Falgun 22, 1420 Jamadiul Awal 4, 1435 Regd. No.

DA 6238 Vol 1 No 342

THURSDAY, MARCH 6, 2014

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ATTACK ON NOOR

Dhaka-Delhi plan second rail link

Tk519 crore project to boost revenues on both sides, open up trade
n Kamran Reza Chowdhury
Bangladesh and India plan to establish a new rail route that will directly connect four northeastern Indian states, with connections through Bangladeshs Kulaura station where train services have been suspended since 2002. The two countries have already agreed to a rail connection between Akhaura in Brahmanbaria district and Agartala, the capital of Indias Tripura state. The Bangladesh Railway authorities have sent a proposal to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) for approval of a project to restore and construct a 39-km rail line to connect with Indias Assam, Tripura, Meghalaya and Mizoram states. The proposed route will link Kulaura in Moulvibazar district with Mahisasan station in Assams Karimganj district. We have already sent the proposal to Ecnec for its approval. Restoration of the Kulaura-Mahisasan section will enable us to travel to Assam, Tripura, Meghalaya and Mizoram, Railway Minister Mazibul Haque told the Dhaka Tribune. The governments of both countries have given the go-ahead for implementation of the Tk519 crore project from the $1bn Indian loan given to Bangladesh. The two sides signed a memorandum of understanding in February last year for constructing a 10.14km railway line between Akhaura and Agartala at a cost of Tk325 crore, which will be given as grant by India. The Kulaura-Mahisasan link will ultimately join the Trans Asian Railway network, which will enter Bangladesh from India, and then pass through Myanmar via the northeastern states. Mahisasan is connected to the rest of the Indian railway network. Businessmen and officials hailed the government decision to initiate a new railway route, terming it as a move forward that would open a new avenue for earning revenue from transit and transshipment, while boosting trans-boundary trade and people-to-people contact. This will be a very important project for the country as it will meet the Trans Asian Railway network and contribute to increasing regional trade, said Md Manjurul Islam, chief planning officer of Bangladesh Railway. Abdul Matlub Ahmad, president of Bangladesh-India Chamber of Commerce and Industry, told the Dhaka Tribune that Bangladesh earned around $300 million from exports to the northeastern states. This forward looking project will create investment opportunities and
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PATIENTS NO MORE PATIENT OVER POOR HEALTH SERVICES

Another accused identified dead

n Our Correspondent, Bogra
The body of a prime suspect in the case filed in connection with the attack on the convoy of Cultural Affairs Minister Asaduzzaman Noor in Nilphamari, was identified by his family members yesterday, almost a month after he was found and buried in Bogra. The deceased, identified as Md Mohidul Islam, 27, a Rajshahi University student and an alleged Shibir activist, was earlier found dead in Rahubal area of Bogras Shibganj upazila. Shibganj police station Officer-inCharge Fazlul Kabir told the Dhaka Tribune that an unidentified body with bullet wounds was recovered by the police on February 1, which was later buried by Anzuman Mofidul Islam as the police could not identify the body. However, family members of Mohidul identified the body yesterday after being informed by the Nilphamari police station, as the Bogra police had sent the photograph of the unidentified body to different police stations. Nilphamari sadar police station Officer-in-Charge Mohammad Shahjahan Pasha confirmed the Dhaka Tribune of the incident. Mohidul was the second prime accused for the attack on Asaduzzaman Noor, he added. On January 18, Golam Rabbani, the prime accused in the same case, was found dead in Nilphamari with several injury marks on his head, cheek and throat. l

A cardiac patient on the van is being taken to hospital. The male patient hails from Barguna, a region like many other areas across the country lacking proper treatment facilities. The picture was taken from Shahbagh yesterday SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

Discord mars war crimes prosecution

n Udisa Islam
The prosecution of the International Crimes Tribunal has been put in an uncomfortable situation as one member in a recent interview with a television channel made negative comments about the team. The tribunals chief prosecutor yesterday forwarded a written complaint of Tureen Afroz to the law ministry drawing attention of the secretary, and recommending proper measures (reference: prose-13/2-12/669). Prosecutor Tureen on March 3 appealed to the chief prosecutor for action against fellow prosecutor Mohammad Ali for his comments involving her and others. The interview is now available on YouTube and also partly aired on a private television channel on March 1. Tureen identified three points in her letter. She mentioned that Ali claimed that he had received instruction from the law ministry, which he termed proper authority, to take up and conduct the case against war crimes accused Motiur Rahman Nizami. He also claimed that the case against Nizami was a weak one; and finally, he claimed himself to be a pure supporter of the ruling Awami League. Furthermore, prosecutor Ali also alleged that there was a leftist bloc
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HC drops progress, bail hearing from list in Sagar-Runi murder case

n Nazmus Sakib
A High Court bench yesterday declined to hear the progress of investigation as well as the bail pleas of three suspects in the journalist couple Sagar Sarowar and Meherun Runi murder case, citing that they had no jurisdiction on the matter. The bench of Justice Md Shawkat Hossain and Justice Mustafa Zaman Islam also left the matter out of its cause list and asked the defence lawyer to place the petitions before a bench that had the required authority. The court also said they could hear the matter only if the chief justice ordered them to do so. After the refusal, SM Masud Hossain, lawyer of the bail seekers, told the Dhaka Tribune that he would file an application so that the chief justice could fix a bench that would hear the bail pleas. On February 18, the High Court bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Mohammad Ullah ordered the investigating officer in the case to appear before it yesterday and brief them about recent developments. It passed the order during a hearing on the bail petitions of Bakul Miah, Rafiqul Islam and Kamrul three suspects in the case who were detained from September 3, 2012. On February 24, Justice Enayetur Rahim joined the International Crimes Tribunal 1 as its chairman after which the defence had to move to another bench for bail. Defence counsel Masud said he
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Alleged extremist killed in gunfight n Our Correspondent, Jhenaidah

An alleged extremist was killed in what police called a gunfight in Damurhuda upazila, Chuadanga early yesterday. The deceased was identified as Abul Kashem, 35, son of late Juron Ali of Damurhuda upazila. Police said Kashem was an extremist and had several cases against him. A patrol team of police was attacked in Kanaibabur Aam Bagan area of Boalmari around 3:00am, officer-in-charge of Damurhuda Police Station Ahsan Habib told The Dhaka Tribune. The miscreants hurled three crude bombs and also fired gunshots, he said, adding that the law enforcers had been compelled to fire back in order
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Egypt trial of Al-Jazeera journalists resumes

n AFP
The Egyptian trial resumed yesterday for Al-Jazeera journalists accused of supporting ousted president Mohamed Morsis Muslim Brotherhood, a case that sparked a global outcry over muzzling of the press. The high-profile trial is seen as a test of the military-installed governments tolerance of independent media, with activists fearing a return to autocracy three years after the Arab Spring uprising that toppled Hosni Mubarak. The trial of the Qatar-based channels journalists also comes against the backdrop of strained ties with Doha, which was a strong supporter of Morsi and his now-banned Brotherhood. The journalists, including Australian reporter Peter Greste, are accused of supporting the Brotherhood and broadcasting false reports, after police shut down Al-Jazeeras Cairo offices following the militarys July 3 overthrow of Morsi. Eight out of 20 defendants are in custody, with the rest on the run or abroad. In the first hearing on February 20 Greste, winner of the prestigious Peabody award for a documentary on Somalia, said from the caged dock that justice would prevail.
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INSIDE
Business
B1 Four state-owned commercial banks have reduced their non-performing loans by 35% in the year 2013.

Nation

6 The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is looking for honest and energetic doctors to fill posts of district civil surgeons

News

3 Hinting at the BNP and its key ally Jamaat-eIslami, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday told parliament that her government would take necessary steps against miscreants who killed people in the name of agitation.

Op-Ed

11 Where in the world is a ruling government working so hard to build a negative image for the country? asked my Swedish friend. I didnt realise he was referring to Bangladesh.

2
n Aminur Rahman Rasel
Electricity consumers have called for setting the lowest slab for domestic power consumers at zero to 30 units (each kilowatt-hour) instead of zero to 75 units, as many of the domestic consumers do not consume the first ceiling of the slab. Professor M Nurul Islam, on behalf of the consumers, made the proposal yesterday during a public hearing at the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) about increasing electricity price. At present, there are six slabs for domestic consumers. Explaining his proposal, Nurul said a

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Thursday, March 6, 2014

Power consumers demand lowest slab at 0 30 unit

consumer belong to low-income group cannot consume more than 25-30 units if they use one fan and two lights for six hours every day throughout the month. The proposal also called for not fixing any minimum bill. Nurul said rural people would be benefited if the proposal was implemented, and it would serve as an example of the governments goodwill to the poor. BERC Chairman AR Khan said he would consider the proposal, adding that the BERC would give priority on the issues that would benefit the consumers. A committee would be formed to implement the proposals soon, he said. The Rural Electrification Board (REB) had proposed the BERC to make the first slab from zero to 30 units instead of zero to 75 units. The REB also proposed to increase the minimum bill from Tk65 to Tk100, service charge from Tk10 to Tk25 and demand charge from Tk15 to Tk20 per unit for domestic consumers. Currently, the minimum bills for domestic consumers differ between companies. The BERC would also conduct another public hearing today on a proposal by the REB to raise tariff by 12.58% per unit. Iftekhar Ahmed, a consumer, told the hearing that changes have to be made in the import policy for saving electricity, especially for items like air cooler, refrigerator and fan. Compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) also need to be used everywhere for energy saving, he added. The technical evaluation committee of the BERC has recommended raising power tariffs at the consumer-level for two more distribution companies. The recommendation came yesterday after a public hearing on proposals by the Dhaka Power Distribution Company (DPDC) and the Dhaka Electric Supply Company Ltd (Desco) for hiking electricity prices by 23.50% and 15.90% respectively to minimise losses from supplying electricity to retail customers at low cost. The committee recommended increasing average per unit tariffs for DPDC and Desco consumers by 6.03% and 2.01% respectively. BERC Chairman AR Khan, members Salim Mahmud, Delwar Hossain and Md Maksudul Haque, along with other stakeholders attended the public hearing at the commissions office in the capital. If anyone has any question for the DPDC and Desco, they can place it to the BERC by March 9. We will announce the decision of the hearing soon, the chairman added. Meanwhile, Shamsul Alam, energy adviser of the Consumer Association of Bangladesh (CAB), opposed the BERC move to raise power tariffs during yesterdays hearing. Members of some left-leaning parties, including Communist Party of Bangladesh and Gana Sanghati Andolan, also requested the commission not to increase the tariffs. DPDC Managing Director Md Nazrul Hasan and Desco Managing Director Md Arjad Hossain presented their respective proposals. Our technical committee found their proposal to hike power tariffs to be justified, Md Abul Kasham, chief of the evaluation committee and BERC director (power), said during the hearing. On average, the DPDC sells per unit of electricity for Tk6.66, against its Tk7.93 supply cost, officials said. Descos retail rate is Tk6.43, while its supply cost is Tk7.45. l

ACC quizzes secretary, 3 others over alleged plot irregularity

n Syed Samiul Basher Anik
The Anti-Corruption Commission yesterday interrogated three senior government officials, including a secretary, and a former high official in connection with an investigation into charges of abusing power to acquire plots from Rajuk, the capital development authority. The anti-graft body questioned Khondaker Showkat Hossain, secretary to the expatriates welfare and overseas employment ministry; Akhter Hossain Bhuiyan, director general of Non-Formal Education Bureau and a former Dhaka North City Corporation administrator; Mahbubul Alam, joint secretary of the food ministry and a former Rajuk member (development); and Anwarul Islam Shikder, ex-Rajuk member (planning), an official said. ACC officials said Khondaker Showkat Hossain, while serving as the housing and public works secretary, acquired a five katha (3,600 sq ft) plot in his name, and another same-sized plot in his mothers name. He also booked a five katha plot in his wifes name at Purbachal New City Project in 2005. The plot was then changed to 10 kathas and later to 12 kathas by exchanging the previous ones. The secretary, however, denied his involvement in the alleged irregularity over the land acquisition, saying he had never taken any such advantage. The allegations against me are incorrect. The anti-graft body is making an inquiry, and thus, it summoned me and I answered their queries, the secretary told reporters as he left the ACC headquarters in Segunbagicha after the interrogation. The ACC had earlier questioned Rajuk Chairman M Nurul Huda in connection with the probe. Officials said that after analysing documents received from Rajuk (Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha), the ACC primarily found that Showkat Hossain had acquired different plots at different city projects by abusing his power as a top government official. l

Dhaka South City Corporation evicts illegal roadside shops in the capital's Gulistan and Bangabandhu Avenue yesterday, as part of preparations for the upcoming T20 World Cup

Vested quarters trying to mislead JnU students

n
Tribune Report
A group with vested interest is trying to mislead the students movement to recover illegally occupied halls of Jagannath University. As a result a section of the students captured the Cooperative Banks land opposite the university on Tuesday, State Minister for Rural Development and Cooperative Masiur Rahman Ranga has said. Terming the banks land capture as sad, the state minister said: Its a property of around 15m cooperative activists and their families. The government has already finalised its plan to construct a multi-storey building on the land. The authority concerned has already given financial allocation and approval of design in this regard. The state minister urged the students to remain vigilant so that a third party cannot take advantage out of the illegal capture of the banks land. l

HC drops progress
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Discord mars war crimes

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'AL rode the wrong train'

n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia yesterday said her decision to boycott the January 5 election was right, adding that her party did not miss the election train, rather it was the Awami League that rode the wrong train to a wrong destination. We did not miss the train; rather they [Awami League] rode on the wrong train. They became detached from the people as they went on a wrong path Do not go in such a situation that a crane is needed to rescue you, she said. Khaleda made the comments when several sportsmen, including former goalkeeper of Bangladesh national football team Aminul Haque, joined the BNP by presenting the party chairperson a bouquet at her Gulshan office in the capital. Regarding the BNPs participation in upazila elections, the BNP chief said: The government could not stop the victory of our party-backed candidates by stamping ballots and snatching away ballots forcefully. They are also planning to rig the votes in the next three phases. Despite such huge rigging, our candidates are in a good position. This indicates who the people are with, and this will be reflected in the next national polls, Khaleda said. Alleging that the government has been disseminating various propagandas and splitting the nation to stay in power, the BNP chairperson said: This government is an illegal and unconstitutional government. They have been spreading various propagandas to divide the nation with the goal of misleading the people, she alleged. The former premier also claimed that people had responded to the BNPs call, as they boycotted the January 5 polls. It was proved that we were right. It was proved that fair elections could not be held under the Awami League. We want the right to vote. If you are so popular then why do you fear holding elections under a non-partisan government? Why did you kill such a huge number of people? she said. l

mentioned the matter at the bench led by Justice Shawkat and the court kept it in its cause list for hearing. Investigation Officer Zafar Ullah, an assistant superintendent of police, was present at the court around 10:30am yesterday in line with the previous order. Upon not finding the petitions file, the bench fixed 2pm for hearing. Later Justice Shawkat and Justice Mustafa observed: There are two segments of the hearing the bail pleas and the progress report. We can hear the progress report but not the bail pleas. As the two issues are interlinked, we will not hear either. The matter was dropped from the cause list by the bench. The court also said the IO could have presented his report had the petitions been placed at a proper court. Sagar and Runi were found dead at their rented house in the capitals West Rajabazar on February 11, 2012. Following the murder, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar police started an investigation of a case filed over the incident. Later the case was shifted to the DB, but the High Court, in an order, shifted the case to RAB for investigation as the former had expressed its inability to resolve the case. l

within the prosecution team which was disrupting the proper functioning of the office in conducting cases. As a result, the prosecuting team is in poor shape. One of the prosecutors criticised Ali saying that he had ridiculed the whole prosecution team by claiming himself a real Awamileaguer. From the very beginning of the tribunal, the whole team has been fighting against the propaganda where the opposite party claims that this team is politically motivated. And now he is admitting this publicly. It may harm the image of the team, the prosecutor said seeking anonymity. Sources said the ministry as the recruiting authority would take the next decision. They may form an investigation committee to find the facts. If they get any proof that Ali had tried to humiliate the trial, then he may be expelled. Ali, in the interview, also criticised writer and columnist Shahriar Kabir for making comments on the trial process, though he is neither from the prosecution or the defence.

Ali also alleged that Tureen did not have the required competence to be appointed as a prosecutor and that most of the prosecutors were unhappy about her unnecessary involvement in conducting the cases, says the letter. Tureen said the allegations made by Ali were all baseless and ill-motivated. Those are humiliating not only for me, but also for my other colleagues and to the Office of the Prosecutor as a whole. Taking to the Dhaka Tribune, she said: I am shocked and astonished. I have submitted an application to the chief prosecutor to take necessary action on this matter. When asked, prosecutor Ali said he had got a copy of the application but he declined to comment on the issue. He, however, said his comments in the interview were correct. The then law minister asked him to take the Nizami case and he conducted it. He also said the ministry could coordinate the prosecutions work as the chief prosecutor was physically weak and cannot remember many things due to his old age. l

Alleged extremist killed in 'gunfight'

PAGE 1 COLUMN 1

to protect themselves. The body of Kashem was recovered from the spot later and police also recovered a locally-made gun, five rounds of bullets and four crude bombs from there, Habib said. Kashem was a terrorist. He has been named an accused in several cases, including murder and abduction, that were filed with a number of police stations including Damurhuda Police Station, Habib added. The incident comes amidst protests in the country over extrajudicial killings. l

Dhaka-Delhi plan second direct

PAGE 1 COLUMN 2

Egypt trial of Al-Jazeera journalists resumes

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College principal remanded

n Md Sanaul Islam Tipu
A Dhaka court yesterday placed four people, including the principal of Uttara Trust College, on a four-day remand in connection with the death of journalist Shah Alam Sagar. Metropolitan Magistrate Mahbubur Rahman passed the order after Mohammad Oli Mahmud, OC of Uttara west police station, produced the accused before the court and sought 10 days remand. The accused are Principal Bashir Uddin Ahmed, Nazrul Islam, Jahidul Islam and Anisur Rahman. According to the case statements, Shah Alam, staff reporter of weekly crime magazine Aparadh Daman, died after falling from the rooftop of a building of Uttara west police station. The family of the deceased alleged that Shah Alam was tortured and killed at the police station after recently publishing a graft report against Bashir. l

Peter is obviously humbled and strengthened from the international support, and thats one of the things he thinks is keeping him safe in prison, his brother Andrew Greste told AFP outside the court on Wednesday. He said Greste was in good physical condition and was not physically abused. Al-Jazeeras lawyer Mokhles El Salhy said he planned to ask for the release of his clients on bail at Wednesdays hearing. It was unclear when the hearing would start. Greste, a former BBC correspondent, and Canadian-Egyptian Mohamed FadelFahmy, who worked with CNN before joining Al-Jazeera, were arrested at a Cairo hotel in December. Police leaked a video of the raid on their hotel suites, which included a taped interrogation of Fahmy and was broadcast by local media. Fahmys father Fadel said his son was very tense, angry and annoyed with his long detention. They accuse him of belonging to the Muslim Brotherhood, while he was among the first participants in the June 30 (protests) against (Morsi), he said. He added that prison authorities

have not allowed his son to get a needed operation on his right shoulder. Greste is the only foreign defendant in custody. Britons Sue Turton and Dominic Kane, and Dutch journalist Rena Netjes -- who was indicted even though she does not work for the channel -- are abroad and being tried in absentia. Prosecutors say the defendants falsely portrayed Egypt as being in a state of civil war, a possible reference to the broadcasters coverage of a government crackdown in which more than 1,400 people, mostly Morsi supporters, have been killed in street clashes. The government has designated the Brotherhood a terrorist organisation, although the group denies involvement in a spate of bombings since Morsis overthrow. Al-Jazeera, which says only nine of the defendants are on its staff, has denied the charges. - Violations of fundamental freedoms The trial has triggered an international outcry, drawing criticism from the United States, as well as press freedom groups and scores of journalists. On Tuesday, media watchdog Reporters Without Borders said it deplores the governments continuing vi-

olations of the fundamental freedoms that are guaranteed and protected in the new constitution. Human Rights Watch has said the trial is part of a crackdown on dissent, and Greste himself, in a letter written from prison in January, described what he saw as a lack of freedom in Egypt. The state will not tolerate hearing from the Muslim Brotherhood or any other critical voices, he wrote. The prisons are overflowing with anyone who opposes or challenges the government. Since Morsis ouster, foreign journalists have come under attack by mobs of angry Brotherhood opponents accusing them of working for Al-Jazeera to undermine Egypts security. While none of the arrested Al-Jazeera journalists appear to have been working with press accreditation, the authorities say they welcome accredited foreign journalists. Officials insist the channel has been working for the benefit of Qatar, which has hosted some members of the Brotherhood who fled the crackdown. Al-Jazeera, especially its Arabic-language service, has often come under criticism in the past for allegedly biased reporting in the Arab world. l

open up a new window of foreign currency income from transit and transshipment activities. If implemented, we can earn up to 500 million dollars every year from transit and transshipment charges, Matlub Ahmad said. The railway minister added that sub-regional connectivity would definitely improve bilateral relations between Bangladesh and India. Bangladesh Railway, meanwhile, also plans to set up a container depot on the western side of the Jamuna multipurpose bridge, which would not allow Indian freight trains to cross over due to load restrictions. Indian goods would then be unloaded there for transshipment to the northeastern states by Bangladesh Railway. Bangladesh Railway and Indian Railways stopped operation of cross-border goods trains in 1996 when the Indian authorities converted its tracks to wider broad gauge, while the tracks on the Bangladesh side remained narrow metre gauge. Railway records show that freight trains between Kulaura and Mahisasan operated until October 1996 before the track conversion. Bangladesh Railway, however, continued to operate passenger trains to the Indian side until July 7, 2002. The then BNP-led government suspended the service, citing shortage of human resources. The routes closure resulted in the theft of railway equipment and illegal occupation of railway property. l

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DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Thursday, March 6, 2014

Culprits involved in polls-related killings to be tried

n Emran Hossain Shaikh
Hinting at the BNP and its key ally Jamaat-e-Islami, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday told parliament that her government would take necessary steps against miscreants who killed people in the name of agitation. We will take legal action against them [miscreants] as the people demand for it. We will bring them to book, she said while answering to a supplementary question of Awami League lawmaker AFM Bahauddin Nasim. Nasim wanted to know what kind of measures the government had taken regarding the mayhem carried out by the BNP Jamaat alliance centring the 10th parliamentary poll they boycotted. Hasina said the BNP Jamaat had killed people including law enforcers in the name of hartal and blockade as they have no responsibility towards the country and its people. Failing to engage the people in their demonstration, the BNP Jamaat was involved in killing and damaging peoples property. The premier said the BNP Jamaat wanted to halt the supply chain of goods and essential commodities to worsen sufferings of the people. But the government was able to keep prices of essential commodities under control despite some problems, she said, adding that the BNP Jamaat alliance had failed to create the worst situation as per their evil design though they had made huge damage to the country. Responding to a supplementary question of independent lawmaker Rustam Ali Farazi, the premier said despite challenges, her government would go ahead like the previous tenure for the prosperity of the country. We assumed power when the country was battered by militancy and terrorism and people were in panic. And facing all the challenges, we have reached the current situation. We have courage and stamina to face any situation. We are going ahead to our goals and we will succeed. She added that her government had succeeded in facing the global recession. Referring to the achievements of her 2009-13 government, she said the government had achieved the targeted six-point growth of millennium development goal. It proved that the government had been in favour of development activities rather than corruption. The premier also urged the countrymen to keep faith on the government. Rustam Ali MP asked to the premier how she would ensure political stability, establish good governance and curb corruption. Responding to a question of Rezaul Haque Chowdhury, Hasina said the government took various measures to keep the prices of essential commodities under control. The government will increase vigil at district- and upazila-levels and will hold regular meetings with stakeholders and review the prices of essential commodities of internal market to keep the prices under stable, she said. l

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina meets Saudi Ambassador to Dhaka Dr Abdullah bin Nasser Al Basiri at her office yesterday

PMO

30 death-row convicts awarded clemency since 2001

n Emran Hossain Shaikh
Thirty death row convicts received presidential clemency since 2001 until date, and of them, 26 during the Awami Leagues 2009-13 tenure. Of the 26 is AHM Biplab, who is the son of AL leader and Lakshmipur Municipality Mayor Abu Taher. During the BNP Jamaat alliances 2001-06 tenure two death row convicts including much-talk-about Mohiuddin Jintu received presidential mercy. State Minister for Home Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal gave the figure in parliament yesterday in response to a question of Jatiya Party lawmaker Peer Fazlur Rahman. In the written answer, the state minister said a total of 33 people received presidential mercy including 30 who were sentenced to death from 2001 to date. Biplab who was convicted for murdering BNP leader Nurul Islam received the presidents mercy on February 8, 2012. In 2005, two people, including Sweden expatriate Mohiuddin Jintu, were given clemency. Jintu was sentenced to death by a martial law court during the regime of HM Ershad for a killing during a political clash with Jatiya Partys students organisation. Two other death row convicts got clemency during the 2007-08 military-backed caretaker government. The High Court in a verdict in April 2012 said the powers of the president to pardon, suspend or remit sentences of any convict should be exercised fairly and on unbiased relevant principles. According to article 49 of the constitution, the president shall have the power to grant pardons, reprieves and respites and to remit, suspend or commute any sentence passed by any court, tribunal or other authorities. The other persons who received presidential mercy are Anisur Rahman, Mohammad Sentu, Mohammad Faisal, MA Feroj, Faruque Shah, Fazlul Haque Shah, Jahidul, Shajahan Ali, Mohammad Badal, Abdul Jalil, Mohammad Shohagh, SM Fakar Uddin, Sazzad Hossain, Jahurul, Mohammad Farmajul, Abul Hossain, Ataur Rahman, Asad and Wahidul of Natore; Chand Miah of Madaripur; Mohammad Bablu of Rajshahi; Montu Ghosh of Dhaka; Abdul Khaleque of Thakurgaon; Talebuddin of Sunamganj; Benzir Ahmed of Jhenidah; Islam Uddin of Kishoreganj; Rakhal Chandra Saha of Comilla; and Simon Sing of Sylhet. l

Cop shot dead by colleague

n Tarek Mahmud, Chittagong
The bullet-wound constable, Anwar, who was shot by his colleague inside a police camp in Rangamati was brought to the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Chittagong Cantonment yesterday afternoon. Quoting the on-duty doctor of the CMH Mosarraf Hossain, additional deputy inspector general of Chittagong range, told the Dhaka Tribune that the policeman was brought dead around 1pm. The Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Chittagong range will form a probe body to enquire into the incident, he said adding that as the DIG was in the capital for official purpose the probe body would be formed after his return. Constables Anwar and Mostafizur engaged in an altercation at Baghaighat police camp under Bachaichhari upazila around 10:30am. At one stage of their altercation Mostafizur lost his temper and shot Anwar, he said. Constable Mostafizur was detained after the incident. l

Mozena: April 15 crucial for RMG

n Sheikh Shahariar Zaman
US Ambassador to Bangladesh Dan W Mozena said April 15 and 24 were crucial to the readymade garment sector of Bangladesh. He made the remark at a meeting with secretaries and ambassadors at the commerce ministry Wednesday. April 15 is the deadline by which the government of Bangladesh and others has to submit data to those who are reviewing restoration of GSP, the generalised system of preference. April 24 is a critical date as Rana Plaza building collapsed on that day, Mozena said. Rana Plaza tragedy, the biggest industrial disaster in Bangladeshs history, saw over 1,100 people killed. Of them, most workers were women garment workers working in the building. Washington suspended GSP facility for Bangladesh in June last year and its next review will be held in May. All of us are working together to bring the industry to international standard in terms of fire safety, factory structural soundness and workers rights, Mozena said. About workers rights in export processing zones, he said they had discussed the issue and analysed what steps could be taken to ensure it. Secretaries of commerce, foreign and labour, ambassadors of European Union, Canada, Spain and Netherlands were present in the meeting. Diplomats and ILO representative Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed told reporters there was substantial progress made to retain US generalized system of Preferences (GSP) facilities for action plan. Appointment of inspectors and garment factories data would be completed within 31 March and the complete report would be send to USTR within April 15, he also said. USTR will review the report to regain GSP facilities to Bangladeshi exporters in June. l

ACC finds wealth statements of ministers, MPs faulty

n Tribune Report
The Anti-Corruption Commission yesterday said it found inconsistency between the wealth statements furnished by ministers and lawmakers in their affidavits and information they divulged during interrogation by the ACC. During interrogation the ACC found that information given by ministers and lawmakers was in conflict with that of the statements given in the affidavits they submitted prior to the 10th parliamentary polls, ACC Commissioner M Shahabuddin told reporters yesterday. The ACC has already served notices asking them to submit their wealth statements, he said. Addressing the reporters at his office at Segunbagicha the commissioner also said the anti-graft body would take action against those who concealed the truth after scrutinising the wealth statements. The commission also prepared a list of political leaders who were under ACC scanner during the last caretaker government, he said. Shahabuddin also said the incumbent government and the anti-graft body had been able to combat corruption compared to that of the previous government. The ACC on January 21 assigned seven of its officials to enquire into the phenomenal rise of wealth of three former ministers, three members of parliaments and a former lawmaker to trace the reasons behind their wealth, which are inconsistent with their known sources of income. l

AG ends argument on looting in Sayedee appeals case

BNP condemns move to raise electricity tariff

n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla
Condemning the Power Development Boards decision to increase electricity tariff, the BNP yesterday termed the decision as extreme level of indiscrimination and warned of waging tough resistance against the decision. After assuming the office since 2009, price of electricity had been hiked several times and extra burden was put upon the common consumers. Governments close aides destroyed the power sector, looting thousands of crores of taka through rental and quick rental projects, said Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, acting secretary general of the party, in a statement. The government has been repeatedly taking decisions against the common man, ignoring peoples interests, and such actions have completely isolated it from the people. The BNP leader alleged that per unit electricity price for irrigation has been hiked 60% to destroy the agriculture sector. The government has no peoples mandate and has no accountability to the people, he said. Issuing a note of warning, Fakhrul said if the PDBs proposal was implemented, the BNP-led 19 party alliance will wage tough resistance. Meanwhile, Communists Party of Bangladesh (CPB) and Bangladesher Samajtantrik Dal (BSD) yesterday staged a sit-in in front of Energy Regulatory Commission in the capitals Karwan Bazar area protesting electricity price hike. CPB President Mujahidul Islam Selim and BSD General Secretary Khalequzzaman led the programme. Among others CPB leaders Sazzad Zahir Chandan, Ahsan Habib Lablu, the SPB leaders Bazlur Rashid Firoz and Razekuzzaman Ratan spoke. l

n Nazmus Sakib
Attorney General Mahbubey Alam yesterday told the apex court that war crimes convict Delawar Hossain Sayedee was involved in setting the house of Nurul Islam Khan in Pirojpur on fire and looting it as per the depositions of the prosecution witnesses. The defence did not discredit their statements even after cross-examinations. On the other hand, the defence witnesses also admitted that such incidents had taken place in 1971 and claimed that Sayedee was not present in the crime scenes, the attorney general argued. He completed the argument on charge seven and started arguing on the charge of killing Ibrahim Kutti in which the Jamaat-e-Islami leader was sentenced to death on February 28 last year. Assistant Attorney General Bashir Ahmed assisted Mahbubey while Supreme Court lawyer SM Shahjahan represented Sayedee during the hearing in the appeals case. The five-member Appellate Division bench headed by Chief Justice Md Muzammel Hossain would resume the hearing today. The Jamaat leader registered an appeal with the top court seeking acquittal on March 28. The government also filed an appeal to specify the punishment in all the six charges that were proved at the tribunal. l

Two men balance tiffin-carriers yesterday as they deliver food to office-goers in Old Dhaka who prefer an affordable lunch
MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

Error again in wealth statement!

Aslamuls men harass journalists
n Tribune Report
A group toughs loyal to Awami League lawmaker from Dhaka-14 constituency Aslamul Haque yesterday assaulted journalists on the Anti-Corruption Commission premises at Shegunbagicha in the capital. The followers of the AL leader manhandled journalists while the lawmaker was responding to queries of reporters after the anti-graft body grilled him over the accumulation of illegal wealth. The lawmaker told reporters that the affidavit he submitted to the ACC prior to the 10th parliamentary poll had an error. My income tax advisor mistakenly wrote that I owned 145 acres of land which would actually be 1.45 acres, he said. However, when the reporters insisted that why he had not submitted a correction to the Election Commission a group of 15-20 followers of the MP assaulted the journalists. Amid scuffle the lawmaker quickly sneaked out of the ACC premises accompanied by his followers. However, the lawmaker later said sorry to reporters on behalf of his men who misbehaved with the reporters. According to the affidavit placed before the Election Commission Aslam had just over six acres of land five years ago which has now turned to 145 acres of land, a 34 times rise. Former Health Minister AFM Ruhal Haque also told the ACC during interrogation that there was an error in his wealth statement last year which made his wife appear to be much richer than she really is. l

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9 BCL men hurt in factional clash at DU n Arif Ahmed
At least nine activists of Dhaka Universitys Ziaur Rahman dormitory unit of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) received injuries as they became embroiled in a clash yesterday. The injured were identified as BCL dormitory unit publicity secretary Sadikur Rahman Shifat (Sociology), Shakil (Sociology), Rakib (Islamic History and Culture), Abdullah Al Mubin (Accounting), Riaz (Accounting), Asad (Finance), Ovi (Management), Fuad (Marketing) and Reza. Witnesses said the BCL dormitory unit president Abu Salman Prodhan Prince-led faction and the general secretary Motahar Hossain Prince-led faction locked into altercation over allegation of shoe theft from room 109 to room 110. At one point, they attacked, chased and counter-chased each other in the dormitory, leaving nine injured. The injured received primary treatment at university medical centre. A team from Shahbagh police station conducted a raid at the hall, but they did not arrest anyone in this connection. Contacted, hall provost ABM Faruk told the Dhaka Tribune that a three-member probe committee had been formed to investigate the incident Punitive measures will be taken against the responsible following primary investigation, he added. l

Beautification plans changed upon PMs directive

n Abu Hayat Mahmud
Dhaka North City Corporation has started to demolish concrete structures on the road dividers from Jahangir Gate to Kakoli intersection of Banani as the prime minister wanted greener beautification instead of those decorated with bricks, tiles and stones. The DNCC authorities, sponsor and construction firm of the project Vinyl World high-ups said the instruction would be followed. Captain Bipon Kumar Saha, DNCC chief waste management officer, told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday afternoon: We have already started to demolish the structures from the median of Jahangir Gate to Kakoli and it will be finished by Thursday [today]. After finishing the demolition work, we will start plantation of different trees, he added. Answering to a question about sponsor for this new beautification initiative, Bipon, concern official of the city corporation for the project said: The advertising firm can do the work. If they are not interested for the project, the city corporation will finish the work with its own fund. Md Abaid Monsur, chief executive officer of Vinyl World, said: I am very upset on few officials of the city corporation as they directed us to stop the work of the beautification. The city corporation could give the instruction earlier when we submitted the design, he added. Monsur claimed they had allocated Tk3.5 crore for the beautification project. He blamed DNCC Chief Engineer Brig Gen Md Abul Khair for opposing the works of the Vinyl World. When contacted, Brig Gen Khair, who denied the allegation, said: The city corporation is not involved with the beautification of road median and I do not know about the project.

The advertising firm can do the work. If they are not interested, the city corporation will finish the work with its own fund
I am involved with a Tk115-crore-project for beautification and developments of the citys roads, walkway, street lamps and few other sectors, he added. Sources said the Vinyl World had inked an agreement with the city corporations administrator in June last year. The city corporation gave permission to the firm last month to start the beautification work from Jahangir gate to Kakoli, and the firm started the work. According to the DNCC beautification cell under the waste management department, the corporation has not only given permission to the Vinyl

Labourers remove concrete structure from a central reservation at Banani in the city yesterday World but also gave permission to a total of 48 different companies and persons for the beautification of the citys 49 roads, traffic islands, parks and key points by their own funds. On February 15 and 22, the Dhaka Tribune published two separate reports respectively focusing citys beautification ahead of the ICC T20 World Cup and criticised architects and urban planners about the beautification. International cricket players and guests will soon use the road as the capital is ready for world cup cricket tournament from March 16 to April 6. According to the city planners, the city corporation is using tiles which are generally used in toilets and kitchens,

ABU HAYAT MAHMUD

and such designs will damage the image of the country as players and guests will visit the country during the ICC T20 World Cup. For the criticism, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina called the DNCC highups- and asked them to reduce break, tiles increasing greens in the median of the road. l

EC publishes gazette of 13 upazila parishads results n Mohammad Zakaria

The Election Commission yesterday published the gazette of the results of 13 out of 97 upazila parishads in the first phase polls. The Election Commission has already sent the results to the Bangladesh Government (BG) Press to publish the gazette, Senior Assistant Secretary Mizanur Rahman told the Dhaka Tribune. The commission, however, unofficially has already declared the results of 97 upazila polls held in the first phase of the election. Though the commission sent all the results of the first phase of upazila polls to the press last week to publish upazila polls results officially. But the BG press could not print all the results because of its work load, he said, adding results of rest the upazilas would be announced through gazette publication by this week. He further said the results of the second phase of elections have also been sent to the press to get printed. The second phase of election results would also be gazetted gradually like the first phase soon, he added. The irst phase of upazila elections was held on February 19 while the second phase of polls was held on February 27. l

Government to make electronic, Hospital ward boy internet file management mandatory operates on patient
n Mohosinul Karim
Keeping mandatory provision for starting electronic and internet-based file management system in the civil administration, the government is likely to amend the Secretariat Guideline, 2008 soon. The amendment proposal would be announced soon through a gazette publication after getting approval of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, said Shahjahan Ali Molla, additional secretary to Ministry of Public Administration and also head of the amendment preparation committee. He said secretary committee on administration improvement affairs had given its approval for amendment in its meeting held at secretariat on February 9. The use of e-mail, website and video conference would be mandatory in the civil administration to ensure electronic file management system for accelerating the administrative works, according to the proposed guideline. The provision of tabling and disposing official files in holidays would also be included in the amended guideline. The initiative of amending the guideline has been taken to ensure use of modern information technology in administrative works. According to the proposed guideline, at least 32 out of 287 clauses of the guideline have been completely changed. Both hard copies (printed or hand written) and electronic copies of file will be used in the file management system. The guideline suggested using customised software of a unique company in all public offices to ensure proper file management as the use of e-mailing and e-documenting system would be legalised by starting execution of the new guideline. It has also proposed establishment of a research and innovation wing for each ministry. Around all of the public offices has already established such a wing. The provision was kept to legalise the wing, the official said. The guideline also keeps provision of establishing a store room for maintaining compact discs along with paper documents. All of the officials of the ministries and divisions would have an e-mail account which would be opened by using same ministry website or unique domain. l

n Tribune Report
Rajshahi Medical College Hospital (RMCH) Director and Registrar Shahidul Islam sought unconditional apology from the High Court yesterday conceding the fact that the hospitals ward boy had conducted an operation. They also told the court that they had taken measures against the person who had been responsible for the incident and adopted preventive actions so that such unwarranted incidents would not happen in future. Earlier, on February 18, following a writ petition of Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh, the bench summoned the director and the registrar of RMCH to appear before the court on March 5 to explain on the allegation

of conducting operations by hospitals ward boys. The HC bench of Justice Quazi Reza-ul-Haque and Justice ABM Altaf Hossain yesterday exonerated them from personal appearance in the court following pleas of them and fixed April 3 for giving further order on the writ petition. On February 18, it also ordered the health secretary to form a committee in a week to probe the incident and submit a compliance report by four weeks. The court also ordered the health secretary and the director general of the health department to issue directives to the chiefs of all hospitals of the country to monitor the entire surgical system and to ensure the conduct of operations by surgeons. l

Female leaders ignored by own party

n Tazlina Zamila Khan
Female political leaders in Bangladesh expressed frustration over the way they had been treated by male leaders of their own parties. Women leaders were invited to share their experience at a round table discussion titled Womens Political Leadership in Bangladesh in Celebration of International Womens Day held at Lakeshore Hotel in the capitals Gulshan 2 area yesterday. Salina Hayat Ivy, Mayor of Narayanganj City Corporation said: Political party leaders should consider us as human beings rather than as women. If men changed their perspectives towards women, then we would have achieved success. Begum Selima Rahman, vice-chairperson of BNP, said: Local female politicians were elected only as a formality. They are not invited in any meeting. The situation of female ward councillors is also the same. Mahfuza Begum, chairman of Chauhali upazila of Sirajganj district, said: Several hindrances are created when a woman enters into politics. We are still developing in terms of creating an educated nation. She observed if women are elected as local leaders, local females could easily express their problems. Former election commissioner Brig Gen (Retd) Sakhawat Hussain said: Political parties only talk about political empowerment of women, but dont usually give nominations to them. Several female leaders made complaints to me that they were ignored in their own parties. Women Vice-chairs [of local bodies] have to depend on chairmen for transportation, and are insulted many a times. The government can provide separate transportation for them. Abdul Moyeen Khan, BNP Standing committee member said: Having females as prime minister and opposition leader, doesnt necessarily represent a women empowered country. The empowerment can only be justified if womens rights are ensured in every sector, he added. Dipu Moni, Awami League lawmaker identified three Big Ms which denote money, muscle and men as the major drawbacks for implementing women empowerment in Bangladesh. British High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Robert W Gibson and Opposition Leader Raushan Ershad, were present. l

WEATHER

Dry weather likely n Tribune Desk

Weather may remain mainly dry with temporary partly cloudy sky over the country till 6pm today. Day temperature may rise slightly and night temperature may fall slightly over the country, Met Office said. The sun sets in the capital today at 6:04pm and rises tomorrow at 6:16am. Countrys highest temperature 31.7 degree Celsius was recorded yesterday in Teknaf and lowest 15.2 degrees in Dinajpur. Highest and lowest temperature and humidity recorded in some major cities and towns yesterday were: City Dhaka Chittagong Rajshahi Rangpur Khulna Barisal Sylhet Coxs Bazar High 29.0 30.0 29.1 27.7 29.2 29.0 30.4 31.0 Low 19.6 18.2 16.4 16.0 19.0 19.0 18.3 19.8

Speakers at a roundtable on womens political leadership at a hotel in the citys Banana area yesterday DHAKA TRIBUNE

90% kidney failure patients die without proper treatment

n
Moniruzzaman Uzzal
Kidney failures cause around 40,000 deaths in Bangladesh each year, with more than 90% patients dying without receiving proper treatment, speakers at a workshop said yesterday. The number of chronic kidney diseases has also been gradually increasing in the country; with diabetes, blood pressure and nephritis causing more than 80% of the chronic kidney diseases, which eventually lead to failure of the organ as well as causing deaths from heart disease and brain stroke. Speaking at the workshop titled The rule of mass media to create mass awareness regarding deadly kidney disease and prevention, Professor MA Samad, president of Kidney Awareness Monitoring and Prevention Society (KAMPS), said patients who suffered kidney failure had to live on regular dialysis (haemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis) or by transplanting their kidney. He said patients had to spend around Tk4-6 lakh annually for haemodialysis, Tk4-5 lakh for peritoneal dialysis; while the costs for a kidney transplant was Tk3.5 lakh to Tk7 lakh and over 1 lakh taka was also needed annually for medicine. has around two crore patients who suffer from different kidney diseases, while five people died every hour because of kidney failure. Different surveys have also found that 16-18% of the patients suffered from chronic kidney diseases. There is a huge shortage of trained workforce to ensure proper treatment of kidney diseases, with the country currently having less than 100 nephrologists, 100 urologists, 20 kidney transplant surgeons, 200 dialysis nurses and less than 20 dialysis engineer. State Minister for Land Saifuzzaman Chowdhury was the chief guest at the programme, while other speakers included Kazi Rafiqul Abedin, associate professor of urology department of National Institute of Kidney Diseases Hospital. Addressing the programme, the state minister said mass media could help create mass awareness about the deadly kidney diseases. l

Jubo League leader arrested for beating railway official

n Our Correspondent, Gazipur
Police yesterday arrested former Gazipur Municipality Jubo League vice-president Shakawat Hossain for beating Joydebpur Railway Junction Station Master Zia Uddin. The clash erupted over establishment of illegal shops on the railway station land and extortion. Officer-in-charge of Joydebpur Police Station SM Kamruzzaman said the incident happened on February 25 at the Joydebpur Junction at 7.45pm. After the incident train services on Dhaka-Mymensingh and Dhaka-Rajshahi were halted. Assistant Sub-Inspector of Railway Police Dadon Mia said Shakawat ask for money from Zia as the illegal shops in the railway stations were not evicted. Shakawat along with his three accomplices entered the rail station and charged the station master for illegal use of railway land by establishing shops. At one stage, three of them beat Zia and left the scene. The culprits also verbally abused Assistant Executive Engineer of railway Siddiqul Alam and Senior Deputy-Assistant Engineer Ashraful Islam as they went to the rescue of the station master. Later, locals rescued the victim and sent to Gazipur Sadar Hospital. Officials of the railway station went into fury and after the incident and suspended the train service on two routes protesting the insult. When the report was published in newspapers the Jubo League leader threatened journalists with dire consequence. When the matter was brought to the notice of police they discussed the matter with Shakawats elder brother Mofazzal Hossain, chairman of Jangalia Union Parishad in Kaliganj upazila. When Shakawat learnt that the matter was brought to the notice of his elder brother he lost his temper and went to Joydebpur Police Station and threatened police. Police arrested him from the spot. l

The number of chronic kidney diseases has also been gradually increasing in the country with diabetes, blood pressure
Saying kidney disease was deadly but preventable, Samad said it was possible to prevent kidney failure if it was detected during stage four of the total five stages of kidney failure. Speakers at the programme, organised by the KAMPS at Dhakas Biam auditorium, also said the country

PRAYER TIMES
Fajar Sunrise Zohr Asr Magrib Esha 5:02am 6:17am 12:10am 4:24pm 6:03pm 7:18pm

Source: IslamicFinder.org

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Thursday, March 6, 2014

Government in search of energetic civil surgeons

Over 100 doctors to be interviewed against 20 positions
n Moniruzzaman Uzzal
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is looking for honest and energetic doctors to fill posts of district civil surgeons as a major reshuffle of the posts in different districts is expected very soon. Civil surgeons supposed to retire within few months will be transferred to other institutes while those who are senior in terms of job tenure and are likely to continue working for the next two years or more will be recruited as new civil surgeons. Health Minister Md Nasim has already directed to bring about any changes necessary to ensure increased monitoring and supervision of healthcare activities at the field level which in turn will ensure proper healthcare services, especially for the poor. Health Ministry officials have made a list of more than 100 doctors and they will be interviewed at the ministry next week. Among the prospective interviewees, there are assistant directors, deputy civil surgeons and upazila health and family planning officers. Following the interview, top ministry officials will draw up a shortlist of competent doctors to be recruited as civil surgeons. Dr Shah Newaz, Director (administration) of Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), told the Dhaka Tribune that a total of 110 doctors had been called for interview at the ministry on March 11 to prepare the shortlist. Asked why the Health Ministry would interview more than 100 doctors against a mere 20 vacant posts, Dr Shah Newaz said it was the Health Ministers order to recruit honest and energetic doctors in order to accelerate healthcare services. The minister, if needed, has also advised to recruit new civil surgeons in different districts who might have failed to perform satisfactorily, Shah Newaz added. Several top Health Ministry and DGHS officials, preferring anonymity, told the Dhaka Tribune that a civil surgeon played key role in administering different healthcare activities in a district as he had to maintain administrative affairs as well as to look after the field-level tasks. At present, in most cases, a doctor is promoted to civil surgeon at the fag end of his job. They are promoted just six month before they take retirement which often affects their efficiency as they get busy preparing papers required for retirement. Even those who are promoted on political consideration do not discharge their duties regularly. l

Locals swoop on police during raid, six cops injured

n Tarek Mahmud, Chittagong
At least six policemen, including officer-in-charge of Fatikchhari police station, were injured as local people swooped on police personnel during a raid in Dakhhain Kanchannagar area of Chittagong in the early hours of yesterday. Of the injured, Sub-Inspector Shafiqul Islam of Fatikchhari police station was taken to Chittagong Medical College Hospital, but later on he was shifted to Combined Military Hospital in Chittagong Cantonment as his condition deteriorated. Police arrested 13 people from the area in this connection, said OC Shahjahan Bhuiyan of Fatikchhari police station. The other injured, OC Shahjahan, Assistant Sub-Inspector AD Abdu Rouf, Constable Kala Miah, Constable Song Chi Marma and Constable Sawar Alam of the same police station were taken treatment from the upazila health complex, said Mohammad Shahidulladh, additional superintendent of police (north) of Chittagong. He said the policemen, who conducted a raid in the area to nab warrant- issued accused of different cases, were attacked by local people after being misguided the accused. Sensing the presence of police, the accused called some of their relatives and they raised voice for help of local people saying that a gang of robbers entered the locality. The locals swooped on police personnel, leaving six people injured. Later, another team, led by the OC, rushed to the spot, but the OC was also assaulted by them. A case was filed in this connection. l

Hearing on Tazreen chairmans bail cancellation continues n Md Sanaul Islam Tipu

A Dhaka court yesterday partly heard the bail cancellation hearing of Tazreen Fashions Chairman Mahmuda Akhter Mita, also the wife of its Managing Director Delwar Hossain. Dhakas District and Sessions Judge Abdul Majid fixed March 9 for rest of the hearing as the defence counsel filed a time petition. She was granted conditional bail on February 10 on surrender. On February 12, the courts public prosecutor filed the petition for violating bail conditions. On that day, the court issued a show cause notice as to why her bail would not be cancelled. On December 31 last year, the court issued arrest warrants against the fugitive accused in a case filed by Ashulia police after the fire on November 24, 2012. Police accused 15 officers and staff of the factory for murder by negligence. The CID (Criminal Investigation Department) pressed the charges on December 22 last year. l

Education officer held for taking bribes in Chittagong n Tarek Mahmud, Chittagong
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) caught re-handed an upazila education official of Lohagara upazila in Chittagong with bribe money amounting to Tk20,000 at his office yesterday afternoon. The ACC team also seized over Tk1.30 lakh from his possession, said Mohammad Mosharaff Hossain Mridha, deputy director of the ACC, Chittagong 2. He said they had detained Upazila Primary Education Officer Md Meraz Uddin with Tk20,000 around 1pm when he was taking the money as bribe from one Mohammad Jahed, who was a candidate for office assistant post of Modhya Putibila Government Primary School. Earlier, Meraz Uddin demanded Tk30,000 from Jahed in exchange of giving him the job. Later, Jahed informed the ACC about the matter, he added. Receiving the complaint, a team of ACC Chittagong 2, led by DD Mosharaff, conducted the drive by trap-case technique with the permission of ACC head office. After the detention, Meraz was handed over to Lohagara police station and a case was lodged with the police station in this regard. Case documents will be forwarded to director general of Directorate of Primary Education and the directorate will take departmental action against him, said Nasrin Sultana, district primary education officer. l

Non-government teachers demandjobnationalisation

n Our Correspondent, Barisal
Teachers of non-government educational institutions formed a human chain yesterday to press home their seven-point demands, includingjobnationalization. The programme was organised by Bangladesh Shikshak Samity, Barisal regional unit, in front of Ashwini Kumar Hall of the city. The human chain was presided over by regional president Dasgupta Ashish Kumar. Speakers at the programme criticised the discriminatory role of present government about teachers and employees of non-government educational institutions which pus them in hardship. Leadersof the organisation said education would never be standardised till the discriminations between government and non-government educational institutions would not be removed. They said they would launch harder movement to realise their legitimatedemands. Apart from job nationalisations demand, their other demands included quick implementation of the National Education Policy 2010, Education Act 2013 and revision of manpower structure 2010, standardisation of the infrastructural facilities, training and equipments needed for modern learning system, fixing retirement age of service to 65-year till the nationalisation and payment of retirement benefits within a year, increase of house rent, medical and festival allowances, time scale, annual increment equal as the government educational institutions. After the rally, they handed over a memorandum to the deputy commissioner Barisal. Eucation would never be standardised till the discriminations between government and non-government educational institutions would not be removed l

A vested quarter has set up a good number of brick kilns after taking lease of cultivable land from farmers at Balanagar of Rajshahi, which is not only reducing food production but also polluting environment DHAKA TRIBUNE

12 jailed for life for killing UP chairman

n Tribune Report
A divisional special tribunal in Kushtia yesterday sentenced 12 people, including three siblings, to life term imprisonment for killing Koya union parishad chairman Jamil Hossain Bachchu of Kushtia about five years ago. The special tribunal also fined them Tk 25,000 each, in default, to suffer another six months more in jail. Khulna Divisional Speedy Tribunal judge M Akhter Hossain handed down the verdict against the 12 accused and acquitted 23 others as allegations brought against them could not be proved. The convicts were the three siblings Ibrahim, Habib and Shamim, and nine others -Islam, Zia, Dabloo, Saheb Ali, Jahangir alias Babu, Abdur Razzak, Arif Khan Mitu, Manik and Mukul Hossain. According to the prosecution, Jamil Hossain, chairman of Koya Union Parishad in Kumarkhali upazila of Kushtia district, was gunned down by miscreants on July 26 in 2009 over previous enmity. Brother of the victim had filed a murder case against 10 people. After investigation, police submitted charge sheet against 35 people. l

Schoolboy killed in Gaibandha road accident n Our Correspondent, Gaibandha

A school boy was crushed under the wheels of a picnic bus in the Bokshiganj area of Dhaperhat union under Sadullahpur upazila in Gaibandha yesterday morning. The deceased Sohan Mia, 7, son of Shahidul Islam, was a nursery student of local Taslim Uddin Bidyaniketan. Officer-in-charge of Sadullahpur police station Zia Latiful Islam said: Sohan got ran over by the picnic bus while he was playing, and he died on the spot. Earlier on Monday, two Madrasah students were killed and 25 others injured after a picnic bus fell into a roadside ditch on the Gaibandha-Balasi highway around 9:30pm. l 01 02 03 04 05 06

Government of the Peoples Republic of Bangladesh

Ofce of the Chief Engineer/West Bangladesh Railway, Rajshahi.

INVITATION FOR TENDERS

Ministry/Division Agency Procuring Entity Name Procuring Entity Code Procuring Entity District Invitation for Ministry of Railways. Bangladesh Railway. Chief Engineer (West), Bangladesh Railway, Rajshahi Not used at present. Rajshahi. At LMH: Re-construction of roof with C.I sheet by dismantling R.C.C slab & other related work to rehabilitate north block of Children park high school as per plan. Tk.36,82,360/- (Taka Thirty six lakh eighty two thousand three hundred sixty) Only. 54.01.8100.155.01.434.14 03-03-2014 Open Tendering Method. (NCT) Revenue (GoB)

07 Ofcial Estimated Cost 08 Invitation Reference No. 09 Date KEY INFORMATION 10 Procurement Method. FUNDING INFORMATION 11 Budget and source of fund 12 13 14 15 16 PARTICULAR INFORMATION Tender Publication Date. Tender last selling Date. Tender closing date & time Tender opening date & time Name & address of Ofce(s) -Selling Tender Document (Principal) -Selling Tender Document (others). -Receiving Tender Document. -Opening Tender Document 17 18 19 20 INFORMATION FOR TENDER Eligibility of Tender Time for completion of works Price of Tender Document Amount of Tender Security.

Call to discourage farmers in tobacco cultivation

n Tribune Report
Speakers at a human chain have asked for discouraging the farmers in farming tobacco as its increasing cultivation poses severe threats to the public health, food security as well as environment. Association for Community Development (ACD), Development Council and Lalmonirhat Tobacco Control Coalition jointly organised the human chain at Mission Mour in Lalmonirhat district town yesterday. With Programme Officer of ACD HosneAraParveenFarzana in the chair, leader of Anti-tobacco Women Alliance Rabeya Begum, General Secretary of Lalmonirhat Press Club Ahmedur Rahman Mukul, Programme Officer of Development Council Mostafizur Rahman, addressed the programme. They emphasised on strict implementation of the amended Tobacco Control Act and forwarded suggestions to improve the situation for saving millions of people from catastrophic consequences of smoking and using non-smoking tobacco products. They said tobacco products have become the biggest human killer taking 156 lives every day in Bangladesh where 4.13 crore people are smoking directly and another 4.20 crore are becoming affected from indirect smoking. Citing statistics of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), the speakers said tobacco has been cultivated on 11,385 hectares of land this year in Lalmonirhat alone posing severe threat to cereal crop production in the district. Tobacco cultivation has been spreading throughout the country and huge tobacco products are still being imported at a cost of millions of hard-earned foreign exchange every year despite its increasing local production, they said. The speakers said tobacco cultivation reduces land fertility, decreases cereal food production leading towards food shortages, increasing liabilities of the farmers and adversely affecting ecology and bio-diversity. The government and the people have been spending thousands of crores taka for tobacco-related health hazards and diseases annually than the scanty amount of revenue being earned by the government, they said. l

24-03-2014 at 13.00 hrs. Date: 25-03-2014, Date: 25-03-2014,

Time: 12.00 Hrs. Time: 12.30 Hrs.

Ofce of the Chief Engineer/West, Bangladesh Railway, Rajshahi. Divisional Engineer/Lalmanirhat. Ofce of the Chief Engineer/West, Bangladesh Railway, Rajshahi. Ofce of the Chief Engineer/West, Bangladesh Railway, Rajshahi.

21 22 23 24 25 26

As Stated in the tender document. 120 (One hundred twenty) days Tk 2000/- (Two Thousand) Only. Tk 90,000/- (Ninety thousand) Only -through Bank Draft or pay Order in favour of FA & CAO/West, Bangladesh Railway, Rajshahi PROCURING ENTITY DETAILS Name of Ofcial inviting (Qazi Md. Raqul Alam) tender Designation of Ofcial inviting Chief Engineer/West. tender Address of Ofcial inviting Bangladesh Railway, Rajshahi. Contract details of Ofcial Tel: 0721-761984, Fax-0721-761984 inviting tender If Tenderer quotes rate more than 5% above or below of the ofcial Estimate cost, the Tender shall be rejected. The procuring entity reserves the right to reject all Tenders. (Qazi Md. Raqul Alam) Chief Engineer (West) Bangladesh Railway, Rajshahi.

RPRD No:- 3735 GC-24/14 (9"3)

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Juris

Thursday, March 6, 2014

7
JURIS QUOTE

We are not supposed to be all equal. Lets just forget that. We are supposed to have equal rights under law. If we do that, we have done enough.
Ben Stein American Actor (Born: November 25, 1944)

BIGSTOCK

The laws are grossly discriminatory in some areas

Sara Hossain, a leading Supreme Court lawyer and a strong advocate of womens rights in Bangladesh, talks about the present scenario of equal rights for women ahead of this years International Womens Day

n Juris Desk
Sara Hossain: Bangladesh has made major progress and is recognised internationally for achievements in this area, won by women and girls struggling for their rights, by progressive policies for womens social and economic empowerment undertaken by all our governments for decades now, along with incredible interventions by internationally respected national institutions like Grameen Bank and BRAC, and supported by the international community.

Juris: The theme for International Womens Day, 2014 is Equality of women is progress for all. Where do we stand in terms of achieving gender equality in Bangladesh at present?

How women-friendly are the Constitution and the legal system of Bangladesh to ensure equality and gender justice?

While equal rights of women and men are guaranteed by the Constitution, there are differing interpretations regarding the scope of constitutional rights. This is a particular challenge in cases where womens right to equality is counterposed against the right to freedom of religion. The changes made by the 15th Amendment pose us with new challenges and obstacles in this regard. We need to try to secure more progressive interpretations from the higher courts that the scope of equality extends to the state and public spheres, including all laws that affect womens rights.

What are the real obstacles in the law or in the legal system that women face in achieving their economic independence, eg choice of profession, ownership of property, etc?
The law is an obstacle regarding equal rights to property through inheritance. However, in most cases it is not the law but the practice, the culture, the institutional barriers that prevent the achievement of gender equality.

A public campaign to address positive aspects of womens rights, to self-determination and choice is also urgently needed

We still see many incidents of domestic violence where women are the worst victims of violence at their matrimonial homes. We have a Domestic Violence Act, 2000 which aims at protecting women from rampant domestic violence. How much headway the law has achieved so far to rein in domestic violence?

The law has been enacted long ago, and is being used regularly. This was a major win by the womens movement and the human rights groups in Bangladesh and a solid achievement of the last government.

Sara Hossain is a lawyer practising in the Supreme Court of Bangladesh, mainly in the areas of constitutional law, human rights law and family law, and a Senior Associate at Dr. Kamal Hossain & Associates. She was educated at Oxford University, called to the Bar from Middle Temple in 1989, and enrolled as an Advocate of the Dhaka Bar in 1990. Sara is a Board Member of Ain o Salish Kendra, a national human rights and legal aid organisation, and also does pro bono work with Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust, a leading national private legal services organisation

How does the judiciary respond in cases where womens rights are concerned?

We have a leader of the opposition who is the wife of a military dictator who is now the ally of an elected government. In addition, we have a speaker who welcomes a parliament where members of the same party sit in opposition and in government. Your readers can evaluate what they make of this and how inspiring these positions of women at the top of the establishment are.

opposition, speaker of the parliament)? Does it reflect the entire situation?

There have been very significant and landmark judgments by our higher courts. The cases on so-called fatwa violence, addressing sexual harassment, and evidence collection in rape and abolition of the two finger test are examples of this.

As a woman lawyer, what do you think should be done to ensure equal rights for women in all spheres of our lives as envisioned in Article 27 of our constitution?

Do you think our laws are sufficient to help reduce the challenges that women encounter in marriage, divorce, employment, oppression at home and work? Or, do we need new laws?
The laws are grossly discriminatory in some areas, eg marriage and divorce. The laws on violence also need to be reviewed, moving from the focus on punishment and denial of fair trial and looking more at redress and protection for victims.

How do you evaluate the overall progress of women empowerment in relation to the fact that we have women at the top of the establishment (prime minister, leader of the

Immediate steps should be taken by the government, in furtherance of its stated commitment to secularism and to equality of women, to repeal grossly discriminatory personal laws restricting or denying womens equal rights in the family, relating to Muslim, Christian and Hindu family laws. In addition, state and private bodies should take immediate action to implement directives from the Supreme Court regarding addressing violence against women, regarding sexual harassment, rape, or child marriage. A public campaign to address positive aspects of womens rights, to self-determination and choice is also urgently needed. Moreover, maybe its time to start loudly criticising the notion that just putting women into positions of power is a good thing we should stop accepting this sad quota of politics, unless the women in question have ability, competence, agency, the power to take their own decisions and not be yes-women, and most of all integrity. l

Legal shield for women

The law provides rigorous punishments for any oppression on women

n Raju Mollah
urs is a country where women live in a very vulnerable situation. Widespread violence against women is prevalent in every corner of the country. Many women in Bangladesh become victims of rape, gang rape, murder, torture and acid throwing. Even though Bangladesh has a special law to protect women from oppression, ie The Prevention of Oppression against Women and Children Act, 2000, the difficulties facing women have not been ended. This Act seeks to address the offences related to oppression on women through rigorous punishments.

the magistrate for investigation. If the investigating officer satisfies the tribunal by showing special causes that it is proper to extend the time for investigation for the end of justice, the tribunal may order to complete the investigation within the extended period which would not be more than 30 days.

l The party aggrieved by the order, judgment or punishment

shall notify the causes if the accused is not released on bail.

Filing any false case or complaint under the Act

imposed by the tribunal, can appeal to the High Court Division within the period of 60 days against such order, judgment or punishment.

Procedure followed by the tribunal

Safe custody

l If the trial commenced in the tribunal, it shall be held on l The tribunal shall complete the adjudication within the l If the adjudication is not completed within the stipulated

each working day until the completion of the trial.

period of 180 days from the date the case was filed.

Nari o Shishu Nirjatan Daman Tribunal

period, the tribunal can release the accused on bail and

If at any stage of the trial of an offence under this Act, the tribunal thinks that any woman or child is needed to be kept in safe custody, the tribunal can direct to keep the woman or the child, out of the jail and under the custody of a government authority determined by the government or under the custody of a person or organisation whom the tribunal thinks proper.

If any person files or causes to be filed any case or complaint against a person under this Act for the purpose of causing injury to that person, although he knows that he had not any proper or legal ground to do so, the person filing or causing to be filed that case or complaint shall be punished with rigorous imprisonment for either description which may extend to seven years and also with fine.

Prohibition on publishing identities of a woman or a child oppressed in news media

There are one or more tribunal in each District Headquarter to try offences under this Act established by the law. The tribunal consists of one judge and the government shall appoint the judge among the District or Session Judges. The government shall appoint such judge as the judge of the tribunal in addition to his/her duty.

OFFENCES RELATED TO WOMEN AND PUNISHMENTS

Section 4 7 Offence Causing death or attempting to cause death of any woman by burner, corrosive or poisonous substance Kidnapping a woman for the purpose of immoral act or sale or buy Whoever detains a woman to levy a ransom Committing rape with a woman and the women dies later as a consequence of rape Punishment Death penalty or transportation for life and also with fine not exceeding Tk100,000 Transportation for life or with imprisonment for either description, which may extend to 14 years and also with fine Rigorous imprisonment for life and also with fine Death penalty or transportation for life and also with fine not exceeding Tk100,000

Any news, information or name and address or any other information regarding any offence, committed under this Act of which a woman or a child is the victim, shall be published or presented in such a way that the acquaintance of the woman or the child remain undisclosed. If this provision is infringed, the person or persons liable for such infringement, each shall be punished with imprisonment for either description, which may extend to two years or with fine not exceeding Tk100,000 or both.

Offences against women

If child is born in consequence of rape

person who commits rape

According to the Act, the following offences shall be tried by the Nari o Shishu Nirjatan Daman Tribunal: death, attempt to cause death, hurt, damaging of sight or ear, disfiguring face, breast, sexual organ, limb or any other part of the body, throwing any burner, caustic or poisonous substance over a child or a woman, trafficking, kidnapping, taking ransoms, rape, sexual oppression and causing or attempting to cause death for dowry.

l The maintenance of that child shall be borne by the l The tribunal may determine after the birth of the child,

8 9 10

Investigation of an offence

Satisfying one's sexual urge illegally, by touching the Imprisonment for either description which may sexual organ or other organ of a woman with any organ or extend to 10 years but not less than two years of rigorous imprisonment and also with fine with any substance Causes death or attempts to cause death for dowry by the husband of a woman or his father, mother, guardian or any other person on behalf of the husband Imprisonment for life and also with fine

Any investigation of an offence under this Act shall be completed within 60 days from the date of receiving any information regarding the offence or passing of any order by

11

in whose custody the child shall be and how much money shall be provided to the legal guardian, by the person who commits rape, as expense for the maintenance of the child l His expense shall be provided for upto the period, the child attains 21 years if male and, marriage of the female child, if not disabled, and until the date he/she obtains the capability to earn his/her living, if disabled. l Raju Mollah is an advocate at the Dhaka Judges Court and author of several law books.

8
EU to provide Ukraine with aid worth $15bn n AP, Brussels
The head of the European Unions executive arm says the bloc is ready to provide Ukraine an 11bneuros ($15bn) aid package in loans and grants over the coming years. Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said yesterday that it would include 1.6bneuros in loans and 1.4bneuros in grants from the EU as well as 3bneuros in fresh credit from the European Investment Bank. Barroso didnt immediately provide details over what time the money will be disbursed and which conditions on overhauling its economy the government in Kiev will have to meet. The United States announced a $1bnaid package in energy subsidies Tuesday. Kiev estimates it needs $35bnin international rescue loans over the next two years. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

World

Thursday, March 6, 2014

Russia cant control Crimea troops

Ukraine raises flag in Donetsk, ends pro-Moscow building siege n Reuters, Donetsk
Ukraine ejected pro-Moscow demonstrators yesterday from a regional government building and raised its flag whereRussias had flown since the weekend, signalling an important shift of control in the Russian-speaking east. The Donetsk administrative headquarters had been held since Monday by activists who burst in chanting Putin come! and demanded control over the regional police force and the end of ties with Kiev. Police said they evacuated it peacefully after receiving reports it was booby-trapped with explosives. Donetsk, home city of deposed president Viktor Yanukovich, has seen the most persistent pro-Moscow demonstrations since protests erupted in eastern and southern cities on Saturday as Russian President Vladimir Putin declared his right to invade. Russian forces have already seized control of the southern Crimea region but have not entered other parts of Ukraine. The main concern of Western officials meeting Russians in Brussels and Paris on Wednesday is Putins threat of a wider invasion to protect Russian-speakers across Ukraines industrial heartland. By mid-day on Wednesday, Ukraines blue and yellow flag had replaced the Russian tricolour atop the 11-storey building, but another Russian flag was still flying from a flagpole in front. A large force of police was guarding the building with helmets and shields. Sniffer dogs had been brought to search it. Around 200 pro-Moscow demonstrators were still clustered by tents in front of the building, where biscuits and tea were served from a cart. Their leader, burly local businessman Pavel Gubarev who has declared himself peoples governor, called the evacuation a provocation and vowed to re-enter the building. We are determined to erect our peoples power in the Donetsk region. And we will not retreat. We have huge support. l

Russia works on law to hurt EU, US as sanctions reply n Reuters, Moscow

Russian lawmakers are working on a draft law to allow the confiscation of property, assets and accounts of European or US companies if sanctions are imposed on Russia over Ukraine, RIA news agency said on Wednesday. RIA quoted Andrei Klishas, head of the constitutional legislation committee in the upper parliament house, as saying the bill would offer the president and government opportunities to defend our sovereignty from threats. He added that lawyers were examining whether the confiscation of foreign companies assets, property and accounts would comply with the Russian constitution but said such steps would clearly be in line with European standards. l

An armed man, believed to be a Russian soldier, stands guard inside a Ukrainian military base in the Crimean town of Yevpatoria

REUTERS

n Reuters, Paris/Kiev
Russia said yesterday it could not order self-defence forces in Crimea back to their bases ahead of the first faceto-face talks with the United States on easing tensions over Ukraine and averting the risk of war. Russia and the West are facing the most serious confrontation since the end of the Cold War over influence in Ukraine, a major commodities exporter and strategic link between East and West. Russia has effectively occupied the Crimea region, further raising the tensions in the region and provoking sharp falls in financial markets on Monday although they have since stabilised.

Speaking before meeting US Secretary of State John Kerry in Paris later in the day, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov repeated Moscows assertion - ridiculed by the West - that the troops that have seized control of the Ukrainian Black Sea peninsula are not under Russian command. If you mean the self-defence units created by the inhabitants of Crimea, we give them no orders, they take no orders from us, Lavrov told a questioner at a joint news conference with his Spanish counterpart in Madrid. As for the military personnel of the (Russian) Black Sea Fleet, they are in their deployment sites. Yes, additional vigilance measures were taken to safe-

guard the sites ... We will do everything not to allow any bloodshed. Lavrov will also meet the German, British and French foreign ministers and Frances President Francois Hollande on the sidelines of a conference in Paris attended by the five permanent members of the UN Security Council. NATO and Russia will hold parallel talks in Brussels amid concerns that a standoff between Russian and Ukrainian forces in Crimea could still spark violence, or that Moscow could also intervene in Russian-speaking eastern Ukraine. The West is pushing for Russia to return troops to barracks, accept international monitors in Crimea and Ukraine

and negotiate a solution to the crisis through a contact group probably under the auspices of a pan-European security body. France said European Union leaders meeting in Brussels on Thursday could decide on sanctions against Russia if there is no de-escalation by then. President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday, however, defended Russias actions in Crimea, which used to be Russian territory, and said he would use force only as a last resort. This eased market fears of a war over the former Soviet republic after sharp falls on Monday, although Russian shares and the rouble slipped again on Wednesday. l

Global warming may threaten World Heritage sites

n AFP, Paris
The sightseer of 4014 may have to pay a virtual visit to the Tower of London or Statue of Liberty, said a climate study Wednesday that warned of dramatic ocean encroachment on heritage sites. While modern civilisation is fascinated by the pyramids of Egypt, Romes Colosseum and the Parthenon in Greece, much of this inheritance as well as our own cultural legacy may be lost to sea-levels rising as much as 1.8 metres (six feet) due to global warming, researchers said. Out of more than 700 listed UNESCO World Heritage sites, nearly 140 risk being flooded in 2,000 years time, they projected in a study published in the journal Environmental Research Letters. These also include the Sydney Opera House, Venice in Italy, Japans Hiroshima Peace Memorial and Robben Island in South Africa where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for 18 years. The calculation is based on sea-level rises associated with temperatures three degrees Celsius (5.4 degrees

UN: World powers responsible for failing to stop Syria war crimes
n Reuters, Geneva
All sides in Syrias civil war are using shelling and siege tactics to punish civilians and big powers bear responsibility for allowing such war crimes to persist, UN human rights investigators said on Wednesday. In their latest report documenting atrocities in Syria, they called again on the UN Security Council to refer grave violations of the rules of war to the International Criminal Court (ICC) for prosecution. The Security Council bears responsibility for allowing the warring parties to violate these rules with impunity, the report by the UN commission of inquiry on Syria said. Such inaction has provided the space for the proliferation of actors in the Syrian Arab Republic, each pursuing its own agenda and contributing to the radicalisation and escalation of violence. Divided world powers have supported both sides in Syrias three-yearold conflict and a diplomatic deadlock has exacerbated the bloodshed. The independent investigators, led by Brazilian expert Paulo Pinheiro, said that fighters and their commanders may be held accountable for crimes, but also states which transfer weapons to Syria. Syrian government forces under President Bashar al-Assad have besieged towns including the Old City of Homs, shelling relentlessly and depriving them of food as part of a starvation until submission campaign, the report said. It said the Syrian air force had dropped barrel bombs on Aleppo with shocking intensity, killing hundreds of civilians and injuring many more. Insurgents fighting to topple Assad, especially foreign Islamic fighters including the al-Qaeda affiliated ISIS, have stepped up attacks on civilians, taken hostages, executed prisoners and set off car bombs to spread terror, it said. l

Iraqi capital hit by series of blasts n Agencies

Nine bombings mainly targeting Shia-majority areas of Baghdad have killed at least 12 people officials said, as Iraq suffers its worst violence in years. The seven car bombs and two roadside bombs, which hit six different areas of Baghdad on Wednesday, also wounded more than 60 people, the sources told the AFP news agency. The deadliest single attack was a car bomb in the Karrada district in central Baghdad that killed at least three people and wounded at least 10. Police said at least four people and 15 were wounded at an outdoor market in the northern Shaab neighbourhood, according to the Associated Press news agency. Three people were killed and nine were wounded in the southeastern district of Zafaraniyah. All officials spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorised to talk to media. Baghdad, one of the most frequently-targeted cities in the country, is hit by near-daily bombings and shootings. Commercial areas are favourite targets for groups seeking to undermine government efforts to maintain security. l

AFP

Fahrenheit) higher than pre-Industrial Revolution levels. The UN-targeted maximum rise is 2 C. Our analysis shows how serious the long-term impacts for our cultural heritage will be if climate change is not mitigated, study co-author Anders Levermann from the Potsdam Institue for Climate Impact Research (PIK) said

in a statement. The average global temperature has already increased by 0.8 C on pre-industrial levels. According to the UNs Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), it could rise by an additional 2.6 to 4.8 C by the end of this century, on a scenario for high emissions of greenhouse gases. l

Pentagon: 2015 US budget would keep links to Europe

n AP, Washington
The Pentagon on Tuesday unveiled a proposed 2015 US defense budget that shrinks the armed forces while keeping a commitment to support European allies at a time of tension over Russias military involvement in Ukraine. The spending plan reflects what Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel calls a choice to field a smaller but more modern force rather than a larger one less prepared for combat. Some in Congress, however, see that as an approach that weakens US capabilities in a period of growing uncertainty in Europe and Asia. The proposed $496bnin spending unchanged from this years budget total is part of a $3.9 trillion federal budget that President Barack Obama sent to Congress Tuesday. Under the proposed defense plan, the Army would shrink from 490,000 active-duty soldiers to 440,000450,000 over the coming five years the smallest since 1940, prior to the buildup for World War II, when the Army had 267,000 active duty troops. The budget retains a commitment to NATO and to building a missile defense system in Europe. In previewing the budget last week, Hagel described it as the first to fully reflect the nations transition from 13 years of war. Although the future force will be smaller, it will be ready, capable and able to project power over great distances, Hagel wrote in the introduction to a strategy review released Tuesday as a companion to the budget. The companion document, required by Congress and called the 2014 Quadrennial Defense Review, was written prior to Russias military moves on the Crimea region of Ukraine. It said that while the administration will continue shifting its focus toward the Asia-Pacific region, Europe will remain an important partner. Europe is home to our most stalwart and capable allies and partners, and the strategic access and support these countries provide is essential to ensuring that the US armed forces are more agile, expeditionary, and responsive to global challenges, it said. The US combat mission in Afghanistan is scheduled to end in December. Obama has not yet decided, however, whether to authorize a non-combat mission starting in 2015 that would continue training and advising Afghan forces. Because of the uncertainty over a US military role in Afghanistan beyond this year, the Pentagons 2015 budget includes what it called a placeholder sum of $79bnfor involvement in Afghanistan. The Pentagon said it would amend the budget plan once it decided on the scope of its post-2014 role in Afghanistan. At the core of Hagels overall plan for 2015 and beyond is the notion that after wars in Iraq and Afghanistan that proved longer and more costly than foreseen, the US military will no longer be sized to conduct large and protracted ground wars. l

One-third of EU women face violence, survey says

n Agencies
About a third of all women in the EU have experienced either physical or sexual violence since the age of 15, according to a survey by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, reports BBC. That corresponds to 62 million women, the survey says. It is said to be the biggest survey conducted on the subject, and is based on interviews with 42,000 women. The report calls on EU countries to treat domestic violence as a public, not a private issue, adding that laws and policies relating to sexual harassment should be reviewed. The survey asked women about their experiences of physical, sexual and psychological violence, at home and in the workplace, as well as stalking, sexual harassment and violence in childhood. It found that one in 10 women has experienced some form of sexual violence since the age of 15, and one in 20 has been raped. The survey noted that 22% had suffered

COUNTRIES WITH HIGHEST NUMBER OF INCIDENCES Denmark Finland Sweden UK France 52% 47% 46% 44% 44%

from physical or sexual violence by a partner, but that 67% did not report the most serious incidents of domestic violence to the police. It said there was a link between heavy alcohol use and domestic violence. About 18% of women said they had been the victims of stalking since the age of 15, and 55% said they had been sexually harassed, often in the workplace, the survey found. It noted that young women as a group are particularly vulnerable to victim-

isation. The countries where women reported the highest number of incidences of physical and sexual violence were: Denmark (52%), Finland (47%) and Sweden (46%) states that are often commended for gender equality. The UK and France reported the 5th highest number with 44% while the lowest incidences of violence were reported in Poland with 19%. But the survey noted that the results may reflect the fact that some countries find it less culturally acceptable to talk about the problem than others. What emerges is a picture of extensive abuse that affects many womens lives, but is systematically under-reported to the authorities, said Morten Kjaerum, director of the Agency for Fundamental Rights. He said the survey showed that violence against women is an extensive human rights abuse in all EU member states. Men need to be positively engaged in initiatives that confront how some men use violence against women. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

World

Thursday, March 6, 2014

9
AAP, BJP workers clash after Kejriwal detention n Tribune Desk
Aam Aadmi Party workers protested outside the Bharatiya Janata Party headquarters in New Delhi after AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal was briefly detained in north Gujarats Radhanpur on Wednesday. A group of AAP protesters also clashed with BJP supporters in Uttar Pradeshs capital Lucknow, TV visuals showed after the ruckus in Delhi. A group of men could be seen thrashing people wearing AAP caps. The identity of those involved in the clashes could not immediately be ascertained. Unconfirmed reports also said the windscreen of Kejriwals car was damaged in a late evening attack in Kutch. In New Delhi, the police used water cannons to disperse the crowd that had gathered out the BJP office on Ashoka Road. Supporters of the BJP also clashed with the AAP supporters. What was the need for Gujarat cops to detain Arvind Kejriwal? It was wrong to stop him, AAP leader Shazia Ilmi said. AAP workers also alleged that they were attacked by the BJP supporters. We were protesting peacefully. BJP workers started throwing stones, furniture, sticks, etc. at us from inside the BJP office complex, Ilmi said. While the police were able to round up a few protesters, the violent episode led to traffic snarls outside the BJP office, which is located in the heart of the national capital. l

TTP, govt meeting concludes; Advani joins Rahul in criticising BJP for being agreement on terms
n Tribune Desk
The meeting between negotiators from the government and the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) concluded in Akora Khattak on Wednesday with both sides agreeing to certain terms and conditions, DawnNews reported. The current government committee includes Irfan Siddiqui, retired Major Amir, Rustam Shah Mohmand and Rahimullah Yousufzai and the negotiators nominated by the TTP include Maulana Samiul Haq, Maulana Abdul Aziz and Professor Mohammad Ibrahim. Haq, chief of the Taliban negotiating committee, told reporters after the meeting that the Taliban committee was seeking a meeting with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. He praised the Taliban for announcing the ceasefire and said he had asked the militants to track down whoever was responsible for the recent violence. Moreover, he also said that the announcement of a ceasefire from both sides was a major progress and that the Taliban had been asked to probe into those responsible for recent attacks. The chief Taliban mediator added that Afghanistan, India and the United States wanted the dialogue process to fail. He further said that the government and Taliban should jointly unveil the enemy. Haq said that the Taliban had not put forward any demands to change the democratic system. Talking about the Ahrarul Hind, the group that claimed responsibility of the recent attack in an Islamabad court, he said that he had never heard the organisations name before and the Taliban were also unaware of the outfit. which included decision-making steps. The first round of talks was meant only to increase and facilitate contacts between the two sides, he added. Another government negotiator retired Major Amir told media representatives that the suggestions presented during the first round of the meeting had been agreed upon by both sides. Rahimullah Yousufzai told The Associated Press that the negotiators had decided to push forward with the process because the Pakistani Taliban had said they were not responsible for the recent attacks. In this situation, we opted to continue the talks, and we hope the Taliban will condemn these attacks and trace those who are behind it, Yousafzai said. During the meeting, held at Maulana Samiul Haqs Dar-ul-Uloom Haqqania seminary, the members consulted on the dissolution of existing committees and the formation of new committees to carry forward peace talks, DawnNews had quoted sources as saying. Reports said the government had decided to dissolve the existing committee and form a new committee to represent it in the talks. Sources told DawnNews that the new government committee would likely comprise of members from the Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML N) led government at the centre as well as members from the armed forces. l

one-man show

In this situation, we opted to continue the talks, and we hope the Taliban will condemn these attacks and trace those who are behind it

AFP

n Agencies
BJPs preeminent party elder, LK Advani, has critiqued the Narendra Modi-led and dominated campaign effort by telling the partys senior leaders that it is becoming a one-man party. Advani has also told BJP leaders that he agrees with Rahul Gandhis critique of BJP being dominated by one leader. BJPs senior-most leaders who spoke to ET for this story, on condition they not be identified, said Advani has been making similar observations over the last few weeks, as Modis campaign has gathered tempo. But the sharpest critique, one BJP leader said, came at the February 27 meeting of BJPs central election committee.

The head of the committee representing the government, Irfan Siddiqui, said they had discussed various options for how the negotiating process could continue and the results of todays meeting were satisfactory. Siddiqui said that the Taliban should openly condemn incidents of terrorism. He also said that the dialogue process had entered its second phase now,

Modi, Advani and Rajnath Singh were among those who attended the meeting. Another leader, who also attended the meeting, said Advani made his observations as leaders were looking at pros and cons of prospective candidates to finalise the partys first list. Modi was seated next to Advani. Advani, this leader added, said he agrees with Rahul Gandhis critique, which was made in Haryana on February 24, that BJP has been reduced to a one man show. When another leader proposed that BJP should counter this, Advani is learnt to have said, Theres nothing wrong with what he ( Rahul Gandhi) has said. Another meeting attendee said when Advani made these remarks, there was uncomfortable silence. Modi kept quiet, this leader said, while others didnt take the point forward. Rajnath Singh, who this leader said was seated on the other side of Advani, broke the silence and started talking about candidate selection. Advani could not be contacted. The party elders scriticism of BJPs campaign style has been expressed at other party forums as well, a senior BJP leader closely involved with election strategy said. Another BJP leader, whos been a close associate of Modi, said: Advanijis criticism is not surprising...he had wanted to be the partys PM candidate. l

Israel says seized Gaza bound rocket shipment

AFP

n AFP
The Israeli navy seized a ship in the Red Sea on Wednesday that was carrying dozens of advanced Iranian-supplied rockets made in Syria that were intended for Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip, the military said. It said the Panamanian-flagged cargo vessel Klos-C was boarded in international waters without resistance from its17-strong crew, and would be escorted to the Israeli port of Eilat within days. It was a complex, covert operation, military spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Peter Lerner said of the seizure some 1,000 miles (1,800 km) from Israel. Dozens of M302 rockets were found aboard the Klos-C, a weapon which

could have struck deep into Israel from Gaza and would have significantly enhanced the firepower of Palestinian militant groups such as Hamas. The M302 in its most advanced model can strike over 100 miles, and if they would have reached Gaza, ultimately that would have meant millions of Israelis under threat, said Lerner. Israeli television footage showed what appeared to be marines inspecting a rocket on the floor of a ship hold, with cement bags labelled Made in Iran in English next to it. Lerner said the rockets were flown from Syria to Iran, from which they were shipped first to Iraq and then towards Sudan. Had they reached the African coast, they would have probably been smuggled overland through Egypt to Gaza, he said. l

Supporters of Aam Aadmi (Common Man) Party (AAP) and Indias main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) clash during a protest outside the office of BJP in the northern Indian city of Lucknow yesterday. Street clashes marred an announcement on Wednesday that Indias general election will start on April 7 as passions run high in a race that pits Hindu nationalist Narendra Modi against the unpopular Nehru-Gandhi familys ruling party REUTERS

North Korea election China to increase military spending this weekend, Kim runs n in legendary district
Agencies

n Reuters, Seoul
North Korea, accused of human rights violations, elects its largely symbolic parliament this weekend, with leader Kim Jong Un, the third in his family dynasty to rule the totalitarian state, running unopposed in a legendary mountain district. State news agency KCNA said on Thursday that election preparations were gaining momentum, with voters confirming their names on electoral lists for the ballot held every five years. Agitation activities are going on to encourage citizens to take active part in the election with high political enthusiasm and labour feats, amid the playing of Song of the election, KCNA reported. North Koreans, it said, sought to demonstrate once again the might of single-minded unity by casting ballots for their candidates. North Korea stands accused by a UN report issued this month of torture and killings comparable to Nazi-era atrocities. Authorities in Pyongyang have de-

nounced the report as faked. The Norths Supreme Peoples Assembly is empowered by law to approve the budget and make senior appointments, including to the powerful National Defence Commission. In practice, it is a largely symbolic body meeting twice a year in a country where decision-making authority lies with the ruling Korean Workers Party. Each district has a single candidate, with the overwhelming majority from the party, although a few independents, such as pro-Pyongyang Koreans from Japan, are allowed to take part. Kim, presumed to be 31 years old, is standing for the 687-seat assembly for the first time since taking office in 2012 after the death of his father, Kim Jong II. And he is running in Paektusan, an inactive volcano on the border with China described in national folklore as his fathers birthplace. A vice minister of construction has held the Paektusan seat since 2009 and it was unclear if he was standing elsewhere. l

China has announced its biggest rise in military spending in three years, a strong signal from President Xi Jinping that Beijing is not about to back away from its growing assertiveness in Asia, especially in disputed waters, reports Aljazeera. The government said yesterday it would increase the defence budget by 12.2%this year to 808.23bnyuan ($131.57bn), partly to develop more high-tech weapons and to beef up coastal and air defences. Speaking at the opening of Chinas annual session of parliament, Premier Li Keqiang said the government would strengthen research on na-

tional defence and the development of new- and high-technology weapons and equipment and enhance border, coastal and air defences. We will comprehensively enhance the revolutionary nature of the Chinese armed forces, further modernise them and upgrade their performance, and continue to raise their deterrence and combat capabilities in the information age, Li told the National Peoples Congress. The increase follows a nearly unbroken run of double-digit hikes in the Chinese defence budget, second only to the United States in size, for the past two decades. This is worrying news for Chinas neighbours, particularly for Japan,

said Rory Medcalf, a regional security analyst at the independent Lowy Institute in Sydney. Those who thought Xi might prefer to concentrate on domestic development over military expansion in a slowing economy had underestimated the Chinese determination to shape its strategic environment, he added, according to Reuters news agency. China and Japan are increasingly locking horns over uninhabited rocky islands each claims in the East China Sea. Beijing also claims 90%of the 3.5 million square kilometre South China Sea, which is believed to be rich in oil and gas. The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan claim parts of those waters. l

Saudis, UAE, Bahrain withdraw envoys from Qatar

n Reuters, Riyadh

Protests subside, Thai farmers unhappy

n Reuters, Bangkok
A few hundred Thai anti-government protesters marched on the headquarters of the ruling party on Wednesday, while rice farmers remained camped in another part of the capital demanding money owed by the state. The political movement aimed at overthrowing Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra is in its fifth month, but leader Suthep Thaugsuban closed several big protest sites at the weekend as his number of supporters dwindled. The government is also grappling with action by farmers, normally its staunchest supporters, in protest at a rice subsidy scheme that has gone badly wrong, leaving hundreds of thousands of them unpaid and causing huge losses to the budget. On Wednesday the state bank managing the scheme said it expected to start paying some arrears next week but the sum announced failed to impress farmers who have been demonstrating at the Commerce Ministry for weeks. "That 30bn baht is very small compared to the total 130bnbaht the government should have paid us since October," said Kittisak Waraha, one of the farmers' leaders, referring to a sum cited by officials earlier this year. l

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain said on Wednesday they were withdrawing their ambassadors from Qatar because Doha had not implemented an agreement among Gulf Arab countries not to interfere in each others internal affairs. The move, conveyed in a joint statement by the three countries, is unprecedented in the three-decade history of the Gulf Cooperation Council. Qatar has been a maverick in the conservative region of hereditary monarchies, backing Islamist groups in Egypt, Syria and elsewhere in the Middle East that are viewed with suspicion or outright hostility by some fellow GCC members. The statement said GCC members had signed an agreement on November 23 not to back anyone threatening the security and stability of the GCC whether as groups or individuals - via direct security work or through political influence, and not to support hostile media. But unfortunately, these efforts did not result in Qatars agreement to abide by these measures, which prompted the three countries to start what they saw as necessary. l

10
www.dhakatribune.com

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Editorial
LETTER OF THE DAY

Thursday, March 6, 2014

Letters to

the Editor

BIMSTEC secretariat shows leadership

Violating constitutional safeguards and rising extrajudicial killings

March 3 Extrajudicial killings, like crossfire killings, gunfights, or encounters, have become far too common. Deaths in police custody, disappearances, finding of dead bodies of accused persons in murder cases are growing at an alarming rate. Police arrest criminals but have no right to kill them. Whether the criminals are guilty or not should be proved at court. These killings disregard the court and judicial system. Article 32 of the Bangladesh Constitution mentions that: No person shall be deprived of life or personal liberty, save in accordance with law. On the other hand, Article 35(5) of our Constitution and Article 5 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights mentions: No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading punishment or treatment. Right to life and personal liberty as a fundamental right is provided by the constitution but is violated by law enforcement agencies continuously. Lack of accountability within law enforcement agencies is responsible. A systematic criminal justice mechanism is needed to ensure rule of law and promotion of human rights to stop these extrajudicial killings and disappearances. These killings, under the pretext of crossfire shootings, must not be tolerated. Law enforcement agencies must be aware of this and be careful in how they conduct themselves. For the killings that have already occurred, the government must ensure an independent agency investigate the matter and bring those responsible to justice. Ashabur Rahman Turan Department of Law University of Rajshahi

Bangladesh, Pakistan set to get Chinese submarines

March 1 Tanvir Tee Hossain Why in the world would Bangladesh need a submarine for? Ahmed Azwad Imtiaz Tanvir Tee Hossain: I agree with you. Why would Bangladesh need submarines? The only major threat to our marine industry are pirates. Parveen Ahmed To look for shotru, of course. Anonymous If the Bangladeshi government is serious about its Navy, it should acquire better submarines. Mings are outdated technology. Nicky I think the Type 035G Ming-class diesel-electric submarines would be called the entry level/basic training submarine, and that once they learn all they can from the Type 035G Ming-class diesel-electric submarines, they can move on to the Kilo/Lada/Amur class SSK.

t is heartening to see the BIMSTEC summit conclude on a high note, with confirmation that the forums permanent secretariat will be established in Dhaka. Our government has shown vision by providing leadership on this matter. It is a continuation of the countrys solid record of support for multilateral organisations, which has included taking the lead in helping to set up SAARC and providing many police and soldiers to UN peacekeeping operations. The BIMSTEC secretariat is doubly welcome as a sign of Bangladesh looking east beyond its historical connections to South Asia and as recognition of Bangladeshs central importance to the initiative. By building the countrys profile, the secretariat further helps the efforts and impact of our diplomats and foreign officials. This is important as the future growth of the economy requires Bangladesh to keep cultivating and improving economic links with countries all round the world. All members of BIMSTEC stand to gain from speeding up moves to develop this forum. While security issues and combating transnational crimes have been a big feature of the summit just concluded, it is vital that the final communiqu set targets for improving trade and technical co-operation. Improving trade relations will be a measurable outcome that can continue to be developed by members. It also provides a basis for the forum members to make progress on related goals, in particular to do with enhancing regional connectivity, infrastructure and poverty reduction.

Confirmation that the forums permanent secretariat will be established in Dhaka helps build economic links

Rajshahi University crisis Every day is like Gunday

March 1 nds He is very correct. Our patriotism must not be wasted upon trivial matters.If we allow our patriotism so oversensitive to do overtime on tinsel world trivialities then it might get run out to use where needed. Osmania If its Gunday, it must be Belgium. muslimah Lets keep patriotism to where it is most sorely needed. On the sporting field. And hope that Bangladesh puts on a good performance in the T20 World Cup. Love the last paragraph! So true. March 3 The students of Rajshahi University protested against fee hikes and the establishment of evening courses. But, unfortunately, on February 2, Chhatra League and the police attacked the protesting students. As a result, many students were seriously injured, and the situation became much more critical. Afterwards, at an emergency syndicate meeting, the university administration decided to shut down the campus for an indefinite period. So, are the students the main culprit behind the universitys closure? All academic activities at Rajshahi University (RU) have been closed, but the evening masters courses continue as usual. Also ongoing is the viva voce of the first year admission test. In this situation, the candidates, especially young women, are suffering the most. They are facing an accommodation problem because the residence halls are not open. The students are of course facing problems as well for the sine die of the campus. And most departments may have to face a serious session jam. I hope the RU administration will take the right decision and manage the problem with an efficient hand. Ashabur Rahman Turan Department of Law University of Rajshahi

Should Bollywood movies be banned in theatres?

March 2 Fahmida Rob Arent they already banned in theaters? Refat Bin Salam Rupam They must be banned, and also on the TV channels too. Even our news papers publish Bollywood news every day! Do they do the same with our film industry news? No.

Bring an end to crossfire deaths

PM: Navy to get two submarines by 2015

March 1 Why is this government (which illegally came into power) wasting my tax money? chunnu

t is concerning that the number of people killed in incidents of crossfire and gunfights with law enforcement agencies has risen in the last year. Since 2004, both AL and BNP-led governments have promised to take action to end extrajudicial killings and stop crossfire deaths. After a fall in the number of such cases between 2009 and 2012, when it fell to 91, following a peak of 377 in 2005, figures have risen over the past year. Reports indicate that there were 208 people killed in such incidents in 2013 and in the first six weeks of this year, 46 people were killed in gunfights involving law enforcers. This rising trend gives more urgency to the need for the government and law enforcement leaders to take effective action. While circumstances may undoubtedly arise from time to time where law enforcers have to act in self-defence, the pattern and frequency of these types of incidents give rise to legitimate questions. No person should be subjected to extra-judicial punishment or killing. It is contrary to rule of law and wholly unacceptable for the law to be broken in the name of law enforcement. Law enforcement authorities should support independent investigations into such deaths so that claims of unlawful killing can be credibly tested. This is the only way to ensure that action can be taken if the law is found to be broken. The government and police must ensure independent enquiries into any and all allegations of extra-judicial killings.

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

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The rising trend gives more urgency to the need for law enforcement to take effective action

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DHAKA TRIBUNE

Op-Ed

Thursday, March 6, 2014

11

A law for the workers

C
n Udisa Islam
orporate manslaughter is a crime which makes it possible for a corporation to be punished for conduct that leads to a persons death. The offence is recognised in the UK, Australia, Hong Kong, and some other countries. But not here. In Bangladesh, we never practiced such a law. accepted as a civil matter, the issue is therapy by compensation. In certain cases, it is remedied by punishment according to criminal proceedings. The Labour Act 2006 takes care of proceedings on behalf of the dead. But most of the time, they do not get proper compensation. Now, the High Court is trying to set up a committee that will work towards a proper compensation strategy, and how it can be implemented. Most of the time, we see that when the government has to pay financial aid to the family or the BGMEA, it gives charity to the family of dead and wounded workers. If corporate manslaughter is accepted, the government will get a handsome fine from the corporation that is liable for deaths. If normal rules of criminal liability are followed, it will be difficult to establish the liability of large companies. According to a preliminary report from a government inquiry, a 214page report to the Home Ministry was submitted, blaming the Tazreen factory owner for negligence, claiming that nine of his mid-level managers and supervisors prevented employees from leaving their stations even after the fire alarm went off. Experts say we need manslaughter laws to identify all criminals for the sake of workers. The report stated: It is clear that the unsafe nature of this factory, and the actions taken by management once the fire started, were the primary suppliers to the dreadful death toll. In 1990, 32 workers were killed in a stampede when a ire broke out at Saraka Garments in Mirpur. Since then, ire accidents in garment factories have killed more workers. In 2012, we saw the worst factory ire in the history of the garments industry in Bangladesh at Tazreen Fashions.

Experts say we need manslaughter laws to identify all criminals for the sake of workers

Arent we stronger when we take pride in who we are?

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Lets stop the bashing

W
n Mamun Rashid

here in the world is a ruling government working so hard to build a negative image for the country? asked my Swedish friend. I didnt realise he was referring to Bangladesh. The current government and its stalwarts and supporters are not keeping any stones unturned to show Bangladesh in a bad light. They dont like the United States or Great Britain treating Bangladesh as a moderate Muslim country. Alexander the Great once told his comrade Seleucus how surprising this region was. My teacher wrote me a letter from Delhi, India in 1987 saying: In the non-resident Bangladeshi circle, we are happier to be bashing Bangladesh rather than branding Bangladesh. Nobody seems to be asking the Bangladesh government why they dont arrest the militants or take them to task. The US ambassador and his friends at Washington DC think the peace-loving people in Bangladesh will never resort to terrorism. Some newspaper editors, ministers, and self-proclaimed civil society members think Bangladesh is full of religious fundamentalists, and that mosques are the hub of training in terrorism. At the same time, they want foreigners to invest in Bangladesh or take cognisance of Bangladeshs growth story. What a joke.

This will surely have a negative ripple effect. When one is constantly hearing only the bad things about a country, the next generations are affected, and there prevails an overall feel of negativity. I read an article by the esteemed president of India, APJ Abdul Kalam, where he shared his three visions for India. He dwelt upon different aspects of society, depicting where he foresaw scope for improvement, and explaining why India was still not a part of the developed nations club.

take note. If we cant take credit for any good job, we dont like it or talk further about it. When some good is spearheaded by an opposition leader, we decide to keep mum even if the whole world is talking about it. Its high time this culture of negative branding was halted. Its time the world saw Bangladesh for all the glory she possesses. The media is already playing a strong role in shaping the opinions of people. They may play a stronger role yet maybe as ambassadors of public relations for our country?

There are many good things happening in Bangladesh, but somehow, we just forget to look or take note

And I was thinking, each word, each sentence of that article is just as true for Bangladesh as it is for India. We brand ourselves negatively as individuals, and the whole nation gets dragged in. Do we care? No. We are just happy that we bashed the opposition, branded the country as a terrorist one, and earned some popularity in the television talk shows, even by telling some blatant lies. Besides the negatives, which every country has, there are many good things happening in Bangladesh, but somehow, we just forget to look or

Having worked in many developing countries in the world, and many of those in no way doing much better than us, I dream of a positive portrayal of Bangladesh, of showing the land of hope to the world. I dream of conveying the story of a small town housewife, Shamima Khatun, receiving an award from Chelsea Clinton for her success in microcredit, or of Nilufar Yasmin making cricket bats in an unknown, unfamiliar part of the country. These are real-life heroines who are larger than life, who have fought with courage to challenge the clutches of

poverty to march towards prosperity. No matter what anyone says, Bangladeshis are peace-loving, hard working, and will get things done for a simple pat on the back. God-fearing does not mean fundamentalist. Bangladeshis are a fantastic example of drawing a balance between religious stipulations and cultural heritage. I dream that a lot of tycoons will visit Bangladesh to watch our teams super performance in cricket and whole-heartedly accept the success of our micro-finance institutions in bringing out a lot of people from the clutches of poverty, our political leaders joining in debates, joking with each other, yet remaining firm on serving the countrys interests together. I often wonder what we gain out of negatively publicising our own country. Has it ever occurred to us that negative criticism by individuals collectively forms a negative image of the country? We take pride in other countries achievements, but shy away from being proud of our own. Its almost as if we are embarrassed to call ourselves Bangladeshis. By degrading your own country, do we gain respect in the eyes of others? Does it make us eligible for citizenship in another country? What makes other countries stronger than us is their patriotism, and their pride in being who they are. l Mamun Rashid is a business professor and financial sector entrepreneur.

After the Tazreen factory fire, several investigation reports, including the Home Ministrys, has recommended that legal action be taken against the factory owner. We have no doubt that our existing criminal law is enough to bring factory-owners to justice. But the problem lies elsewhere. Laws which can enforce justice definitely exist, but simultaneously, a culture of impunity exists as well between garment owners and workers. The Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007 is a landmark law. For the first time, companies and organisations can be found guilty of corporate manslaughter as a result of serious management failures. But in our country, we did all these by CrPC, and failed to get justice. If we go through our criminal justice system which focuses on the Penal Code 1860, the Code of Criminal Procedure 1898, we find that ensuring exemplary punishment for a person liable for corporate manslaughter is almost impossible, because the offences defined in the penal code do not describe corporate manslaughter and provisions relating to homicide, but are mainly based on direct physical overt acts. When we force workers to enter garment factories in a vulnerable building like Rana Plaza, is it not criminal negligence? When we locked the gates of Tazreen Garments, killing workers, how can we call this just an accident? Bangladesh needs recognition of corporate manslaughter, and transformation of the offence into a legal framework, because there are some loopholes in our existing laws. The Labour Act 2006 is the main law relating to the safety and security of labour in Bangladesh. The code is based on the preventive theory of jurisprudence, and the theory is not applicable when a person is already dead from a fire. The Labour Act takes into account both civil and criminal liability. If it is

Bangladesh needs transformation of the offence into a legal framework

This law exists in different countries around the world. Canada, Australia, Norway, Finland, and Denmark have already incorporated these laws under their penal codes. In this subcontinent, this law does not exist yet, but if introduced, it might be a good step forward for workers rights. l Udisa Islam is Senior Reporter at the Dhaka Tribune.

The right move for TCBs

T
n Md Ashraf Hossain
he prime minister once said that the TCB needed to be strengthened to free people from the clutches of trade cartels. She blamed the former government for the destruction of the TCB and said no one could have manipulated market prices through cartels if the TCB had been active. It is obvious that in a democratic country, when the price of commodities goes high, people consider the government to be responsible. People who are running that government have to make decisions as well as take effective measures to keep the prices at a desired level. Indeed, the present government could not effectively control prices of commodities and arrange adequate supply. Most people are disappointed by the government regarding this issue. In fact, the government of Bangladesh has no effective organisation to control price and ensure supply of commodities. The TCB, a statutory body and public enterprise, could not play its desired role owing to prevailing government executive orders and rules and regulations on purchase and sale involving public fund. At present, the Cabinet Purchase Committee is the approving authority for any purchase that crosses Tk10 crore. Indeed, strengthening the TCB is not contrary to open market policy. In the present world, the government must have some mechanism to control prices of essential commodities. However, to compete with the commodity traders at the private sector, the TCB has to act promptly. But the prevailing decision-making procedure of the government does not allow any prompt action. It can only be overcome by converting the TCB into a public limited company (plc) under the Companies Act 1994. be Tk1,000 crore divided into 100 crore shares, Tk10 each. The initial paid-up capital may be Tk400 crore. If the proposal is accepted, the ministries have to contribute Tk 240 crore in aggregate. As the plc would be a reasonably profitable plc, with 100% premium (Tk160 crore multiplied by 20) or Tk320 could be collected from capital market-selling share of nominal value Tk160 crore (that is 40% of the paid-up capital) to the public. The shares may be grouped into two categories. A total of 60% shares can be restricted for the government ministries or divisions, and the rest would be open for the public. First group shareholders will nominate six directors to the board of directors and the second group shareholders will nominate four amongst themselves. The commerce ministry will nominate two directors and one of them will act as Chairman. Other ministries or divisions concerned will nominate one director each. The board will appoint a management professional as managing director, who will be ex-officio director of the board and chief executive officer of the plc. He or she will be appointed on a contractual basis for three, four, or five years as the board deems fit. To comply with the corporate governanceregulation of Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission, three independent directors are to be included in the board.

The TCB could not play its desired role owing to prevailing government executive orders

Ministries can subscribe 60% of the paid-up capital of the proposed plc initially and later the 40% share could be offered to the public by initial public offering method. The ministry of commerce may contribute 20%, and the ministries of agriculture, food, industries, and finance may contribute 10% each to the paid-up capital of the plc. The paid-up capital of the plc could

The plc will be able to act promptly and fulfill the desire of the government to procure commodities and distribute them in to the local market. It will ensure an influential role of the government in supplying commodities and to control price levels. Prompt decision is, prerequisite to make an impact on price levels in the market. The proposed plc will be able to make prompt decisions, as the board of directors will be the final decision-maker. It would not require the very time-consuming process of approval of the ministry or the carbonate purchase committee. It would be an administrative structure of the gov-

ernment to control the price as well as the supply of commodities at reasonable price to please consumers. The government has to choose the right people from time to time as directors of the plc who would materialise the governments goal of price control and adequate supply of commodities to please public consumers. Veteran politicians and the incumbent commerce minister should take initiatives to convert the TCB into a public limited company having majority share of government as described above. l Md Ashraf Hossain is a freelance contributor.

12

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Entertainment
of RS after the release of the album. Would RS like to clarify the issue?

Thursday, March 6, 2014

Unspoken story of Rockstratas latest album

n Rayhan Rahman
The band that introduced the heavy metal genre to the History of Bangladeshi rock music has returned. After more than two decades the 2nd album titled Notun Shader Khoje (NSK) of Rockstrata is now out in the market. Dhaka Tribune caught up with the members of the band, Arsad Amin and Mahbubur Rashid to learn the unspoken story of their new album. able to eliminate the geographical distance and collaborate on the album with the help of technology available at hand.

Dance recital on struggle of women farmers today

n Entertainment Desk
Artistes of Shadhona and young dancers from Amrakawjon of Bogra will present a dance performance today at Bangla Academy Auditorium, Burdwan House, Ramna at 6pm. Women farmers from the grassroots will also be part of the performance. On the occasion of International Womens Day (IWD) 2014, Oxfam and its food justice campaign GROW has organised the experimental performance titled Pala Bodoler Pala - Performing Change. The performance is based on the life stories of women farmers, their struggles and strengths with the motto to establish gender justice through performance. General Secretary of Shadhona, veteran dancer Lubna Marium shares with Dhaka Tribune: The 55-minute production compiles dance, some inspiring patriotic songs and recitations. She also informed that the production will be gradually travel in different districts featuring the farmers of respective regions. According to the seasoned dancer, Shadhona is training the dancers of Bogra so that they will be able to present the production at their hometown to inspire the local women farmers. l

Tell us about the moment you decided to return.

The gathering was not

What took you so long to return?

It took so long because all of us were dispersed geographically all over the world. Imran, Mainul, and Mahbub were in the US, while Arshad and Mushfiq were in Bangladesh. Except for Imran and Mahbub, none of the others were involved with music on a regular basis. Also, we were getting ready to establish our careers because we never intended music to be our source of income. After Warfazes reunion concert in 2009, we were seriously thinking about doing a reunion show, but we did not have enough material. Therefore, we decided to record a second album. Now we have enough songs to play in a two and a half hour long show. Even though we are still separated in different countries, we were

RS always has been a heavy metal band. We would call the genre, the Rock Strata genre, which is plain old heavy metal focused on melody. We did not shoot for any particular genre, but we consciously wanted to avoid the sub-genres like thrash, death, and progressive metal genres as we could not relate to those. With Notun Shader Khoje, I believe that we have been able to create our own sound. The album is meant to give something new to the metal fans of Bangladesh. Hence the name Notun Shader Khoje.

physical. Arshad wrote the lyrics for the first song of the new album, Ei Amar Jibondhara. Then, we exchanged ideas on Facebook. We had a little get together (without Mushfiq) in Minneapolis to record the drums in May-June of 2012, but there were no formal meeting to initiate the work on the release.

It was Arshads idea to have him to play in our new album. We were greatly honored to have one of the finest guitarists that Bangladesh has ever produced, our good old friend Ibrahim Ahmed Kamal to play in Oshanti. We are very satisfied with the work he has done on his part. It mixes very well with the passage of the song. We are very happy.

Tell us more about the song titled Oshanti featuring Ibrahim Ahmed Kamal.

New drama series Cholo Hariye Jai introduces new faces. Written and directed by Saiful Islam Mannu, the drama series features new faces as well as popular actors, Naim, Mishu Sabbir, Hasan Azad, Sanju, Jewel, Vabna, Trino, Limi, Rifat and many others. The drama focuses on the upper class of the society by showcasing a group of young men and women from elite families. Even though life has offered them all the flamboyant trimmings, the group is yet to find satisfaction from life. It goes on to show that it is not possible to buy happiness and being rich brings about material gain and nothing more. The drama series is set to have 104 episodes and will be aired on NTV soon

Ra Kajols solo exhibition going on at Shilpangan

n Shadma Malik
A conceptual art exhibition of Ra Kajol titled Conspiratual is going on at the Shilpangon Gallery and will continue till March 15. What sets the exhibition apart from the rest is the aesthetic value of the artworks on display, where Kajol has displayed his concept. The theme of the exhibition displays the pros and cons of the global civilizations. Through his work, the artist tries to depict the change in human behaviour due to consumption and materialism. Technology is bringing about a massive change in society and the artist perceives that not all the changes are positive. He further tries to show that the producer of these technology never points out the issues of disappearing traditions. Hence he declares that it is a conspiracy towards the society. The artworks dominate white space on paper. To give a virtual effect, the artists effort is to display the paper as a screen. The men in his artworks are ambushed and are depicted as robots. Vibrant colours, purple, green and red on white background gives the pieces a visually aesthetic appearance. A technique called finger fold is also prominent in his artworks in the exhibition. When it comes to the title of an exhibition, Kajol likes to play with words. Some of his previous exhibitions were titled Democrazy, Killigion, Evillization. This time, the title is formed by merging the words conceptual and conspiracy to Conspiratual. l

When are we going to see a live performance of RS?

There is confusion about the genre

This December hopefully, given that everything goes right. l

Film on Al Mahmuds story running in Kolkata

n Entertainment Desk
Inspired by a short story, Jalbeshya, written by Bangladeshi author Al Mahmud, Taan is an Indian Bangla film which dwells on the lives of women living in the remotest part of the Sundarbans. They are abducted and brought to the jungles only to be groomed as prostitutes. Directed by Mukul Roy Chowdhury, the film features Rituparna Sengupta and Debaleena Dutt in the role of sex workers. In an interview, Mukul said about the film: The film moves forward with an ad film maker, who unearths the identity of these prostitutes after he goes on search for his friend Pamela Singh Bhutoria, a photographer who goes missing in the area. He slowly becomes involved in the process of tracing the lives of the Jalbeshyas. The films also portrays how the sex workers survive around tigers and crocodiles and also collect honey as an alternate means of their livelihood. Rituparna, who plays the lead role said: My character Sundari is a wronged woman in Taan. She is the face of the tortured and unhappy ones, forced to capitulate to the lust of sea pirates and local fishermen folk. As a woman, I can feel the angst and bitterness in her, but I havent met anyone like Sundari. Dont know if such characters really exist or not. But Taan will remain a watershed in my career. Having lyrics composed by artistes from both sides of the border, and locations of Sundarban spanning both the countries, the story of Taan represents the miseries of women of both the Bengals. However, the director is not sure about the films release in Bangladesh. Taan, produced by Fab Four Films is now running in the cinemas of Kolkata. l

A scene from Taan

Artwork Step pyramid and people by Ra Kajol

Sonam pairs up with Salman

n Entertainment Desk
The hunt is over for Salman Khans heroine in Sooraj Barjatyas muchtalked-about next. According to the rumour mill, Soorajs first choice for the role was Deepika Padukone and Salman was insisting on casting his Jai Ho heroine Daisy Shah. But it now emerges that neither could be further from the truth. Soorajs only choice to play the lead actress for his first film in almost eight years was Sonam Kapoor and if the buzz from the Rajshri office is to be believed, the actress has signed on the dotted line. This will be the first time Sonam and Salman are reunited after her debut film Saawariya, where Sonams character was madly in love with Salmans mystery man. Casting for the film has been in the news for a while. Neil Nitin Mukesh stepped in to play Salmans step-brother after Soorajs original choice Vidyut Jammwal gave them the runaround. From a bigger pay packet to a meatier role, Vidyuts many demands exasperated Sooraj. Salman in reportedly to play double role in the upcoming film. The shoot is finally set to start in May this year. l

Oscar winner Lupita Nyongo becomes the pride of Africa

n Entertainment Desk
Celebrations were everywhere in Kenya, after their own hometown girl, Lupita Nyongo, took home the prize for Best Supporting Actress at the Oscars yesterday. Nyongo, born in Mexico but raised in Nairobi, comes from a prominent Kenyan political family. She gave a shout-out to her roots with her dazzling Prada Oscar dress, calling it Nairobi Blue. The 12 Years a Slave actress made headlines across the continent, including in Nigeria and South Africa, as the first African woman to win an Academy Award. Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta tweeted his congratulations, calling her the pride of Africa. Kenyatta also issued an official statement praising the Kenyan actress. In keeping with the African tradition of honoring community elders, Kenyatta congratulated Nyongos parents as well for their role in her achievement. Excellence inspires and deserves emulation. Lupita reminds us of all that is possible for the youth of this nation when they set their hearts and minds to a great task in her own words, No matter where youre from, your dreams are valid. We, their parents, must take these words to heart; ours is to help our young people fulfill their potential, the statement reads. Kenyatta announced that in Nyongos honor, his administration will establish new opportunities for the arts, such as a new Kenya film school. Its been a banner year for African actors in Hollywood. Barkhad Abdi, who originally hails from Somalia was nominated for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of a Somali pirate in Captain Phillips, his first acting role. British born Chiwetel Ejiofor, who played the lead character Solomon Northup in 12 Years a Slave was up for Best Actor. Ejiofors parents are from Nigeria, where he spent much of his childhood. l

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

Exhibition

Fragments of the Unknown By Najma Akhter, Time: 12pm 8pm Bengal Gallery of Fine Arts House 42, Road 16 (New) / 27 (old) Dhanmondi War and Colonies 1914 1918 Rare photographs of World War II 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, Shahbag

Theatre Festival

Childrens Theatre Festival Time: 6:00pm 8:30pm Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, Shegun Bagicha

Did you know?

Graeme Smith led South Africa to 53 Test victories, the most victories for a captain, with a win percentage of 49.07

Sport

Thursday, March 6, 2014

DHAKA TRIBUNE

13

0 1 0
DAYS TO GO

14 Kagawa breaks

duck as Japan beat New Zealand 4 2

15 Last-gasp Harris

denies Proteas great escape

Spinners lead India to consolation win

Afghanistans dream run in the Asia Cup ended with a rather humiliating eight-wicket defeat in their last match against India at the Shere-Bangla National Stadium yesterday. Meanwhile the win was just a consolation for team India who failed to reach the final of the tournament for the second consecutive time. Playing for the first time in the Asia Cup Afghanistan impressed everyone with their aggression and attitude by beating Bangladesh while they also gave a hard time to the other two sides, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. However their inexperience finally showed yesterday. The Indian spinners tied the Afghans to just 159 runs before the new opening pair of Shikhar Dhawan and Ajinkya Rahane put on 121 runs to make the winning path easier. Dhawan and Rahane also landed their fifties in the process before they both returned in the space of two runs. Rahane was trapped leg before by Mirwais Ashraf on 56 before Afghan captain Mohammad Nabi bowled Dhawan for 60. The double blow had no impact on India who were just 37 runs away from victory as Rohit Sharma (18) and Dinesh Karthik ensured the winning runs in 33 overs. Batting was the main concern for Afghanistan and once again they faltered in front of the quality spin attack from the Indians. The openers added 30 in five overs before Nawroz Mangal (5) played on to hi stumps off Mohammad Shami. Ravindra Jadeja struck twice in the 13th over to remove Rahmat Shah lbw and the dangerous looking Noor Ali Zadran (31) caught at first slip. Jadeja, who was later adjudged man of the match, put the Afghans in more trouble by dismissing Asghar Stanikzai in his second over. Kohli dropped a dolly at slip of Najibullah Zadran off Jadeja before the left-handed skied Ashwin off his first delivery to mid-on. Jadeja, who could consider him unlucky missing the five-for, had the Afghan skippercaught behind for six. Afghans were in deep trouble at 83 for six before Mohammad Shahzad and Samiullah Shenwari put some fight up. Shahzad fancied his chances and struck two fours and a six to make 22 while Shenwari also made 50, with six fours and a six, before getting caught at fine-leg attempting a scoop.l

SCORECARD
Afghanistan Noor Ali Zadran c Kohli b Jadeja Nawroz Mangal b Shami Rahmat Shah lbw b Jadeja Asghar Stanikzai c Mishra b Jadeja Najibullah c sub (Binny) b Ashwin Mohammad Nabi c Karthik b Jadeja Mohammad Shahzad lbw b Ashwin Samiullah Shenwari lbw b Shami Mirwais Ashraf c Kohli b Mishra Shapoor Zadran lbw b Ashwin Dawlat Zadran not out Extras: (lb2, w12) Total (all out, 45.2 overs) Fall of wickets 1 30 2 54, 3 55, 4 60, 5 64, 6 83, 7 95, 8 111, 9 137, 10 159 Bowling Kumar 8 1 25 0, Shami 7.2 0 50 2, Mishra 10 1 21 1, Jadeja 10 1 30 4, Ashwin 10 3 31 3 India A Rahane lbw b Ashraf S Dhawan b Nabi R Sharma not out D Karthik not out Extras: (lb1, w3, nb1) Fall of wickets 1 121, 2 123 Bowling Nabi 10 0 30 1, S Zadran 6 0 25 0, D. Zadran 5 0 25 0, Shenwari 4.2 0 32 0, Ashraf 5 0 26 1, Shah 2 0 21 0 India won by eight wickets 56 60 18 21 5 31 5 9 5 5 6 22 50 9 1 2 14 159

Total (for two wickets, 32.2 overs) 160

Indian Ravindra Jadeja (R) celebrates a wicket with teammates during their Asia Cup match against Afghanistan at SBNS yesterday

MUMIT M

Bangladesh robbed to a draw

Poor refereeing at the death cost Bangladesh a win as the national football team drew 2-2 with India in a Fifa international friendly at the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium in Goa yesterday. Nonetheless, the men in red and green can take heart from a solid performance in their first match since a disastrous showing at the Saff Championship, as they dominated the opposition for most of the game. India skipper Sunil Chhetri put his side ahead in the first half before Mithun Chowdhury equalised soon after half-time. An own goal by Arnab Mondal put Bangladesh ahead later but Chhetri struck again in stoppage time to draw the game for the home side. Bangladesh, however, could justifiably feel aggrieved after what would have been a match winning goal by Toklis Ahmed in the 95th minute was disallowed - less than a month after Bangladesh club side Sheikh Jamal lost the IFA Shield final after star forward Sony Norde was sent off in a highly controversial decision at a critical time. Indian keeper Subrata Paul came out of the penalty area to bring Toklis down, but the substitute forward got up immediately and sent the ball into the net. The referee however, blew his whistle for a foul, disallowing the goal and sending Subrata off with a second yellow card with just a minute left in the game. Earlier, Lodewijk de Kruif gave Hemanta Vincent Biswas his first cap on the right wing, while Mamunul, Jamal Bhuiyan, Sohel Rana made up the midfield. India coach Wim Koevermans started the game with two strikers- Robin Singh and Chhetri. Bangladesh made the first attack two minutes into the game as Mithuns side volley was blocked by Arnab Mondal. India took the lead in the 14th minute through start striker Chhetri. Robin Singh set up his captain from the left wing and Chhetri captilised on the space he was given to slot the ball past Sohel. Bangladeshs best chance in the opening half came in the 44th minute when Sohel Ranas powerful strike from 20 yards out was superbly saved by a diving Subrata Paul. The visitors domination in the midfield continued in the second half and led to Mithun equalising in the 51st minute. Sohel Rana put in a low cross from the left wing which found an unmarked Mithun, after Hemantha dummied, and Mithun buried the ball into the net. An own goal by Arnab Mondal gave Bangladesh the lead in the 64th minute following fine work by Hemanta. After skipping past a defender, Hemanta delivered a lovely cross for Emily and Arnab Modals clearance attempt ended up in his own goal. Sohel produced three brilliant saves to deny India in the 82nd minute. Alwyn, on first attempt, tried to send the ball past the keeper but Sohel got down in time and was quick enough to punch away Chhetris shot off the rebound. Sohel then tipped Victorinos header over the bar. Chhetri, as he did in the Saff Championship encounter last year, rescued the hosts in the 92nd minute. The striker showed great technique in controlling a cross from Denzil Franco before volleying the ball home with his left foot. l

Shamsurs house stoned

The post-scenario after Bangladeshs continuous shameful performance in the Asia Cup has gone off to a new level as fans pelted stones at Bangladesh opener Shamsur Rahmans one-storied house at Uttara, Uttarkhan Kachkura. Bangladesh are not faring well on the field and among the players, Shamsur has scored one fifty in his last five ODI outings. Shamsur was part of the playing XI that lost against Afghanistan and he was the first wicket to go down in the first over of the home sides chase. Fans pelted his house with stones after the Afghanistan defeat while they did the same after the defeat against Pakistan though Shamsur didnt play that match. Shamsurs mother Shakila Rahman informed that they got scared after what happened, but didnt call the police as the fans left by themselves. Now we also feel insecure after it happened for the second time, added Shakila. Shamsur, who is staying at the team hotel, said, I was not aware of it (the incident) as my mother didnt tell me, she thought it would hamper my performance. But they couldnt keep it away after yesterday (Tuesday). Yes we lost, but we are not losing intentionally. As a player I can be sorry for my performance and as a fan one can be angry at our performance, but one should also realise everyone has a family and they havent done anything wrong here. I sincerely request everyone not to do anything that would affect our family members, said Shamsur. l

Tigers look to end drought

The result of todays Asia Cup match between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka will have no effect on any team, but both sides will have different points to prove to themselves. Bangladesh will take the field today on the back of five defeats while their opponents will eye their sixth straight win. Sri Lanka have already won all their matches to book a place in the final, but still they are unlikely to take the match lightly as they wouldnt want to break their winning momentum. On the other hand, Bangladeshs poor time started with the home series against Sri Lanka a month and half ago and they will be looking to end the drought at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium today and go in to the World Twenty20 with some positives. Bangladesh are going through a very difficult period and even their highest one-day international score of 326 was not enough to secure them a win against Pakistan a couple of days ago. The batting in the last match was exceptional and more so after the openers put on a big partnership to set the tone of the innings. However, it is the bowling and fielding that needs to improve quickly. The Tigers had five changes in their last match, which clearly indicated how desperate things were inside the dressing room, but Mushfiqur Rahim probably made a bad judgment in leaving out left-arm spinner Arafat Sunny. Bangladesh lost a few close matches in the three-match ODI series and the two-match T20 series against Sri Lanka, and the home side should look to bury the disappointments and come out fresh today. Anamul Haque, who scored his second ODI hundred in the previous match, however said, The winning habit is a big thing and we lack in that experience. Thats why I think we are losing close matches, adding that they will give their best as always and try to perform with the bat like in the previous match. Meanwhile, though Sri Lanka are a confirmed team in the final, their opener LahiruThirimanne informed they want to carry their momentum and will not take the Tigers lightly. Apart from Kumar Sangakkara, highest scorer of the Asia Cup so far with 246 runs, and Angelo Mathews the others are yet to give a big innings and it is a great opportunity for the veteran Mahela Jayawardene and Dinesh Chandimal to return amongst the run scorers. Mathews might rest Lasith Malinga for the final and give Dhamika Prasad a go. We actually want the momentum to be carried on. We want to win all matches. Tomorrow (today) we have Bangladesh, not taking them lightly, said Thirimanne. l

Wasim teaches Aaron

Indian fast bowler Varun Aaron had a nightmare of a time in his only Asia Cup match against Bangladesh. The rightarm quickie was hammered for 74 runs off 7.5 overs and was put off by the umpires after he bowled two beamers. The 24-year-old, who has 11 wickets from eight ODIs, was lucky to get hold of Pakistani great Wasim Akram during the break of yesterdays match. Wasim, who has taken 502 wickets in 356 ODIs, shared his experience with Aaron and showed the youngster how to grip the ball and taught him the art of swing which the left-arm fast bowler was famous for. If Aaron can adopt those tips he will surely be an asset for Indian. l

Salahuddin re-elected as SAFF president

Kazi Salahuddin vowed to work harder in order to raise the standard of subcontinental football after being reelected as the president of South Asian Football Federation in the Congress of the ruling body of the South Asian Football at the Ruposhi Bangla Hotel yesterday. Kazi Salahuddin was elected unopposed as the SAFF president in 2009 and he was unanimously retained for another four year term at the office by the delegates. The BFF president took over from Ganesh Thapa, who reigned for 11 years as the previous president from 1999 to 2010. Thapa was the first ever president of SAFF. In the past term of Salahuddin, SAFF introduced two new competitions the SAFF Womens Championship and the SAFF Under-16 Championship. With Salahuddin running unopposed for president, there was voting for the three vice president posts where Dasho Ugyen Tsechup Dorji of Bhutan, Syed Khadim Ali Shah of Pakistan and W Ranjit Rodrigo of Sri Lanka were elected. Alberto Colaco is all set to retain the post of the general secretary for the next four years. In a press conference held after the election, Kazi Salahuddin vowed to make the SAFF stronger. I am thankful to all my colleagues who has bestowed me with the responsibility again, I want to say that I look forward to attain more than what I have achieved in the past, said Salahudddin. My greatest disappointment is that my national team has not performed well, added Salahuddin. Football in this part of the world needs the assistance of the government and I urge the governments of all the SAFF members countries to step up to assist football and help it to reach new height, without the assistance of the government it is difficult to attain the target, said Salahuddin.

BFF President Kazi Salahuddin (C) is congratulated by Syed Khadim Ali Shah (2R) of Pakistan while Ganesh Thapa (2L) of Nepal claps during the Saff Congress at the Ruposhi Bangla Hotel yesterday COURTESY

He also added that SAFF will be taking the initiatives to increase the frequency of the international matches between the SAFF members. Makhdoom Syed Faisal Hayat, the president of Pakistan Football Federation said deep commitment towards the development of the sub-continents football was the reason for reelecting Salahuddin. His commitment towards the development of South Asian football is above all doubt, he has vision and plans for the future, thats why we retained the faith upon him, said the PFF president Ganesh Thapa said time appear to have changed. When I was in the

helm, financial constraints was the major problem , nowadays the scenario has changed and we look forward towards strengthened SAFF, said Ganesh, who is also a vice president of AFC. It was decided that the inaugural SAFF Club Championship will be held next August as World Sports Group has completed the groundwork for the meet. SAFF will introduce the U-19 championship this year. The next SAFF Championship is scheduled to be held in India and SAFF has urged the All India Football Federation to take the initiatives about finalizing the venue and the date. l

14
Schuerrle puts form down to Mourinho
Germany winger Andre Schuerrle has said working under Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has helped get him into shape to win a World Cup place ahead of Wednesdays friendly against Chile. The 23-year-old was described by Mourinho as a cold-blooded finisher after he netted a hat-trick for Chelsea in Saturdays 3 1 Premier League win over Fulham. And Schuerrle, who is set to make his 31st appearance for Germany against Chile in Stuttgart, puts his improved form and fitness down to his manager at Stamford Bridge. AFP

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Sport

Thursday, March 6, 2014

Rockets snap Heat win streak

Dwight Howard scored 22 points, grabbed a game-high 16 rebounds and defended LeBron James on a missed final shot that gave Houston a 106 103 NBA victory Tuesday over Miami. One night after James scored a career-high 61 points, the four-time NBA Most Valuable Player managed only 22 as the Rockets snapped the defending NBA champion Heats eight-game win streak. James Harden added 21 points and a game-high 11 assists while Patrick Beverley and Terrence Jones scored 19 points each and Chandler Parsons added 10 points and eight assists for the Rockets. AFP

England turn to psychiatrist for WC

England manager Roy Hodgson revealed on Tuesday that his players will work with a renowned sports psychiatrist as they prepare for the World Cup finals in Brazil. Dr Steven Peters has previously worked closely with the players at Liverpool, including England captain Steven Gerrard, and Hodgson believes that he will provide vital assistance. It is not just any psychologist, Hodgson told a press conference on Tuesday. It is Dr Steve Peters, who is a very famous man in that area. AFP

Inter confirm Vidic signing

Italian giants Inter Milan on Wednesday confirmed that Manchester United captain Nemanja Vidic will join the club this summer. No details of the length of contract agreed with the 32-year-old Serbian defender were revealed. Vidics move will end an eight-year connection with United, with whom he has won five Premier League titles and one Champions League trophy. Vidic is a world-class player. Im extremely happy to have completed this deal to bring Nemanja to Milan, Inter president Erick Thohir told the clubs official website. Hes one of the worlds best defenders and his qualities, international pedigree and charisma will be an asset to the team and help bring through our younger players. The former Spartak Moscow players existing deal at Old Trafford was due to expire at the end of this season and he had already announced early in February that he would not be signing a new contract. I want to challenge myself again and try to make the best of myself in the coming years, Vidic explained at the time. Im not considering staying in England as the only club I ever wanted to play for here is Manchester United and I was lucky enough to be part of this club for so many years. It will be Vidics first spell in Italys Serie A and the Serbian joins a Nerazzurri side who are rebuilding following Thohirs takeover of the club last November. Inter were the last Italian side to win the Champions League, under former coach Jose Mourinho in 2010, but a disastrous ninth-place finish last season under Andrea Stramaccioni saw them miss out on Europe this season. Ahead of Sundays home game against Torino, Inter sit fifth in the table, 11 points behind the last Champions League qualifying place occupied by third-placed Napoli and 28 behind leaders Juventus. Vidic arrived at Old Trafford in 2006 following a 7 million ($11.4m, 8.4m euros) move Spartak Moscow. He became a key figure in nearly all of Uniteds subsequent trophy triumphs and last term captained United to an historic 20th English title his fifth and the clubs last under Alex Ferguson before the celebrated Scottish manager retired. However, he made only 19 league appearances last season after he was laid low by a severe knee injury first suffered in a shock Champions League defeat by Swiss side Basel in 2011 that led to two major operations. l

Brazil's Marta (L) of the team Ronaldo, Zidane and Friends, tries to score past Serbian midfielder Milan Gajic of the team Young Boys and Friends during the football 'Match Against Poverty' organized by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) on Tuesday AFP

Defoe, Beckham moves key to future

Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe and retired England star David Beckham are the type of player Major League Soccer needs to achieve its goals, MLS commissioner Don Garber said Tuesday. Four days before the North American league launches its 19th campaign with Defoe set to play for Toronto, Garber stressed the need to keep top American talent as well as sign bigname global stars such as Beckham, who left Real Madrid for the Los Angeles Galaxy in 2007. Achieving MLS goals of becoming an elite-level league includes getting big time international players like David and Thierry Henry and now Jermain Defoe, Garber said. French star Henry joined the New York Red Bulls in 2010 and Defoe and US midfielder Michael Bradley left Europe for Toronto this year. Canadian rap music star Drake was among those who encouraged Defoe to move to Toronto while Beckham has spoken with NBA star LeBron James about being a part-owner of his Miami MLS expansion team and actress Eva Longoria took to Twitter to help San Antonios bid for an expansion team. Theres an incredible integration between sports and entertainment, Garber said. It just adds a little bit to our credibility and ties into that millenial sports fan idea of whats hip and whats hot. l

Klose eyes Ronaldos record Puyol to leave Barca at end of season for his last World Cup
Veteran Germany striker Miroslav Klose has said he wants to break Ronaldos record of 15 World Cup goals before stepping down from international duty after Brazil 2014. Having scored 14 goals for Germany at the last three World Cup tournaments, Lazios Klose is just one short of Brazil legend Ronaldos record. I cant say that doesnt interest me, Im too ambitious for that, but the team always comes first, Klose, who is set to make his 131st appearance for Germany in Wednesdays friendly with Chile, told Munich-based daily Sueddeutsche Zeitung. The ex-Bayern Munich star has struggled with injuries this season after a foot operation in September, then a shoulder problem in November, and he says Euro 2016 will probably be beyond him. I think that the World Cup in Brazil is to be my last tournament, said the 35-year-old. The way my fitness is, I find it hard to assume I could play for two more years at the highest level.l Barcelona captain Carles Puyol announced on Tuesday that he will leave the club at the end of the season after a hugely successful 15-year career at the Camp Nou. The 35-year-old, who did not reveal whether he will continue playing elsewhere, has been plagued by injuries over the last couple of seasons and has undergone three knee operations. At the end of the season I will leave FC Barcelona. The club are aware of this and we are in agreement, he said. We will rescind the final two years of my contract that were still to run. Puyol signed a new deal with the club in January last year, but admitted in June that he would not stay if injuries continued to prevent him from playing a significant part on the field. And having featured just 10 times this season in all competitions, he said it was time for a new challenge in a less physically demanding environment. After the last two operations it has been difficult for me to recover the level I need to be able to continue here, more than I expected and more than surgeons said. That is why I have taken this decision.

Puyol didnt reveal where he would go at the end of the current campaign and insisted he will give everything in what remains of the season to help Barca succeed on three fronts. I am not leaving today, there are still three months of the season remaining and those that know me know that I will not give up until the end. I will continue fighting to help the team improve and achieve our objectives this season. I dont know what I will do on June 30. What I do know is that I will need time to rest. I have had four years without a break due to the injuries. That is what I will do and then we will see. l

Hodgson annoyed by drop Cleverley petition

England manager Roy Hodgson has spoken out against a petition signed by 10,000 people calling for him to drop Manchester United midfielder Tom Cleverley from his squad. Cleverley, 24, has been the target of criticism over his performances for United this season, but he remains a mainstay of the England squad and has been selected for their friendly against Denmark later on Wednesday. His most recent call-up prompted one fan to create an online petition calling for the 24-year-old to be banned for the World Cup, asserting that the central midfielder does not possess any genuine qualities. However, Hodgson, who has awarded Cleverley 13 caps, feels the criticism is unhelpful and misguided. That petition does not impress me, I must admit, Hodgson said. Im disappointed that Tom, as a sensitive young man, has got to bear that burden, but I know one thing he will come through it and when he does come through it and Manchester United start winning again, and hes starting to get praise for his performances, hell be stronger for it. Cleverley recently claimed that he had been made a scapegoat for Uniteds poor form, but Hodgson says that he remains a valued member of the England squad. Quite frankly, I saw no reason, when selecting a larger group of players here (for the Denmark game), to leave him out of the team because, perhaps at this moment in time, his team isnt doing well and hes receiving criticism for it. l

Kagawa breaks duck as Japan beat New Zealand 4 2

Manchester United bench-warmer Shinji Kagawa scored his first international goal for six months in a message to his boss David Moyes, as Japan beat New Zealand 4-2 in a friendly Wednesday. A total of four goals in the first 17 minutes, including a brace from Mainz striker Shinji Okazaki, sealed victory for the Blue Samurai in their last international match before coach Alberto Zaccheroni selects his 23-strong squad in early May for the World Cup in Brazil. Leicester City striker Chris Wood scored twice to save the All Whites blushes. Kagawa has only played in nine of Uniteds 27 Premiership matches this season without scoring or assisting a goal. He was clipped down in the area after taking a cross from new AC Milan signing Keisuke Honda in the seventh minute. The 24-year-old attacking midfielder jumped for joy after sinking a shot from the penalty spot past keeper Glen Moss for Japans second goal of the night. It was Kagawas first goal for his country since the 3-1 friendly win over Ghana at home in September last year.l

Pistorius defence argues scream witnesses colluded over testimony

Oscar Pistoriuss defence sought to prove that a married couple who heard screams on the night of Reeva Steenkamps death colluded in their testimony, hoping to discredit key witnesses on Wednesday. Pistoriuss lawyer Barry Roux attempted to show written statements and testimony from husband and wife couple Charl Johnson and Michelle Burger contained remarkable coincidences that could not be accidental. Earlier, in vivid testimony that cast doubt on the Paralympians claims of a tragic accident, the pair told the court they heard a screams then gunshots on Valentines Day 2013 at Pistoriuss home. The couples account would undermine Pistoriuss claim that he shot his girlfriend, a 29-year-old model and law graduate, through a locked toilet door after mistaking her for an intruder. As the trial resumed on Wednesday, Roux sought to put the defence back on the front foot, submitting Johnson to pointed cross-examination a day after his wife was reduced to tears in the witness box. You have not favoured the court with a strong, independent version, he railed at Johnson, citing identical syntax and vocabulary used in Johnson and his wifes written statements to police. The allegation could lessen the impact of the pairs testimony. Maybe you and your wife should have stood together in the witness box, Roux said, prompting Judge Thokozile Masipa to step in. Arent you going a bit far? she asked. Masipa did not comment on Johnsons complaint that his privacy has been compromised severely by the reading in court of his cell phone number, and that he had received threatening messages. Johnson earlier told the court that on February 14, 2013 he was woken by a womans screams and ran to his balcony, less than 200 metres from Pistoriuss home. At that point the fear and intensity of her voice escalated and it was clear that this persons life was in danger, he said on Tuesday. Thats when the first shots were fired, although Johnson could not recall how many. l

Japan's Masato Morishige (6) celebrates with teammates after scoring against New Zealand during their international friendly match at the national stadium in Tokyo yesterday REUTERS

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Sport

Thursday, March 6, 2014

15
Marseille victims of unfair treatment: Anigo
Marseille coach Jose Anigo accused French football authorities of treating his team unfairly over their clash with Nice on Friday night. The game at the Stade Velodrome comes just 48 hours after a busy midweek card of international friendlies and Anigo says that due to the number of his players involved, Marseille will be unfairly penalised. Im worried about the Nice match. Its costing us 50,000 euros ($68,600) in planes were sending to repatriate (the players) so we can assemble the night before the game, with just one training session, said Anigo at a press conference on Wednesday. As it is, they are sending members of staff to various corners of Europe, such as Montenegro, Portugal and Spain, to ensure players get the first available flight back home after their Wednesday night matches. l

QUICK BYTES

Porto fire Fonseca

Reigning Portuguese champions Porto on Wednesday ditched coach Paulo Fonseca following a poor run of form. Third-placed Portos 2 2 draw at Guimaraes on Sunday saw them drop to nine points behind leaders and bitter rivals Benfica. They have won only three of their last seven league matches, picking up nine points less than Benfica during that period. Fonseca, 41, will be replaced by the clubs B team coach, Luis Castro, until a new full-time coach can be found, the club said in a statement to the stock exchange. According to media reports, Fonseca had asked to leave the club several times only to be refused by president Jorge Nuno Pinto da Costa. He only joined Porto at the beginning of this season having led unfashionable Pacos de Ferreira to third place last season and a spot in the Champions League play-off round. However, he failed to guide Porto into the Champions League knock-out rounds this season and their mediocre league form has now cost him his job. AFP

Tamim ready for World T20

National opening batsman Tamim Iqbal was excited about the Asia Cup memories from the last edition of the tournament. Off the five games in the tournament, Tamim looked forward to the India game the most as he felt he had always played well against them but a neck injury that Tamim picked during the bilateral home series against Sri Lanka last month saw him ruled out of the Asia Cup and become a mere spectator while his team were struggling in the tournament. Bangladesh failed to pick up a single win in their four matches. Losing to ICC associate member Afghanistan was the lowest low. However the side could have bounced back with a treble but lost a close game to Pakistan, after having put up their highest ever ODI score. I dont think Bangladesh performed badly in the tournament, what we lacked in was getting results. There were close matches and we lost the games due to failure in execution, said Tamim to the Dhaka Tribune yesterday. Hardly anyone doubted Bangladesh losing the do or die fixture against Pakistan after the former had posted 326 runs on the board. Pakistan chased down the target in the last over after Shahid Afridi unleashed on Bangladesh spinner Abdur Razzak in the 48th over. Many have blamed Razzak for the result but Tamim disagrees. There are moments when Razzak bhai stood up as a champion bowler in his long service for Bangladesh. You see [Lasith] Malinga is a champion bowler for Sri Lanka but are occasions when he also fails to deliver to save the game for his team. It is true that Afridi plays spin well but he also gets out against spin. Bangladesh took that chance and got Razzak bhai to attack but which didnt work, explained the 25-year-old. Tamim believes a win could have shred pressure off Bangladesh before the ICC World Twenty20 starting from March 16. It is a bog tournament for us as we are the hosts and I believe if we can play well in the tournament, everyone will forget all the recent defeats. However the team will need support from the board, the media and public, said Tamim. Regarding his injury, Tamim informed that he started rehabilitation from yesterday and that he will be ready for the ICC world event. I went to three doctors in Singapore where the first one said I will need a surgery while the other two was against sending me under the blades. We took the opinion of the two doctors who said I wont need a surgery and is now following their advices and dong the rehab, said Tamim. The south-paw informed that he will play the two warm-up games ahead of their first World Twenty20 game against Afghanistan on March 16 at Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium. l

Charlie Adam gets three-game ban

Stoke City midfielder Charlie Adam has been given a three-match suspension after stamping on Arsenals Olivier Giroud, the Football Association announced on Wednesday. The 28-year-old Scotland international launched an appeal after being charged with violent conduct on Monday, but the FA upheld the charge. Stoke Citys Charlie Adam will serve a three-match suspension with immediate effect after an FA charge for violent conduct was found proven, read a statement on the FA website. The incident with Arsenals Olivier Giroud, which was not seen by the match officials but caught on video, occurred during the fixture between the two sides at the Britannia Stadium on Saturday 1 March 2014. Adam had denied the charge, but it was found proven at an Independent Regulatory Commission hearing today (Wednesday). AFP

Last-gasp Harris denies Proteas great escape

Australias Ryan Harris took the last two wickets as South Africa came within five overs of saving the third test on a dramatic day in which a third umpire decision came close to deciding the outcome of the match. South Africa were bowled out for 265 as Australia won the series-deciding third test by 245 runs at Newlands on Wednesday, leaving their captain Graeme Smith to retire from international cricket with a defeat. Not even a controversial third umpire decision could derail Australias victory charge, though they left it late in the day to force the win with Harris (four for 32) the hero. The Proteas looked as though they would escape with a draw as they got within five overs of safety but Harris bowled out Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel to wrap up victory for the tourists. Vernon Philander was not out on 51 after surviving a controversial moment with 16 overs remaining that left Australia seething when third umpire Richard Illingworth overturned a decision against him. Mitchell Johnson produced a fierce bouncer that clearly caught the right thumb of the South African, who was given out by on-field umpire Aleem Dar. Philander reviewed the decision and it was overturned based on the view that the batsmans hand was not on the bat handle. Replays looked inconclusive and the Australians were seething, leading to an ugly verbal confrontation between touring captain Michael Clarke and Steyn. The victory gave Australia the series 2-1 and came in the wake of their 5-0 thrashing of England in the home Ashes series played earlier this year. South Africa started the day on 71 for four and batted for 94 overs but could not find an anchor all day, despite a number of candidates emerging. Philander, Faf du Plessis (47), JP Duminy (43) and AB de Villiers (43) all spent time at the crease, but not long enough to save the Proteas from a first series defeat since Australia won by the same scoreline in the 2008/09 season. The match is the last for South Africas Smith who announced his retirement from international cricket after day three of the test having played in 117 five-day games, 109 as skipper. l

SCORECARD
Australia, first innings, 494 7 dec South Africa, first innings, 287 Australia, second innings, 303 5 dec South Africa, second innings (overnight 71 4) A de Villiers c Haddin b Harris K Abbott b Pattinson F du Plessis lbw b Smith J Duminy c Lyon b Johnson V Philander not out D Steyn b Harris M Morkel b Harris Extras (b8, lb5, nb5, w2) Total (134.3 overs)

43 7 47 43 51 1 0 20 265

Doctors confirm injured Russian skier paralysed

A Russian freestyle skier who was hospitalised after a serious accident at the Sochi Winter Olympic Games is permanently paralysed, Russias Freestyle Federation said Wednesday, citing her doctors. Maria Komissarova, 23, is in a German clinic after suffering a fractured spine in a crash in training for the ski cross event at Sochi 2014, by far the worst accident of the Winter Games. Due to the severity of the injury, the functions of the spinal canal are not regenerating, the federation cited specialists at the German clinic as saying. In the opinion of the specialists, Masha will be able to move around independently using special equipment, the statement said, using a diminutive for Maria. AFP

Fall of wickets 1 12, 2 12, 3 15, 4 68, 5 95, 6 136, 7 173, 8 246, 9 265 Bowling Harris 24.3 15 32 4, Johnson 34 11 923, Pattinson 27 10 62 2, Lyon 22 17 100, Watson 9 6 6 0, Smith 13 3 43 1, Clarke 5 2 7 0 Match Australia won by 245 runs Series Australia won the three-match series 2 1

Australia celebrates the wicket of South Africa's AB de Villiers during the fifth day of the third cricket test match at Newlands Stadium in Cape Town yesterday REUTERS

Resurgent Federer adds Nabi looks ahead to World Twenty20 to Indian Wells buzz
Roger Federer will seek to back up his Dubai title win on Saturday with a record fifth Indian Wells crown starting this week which if successful would be his 79th career title. Federer, though, will face a top class field with defending champion Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic as the top seeds. The $12 million ATP and WTA hardcourt event begins on Wednesday for the women where Maria Sharapova is the defending champion and Thursday for the men. Federer won titles at Indian Wells from 2004-2006 and again in 2012 and showed top form in reaching the Australian Open semi-finals and taking his sixth Dubai crown which included beating Djokovic in the semi-finals and coming from behind to beat Tomas Berdych in the final. I think this is how you win your first title again after a while, and then hopefully from here on its easier, especially closing out, Federer said. There is a lot of pressure. Sometimes I have been disappointed with my play when it really mattered. I was able to deliver when I had to. I was able to come up with the goods. It was one of those tournaments I kind of need this way right now. The 32-year-old Swiss star will have Stefan Edberg with him as coach, one of four former Indian Wells winners on hand to guide others, with Michael Chang helping Japans Kei Nishikori, Boris Becker working with Djokovic and Ivan Ljubicic coaching Canadas Milos Raonic. It has just been nice spending time with him, Federer said. Its clearly inspiring at this point just hearing him speak about the game. l The eight-wicket win for India against Afghanistan in a dead rubber game at Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium was a consolation for the team which came into the tournament as a title contender. Two straight defeats against Sri Lanka and Pakistan - forced the side out of the competition. But India batsman Ajinkya Rahane believes the competition aided the side bag experience of the condition ahead of the ICC World Twenty20 which begins on March 16. India went into the game with an unchanged XI. That meant Cheteshwar Pujara and Ishwar Pandey were the only players in the squad who didnt get a game in this tournament. The sides skipper Virat Kohli explained the decision saying the team wanted to maintain continuity despite losses. But what caught the attention was Rahane, a regular number four for India, open the innings with Shikhar Dhawan. The right-handed batsman is a regular opener in the domestic circuit and his comfort showed as he went onto score a 66-ball 56 with five boundaries, Rahanes second highest score in the tournament, and put on 121 with Dhawan for the opening stand. The team management decided me to open today (yesterday). Batting at number four is a challenge for me to be honest and I scored some runs in that and still learning to bat at that zone. This thing is not in my hand but I am trying to learn quickly in the position before the World Twenty20, informed Rahane. There is pressure batting at number four as you go straight to face spinners and keep rotating the strike where as an opener in the domestic I was more used to facing the fast bowlers, he added. While for Afghanistan the game was another tie to learn and bag experience from a Test playing nation according to the sides skipper Mohammad Nabi.

Adidas confident after meeting targets in 2013

Adidas, the German maker of sportswear and equipment, said Wednesday it expects 2014 to be a successful year after it met all of its targets for 2013. From an operational perspective, there is no doubt that 2014 will be a successful year for us, said chief executive Herbert Hainer. But he cautioned: Currency headwinds had a significant negative impact on our results in euro terms, and this is also expected to continue in 2014. Nevertheless, driven by our dominant role at the 2014 FIFA World Cup, we will generate high-single-digit currency-neutral growth, Hainer predicted. In 2013, Adidas succeeded in meeting all of its targets. We finished 2013 with an exceptionally strong fourth quarter. Currency-neutral sales grew 12 percent, which was above our expectations, said CEO Hainer. This ensured that we met our revised full year targets from September, despite a further worsening of currency exchange rates. AFP

We didnt play to win in the tournament to win the title but perform and learn being amongst the big teams. We came with aim to win at least one game and we got so defeating Bangladesh. We also found rooms where we need to improve, said Nabi. The 29-yead-old from Loger, one of the 34 provinces in Afghanistan, informed the side will soon rope in a batting coach from either Australia or New Zealand. Though the journey for Afghanistan in the Asia Cup has ended, the side wont be leaving Bangladesh. Nabi informed of the team staying back, make changes for the ICC World Twenty20 and move to Chittagong for the warmup games and for their first Group game, against Bangladesh, on March 16 at Mirpur. The experience gained for the Asia Cup will boost us in World Twenty20 for sure. The first game is against Bangladesh who I think are already under pressure. We hope to beat them there too, said Nabi. l

China survive huge scare to reach Asian Cup

China survived an almighty scare before scraping into next years Asian Cup on goal difference thanks to a late penalty in their 3-1 defeat to Iraq on Wednesday. The perennial under-achievers looked set to miss out on reaching an 11th successive Asian Cup as they went three goals down and rivals Lebanon plundered a fifth goal against Thailand in Group B. As they stood, China were set to miss out on a berth as the best third-placed team in all the groups, despite starting the evening three points ahead of Lebanon and with a superior goal difference. But deep into the second half, Thailands Adisak Kraisorn scored in Bangkok to make it 5-2, before Zhang Xizhe slotted the crucial penalty that took China to the 2015 tournament in Australia. The dramatic turn of events, played out within minutes of each other but thousands of miles (kilometres) apart, will have left Chinas new coach Alain Perrin in no doubt about the size of his task. While China heaved a sigh of relief, former champions Iraq were left to celebrate leap-frogging the visitors into Group Cs second automatic qualifying spot thanks to two goals from 2007 hero Younis Mahmoud. l

DAYS WATCH
Sony Six NBA 2013 14 7:00AM Denver v Dallas 9:30AM Portland v Atlanta Channel 9 & Star Sports 1 2:00PM Arise Asia Cup Bangladesh v Sri Lanka
Australian cricketer Brett Lee (C) is flanked by Cricket World Cup communications and community engagement, general manager John Kent, left, and Victoria Tourism, Chief Operating Officer Leigh Harry, during the unveiling of the 2015 ICC cricket world cup trophy at an event in New Delhi, India yesterday. Tourism Victoria showcased the trophy as part of its launch of Melbourne as a tourist destination AP

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DB arrests three for fraud

Land grabbing main reason behind charges, claims family
n Mohammad Jamil Khan
The Detective Branch of police yesterday arrested three members of an alleged gang that reportedly cheated people out of their fortune by promising them jobs. The DB police said they made the arrest during a special drive in the wee hours of yesterday. The arrestees were Sayed Abu Jafar, 69, his wife Shilpi Akter, 28, and sonin-law Sayed Masum Al Mamun, 32. Talking with the Dhaka Tribune, Mahmuda Afroz Lucky, assistant commissioner of DB (south), said police acting on a tip-off and according to complaints lodged against Jafar, raided house 729/a on road 9 at Adabar, Mohammadpur in the capital. Of the arrestees, Jafar who retired from Bangladesh Army and took to identifying himself as a major, scammed money of various people by promising them jobs in the army, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) or the navy. Sayed Masum identified himself as an employee at a weekly magazine Bachelor and brought different people to his father-in-law, Jafar, for jobs. Assistant Commissioner Mahmuda Afroz stated that during the drive they had recovered a huge cache of documents, curriculum vitaes and certificates of job seekers. Under interrogation, Jafar confessed that he had taken money from 13 people till date and had given them jobs, said Mahmuda. The police official added that they conducted the raid after receiving complaints from Enamul Haque of Keshobpur, Jessore and Saidul Islam of Monohorpur, Kaliganj. Both complainants were present at the DB office. Taking to this correspondent, Saidul said Jafar took Tk4,15,000 for a job in the navy while Enamul claimed he gave Tk4,50,000 to Jafar for a job in BGB. The DB officials added that Jafar was an accused in several cases of fraud, filed with Adabar and Mohammadpur police stations in Dhaka, and Sonadanga police station in Khulna. This correspondent also spoke with Jafar in DB custody, who said he worked for Bangladesh Army as a Habildar (soldier) and gave people jobs through his personal contacts. But Sayed Samsul Arefin, son of Jafar, claimed that DB police made the arrests eyeing the 22 Kathas of land his father bought on installment in Gulshan 2. He alleged that during their raid lawmen took away Tk2,00,000 and 15 cellphones from their house. Police first picked up my father and brother-in-law at 11pm on Tuesday, and later my mother at 3am yesterday. They said the three were arrested in connection with a case filed with Mohammadpur police station in 2013. He added. Soon after the arrests, a person identifying himself as Sub-Inspector Mofizul Islam called him over the phone yesterday morning and demanded Tk15,00,000 for their release, Samsul Arefin alleged. He said the present price of their Gulshan land was Tk2.10 billion and many politicians want to grab it. He claimed that police detained his family members over a land dispute with some politicians. Asked About the land at 49/1, Gulshan 2, Abu Jafar said he, along with his 10 other friends, had bought it from Yahia Khan on installment. However, in the previous year, BNP leader Ali Asghar Lobi allegedly tried to take possession of the land and now a Chittagong businessman is following suit. The businessman also presented what Jafar alleges are fake documents of the land. Asked about how he acquired this high-value land, he said the land originally belonged to DIT and was later registered in Yahias name from whom they bought it. He added that they had given the landowner Tk60,00,000 so far. The assistant commissioner maintained that Jafar used to take land documents from people by saying he would solve any problem related to land. We raided his house and picked up his wife Shilpi along with them for interrogation. We would release her later, Mahmuda Afroz Lucky said. She said police would not pocket any cellphone or documents recovered from that house. l

Demo for dormitories recovery

JnU students lock entrance to BB Sadarghat branch
n Mohammad Jamil Khan
Students of Jagannath University (JnU), who have been demonstrating to recover their residence halls, put a lock in the front the entrance to Bangladesh Banks Sadarghat branch as their protest entered the 21st day yesterday. The students also put up some posters on the main gate of the bank demanding the branch be shifted elsewhere in the capital. Earlier on Tuesday, the students put up a banner on the main gate of the bank that read Bangabandhu Academic Building of JnU. Wednesdays protest began at around 10:00am as students of different departments brought out processions that paraded through the campus. They staged a sit-in outside the central banks Sadarghat branch disrupting regular activities of the financial institution while a number of students blockaded Chittaranjan Avenue and Bahadur Shah Park area. The blockade suspended vehicular movements there and created a long tailback that resulted in sufferings of commuters and passengers. At around 01:30pm, traffic movement in Sadarghat and Gulistan routes resumed as the students stopped demonstrating, Harun-Ur-Rashid, deputy commissioner of police of Lalbagh division told the Dhaka Tribune. Contacted, JnU Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) unit president Shariful Islam, told the Dhaka Tribune that they would continue their demonstration unless there were signs that they would have their dormitories back from the clutches of land grabbers. Meanwhile, teachers of the university led by JnU Teachers Association president Professor Dr Sarkar Ali Akkas and general secretary Professor Dr Parimal Bala formed a human chain outside the Shaheed Rafiq building on the campus at around 11:00am. The teach-

Teachers and students stage a sit-in demonstration in front of Shaheed Rafiq building demanding recovery of dormitories of Jagannath University yesterday

MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

ers also staged a sit-in there as part of their protest. Later on, the teachers organised a cultural programme to cheer up the protesters. The programme began at around 12:00pm with different types of folk songs and continued till 02:00pm. Many students attending the programme sang songs having lyrics that described previous attempts to grab JnU dormitories. Professor Dr Parimal Bala, secretary of JnU Teachers Association, said teachers of the university would not go back to classes until their demands were met. We will not accept any promise. We need to see that words have been put into action, he added. JnU students, since the university began its journey on October 20 in 2005, demonstrated on different occasions to recover 13 dorms from illegal occupiers. The latest series of protests began on February 12 this year. l

Ershad looks for assignment, meets FM Shahariar Zaman and n Sheikh Manik Miazee
Jatiya Party President HM Ershad, also special envoy to prime minister, who vehemently opposed the January 5 election, is now consulting with the foreign ministry how he can help the government. He [Ershad] met the foreign minister [AH Mahmood Ali] today [yesterday] and discussed how he can actively perform his role as special envoy to the prime minister, Khaled Akhter, personal secretary to Ershad, told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday. Ershad has huge network in the Middle East and that is why the prime minister gave her the special duty. He wants to actively help Hasina, Khaled said. The JaPa chief, who ruled the country during 1982-90, a former military dictator, enquired how he could begin his work and asked for a working schedule as soon as possible, he added. The foreign minister and Foreign Secretary Md Shahidul Haque were present during the meeting, he added. l

BGB proposals for Bangladesh-Myanmar deal on security dialogue

n Rabiul Islam
Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has suggested seven points for inclusion in a proposed deal on security dialogue with Myanmar. We have proposed seven points to the foreign ministry and the home ministry, BGB Director General Maj Gen Aziz Ahmed told the Dhaka Tribune over phone yesterday. Which points would be taken into account, I do not know, Aziz added. Bangladesh and Myanmar plan to sign a memorandum of understanding to hold regular dialogues on non-traditional security threats. The idea of a security dialogue was floated during a foreign secretary-level meeting between the two countries in June last year. Home ministry sources said the BGB sent a seven-point proposal last month for inclusion in the MoU on security dialogue. According to the proposal, the Myanmar army conducts operations within five miles of the international border. Without prior information to Bangladesh, the deployment of army along the international border is a gross violation of the 1980 Bangladesh-Myanmar Agreement as well as international law and the issue may be included in the MoU, it said. The BGB proposal also said the influx of Myanmar Rohingyas into Bangladesh may be included under the topic addressing irregular flow of population. Recent communal clashes in Myanmars Rakhain state resulted in a large number of Rohingyas trying to enter Bangladesh illegally, causing great concerns for the authorities. Expressing concerns over the planting of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) at different locations along the border, which can lead to serious injuries and deaths of innocent people in both countries, the BGB proposed discussing the issue under border security and management. It remarked that illicit drugs, such as yaba, were entering Bangladesh from Myanmar through different routes and the problem should be included in drugs and arms smuggling of the MoU. The border force proposed exchanging prisoners, who would serve the remainder of their sentences in their home countries. It also suggested conducting a joint hydrographic survey of the frontier Naaf River to determine whether any diversion of its original flow had taken place. An agreement on fixing the boundary along the Naaf was signed in 1966 between the then Pakistan government and the erstwhile Union of Burma. The BGB further said the commander of its Myanmar counterpart does not respond in time to calls for flag meetings to resolve urgent border issues, and the issue should be discussed. l

40 ministers for SUVs

n Mohosinul Karim
Around 40 ministers and state ministers have requisitioned sports utility vehicles (SUVs), as they do not want to use their luxury vehicles to visit their rural areas as public representatives. The Directorate of Government Transport under the Public Administration Ministry has initiated its move to procure at least 50 SUVs for all cabinet members after getting demi-official (DO) letters. At least Tk350 million will be spent on the purchase of the SUVs. Contacted, public administration ministrys Additional Secretary (admin) Sohrab Hossain said: We have received several demi-official letters from the cabinet members to provide them with jeeps for use in their rural areas. The procurement process was, however, at its initial phase, he said. Sohrab advocated for SUV procurement, saying the ministers luxury vehicles were unfit for village roads. Officials of the directorate and the ministry said they did not have a single suitable SUV in stock. The ministry is likely to hold an inter-ministerial meeting to make decision on SUV purchase shortly. A proposal in this regard would be sent to the finance ministry for approval after getting nod at the inter-ministerial meeting. The SUV procurement process might take some time as it required some degree of formality, they said. Officials concerned said the new SUVs might be bought from Pragati Industries of Bangladesh, a state-owned automobile assembly factory.l

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THURSDAY, MARCH 6, 2014 www.dhakatribune.com/business

approves two new FIs 4 state banks reduce NPL by 35% BB n

They take full advantage of relaxed loan reschedule policy
n Jebun Nesa Alo
Four state-owned commercial banks have reduced their non-performing loans (NPL) by 35% in the year 2013, taking advantage of the relaxed loan rescheduling opportunities extended by Bangladesh Bank. The four state-owned banks have rescheduled the loans worth Tk5,768 crore at the fag end of the just concluded year. Bangladesh Bank had relaxed the loan rescheduling rules in December 2013 to facilitate the businessmen affected by political unrest and help the banks to reduce their NPL rates in their balance sheets. The total NPL of the state-owned commercial banks reduced by Tk8,866 crore to Tk16,616 crore in last year from Tk25,482 crore in 2012. The defaulted loans of the banks basically decreased due to the huge amount of loan rescheduling, according to a Bangladesh Bank report. Sonali Bank rescheduled Tk1,746crore in 2013 as compared to Tk453 crore in 2012 while Janata Bank rescheduled Tk1,109 crore as compared to Tk106 crore, Agrani Bank Tk854 crore as compared toTk166 crore and Rupali Bank Tk2,059 crore as compared to Tk601 crore. The classified loans of the banks have, however, been reduced due to the given rescheduling facilities. But it is a simple accounting concept, not a theoretical one, former Bangladesh Bank Governor Dr Salehuddin Ahmed told the Dhaka Tribune. Banks can provide loan rescheduling facilities to the really affected businessmen considering their conditions, but if the facility remains open for all, the incentive would be misused by the corrupt people in the banking sector. Dr Ahmed termed the loan rescheduling decision an irrational one as it is nothing but just to recapitalise the state-owned banks, which are already indulged in corruption, from the public money. Not only the countrys financial sector, but also the overall economy has already witnessed a setback in absence of accountability and transparency in this sector, he said. Ending a long continued up trend in default loans, the countrys banking sector witnessed a substantial fall in non-performing loans (NPL) by around

Tribune Report

4% or Tk16,137 in the last quarter (October-December) from the previous quarter of 2013, because of the relaxed rules on loan rescheduling offered by the central bank. Bangladesh Bank alsoitself skeptical about recovering loans from the rescheduled accounts as a result it took decision on February 19 to strictly monitor the loan accounts rescheduled under a relaxed policy given on excuse that business was affected by the prolonged political unrest. We had relaxed the rules due to the political unrest and banks were also relieved of the NPL burden by taking ad-

vantage of the relaxed rules, Deputy Governor SK Sur Chowdhurysaid, but warned the central bank would monitor the loan accounts to see whether those were following the terms and conditions of the relaxed rules. Banks will have to ensure that the installments of the accounts are being paid in accordance with the terms and conditions, he said. According to the report, maintained provision of some banks became excess then the required provision in the balance sheet of last year mainly due to massive deduction of NPL amount. l

Bangladesh Bank has decided to allow two more financial institutions as per the recommendations made by the finance ministry. The two likely institutions are CAPM Venture Capital and Finance Limited owned by Mahmud Hussain, and Meridian Finance and Investment Limited, the prime promoter of which is Kazi Aminul Islam. The board of directors of the central bank made the decision at a meeting held yesterday, deputy governor SK Sur Chowdhury told the reporters after the meeting. At present 31 financial institutions are actively conducting business activities in the country. Nine banks and one financial institution were approved in the last tenure of Awami League-led government. There had been an allegation that those approvals were given under political consideration. Besides, one more financial institution got the approval from the central bank as soon as the present Awami League-led government was re-elected in January 5 polls. The paid-up capital of the two new financial institutions will be Tk100 crore. Sponsors have to pay the tax on the capital investment. Moreover, they

have to fulfill 30 more conditions as per the rules. "The two financial institutions have just got initial approval. They will have get final approval after full filling all the conditions by the sponsors and also have to submit business plan to the central bank," said SK Sur Chowdhury.

'They will have get final approval after full filling all the conditions by the sponsors and also have to submit business plan to the central bank'
CAPM Venture Capital and Finance Limited will work for buying machineries and also for business development. Meridian Finance and Investment Limited will work for infrastructure and private sector development. If the two new companies come into operation with innovative activities, then it is alright. But if they got the approval for the same ground as like as the existing FIs, they have to face stiff competition, said former central bank governor Dr Salehuddin Ahmed. l

BEZA working on strategy to attract private developers

n Tribune Report

Tax collection rises with DSE turnover

n Tribune Report
The tax Dhaka Stock Exchange paid to the national exchequer increased by 3% to Tk14.37 crore in February, which well reflects the increased turnover in the stock market. The tax was Tk13.92 crore in the previous month, when the market started gaining momentum immediately after the national election held on January 5. Of the taxes paid in February, Tk10.96 crore paid on turnover and Tk3.41 crore as gain tax from sponsors-directors shares sales. The volume of the tax depends on turnover of the stock exchange. The tax collection witnessed slow growth in last several months as the turnover remained within a certain boundary, said a senior executive of DSE. The tax collection in January hit its lowest since May 2009 due to a continuous fall in turnover of the burses amid political turmoil. DSE members in January paid the government exchequer Tk3.89 crore in taxes on turnover, which was 56.16% lower than that of Tk88.76 crore paid by the members in January last year. In May 2009, the government collected from the DSE members Tk3.09 crore in turnover taxes. DSE members submit the taxes after collecting from investors on their transactions. The tax collection by the government on monthly basis hit a record Tk47.71 crore in November 2010 when the market witnessed a boom. l

Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA) is now working on developing a marketing strategy to attract private developers to the zones the government planned to establish for creating jobs and accelerating growth. The feasibility studies for three of the sites - Sherpur in Sylhet and, Mirershorai and Anowara in Chittagong have been nearly completed. The studies will be used as a tool for attracting private zone developers to those sites, said the World Bank, which is supporting Bangladesh in association with UK DFID and IFC to develop the zones. Although delayed, in a statement issued yesterday, it informed about progress in some key areas of the project the government undertaken as a strategic instrument for attracting domestic and foreign investment, creating jobs and accelerating growth.

Under the project titled Private Sector Development Support Project (PSDSP), the development partners also provide support to the Jobs and Competitiveness Task Force established by the Prime Minister in March 2013.

land for the site to be transferred to BEZA, for which the organisation is urgently seeking a de-notification of the zoning from the municipality. Meanwhile, it said, the Hi-Tech Park Authority (HTPA) is in the process of

'The studies will be used as a tool for attracting private zone developers to those sites'

The Task Force decided in a meeting on February 5 at the Prime Ministers Office to create a Special Action Team to shore up the capacity of the BEZA and to add three members to the Task Force from the ministries of commerce, finance and industries. The World Bank said a proposed economic zone in Mongla requires the

re-tendering the development of the Kaliakor Hi-Tech Park. The authorities, however, continues to construct infrastructure for the project such as the perimeter and internal road system which are projected to be completed by July of this year. It is also preparing Jessore IT Park bids for the construction of the

multi-tenanted building for private management and a long list of potential projects in Khula, Sylhet, and Chittagong. Both the HTPA and BEZA are in the final stages of hiring transaction advisors to coordinate the entire process of preparing the tenders for the zone projects in their pipeline. This will serve to streamline the process of developing zones for both organizations, said the World Bank. Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority (BEPZA) is spearheading a Green Zone initiative under the project, measuring the greenhouse gas (GHG) emission baseline in the EPZs and converting its street lighting to solar, among other GHG reduction strategies. Key activities for the coming months will be obtaining approval for a Development Project Proforma (DPP) to allow BEZA to construct last-mile infrastructure for zones and the final approval for the EZ Rules under the EZ Act 2010. l

Tofail: No plan to lift ban on hilsha export

n Tribune Business Desk
The government has no plan to lift the ban on export of hilsha to ensure smooth supply of the countrys most coveted fish in local market, Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed said in Dhaka yesterday. How much we get from export of hilsha fish? We dont have any immediate plan to resume hilsha export, Tofail told BSS. Referring to the upcoming month of Ramadan, the commerce minister said people will enjoy the fish at an affordable price on the special month. The government on July 31, 2012 imposed the ban on hilsa export to keep its prices at reasonable level in the local market. Bangladesh had stopped hilsa export temporarily to meet the domestic demand. Meanwhile, the civil society apprehended that resuming the export of the hilsha fish would lead to a shorter supply in the domestic market, prompting escalation of the price which the lower and the middle income sections of society would not be able to afford. According to the Department of Fisheries (DoF), the hilsa catch in the last fiscal stood about at 3.9 lakh tonnes. l

PM approves proposal to contest ITU election

formation Technology (MoPTIT) this week. It would go through the foreign ministry to file the nomination paper within a short time. MoPTIT will arrange campaign and other necessary arrangements along with the foreign ministry, sources said. The next plenipotentiary conference of ITU to be held from October 20 to November 7 next year in Busan, South Korea will elect the council for a four-year term. Bangladesh is currently a member of ITU council which expires in 2014. MoPTIT is going to arrange a meeting today which will direct the process of nomination paper filing and election campaign. Earlier before the national election held on January 5, the interim government minister Rashed Khan Menon initiated the file for the election. According to the government sources, if Bangladesh can retain its membership in the ITU council, the country will be able to exert influences to help developing countries get favours in global telecommunication policies and priorities. In 1973, Bangladesh became a member of ITU. The ITU council acts as the Unions governing body in the interval between plenipotentiary conferences and regulates telecommunication policies at both national and international levels. ITU plenipotentiary conference is the top policy-making body of ITU, which is held every four years and sets the ITUs general policies. It also adopts four-year strategic and financial plans, and elects council members. The conference determines the ITUs position on issues such as convergence, telephone tariffs, internet, universal service and electronic commerce. The present council was elected at the October 2010 conference in Guadalajara, the capital of Mexican state of Jalisco. In that election, Bangladesh had secured sixth position with 123 votes, where 17 candidates competed for the 13-seat Asian Group of ITU council. That was the first time Bangladesh contested in the 46-member ITU council election. But from different corner the voice also raised that the country hasnt found anything extra from ITU as an elected council member. l

n Muhammad Zahidul Islam

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has approved a proposal of filing nomination paper for participating in the next council election of International Telecommunication Union (ITU) to retain the countrys membership. The approval came to the Ministry of Post, Telecommunication and In-

LTE wait likely to end in 2015 while device price a challenge

n Muhammad Zahidul Islam
While the rest of the world is heading towardsthe long term evolution (LTE) services at a rapid pace, Bangladeshs users may need to wait one more year to enjoy the high-speed wireless data communication. According to the market insiders, the service providers in the country will launch LTE commercially in 2015. Before that, some companies will go into test operation of the service. They however said the LTE business will be a challenge in the Bangladeshi market as the communication device price is still more than $100. Some said the price would come down by half when the big Chinese and India markets were fully blown. Between December 2009 and January 2014, 264 LTE networks were launched commercially worldwide across 101 countries, said GSM Association Intelligence in the recent Mobile World Congress held in Barcelona. According to the GSM Association Intelligence, there are currently more than 40 crore LTE subscribers around the globe, which is expected to exceed 180 crore by 2018 and 250 crore by 2020. The Asia Pacific region will be the next vibrant market for LTE, drawing 80% of total subscribers worldwide by 2020. Currently, it is less than 10%. The market insiders said Bangladeshs preparation for LTE was not adequate. Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has already awarded LTE licences to three service providers while five mobile phone operators with 3G licences can bring the service without a separate LTE licence. The telecom watchdog is planning now to give two more LTE licences. Out of them, one will be for the stateowned Bangladesh Telecommunication Company Ltd (BTCL). BTCL provides land phone service. The countrys largest mobile phone operator Grameenphone however said they didnt have any plan now to come with LTE service. We have no immediate plan for LTE though it is an opportunity for us, Vivek Sood, CEO of Grameenphone, told the Dhaka Tribune recently. He said the price of LTE device has remained a major factor in Bangladeshs market. Sources said the device price is more than $100. The rest of the world is moving for faster internet service LTE, but we see no prospect of it in the Bangladeshi market for the time being, said Vivek Sood. While the mobile phone operators were not showing an immediate interest on LTE, the Wi-Max operators had showed the interest. Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has given LTE approval to two Wi-Max operators - Banglalion and Qubee. The operators have been asked to pay all their dues to BTRC before going into launch. BTRC made a change to the Bangladesh Internet Exchange Ltd (BIEL) to allow it establish LTE network before awarding licence and allocating spectrum to the company. We are moving towards LTE. But before the second quarter of 2015, it will not be viable for us to commercially launch the service in Bangladesh said Faisal Hyder, CEO of Augere Wireless Broadband Bangladesh Ltd (Qubee). He also said involvement with LTE business in the country $100. l

B2

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Stock
DSE GAINERS Company

Thursday, March 6, 2014

Stocks inch down with thin trading

n Tribune Report
Stocks inched down in volatile trade yesterday with continued thin trading. The benchmark DSEX was marginally down 6 points or 0.2% to close at 4,697, after a marginal rise in the previous session. Shariah DSES rose just over 1 point or 0.2% to 1,007. The bluechip comprising DS30 ended at 1,693 with a loss of only 1 point. Similarly, Chittagong Stock Exchange Selective Category Index, CSCX, saw fractional rise of 0.2 points to close at 9,221. Mostly financial institutions, power and insurance sectors saw selling pressure while modest buying was seen in banks, textile and power stocks. Turnover at DSE continued to deteriorate with falling more than 23% to Tk446 crore. Lanka Bangla Securities in its daily market analysis said market inched lower over the selling pressure on large and mid-cap stocks which might have come from the institutional holdings as the central bank asked to limit banks capital market exposure. It is now time to watch how investors react to the annual corporate declaration of stocks under high liquidity in money market and low interest rate environment. Liquidity in banking system has pulled down interbank repo rate from 6.85% as of January 2014 to 6.36% on March 4, 2014. Though, the winning streaks of United Commercial Bank, Mercantile Bank and Southeast Bank built on the previous weeks gain, heavyweight banking sector closed in red. IDLC Investment said after taking a break, market backtracked once again amid waning participation. With a number of companies awaiting earning declarations, stock specific vibration continued in the market, it said adding that consequently, volatility continued to echo throughout the market, particularly in mini cap companies. Among the major sectors, food and allied gained the most, followed by pharmaceuticals. All the other major sectors closed in red with telecommunications and power going down by 0.21% and 0.28% respectively. Non-banking financial institution was the biggest loser, making banks to stand in second with 0.37%. Lafarge Surma Cement was the most traded stock with a turnover of Tk22 crore. It was followed by Square Pharmaceuticals, Olympic Industries, Bangladesh Submarine Cable, Meghna Petroleum, Grameenphone, United Commercial Bank and Heidelberg Cement. l

DSE key features March 5, 2014

Turnover (Million Taka) Turnover (Volume) Number of Contract Traded Issues Issue Gain (Avg. Price Basis) Issue Loss (Avg. Price Basis) Unchanged Issue (Avg. Price Basis) Market Capital Equity (Billion. Tk.) Market Capital Equity (Billion US$)
3,546.96 65,013,106 97,487 290 102 180 8 2,301.11 27.89

Closing (% change) 9.69 7.48 7.40 7.21 5.71 5.66 4.05 3.47 3.33 3.13

Desh Garments -B CVO PetroChem RL Z Al-Haj Textile -A Standard Ceramic -A Renwick Jajneswar-A Marico BD Ltd-A Mozaffar H.Spinning-N Rupali Life Insur.-A Rahima Food -Z Apex Footwear-A CSE GAINERS Company Standard Ceramic -A Union Capital -A Marico BD Ltd-A Trust Bank-A Apex Tannery -A Mozaffar H.Spinning-N Rupali Life Insur.-A CVO PetroChem RL Z Apex Footwear-A Continental Insur. -A

Average (% change) 4.86 6.08 (3.93) 5.46 3.92 0.25 5.64 1.70 2.99 (0.86) Average (% change) 8.56 7.56 3.42 2.36 2.96 6.15 2.09 5.00 2.76 6.61

Closing average 93.04 806.24 125.56 42.46 221.09 1,060.24 36.17 111.82 62.61 560.54

Closing 95.10 818.60 134.90 43.10 224.00 1,104.10 36.00 113.30 62.10 570.40

Daily high 95.30 818.70 135.50 44.20 229.00 1,110.30 36.80 113.90 64.70 574.90

Daily low 87.50 780.00 115.00 38.00 214.60 1,028.00 34.70 105.00 61.30 547.10

Turnover in million 8.318 13.819 56.325 0.724 10.745 8.853 28.627 47.516 1.033 32.960

Latest EPS 1.18 -4.06 2.06 1.06 5.32 46.53 2.16 5.33 -1.00 28.27

Latest PE 78.8 -ve 61.0 40.1 41.6 22.8 16.7 21.0 -ve 19.8

Closing (% change) 8.56 6.47 6.23 5.65 4.99 4.35 4.04 3.67 3.57 3.45

Closing average 43.13 29.89 1079.70 18.22 184.60 36.10 113.36 819.00 583.95 29.67

Closing 43.10 29.60 1109.00 18.70 185.20 36.00 113.40 819.00 580.00 30.00

Daily high 43.60 30.50 1109.00 18.80 187.00 36.60 114.00 819.00 587.90 30.00

Daily low 41.00 29.20 1021.10 17.90 183.00 34.30 110.20 819.00 580.00 28.00

Turnover in million 0.173 0.628 0.162 0.120 3.194 7.292 0.624 0.082 0.234 0.018

Latest EPS 1.06 1.29 46.53 0.85 4.86 2.16 5.33 -4.06 28.27 2.35

Latest PE 40.7 23.2 23.2 21.4 38.0 16.7 21.3 -ve 20.7 12.6

CSE key features March 5, 2014

Turnover (Million Taka) Turnover (Volume) Number of Contract Traded Issues
333.58 7,778,867 11,770 216 89 120 6 2,200.00 26.67

News from trade server

PRIMEBANK: The Board of Directors has recommended 12.50% cash dividend for the year ended on December 31, 2013. The Board has also decided to issue "Prime Bank Subordinated Bond-2" up to Tk. 2,500.00 million for raising Tier-II Capital subject to approval of the Regulatory Authorities. Date of AGM: 30.03.2014, Time: 3:00 PM, Venue: Winter Garden, Ruposhi Bangla Hotel, 1 Minto Road, Dhaka. Record date: 13.03.2014. The Company has also reported Consolidated EPS of Tk. 1.98, Consolidated NAV per share of Tk. 22.69 and Consolidated NOCFPS of Tk. 2.41 for the year ended on December 31, 2013. UNIONCAP: The Board of Directors has recommended 10% stock dividend for the year ended on December 31, 2013. Date of AGM: 31.03.2014, Time: 10:30 AM, Venue: LGED Auditorium (First Floor), Agargaon, Dhaka. Record date: 13.03.2014. The Company has also reported consolidated net profit after tax of Tk. 141.76 million, consolidated EPS of Tk. 1.29, consolidated NAV per share of Tk. 18.29 and consolidated NOCFPS of Tk. 3.13 for the year ended on December 31, 2013 as against Tk. 56.72 million, Tk. 0.52 (restated), Tk. 17.00 (restated) and Tk. 3.17 (restated) respectively for the year ended on December 31, 2012. FAREASTLIF: The Company has further informed that the cost price of 33.56 decimals land is Tk. 207,37,60,000.00 (excluding registration fee and other charges) . PROGRESLIF: The Company has informed that the Insurance Development and Regulatory Authority (IDRA) has confirmed the appointment of Dr. Syed Tanvir Alam as Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director of the Company with effect from 25 September, 2013. MTBL: As per Regulation 30 of DSE Listing Regulations, the Company has informed that a meeting of the Board of Directors will be held on March 09, 2014 at 4:00 PM to consider, among others, audited financial statements of the Company for the year ended on December 31, 2013. BANKASIA: The Company has further informed that due to unavoidable circumstances, the meeting of the Board of Directors of the Company will now be held on March 05, 2014 at 4:00 PM instead of March 04, 2014 to consider, among others, audited financial statements of the Company for the year ended on December 31, 2013. From BIASL Desk: Impact after declaration: UNIONCAP price up by 1.74%, close at 29.10 with PE 22.56. Price of PRIMEBANK slided by 4.42%, close at 23.80 with PE 12.02. RIGHT SHARE: ARAMITCEM: Subscription 23.03.2014 to 17.04.2014. Record date for entitlement of rights share: 09.01.2014. RUPALILIFE- Subscription 06.04.2014 to 05.05.2014. Record date for entitlement of rights share: 16.01.2014. BRACBANK: Subscription 20.04.2014 to 15.05.2014. Record date for entitlement of rights share: 10.02.2014. GENNEXT: Subscription 18.03.2014 to 09.04.2014, Record date: 25.02.2014. IPO Subscription: Far Chemical Industries Limited subscription date 10 16 February 2014, NRB upto 25 March 2014. At per, face value taka 10 and market lot 500. The Peninsula Chittagong Limited subscription date 30 March-03 April 2014, NRB upto 12 April 2014. @ taka 30, face value taka 10 and market lot 200. Shahjibazar Power Co. Limited subscription date 06 04 April 2014, NRB upto 19 April 2014. @ taka 25, face value taka 10 and market lot 200.

Daily capital market highlights

DSE Broad Index : DSE Shariah Index : DSE - 30 Index : CSE All Share Index: CSE - 30 Index : CSE Selected Index :
DSE LOSERS Company Prime Bank-A ACI ZERO Bond-A BD Fixed Income MF A AMCL 2nd MF A Eastern InsurA GeminiSeaFood-Z Purabi G Insu.A Sonargaon Tex -A Anlima Yarn -A Closing (% change) -4.42 -4.33 -4.30 -4.11 -3.80 -3.71 -3.66 -3.39 -3.13

4697.54010 1007.45756 1693.45156 14576.7616 12283.2199 9221.3626

(-) 0.13% (+) 0.14% (-) 0.08% (+) 0.08% (-) 0.26% (+) 0.001%

Issue Gain (Avg. Price Basis) Issue Loss (Avg. Price Basis) Unchanged Issue (Avg. Price Basis) Market Capital Equity (Billion. Tk.) Market Capital Equity (Billion US$)

ICB AMCL IslamicMF A

CSE LOSERS Company

-3.07

Average (% change) -4.00 -4.98 -3.23 -3.53 -3.68 -4.48 -2.32 0.87 -2.08

Closing average 23.79 891.89 9.00 7.11 40.56 160.00 23.95 17.36 24.95

Closing 23.80 895.00 8.90 7.00 40.50 161.00 23.70 17.10 24.80

Daily high 26.00 900.00 9.00 7.50 42.00 162.50 25.00 17.90 25.90

Daily low 21.00 885.00 8.90 7.00 38.00 156.00 23.70 16.00 24.80

Turnover in million 6.887 0.033 0.036 0.803 0.354 0.072 2.986 1.089 2.657

Latest EPS 1.98 0.00 0.54 0.88 2.60 6.44 0.76 -0.69 0.80

Latest PE 12.0 16.7 8.1 15.6 24.8 31.5 -ve 31.2

-1.78

22.10

22.10

22.10

22.10

0.066

2.56

8.6

Closing (% change) -9.59 -7.00 -4.82 -3.61 -3.53 -2.80 -2.75 -2.73 -2.64

Samata LeatheR -Z Aziz PipesZ NCCBL Mutual Fund-1 A Prime Bank-A Familytex (BD) Ltd.-N Rangpur Dairy-N Islamic Finance-A Phoenix Finance-A First Lease- A

Deshbandhu Polymer-A

-2.53

Average (% change) -9.06 -8.01 -4.46 -3.39 -1.83 -1.46 -1.98 -2.39 -2.32

Closing average 24.50 18.60 7.93 23.95 61.01 24.37 17.81 32.21 29.50

Closing 24.50 18.60 7.90 24.00 60.10 24.30 17.70 32.10 29.50

Daily high 24.50 18.60 8.00 24.10 61.60 24.90 18.00 32.50 29.50

Daily low 24.50 18.60 7.90 23.50 60.00 22.50 17.60 32.00 29.50

Turnover in million 0.086 0.005 0.024 0.265 0.275 0.668 0.394 0.902 0.044

Latest EPS -0.04 0.59 1.03 1.98 8.29 1.13 0.87 2.60 2.07

Latest PE -ve 31.5 7.7 12.1 7.4 21.6 20.5 12.4 14.3

-0.82

19.44

19.30

19.80

19.10

0.819

0.46

42.3

ANALYST

It is now time to watch how investors react to the annual corporate declaration of stocks under high liquidity in money market and low interest rate environment
% change 10.54 7.06 1.74 7.46 7.49 11.25 0.06 9.87 11.73 0.01 0.28 2.13 0.31 11.02 1.22 1.49 4.80 6.88 1.40 3.21 0.03 Million Taka 47.39 15.46 6.75 28.27 19.36 27.29 29.58 27.36 0.65 1.19 4.09 0.88 37.30 3.27 1.06 4.79 47.19 9.10 23.39 0.01 CSE % change 14.17 4.62 2.02 8.46 5.79 8.16 0.00 8.85 8.18 0.20 0.36 1.22 0.26 11.15 0.98 0.32 1.43 14.11 2.72 6.99 0.00 Million Taka 421.35 265.91 68.43 293.02 284.88 426.38 2.26 379.84 443.50 0.87 11.26 79.49 12.03 428.25 46.39 54.08 175.12 291.08 58.72 137.24 1.25 Total % change 10.86 6.85 1.76 7.55 7.34 10.99 0.06 9.79 11.43 0.02 0.29 2.05 0.31 11.03 1.20 1.39 4.51 7.50 1.51 3.54 0.03

DSE TURNOVER LEADERS Company LafargeS Cement-Z Square Pharma -A Olympic Ind. -A BD Submarine Cable-A Meghna Petroleum -A Grameenphone-A
UCBL - A

SECTORAL TURNOVER SUMMARY

Sector Bank NBFI Investment Engineering Food & Allied Fuel & Power Jute Textile Pharma & Chemical Paper & Packaging Service Leather Ceramic Cement Information Technology General Insurance Life Insurance Telecom Travel & Leisure Miscellaneous Debenture

DSE Million Taka 373.95 250.44 61.68 264.75 265.51 399.09 2.26 350.25 416.14 0.22 10.06 75.40 11.15 390.96 43.13 53.02 170.33 243.89 49.62 113.86 1.24

BSC A Southeast Bank-A Al-Haj Textile -A Delta Life Insu. -A Jamuna Oil -A

HeidelbergCement -A IDLC Finance -A Padma Oil Co. -A

Volume shares 5,240,500 765,460 833,252 570,973 415,108 539,531 3,594,876 186,550 1,103,189 224,800

114,170 2,776,377 448,593 210,000 232,903

Value in million 223.74 210.45 183.50 129.14 117.45 114.74 103.72 84.91 84.04 74.14

70.67 64.63 56.33 55.69 53.88

% of total turnover 6.31 5.93 5.17 3.64 3.31 3.24 2.92 2.39 2.37 2.09

1.99 1.82 1.59 1.57 1.52

Daily closing 42.90 277.70 224.70 227.30 282.80 213.70 28.70 456.20 76.50 329.90

617.25 23.20 134.90 264.30 232.00

Price change 3.13 0.95 1.90 0.00 -0.63 -0.23 0.35 0.53 1.59 -0.51

-0.36 0.43 7.40 -0.60 0.22

Daily opening 41.60 275.10 220.50 227.30 284.60 214.20 28.60 453.80 75.30 331.60

619.50 23.10 125.60 265.90 231.50

629.50 25.00 135.50 267.80 235.00

Daily high 43.70 280.00 226.00 230.00 288.00 214.90 29.10 461.40 77.30 340.00

615.00 20.80 115.00 264.00 225.00

Daily low 41.60 252.00 208.00 208.00 260.00 200.00 26.00 448.00 72.00 303.00

Daily average 42.69 274.93 220.22 226.18 282.93 212.67 28.85 455.18 76.18 329.82

619.00 23.28 125.56 265.20 231.32

CSE TURNOVER LEADERS Company LafargeS Cement-Z

Volume shares

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

BD Submarine Cable-A BSC A Grameenphone-A UCBL - A Square Pharma -A Southeast Bank-A Padma Oil Co. -A Singer BD -A Mozaffar H.Spinning-N Olympic Ind. -A Appollo Ispat CL -N UNITED AIR A AMCL (Pran) -A SPurbanchol Power-N

728,000 135,071 27,055 78,200 497,670 46,401 516,178 25,179 32,337 202,000 32,500 222,000 390,861 24,700 80,010

Value in million

30.80 30.55 16.75 16.64 14.34 12.75 12.02 8.33 8.12 7.29 7.18 6.72 5.96 5.94 5.51

% of total turnover

9.24 9.16 5.02 4.99 4.30 3.82 3.60 2.50 2.44 2.19 2.15 2.02 1.79 1.78 1.65

Daily closing

42.50 226.80 616.00 214.00 28.70 277.30 23.30 330.80 252.50 36.00 225.00 30.00 15.10 244.90 68.10

Price change

3.16 0.27 -0.56 -0.09 0.35 0.58 1.30 -0.54 0.52 4.35 1.90 -0.33 -1.95 2.08 -1.16

Daily opening

41.20 226.20 619.50 214.20 28.60 275.70 23.00 332.60 251.20 34.50 220.80 30.10 15.40 239.90 68.90

43.60 229.00 627.00 215.90 29.00 278.50 23.50 332.50 254.50 36.60 226.70 30.80 15.50 246.50 69.80

Daily high

41.00 223.00 612.00 211.00 28.50 272.30 23.00 329.60 248.30 34.30 216.50 29.90 15.00 237.10 67.80

Daily low

Daily average

42.30 226.15 619.23 212.82 28.82 274.73 23.28 330.98 251.12 36.10 220.94 30.29 15.25 240.62 68.92

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Business
times that much for some appearances in recent years. Hes free to offer his own views either historical or forward-looking, said Baran, when asked about the ethics of Bernanke cashing in on his eight years as Fed chairman. Nothing sounds illegal or unethical and in fact it sounds fairly routine. As Bernanke joked on Tuesday: I can say whatever I want. Not always, as his predecessor learned. Greenspan drew criticism for giving high-paying investors a potential leg up on their competitors with closed-door remarks about interest rates shortly after he left office, and for comments in March 2007 on the probability of a US recession that roiled financial markets even as Bernanke was reassuring investors about the outlook.

Thursday, March 6, 2014

B3

Bernanke enjoys fruits of free market with first post-Fed speech

n Reuters, New York
Ben Bernanke earned more in 40 minutes on Tuesday than he made all of last year as head of the U.S. Federal Reserve. Bernanke was paid at least $250,000 for his first public speaking engagement, in Abu Dhabi, since stepping down in January, according to sources familiar with the matter. That compares to his 2013 paycheck of $199,700, and the appearance was only the first of three around the world this week. Bernankes public post-Fed debut was a departure from the private audiences that his predecessor Alan Greenspan addressed shortly after he handed over the central banks reins in 2006. In his remarks, Bernanke recounted the Feds response to the 2007-2009 financial crisis, an issue he is exploring for a book he plans to shop around to publishers. In hitting the speaking circuit, Bernanke is following a well-trod path of top public servants cashing in on the demand for the insights they can offer. In the case of a one-time Fed chairman, those insights could potentially be market-moving. And given that his successor, Janet Yellen, has vowed to stay the course he set, investors could view him as a weather vane for the worlds most powerful central bank. He will obviously be enjoying the fruits of the free market, said Jan Baran, a partner and head of the election law and government ethics group at Washington law firm Wiley Rein LLP. He will personally experience supply and demand. Lawyers and agents say Bernanke, 60, should be able to command around $250,000 per speech for a while to come. The paycheck sounds reasonable to me, said one speaking-circuit agent who did not want to be named. Bernanke could have a very long shelf life, he added. While the fee launches him into the upper echelons of sought-after speakers, it leaves him well short of former President Bill Clinton - the gold standard of Americans turning charisma into cash - who has, by some estimates, earned two or even three similar fee in the United Arab Emirates capital in 2008. Bernanke, who is now a distinguished fellow at the Washingtonbased Brookings Institution think-tank, did not discuss monetary policy, and only brushed on prospects for the US economy. Instead, he choose to elaborate on his experience as chairman, acknowledging the Fed could have done more to battle the financial crisis. Questions from the audience were relatively soft, leading to a discussion about family and baseball. On Wednesday, Bernanke speaks at a Johannesburg forum hosted by the financial firm Discovery Limited, and on Friday he will discuss the US energy boom at a conference hosted by Siemens and IHS in Houston. Through a Brookings spokeswoman, Bernanke declined to comment on his speaking engagements. Greenspan took to the speaking circuit one week after departing office in January 2006 with an appearance at a private dinner hosted by Lehman Brothers. That brought in a reported $250,000, while a private telechat with investors in Japan that same day brought in about $120,000. Greenspans take on that first day is equivalent to $433,000 today after adjusting for inflation. For his planned memoir, Bernanke is being represented by Robert Barnett, the Washington-based attorney who also handled Greenspan, according to a source familiar with the situation. Bernanke plans to meet publishers soon to discuss the book. While it is unclear how large of a cash advance Bernanke is seeking, Greenspan clinched $8m. Former Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, who is also publishing a book, made $400,000 from three speeches to financial firms, according to the Financial Times. After handing the reins to Greenspan in 1987, former chairman Paul Volcker also hit the speaking circuit after learning, he later recounted, that he could make a years salary - about $80,000 for the Fed chief at the time in a speech or two. l Akij Group's officials seen at a press conference yesterday, speaking on its green initiatives

Akij Cement goes green

n Tribune Report
Akij Cement is going green with a new campaign, Lets turn to green. The cement company came up with the disclosure at a press conference held at a city hotel yesterday. Addressing the press conference, the Akij Cement officials said the cement company has bought changes in its production dynamics by omitting fly ash from its ingredients with the inclusion of blast furnace slag, which will help reduce its carbon footprint by 41% compared to OPC production. A carbon footprint is an estimate of the total climate impact of an activity. Akij Groups managing director, SK Bashir Uddin discussed about the possible impacts of the green initiatives. He explained how both the economy and the environment would be equally benefitted from the green concept. Being a low-lying country, Bangladesh will be largely affected due to the greenhouse gases mostly emitted by the industrialist nations. General Manager of Akij Cement, SM Oniket Selim mentioned that the currently used state-of-the-art technology is helping them to reduce energy consumption by 25KWh in per tonne cement production. The total annual energy consumption can therefore be reduced by 20,000MWh annually. However, decrease in energy consumption and reduction of the carbon footprint might not necessarily reduce cost of production due to the expense of the technology. l

Soft-ball questions

At the conference sponsored by the National Bank of Abu Dhabi, attendees paid $2,000 each to listen to Bernanke and other speakers, including former US Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers. Greenspan garnered a

Oil prices mixed as Ukraine fears recede

n AFP, Singapore
Oil p.rices were mixed in Asia yesterday as fears of an immediate armed conflict in Ukraine receded, but analysts said the presence of Russian-backed troops in the Crimean peninsula continue to support prices. New Yorks main contract, West Texas Intermediate (WTI) for April delivery, rose 10 cents to $103.43 in afternoon trade, while Brent North Sea crude for April eased 14 cents to $109.16. WTI fell $1.59 in New York Tuesday after Russian President Vladimir Putin declared in a news conference there was currently no need to send troops into Ukraine. European benchmark Brent tumbled $1.90 in London. Breaking a week of silence after the ousting of Ukraine president Viktor Yanukovych, Putin denied that he had sent Russian troops to the Crimean peninsula and said the uniformed men present there were local forces of self-defence. Western leaders as well Ukraines interim government however insist that the troops are backed by the Kremlin. l

Former Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke (left) talks during Global Financial Markets Forum in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday

REUTERS

Iran says India paid some of oil debt; India denies it

n Reuters, New Delhi
Indian officials, dismissing Iranian media reports, said they had not yet paid any oil money to Iran under a deal that provides Tehran some relief from Western sanctions. Under a landmark deal signed on November 24, Washington and the European Union agreed to let Iran access $4.2bn in oil revenue that had been frozen in accounts abroad. Iranian oil ministry news service Shana reported on Tuesday that Mohsen Qamsari, head of international affairs at the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC), said India had deposited some of the money in a Central Bank of Iran (CBI) account. He said 45% of the money had been deposited in Indian rupees and 55% in euros, according to Shana. Indian government and industry sources told Reuters on Tuesday that India had yet not made any payments. As part of a limited relaxing of sanctions over Irans disputed nuclear programme, the funds are expected to be paid in eight transfers, with the first made by Japan on February 1. Indian officials said late last month that they were ready to pay $1.5bn to clear part of a backlog of payments, following the partial easing of Western sanctions on Tehran. l

Yahoo to stop user access of services with Facebook, Google IDs

n Reuters, San Francisco
Yahoo Inc will stop letting consumers access its various online services, including Fantasy Sports and photo-sharing site Flickr, by signing-in with their Facebook Inc or Google Inc credentials. The change, which will be rolled out gradually according to a Yahoo spokeswoman, will require users to register for a Yahoo ID in order to use any of the Internet portals services. The move marks the latest change to Yahoo by Chief Executive Marissa Mayer, who is striving to spark fresh interest in the companys Web products and to revive its stagnant revenue. Yahoo is continually working on improving the user experience, the company said in a statement, noting that the new process will allow us to offer the best personalized experience to everyone. The first Yahoo service to require the new sign-in process is Yahoo Sports Tourney PickEm, a service focused on the NCAA college basketball tournament which begins later this month. News of the change to Yahoos Tourney PickEm sign-in process was first reported by the technology blog Betanews. Since Mayer took the reins in 2012, the company has rolled out new versions of many of its key products, including Yahoo Mail and Yahoo Finance. Last year, Yahoo announced a program to recycle inactive Yahoo user IDs, letting new users claim email addresses that have not been used for more than 12 months. In eliminating the Facebook and Google sign-in features, Mayer, a former Google executive, is effectively reversing a strategy that Yahoo adopted in 2010 and 2011 under then CEO Carol Bartz. The change to the Tourney PickEm sign-in process began on Monday, the Yahoo spokeswoman said, noting that users could still access other services with Google or Facebook IDs. l

Kuddus Khan becomes IDRAs acting chair n Tribune Business Desk

IDRA member Kuddus Khan has been appointed as the acting chair of the insurance regulatory body, Insurance Development & Regulatory Authority Bangladesh (IDRA), said a gazette notification from Ministry of Finance that was issued last Tuesday. Former additional secretary Kuddus Khan has been appointed for the next three years. Kuddus Khan started his career as a teacher at political science department at Chittagong University l

EXIM Bank gets NRB Award for supporting initiatives of branding Bangladesh. US Ambassador to the Bangladesh Dan W Mojena handed over the award to the banks managing director, Dr Mohammed Haider Ali Miah in a programme arranged by the Centre for NRB held at a hotel in the capital on Tuesday

Al-Arafah Islami Bank Limited held a business development conference on March 02 at its head office. The banks managing director, Md Habibur Rahman presided over the conference

National Bank Limited has inaugurated its 174th branch at Phulpur in Mymensingh on Tuesday. Shamsul Huda Khan, the banks deputy managing director inaugurated the cranch as chief guest

A month-long foundation training course for the officers of NCC Bank concluded on Tuesday at the banks training institute. Golam Hafiz Ahmed, the banks acting managing director distributed the certificates to the participants as chief guest

Symphony recently opened its 39th customer care centre at Coxs Bazaar to reach customers more conveniently. The customer care was inaugurated by SM Morshed-UzZaman, head of customer service and Ahmed Pasha, head of strategic HR of Edison Group

The second factory of the cement company, Seven Rings Cements has been inaugurated in Khulna on March 1. M Kemal A Pasha, chairperson of Shun Shing Group attended the occasion as chief guest

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Thursday, March 6, 2014

Russia sold $11.3bn to support ruble on 'Black Monday'

n AFP, Moscow
Russia yesterday revealed it sold a record $11.3 billion in foreign currency to support the ruble on March 3, during a "Black Monday" of panic selling over the crisis in Ukraine which analysts say rattled the Kremlin. The Russian central bank sold foreign currency to buy rubles and prevent the Russian currency from falling further in value, after the market reacted with shock to parliamentary approval for President Vladimir Putin's request to allow military action in Ukraine. The information was disclosed in the Russian central bank's daily information release of currency interventions and no further details were given. But the central bank had indicated on Monday that it was prepared to make major interventions, saying that due to the increased volatility it was assessing the market situation on a daily basis. "This measure was adopted to prevent the risks for financial stability by limiting the ruble exchange rate fluctuations," it said in a statement Monday. Russian news agencies said that the amount of foreign currency sold by the central bank on Monday was by far the most since records began, beating the previous record from September 2011 by about five times. Russia's total foreign currency reserves amounted to $493.4 billion as of February 21, meaning that the central bank sold just over two percent of its reserves in one day of trading on March 3. Traders had already indicated the Russian central bank had made colossal interventions on Monday but this was the first time the bank's own data confirmed the magnitude of the activity. 'Government could lose support' The intervention appears to have been successful, with the ruble rate now stabilising after "Black Monday", when the Russian equity markets also tumbled over 10%. In early afternoon trade Wednesday, the ruble was trading at 36.14 to the dollar and 49.65 to the euro. At the close of trade in Moscow on Monday, the ruble had been trading at record low values of 36.44 to the dollar and 50.22 to the euro. The mood on markets was also helped by comments by Putin on Tuesday that there was currently no need to send Russian troops to Ukraine and military action would only be used as a last resort. "The ruble recouped recent losses as Putin highlighted during the press conference that there was no need to use military force in Ukraine," said analysts at VTB Capital in Moscow. "Nevertheless, the political uncertainty remains high and it is likely that the flow of news headlines will support market volatility," it added. Putin, in his first comments on the Ukraine crisis since the overthrow of president Viktor Yanukovych, had admitted Tuesday that the situation had affected markets. "Politics does one way or another have a effect on markets. Money loves quiet, calm and stability," he said. But he added: "But this seems to me to be a temporary and tactical phenomenon." Chris Weafer, economist at Macro Advisory in Moscow, said that the sheer fact Putin had referred to the market reaction was striking. "The weaker ruble, in particular, has the potential to lead to a drop in public support for the government," he said. "Over the past two days in Moscow all I hear are concerns about the currency and the economy rather than about Russia's ambitions in Ukraine. It seems the Kremlin is paying heed to those concerns also." Russia's central bank is run by Elvira Nabiullina, a hugely respected economist who is nonetheless seen as unstintingly loyal to Putin. The bank on Monday hiked its main interest rate by 150 basis points in a bid to limit the capital flight from the country. After growth of just 1.3% in 2013, Russia was even before the Ukraine crisis facing a prolonged period of low growth. Economists have warned that the economy could prove to be Putin's achilles heel heading to the next presidential elections in 2018. l

A hostess poses next to the Citroen C4 Cactus Aventure concept car displayed at the French carmaker's booth during the press day of the Geneva Motor Show in Geneva

AFP

Mercedes, Infiniti to pool small cars, plant

n Reuters, Geneva
Daimler's Mercedes and Nissan's Infiniti plan to pool development of compact cars to cut costs, expand the German carmaker's North American production and broaden the Infiniti lineup, people familiar with the matter said. The outline deal, which reinforces Daimler's relationship with the Renault-Nissan alliance, will see Nissan build the next-generation Mercedes GLA sport utility vehicle and related models in Mexico alongside all-new cars for its own Infiniti brand, said the sources, who asked not to be identified. The plans are due to be presented to the Daimler board for approval as soon as April, the sources said, with the first jointly manufactured vehicles expected in late 2017. Daimler and Nissan have said they are looking to increase cooperation in smaller premium cars, but neither carmaker would confirm the Mexico production plan on Tuesday. The companies have yet to reach a "joint formal decision", Infiniti CEO Johan de Nysschen said in an interview at the Geneva auto show. "But Mexico does have a lot going for it," he added, including tariff-free exports to the US and Europe. Mercedes, Nissan and alliance partner Renault have shared engines, plants and vehicle architectures for small cars and vans since Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche and Renault-Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn announced a broad-based partnership in 2010, underpinned by token reciprocal shareholdings. The latest agreement will help Infiniti to fill a big gap at the bottom end of its model range with a new SUV, sedan and coupe built with the same parts and architecture as successors to the Mercedes A- and B Class, GLA and CLA, the sources said. In return, Daimler gets a first North American production site for its frontwheel drive "MFA" architecture, development savings and economies of scale - in a vehicle category where it has struggled in the past with low profitability. Such a deal could make good sense for both partners, said Ronald Harbour, an automotive consultant with Oliver Wyman. "For Mercedes it would allow them to get into that market without

having to invest massive capital." The new Mercedes and Infiniti models will be built at Nissan's Aguacalientes 2 plant northeast of Guadalajara, opened in November with an initial production capacity of 175,000 vehicles, the sources said. The initiative will cut the cost by about a quarter compared with going it alone, two of the sources said. In a sign of deepening cooperation, the new investments will be split evenly - despite the higher production volumes expected for Mercedes. "Some people argue that we should (negotiate) with Daimler because they will sell more cars on the platform," one Renault-Nissan executive said. "But that's what gets in the way of successful alliances." l

Indias FM: State-run banks face bad loans as biggest challenge

n Reuters, New Delhi
State-run banks face rising bad loans as their biggest challenge, expected to be slightly higher by March-end from a year earlier, Finance Minister P Chidambaram said on Wednesday as the economic slowdown hits the state-contolled banking sector. Rising bad loans, especially among state-run banks, have become a key concern for lenders. A state-run lender, United Bank of India, recently saw a huge surge in its non-performing loans, triggering worries over its capital needs. "Biggest challenge facing the public sector banks is NPAs and their asset qualities," Chidambaram said after reviewing the quarterly performance of state-run banks. "It will be little higher. Let us wait and see." Policy makers say high inflation, delays in major projects and an economic slowdown have led to a rise in banks' bad loans as Asia's third largest economy slows to a decade low of less than 5% growth for the second straight year. Stressed loans in India - those categorised as bad and restructured - total $100 billion, or about 10% of all loans. Fitch Ratings expects stressed assets to reach 14% of loans by March 2015. The non-performing assets or bad loans of the state-run banks are likely to be higher in the current fiscal year ending in March, compared with the previous year's level of 3.84%, Finance Minister P Chidambaram told reporters. Chidambaram said bad loans had come down in the real estate sector, but were still high among the large corporate and small industries. State-run banks like State Bank of India (SBI), Punjab National Bank and Canara Bank have disappointed with their quarterly results due to an increase in defaults by companies battling falls in cash flows. "Any sharp pullback in delinquencies is unlikely as corporate leverage today is significantly higher than in 2008 and it may take a few years of elevated growth before leverage turns comfortable," Fitch said in its banking outlook 2014 report released on January 30. Last month, India's central bank issued directions to banks to take steps to rein in bad loans, including asking promoters of the companies to suffer the first loss instead of banks. Chidambaram said state-run banks had recovered bad loans worth 189.33bn rupees during April to December.

Mumbai least expensive major city for expatriates n Reuters, London

Singapore has outstripped Tokyo as the world's most expensive city for expatriates, according to annual rankings by the Economist Intelligence Unit released on Tuesday. Mumbai was the least expensive major city in which to live, partly due to government subsidies on some products and low local wages. The Indian financial capital was followed by Karachi, New Delhi and Damascus as the fourth-cheapest, which EIU said reflected the weakening of the Syrian pound due to the country's civil war. It cited a strong Singaporean dollar, the high price of utilities and the cost of car ownership as among the factors contributing to Singapore taking the top spot away from Tokyo, which for years has led the rankings. The calculations are based on the cost of living in US dollars. Paris rose six places to become the world's second-most expensive city, which the EIU said in part reflected a recovery by European economies. "Improving sentiment in structurally expensive European cities combined with the continued rise of Asian hubs means that these two regions continue to supply most of the world's most expensive cities," Jon Copestake, editor of the report, which looks at over 400 individual prices, said in a statement. l

REUTERS

Facebook in talks to acquire drone maker Titan Aerospace for $60m

n Reuters, San Francisco
Facebook Inc is in talks to buy drone maker Titan Aerospace for $60m, according to media reports. The high-flying drones would give Facebook, the world's No.1 Internet social network, the ability to beam wireless Internet access to consumers in undeveloped parts of the world, according to the technology blog TechCrunch. TechCrunch first reported the deal late on Monday, citing an anonymous source. The effort would help advance Facebook's Internet.org effort, aimed at connecting billions of people who do not currently have Internet access in places such as Africa and Asia. Facebook declined to comment. Titan Chief Executive Vern Raburn declined to comment on whether Facebook was buying the company or a large order of its planes. "I can't comment one way or the other," Raburn said in a telephone interview on Tuesday. Titan is developing a variety of solar-powered "atmospheric satellites," according to the company's website, with initial commercial operations slated for 2015. The drones, which fly at an altitude of 65,000 feet and can remain aloft for up to five years and have a 165-foot (50-metre) wingspan, slightly shorter than that of a Boeing 777. dent of Microsoft Corp's consumer products division, said that Titan has flown a scaled-down prototype of the plane. Facebook is interested in having Titan build 11,000 of its Solara 60 model drones for its Internet.org project, according to the TechCrunch report. Facebook is not the only Internet company working on bringing wireless Internet access to developing countries. Last year, Google Inc announced Project Loon, which aims to use solarpowered air balloons to beam the Internet to remote regions. Providing wireless access could help Facebook ensure that its online social network is among the basic services used by people in developing economies as they start to use Internet-connected mobile phones in coming years. Facebook, which has 1.2 billion monthly users, has partnered with numerous wireless providers in recent years to offer free or discounted access to the social network. But some, such as Vodafone, have balked at waiving their wireless data rates for Facebook. l

Capital infusion

Facebook is interested in having Titan build 11,000 of its Solara 60 model drones for its Internet.org project
"What we have is an airplane that's solar-powered, so it doesn't have any fuel and it can climb up to a very high altitude and just stay there. And at that altitude it can do a multiplicity of missions ranging from communications, data, optical, weather sensing," Raburn said. "Think of it as a Tesla Model S, with wings," he said, referring to the electric car. Raburn, who was previously the CEO of Symantec Corp and the presi-

Officials say the government would need to infuse more capital into staterun banks to contain the impact of growing bad debts as well as asking banks to partially write-off bad loans. The government plans to infuse 113bn rupees into state-run banks in the next fiscal year so that they could meet minimal capital ratios mandated by Basel III norms after being hit by bad loans. "Even while the government infuses capital, the minority stake holders could be given the rights issue so that nobody's shares are diluted," Chidambaram said, adding the capital adequacy ratio of banks would be maintained one percent higher than the Basel norms. l

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