Long FormWho am I? The Bangali v Bangladeshi debatein simple terms

5BusinessStudy on Chittagong seaport starts today

B3

16 pages with 8-page business tabloid, plus 16-page T-Mag tabloid | Price: Tk10

Ashwin 9, 1420Zilkad 17, 1434Regd. No. DA 6238Vol 1 No 183 TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2013 | www.dhakatribune.com | SECOND EDITION

News6 Part of the Gulistan-Jatrabari � yover might be opened for public use though work has not been completed. The deadline for the � yover’s construction has been postponed several times.

Nation7 A bridge on the Harai River in Chandana in Rajbari does not have approach roads.

International8 The death toll from a double suicide bombing on a church in Pakistan rose to 81 Monday, as Christians protested across the country to demand better protection for their community.

Op-Ed11 Farzana Nawaz: Fundamentalism is a topic that occupies a large part of the collective consciousness in most parts of the world today.

INSIDE

TMAGEmbracingNowness

Egypt bans Muslim Brotherhood group AP, Cairo

An Egyptian court on Monday ordered the Muslim Brotherhood to be banned and its assets con� scated in a dramatic escalation of a crackdown by the mili-tary-backed government against sup-porters of the ousted Islamist president Mohammed Morsi.

The ruling opens the door for a wider crackdown on the vast network of the Brotherhood, which includes social or-ganisations that have been key for build-ing the group’s grassroots support and helping its election victories. The verdict banned the group itself — including the o� cial association it registered under earlier this year — as well as “any insti-tution branching out of it or...receiving � nancial support from it,” according to the court ruling, made public on Egypt’s state o� cial news agency MENA.

The judge at the Cairo Court for Urgent Matters also ordered the “con� scation of all the group’s money, assets, and build-ings” and said that an independent com-mittee should be formed by the Cabinet to manage the money until � nal court orders are issued. The verdict can be appealed.

The Brotherhood was outlawed for most of its 85 years in existence. But after the 2011 ouster of autocrat Hosni Mubarak, it was allowed to work openly, formed a political party and rose to pow-er in a string of post-Mubarak elections. In March, it registered as a recognised non-governmental organisation.

“This is totalitarian decision,” lead-ing group member Ibrahim Moneir said in an interview with Qatari-based Al-Ja-zeera Mubashir Misr TV. “You are losers and it (the Brotherhood) will remain with God’s help, not by the orders by the ju-diciary of el-Sissi,” he added, referring to military chief Gen. Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, who led the overthrow of Morsi on July 3.

The court did not immediately make public the grounds for its ruling. The ver-dict came in a suit raised by lawyers from the leftist party Tagammu party, accus-ing the Brotherhood of being a “terror-ist” and “exploiting religion in political slogans.” Several other courts are looking into similar suits.

BNP lands on a new strategic programme Mohammad Al-Masum Molla

The fact that BNP’s grassroots level leaders had got into the grove of elec-tioneering was clearly evident during their chief Khaleda Zia’s recent rallies in the country’s north.

During the September 8 rally in Narsingdi, although she asked the lead-ers and activists to blockade all roads and railways if caretaker system was not restored, the banners and posters that the supporters put up re� ected very little of that.

However, regardless – at least on the surface – of what the grassroots may be thinking, the main opposition party is planning a set of strategic programmes to force the government to give into their demands.

The party has already threatened that it would paralyse the country by enforcing continuous shutdowns, sit-ins and road blockades, if the govern-ment did not reinstall the provision for caretaker government system in the constitution by October 25.

Now, another plan has surfaced in which the capital city will be isolated from the rest of the country. To that end, the party planners have identi� ed some 40 Dhaka-bound points around the country, which, if blocked, could end up ful� lling their plan.

They believe that the party was now organisationally strong enough to be able to stage such programmes.

BNP leaders believe that paralysing the country alone would not be enough

�� PAGE 2 COLUMN 6

RMG workers agitate for wage hikeAnsar camp looted in Gazipur, over 100 factories shut

Tribune Report

Industrial zones of Gazipur and Savar and parts of the capital turned into bat-tle� elds as readymade garment work-ers clashed with police and blocked roads demanding a living wage yester-day.

An Ansar camp was looted while at least 115 vehicles and 10 factories were vandalised, forcing the authorities to shut over 100 apparel units for the day.

The clashes left over 140 people in-jured.

Sporadic demonstrations over the week demanding minimum monthly wage of Tk8,000 erupted into violence yesterday with a group of youths at-tacking an Ansar camp at Joydevpur of Gazipur and looting � rearms and

ammunition. Four Ansar members, in-cluding a commander, were injured in the sudden attack; they were admitted to a hospital in Uttara.

Negotiations for wage hike failed to reach a conclusion as of last week as workers’ representatives asked for Tk8,000 as minimum monthly wage while owners o� ered less than a half – Tk3,600, resulting in frustration among workers’ rights groups.

Mosharraf Hossain, assistant super-intendent of Gazipur Industrial Police, said authorities had decided to sus-pend production at most of the facto-ries in Gazipur yesterday.

Most of the apparel units in Tejgaon industrial area were also closed as workers engaged in clashes with police and torched two microbuses and a mo-torcycle there.

Communications on Dhaka-My-mensingh and Dhaka-Aricha highways

remained suspended for nearly four hours from the morning as the agitat-ing workers put barricades at di� erent points in Tongi and Savar. They also damaged at least 115 vehicles on the highways.

The marauding workers also van-dalised at least six RMG units on Dha-ka-Tangail highway at Konabari in Gazipur and several others in Savar.

“They make huge pro� t. When we demand our wages, they say we are not worth that much,” said Sabuj Hawlad-er, a swing operator of Diganta Sweat-ers’ Factory at Konabari.

The workers said expenses had gone beyond their reach and they had noth-ing to do but realise the demand for wage hike at any cost.

Workers of three garment factories attacked an Ansar camp in Bhogra By-pass area of Joydevpur around 8:30am

�� PAGE 2 COLUMN 4

Even Hasina cannot reach Ashraf Partha Pratim Bhattacharjee

He is the spokesperson of the ruling Awami League and also of the gov-ernment. He is supposed to be one of the most available persons. But Syed Ashraful Islam is rarely seen anywhere – important activities of the Awami League and the government.

Even Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina cannot get a hold of him nowadays.

A source in the ruling party told the Dhaka Tribune that Hasina had called Ashraf, the party’s general secretary and the LGRD minister, on Thursday, September 19, but he had neither taken the call nor called her back.

Syed Ashraf does not attend meet-ings of the party; he does not even at-tend his ministry o� ce.

A source in the LGRD ministry said on condition of anonymity thatAshraf had attended the o� ce only

once this year – on May 19.Ashraf did not also attend the last

cabinet meeting on September 16 and skipped all the sittings of the current parliament session as of Thursday.

Frustrated and irritated by this, Sheikh Hasina was considering chang-ing her party’s general secretary by summoning a special council session of the party, a number of Awami League leaders told the Dhaka Tribune.

However, Awami League high-ups con� rmed that there was no possibility of holding a council session before the upcoming general elections as the par-ty would be busy electioneering.

Syed Ashraful Islam was elected the Awami League’s general secretary in the party’s 18th tri-annual council session held on July 24, 2009, and was re-elected on December 29 last year. He became the LGRD minister after Sheikh Hasina’s government assumed o� ce.

The central and grassroots leaders of the Awami League have often com-plained about Ashraf’s “isolation and inactiveness” as he has almost no con-nection with them.

At one of her series meetings with the party’s grassroots-level leaders on Friday, Hasina asked Joint General Sec-retary Mahabub-Ul-Alam Hanif about Ashraf. As Hanif could not give satisfac-tory information, Hasina expressed her disappointment at him, saying: “You are supposed to make Ashraf active!”

The Awami League chief then told Hanif that she would replace Ashraf by convening a special council session of the party, a source told the DhakaTribune.

On Saturday, Ashraf showed up at the grassroots’ meeting at Hasina’s o� -cial residence Ganabhaban nearly four hours after the meeting had started.

�� PAGE 2 COLUMN 2

Government may opt for hard loan to fund populist projects Asif Showkat Kallol

The government is planning to cross a band for hard-term foreign loans to expedite implementation of develop-ment projects of public interest before the upcoming general elections.

It will request the International Monetary Fund to widen the ceiling the global lender imposed as one of the pre-conditions for the $1bn extended credit facility provided to Bangladesh, o� cials said.

The technical committee on non-concessional loans of the � nance division took a decision last week to request an IMF mission, which is now in Dhaka, to extend the ceiling so the government could support implemen-tation of the projects.

Finance Secretary Fazle Kabir chaired the meeting.

The government has estimated that it would require $4.84bn both as hard-term loans and guaranties against the

semi-government and other organisa-tions would be needed to implement the projects, said a senior o� cial of ERD who attended the meeting.

ERD data shows accumulated hard-term foreign loan amounted to $2.9bn at the end of June this year as compared to an IMF agreed ceiling of $3.25bn.

The IMF mission  is expected to � x the performance criteria of hard-term foreign loan ceiling for the next March-December period, based on which the instalments of the $1bn ECF would be disbursed.

The IMF has already released three out of seven equal instalments of the ECF and their current mission is to review the economic situation of the country – based on which the fourth in-stalment would be decided. The latest one of $136m was disbursed on May 30.

During their stay until October 8, the four-member mission will hold meetings with Finance Minister

�� PAGE 2 COLUMN 6

The Brotherhood will remain with God’s help, not by the orders by the judiciary ofel-Sissi

BGMEA SEEKS SECURITYP2��

News2 DHAKA TRIBUNE Tuesday, September 24, 2013

No confusion about Hefazat’s unity, says Sha� Tushar Hayat, Chittagong

Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh’s head Shah Ahmad Sha� has cleared any confusion that arose after recent news reports questioned the organisation’s unity.

In a statement issued yesterday Sha-� said: “We have neither dropped any leader from the committee, nor was anyone expelled from the organisation at the conference held at Babunagar madrasa at Fatikchharhi two days back.”

The central committee is function-al said the statement adding that: “We have just formed a central Shura com-mittee and a sub-committee at the conference to mobilise organisational activities.”

After a conference in Fatikchhar-hi on Saturday, Hefazat leaders told reporters that joint secretaries of the organisation Mufti Fayez Ullah and

Mainuddin Ruhi had been dropped from the central committee.

Sha� said that “anti-Islamic and atheist forces” had been spreading propaganda to confuse people to pre-vent “greater unity and headway of Hefazat.”

He urged Islamic scholars and de-voted Muslims to unite and defy such propaganda.

Sha� who is also the chief of Al-Jamiatul Ahlia Darul Ulum Muinul Islam (Hathazari madrasa), con-demned a reported ban by Brac Univer-sity on students wearing the “Niqab”. He urged that punitive measure should be taken against those responsible.

The private university, however, denied the allegation it had banned any student on the basis of religious grounds but action was taken for not following the university’s o� cial dress code.

Even Hasina cannot reach Ashraf�� PAGE 1 COLUMN 6Seeing Ashraf coming, Hasina told party Presidium member KaziZafarullah: “See, he has come today to attend the meeting as I scolded him yesterday!”

However, after some time Ashraf sought Hasina’s permission to leave the meeting because of “fever.”

Hasina asked him to stay because she wanted to talk with him. But Ashraf left Ganabhaban as soon as themeeting ended without talking with Hasina, a party leader told the Dhaka Tribune.

Ashraf was not in the country when Hasina met with leaders from his own district Kishoreganj. Meeting sources said the grassroots leadershad expressed resentment at Ashraf’s absence both at the meeting and in his own constituency. However,they still preferred Ashraf as the party candidate in the upcoming national polls.

Ashraf went to London on August 25 and returned home on September 15 although he had promised to return before the start of the ongoing session of parliament on September 12, sources said.

The Awami League second-in-com-

mand has spent almost all days in his o� cial residence on Bailey Road since his return.

The resentment of the grassroots and central party leaders against Ashraf escalated after the wide-mar-gin defeat of the Awami Leaguein the Gazipur mayoral polls as the party had already conceded consecutive lossin four other city corporationelections.

Syed Ashraf had no visible role in these elections to the Barisal, Rajshahi, Sylhet, Khulna and Gazipur city corpo-rations.

There was a rumour at that time about Ashraf’s resignation, which he dismissed. But then the party seemed divided over his role – one group blamed him for failing to infuse dy-namism in the organisation and the other favoured giving him the chance to complete his tenure as the general secretary.

At a meeting of the Awami League Parliamentary Party at Ga-nabhaban on July 16, some partylawmakers demanded that Hasina re-move Ashraf.

Dhaka Tribune tried to get Ashraf’s comment, but he did not receive calls when he was contacted several times.

RMG workers agitate for wage�� PAGE 1 COLUMN 3 and looted eight ri� es and 135 bullets, leaving four .Ansar members injured. The attackers, whom the Ansar au-thorities described as outsiders, later set � re to four of the arms on the camp ground.

Four other ri� es were later found in roadside shrubs and bushes, said Ansar and Village Defence Party (VDP) o� cer of Gazipur Sadar upazila Noor Moham-mad.

But the bullets remained missing.Our Gazipur correspondent reports:

Workers of Rose Knitting and Sumon Textile Limited went to an adjacent RMG unit – Colosus Apparel Limited – and asked their fellows to come out af-ter 8am. They jointly attacked the near-by Ansar camp with sticks and bamboo and looted the ri� es and bullets.

Apan Mollah, commander of the camp, and three of his colleagues – Alamgir Hossain, Mahalam and Abu Raihan – were injured in the attack.

The violence on street had start-ed around 8:30am when over 10,000 workers of di� erent garment factories equipped with sticks and bamboo had gathered on the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway in Tongi, police said.

The angry workers vandalised at least 100 vehicles at Chandona, Bhogra, Bason, Borobari and Pagarh on Dhaka-Mymensingh highway and Konabari on Dhaka-Tangail highway, said Iqbal Hossain, sergeant of Naojor Highway Police.

Six policemen were among 35 peo-ple injured in clashes in Karnapara, Ulail and Savar bus stand areas on Dhaka-Aricha highway and at least � ve buses were damaged. Authorities an-

nounced suspension of work at 11 fac-tories, industrial police said.

Moniruzzaman, a sub-inspector of Tongi police station, said the law en-forcers were compelled to charge trun-cheons and � re teargas shells, rubber bullets and gunshots on the agitating workers in a bid to free the highway. The clash left more than 100 workers injured.

According to police and witnesses, 17 of the injured workers were rushed to Tongi Upazila Health Complex. Among them, 12 were shifted to Dha-ka Medical College Hospital in critical condition.

In the capital, workers from several factories gathered at the Nabisco cross-ing in Tejgaon area and hurled bricks at the roadside factories. They also torched two microbuses and a motor-cycle parked in front of the Ha-Meem Group factory gate.

Agitating workers vandalised at least four vehicles on the Tejgaon-Gul-shan Link Road, halting tra� c in the adjacent areas during morning rush hours.

Police � red 20 rounds from shotgun and lobbed teargas shells to bring the situation under control, said Moham-mad Moniruzzaman, o� cer-in-charge of Tejgaon Industrial Area police sta-tion.

At Mohakhali garment workers of some 15 apparel factories blocked road and vandalised a number of vehicles at Amtoli intersection. Five sustained in-juries during the clash with police, said OC of Mohakhali Police Camp Mahbub Hasan.

Workers also blocked roads at Badda in the capital.

BNP lands on a new strategic programme�� PAGE 1 COLUMN 3to intimidate the government; rather, they believe that Dhaka, the centre of all economic and administrative activ-ities, must be quarantined to make the government feel vulnerable.

A senior leader said the 40 strategic points would be on those routes that connected the capital with the other divisional headquarters, namely Chit-tagong, Khulna, Barisal, Sylhet, Rajsha-hi and Ranpur.

Initially, the plan is to block those 40 points; but as people’s participation increases, more similar strategic points will be included in the plan.

Based on their experiences from 1996 and 2006, BNP believe that the administration and police tend to be less compliant during the last days of a government. The party now wants to take advantage of that situation as they believe that law enforcers will be less strict after October 25.

Sources said eight separate teams, headed by the senior leaders, would keep a close watch on these points. Standing committee member and sea-soned politician Tariqul Islam, who has the experience of being part of such all-out movements, would be coordinating the programme.

Party chief Khaleda Zia will oversee and monitor the overall movement, sources said.

“I am not disclosing the movement strategy as yet. But this much I can tell you that we will do whatever it takes. We will keep people in our steps because we know what they expect,” Goyeshwar Chandra Roy, a standing committee member, told the Dhaka Tribune.

The ongoing session of parliament, which is also its last, will end on Oc-tober 24. On that count, if the govern-ment is to meet BNP’s demand for care-taker government, the constitution has to be amended within that date.

The opposition party has braced it-self for giving the government till then to bring back the caretaker system. In the meantime, Khaleda Zia will be ad-dressing rallies in Khulna and Sylhet to drum up anti-government sentiment.

Governmentmay opt for�� PAGE 1 COLUMN 3AMA Muhith, Bangladesh Bank Gov-ernor Dr Atiur Rahman and senior of-� cials of ministries of agriculture and power, Economic Relations Division, National Board of Revenue and  Plan-ning Division.

A � nance division o� cial said the government has not been able to issue $500m foreign currency bonds with its tenure nears ending, prompting it to go for the alternative of the hard-term loans.

He said the Awami League-led alli-ance government had wanted to show bright picture of development ahead of the general elections.

The technical committee on non con-cessional loans at its meeting advised the ERD  to try to increase the grant ele-ment of the hard-term loans  from 30% to 35%. The duration  and grace period of the loans would have to be increased through negotiations with the develop-ment partners.

The technical committee decided not to issue an international sover-eign bond as the present government had  not enough time for documenta-tion,  tendering process  and other nec-essary preparations.

JAMAAT’S 48-HOUR HARTAL VIOLENCE

Two other injured drivers die Mohammad Jamil Khan

The three drivers, who were severely burned when violence erupted during Jamaat-e-Islami’s 48-hour general strike, have all died of their injuries, with all their deaths reported yesterday.

Bus driver Nazrul Islam Bhuyan, 35, succumbed to his injures around 6am while the injured truck driverSekendar Bepari, 42, died later that morning around 9am. The third driv-er, Shamsur Rahman Samsu, 55, died around 3pm.

Samsu was travelling to Panchagarh from Sirajganj with fertiliser. His truck was attacked and set on � re by hartal activists when he stopped near the Bogra-Shahjahanpur road on Wednes-day night.

Samanta Lal Shen, director of Burn and Plastic Surgery unit of Dhaka Med-ical College Hospital (DMCH) said they

tried their utmost to save the victims but the patients were in critical condi-tions.

Nazrul had 65% burns after Ja-maat-Shibir activists set � re to his bus near Gazipur bypass area as he was tak-ing a bus full of passengers to Dhaka on Wednesday.

Later in the evening, Sekendar re-ceived 52% burns when Jamaat-Shi-bir activists set � re to his truckin Comilla’s Chouddogram when he was on his way to Chittagong from Dhaka.

Nazrul’s wife Sabina was wailing as she came to receive her husband’s body from the hospital while Sekend-er’s brother looked stricken when he received the body.

Chouddogram police � led cases against 59 Jamaat-Shibir activists, and Joydebpur police lodged cases against 16 Jamaat-Shibir activists.

Cheap politicians and land grabbers cause communal violence: Mozena Sheikh Shahariar Zaman

US Ambassador to Bangladesh Dan Mozena blamed “cheap politicians and land grabbers” for the violence in Ramu and on minorities. Chatting on Facebook on Monday, Mozena said: “I believe the violence against Buddhist temples and monas-teries at Ramu and Ukhia last Septem-ber and against Hindus in February this year was the work of outside cheap pol-iticians and nasty land grabbers.”

The ambassador’s comments came during a discussion on the US Embas-sy-Dhaka’s Facebook page on “The Power of One: Individual Action, Shared Peace”, about the role of indi-viduals in building a “Sonar Bangla.”

He said: “My travels about Bangla-desh have made clear to me that Ban-gladeshis of di� erent religions and ethnicities can and do live side-by-side in peace and harmony. Bangladeshis themselves want to live in peace.”

He said the best democracy is de-mocracy that is closest to the people, adding: “America supports Bangla-desh’s ongoing e� orts to decentralise governance, to take governance closer to the people.”

He said the opposition parties must play a role for democracy to work.

“The opposition has a big role to play in a democracy, which is why I endeavour my opposition friends to take their seats in the parliament and contribute con-structively to the legislative process.”

Non-cadre o� cers face o� with senior secretary Mohosinul Karim

A group of administrative o� cers and personal o� cers – class II non-cadre o� cers of the ministries – yesterday had a heated exchange with the Public Administration Ministry’s senior secre-tary in his o� ce over their demand for upgradation of status to class I o� cers.

Witnesses said a delegation of admin-istrative o� cers and personal o� cers association’s liaison committee led by its coordinator Muzahidul Islam Selim and leader Ruhul Amin went to meet with the senior secretary in his o� ce.

They placed their demand to take immediate steps to upgrade their status.

But the senior secretary replied them negatively, saying the ministry formed a three-member committee led by its Additional Secretary Ms Dilruba.

The ministry would take further steps only after getting their recom-mendations, he said.

The secretary’s s reply angered the o� cers who reacted angrily and de-manded immediate steps in this regard.

“Food Ministry’s Administrative O� cer Ershad Ali who is expected to retire within a year began shouting in the o� ce. The secretary also reacted sharply and ordered them to get out of the o� ce,” said coordinator Selim.

The association leaders went out immediately. They also went to ask pardon from the secretary later, Selim told the Dhaka Tribune.

Abdus Sobhan Sikdar, senior secre-tary to the Public Administration Minis-try, admitted that they assured the class II o� cers of considering their demand. But still they were making a nuisance of themselves, said the secretary.

RMG workers take to the streets in Gazipur yesterday demanding wage hike DHAKA TRIBUNE

BGMEA seeks security Tribune Report

State Minister for Home A� airs Sham-sul Huq Tuku yesterday assured the BGMEA of deploying law enforcement agencies to avert untoward incidents in the RMG factories.

The assurance came after a BGMEA team led by its acting President SM Mannan Kochi met Shamsul Huq Tuku and Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan Monday night.

“We want security for our work. We need cooperation of the workers’ unions,” said SM Mannan Kochi.

The appeal for cooperation came

at a time when workers’ unions are threatening to continue demonstration for their wage hike.

“We demanded Tk8000 as mini-mum wage for the garment workers. We don’t support violence,” said Montu Ghose, a rights activist.

After a tripartite meeting earlier, Ship-ping Minister Shahjahan Khan said out-siders instigated workers to deteriorate the situation. He said the � nal pay struc-ture would be set through negotiation.”

At the meeting, Labour and Employ-ment Secretary Mikail Shipar, BGMEA Vice-President Shahidullah Azim, and union leaders were present.

TAZREEN FASHIONS FIRE

Submit DNA report by October 1: HC Tribune report

The High Court has given police eight more days for submitting the DNA test reports of the family members of the 25 unidenti� ed workers who died in the Tazreen garment factory � re.

The HC bench of Justice Quazi Re-za-Ul Hoque and Justice ABM Altaf Hos-sain yesterday also directed the Health Department’s director general to shift victim Sumaya, who is now su� ering from cancerous tumour in her brain, to Dhaka Medical College Hospital from the United Hospital within 72 hours.

At least 111 people were killed and many injured in the � re at Tazreen Fash-ions last year. Anthropologists Naznin Akter Banu, Saydia Gulrukh Kamal and Mahmudul Hasan Sumon submitted to the HC the names of 25 victims who had not been included in the o� cial list.

Police informer, 6 others killed in city Mohammad Jamil Khan

A police informer was hacked to death in the capital’s West Rajabazar area while six others were killed in di� erent incidents across the city yesterday.

The victim police informer was Mohammad Nasim, 30, who usedto drive the vehicle of plain-clothes police of Sher-e-Banglanagar police station.

Abdul Momin, o� cer-in-charge of the police station, told the Dhaka Tribune Nasim joined the work three months ago.

He helped police arrest several mug-gers in the area, added the police o� -cial.

A gang of local terrorists number-ing 10-15 swooped on the second � oorof the house No. 57/2 West Rajabazar and attacked Nasim with sharp weap-ons.

The gangsters stabbed Nasim in-

discriminately in di� erent parts of his body.

Critically injured Nasim was rushed to the Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH), but he succumbed to his inju-ries.

In another incident, Sadeq Ali, 45, fell from the fourth � oor of an un-der-construction building after being electrocuted at Gate No. 4G in North Kajla of Jatrabari area.

The victim hailed from Kishoreganj district,

Besides, police recovered the body of a young man from a pond of Matuail area of Jatrabari around 5pm and sent it to Sir Salimullah Medical College Hos-pital for autopsy.

A housewife Ayesha Akter, 22, wife of Farid Hossain, of House 26 and Road 2 in Sonirakhra allegedly committed suicide by hanging herself from ceiling fan centring family feud.

Ayesha’s husband Farid rushed her

to DMCH in critical condition at around 11:45am where the on-duty doctors de-clared her dead.

Soon after Ayesha’s death, Farid � ed the hospital, said Mozammel Haque, inspector of DMCH police outpost.

Mohamamd Dulal, 25, fell from an under-construction building of Robi Builders of 6/2/1/2 on Navana Road in Kalyanpur of Mirpur area.

Mizanur Rahman, sub-inspector of Mirpur police station, said the body was sent to DMCH morgue and an un-natural death case was � led with the police station.

Mohammad Mamun, 27, died after falling from the 7th � oor of a garment factory established near Gate No. 1 of BGB headquarters in Pilkhana.

Besides, Mohammad Iddris, 14, a waiter of a secretariat road hotel, was electrocuted.

The victim hailed from Nurpur vil-lage of Lakhali of Habiganj district.

News 3DHAKA TRIBUNE Tuesday, September 24, 2013

BNP blames AL for ‘foiling’ UN initiative Mohammad Al-Masum Molla

The main opposition BNP blames the ruling Awami League for not respond-ing positively to the United Nations initiative to resolve the existing politi-cal crisis in the country which, it says, made the e� ort gone in vain.

BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir yesterday said when UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon during his conversation had pro-posed a dialogue between the two parties at the UN, party Chairperson Khaleda Zia had given consent to such arrangement.

“But on September 10, UN Assis-tant Secretary-General for political af-fairs Oscar Fernandez-Taranco phoned our Vice-Chairman Shamsher Mobin Chowdhury and informed him that the Awami League had not responded to the call,” Fakhrul told journalists at the party’s Nayapaltan headquarters.

He also claimed that Bangladesh Permanent Representative to the UN AK Abdul Momen’s statement that the BNP had not been invited by the UN was not true.

“He is spreading confusion. Mr Momen did not present the issue prop-

erly before the nation,” Fakhrul said.He urged the government to come

forward to resolve the crisis: “We still believe that good sense will prevail and the government will bring a bill on polls-time interim government in the current session of parliament.”

The BNP leader warned that the gov-ernment would have to take responsi-bility for any untoward situation in case it did not meet the demand.

Regarding the prime minister’s UN visit, Fakhrul said: “The prime minister has gone to the United Nations with a large entourage. She will hold a meet-ing with the UN secretary-general. We hope that the prime minister will take initiatives and also be cordial to resolve the prevailing crisis.”

Fakhrul said the people of the coun-try expected that the government would take initiatives to hold an inclu-sive election under a non-partisan in-terim government.

Asked if the BNP would place any bill on the interim government in par-liament, he said: “We do not see any rationality of doing so. We have repeat-edly urged the government to hold a di-alogue but it has not paid any heed.”

DCC polls not possible now:Shah Newaz Mohammad Zakaria

Election Commissioner Md Shah Newaz yesterday said it would be im-possible for the Election Commission to hold the local government elections including the much-awaited split Dha-ka City Corporation polls ahead of the next parliamentary elections.

The commission cannot hold the split city corporations’ election as the Local Government and Rural Development Ministry did not delimit three wards in Sultanganj under the Dhaka South City Corporation, he told reporters at his o� ce.

However, the commissioner said the EC could not prepare the voter list of Sultanganj as the LGRD Ministry did not solve the complexity.

The ministry informed the EC that it would be impossible to delimit the wards within the shortest time, he also said.

“The commission cannot hold the election as it is under the LGRD Min-istry. If the ministry did not want, the commission would not hold the polls. As per the laws, the commission is just holding the elections,” he added.

About sending letter to the political parties, Election Commissioner Md Shah Newaz said it was a routine work. “The secretariat is concerned about the mat-ter. I could not say about it,” he added.

About Bangladesh Nationalist Front, Shah Newaz said the EC did not give time to the emerging party third time violating the laws. The EC decided to reinvestigate the investigation report of the party as it opposed.

However, he said the commission would decide about giving registration of new political parties at the end of this month.

HC stops 5000 appointmentsin health sector Nazmus Sakib

The High Court yesterday suspended appointment of more than � ve thou-sand employees of third and fourth grade in the health sector.

The HC bench of Justice Farah Mah-bub and Justice AKM Zahirul Hoque halted the appointment process for three months following two separate petitions � led in this regard. Besides, it also issued a rule as to why the appoint-ment process should not be scrapped. Seven including the secretaries of health and public administration min-istries, director generals of the health and family planning departments have to respond to the rule.

The health department issued a job circular for 915 posts at the Daily Itte-faq on November 22, 2012. The Family Planning department on March 21 pub-lished a recruitment circular for 4,294 posts in its website.

Supreme Court lawyer Aftab Ud-din Siddique and two job candidates named Tariqul Islam and Abdullah-Hill Mahbub recently lodged the writ peti-tions claiming that there were irregu-larities in the recruitment process.

Immigration clearance for Maldives blocked Rabiul Islam

The government has halted issuance of immigration clearance to Bangladeshis who aspire to go to Maldives for doing jobs, said o� cials of Bureau of Manpow-er, Employment and Training (BMET).

“We have taken the decision as our workers do not get jobs after going there,” BMET director general Begum Shamsun Nahar told the Dhaka Tribune over phone yesterday. She also said the number of Bangladeshi nationals have reached to the maximum limit in Mal-dives which is a small country.

While talking to the Dhaka Tribune at his o� ce on Sunday, Bangladesh Migrant Welfare Society executive director Ha-roon-or Rashid said a section of unscru-pulous recruiting agencies send workers to Maldives but after few months they had to return empty handed.

BMET director (immigration) Abdul Latif Khan, however, claimed that inci-dents of cheating are minor in number.

“We have knowledge of one or two cases out of 100 migrants but they did not complain to us,” Latif told the Dha-ka Tribune at his o� ce on Sunday.

During the current year, about 8,000 Bangladeshi workers have gone to the Maldives, according to BMET statistics.

BMET data says about 28,000 Ban-gladeshi workers have so far gone to the Maldives since 1976.

Huda dissolves BNF, Jahanara says he cannot Mohammad Al-Masum Molla

Former BNP leader Nazmul Huda yes-terday dissolved the much-debated Bangladesh Nationalist Front (BNF) and urged the Election Commission not to register the party.

“I am requesting the Election Com-mission to cancel BNF’s registration. As its convener, I am withdrawing the application submitted to the commis-sion,” Huda told reporters at his o� ce in the capital.

Few weeks earlier he claimed that he had no connection with the BNF as he had been expelled from the party.

Jahanara Begum, co-chairman of the BNF, claimed that Huda had no right to say anything about the BNF as “he is not a member of the party.”

Contacted, Jahanara last night told the Dhaka Tribune: “Who is Huda? He is not in the party. He was expelled. [So] he has no right to say anything about the BNF’s registration. His name was not mentioned in the application which we submitted to the Election Commission.”

At the press conference, Huda said: “I reinforced BNF as a political party to uphold the ideology of my leader Ziaur Rahman. But now the chief coordina-tor of the party Abul Kalam Azad de-stroyed the spirit and trying to divert it in a di� erent way. This is why I dis-solved the BNF.”

Huda said he would send a letter to

the EC informing his decision.After being expelled from the BNP,

Huda, the youngest member of BNP’s � rst standing committee, announced forming the BNF in August 2011.

BNF applied for EC’s registration with the symbol of “sheaf of wheat,” which is very much similar to the BNP’s “sheaf of paddy.” BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia protested the EC’s move to register the party.

Also a former communications min-ister during the BNP’s 1991-06 govern-ment, Huda’s expulsion was later with-drawn.

In June last year, he resigned from the party, but later claimed that he had withdrawn the resignation letter and he was still with the BNP.

Yesterday, he said: “In 2012, I ap-pointed Abul Kalam Azad as the chief coordinator of the BNF. But unfortu-nately he engaged in conspiracy to weaken the nationalist force.”

On the 10th national elections, he urged the prime minister to dissolve parliament before the next polls and also called for restructuring the EC in consultation with the leader of the op-position.

He said everyone including the Unit-ed Nation wanted to see an inclusive election except for India. “I hope that India will extend its support to the de-mand of participatory election and play an important role in putting pressure on the incumbent government.”

Closing arguments begin in Mueen-Ashraf case Muktasree Chakma Sathi

The prosecution yesterday started placing closing arguments in the war crimes case against alleged al-Badr leaders Chowdhury Mueen Uddin and Ashrafuzzaman Khan.

Prosecutor Shahidur Rahman told the International Crimes Tribunal 2 that Mueen had been “operation-in-charge” of para militia force al-Badr, which was formed with the members of Islami Ch-hatra Sangha – then student wing of Ja-maat-e-Islami, while Ashraf played the role of “chief executor.”

The fugitive accused had played key role in the killing of intellectuals just be-fore the country’s independence. They were executing the plan of the Pakistani

occupation army which aimed at crip-pling the nation by eliminating the most meritorious citizens, he added.

Later, Shahidur submitted argu-ments on charge six that says from around 8-9:45am on December 13, 1971, a number of armed persons in-cluding Mueen and Ashraf abducted a number of intellectuals from the Dhaka University campus.

The prosecutor named the intel-lectuals and said martyred Prof Gias Uddin, physician Golam Mortuza, and intellectuals Abul Khayer and Dr Fazle Muhi were among them.

Defence counsel Abdus Shukur Khan and Salma Hye Tuni were present at the tribunal. The tribunal set today for further procedure of the case.

JAMAAT-SHIBIR ATTACK

60 including 13 policemen injured across the country Tribune Report

Activists of Islami Chhatra Shibir, stu-dent wing of Jamaat-e-Islami, yester-day clashed with police across the capi-tal and di� erent districts in the country leaving around 60 people including 13 policemen injured.

During the clashes, police � red gunshots and teargas canisters along-side charging batons while Shibir men vandalised a large number of vehicles, exploded crude bombs and threw brick chips at the lawmen, who detained around 15 Shibir men.

The clashes took places when the Shibir men brought out processions as part of their earlier scheduled pro-gramme to stage demonstrations pro-testing the Supreme Court and the International Crimes Tribunal verdict against Jamaat leaders in connection with war crimes.

In capital: The Shibir men clashed with the police in Elephant Road, New Market and Jatrabari areas where around 15 people, including two police-men, were injured and some 10 Shibir men detained.

The clashes left the transport move-ment on the roads in the area suspend-ed for around one hour creating tra� c jam and panic among the commuters, witnesses said.

According to witnesses, the � rst

clash took place in New Elephant Road around 2pm and then New Market and Jatrabari around 2pm when around 20 vehicles were damaged and some 20 crude bombs exploded.

“Police went into action charging batons to disperse the unruly Shibir men who damaged vehicles, explod-ed bombs that created tra� c jam and panic among commuters,” said Yiasir Arafat, o� cer-in-charge of New Market police station.

In Feni: At least 15 people including six policemen were injured in a clash between police and Shibir men at Son-agai upazila of the district. At least 10 vehicles were damaged. During the clash, chases and counter chases took place among them turning the area into a battle � eld and forcing the business establishments shut around 1pm.

Subhash Chandra Paul, OC of Son-agazi police station, said Shibir brought out a procession despite restriction and at least six policemen were injured in the clash. On the other hand, Sonaga-zi Jamaat Chief Md Mostofa said police meddled with their peaceful proces-sion leaving at least 10 of them injured.

In Chandpur: A clash between police and Shibir men in the town left at least 10 people injured while � ve of the Shi-bir men were detained.

The clash took place in the bus terminal area around 10 when police

� red 14 rounds of bullets apart from charging batons.

In Satkhira: Jamaat and Shibir men brought a procession in the judge court area of the town and exploded several crude bombs causing a panic among the locals.

OC Shahjahan Ali of the Sadar police station said the Jamaat-Shibir men � ed the scene before police reached the spot.

In Sylhet: Jamaat-Shibir men beat up a policeman and vandalised at least 12 vehicles in the city’s Bandarbazar area from where police detained 16 Ja-maat-Shibir men, reports UNB.

The victim was identi� ed as Huma-yun, a sub-inspector of Shahporan po-lice station. Witnesses said about 60-70 Jamaat-Shibir activists brought out a procession from the area around 10am as part of their central programme.

As the procession reached Karim Ul-lah Market the unruly activists beat up SI Humayun mercilessly and vandal-ised his motorbike. Later, they vandal-ised 12 other vehicles.

In Rajshahi: At least 10 people, in-cluding two policemen, were injured as Jamaat-Shibir activists clashed with police at Sahebbazar of the city.

Shibir brought out a procession in the area around 11am when they hurled two crude bombs and brick chips at po-lice leading to a clash while the lawmen � red rubber bullets and tear shells.

War crimes case against Nizami accelerated Udisa Islam

The war crimes tribunal has so far re-corded testimony of 25 witnesses out of 107 listed in the case against Ja-maat-e-Islami chief Motiur Rahman Ni-zami of who eight gave their deposition this month.

The prosecution said they would place Investigation O� cer of the case Abdur Razzaque Khan tomorrow, which means he would be the last prosecution witness to testify against Nizami.

Yesterday, two seizer list witnesses gave their depositions and were cross exam-ined. They are Ejab Uddin, assistant li-brarian of Bangla Academy, and Swapan Kumar Saha, keeper of history and classi-cal section of National Museum.

As the International Crimes Tribunal 1 headed by Justice ATM Fazle Kabir set the whole day yesterday for Nizami trial, two other cases in the cause list were deferred.

Nizami was indicted on May 28 last year, the same day when the charges against death-row convict Jamaat lead-

er Abdul Quader Molla were framed. Deposition of witnesses in Nizami case began on July 22 the same year.

The tribunal on August 28 granted a prosecution plea to include � ve new witnesses, putting the number to 107. However, it expressed resentment over the prosecution’s delaying the pro-ceedings by adding more witnesses. It also ordered that the case proceedings would be held every working day.

After yesterday’s proceedings, the tribunal set today for defence hearing on charge framing against Jamaat lead-er ATM Azharul Islam.

This is for the second time the tri-bunal deferred the indictment hearing. The prosecution ended their hearing on September 3.

The tribunal on July 25 took the charges into cognisance against the Jamaat assistant secretary general. The prosecution pressed six charges of crimes against humanity Azhar had allegedly committed in Rangpur during the 1971 Liberation War.

Meanwhile, the tribunal deferred deposition of the 11th prosecution witness in the case against accused Mobarak Ali alias Mobarak Hossain to September 29.

Mobarak is accused of � ve charges of crimes against humanity that in-clude murder, torture and abduction in Akhaura of Brahmanbaria.

Jamaat-e-Islami’s student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir activists assault law enforcers as their procession was halted in New Market area of the city yesterday DHAKA TRIBUNE

The tribunal on August 28 granted a prosecution plea to include � ve new witnesses, putting the number to 107

News4 DHAKA TRIBUNE Tuesday, September 24, 2013

City High Low

Dhaka 34.2 27.2Chittagong 33.2 27.5Rajshahi 36.7 26.8Rangpur 35.2 27.4Khulna 34.8 26.5Barisal 35.0 26.6Sylhet 35.8 27.5Cox’s Bazar 33.0 26.5

PRAYER TIMESFajar 4:33am

Sunrise 5:47amZohr 11:51pm

Asr 4:12pmMagrib 5:53pm

Esha 7:08pmSource: IslamicFinder.org

WEATHER

Temperature unlikely to change UNB

Light to moderate rain or thunder-showers accompanied by temporary gusty wind is likely to occur at a few places over Rangpur, Rajshahi, Dhaka, Khulna, Barisal, Chittagong and Sylhet divisions in 24 hours till 6pm today.

Moderately heavy falls are also likely at places over the country, Met O� ce said. Day and night temperature may remain nearly unchanged over the country.

The sun sets in the capital at 5:53pm today and rises at 5:49 am tomorrow.

Country’s highest temperature 36.7 degree Celsius was recorded today at Rajshahi and lowest 24.4 degrees at Rangamati.

Highest and lowest temperature re-corded in some major cities and towns yesterday were:

10 hurt in clash Our Correspondent, Narayanganj

At least ten people were injured and four others went missing in a clash at Bhatibandh area in the river Meghna under Sonargon police station in Na-rayanganj yesterday.

Injured Masud Rana said a dredger and three bulkhead started lifting sand from the river Meghna at Bhatibandh spot at11pm. The villagers got out and obstacle them but the sand lifters at-tacked on the villagers.

Sub-Inspector of Shonargaon police station Azizul Islam said the sand lift-ers might have picked them up.

1,000 overseas job seekers registered Tribune Report

Around 1,000 workers from Dhaka and Barisal divisions have registered their names for foreign jobs till yesterday.

Of them, 8,352 aspirant workers were registered in Dhaka and the re-maining workers were registered in Barisal till 5pm yesterday, said o� cials.

Institute of Information and Communication Technology (IICT) of Bangladesh University of Engineering Technology is providing technical assistance to Bureau of Manpower Employment and Training for conducting the online registration across the country.

The IICT Director Saiful Islam told the Dhaka Tribune that number of workers would be increased gradually.

He said there were password prob-lems at few centres on the opening day and later the problems were solved. 

The registration will be held gradu-ally in other divisions.

Metro rail project getting � nal shapeThe communication ministry is set to appoint consultant for the Tk220bn work, which will be opened by prime minister ‘soon’ Mohosinul Karim

The government is likely to � nalise the appointment of a consulting � rm for the Dhaka Metro Rail Project, with the target of starting its work from next month.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is ex-pected to lay a foundation stone for the project at Uttara soon. The date will be � xed after the PM returns from New York next week.

MAN Siddique, secretary of the communication ministry’s roads divi-sion, told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday that the ministry had � nalised prepara-tions for laying the foundation of the construction work.

The secretary, however, declined to disclose the name of the probable consulting � rm, saying: “It is yet to be � nalised. We will � nalise it before ar-ranging the foundation stone setting ceremony. Before getting approval of the (cabinet) purchase committee, it

should not be disclosed publicly.”Meanwhile, the communication

ministry is in the � nal stage of appoint-ing a consulting � rm for the project at an estimated cost of Tk9.3bn.

The total expenditure for constructing the nearly 20km metro rail line in the capital has been estimated at Tk220bn.

According to sources at the ministry and Dhaka Transport Coordination Au-thority (DTCA), the consulting � rm will be selected by a technical committee from seven international organisations that bid for the position.

A Japanese company, Nippon Koei Ltd, is apparently on the top of the list as the lowest, and the best quali� ed bidder ful� lling the government’s con-ditions.

The DTCA has begun analysing the � nancial proposal of the company, the sources said. After scrutiny by the tech-nical committee, it will be sent to the cabinet committee on public purchases for approval.

According to DTCA o� cials, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) on September 3 gave its approval to appoint Nippon Koei as the consult-ing � rm for the metro rail project.

The chosen consulting � rm will prepare a detailed design, supervise the construction work and supply the equipment and rolling stocks for the project. It will also monitor and work to improve the management of the mass rapid transit system, they added.

Of the total expenditure, JICA will provide about Tk166bn for consultan-

cy, preparing detailed designs and con-struction of the rail network.

The Bangladesh government will � nance the remaining Tk54bn for land acquisition, rehabilitation of displaced residents and other relevant works.

The metro rail, consisting of high speed electric trains with engines in the front and back, will run from Uttara to Motijheel every 20 minutes, carrying at least 60,000 passengers every hour.

“We have already acquired 14.5 acres (5.9 hectares) of land in Uttara from Rajuk for construction of a metro rail depot. The main construction work will begin in the 2017-18 � scal year,” a DTCA o� cial said.

The project will be implemented in three phases. A portion from Pallabi to Hotel Sonargaon is expected to start operation in the � rst phase in 2019. The second portion from Hotel Sonargaon to Motijheel is likely to start in 2020, while the � nal part from Uttara to Pal-labi in 2021.

Smaller parties call for restoration of caretaker system for credible polls Anisur Rahman Swapan, Barisal

An alliance of smaller parties at a public meeting in Barisal yesterday demand-ed restoration of the caretaker govern-ment system for holding free and fair elections.

Leaders of the � ve-party alliance, named Jatiya Sarthey Jatiya Oikker Lokkhey (national unity for national interest) called for a referendum on re-storing the caretaker system. They also vowed to resist any general elections held under the ruling party.

AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury, chairperson of Bikalpa Dhara Bangla-desh and a former president of the country, said elections should be con-ducted freely and fairly by restoring the caretaker government system in the constitution.

Badruddoza said the present govern-

ment failed to rule the country and had politicised every sphere of administra-tion, judiciary and law enforcement, as well as the Anti-Corruption Commis-sion and the Election Commission.

Kamal Hossain, president of Gano Forum, said Sheihk Hasina’s role was controversial as she came to power through the caretaker government sys-tem, and then abolished it to stay in power for ever.

“People should not surrender to the whim of a single person,” he said. “There is no instance in the democratic world about elections under ruling par-ty without dissolving the parliament, and people will resist such kind of elec-tions,” he added.

Kader Siddiqui, president of Krishak Sramik Janata League, said Hasina had launched the movement for the care-taker system, but now she was acting

like a mother willing to kill her own child for power and self-interest.

“We should not play any political game on a non-level playing � eld under Sheikh Hasina as the referee, because the country and its people are not safe under her leadership,” he said.

Mahmudur Rahman Manna, con-vener of Nagorik Oikya, said both the leaders of the opposition and the ruling party had declared war on each other, so a third-force was needed to stabi-lise the nation and run the country smoothly.

Manna was hopeful of the alliance � elding candidates in all 300 seats of the Jatiyo Sangsad.

ASM Abdur Rab, president of Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal, cautioned Hasina against arranging the elections without dissolving parliament, saying it would be a sure way for her ouster.

Favourable conditions elude civil society: Report Tribune Report

A new index published yesterday by the global civil society network, CIVICUS, shows that many governments around the world are failing to keep their pledges to create an environment that allows citizens to mobilise and participate in civil society.

“Despite countless promises from governments that they will protect civil society, the majority of citizens around the world live in environments in which they do not have the capacity to participate freely and fully in the activities, organisations and movements that seek to better their lives and improve their societies,” CIVICUS Secretary-General Danny Sriskandarajah said in a statement.

The CIVICUS “Enabling Environment Index” (EEI) is the first rigorous attempt to measure and compare the conditions that affect the potential of citizens to participate in civil society. It ranks the governance, socio-cultural and socio-economic environments for civil society in 109 countries, according to a press release.

Evidence from around the world suggests that the conditions for civil society are far from perfect. Bangladesh is not mentioned in the list.

New Zealand tops the list, followed by Canada, Australia, Denmark and Norway, while the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has the worst rated EEI, followed by Uzbekistan, Iran, Burundi and the Gambia.

“It is worrying that countries such as Ethiopia (8th lowest) and

Vietnam (10th lowest), which have received substantial development assistance and are often praised by the international community for their economic performance, have such poor environments for civil society. Either donor governments and � nancial institutions have not found ways to improve conditions for a vibrant civil society or are actively turning a blind eye to repressive measures,” the statement says.

“The three worst ranking African countries – DRC, Burundi and the Gambia – are heavily dependent on aid � ows. This means that donors have an important lever to improve conditions if they chose to use it, whether it is by working with governments or by directly supporting local civil society,” stated Sriskandarajah.

Co-author of the report, CIVICUS Research O� cer Ciana-Marie Pegus cautions that the EEI currently has limitations as it looks at long-term factors that create the conditions for healthy citizen engagement, and is not necessarily indicative of current events.

“There certainly is no civil society utopia. In many countries with high EEI scores, we have seen recent funding cuts for civil society and instances of repression in others. For example, in Canada, which ranks second on the EEI, government-civil society relations have been strained due to reports of active undermining of sections of civil society,” said Pegus.

The world alliance for citizen participation is based in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Entrepreneurial talent hunt begins

Tazlina Zamila Khan

The entrepreneurship week 2013, that’s aim to provide an opportunity to young entrepreneurs and inspire to engage in entrepreneurial activity, has started from yesterday.

The week was launched with a mo-tivational workshop on “Creating 2000 entrepreneurs from across the country in 2013.”

Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI), Junior Chamber Inter-national (JCI) and Bangladesh Associa-tion for software and Information Ser-vices (BASIS) organised the workshop at Da� odil International University’s auditorium in capital’s Sobhanbagh.

At the workshop, Sabur Khan, presi-dent of the DCCI has o� cially declared an entrepreneurship week starting from September 23 to September 30.

DCCI in association with Bangladesh Bank has come forward to create 2000 new entrepreneurs in 2013.

Young people of the country, who are enthusiastic about business or dreaming to become an entrepreneur

one day, are invited to submit their in-novative projects in DCCI’s website by September 30 to take part in ‘Entrepre-neurship and Innovation Expo-2013’.

After primary selection of innova-tive ideas or projects from 64 districts, � nally 2000 selected projects will be exhibited in a two-day-long exposition named ‘Entrepreneurship and Innova-tion Expo 2013.’

The exhibition will be held in capi-tal’s Bangabandhu International Con-ference Center from November 1 to November 2. Sabirul Islam, a young en-trepreneur, who is also an author and a global speaker, delivered his speech as a key speaker at the inaugural pro-gramme of the week to motivate the young generation for becoming a suc-cessful entrepreneurs.

The young entrepreneur’s bestsell-ing book ‘The World at Your Feet’ has created a board game- ‘Teen-Trepre-neur’ at the age of 18 for teaching the young generation the basic of business.

Students of 650 schools of United Kingdom have been playing the game as a part of their school syllabus.

He said: “Money was not all too di� -cult to make in modern day society. The real challenge was to be able to make a di� erence.” Sabirul said he came to Bangladesh to encourage young people to believe in living a life with purpose, meaning and valuing legacy.

Vice Chancellor of Da� odil Interna-tional University Dr M Lutfar Rahman, Junior Chamber International’s Presi-dent Musta� zur Rahman Sohel spoke at the programme.

Traders of Karwan Bazar attack RMG workers after they came out of a factory which was shut in fear of violence MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

TOP 10 EEI scoresRank Country EEI score

1 New Zealand 0.87

2 Canada 0.85

3 Australia 0.84

4 Denmark 0.81

5 Norway 0.80

6 Netherlands 0.79

7 Switzerland 0.79

8 Iceland 0.79

9 Sweden 0.79

10 USA 0.79

Bottom 10 EEI scoresRank Country EEI score

100 Vietnam 0.37

101 Angola 0.37

102 Ethiopia 0.36

103 Zimbabwe 0.35

104 Guinea 0.35

105 The Gambia 0.32

106 Burundi 0.31

107 Iran 0.31

108 Uzbekistan 0.29

109 DRC 0.26

Sea-netting project sees no headway Our Correspondent, Cox’s Bazar

The government initiative to put safety nets around Cox’s Bazar beach areas, crowded by tourists and sea-swim-mers, has long been stuck in a bureau-cratic bottleneck.

The plan to install safety netting was hailed by experts who believed it would not also increase security of vis-iting tourists but also make the beach-centric tourism industry more viable.

Each year, large numbers of tour-ists from home and abroad visit Cox’s Bazar to spend their holidays. Swim-ming remains a popular leisure activity despite occasional reports of drowning and near-drowning.

In order to make swimming more se-cure, the government had undertaken the project to put up nets at four key points of the seashore - Laboni point, Diabetic Hospital, Kolatoli and Seagull point.

However, since its initiation, there has been little headway in the project despite several attempts by the dis-

trict’s successive deputy commission-ers – namely Sajjadul Islam, Md Gias Uddin Ahmed and Md Joynul Bari.

“Every now and then we have re-ports of tourists drowning or nearly drowning because of the absence of an e� ective system to eliminate dangers on their lives. Safety nets in seawater could be very a life-saver,” Abu Mor-shed Chowdhury Khoka, president of Cox’s Bazar Civil Society, said.

Noted educationist Prof Shomeswar Chakravarti also expressed his concern over the delay in project implementa-tion.

“Sea-netting can be found in many countries including India, South Africa, Australia, West Indies and Sri Lanka. The system has been proved e� ective in those countries. I don’t know what’s keeping our administration from fol-lowing a similar path,” he said.

In this regard, the current deputy commissioner of Cox’s Bazar, Md Ruhul Amin, said plans were underway to expedite the process in implement-ing the project.

We have already acquired 14.5 acres of land in Uttara from Rajuk for construction of a metro rail depot. The main construction work will begin in the 2017-18 � scal year

Bangladesher Samajtantrik Dal yesterday brings out a procession in the city’s Shahbagh, calling for the long march beginning today in protest against the construction of power plant in Rampal RAJIB DHAR

Sabirul Islam

5DHAKA TRIBUNE Long Form Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Raihana Shams Islam

A strange debate has been the source of my life-long exasperation. Are we Bangali or Bangladeshi? I used to � nd my smart,

“enlightened” school-friends putting all their cards on the table to “win” the identity debate. Not being on the enlightened side, I found it annoying and ridiculous then, and I still feel the same way.

Why can’t I be both? In fact, I am both, no matter what any erudite intellectual wants me to believe. I was born a Bangali. And as I am a fortunate citizen of Bangladesh, my national-ity is bound to be Bangladeshi; just as the nationality of a Bangali from Kolkata is Indian. With respect to my Indian-Bangali friend I am a Bangla-deshi-Bangali, while with regard to my Chakma-Bangladeshi brethren, I am nothing but a Bangali-Bangladeshi.

I fail to see why there must be a scu� e on this point. These two identities have been hijacked by two opposite factions of our politically bipolar country, making this debate all the more intense and complex. But why should I give away the patent of my identity to anyone’s political avail? My cultural heritage says I am, unde-niably, a Bangali and my nationality just ought to be Bangladeshi. If they are to be mutually exclusive, then my identity remains incomplete.

Most recently, though not entirely unique to this point in time, another dimension has been added to this issue. A Bangali/Muslim debate. It appears as if a practising Muslim cannot live compatibly with his/her Bangali identity! An arti� cial con� ict is being orchestrated between Islamic tradition and Bangali culture.

This debate is even stranger and more unnatural because most other nations in this world possess such dual identities, as they should. One would struggle to � nd a nation totally devoid of religious in� uences of some sort, but religion itself can hardly stand on its own.

There is always a superposition of

religious beliefs unto a local ethno-cul-tural framework. The successful fusion of the two is paramount to the smooth progression of human races. No one in this world can be only Muslim (or Hindu, Buddhist, Christian etc); he/she would also have an ethnic identity.

This ethnicity bears in itself food habit, clothing, language, culture, human relationship and everyday lifestyle. Faith and religious practices are set upon this ethnic lineage to bring out the best in human behaviour. Religiosity re� nes, reforms and ame-liorates people’s habitual and spiritual lives. An Arab Muslim, a Bangali Mus-lim and an American Muslim are never the same.

But a practising Muslim also observes some scriptural rules and guidance, based purely on his/her faith, which remain unmodi� ed irrespective of country, creed, culture or time, for example, wearing hijab or keeping a beard. It’s true that neither all Muslim women wear hijabs nor do all Muslim men have beards. However, every Muslim who is respectful to his/her faith, recognises and honours the statuses of hijab and beard (and many other things) in Islam.

Is there any con� ict between these religious practices and our Bangali heritage? First of all, who is a Bangali? Someone who speaks Bangla and is, most probably, born in this country or in West Bengal (or at least, has forefa-thers who had inhabited these lands). This much is straightforward.

What else? What are the condi-tions or pre-conditions that de� ne a Bangali? I am not an anthropologist and I struggle at this point. But I believe one very basic characteristic would be our common food habits. We, the Bangalis, are famous for our love for rice (although, in no way can we exclude anyone if he/she is not too keen on rice!).

This has been true for as long as these lands have remained agricul-tural. I think most of us would be left discontented if we could not eat rice and curry with our hands. There is absolutely no di� erence between a devout bearded peasant and an urban

secular professor in this regard. In summer seasons, I absolutely

adore aam-dudh-bhat (rice with man-goes and milk) and I believe that many other Bangalis might, too (whether everyone can a� ord it or not, is a di� erent question). Local and personal di� erences in taste cast aside, there is a territorial universality in our food preferences that undoubtedly makes us all Bangalis.

What does our Bangali tradition say about our clothing? Would that be saree-lungi? Quite possibly so. But the way in which a saree is worn has changed over time. Also the form of blouse we wear with sarees was once snubbed as “ultra-modern” a couple of hundred years ago. So, convention in clothing is not something static, it evolves over time.

I was born in a Bangali Muslim fam-ily. My ancestors have been Bangali Muslims for many generations. A ma-jority of the people of this country has a similar ancestral history. My mother, my grandmothers and the great-grand-mothers and the other women I have been around would be my natural role-models for the Bangali Muslim culture of clothing for women.

Some of them have worn sarees without ghomta (veil), some with ghomta. Some wore burkha out-doors, some didn’t. I am sure that this diversity is commonplace amongst most Muslim families of this land. I have been wearing hijab for the past few years. I have taken up hijab or the head-covering to go with my salwar kameez (or saree on special occasions). My donning of hijab stems from my own religious conviction. But has my head-cover also veiled my Bangali self?

I am still in love with saree, just like any other Bangali woman. I will not have anyone dismiss my natural ethnicity just because I have chosen to practise my faith! If I am told that a Muslim is not to wear a saree or, a Bangali cannot possibly have a hijab, I would consider that utter insanity, or ethnocentric intolerance springing out of sheer ignorance! And then, there is lungi for men.

“Educated” Bangali men have been extremely hesitant about wearing lun-gi in public for quite some time now. This has nothing to do with Islam. This is pure inferiority complex, a fruit of western education. Should, then, a village farmer or a neighbourhood hujur be deemed more Bangali than an esteemed talk-show guest in that respect?

How a nation regards its human relationships is also a part of its ethnic culture. We have very closely-knit family structures. This is one strong attribute that places us in a superior position compared to many western “civilised” nations in the world. Just one example will su� ce.

The way in which we love our mothers is unparalleled. I don’t know of any other nations that has as many songs dedicated to mothers as we do in Bangla. Islam also places a great emphasis on family and family values. Moreover, a mother has been granted the position of highest regard in Islam. Islamic principles and Bangali tradi-tion have found the most beautiful amalgam in this respect.

If we think of our cultural practices, there is a wide di� erence of choices

between the classes. Our urban intel-lectual conditioning will not match in various respects with pastoral pref-erences. For example, the educated middle-class urban Bangalis are quite in love with Rabindra sangeet. Nothing else touches our hearts the way these songs do. It is true for me and true for almost everyone.

But if someone doesn’t feel the same, would that expunge his/her Bangali-ness? Do the rural Bangalis listen to Rabindra-sangeet? These are not the songs that are close to their hearts. But each of them is as much a true Bangali as his/her urban counter-part. All the people of a nation do not have to � t in one stringent cultural formula. In fact, they never do. That would be contradictory to diversity and, is unnatural.

There is a custom wherein people take � owers to the Shahid Minar or the Jatio Smriti-shoudho on special days to commemorate the martyrs. This has been a custom of the urban life since

the past few decades. Many of us see this as a display of our patriotism. That is perfectly acceptable.

It only becomes unacceptable when this custom is imposed on the whole of population as a pre-condition for being a true Bangali patriot. Firstly, this custom has not been a part of the rural life. Secondly, there are many practising Muslims who consider this ritual (� ower to commemorate the dead) incompatible with Islamic ethos. But their patriotism or their Bangali-ness cannot be put under scrutiny because of this religious stance.

How do you measure patriotism? Well, two true measures should be how one feels for his/her homeland and what one actually does to serve the homeland. What we do for our country is crystal clear for everyone to see. But what we feel is in our hearts, not always so visible to others. One may shower love for one’s country with � owers at the Shahid Minar; another may o� er prayers to Allah and pray for the country’s well-being in munajat. It would be wise not to gauge one’s patriotism on the other’s “barometer.”

Such a lengthy enunciation has only one objective. I believe I am a natural fusion of my faith and my culture; both are intricately inter-twined in me. If an arti� cial rift is created be-tween my identities, it will only serve to tear me apart.

Please do not try to divide the indi-visible. Please do not make me choose between my two eyes. A one-eyed vision cannot possibly envisage life in its totality. The idea of being just a “pure Muslim” or a “pure Bangali” is as impossible as gold ornaments made of 24-carat gold!

I am a Bangali Muslim, who hap-pens to be a Bangladeshi. No order of preference exists here. Forcing people to take sides will have devastating con-sequences. I implore to the goodwill of everyone concerned to refrain from any suc h attempts.

Dr Raihana Shams Islam is an associate professor at the Department of Physics, Rajshahi University.

Who am I?The Bangali v Bangladeshi debate in simple terms

My donning of hijab stems from my own religious conviction. But has my head-cover also veiled my Bangali self?

I believe I am a natural fusion of my faith and my culture; both are intricately inter-twined in me. If an arti� cial rift is created between my identities, it will only serve to tear me apart

All the people of a nation do not have to � t in one stringent cultural formula. In fact, they never do. That would be contradictory to diversity and, is unnatural

SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

6 NewsDHAKA TRIBUNE Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Rush to open part of the Gulistan-Jatrabari � yover for use Abu Hayat Mahmud

At least part of the Gulistan-Jatrabari � yover might be opened for public use, though work has not been completed on the entire project.

The deadline for the construction of the � yover has been postponed several times, none of which were met. Now a date has been set for part of the much anticipated � yover’s opening.

The Jatrabari-Gulistan � yover has been named after one of Dhaka’s previ-ous mayors Hanif and open sometime before the last day of the present gov-ernment’s term in o� ce on October 24.

Dhaka South City Corporation’s (DSCC) Chief Executive O� cer Md An-sar Ali Khan told the Dhaka Tribune: “The construction of the Mayor Hanif Flyover is in its last stage and will be open for public use on the � rst or sec-ond week of October.”

He said when Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina returns from her trip abroad she will inaugurate the 10km long over-pass.

He said that they were trying to open the main part of the � yover for public use from Shanir Akhra to Gu-listan by October.

He added: “Over 90% of the total project work has been completed. It will take until December to complete construction of the ramps.”

However a visit to the area this week revealed that only the main sections of the � yover from Shanir Akhra to Gu-listan was complete.

Last month, State Minister for Local Government Jahangir Kabir

Nanok said the � yover would most likely be open for tra� c movement by the � rst week of October, and that work on the Kutubkhali-Gulistan-Palashi portion of the overpass would be open for vehicular movement before Eid ul-Azha.

The concerned authorities had � rst said that part of the � yover would be inaugurated in September after the Prime Minister inaugurated the start of construction in June, 2010.

In April last year, Nanok said the � y-over would be ready by December 16. Later, M Ashiqur Rahman, project di-rector and superintendent engineer of DSCC said it would be inaugurated on March 26, this year, and in April he told the Dhaka Tribune the � yover would be completed by June.

There are 13 ramps in total, includ-ing six entry and seven exit ramps con-necting with existing roads and bus terminals.

The � yover will have seven toll booths and a control room, which has already been built in Jatrabari. The overpass connects Dhaka with Chit-tagong, Maowa and Demra and links to roads in Jatrabari and Gulistan.

Being built at a cost of Tk23bn, the � yover is the � rst Public Private Part-nership (PPP) project in the country that is being constructed on a “build, own, operate and transfer” basis. The Orion Group was given the contract to build the � yover in 2005.

According to the contract, the inves-tor will transfer the facility to the gov-ernment after a concession period of 24 years.

Cattle market under KCC management this time UNB, Khulna

The Khulna City Corporation authori-ties, like the past three years, have de-cided to run the city’s makeshift cattle market under its own management ahead of Eid-ul-Azha as they got no re-sponse for lease despite repeated calls for tender submission.

Although the KCC authorities have invited tender three times till now, no one showed interest in securing its lease through buying or submitting tender schedule.

The cattle market is scheduled to open at Jhoraghat Wholesale Kitchen Market in the city on October 9.

Sources said KCC has been running the Jhoraghat cattle market since 2010

and has accumulated an increased rev-enue compared to the previous years. Earlier the cattle market was run under private management on contract basis.

The highest revenue income of the corporation from the cattle market was Tk4.7m till 2009. However, the earn-ings had hit Tk10m in each of the last two years. The authorities had invited tender involving Tk9,410,616 on Au-gust 29 after taking the last three year’s revenue into account. The tender was re-invited on September 2 and Septem-ber 15 since they received no response.

However, according to sources, the ones who wanted to secure lease of the cattle market refrained themselves from the bidding process as they found the tender “too high and risky.”

Absconding gold smuggler held in Chittagong Tarek Mahmud, Chittagong

Police nabbed an alleged gold smuggler from Shah Amanat International Air-port in Chittagong city on Sunday. The person was attempting to � ee from the country to Dubai.

The arrestee, Abdus Sattar, 26, who was accused of a gold smuggling case lodged with the capital city’s airport police station and was absconding for the last eight months.

Mizanur Rahaman, additional deputy commissioner at Chittagong Shah Amanat International Airport, said Sattar was nabbed on Sunday around 11am when he was attempting to go to Sharzah, Dubai from the country by Air Arabia.

In primary interrogation, Sattar refuted the allegations against him, but a team from DMP came in the port city and identi� ed him on Sunday night, he said. Later, they took him to Dhaka, he added.

Immigration Police sources said a sack of gold bars weighted 10 kg were recovered from the wash room of ar-rival lounge of Shah Jalal International Airport in Dhaka on January 7. Three were nabbed, including a Civil Aviation security man, in this connection. Sat-tar managed to � ee that time but a case was lodged with airport police station in Dhaka accusing him with the three detainees.

Eviction of battery-run rickshaws from port city demanded Tarek Mahmud, Chittagong

Transport workers, including rickshaw pullers, auto-rickshaw drivers and owners held a rally on the premise of Chittagong city’s Shaheed Minar yesterday morning, demanding eviction of battery-run rickshaws from the port city.

They also submitted two memoran-dums to Chittagong City Corporation Mayor and Deputy Commissioner of Chittagong to press home their four-point demands.

The demands are eviction of bat-tery-run rickshaws, seal o� the rick-shaw garages, providing registration of rickshaws and introducing 4,000 more auto-rickshaws in the city.

Several thousands of people of Chit-tagong Mahanagar Rickshaw Chalok-Malik Somonnoy Songram Parishad and Auto-rickshaw and Auto-tempo Shramik Union participated in the rally.

The speakers said if the government did not ful� ll their demands within September 30, they would call dawn-dusk strike on October 3.

Siddik Mia, president of Chittagong Mahanagar Rickshaw Chalok-Malik So-monnoy Songram Parishad, presided over the rally.

Two RMG employees embezzle Tk11.5m Tarek Mahmud, Chittagong

Two employees of a foreign RMG company misappropriated Tk11.5m from company’s fund and police arrested them and recovered Tk4.55m from their possession on Sunday.

The arrestees are Golam Faisal Ivan, 30, executive of Human Resource department of Geebee Bangladesh Limited, an Indian readymade garment (RMG) company at CEPZ in the port city, and Nurul Islam, 35, driver of the company’s General Manager Prasonno Sai, said DB sources.

DB sources said Prasonno withdrew Tk11.5m from a private bank in the port city on September 5 to pay the salary of his company’s workers, but he could not disburse.

He then asked his driver Nurul Islam to take the carton of the money to his

residence, said Md Sha� qul Islam, CMP commissioner, at a press conference yesterday afternoon.

When Prasonno came to know that Nurul Islam did not go to his � at with the money, he immediately � led a general diary with Panchlaish police station.

During investigation, Ivan pretended to help police to � nd out the driver and the money, said Md Kamruzzaman, assistant commissioner of DB in CMP. But noticing Ivan’s suspicious movement, police interrogated him.

During the interrogation, Ivan confessed that he along with the driver took the money, said the DB o� cial.

Based on Ivan’s statement, police nabbed Nurul Islam with Tk4.55m from Jhirjhiri Para area of Cox’s Bazar on Sunday. The duo is in DB custody, said CMP commissioner Sha� qul.

Integrated e� orts a must to make Rangpur city smoke-free Tribune Desk

Integrated e� orts of all concerned is necessary for turning the public places and transport in Rangpur City Corporation (RCC) area into smoking free, speakers told a discussion.

T he RCC and Association for Community Development (ACD) jointly organised the advocacy meeting at the RCC conference room on Sunday with its panel mayor Abul Kashem in the chair, reports BSS.

Programme O� cer of ACD Hosne Ara Parveen Farzana pre-sented keynote paper narrating consequences of smoking, indirect smoking, smoking in public places.

Terming tobacco as the biggest human killer, she said every sixth

adult death is being caused by to-bacco in Bangladesh where 43% adults are consuming cigarettes, bidi, and other tobacco products.

She said 57,000 people are dy-ing annually consuming tobacco products and 1.2 million su� ering from lung cancer, cerebra-vascular, coronary artery, chronic obstruc-tive pulmonary and other tobacco-attributable diseases.

Besides, the nation spends Tk-51bn every year in treating patients su� ering from tobacco-related dis-eases in one of the largest tobacco consuming country of Bangladesh where 46m adult people are using tobacco in various forms, she said.

She asked all concerned for strictly implementing the guide-line prepared following the amend-

ed Tobacco Control Act- 2013 in the RCC area to stop smoking at all public places, transports band other places in building a smoking free city.

In his speech, RCC panel may-or Abul Kashem called upon all concerned for working unitedly for strict implementation of the amended Tobacco Control Act-2013 and subsequent guideline to free public places and transports from smoking in RCC area.

Chief Executive O� cer of RCC Ruhul Amin Khan, its Secretary Fa-zlul Kabir, Councilors Jafrin Islam Ripa, Jahangir Alam Tota, Seken-dar Ali, Mahbubar Rahman Manju, Tauhidur Rahman, Akram Hossain, Moktar Ahmed, Haradhon Roy Hara and Badal Rahman were present.

Construction work of Gulistan-Jatrabai is going on. The photo was taken yesterday from Tikatuli point NASHIRUL ISLAM

8 held for theft inside Sonali Bank, placed on 2-day remand Mohammad Jamil Khan

The Detective Branch (DB) of Police yesterday arrested eight people on suspicion of stealing Tk900,000 from a client inside Sonali Bank’s Lalmatia branch last month.

Police claimed the suspects were members of a criminal gang, called “Tana Party”. The arrestees were iden-ti� ed as Harun-or-Rashid, 45, Badal, 42, Emdadul Haque, 48, Mostofa, 45, Mohammad Lation, 30, Mohammad Harun, 40, Younus, 30, and Hannan, 50.

Monirul Islam, joint-commissioner of DB, said Hamidur Rahman, an exec-utive, went to the Sonali Bank branch in Lalmatia to get a pay-order of Tk2m

on August 26. At the time, members of the gang, who were waiting inside the bank posing as customers, stealthily took away Tk900,000 from Hamidur’s bag. The theft was captured on the bank’s close circuit camera.

After the incident, Hamidur � led a case with Mohammadpur police station and the intelligence department started investigating the case, Monirul said while addressing a press brie� ng at the Dhaka Metropolitan Police media

centre yesterday.Based on the security camera

footage, DB started raiding di� erent areas of the capital and arrested the gang members. Police also recovered Tk300,000 from their possession, he said.

Monirul added that they did not get any complaint or proof of involvement of bank o� cials in the theft.

Meanwhile, a Dhaka court placed the eight suspects on two days’ police remand for questioning about their activities. Metropolitan Magistrate Mo-hammad Mosta� zur Rahman passed the order following a DB request for a 10-day remand, Mohammad Mizanur Rahman, general recording o� cer of the court, said.

A mobile court conducted drive at Gulistan and evicted adulterated medicine shop yesterday FOCUS BANGLA

Based on the security camera footage, DB started raiding di� erent areas of the capital and arrested the gang members

Nation 7DHAKA TRIBUNE Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Two army men electrocuted in BandarbanTwo soldiers of Bangladesh Army died after being electrocuted at Bandar-ban Cantonment early yesterday. The deceased were identi� ed as sepoy Rubel, 26, from Dinajpur, and sepoy Jemerul Haque, 24, from Chapainawabganj. Both were posted at 143 Field Workshop unit of Bangladesh Army. Major Mashiur of Bandarban Brigade informed that both Rubel and Jemerul came in contact with a high voltage electric wire while plucking green coconuts from a tree in the area around 1am, leaving both of them critically injured. They were taken to local military medical unit and then to Chittagong Combined Military Hospital (CMH) where doctors pronounced them dead. – UNB

Youth found dead in Bogra Police recovered strangulated body of a young man from Bezore area of the town on Sunday night. The deceased was identi� ed as Zahid Hasan Joy, 20, a � rst year honours student and son of Nur Mohammad of Abatpur village under Raninagar thana in Naogaon. Joy used to

live in a mass in Jahurul Nagar area for his academic purse. Locals spotted the body at Bezore in the town around 9:30am and informed police, who recovered and sent it to morgue for autopsy. Police suspected that miscreants strangled Joy somewhere else and dumped the body beside the road in the area. Sub-inspector Mohammad Sidddique of the district Detective Branch of police said there were seen some strangulation marks in the deceased’s neck. The motive behind the killing could not be ascertained yet. – UNB

Demu train to hit Sylhet-Akhaura route today Bangladesh Railway will introduce Diesel Electric Multiple Unit (Demu) train service on Sylhet-Akhaura route today. Railways Minister Mujibul Haque will formally launch the Demu train service on the route at Sylhet railway station. With its two engines at both ends, each Demu train, imported from China, has a capacity to carry around 300 passengers. On April 24, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the � rst-ever Demu trains service on Dhaka-Narayanganj route to make travel for passengers easier, fast and comfortable. – UNB

NEWS IN BRIEF

BSF releases 3 teens of Bangladesh Our Correspondent, Feni

Border Security Forces of India secretly released three Bangladeshi teenagers on Sunday evening whom they had picked up from Parshuram frontier, Feni about one month back.

The returnees were Jahid Hossain, 13, Syed Ali, 14, and Md Rubel, 16. All of them were from Baur Pathor village of Feni.

BSF were supposed to hand them over to Bangladesh Border Guard (BGB) formally.

“Family members of the abducted teenagers con� rmed their release.

The teens were sent back to Bangladesh through Bilonia border area,” Commander Lieutenant Colonel of BGB Battalion 4 Khaled Mahmud said.

The three boys had gone to Bilonia border area under Parshuram upazila for cultivation. They had been detained by BSF from there on August 30, sources said.

Concerns over blight and pest attacks on Aman crops Our Correspondent, Gaibandha

Farmers in Gaibandha are fearful they might not be able to hit production tar-gets for Aman harvest this year due to a pest attack.

According to the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), nearly 128,200 hectares of land in seven upa-zilas of the district were used for Aman cultivation this year and � xed a target of 326,900 tonnes after harvest.

Though DAE o� cials are still con-� dent of meeting the target for Aman paddy, farmers have are worried be-cause of an attack of stem borer pest locally called “majra poka”.

Farmers’ concerns have been raised because they have noticed various plant diseases have infected the paddy, particularly Leaf Sheath blight caused by the Rhizoctonia solani fungus that

forms lesions and spots and Leaf roll or curl caused by a fungus or virus.

The worst a� ected area is Sundar-ganj upazila, where Aman seedlings planted on vast tracts of land have turned yellow from the blight of insects and disease.

Farmers have sprayed pesticide bought locally to save their crop but with little e� ect. They said the insecticide is often adulterated and that is the reason they have not been

e� ective. Many said dishonest traders are engaged in a brisk business of selling adulterated insecticides and taking advantage of farmers.

A farmer from Sundarganj upazila’s Ghagoa, Emdadul Haque said he was worried about the crop because of the pests and disease.

He said if steps are not taken to control the blight then the damage to crops and cop land would be extensive.

Agricultural o� cials said they were advising farmers how best to protect their crops and � elds.

DAE Deputy Director Mir Abdur Razzak told the Dhaka Tribune that ag-ricultural o� cer are advising farmers how to use insecticide brands such as Virtaco, Marshal and Contact for best results. He said action would be taken against anyone found to be involved in the sale of adulterated pesticides.

Boro procurement progressing fastin Gaibandha BSS

The Boro rice procurement drive of the food department has been progressing fast in the district since May 19 amid much enthusiasm to the millers.

Sources said the government has � xed a target to procure 23,619 tonnes of boiled rice and 1,080 tonnes of sun-dried rice from the millers through 11 purchasing centres in all the seven upazilas in the district during the current Boro season.

Price of per kg of boiled rice has been � xed at Tk29 and sun-dried rice at Tk28, the sources said.

The food department has already inked deals with 640 millers of the district in an aim to make the procurement drive a success. Of the total, some 21,645 tonnes of rice have already been purchased from the millers, said an o� cial of the food department.

M Saiful Alam, food controller of the district, said the rice procurement target might be achieved as the drive would continue till September 30.

Necessary measures have also been taken to procure the paddy from the farmers so that they would get fair prices of rice and paddy, he added.

No trace of abducted madrassa girl Our Correspondent, Mymensingh

Although it is two days since a madras-sa girl has been abducted from Enayet-nagar village under Iswarganj upazila in Mymensingh, law enforcers are yet to trace the girl.

Victim’s family alleged that police could not rescue the girl and arrest any abductors even after two days of the incident. They urged law enforcers to rescue the girl immediately.

Family members said when Azi-za Sultana, 13, a class VII student at Dekuarchar Dakhil Madrassah was go-ing to her madrassah on Sunday morn-ing, a group of miscreants abducted her and � ed the scene by a car.

Md Kamrul Islam, o� cer-in-Charge of Iswarganj police station, said police raids are on to arrest the abductors.

Meanwhile, a schoolgirl who was raped by a youth in Iswarganj upazila, has been undergoing treatment at My-mensingh Medical College and Hospi-

tal (MMCH) for last two days.The girl, 11, a class VII student was

allegedly raped by one Md Alamin, 25, son of Chand Miah of Chapila Kanda village in Iswarganj.

Local people said Alamin violat-ed the girl when she was alone at her grandfather’s house at Chapila Kanda Friday noon.

Later, Alamin’s father Chand Miah went to the house of victim’s grand fa-ther on Friday night and begged pardon.

But, in Saturday morning, Alamin’s family members allegedly ransacked the house of the victim’s grandfather.

They then threatened if the victims’ family � les case against Alamin, they would have to face dire consequences.

Being intimidated, victim’s family did not lodge any case.

O� cer-in-Charge of Iswarganj po-lice station Md Kamrul Islam said they would take necessary actions against Alamin, if any complaint was � led against him.

Five injured in hospital roof collapse Our Correspondent, Noakhali

At least � ve people including wom-en and children were injured after the roof of Noakhali General Hospital child ward collapsed Sunday afternoon.

The injured were identi� ed as Ali Al-bor, a patient of thalassemia, Nur Banu, Tanjil, Faruq and Mohona.

Hospital sources said Nur Banu and Ali Akbor were in critical condition and the rest were released after preliminary treatment.

When asked, Dr Mosleuddin, a su-perintendent of the hospital, said the building’s foundation was laid in 1968 and was inaugurated after the Libera-tion War. He claimed the public works department were irresponsive regard-ing the issue, though several notices were sent.

Pirates escape from police Our Correspondent, Noakhali

Two pirates, including the leader of a pirate gang in the south, � ed from the custody of Noakhali police yesterday.

Earlier on Sunday, police arrested pirate leader Imran and his associate Ja-sim from Bayezid Bostami in Chittagong, from where they were sent to the Sudha-ram police station in Maijdee.

The police said both men com-plained of stomach aches at night, so early yesterday station o� -cer-in-charge Jahidul Islam Roni sent them to Noakhali General Hospital with the two constables on a CNG-run auto rickshaw. On the way to the hospi-tal, they pushed the two constables out of the vehicle and � ed.

Noakhali Police Superintendent (SI) Md Anisur Rahman “closed” the two constables who accompanied Imran and Jasim in connection with their es-cape. He has given the OC a 12-hour ul-timatum to re-arrest them.

The sub-inspector said necessary actions had been taken against the po-lice personnel.

Huge valuable books and manuscript uncared in Bogra library Hasibur Rahman Bilu, Bogra

Huge number of valuable books and manuscripts remained uncared at the Government Woodburn Public Library, Bogra since last 10 years.

Local people said the administration and the library authority were yet to take any initiative to save around 18,000 old books and manuscripts facing decay in the old building of the library.

However, Md Sha� qur Rahman, deputy commissioner of Bogra and president of the library’s managing committee, denied such allegation, and claimed that the authorities had taken proper steps in this regard.

The library o� cials said thousands of valuable books were kept in the dumb building, which was established in 1853 during the British rule with a view to encouraging reading habit among the people.

Former teacher of Bogra Zila School

Shyamal Bhattacharya told that only Tk15,000 would have saved the ancient manuscripts that were lying in the old library without any care.

Earlier in 2004, following the estab-lishment of Edward Park in Bogra, the old library management committee was dissolved as it was decided to shift the old library to the new building. The shift, however, is yet to completed, li-brary authorities claimed.

Assistant Liberian Md Rokonuzzman said counting of the books and other valuable goods, including manuscripts was completed for the shifting.

Local people formed a human chain in Thakurgoan yesterday, demanding safer road FOCUS BANGLA

Bridge lies useless due to lack of approach roads Our Correspondent, Rajbari

A bridge on the Harai River in Chan-dana of Sadar upazila in Rajbari district does not have approach roads.

Since the 36.60metre long and 7.03metre wide bridge was constructed for Tk35.2m by Rajbari Roads and Highways division (RHD) started in September last year and was completed in June, but no connecting approach roads were built to enable people to use it.

The situation around the bridge is un� t for vehicular movement especial-ly during the rainy season. Residents of Khoksha, Machpara, Kalukhali, Kush-tia, Kamarhati, Belgahci and Pangsha upazilas complained that the lack of connecting roads to the bridge is ham-pering communication and transport

to and from these areas. Farmers and traders are the worse

su� erers because they have di� culties when transporting produce to markets in local and district headquarters, while those needing medical assistance are often unable to reach hospitals on time.

The bridge continues to lie unused while all vehicular movement takes place via an old bailey bridge, which is in dire need of repair.

During a visit to the area yesterday, this correspondent found the bailey bridge overburdened with tra� c and pedestrians. People said they feared for their safety when they crossed the bridge.

Local residents said the bailey bridge is used by over 2000 people ev-ery day, among them students, teach-

ers, traders and farmers of from the upazilas’ villages, who risk their lives when they use the bridge instead of the new bridge that lies idle.

People said though the government constructed the bridge but it is not ben-e� tting anyone.

When contacted about the matter Bimol Kumer Shonnashi, assistant executive engineer of RHD said the approach roads on either side of the bridge could not be built due to fund shortage.

He said: “We have written to the head o� ce seeking funds and we will start construction of approach roads as soon as we get the funds.”

RHD Executive Engineer Somiron Roy said he would have to visit the area to take prompt steps for the approach roads construction.

Eight transformer lifters arrested in Rangpur BSS

Eight members of an organised gang of inter-district electric transform-er-lifters were arrested with four stolen transformers on Sunday.

The police said acting on secret in-formation, they started chasing a Rang-pur bound truck carrying the lifted electric transformers from Syedpur’s Kazirhat area near Paglapeer on the Rangpur-Dhaka highway.

At one stage, the transformer lift-ers attacked the police near Momin-pur area and police had to retaliate in self-defence, injuring two of the crimi-nals. After a long chase, police arrested them.

The arrestees are Hasibur Rahman and Amjad Hossain of Khalishpur up-azila in Khulna, Kabir Hossain and Ali of Tarakanda upazila in Mymensingh, Kamrul Sheikh of Kashianai upazila and Bablu of Haridaspur in Gopalganj, Saiful Islam of Akhaura upazila in Brah-manbaria and Moshiar Rahman of Gan-gachara upazila in Rangpur districts.

The library o� cials said thousands of valuable books were kept in the dumb building, which was established in 1853 with a view to encouraging reading habit among the people

Traditional boat race was held in the Bangali River in Gaibandha yesterday. Thousands of people enjoyed the race FOCUS BANGLA

Farmers have sprayed pesticide bought locally to save their crop but with little e� ect. They said the insecticide is often adulterated and that is the reason they have not been e� ective

Tuesday, September 24, 20138 DHAKA TRIBUNE International

Snake on plane grounds Qantas flightA tiny snake as slender as a pen forced the grounding of a Japan-bound Qantas � ight in the Australian city of Sydney overnight, stranding hundreds of passengers. The non-venomous reptile, about 20cm long, was found near the doorway of a Boeing 747-400 bound for Tokyo on Sunday night, a Qantas spokeswoman told AFP. It was uncertain where the reptile had come from but the Department of Agriculture has identi� ed it as a Mandarin ratsnake which is mainly found in Asia. All 370 passengers were booked into hotels over-night and a replacement � ight left Sydney on Monday morning. French court fines mother for 3-year-old’s “Jihad” T-shirtA woman who sent her three-year-old son – called Jihad – to school in a t-shirt marked “Jihad, Born September 11, I am a bomb” was � ned and given a suspended jail sentence by a French court on Friday. Bouchra Bagour was found guilty of condoning a criminal act, along with her brother Zeyad, who bought the child the t-shirt recalling Islamist militant group al-Qaeda’s attacks on New York on Sep-tember 11, 2001, that killed close to 3,000 people. Overturning an earlier acquittal, the appeals court in the southern town of Nimes � ned the woman 2,000 euros ($2,700) and gave her a one-year sus-pended jail sentence, doubling that � ne and suspended jail sentence for the uncle.

Teenager set free in China after Internet outcryPolice in China on Monday released a teenager detained for questioning on his microblog authorities’ handling of a man’s death, a move that triggered an Internet outcry over censorship. State media had said that the junior high school student, surnamed Yang, sixteen, was the first person detained under strict new rules to tackle what the government calls the spread of online rumours. Yang had said that a man described by police as having commit-ted suicide had been murdered instead. Police said the man committed suicide by jumping from a high-rise building on September 12, after a visit to a karaoke club and that Yang’s “phony” posts had prompted some residents to stage a protest.

Jailed Pussy Riot member goes on hunger strikeA jailed member of Russia’s Pussy Riot punk band said she was starting a hun-ger strike on Monday to protest against “slave labour” in her penal colony and said she had received a death threat from a senior prison o� cial. Nadezh-da Tolokonnikova was sentenced to two years in jail in August 2012 after performing what the band called a “punk prayer” in a Moscow cathedral in a protest against President Vladimir Putin that came amid street protests against his rule.

WORLD WATCH HIV infections plummet since 2001: UN

AFP, Geneva

New HIV infections have plummeted by a third overall since 2001 and more than halved among children, the Unit-ed Nations said Monday.

Globally, 2.3 million people con-tracted the AIDS virus last year – down 33% from 2001, while 260,000 children became infected – over a third fewer than in 2009 and 52% down from 2001.

“The annual number of new HIV in-fections continues to decline with es-pecially sharp reductions in the num-ber of children newly infected with HIV,” said UNAIDS executive director Michel Sidibe.

Hailing progress in distributing antiretroviral drugs that prevent the transmission of the virus from preg-nant women to their unborn children, the UN body said it may be possible

to slash new infections among kids by 90% in the next two years.

In its annual report on the state of the global pandemic, the agency said the drugs had prevented more than 670,000 children contracting the human immu-node� ciency virus (HIV) which causes AIDS from 2009 to 2012 alone.

Last year, 1.6 million people died AIDS-related deaths, down from 1.8 mil-lion in 2011 and 2.3 million in 2005.

Russia tows Greenpeace ship to port, activistsrisk charges AFP, Moscow

Russian border guards were on Monday towing a ship of the environmental lob-by group Greenpeace to an Arctic port where its activists could face charges for a protest on an oil rig owned by the Gazprom energy giant.

The Arctic Sunrise ship, which Rus-sian security forces have controlled since storming the vessel in a dramatic helicopter operation on Thursday, is to arrive in the Russian Far Northern port of Murmansk on Tuesday, the group and o� cials said.

Thirty activists from the group, in-cluding four Russians, are on board the vessel. Russia’s powerful Investigative Committee said the crew may have committed piracy, which carries a pris-on term of up to 15 years in Russia.

“It’s looking like a Tuesday morning arrival. The ship has slowed down, due to weather conditions we believe,” a Greenpeace spokesman told AFP.

A Russian security source quoted by the Interfax news agency also said that the ship was expected in Murmansk on Tuesday, without giving a time.

The Russian authorities said that the Arctic Sunrise was attached to a Russian tugboat to be taken into Murmansk after the captain refused to steer it himself.

Snowden ‘wears disguise, in danger’: lawyer AFP, Moscow

US intelligence leaker Edward Snowden is living under guard at a secret address in Russia and sometimes emerges in dis-guise, although he remains in such dan-ger that even a family visit could endan-ger his security, his lawyer said Monday.

Snowden has avoided all contact with media since arriving in Russia on a � ight from Hong Kong in June and his lawyer Anatoly Kucherena has become his uno� cial spokesman.

“I am his only link with the outside world at the moment. Even his con-tacts with his parents are carried out through me,” Kucherena said in an in-terview published in Itogi weekly mag-azine.

Kucherena gave few details of how Snowden occupies his time, but said he is able to go out in disguise.

“He would walk past you and you wouldn’t recognise him,” he told Itogi.

“It’s a question of clothes and small alternations to his appearance. So I’m not deceiving anyone: he really does

walk freely around on the streets.”Snowden has also made quick prog-

ress in learning Russian, his lawyer said.“He is an extremely fast learner

as far as the Russian language is con-cerned,” Kucherena said in another in-terview that will air Monday on Krem-lin-funded RT television.

Snowden spent more than a month in transit in Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport before slipping out and has not made any public appearance.

The 30-year-old former CIA secu-rity analyst is wanted by the United States after revealing details of massive surveillance by the National Security Agency to the media.

While describing an isolated exis-tence, Kucherena said Snowden did not regret his decision to give up his life in the United States.

“He’s not disappointed. He believes he did everything right,” he told RT.

Kucherena, a high-pro� le lawyer who is an advisor to President Vladimir Putin, said he is working for free, as Snowden’s personal money is running low.

AFP, Peshawar

The death toll from a double suicide bombing on a church in Pakistan rose to 81 Monday, as Christians protested across the country to demand better protection for their community.

The attack on All Saints church in the northwestern city of Peshawar af-ter a service on Sunday, claimed by a Taliban faction, is believed to be the deadliest ever to target Pakistan’s small Christian minority.

Doctor Arshad Javed of the city’s main Lady Reading hospital told AFP the death toll had risen to 81 overnight, including 37 women. A total of 131 peo-ple were wounded.

Christians demonstrated in towns and cities around Pakistan, including Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar and Faisalabad, to protest against the violence and demand better protection from the authorities.

In Islamabad more than 600 pro-testers blocked a major city highway for several hours during the Monday morning rush hour, causing long tail-backs, an AFP photographer said.

Paul Bhatti, the president of All Pa-kistan Minorities Alliance (APMA) who was minister for national harmony in the last government, told AFP the at-tack was the deadliest ever targeting Christians in Pakistan.

“We are very clear that it was an in-cident of terrorism. Christians are not the only target of terror, whole Paki-stan is a victim of terrorism,” said Bhat-ti, whose brother Shahbaz was assassi-nated in 2011 for speaking out against the country’s blasphemy laws. He add-ed Christian schools would close for three days of mourning.

Senior Peshawar police o� cial Na-jeeb-ur-Rehman said security around churches in the city would be stepped up, but survivors of the bombing spoke of their fears of further violence.

“We had very good relations with the Muslims -- there was no tension before that blast, but we fear that this is the be-ginning of a wave of violence against the Christians,” Danish Yunas, a Christian driver wounded in the blast, said.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif strong-ly condemned the “cruel” attack, say-ing it violated the tenets of Islam and Pope Francis also spoke out against the violence, calling it “a bad choice of ha-tred and war.”

The small and largely impover-ished Christian community su� ers discrimination in the overwhelmingly Muslim-majority nation but bombings against them are extremely rare.

The 400 or so worshippers were exchanging greetings after the service when the bombers struck, littering the church with blood, body parts and pag-es from the Bible.

Sectarian violence between major-ity Sunni and minority Shia Muslims is on the rise in Pakistan but Sunday’s bombings will fuel fears the already be-leaguered Christian community could be increasingly targeted.

A faction of Pakistan’s umbrella Taliban movement, Junood ul-Hifsa, claimed responsibility for Sunday’s at-tack, saying it was to avenge US drone strikes on Taliban and al-Qaeda opera-tives in the country’s tribal areas along the Afghan border.

“We carried out the suicide bombings at Peshawar church and will continue to strike foreigners and non-Muslims until drone attacks stop,” Ahmad Marwat, a spokesman for the group, said.

Prime Minister Sharif has called for peace talks with the Taliban and two weeks ago won backing from the country’s main political parties. But after a week that began with the mil-itants killing an army general in the northwest and ended with the church attack, some are questioning whether dialogue is the right approach.

Pakistan Christians protest as church attack death toll rises to 81

Activists from various organizations during an AIDS awareness rally at Marina beach in Chennai PTI

Pakistani Christians clean an area in front of All Saints Church in Peshawar AFP

Christians protested across the country to demand better protection for their community AFP

Al-Qaeda-linked � ghters killed inclash with Syria rebels Reuters, Beirut

A Libyan commander and a dozen other � ghters from al-Qaeda’s Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant have been killed in clashes with rival rebel forces in northern Syria, a monitoring group said, in the latest spate of internecine rebel violence.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said six local � ghters were also killed in Sunday’s battle with ISIL in Hazano, west of the city of Aleppo and close to the border with Turkey.

Clashes pitting the al-Qaeda-linked ISIL and Nusra Front brigades against less e� ective but more moderate rebel forces have been intensifying recently, especially in opposition-held territory along Syria’s northern and eastern bor-ders.

The in� ghting has undermined the rebel military campaign against Pres-ident Bashar al-Assad. Their uprising began as peaceful protests against four decades of Assad family rule but degenerated into a war that has killed more than 100,000 people.

March 2012: Tania Rubeeca is abducted, raped repeatedly, and forced to convert Islam before being married o� to a Muslim manMay 2012: Muhammad Kamran is beaten for converting to Christianity in KarachiJuly 2012: Pastor Victor Samuel Maseeh is kidnapped in Punjab by seven men, three of whom are in police uniforms; 11 Christian nurses at a hostel in Karachi are poisonedAugust 2012: A 11-year-old boy is burned, tortured, mutilated and murdered in Faisalabad; Rimsha Masih, a 11-year-old Christian girl with Down syndrome, is accused for allegedly burning the Quran, publicly beaten and then jailed; A 20-year-old veterinary student is abducted, forced to conver, and physically and mentally abused in PunjabSeptember 2012: St Francis Xavier’s Catholic Cathedral is attacked with gun� re and rocks in response to a blasphemous � lm on Islam; Shumaila Bibi is abducted

and forced to convert to Islam and marry her abuser; Two Christians are killed and two injured when a group tried to get “taxes on non-Muslims” from a Christian colony in Karachi; Pastpr Babar Bhatti is shot by extremists in PunjabOctober 2012: Bawa Chak Presbyterian Church in Punjab and Philadelphia Penta-costal Church are in Karachi are vandalised on separate occasionsJanuary 2013: 15-year-old Christian girl is brutally tortured, raped and left uncon-scious by her landlord and another manMarch 2013: A group of Christian children is beaten up by extremists; Mob burns 180 Christian homes and two churches in Lahore about alleged remarks on Prophet Muham-mad; Armed men beat three Christian wom-en, and force them to strip and walk naked in a village in Punjab; 18-year-old Adnan Masih tortured to death in police custody in Lahore after being arrested on suspicions of kidnapping a Muslim woman

Source: Global Post

ATTACK ON PAKISTAN CHRISTIANS MARCH 2012-13

Still 168 million locked in child labour: UN AFP, Geneva

The number of child labourers world-wide has dropped by a third since 2000, the UN labour agency said Mon-day, but warned that progress was not being made fast enough.

The number of child labourers fell to 168 million last year from 246 mil-lion in 2000, said an International La-bour Organisation (ILO) report released ahead of a Global Child Labour confer-ence in Brasilia next month.

It hailed particular progress in cut-ting the number of youngsters doing hazardous work, “likely to harm the health, safety or morals of children,” which had fallen to 85 million from 171 million in 2000.

“We are moving in the right direc-tion, but progress is still too slow,” said ILO director-general Guy Ryder.

“If we are serious about ending the scourge of child labour in the foresee-able future, then we need a substan-tial stepping-up of e� orts at all levels. There are 168 million good reasons to do so,” he said in a statement.

While the numbers have fallen sub-stantially, 11% of the world’s children

are still working instead of attending school – half of them doing hazardous work, stressed Constance Thomas, who heads the ILO’s International Pro-gramme on the Elimination of Child Labour (Ipec).

The organisation has set a 2016 tar-get of ridding the world of hazardous child labour, which includes danger-ous work within a wide range of sec-tors including agriculture, mining and construction.

To further reduce child labour, she stressed that countries needed to forge ahead with more policies promoting education, social protection measures and poverty reduction, as well as cre-ating decent jobs for adults to remove the need of sending children to work.

Most child labourers are found in the Asia-Paci� c region, which counts 78 million of them, down from 113.6 million in 2000.

Thomas said Cambodia especially had seen a “fairly dramatic decrease” in child labour, which now a� ects 12% of its children, compared to 26% in 2000.

But Mongolia, which until recent-ly was on track to eliminate the worst forms of child labour, has su� ered a

signi� cant setback, with � gures rising nearly two% from 2007 after a harsh winter storm ruined the livelihoods of many families, she said.

In Sub-Saharan Africa, the worst-hit region in proportion to its population where more than 21% of children work, Uganda, Cameroon and Madagascar were among those making good prog-ress, while Rwanda is heading “in the wrong direction,” Thomas said.

The ILO report also showed that 9.2 million children are considered underage labourers in the Middle East and North Africa, while some 12 million are found in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Agriculture remains the sector where most child labourers are found, accounting for nearly 59% of all work-ing children, the report showed. But an increasing share were also working in more urban settings such as the man-ufacturing industry.

The report noted that progress has especially been made in reducing the number of girls in child labour, with the number falling by 40% over the 12-year-period, a drop the ILO attribut-ed to a variety of gender-focused mea-sures in many countries.

9Tuesday, September 24, 2013DHAKA TRIBUNE InternationalDHAKA TRIBUNE International

Sri Lanka hardliners warn of ‘new war’ after vote AFP, Colombo

Sinhalese hardliners Monday urged Sri Lanka’s president to reduce powers of a regional council won by Tamils in an election hailed internationally as a step towards ethnic reconciliation after de-cades of war.

The National Heritage Party (JHU) said the � rst semi-autonomous body won by the minority Tamil National Alli-ance (TNA) could eventually lead to the division of the island on ethnic lines.

The opposition TNA won 30 out of 38 seats in polls for a provincial council in Ja� na established 26 years ago, but ruled directly by the president until elections Saturday in an area scarred by ethnic strife.

“The real war has just begun,” said Udaya Gammanpila, a leader of the JHU which is a coalition partner of President Mahinda Rajapakse’s government. “The TNA will revive the separatists’ cam-paign through the provincial council.”

In theory, the country’s nine provin-

cial councils have powers over police and land. Until now, none of the coun-cils have actually exercised those pow-ers but the TNA is pressing a claim to have both under its control.

“We are entering a new phase of the war. It is not a war that will be fought with guns and bombs,” said Gammanpila.

He said the JHU had told the gov-ernment it was not too late too trim the powers of the council and prevent the start of a new political con� ict that could be internationalised.

Rajapakse came to power in 2005 on a strong nationalist platform, supported by the JHU, a party initially formed with a band of in� uential Buddhist monks who oppose power-sharing with Tamils.

Rajapakse has strengthened his hold on power after crushing Tamil rebels in May 2009 and declaring an end to 37 years of ethnic bloodshed in which at least 100,000 people were killed, ac-cording to UN estimates.

During a bitterly fought election campaign, the president had accused

the TNA of raising expectations of a separate state. However, after the re-sults were announced Sunday, TNA’s chief minister-elect C.V. Wigneswaran told reporters in Ja� na that he was

willing to work with Colombo.He said there was mistrust between

Sri Lanka’s majority Sinhalese and mi-nority Tamils, but he had “great faith in humanity” to resolve di� erences.

Suspected rebels kill soldier in Indian Kashmir AFP, Srinagar

Suspected militants shot and killed a paramilitary soldier and critically wounded another on Monday in a busy market in Indian Kashmir’s main city of Srinagar, police said.

The rebels, armed with a pistol, shot the soldiers from the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) while they were buying vegetables at the market before � eeing the scene, a senior police o� cer said.

“One of them died on the spot and the other is hospitalised with critical injuries,” the city’s police chief, Ashiq Bukhari, told AFP.

About a dozen rebel groups have been � ghting Indian forces since 1989 for independence or merger with Pa-kistan of the heavily militarised Hi-malayan region. Tens of thousands of people, mostly civilians, have died in the � ghting.

Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since the two coun-tries won independence from Britain in 1947.

Overall militant violence has de-clined in Kashmir since India and Pa-kistan began a peace process in 2004, and attacks in Srinagar itself are rare now.

But there have been intermittent shoot and run incidents involving po-lice and suspected militants.

No rebel group immediately claimed responsibility for Monday’s attack.

In July suspected rebels lobbed a grenade at a police vehicle in Srinagar carrying a prisoner who later died in a hospital.

Militants also killed eight soldiers during an ambush on the outskirts of Srinagar, the deadliest such at-tack in � ve years, marring a landmark visit by Prime Minister Manmoha Singh.

ICC judge excuses Ruto for a week to deal with Nairobi crisis AFP, The Hague

The International Criminal Court on Monday excused Kenyan Vice President William Ruto from his crimes against humanity trial for a week so he can deal with the Nairobi militant attack.

“In the light of the circumstances... the Chamber does excuse Mr Ruto from the proceedings before the court... for one week only,” Judge Chile Eboe-Osuji said at an urgent hearing.

Ruto is the highest-ranking serving o� cial to be tried by the ICC, and is the � rst suspect to be excused to go home to work in the history of the 10-year-old court.

Ruto’s lawyer Karim Khan, who had asked for his client to be excused for two weeks, told the judge that Ruto was hoping to catch a � ight to Kenya leaving the Netherlands at 11:00 am (0900 GMT).

“The world would have found it in-tolerable if the US president and dep-uty president wasn’t there after 9/11,” Khan told the court.

“Well, this is Kenya’s 9/11.”Ruto is in The Hague defending him-

self against charges of masterminding some of the 2007-08 post-election vio-lence that left over 1,000 people dead and several hundred thousand displaced.

Ruto, 46, and his co-accused, Ken-yan radio boss Joshua arap Sang, 38, stand accused of stoking the worst vi-olence in the east African country since independence in 1963.

The three-judge bench is to rule at 0930 GMT whether to adjourn the trial while Ruto is away.

Prosecutor Anton Steynberg argued that only a one-week adjournment was necessary for Ruto to put people in place to deal with the Nairobi crisis,

while the defence had requested two weeks.

“It’s really a very trying moment for our country,” Ruto said outside the court after the judge excused him.

“We hope that some people will begin to contextualise and begin to appreciate the challenges that Kenya is going through, the region is going through and the complications that are brought by what is going on here,” Ruto said of the ICC.

Even before the Nairobi militant at-tack, the court was weighing whether to excuse Ruto from large portions of his trial so he can perform his o� cial functions.

Ruto has also already asked for his trial to be held nearer to home, in Tan-zania or Kenya, something the court has so far rejected.

President Uhuru Kenyatta is also charged with crimes against humanity, and his trial is due to start in November.

“Both myself and the president have committed ourselves to be present here in court so that we can clear our names, but we have to counterbalance our responsibilities and legitimate re-quirements to 40 million Kenyans,” Ruto said.

“I will be home hopefully this eve-ning to assist in my capacity as deputy president, managing the situation at home.”

Somali Shebab militants on Monday threatened to kill the hostages they are holding in a Nairobi shopping mall as Kenyan troops move to end their siege af-ter the militants killed at least 68 people.

An urgent motion � led by Khan on Sunday asked for an adjournment so that “Mr Ruto can return to Kenya to deal with an ongoing and extremely serious matter of national security.”

Gun� re, explosions as Kenyan troops battleto save mall hostages AFP, Nairobi

Kenyan security forces were locked in a � erce, � nal battle with Somali Islamist gunmen inside an upmarket Nairobi shopping mall on Monday as huge ex-plosions and a barrage of heavy gun� re echoed out of the complex.

A thick cloud of black smoke billowed out from the Westgate mall as Kenyan o� cials said the 50-hour-long siege – which has seen the gunmen massacre at least 62 people and take dozens more hostage – was close to being resolved.

The number of people killed, which had earlier been con� rmed to be 69, was lowered to 92 by Red Cross o� cials on Monday. They said the miscalculation had been due to “double counted bodies.”

The dead include four Britons in-cluding a British-Australian, two French women, two Canadians including a diplomat, a Chinese woman, two Indi-ans, a South Korean, a South African and a Dutch woman, according to their governments. Also killed was Ghanaian poet and former UN envoy Ko� Awoo-nor, 78, while his son was injured.

This was the latest update as of 9pm BDT when this report was � led.

“We think the operation will come to an end soon,” Interior Minister Jo-seph Ole Lenku told reporters camped outside the vast part Israeli-owned complex, which was popular with wealthy Kenyans and expatriates.

He added that some hostages had been freed, but without giving speci� c numbers. Two gunmen were also killed

in the � ghting.The Kenyan Red Cross said at least 63

people were recorded missing, thought to include hostages as well as those pos-sibly killed or still hiding. Around 200 people were wounded, o� cials said.

Somalia’s al-Qaeda-linked Shabab in-surgents have claimed the attack, which began midday on Saturday, when the gunmen marched into the complex, � r-ing grenades and automatic weapons and sending panicked shoppers � eeing.

Kenyan army chief Julius Karangi said the gunmen had di� erent nation-alities. Several foreign � ghters, includ-ing Somalis with dual nationalities, are members of the Shabab force.

“They are from di� erent countries.

We have su� cient intelligence this is global terrorism,” Karangi said.

Shabab spokesman Ali Mohamud Rage warned that the hostages would “bear the brunt of any force directed against the mujahedeen” – signaling that hostages were being used as human shields.

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta vowed the attackers will “not get away with their despicable and beastly acts.”

A Kenyan security source and a Western intelligence o� cial said Israeli forces were also involved in the opera-tion, along with British and US agents.

The Shabab rebels said the carnage was in retaliation for Kenya’s military intervention in Somalia, where African Union troops are battling the Islamists.

Shabab ‘chief’ says no non-Somali militants in Nairobi siege AFP, London

An alleged commander in the Somali Shabab rebel group on Monday denied press reports that Westerners or wom-en were involved in the hostage stand-o� at a Nairobi mall that has killed at least 69 people.

The man, who claimed he had been in contact with the Islamist attackers inside the Westgate shopping centre, also said the militants would not nego-tiate an end to the siege.

The man, who called himself Abu Omar, was speaking to BBC radio after several British newspapers reported that Samantha Lewthwaite, the widow of one of the suicide bombers in the 2005 attacks on the London transport network, could have masterminded the attack.

“There are some rumours spreading around that say that there have been American, British and other attackers of di� erent nationalities involved,” Abu Omar said.

“I can con� rm to you that none of that is true, I know that is baseless rumours that have no justi� cation for them.”

He claimed that women would nev-er be involved in perpetrating such at-tacks.

“To verify, we do not employ our sis-ters to carry out military attacks of this type so these are just baseless rumours that have no substance to them,” he said. The man added: “There will be no negotiations.”

“We’ve spoken to the mujahid in-side Westgate and they told us that the Kenyan government was urging them to negotiate and was also giving them some incentives to come to the dia-logue table.

Relatives of soldiers and policemen killed in recent attacks gather beside their co� ns ahead of a funeral procession in Sanaa. Suspected al-Qaeda militants killed at least 31 Yemeni soldiers and policemen in attacks in the south of the country on Friday REUTERS

China’s Bo Xilai to appeal life sentence AFP, Beijing

Former senior Chinese politician Bo Xi-lai has informed the court that convict-ed him to a life sentence over corrup-tion that he will appeal, a source told AFP Monday, adding further drama to the high-pro� le case.

“He informed the court yesterday of his request for an appeal following the verdict,” a source with direct knowl-

edge of the situation said.The court in the eastern city of Ji-

nan sentenced Bo on Sunday to life in prison after a sensational trial that exposed intrigue and wealth at the highest levels of the ruling Commu-nist party.

Bo, a member of the party’s top 25-member Politburo before his downfall, was convicted of bribery, embezzlement and abuse of pow-

er. He had been a popular politician with an unusually open and charis-matic style, but his leftist streak and open ambition concerned the leader-ship.

The catalyst for his fall came when his top aide – then-Chongqing police chief Wang Lijun – � ed in February 2012 to a US consulate with evidence that Bo’s wife had murdered a British businessman.

Positive outlook in heart disease tied to fewer deaths Reuters

People with heart disease who are more upbeat and excited tend to live longer than those who don’t have such a positive outlook, a new study suggests, possibly be-cause they are often more active.

Researchers surveyed people with isch-emic heart disease – when the heart doesn’t get enough blood due to narrowed arteries – and found earning a high score on mea-sures of “positive a� ect” was tied to a great-er chance of being a regular exerciser and a lower risk of dying over the next � ve years.

“It adds to the body of literature suggest-ing that there may be relationships between positive a� ect…and all-cause mortality,” Richard Sloan, who studies psychological risk factors and heart disease at Columbia University Medical Center in New York, said.

But, “It’s going to take more than this to be con� dent that there’s a link in the way we’re con� dent there’s a link between depression and (a higher risk of ) heart dis-ease,” Sloan, who didn’t participate in the new research, told Reuters Health.

The new study included 607 heart pa-tients who were seen at one Danish hospi-tal.

Susanne S Pedersen from Tilburg Univer-sity in The Netherlands and her colleagues asked the patients about their quality of life, mood and lifestyle habits including physi-cal activity in 2005. Then they used death and hospital records to track participants through 2010.

On a mood scale ranging from 0 to 40,

where higher scores indicate feeling more relaxed, self-con� dent and excited, half of participants scored a 24 or above. (Nega-tive a� ect was measured separately – so a person could score high or low on measures of both positive attitude and insecurity or helplessness.)

During the follow-up period, 30 of the high positive a� ect patients died of any cause, compared to 50 people with a lower positive attitude score.

Some of that association appeared to be driven by exercise habits, the researchers found. People with high mood scores were more likely than other participants to say they exercised at least once a week, and ex-ercisers were half as likely to die as non-ex-ercisers. 

There was not a clear di� erence, how-ever, in how often people were hospitalised for heart-related conditions, based on their positivity. During the study period, about half of all participants were hospitalised for a heart attack, heart failure or chest pain, for example, according to � ndings published in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Out-comes.

The researchers said past studies also found a link between having a positive out-look and better heart health, but it was un-clear what explained the association.

“There is some evidence to suggest that even among people who are already ill, who already have heart disease or diabetes or related conditions, that those people who are happier also have better outcomes,” Julia Boehm from Chapman University in

Orange, California, who has studied psycho-logical wellbeing and heart health, said.

Health behaviors such as exercise are one possible explanation for that link, she told Reuters Health. Some researchers have also proposed another mechanism, sug-gesting optimism may a� ect physiologic processes in the body that would ultimately in� uence heart health, such as in� amma-tion levels.

Pedersen and her colleagues noted that they did not have information on par-ticipants’ type or intensity of exercise. The researcher also said the study can’t say how exercise and positive a� ect may be linked.

“We do not know what comes � rst (also known as the ‘chicken and egg’ problem) and thus cannot make any conclusions about the direction of causality - is it exer-cise that increases positive a� ect or positive a� ect that leads to more exercise with an e� ect on mortality or both?” Pedersen told Reuters Health in an email.

“Irrespectively, it cements what we al-ready know - namely that exercise is good for the heart.”

Boehm, who wasn’t involved in the new research, said there isn’t enough evidence to tell people with heart disease to be hap-pier or more optimistic in order to improve their outcomes. But she agreed with Ped-ersen that there are data to support recom-mending exercise to those people for heart health.

“Hopefully you would have the added bene� t of feeling more happy (and) opti-mistic,” she said.

HEALTH

Chief Minister-elect for Sri Lanka’s northern provincial government, retired Supreme Court Justice CV Wigneswaran � ashes a victory sign following a media brie� ng in Ja� na AP

Why won’t they rape?September 17

Ershad Khandker Economic backwardness is the primary reason. The struggle of those who live in the fringe cannot be understood unless you study it. The benumbing lack of kindness and broadmindedness in village areas is the reason. The shocking lack of respect that the have-nots receive from families they serve, caste superiors, law enforcers, area big-shots, in-laws when they plan to marry or have their brothers/sisters marry, natural calamities and crop failures, and much more. Yes, cinema has become a big question mark. Indeed, it teaches very wrong things. But, overwhelmingly, cinemas still show the “good guy/bad guy” equation. The objecti� cation of women and their bodies displayed makes those who are already under so much duress and dehumanised be wrongly in� uenced .

Alcohol is also shown as a manly drink. However, the title of the piece could be more toned down. Fact is, nothing justifies rape.

Mohammad Tanvir Khalid Can’t agree more. We together messed up everything. Heroes, the directors, the produc-ers who are looking for another blockbuster or at least a safe return on their investment are culprits to the same extent.

And our test of entertainment is pathetic, in most cases. And to make things worse, di� erent groups of people interpret the same thing di� erently and fail us to have a consensus and do something.

Quader Molla to walk gallowsSeptember 17

SM Tahidul IslamFeeling so happy.

Rainer EbertBefore you start cheering, please remember that this illegal and unethical sentence was made possible through a retroactive amendment to Bangladesh’s war crimes law, in violation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which Bangladesh is a state party. Do you want Bangladesh to be a nation of law, or a nation celebrating the absence of rule of law?

WaliulHaqueKhondkerRainer Ebert: I think you missed this last bit of the news item:

“On June 20, the Appellate Division asked seven senior lawyers to place their opinion as amicus curiae (friends of court) on whether the amendment of the tribunal law would be applicable in Quader Molla case.”

Naheed Shame on you Rainer Ebert. You judge Bangla-deshis for celebrating! Oh but we are cheering, we are cheering loud and proud! You seem to ignore the fact that precisely because men like these were allowed to walk free that we have endured over four decades of utter absence of the rule of law. When we have had closure by righting the wrongs, which were ... stalled, we won’t have the rule of law or be able to call ourselves a nation of law!

Handicrafts get a helping hand

W e are delighted that the government has accepted the proposal of the Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC), which calls for an

initiative to increase the creation and export of handicrafts in our country, and will � nalise the national handicraft policy next month.

This is a step in the right direction as this policy will not only help out our local artisans, many of them rural wom-en, it has the added advantage of keeping our culture and traditions alive, and thriving, bearing in mind that the end result is that it would make the handicraft sector economically viable and more sustainable.

As part of this policy, the government will provide � nan-cial support to the artisans who are engaged in such crafts, and give them scope for earning a living with their craft with cash incentives for export as well as multiple opportunities to showcase their products to prospective buyers throughout the year.

The policy also calls for increasing production, upgrading a market strategy and reorienting a human resource development strategy to aid in this venture.

Currently, Bangladesh exports $1bn worth of handicraft products, but as there is a large market out there – Euro-pean countries such as Germany, Italy, Spain and England, as well as the USA, Japan and Australia have expressed an interest in handicraft products – there is potential for more pro� t.

The government would do well to take full advantage of this opportunity.

No to bribes, yes to VAT

A t a time when the government is actively encour-aging everyone to pay their taxes, a report on the irregularities and the malicious culture of bribes in

the Tejgaon divisional o� ce is uncalled for.To ensure that small and medium-sized businesses pay

their VATs, the authorities need to get their act together and drive corruption out of their system.

To facilitate and encourage VAT payments for business-es, the government already has a package vat system.

However, harassment by the tax authorities while paying VAT means less and less businesses are likely to register and/or pay their taxes. It is also possible that businesses would underestimate their payments to compensate for the extra costs they incur as bribes paid.

Furthermore, the allegation that start-up businesses have to pay under the table to get nec-essary paperwork processed is a bad omen for the � edgling SME sector of Bangladesh.

Entry procedures for new businesses in this country are already daunting; hence, the authorities must make them more accessible for entrepre-neurs.

The blunt denial of the malpractices is neither believable nor su� cient for the tax authorities. Why a person, willing to pay taxes to the government, needs to endure harass-ment is beyond anyone’s comprehension.

Prompt action must be taken to remedy the situation, so that the businesses, new or mature, big or small, can pay their VATs and taxes without impediments.

Editorial10

www.dhakatribune.com

DHAKA TRIBUNE Tuesday, September 24, 2013

LETTER OF THE DAY

CALVIN AND HOBBES

PEANUTS

Letters to the Editor

Qawmi madrasas to resist regulationSeptember 18

I think there is nothing wrong if Urdu text-books are used for teaching and learning. For them Urdu is a special part of their insti-tutional teaching methods. If this is causing disadvantage for them in terms of what the rest of the country can enjoy from educa-tion then the best way is to talk to them and work out a win-win situation where they will be happy in maintaining their tradition and also adopt to make their institution more e� ective in terms of the modern era.

Why would they want to deliberately create disadvantage for their students and graduates? It is probably a question of fear of reforms.

If reforms can be combined with them participating in creating a win-win situation then the outcome would be better, harmo-nious and more e� ective in our national integration and future progress.

Muhammad Ahmedullah

Prompt action must be taken so that the businesses, new or mature, big or small, can pay their VATs and taxes without impediments

This policy will not only help out our local artisans, it has the added advantage of keeping our culture and traditions alive, and thriving

Have mercy on mankindSeptember 19

The news published in many newspapers on September 17, 2013 is heart wrenching. Unable to bear the death of her six-year-old daughter Chandra Mukhi, Nazneen Akhter, a senior reporter of the Daily Janakantha, jumped from the balcony of their fourth � oor � at in Kalyanpur on September 16, the day her daughter had died. She survived the fall; may she also � nd the strength to bear the agony and despair.

It is the most cruel turn of fate to see the demise of one’s own child. Why do these sort of events take place? Our creator is the Most Bene� cial, the Most Merciful, then why does he let this happen?

We pray to almighty Allah to spare parents from this unimaginable pain.Nur Jahan

Chittagong

Crossword

Sudoku

CROSSWORD CODE-CRACKER YESTERDAY’S SOLUTIONS

ACROSS1 Take place (5)5 Thrust (4)8 Oneness (6)9 Ancient linear unit (5)10 Trick (4)11 Biblical quotations (5)12 Fate (3)15 Vend (4)18 Region (5)21 Female deer (3)22 Game of skill (4)24 Look narrowly (4)25 Fertile spot (5)28 Out-of-the-way (6)29 Fewer (4)30 Measuring instrument (5)

DOWN1 Mysterious (6)2 Young bear (3)3 Single entity (4)4 Formal ceremony (4)5 Harbour towns (5)6 As new (6)7 Garden tool (3)13 Alternatively (2)14 Waxed spills (6)16 Behold! (2)17 Inferior (6)19 Innermost parts (5)20 In the direction of (2)23 Machine for weaving (4)24 Close friend (3)26 Consumed (3)27 Tennis term (3)

Be HeardWrite to us at:

Dhaka Tribune

FR Tower, 8/C Panthapath

Sukrabad, Dhaka-1207

Email us at: letters@dhakatribune.com

Send us your Op-Ed articles:

opinion@dhakatribune.com

Visit our website: www.dhakatribune.com

Come join our Facebook community:

https://www.facebook.com/DhakaTribune

11Op-Ed Tuesday, September 24, 2013DHAKA TRIBUNE

The age of fundamentalism Farzana Nawaz

F undamentalism is a topic that occupies a large part of the collective consciousness in most parts of the world today. Earlier this month

we had the 12 year anniversary of 9/11, an event that arguably had the biggest impact on the global political landscape in recent memory, and that brought the issue of terrorism, and Islamic fundamentalism along with it, to the forefront.

However, I would argue that fun-damentalism is not a discreet charac-teristic of certain groups of people or particular ideologies. Rather, we live in an age of pervasive fundamentalism and we all participate in it regardless of our chosen set of beliefs or ideology.

One of the de� nitions the Merriam Webster dictionary provides for funda-mentalism is: “A movement or attitude stressing strict and literal adherence to a set of basic principles” (emphasis added). Al-Qaeda, the Taliban, the Westboro Baptist Church are examples of religious fundamentalist organisa-tions. One can argue that laws enforc-ing strict secularism in France or the recent “values charter” in Quebec that bans the wearing of religious symbols by public employees constitutes a type of secular fundamentalism.

The attempt to combat religious fundamentalism has given rise to fundamentalist responses from the secular, liberal forces, the most hor-ri� c recent example of which can be found in Egypt where the attempt to suppress the Muslim Brotherhood led to the death of thousands of people.

Of course, the reasons behind Egypt’s second revolution are complex and the battle between religious and secular forces is only one part of it. However, it’s hard to deny that the need to “protect” secularism provided ample cover for a lot of recent atroci-ties there.

In the political sphere, di� erences between various ideologies have also hardened into “fundamentalist” posi-

tions on crucial issues such as climate change and response to the global � nancial downturn. While there have always been disagreements among adherents of di� erent ideologies, what makes the current moment unique is the degree of polarisation between the various camps. Each camp or group seems to be closed o� by such rigid be-liefs in their worldviews that it makes the prospect of dialogue or a middle ground very di� cult.

An interesting explanation for why people in general seem to be prone to fundamentalism or moral closure of this sort comes from Jonathan Haidt, a contemporary social psychologist who has been investigating the issue of morality and the left-right political divide in the United States.

Haidt posits that from an evolution-ary point of view, morality has served a very important purpose in human society where it gave large groups of people (beyond the family or clan) the ability to come together and accom-plish great things. “Sacred values” have acted as the lightning rod which allowed diverse groups of people to put aside their di� erences and act for a common cause – from the construc-tion of the Mayan pyramids to � ghting in wars.

Haidt points out that while religion has historically served as the most prominent “sacred value,” examples can be found in recent history where other values have played similar roles, for example, patriotism. As Haidt says, we “circle around” � ags, as it helps us to trust each other so that we can

� ght the enemy. However, this act of “circling” or coming together also has enormous psychological payo� s – it makes us feel good to be part of groups and to be able to clearly mark out the “enemy” or “other.”

However, this very aspect of moral-ity, taken to fundamentalist extremes, also distorts our view of the “truth.” As Haidt says, “morality binds and blinds.” It cripples open-minded, criti-cal thinking and instead encourages us to think of dissenters as “evil,” or, if we are feeling more charitable, “stupid.” In other words, it gives rise to moral self-righteousness or hubris.

However, as societies become more heterogeneous, this causes serious con� icts, which is what we are wit-nessing in many countries around the world, ours included. The unwilling-ness to accept the fact that the other side might have a legitimate point of view (even though we might disagree with it) or something worthwhile to contribute leads to the breakdown of democratic discourse and leads to the oppression of the powerless by the powerful, which is the antithesis of democracy.

A brief aside here – it is quite interesting that the proliferation of information and availability of media seems to have done little to stem the tide of polarisation. The United States is a particularly good case study for this, but similar trends can be found in other countries too.

Recent research indicates that peo-ple self-select the media outlets that most closely correspond to their own point of view. Given the plentitude of choices, readers (or viewers) tend to seek out things that reinforce their existing worldview instead of those that challenge them.

Lest I sound too “holier than though” by this point, let me confess that until quite recently I had refused to read the Economist because I found their editorial stance a bit too “pro-market.”

Previously, major news outlets often served as the consensus builders

in societies by providing readers with a multitude of viewpoints. However, the fragmentation of the media market has meant that the role and ability of these traditional media power-houses to create common ground has declined.

As the problems we face as a collective have become more complex, baf-� ingly, we seem to be retreating into simplicity of approach, which is fueled by our moral fundamentalism. But, the demands of our time dictate that we need to do better. The challenges we face are daunting enough that they should require us to set aside our mor-al blinders and see if we can use every tool that is available to us, regardless of their source.

But how do we get there? Should we be all compelled now to become moral pragmatists and give up our ideals for middle-ground compromis-es? Not at all. However, as Haidt says, we should all strive for a bit of “moral humility” – the recognition that any point of view, regardless of how alien to our own, might have something worthwhile to contribute and that our own point of view, no matter how fond we are of them, is only one among many.

Perhaps that can be the beginning of a morally humble, sophisticated and pluralistic point of view, which is so necessary for the diverse and increas-ingly complex world we live in.

Farzana Nawaz is a Giz returning expert and editorial fellow at the Dhaka Tribune. She can be reached at farzana.nawaz@gmail.com.

Syria casts shadow over UN amid Iran hopes Louis Charbonneau

A slew of international crises takes centre stage this week as the UN General Assembly meets

in New York - Syria’s bloody civil war, the possible appearance of Sudan’s president despite an arrest warrant for alleged genocide, and outrage over a massive US cyberspying program.

There are also some hopes for good news. Many of the 193 UN member states are looking for signs of a thaw in relations between arch-enemies Iran and the United States.

US o� cials say a meeting is possible between President Barack Obama and Iran’s newly elected centrist President Hassan Rouhani, and if it happens, it would be the � rst meeting of US and Iranian government heads since before the 1979 revolution. That would mark a big change from the annual rants in recent years against Israel and the United States by Iran’s former presi-dent, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the top agenda item will be Syria’s 2-1/2-year civil war, which the United Nations says has killed more than 100,000 people and displaced millions, who have been forced to � ee the country.

No one expects a breakthrough in the crisis this week, though there may be approval of a UN resolution backing a US-Russian plan to rid Syria of chem-ical arms.

“Syria is the biggest peace, security and humanitarian challenge we face,” Ban told reporters last week. “Let us be clear - the use of chemical weapons in Syria is only the tip of the iceberg.The su� ering in Syria must end.” The resolution to be considered by the UN Security Council would back the US-Russian plan to remove Syria’s chemical weapons by June 2014 to avoid US air strikes.

Syria’s ally Russia and the United States continue to disagree sharply on how to end the war, with Mos-cow blaming the rebels for chemical attacks and blocking peace talks, and Western powers blaming Syrian Pres-ident Bashar al-Assad. Washington is still struggling to persuade Moscow not to veto another Syria resolution amid Russian objections to any threat of force against Assad’s government.

Israel v Iran

In his � fth General Assembly speech, Obama will on Tuesday touch on the Israeli-Palestinian peace process and the situation in the Middle East and North Africa, including Syria, the White House has said.

Two years ago, the fragile Israe-li-Palestinian peace process was the focus of the General Assembly. Pales-tinian President Mahmoud Abbas re-ceived a standing ovation as he waved his application for full UN member-ship, doomed due to US opposition, for an independent Palestinian state.

The White House said Obama plans to meet with Abbas in New York. He will also meet in Washington on September. 30 with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is listed as the last Gen-eral Assembly speaker on October 1.

Israel worries that some Western countries are eager to relax the crip-pling sanctions they have imposed on Iran for refusing to halt uranium en-richment. Netanyahu, diplomats say,

intends to o� er new warnings about Iran this year.

The General Assembly, which according to Ban will be attended by at least 131 heads of state or government and around 60 foreign ministers, will meet in a temporary container-like building due to the renovation of its iconic hall. Its narrow hallways and cramped rooms could facilitate a spontaneous meeting between Obama and Rouhani.

Brazil v US

Brazil’s President Dilma Rousse� is the � rst leader to take the podium when the annual General Debate opens on Tuesday. Her speech comes a week after she canceled a state visit to the United States because of revelations that Wash-ington spied on her personal communi-cations and those of other Brazilians.

“I don’t think Rousse� is going to pull her punches when she opens the General Assembly,” a European UN ambassador told Reuters. “And she’s not alone in being angry about the NSA (National Security Agency) spying program.”

It is not clear if Obama, who is the second speaker, will respond to any criticism from Rousse� .

Sudan v ICC

with Ahmadinejad absent, the most controversial � gure to appear this week may be Sudan’s President Omar Hassan al-Bashir, who is wanted by The Hague-based International Crim-inal Court for suspected genocide and other alleged crimes against humanity in Sudan’s Darfur region.

Bashir said on Sunday he planned to attend and had already booked a hotel in New York. He is slated to speak on Thursday afternoon.

Samantha Power, US ambassador to the UN, has described Bashir’s visa request as “deplorable.” However, the United States is not a member of the ICC, so US authorities are not legally bound to arrest Bashir. The United States also has a 1947 agreement with the UN allowing leaders of all member states – friend or foe – to attend UN events.

It would not be the � rst time a controversial � gure disliked by the US government appeared. Along with Ahmadinejad, former Libyan dictator Muammar Gadda� proved contro-versial with his rambling 1-1/2-hour speech against the West in 2009. Ven-ezuela’s late President Hugo Chavez called President George W. Bush “the devil” in 2006.

In 1974, Yasser Arafat, head of the Palestinian Liberation Organisation, wore a holster as he stood at the podium and denounced Zionism. And retired Cuban leader Fidel Castro’s four-hour speech in 1960, in which he blast-ed US imperialism, remains the longest General Assembly address to date.

This article has been yndicated from Reuters.

Gender equality and how Islam sees it Muhammad Eusha

One particular issue that Bangladesh has looked pretty concerned about in the past

few years is that of “gender equality.” Women and men are supposed to be equal to men in terms of “rights.”

According to feminists, women must be entitled to play any role in society that a man is able to play. A man is not to be di� erentiated from a woman in terms of ability and poten-tial. Moreover, the duties which are traditionally thought to be assumed only by women are to be shared by men as well.

For example, child-care at home is not to be considered as a duty only for females anymore. The male parent should contribute signi� cantly in du-ties such as changing diapers. In short, duties should not be, in any way, dependent on the sex of the person to which they are assigned.

What is wanted in the name of “gender-equality,” as has been dis-cussed in the last paragraph, is some-thing that makes my mind assume a sceptic disposition.

I think it is necessary to understand how many followers of Islam see it. There are fundamental di� erences, both physical and mental between men and women. Just as there are di� erences between a shirt and a pair of pants. They have di� erent attributes and serve di� erent purposes. A shirt is simply not designed to cover our bottom half and vice versa.

The concept of equality in the case of men and women is somewhat sim-ilar. Women are physically and mental-ly � t for the purpose nature asks them to serve. Men, on the other hand, have been assigned a duty in the society as well. Each of these two sexes has been given attributes that are useful in serving the purpose they are intended to serve.

To illustrate the concept introduced in the last paragraph, let us consider the physical structure of the sexes. Women have been given the physi-cal mechanism needed to not only harbour a baby for ten months but to nurse and feed it in the later phase. It is interesting to note that men’s breasts are unable to feed the baby. God has created this discrimination.

Believers can argue that the Creator could have given men one breast for feeding babies and women another. But instead, women have to bear both.

In the same way men do not carry the baby for four and a half months and then ask women to carry it for four

and a half more. The woman must car-ry it all by herself! These physical signs clearly indicate that it is the woman who is intended to carry the baby and feed it.

The man, on the other hand has a tougher structure, can go through physical strain and endure adverse conditions. This indicates that while the mother is carrying the baby, the man is supposed to work and support her adequately. The division of respon-sibilities is thus pretty clear. It is thus

unwise and against the fundamental laws of nature to claim that no di� er-ence should exist in terms of responsi-bilities between men and women.

There are many who would stand up and point out that despite having physical di� erences, men and women

are equal in terms of mental qualities and abilities. This is very true indeed! Women can not only be as intelligent as men are but sometimes can show surpassing mental abilities. It is de� -nitely not true that women are inferior performers in mathematics or other technical � elds of knowledge.

Studies show that women are less represented than men in higher level mathematics and scienti� c subjects in America. America is still not produc-ing as many female physicists as male

ones, even though, in terms of educa-tion and other civil rights, a woman in America “enjoys” so called equality with men. Science is still powerfully dominated by men.

Why is there such a strange and un-expected imbalance? Women are not stopped from enrolling themselves in courses on physics and mathematics. Perhaps women, in general, are simply not interested in being a Newton or an Einstein!

Women in general, go wherever you may, are interested in the sources of love. They want to bond. They want to build a family. I have met women of varying educational achievements of di� erent nationalities. Nowhere did a woman ever seem more interested in the quantum mechanical model of the hydrogen atom than her own family and above all, her man.

One wonders where the question of men being “better” than women comes in. It is incredibly stupid to call women inferior or to call men superior. They have separate qualities, separate abilities and separate duties. I believe Islam has shown a remarkable astuteness in assigning duties to the

sexes. Men and women have been giv-en responsibilities that they are � t for.

Some writers in our country, in� u-enced by some writers from the West, support concepts of gender-equality and feel embarrassed about how our country is not developing because our women are not as liberated as the ones in other lands.

They also try to somehow establish that Islam says women are equal to men. I do not think women were ever declared to be equal to men in Islam. One may disagree with what Islam says and say women are equal to men, but no one should fabricate a quote to support their point of view.

Islam never raised an objection against women studying, working or running businesses. If Islam ever imposed certain restrictions on the free-mingling of women and men, it was to ensure the safety of women and to ensure that the society does not become immoral by indulging in pleas-ure and lust, while forgetting that the real goal of life is to achieve spiritual purity.

Mohammad Eusha is a freelance contributor.

Syria’s ally Russia and the United States continue to disagree sharply on how to end the war

Morality gave large groups of people (beyond family or clan) the ability to come together and accomplish great things

Should we be all compelled now to become moral pragmatists and give up our ideals for middle-ground compromises?

I believe Islam has shown a remarkable astuteness in assigning duties to the sexes. Men and women have been given responsibilities that they are � t for

Paradox of righteousness: In Egypt, a nation torn by fundamentalism, Brotherhood supporters � ghting for ‘democracy‘ pelt an army tank supposedly protecting secularism AFP

Family drama series Shanti Niloy airs on NTV Entertainment Desk

The family Drama series “Shanti Niloy” airs on NTV at 9:45pm. It will be aired every Wednesday and Thursday. The drama is written by Abul Hayat and di-rected by Amlan Biswas.

Popular soap actors Abul Hayat, Sharmili Ahmed, Raisul Islam Asad, KS Firoz, Intekhab Dinar, Najnin Hasan Chumky, Shatabdy Wadud, Jeny, Ara-by, Shoshy, Nayan, Nishu and many more stars can be seen in the drama.

tory of the drama series revolves around Mr Rashid and his family. His wife is a peaceful woman. Rashid has a daughter named Reshma who is a uni-versity student.

She is in a relationship with a guy named Shihab who is a � nal year engineering student. Rashid’sorphan nephew Kajol, who is doing his PhD in Human Relations, lives with them. An emotional mental patient named Bijly who is their neighbor, bothers Kajol.

Another family member Nishi, an orphan and a divorcee who is Rashid’s neice, also resides with them.

Finally, Monir who is a street child, is also included in the family.

One day Rashid decides that he will rent out half of his house, under the condition that the tenant should be from his hometown. After a wait, he � -nally � nds a suitable candidate.

EntertainmentDHAKA TRIBUNE Tuesday, September 24, 201312

ExhibitionUnseen Splendourby legendary artist SM Sultan artworks12pm-8pmBengal Gallery of Fine Arts Dhanmondi

TheaterKadambiniPrangon (India), 7pmNational Theatre HallBangladesh Shilpakala AcademySegunbagicha

ConcertRenaissanceTime: 9pm- late nightSpaghetti JazzRob Bhaban (5th Floor), Plot 3Gulshan 2

FestivalNorth & South Indian Food FestivalSeasonal Tastes restaurantThe Westin DhakaGulshan 2

FilmDespicable Me 2 3DOz The Great and PowerfulNishwartha BhalobasaJurassic Park in 3DStar CineplexBasundhara City

TODAY IN DHAKA

Ramleela faces FIR for hurting religious sentiment Entertainment Desk

The release of “Ramleela’s” trailer has creat-ed uproar in Jaipur among religious extrem-ists. The trailer that got rave reviews from critics has now stirred up a controversy for allegedly “hurting religious sentiments.”

On Saturday, a Jaipur court directed po-lice to register a case against the � lmmaker along with actors Ranveer Singh and Deep-ika Padukone for turning di� erent groups against each other on religious grounds. Advocate Pawan Sharma has � led a com-plaint against the � lm, in the court of the additional chief metropolitan magistrate.

“In the complaint, we have stated that

going by the promo, the movie ‘Ramleela,’ which is slated for release on November 15, is promoting enmity between di� erent groups on the grounds of religion,” said Sharma. He said that the court took cogni-zance of the complaint and asked Jaipur’s Shyam Nagar police station to register a � rst information report (FIR). “The court has directed the police to investigate the complaint,” he added. At press time, the FIR had not yet been lodged at the police station.

When we asked the � lm’s publicists about the controversy, they said: “There is no o� cial statement on the matter from the makers as of now.”

X-Men director to produce Kaiju monster drama

Entertainment Desk

Guillermo del Toro’s “Paci� c Rim” made Kaiju (giant creatures inspired by the Japanese monster movie genre of the same name) all the rage this sum-

mer, and now “X-Men” director Bryan Singer is getting in on the craze.

According to “Deadline,” Singer and his Bad Hat Harry production house are producing a “modern monster drama” for the SyFy network called

“Creature At Bay.” It’ll start with a 90-minute pilot episode written by John Cabrera, who created the digital se-ries H+ (also produced by Singer).

The pilot sounds like it’ll kick o� in a similar fashion to “Paci� c Rim” (one of whose Kaiju is pic-tured above). “Crea-ture At Bay” will take place in the after-math of a Kaiju attackon northern Califor-nia, after the US mili-tary successfully takes the giant monster down.

Rather than focus on more huge battles, however, it sounds like “Creature At Bay” will take a closer look at how the attack and its aftermath bring

the world’s attention on a small town, presumably where the incident took place.

There’s no word on when we might see “Creature At Bay.” It sounds like the show is still in the early phases.

James goes for digital distribution

Entertainment Desk

Due to the proliferation of online pi-racy, musicians are going for digitial releases of their previous and upcom-ing works on legal digital platforms to control this exploitation. Recently, rock star James of Nagar Baul went for the safe route of digitising his works and making them available internationally.

James signed up with ME Label, a company dedicated to digitising works of Bangladeshi singers and bring some semblance of control to the widespread of online piracy. Through this venture, James is distributing his albums inter-nationally and the bulk of James’ dis-cography is available on major music platforms including iTunes, Amazon, Rhapsody and Google Play.

ME Label will also be releasing two

compilations of some of James’ hit songs with the title “James Mix Volume 1 and 2.”

The signing took place at Mushroom Entertainment’s headquarters in New York City with CEO Rousseau Mannan, CFO Manim Mahmud and James.

James is the lead guitarist and vocal of the band Nagar Baul. For his distinct voice, unique style and breakthrough lyrics, James is one of the biggest stars in the rock music arena of Bangladesh. He is called guru by his numerous sup-porters who consider him their spiritu-al leader.

Along with his successful career in Bangladesh, James is also popular in India for lending his voice to a few su-per hit Bollywood tracks.

He met Pritom, a famous Bangali music director of Bollywood in 2004.

In 2005, James was the playback singer in a movie named “Gangster.” The song “Bheegi Bheegi” was a blockbuster hit. The song remained at the top of Bolly-wood Hit List for more than a month, and James became a star in India.

Then he sang another song named “Chal Chalein” in a movie named “Woh Lamhe” in 2006. This was also another massive hit. In 2007, he was again the playback singer for two songs titled “Rishtey” and “Alvida (Reprise)” in the movie named “Life in a Metro.” Both songs were successful and James cre-ated a unique seat for himself in Bolly-wood.

James is also working on an unre-leased song named “Bebasi” in a movie named “Warning.” The movie will re-lease in late 2013 and is the most expen-sive movie in Bollywood’s history.

Brazilian guitar maestro to perform at Alliance Française de Dhaka Entertainment Desk

The Embassy of Brazil in Bangladesh and Alliance Française de Dhaka pres-ents an “Exceptional Recital” by Arnal-do Freire, the world-famous Brazilian classical guitar maestro on Friday, Sep-tember 27 at 6:30pm at La Galerie, AFD.

Arnaldo is the � rst Brazilian musi-cian to visit Bangladesh. He will feature a number of well-known Brazilian gui-tar pieces by famous composers of his country.

On September 28 at 6 pm, he will be giving a master class on “Brazilian guitar: techniques and styles” in AFD’s auditori-um. Persons interested in attending this special class are requested to register as soon as possible at AFD’s reception of-� ce and pay a fee of Tk1,000. During his master class, the maestro will focus on di� erent Brazilian music styles, chords, and rhythmic structure, such as Bossa Nova, Samba, Choro and Frevo.

Learners are expected to bene� t immensely from such an exciting and exceptional master class, as it will o� er them an awareness of the di� erences between European classical music and Brazilian music, the latter being very colorful and complex in texture.

Tisha to develop cultural ties with Korea Shadma Malik

Popular actor Nusrat Imrose Tisha has been appointed as the Goodwill Am-bassador for Public Diplomacy for a pe-riod of two years by the Minister of For-eign A� airs of the Republic of Korea.

The announcement was o� cially declared yesterday, and Ambassador of Korea Lee Yun-young handed over the appointment letter, followed by a reception at the embassy. The selection of a Bangladeshi as an ambassador of public diplomacy is due to the fact that Korea and Bangladesh are celebrating forty years of diplomatic ties.

Appreciating the cooperation and honour bestowed to her by the Em-bassy, Tisha expressed: “I’m honoured and excited to promote the culture of the Republic of Korea to the people of Bangladesh. I will also try my level best to have successful a cultural exchange between the two countries.”

The ambassador of Korea believes that Tisha will be able to work with the

embassy closely to enhance mutual understanding and promoting further cultural exchange between the two countries.

The ambassador said: “At the Busan Film Festival in October 2012, ‘Televi-sion’ was appreciated by the people. The young talented actor Tisha’s per-formance in the movie amazed the viewers. For diplomatic cultural ex-change, we believe Tisha is the perfect one to promote the culture of Korea to the people of Bangladesh.”

While talking about � lm Television’s entry at the Oscars, Tisha comments: “I believe that I am blessed with good luck and in recent times. Much good news is coming my way. I feel great that people are acknowledging my e� orts and inspiring me in various aspects.”

“The � lm ‘Television’ was selected for various internationals festival and was highly appreciated by all,” Tisha said. “It is so wonderful that ‘Televi-sion’ is representing Bangladesh at the 86th Academy Awards.”

Unseen Splendour: Joarder discovers treasure trove SM Sultan’s 86 unseen sketches on display at Bengal Gallery

Yusuf Banna

Abul Kashem Joarder, friend of legendary artist SM Sultan, serendipitously discovered a drawing book of a from a pile of books and papers left un-cared for. A total of 86 unsigned sketches done in charcoal and pencil were in Joarder’s posses-sion, and now these are on displayed at Bengal Gallery with the title “Unseen Splendour.”

His hardships over decades about these draw-ings has now turned out be the true tale of Solo-mon’s treasure.

Each of the drawings are priced at more than Tk100,000, and in total, the artworks are worth more than Tk10m.

Joarder, a presidency graduate of geography, was a teacher at Michael Madhusudan College in Jessore in the � fties where he met Sultan, and the two became friends. Later Joarder moved to Dhaka’s Shiddheswari, and on a trip to Dha-ka, Sultan stayed there for a few days. That was when he did the sketches. Joarder kept the sketch book for decades and then forgot about it.

He rediscovered it a few months ago, when his nephew Syed Aminul Haque Kaiser asked

him about his days with Sultan.Joarder shared: “I’m happy to get such an

honour from Bengal Gallery.”Art critic Moinuddin Khaled said to the Dhaka

Tribune: “The show is a historical incident, be-cause very little information is available about Sultan’s life in � fties and sixties, and his work during that time was totally unseen until this ex-hibition. Now  a whole new dimension is created contextually to judge the rare genius of Sultan.”

Moinuddin said: “Due to the ravages of time, all the papers of the sketchbook have become se-pia brown but the contours of the drawings are intact.”

“The bold lines of the sketches hold the signa-ture of Sultan and the authenticity of these are beyond question,” he added.

The artworks mostly deal with well-built hu-man � gures in his signature style, with a rural backdrop.  With simplicity, his solitary life sur-rounded by pets and wild animals in Narail was also re� ected in a few displayed works. 

The exhibition also features a � ute hand-carved and used by Sultan himself.

The show will continue till October 11.

RAJIB D

HA

R

14

13DHAKA TRIBUNETuesday, September 24, 2013

SportDid you know?

14 15 Alonso cycling team plans collapse

AC Milan striker Mario Balotelli’s run of 26 successful penalties

in a row was ended by Napoli goalkeeper Pepe

Reina during their Serie A match against AC Milan

on Sunday

Honours even in ‘El Cashico’

Ronaldo leads Real rout

Former national captains- Minhajul Abedin Nannu(3L), Habibul Bashar Sumon(2R) and Director of Pran RFL group Eleas Mridha(C) hold on a jersey each during a press conference of the Pran-Frooto BSJA Media Cup Cricket at the BOA auditorium yesterday MUMIT M

Grandmaster Ziaur Rahman ponders his next move during his National ‘A’ Chess Championship match against Mohammed Ha� zul Islam Chapal at the BOA media centre yesterday MUMIT M

Zahid misses meeting, criticises coach

Raihan Mahmood

National winger Zahid Hossain ap-peared at the BFF House yesterday but was too late to be o� cially interviewed by the Fact Finding Committee.

Zahid was due at the BFF House at 3:00pm but arrived at around 5:00pm as

the committee members were about to leave. Chairman of the committee Badal Roy said they just had time to exchange greetings. Earlier Zahid was asked to ap-pear before the Fact Finding Committee on Sunday but he could not be reached by any means.

Zahid explained the situation. “I am su� ering from high fever and I was not in Dhaka, I was in Tangail and my mo-bile phone network does not work well inside my house, that’s why BFF failed to communicate with me. However I saw in the newspapers what was going on so I started from Tangail but there was tra� c and I couldn’t arrive in time.”

Zahid underperformed in Bangla-desh’s � rst Sa� match against Nepal and was left out for the second game against India. He reportedly misbehaved with head coach Lodewijk de Kruif after be-ing questioned about his performance in the match against Nepal. Zahid re-turned to the side for the match against Pakistan but apart from creating an early chance for Emily, he was failed to impose himself on the game.

Zahid seemed angry with the coach’s attitude. “I could not play well as the head coach did not allow me to play

my way and because of that, I could not play well. I was also a little worried over the issue of taking money from two clubs and that might have also a� ected my performance,” he said.

Zahid thought that he was a victim of Lodewijk de Kruif’s whim. “I may not play under him in the national fold. He is a high-pro� le coach from a high-pro-� le country and we are low-pro� le play-ers of a low-pro� le country. How did he came to know that I had taken money from two clubs? When he brought it up, it made me shaky. Why didn’t he pick me against India? Everybody does not know how to play pressing football, I was trying to play how he wanted me to play,” said Zahid.

The winger also thought that exces-sive training contributed to the team’s failure in Nepal. “He made us work three sessions per day. We did not fully recover from the pressure. Mamunul was not there and I failed to make good combinations with other player and it also a� ected the team’s performance.

The Fact Finding Committee � n-ished their investigation by interview-ing forward Shakahwat Hossian Rony, who appeared before Zahid.

Sha� q continues to dominate Shishir Hoque

Sha� q Ahmed of Golden Chess Club continued his winning streak in the Berger Paints 39th National ‘A’ Chess Championship as he defeated Md Ja-mal yesterday to keep his solo lead at the top of the points table after 3rd round. Grandmasters Zia, Rakib and International Master Sagar shared the second spot.

Sha� q played with black pieces with Dutch defense and won the game after 45 moves at the media centre of Ban-gladesh Olympic Association (BOA). With maximum 3 points, Sha� q will have real test today when he faces GM Rakib in the 4th round.

However, GMs Ziaur Rahman and Abdullah Al Rakib also registered vic-tories in their respective third round match yesterday. Zia, who played with black pieces, beat Mohammed Ha� zul Islam Chapal while Rakib played with white pieces in Torre attack and beat Debaraj in 35 moves. IM Minhazud-din Ahmed Sagar beat IM Abu Su� an Shakil.

Reigning champion GM Niaz Mur-shed, placed third, drew with Razib. Niaz o� ered draw after 23 moves but Razib refused and continued the game before Razib agreed to the proposal in the 33rd move.

In the day’s other games, Fide Mas-ter Mehdi Hasan Parag of Access Group beat his teammate FM Kh Aminul Is-lam and FM Sk Nasir Ahmed drew with FM Mohammad Javed.

Battle of the Primes Mazhar Uddin

After three matches, most teams are not where they expected to be and the fourth round matches of

the Dhaka Premier League (DPL) that begin today promises exciting action. Three matches will be played today, with two crucial games involving defending champions Victoria Sporting Club and last year’s runners-up Prime Bank Cricket Club.

It will be a battle between the Primes at BKSP-3. Prime Bank and this year’s giant killing side Prime Doleshwar share second spot behind Mohammedan SC, who have all three of their games to head the points table.

Doleshwar, who survived a relegation scare last season by a whisker, are a spirited side with national players likes Mominul Haque and Sohag Gazi along with their Sri Lankan recruit Roshane Shiwanka Silva in � ne form as well. After beating Abahani in their second game, Doleshwar dominated favourites Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club and defeated them by seven wickets.

Prime Bank, on the other hand, will heavily rely on their batting options like hard hitting Ziaur Rahman and Sri

Lankan Bhanuka Rajapaksha and with Zimbabwean skipper Brendon Taylor they look a strong batting unit.

The holders of the major 50-over tournament Victoria, led by Tigers all-rounder Nasir Hossain, are sitting at seventh spot with three points while their opponent Kalabagan Krira Chakra are placed 10th in the table with just one win under their belt. Kalabagan, captained by Naeem Islam, lost two close matches in the league so far and they will want to make sure they don’t su� er the same fate today at Fatullah. But there is no good news for them as their star all-rounder Shakib-al-Hasan will be unavailable in this match also as the left hander is yet to recover from his thumb injury.

Meanwhile at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, Gazi Tank Cricketers will be facing lowly Cricket Coaching School (CCS), who are yet to register a point this year. With two wins so far, Gazi led by Mahmudullah will be favourites for the game and it looks CCS will have to wait a bit longer to get on board. It will be a glorious chance for Gazi fast bowler Rubel Hossain to go ahead in the wicket taking tally. The quickie has been in � ne form this season, bagging 13 wickets in three matches that include two � ve-fors and a hat-trick.

Pran-BSJA Media Cup begins today Raihan Mahmood

The Pran-Frooto BSJA Media Cup Cricket comprising 26 media houses of the country starts at the Moulana Bhashani Hockey Stadium today.

The tournament, organised by Bangladesh Sports Journalists Association (BSJA) and sponsored by Pran RFL.

In the o� cial press conference of the meet former national captains and national selectors - Minhajul Abedin Nannu and Habibul Bashar Sumon, former star national cricket opener Mehrab Hossain Opee and Ms. Afroza Nannu drew the number of the draw.

Director of Pran RFL group Eleas Mridha, Brand Manager of Pran RFL Group Mohammadur Atikur Rahman, BSJA President Syeeduzzaman, General Secretary Syed Sayeedur Rahman Shameem and tournament director Arifur Rahman Babu were also present on the occasion.

The participating media houses include ATN News, Channel 71, Channel 24, New Age, Daily Star, Gazi TV, Channel 9, Bangla Vision, Naya Diganta, Manabzamin Alokito Bangladesh The Independent, Kaler Kantho, Channel I, Prothom Alo ,Dhaka Tribune, Maasranga TV, Radio Today, Ittefaq, Boishakhi TV, RTV, BSS RisingBD, Shamokal, Shokaler Khobor, New Nation.

England hit back at Lehmann’s ‘dour’ jibe AFP

England defended their approach to cricket aafter Australia coach Darren Lehmann said Monday they were a “dour side”.

Although England completed a third straight Ashes Test series win at home to Australia last month by tak-ing a � ve-match series 3-0, they were criticised for an excessively defensive approach with both bat and ball.

Lehmann, was asked on a BBC ra-dio show what he thought of England’s style. “Dour. It’s not the type of cricket I’d play. At times I’d like to see their over-rates picked up,” Lehmann replied.

Lehmann also called on the Austra-lian public to make life so di� cult for Broad during the Ashes rematch he will want to cry and go home.

His comments saw him � ned by the International Cricket Council while former Australia captain Ian Chappell said Lehmann had been a “hypocrite”

as Australians, who’ve traditionally al-ways waited for the umpire’s decision, were in no position to complain about opponents who didn’t walk.

England managing director of crick-et Hugh Morris, responding to Lehm-ann’s latest remarks, said he’d no prob-lems with the brand of cricket played by Alastair Cook’s side.

“I’m really happy with our style,” Morris said Monday at a Lord’s news conference to announce England’s Ashes squad.

“Over the last � ve years our results have spoken for themselves. Over the last 12 months since Alastair Cook be-came captain we’ve played four (Test) series, we’ve won three and drawn one,” the former England batsman added.

“That included a win in India, which was the � rst time (for England and where Australia were whitewashed 4-0 earlier this year) in 28 years, and a 3-0 win against Australia here (in Eng-land).

Championship league in 3 phases Shishir Hoque

The BFF professional football league committee meeting at the BFF house yesterday came to the decision that the next season of the Bangladesh Champi-onship League (2013-14) will be held in three phases like the Bangladesh Pre-mier League.

The committee also decided to hold the players’ transfer window for the Bangladesh Championship League from October 20 to November 20.

the championship clubs are not eligible to take part in the Super Cup, there will be a new tournament named the “Champions Cup” for the 2nd tier clubs. Apart from this, the champion-ship clubs will play in the Federation Cup and Independence Cup, and the Federation Cup is expected to be held next month.

Three new venues have been recom-mended for the season- Shaheed Miraj-Tapan Stadium in Manikganj, Bhasha Shaheed Barkat Stadium in Gazipur and Tangail Sadium.

Honours even in 'El Cashico' AFP

Monaco came from behind to earn a 1-1 draw with de-fending French champions Paris Saint-Germain on Sunday to keep hold of top spot in Ligue 1.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic volleyed PSG into an early lead in the French capital, but Monaco’s 60-million-euro striker Radamel Falcao bundled in an equaliser for the visitors as the � rst clash between the league’s two � nancial heavyweights � nished level.

The draw kept Monaco in � rst place on 14 points, two ahead of PSG, who moved into second, ahead of Saint-Eti-enne on goal di� erence.

“It was a good match. Paris played well but so did we,” said Monaco boss Claudio Ranieri.

Ibrahimovic had endured a slow start to the season with just one goal prior to Sunday, but last year’s leading scorer made an immediate impact at the Parc des Princes as he gave PSG a � fth-minute lead.

Falcao then hauled Monaco level on

20 minutes as he threw himself at Joao Moutinho’s teasing cross into the box, the Colombian bravely putting his body on the line to head beyond Salvatore Sirigu.

Ibrahimovic was soon played through by Marco Verratti but the striker elected to cut back onto his right foot and, rather than shooting, over hit a chip towards the far post as he tried to pick out an ad-vancing Lavezzi.

There was further frustration for Ibra-himovic after the interval as he � icked a low cross from Lavezzi the wrong side of the post.

Ferreira Carrasco volleyed wide when

well placed, while substitute James Ro-driguez and Layvin Kurzawa took turns to test Sirigu from distance but the con-test began to peter out as the second half wore on.

However, Cavani twice very nearly snatched all three points for PSG in stop-page time. The Uruguayan was � rstly denied by a fantastic sliding interven-tion from Andrea Raggi after he chested down Blaise Matuidi’s lofted pass and shot on the turn before he sent a header narrowly wide of the near post as Mona-co withstood a late threat.

“We put them in di� culty, we had the chances but we failed to take them. We can be happy with the performance we produced, (it was) one of the best of the season,” said PSG mid� elder Blaise Matuidi.

Earlier, Lyon halted a run of six matches without a victory as they beat promoted Nantes 3-1.

Nice climbed to � fth after thumping lowly Valenciennes 4-0 to mark the inau-guration of their new Allianz Riviera sta-dium in style, while Lorient fought back from two goals down at home to draw 3-3 with Bordeaux.

In-form Barcelona host struggling Sociedad AFP

Two of Spain’s four Champions League participants go head-to-head for the � rst time this season when Barcelona host Real Sociedad at the Camp Nou on Tuesday.

The Basques have had an unhappy time since securing quali� cation to the Champions League for the � rst time in a decade with an impressive 4-0 aggre-gate victory over Lyon.

Jagoba Arrasate’s men have taken just two points from three league games against Levante, Atletico Ma-drid and Malaga since and were also beaten at home Shakhtar Donetsk in their Champions League opener.

However, captain Xabi Prieto is con-� dent that despite going to arguably the toughest venue in Spain, they can turn things around quickly.

“We can’t always score four goals. Indeed, we have had clean sheets in � ve of the eight games we have played and this in the long-term in a good

thing,” he told the club’s website.“We are making chances and if we

continue to do so then the goals will arrive.

“After � ve games we have six points, it is not a crisis situation, but it is obvi-ous that we would like to have more points and we believe we can do more.

“Now we have to concentrate on Barcelona who are a fantastic team and even more so in their own stadium, but we go there believing we can achieve something.”

By contrast, Barcelona have started the league season with � ve straight wins and started to show signs of their best form with consecutive 4-0 victo-ries over Ajax and Rayo Vallecano in the past week.

Ronaldo leads Real rout Reuters

Gareth Bale injured himself in the warmup and was forced to wait for his Bernabeu debut but Real Madrid did not miss

him as Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice in a 4-1 win over Getafe in La Liga on Sunday.

Getafe stunned the home crowd by scoring after only � ve minutes, as the visitors played on amid appeals for a possible foul on Ronaldo, and La� ta’s long-range shot was de� ected past a wrong-footed Diego Lopez.

Getafe’s Angel La� ta made the most of another sluggish start from Real, though normal order was soon restored when Pepe equalised in the 19th minute and Ronaldo scored with a penalty in the 33rd as the chances fell thick and fast. Isco grabbed his fourth of the campaign after the break, and after Getafe were reduced to 10 men.

The game was put beyond doubt when Ronaldo took a quick free kick out on the left � ank, setting Isco clear in the area and the Spanish interna-tional curled a shot inside the far post.

Carlo Ancelotti’s side moved up to third with 13 points from � ve games, two behind joint leaders Barcelona and Atletico Madrid, who both maintained perfect starts with wins on Saturday.

“We put them in di� culty, we had the chances but we failed to take them. We can be happy with the performance

we produced, (it was) one of the best of the season.”

Promoted Villarreal remained un-beaten on their return to the top � ight but slipped to fourth with 11 points, after being held to a 0-0 draw at Celta Vigo.

Brazilian striker Jonas scored twice to help Valencia to a 3-1 home win over bottom side Sevilla, easing the pres-sure on new coach Miroslav Djukic af-ter four straight defeats in all competi-tions.

Jonas stroked in the opener late in the � rst half, and after Sevilla equal-ised just after the break, he struck a wonderful low shot from outside the area. Victor Ruiz looped in a header for the third in the 82nd minute.

Valencia climbed to ninth with six points, one ahead of Real Betis in 12th, who drew 0-0 at home with Andalu-sian rivals Granada.

A third goalless draw in four outings for Pepe Mel’s Betis showed they con-tinue to struggle without last season’s injured top scorer Ruben Castro.

ResultsLorient 3-3 BordeauxAboubakar 23, Diabate 8-pen,Monnet-Paquet 44, Sertic 24, Saivet 30S. Diallo 58

Lyon 3-1 Nantes B. Gomis 26, Veretout 24Grenier 55, Briand 72

Nice 4-0 ValenciennesCvitanich 32-pen,Bautheac 44,Bruls 69, Bosetti 73

FixturesBarcelona v Real SociedadLevante v ValladolidMalaga v Almeria Atletico Madrid v Osasuna

ResultsReal Betis 0-0 Granada

Celta Vigo 0-0 Villarreal

Real Madrid 4-1 Getafe Pepe 19, La� ta 6Ronaldo 33-pen90+2, Isco 59

Valencia 3-1 SevillaJonas 33, 74 Gameiro 52Victor Ruiz 82

ResultMilan 1-2 Napoli 2 Balotelli 90+1 Britos 6, Higuain 53

SportDHAKA TRIBUNE Tuesday, September 24, 201314

Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates scoring against Getafe during their La Liga match at Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid on Sunday REUTERS

Epic win for Napoli AFP

Napoli goalkeeper Pepe Reina ended Mario Balo-telli’s career streak of 21 successive penalties but failed to see his side re-claim top spot Sunday de-

spite a � rst away league win over Milan in 27 years.

Napoli’s 2-1 win was their � rst Serie A victory over the Rossoneri at the San Siro since a side led by Argentine legend Di-ego Maradona beat Milan in April 1986.

But despite Rafael Benitez’s men dominating Massimiliano Allegri’s in-jury-hit side, the Azzurri failed to hold on to the two-goal lead that would have seen them reclaim top spot after Balotelli reduced the arrears in injury time.

Napoli opened the scoring after just six minutes when Miguel Britos headed home Raul Albiol’s headed delivery from

Jose Callejon’s free kick. Then Christian Abbiati failed to hold a

rocket from Gonzalo Higuain despite the Argentinian falling to the ground as he struck with his right foot.

Barely 10 minutes later Balotelli was fouled in the area but despite being un-beaten in 21 previous attempts for club and country in his career, he saw his spot-kick e� ort stopped by Reina.

Balotelli � nally beat Reina when, in the � rst minute of injury time, he sent a curling shot from the edge of the area past the Spanish keeper at his far post.

Milan pressed for an equaliser but fell to their second reverse of the campaign and remain 11th, eight points adrift of Roma and Napoli.

Napoli goalkeeper Pepe Reina celebrates after saving a penalty against AC Milan during their Italian Serie A match at the San Siro stadium in Milan on Sunday REUTERS

Paris Saint-Germain's Swedish forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the French L1 football match against AS Monaco at the Parc des Princes Stadium in Paris on Sunday AFP

Moyes plugs in the hairdryer Reuters

Manchester United manager David Moyes left his players in no doubt about his feelings after a crushing 4-1 defeat at rivals Manchester City had him holding his head in his hands.

Monday’s newspapers reported that the Scot had given his beaten side a blast of the infamous Alex Ferguson ‘hairdry-er’ treatment after the match.

Moyes, who took over from compa-triot Ferguson at the end of last season, refused to con� rm the full intensity of the dressing down but it was clear some hair had been ru� ed at the very least.

“It’s just what I’d have done if I’d... I’ve been here many times with Everton

and don’t think I’ve su� ered a defeat like this with Everton,” the former Goodison boss told reporters when asked whether he had resorted to a � rst use of his pre-decessor’s favourite appliance.

“So I just told the players the way I would have told players at any other club if I don’t think they’re doing it.” added Moyes. “They’re good players, they’re good pros, they know when they’re bang at it and when they’re not.”

The headlines talked of a humilia-tion, rather than just a beating, for Pre-mier League champions whose limita-tions were cruelly exposed.

United were without striker Robin van Persie, who did not start due to a groin injury, but Moyes refused to use

that as an excuse.Instead, the manager demanded an

immediate reaction from his players in the Capital One (League) Cup tie at home to Liverpool on Wednesday.

“We’ll make sure we react. Every manager has bad results. I’m no di� er-ent.”

United were 4-0 down after 50 min-utes and City’s new manager Manuel Pellegrini said he too was surprised by the scoreline.

“You don’t expect to win 4-1 against Manchester United,” he told reporters. “It’s very big and the way we did it is al-ways important.

“We will enjoy this. It gives the team a lot of con� dence.”

Di Canio sacked by Sunderland AFP

Paolo di Canio was sacked as manager of basement club Sunderland on Sunday after just seven months in charge of the north-east side.

Sunderland announced they had part-ed company with the � ery Italian a day after Saturday’s 3-0 defeat at West Brom-wich Albion left them bottom of the table with just one point from their opening � ve league games.

“Sunderland AFC con� rms that it has parted company with head coach Paolo di Canio this evening,” a club statement said as the curtain came down on his brief spell at the Stadium of Light which only started on March 31.

“Kevin Ball will take charge of the squad ahead of Tuesday night’s Capital One (League) Cup game against Peterbor-ough United,” the statement said.

Sunderland’s defeat at the Hawthorns was compounded by the fact West Brom’s opening goal was scored by Ste-phane Sessegnon, a player sold to the Midlands club by di Canio amid some bit-terness on transfer deadline day.

'Much more to come from Ozil' Reuters

Mesut Ozil’s three assists in table-top-ping Arsenal’s 3-1 victory over Stoke City were merely a sign of things to come, manager Arsene Wenger said on Sunday.

Wenger has already compared the club’s record 42 million pounds ($67 million) signing to former favourite Dennis Bergkamp in his ability to in� u-ence games.

“I believe that once he is completely integrated we’ll see even more of him but he has shown today that he is a great player,” Wenger said of the Ger-man playmaker.

“You could see today he has a good pace as well. At the moment he focuses a lot on his passing but he can create in-dividually as well.

“When you look at his numbers, the assists are not a coincidence, it’s just the reality of his game.”

Arsenal’s ability to challenge for the title will hinge on Ozil’s impact and his three games so far augur well.

“He is a similar type (to Bergkamp),” Wenger said in the Sunday Telegraph in the buildup to the game.

“I think Ozil, at the start, has more a mid� elder’s mentality. But he can score, yes.

Ozil’s status as Arsenal’s playmaker behind striker Olivier Giroud will also help lift some of the weight o� Jack Wilshere’s shoulders with Wenger say-ing the England mid� elder was exhaust-ed in the Stoke game.

“Jack played now � ve games. Nor-mally I should have rested him today but he did � ght very hard and he was a bit exhausted in the end and that’s why I decided to take him o� ,” Wenger said.

Sport 15DHAKA TRIBUNE Tuesday, September 24, 2013

ESPN

1:55pm AFC Cup 2013 LIVE Padang v East Bengal11:55pm Liga BBVA 2013/14 LIVEBarcelona v Real SociedadStar Sports2013 CLT 20 LIVE4:20pm Titans v Brisbane Heat8:20pm T&T v Sunrisers HyderabadTen Sports

10:55pm DFB Pokal 2013/14 LIVE1860 Munich v Dortmund

Istanbul derby halted after fans rush pitchHundreds of fans halted the Istanbul derby between Galatasaray and Besiktas after storming the pitch at Istanbul’s Olympic Stadium on Sunday, local media reported. Police used teargas in an attempt to restrain fans who rushed on to the � eld after Galatasaray mid� elder Felipe Melo was shown a red card, CNN Turk said. Galatasaray were leading 2-1 in the third minute of added time when the match was halted, sending the play-ers sprinting for the safety of the locker rooms. The match was the � rst Istanbul derby of the season and follows months of civil unrest in Turkey’s largest city over government plans to demolish a city park at the central square of Taksim. Besiktas’ politicised fan base, dubbed ‘Carsi’, was a prominent force in the anti-government protests and often clashed with police during the peak of the unrest in June.

– Reuters

Thiago Silva likely to miss for weeksParis St Germain centre back Thiago Sil-va will be out of action for an unde� ned period after picking up a thigh injury during Sunday’s 1-1 Ligue 1 home draw against Monaco, coach Laurent Blanc said. “He will have to undergo examina-tions tomorrow or the day after,” Blanc told a news conference. “It’s obviously a muscular problem so I think we have lost him for a little while.” Thiago Silva appeared to receive the injury in the 15th minute by jumping for a defensive header and immediately asked to be replaced. With Alex already out of the game injured, the French champions had to play with an unusual pairing of close season recruit Marquinhos and substitute Zoumana Camara.

– Reuters

Hulk happy in Russia and nearing top formZenit Saint Petersburg’s Brazilian forward Hulk on Monday said he was happy in Russia and nearing top form after an emphatic weekend victory left his side as joint league leaders. Hulk, 27, sought to lay to rest rumours that he was unsettled at Zenit after his side clinched a con� dent 4-0 win over hosts Rostov at the weekend. Zenit, Spartak Moscow and reigning champions CSKA Moscow are all on 20 points from nine matches after this weekend’s round of matches with Zenit taking the � rst spot due to their better goal di� erence. Hulk, who has yet to regain top form after a leg injury, said that he pushed himself to the limit in both of the matches which he has played since his return. “Of course, I wasn’t 100-percent ready for the matches with Valencia (in the Champions League) and Rostov and failed to show everything I can do in these encounters,” he said.

– AFP

Interpol laud capture of match-� xing mastermind Law enforcement agency Interpol lauded the work of Singapore authori-ties on Monday for arresting the ‘mas-termind’ of the world’s largest soccer match-� xing syndicate thought to be worth millions of dollars. Interpol sec-retary general Ron Noble did not reveal the identity of the ringleader arrested by Singapore’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) last Tuesday but it is believed to be Singaporean Tan Seet Eng. Italian pros-ecutors have accused Tan, also known as Dan Tan, of heading an organisation to � x soccer matches worldwide and Italian police issued an arrest warrant for him earlier this year. “I’m con� dent that Singapore law enforcement authori-ties have arrested the mastermind and leader of the world’s most notorious match-� xing syndicate,” Noble told reporters in Singapore.

– Reuters

Quick Bytes

Day’s Watch

Panesar gets England recall for Ashes AFP

Controversial spinner Monty Panesar was given a chance to revive his Eng-land career after being named Monday in a 17-man squad for the forthcoming Ashes tour of Australia.

England also selected uncapped trio of Yorkshire batsman Gary Ballance, Durham all-rounder Ben Stokes and former Ireland seamer Boyd Rankin for a tour where they they will bid to win a fourth straight Ashes series against arch-rivals Australia -- something they last achieved in the 19th Century.

Otherwise a squad again captained by Alastair Cook contained few sur-prises, with England again relying on the bulk of the side that completed a 3-0 home Ashes win over Australia last month.

Panesar has long been regarded as England’s second-best spinner behind o� -break bowler Graeme Swann.

However, the 31-year-old Panesar,

who has taken 164 Test wickets at 33.78, was � ned by police for urinat-ing in public after he was ejected from a Brighton nightclub on August 5 and then e� ectively sacked by south coast county Sussex.

A delighted Panesar told his Twitter followers: “Absolutely thrilled to be in ashes squad.”

Both Rankin and Stokes impressed

during the recent 2-1 one-day series loss to Australia but the 23-year-old Ballance, out for nought on his ODI debut against Ireland earlier this month, was given his chance on the back of consistent performances. He has shone in the First Division of the County Championship where he has made 995 runs in 13 matches at an av-erage of over 52 with three hundreds.

Ballance could now challenge coun-ty colleague Jonny Bairstow for Eng-land’s problem No 6 position.

As for Stokes, Miller said: “He’s proved over the last year or so that he’s developing his game rapidly, he’s an exciting prospect.”

All three of the uncapped Test trio were born overseas, with Ballance growing up in Zimbabwe before coming to county side Derbyshire as a 16-year-old while Stokes is the New Zealand-born son of a former Kiwi rugby league international, although he grew up in Cumbria, northern England.

Whatmore con� dent of Pakistan’s resurgence AFP

Pakistan cricket coach Dav Whatmore admitted Monday he was “embarrassed” by his side’s Test defeat to minnows Zimbabwe but insisted they could bounce back against South Africa.

Pakistan lost the second Test against Zimbabwe by 24 runs earlier this month to leave the two-match se-ries tied at 1-1, a result which saw them drop from fourth to sixth in the Test rankings.

The defeat revived calls to replace captain Misbah-ul Haq and Whatmore before the clash against number one Test team South Africa in the United Arab Emirates next month.

The Proteas will be full of con� -dence going into the series after their pace attack helped them thrash Paki-stan 3-0 in South Africa at the start of the year.

Since Whatmore took over in March last year, Pakistan have won only one Test and lost � ve.

The 59-year-old told AFP Zimbabwe

had been tougher than they expected, but he was con� dent his men would bounce back in the two-Test series starting in Abu Dhabi on October 14.

“Zimbabwe gave us better prepara-tion and they were bit stronger than a lot of us thought about them,” he said.

“All three adjectives -- upsetting, disappointed and embarrassing -- can be used to describe the way I feel after the defeat against Zimbabwe.”

Whatmore refused to blame any in-dividuals but said the side had let itself down with both bat and ball.

He said the di� erent opposition and di� erent conditions in the UAE -- typi-cally low, slow pitches similar to those found on the subcontinent -- would demand a di� erent line-up. However Whatmore backed Misbah as captain.

“Misbah has some wonderful lead-ership qualities and has been success-ful since he took over,” said Whatmore.

“My observations are that by nature he is a methodical person who thinks deeply before making decisions. This is re� ected in his batting as well,” said Whatmore.

Besiktas fans throw plastic chairs onto the pitch during the Turkish Super League derby football match against Galatasaray at Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul on Sunday. Hundreds of fans halted the Istanbul derby after storming the pitch at Istanbul's Olympic Stadium. Galatasaray were leading 2-1 in the third minute of added time when the match was halted, sending the players sprinting for the safety of the locker rooms REUTERS

France's Gilles Simon (R) poses holding his trophy after beating his French opponent Jo-Tsonga during their ATP Moselle Open � nal on Sunday in Metz. Simon won 6/4, 6/3 AFP

Venus in the pink but Azarenka awaits AFP

Former world number one Venus Wil-liams, resplendent in a � oral dress and pink dreadlocks, showed glimpses of her old power by blasting past German Mona Barthel 6-3, 6-1 to reach the sec-ond round of the Pan Paci� c Open on Sunday.

No longer the force of old and cur-rently only 62nd in the world, the 33-year-old American still had too much � repower for Barthel in Tokyo, taking just 63 minutes to sweep past her 34th-ranked opponent.

The seven-time grand slam singles winner, whose career has been blighted since being diagnosed with the autoim-mune disorder Sjogren’s Syndrome in 2011, faces an uphill task to extend her stay, however, with top seed Victoria Azarenka -- runner-up to Serena Wil-

liams at the US Open earlier this month – her next opponent.

Carefully coi� ed braids poking through the top of her sun visor, Wil-liams took the � rst set with a � erce fore-hand which caught the back of the base-line and wrapped up proceedings by bludgeoning a backhand past Barthel.

Williams celebrated with a polite curtsy to an appreciative crowd at the venue for the 2020 Olympic tennis. She shrugged when asked about Azarenka.

“I’ve played so many matches in my career I’m ready for whatever happens on the court,” she told reporters after making her � rst appearance at the To-kyo meet since reaching the quarter-� nals in 2009.

Ninth seed Sloane Stephens, one of the new generation of American play-ers, who once claimed the Williams sisters refused to sign an autograph for

her at a tournament in Florida when she was 12, thrashed Switzerland’s Stefanie Voegele 6-3, 6-2 to advance to the sec-ond round.

In other matches, twice major win-ner Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia � at-tened Argentine quali� er Paula Ormae-chea 6-1, 6-2 while 14th-seeded Belgian Kirsten Flipkens was tested in a 7-6 (7-4), 7-5 win over Czech Barbora Zahlavo-va Strycova, who also came through the qualifying draw of the 30th edition of the tournament.

Fifteenth seed Sorana Cirstea kicked o� the $2.3 million event with a routine 6-4, 6-4 victory over Julia Goerges.

World number one Serena Williams, who won her 17th grand slam singles title at the US Open, pulled out at the last minute due to fatigue while twice Pan Paci� c champion Maria Sharapova withdrew with shoulder pain.

Swede Stenson claims FedEx Cup crown AFP

Sweden’s Henrik Stenson earned the biggest payday in golf by closing with a two-under 68 Sunday to claim two tro-phies in one day -- The Tour Champion-ship and the FedEx Cup title.

Stenson � nished with a 13-under 267 overall score to beat Jordan Spieth by three strokes at the East Lake course, giving him the Tour Championship and its $1.4 million payout, along with the FedEx Cup title with its $10 mil-lion prize. “To win both these trophies today it feels incredible,” Stenson said. Stenson became the � rst European to win both the FedEx Cup and The Tour Championship.

Stenson birdied the 15th hole and cruised home with three consecutive pars for his fourth USPGA Tour title.

Alonso deal to buy cycling team collapses AFP

The deal for Spanish two-time Formula One champion Fernando Alonso to rescue the � nancially stricken Euskaltel Euskadi cycling team has collapsed, the team con� rmed on Monday.

The Basque team announced that a deal had been agreed “in principle” for Alonso to � ll a funding gap in their sponsorship after it lost 3.5 million euros ($4.7 million, £3 million) of local government funding due to spending cuts.

The team’s main sponsor, telecommunications company Euskaltel, � lled that funding gap themselves for this season, taking their contribution to seven million of the team’s nine million euro budget

However, it said that level of investment was unsustainable and it was announced in August that the

team would be shut down at the end of the season should another sponsor not be found.

And with the breakdown in negotiations it appears as if the last hope to save the 19-year old team have disappeared.

“The negotiations between Euskaltel and the representatives of Fernando Alonso for the acquisition of the cycling team Euskaltel Euskadi on behalf of the Asturian driver, which began with an agreement in principle on August 31, have ended without an agreement,” the team said in a statement.

“For Euskaltel it is sad news that after the hope generated by the agreement in principle, a de� nitive agreement has not been formalised to guarantee a professional future for the members of the team and to reward the fans that have been loyal until the last

moment.“We would like to explain the details

of the negotiations, because we have done our part, with total honesty, but it is not possible because we need to respect the con� dentiality of the negotiations.

“Having not achieved an agreement, Euskaltel is unfortunately obligated to restart an organised and responsible closure of the project.”

Despite the uncertainty over the team’s future, Euskaltel achieved their � rst ever victory in the team classi� cation of a grand tour in the recently completed Tour of Spain.

However, cyclists contracted to the team for the 2014 season, including Olympic gold medallist Samuel Sanchez, had already been given permission to speak to other teams about � nding a place in the peloton for next season.

England squadAlastair Cook (Essex, capt), Matt Prior (Sussex, vice-captain), James Anderson (Lancashire), Jonny Bairstow, Gary Bal-lance (both Yorkshire), Ian Bell (Warwick-shire), Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire), Michael Carberry (Hampshire), Steven Finn (Middlesex), Monty Panesar (Essex), Kevin Pietersen (Surrey), Boyd Rankin (Warwick-shire), Joe Root (Yorkshire), Ben Stokes (Durham), Graeme Swann (Nottingham-shire), Chris Tremlett (Surrey), Jonathan Trott (Warwickshire)

MEDICAL AND DENTAL ADMISSION

Ministry � xes 120 as the cut mark for quali� cation Moniruzzaman Uzzal

Amid criticisms about the low quality of education in private med schools, the health ministry has decided that the cut mark for qualifying in this year’s medical and dental admission tests would be 120.

In last year’s medical admission tests, the lowest score with which a candidate got into a public medical col-lege was 163.5. The lowest score with which a candidate got into a public dental college was 164.

On the other hand, many students with scores of merely 110 got admission in some of the private medical colleges.

Seeking anonymity, an o� cial, placed high in one of the decision making bod-ies, told the Dhaka Tribune that before the private medical colleges emerged, they did not have to worry about the quality of the medical students.

He said the authorities must think whether a student, who had scored only 120 out of 200 in the admission tests, should be allowed in a medical school or not.

The decision was taken yesterday in a high-level meeting held at the confer-ence room of the ministry with Health Minister AFM Ruhal Haque in the chair.

The Dhaka Tribune has learnt that the Syndicate of Dhaka University in a re-cent meeting decided that the minimum cut mark should be 140 and in a letter re-quested the ministry to implement the decision in the soonest possible time.

The ministry, however, after having discussed the DU Syndicate request in yesterday’s meeting, unanimously landed on the cut mark of 120.

The public and private medical col-leges in the country enroll students on the basis of the results of one common admission test. The dental colleges

– both public and private – also have their common tests.

These tests carry 100 marks for the written examination plus 100 marks for the weights of the HSC and SSC results. Out of the latter 100, HSC results carry 60 marks and SSC 40.

A grade point average (GPA) of 5 in HSC equals 60 marks while a GPA 5 in SSC equals 40. A candidate must have an aggregate GPA of 8 from the two ex-ams, which must not include any GPA of less than 3.5.

In 2012, the health ministry � xed 110 as the minimum cut mark for the medical colleges and 105 for the dental colleges.

However, as many seats in the den-tal colleges remained empty because not enough students could get the req-uisite score, the authorities decided that everyone who appeared in the ad-mission tests would be allowed in.

Dr Moazzem Hossain, president of

Bangladesh Private Medical Associa-tion, said: “In the last three years, the decision on the cut mark was made after the results of the written exams had been published. Last year, 51,000 students got 110 marks. This year, the decision is made beforehand. We do not know how many students can se-cure 120.

“If enough candidate cannot obtain the minimum cut mark this year, then the seats in the colleges, especially the dental colleges, will remain vacant,” he added.

Dr Zahedul Hoque Basunia, registrar of the Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council, told the Dhaka Tribune: “The decision [for setting 120 as the cut mark] will help increase the standard of medical students. Last year those who got only 10 marks in the medical admission tests were allowed admis-sion in the private colleges.”

No trace of Sajal’s body, belongings Md Atiqur Rahman

The four-member inquiry team that comprises the wife of deceased climber Sajal Khaled and his brother-in-law has returned from Kathmandu with a sum-mit certi� cate and a medal from the Nepalese government which is � rst of its kind for Bangladeshi mountaineers.

The team went to Nepal in Septem-ber 4 to explore the reasons and issues surrounding the death of the Ever-est-climber and retrieve his belongings.

Addressing a press conference in the city yesterday, Sajal’s wife Tahmina Khan Shaily demanded formulation of a policy for the mountaineers so that this misfortune would not happen to anyone else. She also requested all to lend their hands in getting the fact be-hind Sajal’s death.

Shahjahan Mridha Benu, vice-pres-ident of Mountaineering and Trekking Club; Shamsul Alam Babu, an expert on mountaineering; and Nasir Khan Sha-ket, Sajal’s brother-in-law, were also present at the programme.

While talking to the Dhaka Tribune she said: “We received a police report which provides confusing information. The original report, which was written

in Nepalese language, says Sajal died as he ‘slipped’ from the Everest while the English version says he was ‘� own away’ by the air.”

Mohammed Sajal Hossain, popular-ly known as Sajal Khaled, 35, died in May while descending from the Ever-est, a few hours after he successfully climbed it as the � fth Bangladeshi. His body is said to be lying somewhere on the South Summit, about 28,750 feet above the sea-level.

The inquiry team also thanked Ban-gladesh government for its assistance in proceeding with the matter swiftly. The government had hired a Sherpa team for $20,000 to recover the body. The team failed to do that and even claimed to have seen no body at all. However, one member of the team lat-er confessed (to some other mountain-eers) to having seen one.

Shaily claimed that Sajal’s belong-ings – two bags, camera, laptop, mem-ory card, video camera and currency were not found. His passport and the agreement paper were not found too, even though the agreement document was supposed to be with the Seventh Summit Agency.

It has been learnt that the agency

had an agreement with Sajal which was carried out by Himalayan Guide. More-over, Sajal took the assistance of Pem-ba Dorje Sherpa (Pem Dorjee) and two other Sherpas.

Allegations say the Sherpa associ-ates had “abandoned” him in a death zone, although they were given large sums of money to help him on his de-scent from the Everest.

On top of that, Lakpa Nuru Sherpa, one of the 10 Sherpas, dispatched a message to Sajal’s wife through anoth-er Sherpa named Som Bahadur. Lakpa Nuru said Sajal’s body had been left nearby the South Summit Balcony, and that Pem Dorje was responsible for the death of Sajal.

Shahjahan Mridha told the Dhaka Tribune: “Mismanagement and negli-gence of the Nepal authorities are be-hind Sajal’s death.”

He claimed that there was a “ma� a” to handle all this matter.

Sajal hailed from Srinagar area of Munshiganj and was the youngest of six siblings. Besides the Everest, he had climbed the Mera Peak and Chulu West. He directed a children’s movie called “Kajoler Dinratri,” which was re-leased in last Eid-ul-Fitr.

16 Back PageDHAKA TRIBUNE Tuesday, September 24, 2013

DMCH now a 2,300-bed health facilityFlyover approach road at west end is feared to block entrance to new building that houses country’s � rst Bone Marrow Transplant Unit

Moniruzzaman Uzzal

The Dhaka Medical College Hospital is all set to o� er better healthcare ser-vices as the 600-bed new extension building is scheduled to open in just over a week’s time.

The construction of the handsome looking 10-storey building, built at a cost of Tk1.07bn, houses the � rst Bone Marrow Transplant Unit of the coun-try – much to the relief of the cancer patients.

Not only that, the new advanced facilities are also expected to signi� -cantly ease the severe pressure of pa-tients that the authorities have to deal within the old infrastructure. With the additional accommodation in the new building, the DMCH, the biggest public healthcare facility in the country, be-comes a 2,300-bed hospital.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is scheduled to inaugurate the new build-ing, called DMCH 2, on October 3.

However, with just over a week to go before the opening, the hospital au-thorities are worried whether the new building will be able to function ful-ly because of the construction of the much-hyped Gulistan-Jatrabari � yover.

The construction of one of the ap-proach roads to the � yover that runs besides the new building is currently underway. The construction � rm in charge of building the approach road has put up a number of high walls that have almost entirely blocked one of the entrances to the new DMCH building.

As a result, after the new building is opened, the vehicles carrying pa-tients would have to go around either

the Gulistan roundabout or the Bak-shibazar intersection for entering the building. That, in turn, would kill a lot of time and give rise to serious tra� c congestion in the area, hospital author-ities feared.

DMCH Deputy Director Dr Md Mush-� qur Rahim recently sent a letter to the administrator of the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) informing about the predicament.

In the letter, Dr Rahim alleged that neither the DSCC nor the contractor had consulted the DMCH authorities before putting up the walls. He urged the DSCC authorities to keep the en-trance of the new building free for the sake of smooth services.

Dr Bayezid Khurshid Riaz, project director of DMCH 2, told the Dhaka Tribune that both the new hospital building and the � yover were equally important public projects.

He said a number of DSCC high o� -cials, including the administrator, chief executive o� cer and chief engineer, had already visited the site after getting Dr Rahim’s letter.

He said they had assured him of tak-ing e� ective measures so that both the hospital and the construction of the � yover could go on smoothly without getting into each other’s’ ways.

Sources said the various depart-ments under the Medicine Faculty of DMCH would be shifted to the new building. Only the departments under the Surgery Faculty would remain in the old building.

They also said the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit would be set up on the 9th � oor of the new building.

Teachers movement makes JU admission tests uncertain Mahadi Al Hasnat

Teachers and students fear the ongoing con� icts at Jahangirnagar University (JU) could delay admission tests for 2013-14 sessions and lead to session jams,.

Deans of four faculties - Prof Dr Syed Kamrul Ahsan of arts and humanities, Prof Dr Md Abul Hossain of mathmeti-cal and physical sciences, Prof Dr Amir Hossain of social sciences, and Prof Sheikh Md Monzurul Haque of law - boycotted the last two meetings of the Admission Tests Direction committee.

A movement calling for the remov-al of the vice-chancellor (VC) by the General Teachers’ Forum (GTA) lead to the deans’ decision not to participate in any of the university’s formal meet-ings, as long as VC Prof Anwar Hossain remains in o� ce because they do not have any “faith” in Prof Hossain.

The admission tests to enroll as � rst year student for 2013-14 is scheduled to take place from November 2 till No-vember 9.  But the university’s authori-

ties have not proceeded with any o� -cial steps to hold them.

Sources said they were yet to pub-lish requirements for eligibility of ap-plicants in newspapers. The absence of the deans at the meetings means a complete admission tests schedule could not be prepared.

Although, university authorities have sent several notices to deans and directors of the six faculties and two in-stitutions under the university, several deans have not attended the commit-tee’s o� cial meetings.

The deans supporting the GTA’s call said the education ministry has not taken any steps with regard to their proposal to appoint Pro-VC (education) Prof Dr M A Matin to be in-charge of the committee.

Social Science faculty’s dean Prof Dr Hossain told the Dhaka Tribune: “We have clari� ed our stance to the educa-tion ministry that we would not attend any important meetings of the universi-ty while Prof Anwar Hossain is in chair. We also informed them that we would

not start procedures for the admission tests with the writ petition � led by some in� uential persons, on our shoulders.”

“As long as our conditions are still not met, we will not be attending meet-ings,” he said.

Prof Dr Nasim Akhter Hossain from the Department of Government and Politics said: “Admission tests are a serious matter, both for the university and applicants. The teachers agitating should take this into account and tone down their actions to hold the admis-sion tests in due process.”

VC Prof Anwar Hossain commented on the movement and protest when he said: “The applicants are being held hostage to the agitation. The university cannot run like this.”

He said: “I have ordered the Ad-mission Tests Direction committee to-day [Monday] to arrange a meeting onThursday so we would be able to pub-lish details on the admission test proce-dures in newspapers as we decide at themeeting.”

The Bosila Road in the City Protection Embankment area often remains overcast by dust because of vehicular movement, compelling commuters to cover up their faces. The photo was taken yesterday MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

Shoili, wife of mountaineer Sajal Khaled, speakes at a press conference organised yesterday by Sajal Mission, a platform for retrieving Sajal’s body, urging the government to take initiatives and provide sponsors to bring his body back home DHAKA TRIBUNE

TAZREEN FASHIONS FIRE

Submit DNA report by October 1: HC Tribune report

The High Court has given police eight more days for submitting the DNA test reports of the family members of the 25 unidenti� ed workers who died in the Tazreen garment factory � re.

The HC bench of Justice Quazi Re-za-Ul Hoque and Justice ABM Altaf Hos-sain yesterday also directed the Health Department’s director general to shift victim Sumaya, who is now su� ering from cancerous tumour in her brain, to Dhaka Medical College Hospital from the United Hospital within 72 hours.

Government report says, at least 111 people were killed and many injured in the � re at Tazreen Fashions at Ashulia in Savar on November 24 last year.

Anthropologists Naznin Akter Banu, Saydia Gulrukh Kamal and Mahmudul Hasan Sumon submitted to the HC the names of 25 victims who had not been included in the o� cial list.

Editor: Zafar Sobhan, Published and Printed by Kazi Anis Ahmed at Romask Limited, 184, Tejgaon Industrial Area, Dhaka-1215. Editorial, News & Commercial O� ce: 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

Continue to the Business section...

Business

Businesswww.dhakatribune.com/business Tuesday, sepTember 24, 2013

EU Accord to start factory inspection in November

Study on Chittagong seaport starts today

B3

B2

Onion import loans get cheapernTribune Business Desk

Onion importers will get loans at an interest not more than 12% as Bangladesh Bank im-post the lending rate limit yesterday.

The rate takes immediate effect and will continue until the year end.

The central bank also relaxed the loan-margin ratio to make the import cheap-er and said the banks are free to set the mar-gin at minimum level based on relationship with their clients.

It relaxed the terms of financing onion imports to facilitate adequate supply of the essential commodity in the market, said a circular issued to the commercial banks.

It said price of the commodity recently witnessed volatility in the local market due to high price in the international market.

The commerce ministry earlier request-ed Bangladesh Bank to take steps to cut the interest rate to 10% and consider a relaxed margin ratio to help bringing down the prices ahead of Eid-ul-Azha and Durga Puja.

In a letter to the central bank, the minis-try argued that the banks are now charging 18% to 20% interest on the loans and advances. l

Taxpayers welcome E-TIN nSyed Samiul Basher Anik

The Electronic Taxpayers Identification Number (E-TIN) has received a good re-sponse as over 400,000 taxpayers have reg-istered with the newly introduced system in around three months period.

As of September 22, a total of 407,672 peo-ple registered with E-TIN while 80, 547 are new ones and 327,125 taxpayers re-registered with the electronic system, NBR officials said yesterday.

The revenue authorities introduced the system on July 1 to boost revenue collection, reduce hassles and prevent issuance of fake TINs.

“We have received immense response to E-TIN from the taxpayers,” NBR member M Bashir Uddin Ahmed told the Dhaka Trib-une. “During the initial period of its intro-duction, it was a bit complex and there were some technical problems. But, all these has already been sorted out and solved.”

He said: “By conducting a survey till Au-gust, we have find out 97,000 new taxpayers. If you add the new taxpayers registered with E-TIN, the new number now stand at over 170,000, which would now contribute to the revenue collection.”

NBR has now an automated database for TIN holders where existing and new ones will have to register with the E-TIN within December 31 and through the process, the existing 10 digit TIN will be replaced with 12-digit ones. There would be no effective-ness of old manual 10-digit TIN from January 1 next.

In FY 2012-13, the income tax wing of NBR collected Tk366bn against its target of Tk-353bn with a 27.62% growth.

For the FY13-14, NBR set a revenue target of Tk1.36tn and the introduction of E-TIN is expected to help the revenue board to achieve the target, said an official.

According to the newly introduced sys-tem, computer generated TIN certificates will be issued as soon as the application pro-cedure is completed online. A team of NBR is working on automation of TIN database with the assistance of International Finance Cor-poration (IFC).

The web portal is now linked with the National Identity Card database of the Election Commission to verify individ-ual applicant while corporate taxpayers’ application will be checked with the data-base of the Registrar of Joint Stock Compa-nies and Firms. l

Islamic banks growing faster‘They are less vulnerable to risk than conventional banks’nJebun Nesa Alo

Islamic banking industry is growing faster than the conventional banks as the banks contributed 23.12% of profit to the industry in 2012 though the shariah-based banks are still a minor proportion, grossly one fifth of the total banking sector, according to a Bang-ladesh Bank report released recently.

Bangladesh has a large population of Muslim, and among them, the embrace of Islamic banking is increasing at a faster rate due to their faith, said a senior executive of Bangladesh Bank.

According to the report, the profit to total assets ratio of Islamic banks reached 9.74%, which is higher than that of the industry average of 8.14%. On the other hand, the non-profit income to total assets ratio was only 1.4% as compared to the industrial av-erage of 2%.

“Islamic banks and financial institutions fared better than conventional ones in the last global financial crisis, which may be a reason why we see niche presence of Islamic financing widening steadily in non-Muslim countries including the advanced Western economies,” said Bangladesh Bank Governor

Dr Atiur Rahman.Islamic banks have been operating in

Bangladesh for three decades alongside the traditional banks. Islamic banks have cer-tain similarities to the conventional banking system due to working in a similar financial environment.

The ROA (return on assets) of the Islam-ic banking industry is higher at 1.13% com-pared to the overall banking industry of 0.84% in 2012.

The ROE (return on equity) of Islamic banks stood at 17%, which is higher than that of the overall banking industry ROE of 10.56%, indicating the earnings of Islamic banks become higher compared to their eq-uity position.

Islamic banks’ classified investment to total investment ratio of 3.9% showed a rela-tively better position as compared to 10% for the overall banking industry, said the report.

In the perspective of stability in the finan-cial system, Islamic banks are less vulnera-ble to risk than conventional banks. They are able to pass the negative shocks on the asset side to the investment depositors, said a sen-ior executive of Bangladesh Bank.

The risk-sharing arrangements on the de-

posit give secondary protection to the bank, in addition to its book capital. They also tend to be more conservative for providing a sta-ble and competitive return to investors, he said.

Compared with the overall banking in-dustry, the combined share of Islamic banks (excluding Islamic banking branches/win-dows of conventional banks) is 16.85% in assets, 19.85% in investments, 18.33% in de-posits, 14.3% in equity and 17% in liabilities as of end December 2012, said the report.

Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited is the first bank that introduced commercial bank-ing based on Islamic Shariah with foreign shareholding in Bangladesh in 1983.

Since then Islamic banking has been growing progressively together with the conventional banks.

Currently, 7 banks are operating as full-fledge Islamic banks with 750 branches while nine conventional banks are offering Islamic banking through setting up 20 widows.

Islamic banks are now focusing on a wid-er horizon, encompassing not only the con-ventional shariah products but also involved with SME’s and microfinance and financing in agriculture sector. l

Shariah banking faces recession better: AtiurnTribune Report

During the last global economic crisis, the Islamic banks and financiers emerged suc-cessful compared to the conventional ones, which probably had encouraged expansion of such banking even in non-Muslim coun-tries, said Bangladesh Bank governor.

Dr Atiur Rahman was addressing a sem-inar in Dhaka yesterday on the “Prospects and challenges in development of Islamic finance in Bangladesh.”

Islamic Financial Service Board (IFSB) and Bangladesh Bank jointly organised the seminar.

IFSB secretary general Jaseem Ahmed and Bangladesh Bank’s deputy governor SK Sur Chowdhury, among others, were also present.

“Islamic banks and financial institutions fared better than conventional ones dur-ing the last global financial crisis, which might be a reason why we see niche pres-ence of Islamic financing widening steadily in non-Muslim countries including the ad-vanced Western economies,” observed the central bank boss.

Referring to Islamic banking in Bangla-desh, he traced back the establishment of first such bank in the 1980s.

“Now, there are eight Islamic banks run wholly on Sharia principles.”

Further, as many as 17 conventional banks including one foreign bank are running Is-lamic branches, Dr Atiur added.

He said more conventional banks have re-quested for approval to become the wholly Shariah-based, which indicates robust cus-tomer demand in Bangladesh for Islamic fi-nancial services.

“Barring one exception of a small sick Islamic bank in process of restructuring, the Islamic banks in Bangladesh generally have higher capital adequacy ratios and lower non-performing loan ratios than their con-ventional banking counterparts.”

“Aggregate assets and deposits of Islamic banks in Bangladesh have nearly doubled in the last four years; by end 2012 aggregate assets and deposits both crossed trillion taka threshold, comprising around a fifth of total banking sector assets and liabilities,” contin-ued Dr Atiur.

He also praised the inclusive nature of Islamic banking which is “evidenced in their growing and already significant engagement in agricultural, SME and microfinance, so far without any refinance support like those available for conventional banks.”

BB chief, however, put stress on the chal-lenges which are coming hand in hand with the ongoing growth trends and the emerging new growth prospects. l

dHaKa TrIbuNe Business2 Tuesday, sepTember 24, 2013

GlObAl fINANcE rATING

bb Governor gets ‘c’nTribune Report

Global Finance  magazine has named the heads of the central banks of Malaysia, the Philippines and Taiwan as the World’s Best Central Bankers over the past year.

They achieved an “A” rating on Global Fi-nance’s Central Banker Report Cards.

Bangladesh Bank governor Dr Atiur Rah-man has been graded “C” in the report pub-lished on Sunday while the central bankers of Chile and the European Union earned “A-” ratings.

The Central Banker Report Cards, published annually by  Global Finance  since 1994, grades central bank governors of more than 50 key countries and the European Union on an “A” to “F” scale for success in areas such as inflation control, economic growth goals, currency stability and interest rate manage-ment.

“A” represents an excellent performance down through “F” for outright failure. Sub-jective criteria also apply.

The world’s biggest economy the United States’ central bank chief Ben Bernanke was given “B+” rating while the second biggest economy China’s central bank chief Zhou Xiaochuan received a “C” rating.

About India’s new central bank head Ra-ghuram Rajan, the Global Finance magazine said it was “too early to say.”

Global Finance  publisher Joseph Giarra-puto notes: “As developed economies begin the gradual route to recovery and some of the largest emerging markets continue to slow, the world’s central bankers face a chal-lenging time in managing monetary policy to positively influence economic stability and growth.”

“Every year, we assess the determination of central bankers to stand up to political interference and their efforts at influencing their governments on such issues as spend-ing and economic openness to foreign in-vestment and financial services,” he added.

In 2012 report, Bangladesh Bank governor Dr Atiur Rahman received the same rating “C.”

The report gave the central bank chiefs of Australia, Philippines, New Zealand, Malay-sia and Taiwan “A” ratings. l

EU Accord to start factory inspection in NovembernTribune Report

The Accord of European Union retailers will start apparel factory inspection in Bangla-desh from November.

The decision emerged from a meeting between the Bangladesh Garment Manufac-turers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and a team from the EU retailers’ platform on fire and building safety for Bangladesh garments factories at BGMEA office in Dhaka yesterday.

The meeting discussed about common standards for the inspection, funding ar-rangements to improve the industry and to set next course of action.

The team includes the Accord executive director Sean Ansett, H&M representative Fagerlin Jenny, C&A representative Philip Chamberlin, representatives of Devon Ham Caroleny Haycock and Rosey Hurst.

“The Accord will start inspection from the first week of November and they would

inspect 1,800 factories (instead of 1,500) as their list of vendors enlarged,” Shahidullah Azim, BGMEA Vice President told the report-ers after the meeting.

There will be two types of funds – one for inspection to be collected from the donors and accord members, and the other would be for vendors.

Azim said the inspection will take around one year period as the number of factories increased.

On September 28, the Accord is scheduled to submit the list of vendors and a report on risk assessment they have already prepared to International Labour Organisation (ILO) to make a common safety standard, he said.

Accord, a platform of 87 retailers and ap-parel brands from the EU, had announced its work plan on May 15 to improve the fire and building safety measures.

The move came following the deadliest collapse of Rana Plaza building, which killed over 1,100 workers. l

Euro higher after Merkel election victorynAFP, Singapore

The euro was higher yesterday in Asian trade as German chancellor Angela Merkel clinched her third term in a convincing elec-tion victory.

The euro bought $1.3525 at 0330 GMT, up from $1.3524 in New York trade late Friday. It bought 134.00 yen from 134.36 yen.

The US dollar dipped to 99.09 yen, from 99.35 yen.

Merkel’s triumphant conservative Chris-tian Democrats fell just a few seats short of their own majority with 41.5% of Sunday’s vote, according to provisional final results.

Merkel’s stunning score - the conserva-tives’ best result since the country’s joyous reunification in 1990 - meant that she nearly became the only chancellor to win an abso-lute majority since Germany’s first post-war leader, Konrad Adenauer, 56 years ago.

“The election has gripped international interest as the eurozone is coming out of a re-cession, and continuity is what the markets favour,” Kelly Teoh, market strategist at IG Markets in Singapore, said in a note.

“This was seen in the euro breaking the 1.34 resistance level.”

Meanwhile, analysts said talk of the US Federal Reserve ending its massive monetary stimulus programme continues to impact on markets despite the central bank’s official announcement last week that it would delay the “taper”. l

Oil prices mixed after upbeat china manufacturing datanAFP, Singapore

Oil prices were mixed yesterday in Asian trade despite upbeat manufacturing data from China, which raised hopes of firmer demand in the world’s top energy consumer.

New York’s main contract, West Texas Intermediate for delivery in November rose three cents to $104.78 in afternoon trade, while Brent North Sea crude for November eased two cents to $109.20.

Global banking giant HSBC said Monday its preliminary purchasing managers’ index of manufacturing activity in China hit 51.2 in September, the highest since March when the index stood at 51.6.

It was higher than last month’s final reading of 50.1, which improved from an 11-month low of 47.7 in July and ended three months of contraction, according to the bank.

A PMI reading above 50 indicates growth, while anything below signals contraction.

“There is an upbeat sentiment about de-mand for crude in China, especially with the Chinese government providing support in the money markets and allowing corpora-tions to pick up speed,” Kenny Kan, market analyst at CMC Markets in Singapore, told AFP.

Chinese authorities have so far been re-luctant to introduce large-scale stimulus measures, but in late July did announce some steps to boost growth, such as reduc-ing taxes on small companies and encourag-ing railway development. l

GP launches hospitality facility at balaka lounge nTribune Business Desk

Grameenphone (GP) has recently launched a hospitality facility for its Platinum Plus STAR customers at Balaka lounge of Hazrat Shah-jalal International Airport in Dhaka.

Owner of Balaka lounge, Ruposhi Bang-la Hotel signed the partnership agreement with GP at the inauguration ceremony, said a press release.

The function was also attended, among others, by Ruposhi Bangla Hotel gener-al manager James P McDonald, marketing communications manager Shahidus Sade-que, assistant director Dipu Chowdhury and Grameenphone head of corporate communi-cations Syed Tahmeed Azizul Huq. l

PIlIl gets MA Wahhab as chairmannTribune Business Desk

M A Wahhab has been elected as chairman of the Board of Directors (BoD) of Prime Islami Life Insurance Limited (PILIL) in the 129th Board meeting.

He is associated with many other finan-cial and educational institutions in private sector. l

lankabangla finance signs MfA with IPff Project, bbnTribune Business Desk

LankaBangla Finance Limited (LBFL) has signed a master facility agreement (MFA) as a participating financial institution in the In-vestment Promotion and Financing Facility (IPFF) project of Bangladesh Bank (BB).

Under the agreement signed on Thursday, LankaBangla Finance will have financing fa-cility from the World Bank, administered by Bangladesh Bank, for extending credit facil-ities to infrastructure projects under public private partnership (PPP).

Bangladesh Bank deputy governor and project director Md Abul Quasem and LBFL managing director Mohammed Nasir Uddin Chowdhury signed the agreement on behalf of their respective organisations at the cen-tral bank head office in Dhaka, said a press release. l

The world’s biggest economy the United States’ central bank chief Ben Bernanke was given ‘B+’ rating while the second biggest economy China’s central bank chief Zhou Xiaochuan received a ‘C’ rating

BusinessdHaKa TrIbuNe 3Tuesday, sepTember 24, 2013

Study on chittagong seaport starts todaynSyed Samiul Basher Anik

National Board of Revenue starts a two-day study on the seaport and Customs House in Chittagong today to identify why the clear-ing and forwarding activities take much than expected time.

The Bangladesh Time Release Study-2013 would help identify the tailbacks that ad-versely affect the timing and results in delay of releasing import cargos and, delay and challenges to expeditious shipments in ex-ports, said a official.

He said it would facilitate ensuring timely release of cargo from the seaports and check false declaration in import consignments.

With support from the South Asia Region-al Trade Integration (SARTI) program of the International Finance Corporation and UK Aid, the piloting is scheduled to be conclud-ed tomorrow, said a statement yesterday.

The project will be administered by the revenue authorities while Org-Quest Re-search Limited will conduct the study and C&F and Shipping Agents will cooperate the research company.

The study will follow World Customs Organization (WCO) time release study – a methodology developed by the WCO and the World Bank.

Under the study, the NBR will measure the actual performance of activities related to trade facilitation.

The study is expected to help the revenue authorities to measure relevant aspects of the effectiveness of operational procedure carried out by the Customs, other regulatory agencies and private sector stakeholders in the standard processing of imports, exports and transit movements. l

DSEX sinks to five-week low nTribune Report

Stocks continued to slip for the fifth session in a row yesterday with DSEX sinking to more than five-week low, amid fears of political chaos in the run up to general election.

After rising more than 40 points in the morning, the benchmark index edged 15 points or 0.4% lower to 4,021, its lowest since August 14. The blue chip DS30 index dropped 17 points or 1% to 1,467.

The Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) Selective Categories Index, CSCX, declined 24 points to 7,852.

The already subdued sentiment deepened further over the fresh politi-cal violence, said a leading broker.

Some investors preferred to leave the market and some, mainly institu-tional ones, took position, he said.

The total turnover at DSE stood at Tk5.2bn, an increase of more than 25% over the previous session.

Some buy pressures in the morn-ing have spurred a short-term rally in small and mid-cap shares, but the mo-mentum failed to change the scenario in the end, said Lanka Bangla Securi-ties in its daily market analysis.

All the major sectors ended in red. Telecommunications posted the high-est losses of 2.34%, followed by finan-cial institutions and power going down by 1.3% and 0.71% respectively.

“Offbeat market sentiment and vol-atile political scenario yielded another red session.

Market scenario was volatile as in-vestors kept watchful over future de-velopments in political frontier,” said IDLC Investment.

The market breadth also remained negative as out of 294 issues traded, 144 advanced, 125 declined and 25 re-mained unchanged.

Out of 18 sectors, textile outper-form all other sectors for last seven trading sessions with turnover value of nearly Tk1.46bn and market capital-isation of 1.62%, followed by insurance and IT sectors.

“It seems that investors have some-what adopted a fascination towards the textile sector, as its dominating performance remains intact,” said Ze-nith Investments Limited.

“This fascinations which is clus-tered to one single sector only, should be spread among other industries as well to push the market in positive ter-ritory.”

Tallu Spinning topped the turnover chart for the second consecutive ses-sion, accumulating a turnover of near-ly Tk190m.

Other leading turnover leaders were CMC Kamal, Generation Next, Bangla-desh Submarine Cable Company Ltd and Saiham Textile.

ICB AMCL, a closed ended fund, was the biggest loser following the announcement of its de-listing sched-uled next week. l

DSE in dark about ‘unusual’ price hike of low cap stocksnTribune Report

The Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) was in the dark about the recent “unusual” rise of share prices of low cap companies.

“We did not look into the matter so far be-cause we remained busy with the important tasks like demutualisation process,” Ahsanul Islam Titu told a press briefing at the DSE of-fice yesterday.

Shares of some small and medium cap companies, including Modern Dyeing, CVO Petro Chemical, Bangas, Anawar Galvanis-ing, Tallu Spinning and Mithun Knitting have increased abnormally in recent times, bro-kers said.

Some retail investors have already burnt their fingers as the market remained vola-tile over the price hike of poorly performing stocks, traders said.

Replying to a question, Titu said: “We cannot investigate spontaneously unless an-ybody lodged allegation against those com-panies. Everybody has rights to make profits. This is nothing wrong.”

However, he said they can easily detect unusual trading through the surveillance

system. “DSE surveillance department is now working to find out the reasons behind such unusual price rise of low cap compa-nies,” he said.

The listing department has also a power to suspend share trading of any company, but it remained ineffective, he said. “If we go for action, it will give negative signal to the mar-ket,” he added.

About alleged anomalies on space allotment in its under construction 13-storied building among the 250 members, the DSE president categorically denied the allegation. “The space has neither been allotted nor leased out among the members,” he said.

“Members are only permitted to use the space in stock trading activities. They have

to surrender the space when they would leave the stock business,” he said.

Replying to a question, he said the demu-tualisation scheme as proposed by the bours-es is expected to be finalised by the regulator by September 26. Before giving approval to the proposed scheme, a hearing will be held tomorrow, he said

Describing his experience about OIC sum-mit in Turkey he took part recently, the DSE president said financial products are popular in the Islamic countries. “We are working on introducing an Islamic Shariah Index to in-crease investment of Islamic Shariah-based banks in the stock market,” he said.

About the refinancing scheme fund for the small investors, who have lost money in the market downswings in 2010-2011, he said the merchant banks and stock brokers are yet to apply for the fund. “The Investment Corporation of Bangladesh (ICB) is ready to distribute the fund,” he said.

DSE Senior Vice President Md Shajahan, Vice President Md Mizanur Rahman Khan, Directors Shahed Abdul Khaleque, Khugesta Nur-E-Naharin and Chief Executive Officer Dr Swapan Kumar Bala were present. l

a view from Chittagong port NaShirUl iSlam

‘We cannot investigate spontaneously unless anybody lodged allegation against those companies. Everybody has rights to make profits. This is nothing wrong’

dHaKa TrIbuNe Business4 Tuesday, sepTember 24, 2013

fed’s underlying message a bad signal for US profit growthnReuters, New York

The euphoria with which investors in the US stock market greeted the Federal Reserve’s decision to stick with its easy-money policy has begun to evaporate, as the message the Fed was sending about a less-than-stellar economy sinks in.

An economy still in need of a safety net may be too weak to produce robust earnings growth, meaning that the Standard & Poor’s 500 valuation, now at its most expensive on a price-to-earnings basis since 2010, be-comes harder to justify.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 is up 20% so far this year and hit new highs last week, boost-ing the index’s forward p/e ratio to 14.94, its highest since early 2010. At that time, though, company earnings were improving more rapidly than now as business activity rebounded from the depths of the recession and financial crisis in 2007-2009.

Profit growth for 2013 is expected at about 6 percent, a far cry from the 31 percent achieved in 2010. That undermines the case for further gains in stock prices and has led some investors to consider reducing their earnings forecasts.

“The Fed’s no-confidence vote in the economy really causes us to revisit our profit estimates for the rest of this year and next,” said Leo Grohowski, chief investment officer at BNY Mellon Wealth Management in New York. “I would not be surprised to see con-sensus numbers get adjusted.”

Investors are more likely to be prepared to pay higher prices for shares if they think earnings are expected to rise, so if current profit expectations fail to materialize, valu-ations could be stretched.

Markets had expected the Fed last Wednes-

day to cut back on its $85bn a month in bond purchases, which have been behind its efforts to spur economic growth, and have injected money into the financial system. Instead, the Fed kept its stimulus in place and cut its pro-jections for economic growth in 2013 and 2014.

Despite the weaker forecast, stocks jumped, but on Thursday and Friday the markets largely gave back the gains, part-ly amid fears of a government shutdown or debt default because of political gridlock in Washington but also because of concerns that prices had got over-extended. Now, in-vestors’ focus in the next few weeks is going to be on both Congress and third-quarter re-sults, both of which will help show whether the Fed’s prudence was warranted.

If stocks hold up it may be because of a rally in the bond market since the Fed an-nouncement makes Treasuries less attractive. The 10-year Treasury yield rose to around 3% in recent weeks, bringing in asset allocation investors who found that yield more appeal-ing. Now, it is back down to 2.74%.

Growth has slowed substantially since the peaks of this earnings cycle. For the second quarter, earnings increased 4.8%, the 15th straight quarter of S&P 500 profit growth.

The S&P 500’s big gains in 2013 have caused the forward price-to-earnings ratio to rise to 14.94 from 12.7 at the end of 2012. Mul-tiple expansion has come as investors bet on improved growth that would in turn allow the Fed to reduce its extraordinary support for the US economy.

That ratio is about the same as the 14.8 level it was at the start of 2010, when year-over-year profit growth was much higher.

While that’s not considered expensive by historical standards - the average forward p/e is estimated at about 17 by S&P - it does fuel

concerns about valuations. Earnings growth is now expected at 6.3 %for 2013, and esti-mates for the year have fallen about one per-centage point in the past 90 days, according to Thomson Reuters StarMine data. The con-cern is that earnings growth will continue to slip as the economy’s path remains mediocre.

“If the Fed needs to continue to keep their foot on the gas pedal, it implies that we’re not gaining the momentum that current stock prices have priced into their valuations,” said Rick Meckler, president of investment firm LibertyView Capital Management in Jersey City, New Jersey.

The sunny outlook has also meant that the best performing stocks have been growth-oriented names. After a weak Au-gust, companies with already high p/e ratios and high short interest rebounded, and have outperformed for the balance of the year.

Netflix, the S&P’s best performer with a 239% gain for the year so far, has a very high forward p/e ratio of about 106, according to Reuters data. Electric car maker Tesla, up more than 400% for the year so far and a long-time favorite of short-sellers, is trading at about 112 times earnings forecasts.

In a sign of how frothy the market may have become, shares of cybersecurity com-pany FireEye Inc and digital advertising company Rocket Fuel Inc, soared on their stock trading debuts on Friday, both more than doubling in price at one stage.

“There’s not a lot of room for error,” Meck-ler said. Companies have also become less able to rely on cost cutting to boost their bot-tom lines, with sales growth anemic. Year-over-year revenue growth has ranged from a decline of 0.8% to a gain of 3.6% over the past four quarters, according to Thomson Reuters data. l

a general view of the us Federal reserve building as the morning sky breaks over Washington rEUTErS

china manufacturing hits 6-month high: HSbcnAFP, Beijing

China’s manufacturing activity ex-panded in September to a six-month high, HSBC said Monday, a further sign that a rebound in the world’s sec-ond-largest economy is gaining mo-mentum on improving demand.

The British banking giant’s pre-liminary purchasing managers’ index (PMI) for September hit 51.2, the high-est since March when it stood at 51.6, HSBC said in a statement.

The result was higher than last month’s final reading of 50.1, which had improved from an 11-month low of 47.7 in July and ended three months of contraction, according to the bank.

The index tracks manufacturing activity in China’s factories and work-shops and is a closely watched gauge of the health of the world’s second-largest economy. A reading below 50 indicates contraction, while anything above sig-nals expansion.

The September figure suggested Chi-na’s ongoing growth rebound is con-solidating on the back of “simultane-ous improvements” in overseas and domestic demand, HSBC economist Qu Hongbin said in the release.

“We expect a more sustained recov-ery as the further filtering-through of fine-tuning measures should lift do-mestic demand,” he said.

“This will create more favourable conditions to push forward reforms, which should in turn boost mid- and long-term growth outlooks.”

Chinese authorities have so far been reluctant to introduce large-scale stim-ulus measures, but in late July did an-nounce some steps to boost growth, such as reducing taxes on small com-panies and encouraging railway devel-opment.

The first half of this year saw ana-lyst concerns about China’s economy mount after an expected rebound from growth of 7.7% last year - the worst per-formance in 13 years - failed to materi-alise.

Growth stood at 7.7% in the first three months of this year and slowed further to 7.5% in the April-June peri-od, but recent data, including strong exports and industrial output, have pointed to renewed strength in the economy.

HSBC said the final September PMI reading will be published next Mon-day. l

‘We expect a more sustained recovery as the further filtering-through of fine-tuning measures should lift domestic demand’

BusinessdHaKa TrIbuNe 5Tuesday, sepTember 24, 2013

blackberry move away from consumers unlikely to stem declinenReuters, Toronto

BlackBerry Limited’s plan to retreat from the consumer market in favour of its tradition-al strength serving businesses and govern-ments is widely seen as a desperate move that industry watchers warn will only accel-erate its downward spiral.

The strategic shift and dramatic restruc-turing are fueling fears about BlackBerry’s long-term viability. The uncertainty created could easily push a growing number of its telecom partners, business customers and consumers to abandon the platform.

“Perception is nine tenths of reality and if customer and supplier confidence continues to fall it doesn’t matter how much cash they have on the balance sheet. Things could get worse,” said GMP Securities analyst Deepak Kaushal.

The Canadian smartphone maker, once the leader in wireless email, announced the change in focus on Friday afternoon when it also said it will report a quarterly loss of close to $1bn and slash more than a third of its workforce.

Bring your own deviceIn response to queries about its future sales strategy BlackBerry said on Sunday it would provide more detail when it announces quar-terly earnings on September 27.

On Friday, Chief Executive Thorsten Heins said the strategic shift to focus on so-called enterprise customers would play to the com-pany’s strengths in security and reliability.

“Security matters and enterprises know the gold standard in enterprise mobility is BlackBerry,” he said in a statement.

Blackberry still has a substantial subscrib-er base - 72 million users globally at the end of June, though that did decline from 76 mil-lion three months earlier.

The company has struggled ever since Apples iPhone and Samsung Electronics Co Limited’s Galaxy phones, using Google’s And’roid software, grew to dominate a mar-ket that was previously BlackBerry’s and had once made it highly profitable.

BlackBerry bet heavily that its Z10 touch-screen smartphone - the first powered by its new BlackBerry 10 operating system - would help it recoup some of the luster it enjoyed when users of these devices were mostly lawyers, bankers and politicians.

The bet has not paid off. GMP’s Kaushal estimates as many as 3 million of the latest BlackBerry 10 phones are gathering dust with distributors who have been unable to sell them. For the second quarter, the company said it expects to have sold about 3.7 million BlackBerry smartphones to end users.

“I don’t understood why they thought they ought to be pursuing the consumer at all, given the fact that Apple and Samsung re-ally had the strength in that area,” said Ross Healy, a portfolio manager with MacNicol & Associates, whose clients own BlackBerry shares.

A shift back to corporate customers is no clear fix. Many big organizations are al-ready handling rival devices on their internal

networks and employees are increasingly allowed to choose their preferred device, blurring the boundary between business and consumer markets.

For example, Credit Suisse is not sup-porting the Blackberry 10 and is helping employees globally to switch to iPhone and Android-run devices.

“We don’t support BlackBerry 10 because of the added cost to our servers,” said Credit Suisse US-based spokeswoman Marcy Frank. The bank still supported older BlackBerry de-vices because there were plenty of staff who continued to use them, she said, but added: “We’re driving people toward bring your own device (BYOD)...we encourage people to give up their BlackBerry.”

The head of technology procurement at a major North American bank, who declined to be named because he is not authorized

to speak to media, said that while email and security are features in BlackBerry’s favour, employees were increasingly turning to Ap-ple and Android.

“We will purchase a limited number of BB10 but our inventory of BlackBerry devic-es will definitely and drastically reduce as we implement a broader BYOD implementation over the next 18 months,” he said.

BlackBerry was losing support at com-panies even before Friday’s warning, said Phillip Redman, vice president of mobile solutions and strategy for Citrix Systems Inc, which provides software that helps compa-nies manage mobile devices.

He said he had met with technology staff

at 60 companies in various industries and none had a strategy of adding more Black-Berrys to their mobile device fleets. Red-man’s own company has limited capacity to handle Blackberry devices.

“The writing is on the wall,” he said.

Carrier jittersBlackBerry’s shift away from consumers will also change the dynamic with network oper-ators, who have already been burned by the poor showing of the Z10 and a string of previ-ously delayed product launches.

The company on Friday wrote off almost $1bn, mostly on a ballooning stockpile of Z10s it must discount sharply, even as it launched a fresh flagship device - the larg-er-screen Z30.

Poor sales of the Z10 made it difficult to get carriers to commit to the Z30, according

to a source at BlackBerry, who declined to be named because of the sensitivity of the sit-uation.

“Many carriers will now pull much if not all of the BlackBerrys from the shelves be-cause shelf space is valuable and coveted and there are many other handset vendors who would eagerly invest a lot to displace BlackBerry,” said a former senior BlackBer-ry executive who used to negotiate directly with carriers.

A spokesman for US operator Sprint Corp said questions about any change in how BlackBerry devices are sold should be direct-ed towards the company. A Verizon Wireless spokeswoman also declined to comment

specifically on BlackBerry but said it would support its customers.

Highlighting the problems that have come to define BlackBerry in recent years, the company suspended the launch of its popular BlackBerry Messenger instant chat application for iPhones and Android devices scheduled for this weekend.

The next nortel?Many industry analysts are now drawing parallels between BlackBerry and Nortel Networks Corp, the now-defunct Canadian telecom equipment giant.

Both companies, at their peaks, were the largest publicly listed names on the Toron-to Stock Exchange. But as Nortel’s revenue collapsed, it dumped employees in repeated restructurings and was eventually broken up and sold in parts.

BlackBerry has already hired advisors to look at finding a buyer for all or some of the company.

Given the dismal picture, Morningstar an-alyst Brian Colello said BlackBerry is likely to quickly attempt to go private or sell off some, or all, of its business units.

But he said he was no longer confident that a private equity buyer, who would shield management from the scrutiny of being a listed company, could turn the company around.

“We see no hope for BlackBerry at this point,” Colello stressed in a note to clients following the warning on Friday. He said, in his view, BlackBerry was in “a death spiral.” l

a blackberry Z10 is displayed at a store in Toronto rEUTErS

BANKABBANK | 2.95 | 32.60 | Vol. 272509 D: 23.10 ⇓ 0.86% | 23.21 | 23.50 / 21.00 C: 23.00 ⇓ 0.43% | 23.04 | 23.20 / 22.50CITYBANK | 1.15 | 25.97 | Vol. 225406 D: 15.20 ⇓ 1.94% | 15.35 | 15.60 / 14.00 C: 15.20 ⇓ 2.56% | 15.29 | 15.70 / 15.20IFIC | 1.10 | 18.34 | Vol. 181668 D: 19.40 ⇓ 1.02% | 19.53 | 19.80 / 18.00 C: 19.50 ⇓ 1.02% | 19.65 | 20.00 / 19.40ISLAMIBANK | 3.78 | 27.16 | Vol. 316622 D: 36.40 ⇑ 0.28% | 36.38 | 36.50 / 32.70 C: 36.00 ⇑ 0.28% | 36.06 | 36.80 / 35.70NBL | 1.05 | 15.76 | Vol. 1297254 D: 10.60 ⇓ 0.93% | 10.69 | 10.90 / 9.70 C: 10.70 ⇓ 0.93% | 10.77 | 11.00 / 10.70PUBALIBANK | 1.92 | 21.18 | Vol. 193063 D: 30.70 ⇓ 1.60% | 30.76 | 32.00 / 28.40 C: 30.50 ⇑ 0.00% | 30.47 | 30.80 / 30.20RUPALIBANK | 6.70 | 64.27 | Vol. 14613 D: 58.80 ⇑ 0.51% | 58.50 | 59.30 / 55.00 C: 57.60 ⇓ 6.95% | 57.57 | 58.00 / 57.50UCBL | 1.90 | 21.72 | Vol. 729589 D: 17.10 ⇑ 0.00% | 17.09 | 18.00 / 15.40 C: 17.00 ⇑ 0.00% | 17.01 | 17.20 / 16.00UTTARABANK | 3.42 | 26.97 | Vol. 211535 D: 25.10 ⇓ 0.40% | 25.15 | 25.50 / 22.70 C: 25.00 ⇓ 0.40% | 25.06 | 25.40 / 25.00ICBIBANK | -1.60 | -13.03 | Vol. 129000 D: 5.80 ⇑ 0.00% | 5.80 | 5.90 / 5.80EBL | 3.91 | 28.22 | Vol. 102590 D: 26.50 ⇑ 1.53% | 26.49 | 27.00 / 23.50 C: 26.10 ⇑ 0.77% | 26.09 | 26.50 / 25.90ALARABANK | 2.03 | 14.91 | Vol. 137114 D: 13.80 ⇓ 0.72% | 13.91 | 15.10 / 12.60 C: 13.90 ⇑ 0.72% | 13.91 | 14.00 / 13.00PRIMEBANK | 2.89 | 22.40 | Vol. 190938 D: 17.50 ⇓ 0.57% | 17.49 | 17.60 / 16.00 C: 18.00 ⇑ 0.56% | 17.69 | 18.00 / 17.00SOUTHEASTB | 1.89 | 22.66 | Vol. 618939 D: 14.80 ⇓ 0.67% | 14.85 | 15.00 / 13.50 C: 14.70 ⇓ 0.68% | 14.67 | 14.90 / 14.60DHAKABANK | 1.46 | 18.08 | Vol. 160870 D: 17.30 ⇓ 1.70% | 17.41 | 17.80 / 15.90 C: 17.30 ⇓ 3.35% | 17.34 | 17.70 / 17.20NCCBANK | 1.90 | 15.88 | Vol. 390358 D: 11.00 ⇓ 1.79% | 11.10 | 12.00 / 10.20 C: 11.10 ⇓ 0.89% | 11.17 | 11.30 / 11.10SIBL | 2.05 | 14.47 | Vol. 313122 D: 11.10 ⇑ 0.00% | 11.17 | 11.40 / 10.30 C: 11.10 ⇓ 0.89% | 11.12 | 11.30 / 11.10DUTCHBANGL | 11.57 | 54.27 | Vol. 10160 D: 92.10 ⇑ 0.00% | 91.99 | 92.20 / 85.00 C: 88.10 ⇑ 1.26% | 88.10 | 88.10 / 88.10MTBL | 1.17 | 17.27 | Vol. 24840 D: 14.40 ⇑ 1.41% | 14.40 | 14.50 / 12.90 C: 14.60 ⇓ 2.67% | 14.50 | 14.60 / 14.30STANDBANKL | 2.33 | 14.41 | Vol. 259375 D: 12.40 ⇓ 2.36% | 12.55 | 13.00 / 11.50 C: 12.50 ⇓ 1.57% | 12.49 | 12.60 / 12.40ONEBANKLTD | 2.35 | 15.34 | Vol. 605057 D: 14.10 ⇓ 0.70% | 14.13 | 15.00 / 13.30 C: 13.90 ⇓ 2.11% | 14.00 | 14.20 / 13.90BANKASIA | 1.35 | 20.80 | Vol. 14212 D: 19.10 ⇓ 1.55% | 19.15 | 19.40 / 17.50 C: 19.00 ⇑ 0.00% | 19.00 | 19.00 / 19.00MERCANBANK | 2.07 | 16.59 | Vol. 389383 D: 11.20 ⇓ 3.45% | 11.27 | 11.50 / 10.80 C: 11.20 ⇓ 2.61% | 11.28 | 11.40 / 11.00EXIMBANK | 1.80 | 14.31 | Vol. 818039 D: 10.70 ⇓ 0.93% | 10.77 | 11.50 / 9.80 C: 10.70 ⇓ 1.83% | 10.77 | 10.90 / 10.70JAMUNABANK | 2.47 | 18.56 | Vol. 136153 D: 13.40 ⇑ 0.00% | 13.30 | 14.00 / 12.30 C: 13.00 ⇓ 2.26% | 12.97 | 13.00 / 12.80BRACBANK | 1.51 | 24.87 | Vol. 178487 D: 27.20 ⇓ 0.37% | 27.26 | 27.70 / 25.00 C: 27.00 ⇑ 0.75% | 26.89 | 27.00 / 24.20SHAHJABANK | 2.61 | 14.47 | Vol. 223944 D: 13.60 ⇑ 0.00% | 13.64 | 14.00 / 12.90 C: 13.60 ⇑ 0.74% | 13.58 | 13.70 / 13.50

PREMIERBAN | 1.18 | 13.95 | Vol. 303754 D: 9.40 ⇑ 0.00% | 9.40 | 10.00 / 8.50 C: 9.40 ⇓ 2.08% | 9.47 | 9.60 / 8.70TRUSTBANK | 0.50 | 18.00 | Vol. 111713 D: 16.40 ⇓ 1.20% | 16.47 | 16.70 / 15.00FIRSTSBANK | 1.85 | 13.89 | Vol. 200427 D: 11.20 ⇓ 0.88% | 11.24 | 12.00 / 10.50 C: 11.20 ⇓ 0.88% | 11.20 | 11.30 / 11.00

NON BANKING F IIDLC | 4.43 | 29.18 | Vol. 83960 D: 58.90 ⇓ 1.17% | 59.15 | 61.00 / 55.00 C: 59.40 ⇓ 0.67% | 59.31 | 60.10 / 58.50ULC | 1.80 | 14.90 | Vol. 79763 D: 26.60 ⇓ 1.12% | 26.65 | 26.80 / 25.00UTTARAFIN | 7.16 | 41.54 | Vol. 54841 D: 74.80 ⇓ 1.97% | 74.88 | 76.40 / 68.70 C: 74.40 ⇓ 2.87% | 74.50 | 76.00 / 74.20MIDASFIN | 0.16 | 10.21 | Vol. 30000 D: 30.00 ⇑ 3.81% | 30.00 | 30.00 / 30.00FLEASEINT | 2.34 | 13.93 | Vol. 388028 D: 24.60 ⇑ 1.23% | 24.27 | 24.90 / 22.00 C: 24.30 ⇓ 0.41% | 23.87 | 24.70 / 23.00PLFSL | 1.37 | 17.48 | Vol. 613748 D: 22.50 ⇓ 1.75% | 22.61 | 24.00 / 20.70 C: 22.60 ⇓ 2.16% | 22.66 | 23.20 / 22.00PRIMEFIN | 0.87 | 17.88 | Vol. 166950 D: 23.90 ⇓ 0.42% | 23.99 | 24.50 / 23.00 C: 23.80 ⇓ 1.24% | 24.03 | 24.40 / 23.80PREMIERLEA | 0.10 | 11.37 | Vol. 321500 D: 10.20 ⇓ 2.86% | 10.24 | 10.40 / 10.10 C: 10.40 ⇓ 1.89% | 10.46 | 10.50 / 10.40ISLAMICFIN | 1.03 | 15.48 | Vol. 541200 D: 15.80 ⇑ 0.64% | 15.67 | 16.00 / 14.20 C: 15.80 ⇑ 0.64% | 15.61 | 16.00 / 15.40PHOENIXFIN | 2.46 | 19.39 | Vol. 168905 D: 29.10 ⇓ 1.69% | 29.28 | 30.50 / 27.00 C: 29.20 ⇓ 1.68% | 29.41 | 29.60 / 29.20FASFIN | 0.19 | 13.56 | Vol. 18326000 D: 15.10 ⇑ 1.34% | 15.46 | 15.50 / 14.20 C: 15.00 ⇑ 0.67% | 14.70 | 15.20 / 14.30DBH | 4.47 | 21.27 | Vol. 148800 D: 63.20 ⇑ 2.93% | 62.53 | 63.80 / 60.00 C: 63.50 ⇑ 3.59% | 63.34 | 63.90 / 62.50NHFIL | 0.57 | 12.70 | Vol. 278665 D: 29.10 ⇑ 0.34% | 29.35 | 30.00 / 27.00 C: 29.10 ⇑ 0.34% | 29.23 | 29.70 / 28.50BAYLEASING | 0.72 | 25.55 | Vol. 112688 D: 27.20 ⇓ 1.81% | 27.40 | 28.40 / 25.50 C: 27.40 ⇓ 1.44% | 27.37 | 27.50 / 27.10ICB | 109.65 | 769.98 | Vol. 5012 D: 1959 ⇓ 1.76% | 1963 | 2000 / 1899 C: 2019 ⇓ 4.99% | 2019 | 2019 / 2019GSPFINANCE | 1.63 | 22.23 | Vol. 100682 D: 25.20 ⇑ 0.00% | 25.20 | 26.00 / 23.00 C: 25.70 ⇓ 0.77% | 25.45 | 25.90 / 25.20FAREASTFIN | 0.68 | 13.64 | Vol. 1576500 D: 17.20 ⇓ 3.37% | 17.43 | 17.90 / 17.20 C: 17.30 ⇓ 3.35% | 17.51 | 17.90 / 17.20

INVESTMENT1STICB | 75.63 | 942.30 | Vol. 100 D: 821.5 ⇑ 0.06% | 820.00 | 822.1 / 821.02NDICB | 44.10 | 253.11 | Vol. 200 D: 264.9 ⇑ 0.00% | 264.90 | 264.9 / 264.93RDICB | 26.16 | 235.16 | Vol. 500 D: 170.9 ⇓ 1.78% | 170.00 | 180.0 / 168.24THICB | 29.24 | 229.24 | Vol. 2700 D: 168.8 ⇑ 0.24% | 168.89 | 169.0 / 168.06THICB | 10.99 | 60.14 | Vol. 26400 D: 47.10 ⇑ 2.17% | 46.86 | 47.50 / 46.007THICB | 13.53 | 98.60 | Vol. 1000 D: 73.10 ⇓ 7.47% | 73.00 | 73.20 / 73.008THICB | 12.47 | 70.07 | Vol. 13500 D: 52.40 ⇑ 2.14% | 52.37 | 53.00 / 51.901STBSRS | 14.43 | 161.88 | Vol. 31000 D: 96.90 ⇓ 3.96% | 97.67 | 101.0 / 94.00 C: 95.60 ⇓ 8.34% | 95.60 | 95.60 / 95.60AIMS1STMF | 3.02 | 15.70 | Vol. 254750 D: 39.10 ⇓ 1.51% | 39.27 | 40.00 / 39.00 C: 39.20 ⇓ 2.00% | 39.23 | 39.70 / 38.60ICBAMCL1ST | 7.14 | 48.54 | Vol. 278000 D: 29.80 ⇓ 9.97% | 29.89 | 31.80 / 29.80 C: 30.20 ⇓ 9.85% | 30.20 | 30.20 / 30.20

ICBISLAMIC | 2.21 | 26.81 | Vol. 35000 D: 17.20 ⇓ 1.71% | 17.31 | 17.80 / 17.10GRAMEEN1 | 6.26 | 33.23 | Vol. 249000 D: 44.60 ⇓ 0.89% | 44.78 | 45.50 / 44.40 C: 44.50 ⇓ 2.20% | 44.15 | 44.80 / 43.70ICB1STNRB | 4.06 | 35.31 | Vol. 3000 D: 23.50 ⇓ 2.89% | 23.50 | 23.60 / 23.50 C: 26.00 ⇑ 0.00% | 26.00 | 26.00 / 26.00ICB2NDNRB | 2.49 | 16.24 | Vol. 233500 D: 9.10 ⇓ 3.19% | 9.21 | 9.50 / 9.10 C: 9.30 ⇑ 0.00% | 9.11 | 9.30 / 9.10GRAMEENS2 | 2.17 | 16.41 | Vol. 590700 D: 16.00 ⇓ 1.23% | 16.12 | 16.30 / 16.00 C: 16.10 ⇓ 0.62% | 16.09 | 16.20 / 15.801STPRIMFMF | 0.64 | 11.63 | Vol. 847000 D: 20.40 ⇓ 2.39% | 20.48 | 21.20 / 19.80 C: 20.50 ⇓ 1.91% | 20.43 | 22.70 / 20.00EBL1STMF | 0.55 | 12.62 | Vol. 317923 D: 6.40 ⇓ 1.54% | 6.51 | 6.60 / 5.90 C: 6.60 ⇑ 1.54% | 6.53 | 6.60 / 6.50ICBAMCL2ND | 0.60 | 12.12 | Vol. 19000 D: 5.30 ⇓ 1.85% | 5.35 | 5.50 / 5.30 C: 5.40 ⇑ 1.89% | 5.40 | 5.40 / 5.40ICBEPMF1S1 | 0.52 | 11.32 | Vol. 292000 D: 5.70 ⇑ 1.79% | 5.70 | 5.80 / 5.60 C: 5.50 ⇓ 3.51% | 5.51 | 5.60 / 5.50POPULAR1MF | 0.77 | 11.38 | Vol. 452914 D: 5.80 ⇑ 0.00% | 5.78 | 5.90 / 5.30 C: 5.80 ⇑ 0.00% | 5.77 | 5.80 / 5.30IFILISLMF1 | 0.00 | 10.45 | Vol. 208000 D: 5.10 ⇑ 0.00% | 5.18 | 5.20 / 5.10 C: 5.10 ⇑ 0.00% | 5.06 | 5.10 / 5.00PHPMF1 | 0.63 | 10.92 | Vol. 272500 D: 5.40 ⇑ 0.00% | 5.40 | 5.50 / 5.30 C: 5.40 ⇑ 0.00% | 5.42 | 5.50 / 5.30AIBL1STIMF | -0.07 | 9.25 | Vol. 15500 D: 6.30 ⇑ 0.00% | 6.35 | 6.40 / 6.30 C: 6.10 ⇑ 0.00% | 6.05 | 6.10 / 6.00MBL1STMF | -0.16 | 9.08 | Vol. 147500 D: 6.10 ⇓ 1.61% | 6.18 | 6.30 / 6.10 C: 6.00 ⇓ 1.64% | 6.00 | 6.00 / 6.00SEBL1STMF | 0.94 | 11.85 | Vol. 655200 D: 7.70 ⇑ 0.00% | 7.70 | 8.00 / 7.70 C: 7.70 ⇑ 0.00% | 7.66 | 7.70 / 7.50EBLNRBMF | 1.07 | 10.88 | Vol. 35000 D: 7.60 ⇑ 2.70% | 7.69 | 7.90 / 7.40RELIANCE1 | 0.95 | 10.33 | Vol. 393200 D: 7.80 ⇓ 2.50% | 7.90 | 8.50 / 7.40 C: 7.80 ⇓ 2.50% | 7.81 | 7.90 / 7.80LRGLOBMF1 | 0.50 | 10.82 | Vol. 500 D: 6.60 ⇑ 0.00% | 6.60 | 6.60 / 6.60ABB1STMF | 0.92 | 10.63 | Vol. 37000 D: 6.80 ⇓ 1.45% | 6.86 | 6.90 / 6.80NLI1STMF | 1.17 | 12.22 | Vol. 264800 D: 7.90 ⇓ 1.25% | 7.96 | 8.10 / 7.90 C: 8.00 ⇓ 2.44% | 8.03 | 8.20 / 7.90FBFIF | 1.30 | 10.27 | Vol. 13000 D: 8.80 ⇑ 0.00% | 8.85 | 8.90 / 8.50NCCBLMF1 | 1.16 | 10.48 | Vol. 1000 D: 8.00 ⇓ 4.76% | 8.00 | 8.00 / 8.00ICBSONALI1 | 0.00 | 10.39 | Vol. 356000 D: 6.10 ⇓ 4.69% | 6.20 | 6.40 / 6.10 C: 6.10 ⇓ 3.17% | 6.12 | 6.30 / 6.00

ENGINEERINGAFTABAUTO | 4.29 | 52.65 | Vol. 489733 D: 110.3 ⇓ 1.96% | 111.31 | 114.0 / 102.0 C: 110.4 ⇓ 2.13% | 111.63 | 114.5 / 109.5AZIZPIPES | 0.39 | -42.04 | Vol. 3500 D: 17.60 ⇑ 0.00% | 17.71 | 18.00 / 17.00OLYMPIC | 5.94 | 14.91 | Vol. 247087 D: 220.3 ⇓ 1.21% | 222.04 | 225.4 / 215.0 C: 221.2 ⇓ 0.23% | 221.75 | 224.0 / 220.0BDLAMPS | -5.31 | 37.07 | Vol. 140752 D: 174.4 ⇑ 9.75% | 173.81 | 174.7 / 166.9 C: 174.9 ⇑ 10.00% | 174.84 | 174.9 / 173.0ECABLES | 2.04 | 18.87 | Vol. 29740 D: 80.00 ⇑ 0.38% | 78.49 | 81.80 / 76.50 C: 73.80 ⇓ 7.75% | 73.84 | 74.10 / 73.50MONNOSTAF | 5.31 | 44.78 | Vol. 8400 D: 488.4 ⇑ 8.29% | 488.10 | 488.4 / 487.0

SINGERBD | 9.99 | 45.74 | Vol. 183403 D: 212.0 ⇓ 0.70% | 213.00 | 216.0 / 201.0 C: 212.6 ⇓ 0.65% | 213.24 | 217.0 / 211.1ATLASBANG | 11.98 | 207.70 | Vol. 16669 D: 186.5 ⇑ 1.08% | 184.83 | 188.0 / 168.0BDAUTOCA | 0.25 | 6.23 | Vol. 96634 D: 56.10 ⇑ 10.00% | 56.01 | 56.10 / 49.00QSMDRYCELL | 1.17 | 57.54 | Vol. 494829 D: 36.70 ⇑ 4.86% | 35.76 | 37.30 / 32.00 C: 36.40 ⇑ 2.82% | 35.65 | 37.00 / 34.10RENWICKJA | 5.62 | -90.00 | Vol. 27200 D: 185.9 ⇑ 3.97% | 185.77 | 193.9 / 180.5NTLTUBES | -2.52 | 312.10 | Vol. 106420 D: 81.50 ⇑ 0.49% | 82.07 | 83.80 / 81.00BDTHAI | 0.43 | 39.35 | Vol. 1844383 D: 34.40 ⇑ 9.55% | 33.51 | 34.50 / 30.00 C: 34.40 ⇑ 9.55% | 33.85 | 34.50 / 31.90ANWARGALV | 0.51 | 8.08 | Vol. 622500 D: 33.60 ⇑ 9.45% | 33.60 | 33.70 / 32.50 C: 34.70 ⇑ 9.46% | 34.68 | 34.80 / 33.90KAY&QUE | -3.89 | 6.03 | Vol. 25330 D: 16.50 ⇓ 5.71% | 16.56 | 16.90 / 16.20 C: 17.40 ⇑ 0.00% | 16.63 | 17.40 / 17.40RANFOUNDRY | 2.84 | 18.62 | Vol. 176000 D: 116.2 ⇑ 8.70% | 113.58 | 117.0 / 107.0 C: 117.0 ⇑ 9.55% | 115.36 | 117.2 / 112.0SALAMCRST | 3.31 | 20.00 | Vol. 155150 D: 41.40 ⇓ 0.72% | 41.59 | 42.30 / 37.60 C: 41.50 ⇑ 0.24% | 41.42 | 42.00 / 41.10GOLDENSON | 3.70 | 28.70 | Vol. 367903 D: 42.10 ⇓ 0.94% | 42.58 | 43.10 / 38.30 C: 42.20 ⇓ 0.47% | 42.27 | 43.00 / 42.00BSRMSTEEL | 3.06 | 19.53 | Vol. 352790 D: 69.40 ⇓ 1.28% | 70.10 | 71.00 / 68.00 C: 69.30 ⇓ 1.70% | 69.98 | 70.50 / 69.10NAVANACNG | 4.09 | 27.04 | Vol. 113056 D: 67.80 ⇓ 0.73% | 68.14 | 69.90 / 62.00 C: 67.40 ⇓ 1.46% | 70.50 | 73.00 / 67.10DESHBANDHU | 1.16 | 12.02 | Vol. 1113875 D: 23.60 ⇓ 1.67% | 23.91 | 24.60 / 22.80 C: 23.90 ⇓ 0.83% | 24.07 | 24.60 / 23.60GPHISPAT | 2.11 | 15.27 | Vol. 73400 D: 42.20 ⇓ 0.94% | 42.21 | 42.40 / 39.00 C: 42.10 ⇓ 2.09% | 43.38 | 44.20 / 42.00BENGALWTL | 2.42 | 20.72 | Vol. 257800 D: 45.50 ⇑ 3.17% | 44.81 | 46.20 / 43.60 C: 44.70 ⇑ 1.59% | 44.14 | 45.50 / 43.50NPOLYMAR | 2.01 | 324.37 | Vol. 195108 D: 65.60 ⇑ 4.13% | 66.53 | 69.00 / 60.00 C: 66.90 ⇑ 5.52% | 66.20 | 68.00 / 64.50

FOOD & ALLIEDAPEXFOODS | 2.54 | 90.81 | Vol. 120750 D: 106.3 ⇑ 3.00% | 106.68 | 112.0 / 100.0 C: 107.6 ⇑ 4.87% | 110.17 | 112.8 / 100.2BANGAS | 7.20 | 50.27 | Vol. 166153 D: 542.2 ⇑ 7.49% | 529.66 | 542.2 / 469.0 C: 542.1 ⇑ 7.50% | 532.84 | 542.1 / 500.0BATBC | 65.69 | 117.22 | Vol. 4400 D: 1414 ⇓ 2.06% | 1416 | 1440 / 1400 C: 1477 ⇓ 1.55% | 1477 | 1498 / 1425GEMINISEA | 10.88 | 9.69 | Vol. 5550 D: 255.3 ⇑ 8.50% | 249.01 | 255.4 / 237.0NTC | 29.88 | 110.05 | Vol. 2800 D: 817.6 ⇑ 0.62% | 817.74 | 824.0 / 815.0 C: 816.1 ⇓ 15.05% | 816.07 | 816.1 / 816.0ZEALBANGLA | -23.01 | -193.09 | Vol. 400 D: 8.50 ⇓ 1.16% | 8.50 | 8.50 / 8.50CVOPRL | 2.66 | 13.28 | Vol. 73780 D: 876.6 ⇑ 7.36% | 872.00 | 877.7 / 820.0 C: 860.7 ⇑ 7.41% | 860.65 | 861.3 / 859.0AMCL(PRAN) | 6.53 | 53.37 | Vol. 217100 D: 304.2 ⇑ 8.72% | 297.89 | 304.2 / 280.0 C: 305.5 ⇑ 8.72% | 299.23 | 305.5 / 282.2SHYAMPSUG | -36.87 | -355.85 | Vol. 200 D: 8.60 ⇑ 6.17% | 10.00 | 8.80 / 8.40RAHIMAFOOD | 0.62 | 4.46 | Vol. 380500 D: 37.60 ⇑ 9.94% | 37.58 | 37.60 / 37.00 C: 37.00 ⇑ 9.47% | 37.01 | 37.10 / 35.50FUWANGFOOD | 1.26 | 12.37 | Vol. 573894 D: 26.30 ⇓ 1.87% | 26.38 | 27.00 / 24.60 C: 26.40 ⇓ 1.12% | 26.49 | 27.00 / 26.20

MEGHNAPET | -0.58 | -1.02 | Vol. 1000 D: 6.00 ⇓ 3.23% | 6.00 | 6.00 / 6.00MEGCONMILK | -6.68 | -16.22 | Vol. 22500 D: 8.00 ⇓ 1.23% | 8.09 | 8.40 / 7.90BEACHHATCH | 1.01 | 12.48 | Vol. 846719 D: 23.60 ⇓ 2.48% | 24.12 | 25.40 / 22.00 C: 23.60 ⇓ 3.28% | 24.17 | 25.40 / 23.40FINEFOODS | -0.11 | 10.58 | Vol. 579000 D: 26.60 ⇑ 5.98% | 26.16 | 27.30 / 23.00 C: 27.20 ⇑ 6.67% | 26.21 | 28.00 / 25.20RDFOOD | 0.91 | 16.84 | Vol. 1199311 D: 24.20 ⇑ 1.68% | 24.12 | 24.40 / 21.50 C: 24.30 ⇑ 2.10% | 24.12 | 24.50 / 23.70GHAIL | 1.01 | 22.08 | Vol. 520440 D: 43.80 ⇓ 1.35% | 44.01 | 44.60 / 40.00 C: 43.80 ⇓ 2.01% | 43.74 | 44.30 / 43.80

FUEL & POWERLINDEBD | 31.71 | 144.00 | Vol. 13300 D: 701.0 ⇓ 2.01% | 705.49 | 719.0 / 695.0PADMAOIL | 16.38 | 43.67 | Vol. 247869 D: 341.6 ⇓ 0.87% | 342.39 | 347.0 / 340.6 C: 341.7 ⇓ 0.41% | 342.82 | 346.0 / 340.2EASTRNLUB | 6.32 | 68.68 | Vol. 7650 D: 412.2 ⇑ 2.16% | 405.49 | 415.0 / 378.3BDWELDING | 0.33 | 16.82 | Vol. 1380283 D: 25.50 ⇑ 0.79% | 25.30 | 27.40 / 22.80 C: 25.70 ⇑ 1.98% | 25.18 | 26.00 / 24.50SUMITPOWER | 3.17 | 19.26 | Vol. 480051 D: 32.90 ⇓ 0.30% | 32.88 | 34.90 / 29.70 C: 32.90 ⇓ 1.20% | 33.08 | 34.00 / 32.70DESCO | 2.80 | 35.25 | Vol. 96074 D: 76.40 ⇓ 0.39% | 76.71 | 77.80 / 70.00 C: 75.50 ⇓ 1.69% | 75.02 | 76.00 / 74.00POWERGRID | 2.56 | 48.08 | Vol. 53000 D: 55.70 ⇑ 1.46% | 54.97 | 56.00 / 54.00 C: 53.90 ⇓ 3.06% | 54.27 | 55.10 / 53.50JAMUNAOIL | 22.78 | 50.24 | Vol. 324104 D: 232.0 ⇓ 0.26% | 231.55 | 233.4 / 220.0 C: 230.3 ⇓ 0.78% | 230.42 | 232.0 / 228.9MPETROLEUM | 16.98 | 40.41 | Vol. 269637 D: 265.9 ⇓ 1.19% | 266.85 | 270.8 / 255.0 C: 265.7 ⇓ 1.59% | 266.38 | 269.7 / 265.4TITASGAS | 9.01 | 36.56 | Vol. 418632 D: 81.90 ⇓ 0.85% | 82.04 | 82.90 / 74.40 C: 81.60 ⇓ 1.33% | 81.65 | 82.00 / 81.10KPCL | 4.73 | 15.86 | Vol. 163978 D: 47.70 ⇓ 1.65% | 47.85 | 49.00 / 44.00 C: 47.70 ⇓ 2.05% | 47.68 | 48.20 / 47.50BEDL | 1.48 | 19.43 | Vol. 619250 D: 32.10 ⇓ 1.53% | 32.50 | 33.50 / 29.50 C: 31.90 ⇓ 0.93% | 32.06 | 33.00 / 31.60MJLBD | 2.73 | 30.24 | Vol. 153512 D: 70.50 ⇓ 1.67% | 70.94 | 71.80 / 65.00 C: 70.00 ⇓ 0.57% | 70.15 | 71.00 / 70.00GBBPOWER | 1.86 | 22.63 | Vol. 553046 D: 26.80 ⇓ 0.74% | 26.66 | 29.00 / 24.30 C: 27.10 ⇑ 0.37% | 26.67 | 28.00 / 26.20SPPCL | 3.81 | 23.34 | Vol. 517660 D: 55.00 ⇓ 1.61% | 55.31 | 56.50 / 50.40 C: 55.30 ⇓ 1.25% | 55.27 | 56.70 / 54.90

JUTEJUTESPINN | 2.06 | 17.42 | Vol. 23600 D: 131.3 ⇓ 2.96% | 132.67 | 140.0 / 126.2NORTHERN | -13.80 | -6.19 | Vol. 200 D: 23.50 ⇑ 9.81% | 23.50 | 23.50 / 23.50SONALIANSH | 5.54 | 218.80 | Vol. 29250 D: 168.8 ⇑ 3.37% | 169.23 | 172.3 / 166.1

TEXTILEAL-HAJTEX | 1.35 | 15.64 | Vol. 473862 D: 120.9 ⇑ 9.91% | 117.18 | 121.0 / 99.00STYLECRAFT | 20.00 | 287.30 | Vol. 600 D: 1085 ⇑ 3.85% | 1085 | 1110 / 1044RAHIMTEXT | 0.51 | 73.88 | Vol. 3450 D: 310.1 ⇑ 8.65% | 307.25 | 310.3 / 288.1SAIHAMTEX | 2.75 | 29.50 | Vol. 3696200 D: 35.80 ⇑ 8.48% | 34.89 | 36.10 / 33.30 C: 35.80 ⇑ 8.48% | 35.01 | 36.30 / 33.00MODERNDYE | 0.91 | 10.37 | Vol. 7000 D: 149.8 ⇓ 6.90% | 149.43 | 160.1 / 144.9

dHaKa TrIbuNe Share Tuesday, sepTember 24, 20136 dHaKa TrIbuNe Share6

DSE Broad Index: 4021.08 ⇓ 0.39%, Turnover: 5213.39 M.Tk ⇑ 25.64%, PE: 12.61 Turnover 5,658.68 MTk . ⇑ 25.35% September 19, 2013 MarketCap. 1,955.25 BTk. ⇓ 0.73% CSE All Share Index: 12433 ⇓ 0.40%, Turnover: 445.29 M Tk. ⇑ 21.96%, PE: 12.42

CompanyCode | EPS | BV | Volume Traded (Share)DSE/CSE: ClosePrice ⇓/⇑ Chn % | Avg.Price | Hi / Lo

Combined Turnover Leader Vol. TO m.

Tk.% of TTL

avg. p

FAS Fin. & Inv. Ltd-B 18326000 283.13 5.00 15.45

CMC Kamal Tex. -A 5953258 213.01 3.76 35.78

Tallu Spinning -A 4206425 193.85 3.43 6.09

G Next Fashions-A 7835940 184.33 3.26 23.52

BD Submarine Cable-A 588030 147.21 2.60 250.35

dse Gainer C % a % Cp

BD. Autocars -B 10.00 12.47 56.10 Agrani Insur-ance-A

10.00 5.58 28.60

Desh Garments-B 9.96 9.23 101.60

In Tech Online-A 9.95 9.69 21.00

Rahima Food -A 9.94 10.37 37.60

dse Loser C % a % Cp

ICB AMCL 1st M F-A -9.97 -12.68 29.80

Keya Cosmetics-A -7.69 -7.87 25.20

7th ICB M F-A -7.47 -9.55 73.10Modern Dyeing-B -6.90 -6.91 149.80

Imam Button -Z -6.33 -6.48 7.40

SharedHaKa TrIbuNe Tuesday, sepTember 24, 2013 7SharedHaKa TrIbuNe 7

September 23, 2013 Sectotal Index: BANK: 31,493.39 ⇓ 0.52% NBFI: 20,199.21 ⇓ 0.51% INVS: 4,600.86 ⇓ 1.07% ENGG: 6,201.38 ⇓ 0.31% FOOD: 10,260.86 ⇑ 3.80% F&P: 10,420.77 ⇓ 1.38% TEXT: 3,338.01 ⇑ 2.71% PHAR: 17,365.09 ⇓ 0.03% PAPR: 1,238.57 ⇑ 3.45% SERV: 3,004.88 ⇓ 2.02% LEAT: 5,427.68 ⇓ 2.00% CERA: 532.67 ⇓ 1.63% CMNT: 4,532.47 ⇓ 1.19% INFO: 8,520.60 ⇑ 4.19% GINS: 9,624.54 ⇑ 3.03% LINS: 112,107.23 ⇑ 1.35% TELC: 1,332.89 ⇓ 3.06% MISC: 6,391.86 ⇓ 0.71%

DSHGARME | 0.72 | 12.00 | Vol. 138700 D: 101.6 ⇑ 9.96% | 100.25 | 101.6 / 93.30DULAMIACOT | -8.46 | -27.78 | Vol. 15300 D: 9.30 ⇑ 1.09% | 9.35 | 9.60 / 9.10TALLUSPIN | 2.56 | 12.06 | Vol. 4206425 D: 46.00 ⇑ 1.55% | 46.08 | 46.60 / 43.90 C: 46.10 ⇑ 1.54% | 46.12 | 46.50 / 44.80APEXSPINN | 2.01 | 49.32 | Vol. 33600 D: 90.10 ⇑ 1.69% | 90.87 | 95.00 / 88.20 C: 90.00 ⇓ 4.05% | 90.00 | 90.00 / 90.00MITHUNKNIT | 4.54 | 30.39 | Vol. 460876 D: 121.4 ⇑ 3.50% | 122.23 | 124.5 / 110.0 C: 120.7 ⇑ 3.34% | 121.46 | 124.0 / 118.3DELTASPINN | 3.06 | 18.12 | Vol. 1004100 D: 37.20 ⇑ 1.36% | 37.37 | 38.20 / 36.50 C: 37.20 ⇑ 0.81% | 37.34 | 37.90 / 35.40SONARGAON | 0.27 | 34.50 | Vol. 855342 D: 24.30 ⇑ 1.25% | 24.61 | 25.80 / 22.00 C: 24.50 ⇑ 5.15% | 24.98 | 25.60 / 22.00PRIMETEX | 1.01 | 63.54 | Vol. 1711750 D: 32.70 ⇑ 9.73% | 32.23 | 32.70 / 31.00 C: 33.00 ⇑ 10.00% | 32.57 | 33.00 / 30.70ALLTEX | -0.11 | 23.81 | Vol. 151000 D: 8.60 ⇑ 0.00% | 8.65 | 8.80 / 8.50 C: 9.00 ⇑ 2.27% | 8.81 | 9.00 / 8.50ANLIMAYARN | 1.19 | 11.01 | Vol. 875000 D: 40.00 ⇑ 7.24% | 39.29 | 40.40 / 37.70 C: 39.70 ⇑ 7.59% | 39.16 | 39.70 / 38.40HRTEX | 2.08 | 14.92 | Vol. 881417 D: 44.80 ⇑ 9.80% | 44.45 | 44.80 / 39.90 C: 43.90 ⇑ 8.93% | 43.92 | 44.30 / 42.40CMCKAMAL | 1.37 | 19.31 | Vol. 5953258 D: 35.70 ⇓ 2.99% | 35.78 | 38.90 / 33.20SAFKOSPINN | 0.95 | 21.78 | Vol. 881256 D: 30.60 ⇑ 4.08% | 31.29 | 32.30 / 27.00 C: 30.60 ⇑ 3.73% | 31.57 | 32.20 / 30.20SQUARETEXT | 4.32 | 31.82 | Vol. 172252 D: 92.10 ⇓ 0.22% | 92.34 | 93.20 / 90.00 C: 91.60 ⇓ 0.11% | 91.66 | 93.20 / 90.00METROSPIN | -1.00 | 19.59 | Vol. 1309834 D: 20.70 ⇑ 8.38% | 20.31 | 20.90 / 17.20 C: 20.70 ⇑ 7.81% | 20.30 | 20.90 / 19.00MAKSONSPIN | 0.16 | 20.55 | Vol. 3549562 D: 17.90 ⇑ 1.70% | 17.97 | 18.50 / 15.90 C: 18.00 ⇑ 1.12% | 17.95 | 18.50 / 17.30DACCADYE | 1.21 | 31.13 | Vol. 2514792 D: 31.40 ⇑ 8.65% | 31.10 | 31.60 / 26.50 C: 31.30 ⇑ 8.68% | 30.83 | 31.40 / 29.00RNSPIN | 2.80 | 16.58 | Vol. 3944155 D: 31.80 ⇓ 0.63% | 32.17 | 32.80 / 29.50 C: 31.90 ⇓ 0.31% | 32.13 | 32.80 / 31.70BXSYNTH | 0.93 | 25.42 | Vol. 779188 D: 17.40 ⇓ 1.14% | 17.50 | 18.00 / 16.00 C: 17.20 ⇓ 2.27% | 17.39 | 18.10 / 17.00MALEKSPIN | -1.44 | 46.87 | Vol. 2350905 D: 28.10 ⇑ 4.07% | 27.79 | 28.50 / 25.00 C: 28.10 ⇑ 3.69% | 27.86 | 28.50 / 27.20ZAHINTEX | 1.91 | 35.25 | Vol. 1824250 D: 34.50 ⇑ 9.87% | 33.93 | 34.50 / 28.30 C: 34.60 ⇑ 9.84% | 34.14 | 34.60 / 32.00SAIHAMCOT | 1.92 | 23.62 | Vol. 1873750 D: 27.70 ⇑ 1.84% | 28.11 | 28.70 / 27.20 C: 27.70 ⇑ 1.84% | 28.32 | 29.40 / 27.40GENNEXT | 1.68 | 15.15 | Vol. 7835940 D: 24.10 ⇑ 8.56% | 23.50 | 24.30 / 20.00 C: 24.30 ⇑ 9.46% | 23.65 | 24.40 / 22.00ENVOYTEX | 3.26 | 39.26 | Vol. 575360 D: 52.80 ⇓ 0.38% | 52.87 | 53.90 / 50.00 C: 52.90 ⇓ 0.19% | 52.60 | 53.00 / 52.20ARGONDENIM | 1.89 | 38.86 | Vol. 482720 D: 38.10 ⇑ 3.81% | 37.69 | 38.50 / 33.10 C: 37.90 ⇑ 3.55% | 37.56 | 38.20 / 36.80FAMILYTEX | 3.72 | 14.68 | Vol. 421000 D: 37.00 ⇑ 3.06% | 36.32 | 37.30 / 35.90 C: 36.80 ⇑ 3.08% | 35.58 | 37.00 / 35.00

PHARMACEUTICAL & CHEMICALAMBEEPHA | 3.94 | 26.15 | Vol. 10997 D: 308.0 ⇑ 8.72% | 304.16 | 308.0 / 281.3 C: 318.3 ⇑ 8.75% | 312.21 | 318.3 / 270.0BXPHARMA | 3.77 | 52.55 | Vol. 197036 D: 47.20 ⇓ 0.42% | 47.21 | 48.00 / 42.70 C: 47.10 ⇓ 1.05% | 47.05 | 47.50 / 46.80GLAXOSMITH | 20.25 | 123.32 | Vol. 900 D: 1007 ⇓ 0.24% | 1008 | 1015 / 1001

ACI | -5.82 | 126.42 | Vol. 26979 D: 171.4 ⇓ 0.17% | 171.13 | 180.0 / 170.0 C: 172.4 ⇑ 0.94% | 172.70 | 179.9 / 171.0RENATA | 33.57 | 138.83 | Vol. 20965 D: 762.1 ⇓ 2.04% | 767.06 | 785.0 / 760.6RECKITTBEN | 27.16 | 78.89 | Vol. 150 D: 856.0 ⇓ 2.55% | 856.00 | 856.0 / 856.0PHARMAID | 5.06 | 26.30 | Vol. 79200 D: 209.9 ⇓ 1.08% | 212.36 | 216.8 / 207.7IBNSINA | 3.44 | 34.02 | Vol. 287084 D: 124.9 ⇑ 0.48% | 124.72 | 130.8 / 114.0 C: 124.3 ⇓ 0.32% | 126.54 | 132.0 / 121.0LIBRAINFU | 4.64 | 1565.37 | Vol. 3600 D: 569.5 ⇑ 5.04% | 569.72 | 582.0 / 555.0ORIONINFU | 8.72 | 1.73 | Vol. 345600 D: 49.40 ⇑ 3.56% | 49.35 | 50.90 / 47.80 C: 50.40 ⇑ 5.88% | 49.36 | 50.40 / 47.00SQURPHARMA | 6.93 | 37.18 | Vol. 291937 D: 172.2 ⇑ 0.12% | 171.84 | 173.0 / 157.0 C: 171.6 ⇓ 0.29% | 171.59 | 172.2 / 171.0IMAMBUTTON | -1.68 | 5.67 | Vol. 70000 D: 7.40 ⇓ 6.33% | 7.50 | 7.90 / 7.30 C: 9.00 ⇓ 2.17% | 8.88 | 9.00 / 8.50KEYACOSMET | 1.55 | 21.54 | Vol. 1854922 D: 25.20 ⇓ 7.69% | 25.29 | 25.70 / 22.40 C: 25.40 ⇓ 7.30% | 25.27 | 25.60 / 24.90BERGERPBL | 32.46 | 100.20 | Vol. 2355 D: 809.0 ⇓ 1.86% | 808.12 | 825.0 / 807.0ACIFORMULA | 3.33 | 38.08 | Vol. 90550 D: 80.50 ⇓ 1.23% | 80.60 | 82.90 / 80.00 C: 79.50 ⇓ 2.45% | 79.75 | 80.90 / 78.00MARICO | 27.53 | 62.47 | Vol. 25900 D: 817.5 ⇓ 2.83% | 820.82 | 843.5 / 810.0 C: 805.2 ⇓ 4.94% | 805.17 | 820.0 / 800.0BEACONPHAR | 0.33 | 11.97 | Vol. 264875 D: 14.80 ⇑ 0.68% | 14.71 | 15.00 / 13.30 C: 14.90 ⇑ 2.05% | 14.77 | 15.00 / 14.70ACTIVEFINE | 3.23 | 13.89 | Vol. 728064 D: 93.10 ⇓ 0.43% | 93.12 | 93.80 / 85.00 C: 93.00 ⇑ 0.00% | 92.67 | 93.50 / 92.00SALVOCHEM | 0.68 | 10.57 | Vol. 1032882 D: 23.10 ⇓ 0.43% | 23.05 | 24.00 / 20.90 C: 23.30 ⇓ 1.69% | 23.07 | 23.50 / 22.70GHCL | 2.14 | 57.31 | Vol. 249500 D: 48.20 ⇑ 2.77% | 47.72 | 49.10 / 46.50 C: 48.40 ⇑ 4.54% | 48.06 | 48.50 / 46.30ORIONPHARM | 5.02 | 68.68 | Vol. 701140 D: 63.20 ⇓ 0.94% | 63.48 | 64.20 / 57.50 C: 63.00 ⇓ 1.41% | 63.30 | 64.30 / 63.00JMISMDL | 1.12 | 12.83 | Vol. 303500 D: 322.1 ⇑ 8.74% | 321.61 | 322.1 / 305.0 C: 314.2 ⇑ 8.72% | 314.10 | 314.2 / 310.0CENTRALPHL | 0.61 | 10.99 | Vol. 796500 D: 36.30 ⇓ 2.42% | 36.01 | 36.70 / 35.40 C: 36.00 ⇓ 2.44% | 35.76 | 36.10 / 35.10

PAPER & PACKAGINGHAKKANIPUL | 0.64 | 11.02 | Vol. 91000 D: 38.80 ⇑ 9.92% | 38.80 | 38.80 / 38.00 C: 39.20 ⇑ 9.80% | 39.14 | 39.20 / 38.00

SERVICESAMORITA | 2.31 | 17.25 | Vol. 56184 D: 118.3 ⇑ 9.94% | 117.20 | 118.3 / 106.0 C: 110.1 ⇑ 0.09% | 110.10 | 110.1 / 110.1SAPORTL | 1.23 | 38.39 | Vol. 373662 D: 26.70 ⇓ 1.48% | 26.85 | 27.80 / 25.00 C: 26.60 ⇓ 1.85% | 26.88 | 27.50 / 26.50EHL | 2.87 | 18.48 | Vol. 634374 D: 59.20 ⇓ 0.67% | 59.65 | 61.80 / 53.80 C: 59.30 ⇓ 0.17% | 59.43 | 62.00 / 58.00

LEATHERAPEXTANRY | 6.57 | 69.38 | Vol. 408800 D: 134.2 ⇓ 1.76% | 136.10 | 142.0 / 132.9 C: 134.2 ⇓ 1.47% | 136.23 | 141.1 / 133.1BATASHOE | 49.12 | 135.53 | Vol. 4040 D: 755.4 ⇓ 1.82% | 757.61 | 770.0 / 750.0 C: 732.2 ⇓ 4.79% | 732.20 | 732.2 / 732.2APEXADELFT | 23.01 | 203.26 | Vol. 74400 D: 391.2 ⇓ 0.23% | 395.32 | 422.0 / 388.0SAMATALETH | -0.07 | 12.08 | Vol. 2500 D: 15.00 ⇑ 2.04% | 15.33 | 15.10 / 15.00 C: 14.30 ⇓ 1.38% | 14.35 | 14.40 / 14.30LEGACYFOOT | 0.63 | 17.19 | Vol. 284724 D: 46.50 ⇑ 9.93% | 46.25 | 46.50 / 38.10 C: 49.10 ⇑ 9.84% | 49.06 | 49.10 / 47.00

CERAMICMONNOCERA | 0.71 | 96.33 | Vol. 147970 D: 40.40 ⇓ 4.72% | 41.49 | 43.80 / 40.00 C: 40.80 ⇓ 2.39% | 40.96 | 43.90 / 40.00STANCERAM | 1.07 | 15.97 | Vol. 155500 D: 44.10 ⇑ 7.30% | 43.13 | 44.60 / 42.00 C: 41.70 ⇑ 6.65% | 41.71 | 43.00 / 40.10FUWANGCER | 1.43 | 13.25 | Vol. 690360 D: 21.50 ⇓ 2.71% | 21.73 | 23.50 / 20.00 C: 21.50 ⇓ 2.71% | 21.90 | 22.20 / 21.50SPCERAMICS | 0.62 | 30.92 | Vol. 566457 D: 17.70 ⇓ 2.21% | 17.77 | 18.50 / 16.30 C: 17.70 ⇓ 2.75% | 17.71 | 18.60 / 17.40RAKCERAMIC | 1.98 | 16.76 | Vol. 285482 D: 53.00 ⇓ 2.93% | 53.40 | 55.00 / 49.40 C: 53.70 ⇓ 1.10% | 53.61 | 54.00 / 53.30STANCERAM | 1.07 | 15.97 | Vol. 4500 C: 41.70 ⇑ 6.65% | 41.71 | 43.00 / 40.10

CEMENTHEIDELBCEM | 22.85 | 111.50 | Vol. 169250 D: 403.8 ⇓ 1.73% | 405.60 | 427.0 / 401.3 C: 403.6 ⇓ 1.99% | 407.01 | 412.0 / 402.0CONFIDCEM | 6.23 | 90.76 | Vol. 224620 D: 125.5 ⇓ 0.95% | 125.81 | 127.1 / 114.1 C: 125.3 ⇓ 1.34% | 125.81 | 128.5 / 124.0MEGHNACEM | 6.28 | 33.81 | Vol. 170800 D: 146.5 ⇓ 5.42% | 149.33 | 154.0 / 145.0 C: 146.0 ⇓ 5.50% | 148.65 | 150.1 / 146.0ARAMITCEM | 3.03 | 14.65 | Vol. 173706 D: 81.00 ⇑ 0.37% | 81.47 | 82.90 / 78.00 C: 80.00 ⇓ 1.84% | 78.74 | 82.00 / 77.10LAFSURCEML | 1.60 | 7.22 | Vol. 825000 D: 33.40 ⇓ 0.89% | 33.57 | 34.00 / 33.40 C: 33.50 ⇓ 0.89% | 33.66 | 35.80 / 33.50MICEMENT | 4.14 | 40.00 | Vol. 633820 D: 94.40 ⇑ 1.40% | 94.20 | 95.40 / 84.00 C: 94.40 ⇑ 1.94% | 94.01 | 95.00 / 92.20PREMIERCEM | 3.59 | 22.92 | Vol. 197000 D: 108.1 ⇓ 2.17% | 108.90 | 112.1 / 106.9 C: 108.5 ⇓ 1.81% | 108.42 | 111.0 / 107.0

IT IINDUSTRIESISNLTD | 0.28 | 17.31 | Vol. 349157 D: 26.60 ⇑ 9.92% | 26.52 | 26.60 / 21.90 C: 27.10 ⇑ 9.72% | 27.09 | 27.10 / 26.70BDCOM | 1.00 | 14.91 | Vol. 1863905 D: 29.40 ⇑ 8.49% | 28.42 | 29.80 / 26.00 C: 29.10 ⇑ 7.78% | 28.80 | 29.70 / 27.50INTECH | 0.94 | 10.08 | Vol. 1748108 D: 21.00 ⇑ 9.95% | 20.83 | 21.00 / 18.00 C: 21.10 ⇑ 9.90% | 21.00 | 21.10 / 20.10AGNISYSL | 1.07 | 25.52 | Vol. 883691 D: 26.50 ⇑ 4.74% | 26.19 | 27.00 / 23.00 C: 26.80 ⇑ 5.51% | 26.18 | 27.20 / 25.40

DAFODILCOM | 1.12 | 11.14 | Vol. 1328219 D: 21.00 ⇑ 4.48% | 20.73 | 21.30 / 18.10 C: 21.00 ⇑ 3.45% | 20.58 | 21.40 / 19.90AAMRATECH | 1.17 | 20.44 | Vol. 1246550 D: 37.40 ⇓ 2.09% | 37.13 | 38.40 / 34.40 C: 37.30 ⇓ 2.10% | 37.09 | 38.50 / 36.30

GENERAL INSURANCEBGIC | 1.65 | 20.33 | Vol. 89321 D: 29.20 ⇑ 0.69% | 29.09 | 29.70 / 28.00 C: 29.70 ⇑ 2.77% | 29.09 | 29.70 / 28.70GREENDELT | 4.05 | 64.44 | Vol. 55715 D: 104.7 ⇑ 2.45% | 103.63 | 108.7 / 100.0 C: 105.5 ⇑ 0.48% | 105.15 | 106.0 / 105.0UNITEDINS | 2.47 | 21.04 | Vol. 25600 D: 46.70 ⇓ 3.31% | 47.50 | 48.20 / 46.00PEOPLESINS | 2.05 | 20.72 | Vol. 72625 D: 27.80 ⇑ 4.91% | 27.68 | 28.40 / 25.00 C: 27.50 ⇑ 5.36% | 27.48 | 28.10 / 27.00EASTERNINS | 2.22 | 35.88 | Vol. 37200 D: 41.40 ⇑ 7.25% | 40.63 | 42.00 / 38.10 C: 41.00 ⇑ 8.75% | 41.20 | 41.40 / 41.00JANATAINS | 7.84 | 170.69 | Vol. 96536 D: 288.5 ⇑ 8.66% | 284.35 | 288.5 / 242.5 C: 292.3 ⇑ 8.74% | 288.98 | 292.3 / 270.0PHENIXINS | 2.70 | 20.96 | Vol. 43250 D: 40.90 ⇑ 2.51% | 40.28 | 42.00 / 39.10KARNAPHULI | 1.56 | 19.42 | Vol. 85340 D: 23.90 ⇑ 5.75% | 23.55 | 24.20 / 22.00RUPALIINS | 2.76 | 23.38 | Vol. 232360 D: 33.20 ⇑ 2.15% | 33.02 | 33.60 / 30.00 C: 33.20 ⇑ 2.47% | 33.12 | 33.70 / 32.50FEDERALINS | 1.10 | 10.98 | Vol. 255696 D: 23.60 ⇑ 4.89% | 23.18 | 24.00 / 20.30 C: 23.70 ⇑ 3.95% | 23.33 | 23.80 / 22.30PRAGATIINS | 2.01 | 50.30 | Vol. 55916 D: 60.00 ⇑ 2.21% | 59.91 | 60.50 / 55.00 C: 62.60 ⇓ 2.95% | 62.57 | 64.00 / 62.00PRIMEINSUR | 2.14 | 14.14 | Vol. 153935 D: 33.60 ⇑ 8.74% | 32.65 | 33.90 / 29.50 C: 32.60 ⇓ 5.51% | 32.58 | 33.00 / 31.20PIONEERINS | 3.11 | 23.84 | Vol. 97226 D: 70.50 ⇑ 1.29% | 70.08 | 71.30 / 68.40MERCINS | 1.53 | 14.50 | Vol. 133329 D: 27.90 ⇑ 5.68% | 27.21 | 29.00 / 24.90AGRANINS | 1.73 | 14.39 | Vol. 127288 D: 28.60 ⇑ 10.00% | 27.63 | 28.60 / 23.50GLOBALINS | 1.09 | 11.78 | Vol. 148324 D: 30.90 ⇑ 8.42% | 29.97 | 31.10 / 25.80NITOLINS | 2.59 | 15.41 | Vol. 103598 D: 35.70 ⇑ 5.93% | 32.77 | 36.20 / 31.00 C: 34.00 ⇓ 7.86% | 34.00 | 34.00 / 34.00ASIAPACINS | 1.84 | 13.76 | Vol. 55500 D: 29.10 ⇑ 2.83% | 29.09 | 29.60 / 28.00 C: 29.70 ⇑ 7.61% | 29.72 | 30.00 / 28.30SONARBAINS | 1.68 | 13.38 | Vol. 374061 D: 26.10 ⇑ 9.21% | 25.23 | 26.20 / 23.00 C: 26.40 ⇑ 10.00% | 26.15 | 26.40 / 25.00PARAMOUNT | 1.26 | 13.19 | Vol. 230476 D: 25.70 ⇑ 7.53% | 24.59 | 26.00 / 22.60 C: 25.60 ⇑ 9.87% | 24.75 | 25.60 / 24.00CITYGENINS | 1.65 | 14.26 | Vol. 214178 D: 27.80 ⇑ 6.92% | 26.74 | 28.20 / 25.00 C: 27.40 ⇑ 4.98% | 26.28 | 27.90 / 25.10CONTININS | 1.41 | 15.68 | Vol. 258633 D: 35.40 ⇑ 9.26% | 33.97 | 35.60 / 30.80 C: 35.30 ⇑ 9.97% | 33.51 | 35.30 / 30.20TAKAFULINS | 2.19 | 15.17 | Vol. 202956 D: 41.40 ⇑ 9.81% | 40.67 | 41.40 / 35.00 C: 39.70 ⇑ 6.15% | 36.63 | 41.10 / 39.00STANDARINS | 2.58 | 13.99 | Vol. 41888 D: 41.10 ⇑ 8.16% | 39.29 | 41.80 / 36.00 C: 40.00 ⇑ 2.30% | 39.67 | 40.00 / 39.00NORTHRNINS | 1.77 | 11.15 | Vol. 122591 D: 44.00 ⇑ 2.80% | 42.80 | 44.40 / 40.00 C: 44.40 ⇑ 4.47% | 44.43 | 45.00 / 44.00REPUBLIC | 2.14 | 12.42 | Vol. 89487 D: 51.90 ⇑ 2.77% | 51.45 | 53.00 / 49.00 C: 54.00 ⇑ 8.00% | 54.00 | 54.00 / 54.00ASIAINS | 1.56 | 17.34 | Vol. 80934 D: 28.60 ⇑ 6.72% | 27.80 | 29.00 / 24.50 C: 28.70 ⇑ 7.09% | 27.18 | 28.80 / 26.00ISLAMIINS | 1.29 | 11.96 | Vol. 187676 D: 33.00 ⇑ 9.27% | 32.66 | 33.20 / 28.00 C: 32.00 ⇑ 8.84% | 32.04 | 32.30 / 32.00

PROVATIINS | 1.90 | 14.30 | Vol. 94470 D: 29.00 ⇑ 8.61% | 28.12 | 29.20 / 26.00 C: 29.20 ⇑ 4.29% | 29.20 | 29.20 / 29.20DHAKAINS | 2.84 | 18.02 | Vol. 65000 D: 40.80 ⇑ 6.25% | 40.44 | 41.70 / 35.00 C: 39.90 ⇑ 4.45% | 40.25 | 41.40 / 39.00

LIFE INSURANCENATLIFEINS | 12.34 | 80.99 | Vol. 5220 D: 247.4 ⇓ 0.08% | 246.09 | 250.0 / 245.0 C: 249.0 ⇑ 4.62% | 249.00 | 258.0 / 240.0DELTALIFE | 38.53 | 189.40 | Vol. 11575 D: 6021 ⇓ 0.69% | 6026 | 6120 / 5982SANDHANINS | 2.39 | 28.22 | Vol. 31120 D: 71.00 ⇑ 1.00% | 70.44 | 71.30 / 69.80 C: 69.90 ⇓ 0.29% | 69.92 | 70.10 / 69.60POPULARLIF | 3.70 | 715.41 | Vol. 21731 D: 165.6 ⇓ 0.54% | 165.51 | 169.6 / 155.0FAREASTLIF | 9.21 | 60.79 | Vol. 58236 D: 93.60 ⇓ 1.78% | 94.23 | 95.10 / 88.00 C: 94.80 ⇑ 3.61% | 94.77 | 96.90 / 93.00MEGHNALIFE | 10.82 | 48.87 | Vol. 33800 D: 101.9 ⇑ 0.69% | 101.18 | 102.8 / 100.0 C: 100.7 ⇑ 0.60% | 100.74 | 102.0 / 100.5PROGRESLIF | 2.30 | 31.45 | Vol. 27319 D: 94.00 ⇓ 0.95% | 94.04 | 96.00 / 88.00PRAGATILIF | 0.60 | 30.15 | Vol. 34500 D: 116.4 ⇓ 0.26% | 115.65 | 119.0 / 113.5PRIMELIFE | 5.51 | 27.10 | Vol. 66746 D: 95.00 ⇓ 1.86% | 96.28 | 97.00 / 87.20RUPALILIFE | 3.75 | 31.25 | Vol. 14012 D: 95.40 ⇓ 2.45% | 95.50 | 98.50 / 94.00PADMALIFE | 1.63 | 25.76 | Vol. 52500 D: 60.30 ⇓ 0.99% | 60.80 | 61.90 / 60.10 C: 60.30 ⇓ 1.79% | 60.86 | 62.00 / 60.00SUNLIFEINS | 0.00 | 0.00 | Vol. 216650 D: 54.00 ⇑ 1.89% | 53.30 | 55.10 / 50.00 C: 53.60 ⇓ 0.56% | 52.30 | 54.80 / 51.70

TELECOMGP | 12.96 | 26.26 | Vol. 538800 D: 186.5 ⇓ 2.10% | 187.57 | 193.0 / 186.1 C: 186.1 ⇓ 2.62% | 187.89 | 194.0 / 185.3BSCCL | 6.69 | 30.34 | Vol. 588030 D: 247.5 ⇓ 4.14% | 250.45 | 260.0 / 238.0 C: 247.3 ⇓ 4.18% | 249.25 | 255.0 / 246.8

TRAVEL & LEISUREUNITEDAIR | 1.10 | 12.87 | Vol. 7106735 D: 18.40 ⇓ 3.66% | 18.61 | 20.50 / 17.50 C: 18.50 ⇓ 3.14% | 18.67 | 19.10 / 18.40UNIQUEHRL | 4.02 | 86.29 | Vol. 437390 D: 85.70 ⇓ 1.27% | 86.07 | 87.50 / 78.20 C: 85.90 ⇓ 0.92% | 86.16 | 87.20 / 85.50

MISCELLANEOUSARAMIT | 16.07 | 99.93 | Vol. 101700 D: 345.3 ⇑ 8.72% | 343.49 | 345.3 / 325.0 C: 327.4 ⇑ 8.73% | 327.40 | 327.4 / 327.4BSC | 1.77 | 565.82 | Vol. 140470 D: 579.8 ⇑ 0.00% | 585.34 | 596.0 / 573.5 C: 579.3 ⇓ 0.09% | 583.87 | 594.0 / 560.0GQBALLPEN | 6.55 | 250.45 | Vol. 124122 D: 159.2 ⇑ 0.25% | 160.08 | 162.5 / 143.0 C: 159.9 ⇑ 0.63% | 159.95 | 163.0 / 158.0USMANIAGL | 0.50 | 26.03 | Vol. 148869 D: 165.1 ⇑ 1.16% | 166.56 | 170.0 / 162.0 C: 165.3 ⇑ 1.79% | 168.18 | 172.0 / 164.5BEXIMCO | 3.24 | 86.74 | Vol. 1793754 D: 31.70 ⇓ 1.55% | 31.90 | 35.00 / 29.00 C: 31.80 ⇓ 1.55% | 31.98 | 32.50 / 31.70SINOBANGLA | 1.75 | 21.01 | Vol. 398000 D: 23.60 ⇓ 0.42% | 23.79 | 24.30 / 23.20 C: 24.00 ⇑ 1.69% | 24.03 | 24.50 / 23.50MIRACLEIND | 0.14 | 14.90 | Vol. 630900 D: 19.80 ⇑ 2.59% | 20.47 | 21.10 / 18.00 C: 19.90 ⇑ 0.51% | 20.63 | 21.40 / 19.30

BONDIBBLPBOND | 0.00 | 1000.00 | Vol. 35 D: 954.8 ⇑ 0.03% | 942.86 | 955.8 / 953.0ACIZCBOND | 0.00 | 1000.00 | Vol. 38 D: 870.0 ⇓ 0.06% | 870.00 | 870.0 / 870.0 C: 843.5 ⇓ 1.46% | 843.50 | 850.0 / 840.0BRACSCBOND | 0.00 | 0.00 | Vol. 10 D: 1080 ⇓ 1.82% | 1080 | 1080 / 1080

8 Tuesday, sepTember 24, 2013dHaKa TrIbuNe BusinessD A V I D r I c A r D O

Time to reimagine the mandate of state banks nMir Mahfuz ur Rahman

The state-owned banking sector was key to the creation of the industrial sector in Bangladesh. This fact cannot be disputed by students of the industrialisation of the Bangali nation. The formation of the four banks, Sonali, Agrani, Janata, and Rupali, including Pubali Bank, which was later privatised, have been critical to the allocation of capital for large scale industrial projects in East Pakistan and then Bangladesh. In fact, after independence, it is access to capital from these banks, which have provided a platform for Bangali entrepreneurs to emerge as industrialists.

The current state of affairs of the state-owned banks, where deposit is growing, and lending has been held up in a challenging environment, and their declining market share, begs the question whether the state owned banks should still be mandated to be the industrialisation pioneers or each become specialised banks, with specific areas of concentration. One idea may be that specific industries, such as infrastructure, textiles, SME or other thrust sectors should be their specific focus. Another idea may be that they ought to become channels for mediation of deposits and act as intermediaries, whereby they lend to private banks who will onward lend to the private sector. State-owned enterprises borrowing or large infrastruc-

ture projects may remain as an on-going specialised in-house scope of activity for these banks.

This though process, may be standing as an anathema to leading government and private intellectuals, is the dire inefficient use of resources by the state-owned banks when compared to the private sector banks. This has continued even when the state owned banks have continued to attract deposits by common folk, who believe in

these institutions, even after their dismal perfor-mance, but the banking sector simply failing to hold their trust in due regard.

Over the past thirty years, the decline of the state banks, and the rise of the private sector banks have completely changed the banking landscape in the country. The sector is currently made up of 30 private commercial banks (PCBs), including 6 Islami shariah based banks, 4 state-owned banks (SCBs), 9 foreign commercial banks (FCBs), 4 specialised banks and 9 newly licensed commercial banks.

The growth of total lending has been robust, with total credit in the banking sector being Tk4.4tn

(US$56.4bn) as of March 2013. During the last five years, the sector grew at a rate of 19.7%. Sector deposit stood at Tk5.5tn ($70.5bn) as of March 2013. It registered 20.5% CAGR during last the five years. That is double digit sector growth, which is impressive given GDP growth of 5-6% on average.

Interesting, and standing as a challenge for the state owned banks, private commercial banks (including Islami shariah based banks) hold almost

67.8% market share while Islami banks, foreign banks, state-owned banks hold 21.3%, 5.0% and 21.1% respectively.

More challenging, the amount of default loans in the banking system hovered around Tk220bn in three consecutive years, starting from 2009. But it made a quantum jump in 2012 to reach Tk430bn at the end of the year. The uptrend continued and the Bangladesh Bank figures showed the classified loan amount at Tk510bn at the end of March last.

The failure of the state-owned banks, which account for almost half of the classified loans in the banking sector, is shown by the simple math

then that 21% of the lending holds 50% of the defaulted loans. While these may be legacy issues that the current banks’ leaders should not be held responsible, the discussion regarding their true effectiveness may be paramount.

Most interesting is the recent World Bank aide memoire that showed that the deposit in state owned banks actually increased in the period after the revelation of the bad loans. The banks’ deposit growth increased 18.14% year-on-year on August 1, 2013. While this may be a dwindling trend in the long run, as the private banks open their banking access to the rural areas due to admirable regulatory guidelines, the deposit growth in the state-owned banks means more liquidity in these banks to lend.

However, given their dismal lending record, the future risk associated with the banking sector, and simple capital allocation, in a capital deficit economy, is compelling.

As a poor country, we simply must do better to manage and provide returns on the savings of common people. A revamping of their mandate, to refocus the state banks vast deposit resources and network, to infrastructure, SME or export growth, or even to be a long term lender to the private sector banks as a major focus, will provide all of us with a healthier financial future. l

The write is a merchant banker.

Euro zone business activity growing fasternReuters, London

Business activity in the euro zone has grown faster than expected this month as new or-ders flood in at their fastest pace in over two years, surveys showed on Monday, adding to signs that the economy is healing.

The surveys suggest the region’s econom-ic recovery was becoming more broad-based with growth in both Germany and France, the bloc’s two largest economies.

Markit’s Flash Composite Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) jumped to 52.1 from last month’s 51.5, its highest since June 2011 and beating expectations for 51.9.

The pace of growth in the bloc’s dominant services sector beat all forecasts in a Reuters poll. The PMI came in at 52.1, well ahead of August’s 50.7 and comfortably above median expectations for a more modest rise to 51.

A reading above 50 indicates growth.“These surveys show a real underlying

swell of improvement. It’s all looking very positive,” said Chris Williamson, chief econ-omist at Markit.

Businesses in Germany, Europe’s largest

economy, expanded at a faster pace than last month and in France, the bloc’s second biggest economy, activity increased - albeit marginally - for the first time in 19 months.

New business in the bloc increased again this month, according to the composite sub-index, which rose to 51.6 from 51, pushing business expectations among services firms to an 18-month high.

Williamson said the composite PMI, which surveys thousands of companies across the region and is seen as a good guide to eco-nomic growth, pointed to a 0.2% expansion this quarter, matching a Reuters poll taken

earlier this month. “Although there are still risks to the euro zone economy, there’s cer-tainly nothing here to suggest any chance of a return to recession soon,” Williamson said.

Manufacturing activity eased this month but firms were able to pass on rising input costs to customers. The PMI dipped to 51.1 from August’s 26-month high of 51.4. A sub-in-dex measuring output fell to 52.1 from 53.4.

A Reuters poll had predicted a rise to 51.8.Williamson noted that the earlier upturn

was probably exaggerated by a bounce-back resulting from better weather and a jump in car production. The cost of materials used by

factories increased for the first time in eight months but manufacturers passed on some of this to customers. The output price index rose to 50.8 from 49.6.

Inflation fell to 1.3% in August, well be-low the European Central Bank’s target of close to but below 2%, warranting the bank’s pledge to keep interest rates at current lev-els or lower for an extended period of time to help the recovery.

ECB President Mario Draghi said last week the euro zone economy, which ended its reces-sion in the second quarter, remained “fragile”, and unemployment was “still far too high”. l

a woman walks by a shop in central athens rEUTErS

as a poor country, we simply must do better to manage and provide returns on the savings of common people