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Khaleda branded the parliament inactive, saying peoples money was being wasted because there was no effective opposition in the House
The BNP and its allies vowed to resist the January 5 national election which they boycotted. However, BNPs arch rival Awami League eventually managed to stage the election and formed the government for the second time in a row. This the first time since 2008 that Khaleda Zia has come to Rajbari. She came to the district last time for electioneering for the 2008 national poll. Local ranks of the BNP generally make extravagant decorative arrangements on the highways that Khaleda Zia travel along before going to address such rallies at the district level. However, yesterdays arrangement was no-
A patient being hastily taken out of the National Medical College and Hospital compound on a wheelchair after a clash erupted between the hospitals interns and fourth-class employees in the capital yesterday. More on Page 5 MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU
INSIDE
Business
B1 Bangladesh is going to sign the first-ever Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) with Sri Lanka soon to further enhance the existing bilateral trade relations between the two South Asian countries.
News
3 The Election Commission is yet to take any substantial actions regarding the large number of allegations of electoral code violation that have reportedly been submitted to the EC during the two phases of upazila parishad election.
Nation
6 Hundreds of bamboo clusters of the reserved forest under Mahamuhiri range in Bandarban Hilly district were being trafficked as the clusters had not been auctioned yet.
Op-Ed
11 RMGs serve as the flagship products of our country, increasing peoples interest in Bangladesh both as tourist and investment destinations. The sector does occupy a wide area of the Bangladesh economy, and a distinct position in the global market as well.
Ziaur Rahmans 22-ball 41 at the fag-end of the match cheered the home crowed but finally Bangladesh could not avoid embarrassment who was taking the charge to the Afghan bowlers, was eventually bowled through the gate MUMIT M
P8
Ukrainian Defence Minister Ihor Tenyukh said on Saturday there were 6,000 additional Russian troops in Crimea, alongside 30 armoured vehicles. Under the agreement governing the presence of the fleet in Crimea, the Russians must coordinate all troop movements outside the fleets base with the Ukrainian authorities beforehand. Sergiy Aksyonov, the newly-elected pro-Moscow leader of Crimea, earlier said he had appealed to Putin for help to ensure peace on the peninsula - a request which the Kremlin said it would not leave unnoticed. Events in Crimea have angered the new interim government in Kiev - which does not recognise the
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DHAKA TRIBUNE
News
n UNB
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina commissions two newly procured 053H2 Frigate ships at the Naval Berth Chittagong yesterday FOCUS BANGLA are ensuring security of the maritime boundary by encountering various natural adversities. So despite economic constraints, the necessity of an efficient, modern and balanced three-dimensional naval force is undeniable, she said. Earlier, the prime minister handed over the commissioning orders of the two warships to the commanding officers and formally unveiled the plaques of the ships. She also boarded the largest BN ship Samudra Joy, which was procured from the United States recently, and BNS Abu Bakar and witnessed different war equipment. l
Quader: Fair polls more More awareness needed to make important to AL online banking secure
n UNB
Apparently referring to the ruling Awami Leagues poor show in the upazila elections, Communications Minister Obaidul Quader yesterday said they always want fair elections, no matter who wins. We wanted fair polls (Upazila elections)and that have been done fairly. And in elections, there is a loss and win, he said. Obaidul Quader said this while unveiling a musical CD at a function organised by Amra Suryamukhi at Public Library in the city on the occasion of the birthday of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Quaders comments came as chairman candidates loyal to the ruling Awami League fell behind BNP-blessed candidates in the first two phases of upazila polls held on February 19 and 27. In the first phase upazila polls, BNPbacked chairman candidates won in 42 upazilas while AL loyalists won in 34 upazilas, in the second phase BNPbacked chairman candidates won in 51 upazilas and the AL-backed ones in 44. Obaidur Quader, also the presidium member of the ruling Awami League, said, Two phases (of the staggered upazila elections) out of five have been completed. The upazila elections will be held in three more phases. Itll be wise to comment on the polls only on completion of all the phases. l
BSS
Experts on information technology of different banks and financial institutions yesterday stressed the need for building awareness among the stakeholders, particularly customers, to make online banking system protected. The customers should be more careful to open their accounts while the authorities of banks and financial institutions have to take adequate security measures for safe online transaction, they told a workshop on Online Banking Security Aspects and Awareness of Stakeholders at the CTO Forum Bangladesh office. One of the most significant informa-
tion security challenges highlighted by banks was lack of customer awareness on information security, the experts said. The CTO Forum Bangladesh, an organisation for IT professionals in finance, banking, corporate and different business organisations, organised the event. Chief Information Officer of Airtel Bangladesh Ltd Lutfor Rahman and CTO Forum leaders Nawed Iqbal, Syed Masodul Bari, Dr Ijazul Haque and Debdulal Roy addressed the workshop among others. President of CTO Forum Bangladesh Tapan Kanti Sarkar chaired the workshop. Despite different security challenges, Tapan said banks around the world
were offering e-Banking products and services to attain competitive advantage. With combined efforts of bank and financial authorities, the security and privacy aspects have to be improved for flourishing e-banking in Bangladesh. Describing security threat to banking industry as a global phenomenon, Lutfor said top online banking fraud took place in the USA while many countries were suffering hugely over online banking security issue. In Bangladesh, online banking security needed to create awareness among the customers and to intensify monitoring of bank and financial institutions, he added. l
Khaleda vows
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In her 45-minute address in Rajbari yesterday, Khaleda branded the parliament inactive, saying peoples money was being wasted because there was no effective opposition in the House. The BNP chief holds the record for remaining the highest number of days absent in parliament as the opposition leader. She also alleged that the government, after having failed to drum up foreign support in favour of the January 5 election, started attacking the religious minority communities. Neither Muslims, nor Buddhists nor Christians nor the Hindus are safe
in the hands of the Awami League government, she said. Khaleda also slammed the government for the price hike of electricity and agricultural inputs. A few days ago, we saw reports of potato cultivators demonstrating by smashing potatoes in the street because they did not get fair price. But the government did not pay any heed. Instead, it remained busy with its projects, she said. Lambasting the government for politicising the administration, the former premier said: The quota system will be reduced Merit and competence will get priority for making the administration active. l
village of Bharel Union under the same upazila; and Mosharraf Hossain, 32, son of Nazim Mia of the same village. All of them were painters. They were killed when a gas cylinder exploded and caused fire to a two-storey building in Makharqa area that housed around 60 Bangladeshis. The victims died of suffocation. After hearing the news, the families are unable to hold back their tears. During a visit to the victims houses yesterday, Mosharrafs family said he had gone to Bahrain 12 years ago for a better living. But, he failed to achieve the goal. He could not return home in the last six years for not getting visa.
He could not even send money to the family in the last three months. Wife Mozina have been preparing to accept her fate and survive with three sons Imon, 12, Rimon, 10, and eightyear-old Ripon. Mosharraf took a loan from a local bank while going abroad. But, he could not pay the money back. A similar situation was seen at the house of Jalal who went abroad one and a half years ago. Like Mosharraf, he also took a loan of Tk5,00,000 from his friends and relatives. Till date, he could send only Tk60,000 back to his family. The family members said Jalal had not received wages in the last three months. He spoke to the family mem-
bers a couple of days ago. During the phone conservation, he told his family: I do not have money. Please do not give me missed calls. I cannot call you back. His family has nothing except the house. Another deceased Dulal Mia used to reside with his brother-in-law in Bahrain. He also failed to support his family after going to Bahrain a year before. His wife Aklima Akhter was unable to accept the truth that she would not see her husband again. Families of the deceased have demanded financial assistance and that the government bring back the bodies as soon as possible. l
Russian parliament
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provinces new leadership - and has alarmed Western leaders. President Turchynov accused Russia of trying to provoke Kiev into armed conflict, but said they would not react. US President Barack Obama said on Friday that any violation of Ukraine sovereignty... would be deeply destabilising. Meanwhile, big pro-Russian rallies are being held in several Ukrainian cities outside Crimea. In Donetsk, Yanukovychs tradition-
al stronghold, demonstrators from a crowd of some 7,000 tried unsuccessfully to occupy the regional administration building, raising a Russian tricolour on a nearby flag-post. In Kharkiv, Ukraines second-biggest city, scuffles broke out when protesters with Russian flags tried to occupy the regional administration building. In Mariupol, in the south-east, hundreds of protesters carrying Russian flags gathered outside the city council in eastern and southern Ukraine. l
end of February. She then said the prosecution would also seek a ruling from the tribunal asking Jamaat to apologise to the nation for its 1971 roles. However, recently, the prosecutor said: We are organising all the available information and we will try to submit the charges this month [March]. Shahriar Kabir, a leading figure from the Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee, told the Dhaka Tribune: If the government tries anything funny, then the campaigners will not stay silent. We are
not ready to accept any delay in starting the trial against Jamaat. Imran H Sarkar, spokesman of Gonojagoron Moncho, said: We have been urging the tribunal to speed up the trials. If there is any impediment in the way of starting a trial of the war crimes committed by Jamaat, the Moncho will be forced to take back to the streets against. We do not want that and the consequences will not be good either. In August 2013, the High Court declared Jamaats registration as a polit-
ical party illegal, following which the Election Commission stripped the party off its right to contest any election as a party. The HC also suggested the government to bar anti-liberation people from holding key positions in any government, non-government and socio-political organisation. US-based defence think tank IHS Janes has recently termed Islami Chhatra Shibir Jamaats student fornt as one of the most active non-state armed groups in 2013. l
to muscle out every delivery, but only ended up hitting straight to the fielders who dropped them with even more surprise. Despite the partnership the pressure was creeping on the home side when Nasir was finally caught at point which was followed by the departure of Naeem (35) with the Tigers on 165/6. Bangladesh captain Abdur Razzak, who came in next, was jogging for a single when 20-year-old Afghan prodigy Najibullah Zadrans direct hit sent him back while Arafat Sunny was caught behind off Shapoor with the scorecard unmoved. Bangladesh would have gifted Afghanistan the bonus point hadnt Ziaur Rahman stepped up and clobbered some lusty blows. Zias 22-ball 42 however was not enough as Bangladesh were eventually bundled for 222. Earlier everything went right for the home side when they sent in their opposition to bat as Rubel Hossains slower delivery undone Mohammad Shahzad to trap him plumb in front with only six runs on the board. Coming on to bowl in the 11th over, Sohag Gazi injured his finger on the third ball, trying to field of his own bowling, and had to leave the field in pain. He later needed stitches and was ruled out of the Asia Cup, adding more misery to the existing team. However, left-arm spinner Arafat Sunny struck twice in his first two overs to hold the grip of the match. He took a return catch of Karim Sadik before cleaning up Najibullah Zadran (21). Afghanistan slumped to 90 for five after a direct hit from Naeem, at point, sent Nawroz Mangal back on 24 followed by the Afghan skipper Nabi who tried to smash Mominul out of the park only managed an edge to the slip. Stanikzai, who was dropped twice by Imrul Kayes, and Shenwari took the responsibility and picked up their fifties as the pair added 164 off just 138 balls. Shenwari was run out in the last over but by then the damage was already done. He made 81 off 69 balls as Afghanistan scored 107 in the last ten overs. It was also their highest sixth wicket partnership and fifth in the ODIs by Shenwari and Stanikzai who remained unbeaten on 90 off 103. l
DHAKA TRIBUNE
News
3
26 Bangladeshis killed in Bahrain fires over 2 years n Tribune Report
Separate fire incidents in the last two years have claimed the lives of 26 Bangladeshis working in Bahrain. Fridays blaze in Manama that killed three was the third tragedy to hit one of Bahrains biggest expatriate communities since 2012, according to Gulf Daily News. According to latest figures, there are 3,000 registered labour camps in Bahrain, housing 138,000 workers. There are around 80,000 Bangladeshis living in the small island country situated near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. Ten Bangladeshis were killed in a blaze on May 27, 2012 in a makeshift labour camp located in East Riffas residential area. Another 13 Bangladeshis died on January 12 last year in a fire at a building located in Mukharqa in Manama the second deadliest fire in Bahrains history. More than 160 people lived in the three-storey building, which had 27 illegally constructed rooms. Bangladesh Embassy Labour Counsellor Mohammed Islam said the deceased had continued to put their lives at risk despite awareness campaigns on safety measures. Our people are putting their own lives at risk by living in dilapidated or makeshift houses to save some money, he said. The official said they were waiting for the Bahrain authorities to complete investigations.
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia addresses a mass rally at the railway ground in Rajbari yesterday
DHAKA TRIBUNE
A driver of a human hauler uses street children to push his vehicle after it broke down at the capitals Lalbagh area yesterday
DHAKA TRIBUNE
News
Japan-Bangladesh Friendship Hospital takes out a colourful rally for the upcoming T20 World Cup, with five hundred school and college students in the capital yesterday
DHAKA TRIBUNE
WEATHER
PRAYER TIMES
Fajar Sunrise Zohr Asr Magrib Esha 5:04am 6:19am 12:11am 4:24pm 6:02pm 7:17pm
Source: IslamicFinder.org
Winners of the Brac Bank SME Photography Competition pose for a photograph, at the award-giving ceremony at Drik Gallery in the capital yesterday QUAMRUL ABADIN
DHAKA TRIBUNE
News
5
JnU students plan to free three occupied halls n Mohammad Jamil Khan
Jagannath University (JnU) students demanding the vacating of dormitories occupied by outsiders yesterday declared that they would free the halls by themselves. A demonstration and the process to recover the three occupied halls of residence - named Tibet, Shahabuddin and Abdur Rahman, would start at 9am today under the banner of JnU hall recovery parishad (committee). We will start our journey to recover the three halls with students on Sunday morning, and we are expecting the administrations help in this regard, Shariful Islam, convener of the parishad and president of Chhatra Leagues JnU unit, told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday. Of the halls, Tibet is now Gulshan Ara City market, while some family members of police officials are living in the other two.
We will start our journey to recover the three halls with students on Sunday morning, and we are expecting the administrations help in this regard
Last Sunday, the students, along with teachers and university staff, tried to take over Tibet hall, resulting in a clash with police that left at least 200 protesters injured. Meanwhile, teachers, who are also demanding the recovery of the halls as well as the removal of deputy commissioner of Lalbagh police and the officer in charge of Kotwali police station, boycotted classes for a second day yesterday. JnU Proctor Asoke Kumar Saha said classes and exams were suspended in all departments of the university as teachers observed a work stoppage for five hours, from 11am-4pm. Classes were held in some departments before 11am, he added. The students have been agitating for long to recover 13 halls from illegal occupiers since the university started its journey on October 20, 2005. The latest protests began on February 18, with teachers and staff joining in. l
Evidence of rampant vandalism at National Medical College and Hospital after a clash between the hospitals interns and fourth-class employees in old Dhaka yesterday (top) l A family with a new-born hastily leaves the hospital compound after the clash erupted
MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU
Children take part in a colourful rally marking the 7th Int Childrens Film Festival at the capitals Shahbagh area yesterday
RAJIB DHAR
6
n Our Correspondent, Bandarban
Hundreds of bamboo clusters of the reserved forest under Mahamuhiri range in Bandarban Hilly district were being trafficked as the clusters had not been auctioned yet. It had been alleged that Md Selim, a bamboo dealer along with some other businessmen of Chakaria upazila under Coxs Bazar district had been felling bamboo clusters illegally with the help of forest department officials. As a result, the treasury was being deprived of huge amount of revenue. The Matamuhuri forest range is surrounded by 102,854 acres of land. The forest is supervised by Lama Forest department. In 2012-13 fiscal years, government has earned Tk6,138,150 from the auction of bamboo clusters of the Mahamuhuri forest range. It is required to get permission from the concerned ministry to hold an auction in every four years. But, the authorities failed to get the permission from the ministry to hold an auction although four years have passed in June, 2013. When contacted, Md Akbar Hossain, forest conservator of Chittagong, said he was not aware of the reason behind not holding an auction yet. Eventually, the government had been deprived of huge amount of revenue. Also, locals were facing problems in collecting and selling bamboo clusters legally due to the illegal business of a group of people. Abul Hashem, president of Bamboo
DHAKA TRIBUNE
Nation
Smugglers chop down bamboo clusters from the Matamuhuri forest range and use the nearby river to traffic them, at Bandarban
DHAKA TRIBUNE
NEWS IN BRIEF
Housewife killed by husband in Faridpur
A housewife was killed allegedly by her husband over a family feud at Mahishala village in Boalmari upazila on Friday. The deceased was identified as Sufia Begum, 24, wife of Sujat Sheikh of the village. Witnesses said both Sufia, mother of one child, and Sujat picked up a quarrel over a family feud at about 6:00pm. At one stage, Sujat kicked Sufia, leaving here dead on the spot. UNB
DHAKA TRIBUNE
Career
Performing
Norming
During the norming stage, the team finally arrives at one goal to work towards, and comes to a mutual plan for the team. To arrive at this stage, many undoubtedly has had to relinquish their own ideas and agree with others to make the team function. Team members begin to resolve differences and respect one anothers strengths. By now, all team members know their roles and responsibilities and have the ambition to work for the success of the teams goals. However, occasionally the team may lapse back to the storming stage as new issues arise, but they are better informed on how to resolve such issues. The pitfall during
This is the final stage where groups become high-performing teams. Unfortunately, not all teams reach this stage. High-performing teams function as a unit and always manage to find ways to get the job done without unnecessary conflict and delay. The team functions autonomously as a whole and are able to handle the decision making process with little supervision from the team leader. Disagreements still occur at this stage, but are handled through acceptable means. Sometimes the team may revert to one of the former stages such as storming or norming, but once they have reached the performing stage they are aware of how to return to it. These disruptions are usually caused by changing circumstances, such as change in roles or addition of members. It is the job of an effective leader at this stage to delegate much of his work and focus on developing team members. l
RESPONSIBILITIES n n Establish clear objectives for the team as a whole and for individual team members. Determine individual roles. Establish individual roles. Resolve conflicts as efficiently as possible. Provide support to team members. Address imminent challenges to your leadership positively. Explain Tuckmans forming, storming, norming, and performing model, so team members understand why problems are occurring, and realise that things will eventually get better. On top of your own responsibility, help team members take responsibility for progress towards the goal. Once the team is performing well, aim to develop individual members to the best of your ability and keep a keen eye out to avoid reversion to earlier stages.
Forming
During this stage of team building, the team is formed. Team members are keen to avoid conflict at this stage, and everyone is generally polite. The team members are not yet sure of their individual roles or responsibilities, but they are aware of the common goal that
they have to collectively work towards. This is also the time during which team members are gathering information; they are busy finding out about one another and each others strengths and weaknesses, ability to handle pressure, etc. At this stage, most team members are still self-motivated and behaving independently. It is a good time for the teams would-be leader to take charge, as most members are unaware of what they are supposed to be doing.
Storming
The storming stage follows, which is a stage many teams fail at while others never fully leave it. After the initial diplomacy of the first stage, during this stage different ideas storm and compete for consideration. The team together address issues of role, leadership model, individual responsibilities, goals, etc. Since individual roles are not yet established, every member vies for their position.
The length of this stage depends largely on the maturity of team members as previously mentioned, conflicts might arise from both professional differences and personality clashes. The team must choose to move on instead of focusing on the smallest differences. This is another opportunity for the natural leader to take charge and comb through the knots. The most important aspects to focus on during the storming stage is en-
Storming
n n n n
Norming Performing
n n
Workday idioms
n Career Desk
Dab hand at something - If you are a dab hand at something, you are very good at doing it. (Whole) bag of tricks - If you use your (whole) bag of tricks to do something, you try (all) the clever methods you know in order to succeed. On the ball - If you are on the ball, you are aware of what is happening and are able to deal with things quickly and intelligently. Do nothing by halves - When a person does everything they are engaged in completely and thoroughly, they are said to do nothing by halves. Chase your (own) tail - Someone who is chasing their (own) tail is spending a lot of time and energy doing many things but achieving very little. To the best of ones ability - When someone does something to the best of their ability, they do it as well as they possibly can. Do the trick - If something does the trick, BIZ VOCAB it does exactly what is needed, or achieves the desired effect. Kill two birds with one stone - If you kill two birds with one stone, you succeed in doing two things at the same time. Take the bull by the horns - To take the bull by the horns means that a person decides to act decisively in order to deal with a difficult situation or problem. Cannot hold a candle to - If one person cannot hold a candle to another, they are much less competent or do not perform as well as the other. Like clockwork - To say that someone or something goes, runs or behaves like clockwork means that everything happens exactly as expected. Acid test - To refer to something as the acid test means that it will prove how effective or useful something is. Cut the ground from under feet - When someone cuts the ground from under anothers feet, they do something that weakens their position or spoils their plans. Deliver the goods - If a person delivers the goods, they do what is expected of them or what they have promised to.
Peeking behind perceptions: Career prospects for Arts and Humanities majors
Zeba Bakhtiar and n Anita Naiian Yazdani
Getting admitted to a degree of choice quite often seems to be as difficult as looking for a needle in a proverbial haystack in todays world of competition. In the current domestic socio-economic scenario, a major in the arts or humanities is generally perceived to be unsafe in terms of both career and compensation packages, and only rich kids are presumed to follow such career paths. After studying in courses like History and English Language, many graduates find themselves despairing over the looming unavailability of jobs in their preferred sectors. In this particular scenario, one could choose to study and sit for the BCS (Bangladesh Civil Service) exams, passing which would enable them to get a government job that is respected worldwide, along with many additional fringe benefits on offer. Furthermore, there are also jobs in the education sector for those who want to help teach and nurture the future generations of Bangladesh. In order to do so, graduates may choose to take a well-trodden route by becoming a lecturer at a university after completing their Masters in the chosen discipline and later moving on to higher posts. However, if they know that they want to be professors in their subject, a PhD should be undertaken as soon as possible in order to maximise their chances of being selected by a reputed university. Another option for these graduates is a career in the banking sector, which recruits from any discipline. Graduates are required to sit for a generalised bank examination to qualify for the particular post for which they are applying. Once they get into a particular job at a bank, they can always choose to progress in their careers by sitting for higher banking diplomas, and if they perform well, the time span from one promotion to the next can be shortened significantly. However, many still believe that educating young minds is an extremely fulfilling and satisfying experience. For those studying Philosophy, English or History, you could go for masters in child psychology and educational development. You could then join organisations like the UNICEF, where you will be able to teach underprivileged children, thus helping to spread the light of knowledge to those who still live in the dark. The added satisfaction of making a social contribution makes this career particularly attractive. A career in the performing arts such as playwriting and drama does not necessarily imply a life engrossed in the theatre. On the contrary, if a graduate of drama decides to get an MBA from a leading public or private university, he or she will have a diverse skill set combining the communication skills and business nous. This may be of particular interest for public relations, media, advertising and marketing roles.
WORDS OF WISDOM
The limitations of an arts and humanities career are just as much about perception as it is about reality
BIGSTOCK
Often people attempt to live their lives backwards, they try to have more things or more money in order to do more of what they want so that they will be happier. The way it actually works is the reverse. You must first be who you really are then do what you need to do in order to have what you want. Margaret Young, singer and comedienne
A key example would be Ramendu Mazumder, who is a noted theatre personality of Bangladesh. It is perhaps little known that this famous personality majored in English from Dhaka University, and his first job was as a lecturer at the Chaumuhani College in Noakhali for three years. While he kept himself associated with the literary canon and the theatre scene, he later gained prominence for working in client services for advertising firms in Karachi, Kolkata, and later on in Dhaka. Akbar Ali Khan is also another personality worth mentioning when talking about subjects within the Humanities stream. Although he had studied history from the University of Dhaka, achieving first class in both his Bachelors and Masters degrees, he is more well-known for working in the civil service, and later going on to serve as one of the advisors of the care-
taker government near the end of the year 2006. He has written various books on Economics and is a part-time faculty member of the BRAC Business School (BBS), a department of BRAC University. These examples demonstrate that the limitations of an arts and humanities career are just as much about perception as it is about reality. For those who choose to take the conventional path, there is still a variety of options available. A graduate of linguistics for example need not necessarily be a teacher or a lecturer; he or she might choose to work as a translator for a foreign embassy in Bangladesh. This may be especially attractive as it might involve lucrative travelling opportunities on a regular basis along with excellent compensation packages. In addition, one might choose to work
as an executive at any of the leading NGOs, such as UNICEF or the World Bank. Just because one has majored in a course that is rarely opted for does not endorse the conclusion that you have limited options for a prosperous career. On the contrary, if a graduate does have the characteristics of what it takes that is attitude, aptitude and creativity - the land of opportunity is quite fertile. One only needs to open up his or her mind to see the exciting careers that await. l Anita Zeba Bakhtiar recently completed her research internship at GradConnect, an international career information and advisory firm. Naiian Yazdani is the Director of Strategy at GradConnect. You can email him at naiian@grad-connect.com and find more career information at www.grad-insights. com and www.grad-connect.com.
DHAKA TRIBUNE
World
INVESTMENT
The conference heard calls for ideas ranging from a financial transaction tax to pay for measures to cut youth unemployment to more investment in science and research and a more appealing message to voters. German Social Democratic leader Sigmar Gabriel, economy minister in Chancellor Angela Merkels cross-party coalition, said it was unreasonable to expect small business and skilled tradesmen to accept heavy tax burdens while financial markets which he said had caused the crisis have not paid a cent. We have to get a contribution from the financial markets. We have to get to them, to finance a cut in debt and an investment in growth, he said. l
An exhibition presenting a series of auto-portrait photos by Cameroonian and Nigerian artist Samuel Fosso (C), at Villa Ajavon AFP
n AFP, Ouidah
Until last year, the few tourists who visited the small west African town of Ouidah were likely headed to the Gateway of No Return, a massive monument to the area's bleak history as a slave trading hub. But the town may soon become known for an attraction of an entirely different sort: the first sub-Saharan Africa museum dedicated exclusively to contemporary African art. The Zinsou Museum, installed in an ornate 100-year-old villa, has attracted 13,000 visitors since its launch in November an impressive tally for an out-of-the-way town in the sparsely visited nation of Benin. The reputation and monetary value of contemporary African art has steadily risen in recent years. Curators and collectors from North America and Europe frequently fly in to artistic hubs like Lagos, Nigeria seeking new talent and new work by established names. But for Marie-Celine Zinsou, who
n Reuters, Washington/Simferool
US President Barack Obama has warned Russia against any military intervention in Ukraine after the countrys new leaders accused Moscow of deploying forces in the Crimea region. A week after Russian-backed President Viktor Yanukovich was ousted in Kiev, armed men took control of two airports in Crimea on Friday in what Kiev described as an invasion and occupation by Moscows forces in a region with an ethnic Russian majority. Acting President Oleksander Turchinov said Russia, which has a naval base in Crimea, was following a scenario like the one before it went to war with fellow former Soviet republic Georgia in 2008 over two breakaway regions. The crisis is stoking tensions in a geopolitical battle between East and West that has echoes of the Cold War. We are now deeply concerned by reports of military movements taken by the Russian Federation inside of Ukraine, Obama told reporters in Washington, adding that any violation of Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity would be deeply destabilizing. Obama and European leaders would consider skipping a G8 summit this summer in the Russian city of Sochi if Moscow intervened militarily, a senior US official said. l
spearheaded the creation of the museum, better notoriety for African artists abroad was not enough. While on a trip to Benin with a French based children's charity in 2005 she wanted to take a group of youths to an art museum. "I found that there wasn't any structure to show (the children) work from their own continent," she told AFP. Zinsou, the grandniece of one of Benin's first presidents, secured an investment from her father Lionel, a businessmen with duel French and Benin nationality who previously worked for France's Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius. The Zinsou foundation opened in 2005 at a building in Benin's largest city of Cotonou, where access was free to view both African and foreign art. The foundation attracted four million visitors in eight years, mostly students under the age of 15. The slave trade monument in Ouidah is a massive archway with two long lines
of naked, chained men in bas-relief along the top, to suggest the group is being marched into the Atlantic Ocean. Hundreds of thousands of Africans were believed to have been condemned to slavery from the beach below the archway. The Villa Ajavon in a sense defies that history, having been built by the descendants of slaves who returned from the Brazilian city of Bahia in a style influenced by both Brazilian and African architecture, said Zinsou. While the villa needed to be renovated to host a museum, Zinsou said the priority was to preserve its original structure. Air conditioning in main hall was therefore forbidden so as to not disfigure the exterior, so those who wants to see the museum's collection must be prepared to sweat. Air circulates through sunlight corridors where the works of leading African artists are on display, including: Ethiopia's Mickael Bethe-Selassie, Frederic Bruly-Bouabre of Ivory Coast and Cheri Samba of the Democratic Republic of Congo. l
n AFP, Ankara
Turkeys parliament has passed a bill to close down thousands of private schools, many of which are run by an influential Muslim cleric embroiled in a bitter feud with the government. The move is the latest blow struck in a rivalry between Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his former ally Fethullah Gulen which has seen the Turkish government entangled in a graft scandal and shaken to its core. In a late-night session on Friday, lawmakers in the 550-seat house voted 226 for and 22 against the bill which sets September 1, 2015 as the deadline to shut down the network of schools. Around 4,000 private schools in Turkey are run by Gulen, and provide a major source of income for his Hizmet (Service) movement, which describes itself as a global, social and cultural movement inspired by Islamic ideals. Tensions have long simmered between Erdogan and Gulen, who once worked hand-in-hand as the conservative pro-business middle class rose at the expense of the military and former secular elite. But they reached breaking point in November when government first floated the idea of shutting down the schools, which aim to help students prepare for high school and university. Erdogan said at the time he wanted to abolish an illegal and unfair education system which he charged turned children into competition horses. l
DHAKA TRIBUNE
World
n AFP, Quetta
Pakistan is one of the last three countries in the world where polio remains endemic
In a separate incident in western Baluchistan province, a roadside bomb killed three members of a government paramilitary force in Sorab, about 230km southwest of the provincial capital of Quetta. Shortly afterwards, the paramilitary Frontier Corps announced it had killed ten men in Sui, 300km southeast of Quetta. The Frontier Corps said they were carrying out an operation to
Commercial and residential buildings in Beijing Keqiang at the parliament session. Economists with top think-tanks have told Reuters that Li could stick with the 7.5% target of last year, implying that the cautious approach to reform in 2013 would continue this year. Reforms are widely expected to gain steam this year, but the sequencing of reforms means less painful ones will come first. Some analysts believe there is an off chance that Li could stop issuing an explicit growth target for this year, to underscore the importance of economic reforms. Most pundits, however, expect authorities to reaffirm the target to reassure markets. Still, most local governments have already cut economic growth targets this year to focus on quality and efficiency. Among the 31 provinces, regions and municipalities across the country, 22 local governments have lowered their GDP targets this year while seven local governments have kept the target the same as last year, according to official media.
REUTERS
Low-hanging fruit
Among the less controversial reforms, the central bank could unveil a long-awaited deposit insurance system in coming months, a step toward its declared goal of freeing up bank deposit rates, and it may also widen the yuans trading band to encourage international usage of the currency. It could also announce opening up the highly controlled capital account at a free-trade zone in Shanghai, an experimental
move it has already flagged. But some changes, such as government downsizing or closures of debt-laden factories in sectors gripped by overcapacity, could take a back seat to avoid fuelling job losses and undermining social stability, analysts say. Reforms require careful planning and proper timing. The bottom line is the economy be kept stable, said Wang Jun, senior economist with China Centre for International Economic Exchanges (CCIEE), a well-connected think-tank in Beijing. Still, there are signs that the leadership is keen to rein in the countrys powerful planning body to reduce state interventions and clip the wing of state giants to create more breathing space for private firms - the vital economic driving force. l
10
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DHAKA TRIBUNE
Editorial
LETTER OF THE DAY
Letters to
the Editor
tate-owned sugar mills are once again operating at a loss, poised to lose another Tk2 billion this year. This is yet another drain on the Bangladeshi taxpayer which needs to close. For many years, these inefficient state-run sugar mills have been incurring losses of hundreds of crores. Productions costs are soaring, and the slump of the price of sugar in the world market has enabled private sugar producers to sell their sugar for cheaper. The state should not subsidise these loss-making businesses. There is no excuse to continue funding these businesses at a massive cost to the nation, especially if there are cheaper alternatives such as imported sugar. Furthermore, the opportunity cost of bankrolling these industries is that farmers could be growing something better. All of this supports the basic argument that the government should no longer be supporting the 15 or state-owned loss-making sugar mills, which have been fighting a failing battle against the competitive prices of the free market. Furthermore, these state-owned mills, due to insufficient storage capacity, are tremendously wasteful. A large volume of unsold molasses gets wasted every year because the surplus cannot be sold locally or internationally. Expensive and wasteful state-owned industries like the sugar mills are costing the country and the taxpayer dearly. It is time to stop this waste.
Be Heard
Write to us at: Dhaka Tribune FR Tower, 8/C Panthapath Sukrabad, Dhaka-1207 Email us at: letters@dhakatribune.com Send us your Op-Ed articles: opinion@dhakatribune.com Visit our website: www.dhakatribune.com Come join our Facebook community: https://www.facebook.com/DhakaTribune
he World Banks approval of $600 million in concessional financing for the Rural Electricity Transmission and Distribution Project is a timely boost for the economy. Although Bangladeshs rural electrification program has a strong track record and has been highly successful in raising living standards, it is still not complete or comprehensive. The new funding provides a much needed boost for plans to expand the national electrification program. By providing a long term 40 year credit, this new finance will vastly improve the quality of electricity supply in the eastern part of the country, and will benefit around 25 million people. The project incorporates improvements to the efficiency of the distribution system so that far less energy will be wasted and more electricity can be reliably provided to rural areas. It will help bring significant benefits for everyday life. Past increases in access to electricity have shown a strong correlation with improvements to educational opportunities, economic growth and prosperity. The World Banks studies have also found other social benefits such as increasing mobility, particularly for women. Ensuring funding for and proper implementation of this type of project is vital for the future of the country. The government should be concentrating more efforts on improving the reliability and scope of electricity supplies, rather than spending money on subsides for existing users.
PEANUTS
CROSSWORD
ACROSS 1 Hidden obstacle (4) 6 Sporting item (3) 7 Country (4) 9 Bound (4) 10 Heavenly body (5) 11 Tree (5) 12 Flightless bird (3) 14 Lukewarm (5) 17 Corroded (5) 20 United (3) 21 Entangle (5) 23 Durable cloth (5) 25 Passport endorsement (4) 26 Dutch cheese (4) 27 Success (3) 28 Fasting period (4) DOWN 1 Precious metal (6) 2 Counting frame (6) 3 Stare openmouthed (4) 4 Precious stone (3) 5 Groove (3) 7 Skin opening (4) 8 Plant secretion (5) 10 Domestic animal (3) 13 Meditated (5) 15 Well-mannered (6) 16 Leave (6) 18 Make neat (4) 19 Sweet potato (3) 22 Wicked (4) 23 Early freshness (3) 24 Short sleep (3)
SUDOKU
YESTERDAYS SOLUTIONS
Crossword
How to solve Sudoku: Fill in the blank spaces with the numbers 1 9. Every row, column and 3 x 3 box must contain all nine digits with no numberrepeating.
Sudoku
DHAKA TRIBUNE
Op-Ed
11
Crime has become a tool for maintaining dominance in our political and societal power-play. Abuse of power is very common in every sphere of society, and corruption is not only normal, but patronised by our community. If we look at the entire scenario, we can see how the culture of impunity and indemnity has contributed to the rise of crimes over the years, particularly in the decades forgone under the despotic regimes. Crimes manipulate our psychology. To a great extent, they are a result of social process, and the forms of crimes refer to the socialisation that a society has come through. Killing gives rise to more killings, while rape hinders a society from moving forward. Once an abduction is perpetrated, it becomes a longstanding story of horror it hunts people down and damages the psyche. Sadly, this has become far too common in our society. When the incidents of rape in Delhi shook the whole world, similar crimes were happening in this country. The worst part of the horrific story was rewritten here, but the consequent public outrage and resistance were not. In the recent years, we have been hearing of big scams, corruption, and saw how bigshots stayed out of the reach of law. We never scrutinised whether this had had any influence on the idea of the bank burglary. We must have noticed that certain kinds of crimes become widespread faster. These are particularly the crimes that victimise women, children, and other marginalised people within the society. This is a society that harbours a terrifying form of patriarchy. Crimes against women are used as tools to intimidate and confine women in order to maintain the existing order. So, not only can the crimes go unpunished, in many ways they are inspired. Economic deprivation is probably another major reason for crime. Whether a society could be made completely free of crime is debatable, but it cannot be denied that the number of such incidents can curbed. It is a known fact that crime rates are high in most developing countries. Bangladesh is no exception.
n MAB Siddique
society is represented by its morals, values, and ethics. The legal system of that particular society is formed keeping those in mind, and its implementation depends largely on the overall capability of the society. Crime is a big problem in Bangladesh with incidents of murder, rape, abduction, etc becoming particularly rampant. And of course, corruption exists at a significant degree. Our poverty and pitiable economic conditions can be accounted for by this situation, as well as the lack of awareness on this issue.
More crimes are being reported than before. But it hasnt really helped to reduce crime
BIGSTOCK
MGs serve as the flagship products of our country, increasing peoples interest in Bangladesh both as tourist and investment destinations. The sector does occupy a wide area of the Bangladesh economy, and a distinct position in the global market as well. Bangladesh is known in the global market as a small country with a strong presence due to its thriving RMG sector. As per the report of BGMEA, the country has around 5,600 active garment factories employing nearly 4 million people directly. Also, it continues to show a robust performance and competitive strength in the global market. In FY2012-13, the RMG sector earnings stood at $21.52bn out of US$27.09bn total export earnings as per the report of Export Promotion Bureau (EPB). RMGs contribution to total exports in 2013 was 79.63%, with an increase of 1.03% from total exports in 2012. However, the sector is still undergoing some troubles at home and abroad despite its tremendous successes over the last few years. In recent times, the sector has fallen into an image crisis in the global platform after the events of the Tazreen Fashions fire and Rana Plaza building collapse. Disputes between factory owners and workers over wage standards also impede the success of the sector. Both sides have yet to reach a consensus on
minimum wage standards of workers, even though some initiatives have been taken vis--vis settling disputes. Inadequate infrastructure, deficiencies in upgraded technology, and a lack of training measures for workers are also stymieing the sector. Most factories still lack clean working environments and sound sanitation systems, making workers sick.
sector. It cost this sector around Tk250 crore each day of the shutdown in the pre and post phases of the 10th National Parliament Election. As per the report of Centre for Policy Dialogue, more than Tk10,000 crore was drained away from this sector in last years political turmoil. The sector has recently come under some hassle out of the cancellation
Bangladesh is known in the global market as a small country with a strong presence due to its thriving RMG sector
A platform of 26 North American clothing retailers has expressed concerns over the structural flaws of many garment factories during their recent inspection of some 200 factories. As per the report of the inspection, about 74% of the garment factories were built before the establishment of the Bangladesh National Building Code 2006. Most factories are still deficient in having adequate fire extinguishers, emergency exits, and other safety measures that are all-important in times of accidents. Aforementioned problems aside, political topsy-turvydom is another impediment to the progress of the
of GSP facility by the US government on the questions of poor safety and working conditions of workers inside the factories. Due to the removal of the GSP facilities, Bangladeshi exporters are now to pay 15.3% duty to enter US markets, which again would be a reason for keeping the factory-owners away from reaching a consensus on minimal wage of Tk8,000 for each worker. So, in the final analysis, it is recommended that, not just for the restoration of the facility, but also to make our RMG sector of international standards and thus further entice foreign retailers into buying our prod-
ucts, all necessary initiatives have to be made vis--vis workers safety and their rights. Due consideration should be given to their issues, as they are an inseparable part of the operation of factories. Workers should be provided with essential training so that they can produce larger amounts of quality products in shorter amounts of time, and factory owners ought to be willing enough to spend an amount of their earned profits in this connection. Furthermore, structural transformation along with technological upgrading is a must for the amelioration of factory environments to stave off disasters. Factory buildings built before the BNBC need to be retrofitted, or constructed anew where the possibility prevails. The government, accompanied by owner associations BGMEA and BKMEA can jointly play a substantial role in establishing more plannedindustrial zones to accommodate and consolidate factories away from residential areas and cities. Last but not least, political stability is a pressing need in order to keep the RMG sector operating smoothly at home and abroad. Political parties should forfeit violence and inter-party conflicts, at least for the sake of the countrys economic growth. l Tanbir Uddin Arman is Research Assistant, Bangladesh Institute of Peace and Security Studies (BIPSS).
Our behaviour reflects what is happening around us. Now, with the rising media coverage, more crimes are being reported than before. But it hasnt really helped to reduce crime. In fact, certain kinds of crimes have been on the rise in the recent decades, from killings to disappearances, harassment to rape, torture to mutilation, extortion to bribery, and drugs to arms deals. These types of crimes are greatly shaped by the various elements in society. Every occurrence of crime initiates certain consequences and leaves impacts. And when they are not dealt with or addressed properly, it encourages further occurrences of such crimes. Crimes that victimise the already marginalised people are quite prevalent in our society. We know that certain crimes enjoyed impunity at a time when society was also deprived of democratic governance, and it will take a long time to uproot the legacies of those crimes through democratic intervention. But this delay is posing a new form of disorder and dysfunction in society. Our society is still compensating for the crimes spared in those regimes. And the state still hasnt been very successful in controlling organised crimes. Many people still remain far from getting proper service from or access to the judicial system that we endowed. Despite a few developments in recent years, police and other law enforcers havent been successful due to a lack of skills, ethical standards, and training. Additionally, there remains a lack of morality, an ethical decay. As a result, the rate of crime only gets higher. These crimes have become almost tolerable to us. Political irresponsibility played a key role in creating this situation. There are political parties which have adopted terrorism and crimes as their political ideology, while there are parties which are compromising on certain crimes despite having proclaimed a commitment to being democratic.
Crimes have become almost tolerable to us. Political irresponsibility played a key role in creating this situation
Our country needs to deal with this problem. And not with repeated assurances of handling criminals with an iron hand, but by ensuring a rule of law associated with economic progress. Strict implementation of law is just a start, but a permanent solution can only be ensured with the transformation of the age-old ideas that holds us back. We need to bring an end to the culture of impunity and find a way to achieve economic and social justice. l MAB Siddique is a Staff Writer at the Dhaka Tribune.
Stories like these tell us that in the context of Bangladesh, there is sadly not much to celebrate
Violence against women is not directly visible on the streets of Bangladesh as women and girls mostly stay behind the walls of their homes
International Womens Day is coming up on March 8, yet stories like these tell us that in the context of Bangladesh, there is sadly not much to celebrate. The findings of a recently published nationwide survey were a shocking reminder of the conditions of women and girls in Bangladesh today. The survey revealed a series of horrifying statistics. Violence against women is not
A necessary first step is to recognise the negative impacts of mens gender roles of masculinity, especially in the context of severe deprivation, and to incorporate this into programs working to fight gender-based violence for more long-term preemptive interventions. Just like we need to break the silence around violence against women, we also need to break the silence around masculinity issues. l Marie Sophie Pettersson is Gender Adviser and Program Analyst at Shiree.
12
DHAKA TRIBUNE
Entertainment
Habib releases new tracks on the web
n Entertainment desk
Renowned singer Habib Wahid released his new song Anmona Mon on the web. The lyrics of the song is written by Mamun Mujib and the music is composed and directed by Habib Wahid. After releasing the track titled Egiye Jabei Jabe Amar Shonar Bangladesh on the web, Habib Wahid gathered huge appreciation online. The singer dedicated the song to all the cricket lovers and to the Bangladesh cricket team as a gesture of wishing them good luck for the upcoming games, since the Asia Cup and then the world cup is knocking on the doors. l
8th National Human Rights Theatre Festival ended yesterday with the staging of six plays portraying the various pressing issues faced by people in their everyday life, including issues like communal riots, misuse of power or position, atmosphere, corruption and many more. The picture above shows Naogaon Manap troupe staging their production Dshobhash on February 28 at the Rabindra Sarobar stage in Dhanmondi. The play addresses the harsh social norms that binds a person in the redundant and vicious cycle of violence and misuse of power that has become an inherent part of the society
TODAY IN DHAKA
Film
Avatar 3D 47 Ronin (3D), Aakash Koto Dure, Thor: The Dark World 3D, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug in 3D, Frozen in 3D, Shunte Ki Pao, Agnee Time: 10am - 10pm Star Cineplex, Bashundhara City Robocop, Gravity, Captain Phillips, Elysium Time: 12:30pm 9:30pm Blockbuster Cinemas, Jamuna Future Park, Ka- 244, Pragati Avenue, Kuril
Theatre
8th Manobadhikar Natya Utsab Time: 4:30pm 8:30pm, Robindro Shorobor Rd 7/A, Dhanmondi
Exhibition
War and Colonies 1914 1918 Time: 3pm 9pm, Alliance Francaise de Dhaka
Film Festival
7th International Childrens Film Festival Time: 4:00pm 6:30pm Shawkat Osman Hall, Central Public Library
ON TV
DRAMA
6:30pm Sony Max
Krrish
8:00pm Sony
Adaalat
COMEDY
12:30pm Star World
Two Broke Girls
Popular duo of small screen Tahsan and Tisha have paired up for a TV commercial directed by Mostofa Sarwar Farooki. This is the first time the celebrities are working for a TVC and the shooting is going on at the Coke Studio, DOHS, Mirpur
Katy Perry forced to remove religious symbol from Dark Horse video
n Entertainment Desk
A new version of Katy Perrys Dark Horse video has been released amid controversy over a religious symbol in the original. The singers Egyptian-themed video features men one of whom wore a necklace with the Arabic symbol for Allah presenting gifts to Queen Katy. The man, and the necklace, were burned and crumbled to dust, which UK resident Shazad Iqbal and others found to be offensive. Iqbal started a Change.org petition, which reached 50,000 signatures on February 26 and at press time had more than 65,000. Such goes to show, that blasphemy is clearly conveyed in the video, since Katy Perry (who appears to be representing an opposition of God) engulfs the believer and the word God in flames, Iqbal writes in the petition. This is the reason for lodging the petition so that people from different walks of life, different religions and from different parts of the world, agree that the video promotes blasphemy, using the name of God in an irrelevant and distasteful manner would be considered inappropriate by any religion. In the new, edited version the necklace with the symbol is edited out. The video has more than 43 million views on YouTube. l
Sport
DHAKA TRIBUNE
13
0 1 4
DAYS TO GO
14 Federer floors
15 Bangladesh
SCORECARD, BD v AFG
Afghanistan
POINTS TABLE
Teams Sri Lanka Pakistan India Afghanistan Bangladesh Mat Won Lost Pts NRR 2 2 0 8 +0.168 2 1 1 5 +0.600 2 1 1 4 +0.018 2 1 1 4 -0.400 2 0 2 0 -0.384
Afghanistans Asghar Stanikzai (L) and Samiullah Shenwari run during their Asia Cup match against Bangladesh at the Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium yesterday MUMIT M
Mohammad Shahzad lbw b Hossain 2 Karim Sadiq c and b Sunny 12 Najibullah Zadran b Sunny 21 Asghar Stanikzai not out 90 Nawroz Mangal run out 24 Mohammad Nabi c Nasir b Haque 7 Samiullah Shinwari run out 81 Mirwais Ashraf not out 0 Extras: (b1, lb6, w10) 17
Total: (for six wkts; 50 overs) Fall of wickets 254
PROBABLE XI
India
Virat Kohli (c), Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Ajinkya Rahane, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Ambati Rayudu, Ravindra Jadeja, Pujara/ Stuart Binny, R Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammad Shami
Pakistan
Misbah-ul-Haq (c), Sharjeel Khan, Ahmed Shehzad, Mohammad Hafeez, Sohaib Maqsood, Umar Akmal (wk), Shahid Afridi, Anwar Ali, Umar Gul, Saeed Ajmal, Junaid Khan sibility with the bat to make justice in his selection. The right and left-arm spearhead combination of Umar Gul and Junaed Khan will be crucial on these natural batting tracks as Pakistan have a lethal spin department - Saeed Ajmal, Afridi
and Mohammad Hafeez - to back them. Pakistan skipper Misbah, after the first two matches, urged his teammates to show more urgency in the middle and after an inspiring win against Afghanistan it is the perfect time for them to turn around. Wherever they play, whenever they play India and Pakistan matches have always generated a lot of excitement and todays clash will be nothing less according to Pakistan legend Zaheer Abbas. The rivalry is always there and it should be there all the time, said Abbas who is also the team consultant and batting coach. The main key is to play 50 overs and score as many as you want, he said yesterday. Record is on Indias side as they won six out their nine matches against Pakistan in Bangladesh while dew will also be a factor for both sides and the team winning the toss should consider bowling first. Pakistan should go with an unchanged side from their last match while India must bring in Pujara to strengthen their batting unit. l
Anam-ul Haque lbw b Hassan Shamsur Rahman b Shapoor Mominul Haque b Shinwari Mushfiqur Rahim lbw b Nabi Nasir Hossain c Shinwari b Ashraf Naeemul Islam c Mangal b Hassan Ziaur Rahman b Nabi Abdur Razzak run out Arafat Sunny c Shahzad b Shapoor Rubel Hossain c Mangal b Nabi Sohag Gazi not out Extras: (b4, lb2, w6)
Total: (all out; 47.5 overs) Fall of wickets
1 0 50 23 41 35 41 0 0 17 2 12
222
Shapoor 8 0 39 2, Hassan 6.1 1 26 2, Sadiq 2 0 9 0, Ashraf 9 0 51 1, Nabi 9.4 044 3, Hotak 7 0 24 0, Shinwari 6 0 23 1
Result
MOMENTS
Oh injury, let go!
Sohag Gazi was the latest inclusion in the Tigers injury line-up after the off-spinner had to leave the field contributing just three deliveries in the game. He came on to bowl in the 11th over and was struck by a powerful shot from Afghanistan opener Karim Sadiq. He was rushed to a local hospital where the doctors put stitches on his finger. He was replaced by substitute Imrul Kayes who dropped two vital catches which just added salt to the wound.
The S force
164 from 138 balls for the sixth wicket between Asghar Stanikzai and Samiullah Shenwari completely changed the scenario of the game. Afghanistan were down by 5 wickets with 90 runs in the 27th over with Bangladesh in total control. But Stanikzai-Shenwari slaughtered the hosts in the latter stage of the game, helping their side to 254. The duo fetched 107 runs in the last 10 overs with Stanikzai unbeaten on a 103-ball 90 while Shenwari scored 81 off 69. The partnership is the biggest for Afghanistan and fifth for the sixth wicket in world cricket.
On-field umpire Billy Bowden was unhappy with something the Afghanistan wicketkeeper Mohammad Shahzad did. The chubby fellow might have said something to the batsman, Mushfiqur Rahim, and had an exchange of word with him after the over. Billy, who has been in a jolly mood so far in the tournament, pointed a red square card to the wicket-keeper asking him to stop whatever that was going on. Minhaz Uddin Khan
A number of Afghan girls were seen cheering their team against Bangladesh in their Asia Cup match at the Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium yesterday MUMIT M
14
'Ill be Netherlands coach after WC'
Guus Hiddink says he is line to take over from Louis van Gaal as coach of the Netherlands after the World Cup in Brazil. The former Chelsea and Real Madrid supremo told Dutch broadcaster NOS that he was in talks with the FA over the makeup of his backroom staff. I am working with the KNVB [Dutch FA] to create a coaching team around me. We will need a few days or maybe a couple of weeks, he said. It will be a great team. I will not be a free-wheeling coach. When I do something I want to do it as well as I can - otherwise I would not do it. Reuters
DHAKA TRIBUNE
Sport
SCORECARD, WI v ENG
West Indies
D Smith c Buttler b Tredwell K Powell c Jordan b Root K Edwards b Bresnan Darren Bravo lbw b Ali L Simmons c Ali b Bresnan Dwayne Bravo not out D Sammy c Broad b Bresnan Extras (lb4, w10 nb1) Total (6 wickets, 50 overs) 24 5 10 2 65 87 61 15 269
Fall of wickets 1 19, 2 38, 3 40, 4 45, 5 153, 6 269 Bowling Root 9 2 47 1, Broad 6 1 35 0, Bresnan 10 1 68 3, Tredwell 10 1 23 1, Ali 6 125 1, Jordan 9 2 67 0
England
M Lumb c Dwayne Bravo b Rampaul 106 Moeen Ali c Narine b Smith 44 L Wright c Dwayne Bravo b Sammy 1 J Root c Ramdin b Narine 37 B Stokes b Narine 5 J Buttler c Holder b Dwayne Bravo 12 R Bopara not out 23 T Bresnan not out 14 Extras (b1, lb2, w9) 12 Total (6 wickets, 50 overs) 254
Fall of wickets 1 96, 2 106, 3 180, 4 192, 5 205, 6 211 Bowling Holder 4 0 27 0, Rampaul 10 0 531, Narine 10 1 36 2, Dwayne Bravo 10 0 59 1, Sammy 10 0 46 1, Smith 6 0 30 1. Result West Indies won by 15 runs West Indies lead 3-match series 1 0.
ed about it because what I did wasnt deserving of a three-game ban, but I am happy to return and score two goals, he said. We are motivated for the derby, we are Real Madrid and we will give everything to win. Atletico, meanwhile, should be refreshed by a rare midweek off as they aim to put a run of four defeats in six games behind them. Midfielder Koke recognised the task that faces his side at the Vicente Calderon, but insisted that even in Reals current form no side is invincible. You always like to play against Madrid, above all if you can beat
FIXTURES
Villarreal Atletico Madrid Sevilla Rayo Vallecano Barcelona v v v v v Real Betis Real Madrid Real Sociedad Valencia Almeria
English batsman Michael Lumb celebrates after scoring a century during the first ODI against West Indies at the Sir Vivian Richard Stadium in St John's on Friday AFP
them. It is a derby, which is always a special game, he told the clubs website. No one is invincible in this world. Defensively they are very good and in attack they have important players with excellent individual skills. We are facing a great team and we will try to do everything as best we can. It will be a great game. With one or both sides from the capital set to drop points, Barcelona can take advantage when they host Almeria at the Camp Nou on Sunday. l
PATHS TO FINAL
Manchester City v Sunderland DNP 2nd rd Milton (H) 4 2 Wigan (H) 5 0 3rd rd Peterborough (H) 2 0 Newcastle (A) 2 0 4th rd Saints (H) 2 1 Leicester (A) 3 1 QF Chelsea (H) 2 1 West Ham (H) 6 0 SF, 1st leg Man U (H) 2 1 West Ham (A) 3 0 SF, 2nd leg Man U (A) 1 2
Manuel Pellegrini, has enjoyed a fine debut campaign, his sides momentum has slowed in recent weeks. They are only three points off the top in the league with a game in hand,
but a recent home defeat by Chelsea exposed hitherto unseen vulnerability, while a 2-0 loss to Barcelona has left them on the verge of elimination in the Champions League. City remain in contention in the FA Cup, having been handed a chance of revenge against Wigan in the last eight, but a loss to Sunderland could have damaging implications for the last two and a half months of the campaign. While Pellegrini has played down similarities with last seasons FA Cup final, he concedes that it could prove a source of motivation for his players. I dont like to talk with them about what happened last year, but I am sure for every player it is a lesson, the Chilean said at Fridays pre-game press
conference. It is very beautiful to play for a title at Wembley and very awful to lose it. For all of them it is not revenge -- it is another team, another year, another situation -- but I am absolutely sure all will be 100 percent motivated to win. - Aguero back in contention Citys chances have been enhanced by the news that top scorer Sergio Aguero is in contention to play after missing the last five matches with a hamstring injury. The Argentines absence coincided with the losses to Chelsea and Barcelona and a 0-0 draw at Norwich City, but Pellegrini was reluctant to confirm whether or not he will start against Sunderland.
Fellow striker Stevan Jovetic will miss the game with a hamstring injury, while centre-back Matija Nastasic continues to be sidelined by a knee problem. Sundays game will be Sunderlands first ever visit to the new Wembley Stadium, which opened in 2007, and their first appearance in a major final since a 2-0 loss to Liverpool in the 1992 FA Cup. The old Wembley held special memories for the club, however, as it was there in May 1973 that a second-tier side led by trilby-wearing former manager Bob Stokoe stunned the mighty Leeds United to win the FA Cup. It was the last piece of silverware that Sunderland won, but 31,000 fans will travel to London on Sunday in anticipation of another famous upset. l
The official mascot of the Fifa 2014 World Cup, Fuleco the Armadillo, is seen on a float of Leandro de Itaquera samba school during the first night of the Special Group category of the annual Carnival parade in Sao Paulo's Sambadrome on Friday REUTERS
FIXTURES
Cagliari Atalanta Genoa Verona Sassuolo Torino Livorno Fiorentina Milan v v v v v v v v v Udinese Chievo Catania Bologna Parma Sampdoria Napoli Lazio Juventus
DHAKA TRIBUNE
Sport
15
QUICK BYTES
Condolence
The Dhaka Tribune family expressed deep sadness at the passing away of Freedom Fighter Major Monsurul Amin, father of Ali Shahriyar Amin, sport sub-editor at Dhaka Tribune. Major Monsurul breathed his last in Dhaka on Friday. He was 64. He was an officer of First War Course of Bangladesh Army during the Liberation War. He was buried at Banani graveyard after National Funeral Honours yesterday. Dhaka Tribune extends heartfelt sympathies to the family of the departed. Tribune Desk
BANGLADESH SQUAD
Goalkeepers
Shahidul Alam Sohel, Mazharul Islam, Biplob Bhattacharjee
Defenders
Rayhan Hasan, Mohammad Linkon, Topu Barman, Nasiruddin Chowdhury, Yeasin Khan, Atiqur Rahman Meshu, Yeamin Ahmed Munna, Didarul Haque
Midfieldrs
Mamunul Islam (C), Sohel Rana, Hemanta Vincent Biswas, Rubel Mia, Towhidul Alam, Jamal Bhuiyan
Strikers
Zahid Hasan Emily, Toklis Ahmed, Mithun Chowdhury, Aminur Rahman Sajib
tential and if they can bring it in a big match like this. The target is development, said the Dutch. Kruif also termed India as a strong team in the South Asian region and though he had little time to prepare, he expects a good match. I had minimum time to prepare the team. It is our first match after Saff Championship and after five months. India is a very strong team in the region, the benefit is the international exposure and I can see how they are performing at this moment, he said. Bangladesh captain Mamunul Islam, who also led Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club to IFA Shield, was ready for the challenge and said, We played very well in IFA Shield. I think India looked down upon us, but I think this time they cannot take us lightly. India are the best team in the region and they will have the home advantage. But if we can give 100%, we will win. The national team will fly to India today and Jet Airways is the official partner. l
Bangladesh coach Lodewijk de Kruif attends a press conference at BFF house yesterday
BRIEF SCORES
Sylhet v Barisal
Barisal (1st innings): 224 all-out Sylhet (1st innings): 299 all-out Barisal (2nd innings): 130 all-out Sylhet (2nd innings): 58/1 in 11 overs Sylhet won by 9 wickets
Chittagong v Rangpur
Rangpur (1st innings): 249 all-out Chittagong (1st innings): 189 all-out Rangpur (2nd innings): 143/2 in 63 overs Rangpur Division lead by 203 runs
Sylhet v Barisal
An all round effort aided Sylhet to their first win of the season defeating Barisal by nine wickets at Barisal Divisional Stadium. Sylhet resumed their first innings with 221 for seven and ended scoring 299 allout taking a lead of 75 runs. Barisal went to bat in the second innings but failed to resist the Sylhet bowling attack getting all-out for 130 runs. Salman Hossains 45 were the highest in the innings as Enamul Haque Jr and Abu Jayed picked three wickets each for Sylhet. Sylhet cruised to their target off 55 runs with Sayem Alam hammering an unbeaten 48.
Chittagong v Rangpur
At Bogras Shaheed Chandu Stadium, the game between Dhaka Division and Dhaka Metro are heading for a draw. At stumps on day three, Dhaka division, 10 for no loss, took a seven-run lead in their second innings. Earlier, Dhaka division resumed with 375 for nine and scored 398 before going all-out. Opening batsman Abdul Majids 142 was the highlight in the innings. In reply, riding on Marshal Ayubs 173 and 97 from opening batsman Saikat Ali, Metro scored 401 runs in their first innings. Nur Hossain and Shahadat Hossain bagged three wickets each for the division side.
Rajshahi v Khulna
Khulna (1st innings): 274 all-out Rajshahi (1st innings): 251/9 in 69 overs Rajshahi trail by 23 runs
Rajshahi v Khulna
on day three against Khulna at Shahid Kamruzzaman Stadium. However a day wasted due to rain is likely to see the match end in a draw. Rajshahi batted the whole day replying to Khulnas 274 runs from the first innings. And with unbeaten fifties from Delwar Hossain (52) and Muktar Ali (51) Rajshahi posted 251 for nine. Fast bowler Robiul Islam took three wickets for Khulna. l
DAYS WATCH
Sony Six NBA 2013 14 7:00AM Boston v Indiana 9:30AM LA Clippers v New Orleans 12:00AM Chicago v New York Star Sports 1 2:00PM Arise Asia Cup India v Pakistan 12:00AM Italian Serie A Livorno v Napoli 1:45AM Fiorentina v Lazio Ten Sports 7:15PM West Indies v England 2nd ODI Ten Cricket 2:30PM South Africa v Australia 3rd Test, Day 2 Ten Action 8:00PM Capital One Cup, Final Man City v Sunderland Star Sports 2 La Liga 10:00PM Atletico Madrid v Real Madrid 12:00AM Sevilla v Real Sociedad 2:00AM Barcelona v Almeria Star Sports 4 10:30PM English Premier League Tottenham v Cardiff 1:45AM Italian Serie A AC Milan v Juventus Ten HD French Ligue 1 7:00PM Ajaccio v Lille 10:00PM Olympic Lyon v Montpellier
Dortmund go second
n AFP, Berlin
Borussia Dortmund built on their midweek Champions League victory over Zenit St Petersburg by going second in the Bundesliga on Saturday with a 3-0 win over Nuremberg. Jurgen Klopps side backed up Tuesdays 4-2 last 16, first-leg win in Russia to leapfrog Bayer Leverkusen, who crashed 1-0 at home to Mainz, their fifth straight defeat and eighth loss in 10 games. Dortmunds Germany defender Mats Hummels celebrated his first game in four weeks after a foot injury by netting the opener at Borussias Westfalenstadion. Turkey midfielder Nuri Sahin fired in a free-kick and after Robert Lewandowskis header was saved, Hummels tapped home the rebound with 51 minutes gone. Poland star Lewandowski then scored his 15th league goal of the season by converting a superb pass from Henrikh Mkhitaryan on 64 minutes before the Armenia international netted his second goal in four days seven minutes from time.
RESULTS
Everton
Lukaku 81
1 0 1 3 1 4 1 0
Fulham
Heitinga 74
Hull
Davies 46
Newcastle
Sissoko 10, 55, Remy 42, Anita 90
Stoke
Walters 76 P
Arsenal
Victory extended Chelseas lead to six points over Manchester City, who have two games in hand, while Fulham, who replied through Jonny Heitinga, remain four points adrift of safety at the foot of the table.
Unlike City, who tackle Sunderland in Sundays League Cup final, secondplace Arsenal do not have the consolation of any games in hand on Chelsea after their defeat at Stoke. Manager Arsene Wenger had Mesut Ozil back in the squad after injury, but he saw his side beaten by a 76thminute Jonathan Walters penalty after Laurent Koscielny had been penalised for handball. Arsenals defeat, their fifth of the season, means that they could be overtaken by Liverpool, who visit Southampton later on Saturday. Newcastle won 4-1 at Hull, but the match was overshadowed by Pardews dismissal for aiming a headbutt at home midfielder David Meyler. Pardew was ordered from the dugout following a touchline tussle with Meyler in the 72nd minute and is likely to face further punishment from the Football Association. l
RESULTS
Dortmund Leverkusen Werder Bremen
Junuzovic 19
3 0
Nuremberg
0 1 1 0 1 1 1 1
Mainz 05
Choupo-Moting 37
Hamburg Hanover
Diouf 21
Augsburg
Klavan 56
Braunschweig
Stegen 51-og
M'gladbach
Davari 25-og
Leverkusens dreadful form continued with their fourth straight home defeat as Mainz moved up to sixth with their fifth win in eight games. Ex-Liverpool star Sami Hyypia is facing a crisis as his Leverkusen side last won on February 1 and were also routed 4-0 at home to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League. l
SCORECARD, DAY 1
Australia, first innings
C Rogers c Smith b Steyn D Warner c De Villiers b Duminy A Doolan c Steyn b Philander M Clarke not out S Smith not out Extras (nb4, w5) 25 135 20 92 50 9
331
Bowling
Steyn 10.1 0 44 1, Philander 19 2 66 1, Morkel 17.5 2 69 0, Duminy 9 0 37 1, Abbott 17 5 52 0, Elgar 15 0 63 0
The annual sports festival and prize giving ceremony of Cardiff International School Dhaka (CISD) were held at Mohammadpur Physical College yesterday COURTESY
16
DHAKA TRIBUNE
Back Page
n Tribune Desk
Treatment guideline soon for Indian Navy validates rape, domestic violence victims military satellites
n
Moniruzzaman Uzzal
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is going to finalise the draft of a comprehensive guideline for the examination and treatment of victims of rape and domestic violence soon. A draft of the guideline has already been prepared and placed before the ministry recently by a sub-committee led by Dr Habibuzzaman Chowdhury, the head of forensic medicine department of Dhaka Medical College. A separate 10-member main committee, headed by Additional Secretary (public health) Rokhsana Quader, is reportedly scheduled to meet on March 11 to discuss and finalise the draft guideline. Subhash Chandra Sarkar, joint secretary (public health) of the health ministry, told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday that the ministry expected to finalise a comprehensive guideline within a month or two for the examination and treatment of victims of rape and domestic violence. Sub-committee chief Dr Habibuzzaman told the Dhaka Tribune that the committee members have thoroughly discussed and reviewed the responsibilities of the police, doctors and court, as well as the existing act and different government directives regarding the examination and treatment of the victims. Without revealing details, he also said few reforms have been suggested in the draft to make the guideline as victim-friendly. Several members from both the main and the sub-committee said the draft guideline proposes a rule for only female doctors to examine rape victims, as well as suggesting doctors to seriously consider whether the two-finger test was needed for the victims. In the draft guideline, emphasis was also given on ensuring proper behaviour with the victims, as well as completing the examination procedure within a short time. On October 10 last year, the High Court issued a ruling, directing the ministry to develop the guideline to be observed by police, physicians and judges of the women and children repression prevention tribunals, and produce it before the court within three months. Following the ruling, a 10-member senior-level committee, headed by an additional secretary of the health ministry, was formed on January 1 this year to develop the guideline. Other members of the committee include senior officials from the ministries of health, home, law, and women and children affairs, as well as health officials and human rights activists. However, the ministry had failed to meet the 90-day deadline for preparing a comprehensive guideline. Asked whether the health ministry would apply for a time extension from the court, Subhash Chandra said the petitioners of the writ have told ministry officials to notify the court of the delay, as the comprehensiveness of the guideline required more time. l
network at Bay
Indias first-ever dedicated military satellite, Rukmini or GSAT-7, seamlessly networked around 60 warships and 75 aircraft during a massive month-long naval combat exercise in the Bay of Bengal that ended on Friday. The location of the exercise Tropex, or the theatre-level readiness and operational exercise, was significant since India is steadily bolstering military force-levels on the eastern coast and Andaman and Nicobar archipelago to counter Chinas strategic moves in the critical Indian Ocean region (IOR), the Times of India reported yesterday. The exercise saw the western and eastern fleets commanded by Rear Admirals Anil Chawla and Atul Jain, respectively amassing across the Bay for the intensive combat manoeuvres in all the three dimensions of surface, air and underwater. Tropex provided the Navy with an
opportunity to validate its network-centric warfare capabilities with the effective utilization of GSAT-7, which was launched last year, said an officer. The geostationary naval communication and surveillance satellite, which has a 2,000-nautical mile (3,704km) footprint over the IOR, beams signals from its UHF, S, Ku and C-band transponders to network all warships and aircraft with operational centres ashore through high-speed encrypted data-links. The exercise also assessed the operational readiness of warships, validated the Navys war-fighting doctrine and integrated newly-acquired capabilities in its concept of operations, said the officer. Apart from GSAT-7, the exercise this year also saw the maiden participation of nuclear-powered submarine INS Chakra, on a 10-year lease from Russia for $1 billion, and the newly-acquired P-8I long range maritime patrol aircraft. l
Philippe Alfonsi
Rickshaw-pullers watching the live telecast of Bangladesh versus Afghanistan cricket match at the Raju Bhaskarja intersection of Dhaka University yesterday. They were completely oblivious to the fact that they blocked the entire road disrupting the vehicular movement RAJIB DHAR
SAYEDEE ON MOON
India, Iran and Oman go under sea to build pipelines, change geopolitics
n Tribune Desk
India is contemplating energy pipelines from the Gulf again this time running under the sea, rather than traversing Pakistan. With international sanctions on Iran fading as a result of a nuclear agreement, an energy pipeline may be the most positive regional consequence. The new plan proposes to transport oil and natural gas through deep sea pipelines via Oman in a process where Iran, and even Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan energy can feed the pipeline for an ever-growing Indian market. Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah, Omans foreign minister, raised the possibility with Salman Khurshid during their meeting on Friday, the Times of India reported Saturday. Oman had invested $90 million on this project over a decade ago, but it got no traction then. But now, the technology has come of age, with pipelines being built under the Mediterranean Sea from Algeria to Itali, and under the Black Sea from Russia to Germany. Abdullah suggested the pipeline could transport gas from Iran, even Qatar, as well as Central Asian states. Khurshid floated the prospect with Javad Zarif, Iranian foreign minister, who he met later in the day. The Iranians have revived talk of deep-sea pipelines to India after the failure of the IPI pipeline. Iran cancelled a $500 million loan to Pakistan in December. India had pulled out of the IPI several years ago citing price and security issues. Those issues remain. In fact, as the US withdraws from Afghanistan, the TAPI pipeline from Turkmenistan through Afghanistan and Pakistan is fast losing its attractiveness. Iran has reportedly jumped at the idea. Oman is Indias most trusted partner in the Gulf, therefore comfort levels are high between New Delhi and Muscat, more than even with Iran. Zarif added to the Omani proposal __ Iran was negotiating separately with Turkmenistan for an overland pipeline to carry its gas to an Iranian terminal and thence to markets like India. If these negotiations succeed, Iran could be a beachhead for gas not only from its fields but from other Gulf suppliers, even Qatar, which is Indias largest supplier of LNG. An undersea pipeline from Iran to India could be completed as quickly as 3-4 years. Our feasibility studies show they would cost in the region of $5 billion, said Subodh Jain, whose company, Sage is the best known Indian entity to acquire technology for such pipelines. Jain has proposed building an under-sea energy infrastructure corridor, which could be used by major gas suppliers to connect to terminals in Indias west coast. Any such pipeline could transport about 31 million cubic meters of gas a day. India relies on LNG, but its the equivalent of relying on champagne. If we stick to LNG, we will become addicted to expensive energy imports. Therefore, a gas pipeline particularly for the power sector, makes eminent sense, said a senior official. Very soon, almost 20,000MW of gas-fueled power plants will go idle in India due to gas shortage. Pipelines are overdue here. If energy trade is to resume between Iran and India, the Chahbahar port acquires greater important. Zarif and Khurshid agreed to get the final agreement on investment. India is putting in an affordable $100 million before the Nauroz holidays. The shipping ministry has already completed its studies and price estimates, so officials working on the project said this should not be a stretch. The Iranian government has been flipping back and forth on this project, so officials reckon a deadline would focus attention in New Delhi and Tehran. Once complete, Chahbahar would also be the entry point for Indian goods travelling to Central Asia and beyond through the international north-south transport corridor. In their conversation, Zarif made a determined pitch for the INSTC, though it has been Iranian tardiness that has delayed a project like this. In 2012, Turkey officially offered to join the north-south corridor, though with their recent troubles with Iran, no one is quite sure whether that still holds true. In a related decision, India will conduct a dry run study in March on the INSTC, through Nhava Sheva (Mumbai)Bandar Abbas (Iran)- Tehran-Bandar Anzali (Iran)-Astrakhan(Russia). This was agreed between India and Azerbaijan during the recent visit of Huseyngulu Baghirov, natural resources minister. Iran and Azerbaijan have to build Gazvin-Rasht-Astara (Iran)-Astara (Azerbaijan) railway route for connecting the railway lines of the INSTC. What is clear is that Iran is returning to the geostrategic table in the region. It needs to have a credible nuclear agreement with the west before that happens. l
Sourov, 11, a class three student of Rayshahebbazar Government Primary School, receives treatment after an abandoned crude bomb exploded on his left hand at the capitals Sutrapur area yesterday RAJIB DHAR
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. Phone: 9132093 94, Advertising: 9132155, Circulation: 9132282, Fax: News-9132192, e-mail: news@dhakatribune.com, info@dhakatribune.com, Website: www.dhakatribune.com
RAJIB DHAR
Business
US growth
GDP by quarter
In %
2.8
2.5 1.8
2.8
1.9%
1.1 0.1
III IV
2012
II
III
2013
IV
Dhaka to sign PTA Delayed annual reports create scope for insider trading of stocks, say analysts with Colombo n
n Asif Showkat Kallol
Bangladesh is going to sign the first-ever Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) with Sri Lanka soon to further enhance the existing bilateral trade relations between the two South Asian countries. As the Malaysian counterpart is not yet ready for signing the Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) with us, we are now going to sign the PTA with another South Asian country Sri Lanka, said a commerce ministry official. We are going to sign the first-ever PTA with Sri Lanka to free Bangladesh from the longstanding stigma that we are a conservative nation, having no bilateral free trade area, commerce secretary Mahbub Ahmed told the Dhaka Tribune recently. Though Bangladesh enjoys some free trade area (FTA) facilities under the South Asian Free Trade Area (SAPTA) of the Regional Cooperation SAARC, he added. However, we are yet to get any such trading facilities from any of the developing countries. According to commerce ministry sources, the ministry had formally sent a pamphlet to the Malaysian counterpart four months ago, but there has been no positive response as yet. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh have agreed to conduct a study on both sides before signing the PTA between the two countries. Both the governments will sign the PTA as soon as the study is done, said the commerce ministry officials. The visiting Sri Lankan Secretary for the Ministry of Commerce and Industry Anura Siriwardena said, Many areas in bilateral trade between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka still remain unexplored. To explore the areas and boost bilateral trade and investment, we have agreed to sign a preferential trade agreement (PTA) very soon, said Anura while exchanging views with the countrys leading businesses a week back. A high-powered Sri Lankan delegation, headed by Anura Siriwardena, came to Bangladesh on a two-day visit for attending the joint economic commission meeting to explore ways to boost bilateral trade and investment. During the meeting with commerce minister Tofail Ahmed, both the minister and the Sri Lankan secretary had expressed their interest to sign the PTA and increase cooperation to help flourish trade and economic relations. Bangladesh can import rubber, tea, coconut products, spices, mineral sands, phosphate, shipbuilding materials, and IT-related products etc from Lanka. On the other hand, local businessmen urged the Sri-Lankan delegation to export more from Bangladesh. Bilateral trade between the counties has been gradually increasing since the civil war in Sri-Lanka ended following defeat of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. The bilateral trade was US$48m in 2010, which reached $83m in 2012, marking a 73 per cent rise. The total trade between the countries increased to $107m in 2013, which shows approximately 29 per cent growth. Some 45 Sri Lankan companies have invested $292m so far in Bangladesh under joint ventures. l
Tahmidur Rahman
The companies listed with the countrys two stock exchanges continue to fail publishing audited annual reports within the global standard of time frame, creating scope for rumour-based manipulation. It has been reducing efficiency in the market and causing manipulation of insufficient information such as rumours on the drivers of profit figures, according to market experts. Investors are not getting financial information before the companies annual general meeting, creating possibility of insider trading like in the past. According to the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) news server, the stateowned oil company, Jamuna Oil, disclosed its first quarter (July-September) figures on November 24 last year. On the very day, the company also disclosed its annual figures for the year ended on June 30, 2013. The listed companies should try to publish its annual financial statements sooner. It will reduce the chance of insider trading as general investors have access to information, said Md Moniruzzaman, managing director of IDLC Investments Ltd, a leading financial institution. Currently the listed companies get 45 days to post first quarters unaudited financial reports, three months for its audited annual reports and a month each for other two quarters. Also in most cases, the listed companies in Bangladesh do not upload any financial statements before its annual general meeting. It puts retail investors in an ambig-
uous state wondering what may have happened to the annual profits or losses posted at the bourses beforehand. However, Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission officials were apathetic to address the issue. The companies listed with the bourses in the neighbouring countries report their annual figures quicker. The Colombo and Bombay stock exchanges from the SAARC countries take on average two months to file the
annual statements. We can take the example of Sri Lanka where companies upload their audited financials on the stock exchange server making it very easy for investors to find the financial statements, said Asif Khan, deputy head of research at BRAC EPL Stock Brokerage Ltd. The listed companies will need to publish its annual reports once it is audited and not before that, said Saifur
Rahman, executive director of BSEC. The executive director ignored when asked about the possibility of directing the companies to post their unaudited fourth quarterly reports in a month of time, for increasing information flow. The companies at the Colombo Stock Exchange post their fourth-quarter report (often audited) along with other non-SAARC emerging markets in the region. l
Fisheries and Animal Resources Minister Sayedul Haq attends a views exchanger on the present situation on Bangladesh's poultry sector at a city hotel yesterday
B2
DHAKA TRIBUNE
Stock
DSE GAINERS Company Al-Haj Textile -A Eastern Lubricants -A Renwick Jajneswar-A Apex SpinningA Desh Garments -B BSC A Mithun Knitting -A Singer BD -A Apex Tannery -A Kohinoor Chem -A CSE GAINERS
Closing (% change) 41.94 31.60 23.58 22.60 20.86 18.63 17.88 16.61 15.39 15.22
Average (% change) 41.41 29.18 21.45 24.35 22.57 20.12 20.50 11.90 10.39 14.49 Average (% change) 21.52 15.22 20.02 13.20 15.67 11.70 13.67 14.09 12.15 9.98
Closing average 129.56 427.60 205.39 90.94 98.47 652.82 99.29 249.54 187.25 381.26
Weekly closing 130.30 435.60 208.60 89.50 97.90 644.75 96.90 258.30 192.70 384.50
Weekly high 134.80 441.00 208.60 92.50 101.10 669.00 102.70 272.00 194.80 384.60
Weekly low 91.00 339.90 167.70 72.60 80.00 563.00 75.00 210.00 165.30 300.00
Turnover in million 106.540 9.045 51.727 18.437 47.161 1204.454 260.568 888.468 308.312 13.252
Latest EPS 2.06 6.02 5.32 1.85 1.18 24.00 2.42 7.79 4.86 7.88
Latest PE 62.9 71.0 38.6 49.2 83.4 27.2 41.0 32.0 38.5 48.4
Company Mithun Knitting -A Eastern Cables-Z BSC A Singer BD -A Apex Footwear-A Apex Tannery -A Samata LeatheR -Z Apex Foods -A Marico BD Ltd-A The Ibn SinaA
Closing (% change) 20.62 18.35 18.23 17.52 15.68 15.18 14.35 13.24 12.52 11.08
Closing average 99.83 129.28 653.20 251.17 590.17 188.41 26.94 117.48 956.64 119.40
Weekly closing 97.70 129.00 643.50 259.60 590.20 192.70 27.10 116.30 959.80 119.30
Weekly high 99.90 137.10 668.00 270.00 598.90 194.40 27.10 118.60 960.00 121.60
Weekly low 84.00 113.00 565.25 223.00 517.00 166.20 23.00 104.10 851.00 108.10
Turnover in million 13.454 1.679 260.949 82.992 4.772 29.168 0.262 1.985 1.399 3.426
Latest EPS 2.42 1.40 24.00 7.79 28.27 4.86 -0.04 3.56 46.53 3.12
Latest PE 41.3 92.3 27.2 32.2 20.9 38.8 -ve 33.0 20.6 38.3
(-) 0.24% (+) 0.35% (-) 0.61% (-) 0.64% (-) 0.59%
Weekly high 31.10 37.90 10.80 73.80 22.60 21.00 20.00 90.80 19.10 20.00
Unchanged Issue (Avg. Price Basis) Market Capital Equity (Billion. Tk.) Market Capital Equity (Billion US$)
Weekly low 20.00 27.30 8.60 63.80 18.80 17.70 16.50 80.00 16.50 18.20 Turnover in million 379.109 14.931 30.576 302.095 16.003 33.484 130.577 51.574 12.072 0.292 Latest EPS 1.35 2.56 1.03 1.53 0.91 0.87 1.61 1.10 0.13 -0.89
Average (% change) -21.12 -17.98 -17.11 -8.44 -7.54 -8.38 -8.89 -6.61 -8.08 -7.80 Average (% change) -19.86 -12.56 -16.82 -20.80 -8.66 -6.02 -8.45 -8.56 -9.19 -9.09
Closing average 24.69 29.20 8.82 65.21 20.22 18.36 17.93 84.91 17.40 18.44
Weekly closing 24.50 29.10 8.90 65.30 20.10 18.20 17.70 84.10 17.20 18.40
Latest PE 18.3 11.4 8.6 42.6 22.2 21.1 11.1 77.2 133.8 -ve
Closing average 25.06 43.72 8.95 28.37 17.30 32.47 65.37 18.38 17.88 32.00
Weekly closing 24.80 44.00 9.00 30.90 17.20 31.30 65.60 18.20 17.70 32.00
Weekly high 30.70 55.00 10.80 36.00 19.20 35.30 73.60 20.50 19.30 32.00
Weekly low 23.80 42.00 8.80 27.10 17.00 31.20 64.00 18.10 17.50 32.00
Turnover in million 42.456 0.157 0.257 0.302 1.568 4.849 49.821 3.673 9.630 0.032
Latest EPS 1.35 3.81 1.03 2.56 0.13 1.70 1.53 0.87 1.61 2.67
Latest PE 18.6 11.5 8.7 11.1 133.1 19.1 42.7 21.1 11.1 12.0
amendment in the Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Company in the EGM. Date of EGM and AGM: 22.05.2014, Time of EGM and AGM: 11:00 AM and 11:30 AM respectively, Venue: Factory premises, Boro Baluakandi, Gazaria, Munshiganj. Record Date for EGM and AGM: 18.03.2014. The Company has also reported EPS of Tk. 1.24, NAV per share of Tk. 23.65 and NOCFPS of Tk. 0.51 for the year ended on October 31, 2013. BATBC: The Board of Directors has recommended 520% final cash dividend (i.e. a total 620% cash dividend for the year 2013 inclusive of 100% interim cash dividend which has already been paid) for the year ended on December 31, 2013. Date of AGM: 23.04.2014, Time: 10:30 AM, Venue: Ball Room of Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel, Karwan Bazar, Dhaka. Record date: 12.03.2014. The Company has also reported net profit after tax of Tk. 4,868.65 million, EPS of Tk. 81.14, NAV per share of Tk. 148.36 and NOCFPS of Tk. 100.54 for the year ended on December 31, 2013. SINGERBD: The Board of Directors has recommended 100% cash dividend and 25% stock dividend for the year ended on December 31, 2013. The Board has also decided to close the production facility of Motor Cycle and Electric Cable manufacturing unit of the Company. Date of AGM: 28.04.2014, Time: 10:30 AM, Venue: Spectra Convention Centre Ltd., House # 19, Road # 07, Gulshan-1, Dhaka-1212. Record date: 10.03.2014. The Company has also reported EPS of Tk. 7.79, NAV per share of Tk. 53.64 and NOCFPS of Tk. 30.07 for the year ended on December 31, 2013.
ANALYST
Market volatility emerged by scripwise swings as well as expectations on corporate declarations based stock focus kept investors in a cautious mood
% change 8.42 8.13 2.20 11.77 8.95 9.77 0.10 8.66 10.98 0.02 0.60 3.47 0.33 5.93 0.88 1.42 4.78 6.56 1.04 5.99 0.01 Million Taka 218.76 202.54 28.13 269.13 161.53 141.07 0.00 170.55 218.64 1.65 9.74 45.59 13.91 97.94 39.43 13.89 56.70 262.04 40.03 310.53 0.20 CSE % change 9.50 8.80 1.22 11.69 7.02 6.13 0.00 7.41 9.50 0.07 0.42 1.98 0.60 4.25 1.71 0.60 2.46 11.38 1.74 13.49 0.01 Million Taka 2354.24 2263.94 585.69 3252.65 2431.16 2618.89 24.11 2367.40 3002.36 5.69 163.04 924.58 96.47 1602.65 262.65 373.00 1269.58 1926.16 303.59 1829.27 2.28 Total % change 8.51 8.19 2.12 11.76 8.79 9.47 0.09 8.56 10.85 0.02 0.59 3.34 0.35 5.79 0.95 1.35 4.59 6.96 1.10 6.61 0.01
DSE TURNOVER LEADERS Company Olympic Ind. -A BSC A Square Pharma -A Grameenphone-A Singer BD -A BD Submarine Cable-A Meghna Petroleum -A IDLC Finance -A ConfidenceCement A Delta Life Insu. -A CSE TURNOVER LEADERS Company BSC A BD Submarine Cable-A Grameenphone-A Singer BD -A Beach Hatchery -A Square Pharma -A UCBL - A LankaBangla Fin. -A AFC AgroBiotech-N IDLC Finance -A
DSE Million Taka 2135.48 2061.40 557.56 2983.52 2269.62 2477.82 24.11 2196.85 2783.72 4.03 153.30 878.99 82.55 1504.72 223.22 359.11 1212.88 1664.11 263.56 1518.74 2.08
Volume shares 5,918,424 1,957,315 3,819,699 4,398,429 3,696,356 3,400,218 2,542,549 7,481,688 3,618,738 2,010,275
Value in million 1269.34 1204.45 995.60 924.09 888.47 740.02 721.25 595.94 547.22 543.11
% of total turnover 5.01 4.75 3.93 3.64 3.50 2.92 2.84 2.35 2.16 2.14
Weekly closing 224.50 644.75 265.70 214.00 258.30 219.30 284.80 78.90 158.10 271.00
Price change 8.24 18.63 2.63 2.74 16.61 0.73 0.74 10.20 8.88 0.22
Weekly opening 207.40 543.50 258.90 208.30 221.50 217.70 282.70 71.60 145.20 270.40
Weekly high 225.00 669.00 271.50 215.60 272.00 229.00 300.00 87.00 159.00 275.90
Weekly low 188.00 563.00 235.00 195.50 210.00 196.00 258.00 67.00 135.00 265.50
Weekly average 222.12 652.82 263.85 211.48 249.54 219.28 284.42 78.68 155.70 272.68
Prepared exclusively for Dhaka Tribune by Business Information Automation Service Line (BIASL), on the basis of information collected from daily stock quotations and audited reports of the listed companies. High level of caution has been taken to collect and present the above information and data. The publisher will not take any responsibility if any body uses this information and data for his/her investment decision. For any query please email to biasl@bol-online.com or call 01552153562 or go to www.biasl.net
Volume shares 425,515 797,362 420,907 342,285 2,079,100 232,495 1,944,102 722,597 738,000 614,413
Value in million 260.95 173.97 88.07 82.99 62.65 60.67 55.07 52.30 49.82 49.31
% of total turnover 11.35 7.57 3.83 3.61 2.73 2.64 2.40 2.28 2.17 2.15
Weekly closing 643.50 218.10 213.60 259.60 31.20 265.00 28.10 72.00 65.60 79.00
Price change 18.23 0.23 2.89 17.52 9.47 2.32 -1.75 -1.10 -9.77 10.18
Weekly opening 544.30 217.60 207.60 220.90 28.50 259.00 28.60 72.80 72.70 71.70
Weekly high 668.00 225.80 215.40 270.00 32.20 266.00 29.40 74.30 73.60 84.40
Weekly low 565.25 211.50 201.00 223.00 27.60 248.00 26.00 70.00 64.00 75.00
Weekly average 653.20 218.98 212.92 251.17 31.62 263.05 28.02 72.04 65.37 78.85
DHAKA TRIBUNE
Business
of a healthy economy, he said. Bringing the economy back to health slowly poses risks because of the chance of intervening policy shocks, Evans said. The surest and quickest way to get to the objective is to be willing to overshoot in a manageable fashion, Evans said. With regard to our inflation objective, we need to repeatedly state clearly that our 2% objective is not a ceiling for inflation. Speaking after Evans on the same panel, Philadelphia Fed chief Plosser warned that if the Fed fails to treat its guidance as goals, its credibility will fall by the wayside and so will its policy effectiveness. The Fed has promised to keep interest rates near zero until well past the time that the unemployment rate reaches 6.5%, as long as inflation does not threaten to rise above 2.5%. With the US jobless rate now at 6.6%, the Feds unemployment threshold has become irrelevant, Plosser said. Thats an assessment with which Evans has said he agrees. But, Plosser added, the public could
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Just two weeks after suggesting the European Union is on the cusp of a digitally led economic bonanza, officials warned Thursday that web developers may be misleading consumers AFP Lisbon Council, a Brussels-based technology think-tank. Start-ups need to generate money and there is nothing wrong with offering users free basic services then giving them the option to upgrade, Mettler says. However, the Commission said the freemium model targets children through default purchase settings, which can result in mobile app users being debited without explicit consent. It might not always be clear where the freemium model ends and where the payment begins, said James Waterworth, from the Computer and Communications Industry Association. It is excellent that the Commission is getting industry players together to agree on standards, rather than approaching it with heavy handed courtcases which would take years to resolve, Waterworth said. Other observers point out the regulatory concerns are in contrast with the upbeat assessment of tech startups released earlier this month by EU Commissioner for the Digital Agenda, Neelie Kroes, suggesting the EUs digital economy could employ nearly five million people by 2018. An EU official suggested that children running up bills on their parents tablet computers is a real issue but warned against the risk of over-reacting. l
City Bank recently signed an agreement with Dusai Resort & Spa, a luxurious 5-star quality boutique villa type resort and spa in Moulvibazar district of Sylhet. Under the agreement, customers of CityGem, the priority-banking arm of City Bank, will enjoy various special offers at Dusai which include discounts. Mashrur Arefin, the banks DMD and COO and Nasser Rahman, MD and chairperson of the resort signed the agreement on behalf of their respective organisations
BRAC Bank has opened a new branch in Baniachong, Habiganj to provide most modern banking services to the people of the area. Sir Fazle Hasan Abed, the banks chairperson inaugurated the branch recently. Syed Mahbubur Rahman, MD and CEO of the bank along with other senior officials were also present
Bangladesh Bank governor Dr Atiur Rahman is seen handing over a cheque - loan taken from AB Bank - to one of the creative publishers, Chandraboti Academy at Hotel Ruposhi Bangla in Dhaka recently. The banks president and MD, Shamim Ahmed Chaudhury and was also present on the occasion
KFC celebrated the launching ceremony of its new chicken sub in Gulshan outlet of KFC yesterday in presence of Akku Chowdhury, MD and CEO of Transcom Foods Ltd and renowned celebrities like Munmun, Bonna Mirza and Topu
IPO lottery of Matin Spinning Mills Limited was held on Feb 27 at the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh in Ramna, Dhaka. Matin Spinning Mills Limited has issued 34,100,000 ordinary shares through IPO at an issue price of Tk37 including a premium of Tk27 each. DBL group chairperson Abdul Wahed, DSE Member Rumana Ferdous Mou and BUET professor Mashroor Ali were present at the programme
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Back Page
about 100,000 yen worth of bitcoins, but seemed unconcerned as he became interested in the virtual currency as a form of "study". "We should make it a national project to have bitcoin used nationwide at the time of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics," he said. Mt Gox shut its website on Tuesday after freezing withdrawals earlier this month in the wake of a series of technical difficulties. The exchange had liabilities of 6.5bn yen ($63.67m), dwarfing its total assets of 3.84bn yen, the company said. It had 127,000 creditors in bankruptcy, just over 1,000 of whom are Japanese. The company and Karpeles have said little in the days before Friday's court filing, which is similar to Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the United States, except that they were working with others to resolve their problems. Another lawyer, Akio Shinomiya at Yodoyabashi and Yamagami, said Mt. Gox wanted to file a criminal complaint against what he said was a hacking attack, but had no specific means of doing so. "Bitcoin has always been volatile and speculative, said bitcoin user Ken Shishido, who had about a tenth of his bitcoin holdings at Mt Gox, but has seen the rest of his bitcoins soar tenfold since he began trading 18 months ago. "It's too bad that this happened, but we have to let it go. And then we'll buy more." Fortress Investment Group became one of the first big investors to say it had lost money investing in bitcoin. In a regulatory filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, the company said it incurred $3.7m in unrealized losses in 2013. l
'It's too bad that this happened, but we have to let it go. And then we'll buy more'
Mt Gox said there was a discrepancy of 2.8bn yen ($27.4m) in its bank accounts when it checked on Monday. Junko Suetomi, a lawyer with Baker & MacKenzie, said she could not comment on the balances of foreign bank accounts held by the company.
Many bitcoin market participants have said Mt Gox's problems were specific to the company and were caused by what they said was a lax attitude by Karpeles, while bitcoin itself - free of any central bank control - was still a noble venture. "If we could agree on legal regulation, we should let (bitcoin and regulators) co-exist," said Keiichi Hida, a bitcoin investor and member of the Japan Digital Money Association. He lost
ANXBTC bitcoin exchange Chief Executive Ken Lo (left) poses with a shop keeper accepting bitcoins during the opening ceremony of the city's first bitcoin retail shop in Hong Kong ON Feb 28 AFP
Through the eyes of a GDP revised down, but hints of economic thaw emerge visionary strategist
UNITED STATES
n Reuters
The US government slashed its estimate for fourth-quarter economic growth on Friday in the latest sign of a loss of momentum, but some tentative signs emerged that suggested the worst of the slowdown may be over. Gross domestic product expanded at
a 2.4% annual rate, the Commerce Department said, down sharply from the 3.2% pace it reported last month and the 4.1% logged in the third quarter. The economy has faced a number of headwinds, including a 16-day shutdown of the government in October and an unusually cold winter that has weighed on activity since late De-
cember. Growth has also been dampened by the expiration of long-term unemployment benefits, cuts to food stamps and businesses placing fewer orders with manufacturers as they work through a pile of unsold goods in their warehouses. "I don't think the fundamentals have changed appreciably," said Ryan
US growth
GDP by quarter
In %
2.8
2.5 1.8
2.8
1.9%
1.1 0.1
III IV
2012
Source: Department of Commerce
II
III
2013
IV
Sweet, a senior economist at Moody's Analytics in West Chester, Pennsylvania. "Heading into this year we knew it wasn't going to be smooth sailing." First-quarter growth is forecast at below a 2% pace. But other data on Friday on consumer sentiment, regional factory activity and housing suggested some economic thawing, which should put growth on a stronger path later in the year. Consumer sentiment rose modestly in February, while factory activity in the Midwest edged up after three months of slower growth. In addition, contracts to buy previously owned homes nudged up in January after being on a downward trend since July. "That suggests some stabilization in economic activity," said Millan Mulraine, deputy chief economist at TD Securities in New York. "It bolsters the current narrative that the slowing in activity has been the result of the unseasonably cold winter conditions, which we expect to reverse in coming weeks." The mixed data buoyed US stocks, but they gave up some gains late in the session on rising tensions in Ukraine. The Standard & Poor's 500 index closed at a record high for a second straight day. US government debt prices fell, although they pushed off the day's lows in late trade. The dollar weakened against a basket of currencies. l
leaders. She has served as a consultant on dialogue to the Dalai Lamas Women in Security, Conflict Management and Peace initiative in New Delhi and has worked with the Parliamentary Research Service to advise the Indian Parliament on legislation. She received the Harvard Roy Family Fellowship for Women in Public Policy to spend three months in the White House Office of Social Innovation and the Public Service Fellowship at the Harvard Kennedy School. She is the author of various articles and chapters, including most recently in the Harvard Kennedy School Review, and in the books Facilitating Intergroup Dialogues: Bridging Differences, Catalyzing Change & Public Deliberation and Sustained Dialogue: Pracademic Perspectives. She received her BA in Political and Social Thought at the University of Virginia, Phi Beta Kappa,and her MBA from MIT Sloan and MPA from the Harvard Kennedy School. Led by Ms Parker, who is the founder of Thrive Labs, the session will be a lively, interactive, highly experiential laboratory for the full Summit to begin exploring purpose and vision for the people of our country and our companies. It will address questions such as - How do we actually begin to identify and articulate our sense of purpose? Why are we doing what we are doing? How do we build cultures around this purpose? What is getting in the way of building this type of company? In this session, Ms Parkerwill share her own findings and best practices on how to build purpose-driven lives, teams and companies. l
DILBERT
The environmentally friendly helium-filled behemoth is designed to stay airborne for up to three weeks and can carry up to 60 tonnes