hwa Well Textiles (BD) Limited subscription 20.02.2014, RD: 03.02.2014.
to the finalization of the Audited Financial date 17-23 February 2014, NRB upto 04 ECABLES: 10% cash, AGM: 01.03.2014, RD:
CSE Selected Index : 9269.7608 (-) 0.99% ▼ Market Capital Equity 26.24
Accounts, which has been postponed due March 2014. At per, face value taka 10 and 29.12.2013.
(Billion US$) to unavoidable circumstance. The consider- market lot 500. USMANIAGL: 11% Cash & 10% Stock,
DSE LOSERS
ation of the accounts at the Board meeting Dividend/AGM AGM: 07-03-2014, RD: 07.11.2013.
Aver- is being deferred until such time that the NCCBLMF1: 10% cash dividend. RD: SAVAREFR: No dividend, AGM:
Closing (% Closing Turnover Latest Latest Company receives confirmation from 24.02.2014. 30.01.2014, RD: 19.12.2013.
Company age (% Closing Daily high Daily low
change) average in million EPS PE
change) Bangladesh Bank. The Company has further GP: 50% final cash dividend (i.e. total 140% PADMAOIL: 90% Cash, 10% Stock, AGM:
RAK Ceramics-A -10.11 -10.16 55.38 55.10 58.00 50.20 42.727 2.03 27.3 informed that intimation on the scheduled cash dividend for the year 2013 inclusive 15.02.2014, RD: 23.12.2013.
Phoenix Insur -A -5.44 -4.62 49.18 48.70 50.80 48.30 5.223 3.81 12.9
Jute SpinnersA -5.31 -4.76 66.67 66.00 71.50 65.00 0.020 -43.98 -ve
Kohinoor Chem -A -4.57 -4.05 337.74 336.00 370.00 333.10 0.534 7.88 42.9
Stylecraft -A -4.12 -4.02 955.00 954.00 975.00 933.00 0.191 47.83 20.0
Miracle Industries -B -3.54 -2.59 22.22 21.80 23.00 21.80 2.512 0.22 101.0
Prime Islami Life -A -3.47 -1.77 118.50 117.00 123.00 115.00 2.495 4.95 23.9
DESCO Ltd. -A -3.32 -0.43 67.40 67.00 69.50 65.00 47.718 1.12 60.2
Apex Foods -A -3.28 -1.82 105.00 103.10 107.00 102.20 3.591 3.56 29.5
Islami Ins.BD-A -3.22 -2.60 33.40 33.10 34.20 33.00 1.436 1.60 20.9

CSE LOSERS
Aver-
Closing (% Closing Turnover Latest Latest
Company age (% Closing Daily high Daily low
change) average in million EPS PE
change)
RAK Ceramics-A -11.06 -9.80 55.40 54.70 58.00 54.10 5.517 2.03 27.3
Kay & Que (BD) -Z -9.50 -9.70 18.06 18.10 18.20 18.00 0.063 -0.89 -ve
ACI ZERO Bond-A -6.78 -6.78 832.00 832.00 832.00 832.00 0.002 0.00 -
SonarBangla Insu. -A -6.64 -8.93 25.30 25.30 25.30 25.30 0.025 1.85 13.7
Apex Foods -A -5.23 -5.27 103.27 103.30 104.30 102.10 0.103 3.56 29.0
Continental Insur. -A -5.00 -4.94 30.40 30.40 30.40 30.40 0.015 2.35 12.9
Prime Insur -A -4.44 -5.96 34.40 34.40 34.40 34.40 0.017 2.36 14.6
Prime Bank-A -4.37 -6.12 24.41 24.10 25.80 24.10 0.060 0.56 43.6
Eastern Bank - A -3.99 -3.87 31.58 31.30 32.20 31.10 0.221 2.27 13.9
Sinobangla Indu.-A -3.92 -2.64 29.82 29.40 30.60 29.20 1.178 0.64 46.6
DSE TURNOVER LEADERS
Volume Value in % of total Daily Price Daily Daily Daily Daily
Company
shares million turnover closing change opening high low average
Delta Life Insu. -A 948,515 263.33 6.75 272.70 -2.15 278.70 285.00 272.00 277.62
Preceding week’s waning tone extended Square Pharma -A
BD Submarine Cable-A
789,856
894,341
206.85
191.48
5.30
4.91
260.30
210.30
-2.22
-2.91
266.20
216.60
268.00
230.00
243.00
200.00
261.88
214.10
further as session resumed with price Meghna Petroleum -A 552,131 161.93 4.15 287.80 -1.47 292.10 298.70 267.00 293.28

ANALYST
Olympic Ind. -A 624,814 125.74 3.22 199.40 -2.21 203.90 205.80 187.00 201.24
correction. During the whole trading Jamuna Oil -A 512,299 121.38 3.11 235.10 -0.84 237.10 242.00 220.00 236.93
4,574,264 106.98 2.74 23.20 0.43 23.10 24.00 21.00 23.39
session, the market level correction took
Southeast Bank-A
Padma Oil Co. -A 306,104 103.60 2.65 333.60 -0.33 334.70 343.70 330.00 338.45

place and forced prime index to decline

BD Building Systems -A 1,287,650 96.13 2.46 73.80 -0.54 74.20 76.40 67.00 74.65
Grameenphone-A 458,600 94.54 2.42 205.60 -0.77 207.20 208.40 205.10 206.16
HeidelbergCement -A 196,220 87.90 2.25 441.50 0.75 438.20 451.00 430.00 447.94
AFC AgroBiotech-N 1,354,000 83.94 2.15 64.00 5.09 60.90 64.80 58.50 61.99
Appollo Ispat CL -N 2,296,000 74.00 1.90 31.70 -0.94 32.00 33.00 31.30 32.23
SECTORAL TURNOVER SUMMARY LankaBangla Fin. -A 955,590 68.66 1.76 70.80 1.00 70.10 73.70 69.00 71.85
DSE CSE Total Titas Gas TDCLA 767,466 64.38 1.65 82.80 -0.24 83.00 85.00 78.00 83.89
Sector ConfidenceCement A 426,094 62.32 1.60 144.40 -0.89 145.70 148.80 140.00 146.26
Million Taka % change Million Taka % change Million Taka % change
Bank 434.91 11.14 42.47 12.12 477.38 11.22 DESCO Ltd. -A 708,029 47.72 1.22 67.00 -3.32 69.30 69.50 65.00 67.40
NBFI 174.56 4.47 19.28 5.50 193.84 4.56 BSC-A 97,390 47.21 1.21 475.50 -2.11 485.75 494.75 473.25 484.72
Investment 84.32 2.16 3.40 0.97 87.72 2.06 UCBL - A 1,582,560 43.94 1.13 27.60 0.00 27.60 30.00 25.00 27.76
Engineering 343.48 8.80 42.39 12.10 385.87 9.07 RAK Ceramics-A 771,480 42.73 1.09 55.10 -10.11 61.30 58.00 50.20 55.38
Food & Allied 216.31 5.54 16.02 4.57 232.33 5.46 CSE TURNOVER LEADERS
Fuel & Power 643.48 16.49 31.98 9.13 675.46 15.88 Volume Value in % of total Daily Price Daily Daily Daily Daily
Jute 1.18 0.03 0.00 1.18 0.03 Company
shares million turnover closing change opening high low average
Textile 246.38 6.31 26.93 7.69 273.31 6.43 BD Submarine Cable-A 132,548 28.37 8.10 210.60 -3.31 217.80 219.90 209.50 214.06
Pharma & Chemical 522.27 13.38 50.55 14.43 572.82 13.47 AFC AgroBiotech-N 288,000 17.92 5.12 64.10 6.30 60.30 65.00 59.50 62.23
Paper & Packaging 0.21 0.01 0.09 0.02 0.29 0.01 Grameenphone-A 72,600 14.98 4.28 205.70 -0.58 206.90 208.00 205.10 206.38
Service 14.29 0.37 1.76 0.50 16.05 0.38 Appollo Ispat CL -N 438,400 14.10 4.03 31.70 -0.31 31.80 32.80 31.60 32.17
Leather 42.51 1.09 3.47 0.99 45.98 1.08 Delta Life Insu. -A 50,350 13.93 3.98 272.20 -2.75 279.90 284.00 271.00 276.68
Ceramic 54.50 1.40 6.72 1.92 61.22 1.44 Square Pharma -A 45,153 11.82 3.37 260.30 -2.33 266.50 266.30 260.00 261.76
Cement 215.64 5.52 11.46 3.27 227.09 5.34 BD Building Systems -A 134,100 10.03 2.86 73.70 -0.67 74.20 76.50 73.50 74.81
Information Technology 28.64 0.73 3.86 1.10 32.50 0.76 Southeast Bank-A 410,286 9.61 2.74 23.20 0.00 23.20 23.60 23.00 23.43
General Insurance 73.29 1.88 3.21 0.92 76.50 1.80 LankaBangla Fin. -A 124,350 8.90 2.54 71.00 0.71 70.50 73.20 69.80 71.59
Life Insurance 391.23 10.02 18.18 5.19 409.40 9.63 BSC-A 17,535 8.48 2.42 474.80 -2.30 486.00 493.00 472.30 483.89
Telecom 286.02 7.33 43.36 12.38 329.38 7.74 JMI Syringes MDL-A 35,000 7.83 2.24 222.70 1.78 218.80 230.00 220.00 223.85
Travel & Leisure 41.60 1.07 9.59 2.74 51.19 1.20 UNITED AIR-A 469,623 7.38 2.11 15.70 -0.63 15.80 16.00 14.80 15.72
Miscellaneous 87.96 2.25 15.55 4.44 103.51 2.43 Padma Oil Co. -A 21,372 7.20 2.06 333.70 -0.12 334.10 342.00 332.60 337.03
Debenture 0.23 0.01 0.06 0.02 0.29 0.01 Golden Son -A 109,500 6.74 1.93 61.80 2.49 60.30 62.50 60.50 61.59
UCBL - A 213,625 5.94 1.69 27.60 -0.36 27.70 28.20 27.60 27.80
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
Jamuna Oil -A 23,380 5.56 1.59 235.30 -0.80 237.20 240.50 234.70 237.69
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 RAK Ceramics-A 99,600 5.52 1.57 54.70 -11.06 61.50 58.00 54.10 55.40

Majid elected new Fed’s Fisher: What’s best for
CSE chairman US is best for world
n Reuters
n Tribune Report
Former NBR chairman Abdul Majid
has been elected chairman of the Chit-
tagong Stock Exchange for a three-year
term.
He became the first chairman of the
bourse after its demutualisation that
separates the management from own-
ership.   former ICMAB Chairman Momtaz Ud-
The 13-member new DSE board
elected the chairman at the annual
general meeting Saturday night.   Salman Ispahani of Ispahani Secu-
The board is comprised of newly
elected four directors, BSEC-approved
seven independent directors, CSE chief
executive officer and one from strate-
gic investor in line with the Demutuali-
sation Act 2013.
Besides Majid, other six indepen-
dent directors are Chittagong Uni-
No appetite for big consumer goods? Try their suppliers
n Reuters
As a slowdown in emerging markets
takes the shine off shares in consumer
goods makers like Nestle, Unilever,
Danone and Procter & Gamble, hungry
investors have been sampling more of
the companies that supply them.
Scent and flavour makers such as
Symrise, Givaudan and International
Flavors & Fragrances, and food ingre-
dient names like Glanbia and Kerry
Group are attractive, analysts say, be-
cause they’re more resistant to weak
consumer spending and benefit from
health and wellness trends forcing so
many brands to modify their products.
“The companies in those segments
have exposure to faster growing special-
ty areas, serve a wide range of customers
(from top brands to white label) and con-
stantly invest in new technology,” Beren-
berg analysts said this month. They up-
graded Germany’s Symrise to “buy” and
Switzerland’s Givaudan to “hold”.
JPMorgan Cazenove estimates the
European food ingredients sector on
average will see 6% earnings growth in
2014, while European food producers
will see no growth.
Indeed, consumer staples stocks
have been battered by currency deval-
uations and cooling demand in emerg-
ing markets and lingering economic
malaise in Europe and the United
States. Over the past 12 months, the
top 25 global consumer staples stocks
are still up 7.5% on average, but down
3.5% in the year to date, according to
Reuters data.
By contrast, 2014 has favoured in-
gredients. At Thursday’s close Kerry
was up 3%, IFF 5%, Symrise 6% and
Givaudan 9%.
Still, there are outliers. Lower Euro-
pean sugar prices are squeezing profits
at German sugar company Suedzucker,
while Britain’s Tate & Lyle on Thursday
forecast sharply lower prices for its
Splenda sweetener due to competition
from cheaper Chinese sucralose mak-
ers. Both companies’ shares are down
by double digits.
“There are some very, very good
businesses in that space, but I don’t
think you can just bundle them all to-
gether, as you can see with Tate & Lyle,”
Deputy managing director of Pubali
Bank Ltd, Safiul Alam Khan Chowdhury is
delivering his speech at the international
conference on “Globalisation,
Entrepreneurship and Economioc
Development” that was held at Washington
DC in USA recently
DHAKA TRIBUNE
versity Professor Ayub Islam, former
CSE Director Moinul Islam Mahmud,
former Bangladesh Garment Manufac-
turers and Exporters Association (BG-
MEA) President Md Shafiul Islam Mo-
hiuddin, BGMEA First Vice President
Nasiruddin Ahmed Chowdhury, Insti-
tute of Chartered Accountants Bangla-
desh President Showkat Hossain and
din Ahmed.
The four elected directors are Mirza
ruties, Khairul Anam of Lanka Bangla
Securuties, Mohammad Mohiuddin of
Island Securities and Shamsul Islam of
Berich Securities.
A law on demutualisation was
passed in parliament on April 29 last
year with a promise to bring transpar-
ency to the stock market. l
A shopping cart is pushed down the aisle in this photo illustration taken at Mercator shopping mall in Ljubljana
said Exane BNP Paribas analyst Jeff
Stent. “If you take a stock like Kerry,
we’ve been buyers of that stock for as
long as we’ve been analysts at Exane.”
Equal opportunity supplier
In developed markets, makers of ev-
erything from beer to bread to body-
wash have lost some ground to ge-
neric, white-label products. But for the
ingredients makers, those brands are
customers. And in less mature mar-
kets, the growing customer base is lo-
cal manufacturers.
Kerry Group’s deal to supply dairy
ingredients to Chinese infant nutrition
company Beingmate shows how the
sector can benefit from the develop-
ment of local players who are stepping
up their game against multinationals.
Companies like Natura Cosmeticos
from Brazil and Grupo Bimbo from
Mexico are just two developing market
Prionti and Rani Food Industries Ltd has recently signed contract as the media agency of
Goldmark Cookies and Ringo Real Potato Chips at Hotel Sonargaon in Dhaka. Managing
director of Rani Food Industries Ltd Mohammad Bashir and CEO of Prionti Monowar
Hossain Pathan signed the agreement on behalf of their organisations
Ayesha Memorial Specialized Hospital Ltd was the official health parnter of Dhaka
International Trade Fair 2014 as it provided health service to the visitors without any
charge. On February 10, the hospital’s director Dr Ashish Kumar Chakravarty received a
crest from minister of commerce, Toffael Ahmed
Business
Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas Presi-
dent Richard Fisher arrives to speak
about the concept of breaking up ‘too
big to fail’ banks to a breakout group
at the Conservative Political Action
Conference (CPAC) in National Harbor,
Maryland, March 16, 2013
Dallas Federal Reserve Bank
President Richard Fisher on Friday
downplayed the turmoil in some
emerging markets that greeted the
US central bank’s move to reduce its
massive stimulus program, saying the
Fed’s focus should stay on the United
States.
“We are the central bank of the Unit-
ed States; we have to do what is best in
our interest,” Fisher, who opposes the
bond-buying program altogether, told
Bloomberg Radio. “What’s important
consumer companies actively expand-
ing into new markets.
Analysts at Davy Research who fol-
low the sector say that as local manu-
facturers get bigger and more savvy,
they are turning to internationals for
more reliable and high-quality supply.
That is especially true in China, where
a 2008 scandal involving tainted milk
made consumers wary of local brands.
China’s top milk producer, China
Mengniu Dairy, this week agreed to sell
more of itself to Danone as it tries to
win customers. Denmark’s Arla Foods,
another dairy supplier, also has a stake
in Mengniu.
Healthy innovation
The average consumer goods maker
spends about 8 to 10% or more of its
sales on advertising and marketing
and just 2% on research and develop-
ment. Over time, R&D spending has
Bank Asia has provided higher studies scholarship to 33 meritorious students of Chatkhil
and Sonaimuri upazilas of Noakhali and Ramgonj upazila of Laxmipur districts as a part
of its corporate social responsibility. Rumee A Hossain, the bank’s audit committee
chairperson handed over the scholarship money to the students at a function held at
Chatkhil Upazila auditorium on Saturday
Mutual Trust Bank Limited recently opened its relocated its Uttara Model Town branch at
its new premises at Auckland Centre in Uttara Model Town, Dhaka. The bank’s director,
Md Abdul Malek inaugurated the branch as chief guest
Monday, February 17, 2014
for us to do is to make sure our econo- He also repeated his view that Wall
my is strong, and the rest of the world Street reform legislation does not fix
will benefit if we are.” the too-big-to-fail bank problem. l
REUTERS
come down as categories mature and maker of oat beta glucan, and in Janu-
companies cut costs, leaving them to ary IFF bought a maker of complex
outsource technical development to specialty ingredients, while Symrise
their suppliers. is trying to take over Sweden’s Probi,
“I think they have always been which makes probiotic ingredients for
marketing companies,” said JPMorgan yoghurt. Israel’s Frutarom Industries
analyst John Faucher. “As the tech- has bought 12 companies since 2011.
nologies and categories become more A technical arsenal is handy as
complicated, they simply need to cast brands yield to more pressure to make
a broader net.” their goods healthier or more natu-
By contrast, flavour and fragrance ral. This month alone, Kraft Foods re-
companies often spend more than 7% moved an artificial preservative from
of sales on R&D, and have been buying its Singles cheese, and US Subway res-
smaller makers of specialised ingredi- taurants removed a chemical from its
ents for which they can charge higher bread found in rubber yoga mats. A US
prices and boost margins. Senator has since called on regulators
“They want your M&M to be the to ban the chemical.
right blue and for the melt character- In that light, Tom Pirko of Bevmark
istics to be exactly right,” said a banker Consulting said ingredients companies
who has advised on deals in the sector. that are entrepreneurial and creative
“They’re not trying to sell flour to bak- write their own tickets.
ers.” “Those who foresee the future, are
Last year, Tate & Lyle bought a generally big winners.” l
B3
Railway may
construct ICD
at Dhirasram
n Tribune Business Desk
Bangladesh Railway has taken a project
to construct a New Inland Container
Depot (ICD) near Dhirasram Railway
Station on the outskirt of Dhaka under
public-private partnership (PPP)
initiative.
“Our proposal suggests completion
of the ICD to increase smooth handling
of goods,” Director General (DG) of
Bangladesh Railway Md Tafazzal Hos-
sain told BSS yesterday.
He said the country needs another
ICD for smooth operation of containers
as the existing Kamalapur ICD has no
more capacity.
The proposal on the Tk1,640 crore
project has been sent to the PPP office
for next course of procedure.
The Cabinet Committee on
Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved
the project on September 4 last
year, asking to send it after filling up
the PPP Technical Assistance Fund
(PPPTAF).
Later, the PPP office filled up the
PPPTAF and sent it to the Railways
Ministry. l
Smaller planes
in demand as
Asia travel boom
deepens
n AFP, Singapore
Smaller passenger planes are increas-
ingly in demand in Asia as budget
carriers cash in on the region’s grow-
ing middle classes by expanding their
reach to less prominent cities, industry
executives say.
So-called “regional” jets - short
to medium-haul aircraft that gener-
ally seat under 100 passengers - were
among the best-sellers at the Singapore
Airshow which ended at the weekend.
Jimmy Lau, managing director of
show organiser Experia Events, said
demand for smaller aircraft will rise as
Asia’s burgeoning middle class sustains
the growth in air travel that began in
metropolitan areas.
“The people who will be likely
making good inroads are the Embraers
and the Bombardiers who will be selling
their smaller regional jets to countries
like Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia,”
Lau told reporters as the Airshow ended
with deals totalling a record $32bn.
Embraer, the Brazilian plane maker,
forecasts that Asia-Pacific carriers will
take delivery of 1,500 new jets in the
70- to 130-seat segment over the next
20 years, with a total value of $70bn.
This would represent nearly 20% of
global demand. Canada’s Bombardier
expects the region to get one-third of
the 12,800 aircraft in the 20 to 150-seat
segment it forecasts to be delivered
worldwide in the next two decades.
The company’s vice president for
marketing Philippe Poutissou told AFP
that Bombardier sold almost 80% of its
planes to Western countries in the past.
Four-month-old Indian carrier Air
Costa sprang the biggest surprise at
the event when it ordered 50 E-Jets E2
planes from Brazilian manufacturer
Embraer worth $2.94bn, with purchase
rights for 50 more. l
Hopes pinned on
private sector as
Libya economy
slumps
n AFP
Small businesses are prospering in Lib-
ya's major cities even as the economy
at large is being throttled because of
security problems and industrial action
which has shrunk lifeline oil revenues.
Its financial woes combined with
lawlessness has so far discouraged the
return of multinationals, three years
after the outbreak of an armed re-
volt which toppled long-time dictator
Moamer Kadhafi.
Post-war reconstruction has been
slow, with major infrastructure proj-
ects on the back-burner even as Liby-
ans endure more and more frequent
power cuts, especially in the west of
the country.
Small businesses have been leading
the way in post-Kadhafi Libya, with
shops and boutiques in Tripoli and oth-
er cities boasting the latest in luxury
brands.
"These investments are thanks to
partnerships with foreign investors,"
said chamber of commerce chief Idriss
Abdelhadi. l
B4
Workers say
strikes out
in Japan
n AFP, Tokyo
Japan’s unions have started demand-
ing wage hikes from cash-rich firms as
annual pay talks get under way, setting
up a rare showdown after years of dra-
ma-free labour relations.
Unionists are questioning if usu-
ally quiescent workers should stick by
a decades-long strategy of keeping the
peace with their bosses and rarely go-
ing on strike, a strategy that has gener-
ated few pay rises.
Japan’s auto sector is a key target,
with all eyes on Toyota, the world’s
biggest automaker, which has posted
huge profits on the back of sharply
weaker yen since Prime Minister
Shinzo Abe swept to power in late 2012.
Abe’s economic growth blitz,
dubbed Abenomics, helped fatten Ja-
pan Inc’s bottom line, and he has called
for companies to pass on some of that
profit to help consumers as they brace
for an April sales tax hike.
'Cooperation rather
than confrontation has
been a long tradition in
the private sector'
More cash in workers’ pockets would
assist a fragile recovery, say observers,
but many - including the International
Monetary Fund - say there needs to be
other, deeper reforms, including great-
er flexibility to cut staff.
That is tough in Japan, where every-
one from Abe to company chiefs know
it would be a hard sell.
Employees need a “safety net to
make sure that they’re not left out in
the street”, Sony boss Kazuo Hirai said
last year.
“Because they’ve made commit-
ments to the companies and certainly
deserve to be part of that safety net.”
Japan’s annual labour talks are
known as Shunto, or the “spring offen-
sive”, but usually low-key, closed-door
negotiations could easily end with few
firms heeding Abe’s pay rise call, per-
haps counting on workers’ reluctance
to strike.
It is a far cry from factory-shuttering
labour disputes of Europe or the tens
of thousands of striking South Korean
railway workers who demonstrated for
Loss at Volkswagen plant upends union’s plan China bank lending
n Reuters
In a stinging defeat that could accel-
erate the decades-long decline of the
United Auto Workers, Volkswagen AG
workers voted against union repre-
sentation at a Chattanooga, Tennessee
plant, which had been seen as orga-
nized labour’s best chance to expand in
the US South.
The loss, 712 to 626, capped a sprint
finish to a long race and was particu-
larly surprising for UAW supporters,
because Volkswagen had allowed the
union access to the factory and offi-
cially stayed neutral on the vote, while
other manufacturers have been hostile
to organised labour.
UAW spent more than two years or-
ganizing and then called a snap elec-
tion in an agreement with VW. Ger-
man union IG Metall worked with the
UAW to pressure VW to open its doors
to organizers, but anti-union forces
dropped a bombshell after the first of
three days of voting.
Republican US Senator Bob Cork-
er, the former mayor of Chattanooga
who helped win the VW plant, said on
Wednesday after the first day of voting
that VW would expand the factory if
the union was rejected.
“Needless to say, I am thrilled,”
Corker said in a statement after the re-
sults were disclosed.
National Right to Work Foundation
President Mark Mix hailed the outcome:
“If UAW union officials cannot win
when the odds are so stacked in their
favour, perhaps they should re-evaluate
the product they are selling to workers.”
An announcement of whether a new
seven-passenger crossover vehicle will
be produced in Chattanooga or in Mex-
ico could come as early as next week,
VW sources told Reuters.
Despite the indignation of pro-
union forces, legal experts earlier had
said that any challenge of the outcome,
DHAKA TRIBUNE Back Page
weeks on the streets of Seoul in De-
cember.
‘Zero strikes’
For decades, Japan has prided itself
as a nation of labour peace, despite its
20-year economic decline, near-frozen
wages and increasingly unstable em-
ployment.
“Let’s see, did I go on strike once?
Let me think,” said Hajime, a 58-year-
old media sector worker.
“Oh yes! It was something like 30
years ago, it was the first and the last
time. For people between 20 and 30
years of age, strikes and demonstra-
tions are history. It’s not their present.”
That rings true with Anan, a 21-year-
old university student who can’t fath-
om the idea of a strike.
“Here in Japan everybody is middle
class, everybody can find a job ... and
not everybody is obsessed with mov-
ing up the social ladder - so there’s no
reason to be upset,” she told AFP.
With a low crime and unemploy-
ment rate, generous welfare benefits,
relatively high wages and much nar-
rower income inequality than many
other developed nations, Japan has
rarely been a place ripe for revolution.
But that wasn’t always the case.
After the war, about one million
Japanese were homeless, one quarter
of them in the shattered capital Tokyo.
The Communist Party was a political
force and half of all employees were
unionised. Today, that number stands
at just under 18%.
By 1974, the country saw more than
5,000 strikes a year, involving about
3.6 million people. These days, a few
dozen strikes by several thousand
workers has been the norm.
Japanese chief executives usu-
ally get a fraction of what their North
American or European counterparts
are paid, and sometimes take wage
cuts in bad times.
Mass layoffs are to be avoided, and
closing a division often means shifting
workers around the company - some-
thing Sony said it would try to do af-
ter announcing 5,000 jobs cuts this
month.
“Cooperation rather than confron-
tation has been a long tradition in the
private sector,” said Koichi Nakano, a
political science professor at Tokyo’s
Sophia University. l
Gary Casteel, United Auto Workers (UAW) Region 8 Director, makes remarks at a news conference after the announcement that the
union lost its bid to represent the1,550 blue-collar workers at the Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga
based on Corker’s comments, would be
difficult, given broad free speech pro-
tection for US Senators.
The UAW said it would “evaluate”
the conduct in the vote, where 89% of
eligible workers cast ballots.
“We are outraged at the outside in-
terference in this election. It’s never
happened in this country before that a
US senator, a governor, a leader of the
house, a leader of the legislature here
threatened the company with those in-
centives, threatened workers with the
loss of product,” Bob King, the UAW
president who has staked his legacy on
expanding into the south, said.
SOMETHING TO LEARN FROM
A Sri Lankan stilt fishermen works on his pole in the southern town of Galle on February 12, 2014. The number of foreign tourists visiting Sri Lanka has swelled since the island ended a
37-year separatist conflict with Tamil Tiger rebels in May 2009. During stilt fishing the fishermen sit on a cross bar called a petta tied to a vertical pole planted into the coral reef instead
of using nets because while fishing with nets, the fish get disturbed and may disappear, not to return for sometimes years, which means finding new fishing grounds further out AFP
Skype-type money swaps bad news for banks?
n AFP, Tallinn
Irked by high bank fees on interna-
tional money transfers, two Estonian
IT whizzes who helped engineer Skype
and Paypal have hatched Transferwise,
a global Internet platform coordinating
currency swaps between individuals.
“Hey, hidden fees. Your secret’s
out,” taunts the site founded by Taavet
Hinrikus, 32, and partner Kristo Kaar-
mann, 33.
Transferwise has been giving banks a
run for their money since its 2011 launch,
even attracting applause from tycoon
Richard Branson, who sings its praises
as a low cost business tool for start-ups.
“They are dramatically lowering the
cost of transferring money overseas,
by effectively matching people and
companies in different countries who
want the opposite currency,” the Virgin
billionaire said in a recent blog post.
The marriage of IT ingenuity and
financial savvy also garnered a pres-
tigious 2013 World Summit Award
(WSA), a United Nations-backed prize
for outstanding web-based business
innovations.
UAW membership has plummeted
75% since 1979 and now stands at just
under 400,000.
The Tennessee decision is likely to
reinforce the widely held notion that
the UAW cannot make significant in-
roads in a region that historically has
been steadfastly against organized
labour and where all foreign-owned
vehicle assembly plants employ non-
union workers.
Before the results were announced,
King had said in an interview with Re-
uters that his group and the German
union were already at work organizing
a Daimler AG factory in Alabama.
Monday, February 17, 2014
Transferwise offers international
money transfers for a fee of just one
British pound (1.2 euros, $1.6) for all
transfers under £200 and 0.5% for ev-
erything above - a tenth of what banks
typically charge.
At that price, business is booming
with the company processing around
£1m per day.
While European rules specify that
euro to euro transfers must be free of
charge, banks fees on international mon-
ey transfers between currencies range
between three and six percent with ex-
change rates that routinely favour banks.
The new platform boasts customers
from across Europe and is most popu-
lar in Britain, France and Spain, mostly
among working or retired expats plus
small and medium-sized businesses
looking to cut operating costs.
It’s also eyeing expansion in Asia,
Africa and the US, offering services for
the Indian rupee, South African rand
as well as US, Australian, Hong Kong
and Singapore dollars.
Co-founder Hinrikus was Skype’s
director of strategy until 2008, where
he joined as the first employee. Kaar-
REUTERS
“We will continue our efforts at Daim-
ler. It’s not new. We’re there. We have a
campaign. We have a plan. We are also
very involved globally with Nissan, so
that will continue,” he said. He did not
mention the other plants when speaking
to reporters late in the evening.
Dennis Cuneo, a partner at Fisher
& Phillips, a national labour law firm
that represents management, said
earlier in the day that a loss would be
a big setback for the union movement
in the South, showing the UAW was
unable to convince rank-and-file
workers even with management’s co-
operation. l
mann worked as a consultant for banks
with Deloitte and PricewaterhouseC-
oopers before setting up TransferWise.
Cashing-in on algorithms
The idea took shape when Hinrikus
found himself living in London and
spending in pounds, but earning euros
at his job with Skype at its headquar-
ters in his native Estonia.
Kaarmann, meanwhile was earning
pounds in London, but paying a mort-
gage for his home in the Estonian capi-
tal Tallinn in euros.
“We found that we had the opposite
currency requirements, so we started
to exchange it among ourselves at the
actual mid-market rate - that’s the ex-
change rate you see in the papers, not
the inflated rate you’ll be offered by
your bank,” Hinrikus told AFP.
“Soon we realised we had saved
a fortune by not moving the money
across borders and that perhaps it could
be a big business idea. A few years later
TransferWise was born,” he added.
A few algorithms later, they had
come up with the programming to con-
nect people with complementary cur-
surges in January
n AFP, Shanghai
China's bank lending surged in January
from December, the central bank said,
but analysts attributed the rise to sea-
sonal factors.
Loans by Chinese banks reached
around 1.3 trillion yuan ($216 billion) in
January, up 246.9 billion yuan from the
same month a year ago, the People's
Bank of China said in a statement late
Saturday.
In December, banks granted just
482.5 billion yuan in new loans, previ-
ous figures showed.
The January lending figure beat
the 1.1 trillion yuan median forecast
by 11 economists polled by Dow Jones
Newswires.
Social financing, a broader measure
of credit in the economy than lending
alone, rose 39.9 billion yuan year-on-
year to 2.6 trillion yuan in January, the
central bank said.
But analysts said Chinese banks
tend to lend more at the beginning of
the year after being granted their an-
nual lending quotas, and they expect
the government to keep a grip on credit
due to worries over financial risk.
"This is a common occurrence at the
beginning of the year and we do not
believe it reflects any shift in policy,"
research firm Capital Economics said.
"On the contrary, with policymakers
DILBERT
rency needs.
Hinrikus explains that a customer
in Britain who wants to send money
home to Estonia can put their pounds
on a TransferWise account.
The company then spots a customer
in Estonia who wants to send an equiv-
alent amount of money to the UK.
Rather than actually sending the mon-
ey across borders, TransferWise then
simply pays it out to the desired recipient
in each country, for the minimal fee.
While concerns have been raised
over the potential abuse of the sys-
tem to launder money, TransferWise
spokeswoman Huggins points out the
service is certified by Britain’s Finan-
cial Conduct Authority (FCA).
“This means that the business is
subject to the same rules as commer-
cial banks in the UK,” she explained.
The half-dozen TransferWise inves-
tors read like a who’s who of IT venture
capitalists.
PayPal founder and Facebook’s first
financier Peter Thiel is among them via
his Valar Ventures company as is Xavi-
er Niel, the founder of French commu-
nications provider Free. l
concerned about credit risks, we think
that tight monetary conditions are
probably here to stay and that this will
continue to weigh on credit growth," it
said in a report.
China's central bank pumped funds
into the money market last month to
ease a liquidity squeeze that rattled
financial markets before the Chinese
New Year holiday.
Demand for funds traditionally in-
creases before the week-long holiday,
which began on January 31 this year,
as companies pay salaries, year-end
bonuses and other obligations while
individuals withdraw cash for gifts and
shopping.
But the government worries a credit
binge could cause bad debts to rise and
expose the financial system to greater
risk. l