August 23, 2013

Long Form

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Bhadra 8, 1420 Shawwal 15, 1434 Regd. No. DA 6238 Vol 1 No 151

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The right to remain silent

International

Syrian forces bombard Damascus suburbs following gas attack

FRIDAY, AUGUST 23, 2013 | www.dhakatribune.com

Firm selling Dubai flats offers to ‘wash black money’

13

Sport

Neymar cancels out Villa stunner to rescue Barca

16 pages with 8-page business tabloid plus 32-page weekend supplement | Price: Tk10

AN IMPROVISATION IN COLOURS

Bangladesh Bank issues warning n Kayes Sohel A UAE-based real estate company, DAMAC Properties, in league with its local partner Setsquare Associates, is offering luxury flats in Dubai for Bangladeshis, dodging the foreign exchange regulations of the country.

The companies do not have any authorisation to do this kind of business, as Bangladesh Bank told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday and later in a press release.

In an advertisement saying “Dubai is Back” published in two dailies, the company said luxury hotel flats can be bought in Dubai’s Golf Course area for Tk12.5m and in Burj area for Tk40.5m on easy payment.

According to the ad, the company was holding a booking event for interested clients yesterday and today at the Westin Hotel.

This correspondent, who went yesterday to the Westin Hotel, found three men in the Silver Room of the hotel pitching the Dubai flats to some 5-6 prospective buyers.

One Shiv Kant Shiva, who identified himself as a property consultant from India, described the procedure of the booking by showing pictures of the luxury flats.

He said for buying a flat at the Golf Course or Burj in Dubai, the clients would need to pay by 2015 in instalments.

Asked how they might sell a flat for anybody with black money, Sayed Qayyum, executive director of Setsquare Associates, said, “It’s not a problem.

Everything will be arranged by Masud Chowdhury.”

Masud Chowdhury is the chief executive officer of Setsquare Associates, who was not present at the event.

Qayyum indicated that all payments would be “handled” by his company.

Asked about the relationship between DAMAC Properties and Setsquare Associates, Qayyum said, “We are the local partners of the company.”

Bangladesh Bank Executive Director M Ahsanullah told the Dhaka Tribune that the existing regulations do not allow such dealings. “It is a clear violation of foreign exchange regulation.”

Later in the evening, a press release was issued by the central bank, saying a lucrative advertisement about purchasing flats in the UAE had come to the bank’s notice.

“The transfer of money from Bangladesh for resident Bangladeshis  PAGE 2 COLUMN 3

A passer-by watches with curiosity a windmill in the capital’s Kuril area yesterday. The windmill, which does not look like a traditional one, does not produce much electricity, but it does power up a couple of fans and a few bulbs in the house of Md Mohsin. A nursery businessman, Mohsin has worked on many such projects since early age. He had built the windmill as a ‘pilot’ project, he said SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

JU VC confined for second day n JU Correspondent

72 political cases to be withdrawn Prosecution bash HRW for

The vice-chancellor of Jahangirnagar University was confined in his office for the second consecutive day yesterday.

The agitating teachers had put up barricade at the entrance of the VC office from Wednesday noon.

Vice-Chancellor Prof Anwar Hossain entered his office ignoring the teachers’ two-day comprehensive strike called

by General Teachers’ Forum Wednesday, demanding his removal.

The teachers said they would not withdraw the blockade till Prof Anwar resigned from his post, which the VC denied.

The vice-chancellor entered the administrative office building along with two pro-Vice-Chancellors Prof Dr Afsar Ahmed and Prof Dr MA Matin, Treasurer Prof Dr Abul Khayer and registrar Abu Bakr Siddique.

At that time, the protesting teachers exchanged heated words with the VC.

The government has decided to withdraw 72 cases filed between 2001 and 2006, identifying them as politically motivated and intended for harassing the then opposition leaders and activists.

The decision was taken at a home ministry meeting of the Scrutiny Committee for Recommending Withdrawal of Politically Motivated Cases presided over by the State Minister for Law and committee chief Quamrul Islam yesterday.

After the meeting, Quamrul Islam told reporters that the committee had picked up 72 cases to recommend for withdrawing, out of 277 cases that were placed before the committee’s last and final meeting held yesterday.

Among them, two were against ruling party lawmakers Subid Ali Bhuiyan, of Comilla 1 constituency, and Amanur Rahman Khan Rana, of Tangail 3 constituency.

 PAGE 2 COLUMN 5

n Mohosinul Karim

INSIDE News

3 Gonoforum President Dr Kamal Hossain yesterday criticised Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for her remark that she would not deviate from the constitutional provision of holding the next general elections, and said it would be “treachery” against the people.

Nation

6 A decline in the price of jute in the local market this year has Lalmonirhat farmers worried. The farmers are selling jute at much lower rates than the cost of production incurring loss.

Metro

7 The Gulistan-Jartabari flyover is likely to miss its fourth completion deadline of September 22. Banglanews quoted authorities concerned as saying the construction was continuing at a slow pace.

International

9 Egypt’s ousted president Hosni Mubarak was flown from prison by a helicopter to a military hospital yesterday after he was cleared for conditional release while standing trial.

Mubarak will be held under house arrest at the Cairo hospital on the orders of the prime minister, who has been granted the power to order arrests during the current state of emergency.

Op-Ed

11 A girl reportedly killed her parents at their residence in Dhaka recently. This piece of news became the talk of the town in Bangladesh with the 16-year-old girl’s photograph featuring in many newspapers. Footage of her arrest was broadcast live on all TV channels. If she has killed her parents, we certainly have a point to worry about as far as our society is concerned.

However, the committee revised its previous decision to withdraw the case against Jaynal Hazari – filed for his alleged attack on journalist Tipu Sultan – in the face of questions in the media.

The state minister said the government had ordered the prosecution to stop withdrawing the case when ques-

‘A total of 277 cases were considered in the meeting.

Of them, 166 came in consideration for the first time and the rest came for revisions’ tions were raised. The prosecution abstained from withdrawing the case.

The meeting also decided not to withdraw the case and it will remain as it was running earlier.

“A total of 277 cases were considered in the meeting. Of them, 166 came in consideration for the first time and the rest came for revisions. We recommended withdrawal of 42 cases out of

the 166 new proposals and 30 cases of the 111 old ones,” he said.

The state minister said all the cases that were recommended for withdrawing were politically motivated and scrutinised and suggested by district committees.

“One or two murder cases may have been recommended for withdrawal, but those were also political cases.

Most of the cases were filed between 2001 and 2006 during the BNP-Jamaat government’s tenure,” he said.

“The present government has not filed any politically motivated cases that could be withdrawn, if the opposition comes to the power,” Qamrul said.

He added that the opposition parties had “brought terrorism into politics” and therefore there were some cases against some of them.

According to the home ministry, 645 applications are pending to be tabled before the committee. But the committee considered 277 cases after  PAGE 2 COLUMN 6

‘unethical, bias’ reporting n Udisa Islam The International Crimes Tribunal 1 yesterday heard the prosecution which claimed that Human Rights Watch (HRW) had long been questioned across the world for its unethical and motivated role in reporting on human rights issues.

P3 TRIBUNAL STORIES Taking part in the hearing on contempt of tribunal petition, the prosecution alleged that the HRW was staging a drama to stop the war crimes trial. They placed a good number of reports, research publications, opinions of former officials, and open letters of scholars as evidences against the HRW. The prosecution, however, welcomed all human rights observers to the tribunal but said their reporting should be true and conducted in good faith.

After a near three-hour hearing, the tribunal headed by ATM Fazle Kabir scheduled September 2 for passing order on the contempt of tribunal petition. The prosecution filed the petition on August 20 after the New York-based organisation in a report, on August 16, claimed that the trial of former Jamaat-e-Islami chief Ghulam Azam trial was “deeply flawed” and “did not meet international fair trial standards.”

In the petition, the prosecution identified three opposite parties – Human Rights Watch, its Executive Director of Asia Division Brad Adams and Associate of Asia Division Storm Tiv – the writer of the report.

Ghulam Azam on July 15 was handed down 90-year jail sentence for masterminding war crimes during the 1971 Liberation War. Though his offences amounted to the death penalty, the tribunal awarded him a jail sentence  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

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DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Friday, August 23, 2013

412MW Haripur power plant goes into operation tomorrow

3 held with firearms in Bogra n Our Correspondent, Bogra

Rapid Action Battalion members arrested three people with a SMG, a LMG, a foreign-made pistol, a high-powered filed glass and huge amount of bullets and magazines in Thanthania area of the district Thursday afternoon.

Acting on a tip-off, Rab personnel raided one Dulal’s residence in Thanthania area at 5pm and nabbed the trio while they were holding a clandestine meeting.

In the meeting, they were taking class on giving overall ideas on government arms, Rab sources told our correspondent.

Some 18 members of the gang managed to flee the scene. Of them, one left his driving license on the spot. He is Mahfuzul Islam, hailed from Jamalpur.

The arrestees are now under the custody of Rab 12. l

The plant will require 64mmcfd gas to operate in full capacity “Gas crisis is a big challenge for us but n Aminur Rahman Rasel we have to go ahead, overcoming this.”

The 412MW (megawatt) gas-fired Haripur Combined-Cycle Power Plant, the largest public sector power plant built under the Awami League-led grand alliance government, will go into operation tomorrow.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is expected to inaugurate the formal operation of the power plant.

The implementing agency of the plant, Electricity Generation Company of Bangladesh (EGCB’s) Managing Director, Mostafa Kamal confirmed the development at a press conference at the Bidyut Bhaban in the city yesterday.

Prime Minister’s Energy Adviser Tawfiq-E-Elahi Chowdhury and State Minister for Power Muhammad Enamul Huq were also present at the press conference.

“However, the commercial production at the plant will probably start on September 20,” said Mostafa Kamal.

The Haripur plant was supposed to go into production in July but failed to do so, he admitted.

The prime minister is also expected to lay the foundation stone of another 335MW gas-fired Siddhirganj Combined-Cycle Power Plant there.

Accepting the fact that uninterrupted gas supply to the plant will be a challenge, Tawfiq-E-Elahi Chowdhury said:

He said another 500MW electricity would be imported from India by October, but declined making any comment on the progress of coal-based power plants.

Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) sources said the government may shut down the inefficient 96MW Haripur Power Plant under PDB to supply gas to the 412MW Haripur Combine Cycle Power Plant.

In addition, a PDB official seeking anonymity said, other gas-based power plants might as well face shortages in supply due to the new plant. If that happens, the 412MW plant will have little effect on the total power generation of the country.

After Hasina had laid the foundation stone of the plant on March 20, 2011, the state-run EGCB has constructed the plant with the assistance of Marubeni Corporation of Japan as the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contractor.

The plant will require 64mmcfd gas to operate in full capacity while production cost of per unit of electricity will be Tk1.7154.

Land Lease Agreement was signed between EGCB and Power Development Board on 29 August, 2011 for 8.573 acres of land at Haripur area on rental basis for a period of 25 years. l

DU senate meeting challenged n Nazmus Sakib A writ petition was lodged with the High Court, challenging the legality of the decision of Dhaka University authorities to hold a “special senate meeting” for electing a three-member panel for consideration of the president in appointment of the vice-chancellor.

The university’s teachers along with senate candidates – AFM Yusuf Haider, Abdul Aziz and Mahfuz Ullah – filed the petition with DU VC and registrar as respondent, seeking court direction to suspend the meeting.

The petition said DU VC AAMS Arefin Siddique, on August 5, with mala fide intention issued an order to hold a special senate meeting on August 24.

The meeting was called with a view to preparing a panel of three nominated members for consideration of the chancellor, the president of Bangladesh, for appointment of the VC, the petition added.

Jashim Uddin Sarker, a lawyer of the petitioners and central law secretary of Jamaat-e-Islami told the Dhaka Tribune that out of 105 posts, 55 posts were vacant and as the election for nominating 25 senate members from the registered graduates of DU would be held on September 14, 19 and 28, calling special senate meeting was against the Dhaka University Order, 1973.

Belayet Hossain, the lawyer who filed the petition on behalf of the petitioners, told the Dhaka Tribune: “Considering our appeal, acting chief justice Surendra Kumar Sinha fixed the High Court bench of Justice Md Habibul Gani and Justice Muhammad Khurshid Alam Sarkar for hearing the plea. The bench heard the plea partly, and set Sunday for next hearing.”

If the members adopt resolution, nominating 3 members panel in the senate meeting, they would challenge that resolution by filing a supplementary affidavit with the High Court, he added. l

AL leader chopped to death n Our Correspondent, Jhenaidah A local Awami League leader in Jhenaidah was chopped to death by unidentified assailants last night.

Confirming the report, Jhenaidah sadar police said a group of assailants, numbering eight to 10, launched an attack on Sanarullah, 50, secretary of Harishankar union, under Jhenaidah sadar upazila, unit of AL on his way to home, which is at Arjonarayanpur vil-

lage under the same upazila, around 9:30pm.

On information, police rushed to spot and recovered his body around 10pm.

However, Kazi Zalal Uddin Ahmed, officer-in-charge of Jhenaidah sadar police station, could not confirm the details of the incident.

“It’s still unclear what could be the motive of the killing. We are looking into the matter,” he said. l

No fair election without caretaker: Prof Yunus n Tribune Desk

Bangladesh to chair ADF for next two years n Muhammad Zahidul Islam Bangladesh had been elected as the chairman country of the Asia Pacific Telecommunication and the ICT Development Forum (ADF) for the next two years unanimously, while Japan was made the vice-chairman yesterday.

Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) Vice-Chairman Md Giasuddin Ahmed will chair the forum that works for 38 Asia and Pacific developing countries where policy makers, regulators and other relevant officials from the region come together on a common platform for a dialogue on issues of common concern with special attention on the rural areas.

The election was commenced on the third day of an international conference of the forum in Dhaka. Asia Pacific Telecommunication is an inter-governmental organisation that operates in conjunction with the active telecom service providers, manufacturers of equipments, and research and development organisations in the field of the ICT. The BTRC was the co-organiser of the conference. Representatives from 17 countries had been taking part in different technical sessions of the event at Ruposhi Bangla Hotel in the city, while the event was inaugurated by Telecom Minister Sahara Khatun on Tuesday.

“Now, we can lead the developed and developing countries. It is a great honour for Bangladesh,” Giasuddin Ahmed told the Dhaka Tribune after the election. l

Youth who threatened Egypt embassy remanded n Md Sanaul Islam Tipu A Dhaka court yesterday placed Shawkat Afsar Hiron, who was detained on the previous day for threatening to blow up the Embassy of Egypt in Dhaka, on a four-day police remand.

Metropolitan Magistrate Md Ismail Hossain gave the order after DB police produced him before the court with a 10-day remand plea. The court also rejected Hiron’s bail prayer.

DB Inspector Md Mahmudul Haque mentioned in the remand prayer that Hiron was an active member of a radical Islamist network. They needed to quiz him to find whether anyone else insisted him to make the threat.

Identifying himself as Shawkat Osman and giving his phone number, Hiron in a handwritten letter said he was a Muslim Brotherhood and Morsi supporter. He demanded that the torture on the supporters of Mohammed Morsi and the people of Egypt be stopped and the letter be sent to Egypt; otherwise something like the Egyptian embassy firing in Libya might happen to the Dhaka embassy.

The Muslim Brotherhood is a political front that backs Egypt’s ousted president Morsi. A grenade attack struck the Egyptian embassy in Libya on August 17.

Upon receiving the letter on Tuesday, security measures were beefed up

taking his age under consideration.

Both the prosecution and the defence have filed appeals against the verdict.

The prosecution argues that the tribunal may issue an order of contempt under section 11 (4) of the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act, 1973. The provision states: “A Tribunal may punish any person, who obstructs or abuses its process or disobeys any of its orders or directions, or does anything which tends to prejudice the case of a party before it, or tends to bring it or any of its members into hatred or contempt, or does anything which constitutes contempt of the Tribunal, with simple imprisonment which may extend to one year, or with fine which extent to Tk5,000, or with both.”

In his submission, prosecutor Tapas Kanti Baul told in his submission said the evidences placed at the tribunal showed that the “HRW played unethi-

cal and motivated roles in various parts of the world by its unreliable, uncredited, inaccurate and bias reports and findings on human rights matters.”

He mentioned Robert L Bernstein, a founder and former chairman of the HRW, who after leaving the organisation publicly blamed the organisation for its unethical and motivated activities. Bernstein served the organisation for 20 years as its chairman.

The prosecution also pointed out that the HRW have not spoken about rights issue anywhere else. They have never questioned the violations of human rights in Saudi Arabia since they had received donations from the Saudi government. Moreover, the organisation’s executive director position has been held by Kenneth Roth since 1993. Roth is one of the policymakers of Sigrid Rausing Trust, a donor of HRW. Prosecutor Tapas said the HRW had

Police said in the remand prayer that Hiron was an active member of a radical Islamist network. They needed to quiz him to find whether anyone else insisted him to make the threat Police claimed that in primary interrogation, Hiron acknowledged that he had dropped the letter in the mailbox of the Egyptian embassy in person.

On the other hand, pleader for the accused Md Forkanuzzman filed a bail petition with remand rejection prayer before the court mentioning that Hiron was a juvenile offender. The lawyer also claimed that the accused was not involved in the incident. Forkanuzzaman also mentioned that Hiron was a student of Dhaka City College. He had been attending Focus Coaching Centre as part of his preparation for university admission test. l

Firm selling Dubai flats offers to ‘wash black money’  PAGE 1 COLUMN 2

purchasing immovable property abroad is subject to restrictions under the Foreign Exchange Regulation Act, 1947. Collaborating in illegal transfer of money is a punishable offence,” the release said.

Bangladesh Bank also advised the media to be more cautious in running such advertisements.

According to Foreign Exchange Regulation Act, 1947, no person other than an authorised dealer shall in Bangladesh and no person resident in Bangladesh, other than an authorised dealer outside Bangladesh, buy or borrow

from, or sell or lend to, or exchange with, any person not being an authorised dealer or foreign exchange.

An official of the Office of the Registrar of Joint Stock Companies and Firms (RJSC) said the office had no information about the DAMAC. The RJSC is the sole authority which facilitates formation of private, public, foreign companies, trade organisations, societies and partnership firms.

According to its website, DAMAC Properties was established in 2002, as a private residential, leisure and commercial developer in Dubai and the

Prosecution bash HRW for ‘unethical, bias’ reporting  PAGE 1 COLUMN 6

around the embassy in Gulshan and visa issuing centre was declared shut for 11 days. The embassy authorities yesterday filed a general dairy with Gulshan police station.

The 18-year-old youth was arrested at 12pm from “Focus” Coaching Centre, located in the capital’s Farmgate area on Wednesday. Police earlier claimed that he was an activist of Islami Chhatra Shibir, the student wing of Jamaat-e-Islami.

appointed Nazi policy supporters (such as Marc Garlasco) as its investigators to report on war crimes and crimes against humanity. Hearing this, Justice Jahangir Hossain, one of the members of the tribunal, joked: “They appointed the real experienced people!”

The prosecution also mentioned that the HRW appointed “pro-US terrorists, namely Shawan Jabarin, to its [Mideast] advisory board.” Justice Jahangir again intervened to quip: “They also need protection, so they appointed a terrorist. Isn’t it?”

After a two-hour-long submission

by Tapas, prosecutor Tureen Afroz spoke for 45 more minutes on the legal points. She said, though the organisation claimed that there had been collusion and biasness among the prosecutors and the judges in the Ghulam Azam case, they did not give any credible proof.

The HRW mentioned an unnamed

blogger of the Economist as one of its sources for the report; “is it acceptable as a source?” asked the prosecutor referring to the fact that there had been an ongoing war continued between believers and atheists in the country.

Sobhan to be quizzed at safe home Before the hearing on contempt petition, the tribunal 1 allowed the investigation agency to question war crimes suspect Abdus Sobhan, 84, at its Dhanmondi safe home upon a prosecution plea. But it did not mention any specific date for the interrogation.

The prosecution on August 19 submitted a progress report on the investigation and sought more time to submit the formal charges.

The tribunal then scheduled September 15 to submit the formal charges or a progress report on investigation against the former Pabna Jamaat-e-Islami ameer. l

Middle East and in the last decade has expanded to North Africa, Jordan, Lebanon, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

A business consultant seeking anonymity said in the past, capital flight from Bangladesh had occurred through the “Malaysia My Second Home Programme” regulated by the Malaysian government for foreigners to live in Malaysia under a 10-year renewable multiple entry visa.

The consultant said businesses such as Setsquare Associates were creating the opportunity for money laundering through illegal channels like hundis.

Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus claimed that no neutral and fair election can be held in Bangladesh without a caretaker government overseeing it.

“There’s no scope to have a peaceful election without a non-party neutral government. There must be an election and that is under a non-party neutral government,” Professor Yunus said yesterday, according to agencies.

He observed that the black cloud of chaos was getting closer to Bangladesh, and if it happened because of a section of people or some parties’ desire, the people of the country would not forgive them.

The microcredit pioneer and founder of Grameen Bank came up with the observation during a meeting with Krishak-Sramik Janata League leader Bangabir Kader Siddiqui at Yunus Centre.

Professor Yunus also laid emphasis on the participation of all political parties in the election and urged the political leaders to reach a compromise.

“We appeal to our political leaders to reach a consensus. Resolve problems through talks,” Yunus said.

He said the people of the country do not want chaos and there is a need for the participation of all parties in the next polls. “Peace should prevail in the country.”

At the meeting, Kader Siddiqui said the next election could not be held without a non-party neutral government. l

72 political cases to be withdrawn  PAGE 1 COLUMN 4

scrutinising the merit of the cases for placing before the meeting for recommending of withdrawal.

The scrutiny committee for recommending withdrawal of politically motivated cases was formed by State Minister for Law Quamrul Islam in 2009 after the present government came to the power.

State minister for Home Shamsul Haque Tuku is also a member of the committee. Home ministry has been giving secretarial assistance to the committee.

The last meeting of the committee was held on September 29, 2012.

According to home ministry officials, the committee has already suggested that the home ministry withdraw a total of 7,101 cases including 345 Anti-Corruption Commission cases out of the 11,113 applications they had received in the last four years. l

JU VC confined for second day  PAGE 1 COLUMN 1

Later, they decided to put a blockade on the administrative office for an indefinite period of time.

General Teachers’ Forum convener Prof Dr Md Hanif Ali said: “We set up the blockade as the VC insulted our teachers.”

At a press conference at 4pm Wednesday, Prof Hanif said they would not lift the blockade till VC resigned from his post. JU VC Prof Anwar Hossain said agitating teachers confined him since Wednesday noon. This was like putting someone on remand.

“I was remanded 12 days during the last caretaker government. So it is not impossible for me to stay confined in my office, but I will not resign,” he said.

Prof Anwar termed the teachers’ movement baseless. The VC also requested people of the country, students, teachers and above all the chancellor of the university to extend their helping hands to eliminate

the JU crisis.

The VC yesterday sent a letter to the chancellor of the university requesting him to take needful steps in no time to bring an end to the university crisis.

Bringing a dozen of allegations against the VC, JU teachers are agitating for over four months to remove him from his post.

Earlier, they held movement under the banner of JU Teachers’ Association (Juta) and then blockaded the administrative office for over a month.

Later in July, the High Court issued an order to resume administrative activities of the university.

Juta then withdrew their blockade but the protesting teachers formed a new banner – General Teachers’ Forum – to continue their agitation.

Prof Md Mafruhi Sattar, an agitating teacher, said: “There is no prohibition on agitation from the High Court. The court issued an order to resume administrative activities only.” l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Friday, August 23, 2013

3

Tribunal irked at defence lawyer in Alim case

Dr Kamal blasts PM’s remarks n on polls-time government n Syed Shoeb

Gonoforum President Dr Kamal Hossain yesterday criticised Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for her remark that she would not deviate from the constitutional provision of holding the next general elections, and said it would be “treachery” against the people.

Saying that Hasina was trying to hold onto the constitution that “she amended as per her own wishes,” Dr Kamal said: “It has been a practice among many autocrats to try to justify their actions by the constitutions.

“If one thinks that the constitution is enough to hold the elections, they should remember that polls should have been held on January 21, 2007...the then BNP government also sought to hold the elections as per the constitution.”

Speaking at a roundtable, he sharply criticised the ruling party leaders for claiming to care about the interest of people but not daring to speak against the government’s corruption.

Dr Kamal urged such politicians to stay away from politics if they could not speak up their mind and raise voice for the people.

Civil society platform SHUJON organised the roundtable on political crisis at the National Press Club.

Politician Mahmudur Rahman Manna called on Dr Kamal to hold a national convention together with Dr Muhammad Yunus and Justice Habibur Rahman in order to find a way out of the escalating political crisis.

Former election commissioner Brig (retd) Sakhawat Hossain agreed with Manna but said it was “too much of a demand in too little time.”

He criticised the existing practice of election campaign in which the ruling party used all government facilities. “It destroys the system of check and balance among the political parties,” he said.

SHUJON Secretary Bodiul Alam Majumder presented a keynote paper at the discussion moderated by former adviser to a caretaker government M Hafizuddin. l

Muktasree Chakma Sathi

The war crimes tribunal yesterday several times expressed its annoyance over the defence lawyers’ having lack of preparation, redundancy and asking irrelevant questions during the cross examination of the investigation officer in the case against Abdul Alim.

Defence lawyers Ahsanul Haque and with his fellow Khalilur Rahman were conducting the cross examination of ZM Altafur Rahman for the sixth day. The International Crimes Tribunal 2 earlier asked the defence to complete quizzing the IO by Wednesday.

Ahsanul also behaved in a rude manner with his colleague. Following a remark

by Khalilur, he threw a sheet of paper on the table and said: “Okay, I would not rather ask you any question, any more.”

While speaking on the contradictions

of prosecution witnesses, Ahsanul shouted at Sazzad Bin Alim, son of the accused, to show him the contradiction on one physician Farid, who was mentioned by the witnesses. The tribunal then asked Ahsanul: “Who is he? Is he a lawyer?”

As the defence lawyer replied in the negative, the tribunal responded: “Consult with the sons before you come here.

You are asking him since you have failed to show us the contradiction. Mr Alim is a lawyer too, call him. He can argue better than you.”

The tribunal of Justice Obaidul Hasan, Justice Mojibur Rahman Miah and Justice Shahinur Islam, however, then allowed Sazzad to help the defence team.

At 1:05pm, the tribunal asked Ahsanul again how much time he needed to end the cross examination. The lawyer sought half an hour. The tribunal expressed frustration saying that the coun-

sel was not prepared.

Then the tribunal, proceedings of which began around 10am, told the defence counsels that they would be given 15 more minutes and adjourned the proceedings in the case till 2:25pm.

The tribunal, however, did not leave the court and began proceedings in the case against Chowdhury Mueen Uddin and Ashrafuzzaman. At 2:25pm, the defence again started to grill the IO which lasted till 3pm.

During the second session of the cross examination, the tribunal expressed annoyance when Ahsanul asked the investigation officer whether the International Crimes (Tribunal) Act, 1973 mentions about following the Code of Criminal Procedure and the Penal Code or not.

The tribunal then intervened and pointed out that the question was not relevant since it was about law other than

Mueen and Ashraf were among the abductors: Witness n Muktasree Chakma Sathi A prosecution witness yesterday said both Chowdhury Mueen Uddin and Ashrafuzzaman Khan were among the people who had abducted Prof Giasuddin and later killed him during the 1971 Liberation War. Farida Banu, 74, sister of the martyred intellectual, gave deposition at the International Crimes Tribunal 2 as the 16th prosecution witness. She is a retired associate professor of mathematics at Dhaka University. Prof Gias was a DU history department teacher and a house tutor of Mohsin Hall.

Mueen and Ashrafuzzaman were indicted jointly in 11 counts of crimes against humanity. The prosecution says Mueen was al-Badr’s “operation-in-charge” while Ashrafuzzaman played the role of “chief executor.”

The witness said: “On the December 14 morning, some youths along with two armed came in front of Prof Gias’s quarter on a mud-covered microbus.

They came upstairs and asked about his whereabouts. Gias was not at the quar-

ter at that time since he went to Mohsin Hall to supervise the water crisis.

“They left our house when we told them that he was not at the house. But few minutes after, they again came back and started to search the house and ransacked everything. During that time, Ratna engaged in an altercation with the abductors who then confined my cousin Golam so that he could tell them the whereabouts of my brother [Gias],” Farida stated.

“Later, Golam came back and told us that brother [Gias] was taken away by those abductors. Golam also told us that Gias was blindfolded with a gamcha [local towel] of a security guard, Rahim.

The last sentence of my brother was ‘inform the eldest brother-in-law about my situation.’ Our eldest brother-in-law Abdul Momen Khan was a top-posted government official then,” Farida added.

“Momen and my husband Nurul went to the hospital to search my brother’s body.

But, my brother’s body was not there. We came to know that one Mofiz, who was the driver of the mud-covered microbus [which the al-Badr members had

used to pick up the intellectuals on the eve of liberation] told about Mueen and Ashrafuzzaman’s involvement in the killing of intellectuals. I heard Ashrafuzzaman was the man who shot the intellectuals whereas Mueen was the mastermind,” Farida said.

The next day they found Prof Gias’s decomposed body at Mirpur killing field by examining his shirt, sweater and lungi.

“Later, in several newspapers including the daily Purbadesh, I saw reports on Mueen and Ashrafuzzaman. I also remember a particular report that said about Ashrafuzzaman’s diary containing the list of intellectuals whom he chose to kill. Even there were tick marks beside the name of intellectuals who were picked up on the eve of the liberation. I still have copies of those reports,” the witness said.

Farida said after the abduction, daughter of the victim said she had recognised two of the abductors – Mueen Uddin and Ashrafuzzaman.”

State defence counsels Abdus Shukkur Khan and Salma Hye cross examined the witness. l

the IO’s submission. The tribunal also asked him not to waste time. “Please ask relevant questions.”

Later, mentioning about a material exhibit, Ahsanul asked the IO: “Is it a black and white picture?” Altafur answered in the affirmative. Then the lawyer said the picture contained white colour on the photograph’s top side and its lower part had black. The tribunal asked him: “What are you saying? What is your question?”

Ahsanul said: “If you do so [intervene], how I can go on with the cross examination?” The tribunal responded: “We are trying to understand what your question is.” The lawyer then asked the IO: “There is no army officer in the photo.”

The tribunal told the defence: “Then ask this directly. What is the point of saying ‘white on the top and black on the lower part’?”

Ahsanul also asked the IO whether he

had examined the list of razakars (collaborators who sided with the Pakistani occupation army) while investigating the case. The tribunal again intervened and said: “You asked the same question yesterday and we recorded it.”

The defence then said their cross examination was complete and the tribunal set August 27 for deposition of defence witnesses. Earlier on Wednesday, the tribunal fixed the number of defence witnesses at three.

On his way out from the tribunal room, Ahsanul was heard telling his fellows: “Let the next government come into power. Then we will see.”

Alim, a former BNP state minister during the tenure of Ziaur Rahman, is facing 17 charges of crimes against humanity he allegedly committed during the Liberation War in Joypurhat as the district Peace Committee president. l

4

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Friday, August 23, 2013

10 DSHE employees to face disciplinary action for MPO corruption n Tribune Report Some 10 employees of the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education (DSHE) would face disciplinary actions as a probe report found them guilty of illegally awarding Monthly Pay Order (MPO) scheme to 287 teachers of school and madrasas who were not eligible, officials said.

Director General of the DSHE Fahima Khatun said they would take disciplinary actions against the employees, adding that they would also send letters to the headmasters of the schools concerned to take actions against the teachers who bagged the MPO through illegal process.

The DG also said they would take necessary actions so that corruption could not take place in the MPO awarding.

The officials also quoted the probe report as saying that the 287 teachers could never get the MPO if proper legal process was applied, and added that they bagged the MPO by bribing the 10 employees.

The government under the scheme provides 90% of salary of the non government teachers who are enlisted to the MPO. l

BNP leader MK Anwar granted bail n Md Sanaul Islam Tipu A Dhaka Court yesterday granted bail on a Tk20,000 bond to BNP Standing Committee member MK Anwar in a case filed under the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Act. Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Mustafa Shahriar Khan granted the bail after the BNP leader surrendered before the court and sought bail.

According to the case statement, Anwar allegedly told a press briefing at the party’s Nayapaltan office on May 6, that hundreds of copies of the Qur’an were set ablaze in front of Baitul Mukarram by a group of ruling party men led by Debashish, during the mayhem caused

by Hefazat-e-Islam in the capital’s Paltan and Gulistan areas on May 5.

On May 8, SI Md Nasir Uddin of Paltan police station, filed a GD against Anwar. Later, a Dhaka court directed DB Inspector Anisul Islam to look into the allegation and submit a report.

On June 17, Anisul submitted a charge sheet against the BNP leader finding the allegation true under the ICT act, and the court later summoned Anwar.

The BNP leader surrendered to the court yesterday and sought bail. l

Dhaka district administration evicts illegal structures near the Joy Kali Temple at Wari of the capital yesterday

WORKERS’ MIGRATION

Baira points finger of blame at government n Rabiul Islam The private manpower recruiting agencies blamed the government of forgetting the ways of sending workers abroad saying there is plenty of opportunity for overseas jobs at the moment.

“We cannot negotiate with countries like Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Qatar and Bahrain as the government has already given proposals to send workers there under a government-to-government arrangement,” said Ali Haider, secretary general of the Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies (Baira) while taking to reporters at his office on Wednesday.

He said: “We have no problem if the government sends workers to Malaysia but the thing is we cannot communicate with any country.”

People involved in the manpower recruiting agencies alleged that Expatriates’ Welfare Minister Khandker Mosharraf Hossain had asked Bangladesh embassy in Saudi Arabia not to attest documents for recruitment.

They also claimed that there were

WEATHER

Slight rise in temperature likely n UNB Light to moderate rain or thundershowers accompanied by temporary gusty wind is likely to occur at a few places over Dhaka, Khulna, Barisal, Chittagong, Rajshahi, Rangpur and Sylhet divisions until 6pm today.

Moderately heavy falls were also likely at places, Met Office said.

Day and night temperature may rise slightly over the country.

The sun sets in the capital at 6:25pm today and rises at 5:38am tomorrow.

Country’s highest temperature 35.2 degree Celsius was recorded at Sylhet and lowest 24.4 degrees at Rangamati and Teknaf yesterday.

Highest and lowest temperatures recorded in some major cities yesterday were: City

High

Low

Dhaka Chittagong Rajshahi Rangpur Khulna Barisal Sylhet Cox’s Bazar

32.6 31.4 34.0 33.0 33.5 32.4 35.2 31.3

25.5 26.1 25.9 25.0 25.3 26.5 26.3 25.5

PRAYER TIMES Fajar Sunrise Jumma Asr Magrib Esha

4:19am 5:36am 12:01pm 4:35pm 6:25pm 7:44pm

Source: IslamicFinder.org

huge overseas jobs opportunities in Qatar, Thailand, Libya and Iraq.

Contradicting Baira’s claim the expatriate minister at different times said the private recruiters can send workers to any country excepting Malaysia.

The recruiting agencies said they could send 3, 00,000 workers in Malaysia in the current year.The government has sent only 198 workers to Malaysia since an agreement on November 26, 2012.

It is not possible for the government to procure visas as it involves money to obtain visas in Malaysia, they said.

Following allegations of massive irregularities in the process of overseas employment, the government signed an agreement with Malaysia to send workers in a transparent manner and at a low migration cost.

The government sent a worker to Malaysia at a migration cost of Tk30, 000.

Earlier, the private recruiting agencies charged Tk200,000 to 300,000 to send a worker to Malaysia although the government fixed Tk84, 000.

Many workers alleged that they did not get jobs after going to Malaysia.

“If any private recruiter does anything wrong, he or she can be brought to book,” the Baira secretary general said.

According to website of the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET), a total of 435,000 workers went abroad for jobs in seven months of 2012 while only 2,45,000 workers have gone abroad for jobs in seven months of 2013.

“Following decline in overseas jobs we have wanted to sit with the government but we were refused,” Ali Haidar Chowdhury claimed.

Refugee and Migratory Movements and Research Unit (RMMRU) founding Chair Tasneem Siddiqui observed that the government should involve all stakeholders including civil society to address the problem as decline in overseas employment would have negative impact over remittance in future.

The BMET statistics say the country received $14.17bn as remittance in 2012. l

NASHIRUL ISLAM

Main suspect and five accused arrested in classmate murder case n Our Correspondent, Gazipur Law enforcers arrested six people, including the main suspect, in connection with the killing of Sumon, a class X student of Nandia Sangun BD Islamia Trimohony High School, Gazipur.

Earlier on Wednesday, Sumon was stabbed to death and two others were injured allegedly by their classmate Sagor and his entourage on the school premises over a love affair enmity.

Assistant Headmaster of the school Al-Amin said academic activities remained suspended following the incident in accordance with the order of the Upazila Nirbahi Officer Following the killing, the deceased’s father Abul Kalam filed a case with the Shreepur police station accusing Sagor, 16, Saurav Mia, 19, Md Rasel Mia, 20, Md Jahangir Alam, 19, Al-Amin, 19, and Md Washim, 20.

Officer-in-Charge (investigation) Mohsinul Kadir said the prime suspect Sagor confessed about his involvement in

the killing during primary interrogation.

Meanwhile, Assistant Headmaster of the school Al-Amin said academic activities remained suspended following the incident in accordance with the order of the Upazila Nirbahi Officer. A three-member committee was formed to investigate the killing, he added.

According to case history, Sumon had a love affair with one his classmates, Akhi. Sagar recently proposed Akhi and was refused. As a result, he started to irritate her, which created an enmity between Sagor and Sumon.

On Wednesday morning, Sagar along with his fellows made a plan to kill Sumon. Around 1pm, they called Sumon to the prayer room of the school. Soon after Sumon reached the spot, the accused started stabbing him, leaving him dead. Two other classmates of Sumon – Dipu and Tushar – were also injured as they tried to save him.

Meanwhile, Shreepur UNO Aziz Hayder Bhuyan, Assistant Superintendent of Police Akhtaruzzaman, OC of Shreepur police station Amir Hossain and Sub-Inspector Rakan Islam were injured when they went to the spot to rescue Sagor from a mass beating. l

Opposition BNP yesterday alleged that the government was hatching a conspiracy to hold the next election under its arrangement by changing the constitution.

“This fascist government wants to kill the democratic process of the country,” Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, acting secretary general of the party, said.

He was speaking at an inauguration programme of the party’s political workshop for its youth front Jubo Dal. Fakhrul said: “People have not accepted such changes to the constitution. They will resist election under the partisan government.”

He also said the country’s future was at stake, so the BNP has to play a role to get out of such “crisis.”

Pointing out the importance of the workshop, Fakhrul said BNP founder Ziaur Rahman had introduced training school for politicians and party Chairperson Khaleda Zia had resumed it after the 1/11 changeover.

“Political leaders should have detailed knowledge of the country’s history, nationalism, Liberation War, human rights, philosophy, information and technology. The Liberation war is a great achievement but a vested quarter is defaming this glory,” he said. l

Indian smuggler held, set free later n Our Correspondent, Meherpur

300,000 to take NTRC exams n Tribune Report

1The non-government teachers’ Registration examinations under the NonGovernment Teachers’ Registration and Certification Authority will begin today. About 300,000 examinees will take the examinations.

A total of 205,047 examinees will take the exam to teach at schools while 109,564 will contest for positions at colleges.

Examinations for school will be held from 8am to 12 while the college level examinations will be held tomorrow from 9am to 1pm.

One hour will be allocated for MCQ while the next three hours will be written test.

Ashish Kumar Sarkar, chairman of NTRC, said they had made all necessary preparations for holding the examinations. l

Govt mulling polls under its arrangement: Fakhrul n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla

BBC official Richard Less briefs journalists during the launching of ‘Nijey Nijey Shekha,’ an educational programme on English language learning that will be broadcast on the BTV RAJIB DHAR

The anti-smuggling taskforce in Meherpur upazila yesterday seized 33 Indian cows and 11 buffaloes and arrested an Indian national in this connection.

Arrestee Sirajul Islam admitted to police that he was from Petubhanga village under Nakshipara thana of Nadia district, India. He also confessed of bringing the herds to the Bangladeshi frontier village.

Motahar Hossain, upazila nirbahi officer of Mujibnagar upazila in Meherpur, said he along with a police team had gone to Sonapur village and arrested Sirajul when he was preparing to go to Meherpur with his smuggled animals.

He said the superintendent of police set free the Indian national who said during interrogation that he was an inhabitant of Majhpara village under Mujibnagar upazila. l

Haphazard netting in Bay posing threat to fishing resources n Tushar Hayat, Chittagong

Unabated extraction of fishes has been posing threat to the fishing resources at the Bay due to issuance of licenses to the fishing vessels without conducting any survey.

Sources at the Marine Fishery Department said a total of 167 fishing vessels have been engaged in fishing at the Bay. Of the vessels, 130 have license while rests have been running on trial basis following a High Court direction.

But the government in 1985 decided in principle to keep the number of fishing vessels at 73 Dr Zafar Alam, a professor at the Ma-

rine Science Department of the Chittagong University, said unplanned extraction of fishes had started putting a negative impact on the reserve of fishing resource, adding that 30 species of fishes had been reducing in an alarming rate due to the cause.

“The number of Shark and Jelly fishes has increased significantly in the Cox’s Bazar, Teknuf and Saint Martin area in the recent period,” he said, adding that it was an alarm to reduce usable fishing resource.

He also said no survey was conducted after 1977 to ascertain the number of species of fishes at the Bay. “Providing license to new vessels was not rational before conducting a fresh

survey,” he added.

Saif Rahman, secretary general of Marine Fishing Boat Owners’ Association, said the existing number of fishing vessels had already crossed the limit and they were against issuing of new license.

“Further increase of fishing vessels will only destroy the fishing resource in the bay,” he said.

Ashraf Uddin Nizan MP, a member of the parliament standing committee on fisheries and livestock ministry, told Dhaka Tribune that both the Awami League and BNP governments had issued licenses for the fishing vessels based on political consideration.

“Thirty three licenses have already

been provided to the influential persons of the government while issuance of 25 more licenses is underway,” he said.

Nasiruddin Mohammed Humaiun, director of the Marine Fisheries Department, said a survey of vessel involving Tk780m in 2008 was undertaken but it could not be implemented due to different complexities.

“A fresh project has been undertaken involving Tk1.2b to procure the vessel and conduct the survey,” he added.

Sources said small variety of fishes were being extracted by the local fishermen in coastal areas in unplanned ways till 1971 while reserve of huge species of fishes came to the notice of the Russian

experts, who had been engaged in making the port channel free from hazard after the liberation war.

Sources also said the Russian experts informed the Bangladesh government of the potential to extract huge fishing resource in a planned way from the deep sea adding that the Russian government had also provided 13 fishing vessels to Bangladesh during the period.

Sources, however, said the previous government had provided 45 licenses ignoring the earlier decision while the present government had so far issued 34 licenses apart from giving nod to issuance of more 25 licenses in a cabinet meeting recently. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Long Form

5

Friday, August 23, 2013

The right to remain silent The government’s recent hostility towards Odhikar and its secretary Adilur Rahman Khan is sinister and comes out of the blue

RAJIB DHAR

N

n Zeeshan Khan either Odhikar nor the man have ever had such aspersions cast upon them in the 19 years that the rights group has been in existence. In fact the opposite has frequently been true - Odhikar’s data and investigations have been relied upon by successive opposition parties, notably by the Awami League in 2001,when Odhikar held the then BNP government to its promise of eliminating human rights violations within 100 days of its tenure, a promise BNP failed to live up to.

Hints and allegations

Odhikar’s reports about human rights violations in Bangladesh have questioned the conduct of governments and security forces, as well as those of citizens. It reports on border killings, violence against women, extra-judicial killings, public lynching, elections, freedom of the media, remand violence, torture, enforced disappearances, communal violence and a number of other subjects including the recent Rana Plaza collapse. Its work has challenged and criticised all governments since 1994 irrespective of which party rules the roost, and it isn’t particularly known for pulling its punches.

alition for the International Criminal Court (CICC), USA and the Human Rights Information and Documentation Systems (HURIDOCS), Switzerland. Adilur Rahman Khan, Odhikar’s Secretary who is now under arrest, is also a member of OMCT’s general assembly.

It stands to reason that an organisation without a sufficiently sound track record would not be as well-regarded in the international community of human rights activists as Odhikar is.

National and international media, as well as diplomatic missions use its reports and statistics. In other words, Odhikar is an established and authentic human rights organisation and not the “right-wing” propaganda factory it is recently being made out to be.

Neither is Adilur Rahman Khan. He is not a member of any political party and doesn’t campaign for any either.

During his student years he was a National Socialist Party (JSD) activist along with, ironically, Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu, but his political history ends there.

He was deputy attorney general from 2007, during BNP’s tenure, a posting that caused grumblings within the party because he was not a party man, and a post that he resigned from after the military-backed caretaker government took power in 2011. Despite being asked to stay

The government issued no reply, nothing to indicate that it was unwilling or unable to meet the conditions placed by Odhikar, but instead sent plain-clothes detectives

It have been criticised for publishing uncomfortable truths, for courting controversy, even for being too sensationalist and for employing excessive commentary. But it has never been accused of criminal misrepresentation before, something that, for a 19-yearold human rights organisation faced with the sort of friction this line of work brings, is no small testament to its credibility.

Odhikar’s reports have been used

by Human Rights Watch and it is affiliated with various reputed rights organisations around the world including the World Organisation against Torture (OMCT), Switzerland, the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), France, the Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL), Thailand, the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), Switzerland, Co-

on, he maintained that he was not comfortable working for an un-elected regime, especially a military backed one. So the truth is, there is very little to associate Adilur Rahman Khan with partisan agendas.

Cloaks and daggers

But the government knows all this, because in the letter sent by the Ministry of Information to Odhikar on July 10 (a month after the report about Hefazat’s rally was published) there is no indication that the government regards Odhikar’s report as fabrication or propaganda. Instead it requested for more information to be supplied, so as to clear up the “confusion” that is being created by contradictory figures for the number of people killed during the night-raid at Shapla Chattar on May 6.

It goes as far as saying that Odhikar’s fact finding report would be instrumental to an in-depth investigation, which the government intends to conduct – not the sort of tone that would be used if it thought Odhikar was deliberately, and indeed illegally, altering the facts. The additional information requested was a “detailed list of the 61 deceased persons, along with the names of their fathers, mother and their addresses.”

Odhikar’s response reflects its experience and intuition as a human rights defender in Bangladesh. It backed its report, which contains evidence about their findings, including a number of names and sources, and maintained that the following concerns, also included in the report, must be addressed: “A credible investigation committee headed by a retired Justice of the Supreme Court should be formed immediately and the trauma the society had undergone should be addressed by finding out: 1. The number of casualties and wounded people and their whereabouts, identifying the responsibility of the government towards them.

2. To identify where the dead bodies have been buried since the relatives have the right to know. The dead deserve proper religious ritual and funerals.

3. The reason for the government to undertake such brutal and violent action against unarmed people. It is hard to establish that all possible non-violent options of sending the demonstrators out of the city of Dhaka had been completely exhausted prior to the crackdown.

4. Despite the fact that the government knew children were present in the assembly what is the justification for the authorities to attack the masses with heavy arms? Why the spree of indiscriminate shooting? It is imperative that a search is undertaken for the disappeared and the missing adolescents and children.

5. Odhikar strongly stands on the principle of the right of the people to assemble peacefully and the right to express their grievances to the government, regardless of whether it agrees to their demands or not.”

It’s difficult to understand why any citizen of a sovereign country, endowed with constitutional rights that require defending, would have any objections to these questions.

Safety, first

Contrary to the government’s assertions and to the smear campaign that has ensued, Odhikar never refused to cooperate with the government, nor did it refuse to disclose further information about the victims and

their families. They simply did what any sincere rights activist would do to make sure people are protected from mistreatment – as is their job to do – and tried to put in some safeguards.

In the letter send by Odhikar to the Ministry of Information on July 17, the rights organisation establishes that it believes the government has committed human rights violations but will cooperate with them if the following conditions are met: “It is to be mentioned that there is no victim and witness protection law in Bangladesh. Being a human rights organisation, it is Odhikar’s duty to ensure the safety and security of the victims. Therefore as a responsible human rights organisation, Odhikar humbly requests that you ensure the following for the sake of the security of the members of the victims’ families: “Form a neutral Investigation Commission, headed by a retired Judge of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh, after having discussion with human rights organisations, which are working to prepare the list of the deceased.

“Take appropriate measures to ensure the security of the information providers, victims/their families and witnesses.

“Ensure that there will not be any reprisal or any further human rights violations against victims/their families, witnesses and other information providers.

“Odhikar will definitely provide all relevant information to the Investigation Commission if and when it is established and seeks Odhikar’s cooperation. Odhikar will also submit its in depth fact finding mission, including the detailed list of the deceased to that impartial, independent Investigation Commission.

“However, without the above stated security and protection mechanisms in place, providing a detailed list of the deceased, along with their addresses, would be tantamount to conniving with human rights violators. It is not possible for Odhikar to take this step as a human rights organisation.”

And that’s the sum of it. Three perfectly valid requirements. There is a legitimate and legal argument for requesting an independent commission under Section 3 of the Commission of Inquiry Act 1956, and given that the government itself is being accused of violations, handing over the information without such a commission in place would be like giving a rapist a video that incriminates him, along with the address of the person who took the footage, and expecting justice to be done.

Foot-shooting

However, the government’s response to Odhikar’s letter is where things begin to become completely unacceptable. It issued no reply, nothing to indicate that it was unwilling or unable to meet the conditions, but instead sent plain-clothes detectives to Adilur Rahman Khan’s house at 10:30pm, to pick him up, which they did in front of his children, without an arrest warrant, without so much as a single piece of identification confirming that they are in fact policemen and not kidnappers.

He was arrested under Section 54 and then put on remand, which was stayed after BLAST vs Bangladesh was cited as legal precedence, making the request for remand void. In the following days, Odhikar’s offices were raided without a search warrant or a seizure permit, and computers and documents taken away. Adilur Rahman Khan has been taken to Kashempur Jail where, as of yet, he has been denied division.

Following the raid, the government forcefully appropriated the information they were looking for, mainly the names of the victims and their families, and their addresses.

There have been reports and complaints made to rights groups and the media by these individuals alleging that they have since been visited by law enforcers as well as party activists, and that pressure has begun to be put on them to change their statements – Exactly what Odhikar feared might happen.

Despite legal options being available to it, such as a court order, which would have compelled Odhikar to hand over the lists of names, search and arrest warrants or even the setting

up of an independent commission – as Odhikar along with other rights groups and governments have requested – the government chose to use tactics of intimidation and strong-arming, and to trample on the constitutional rights of a member of the legal fraternity, an advocate of the Supreme Court and a human rights defender.

That it can have the audacity to do that is worrying enough, but that it can do it in response to questions about heavy-handedness and rights violation, is either an overwhelming urge to shoot one’s self in the foot or a megalomanic indifference about our rights - neither of which inspires too much confidence.

Despite having legal options, the government chose to use tactics of intimidation and strong-arming, and to trample on the constitutional rights of a member of the legal fraternity

Adilur Rahman Khan may be charged with Section 57 of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Act, 2006, which makes it an offence punishable by imprisonment or fines to publish, with criminal intent, false information on the internet, which can be deemed subversive or harmful to social and communal harmony. It was designed to keep broadcast media in line, and has never been applied to a human rights report before.

However, they will have to prove that Odhikar and Adilur Rahman Khan, if they have indeed published false information, did so with a malicious intent to cause social unrest or jeopardise the country, something that Odhikar’s history and reputation doesn’t lend itself to proving. What’s more, this will also mean that virtually every rights group and media house that reported deaths on the night of May 6, local and international, is guilty of the same crime.

But that’s not the real issue. There are two burning questions surrounding the story of Adilur Rahman Khan’s arrest. The first is the government’s reluctance to create an independent commission and open an investigation that will put to rest the “confusion” over the events of May 6.

Such a commission would allow them to get all the information they need and to refute the allegations that are being made against them. If the findings of the investigation go their way, they will have legitimate grounds to accuse Odhikar and others of wilful misrepresentation. However their actions, and the smear campaign they have initiated against Odhikar seems to suggest they are not 100% sure that will happen.

The second question, which is more worrying for any conscientious citizen of Bangladesh, is this: Is there no space left to criticise the government? If Supreme Court lawyers and human rights defenders can have their own rights taken away when they voice concerns about the actions of a democratically elected government, where does that leave the rest of us? l Zeeshan Khan is a journalist.

Saira Rahman Khan, Associate Professor, School of Law, BRAC University, and founding member of Odhikar, in an interview with Dhaka Tribune Has your husband ever been suspected of foul play before?

My husband has never been suspected of “foul play.” The Odhikar office is regularly under surveillance and the phones are tapped. People from the intelligence agencies attend our conferences. These are all the occupational hazards of a human rights organisation. Having said that, government has never harassed us at such an extreme level before.

As a lawyer do your instincts tell you that there is political interference in the legal process?

He is a lawyer of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh and a respected member of society. He is not a flight risk. The manner in which he was taken away and the government’s asking for 10- day remand fit the pattern by which political activists are taken away and tortured. So, yes ... I think there is political interference.

Odhikar’s letter to the Ministry of Information states that you are willing to fully cooperate if certain conditions are met. Given that, the MoI’s response was unexpectedly hostile. Had a tense atmosphere been prevalent even before the exchange of letters?

There have been tension between Odhikar and every government in power since 1995. Disappearances, torture, ill-treatment are all common tools used by law enforcement agencies in Bangladesh and are among the main human rights violations monitored by Odhikar. Law enforcement is a tool in the hands of the government and, like it or not, it is manipulated.

Odhikar’s computers and the list of names are now in the government’s possession, and families of victims have reported ‘harassment.’ Isn’t this exactly what Odhikar was concerned about?

This is exactly why Odhikar wanted to give the list to an independent commission – one that Odhikar could feel would respect the rights of the victim families.

Since the list of names was in the hands of the government – taken from the computers that were seized by the DB police – and that the government claims the list is false, we decided to give it to four international and one national human rights organisation, with a request that they carry out their own fact finding and verify the data.

Other rights groups both local and international have extended support to Odhikar, as have diplomatic missions. Are you confident that the government will recognise that this is not something they can quietly get away with?

I do not know what the government thinks any more. Arresting Adilur Rahman Khan in such a manner, doubting our information after 19 years, trying to label Adilur and discredit him, shows how reckless things are becoming. There are no breaks anymore on this roller coaster. The incident could not be carried out quietly, as Odhikar made the issue a regional and international one 10 minutes after Adilur’s arrest. If we were not sincere in our human rights work, we would not have so many friends.

There is nothing peculiar about requesting that an independent investigation be conducted. Other groups have called for it and there is also a legal provision. Why has there been such a heavy-handed response against Odhikar alone?

Not only that, other human rights groups and some media have done their own investigations and come up with death tolls – all more than the government claim of 11. Why have they not been asked to hand over their data? I think the government has been planning to silent Odhikar and this was a good excuse to do so.

6

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Nation

Friday, August 23, 2013

Farmers frustrated over low prices

Bumper jute production expected in southwestern region n UNB

One maund of jute being sold at Tk800 to Tk1,000 in Lalmonirhat bighas of land spending Tk27,000 this n Durjoy Roy, Lalmonirhat year and got production of 27 maunds A decline in the price of jute in the local market this year has Lalmonirhat farmers worried.

The farmers are selling jute at much lower rates than the cost of production in the local market incurring reasonable amount of loss.

Anxious farmers told this correspondent that they had to sell jute at a lower rate as they needed money for growing paddy during the upcoming season.

‘I cultivated jute on four bighas of land spending Tk27,000 this year and got production of 27 maunds of jute. I have already sold eight maunds of jute at Tk910 per maund in the local market’ One maund of jute is now being sold at Tk800 to Tk1,000 in the wholesale market in Lalmonirhat. Farmers who come by to sell jute at different ‘haats’ (weekly markets) return home depressed because of the low prices.

Mofa Miah, a jute farmer from Borua village in Lalmonirhat Sadar upazila, said, on an average a farmer gains a production of six to eight maunds of jute from each bigha (27 decimals) of land at a cost of Tk6,000 to Tk8,000.

He said: “I cultivated jute on four

of jute. I have already sold eight maunds of jute at Tk910 per maund in the local market.”

“I had to sell jute at a lower price as I needed money for ‘aman’ farming,” he added.

Delwar Hossain, a farmer from Karnapur village in the Sadar upazila said he sold six maunds of jute at Tk830 per maund which was way lower than its cost of production.

Sanowarul Islam, a patron at Nayarhat, a local market in Lalmonirhat sadar, said he and other customers have been purchasing the best quality jute at Tk950 to Tk1,000 per maund, the lesser quality jute at Tk850 to Tk900 and the lowest quality at Tk800 to Tk850 from growers.

Lalmonirhat AED official sources said a total of 5,470 hectares of land have been cultivated with the goal of producing 284,000 maunds of jute this year.

Deputy Director of Lalmonirhat AED Abdul Mazid said many farmers did not cultivate jute this year as they could not recoup the costs of production for the year before. If farmers do not get a fair price for jute this year, many of them might lose interest in jute cultivation for the next term, he said.

“The farmers can benefit if they can sell one maund of jute at Tk1,200 to Tk1,400,” he added. l

Framers in 10 southwestern districts are expecting a bumper jute production this season thanks to favourable weather conditions and a “better return” from the market.

Agriculture officials are also hopeful the jute yield may cross the target after an increase in cultivation acreage.

Sources at the Khulna Agriculture Extension Department said a target had been set to produce about 2,211,552 bales of jute from 203,063 hectares of land in the districts this season, but farmers have reportedly cultivated jute on more land than was targeted.

Tusher Kranti Biswas, a local agriculture officer, said on an average jute growers have to spend Tk10,000 per single hectare of land, against what they get 50 maunds of jute, worth Tk75,000-80,000.

M Jahangir Hossain, an official at the Platinum Jubilee Jute Mill in Khalishpur of Khulna, said farmers had already started harvesting jute and selling “at better prices than last season.”

Jahangir further said Tossa jute (local) is selling at Tk1550 per maund. l

Ranisankail health complex turns into jute godown

n Our Correspondent, Thakurgaon Miscreants vandalised and torched a Hindu temple at Madarganj village in Thakurgaon early yesterday

Irregularity alleged in teachers’ recruitment at Sreepur Degree College n Our Correspondent, Magura Nirmal Kumar Saha, principal of Sreepur Degree College in Magura, have been alleged for appointing three new lecturers to three departments in his college having inadequate number of students.

He appointed them in exchange of bribes, alleged some faculty members of the college, seeking anonymity.

They alleged that the principal took bribe of Tk1.8m.

The principal made forged documents showing incorrect number of students enrolled in the departments in order to enlist the three new lecturers in the MPO (monthly pay order).

The forged documents showed 35

to 40 students enrolled in BSC, BCom and BBM departments of the college whereas the actual numbers of students enrolled in these departments are one, four and six respectively.

While a visit to the college, no more than two students were marked in each of the departments.

It has been found that many of the students whose names were enlisted in the forged documents, are studying at different other universities and colleges in the district. Rubel Hossain, enlisted as a BSC student of the college told: “I am a student of Moulana Vasani University. I am quite confused how I can be a student of Sreepur degree college.”

Another student showed as a BSC department of the college, Mahia

Taskia, told: “I know nothing about my admission in Sreepur Degree College as I am studying Physics at Magura Government College.”

Earlier the principal made an appeal to the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education to enlist the lecturers in MPO. But the Director General had refused the proposal because of inadequate number of students in the respective departments.

The directorate’s minimum requirement is to have at least 40 students enrolled in the departments in order to enlist new teachers in the MPO. So the principal made forged documents where he distorted the number of students. When contacted, Nirmal Kumar Shaha, admitted that the pro-

FOCUS BANGLA

137 risky buildings to be demolished in Jessore n Our Correspondent, Jessore Jessore Municipality has issued letters to the owners of 137 old buildings to demolish their constructions as the authorities have identified the constructions as being unsafe.

Sultana Razia, town planner of Jessore Municipality, said the identified buildings are more than 150 years old.

During a recent survey, the Municipality has found that some people have been living inside the old buildings under extreme risks.

Two brothers died in the town as an ancient temple building, which had been abandoned for a while, collapsed on them on June 26. The temple was built in 1729.

After their deaths, the municipality sped up their work and issued the let-

ters to the owners of the old buildings to avoid such incidents from happening again.

But Dhaka Tribune’s Jessore correspondent has found that a number of

Two brothers died in the town as an ancient temple building, which had been abandoned for a while, collapsed on them on June 26. The temple was built in 1729 homeless people have been living inside the old buildings.

Maruful Islam, mayor of Jessore Municipality, said there are 60 risky buildings under ward number 2 while ward number 1 and 6 each have 20 such buildings; ward number 3 has 11 and ward number 9 has 5. l

The 50-bed Ranisankail Upazila Health Complex has turned into storage of jute.

A pile of jute was found at the Obstetrics Department situated on the second floor of the hospital. The patients have to tolerate bad odour of jute.

When contacted over phone with Residential Medical Officer Dr Abdus Samad on Wednesday, he set up a meeting with the correspondent but was unavailable when the corresponded went to meet him.

Patients alleged that although the authority concerned had increased the number of seats, they have failed to ensure improved healthcare facilities.

The 50-bed hospital is beset with manifold problems, including serious manpower crisis and shortage of medicines.

Patients of the hospital alleged that they had to buy medicines from outside.

The patients told the reporter that they do not know where to go to submit their complaints against the poor service.

They did not get any effective outcome after making complaint to the hospital authorities. l

NEWS IN BRIEF A women murdered in Tangail Police recovered the body of a woman from a bush beside Tangail Bisic office at Tarotia, sadar upazila, Tangail yesterday. The deceased was Bijly Begum, 30, of Vatkura village, sadar upazila in the district. Officer-in-Charge of Sadar Model police station Md Nazrul Islam said upon information, police rushed to the spot and recovered the body. She might have been killed to resolve the control of drug business in the locality. Her husband Farid Miah is in jail for four months for trading drugs, he added. Police sent the dead body to Tangail General Hospital morgue for post mortem. – Our Correspondent

‘Robbers’ kill expatriate in Comilla

Around 16 villages of Hatiya and Companigonj upazilas have flooded because of tidal water and rain, leaving 21,000 inhabitants of the locality marooned

BANGLAR CHOKH

Dalit people demand constitutional recognition n UNB, Barisal Leaders of Dalit community have demand that the government give them constitutional recognition and put an end to all forms of discrimination against them.

They came up with the demand at a discussion, titled ‘Discrimination by Birth and Profession: socio-economic

influence and way of development’, organised by Bangladesh Dalit and Excluded Rights Movement (BDERM) and Nagarik Udyog at Celebration Point auditorium in the city on Wednesday.

Local government representatives, right activists, educationists and leaders of different indigenous communities joined the discussion.

The BDERM president Mukul Shi-

kdar, cultural activist Akkas Hossain, freedom fighter Enayet Hossain Chowdhury, district president of Bangladesh Hindu Buddha Christian Oikya Parishad Mrinal Kanti Saha, among others, spoke at the programme held with BDERM district president Lalit Das in the chair.

BDERM Central Organising Secretary Uttam Kumar Vakto moderated

the programme.

Describing various problems the excluded communities now facing, the speakers called for an end to the eviction of Dalit from their ancestral homes.

They recommended providing equal opportunities to Dalit and excluded community members in all government activities. l

An alleged gang of robbers killed an expatriate within hours after his return from abroad and looted valuables from his house in the village of Bahura in Nangalkot upazila, Comilla yesterday. The deceased Tazul Islam, 50, was an expatriate of Oman. Locals said a gang of robbers stormed into Tazul’s home at around 1:45am, hours after he came back home from Oman. The bandits held the house inmates hostage and looted cash, gold jewellery and other valuables. When Tazul tried to fight back, the robbers locked him into a scuffle, hacked at him with sharp weapons and slit his throat, leaving him dead. Upon being informed, police came to the spot.– UNB

Youth jailed for teasing A Sherpur mobile court on Wednesday sentenced a youth to four months’ imprisonment for teasing three madrasa girls at Shimultala village in the district’s Nalitabari upazila. The convict is one Minar

Hossain. Police said locals caught Minar as he was seen to have been passing indecent comments on the girls, who are students of class VIII of Nalitabari Aleem Madrasa, who were on their way to the madrasa in the morning. Minar was produced before a mobile court led by the upazila nirbahi officer of Nalitabari Upazila, also an executive magistrate, who handed down the jail term to him. He was later sent to jail. – UNB

BGB seizes contraband worth Tk1bn in 7 months in Jessore

The 26th Border Guard Bangladesh Battalion has seized, in the last seven months, smuggled goods worth Tk1.02bn in Jessore. During this period, the BGB seized a record quantity of drugs, including Yaba, liquor and Indian Phensedyl syrup, worth millions of taka. The contrabands were seized while they were crossing into the country from India or being smuggled out to the neighbouring country from Bangladesh. BGB sources said they have seized a good number of foreign made weapons as well. The border force has strengthened its watch so that weapons cannot enter the country ahead of the next general elections, the sources added. – UNB

Fire at soya bean oil factory in Fatullah The contents of a soya bean factory in the area of Dapa, Fatullah police station, were gutted yesterday. Fire service and civil defence sources said the fire originated at the factory from an electric short-circuit.

Upon being informed, firefighters rushed to the spot and extinguished the fire within an hour.. Owner of the factory, Fazlul Haq, said the fire had claimed machinery and supplies worth about Tk1.2m.

– Our Correspondent

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Metro

7

Friday, August 23, 2013

Gulistan-Jartabari flyover unlikely to meet 4th deadline The delays in the flyover construction have hit residents and commuters in the area with nagging traffic jam Construction of road, drainage and n Tribune Desk canopy is going on, he added.

The Gulistan-Jartabari flyover is likely to miss for the fourth time - its completion deadline on September 22, despite deadline extensions several times before.

Banglanews quoted authorities concerned as saying that construction of the overpass continues at a slow pace.

There is no progress in construction, despite failure to meet the deadline thrice, they added.

Seeking anonymity, an official said it seems impossible to wrap the work in a month, but political pressure from high-ups have led to round-the-clock work for completing the project.

He added, “We have been telling everyone that only five to ten percent construction remains unfinished and can be completed before the deadline, but it seems quite impossible to meet the challenge.”

However, a section of superintendent officers expressed hopes that the flyover can be completed by September as the government has provided more manpower and technologies.

On the other hand, another superintendent engineer requesting anonymity said, “We do not have enough time.

We have been working round the clock as the Prime Minister is supposed to visit the site to observe the progress in the construction work.”

Some officials cited “political instability like hartal and blockade” as the reason behind the delay.

The Tk2.3bn flyover — the country’s first-ever Public Private Partnership scheme — is named after former Mayor of Dhaka Mohammad Hanif. Orion

A section of superintendent officers expressed hopes that the flyover can be completed by September as the government has provided more manpower and technologies Group – which was awarded the construction contract in 2005 - will collect public toll and transfer the money to Dhaka City Corporation.

Earlier in 2010, the Prime Minister inaugurated the construction of the flyover which would help connect Dhaka-Chittagong, Dhaka-Maowa, Dhaka-Demra highways and different link roads of Jatrabari and Gulistan areas.

The first flyover completion deadline was in December last year, which was pushed to March 26 and later to June 30.

The delays in the flyover construction have hit residents and commuters in the area with nagging traffic jam. l

The Gulistan-Jartabari flyover is likely to miss another completion deadline much to the frustration of commuters

No respite from water-logging Jamil Khan, n Mohammad back from Khulna The sufferings of residents in low-lying areas of Khulna are immense due to water-logging caused for lack of proper drainage system.

Even moderate shower inundates almost all the streets of Sonadanga, Nabinagar, Chanmari, Baghmara, Moylapota, Boyra, Baniakhamar, Bashupara, Shantidham Square, Siddikia Mohalla, Khalishpur for several hours, creating gridlock as well as suffering for city people.

Rainwater intrudes into ground floors of many slums, shops, educational institutions and other establishments.

Abdul Kuddus, a shopkeeper of the city’s Chanmari kitchen market, told the Dhaka Tribune that rainwater invaded their shops even after a

drizzle and damages shop items.

The residents blame poor drainage system for their woes.

Although the drains and filled-up city canals have been excavated and re-excavated and illegal structures on the canals were demolished several times in the past, the problem of water-logging still persists.

The efforts of the governments, Khulna City Corporation (KCC) and the Khulna Development Authority (KDA) to recover grabbed canals to resolve water-logging is yet to be a success.

Liakat Ali Sharif, chief engineer of Khulna City Corporation (KCC), told the Dhaka tribune that rain water cannot pass through the narrow drains and canals.

The indiscriminate throwing of garbage into drains and canals, construction of infrastructures on sides

of the canals and the haphazard bamboo pilings for various purposes have narrowed down the canals, obstructing the normal flow of rain and waste water, the chief engineer added.

The efforts of the governments, Khulna City Corporation and the Khulna Development Authority to recover grabbed canals to resolve water-logging is yet to be a success Engineer Liakat Sharif said KCC workers had been trying to remove the water-logging and have planned to improve the city’s drainage system.

Advocate Firoz Ahmed, member secretary of Khulna Nagorik Samaj,

said reasons behind water-logging needs to be identified and a proper project needs to be implemented to solve the problem.

He emphasised on taking short, medium and long-term plans and implementing them through coordinated efforts.

Prof Md Zafar Imam, president of Conscious Citizen Committee (CCC) of Khulna, said resistance during eviction was the main barrier to implement drainage development projects.

He suggested fixing a period and entrusting all authorities concerned with specific tasks to solve the problem and to appoint consultants if needed.

ATM Wahid Azhar, chief engineer of KDA, said various programmes have been undertaken to ease water logging. l

RAJIB DHAR

Sheltech Autumn Fair begins today n Tribune Report The “Sheltech Autumn Fair 2013” begins today at the corporate office of the real estate and housing company Sheltech at west Panthapath in the city.

“Sheltech is always offering the best services to customers. We always offer flats and plots at fixed price, with the exception of last three fairs,” Sheltech Managing Director Dr Toufiq M Seraj said while addressing a press conference yesterday.

Through the autumn fair, Sheltech is now going to its old tradition that is fixed price rate, he added.

Chairman of the company Kutub Uddin Ahmed was also present at the conference.

In the last three fairs including the company’s 25 Years Anniversary Fair,

Summer Fair and Eid Bonanza Fair, Sheltech offered 25% discount on purchase of land and apartments at its different projects.

Seraj said they adjusted apartment prices in every three months after reviewing market price.

“Considering the present condition of real estate and housing sector, recently we have fixed price of our ready flats which has appropriate rates on context of the capital,” Toufiq said.

“In the autumn fair, Sheltech offers 400 ready flats to its customers,” he added.

Sheltech, one of the oldest real estate and housing industry in the country, is also offering car and land in raffle draw for its Bithika apartment project at Mirpur and Ashulia Niskantak land project.l

CHITTAGONG ISLAMIA UNIVERSITY COLLEGE

Conflict between principal and BCL men pushes about 8000 students into uncertainty n Tarek Mahmud, Chittagong

Many low-lying areas in Chittagong city, including CDA area, went under water after heavy shower yesterday

FOCUS BANGLA

Disputes between Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) men and the principal of Chittagong Islamia University College, have led to the disruption of the college’s educational activities for the past two months.

The BCL backed Chhatra-Chhatri Songram Parishad (CCSP) had been staging demonstrations demanding the resignation of the college’s principal since June 12, while the teachers have also been boycotting classes since August 18 protesting the assault on the teachers by the BCL men.

CCSP has termed Principal Rezaul Kabir as a corrupt individual, and is carrying out its movement to press home an 11-point demand, which includes his resignation. The principal meanwhile had dissolved the students’

union as it had expired its tenure.

The students and teachers of the college told the Dhaka Tribune that the principal had been offering additional benefits to BCL men for admission and form fill-ups for various examinations, while performing his duties for the past 23 years. Sources claimed Rezaul Kabir failed to do so this year because of the online system, causing agitation amongst BCL activists. In retaliation, the activists declared the principal unwanted and attacked a number of teachers during the two-month movement.

College sources informed that the principal had lodged a case against students, particularly the BCL activists, while the college unit of BCL backed CCSP had also filed a case with a Chittagong court accusing the principal of different irregularities.

Kawsar Akhter Hira, an HSC first year student, told the Dhaka Tribune that no class was held after the Eid vacation as teachers were boycotting classes. Nusrat Jahan, another student, said that they had failed to take necessary preparation for their first year final exam, adding that it would put a negative impact on their HSC exam.

Mansur-ul-Alam Chowdhury, vice principal of the college, said that they boycotted classes to ensure a congenial educational environment in the campus. “We are talking to the guardians, renowned individuals in the area and district administration to solve the problem as quickly as possible,” he said.

The principal, Rezaul Kabir, said that the complaints against him are false and that attempts were being made to resolve the problem as early as possible. l

Tk1m and motorbike Withdrawal of cases against students demanded snatched in city n ANTI-REPRESSION DAY OBSERVED AT RU

RU Correspondent

The Rajshahi University students yesterday observed Day Against Repression of teachers and students on campus by law enforcers on August 22 of 2007.

They also demanded withdrawal of cases filed against students by the lawmen during the then army-backed caretaker government.

On the day, the law enforcers assaulted RU teachers, students and employees who lodged protest at an assault on some Dhaka University students by army during a football match in the DU university central playground.

The RU students had been ob-

serving the day since 2008.

They also requested the university authorities to observe the day likewise.

Under the banner of “Students against Repression”, they brought out a procession from Rabindra Arts Building that paraded across the campus and ended at Tukitaki Chattar followed by a rally.

At the rally, the speakers condemned the army-backed caretaker government in 2007.

They urged the government to take steps to withdraw cases against a total of 13 students immediately and exemplary punishment to those involved in the repression of teachers,

students and employees.

Later, the students submitted a memorandum including a four-point demand to RU Vice-Chancellor Prof Mizanuddin.

The demands included withdrawal of cases filed against the students, declaration of August 22 as the “Day against Repression of Teachers and Students”, withdrawal of ban on political activities imposed on RU and steps to ensure safety of the university students.

On August 20, 2007, a student protest erupted at Dhaka University as many army men beat up three students and insulted a teacher in the university central playground during a football match.

Later, the student protest spread across the universities of the country and it continued from 20 to 23 August of 2007.

Following the unrest on RU campus on August 22, the caretaker government arrested some RU teachers and filed cases against them.

The teachers were tortured at a joint interrogation cell in Rajshahi city.

The victims include Prof Saidur Rahman Khan, Prof Abdus Sobhan, Prof Chowdhury Sarwar Jahan, Prof Golam Sabbir Sattar, Prof Moloy Bhowmik, Associate Prof Dulal Chandra Biswas, Associate Prof Sayed Selim Reza Newton and Assistant Prof Abdullah Al Mamun. l

n Tribune Report

A group of muggers snatched away Tk1m after stabbing a businessman at Kamrangirchar, while another group robbed a motorbike by shooting and stabbing the rider at Mohakhali Flyover in the city yesterday.

Police said the victims were Firoz Miah, 30, a polythene trader, and Abdur Rob, 25, a masters student of the Department of Economics in Dhaka College. Both of them have been undergoing treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

Apurbo Ahsan, officer in-charge of

Tejgaon police station, said a group of three muggers put a barricade over the flyover with a white private car when Rob was on his way to Uttara from Nilkhet at around 6am.

Closing in on the car, Rob stopped his bike when one of the muggers fired two rounds of bullet at him while another stabbed at him indiscriminately chopping off one of Rob’s fingers in the process.

Hearing his screams, passers-by approached the scene but were unable to catch the attackers.

They rushed Rob to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital, and promptly called his relatives. l

8

DHAKA TRIBUNE

International

Friday, August 23, 2013

Syrian forces bombard Damascus suburbs following gas attack n Reuters, Beirut/Amman

Lebanese citizens, light candles during a vigil against the alleged chemical weapons attack on the suburbs of Damascus, in front the United Nations headquarters in Beirut AP

WORLD WATCH

Thai court hands Iranian life sentence

An Iranian man who blew off his own legs was sentenced to life in prison by a Thai court on Thursday for his involvement in a botched bomb plot that rocked Bangkok last year and brought condemnation from Israel. A court found Saeid Moradi, 29, guilty of attempted murder in an attack that authorities say was intended to target Israeli diplomats. A second defendant, Mohammad Khazaei, 43, was given 15 years in jail for possession of explosive devices.

Five people were wounded by a series of explosions in Bangkok on February 14, 2012. Israel has accused arch-enemy Iran of orchestrating the attacks, but Tehran denies the accusations.

Rare polio virus spreads to Israel’s north

Israel’s president is urging the country’s children to get polio boosters after a rare appearance of the virus spread to the north of the country. President Shimon Peres and Health Minister, Yael German met with children getting vaccinations at a Jerusalem clinic on Wednesday. German said new lab results show the “virus is migrating north and spreading.” Israel this week began a nationwide campaign to inoculate children with booster drops after a rare discovery of the virus in the south of the country.

Thai teenagers arrested for selling ‘funny air’

Two Thai teenagers have discovered laughter isn’t always the best medicine after they were arrested for selling balloons containing “funny air” – or laughing gas – to tourists. The pair, aged 17 and 19, were charged Wednesday with trafficking in controlled substances, punishable by a maximum five-year jail term, after allegedly selling balloons containing nitrous oxide in the tourist resort of Pattaya.

The gas, known locally as funny air, induces euphoria and laughter when inhaled. It has several legitimate uses, including numbing pain during medical procedures such as dentistry.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s forces bombarded rebel-held suburbs of Damascus on Thursday, activists said, keeping up pressure on the besieged region a day after the opposition accused the army of gassing hundreds in a chemical weapons attack.

With Wednesday’s death toll estimated between 500 and 1,300, what would be the world’s most lethal chemical weapons attack since the 1980s prompted an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council in New York.

Opposition activists said men, women and children were killed as they slept.

The council did not explicitly demand a UN investigation of the incident, although it said “clarity” was needed and welcomed UN chief Ban Ki-moon’s calls for a prompt investigation by the UN inspection team in Syria, led by Ake Sellstrom.

An earlier Western-drafted statement submitted to the council, seen by Reuters, was not approved. The final version of the statement was watered down to accommodate objections from Russia and China, diplomats said. Moscow and Beijing have vetoed previous Western efforts to impose UN penalties on Assad.

The Syrian opposition said President Bashar al-Assad’s forces fired rockets that released deadly fumes over rebel-held eastern Damascus sub-

urbs, which are part of what is known as the Ghouta. The area is an expanse of old farmland dotted with large built up areas inhabited mostly by members of Syria’s Sunni Muslim majority that have been at the forefront of the uprising against Assad’s Alawite rule.

Assad’s Shia backer Iran said the Syrian government could not have been behind the possible chemical weapon attack as Assad had the upper hand in the fighting.

A report by the opposition al-Sham Research Centre said the use of chemical weapons on a scale unseen since their use was first reported last year is “a message” from Assad to Turkey and the Arab Sunni backers of the revolt. They appeared to have increased their support for the armed opposition, and the attack showed that Assad was not afraid of escalating the conflict, unleashing a new wave or refugees and destabilising the region, the center said.

In Ghouta on Thursday, rockets fired from multiple launchers and heavy mortar rounds hit the neighborhoods of Jobar and Zamalka, which are on the eastern outskirts of the capital, the activists said.

Rockets also hit the nearby district of Qaboun to the north, where rebel fighters have repelled attempts by loyalist forces to overrun the area, and the Yarmouk Palestinian refugee camp area to the south, the activists added.

Speaking from Ghouta, activist

Khaled Amer said explosions from rockets hitting Zamalka were being heard.

In Jobar, a Damascus neighbourhood only 3km from the historic centre of the ancient capital, explosions were heard at an army fortification and another compound housing tanks, apparently from a rebel attack on the facilities.

Fadi al-Shami of the Tarhrir al-Sham Brigade, which operates in the eastern Ghouta region, said scattered fighting was taking place along the Jobar-Zamalka axis and that opposition

Iran said the Syrian government could not have been behind the possible chemical weapon attack as Assad had the upper hand forces have moved closer to loyalist lines, partly to be in safer positions in case of another chemical attack.

Syrian Information Minister Omran Zoabi said the allegations were “illogical and fabricated.” Assad’s officials have said they would never use poison gas against Syrians.

Assad’s approval

Russia said Thursday that a UN weapons inspection team in Syria must get the government’s approval to visit the site of an alleged chemical attack near Damascus that the opposition says killed hundreds.

The Russian foreign ministry’s official spokesman said the site of Wednesday’s incident was controlled by rebels and that security concerns must also be addressed before any UN inspections are made. As far as we are aware, this region is under the control of the rebels,” foreign ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich told reporters.

UN Deputy Secretary General Jan Eliasson briefed UN Security Council members Wednesday on the incident, in which the Syrian opposition said more than 1,300 people were killed in bomb attacks with a chemical agent carried out

by President Bashar al-Assad’s forces.

Council members then announced that they were seeking “clarity” about the situation but failed to agree on a formal statement condemning the attack.

A diplomat in New York said Russia and China – two permanent UN Security Council members that have backed Assad throughout the conflict – blocked a statement condemning the incident.

The Russian foreign ministry called accusations that the Syrian regime had orchestrated the alleged chemical attack a “premeditated provocation.”

Moscow said that it believed that a chemical substance whose makeup it did not know had been launched from a position controlled by the rebels.

The comment implied that Russia was intially blaming Assad’s foes for the attack. l

Tepco says radiation hotspots found at Fukushima tanks

WikiLeaker Manning says is female, wants to live as a woman

n AFP, Tokyo

Bradley Manning, sentenced to 35 years in military prison for the biggest breach of classified US documents in US history, said in a statement on Thursday he is female and wants to live as a woman named Chelsea.

“As I transition into this next phase of my life, I want everyone to know the real me. I am Chelsea Manning, I am a female,” Manning, 25, said in the statement read on NBC News’ “Today” show.

“Given the way that I feel and have felt since childhood, I want to begin hormone therapy as soon as possible,” Manning said. “I also request that starting today you refer to me by my new name and use the feminine pronoun.”

Manning’s lawyer David Coombs said on the programme that he expected Manning to get a pardon from President Barack Obama.

Manning, a former junior intelligence analyst, was sentenced on Wednesday for turning over more than 700,000 classified files, battlefield vid-

The operator of the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant said Thursday it had found new radiation hotspots near tanks storing radioactive water, but no new leaks.

Around 300 tonnes of toxic liquid is believed to have escaped from one of the tanks that hold polluted water, some of which was used to cool the broken reactors, in an episode dubbed the most serious in nearly two years.

Plant owner Tokyo Electric Power Co (Tepco) warned some of it might have flowed into the Pacific Ocean.

And during inspections Thursday of around 300 other tanks of a similar design, Tepco said while no more holes had been found, two areas were a cause for concern. “We have confirmed two spots where radiation doses are high” near two other tanks, a company statement said.

But the levels of water in these two tanks have not changed since they were pressed into service to store contaminated water and the ground around them was dry, it added.

The inspections were prompted by the discovery of a leak that the company said may have carried radioactive materials out to sea, with the country’s nuclear watchdog voicing concerns that there could be similar leaks from other containers.

On Wednesday, nuclear regulators said the leak represented a level-three “serious incident” on the UN’s seven-point International Nuclear Event Scale (INES), raising the alert from level one, an “anomaly.”

The quake and tsunami-sparked meltdowns at the plant in March 2011 were ultimately categorised as level seven on the INES scale. The Chernobyl disaster in 1986 is the only other incident to have been given the most serious ranking.

Tepco has said puddles of water near the holed tank were so toxic that anyone exposed to them would receive the same amount of radiation in an hour that a nuclear plant worker in Japan is allowed to receive in five years.

The absence of a volume gauge on

n Reuters, Washington

the 1,000-tonne tank made detecting the problem more difficult, experts say.

Scientists say levels of radiation in the ocean in several spots along the Fukushima coast had been recovering.

“It is too early to estimate the impact of the latest leak,” said Masashi Kusakabe, researcher at Marine Ecology research Institute.

Jota Kanda, an oceanographer and professor at Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, said: “It is inevitable that some water has reached

The inspections were prompted by the discovery of a leak that the company said may have carried radioactive materials out to sea the sea. So far its impact on the marine environment is limited, but it will be a different story if more leaks happen.”

Tepco – which faces huge clean-up and compensation costs – has struggled to cope with the after-effects of the disaster. More than two years after the meltdowns, it continues to be beset by difficulties, chief among which is how it should handle the vast amounts of water used to cool the broken reactors.

Around 1,000 tanks of varying sizes have been installed at the site to contain it, but experts warn this can only be a temporary fix.

A series of problems, and delays in announcing them to the public, have added to the impression that the huge utility is not on top of the clean-up.

Tepco in July admitted for the first time that radioactive groundwater had been leaking outside the plant.

This month it started pumping it out to reduce leakage into the Pacific and this week said 30 trillion becquerels of strontium and caesium, possibly cancer-causing substances, could have entered the ocean since May 2011 from this leak.

While no one is officially recorded as having died as a direct result of the radiation released by the meltdowns, large areas around the plant had to be evacuated. l

Bradley Manning poses for a photo wearing a wig and lipstick eos and diplomatic cables to WikiLeaks in the biggest breach of secret data in the nation’s history.

Manning is expected to serve the

EU official concerned over Guardian Snowden action n AFP, Brussels European Union Justice Commissioner Viviane Reding said Thursday she shared concerns over press freedom after the British authorities detained the partner of a Guardian journalist in connection with Edward Snowden’s leaking of US intelligence files.

“I fully share Mr Jagland’s concerns,” Reding said in a tweeted message, referring to a letter sent to the British government by Council of Europe head Thorbjoern Jagland.

“These measures, if confirmed, may have a potentially chilling effect on journalists’ freedom of expression as guaranteed by Article 10 of the European Convention on Human

Rights,” Jagland said in the letter.

David Miranda, 28, the partner of Guardian journalist Glenn Greenwald, was on Sunday detained at Heathrow Airport for nine hours under anti-terror laws and had his laptop, phone and other electronic equipment confiscated.

The left-liberal Guardian’s editor Alan Rusbridger has claimed he was ordered earlier to destroy some of the newspaper’s classified Snowden files during a shadowy visit from a senior government official a month ago.

The government confirmed on Wednesday that the official sent to the Guardian was Cabinet Secretary Jeremy Heywood, who is Cameron’s most senior policy advisor. l

Zimbabwe Mugabe sworn in

UK Queen’s swan found barbecued on riverbank

British police were on Wednesday investigating the killing and apparent barbecueing of one of Queen Elizabeth II’s swans. The bird was butchered, burnt and stripped of its flesh before the carcass was dumped on a riverbank near Windsor Castle, west of London, police and an animal charity said.

All wild mute swans in Britain are considered the property of the crown and it is an offence to kill one. A law dating from the 12th century claimed ownership for the Crown of all swans in England and killing or injuring one of the birds used to be classed as treason.

n AFP, Harare

A Zimbabwe crowd cheers for Robert Mugabe in Harare

REUTERS

Veteran leader Robert Mugabe was sworn in as Zimbabwe’s president for another five-year term Thursday before a stadium packed with tens of thousands of jubilant supporters.

Mugabe, 89, pledged “to observe, uphold and defend the constitution of Zimbabwe” in an oath administered by Chief Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku, extending his 33-year rule.

Supporters clad in clothes emblazoned with the image of the man who has lead their nation since independence in 1980 filled the 60,000-seater venue, a show of force after elections

many say were rigged.

Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai insists the July 31 vote was stolen and his party boycotted the inauguration. Tsvangirai’s spokesman said the opposition leader “can’t attend a robber’s party.”

Former colonial power Britain has called for an “independent investigation” into the conduct of the election, which Mugabe officially won by a landslide.

Unlike previous low-key investitures, Thursday’s event carried strong echoes of Mugabe’s inauguration as prime minister of a newly independent Zimbabwe in 1980. Mugabe was greeted in the stadium by thunderous cheers. l

AP

sentence at the US Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.

Coombs has said the soldier could be pardoned in seven years. l

Bomb kills pro alQaeda commander in Pakistan n AFP, Peshawar A militant commander who sheltered al-Qaeda fighters was killed on Thursday by a roadside bomb along with four associates in Pakistan’s northwestern tribal belt, security officials said.

Ghulam Jan Wazir died on the spot when his vehicle hit the bomb in the Sholam area, five kilometres west of Wana, the main town in South Waziristan district on the Afghan border.

A senior security official told AFP that Wazir had for several years sheltered Arab and Central Asian fighters in South Waziristan.

“He was anti-government and well known for his support to foreigners,” the official told AFP on condition of anonymity.

Local residents also said Wazir had a reputation for harbouring Uzbek, Tajik and Central Asian militants in the past.

He was among a group of fighters forced to leave South Waziristan when Maulvi Nazir, a prominent warlord allied to the government, launched an armed campaign in 2007 against foreign fighters.

Wazir returned to South Waziristan last year after reaching a deal with the Nazir group, before Nazir was killed in a US drone strike in January.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for Wazir’s death. He is the third pro al-Qaeda militant commander killed in similar circumstances in South Waziristan in the last two years. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Pakistan accuses India of another Kashmir clash n AFP, Islamabad Pakistan accused Indian troops Thursday of killing a soldier in disputed Kashmir, the latest in a series of reported clashes which have raised tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbours.

Skirmishes have erupted across the heavily militarised Line of Control (LoC) since five Indian soldiers were killed on August 5 in an ambush which Delhi has blamed on the Pakistan army.

“At 1150 hours today Indian troops resorted to unprovoked firing at LoC, Rakhchakri sector near Rawlakot. Sepoy Habib embraced shahadat (martyrdom) due to unprovoked Indian firing,” the Pakistani military said in a statement.

The incident came a day after the Pakistan foreign ministry summoned the Indian deputy ambassador to protest over what it said was the killing of an army officer and the wounding of a soldier in Kashmir. l

International

Egypt’s Mubarak released, placed under house arrest n AFP, Cairo Egypt’s ousted president Hosni Mubarak was flown from prison by helicopter to a military hospital Thursday after he was cleared for conditional release while standing trial, an interior ministry general told AFP. Mubarak will be held under house arrest at the Cairo hospital on the orders of the prime minister, who has been granted the power to order arrests during the current state of emergency.

Live television footage showed the medical helicopter that took Mubarak from Cairo’s Tora prison arrive at a nearby military hospital.

Mubarak, 85, is believed to be suffering from a heart condition.

Earlier on Thursday, Egypt’s state prosecutor cleared the ousted lead-

er for conditional release from prison while he stands trial, judicial sources said.== The prosecutor’s office informed prison authorities Mubarak could be released after judges ruled he could no longer be imprisoned during his retrial on corruption and murder charges.

Mubarak was convicted last year of corruption and complicity in the murder of protesters during the uprising that forced him to resign in early 2011.

An appeals court ordered a retrial on technicalities.

His lawyer had contested his detention, arguing that the maximum period for pre-verdict detentions had expired, and Mubarak had paid back the money involved in one of the cases.

Last year, Mubarak was convicted on the complicity and corruption

charges and sentenced to life in prison.

But a retrial was ordered on the basis of procedural errors in the trial.

His next hearing is on Sunday, although he has not always attended court sessions in the cases against him.

Nearly 1,000 people were killed in a single week between the August 14 dispersal of protests in support of ousted Islamist president Mohamed Morsi and Wednesday.

On Wednesday night, the army-installed government said Beblawi, who is serving as deputy military ruler under the state of emergency imposed in Egypt, had ordered house arrest for Mubarak.

“In the framework of the emergency law, the deputy military ruler ordered Mubarak to be placed under house arrest,” a cabinet statement said. l

Beards, niqab become liability in Egypt after crackdown n AFP, Cairo Abdul Salam Badr had no choice but to shave his beard to save himself from becoming a target in Egypt’s crackdown on supporters of ousted president Mohammed Morsi.

In recent days, overt signs of piety have become all it takes to attract suspicion from security forces at Cairo checkpoints and vigilantes looking to attack Islamists.

“I was in a shared taxi headed to the morgue, transporting the body of my friend who was killed in the demonstrations,” said Badr. “I was stopped by members of a vigilante group because I had a beard,” added the 29-year-old, who said he was not loyal to any political organisation.

“The only thing that saved me was the fact that I was transporting a dead body.”

And so in a small, dusty salon, he shaved his facial hair, “because life has become safer without a beard.”

The ouster of Morsi, a member of the

9

Friday, August 23, 2013

Muslim Brotherhood, has set off something of a witch hunt against those perceived as being his supporters.

The campaign has been fed by domestic media, which has broadcast around-the-clock images of bearded gunmen allegedly firing at security forces during demonstrations.

One video, showing a bearded man with a jihadist flag attacking young men after they were thrown off the roof of an apartment block in Alexandria has exacerbated the frenzy. Local media and the government have also loudly labelled the Muslim Brotherhood wholesale as “terrorists.”

So-called “popular committees” – neighbourhood militias – have made life even worse, giving vigilantes the chance to wreak havoc, particularly in Cairo after a night-time curfew was implemented.

The beard and women’s full-face veil, or niqab, are often characteristics of religious Muslims, but have become conflated with support for the Muslim Brotherhood.

Certain Brotherhood leaders sought to promote the wearing of the face veil during Morsi’s turbulent year-long presidency.

But now such religious symbols have become a liability.

“People who wear a beard are paying the price for those members of the Muslim Brotherhood and other Islamist groups who have resorted to violence” in recent days, said May Moujib, professor of political science at Cairo University.

Those affected range from actual Brotherhood members to those who have no affiliation with the group but happen to sport a beard. One Western news photographer decided to shave his beard after being repeatedly accosted in the street and even threatened by Egyptians who mistook him for a member of the Muslim Brotherhood.

A bearded taxi driver, meanwhile, admitted customers were increasingly reluctant to use his services. “This is possibly the beginning of a campaign to boycott bearded

taxi drivers,” he told AFP. Mohammed Ibrahim, a pharmacist who also has a beard, has changed his route to work and the hours he keeps in order to avoid “tension with the popular committees.”

As the crackdown continues, reports have suggested that some preachers have even offered religious dispensation to the faithful who want to shave their beards to avoid being targeted.

“The hostility of the people is even worse than police harassment,” said Mohamed Tolba, a Salafist Muslim.

“We are observing a tenet of Islam, but we face the hatred of the population,” said Tolba, who has recently launched an online comic to try to break frequently-held stereotypes of Salafist Muslims.

“The targeting of those with beards is deplorable behaviour which threatens peaceful coexistence between Egyptians,” warned Nivine Messad, another political science professor at Cairo University. l

A French military convoy passes through a neighbourhood in Kidal, northern Mali

AP

African militias merge, declare jihad on France n AFP, Nouakchott, Mauritania An al-Qaeda-linked militia founded by wanted Islamist commander Mokhtar Belmokhtar announced on Thursday it had joined forces with another armed group to take revenge against France for its military offensive in Mali.

Belmokhtar’s Mauritania-based al-Mulathameen Brigade (The Brigade of the Masked Ones) and the Mali-based Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa (Mujao) said they had joined forces under a single banner to “unite Muslims” across the region.

“Your brothers in Mujao and al-Mulathameen announce their union and fusion in one movement called al-Murabitoun to unify the ranks of Muslims around the same goal, from the Nile to the Atlantic,” the groups said in a statement published by news agency ANI. Belmokhtar, a one-eyed Algerian former commander of al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (Aqim), allegedly masterminded a siege in January of an Algerian gas plant in which 38 hostages, including three Americans, died.

Belmokhtar is also thought to have been behind twin car bombings in Niger in May that left at least 20 people dead.

The Algeria siege and the Niger assaults were said to have been carried

out in retaliation for France’s military intervention launched in January against Islamist groups in Mali.

Belmokhtar, who broke away from Aqim in 2012 and was involved in the fighting against Chadian forces in Mali, was reported to have been killed in action in March.

The reports, however, were never confirmed and it is believed that he remains at large. He has been designated a foreign terrorist by the United States since 2003, with the State Department offering a $5m reward for information leading to his capture.

Mujao is thought to be led by Mauritanian ethnic Tuareg Ahmed Ould Amer, who goes by the nom de guerre “Ahmed Telmissi.” The group broke away from Aqim in mid-2011 with the apparent goal of spreading jihad further into areas of west Africa not within Aqim’s scope. It was one of a number of Islamist groups that occupied northern Mali last year, before being ousted by the French-led military intervention.

The statement said the two men had signed a document announcing their merger and ceding command of the new movement to “another personality,” without revealing the identity of the new leader, according to ANI. l

India court clears way for Delhi gang-rape verdict n AFP, New Delhi

Policemen escort the juvenile accused outside the juvenile court in New Delhi

AFP

India’s Supreme Court cleared the way Thursday for a juvenile court to hand down its verdict on a teenager charged over the fatal gang-rape of a student last December.

The juvenile court has delayed giving its verdict four times on the teenager, one of six originally accused of the deadly assault which shocked India and sparked weeks of protests, because of a legal challenge.

But the Supreme Court said Thursday that the court should go ahead regardless of its hearing on a petition for a review of the juvenile law.

“The juvenile board can go ahead with its proceedings and pass orders accordingly,” Chief Justice P Sathasivam said.

The juvenile court is expected to hand down its verdict at its next hearing on August 31 Politician Subramanian Swamy, an opposition leader, has filed the petition in the Supreme Court arguing that suspects aged over 16 who are accused of serious offences should be tried in adult courts.

The teenager was 17 at the time of

the crime, which saw the 23-year-old victim die of internal injuries inflicted during the savage attack on a moving bus on December 16.

The juvenile court is now expected to hand down its verdict at its next hearing on August 31.

The attack generated widespread anger about endemic sex crime in India. Public outrage and protests pushed parliament to pass a new law toughening sentences for rapists, while a round of public soul-searching sought to explain the rising tide of violence against women.

The trial of the adult suspects – one of whom died in jail from a suspected

suicide in March – continues in a separate court which has started hearing final arguments.

Swamy said he was “completely satisfied” with the judgement of the Supreme Court which agreed to hear his petition into a review of the juvenile law in general, but not specifically on the juvenile’s case.

The juvenile, a runaway who reportedly left home at 11, can be sent to a correctional facility for a maximum three-year term if found guilty. The term will take into account the time he has already spent in custody. The four remaining adults could face the death penalty if convicted. l

David Miranda wins UK injunction n AFP, London The partner of US journalist Glenn Greenwald, who helped publish Edward Snowden’s leaked files, won a limited injunction Thursday from Britain’s High Court protecting material seized during his detention at a London airport.

The injunction stops the British government and police from “inspecting, copying or sharing” data seized from David Miranda during his detention at Heathrow Airport on Sunday, although examination of the information for national security purposes is allowed.

Miranda, 28, assisted Greenwald, a journalist for The Guardian, as he worked on material leaked by former US NSA contractor Snowden.

Based on the files Snowden provided, the British newspaper has pub-

lished a series of reports detailing the NSA’s mass surveillance programmes, infuriating Washington.

Miranda was detained for nine hours at the airport by police and agents using anti-terror laws, and said he had his laptop, phone and other electronic equipment confiscated.

Miranda was not in court but his lawyer Gwendolen Morgan said: “The purpose of these proceedings is to protect the confidentiality of the sensitive journalistic material that was seized from the claimant. Confidentiality, once lost, can clearly never be restored.”

“If interim relief (a temporary injunction) is not granted, then the claimant is likely to suffer irremediable prejudice, as are other journalistic sources whose confidential information is contained in the material seized by the defendants.” l

China politician denies bribery charge n AFP, Jinan Ousted politician Bo Xilai lashed out at the start of his long-awaited trial Thursday, contesting a bribery charge arising from a lurid murder and corruption scandal that has shaken China’s communist leadership.

Bo, who was tipped for top office ahead of a once-in-a-decade leadership transition last year, accused a key prosecution witness of “selling his soul” while describing purported testimony

from his wife Gu Kailai as laughable.

Bo faces charges of bribery, embezzlement and abusing his political powers to cover up Gu’s murder of British businessman Neil Heywood in 2011. He went on the offensive as he appeared in public for the first time in about 18 months. He denied accepting more than 1.1m yuan ($180,000) in bribes from Dalian businessman Tang Xiaolin, saying he had “confessed against his will” while under interrogation by the Communist Party’s feared internal disciplinary body. l

Chinese tourists view names of victims at the Nanjing Massacre Memorial Museum in Nanjing on Friday August 16. Japan’s conservative prime minister on August 15 broke with two decades of tradition by omitting any expression of remorse over the country’s past aggression in Asia on the anniversary of its World War II surrender. Shinzo Abe’s speech, which came after nearly 100 lawmakers including two cabinet ministers visited a controversial war shrine - avoided typical words such as ‘profound remorse’ and ‘sincere mourning’ used by his predecessors to atone for those who suffered as the Imperial Japanese Army stormed across East Asia AP

10 DHAKA TRIBUNE

Editorial

Letters to

www.dhakatribune.com

Bring forward zerotariffs within Saarc

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he SAFTA Ministerial Council is meeting in Colombo to discuss reducing non-tariff barriers between SAARC states and work towards withdrawing all duties by 2021.

Launched by SAARC in 2006, SAFTA (South Asian Free Trade Area), lags far behind other regional trade groupings in promoting free trade among its members. Intra-regional trade remains low as a proportion of GDP and is actively discouraged by bureaucracy and non-tariff barriers, such as local tax and certification requirements.

Even though there is a strong case that reducing and removing trade barriers would help Bangladesh, as the business across all member states largest exporter by boosting trade, such efforts within SAARC to have traditionally been held India’s dominant back by a legacy of protectionist regional economy, attitudes and regional distrust. has the most to Bangladesh, as the largest gain by supporting exporter within SAARC to India’s dominant regional economy, has moves to genuine the most to gain by supporting free trade moves to genuine free trade.

Our businesses already have to compete with Indian competition due to cross-border smuggling, but are limited from freely competing by one-sided tariff rules. Getting rid of such barriers would provide a boost to the whole Bangladesh and eastern India region and remove the illogical situation that exists whereby India both seeks to increase transit through Bangladesh while also building its controversial border fence.

Moreover, it would enable more multilateral cooperation on vital energy and water resources and building a regional power grid.

Businesses in all SAARC states have long noted the potential benefits of increasing regional trade.

Governments should encourage this further by working to reduce and remove tariffs ahead of the current target date of 2021.

Time for meaningful election manifestos

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he FBCCI president has urged political parties to make it clear in their election manifestos what they would do to develop the country’s business environment and economy. We fully agree that a concrete discussion on the performance of the political parties on such a topic of vital importance would be greatly beneficial to the voters.

The FBCCI president has suggested that successive governments have failed to fulfill their electoral pledges for the business sector. He has furthermore asked that a study be conducted which It is about time can demonstrate the state of that our political fulfillment of election manifestos leaders are for the business sector. publicly held to Bangladesh has the potential account for their to become a significant economic performance and player in the region - a fact that they are made that is demonstrated by the to explain what extraordinary growth the country and how they has experienced in recent years would improve, if in spite of a high level of political given the chance instability and lack of support at the policy level.

It is about time that our political leaders are publicly held to account for their performance in this area and that they are made to explain what and how they would improve, if given the chance.

Moreover, such a discussion would also elevate the tone of the campaigns from the status quo of blame mongering and heated hyperbole to a substantive discussion on a crucial topic.

It’s the responsibility of both political parties now to rise to the challenge posed to them and demonstrate that they can carry out election campaigns focused on accountability and the development of the country.

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Blame game August 20

It is a common phenomenon that whenever a problem arises the incumbent blames the opposition. The communication Minister Obadul Kader blamed the Jamaat as they called hartals and because of this, severe traffic congestion has taken place from Tangail to Dhaka, and all the passengers who were Dhaka bound suffered a lot. Most of them took more than 17 hours to return to the city, when it usually takes 6-7 hours.

It is a common phenomenon that it takes an unusual time just before and after Eid, from either Dhaka to the districts, or the districts to Dhaka. Not very long ago, it took 15 hours by bus from Dhaka to Sirajgonj before Eid-ul-Azha and, at that time, there was no hartal before and after my journey.

Not very long ago, it took only three hours from Sirajgonj to Dhaka but now it takes 5 hours and sometimes it takes more.

The only a few mile-long roads from Chanra to Nabinagar have not yet been completed during the last few years of this incumbent government, but they have displayed their rhetoric for their gigantic “developments” through billboards.

Sheuly Haque Sirajgonj

dhakatribune.com

The supposed identity crisis Aug 19

Zahurul Islam What is your legal and personal opinion on considering tribals migrating from neighbouring states to Bangladesh as “adibashis,” making Bengalis settlers in their own country? Don’t you feel that this is just a mockery of justice? bhatiyali I agree with the fact that people have multiple identities, the importance of which changes at any given time. This idea has been forcefully expressed in Amartya Sen’s book Identity and Violence. I believe Mita Huq (very insensitively) tried to say that for a growing proportion of the Bangladeshi population, the religious identity is constantly trumping all others at all times.

I remember overhearing a Waaz many years back (probably by Syedee), that claimed: “I am foremost a Muslim, then a Bangladeshi and finally a Bengali” (or something to that effect). The real problem is that all

Be Heard

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other identities of Bangladeshis seem to be in a slow, yet steady, decline. I hope that this trend reverses, and our people rediscover the richness of multiple identities.

Monojit Saha Agreed. Mita Huq failed to realise that she was on a TV show which would have been broadcast nationwide and thus never understood the repercussions.

But it is also to be pointed out that these groups of people who always saw the identity of being Bengali with utmost importance have been marginalised and have been branded as “atheists” and what not.

I do agree that there should not be any conflict among these two identities but when we are pointing out the faults of one we should not forget to condemn the other. This attitude of “one-upmanship” needs to be lifted by the so-called flag bearers of the two ideologies and should be left to the people to judge.

Government may recapitalise state banks

The pursuit for excellence with Kazi Monirul Kabir August 19

A man who will accept nothing less than excellence and at the same time one of the most down to earth people I have met. His versatile career will nothing less than inspire you if you are into marketing.

Munazir Syed I will eagerly wait to see how Google shapes up in BD under his leadership.

Sabbir Bin Ehsan

Bangladeshi scientists decode genome of jute variety August 18 Hasna Mamtaz Shoma Congrats to all ... who said we are a backward nation?!?!

Pulp Fiction Although am very proud of this, this has no impact on our backward society ... We are very much a backward nation, unlike some of the illusive overly hopeful comments here.

This is because our sons and daughters most of the time are doctors, engineers, or have BBA and MBA degrees. There are very few who care to study the Arts/Humanities. In order to build a progressive society, we need a socially-conscious nation, which we aren’t unfortunately.

August 19

First ever toy museum opens in Dhaka

Why? So they can pour it into the stock market and make the likes of certain people richer?

Saif Ahmed

Very nice thinking and steps taken. I wish I had kept my dolls.

Shanta Jesmina

August 19

CALVIN AND HOBBES

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Oishee’s face and our journalism

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n Ekram Kabir girl reportedly killed her parents at their residence in Dhaka recently. This piece of news became the talk of the town in Bangladesh with the 16-year-old girl’s photograph featuring in many newspapers.

Footage of her arrest was broadcast live on all TV channels. The public watched the police escorting her and her friends to a five-day remand on Sunday. If she has killed her parents herself, we certainly have a point to worry about as far as our society is concerned.

There is however another indicator of social concern that the country should worry about: the quality of our journalism.

Yes, a daughter killing her own parents was surely a very news-worthy incident but should it have been treated as the news of the century? Was such blanket coverage of an under-age person’s crime by the media necessary or appropriate?

The girl’s face was continuously shown on TV and published in photos on newspaper front pages. Were the ethics of journalism considered while covering this incident? Did we in the media adequately raise the question of whether a minor, no matter how grave his/her crime was, could be taken to police remand? What do our respective editorial policies say on this?

There are many possible questions we can ask ourselves, but in the first place we need to ask why most of our news organisations do not have writ-

ten, published editorial policies. They may give verbal instructions to their journalists, but very few have developed or disclosed editorial do’s and don’ts – standard practice among many international news organisations.

If we had editorial policies, we would have covered this crime and others alleged to have been committed by children differently. Many stories have been done on children abusing drugs, and in most of these cases, the childrens’ faces have been shown.

We have enough examples, knowledge and thousands of suggestions available to help formulate policies

Usually, when children are interviewed, it is not done in the presence of their parents; the very idea that journalists should be talking to children in their parents’ presence doesn’t perhaps occur in many minds.

Having said that, if we analyse how we cover crimes committed by adults, a flurry of questions also arises in this regard. The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and police often arrest and then publicly display alleged dakats (robbers), khunis

(murderers) and jongis (militants).

After arrest, nameplates are hung on the detainees’ chests saying they are dakats, khunis and jongis and the media happily participates in a photo session, with complete disregard for the legal presumption of “innocent until proven guilty.”

Remember, such TV pictures and photographs are taken and published before the accused have been taken to court, tried or convicted. The media does not have to publish photos of accused with nameplates hanging

on their chests. Or at least it could easily consider cropping the nameplates or faces before publication. I believe we need to do some thinking here and develop a policy whether we really should publish their pictures.

More widely again, we in the media collectively are often inclined to broadcast and publish gory footage and pictures of accidents and victims. We sometimes sort of take it for granted that the audience loves gory pictures, without thinking about the impact of showing bloodshed on so-

Egypt’s Christians in peril n Alexander Dziadosz

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ast Wednesday, Ayub Youssef was driving to the southern Egyptian town of Delja where he works as a Catholic priest when a friend called and told him to turn back.

By the time he reached the town on Sunday, about 20 houses had been burned. An ancient monastery was smashed and ransacked. One of his parishioners, a 60-year-old barber named Iskander Tous, had been killed.

Now, Youssef said, Christians in Delja were living like prisoners in their homes. “No one goes out at all. Not to buy food, not to get medicine, not for anything,” he said.

Egypt’s Coptic Christians, who make up 10% of its 85 million people, have coexisted with the majority Sunni Muslims for centuries. Violence erupted periodically, especially in the impoverished south, but the attacks on churches and Christian properties in the last week are the worst in years.

Some 20 churches have been attacked just in the Minya province where Delja is located, many burned completely. Across the country, mobs have killed several Christians and sacked scores of shops, homes, schools and monasteries.

The immediate trigger was a bloody crackdown in Cairo last Wednesday when police dispersed two Muslim Brotherhood sit-ins set up to demand the reinstatement of President Mohammed Morsi, deposed by the army on July 3 after mass protests against him.

Using snipers and armoured vehicles, police killed hundreds of protesters, prompting some hardline Brotherhood supporters to frame the bloodshed as part of a war against Islam abetted by Egypt’s Christians. 43 police also died in the clashes.

The Brotherhood says it has nothing to do with the attacks on Christians, and accuses the army of cynically using them to justify an ever more brutal crackdown. Brotherhood spokesman Ahmed Aref said in a statement security forces had abandoned the churches to the attacks, which he blamed on “foolish boys.”

Such arguments cut little ice with Egypt’s Copts, who encompass the majority Orthodox as well as Catholics and Protestants; some of their leaders have now sided firmly with the military in saying the army crackdown is on “terrorism.”

Copts now darkly evoke the memory of an Islamist insurgency that killed hundreds of people in the 1990s, many in southern Egypt, which has a high concentration of Copts and has long been a stronghold for militant Islamist movements.

Copts always pay the price

All four walls of the Evangelical church in Mallawi, south of Minya city, were still smouldering on Saturday, a day after assailants set it on fire with petrol bombs and gas canisters.

The roof had collapsed, and bits of twisted, charred metal lay among piles of carbonised wood and stones.

Young men poured water on the ashes and stacked bricks in the arched windows to guard against more attacks.

The smell of smoke hung in the air.

Cinders and broken tiles crunched underfoot.

One young man held up a handful of bullet casings, one from birdshot, others apparently from assault rifles.

Firing crackled from across town, where gunmen had attacked the police station three times since Wednesday, killing at least two policemen.

“It’s becoming something like a war,” said Rimon el-Rawy, a local journalist following the attacks.

Bishop-General Macarius, a Coptic Orthodox leader in Minya, recited attacks on local churches going back decades – one, Anba Antonios, was struck as early as 1979, he said; gunmen killed worshippers at another in the early ’90s.

The immediate trigger was a bloody crackdown in Cairo last Wednesday when police dispersed two Brotherhood sit-ins set up to demand the reinstatement of Mohammed Morsi

“Copts always pay the bill – in the days of Gamal Abdel Nasser, the days of Sadat, the days of Mubarak, the days of military rule, the days of Morsi and after Morsi,” he said, listing rulers since Nasser’s 1952 coup overthrew the monarchy.

Many Christians, who kept a low profile during decades of military-backed rule in Egypt, were unnerved by Morsi and his Islamist Muslim Brotherhood during their time in power.

Hardline Muslim clerics gained unprecedented freedom to preach on Egyptian television after the 2011 revolt that overthrew Hosni Mubarak and paved the way for Morsi’s election, and some openly derided Christians on air.

Christians under attack have had little, if any, help from the state’s emergency and security services

Morsi also revived memories of the 1990s by allying with Gamaa Islamiya, a group at the heart of the insurgency which carried out attacks on Christians and tourists in southern Egypt but later renounced violence and entered mainstream politics.

Coptic Pope Tawadros II gave his public backing to Morsi’s removal, sitting with liberal politicians and Muslim clerics beside armed forces chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi when he announced the army intervention.

His support came even though at least 25 people had died when troops broke up a protest staged by Copts under the military rule that preceded Morsi’s presidency.

Macarius said it was the same problems faced by other Egyptians – the failing economy, the Brotherhood’s apparent eagerness to monopolise power – that had pushed many Christians to join demonstrations calling for Morsi to step down.

“When we went out to the protests, we went out as Egyptians, not as Copts. We came out carrying flags, not crosses,” he said.

Like a war

Violence began in Minya even as Egyptians elsewhere were celebrating Morsi’s removal, but it escalated sharply last week.

A Catholic church near the burned Evangelical church in Mallawi was also sacked and looted. Light leaking in from high windows illuminated charred paintings of saints, broken pews and a decapitated statue of the Virgin Mary.

Martin Wagih, a 32-year-old worker in a photography studio who lives across the street, said he had seen four bearded men in long robes drive up on motorcycles and fire at the church with automatic rifles and throw petrol bombs before a mob stormed it on Friday night.

“We don’t know what to do now,” he said. “We don’t have any weapons. If we had weapons, we would deal with this.”

Similar scenes have played out

across the province.

In Minya city, about 270 kilometres south of Cairo, the fire lit by attackers at the Anba Moussa church was so intense that nearly everything inside has been reduced to white and black charcoal.

Attackers also burned a Christian-run orphanage. A local doctor pointed out red and black X marks spray-painted on shop doors in the same street. They were put there by Islamists to tell between Christian and Muslim shops, he told Reuters.

The doctor, who did not want to be named for fear of reprisals, later showed damage to his clinic, which Morsi supporters had pelted with bricks last week. One shattered the window and dented a wall near a clock with an image of Jesus.

“They’re terrorists,” the doctor said, gripping the brick that he had kept, his voice quivering with rage.

It is not always clear who is behind the assaults, but many in Minya, like Wagih, described attacks by smaller groups of Islamists followed by mobs of several hundred, including Morsi supporters and criminals taking advantage of the chaos.

‘They may kill us at any moment’

Blame for the attacks has become another element in the warring narratives offered by the military-backed government and the Brotherhood since Morsi’s overthrow.

Authorities have portrayed them as part of a terrorist campaign unleashed by the Brotherhood, a charge echoed even more vehemently by private television channels and newspapers.

The Coptic Orthodox Church said in a statement it stood with the army and security forces in their confrontation with “armed violence and black terrorism.”

Many cite speeches like one by Islamic cleric Safwat Hegazy at a Brotherhood rally in which he said most anti-Morsi protesters were Christians.

He threatened the church if it backed the president’s foes, drawing chants from the crowd: “With our blood and souls, we will sacrifice for you, Islam.”

Yet Christians under attack have had little, if any, help from the state’s emergency and security services. Helmy, the pharmacist in Mallawi, said fearful police and fire fighters had refused to come when the Evangelical church was burned. “The situation was awful,” he said. “There was no response from the police, nothing from the army, and nothing from the fire brigade.”

Youssef, the Catholic priest, recalled a similar lack of response when his apartment in Delja was burned last month. There were still no police or army in the town by Tuesday, he said, despite weeks of attacks and violent rhetoric from Islamists.

“We’re expecting that they may kill us at any moment.” l This article was first published by Reuters.

ciety, especially in the minds of children. How we came to this state of affairs is impossible to fathom? There is no research or survey evidence to suggest gory footage, bloodshed and violence in the media should not be limited, which is why media in many countries have formulated editorial policies to limit such types of coverage.

Developing journalists’ guidelines for each media house is not very difficult. We have enough examples, knowledge and thousands of sug-

gestions available to help formulate policies.

The benefits of having written editorial policies are immense, both to the public, journalists and society in general. Bangladeshi media organisations generally have a long way in meeting or setting such a standard.

It is time we started thinking more about formulating better and clearer editorial guidelines. l Ekram Kabir is executive editor of Natunbarta.com.

Remembering Edward Kennedy n Julian Francis

I

n 1971, I had the responsibility of coordinating Oxfam’s refugee relief programme in Eastern India which involved providing the supplementary needs of about 600,000 men, women and children across some 900 camps in Indian States which border Bangladesh.

Oxfam’s sister organisation, Oxfam-America, was formed in 1970, and provided a huge amount of relief aid to our refugee relief programme in 1971. Oxfam-America liaised closely with Edward Kennedy prior to his trip to India in August 1971, in his capacity of chairman of a Senate sub-committee on refugee affairs.

The US senator visited at a time when many of the camps were flooded and conditions for the refugees as well as the relief workers were appalling.

We were able to accompany Senator Kennedy’s entourage as it visited camps in Kolkata, Jalpaiguri, Darjeeling and Tripura.

After his visit, Senator Kennedy was quoted in the London Times newspaper, on August 14, that the refugee problem was “perhaps the greatest human tragedy of our times.”

During his visit to the refugee camps, it was clear that here was a man full of compassion and concern, deeply moved and shocked by what he had seen.

After his visit to the refugee camps, Senator Kennedy held talks in New Delhi with then Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and Foreign Minister Swaran Singh.

At the time, the newspapers were full of the news that a secret trial of Sheikh Mujib was underway in Pakistan. Senator Kennedy said at the time: “I think that the only crime Mujib is guilty of is winning an election ...

The question of the trial being secret is an outrage to every concept of international law and a travesty to those who believe in international law.”

It was clear that here was a man full of compassion and concern, deeply moved and shocked by what he had seen

Before Senator Kennedy left New Delhi, he said that he had already opposed American arms supplies to Pakistan, and went on to state: “I will make every effort in the United States Senate not only to halt arms supplies in the pipeline but also those in the future and also to halt all economic aid until there is a political solution.”

Later that year, in October, in an attempt to shock and wake up the world, Oxfam decided to collect and publish statements by many individuals about the plight of both the refugees in the Indian refugee camps and the people inside East Pakistan who were slowly running out of food and hope.

The US senator visited at a time when many of the camps were flooded and conditions for the refugees were appalling

The “Testimony of Sixty” was published on October 21, 1971, in time to be distributed at the opening of the UN General Assembly. In his own statement entitled “Mosaic of Misery,” Senator Kennedy pleaded that the entire world should accept the burden of the refugees. He wrote about his experiences of visiting the border crossing at Bongaon/Boyra.

“The very young and very old were exhausted from many days and night in flight - usually on foot. Many were in a visible state of shock, sitting aimlessly by the roadside or wandering aimlessly toward an unknown fate. They told stories of atrocities, of slaughter, of looting and burning, of harassment and abuse by West Pakistani soldiers and collaborators. Many children were dying along the way, their parents pleading and begging for help.

Monsoon rains were drenching the countryside, adding to the depression and despair on their faces. To those of us who went out that day, the rains meant no more than a change of clothes, but to these people it meant still another night without rest, food, or shelter.”

One week after it had been published, Senator Kennedy introduced the “Testimony of Sixty” to the Senate and requested that it be reproduced in the Congressional Record as evidence of the “Crisis in Bengal.” There was no objection and so the entire document forms part of the Congressional Record for the 92nd Congress.

For me, this is a good illustration of Senator Kennedy’s commitment to helping solve the problems that he had seen with his own eyes during the 1971 war. l Julian Francis received the “Friends of Liberation War Honour” from the Government of Bangladesh in March, 2012. Senator Kennedy was posthumously awarded the same honour in recognition of his invaluable support to Bangladesh.

12

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Entertainment

Minions take over Star Cineplex n Entertainment Desk

Star Cineplex is releasing the much loved movie of the minions “Despicable Me 2,” that is universal studio’s highest grossing film ever, today. Created out of a studio in Paris’ 15th arrondisment, the animated sequel “Despicable Me 2” is raking in big money in Hollywood. The blockbuster comedy features the voices of Steve Carrell and Miranda Cosgrove.

Despicable Me 2 is a 2013 American 3D computer-animated comedy film and the sequel to the 2010 animated film Despicable Me.[7] Produced

by Illumination Entertainment and distributed by Universal Pictures, both films are directed by Pierre Coffin and Chris Renaud, and written by Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio. It is the first film by Illumination Entertainment to be a sequel.

Once upon a time, Gru (voice of Steve Carrell) dreamt of stealing the moon - these days he’s a single adoptive father of three precocious girls. Having given up his spectacular life of crime, Gru now aims to produce a delicious new line of jams with the help of his tiny minions and his

old pal Dr Nefario (voice of Russell Brand). Feeling unfulfilled in his newfound role as a jam-maker, Dr Nefario announces that he will be departing for more evil pastures. Just then, Gru is approached by the Anti-Villain League to capture the mysterious culprit who just stole a top-secret research lab filled with PX 41 an experimental serum with the strength to transform harmless animals into ravenous monsters.

The AVL is certain that the culprit is covering his tracks by posing as a small business owner at a local mall, and assign their best agent Lucy (Kristen Wiig) to aid Gru in identifying him. Meanwhile, Gru’s oldest adopted daughter Margo (voice of Miranda Cosgrove) falls for rebellious teen Antonio (voice of Moises Arias), the leather-jacketed son of boisterous Mexican cantina owner Eduardo (voice of Benjamin Bratt).

Now, with Gru’s paternal instincts kicking into full gear just as a dastardly plot begins to unfold, the devoted new father must divide his time between saving the world from an enigmatic super-villain, and saving Miranda from total heartbreak. All the while, a suitable mother for the girls may have been standing right under Gru’s pointy nose the entire time. l

Friday, August 23, 2013

Dolan Kanungo presents instrumental music with Mohan Veena n Entertainment Desk Dolan Kanungo, Chittagong based Bangladeshi musician will perform today at the Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre at 6:30pm. The show requires no ticket and is open for all audience. Dolan Kanungo, an outstanding Mohan Veena player, has earned an enviable distinction amongst younger musicians in the realm of Hindustani classical music in Bangladesh.

Born in 1965 at Kanungopara in Chittagong in a traditional family of educationalists and musicians, Kanungo was initiated to music by Shri Amal Mitra in the year 1980. He subsequently trained under musical stalwarts like Shri Debobrata Hore, Shri Babul Kanti Dey, Pandit Sunil Ganguly, Ustad Nirod Baran Barua, Ustad Rowsan Jamal Bharatiya and Ustad Abed Hossain Khan.

Dolon Kanungo considers himself to be a disciple of Pandit Viswa Mohan Bhatt, a Grammy award winning musician and the creator of the musical instrument-- Mohan Veena.

He is a special grade artiste of the Bangladesh Betar and Television and frequently performs in classical music concerts in home and abroad. He has performed in several cultural programs organized by the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy in Dhaka, Suddha Sangeet Prasar Gosti (Dhaka), Sangeet Bhaban, Sadarang , Hindol (Rajshahi), National Classical Conference (Sylhet), Charu Shilpi Sammelon, Alauddin Academy, Sruti Lalitakala, and Lakhapar (Narayangonj) in Bangladesh. l

n

Tell us about the album: My album is titled “Adho Shur Adho Shura” features Nazrul Geeti and is produced by G-series. The audience will get Nazrul songs of different tastes and various moods in the album. I hope Nazrul lovers would appreciate it.

The Distinguished Gentleman

7:00pm Fox Movies Premium Fantastic Four

7:00pm HBO

Charlie And The Chocolate Factory

7:30pm Star Movies X-Men: Wolverine

8:45pm Fox Movies Premium The Avengers

9:30pm WB

Transformers

9:30pm HBO

Journey 2: The Mysterious Island

11:00pm Zee Studio

Back To The Future Part 3

12:00am Star Movies Bad Teacher

12:25am WB Cloverfield

COMEDY 9:30am FX

The Simpsons

11:30pm Sony SAB FIR

1:00pm Star World

The Big Bang Theory

3:30pm Comedy Central Citizen Khan

5:00pm Colors

Comedy Nights With Kapil

7:00pm AXN Bloopers

8:30pm Big CBS Prime

It Only Hurts When I Laugh

DRAMA 7:30pm Star Plus

Saath Nibhana Saathiyan

8:00pm Star World Greys Anatomy

8:15pm Banglavision Dui Takar Bahaduri

8:30pm Zee Tv Jodha Akbar

9:05pm RTV Oloshpur

Why did you choose to be a practitioner of Nazrul Geeti?

I have been practicing classical music from my childhood and I found Nazrut Geeti has the profound beauty of the genre.

How many songs are there in the album?

The album brings a total of ten songs based on raga, ghazal, seasonal, bhajan, shyama and many more.

6:20pm Zee Studio

Episodes

What does the title refer to?

The title has been inspired from the song “Adho Alo, Adho Adhar.” The album’s title refers to my thirst for perfection of tune (Shur). Here, I interpret Shura ( liquor) as thirst.

Layeqa Bashir has been singing from the delicate age of five. She started practicing Nazrul Geeti from 1996 and had further training from Chhayanaut Sangskriti Bhaban. The multi-talented persona’s debut album released yesterday at the Chhayanaut Sangskritik Bhaban.

Dhaka tribune caught up with the aspiring singer:

MOVIES

10:00pm FX

Layeqa Bashir brings her debut album Adho Shur Adhu Shura Shadma Malik

ON TV

Tell us about your career plan?

Besides music, I am a lecturer at a private university and also a musical trainer at Chhayanaut. But I am very passionate about music. If possible, I would take music as a full time profession. l

9:30pm Colors Madhubala

9:45pm Banglavision Korta Kahini

9:50pm RTV

Eeti Dulabhai

10:00pm Zee Café Lost

11:00pm Sony Theatre troupe Bot Tola staged ‘Khona’ yesterday as part of the ongoing theatre festival titled ‘Nari Jagoroner Jatiyo Natyotsab’ at the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy

Bade Achhe Lagte Hain

NEWS 10:00am Diganta

Diganta Shongbad

TODAY IN DHAKA Exhibition

‘Nature – Color and Vision’ Khurshid Alam Saleem Time: 12 pm- 8pm Shipangan House 7, Road 13 New Dhanmondi

‘Bhrantikup’ will televise on Maasranga at 7:40pm today. The play is about an amazingly helpful guy who goes around solving problems among couples with his entertaining stories about his own wife and their relationship

‘Automated Subjectivity’

By Mustafa Zaman and Shuvo Rafiqul Time: 7pm (inauguration) Bengal Art Lounge House No 60, Road No 132,

Gulshan Avenue, Circle 1 ‘Here is There – There is Here’ Toyomi Hoshina Time: 12pm – 8pm Bengal Gallery of Fine Arts House 275, Road 27 Old Dhanmondi Shahabuddin The Painter, The Fighter Iftekhar Wahid Iftee Time: 10am- 10pm Zainul Gallery-2, Charukala Dhaka University

Theatre

Narigon Palakar Time : 7pm Experimental Theatre Hall Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy Binodini Dhaka Theatre Time: 7pm National Theatre Hall Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy

Music show

‘Rabindra Proyan’ Chhayanaut’s dance, music

2:30pm Independent TV Purba Paschim and recitation programme observing death anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore Time: 7:00pm Chhayanaut Auditorium, Shankar, Dhanmondi ‘Instrumental music with Mohan Veena’

By Dolan Kanungo Indria Gandhi Cultural Centre House No 35, Road No 24, Gulshan 1, Dhaka

4:00pm Desh Tv

Shongbad shomoi

6:45pm RTV

Shondhar Shongbad

10:30pm Banglavision Shongbad

11:30pm BTV Bangla News

TALKSHOW 7:30am Independent TV Shokaler Diary

9:30am Channel i

Shongbaadpotre Bangladesh

10:05am SATV

Nana Ronger Din Guli

11:05am Channel i

Kareena romances Imran in Gori Tere Pyaar Mein n

Entertainment Desk

After pairing up in “Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu,” Imran Khan and Kareena Kapoor would be seen together once again in Gori Tere Pyaar Mein. The chemistry of the pair in the previous film was widely welcomed by the Bollywood fans and they are likely to set the screen on fire once again with their “khatti-mitthi” (sweet and sour) activities.

Imran Khan’s latest film “Once Upon A Time in Mumbai Dobaara” has just released and the film didn’t manage to meet expectations. The actor is now busy shooting his latest film.

Kareena Kapoor’s Satyagraha on the other hand will hit the theatres on August 23. “Gori Tere Pyaar Mein” would be her

first solo film after Heroine.

Directed by Punit Malhotra, the film features Imran playing a south Indian boy, alongside Kareena Kapoor. Kareena Kapoor dons a simple look in the film, which is currently being shot in Mumbai.

“Kareena’s look in this film is very plain.

She sports a bindi and very minimal makeup. As for her hair, it is mostly tied into a simple ponytail. As she has light eyes, we have used kajal. The makeup is done in keeping with the character she is playing,” said makeup artist Ritesh Naik, who has worked to give Kareena the required look in the movie.

Produced by Karan Johar and Hiroo Yash Johar under the banner of Dharma Productions, “Gori Tere Pyaar Mein” is slated for release this November. l

Tele Somoy

1:00pm NTV

Hello Excellency

2:40pm ATN News Amader Kotha

4:30pm Channel i Shamoyiki

5:02pm Maasranga TV Doctor’s Chamber

5:15pm ATN News

Connecting Bangladesh

MISC 9:30am NDTV Yogasutra

11:30am AXN E Buzz

1:30pm Fox Traveller Poh’s Kitchen

3:30pm FTV Models Talk

5:30pm Discovery Man vs Wild

7:30pm Channel V Dil Dosti Dance

8:30pm TLC

Globe Trekker

10:00pm Vh1 Bloc Party

Did you know?

Aston Villa striker Christian Benteke scored 17 league goals in 2013, three more than any other Premier League player

Sport

Friday, August 23, 2013

14 Gunners rise to Euro challenge in Istanbul

14 Neymar cancels out Villa stunner to rescue Barca

DHAKA TRIBUNE

13

15 Ton-up Smith strengthens Australia’s grip

Nazmul ready for fight n Minhaz Uddin Khan

The president of the Bangladesh Cricket Board ad-hoc committee, Nazmul Hasan officially declared that he would run for board elections, which will likely take place next month, after a meeting with District and Divisional Sports Organisers at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium yesterday.

Nazmul follows former BCB boss Saber Hossain Chowdhury in declaring such a stance.

“I will of course fight in the election for the Presidents post. Many are now stepping back, after the irresponsible and baseless comments the forum made few days ago. I thought about not openly fighting them but then again, I though that wouldn’t be right as they should not get an empty field to score and there is hardly anyone courageous enough to go against them, to be honest. So I have now stood against them, I will fight to the end,” Nazmul told the media yesterday.

The BCB chief dismissed the claims of forum president Yousuf Jamil Babu that the election was being manipulated and mechanized as baseless and irrelevant. “We have yet to ask for the names of the councilors and the letter

Bangladesh U-23 fall to UAE n Mazhar Uddin

The Bangladesh U-23 team crashed out of the ACC Emerging Nations Cup after losing to ICC associate member UAE by 59 runs at The Padang in Singapore yesterday.

Bangladesh won the toss and elected to field. The UAE managed 202 all out from their 50 overs with opener Shaiman Anwar scoring a century. For the Bangladesh bowlers, leg-spinner Noor Hossain took 3-31 and off-spinner Asif Ahmed took two wickets.

In response, Bangladesh got off to a solid start with the opening pair of Rony Talukder and Soumya Sarkar putting together half-century opening stand. After Talukder was dismissed for 21 by Nasir Aziz and Sarkar went for 31, one down batsman Maisuqar Raham also made 31. However, the last seven wickets fell for just 31 runs, as number six batsman Sabbir Ahmed - who finished 5 not out, mostly watching from the non-striker’s end – and the team fell from 133/4 to 143 all out in 41 overs.

Bangladesh U-23 side had previously won their first match in the tournament against Singapore by eight wickets and lost their second against Sri Lanka by 62 runs. l

is yet to be dispatched. The BCB has not referred any name nor has it tried to influence any district. It is the District Associations who will decide the councilors.

“It doesn’t matter who wins or loses the election. The thing which matters is that the election will take place. One should think that they have all the clubs and the districts in their hand just because they have formed an oraganisation (Forum). They were wrong.

Now we will see who is more powerful,” he added.

Son of deceased Bangladesh president Mohammed Jillur Rahman, Nazmul took charge of the BCB Presidents post last October, after than president AHM Mostafa Kamal became vice-president of the International Cricket Council.

Nazmul will have at least one opponent in the race – Saber Hossain Chowdhury, who declared his candidacy last week.

“Cricket in Bangladesh is going through a critical situation at the moment. Our cricket will be in danger in the future if we can’t get away from the situation. This is why I have decided to run for the presidency,” said Saber at that time. l

The president of the Bangladesh Cricket Board ad-hoc committee, Nazmul Hasan shakes hand with Barisal district representative Alamgir Khan Alo

Kruif on the ball n Raihan Mahmood

Lodewijk de Kruif, the Dutch head coach of the Bangladesh football team is fully aware of the “fatigue factor” of the players and believes his team will be refreshed when the time is right.

Lodewijk shared his thoughts after the national team’s practice session at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday. “As a coach I am fully aware of the status of the players fatigue status and I have already cut the work loads. The players will be recharged in due time I hope. Actually I am continuing the sessions as I have inserted certain messages in the minds of the players, that’s why the players are talking about the fatigue,” explained the coach.

The Dutch coach added that he is more concerned than anyone about the team’s performance. “I am the coach and everybody will blame me for the failure. Does anyone invite his own failure? I am trying to do the best for the Bangladesh national team and everything should not be revealed to the opponents,” he said.

The Dutch coach was unhappy the national team losing to club team Sheikh Jamal. “There were three reasons (we lost). First the team was too busy upfront and provided gaps for Jamal, who played a counter-attack based game. Second, the two goals were scored by two Haitians, whose skill and fitness were superior and both

the strikes were superb. The third reason was the most alarming - the players could not keep the tempo up,” said de Kruif.

Kruif was concerned with the injury of playmaker Mamunul Islam. Mamun did not attend the practice session yesterday after taking a nasty blow to his right knee in the match against Jamal.

Muhammet Yamali, the fitness coach of the team said the seriousness of Mamun’s injury will be known after an

I am the coach and everybody will blame me for the failure.

Does anyone invite his own failure? I am trying to do the best for the Bangladesh national team and everything should not be revealed to the opponents MRI. Mamun has been placed on “Ice Therapy” and his condition has improved with the pain going down.

Meanwhile, de Kruif omitted defenders Yeamin Ahmed Chowdhury Munna and Keshto Kumar from his 24 member squad, while including Monaem Khan Raju in the squad. Forward Aminur Rahman Sajub is in the squad thought he not an “official” member.

The squad currently has 23 players, which will be reduced to 20 by Saturday before the team flies to Nepal the day after. l

Hockey team lose to Pakistan

Forum members absent from meeting

The Bangladesh national hockey team suffered a 0-5 defeat to Malaysia yesterday in their only practice match for Asia Cup Hockey against a foreign team.

It was the first time that the team had played with a yellow ball as they had been practicing with the customary white ball for the last two and a half months.

Bangladesh, who left for Malaysia to participate in the Asia Cup Hockey on Wednesday, will play their second practice match today against Chinese Taipei. The official tournament will begin tomorrow and Bangladesh will play their first match against Korea on Sunday. l

n Raihan Mahmood

n Shishir Haque

n Reuters, LONDON French striker Nicolas Anelka has walked out on training and told staff at West Bromwich Albion he has retired from football, Sky Sports News reported yesterday.

The 34-year-old only joined West Brom, his sixth Premier league club, last month and featured in their opening game defeat at the hands of South-

Industries, Unilever

Group B : Gemcon Group, General Electric, Mutual Trust Bank

Group C: Lanka Bangla, HRC, Aarong Group D: Securex, GPIT, Grey Dhaka Group E: Chevron, ULAB, Swiss

Group G: Group H: Group I: Group J: Group K: Group L: Group M: Group N: Group O: Group P:

ampton on Saturday.

Anelka, who can include Paris SaintGermain, Arsenal, Real Madrid, Liverpool and Chelsea among the clubs for whom he has played, quit international football at the 2010 World Cup following an unseemly spat with coach Raymond Domenech.

Nobody at West Brom was immediately available to comment when contacted by Reuters. l

Ascent corporate football kicks off today

Group A : Beximco Pharma, Olympic

Group F:

The meeting between the president of the Bangladesh Cricket Board president and the District and Divisional Sports Organisers Forum yesterday raised a few eyebrows as the leading names of the forum were conspicuous by their absence.

Ashikur Rahman Miku, the secretary general of the forum, said he was not aware of the meeting as he had not received any invitation from the BCB. “I have heard about the meeting but I don’t know who attended it and

represented the forum. All I can say that I did not get any invitation from BCB,” said Miku.

About 32 people attended the meeting. Ten of them were the existing general secretaries of their respective districts while the remaining 22 were mostly members of the DSA’s or former secretaries.

Although most of the renowned forum members were absent, AJM Nasiruddin of Chittagong, Alamgir Khan Alo of Barisal Division, Shamsul Huda Kislu of Rajshahi Division, Sheikh Nizamuddin of Satkhira, Moqbul Hossain of Magura attended the meeting. l

Anelka walks out of training, quits WBA

Grouping

Contact Bangla Cat, HSBC, Metlife Alico Texmart, Bando Design, Aarong Dairy Ascent Group, Philip Morris International, Radio Foorti IIDFC, Green Delta Securities, Santos Sangu Qubee, Airtel, Incepta Metronet, Tesco Sourcing, Ceat BD Rahimafrooz REL, Flora Telecom, Ice Retail Dhaka Tribune, Therap BD, Pepsi Bitopi, Concito PR, Westin Bank of Ceylon, STS Group, Bexi Textile Rahimafrooz SPD, Ispahani, Dell.

COURTESY

n Shishir Hoque

From (L-R) Amer Ahmed (Director, Ascent Group), Madiha Murshed (Managing Director , Ascent Group), Sonia Bashir Kabir (Chief Executive Officer, Dell Bangladesh), Zarah Anjuman Quddus (Proprietor, Excalibur Entertainment) and Farhan Quddus (Chief Executive Officer, Securex) pose for a photograph during a press conference yesterday MUMIT M

The Dhaka Tribune will face Therap BD on the opening day of the 8th Ascent Corporate 5-A-Side Indoor Soccer Cup, as the nine-day tourney kicks off at the STM Hall of Scholastica School, Uttara today.

A total of 48 corporate houses, split into 16 groups, are taking part in the 8th eidition of the meet.

Dhaka Tribune is placed in Group M alongside Therap BD and Pepsi.

The Tribe will play their second game against Pepsi tomorrow.

A press conference was held at a city hotel yesterday to disclose the details of the meet.

The official draw ceremony also took place during the presser. Ascent Group has been the title sponsor for the last 6 years and they are the title sponsors this year too.

The organisers confirmed that this year, Securex joined as an associate

sponsor for the tournament while Dell Computers will be the co-sponsor.

“We have been blessed with the success of the annual event now for eight years and with each passing year, the enthusiasm with the corporate community grows in leaps and bounds and this is what the corporate games are all about,” said organiser of the tournament and chief executive officer of Securex Farhan Quddus.

“Over the last eight years, we have had hundreds of teams playing, interacting socially out of the office, bonding with their teams, networking and keeping with the spirit of the game of football. It is a healthy form of competition,” he added.

Managing director of Ascent Group Madiha Murshed, chief executive officer of Dell Bangladesh Sonia Bashir Kabir, Zarah Anjuman Quddus, proprietor, Excalibur Entertainment and Amer Ahmed, director of Ascent Group were also present on the occasion. l

14

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Sport

Friday, August 23, 2013

Real’s pursuit of Bale nears completion n Reuters, Madrid Real Madrid’s quest to land Tottenham Hotspur winger Gareth Bale for a world record fee looks to be nearing its conclusion with Spanish media reporting yesterday a deal was all but secured.

The nine-times European champions have a reputation for getting their man and sports daily Marca were sourcing radio station Cadena COPE when they said a deal had been agreed and would be confirmed on Friday for 99 million euros ($132.43 million).

Real’s signing of Cristiano Ronaldo from Manchester United in 2009 set the world record transfer fee at some 96 million euros.

Real play a friendly against Qatar side Al Sadd, the annual Santiago Bernabeu trophy, on Thursday evening when the club will be celebrating the return of their all-time leading scorer Raul. They are unlikely to want to trump that event with the Bale signing.

Even if the deal for the Welsh international is not confirmed on Friday, all the indications are that the player will be running out at the Bernabeu this season in the currently vacant number 11 shirt.

The 24-year-old has been ruled out of action for the opening matches of Tottenham’s season as he has suffered a couple of niggling injuries, though media speculation has suggested it is part of a tactic to force through the move.

His current club have been busy in the transfer market, landing Spain striker Roberto Soldado from Valencia for a club record 30 million euros and are reportedly close to exceeding that figure with a move for Brazilian forward Willian from Anzhi Makhachkala.

The transfer window shuts in England on Sept. 2. l

Arsenal's Kieran Gibbs (2L) celebrates with team mates after scoring against Fenerbahce during their Uefa Champions League Play Off first leg match at Sukru Saracoglu Stadium in Istanbul on Wednesday

Ivanovic steals win for Chelsea against Villa n AFP, London Chelsea overcame obdurate opposition from Aston Villa to secure a hardfought 2-1 win at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday that maintained their early momentum in the fledgling Premier League season.

Breezy 2-0 victors over Hull City in their opening game on Sunday, Chelsea had to dig much deeper against Paul Lambert’s side but eventually prevailed through a header from Branislav Ivanovic with 17 minutes to play.

As against Hull, Chelsea had taken an early lead, this time through an own goal from Antonio Luna, but Villa refused to surrender and claimed an equaliser on the stroke of half-time when Christian Benteke lashed home.

Victory in an occasionally ill-tempered game, brought forward due to Chelsea’s involvement in the UEFA Super Cup on August 30, will give Jose Mourinho enhanced belief that his side are ready for the battle sure to await them at Manchester United on Monday.

“That was very hard. I missed that about the Premier League!” said Mourinho, who returned to Chelsea in June after leaving Real Madrid.

“Normally matches in the Bernabeu, we win every match very comfortable.

I told Paul Lambert that they deserve a point. It wouldn’t be unfair.”

Villa manager Lambert could take solace from the doggedness of his side’s display, four days on from their impressive 3-1 win at Arsenal and eight months after a humiliating 8-0 defeat on the same pitch.

However, he was furious that Ivanovic went unpunished for an alleged elbow on Benteke and that Chelsea skipper John Terry was not penalised for an apparent handball in stoppage time.

“It is easy to come on here and have sour grapes, but it is there for everybody to see. He (Ivanovic) clearly elbowed Christian Benteke, it was a sending off,” Lambert said.

“The penalty was a penalty, everybody saw that. He (referee Kevin Friend) missed two huge moments.

How can you miss that magnitude of a decision? It is beyond me.”

Mourinho made two changes to the team that beat Hull, introducing Demba Ba and Juan Mata in place of Kevin De Bruyne and Fernando Torres, while Ciaran Clark replaced the injured Nathan Baker at centre-back for Villa. l

Klopp wary of ‘slumbering’ giants Bremen n AFP, Berlin Coach Jurgen Klopp has admitted he is wary of Friday’s opponents Werder Bremen as Borussia Dortmund aim to maintain their 100 percent record to stay top of the Bundesliga.

Bremen, Dortmund are two of the five German league teams to have won both of their opening games leaving Borussia top of the table only on goal difference.

Defending champions Bayern Munich, Champions League side Bayer Leverkusen, who host Borussia Moenchengladbach on Saturday, and Mainz 05, who are home to VfL Wolfsburg the same day, are the other three Bundesliga times with 100 percent records.

Bremen have won both their matches under new coach Robin Dutt by with 1-0 victories away against promoted Eintracht Braunschweig and home to Augbsurg respectively having flirted with relegation last season.

Bremen last lifted some silverware when they won the German Cup in 2009, but Klopp said their is too much talent in the Bremen team to take them lightly at Dortmund’s Westfalenstadion. l

Gunners rise to Euro challenge in Istanbul n AFP, Paris Arsenal provided the perfect riposte to their critics with a timely and ultimately impressive win at Fenerbahce on Wednesday which left Arsene Wenger’s side on the verge of a remarkable 17th straight Champions League campaign.

The Gunners turned up in Istanbul under a cloud after last weekend’s shock Premier League opening loss to Aston Villa and inactivity in the transfer market But goals from Kieran Gibbs, Aaron Ramsey and Oliver Giroud lifted the North London side past Fenerbahce in what beleaguered Wenger had described as “a massive” match.

The win, which puts Arsenal firmly in the driving seat for next week’s return leg at the Emirates, will likely boost the club in their pursuit of their targets before the transfer window closes.

A relieved Wenger told Sky Sports: “It was a good performance in a heated atmosphere.

“We controlled the match and after the disappointment of the weekend we’re in a strong position now. It was vital to get off on the right foot and that’s what we did.”

Ramsey added: “It was not the ideal start to the Premier League but we bounced back tonight - we have been criticised but we remained switched on.

I’m feeling confident at the moment.”

“We look very comfortable now for the second leg.” Walcott, looking ahead

Results Zagreb (CRO)

0-2

Vienna (AUT)

Razgrad (BUL)

2-4

Basel (SUI)

Bucharest (ROM)

1-1

Warsaw (POL)

Schalke (GER)

1-1

PAOK (GRE)

Fenerbahce (TUR)

0-3

Marcelinho 23, Stojanov 50

Piovaccari 34 Farfan 32

Leovac 68, Stankovic 75 Salah 12, 59, Sio 64, Schar 84-pen Kosecki 53 Stoch 73

Arsenal (ENG)

Gibbs 51, Ramsey 64, Giroud 77-pen

to the return leg, said: “We can’t be complacent and have to be professional to get the job done.”

The breakthrough after a dull opening half arrived in the 51st minute when Ramsey played in Theo Walcott down

Neymar cancels out Villa stunner to rescue Barca n AFP, Madrid

Neymar celebrates after scoring REUTERS

Neymar scored his first goal for Barcelona as the Catalans were held 1-1 by Atletico Madrid in the first leg of the Spanish Super Cup, but there was another injury worry for Lionel Messi as he was forced off at half-time.

David Villa had given the hosts the perfect start when he netted against his old side in spectacular fashion after just 12 minutes.

Barca then struggled to find their rhythm against a dogged Atleti side and were dealt a huge blow when Messi failed to reappear for the second-half due to a hamstring injury.

However, in his absence, Neymar was the man to rescue the Spanish champions as he came off the bench to head home Dani Alves’ cross 25 minutes from time.

“He had a knock and then a muscle problem so we will do the required examinations to see how serious it is,” Barca boss Gerardo Martino said of Messi’s injury afterwards.

“It didn’t make sense to keep him on the field if he couldn’t move comfortably.”

Having thrashed Levante 7-0 Martino’s first competitive match in charge on Sunday, Barca started confidently and had the first clear opening of the game when Pedro’s scuffed effort was palmed away by Thibaut Courtois on 11 minutes.

Within 60 seconds though Atleti were ahead though thanks to a fantastic piece of counter-attacking play as Villa fed Arda Turan on the left then burst into the box to meet the Turk’s cross flush on the volley to power the ball past Victor Valdes.

Moments later the Spanish international nearly punished his former teammates again as he and Diego Costa combined perfectly but this time Gerard Pique recovered just in time to block Villa’s effort.

The game then settled down with Barca patiently probing without ever opening up a well-organised Atleti side before the break.

AFP

And Martino was quick to praise Atletico’s energetic first-half performance that restricted the visitors to very few opportunities.

“It was very difficult for us to find space to receive the ball. We couldn’t find space between the lines, they were very compact and it was difficult to break through.

“To fix this we need to have more movement and precision. It is not easy, but we were better in the second-half.”

Despite losing Messi at half-time, Barca improved after the break as they twice went close through Alexis Sanchez and Messi’s replacement Cesc Fabregas.

Neymar was next to be introduced

by Martino and it didn’t take the Brazilian long to net his first Barca goal as he charged in at the back post to nod home Dani Alves’ hanging cross.

Valdes had to be alert to deny Villa restoring Atleti’s lead moments later before Xavi fired a free-kick just over for Barca as the game became increasingly stretched. l

the right wing and the winger’s cross was allowed to reach Gibbs who crashed the ball into the roof of the net.

Ramsey scored a fortunate second goal with 24 minutes left when Fenerbahce ‘keeper Volkan Demirel inexplicably allowed a routine shot from outside the box slip under his hands Giroud then planted a confident penalty in the top left hand corner after Michal Kadlec brought down Walcott on 77 minutes which has virtually put the tie beyond doubt.

Fenerbahce were looking to reach the pool stages despite a potential ban looming over them for match fixing that has gone to appeal and will be decided on the eve of the draw. The only downside on an otherwise excellent night’s work was the facial injury to Laurent Koscielny who had to come off.

Elsewhere Wednesday, there were 1-1 stalemates at the encounters between Steaua Bucharest and Legia Warsaw, and Schalke 04 and PAOK. Swiss side Basel, beaten by Chelsea in the Europa League semi-finals last season, saw off Ludogorets Razgrad 4-2 while Austria Vienna defeated Dinamo Zagreb 2-0. l

Monaco out to pile pressure on PSG n AFP, Paris

David Villa reacts scoring his goal REUTERS

High flying Monaco have already lived up to their pre-season credentials as title challengers and Claudio Ranieri’s side could be three points clear by Friday night if they defeat Toulouse at their Louis II stadium.

Sixty-million euro signing Radamel Falcao is off to an impressive start with two goals in two games since his move from Atletico Madrid.

The Colombian celebrated the birth of his new daughter on the eve of his strike against Montpellier which helped spark a 4-1 rout of the 2012 champions.

Toulouse could only manage a 1-1 draw against Bordeaux for their only positive result in two openings and face an in-form Monaco side eager to build on their perfect start and keep the pressure on the chasing pack.

Ranieri welcomes back Portuguese striker Joao Moutinho to his squad following injury but Frenchman Emmanuel Riviere is set to keep his place. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Sport

Ton-up Smith strengthens Australia’s grip

Quick Bytes

Four share lead in women’s chess A total of four players shared the lead in the points table with maximum 3 points each after 3rd round play of the Preliminary Phase of the 34th National Women Chess Championship-at the Bangladesh Chess Federation hallrooms yesterday. The players are WFM Nazrana Khan Eva, Shamiha Sharmin Shimmi, Dilara Jahan Nupur and Kishwara Sjarin Evana. WFM Zakia Sultana, Mahmuda Hoque Chowdhury Moly, Tanzina Akter Tani and Tasmin Sultana are sharing 2nd position with 2.5 points each. In the 3rd round, Eva beat Protiva Talukder, Zakia drew with Moly, Shimmi beat Hamida Rahman, Nupur beat Jahanara Haqur Runu, Evana got walk-over against Afrin Jahan Munia, Tani beat Meherunnesa Hilali and Tasmin beat Annanya Chaity.

-RM

n AFP, London

Women’s cricket team camp The Bangladesh Cricket Board declared a 32-member squad for a conditioning and skill training camp for the National Women’s Team yesterday. The national women’s side is schedule to travel to South Africa on a 16-day tour in September. The camp will begin on August 25 and the cricketers selected for the camp are requested to report at the Krira Palli, Mirpur on August 24.

Squad: Salma Khatun, Rumana Ahmed, Lata Mondol, Ayasha Rahman, Jahanara Alam, Fargana Hoque Pinki, Khadizatul Kubra, Panna Ghosh, Nuzhat Tasnia, Sultana Yesmin Boishakhi, Ayesha Akter, Sharmin Akter Supta, Shahnaz Parvin, Lily Rani Biswas, Tithi Rani Sarker, Ritu Moni, Tazia Akter, Shamima Sultana, Fahima Khatun, Shohaly Akter, Sanjida Islam Moyna, Sathira Jakir Jesy, Saila Sharmin, Sabikun Nahar, Rifat Ara Moyna, Jannatul Ferdousi, Suborna Islam, Monjila Khatun, Nigar Sultana, Nadia Afrin, Tomalika Sumona, Mahmuda Khan.

– MUK

Pakistan’s Umar Akmal to see neurologist

Pakistan’s talented young batsman Umar Akmal will see a neurologist for further tests after suffering a suspected seizure that forced his withdrawal from the Zimbabwe tour, an official said Wednesday. The 23-year-old reportedly suffered a seizure during a flight to Jamaica last week and was flown home for medical treatment. The Pakistan Cricket Board said further professional advice will be taken on Umar, who on his return Tuesday insisted he was fit to play despite the scare. “The PCB is arranging an appointment for Umar with a neurologist to seek professional advice on his medical condition,” a PCB spokesman said.

– AFP

Wenger rules out Arsenal move for Suarez

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has conceded defeat in his pursuit of Liverpool striker Luis Suarez after declaring there is “no chance” the Uruguayan will move to the Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal have had two bids for Suarez rejected during the current transfer window and, speaking after his side won 3-0 at Fenerbahce in the first leg of their Champions League play-off, Wenger said they would not be making another offer. “(There is) absolutely no chance of that,” Wenger said, in remarks widely reported in the British media on Thursday.

– AFP

Day’s Watch Star Cricket 4:00pm The Ashes 2013 LIVE Test 5 Day 3 ESPN 8:20pm 2013 Indian Badminton League LIVE Ten Sports 11:00pm WTA Tour 2013 LIVE – Semi Final New Haven Open Ten Action 12:25am French Ligue 1 2013/2014 LIVE AS Monaco v Toulouse Ten Cricket 5.30pm Zimbabwe v Pakistan First T20I Sony Six 6.00am (Saturday) 2nd Semi-Final Tallawahs v Tridents

15

Friday, August 23, 2013

MAIDEN TON

Australia's Steven Smith celebrates reaching his century during play on the second day of the fifth Ashes cricket Test match against England at The Oval cricket ground in London yesterday AFP

Steven Smith’s maiden Test hundred helped Australia maintain their dominant position on the second day of the Ashes finale at The Oval on Thursday.

Australia were 397 for six at tea on a rain-affected second day of the fifth Test, with Smith 112 not out and debutant James Faulkner one not out as they sought a consolation win after England had already taken the series at 3-0 up.

The tourists resumed well-placed on their overnight 307 for four after rain delayed Thursday’s start by threeand-a-half hours.

Smith was 66 not out and nightwatchman Peter Siddle 18 not out following Shane Watson’s Test-best 176 on Wednesday.

The glare of The Oval floodlights did little to mask the gloom, with the overcast conditions more bowlerfriendly than Wednesday’s sunny blue skies when England debutants Chris Woakes, a seam-bowling all-rounder, and left-arm spinner Simon Kerrigan took none for 105 in 23 overs between them.

It did not take long for paceman James Anderson, who on Wednesday moved past Bob Willis into second place in England’s all-time list of leading Test wicket-takers, to make the breakthrough.

Anderson bowled Siddle for 23 with a superb delivery that swung in to the right-hander before moving away off the pitch to clip the top of off stump.

New batsman Brad Haddin was on 15 when England had an appeal by wicketkeeper Matt Prior for caught behind off Anderson turned down.

It looked as if the ball had missed the batsman’s bat and gloves and umpire Kumar Dharmasena’s verdict was upheld by the Decision Review System.

Woakes, albeit in more helpful circumstances, bowled better than he had

on Wednesday but when he dropped short Smith was quickly into position to pull him for a four that took the batsman to 89 -- the same score he made in the drawn third Test at Old Trafford.

But, as Graeme Swann and fellow spinner Kerrigan waited to bowl Thursday, the 24-year-old Smith, playing the 12th Test of a career that saw him initially regarded as a leg-spinner who batted, went to his hundred in style by on-driving occasional medium-pacer Jonathan Trott for six.

Smith faced 198 balls, including 14 fours and two sixes, for his century.

However, four balls later, Haddin, trying to cut, became Trott’s fifth Test wicket when he played on for 30. l

At Tea Australia 1st Innings (overnight: 307-4) C. Rogers c Trott b Swann D. Warner c Prior b Anderson S. Watson c Pietersen b Broad M. Clarke b Anderson S. Smith not out P. Siddle b Anderson B. Haddin b Trott J. Faulkner not out Extras (b1, lb12, w1, nb5) Total (6 wkts, 117 overs)

23 6 176 7 112 23 30 1 19 397

Fall of wickets 1-11 (Warner), 2-118 (Rogers), 3-144 (Clarke), 4-289 (Watson), 5-320 (Siddle), 6-385 (Haddin) To bat: M Starc, R Harris, N Lyon Bowling Anderson 29-4-89-3; Broad 26-4-88-1 (4nb); Swann 30-4-71-1; Woakes 217-71-0 (1w); Kerrigan 8-0-53-0 (1nb); Trott 3-0-12-1 England Alastair Cook (capt), Joe Root, Jonathan Trott, Kevin Pietersen, Ian Bell, Chris Woakes, Matt Prior (wkt), Stuart Broad, Graeme Swann, Simon Kerrigan, James Anderson

Isinbayeva wants to leave Zimbabwe move on ‘decayed’ home town for Monaco from crisis to cricket n AFP, Moscow Russia’s pole vault champion Yelena Isinbayeva, who last week stoked controversy by voicing strong support of recent anti-gay laws, declared she wanted to leave her “decayed” Russian home town to live in Monaco, in an interview published Thursday.

The 31-year-old star double Olympic champion told a mass circulation weekly newspaper in her hometown of Volgograd (formerly Stalingrad) that she prefers to live in Monaco, where living and training conditions are better.

“I think I will live abroad,” Isinbayeva told Argumenty i Fakty. “I will have

many responsibilities in Volgograd, but I want to live in Monaco.”

In her first major interview since the controversy over her comments on gay rights erupted, Isinbayeva disparaged her home town and said she will only come to visit her coach.

“What can one do in penniless Volgograd? The city became scary, old. It has decayed,” she added. “ “The roads are terrible — if you buy a foreign car you might as well write it off.”

Complaining of the working conditions of teachers, doctors and sports trainers, she said: “Our city does not really have conditions for living. No-one listens to us, they just wave their hands.”

Last week Isinbayeva was criticised

by Western activists and commentators after she backed a new Russian law that bans “homosexual propaganda” to minors, a vague piece of legislation that is seen as an instrument for a crackdown against gays.

“We consider ourselves like normal standard people — we just live with boys with women, women with boys,” Isinbayeva said at the Moscow World Athletics Championships, in comments that she later said may have been misunderstood.

The controversial law was signed by Putin in June and has prompted calls for a boycott of the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. l

n AFP, HARARE

Zimbabwe go into Friday’s first Twenty20 international against Pakistan at Harare Sports Club with captain Brendan Taylor confident that the players have put their most recent scuffle with the board behind them.

The month-long tour will see the two sides face off in two Twenty20 matches, three one-day internationals and two Tests, but Zimbabwe’s preparations were thrown into disarray last week when the players refused to train after negotiations over unpaid salaries and future contracts broke down.

Although the players came to an agreement with Zimbabwe Cricket last Friday and returned to training, fast

New Zealand appeal for more Tests n AFP, Wellington

New Zealand batsman Martin Guptill Thursday joined calls for more international matches for the Black Caps as they struggle to lift their profile.

Guptill, who has been in impressive form in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), said New Zealand would struggle to improve on its eighth-placed Test ranking without a steady diet of matches against quality opponents.

Legendary all-rounder Richard Hadlee recently said New Zealand needed more Tests but the perception in other countries was that the team was not box-office material.

“It appears our value to other countries is not significant enough to keep us long enough in their country to make decent money. I think there should be some commitment to honour future tour programmes,” Hadlee said.

His comments came as officials continue to thrash out India’s itinerary for their New Zealand tour next February.

India, ranked number two in the world, want to reduce the scheduled three-Test programme to two.

Guptill, who will miss the rest of the Caribbean tournament with a broken bone in his right hand, said it was time other countries took note of the quality

of New Zealand cricketers.

Guptill scored 198 runs at an average of 33 for the Warriors, who topped the group stage of the CPL, while teammate James Franklin tops the averages with 170 runs at 42.50 and Ross Taylor has scored 141 runs for Trinidad and Tobago Red Steel.

“It puts us out there and hopefully people will take notice,” Guptill said in a statement.

“From what I read, Sir Richard’s comments were more to do with Test cricket than anything else and we are struggling a little in the Test game at the moment.

“The only way we can get better is by playing more Tests and if that can come in the next few years and we can keep developing as a team then who knows where we can go from there.”

Guptill had been filling a dual role in the CPL — opening the batting for the Warriors while gathering information on West Indies players ahead of their tour of New Zealand starting later this year.

This has included trying to decipher the skills of spinner Sunil Narine, his Warriors team-mate, although Guptill admitted that was not easy.

“I have been trying to see when he bowls how he does what he does but it is pretty hard to pick it up.” l

bowler Kyle Jarvis announced on Sunday that he was quitting international cricket in favour of a county contract.

Nevertheless Taylor expects his side to move on mentally as they look to present a challenge to Pakistan.

“I think we’ve all been around long enough to put that aside now,” Taylor told AFP in a telephone conversation.

“ZC have met us in the middle and there’s nothing more to harp on about it.

“We’ve discussed this as players and it’s time to move forward and try and represent our country as well as we can.”

Taylor admitted that Jarvis’ decision had come as a surprise to his teammates and hoped that the 24-yearold will return to play for Zimbabwe in the future. l

Serena favored but Azarenka threatens at US Open n AFP, New York City

Delta Air Lines hosts the "Delta Open" celebrity table tennis tournament with Serena Williams, New York Ranger Henrik Lundqvist, New York Knick Iman Shumpert, New York Yankee Brett Gardner and Mrs. Met at Madison Square Park on August 21, 2013 in New York City AFP

World number one Serena Williams enters the US Open as a heavy favourite to defend her title, but second-ranked Victoria Azarenka leads a host of rivals looking to dethrone her.

Williams is seeking her 17th Grand Slam singles crown and fifth US Open title, which would move her one shy of Chris Evert’s Open-era record for most titles at the year’s final major event on the Flushing Meadows hardcourts.

“I’m definitely prepared. I’m definitely ready for New York,” Williams said. “I definitely had more matches than I could want, but I’m definitely prepared for the US Open.”

The 31-year-old American has been on an amazing run over the past 14 months, going 77-4 and capturing last year’s Wimbledon, London Olympic and US Open titles, plus this year’s French Open crown. But two of those defeats came at the hands of Azarenka, in last February’s Doha final and last Sunday at the WTA final in Cincinnati.

It was only the third victory for the 24-year-old from Belarus over Williams that sets the stage for a potential rematch of last year’s US Open final. l

16

DHAKA TRIBUNE

ACC evades query about major corruption cases n Tribune Report The Anti-Corruption Commission sidestepped questions of journalists on major cases focusing only on its monthly progress report yesterday.

ACC Secretary Faizur Rahman Chowdhury at the commission’s monthly press briefing could not come up with any definite answers about the developments of the major cases pending with the commission.

When asked about the updates on much-talked-about Tk36bn embezzlement by Hallmark Group, Tk38bn scam

by Destiny Group, Tk35bn scam by BASIC Bank, and about Tk6bn misappropriation by Bangladesh Telecommunications Company Limited officials the secretary evaded the questions.

In response to journalists’ queries, the official said the commission is expecting submission of the report of the probe into the Hallmark group scam within the next week but he could not give any exact date.

The Hallmark Group and its five entities swindled about Tk37bn from Sonali Bank Ruposhi Bangla branch.

The commission on October 4 filed 11 cases against seven top executives of the Group and 20 officials of Sonali Bank in connection with the embezzlement.

About the Destiny Group scam pending with the commission for a long time the secretary said it would take some more time to complete the report.

However, ACC Chairman M Badiuzzaman on July 14 said the commission had almost completed the investigation. “The commission will submit the charge sheet on Destiny Group scam within next one month.”

The Destiny Group embezzled

Tk38bn from its clients and half the amount had allegedly been smuggled out of the country.

The commission on July 31, 2012 filed two cases with the Kalabagan Police Station against 22 senior executives including president and managing director of the Destiny 2000 Ltd for laundering about Tk32.85bn abroad.

The cases were filed under the Money Laundering Prevention Act-2004 and the Money Laundering Prevention Act-2012.

In the face of queries about the alleged Tk35bn scam by the Basic Bank the bureaucrat said: “We are conducting an inquiry into it and such type of investigation is very complex.

A section of state-owned Bangladesh Small Industries and Commerce Bank Limited officials has allegedly embezzled Tk35bn from different branches of the bank by sanctioning loans to some fake companies through letters of credit, inland bill purchases and forged documents.

In regards to the progress on Bangladesh Telecommunication Company Limited scam the secretary side-stepped the question saying: “The probe team is again conducting inquiry into it and the investigation is going on.”

Some BTCL officials allegedly embezzled around Tk6bn through Voice over Internet Protocol business by erasing international call minutes from call detail recorders of BTCL’s International Trunk Exchange 5 and 7 from December 2011 to November 2012.

When asked about whether the anti-graft body would look into the allegation of over Tk600m being wasted for the government billboard campaign in the capital boasting their achievements, the anti-corruption official evaded the query also. l

Back Page RENOVATING TO ITS PAST GLORY

Workers repair the walls of an eidgah, under the supervision of Archaeology Department, in the capital’s Dhanmondi yesterday to restore its originals looks as plasters of most part of the walls have damaged. The eidgah was built in 1640 during the rule of Shah Suja of the Mughal dynasty RAJIB DHAR

Government and atheists against peace: Shafi n Manik Miazee

Ruling party’s beneficiaries and civil society representatives are criticising Hefazat-e-Islam as they have taken stance against the nation’s peace, said its chief Shah Ahmed Shafi yesterday.

In a written statement, he claimed that the ordinary people of the country were supporting Hefazat and stood against the atheists and the so-called

DMCH retracts distribution of cheque n Moniruzzaman Uzzal

In a new turn of events, the Dhaka Medical College Hospital authorities have decide to retract its move to distribute Tk110m among the para-clinical staff, in less than 24 hours of releasing the cheques.

DMCH Director Brigadier General Dr Mustafizur Rahman yesterday called an emergency meeting with the para-clinical staff of the hospital and requested the respective departments to bring back the money that had been disbursed to them only a day before.

The director has also written a letter to the manager of the bank to not cash the cheques that were distributed on Wednesday.

However, the Dhaka Tribune has learnt that a huge amount of money has already been handed over to the para-clinical staff.

“We received a stay order from the Supreme Court this morning. The judge has ordered for not distributing the user fee. But we had already distributed the cheques on Wednesday following a previous High Court order and with the consent of health ministry officials,” the DMCH director told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday.

“We are in a really bad situation centring the distribution of user fee.

Different courts are passing different judgements. We are now only obeying the latest orders,” he said.

The DMCH authorities on Wednesday distributed cheques totalling Tk110m among para-clinical staff as a “user fee commission” – a move that the clinical staff claimed was a violation of a Supreme Court stay order on a previous High Court judgement.

Earlier, a July 23 order passed by the HC asked the authorities concerned to distribute user fee among the para-clinical staff within August 23.

The DMCH authorities yesterday told the Dhaka Tribune that they were not aware of any SC order and that they had distributed cheques following the HC order because only two days were left of the time allowed by the HC. Prof Dr Feroz Ahmed, head of the para-clinical Nephrology department of DMCH, told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday that he had already distributed the cheques among the doctors and technologists.

On the other hand, Professor Dr Md Billal Alam, a clinical staff of the hospital and one of the petitioners who sought stay order on the HC judgement, told the Dhaka Tribune that everyone who got the money, had to give it back.

There are allegations that a section

Two Bangladeshis jailed in Egypt for violating curfew n Sheikh Shahariar Zaman Cairo authorities sent two Bangladeshi to prison for 15 days for violating curfew on August 19.

"Our embassy is in touch with them and it is expected that they would be released after the term ends," an official of Bangladesh's foreign ministry told the Dhaka Tribune.

The duo, Al-Azhar University student Belayet Hossain and factory worker Nasir Mazumdar, undertook a 30-kilometre Tablig (preaching) mission to Helwan area in Cairo during curfew hours.

Cairo's Tablig Centre has appointed a lawyer for them, the official said.

The frustrated official said Al-Azhar University repeatedly instructed its for-

eign students not to go outside during the curfew hours but Belayet Hossain disobeyed the warning.

“He not only got himself into trouble but also his family and the Bangladesh embassy in Cairo."

To make things worse, on the same day nationals of nine other countries were detained for violating the curfew including muslims of Russian, Irish and Dutch origin, the official said.

“We learned the Egyptian government has already taken legal actions against them as they were supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood."

The official expressed fear that it might become difficult to get the duo released after the prison term if the authorities of Cairo take similar actions against them. l

Friday, August 23, 2013

of health ministry officials have taken healthy bribes in return for passing orders for the disbursement of the money, although the issue has been disputed for a long time.

Meanwhile, Attorney General Mahbubey Alam has reportedly paid a courtesy call at the DMCH yesterday morning and had separate discussions with the two sides.

Following the discussions, he had reportedly told the two sides that according to the latest court judgment, DMCH authorities could not distribute the cheques; otherwise they could be in trouble.

Patients are treated for free in public hospitals, but they pay “user fee” for using diagnostic facilities. According to existing arrangements, half the amount goes to the government, and the remainder to the Para-clinical staff.

However, following a High Court order, the sharing user fees remained suspended for two years and the money collected over the period – amounting to Tk2bn – went entirely to the government exchequer.

On October 10, 2012, following a Civil Leave to Appeal Petition filed by health ministry officials, higher courts issued an interim order for the release of the amount collected as user fees over the past two years. l

civil society representatives.

“The nation is falling in serious crises for drugs, irreligiousness, free mixing of men and women. Our 13-point demands are meant to save the people from these. But the government supported by atheists avoided our demands and is pushing the country towards a dangerous situation.”

He also held the atheists responsible for the recent events in different Mus-

lim countries including Egypt, Libya, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Syria.

After analysing the previous and present consequences of incidents, Shafi observed that Bangladesh too was not out of such risks. “Here Allah, the Prophet [SM], the Qur’an and Islam are attacked under state patronisation.

The people wearing Islamic attires and having beard are mocked while the innocent Islamic scholars and common

ATTACK THREAT ON EUROPEAN EMBASSIES

Reject cheap politicians using religion: Mozena n Sheikh Shahariar Zaman

n Kailash Sarkar

US ambassador Dan Mozena has said cheap politicians and greedy land grabbers create friction and manipulate the society in the guise of religion to their own benefit.

“These cheap politicians and greedy land grabbers are a threat to the nation,” he said at inter-faith dialogue on religious tolerance and peace in the city Thursday.

Citing an example, he said the greedy owner of Rana Plaza had grabbed the land from a Hindu family and built a complex which is now known around the world as symbol of greed, corruption and land grabbing from minorities.

He also recalled the destruction of Buddhist temples and attacks on Hindus in Noakhali, Comilla, Barisal and other parts of the country.

Mozena called upon the government, civil society and the people of Bangladesh to reject the cheap politicians and greedy land grabbers.

“Reject the cheap politicians and land grabbers who seek to use religion to advance their self-serving agendas to acquire power and wealth,” Mozena said. l

Security stepped up in diplomatic zone Security measures have been beefed up in the diplomatic zone in Dhaka with the deployment of additional forces from different law enforcement agencies following a reported threat by Tehrik-e-Taliban Punjab (TTP), a Pakistan-based militant organisation, to attack European embassies in Bangladesh, India and Pakistan.

“We have taken cognizance of the media reports. It is our duty to ensure the security of the diplomatic zone, as well as diplomats,” ATM Habibur Rahman, director of the legal and media wing of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab), said yesterday.

He said authorities had deployed additional forces and stepped up vigilance in the capital’s diplomatic zone, comprising parts of Banani, Gulshan and Baridhara.

Khandaker Lutful Kabir, deputy commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Gulshan division, said: “The security measures for foreign embassies, as well as the diplomatic zone,

have been intensified to face any kind of situation and ensure security of the diplomats.”

Local residents said a huge contingent of forces from the police, Rab and other security agencies were seen patrolling the area yesterday. Movement of vehicles and people in the area was also restricted through setting up check-posts.

Zee News, an Indian news channel, aired a report on Wednesday quoting Asian News International, which said Asmatullah Muawiy, a key militant commander of the TTP, had issued a threat to attack European embassies across the world, including those located in Bangladesh, India and Pakistan.

Muawiya reportedly called on Muslim youths to replicate the attack on the US mission in Benghazi, Libya, according to aterrorism threat monitoring report of the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMR), a Washington-based research institute that specialises in translating and monitoring jihadi media networks. l

‘Oishee shows signs of remorse’ n Mohammad Jamil Khan

Oishee Rahman, daughter of Special Branch Inspector Mahfuzur Rahman and his wife Swapna Rahman, showed signs of repentance over the “killing” of her parents, blaming bad company and drugs for the fallout, claimed DB officials.

During the four-day remand, Oishee told investigators: “I lost my humanity by taking too much drugs, and as a result I have lost my parents.”

One of the investigators said at the beginning of the remand, Oishee would give different comments and show excitements over drugs. She seemed not to realise that her parents were dead.

However, in the last couple of days, she became impatient and started crying for her parents during interrogation. She said her mothers’ strictness and supply of drugs from friend Jony and his wife, Irin, pushed my life in a different way.

Oishee said: “Irin would even manage to supply drugs when my parents

Muslims are tortured, sued and jailed,” claimed the Islamist leader.

Supported by the opposition parties and ruling party ally Jatiya Party, Hefazat has been demonstrating since February to “protect Islam from the hands of atheists.” The Hathazari-based organisation comprises students and teachers of Qawmi madrasas, and leaders of 18-party opposition alliance in its central and other committees. l

would keep me locked in the house for drug abuse. At that time, I was thinking that if I could to move my parents from my way, my life would be happier.”

DB officials said they were anxious about Oishee and her behavior that he might attempt to commit suicide during remands. For that reason, four female police officials always accompany her during interrogations.

Meanwhile, officials of SB and DB, visited Oishee’s Chamelibagh residence at 11.30pm on Wednesday to verify her comments given during the remand where she gave detail accounts of the day of the murder, how she gave shelter to her friends, and how the killing took place.

An Additional Deputy Inspector General of SB, a Deputy Commissioner of DB and Additional Deputy Commissioner of DB were present during visit.

In addition, DB police yesterday claimed that they have got hold of the register of the clinic in Khulna, where Oishee was born.

According to the register, she was born on August 17, 1994, however, her

school certificate notes that was born on August 17, 1996. DB also claimed that during the time of surrender, Oishee claimed herself to be 18.

In this regard, Jahangir Hossain Matubbor, Deputy Commissioner of DB said: “There has been a confusion over Oishee’s actual age and it will only be clear after we get the report from Dhaka Medical College Hospital’s medical board.”

Meanwhile, a Dhaka court has rejected a bail petition for Oishee by her lawyer Prokash Ranjan Bishwash, which was filed Wednesday to stop the disclosure of remand information to the media. He claimed the information would create a social stigma for his client. Metropolitan Magistrate Asaduzzaman Nur rejected the plea.

The two other friends of Oishee, Jony and Sahidul are still at large and detectives said the total mystery of the case will be solved once they are arrested.

In this regard, Moinrul Islam, Joint Commissioner of DB said they are in search of the duo and were hoping to solve the case shortly. l

Two Bangladeshis among dead in Malaysia bus crash n AFP, Kuala Lumpur Several foreigners were among 37 people killed when a bus hurtled into a ravine in Malaysia’s worst-ever road accident, but an official Thursday denied reports the vehicle was overloaded and had a history of citations.

The privately operated bus had 53 aboard when it veered off a treacherous mountain road leading to a highland resort Wednesday, tumbling into a deep gully and scattering dead and injured on a mountainside.

According to the health ministry and police, the dead include 14 Malaysians, two Indians, a Korean, a Nepalese, and two Bangladeshis. One of the Bangladeshis also held a Canadian passport, officials said.

Health ministry official Jeya Indran Sinnadurai told reporters the rest were yet to be identified. l

Editor: Zafar Sobhan, Published and Printed by Kazi Anis Ahmed at Romask Limited, 184, Tejgaon Industrial Area, Dhaka-1215. Editorial, News & Commercial Office: FR Tower, 8/C Panthapath, Shukrabad, Dhaka 1207.

Phone: 9132093-94, Advertising: 9132155, Circulation: 9132282, Fax: News-9132192, e-mail: news@dhakatribune.com, info@dhakatribune.com, Website: www.dhakatribune.com

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Business

B2 Tk9bn stock refinance scheme becomes operational Sunday

B3 OTC market intensifies stock investor woes

friday, August 23, 2013

Business www.dhakatribune.com/business

Desperate efforts on to get GSP reinstated by December An initial situation paper on labour standards to be sent to USTR in October n Asif Showkat Kallol Bangladesh is desperately trying to regain GSP facility for its products in the US market

by December.

As part of implementing the “Action Plan,” the government will send an initial situation paper on progress of labour standards to the Office of the US Trade Representative in October, official sources said.

Bangladesh expects GSP be restored in December.

However, a senior commerce ministry official said there has been no substantial progress yet in improving the labour conditions in the factories.

The “Action Plan” was set out by the US government for Bangladesh to retain GSP. “We are coordinating the whole matter and will do everything to restore GSP,” Commerce Secretary Mahbub Ahmed told the Dhaka Tribune.

The visiting US Congressman Sandy Levin said Bangladesh will need to effectively implement the Action Plan to get back “trade privileges” from the US. The US suspended the generalised system of preference (GSP) for Bangladeshi products on June 27 over “unsatisfactory progress” in improving labour standards.

Under the Action Plan, Bangladesh’s Commerce Ministry will require to inform the USTR about the progress of meeting 16 conditions in improving labour standards.

Besides, 200 officials will have to be appointed to inspect factories within a time frame.

An inter-ministerial meeting was held recently to examine the conditions set in Bangladesh Action Plan 2013 by the US.

Around 300 workers remain missing after Rana Plaza collapse which killed over 1,100 Nashirul Islam With Commerce Minister GM Quader in the chair, the meeting focused on strengthening the Chief Inspection of Factory and Establishment Department.

The representatives from Bangladesh Tariff commission presented the current status of meeting Action Plan conditions.

Meanwhile, the Labour Ministry has proposed to engage 800 inspectors for factories, which is currently being examined by the Public Administration Division.

As per the conditions, the Home Ministry

has a plan to increase capacity of the Fire Services Department.

To expedite the trial of labour leader Aminul Islam killing, the ministry has alsodeclared bounty for Mustafiz, the main accused of the case.

Besides, decision has been taken to withdraw cases against the workers Babul Akter and Kalpona Akter who were accused of violating law by trying to launch trade unions in the Export Processing Zones (EPZ). The existing EPZ law do not allow trade unionism. l

Making database of Ashulia garment workers goes slowly

n Ibrahim Hossain Ovi

Due to slow progress, the BGMEA initiative of preparing making biometric databases of Ashulia garment factories may not be completed by the stipulated time of August 30.

BGMEA President said only 80 factories have had almost 80% of works done so far while there are around 300 clothing factories in Ashulia, a suburban area near capital Dhaka.

But 132 of them deposited money to BGMEA for implementation of the project.

After Rana Plaza disaster and allegations of workers’ missing, BGMEA President Atiqul Islam on 20th May announced step to prepare such database within August 30.

Factories were asked to provide money to start the work through Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association.

At that time, he warned the factory owners of suspension from BGMEA if they would fail to do that by the stipulated time.

“We have asked the factory owners to help expedite the process as it [database] will be good for both the owners and the BGMEA,” said Atiqul Islam.

Sources said preparing database would cost a factory Tk75,000-400,000 on basis of the number of workers. Tiger IT and Systech Digital Ltd are helping in this regard.

“It is an expensive and time-consuming project,” said BGMEA Vice President Reaz Bin Mahmood defending the slow progress.

According to him, the deadline is likely to be extended to give the factories another chance. But a BGMEA official said the factory owners were making delays in providing information for database.

At present, BGMEA has 5,500 member factories, of which, 3,600 are in operation.

As part of the move, the BGMEA provided training on the digital workers’ database and implementation of service books to 400 mid-level officials of factories located at Ashulia. l

Default loan rises despite increased credit recovery n Jebun Nesa Alo The loan recovery by the banks and non-bank financial institutions has increased by 16% in the first nine months of the last fiscal year as compared to same period previous fiscal year thanks to Bangladesh Bank’s maintaining strict monitoring due to the big credit scams surfaced recently.

Bangladesh Bank data shows the recovery stood at Tk260bn during July-March period of 2012-13 as compared to Tk223bn of the same period previous fiscal year.

“Loan recovery increased due to strong

monitoring by the central bank. It’s is a good sign,” Association of Bankers Bangladesh (ABB) President Nurul Amin told the Dhaka Tribune. “But, loan disbursement is not satisfactory as entrepreneurs are reluctant to take loan on apprehension of political turmoil.”

Despite the increase in loan recovery, total classified loans to total outstanding loans increased to 11.90% in March this year from 10.03% in December last year and 7.17% in June last year.

Of the total loan recovery, state-owned bank’s recovered around Tk44bn, private commercial banks Tk170.57bn, foreign banks Tk11bn, specialised banks around Tk8bn and non-bank financial

institutions around Tk27bn till March this year.

Even after slight increase in loan recovery by the state-owned banks, both Sonali and Rupali banks failed to meet their respective targets set

by Bangladesh Bank for recovering from its top 20 defaulters.

The central bank had previously set targets for the state-owned banks to recover 20% of their classified loans from top 20 defaulters within March, based on the balance sheet as of December 2012.

Sonali Bank recovered only 15% while Rupali Bank recovered only 1%. Janata and Agrani banks, however, managed to reach the target by achiev-

ing recovery rates of 24% and 23% respectively.

Meanwhile, loan disbursement by the banks and NBFIs increased by 27% to Tk318bn in the nine months of the last fiscal year compared to Tk250bn in the previous fiscal year.

Of the total disbursements, the state-run banks disbursed Tk52.36bn, PCBs Tk206bn, foreign banks Tk13.13bn, specialised banks Tk12.52bn and non-banking financial institutions disbursed Tk34bn.

Agriculture credit disbursement stood at Tk146bn in the fiscal year 2012-13 against recovery of Tk143bn while total outstanding loans stood at Tk310bn. l

2

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Business

friday, August 23, 2013

Tk9bn stock refinance scheme becomes operational Sunday n Tribune Report Bangladesh Bank, on behalf of the government, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) and Investment Corporation of Bangladesh (ICB) yesterday to make Tk9bn capital market refinance scheme operational.

Bangladesh Bank Executive Director SM Moniruzzaman, BSEC Executive Director Saifur Rahman and ICB Managing Director Fayekuzzaman signed the MoU on behalf of their respective organisations.

The refinance scheme activities will start from Sunday and will close on December 2016. During this period, the fund disbursement and repayment will be completed and will be repaid to the government.

“The Merchant banks and broker houses that have already received remission of 50% interest from the affected investors’ accounts, following the government announced bailout package, will get the fund after submitting documentary evidence,” said Saifur Rahman.

The affected investors who had invested less than Tk1m during the period from January 1, 2009 to November 30, 2011 will get support from the scheme, he said.

Earlier on August, 2012 the Bangladesh Merchant Bankers Association (BMBA) had sought Tk9bn loan from the Bangladesh Bank at 10% interest to execute the government announced bailout package to compensate investors who incurred losses after taking margin loans.

Considering the demand, the government decided to go forward with the capital market refinance scheme. As per the guideline approved by the Ministry of Finance, the loan worth Tk9bn, which will be used as fresh loans or for loan rescheduling purpose, will be handed over to ICB in three equal installments.

The maximum tenure of the loan will be

Sheltech begins apartment fair today

n Tribune Business Desk

The real estate company Sheltech today begins 15-day Autumn Fair at its own corporate office located at Panthapath in the city.

It continue till 6th September and remain open from 9am to 7pm every day.

Sheltech Chairman Kutubuddin Ahmed and MD Dr Toufiq M Seraj jointly announced Sheltech Autumn Fair offer at a press conference yesterday.

Sheltech clients can select apartments from a range of 400 apartments, varying in size and locations like Gulshan, Banani, Baridhara, Basabo, Bashundhara, Central Road, Maghbazar, Motijheel, Shyamoli, Kathalbagan, Paribag, Uttara, Mirpur, Mohammadpur, Gandaria.

Lands are available in Ashulia. Sheltech is offering a chance to win through lottery a land by booking a land in Ashulia and a chance to win a Toyota car through lottery by buying an apartment in its project Sheltech Bithika. l

IBBL hosts reception to CDCS

n Tribune Business Desk

for three years.

The loan will be disbursed under the “assistance fund for the affected small investors,” which will be managed by the ICB with a simple interest of 5%.

ICB will the distribute the fund among the merchant banks and stock brokers at an interest rate of 7%, of which 2% will be deducted by ICB as service charge.

The merchant banks and stock brokers will distribute the funds as fresh loans among affected small investors or for the purpose of rescheduling loans at an interest

rate of 9%.

The ICB will form a grant committee, which will approve the loans for merchant banks and brokerage firms after justifying necessary papers and documents attested by their respective company auditors.

For receiving the loans from the ICB, the merchant banks and stock brokers will have to provide “corporate guarantee” as mortgage.

The securities regulator could impose penalty or cancel the registration of the borrowers if they fail to repay the loans taken from the ICB within the stipulated timeframe. l

Government team may visit Myanmar to explore imports n Asif ShowkatKallol Commerce Ministry plans to send a four-member delegation to Myanmar to explore import possibility from the neighbouring country.

The alternative import source plan has come after the recent onion crisis in India, said official sources.

“We have already submitted a proposal in this regard to Prime Minister,” said a senior official.

The team will meet high officials of Myanmar’s commerce ministry, Division of Border Trade and business leaders.

Sources said import items from the country might include onion, chickpeas, ginger, turmeric and other essentials.

Bangladesh presently import

600,000-800,000tonnes of onion from India every year, he also said.

India has been the only source of onion for Bangladesh and therefore any crisis in the country affects Bangladesh’s local market.

Recently, the Indian government set cost of per tonne onion export at $650, leading the price on Bangladesh market to reach as high as Tk80 per kilogram.

Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Commerce Manoj Kumar Roy is likely to lead the Bangladesh team which will include Chairman of Trading Corporation of Bangladesh and representatives from the Controller of Import and Export and Tariff Commission.

Earlier, Commerce Secretary Mahbub Ahmed said the government was set to import onion from Myanmar as the Indian market faced crisis. l

Islmai Bank Bangladesh Limited (IBBL) organised a reception to Certified Documentary Credit Specialists (CDCS) of the bank.

A number of 95 CDCS received certificates at the function in the city’s Mohammad Younus Auditorium on Wednesday, said a press release.

Chairman of International Chamber of Commerce Bangladesh Mahbubur Rahman was present as chief guest.

Presided over by IBBL Managing Director Moahammad Abdul Mannan, the recepetion was also attended by Director General of Bangladesh Institute of Bank Management Dr Toufic Ahmed Choudhury as special guest.

Executive Committee Chairman Engr Md Eskander Ali Khan and Director Humayun Bokhteyar, ACPA, FCA were present as guests of honour.

IBBL Deputy Managing Directors Md Nurul Islam, Md Habibur Rahman Bhuiyan FCA and Md Mahbub-ul-Alam, among others, were also present. l

Northern University begins admission fair

n Tribune Business Desk Northern University Bangladesh (NUB) organised a five-day admission fair at the Banani Campus.

The fair began yesterday and will remain open from 9am to 6pm till Monday, said a press release.

NUB Trust Chairman Prof Abu Yousuf Md Abdullah inaugurated the fair and NUB vice chancellor Dr M Shamsul Haque was present as special guest.

During the fair, candidates will be given 60% waiver on admission fee and 5-100% waiver on tuition fees on the basis of their SSC and HSC examinations results. 10% additional waiver on tuition fee and 20% waiver is available for groups students. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Business

friday, August 23, 2013

OTC market intensifies stock investor woes n Ibrahim Hossain Ovi The over-the-counter (OTC) market of Dhaka Stock Exchange is running sluggish since its launching four years back, causing only sufferings to investors rather than relieving them.

“I could not sell even a single share in last three years,” said Alamin, a small investor.

“It’s a buyer less market.”

The situation has intensified the sufferings of the investors who fell into the trap of junk shares with the stock market debacle in late 2010, said an analyst.

Only 1.41% or 5.9m out of 417.43m shares have so far been traded as investors showed little interest in the market, a separate trading floor for junk companies.

“I have shares worth Tk1m but failed to sell due to complex system,” said another investor. He alleged that the buyers do not show interest in purchasing stocks due to inconvenient selling procedure. “I put sale order two and half years ago but still remained unsold.”

Under the OTC system, interested buyers and sellers of shares of non-performing and under-performing companies will announce prices and numbers of shares to be traded.

Transaction will take place if the announced prices of buyers and sellers match.

In 2012, Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) had taken a move to revitalise the market by forming a four-member panel to find ways to develop such market.

“I have no idea about the committee on developing the OTC market,” said Md Saifur Rahman, a member of the panel. “We submitted the guideline to the commission in due time. Implementation of the guideline

In the last four years, 10 companies returned to the main trading floor after converting their physical shares into electronic shares will depend on the commission.”

Another BSEC official said the commission could not implement it due to shortage of manpower. “Sometimes, internal conflict among the commission delayed implementation of the measures taken,” he added.

In the last four years, 10 companies returned to the main trading floor after converting their physical shares into electronic shares.

Currently, 68 companies are being traded at the OTC market which started with 51 companies on September 6, 2009.

“To protect the investors’ interest, BSEC should reconstruct the board of directors

of the companies under OTC market or appoint administrators in the companies,” said Akther H Sannamat, managing director of Union Capital.

He suggested introducing bargaining option to revitalise the OTC market.

An OTC market official said the investors lost their interest in stocks traded under OTC market as they considered those risky.

"Besides, they are confused whether the OTC stocks could be re-sold or not," he said.

But some market analysts termed the move as a ploy to let the rogue companies go off the hook instead of disciplining them.

"It means some companies will get listed with the capital market, make some money and leave the scene," an analyst said. He said OTC market will encourage companies to come to the market, raise money and get out of the market. l

Stocks rally as investors take position n Tribune Report Stocks registered gains yesterday as investors took position after taking profits in two previous sessions.

The benchmark DSEX index rose 57 points or 1.4% to 4,125, as a result. The blue chip index DS30 gained 24 points or 1.6% to 1,561.

The Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) Selective Categories Index, CSCX, was up 115 points to 8,092.

Turnover hit little over Tk7bn, which was 49% higher over the previous session’s value and the highest turnover since July 18.

The total turnover value at DSE stood at Tk7.4bn, up by 30.2% over previous session’s value and largest in one month.

“The closing session of the week returned with positive vibe after a slight breakthrough in last two sessions,” said IDLC Investment in its daily market analysis.

Like previous sessions, scrip-wise swings prevailed throughout the session as 85 out of 291 traded posted more than 4% gain.

However, no fresh schedule of political protest as well as index’s positioning over psychological level of 4,000 points for the fifth consecutive session might knock investors’ sentiment very positively.

The rally was led by tannery that gained 6.44%, cement 4.46%, food and allied 3.92%, telecommunications 3.58%, pharmaceuticals 2.29% and power 1.15%. Banks and life insurance ended flat, however.

“Most of the multinational companies (MNCs) were seller less. Investors are probably looking for a safe haven in this oscillat-

ing market as MNCs historically have market neutral price movement,” said Lanka Bangla Securities.

On the other hand, most of them posted encouraging operating performance in recent quarter, it said.

Bangladesh Submarine Cable Company Ltd became the top turnover leader with shares worth Tk340m changing hands, followed by Grameenphone, Padma Oil, Square Pharmaceuticals, Meghna Petroleum, Active Fine Chemicals and Confidence Cement. l

3

50% open space must on RMG factory roof top

n Ibrahim Hossain Ovi

Every garments factory, intened to go on operation, must have 50% open space on the roof to get license.

In default, the fire services will not provide licnese.

According to existing laws every garment industry have to keep 25% open space on the roof.

“The fire deparment has informed us that they will not provide license to oprate garment factory if the building does not have 50% open space on the roof, said BGMEA Vice Presidet Shahidullah Azim. He said the apex apparel trade body agreed with it.

The decision came at a meeting held yesterday between Bangladesh Garments Manufactures and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and Bangladesh Fire Service and Civil Defence Dirtector General Brig Gen Ali Ahmed Khan.

Earlier, the BGMEA had suspended Utilisation Declaration (UD) facilities of 160 enterprises as they did not have 25% open space on the roof of the factory buildings.

After the Tazreen Fashion fire incident, the Bangladesh Fire Service and Civil Defense had directed the factory owners to vacate roofs of the factories. Later, responding to the owner’s request, it made mandatory to keep 25% open space on the roof of the garments factory.

This move was taken following Rana Plaza building collapse, which killed 1,127 workers, while over 2,500 sustained injuries. l

Apollo Ispat IPO cleared n Tribune Report Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission has cleared the suspended IPO of Apollo Ispat Complex Limited.

The commission had suspended the IPO nearly seven months back in February on allegation of irregularities.

It withdrew the suspension considering the company’s clarification on loans taken by its directors from different banks and others, said a statement yesterday.

In line with the order of the High Court after suspension of IPO subscription of the company, it credited some shares to the shareholders who earlier alleged anomalies, the statement said.

On the basis of fund embezzlement allegation by the former director of Apollo Ispat Mohammad Sirajul Islam, the finance ministry had advised the BSEC to probe the matter.

On December 13, 2013, BSEC accorded consent to Appollo Ispat Complex to raise Tk2.2bn through IPO. Its offer value is Tk22, including a premium of Tk12, per share.

As disclosed in the prospectus of the company, of the raised fund, it will utilise Tk1.53bn for payment of bank liability and Tk600m will be invested for implementing environment friendly German technology-based NOF (Non Oxidizing Furnace) Project, which is expected to come into commercial production from middle of 2014. l

4

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Business

friday, August 23, 2013

More Nepali youths seeking employment in South Korea

Indian tycoon Ambani in court for telecom trial

n BSS

n AFP, New Delhi

In a clear manifestation of the country’s alarming unemployment condition, Korean Employment Permit System (knows as EPS) in Nepal has received a flood of applications from Nepali aspiring candidates for the Korean language test, government officials said yesterday.

To go for employment in South Korea, it is mandatory to pass the Korean language test. Until Wednesday, EPS office received 17,000 applications and the authorities say the number will go up in the coming days and the number is expected to go high.

Spokesperson at the Ministry of Labor and Foreign Employment Buddi Bahadur Khadka said applications were collected from different five locations in the country.

He informed that the number of the applications is likely to go above 70,000 within the four- day deadline. But the authorities say they are planning to select only 8,000 people for the employment in South Korea.

A prolonged political instability has trigged slow economic development resulting in low level of employment opportunities inside the country. More and more unemployed youths are vying to go abroad for the employment.

Last year around 3,800 individuals went South Korea for the employment. South Korea is considered as an affordable and lucrative destination for Nepal migrant workers, where one can earn around $1,000 monthly.

After passing this exam, other process of flying to South Korea will begin.

Young people who spent several hours for the submission of applications for language test said there are not any employment opportunities in the country. “Due to the political instability, the industries are being collapsed and there are not any opportunities for the employment in the country,” Raman Kharel, who spent three hours for the submission of application, told Xinhua.

Thousands of youth queue up at the different area to submit the application spending several hours.

Meanwhile, around 6,000 youths who passed the Korean language test have not been able to go to South Korea for the employment due to different reasons. But the government has not said why they are denied to go south Korea. Those youths are protesting in the Kathmandu.

“The government has stopped our process and initiated another process which is a great injustice to us,” Kam Kumar Poudel told Xinhua, saying that they would continue the protest.

Such case is not the first time in Nepal.

Last year, the Public Service Commission demanded 1,000 program officer posts, and it received 100,000 applications. For an opening of 13,350 posts in the police force, there were 40,357 applicants. Due to the 10year long insurgency, many industries went close and there is not investment friendly in the country and unemployment in rising. l

One of India’s richest men, Anil Ambani, appeared in court yesterday to answer questions about his company’s role in the allegedly fraudulent allocation of telecom licences in 2008.

The tycoon, who heads the Reliance ADA Group, lost a legal bid to postpone his appearance and answered questions from the witness stand.

Three of his Reliance Telecom executives have been charged in the case, one of the biggest corruption scandals in India’s history, but he was called as a prosecution witness.

Asked about various meetings and links between his company and others accused of wrongdoing, he replied frequently that he did “not recall” or “was not aware”.

Prosecutors allege that the then-telecom minister A. Raja, who is also on trial, sold telecom licences in 2008 at giveaway prices to favoured companies that paid bribes to secure sought-after second-generation (2G) bandwidth.

The national auditor calculated that the losses to the state were as high as $40bn, but this figure is disputed by the government and some analysts.

Three telecom firms - Reliance Telecom, Unitech Wireless and Swan - have been charged with corruption, as well as more than a dozen individuals.

They have pleaded not guilty.

Ambani was frequently asked about links between Reliance and Swan, which prosecutors allege was a front for his business.

“I am not aware,” he responded when

In this file photo, Reliance Dhirubhai Group Chairman Anil Ambani (right) walks with officials as he leaves the Supreme Court in New Delhi AFP asked if Reliance had invested in Swan.

When asked about the minutes of meetings at which he was allegedly present to discuss Swan’s finances, he replied: “I attend a large number of meetings, I don’t recall (each one).”

The small courtroom was packed with lawyers and media, with most of them forced

Economic zone to boost China-ASEAN ties n BSS The Youyi Pass on the China- Vietnam border used to be an important military frontier, but now attracts a large number of visitors each day.

The pass is located in Pingxiang City in south China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. Pingxiang is a border city in Guangxi under the jurisdiction of Chongzuo City. Its boom is attributed to the approval of the Guangxi Beibu Gulf Economic Zone (BGEZ) in 2008 by the central government.

The zone covers six cities - Nanning, the regional capital, Beihai, Qinzhou, Fangchenggang, Yulin and Chongzuo. It has bonded areas in Qinzhou, Pingxiang, Nanning and Beihai and the China- Malaysia industrial park in Qinzhou.

In the past five years, the BGEZ has become the most vigorous area in Guangxi’s economic development, as it has created one third of the region’s gross domestic product, said Liang Jinrong, deputy director of the zone’s planning and construction adminis-

tration committee.

“The BGEZ is now a hot hub for industries, including big petrochemical projects and electric companies,” said Liang.

In the first seven months of the year, foreign trade of the economic zone’s four cities, Nanning, Beihai, Qinzhou and Fangchenggang, reached $7.67bn, accounting for 45.6% of the region’s total.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is Guangxi’s biggest trade partner, with trade volume hitting $6.14bn in the first half of 2013, or 44.5% of the region’s total foreign trade.

From January to July, trade between Qinzhou and ASEAN reached $570m.

Qinzhou’s exports to ASEAN grew 44.6% to $420m. In July alone, trade volume between Qinzhou and ASEAN hit $110m.

“We are devoted to building a free trade port and a center of international shipping, logistics and exports processing for China-ASEAN cooperation,” said Qin Kaihong, deputy head of the Qinzhou bonded area administration committee. l

to stand.

Ambani’s wife Tina has been summoned to give evidence on Friday.

The so-called “2G scam” in India has been immensely damaging for the ruling coalition led by the Congress party, which has been ensnared in a series of corruption scandals since its re-election in 2009. l

Indonesia boosts green banking to build green economy n BSS Indonesia, in an effort to build a green economy, is boosting green financing services by national banks to companies aiming at addressing environmental issues in the country, officials said at a meeting here yesterday.

Indonesian Central Bank Deputy Governor, Ronald Waas, said that national banks were part of the national elements responsible for addressing existing law No. 32/2009 on environment protection and management.

“Neglecting the points stipulated in the law may increase loan, law and reputation risks to banks. Regarding this issue, banks need to better improve risk management related to environment issue,” Ronald said in the meeting held at the central bank premises here.

Implementing the Green Financing scheme would improve the banks ‘ awareness on environment risk portfolios that could decrease loan quality as well as the banks’ reputation, he said. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Business

India’s Tata rebrands ‘world’s cheapest car’ to boost sales n AFP, Mumbai India’s top vehicle maker Tata Motors says it plans to reposition the Nano as a “smart city car” after its marketing pitch as the world’s cheapest auto resulted in disappointing sales.

The Nano was launched in 2009 as a budget solution for millions of aspirational lower-middle class Indian families wanting to change from two- to four-wheel vehicles. But status-conscious consumers largely shunned the “cheap” tag.

“We are now focusing on increasing the features and the perceived value of the Nano with every subsequent model launch,” Tata chairman Cyrus Mistry told shareholders at its annual meeting on Wednesday in Mumbai.

“We are now focusing on making it a smart city car and targeting the young customers,” he said, the Press Trust of India (PTI) news agency reported.

The jellybean-shaped Nano, which sold for around $2,200 when its first edition went on the market, saw sales drop by more than 27% in the year to March, and Tata’s former chairman Ratan Tata admitted the car had an image problem.

New boss Mistry said added features will include power steering options, an improved interior and exterior and better fuel efficiency.

He also said the company would launch the much-delayed compressed natural gas -fuelled variant of the Nano this year.

Tata’s dedicated Nano plant in the west-

Iraq PM flies to India to sell more oil

n Reuters, Baghdad

Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki expects to finalise a deal to sell India more crude oil during a visit to New Delhi over the next few days, Maliki said yesterday.

Iraq was India’s biggest supplier of crude in June, pipping Saudi Arabia to the top slot, while imports from Iran, which used to be India’s second-biggest supplier, have slumped due to sanctions.

Indian energy companies are also interested in Iraqi oil exploration and refinery projects and Maliki’s four-day visit may see in some preliminary agreements on Indian investments in the increasingly important OPEC oil producer.

“Iraq welcomed this desire by India to initiate this cooperation in the energy area which includes a deal...to supply India with oil,” Maliki said at a press conference in Baghdad before leaving for India.

India’s imports of crude oil from Iran have more than halved from a year ago, hitting just 140,800 bpd in June, with Essar Oil the only remaining Indian client of the sanctions-hit country.

Tensions between Iran and Iraq have simmered for decades, spilling into outright war during the 1980s, but they are now focused on the battle for market share as Iran struggles with the impact of western sanctions on its sales. l

ern state of Gujarat is currently running at less than half its capacity, according to the PTI report.

Tata, which owns Jaguar and Land Rover, reported a 23% dive in net profit in the April to June quarter as higher sales for its British luxury brands failed to offset weak domestic demand.

Amid an economic slump, India’s car mar-

ket has recorded a fall in sales for an unprecedented nine consecutive months, with a slide of more than seven percent in July, data showed this month.

Mistry said Tata’s Indian operations were “impacted heavily by the slowdown in the domestic auto sector, high interest rates and stagnation of industrial growth in sectors such as mining and infrastructure”. l

Ratan Tata pampers his car at the Delhi Auto Expo

AFP

Eurozone activity picks up sharply in August: survey n AFP, Brussels Eurozone activity picked up sharply in August to a 26-month high as the battered economy climbed out of a damaging recession, a closely watched survey showed yesterday.

Analysts said the report confirmed that the 17-nation eurozone was finally turning the corner after a downturn made worse by a debilitating debt crisis cost millions of jobs and tested the single currency bloc to the limit.

But, there was some concern that France, ranked second to powerhouse Germany in the eurozone, continued to struggle and actually slipped back.

The Composite Purchasing Managers’ Index compiled by Markit Economics jumped to much better-than-expected 51.7 points in August from 50.5 in July, pushing further beyond the 50-points boom-or-bust line.

Analysts polled by Dow Jones Newsires expected an August reading of 51 points after the Composite PMI moved into positive territory in July for the first time in 18 months.

Markit said its separate PMI for the services sector - which accounts for the bulk of economic activity - rose to 51 in August for a 24-month high, from 49.8 in July.

The manufacturing sector PMI hit a 26-month high of 51.3 points, up from 50.3 in

5

friday, August 23, 2013

July. Data last week showed that the 17-nation eurozone grew 0.3% in the second quarter compared with the first, signalling the end of a recession which lasted a record six quarters.

The PMI report on Thursday showed this recovery was gaining momentum, Markit chief economist Chris Williamson said.

“So far, the third quarter is shaping up to be the best...since the spring of 2011,” Williamson said, cautioning that the bloc was not yet entirely in the clear.

“The upturn is being led by Germany, where growth accelerated again in August, driven in turn by rising domestic and export demand,” he noted.

“A big question mark still hangs over France’s ability to return to sustained growth,” he said, with domestic demand “lacklustre.”

At the same time, it was positive that data from the weaker eurozone countries “continued to improve...suggesting that a long-awaited recovery seems to be taking shape,” Williamson said.

For Jonathan Loynes of Capital Economics, the Markit report was further evidence that the eurozone “continued to expand in the third quarter, albeit at a pretty modest pace.” l

Fed uncertainty hits Asia markets, rupee taps new low

n AFP, Hong Kong

India’s rupee sank to another record low yesterday as emerging Asian currencies retreated after US Federal Reserve minutes failed to provide clarity about the future of its stimulus programme.

While traders remain in sell mode on expectations the bank will soon pull the plug on its bond-buying, they were given a fillip by data showing Chinese manufacturing expanded for the first time in four years this month.

The rupee dived to 65.56 against the dollar at one point as worries about the Fed cash were compounded by growing fears about the state of the Indian economy. However it retraced slightly to 64.96 later.

Indonesia’s rupiah was at 10,825 to the dollar - a four-year low but a slight improvement on the 10,945 seen Wednesday - while the Thai baht slipped to 32.01 from Thursday’s 31.77.

In share trading Jakarta was down 1.54%, Kuala Lumpur lost 1.57% and Bangkok shed 1.07% but Mumbai was up 1.5% as dealers picked up bargains after recent losses.

Manila slumped 5.96% as the market played catch-up with the rest of the region after being closed for four days owing to severe flooding and a public holiday. The composite index gave up 389.22 points to 6,136.73.

Investors were left none the wiser about the Fed’s plans for its $85bn a month stimulus known as quantitative easing (QE), which has fuelled an investment splurge in emerging Asia over the past year.

Some board members believed that “it might soon be time to slow somewhat the pace” of the bond purchases, aimed at holding interest rates down, minutes of its July meeting released Wednesday showed.

But others highlighted “the importance of being patient”, revealing concerns about whether the economy will pick up pace as expected in the second half of this year.

Fed chief Ben Bernanke has said QE will remain in place until the US economy can stand on its own feet.

Asian market traders reacted initially with a heavy sell-off but early losses were clawed back.

Tokyo closed down 0.44%, or 59.16 points, at 13,365.17, Seoul fell 0.98%, or 18.34 points, to 1,849.12 and Sydney was off 0.48%, or 24.3 points, to close at 5,075.7.

Shanghai finished 0.28%, or 5.84 points, lower at 2,067.12 despite HSBC’s preliminary purchasing managers’ index (PMI), which showed growth in Chinese manufacturing.

However, Hong Kong closed 0.36% higher, adding 77.67 points to 21,895.40.

HSBC said its PMI came in at 50.1 in August, compared with a final reading of 47.7 in July. A reading above 50 indicates expansion from the previous month, while a reading below 50 indicates contraction.

The data comes after recent figures showing a pick-up in Chinese trade and tentatively suggests the under-pressure economy may be about to turn a corner.

It will also provide some respite for regional economies, which rely heavily on China as a source of growth at home. l

6

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DHAKA TRIBUNE

friday, August 23, 2013

DSEBroadIndex:4125.27⇑1.39%Turnover:7360.77M.Tk⇑20.05%,PE:13.01 Turnover7,872.12MTk.⇑29.85% August22,2013 MarketCap.2,032.48BTk.⇑1.85% CSEAllShareIndex:12765⇑1.41%,Turnover:511.36MTk.⇑23.97%,PE:12.85 Combined Turnover Leader BATBCL -A BD Submarine Cable-A

BANK ABBANK | 2.95 | 32.60 | Vol. 568117 D: 24.60 ⇓ 1.60% | 24.58 | 27.50 / 22.50 C: 24.80 ⇓ 0.40% | 24.86 | 25.00 / 24.00 CITYBANK | 1.15 | 25.97 | Vol. 470435 D: 17.10 ⇓ 1.16% | 17.27 | 18.00 / 16.20 C: 17.30 ⇑ 0.00% | 17.30 | 17.50 / 16.00 IFIC | 1.10 | 18.34 | Vol. 309040 D: 21.00 ⇓ 0.94% | 21.03 | 21.40 / 19.50 C: 21.10 ⇑ 0.00% | 21.15 | 21.50 / 21.00 ISLAMIBANK | 3.78 | 27.16 | Vol. 457384 D: 37.70 ⇑ 1.34% | 37.65 | 38.00 / 34.00 C: 37.30 ⇑ 1.08% | 37.34 | 37.50 / 37.00 NBL | 1.05 | 15.76 | Vol. 2092848 D: 11.70 ⇓ 0.85% | 11.79 | 12.00 / 11.00 C: 11.80 ⇓ 0.84% | 11.82 | 12.00 / 11.70 PUBALIBANK | 1.92 | 21.18 | Vol. 266545 D: 29.00 ⇓ 2.03% | 29.26 | 29.70 / 26.70 C: 29.40 ⇓ 0.68% | 29.24 | 29.80 / 28.90 RUPALIBANK | 6.70 | 64.27 | Vol. 21366 D: 62.00 ⇑ 0.98% | 61.81 | 62.80 / 60.00 C: 60.30 ⇑ 0.33% | 60.33 | 60.50 / 60.00 UCBL | 1.90 | 21.72 | Vol. 1929514 D: 18.60 ⇑ 0.00% | 18.71 | 19.00 / 16.90 C: 18.60 ⇑ 0.54% | 18.66 | 18.80 / 18.50 UTTARABANK | 3.42 | 26.97 | Vol. 275106 D: 25.00 ⇓ 0.40% | 25.03 | 26.40 / 22.60 C: 25.00 ⇓ 0.79% | 25.03 | 25.50 / 24.00 ICBIBANK | -1.60 | -13.03 | Vol. 158000 D: 6.10 ⇑ 3.39% | 6.09 | 6.20 / 5.90 EBL | 3.91 | 28.22 | Vol. 136953 D: 26.10 ⇑ 0.38% | 26.09 | 26.50 / 24.00 C: 26.00 ⇑ 0.39% | 25.99 | 26.00 / 25.80 ALARABANK | 2.03 | 14.91 | Vol. 216406 D: 14.90 ⇑ 0.00% | 15.01 | 15.10 / 13.50 C: 14.90 ⇑ 1.36% | 14.84 | 15.00 / 14.70 PRIMEBANK | 2.89 | 22.40 | Vol. 165390 D: 23.00 ⇑ 3.14% | 22.80 | 23.50 / 20.50 C: 22.10 ⇑ 0.00% | 22.05 | 22.20 / 22.00 SOUTHEASTB | 1.89 | 22.66 | Vol. 687002 D: 16.20 ⇓ 0.61% | 16.26 | 16.60 / 15.00 C: 16.10 ⇓ 1.23% | 16.12 | 16.40 / 14.90 DHAKABANK | 1.46 | 18.08 | Vol. 156863 D: 20.10 ⇓ 0.50% | 20.29 | 22.00 / 19.00 C: 20.10 ⇑ 0.00% | 20.10 | 20.40 / 20.00 NCCBANK | 1.90 | 15.88 | Vol. 707636 D: 12.00 ⇓ 1.64% | 12.11 | 13.00 / 11.00 C: 12.10 ⇓ 1.63% | 12.13 | 12.30 / 12.10 SIBL | 2.05 | 14.47 | Vol. 475366 D: 12.20 ⇑ 0.00% | 12.23 | 12.50 / 11.00 C: 12.10 ⇓ 0.82% | 12.14 | 12.20 / 12.10 DUTCHBANGL | 11.57 | 54.27 | Vol. 30500 D: 99.40 ⇑ 0.40% | 99.33 | 100.4 / 98.10 C: 104.0 ⇑ 6.12% | 104.00 | 104.0 / 104.0 MTBL | 1.17 | 17.27 | Vol. 128961 D: 14.50 ⇓ 2.03% | 14.50 | 14.80 / 14.30 C: 14.30 ⇓ 1.38% | 14.29 | 14.30 / 14.00 STANDBANKL | 2.33 | 14.41 | Vol. 375419 D: 13.40 ⇓ 0.74% | 13.41 | 13.50 / 12.90 C: 13.30 ⇓ 0.75% | 13.36 | 14.00 / 13.00 ONEBANKLTD | 2.35 | 15.34 | Vol. 727078 D: 15.10 ⇑ 0.00% | 15.19 | 16.00 / 14.00 C: 15.20 ⇑ 0.00% | 15.13 | 15.20 / 15.00 BANKASIA | 1.35 | 20.80 | Vol. 434612 D: 19.30 ⇓ 1.03% | 19.35 | 20.90 / 17.70 C: 19.10 ⇑ 0.00% | 19.09 | 19.20 / 19.00 MERCANBANK | 2.07 | 16.59 | Vol. 499952 D: 11.90 ⇓ 1.65% | 11.97 | 12.20 / 10.90 C: 12.00 ⇓ 0.83% | 12.00 | 12.10 / 11.00 EXIMBANK | 1.80 | 14.31 | Vol. 696731 D: 11.90 ⇓ 0.83% | 12.00 | 13.00 / 11.00 C: 12.00 ⇑ 0.00% | 12.04 | 12.10 / 11.90 JAMUNABANK | 2.47 | 18.56 | Vol. 175390 D: 14.10 ⇓ 1.40% | 14.14 | 15.50 / 13.00 C: 14.20 ⇑ 1.43% | 14.14 | 14.30 / 14.00 BRACBANK | 1.51 | 24.87 | Vol. 271936 D: 28.70 ⇓ 0.35% | 28.65 | 29.90 / 27.00 C: 28.70 ⇑ 0.35% | 28.57 | 28.80 / 28.50 SHAHJABANK | 2.61 | 14.47 | Vol. 346454 D: 14.70 ⇑ 0.00% | 14.69 | 15.50 / 13.50 C: 14.70 ⇑ 0.00% | 14.76 | 14.90 / 14.50

262450 1259990

TO M. Tk. 406.63 371.58

% of TTL

Avg. P

5.17

1549.36

4.72

294.9

Grameenphone-A

1831913

368.09

4.68

200.93

Padma Oil Co. -A

831389

322.84

4.10

388.32

Square Pharma -A

CompanyCode | EPS | BV | Volume Traded (Share) DSE/CSE: ClosePrice ⇓/⇑ Chn % | Avg.Price | Hi / Lo

Vol.

1150886

253.65

3.22

PREMIERBAN | 1.18 | 13.95 | Vol. 422375 D: 10.20 ⇑ 0.00% | 10.22 | 10.50 / 9.20 C: 10.20 ⇑ 0.00% | 10.27 | 10.40 / 10.20 TRUSTBANK | 0.50 | 18.00 | Vol. 121651 D: 17.50 ⇓ 1.13% | 17.59 | 17.80 / 16.00 FIRSTSBANK | 1.85 | 13.89 | Vol. 567960 D: 12.20 ⇑ 0.83% | 12.16 | 12.40 / 11.00 C: 12.20 ⇑ 0.83% | 12.12 | 12.30 / 11.90 NON BANKING F I IDLC | 4.43 | 29.18 | Vol. 226125 D: 64.10 ⇑ 0.00% | 64.03 | 66.00 / 58.00 C: 64.30 ⇓ 0.31% | 64.06 | 64.50 / 63.50 ULC | 1.80 | 14.90 | Vol. 45123 D: 27.50 ⇓ 0.36% | 27.66 | 28.20 / 27.00 UTTARAFIN | 7.16 | 41.54 | Vol. 179974 D: 78.70 ⇑ 0.77% | 78.93 | 80.00 / 70.30 C: 77.50 ⇓ 0.77% | 78.78 | 79.20 / 72.00 MIDASFIN | 0.16 | 10.21 | Vol. 9198 D: 36.00 ⇑ 0.00% | 36.09 | 36.90 / 35.00 FLEASEINT | 2.34 | 13.93 | Vol. 255832 D: 26.20 ⇑ 1.55% | 26.20 | 26.80 / 23.50 C: 26.10 ⇑ 1.16% | 26.05 | 26.20 / 26.00 PLFSL | 1.37 | 17.48 | Vol. 973461 D: 23.60 ⇑ 0.43% | 23.42 | 24.00 / 21.50 C: 23.60 ⇑ 0.00% | 23.60 | 24.00 / 23.30 PRIMEFIN | 0.87 | 17.88 | Vol. 560066 D: 25.50 ⇓ 1.54% | 25.61 | 26.30 / 25.00 C: 25.90 ⇓ 0.38% | 26.02 | 27.00 / 25.70 PREMIERLEA | 0.10 | 11.37 | Vol. 121193 D: 10.40 ⇑ 0.00% | 10.47 | 11.00 / 10.00 C: 10.30 ⇑ 0.00% | 10.33 | 10.50 / 10.00 ISLAMICFIN | 1.03 | 15.48 | Vol. 346206 D: 15.80 ⇑ 1.28% | 15.90 | 16.10 / 14.90 C: 16.00 ⇑ 3.23% | 15.98 | 17.00 / 15.80 LANKABAFIN | 1.61 | 31.07 | Vol. 644380 D: 59.20 ⇓ 0.17% | 59.35 | 61.00 / 53.40 C: 59.30 ⇓ 0.67% | 59.25 | 59.90 / 58.70 BIFC | 0.15 | 18.58 | Vol. 30936 D: 13.50 ⇓ 1.46% | 13.64 | 13.70 / 12.50 C: 13.90 ⇓ 4.14% | 13.76 | 13.90 / 13.70 IPDC | 1.23 | 19.43 | Vol. 65612 D: 16.50 ⇑ 0.61% | 16.41 | 16.70 / 15.50 UNIONCAP | 0.54 | 17.85 | Vol. 37324 D: 28.40 ⇑ 1.43% | 28.26 | 29.00 / 26.00 C: 28.90 ⇑ 1.05% | 28.31 | 28.90 / 27.70 BDFINANCE | 0.57 | 14.77 | Vol. 68210 D: 18.30 ⇑ 1.67% | 18.33 | 19.00 / 16.30 C: 18.60 ⇑ 2.20% | 18.52 | 18.70 / 18.00 ILFSL | 0.35 | 12.19 | Vol. 1019300 D: 12.00 ⇓ 2.44% | 12.14 | 12.50 / 11.90 C: 12.10 ⇓ 1.63% | 12.22 | 12.60 / 12.00 PHOENIXFIN | 2.46 | 19.39 | Vol. 312067 D: 33.40 ⇓ 0.89% | 33.77 | 35.00 / 30.90 C: 33.20 ⇑ 0.61% | 33.68 | 33.80 / 33.20 FASFIN | 0.19 | 13.56 | Vol. 304809 D: 13.70 ⇑ 2.24% | 13.66 | 13.90 / 12.50 C: 13.70 ⇑ 1.48% | 13.75 | 13.90 / 13.60 DBH | 3.40 | 16.80 | Vol. 135641 D: 67.20 ⇓ 2.75% | 66.68 | 69.00 / 62.50 C: 67.60 ⇓ 4.65% | 66.38 | 67.90 / 65.90 INVESTMENT 1STICB | 64.70 | 137.05 | Vol. 150 D: 850.6 ⇓ 5.17% | 853.33 | 851.0 / 850.0 2NDICB | 33.02 | 76.34 | Vol. 150 D: 283.6 ⇓ 3.34% | 286.67 | 290.0 / 276.0 3RDICB | 24.83 | 58.91 | Vol. 350 D: 205.0 ⇓ 3.03% | 205.71 | 205.1 / 205.0 4THICB | 23.40 | 58.63 | Vol. 4800 D: 217.7 ⇑ 0.79% | 217.71 | 219.0 / 205.0 5THICB | 18.93 | 41.95 | Vol. 1800 D: 190.0 ⇑ 0.00% | 190.00 | 190.0 / 190.0 6THICB | 10.58 | 26.73 | Vol. 84300 D: 51.90 ⇓ 2.26% | 52.67 | 54.50 / 51.70 8THICB | 12.33 | 29.54 | Vol. 9500 D: 61.40 ⇓ 9.97% | 61.40 | 61.40 / 61.40 1STBSRS | 14.43 | 161.88 | Vol. 56000 D: 106.5 ⇑ 3.30% | 104.75 | 107.9 / 103.3 AIMS1STMF | 3.02 | 15.70 | Vol. 1255425 D: 44.50 ⇑ 8.54% | 43.65 | 45.10 / 40.00 C: 44.30 ⇑ 8.05% | 43.85 | 45.10 / 41.60

220.39

DSE Gainer

C%

A%

CP

DSE Loser

C%

A%

CP

Grameen M F One-A

9.95

6.88

47.50

8th ICB M F-A

-9.97

-9.97

61.40

MeghnaCement-A

9.94

6.73

137.10

Popular Life Insu.-A

-7.63

-6.26

144.10

Usmania Glass-A

9.93

7.78

149.40

JMI Syringes MDL-A

1st ICB M F-A

-5.17

-4.87

850.60

9.91

10.34

114.20

-3.26

28.40

9.90

11.13

132.10

Saiham Cotton-A Keya Cosmetics-A

-4.05

Apex Tannery-A

-3.57

-3.51

27.00

ICBAMCL1ST | 7.14 | 48.54 | Vol. 414000 D: 63.10 ⇑ 5.17% | 61.92 | 64.40 / 60.00 ICBISLAMIC | 2.21 | 26.81 | Vol. 168500 D: 20.50 ⇓ 0.97% | 20.67 | 21.00 / 20.40 C: 20.90 ⇓ 9.13% | 20.90 | 20.90 / 20.90 GRAMEEN1 | 6.26 | 33.23 | Vol. 590250 D: 47.50 ⇑ 9.95% | 46.30 | 47.50 / 43.00 C: 47.10 ⇑ 9.03% | 47.13 | 47.50 / 46.40 ICB1STNRB | 4.06 | 35.31 | Vol. 27000 D: 26.20 ⇓ 1.50% | 26.26 | 26.80 / 26.10 ICB2NDNRB | 2.49 | 16.24 | Vol. 397500 D: 11.70 ⇑ 2.63% | 11.69 | 12.00 / 11.40 C: 11.70 ⇑ 1.74% | 11.55 | 11.70 / 11.50 1STPRIMFMF | 0.64 | 11.63 | Vol. 553500 D: 16.10 ⇑ 1.26% | 16.33 | 16.90 / 15.80 C: 16.50 ⇑ 1.85% | 16.68 | 17.00 / 16.30 EBL1STMF | 0.60 | 12.62 | Vol. 435000 D: 8.10 ⇑ 1.25% | 8.08 | 8.30 / 7.80 C: 8.20 ⇑ 1.23% | 8.09 | 8.40 / 8.00 ICBEPMF1S1 | 0.52 | 11.32 | Vol. 214500 D: 5.40 ⇑ 0.00% | 5.45 | 5.60 / 5.30 C: 5.30 ⇑ 0.00% | 5.30 | 5.30 / 5.30 TRUSTB1MF | 0.82 | 11.65 | Vol. 1231000 D: 8.70 ⇑ 0.00% | 8.73 | 9.00 / 8.60 C: 8.90 ⇑ 2.30% | 8.77 | 9.00 / 8.60 IFIC1STMF | 0.90 | 11.88 | Vol. 1690000 D: 8.30 ⇑ 2.47% | 8.23 | 8.50 / 8.10 C: 8.30 ⇑ 2.47% | 8.20 | 8.30 / 8.10 PF1STMF | 0.51 | 11.11 | Vol. 275500 D: 5.20 ⇑ 1.96% | 5.14 | 5.30 / 5.10 C: 5.20 ⇑ 1.96% | 5.23 | 5.30 / 5.20 ICB3RDNRB | 0.00 | 10.60 | Vol. 247000 D: 5.00 ⇑ 0.00% | 5.11 | 5.20 / 5.00 C: 5.10 ⇓ 1.92% | 5.12 | 5.20 / 5.00 1JANATAMF | 0.78 | 10.68 | Vol. 316000 D: 5.90 ⇑ 3.51% | 5.85 | 6.00 / 5.70 C: 5.80 ⇑ 1.75% | 5.76 | 5.90 / 5.70 GREENDELMF | -0.82 | 9.72 | Vol. 442000 D: 5.40 ⇑ 1.89% | 5.43 | 5.50 / 5.20 C: 5.30 ⇑ 0.00% | 5.36 | 5.40 / 5.30 POPULAR1MF | 0.79 | 11.38 | Vol. 1238500 D: 6.20 ⇑ 1.64% | 6.23 | 6.40 / 6.00 C: 6.20 ⇑ 3.33% | 6.15 | 6.20 / 6.00 IFILISLMF1 | 0.00 | 10.45 | Vol. 711500 D: 4.90 ⇑ 0.00% | 4.99 | 5.10 / 4.90 C: 5.00 ⇑ 2.04% | 5.00 | 5.10 / 4.90 PHPMF1 | 0.63 | 10.92 | Vol. 1250500 D: 5.80 ⇑ 5.45% | 5.68 | 5.90 / 5.50 C: 5.70 ⇑ 1.79% | 5.66 | 5.70 / 5.50 AIBL1STIMF | -0.07 | 9.25 | Vol. 41500 D: 6.40 ⇓ 1.54% | 6.48 | 6.70 / 6.40 MBL1STMF | -0.16 | 9.08 | Vol. 269000 D: 6.30 ⇑ 3.28% | 6.18 | 6.50 / 6.00 C: 6.20 ⇓ 1.59% | 6.20 | 6.20 / 6.20 SEBL1STMF | 1.03 | 11.85 | Vol. 1056000 D: 9.00 ⇑ 2.27% | 8.89 | 9.10 / 8.70 C: 9.00 ⇑ 3.45% | 8.89 | 9.20 / 8.70 EBLNRBMF | 1.16 | 10.88 | Vol. 10000 D: 8.40 ⇑ 0.00% | 8.50 | 8.50 / 8.40 RELIANCE1 | 1.05 | 11.36 | Vol. 817000 D: 10.30 ⇑ 3.00% | 10.31 | 10.50 / 10.00 C: 10.20 ⇑ 2.00% | 10.24 | 10.40 / 10.00 LRGLOBMF1 | 0.50 | 10.82 | Vol. 35500 D: 6.90 ⇓ 1.43% | 6.99 | 7.10 / 6.90 ABB1STMF | 1.00 | 10.63 | Vol. 135000 D: 8.10 ⇑ 1.25% | 8.02 | 8.20 / 7.90 NLI1STMF | 1.29 | 12.22 | Vol. 670500 D: 10.20 ⇑ 3.03% | 10.17 | 10.40 / 9.80 C: 10.10 ⇑ 5.21% | 10.15 | 10.50 / 9.90 FBFIF | 1.43 | 10.27 | Vol. 4035000 D: 10.00 ⇑ 1.01% | 10.00 | 10.10 / 9.50 NCCBLMF1 | 1.16 | 10.48 | Vol. 16000 D: 9.00 ⇑ 7.14% | 9.03 | 9.30 / 8.70 C: 9.30 ⇓ 14.68% | 9.30 | 9.30 / 9.30 ICBSONALI1 | 0.00 | 10.39 | Vol. 446500 D: 7.00 ⇑ 0.00% | 7.05 | 7.20 / 7.00 C: 7.00 ⇑ 0.00% | 7.02 | 7.20 / 7.00 EXIM1STMF | 0.00 | 10.91 | Vol. 20500 D: 7.60 ⇑ 1.33% | 7.66 | 7.90 / 7.50 ENGINEERING AFTABAUTO | 4.29 | 52.65 | Vol. 872605 D: 122.0 ⇑ 5.08% | 120.11 | 123.0 / 104.5 C: 121.8 ⇑ 4.73% | 119.96 | 122.8 / 115.3

AZIZPIPES | 0.39 | -42.04 | Vol. 17450 D: 15.20 ⇓ 3.18% | 15.25 | 15.60 / 15.10 C: 16.10 ⇑ 8.78% | 16.10 | 16.20 / 16.00 OLYMPIC | 5.94 | 14.91 | Vol. 738349 D: 227.9 ⇑ 3.78% | 227.80 | 232.0 / 201.0 C: 228.2 ⇑ 3.82% | 227.58 | 230.1 / 219.0 BDLAMPS | -5.31 | 37.07 | Vol. 66015 D: 155.9 ⇑ 9.87% | 153.39 | 156.0 / 140.0 C: 153.2 ⇑ 8.19% | 153.18 | 155.7 / 131.0 ECABLES | 2.04 | 18.87 | Vol. 200 D: 62.00 ⇓ 0.96% | 60.00 | 64.00 / 60.00 MONNOSTAF | 5.31 | 44.78 | Vol. 550 D: 203.8 ⇑ 6.37% | 203.64 | 207.8 / 192.0 SINGERBD | 9.99 | 45.74 | Vol. 371167 D: 214.7 ⇑ 6.29% | 212.32 | 216.0 / 184.5 C: 214.6 ⇑ 6.19% | 211.36 | 215.0 / 202.0 ATLASBANG | 11.98 | 207.70 | Vol. 41466 D: 185.2 ⇑ 3.18% | 184.19 | 185.9 / 163.0 BDAUTOCA | 0.25 | 6.23 | Vol. 42950 D: 24.90 ⇑ 9.69% | 24.19 | 24.90 / 22.60 QSMDRYCELL | 1.65 | 58.49 | Vol. 643521 D: 39.00 ⇑ 7.44% | 38.93 | 39.90 / 32.70 C: 39.10 ⇑ 8.61% | 38.95 | 39.30 / 38.40 RENWICKJA | 5.62 | -90.00 | Vol. 38950 D: 186.7 ⇑ 8.74% | 181.64 | 187.8 / 172.2 NTLTUBES | -2.52 | 312.10 | Vol. 166064 D: 74.80 ⇑ 9.84% | 73.72 | 74.90 / 68.00 BDTHAI | 0.43 | 39.35 | Vol. 415794 D: 24.10 ⇑ 2.12% | 23.60 | 24.50 / 21.90 C: 24.00 ⇑ 1.69% | 23.50 | 24.30 / 23.00 ANWARGALV | 0.51 | 8.08 | Vol. 76500 D: 15.80 ⇑ 9.72% | 15.58 | 15.80 / 14.40 C: 15.50 ⇑ 9.93% | 15.50 | 15.50 / 15.50 KAY&QUE | -3.89 | 6.03 | Vol. 2500 D: 13.20 ⇑ 0.76% | 13.50 | 13.30 / 13.20 C: 13.00 ⇑ 0.00% | 13.00 | 13.00 / 13.00 RANFOUNDRY | 2.84 | 18.62 | Vol. 64000 D: 85.60 ⇑ 9.88% | 85.57 | 85.60 / 85.00 C: 83.80 ⇑ 9.97% | 83.80 | 83.80 / 83.80 SALAMCRST | 3.31 | 20.00 | Vol. 397220 D: 43.70 ⇑ 1.86% | 43.46 | 44.30 / 38.80 C: 43.90 ⇑ 1.86% | 43.31 | 44.20 / 42.00 GOLDENSON | 3.70 | 28.70 | Vol. 305682 D: 41.80 ⇑ 3.21% | 41.38 | 42.00 / 36.50 C: 41.90 ⇑ 6.08% | 41.21 | 42.50 / 40.50 BSRMSTEEL | 3.06 | 19.53 | Vol. 477549 D: 78.70 ⇑ 1.03% | 78.90 | 79.90 / 72.00 C: 78.10 ⇑ 1.30% | 78.39 | 79.00 / 77.50 NAVANACNG | 4.09 | 27.04 | Vol. 424964 D: 65.40 ⇑ 1.40% | 65.22 | 65.70 / 60.10 C: 65.50 ⇑ 1.08% | 65.68 | 69.90 / 65.00 DESHBANDHU | 1.16 | 12.02 | Vol. 547957 D: 21.40 ⇑ 2.88% | 21.28 | 21.70 / 18.80 C: 21.30 ⇑ 1.91% | 21.37 | 21.90 / 21.00 GPHISPAT | 2.32 | 16.80 | Vol. 272200 D: 49.30 ⇑ 1.44% | 49.29 | 49.90 / 45.00 C: 48.90 ⇓ 1.01% | 48.85 | 50.00 / 48.10 BENGALWTL | 2.42 | 20.72 | Vol. 367200 D: 46.30 ⇑ 6.19% | 46.29 | 47.40 / 43.30 C: 46.00 ⇑ 5.75% | 45.26 | 46.50 / 43.50 NPOLYMAR | 2.01 | 324.37 | Vol. 352588 D: 52.30 ⇑ 9.87% | 51.67 | 52.30 / 47.00 C: 51.80 ⇑ 8.60% | 51.81 | 52.40 / 47.00 FOOD & ALLIED APEXFOODS | 2.54 | 90.81 | Vol. 134600 D: 86.50 ⇑ 4.47% | 86.30 | 90.30 / 83.00 C: 86.20 ⇑ 4.87% | 88.69 | 90.40 / 85.50 BANGAS | 7.20 | 50.27 | Vol. 57850 D: 474.3 ⇑ 8.56% | 472.08 | 474.3 / 462.1 C: 481.3 ⇑ 8.45% | 480.65 | 481.3 / 431.0 BATBC | 65.69 | 117.22 | Vol. 262450 D: 1553 ⇑ 3.83% | 1549 | 1577 / 1500 GEMINISEA | 10.88 | 9.69 | Vol. 3250 D: 169.7 ⇓ 1.16% | 169.85 | 170.0 / 165.6 NTC | 29.88 | 110.05 | Vol. 200 D: 852.0 ⇑ 0.83% | 852.00 | 852.0 / 852.0 ZEALBANGLA | -23.01 | -193.09 | Vol. 500 D: 7.90 ⇑ 0.00% | 7.90 | 7.90 / 7.90 CVOPRL | 2.66 | 13.28 | Vol. 162360 D: 597.8 ⇑ 5.49% | 593.68 | 603.0 / 560.0 C: 603.0 ⇑ 7.68% | 594.71 | 604.5 / 585.0

AMCL(PRAN) | 6.53 | 53.37 | Vol. 245300 D: 261.5 ⇑ 8.73% | 257.40 | 261.5 / 244.2 C: 266.5 ⇑ 8.64% | 264.83 | 266.7 / 251.0 RAHIMAFOOD | 0.62 | 4.46 | Vol. 142000 D: 16.30 ⇑ 5.84% | 16.10 | 16.60 / 15.50 C: 16.40 ⇑ 7.19% | 16.15 | 16.50 / 15.80 FUWANGFOOD | 1.26 | 12.37 | Vol. 489820 D: 25.20 ⇑ 1.20% | 25.45 | 25.90 / 24.00 C: 25.20 ⇑ 0.80% | 25.28 | 25.60 / 25.00 MEGHNAPET | -0.58 | -1.02 | Vol. 2500 D: 5.60 ⇑ 1.82% | 5.60 | 5.90 / 5.40 MEGCONMILK | -6.68 | -16.22 | Vol. 41500 D: 6.80 ⇑ 1.49% | 6.89 | 6.90 / 6.80 BEACHHATCH | 1.01 | 12.48 | Vol. 337940 D: 18.70 ⇑ 2.75% | 18.82 | 19.50 / 17.00 C: 18.60 ⇑ 1.64% | 18.70 | 19.00 / 18.30 FINEFOODS | -0.11 | 10.58 | Vol. 194470 D: 18.20 ⇑ 3.41% | 18.14 | 18.60 / 16.80 C: 18.50 ⇑ 6.94% | 18.07 | 18.50 / 17.50 RDFOOD | 0.91 | 16.84 | Vol. 679103 D: 21.80 ⇑ 3.81% | 21.57 | 21.90 / 18.90 C: 21.60 ⇑ 3.35% | 21.51 | 21.80 / 21.20 GHAIL | 1.01 | 22.08 | Vol. 3873680 D: 48.90 ⇑ 6.54% | 48.12 | 49.20 / 42.00 C: 48.60 ⇑ 5.42% | 48.23 | 49.30 / 46.50 FUEL & POWER LINDEBD | 31.71 | 144.00 | Vol. 26001 D: 663.4 ⇑ 6.52% | 662.73 | 669.5 / 613.1 PADMAOIL | 16.38 | 43.67 | Vol. 831389 D: 390.1 ⇑ 1.30% | 388.29 | 393.9 / 360.0 C: 391.0 ⇑ 2.04% | 388.86 | 395.0 / 382.0 EASTRNLUB | 6.32 | 68.68 | Vol. 550 D: 312.8 ⇓ 0.03% | 312.73 | 312.9 / 312.0 BDWELDING | 0.33 | 16.82 | Vol. 229653 D: 18.50 ⇑ 2.21% | 18.63 | 19.00 / 16.50 C: 18.80 ⇑ 4.44% | 18.52 | 18.80 / 18.10 SUMITPOWER | 3.17 | 19.26 | Vol. 435842 D: 36.70 ⇑ 0.82% | 36.54 | 38.00 / 33.00 C: 37.00 ⇑ 1.65% | 36.84 | 37.80 / 36.40 DESCO | 2.80 | 35.25 | Vol. 412040 D: 83.00 ⇑ 1.10% | 82.47 | 84.00 / 74.00 C: 82.60 ⇑ 1.85% | 83.07 | 83.80 / 82.00 POWERGRID | 2.56 | 48.08 | Vol. 42766 D: 56.70 ⇑ 0.53% | 56.41 | 57.00 / 55.00 C: 57.00 ⇑ 2.52% | 56.37 | 57.00 / 51.00 JAMUNAOIL | 22.78 | 50.24 | Vol. 434006 D: 240.6 ⇑ 0.92% | 240.03 | 242.0 / 220.0 C: 240.8 ⇑ 1.43% | 240.12 | 243.9 / 238.0 MPETROLEUM | 16.98 | 40.41 | Vol. 733464 D: 289.6 ⇑ 1.90% | 286.97 | 291.5 / 260.0 C: 289.5 ⇑ 2.08% | 287.86 | 291.4 / 282.5 TITASGAS | 9.01 | 36.56 | Vol. 2044047 D: 87.40 ⇑ 0.58% | 87.19 | 88.90 / 78.30 C: 87.50 ⇑ 0.69% | 87.31 | 88.00 / 86.50 KPCL | 4.73 | 15.86 | Vol. 548750 D: 51.60 ⇓ 0.19% | 51.55 | 52.90 / 50.00 C: 51.90 ⇑ 0.39% | 51.84 | 52.40 / 51.50 BEDL | 1.57 | 17.89 | Vol. 1248380 D: 35.90 ⇑ 0.28% | 36.10 | 37.00 / 32.30 C: 35.90 ⇑ 0.00% | 36.08 | 36.50 / 35.80 MJLBD | 2.73 | 30.24 | Vol. 120999 D: 77.10 ⇑ 2.12% | 76.43 | 77.30 / 68.00 C: 77.10 ⇑ 2.53% | 76.66 | 78.00 / 68.00 GBBPOWER | 1.86 | 22.63 | Vol. 390823 D: 26.30 ⇑ 1.15% | 26.21 | 27.00 / 23.50 C: 26.40 ⇑ 2.33% | 26.19 | 26.60 / 25.80 SPPCL | 3.81 | 23.34 | Vol. 1708010 D: 64.00 ⇑ 3.06% | 62.98 | 64.50 / 56.00 C: 63.90 ⇑ 3.06% | 63.26 | 64.50 / 62.00 JUTE JUTESPINN | 2.06 | 17.42 | Vol. 15300 D: 87.10 ⇑ 8.33% | 85.36 | 88.00 / 82.00 SONALIANSH | 5.54 | 218.80 | Vol. 95350 D: 160.6 ⇑ 9.70% | 157.47 | 161.0 / 147.1 TEXTILE AL-HAJTEX | 1.35 | 15.64 | Vol. 335461 D: 72.50 ⇑ 9.68% | 72.00 | 72.70 / 60.00 RAHIMTEXT | 0.51 | 73.88 | Vol. 9994 D: 248.6 ⇑ 3.67% | 253.25 | 257.9 / 220.0

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August 22, 2013 Sectotal Index: BANK: 33,592.01 ⇑ 0.01% NBFI: 20,943.51 ⇓ 0.37% INVS: 5,018.32 ⇑ 1.95% ENGG: 6,353.74 ⇑ 3.53% FOOD: 8,656.98 ⇑ 4.73% F&P: 11,333.88 ⇑ 1.72% TEXT: 3,114.67 ⇑ 1.90% PHAR: 17,068.00 ⇑ 0.93% PAPR: 782.95 ⇑ 0.26% SERV: 3,234.48 ⇑ 1.07% LEAT: 5,222.34 ⇑ 5.75% CERA: 507.90 ⇑ 2.71% CMNT: 4,506.12 ⇑ 4.75% INFO: 7,309.49 ⇑ 2.36% GINS: 9,312.38 ⇑ 0.77% LINS: 105,353.39 ⇑ 2.07% TELC: 1,502.31 ⇑ 3.34% MISC: 6,423.21 ⇑ 1.19% SAIHAMTEX | 2.75 | 29.50 | Vol. 989300 D: 31.20 ⇓ 1.27% | 31.60 | 32.40 / 30.80 C: 31.60 ⇓ 0.94% | 31.72 | 32.60 / 31.00 MODERNDYE | 1.09 | 12.93 | Vol. 150 D: 65.00 ⇑ 0.00% | 65.00 | 65.00 / 65.00 DSHGARME | 0.72 | 12.00 | Vol. 6100 D: 28.70 ⇑ 5.51% | 28.69 | 29.10 / 28.00 DULAMIACOT | -8.46 | -27.78 | Vol. 14200 D: 8.60 ⇑ 6.17% | 8.52 | 8.80 / 8.20 TALLUSPIN | 2.56 | 12.06 | Vol. 3977759 D: 41.60 ⇑ 1.22% | 41.85 | 43.00 / 37.00 C: 41.80 ⇑ 1.46% | 41.99 | 43.00 / 41.00 APEXSPINN | 2.01 | 49.32 | Vol. 12600 D: 66.50 ⇑ 5.89% | 66.35 | 67.60 / 64.00 MITHUNKNIT | 4.54 | 30.39 | Vol. 328196 D: 120.0 ⇑ 0.50% | 122.21 | 130.0 / 108.0 C: 121.4 ⇑ 2.79% | 120.95 | 127.8 / 118.0 DELTASPINN | 3.06 | 18.12 | Vol. 1370200 D: 36.10 ⇑ 4.94% | 36.21 | 36.80 / 32.00 C: 36.40 ⇑ 4.60% | 36.45 | 37.00 / 35.50 SONARGAON | 0.27 | 34.50 | Vol. 218686 D: 15.10 ⇑ 9.42% | 14.94 | 15.10 / 13.70 C: 14.90 ⇑ 9.56% | 14.84 | 14.90 / 14.00 PRIMETEX | 1.01 | 63.54 | Vol. 1201250 D: 26.50 ⇑ 4.33% | 26.51 | 27.00 / 25.80 C: 26.70 ⇑ 5.12% | 26.71 | 27.00 / 26.00 ALLTEX | -0.11 | 23.81 | Vol. 945000 D: 9.30 ⇑ 4.49% | 9.30 | 9.50 / 9.00 C: 9.30 ⇑ 5.68% | 9.21 | 9.40 / 8.80 ANLIMAYARN | 1.19 | 11.01 | Vol. 557500 D: 31.80 ⇑ 4.95% | 31.01 | 32.60 / 30.20 C: 30.70 ⇑ 5.14% | 30.67 | 31.90 / 30.20 HRTEX | 2.08 | 14.92 | Vol. 499499 D: 32.60 ⇑ 4.82% | 32.24 | 33.30 / 30.00 C: 32.90 ⇑ 7.87% | 32.18 | 33.00 / 31.80 CMCKAMAL | 1.37 | 19.31 | Vol. 1200729 D: 26.10 ⇑ 3.57% | 26.11 | 26.70 / 23.50 SAFKOSPINN | 0.95 | 21.78 | Vol. 1056502 D: 20.90 ⇑ 8.85% | 20.87 | 21.10 / 19.00 C: 20.90 ⇑ 8.85% | 21.02 | 21.10 / 20.00 SQUARETEXT | 4.32 | 31.82 | Vol. 292375 D: 86.50 ⇑ 0.00% | 86.79 | 88.00 / 81.00 C: 87.10 ⇑ 0.46% | 88.19 | 89.90 / 87.00 METROSPIN | -1.00 | 19.59 | Vol. 305455 D: 15.50 ⇑ 3.33% | 15.58 | 16.10 / 14.50 C: 15.40 ⇑ 1.32% | 15.42 | 15.80 / 15.10 MAKSONSPIN | 0.16 | 20.55 | Vol. 4706664 D: 15.30 ⇑ 6.99% | 15.17 | 15.70 / 13.50 C: 15.30 ⇑ 6.99% | 15.08 | 15.60 / 13.70 DACCADYE | 1.21 | 31.13 | Vol. 494599 D: 28.30 ⇑ 0.35% | 28.75 | 29.30 / 26.50 C: 28.40 ⇑ 0.71% | 28.69 | 29.50 / 28.00 RNSPIN | 2.80 | 16.58 | Vol. 6779806 D: 30.60 ⇑ 4.08% | 30.56 | 31.00 / 28.00 C: 30.50 ⇑ 3.74% | 30.48 | 31.00 / 29.60 BXSYNTH | 0.93 | 25.42 | Vol. 381391 D: 15.20 ⇑ 2.70% | 15.26 | 16.20 / 14.00 C: 15.40 ⇑ 3.36% | 15.32 | 15.50 / 15.00 MALEKSPIN | -1.44 | 46.87 | Vol. 2452490 D: 28.70 ⇓ 0.69% | 29.55 | 30.70 / 26.10 C: 28.70 ⇓ 1.37% | 29.30 | 30.60 / 28.10 ZAHINTEX | 1.91 | 35.25 | Vol. 717350 D: 33.10 ⇑ 2.16% | 33.18 | 33.80 / 30.00 C: 33.00 ⇑ 0.61% | 32.96 | 33.30 / 32.80 SAIHAMCOT | 2.48 | 22.87 | Vol. 3226250 D: 28.40 ⇓ 4.05% | 28.79 | 30.00 / 27.70 C: 28.40 ⇓ 3.73% | 28.69 | 30.00 / 28.00 GENNEXT | 1.68 | 15.15 | Vol. 4120980 D: 23.20 ⇑ 2.20% | 23.39 | 24.00 / 20.70 C: 23.20 ⇑ 2.65% | 23.35 | 23.90 / 23.00 ENVOYTEX | 3.26 | 39.26 | Vol. 1472460 D: 53.80 ⇑ 1.51% | 53.89 | 54.40 / 48.00 C: 53.80 ⇑ 2.09% | 53.65 | 53.90 / 47.60 ARGONDENIM | 1.89 | 38.86 | Vol. 3429580 D: 41.70 ⇑ 5.30% | 40.92 | 42.00 / 35.70 C: 41.60 ⇑ 6.12% | 41.00 | 42.00 / 39.30 FAMILYTEX | 3.72 | 14.68 | Vol. 392000 D: 31.80 ⇑ 0.00% | 31.84 | 32.10 / 31.30 C: 31.70 ⇑ 0.32% | 31.71 | 31.90 / 30.50 Pharmaceutical & Chemical AMBEEPHA | 3.94 | 26.15 | Vol. 31112 D: 284.5 ⇑ 8.50% | 277.98 | 285.0 / 263.0 C: 284.1 ⇑ 8.73% | 277.38 | 284.1 / 268.0

INTECH | 0.94 | 10.08 | Vol. 57919 D: 13.30 ⇑ 0.76% | 13.26 | 13.40 / 12.00 C: 13.20 ⇑ 0.00% | 13.20 | 13.20 / 13.20 AGNISYSL | 1.07 | 25.52 | Vol. 281360 D: 24.00 ⇑ 2.13% | 23.74 | 24.50 / 22.00 C: 24.00 ⇑ 3.00% | 23.67 | 24.00 / 23.50 DAFODILCOM | 1.12 | 11.14 | Vol. 277700 D: 17.30 ⇓ 1.14% | 17.53 | 17.80 / 16.80 C: 17.60 ⇑ 1.73% | 17.67 | 18.00 / 17.50 AAMRATECH | 1.17 | 20.44 | Vol. 986150 D: 40.70 ⇑ 2.78% | 40.62 | 41.20 / 36.00 C: 40.90 ⇑ 3.54% | 40.66 | 41.00 / 39.60

BXPHARMA | 3.77 | 52.55 | Vol. 307442 D: 49.30 ⇑ 1.65% | 49.36 | 50.00 / 43.70 C: 49.60 ⇑ 2.27% | 49.34 | 50.00 / 48.00 GLAXOSMITH | 20.25 | 123.32 | Vol. 19150 D: 935.7 ⇑ 7.15% | 915.56 | 935.8 / 879.0 ACI | -5.82 | 126.42 | Vol. 28324 D: 159.2 ⇑ 5.50% | 158.23 | 163.8 / 140.0 C: 157.9 ⇑ 4.57% | 156.81 | 162.0 / 151.9 RENATA | 33.57 | 138.83 | Vol. 56732 D: 704.5 ⇑ 4.79% | 700.59 | 709.0 / 621.9 RECKITTBEN | 27.16 | 78.89 | Vol. 950 D: 790.7 ⇑ 3.36% | 790.53 | 801.0 / 779.0 PHARMAID | 5.06 | 26.30 | Vol. 130750 D: 211.3 ⇑ 8.97% | 206.11 | 211.4 / 197.0 KOHINOOR | 9.52 | 10.49 | Vol. 1615 D: 366.3 ⇓ 1.59% | 364.77 | 370.0 / 340.0 IBNSINA | 3.44 | 34.02 | Vol. 30240 D: 87.90 ⇑ 3.41% | 87.58 | 88.60 / 84.20 LIBRAINFU | 4.64 | 1565.37 | Vol. 12600 D: 294.7 ⇑ 8.63% | 289.05 | 295.0 / 263.0 ORIONINFU | 8.72 | 1.73 | Vol. 153000 D: 44.20 ⇑ 4.25% | 43.79 | 44.50 / 42.80 C: 44.20 ⇑ 3.51% | 44.00 | 44.20 / 43.80 SQURPHARMA | 9.01 | 50.83 | Vol. 1150886 D: 221.0 ⇑ 0.00% | 220.43 | 225.0 / 205.0 C: 220.2 ⇓ 0.32% | 219.93 | 221.0 / 218.0 IMAMBUTTON | -1.68 | 5.67 | Vol. 20000 D: 7.30 ⇑ 2.82% | 7.37 | 7.50 / 7.20 C: 8.00 ⇑ 2.56% | 8.00 | 8.00 / 8.00 KEYACOSMET | 3.19 | 19.99 | Vol. 2925167 D: 27.00 ⇓ 3.57% | 27.19 | 28.00 / 25.20 C: 27.20 ⇓ 2.16% | 27.36 | 28.90 / 27.00 BERGERPBL | 32.46 | 100.20 | Vol. 6050 D: 848.0 ⇑ 4.04% | 834.50 | 865.0 / 812.0 C: 840.0 ⇑ 20.00% | 840.00 | 840.0 / 840.0 ACIFORMULA | 3.33 | 38.08 | Vol. 33000 D: 74.80 ⇑ 2.19% | 74.06 | 75.40 / 72.20 C: 75.30 ⇑ 3.01% | 75.26 | 76.00 / 74.00 MARICO | 27.53 | 62.47 | Vol. 56400 D: 666.5 ⇑ 7.47% | 654.35 | 666.7 / 622.3 C: 660.0 ⇑ 6.28% | 660.00 | 660.0 / 660.0 BEACONPHAR | 0.33 | 11.97 | Vol. 275500 D: 14.60 ⇑ 2.10% | 14.58 | 14.70 / 14.30 C: 14.70 ⇑ 2.08% | 14.63 | 14.90 / 14.40 ACTIVEFINE | 3.23 | 13.89 | Vol. 2547947 D: 96.30 ⇑ 1.26% | 95.58 | 98.00 / 86.00 C: 96.40 ⇑ 2.01% | 95.83 | 97.80 / 95.00 SALVOCHEM | 0.68 | 10.57 | Vol. 1498951 D: 21.20 ⇑ 2.91% | 21.19 | 21.50 / 18.60 C: 21.20 ⇑ 2.91% | 21.08 | 21.40 / 20.80 GHCL | 2.14 | 57.31 | Vol. 990500 D: 52.00 ⇑ 9.47% | 51.02 | 52.20 / 47.30 C: 51.90 ⇑ 9.96% | 50.95 | 51.90 / 48.00 ORIONPHARM | 5.02 | 68.68 | Vol. 829380 D: 66.80 ⇑ 0.15% | 66.52 | 67.60 / 61.00 C: 67.00 ⇑ 0.60% | 66.57 | 67.20 / 65.90 JMISMDL | 1.12 | 12.83 | Vol. 221000 D: 114.2 ⇑ 9.91% | 113.23 | 114.2 / 105.0 C: 112.0 ⇑ 9.91% | 111.86 | 112.0 / 110.0 CENTRALPHL | 0.61 | 10.99 | Vol. 854000 D: 34.50 ⇑ 2.07% | 34.79 | 36.00 / 33.20 C: 34.80 ⇑ 2.96% | 34.73 | 35.70 / 33.90 PAPER & PACKAGING HAKKANIPUL | 0.64 | 11.02 | Vol. 4000 D: 17.00 ⇑ 1.80% | 17.14 | 17.20 / 17.00 C: 16.20 ⇓ 5.26% | 16.20 | 16.20 / 16.20 SERVICE SAMORITA | 2.31 | 17.25 | Vol. 20892 D: 79.30 ⇑ 8.78% | 79.12 | 80.10 / 73.00

SAPORTL | 1.23 | 38.39 | Vol. 192610 D: 26.40 ⇑ 3.13% | 26.42 | 27.00 / 25.00 C: 26.40 ⇑ 2.72% | 26.41 | 26.90 / 26.00 EHL | 2.87 | 18.48 | Vol. 405569 D: 54.50 ⇑ 2.64% | 54.09 | 56.00 / 51.90 C: 54.30 ⇑ 2.26% | 53.88 | 54.90 / 53.10 LEATHER APEXTANRY | 6.57 | 69.38 | Vol. 733750 D: 132.1 ⇑ 9.90% | 129.40 | 132.2 / 122.1 C: 131.6 ⇑ 9.94% | 129.99 | 131.6 / 122.0 BATASHOE | 49.12 | 135.53 | Vol. 33700 D: 738.9 ⇑ 7.49% | 728.10 | 738.9 / 690.0 C: 737.0 ⇑ 7.12% | 721.60 | 739.6 / 680.0 APEXADELFT | 23.01 | 203.26 | Vol. 206600 D: 374.1 ⇑ 2.41% | 380.18 | 390.0 / 369.1 C: 380.0 ⇑ 2.95% | 380.00 | 380.0 / 380.0 SAMATALETH | -0.07 | 12.08 | Vol. 500 D: 11.50 ⇑ 6.48% | 11.50 | 11.50 / 11.50 LEGACYFOOT | 0.63 | 17.19 | Vol. 61000 D: 14.30 ⇑ 0.70% | 14.44 | 14.60 / 14.20 C: 14.50 ⇑ 0.69% | 14.29 | 14.50 / 14.00 PARAGON | 2.05 | 113.77 | Vol. 0 C: 13.50 ⇑ 0.00% | 13.50 | 0.00 / 0.00 CERAMIC MONNOCERA | 0.71 | 96.33 | Vol. 8600 D: 27.80 ⇑ 2.21% | 27.91 | 28.00 / 27.50 STANCERAM | 1.07 | 15.97 | Vol. 1000 D: 30.20 ⇑ 0.00% | 30.20 | 30.20 / 30.20 FUWANGCER | 1.43 | 13.25 | Vol. 326445 D: 19.00 ⇑ 1.06% | 19.10 | 19.50 / 18.00 C: 19.00 ⇑ 0.00% | 19.01 | 19.10 / 19.00 SPCERAMICS | 0.62 | 30.92 | Vol. 223237 D: 16.40 ⇑ 0.61% | 16.52 | 17.00 / 14.70 C: 16.50 ⇑ 1.85% | 16.53 | 16.90 / 16.20 RAKCERAMIC | 1.98 | 16.76 | Vol. 351016 D: 54.90 ⇑ 3.98% | 54.40 | 55.10 / 48.00 C: 54.10 ⇑ 3.84% | 53.92 | 54.30 / 53.20 CEMENT HEIDELBCEM | 22.85 | 111.50 | Vol. 293600 D: 363.9 ⇑ 8.24% | 360.65 | 365.6 / 341.4 C: 363.1 ⇑ 8.75% | 354.14 | 363.1 / 340.0 CONFIDCEM | 6.23 | 90.76 | Vol. 1429858 D: 145.4 ⇑ 8.43% | 142.10 | 146.0 / 125.0 C: 143.5 ⇑ 7.57% | 140.85 | 144.0 / 135.0 MEGHNACEM | 6.28 | 33.81 | Vol. 306400 D: 137.1 ⇑ 9.94% | 136.14 | 137.1 / 125.2 C: 135.8 ⇑ 5.43% | 134.83 | 139.9 / 127.8 ARAMITCEM | 3.03 | 14.65 | Vol. 233365 D: 75.80 ⇑ 9.06% | 74.79 | 76.40 / 69.50 C: 76.00 ⇑ 9.99% | 75.11 | 76.00 / 74.80 LAFSURCEML | 1.60 | 7.22 | Vol. 451000 D: 32.30 ⇑ 0.00% | 32.29 | 32.50 / 32.00 C: 32.50 ⇑ 0.62% | 32.20 | 32.70 / 31.90 MICEMENT | 4.14 | 40.00 | Vol. 759656 D: 99.40 ⇑ 5.86% | 98.06 | 100.0 / 84.70 C: 99.30 ⇑ 5.30% | 97.93 | 99.90 / 94.40 PREMIERCEM | 3.59 | 22.92 | Vol. 810400 D: 133.1 ⇑ 5.22% | 132.38 | 135.6 / 126.3 C: 133.2 ⇑ 6.82% | 133.55 | 136.4 / 128.0 IT IINDUSTRIES ISNLTD | 0.28 | 17.31 | Vol. 75500 D: 12.90 ⇓ 0.77% | 13.04 | 13.40 / 12.90 C: 13.10 ⇓ 2.24% | 13.20 | 13.40 / 13.00 BDCOM | 1.00 | 14.91 | Vol. 167595 D: 21.30 ⇑ 2.40% | 21.33 | 21.80 / 18.80 C: 21.10 ⇑ 1.44% | 21.15 | 21.60 / 21.00

GENERAL INSURANCE BGIC | 1.65 | 20.33 | Vol. 119099 D: 29.70 ⇑ 1.37% | 29.56 | 30.00 / 28.00 C: 29.80 ⇑ 1.36% | 29.70 | 30.00 / 29.30 GREENDELT | 4.05 | 64.44 | Vol. 116022 D: 116.6 ⇑ 3.74% | 114.21 | 118.0 / 105.0 C: 114.6 ⇑ 4.18% | 113.83 | 115.5 / 113.0 UNITEDINS | 2.47 | 21.04 | Vol. 19046 D: 47.60 ⇓ 0.21% | 47.57 | 48.50 / 44.00 PEOPLESINS | 2.05 | 20.72 | Vol. 54113 D: 26.70 ⇑ 1.14% | 26.83 | 27.00 / 26.00 C: 26.40 ⇑ 2.72% | 26.44 | 26.50 / 26.40 EASTERNINS | 2.22 | 35.88 | Vol. 35016 D: 36.70 ⇓ 1.61% | 36.79 | 37.70 / 35.00 C: 36.10 ⇓ 6.48% | 36.10 | 36.10 / 36.10 JANATAINS | 7.84 | 170.69 | Vol. 42588 D: 248.3 ⇑ 5.30% | 240.32 | 249.8 / 232.0 C: 248.5 ⇑ 3.20% | 246.01 | 250.0 / 240.3 PHENIXINS | 2.70 | 20.96 | Vol. 44099 D: 39.90 ⇓ 0.25% | 40.05 | 41.00 / 39.10 EASTLAND | 4.06 | 23.29 | Vol. 201820 D: 47.90 ⇑ 2.79% | 47.04 | 48.50 / 42.00 C: 46.40 ⇓ 2.32% | 46.39 | 46.50 / 46.20 CENTRALINS | 1.54 | 19.04 | Vol. 65877 D: 29.00 ⇑ 2.11% | 28.69 | 30.70 / 26.00 C: 30.40 ⇑ 0.00% | 27.50 | 30.40 / 30.40 KARNAPHULI | 1.56 | 19.42 | Vol. 42200 D: 22.50 ⇑ 0.45% | 22.51 | 23.00 / 22.40 RUPALIINS | 2.76 | 23.38 | Vol. 147142 D: 33.00 ⇑ 2.17% | 32.73 | 33.40 / 32.30 FEDERALINS | 1.10 | 10.98 | Vol. 119713 D: 22.90 ⇑ 1.33% | 22.80 | 23.20 / 20.80 C: 23.10 ⇑ 1.76% | 22.92 | 23.40 / 22.60 RELIANCINS | 3.93 | 61.52 | Vol. 24000 D: 71.60 ⇓ 3.50% | 71.29 | 76.40 / 70.20 PURABIGEN | 1.05 | 18.71 | Vol. 309463 D: 21.50 ⇑ 3.37% | 21.19 | 21.70 / 19.00 PRAGATIINS | 2.01 | 50.30 | Vol. 18567 D: 57.30 ⇑ 0.70% | 57.51 | 58.00 / 56.60 PRIMEINSUR | 2.14 | 14.14 | Vol. 115132 D: 29.20 ⇑ 6.96% | 28.61 | 29.40 / 26.00 PIONEERINS | 3.11 | 23.84 | Vol. 186202 D: 78.60 ⇑ 5.79% | 77.07 | 80.00 / 74.70 ASIAPACINS | 1.84 | 13.76 | Vol. 46500 D: 27.50 ⇓ 0.36% | 27.48 | 28.20 / 27.30 SONARBAINS | 1.68 | 13.38 | Vol. 57888 D: 22.80 ⇑ 2.24% | 22.76 | 23.10 / 22.00 C: 24.80 ⇑ 7.83% | 24.80 | 24.80 / 24.80 PARAMOUNT | 1.26 | 13.19 | Vol. 54376 D: 21.00 ⇑ 0.96% | 21.22 | 21.60 / 18.80 C: 20.70 ⇓ 8.00% | 20.70 | 20.70 / 20.70 CITYGENINS | 1.65 | 14.26 | Vol. 80696 D: 25.70 ⇑ 0.39% | 25.61 | 26.00 / 23.10 C: 26.10 ⇑ 0.38% | 26.02 | 26.30 / 25.50 CONTININS | 1.41 | 15.68 | Vol. 255155 D: 30.00 ⇑ 3.81% | 29.34 | 30.20 / 28.00 C: 29.30 ⇑ 1.03% | 29.25 | 30.00 / 28.60 TAKAFULINS | 2.19 | 15.17 | Vol. 11466 D: 30.80 ⇑ 2.33% | 30.75 | 31.50 / 29.00 C: 31.20 ⇑ 0.00% | 30.00 | 31.20 / 31.20 STANDARINS | 2.58 | 13.99 | Vol. 30625 D: 38.60 ⇑ 1.05% | 38.42 | 39.00 / 34.40 C: 36.00 ⇓ 1.91% | 36.00 | 36.00 / 36.00 NORTHRNINS | 1.77 | 11.15 | Vol. 145620 D: 45.60 ⇑ 1.33% | 45.25 | 46.00 / 40.50 C: 47.00 ⇑ 0.00% | 48.00 | 47.00 / 47.00 REPUBLIC | 2.14 | 12.42 | Vol. 300905 D: 55.90 ⇑ 4.49% | 55.46 | 57.00 / 50.00 C: 56.10 ⇑ 0.00% | 50.50 | 56.10 / 56.10 ASIAINS | 1.56 | 17.34 | Vol. 55829 D: 26.60 ⇑ 2.70% | 26.37 | 26.90 / 23.70 C: 26.50 ⇑ 7.29% | 26.12 | 26.50 / 23.00

ISLAMIINS | 1.29 | 11.96 | Vol. 6215 D: 26.80 ⇑ 1.52% | 26.87 | 27.60 / 26.00 PROVATIINS | 1.90 | 14.30 | Vol. 24326 D: 25.80 ⇓ 1.15% | 25.86 | 27.00 / 25.60 C: 26.20 ⇓ 0.38% | 25.85 | 26.20 / 26.20 DHAKAINS | 2.84 | 18.02 | Vol. 61125 D: 39.30 ⇑ 0.77% | 39.40 | 39.90 / 37.90 C: 38.20 ⇑ 0.53% | 38.20 | 38.20 / 38.20 LIFE INSURANCE NATLIFEINS | 12.34 | 80.99 | Vol. 8883 D: 247.1 ⇓ 0.40% | 247.59 | 253.0 / 245.0 C: 248.0 ⇑ 7.64% | 248.00 | 248.0 / 248.0 DELTALIFE | 38.53 | 189.40 | Vol. 4350 D: 5185 ⇑ 0.97% | 5140 | 5230 / 5051 SANDHANINS | 2.39 | 28.22 | Vol. 21954 D: 69.30 ⇑ 0.43% | 68.95 | 70.00 / 65.00 C: 68.50 ⇓ 0.72% | 68.46 | 70.00 / 67.50 POPULARLIF | 3.70 | 715.41 | Vol. 42000 D: 144.1 ⇓ 7.63% | 146.21 | 156.5 / 142.2 FAREASTLIF | 9.21 | 60.79 | Vol. 71787 D: 113.8 ⇑ 0.26% | 113.96 | 114.4 / 105.0 C: 112.7 ⇑ 0.54% | 112.70 | 112.7 / 112.7 MEGHNALIFE | 10.82 | 48.87 | Vol. 36650 D: 94.20 ⇑ 0.53% | 94.11 | 95.20 / 88.00 PRAGATILIF | 0.60 | 30.15 | Vol. 19000 D: 94.30 ⇓ 0.95% | 94.47 | 97.00 / 94.00 PRIMELIFE | 5.51 | 27.10 | Vol. 26000 D: 92.40 ⇓ 0.54% | 92.53 | 94.00 / 92.10 C: 101.5 ⇑ 9.38% | 101.50 | 101.5 / 101.5 RUPALILIFE | 3.75 | 31.25 | Vol. 31500 D: 82.70 ⇓ 2.36% | 82.73 | 84.00 / 82.60 PADMALIFE | 1.63 | 25.76 | Vol. 114000 D: 59.20 ⇓ 1.00% | 59.65 | 60.50 / 58.80 C: 59.00 ⇑ 0.00% | 58.30 | 59.50 / 57.70 SUNLIFEINS | 0.00 | 0.00 | Vol. 106500 D: 46.80 ⇓ 0.43% | 46.82 | 47.30 / 46.50 C: 47.60 ⇑ 1.71% | 47.27 | 47.80 / 46.90 TELECOM GP | 12.96 | 26.26 | Vol. 1831913 D: 203.4 ⇑ 3.72% | 200.96 | 205.8 / 185.0 C: 202.9 ⇑ 3.73% | 200.60 | 204.7 / 194.0 BSCCL | 7.14 | 23.70 | Vol. 1259990 D: 301.9 ⇑ 2.20% | 294.78 | 304.0 / 270.0 C: 302.4 ⇑ 2.44% | 296.31 | 303.9 / 285.1 Travel & Leisure UNITEDAIR | 1.60 | 15.12 | Vol. 7371723 D: 20.80 ⇑ 0.48% | 20.87 | 21.50 / 19.20 C: 20.90 ⇑ 0.48% | 20.89 | 21.10 / 20.80 UNIQUEHRL | 4.02 | 86.29 | Vol. 691520 D: 94.10 ⇑ 1.84% | 93.78 | 94.70 / 83.20 C: 94.00 ⇑ 1.40% | 93.56 | 94.50 / 92.00 MISCELLANEOUS ARAMIT | 16.07 | 99.93 | Vol. 17550 D: 260.0 ⇓ 0.65% | 259.77 | 270.0 / 252.0 BSC | 1.77 | 565.82 | Vol. 312255 D: 629.0 ⇑ 7.38% | 613.44 | 629.5 / 581.0 C: 629.0 ⇑ 7.47% | 612.30 | 629.0 / 581.0 GQBALLPEN | 6.55 | 250.45 | Vol. 255392 D: 163.3 ⇑ 3.29% | 163.64 | 166.0 / 143.0 C: 164.1 ⇑ 3.86% | 163.83 | 167.0 / 161.0 USMANIAGL | 0.50 | 26.03 | Vol. 289973 D: 149.4 ⇑ 9.93% | 147.49 | 149.4 / 132.0 C: 151.0 ⇑ 9.98% | 149.78 | 151.0 / 144.0 SAVAREFR | 0.23 | 12.32 | Vol. 2700 D: 58.30 ⇑ 1.04% | 58.52 | 59.10 / 58.30 BEXIMCO | 3.24 | 86.74 | Vol. 1144427 D: 33.50 ⇓ 0.30% | 33.59 | 35.00 / 30.30 C: 33.60 ⇓ 0.30% | 33.67 | 37.00 / 32.00 SINOBANGLA | 1.75 | 21.01 | Vol. 57000 D: 18.90 ⇑ 0.53% | 19.06 | 19.50 / 18.20 C: 18.80 ⇑ 1.08% | 18.77 | 18.80 / 18.70 MIRACLEIND | 0.14 | 14.90 | Vol. 77000 D: 12.10 ⇑ 3.42% | 12.05 | 12.40 / 11.70 C: 12.10 ⇑ 2.54% | 12.09 | 12.30 / 12.00 BOND IBBLPBOND | 0.00 | 1000.00 | Vol. 40 D: 947.8 ⇑ 0.00% | 950.00 | 948.0 / 947.0 ACIZCBOND | 0.00 | 1000.00 | Vol. 32 D: 853.0 ⇑ 0.47% | 846.15 | 860.0 / 845.0 C: 841.0 ⇑ 0.12% | 841.00 | 841.0 / 841.0

8

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Business

friday, August 23, 2013

China vets brokerages’ computer systems after $3.8bn buy error n Reuters, Shanghai China’s more than 110 brokerages will come under government scrutiny after Everbright Securities mistakenly made 23.4bn yuan ($3.82bn) of buy orders, collectively the biggest erroneous trade in Chinese stock market history.

The China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) decided to widen its investigation of stock trading systems to all brokerages following its probe into a small Shanghai-based company that made the high-frequency trading software used by Everbright, a CSRC spokesman said.

The CSRC is trying to determine whether design flaws in the trading platform made

by Shanghai Mercrtsoft Technology Co were responsible for Everbright’s trading glitch on August 16. The malfunction caused the brokerage to place a series of mistaken trades that totaled 23.4bn yuan ($3.8bn), spurring a massive swing in Shanghai stock prices. Everbright has since replaced its president.

Everbright’s trading error exposed shortcomings in China’s trading systems and their oversight, industry experts say. It has prompted local securities firms to review their existing practices and may result in greater regulatory supervision.

“The ‘Mercrtsoft High-Frequency Trading and Investment System’ that Everbright used was a customized system currently used exclusively by Everbright,” the CSRC spokesman said in a question-and-answer transcript posted to the regulator’s website late on Wednesday.

But he said the CSRC is also conducting inspections of systems in use at other brokerages.

Shanghai-based Everbright said a problem with its order execution system sent 26,082 erroneous buy orders directly to the Shanghai Stock Exchange last Friday morning over a two-minute period.

That sparked a flash rally that created and then wiped out roughly $100bn worth of share value on the CSI300 Index in the course of a single day, Reuters calculations

A department office of Everbright Securities is pictured in Beijing. Major brokerage Everbright Securities Co Ltd said in a filing to the Shanghai Stock Exchange that its trading system encountered problems Friday morning, following a dramatic 5% spike in domestic stock indexes that many suspected was the byproduct of a trading error REUTERS show. The CSI300 tracks the largest listed firms in China.

The incident has also thrown the spotlight on declining spending on information technology systems by China’s brokerages.

In recent years, securities companies have developed increasingly sophisticated proprietary trading strategies, allowing them to speculate with their own money in a widening variety of ways, as regulators have introduced more sophisticated instruments such as stock index futures.

But IT investment by brokerages hasn’t kept pace.

Between 2010 and 2012, brokerage IT spending dropped 13.4% to 5.6bn yuan, according to statistics compiled by CCW Research, a Beijing-based IT consultancy.

“When it comes to new financial products and business lines, the finance industry people understand the risks, but they’re not familiar with how to use technology to miti-

gate those risks. They don’t understand IT,” said Guo Chang, deputy general manager at CCW Research.

Guo said brokerages have reduced IT expenditures due to the industry’s weak profitability in recent years, but the Everbright incident should ensure that such spending does not decline any further.

Brokerages such as GF Securities, CITIC Securities and China Merchants Securities could not immediately comment.

Mercrtsoft Software

Mercrtsoft makes trading software for many of China’s hedge funds, trust companies and domestic securities brokerages.

Its software is used by 17 brokerages and four futures companies, according to the official Xinhua news agency. The high-frequency trading software designed especially for Everbright was commissioned in February, Xinhua said.

A notice on Mercrtsoft’s website said the company is “actively cooperating” with regulators and that employees continue to come to work as usual. The firm has closed the rest of its website.

At Everbright, the brokerage is replacing its current president Xu Haoming by a temporary president Yuan Changqing.

It has also suspended Yang Jianbo, head of proprietary trading, and replaced him with Li Haisong, head of the brokerage’s risk management department.

Everbright shares have lost 17.6% since August 16.

On Wednesday, the brokerage was ordered to suspend lead-underwriting of any new debt financing instruments of non-financial enterprises in the country’s interbank bond market, after an unrelated trading mistake this one caused by human error - resulted in a trading loss of $32m.

The National Association of Financial Market Institutional Investors (NAFMII), which is appointed by the central bank to help supervise the interbank bond market, made the instruction and did not say how long it would last.

NAFMII demanded Everbright conduct a self-examination of its business processes, electronic systems, internal compliance, risk management and staff management, and submit its findings to the association together with a restructuring plan by August 30, according to an Everbright filing to the Shanghai Stock Exchange.

Such glitches are likely to become a more common fixture of the Chinese markets as they grow increasingly complex, some analysts say.

“I think you’ll see more problems like this as the industry evolves,” said Mike Werner, an analyst for Bernstein Research who covers China’s banks.

“As the banks bring more and more computer systems on board, you have to wonder how well these systems are tested. There’s now more chance for human and operational risk at the brokerages, rather than just policy risk.” l

New crowdfund plan aids startups with expertise, cash n AFP, San Francisco Crowdfunding gets a new twist yesterday with the launch of an online platform that offers startups ideas and expertise as well as cash.

The new platform called JumpStart Fund, marrying crowd-sourcing with crowdfunding, comes from the California-based online community called Jumpstarter, which has been involved in matching investors with technology opportunities.

While raising money from the masses on the Internet has become common at websites such as Kickstarter and Kiva, the new fund goes further by adding patented technology and problem-solving perspectives to the formula.

“We are trying to give startups tools they need to make their product more successful,” JumpStart

Fund chief and co-founder Dirk Ahlborn told AFP. “Crowdfunding together with crowd-sourcing is a solution.”

The self-described serial entrepreneur said inspiration for JumpStart Fund came from learning that lack of experience caused many startups to fail and that public patents are languishing in US federal research labs.

JumpStart Fund was designed to be an online community where people can share ideas and build businesses based on patented technology, with individuals getting stakes in startups based on what they bring to the mix.

“Ideas get submitted, or it can be a patent, and we move it to a work-in-progress stage,” Ahlborn explained.

“People apply to be part of the idea as the

executing team, and from there we start using the crowd for input from basic things like a name to refining the business model or how to use the technology.” Those who participate in shaping startups get advisory points which translate into shares in revenue.

JumpStart aimed to limit the crowd share to 10% commission on a startup’s revenue, with advisors needing to remain active in companies to remain eligible for their cuts of revenue.

“We want to avoid someone being part of a startup in the first year and then not caring any more in year two,” Ahlborn said.

Business ideas can be submitted from anywhere, but resulting companies will be formed in the United States, according to JumpStart.

The online community votes on startup ideas,

with top contenders culled by an in-house selection process.

JumpStart is working with federal research labs holding thousands of patents deemed public property because they were paid for with tax dollars and is reaching out to US universities and private facilities.

“There is a mandate to bring federal patents out to the public, but no one said they have to do a good job,” Ahlborn said. “We are trying to solve the fact that it is really difficult and bureaucratic to get to those patents.”

Business models built with knowledgeable input from the “crowd” and based on patented technologies should prove enticing to investors, who are also invited to be part of JumpStart’s online community, according to its founders. l