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SECOND EDITION
A boat sails across the murky waters of the Turag River near Tongi on Saturday. Rampant dumping of chemical and non-degradable solid wastes has turned a water body into a stinky drainage SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN
INSIDE
News
3 The government primary school headmasters got an upgrade in their ranks. The headmasters will now enjoy the status of class II employees instead of class III.
Khaleda: No transit for India Missing Malaysian jet may until Teesta treaty signed have disintegrated in mid-air
n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia yesterday said if Teesta Treaty was not inked and border killings were not stopped transit would not be given to India. Road transit was given to India in the name of connectivity but we are yet to get our due water share, said the former premier. She said recently the prime minister talked to the Indian prime minister during her visit to Myanmar. Indian prime minister said they could not give water and Teesta Treaty would not be inked. Nothing positive discussion was hold on border killings. They have supported us during the Liberation War and that does not mean we have been sold to them, she said bitterly criticising the Indian stance on water sharing issue and border killing. She said her party was not seeking help of foreigners rather it was Awami League that was asking for their support to cling to the power. Issuing a note of warning Khaleda said if the government does not hold an election immediately then it has to pay dearly. She was speaking at a reception organised to welcome the newly elected committee of the Dhaka Bar Council at the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh auditorium in the capital. The former premier claimed the foreigners said people did not vote in January 5 elections and the election had no acceptability and a few days back the Centre for Policy Dialogue also expressed the same view.
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Nation
6 Lack of fair price has made a noticeable dent in cultivation of wheat in Dinajpur, once known as the storehouse of grains.
cue told AFP news agency, reports BBC. As it is night they cannot fish them out for proper identification. They have located the position of the areas and flown back to the land, he added. The potential debris was in a similar area to a possible oil slick seen by Vietnamese navy planes on Saturday, but officials have cautioned that this too may be nothing to do with the disappearance of Flight MH370. Meanwhile, according to Reuters, the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam said on its website that a Vietnamese navy plane had spotted an object in the sea suspected of being part of the plane. International police agency Interpol confirmed that at least two passports recorded in its database as lost or
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WOMEN RESERVED SEAT POLLS
DHAKA TRIBUNE
News
Aspirants of the womens reserved seats in the 10th national parliament submit their nomination papers to the Election Commission in the capital yesterday said like other countries, those would be held in a partisan manner in the future. He said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had issued instruction to examine the laws. The AL-backed candidates are Selina Jahan Lita, Safura Begum Rumi, Hosne Ara Lutfa Dalia, Umme Kulsum Smriti, Akter Jahan, Selina Akter Banu, Laila Arjuman Banu, Shirin Noyeem Punam, Kamrul Laila Jali, Hepi Baral, Rifat Amin, Nasima Ferdawshi, Lutfunessa, Mamtaj, Tarana Halim, Monwara Begum, Mahjabin Khaled, Fatema Johra Rani, Dilara Mahbub Asma, Fatema Tujjahura, Fajilatun Nessa Indira, Pinu Khan, Sanjida Khanam, Sabina Akter Tuhin, Rahima Akter, Hosne Ara Babli, Kamrun Nahar Chawdhury, Nilufar Zafar Ullah, Rokhana Yasmin, Navana Akter, Asmatul Kibria Keya Chowdhury, Shamsun Nahar, Fajilatun Nessa Bappy, Wasifa Aysha Khan, Jahanara Begum Surma, Shabiha Nahar and Feroja Begum Chinu. The opposition Jatiya Party-backed six candidates are Nur-e-Hasna Lili Chowdhury, Mahzabin Morshad,
DHAKA TRIBUNE
Shahanara Begum, Rawshanara Mannan, Khurshada Haque and Marina Rahman. Kazi Rozi, Nur Jahan Begum and Umma Razia Kajol submitted nominations as independent candidates. The JSD-backed candidate is Lutfa Taher and Hazera Khatun is the candidate of the Workers Party. l
Two officials of the burgled Sonali Banks Adamdighi upazila branch have been transferred to Bogra Zonal office yesterday. The officials were branch manager Samsuddin Sharif and cashier Azhar Ali. Bogra zone Sonali Bank Deputy General Manager Abdus Samad confirmed the Dhaka Tribune regarding the transfer. Officer-in-Charge Md Nazrul Islam of Adamdighi police station said they had detained 10 people in this connection, including four Ansar members and the cashier of the branch. Two probe committees have been formed to investigate into the burglary at Sonali Bank branch in Bogra. Sonali Bank formed a four-member committee headed by Rajshahi zone General Manager ATM Afzal Hossain. Bangladesh Bank also formed a three-member probe body with Deputy General Manager Murtoza Ali as its chief. l
stolen were used by passengers on the flight, raising suspicions of foul play. An Interpol spokeswoman said a check of all documents used to board the plane had revealed more suspect passports that were being further investigated. She was unable to say how many, or from which country or countries. Nearly 48 hours after the last contact with Flight MH370, mystery still surrounded its fate. Malaysias air force chief said the Beijing-bound airliner may have turned back from its scheduled route before it vanished from radar screens. The fact that we are unable to find any debris so far appears to indicate that the aircraft is likely to have disintegrated at around 35,000 feet, a source involved in the investigations in Malaysia told Reuters. If the plane had plunged intact from close to its cruising altitude, breaking up only on impact with the water, search teams would have expected to find a fairly concentrated pattern of debris, said the source, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was
not authorised to discuss the investigation publicly. Asked about the possibility of an explosion, such as a bomb, the source said there was no evidence yet of foul play and that the aircraft could have broken up due to mechanical causes. Dozens of military and civilian vessels have been criss-crossing waters beneath the aircrafts flight path, but have found no confirmed trace of the lost plane, although oil slicks have been reported in the sea south of Vietnam and east of Malaysia.
Four suspects
Widening search
The outcome so far is there is no sign of the aircraft, Malaysian civil aviation chief Azharuddin Abdul Rahman said. On the possibility of hijack, we are not ruling out any possibility, he told reporters. The passenger manifest issued by the airline included the names of two Europeans - Austrian Christian Kozel and Italian Luigi Maraldi - who, according to their foreign ministries, were not on the plane. Both had apparently had their passports stolen in Thailand during the past two years.
Malaysian Transport Minister Hishamuddin Hussein said authorities were also checking the identities of two other passengers. He said help was also being sought from the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). However, an attack was only one of the possibilities being investigated. The 11-year-old Boeing 777-200ER took off at 12:40am on Saturday (1640 GMT Friday) from Kuala Lumpur International Airport, with 227 passengers and 12 crew on board. It last had contact with air traffic controllers 120 nautical miles off the east coast of the Malaysian town of Kota Bharu. Flight tracking website flightaware.com showed it flew northeast after takeoff, climbed to 35,000ft (10,670 metres) and was still climbing when it vanished from tracking records. There were no reports of bad weather. The airline has said 14 nationalities were among the passengers, including at least 152 Chinese, 38 Malaysians, seven Indonesians, six Australians, five Indians, four French and three Americans. l
n Nazmus Sakib
We want to say the government people are eagerly waiting for an election. If you do not listen to them you have to pay the price, she said. Welcoming the elected lawyers, Khaleda said: People do not have any confidence in the government which has reflected in the Dhaka Bar elections. If we can remain united, we will win everywhere. Mentioning various irregularities of upazila parishad elections, the former premier said the ruling party men stuffed ballot papers with the help of with the law enforcers. Urging the government, Khaleda said: Stop rigging votes and let the law
enforcers carry out their duties neutrally. The BNP chief alleged the government was using police and Rab like the partys associated and front organisation. Claiming her decision of boycotting the January 5 election was right, Khaleda said: It has proved that fair elections could not be held under Awami League. People responded to our call and did not go to the polling centres. Terming the parliament illegal the BNP chief said the government was running the parliament illegally and there was no opposition there. There is a domestic opposition party. She also alleged that the govern-
ment had politicised the judiciary: Now the judiciary is not independent. Judges cannot work independently and they are compelled to carry out illegal orders. Now judiciary is controlled and shackled in the hand of Awami League. The former prime minister alleged that in the name of joint force drive people were being killed and abducted every day. Not only we but the world is saying human rights is being violating every day. Partys standing committee member Rafiqul Islam Miah chaired the meeting while Moudud Ahmed, Jamiruddin Sircar, Shahjahan Omar and other senior leaders addressed the programme. l
individuals and organisations which Subnankar terms alarming. We hold bank officials responsible for such incident, he said. He said, almost all branches of the bank store money much more than its capacity and as a result they are to keep money outside the vault. We asked the bank several times to increase the vault limit. But they did not do so. The central bank last week decided to carry out inspection in eight more chest branches of Sonali Bank across the country. The branches are Rajbari, Faridpur, Habiganj, Comilla, Brahmanbaria, Feni, Lakshmipur and Noakhali. We asked the bank to tighten its security by increasing manpower, said Bangladesh Bank General Manager Saiful Islam. Sonali Bank Director Zaid Bakht, however, said: It is a long process to change the branch location. After the Kishoreganj branch burglary as a safety measure we formed a risk management committee, he said. Sonali Bank is suffering from image
crisis due to repeated burglary. We will soon recover from the crisis by taking security measures, he said. Under the structural security measures, banks are to set up security-tested doors with steel wall around the vault space of the banks. The floors and roofs around the vaults also have to be certified by an engineer, according to the Bangladesh Bank instruction. As part of technical security measure, there must be a security alarm round the clock with a closed-circuit television camera at the vaults. There should be an uninterrupted connectivity between the banks central information system and the vaults security system. Automated fire extinguishers are also a must for the security of the vault. As far as insurance coverage is concerned the insurance on the money deposited at the vaults has to be covered completely. We have formed 61 teams to examine the security measures in the 61 principle branches of the bank situated across the country, said Sonali Bank Managing Director Pradip Kumar Dutta. l
The hearing on the progress of investigation and bail petitions of three suspects in journalist couple Sagar Sarowar and Meherun Runi murder case did not take place yesterday as the case documents did not reach the High Court in time. The matter was on the cause list of the bench of Justice Naima Haider and Justice Zafar Ahmed for hearing. Investigation officer Zafar Ullah, an assistant superintendent of police, was present in the courtroom around 10:30am to inform the court about the latest status. Defence lawyer Masud Hossain Dolon told the Dhaka Tribune that the hearing would be held today. We informed the bench of the matter on March 5 and the court fixed Sunday [yesterday] for hearing, he said. On March 5, the bench of Justice Md Shawkat Hossain and Justice Mustafa Zaman Islam declined to hear the progress of the investigation and the bail pleas, saying it had no jurisdiction to conduct the matter. l
The directives to Sonali Bank and other state-owned banks were to prevent recurrence of such heists, Finance Minister AMA Muhith yesterday told reporters after a meeting of the purchase committee at the Secretariat. He said the internal accounting, auditing and security of the banks had now become stronger following the Hall-Mark scam and the robbery at the Kishoreganj Sonali Bank branch, but incidents of digging tunnel for bank heist would not stop soon. He said officers and other staff mem-
bers of the state-owned banks would not change overnight it would take 10-15 years even after increasing their salaries, he said. The finance minister said the government had already increased their salaries by 65% and the next pay scale might have another 62% raise. Following investigation into the robbery of Tk16.9 crore from Sonali Banks Kishoreganj branch in a similar manner, the BFID suggested 10 security measures for the six state-owned banks Sonali, Janata, Agrani, Rupali, BASIC Bank and Bangladesh Develop-
ment Bank Limited. The directives included setting up of closed circuit cameras in vault rooms, having vault room on the first floor of the branches, and getting the vault rooms of all ventilations. The BFID also directed Sonali Bank to move its chest branches to their own houses or land and arranging security as per the Bangladesh Banks directives. It directed transfer of a Sonali Bank branch in Chandpur to a separate building immediately as there was a hotel on the ground floor of the building. l
ised the charges after getting evidence of Oishees presence in the murder scene from DNA report. Earlier the bodies of the couple were recovered their Chamelibagh residence in the capital on August 16 last year. Twenty-two hours later, Oishee turned up at Paltan police station. Later, detectives arrested Jony, Rony and the domestic help the same day. On August 24, Oishee and Sumi gave confessional statements before a magistrate. The murder case was filed by Mahfuzs brother Moshiur Rahman with Paltan police station against some unnamed people. The charge sheet says: Oishee had plans to go Dubai alone with her boyfriend Jony two months before the murder and for that she demanded Tk30,000 from her father. But Mahfazur prevented his daughter from going to Dubai. After getting more freedom, Oishee became obsessed with external envi-
ronment and she was losing interest in her family. So she considered her parents behaviour as brutal regime. One month before the incident, Oishee had lived 15 days with Jony at a rented house in Rampura area. She planned to kill her parents during that time, says the charge sheet. Oishee come back to her Chamelibagh residence 15 days before the murder. Then her parents imposed restrictions on her movement and use of mobile phone. Later Oishee finely killed her parents. The investigator named 57 people as witnesses while mentioned about 80 kinds of sample in the charges sheets. IO Abul Khair said: The charge sheet against Sumi was submitted before the court separately as she is minor. Her trial will be held at a juvenile court. On January 19, a Dhaka court sent Oishee to jail after rejecting her bail petition. So far, she has been denied bail four times. l
DHAKA TRIBUNE
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275,364 government posts lie vacant
n Tribune Report
Nearly 2,75,964 posts in different ministry were lying vacant, State Minister for Public Administration Ismat Ara Sadeque told parliament yesterday saying filling these posts was a continuous process. She disclosed the information in the parliament in reply to the question of Jatiya Party Lawmaker A K M Mayeedul Islam. According to Minister, there are now 2603 officials, deputy secretaries and secretaries. Among them 265 have been made officer on special duty (OSD), meaning they have no work to do. The minister said there were 3 Hindus out of 62 secretaries. Whereas 40 Hindus, 2 Christians and 4 Buddhists are working as additional secretaries out of 304. Among the top bureaucrats, there is no representation from 29 districts. The highest numbers of secretaries are from Barisal. In Khagrachari, there is no deputy secretary official, whereas there are 116 officials in Chittagong and Comilla districts. l
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina hands over an award to a school girl at the inaugural programme of the National Primary Education Week 2014 at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium in the capital yesterday BSS
One held for Pry head teachers status upgraded making offensive n Mushque Wadud pictures of a girl
n Our Correspondent, Narayanganj
Locals detained a youth for making up indecent pictures of a girl in Fatulla upazila of Narayanganj around 10:30pm on Saturday. The detainee was identified as Jahangir Alam, 22, son of Firoz Mia of Kashipur Khilmarket area under Fatullah police station. He was held in front of Hazi Uzir Ali High School while putting up the picture of the girl on school gate. Enamul, sub-inspector of Fatulla Model police station said: Locals detained Jahangir and later handed him over to the police. School Managing Committee President Saifullah Badal said: The young man made up the indecent image of our school girl with computer software. Jahangir proposed her some days ago on her to the school. But she rejected his proposal. Jahangir made up those offensive images and tried to put it on the school gate just to take his revenge over the refusal. He also informed locals detained four more teenagers from the school gate on last Wednesday. They used to tease girls and give proposals to them. Later, the youth was released after he apologized and his family members gave undertaking that the incident wouldnt occur again. Akter Hossain, officer-in-charge of Fatulla Model police station said: Although Jahangir was arrested, no one had filed any case in this regard. So, we showed him arrested under section 54 and sent him to the court. l The government primary school headmasters got an upgrade in their ranks. The headmasters will now enjoy the status of class II employees instead of class III. The salary of headmaster and assistant teachers were also increased. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina announced the upgrades yesterday at the inaugural Primary Education Week. With this, the Awami League government fulfilled a long-standing demand of teachers and educationists. Primary schoolteachers had been demonstrating for a long time to upgrade their status. The Ministry of Primary and Mass Education officials said from now on, an experienced headmaster of a government primary school would be on a Tk6,400 monthly pay scale instead of Tk5,500 that they were on before. Similarly, an untrained headmaster will be on a Tk5,900 monthly salary scale instead of Tk5,200 of the present salary structure. The pay scale of untrained assistant teachers will be increased to Tk4,900 from Tk4,700 and those trained to Tk5,200 from Tk4,900. The primary and mass education ministry issued a circular on this later. At present, there are 37,000 government primary schools. The
government has recently nationalised 23,000 more government primary schools. Speaking at the Primary Education Week 2014 at Osmani Memorial Hall, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said the government had a plan to elevate the level of the countrys primary education up to Class-VIII from existing Class V, making it compulsory for every children, reports BSS. The premier said computer education would also be compulsory at primary level along with taking all steps to fulfill her partys election pledge to achieve 100% literacy rate. Saying that her government is completely aware about the demand of the
primary teachers, the prime minister said the government would continue efforts to develop professional, social and economic conditions of primary schoolteachers. In a reaction, Bangladesh Primary Teachers Association President Abul Bashar said the decision would help improve primary education. He said because of low social status, they did not play a role in the society. Abul Ehsan, a professor at Dhaka Universitys Institute of Education and Research, said due to low status, many talented job seekers did not come to primary teaching. He said to ensure quality primary education, teachers salary should be
increased. However, the assistant teachers of government primary schools termed the increase in salary disproportionate. We are thankful for the announcement of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, but we expected that the salary of assistant teachers would increase in proportion to that of the head teachers, Shahinur Alamin, secretary general of Bangladesh Assistant Teachers Society, told the Dhaka Tribune. He said their salary was increased only Tk200 from the previous structure. We are disappointed over comparatively slight increase in the assistant teachers salary, he said. l
Fresh arguments Qaisar misusing bail, Diagnostic centres running without doctors, technologists on Nizami case to alleges prosecution start today
n Moniruzzaman Uzzal
The Directorate General of Health Services officials yesterday found two diagnostic centres in Green Super Market of the capital running without any doctor and technologist. The Hospital and Clinic Department of DGHS conducted the drive on the 3rd floor of the market and found no doctor or medical technologist at Delta Diagnostic Centre and Bangladesh Diagnostic Centre. There were only lab attendants who did not have any kind of professional training. The inspection team seized a bunch of blank papers meant for pathological reports with the signatures of pathologists. Expired chemical reagents used for medical tests were found in refrigerators. The diagnostic centres licences were not updated and they could not also provide the patients register. Inspection team leader Swapan Kumar told the Dhaka Tribune that there were no police with them, and so they could not take any action against the owners of diagnostic centres. Prof Dr Abdul Hannan, director of the Hospital and Clinic Department, said they would issue show-cause notice to the owners of the diagnostic centres. Swapan said an application was submitted to the DGHS for opening a diagnostic centre named BD Zin Limited, but the address mentioned in the application form was not found in the Green Super Market. l
Udisa Islam
n Udisa Islam
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia waves to the audience after arriving at a reception organised to welcome the newly elected committee of the Dhaka Bar Council at the Institution of Engineers auditorium in the capital yesterday DHAKA TRIBUNE
Fresh hearing of closing arguments in the war crimes case against Motiur Rahman Nizami is set to start today amid tension in the prosecution camp over squabbles among team members. Most of the tension has been attributed to certain negative remarks about the team as a whole, made by a member to the local media. Earlier, on November 13 last year, the International Crime Tribunal 1 had announced that the verdict in the case might be made any day. However, the arguments are being heard once again, as the former chairman went into retirement on December 31 before delivering the verdict. Last time, conducting prosecutor Mohammad Ali placed the arguments before the tribunal when Tureen Afroz also submitted arguments on several charges. Tureen on March 3 appealed to the chief prosecutor for action against Ali for his comments in a TV interview on March 1, involving her and other team members. The tribunals chief prosecutor on March 5 forwarded the written complaint to the law ministry, drawing attention of the secretary, and recommending proper measures. Later, Ali submitted a letter to the chief prosecutor where he explained his position mentioning that he had been irritated by Tureens statement. This time, Ali alone is taking the preparation. Meanwhile, the chief prosecutor yesterday issued a letter mentioning that in the trial against Nizami, the arguments would be submitted by Ali and Tureen as earlier. Five senior prosecutors including Zead al Malum, Haider Ali and Rana Das Gupta would coordinate them. l
The prosecution in the trial against war crimes suspect Syed Mohammad Qaisar yesterday claimed that the accused was violating bail conditions by trying to influence a prosecution witness. The tribunal 2 yesterday also recorded the testimony of the first prosecution witness. Former state minister of HM Ershad regime, Qaisar was indicted on February 2 on 16 charges of crimes against humanity he had committed as the chief of Qaisar Bahini in Habiganj. The International Crimes Tribunal granted him conditional bail on health ground on August 5 last year. The tribunal then asked him not to make contacts with any political leaders, the media and any witnesses of the war crimes trials, and that he has to surrender his passport, if he has any, to the tribunals registrar office. In the beginning of yesterdays proceedings, prosecutor Rana Das Gupta drew attention of the tribunal saying that some unknown persons called a witness repeatedly over the phone and tried to influence. The callers said they had been working for the accused and his sons. The tribunal then asked him to file a general diary with police. Justice Obaidul Hassan, chairman of the three-member panel, said: It is completely a new scenario before us. So far, we have granted bail to two accused Abdul Alim and Syed Qaisar. No such allegation was raised before this. We will look into the matter. After that, first prosecution witness Kazi Kabiruddin, 72, started his deposition against the accused. The tribunal adjourned the proceedings keeping the testimony incomplete.
The witness said on April 12 of 1971, he came to know that Maulana Khaleque, an assistant to former Jamaat-e-Islami chief Ghulam Azam, Syed Mohibul Huq and Kamrul Hassan from Muslim League had gone to the house of the accused. They formed a Peace Committee that day and Qaisar was made one of the members.
Manju Mia, uncle of accused, had created an anti-liberation group known as Qaisar Bahini
On March 23, we hoisted our flag at Jagadishpur School with Mahbub Uddin Chowdhury, one of the accused in Agartala Conspiracy Case. The next day Syed Uddin and his son, accused Qaisar, came and forced us to hoist Pakistani flag there. He said Qaisar along with his brother Faisal had tried to take down the Bangladeshi flag. We resist them together. Kabiruddin said on April 15, Manju Mia, uncle of accused, had created an anti-liberation group known as Qaisar Bahini as the accused was made its chief. Then the witness described about the atrocities the group had committed in the area. They invited and welcomed the Pakistani occupation army near Shahbazpur. Following this, the Qaisar Bahini along with the Pakistani Army killed Shahjahan, chairman of Budunti Union. At that time, Shahjahan prayed for his life but Qaisar said this culprit is a pro-liberation element, shoot him. l
DHAKA TRIBUNE
News
n Arif Ahmed
Eminent citizens of the country stressed the need for waging a combined movement to make the country free from communalism and extremism. They made the suggestion while speaking at a national conference against communalism and militancy organised by Sector Commanders ForumMuktijoddha 71 at Teacher-Student Centre of Dhaka University yesterday. With the Sector Commanders Forums Chairman Air-Vice Marshal (retd) AK Khandakar in the chair the event was addressed by Human Right Commission Chairman Mizanur Rahman and Bangla Academy Chairman Professor Anisuzzaman. Human Right Commission Chairman Mizanur Rahman said it was not possible for us to eradicate militant and communal forces with the current constitution. He said: Ensuring appropriate punishment for all communal, militant forces as well as the war criminals through free, fair and unbiased trail can wipe out the militant and communal forces from our country. The government should expedite war criminals trial process, he said, adding that coordination among proliberation organisation was a must to uphold the spirit of Liberation War and to establish a non-communal democratic Bangladesh. Bangla Academy Chairman Professor emeritus Anisuzzaman, addressing the programme as the chief guest, said: The spirit of 1971 Liberation War is yet to materialise and it is high time to fight against the anti-liberation and militant forces through combined and national unity. AK Khandakar called upon the countrymen to get involved in the move against militant activities. Cultural personality Nasiruddin Yousuf Bacchu called for dissolving the economic institutions of Jamat-Shibir as they had very strong economic supports. l
Sector Commanders Forum and Muktijudha 71 jointly organise its national conference against communalism and militancy at Dhaka Universitys Teacher Student Centre yesterday
DHAKA TRIBUNE
Discussion on Kazi Shahids New DG for Family autobiography held Planning and PGCB
n Rabiul Islam
Jiboner Shilalipi, Kazi Shahid Ahmeds autobiography, would attract readers for its humour and simplicity of language, speakers at a discussion programme said yesterday. Mohit Ul Alam, vice chancellor of Jatiya Kabi Kazi Nazrul Islam University, said the book was full of humour, which would attract readers. While reading the book, I burst into laughter several times. And at a stretch, I read 180 pages out of around 550 pages of the book, Mohit said at the programme, held at the auditorium of the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB) in the capitals Dhanmondi area. The book was released on February 15 through a function at the Bangla Academy auditorium. Mohit also noted that the book was not only an autobiography, but also a real picture of society. Among others, president of ULABs board of trustees, Kazi Shahid Ahmed,
n Tribune Report
The public administration ministry yesterday made Nur Hossain Talukder the director general of the Directorate of Family Planning, and Power Division Joint Secretary Mohammad Shafiqullah the executive director of the Power Grid Company of Bangladesh (PGCB). Nur Hossain was serving as the DG of the Directorate of Public Library and replaced Ganesh Sarker. Shafiqullah replaced Zinnatul Haque, who was made an officer on special duty (OSD) at the public administration ministry. The public administration also reshuffled 22 additional secretaries and joint secretaries in different ministries. Among additional secretaries, Quamrun Nahar Khanam of water resources ministry was made DG of the National Museum; Directorate of Military Land-Properties Director Miah Abdullah Mamun was made DG of the Department of Jute.
WEATHER
Kazi Shahid Ahmed ULAB Emeritus Professor Rafiqul Islam and ULAB Vice Chancellor Imran Rahman addressed the programme. Writer and professor, Niaz Zaman, was the chief guest, but she did not make any remarks. l
Additional Secretary to the public administration ministry Sohrab Hossain and OSD Additional Secretary AS Mahmud were posted to education ministry and OSD Additional Secretary Begum Porag was posted to the industries ministry. Among the joint secretaries, Director of the National Savings Directorate Mahmuda Aktar Meena was promoted as DG; Shah Md Aminul Haque of ERD was made project director of the Board of Investments head office construction project; Director of BCS Administration Academy Mostafizur Rahman was made director of the Directorate of Military Land-Properties. Among the OSD joint secretaries, Mohammad Mosaddek Ali was made director of the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission; Kajal Islam was made secretary of SPARSO, Gazi Mohammad Zulhas was made deputy managing director of the Expatriate Welfare Bank, and Mohsina Yasmin was made director of BCS Administration Academy. l
PRAYER TIMES
Fajar Sunrise Zohr Asr Magrib Esha 4:57am 6:12am 12:09am 4:26pm 6:05pm 7:21pm
Source: IslamicFinder.org
DHAKA TRIBUNE
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Three BNP leaders get bail n Our Correspondent, Rajshahi
Three BNP leaders were released on bail from Rajshahi Central Jail yesterday over police constable Siddhartho murder case on 26 December, 2013. The leaders are Rajshahi city mayor Mosaddek Hossain Bulbul, Mizanur Rahman Minu, BNP joint secretary general and Shafikul Islam Milon, Rajshahi city unit BNP general secretary. Jailer Ismail Hossain told the Dhaka Tribune that they had freed the BNP top leaders at 4.00pm as they got bail from the High Court. He also said on 4 March, a bench of judge Naima Haidar and Jafor Ahmed granted the bail of the three leaders. The order of the bail reached yesterday through the Rajshahi chief metropolitan magistrate court. Following bail, the jail authority freed them. Earlier, on 24 February Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court rejected bail pleas of 36 BNP leaders and activists and sent them to jail in the same case. On December 26, 2013, Siddhartha Sarker died after he along with eight others were wounded as miscreants hurled several crude bombs at a police car in the city. BNP-led 18-party alliance was holding processions at that time. Siddhartha succumbed to his injuries in Combined Military Hospital in Dhaka after he had been flown from Rajshahi to the capital. Police filed two separate cases against Mosaddek Hossain Bulbul, Mizanur Rahman Minu, Jamaat city unit secretary general Mohammod Jahangir and 485 others on charge of killing the police constable. l
A large number of land developers continue to fill up flood flow zones and grab embankment of rivers around Dhaka
The grabbing of flood-prone zones and water bodies will lead to waterlogging and destruction of ecology, he said. During several visits to different river banks and flood plain areas around Dhaka-Purbachal New Town Project, Rupganj upazila in Narayanganj, Jhilmill New Town in Keraniganj upazila, Tongi, Ashulia and Aminbazar, the Dhaka Tribune correspondent came to see that the land developers and sand traders were still filling up water bodies and cropland violating the DAP. Sources said the Rajuk would
Bahrain fire victims JnU halls recovery demonstrations continue laid to rest Old Dhaka businessmen show solidarity with protesters ABM Mohiuddin n Our Correspondent, Comilla legal, they were passing days in fear. sociation, Tantibazar Goldsmith Asso- dent Shariful Islam said the university Chowdhury: No Three Bangladeshi workers, who died n Mohammad Jamil Khan They said some wholesalers were also ciation and Clock Traders association, authorities had failed to arrange even a in a fire in Bahrains capital Manama on
February 28, were laid to eternal rest at their native villages under Burichang upazila in Comilla yesterday. They were buried following namaze-janazas after Johr prayers. Earlier, the bodies arrived at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport by a flight of Emirates Airlines on Saturday evening. Later, the bodies were handed over to the families around 10pm. On February 28, three Bangladeshi nationals died and two others received minor injuries in the fire that took place in a two-storey residential building in the Mukha Rekha area of Manama. The deceased were Dulal Mia, 30, son of Siddiqur Rahman from Mainamati unions Ziapur village in Burichang upazila, Jalal Uddin, 30, son of Abdul Gafur from Rampur village of Varel union under the same upazila and Mosharraf Hossain, 32, son of Nazim Mia from the same village. After seeing the bodies, family members and relatives of the deceased started wailing, which created an atmosphere of gloom at the two villages. Losing the earning members of the families, they said they did not know how they would pay back creditors for loans taken out to send the men to Bahrain. l Association of traders in Old Dhaka expressed solidarity with teachers and students of Jagannath University (JnU) yesterday as the latter continued their ongoing demonstration by holding procession and protest rally on the campus demanding recovery of illegally grabbed dormitories. The association held a press briefing outside Islampur Jahangir Alam Tower around 11:00am and urged Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to take steps in order to resolve this crisis soon. Addressing the briefing, speakers said although the ongoing protest was reluctant to come to Old Dhaka to buy or sell goods for fear of finding themselves in any untoward situation. Asked about allegations that some traders had also occupied properties illegally, Mohammad Jahangir Alam, convener of the association, said legal actions could be taken if any establishment had been built on the property of the university. We should extend our help in this regard, he said. Executive members of nearly 16 business associations of Old Dhaka, including Islampur Clothing Traders Asattended the briefing among others. Earlier in the day around 10:00am, JnU students brought out procession and protest rally on the campus. The procession paraded through the campus before it ended in front of JnU liberation war sculpture at around 11:00am. Members of JnU Teachers Association, like the previous days, held a protest rally around 11:00am in front of the universitys Shaheed Rafiq building. There were cultural activities jointly attended by teachers as well as students. Speaking to the Dhaka Tribune, JnU Bangladesh Chhatra League unit presisingle dorm for the students after eight years of establishment. Thats why we are demonstrating peacefully to press home our demand. A mass rally will be held in front of the central shaheed minar on March 16, he said. Yesterdays demo ended around 02:00pm. JnU students and teachers have been demonstrating since February 12 to press home their demand for recovery of grabbed dorms. To date, no step has been taken by the government, though several ministers said action would be taken to resolve the crisis. l
Jagannath University Teachers Association organises a sit-in programme on the campus yesterday, protesting the recent assault on demonstrators by police
DHAKA TRIBUNE
The former mayor of Chittagong City Corporation yesterday urged officials and employees of Chittagong Medical College Hospital not to be misguided and confused over the decision to upgrade the institution. ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury, who is the chairman of Chittagong Medical University Bastobayon Parishad and also the president of city unit Awami League, made the appeal in a press conference organised by the parishad at Chittagong Press Club in the afternoon. He said the misunderstanding between officials and employees over the upgrading decision of CMCH into a university was unexpected. The former mayor said: Do not misunderstand and do not be confused. We will not tolerate the loss of employees and workers over the issue. He said if the medical college was upgraded into a university the medical facilities would be developed and people would receive facilities at a low cost. Through the upgrade we can save many expenses too, he added. If the medical college turns into a university, the officials and employees of CMCH will enjoy more facilities than they are receiving currently. Chittagong Premier University Vice-Chancellor Anupam Sen, city unit Awami League General Secretary AJM Nasir Uddin and Peshajibi Somonnoy Parishad President AQM Sirajul Islam were present at the conference among others. The employees of CMCH has been protesting the upgrade decision after its announcement. l
DHAKA TRIBUNE
Nation
A goods-laden truck fell into a roadside ditch at Charmatha near Hili land port yesterday
DHAKA TRIBUNE
Under-construction roof caves in, injures two n Our Correspondent, Dinajpur n Our Correspondent, Barisal
Two construction workers were injured after an under construction roof of a petrol pump collapsed yesterday afternoon at Zero-Point of Barisal-Patuakhali-Bhola highway under Nalchhity upazila of Jhalokati district. Acting deputy director Kazi Alauddin of Barisal fire service said Zakir Hossain, 40, and Riazul, 31, the two construction workers, were rescued and sent to Barisal Sher E Bangla Medical College Hospital. Witnesses said the under construction roof caved in around 2pm while construction was in progress. A 20-member team of Barisal fire service went to the spot and started rescue operation with the help of the local people. Mahfuz Khan, owner of the petrol pump, said the double stretching of the iron rod slipped due to loose bindings and collapsed during the casting of the roof on ground floor. The fire service official said it is being assumed that the use of sub-standard materials and negligence in construction caused the accident. l
A rally was held on the premises of Tangail Shaheed Minar yesterday, demanding fair prices of all kinds of agri-produces
DHAKA TRIBUNE
DHAKA TRIBUNE
Long Form
than their professional identity. So these people reiterate the words of the government.
A satellite image of the regions waters that though the statute indicates to hold at least two joint meetings a year, the meetings do not take place even in years. The regular meetings are always postponed by the Indian counterpart. In June this year, India cancelled the regular meeting at the last minute showing unavoidable circumstance. He noted that in last 41 years, only 37 meetings were held. The number of meetings depends on timing and willingness. Two countries might be at different political stages at a time. It may not be a national election in India, but it can be a panchayet election in Calcutta, a state election in West Bengal or in Delhi. In such circumstances India will not be willing to hold a meeting, Dutta said. The day before leaving India, in a friendly chat with the participants, Mahbub Hassan Saleh, deputy high commissioner of Bangladesh High Commission to India denounced the terms common and trans-boundary and suggested that rivers were and should be called international natural resources crossing through international boundaries. Lamenting over the present condition of JRC, he said: JRC is not supposed to be the way it is today. It is supposed to be a joint platform, but in reality, the chairmanship is held by water resource ministries, as in, the politicians who do not have the time to focus on human-centric subjects. It is more like two separate national river commissions headed by respective ministries. They should do research and present those technical studies in every meeting. The present JRC could not produce the desired results in accordance to the spirit it was born with, he said. Now is a time to revive the statute and meet as frequently as possible, he suggested. Around 21bn people living on the basin of Teesta were unheard while negotiating over the river. Human issues are always ignored while designing any treaty which is a dangerous practice. We just focus on augmenting the flow but we have to keep in mind that we are the lowest riparian country and Bangladesh gets extremely less amount of water in the lean period. For example, Teesta flows 60bcm (billion cubic meter) year round whereas, during the lean period which is September to May, the flow reduces to only 5bcm, Saleh said. He stressed on the term equitable utilisation of water which ensures rightful share of the stakeholders of the river keeping the minimum flow of the river intact the minimum flow that is needed for the survival of the river. Moreover, it is a concern of biodiversity. Water has to be utilised judiciously as it is a depleting resource. He said the users were the ultimate beneficiaries. Farmers are the ones who actually know where and what quantum of water flows at different points of the year. So they should be heard through representatives. The think tanks and technical experts have to consider the local interest, he said. to force river water diversion through structural intervention.
WIKIMEDIA
society vigilance and greater transparency for disseminating public domain regarding the decisions and agreements in case of trans-boundary river system. He suggested that civil society ought to make use of the Right to Information (RTI) Act and collect information from the Ministry of Water Resources. Contents and reports of JRC meetings ought to be made public which otherwise mostly appear diplomatic and arbitrary at large.
Instead of India-Bangladesh or India-Nepal river commission, there should be commissions like Brahmaputra Water Commission where all the basin countries can become a part
If we focus on the future, wiping off the blame game and putting a fresh perspective towards the art of negotiation, then we can produce the desired results
desh is the lowest. So how do we merge the interest of all three? I personally do not understand what can be the issues of common interest between Nepal and Bangladesh. I can see commonalities between India, Bhutan and Nepal, because they are the upstream Himalayan states. I do not think a multi-lateral treaty is possible in near future. In our current geo-political situation, there is no way that Bangladesh would be able to convince India to involve Nepal. The answer will be no for a simple reason that it would complicate the discussion which no one wants. Throughout the world, most of the rivers are shared by more than two countries but the treaties tend to be bi-lateral. It is easier to negotiate between two countries, opined Dutta.
situation, movements and campaigns by civil societies and student organisations have played an important role to mobilise the public in India. He mentioned about All Assam Students Union (AASU) that created a mass protest in Assam against the Indian government. Their demands were recognising flood and erosion as a national problem, allocating more funds in the field, and most importantly, checking the detrimental impacts of dams in the region. Dr Arupjyoti Saikia, associate professor, department of humanities and social science at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Guwahati, shed light on a civil society group KMSS (Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti). This organisation had been able to wage democratic movements like the anti-dam movement in last few years in Assam. The KMSS has done substantial work in mobilising people at the grass root level. It explained them the impacts of dam, like, disappearance of char, loss of grazing grounds for animals, disappearance of driftwood etc. AASU also play a key role to persuade the government to form a committee to look into the downstream effect. It has initiated interaction between the experts and the communities by training them on river development programmes. This constant negotiation has led to the re-thinking of river science and engineering. It has also helped to bring different civil society organisations and the public to major political debates, described Saikia. KMSS, considered as a classic example of how a civil society learns and unlearns argues on the points: Whose river is the Brahmaputra? Government or people? What kind of engineering will be used? Will science and technology take care of the environmental hazards? These are burning questions at our side as well.
DHAKA TRIBUNE
World
Soviet Songs
Around 2,000 Russian supporters gathered in Lenin Square, where there is a statue of the Soviet state founder, clapping along to nostalgic Soviet era songs being sung from the stage. Alexander Liganov, 25 and jobless, said: We have always been Russian, not Ukrainian. We support Putin. President Vladimir Putin declared a week ago that Russia had the right to invade Ukraine to protect Russian citizens, and his parliament has voted to change the law to make it easier to annex territory inhabited by Russian speakers. At a rally in the eastern city of Donetsk, home to many Russian speakers, presidential candidate Vitaly Klitschko, a former boxing champion, said Ukraine should not allowed to split apart amid bloodshed. The main task is to preserve the stability and independence of our country, he said. The worst face-off with Moscow since the Cold War has left the West scrambling for a response, especially since the regions pro-Russia leadership declared Crimea part of Russia last week and announced a March 16 referendum to confirm it. US Secretary of State John Kerry, speaking to Russias foreign minister for the fourth day in a row, told Sergei Lavrov on Saturday that Russia should exercise restraint. He made clear that continued military escalation and provocation in Crimea or elsewhere in Ukraine, along with steps to annex Crimea to Russia, would close any available space for diplomacy, and he urged utmost restraint, a US official said. l
Demonstrators kneel in front of riot police during a protest against the government of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas. Armed with cooking pots in a potent symbol of Venezuelas chronic food shortage, thousands took to the streets Saturday in the latest public rally against the government. At least 20 people have now died since protests first erupted, giving Maduro his biggest test since succeeding late leader Hugo Chavez almost a year ago AFP
Netanyahu opposed to Saudis, Emiratis quit settlement freeze Qatari media outlets
n
AFP, Jerusalem
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday he is opposed to freezing construction in settlements as a means to extend US-sponsored peace talks with Palestinians. Such a freeze would serve nothing, Netanyahu told public radio. We imposed one in the past and it brought no results, the premier said of the 10-month construction moratorium he issued during the last round of peace talks with Palestinians that ended in 2010. US Secretary of State John Kerry has been struggling to get Israel and the Palestinians to agree a framework for extending direct peace talks, launched in July, beyond an April 29 deadline. But Israel and the Palestinians remain divided on all the major issues, including borders, security, settlements, Jerusalem and Palestinian refugees. Starts on new settlement building in the West Bank increased by 123.7% last year, according to recently-published data from Israels statistics bureau. Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas has said that his side would not agree to extend negotiations without Israel releasing further prisoners and halting settlement construction. According to Netanyahu, who met with Kerry and US President Barack Obama in Washington last week, a framework agreement to extend talks would not necessitate Israeli and Palestinian signatures but rather only by an American document on American positions. Im not sure the Palestinians will accept it, Netanyahu told public radio of the framework agreement. Obama is due to meet Abbas on March 17 at the White House. l
n AFP, Riyadh
Saudi and Emirati pundits have quit major media outlets in Qatar, including the broadcaster of top-flight European football, they said yesterday, as tensions soar between Doha and Gulf states. In an unprecedented decision on Wednesday, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain withdrew their envoys to Qatar, which they accused of meddling in their internal affairs by supporting Islamists. Doha has dismissed the charge, citing instead differences in regional politics. Saudi columnist Samar al-Mogren, who writes for Al-Arab Qatari daily, tweeted yesterday that the Saudi ministry of culture and information has decided to end the collaboration of Saudi writers with Qatari newspapers. She said that two other Saudi writers, Saleh al-Shehi and Ahmed bin Rashed al-Saeed, had also stopped
writing for Qatari newspapers based on the ministrys orders. Another writer, Muhanna al-Hubail, had received similar orders from the ministry, said Mogren. Meanwhile, Emirati commentators and analysts announced they had quit BeIn Sports, which exclusively broadcasts matches from the English Premier League and the Spanish La Liga to millions of football fans across the Middle East. Ali Saeed Al Kaabi and Fares Awad announced on Twitter Saturday their resignation from BeIn, without giving any reasons. Emirati football pundit Sultan Rashed said he would stop contributing to BeIn, while analyst Hassan al-Jassmi said he would no longer appear on both BeIn and Alkass, another Qatari sports channel. Qatar is a staunch supporter of the Muslim Brotherhood, viewed by most conservative monarchies of the Gulf as a threat to their grip on power. l
DHAKA TRIBUNE
World
A total of 40 ships and 22 aircraft from an array of countries are now involved in the hunt
The minister declined to offer details, saying authorities were examining the entire manifest, but confirmed the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) was dispatching personnel to Malaysia. At the same time our own intelligence has been activated, and of course, the counter-terrorism units... from all the relevant countries have been informed, Hishammuddin said, refusing also to rule out the possibility of a hijack. A Malaysian civil aviation official said authorities still so far believe only two passengers had used stolen passports and were examining CCTV footage of them. We will review all security proto-
This handout photo taken yesterday shows Malaysian Maritime Enforcement personnel looking through binoculars during search and rescue operations for the missing Malaysia Airlines (MAS) Boeing 777 200 AFP
Indias projected campaign spending is only rivaled by the $7bn spent in the 2012 US presidential race
This election spending largesse will help to boost Indian consumption expenditure over the second quarter of 2014, but this will be a temporary spike, said Rajiv Biswas, the Asia-Pacific chief economist at IHS Global Insight. Indias projected campaign spending is only rivaled by the $7bn spent by candidates, parties and support groups in the 2012 US presidential race, the worlds most expensive, according to data provided by the US election commission. Spending on previous Indian elections have benefited a wide range of businesses, from media groups and advertisers that rake in campaign-ad reve-
Supporters of Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) hold placards during a protest over expulsion of dozens of Kashmiri students from a university after they cheered for the Pakistani cricket team during a televised match against archrival India last week. Six more students, including four Kashmiris, were also expelled yesterday following an alleged clash over the same matter AP
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DHAKA TRIBUNE
Editorial
LETTER OF THE DAY
Letters to
the Editor
dismal new report from the World Bank suggests that the majority of fifth grade students in Bangladesh do not have the necessary academic competence typically expected at that level. Sobering statistics suggest that even in the early years of primary education, the vast majority of children are failing to meet their minimum competency targets. This clearly indicates that although Bangladesh has made vast strides in achieving near universal access to primary education, the quality of education needs to be improved as well . At the root of the problem is that money is not being efficiently spent when it comes to education. Bangladeshs budgetary allocation for the sector is also the lowest in the South Asian region, limiting the amount of funding available. The problems which result include unimaginative and poorly delivered curricular, the hiring of poor quality teachers and inefficiently run and managed school administrations. Fixing our primary education system should be the key challenge for the government. The education ministry must give more attention to improving the quality of primary education in order to ensure that everyone has a high quality educational foundation. The unpalatable truth is that the unevenness of primary education is also an economic problem. Children from poor households are more likely to perform poorly academically than children from economically well-off households. It is an unacceptable cost to the nation to allow such discrepancies to continue. Improving the quality of primary education is essential to overcome this for the benefit of the nation.
Fixing primary education should be the key challenge for the government
Be Heard
Write to us at: Dhaka Tribune FR Tower, 8/C Panthapath Sukrabad, Dhaka-1207 Email us at: letters@dhakatribune.com Send us your Op-Ed articles: opinion@dhakatribune.com Visit our website: www.dhakatribune.com Come join our Facebook community: https://www.facebook.com/DhakaTribune
fter last weeks BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative) meeting in Myanmar, many people are noting its potential to improve co-operation and trade among its member states, Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bhutan and Nepal. The US ambassador has reflected that the combination of Bangladeshs geographical location and large population makes it a natural hub for international commerce and trade generally. Within the context of developing links between South Asia and South East Asia in particular, Bangladeshs location clearly gives it added scope for growth. It is important then for Bangladesh to keep looking eastwards in its diplomatic and economic policies. While links have grown with China over the years, our trade links with our immediate neighbour Myanmar have only recently begun to be actively nurtured, even though its economy is attracting a huge amount of overseas interest and investment. We must not neglect our geographical closeness and neighbourly potential. As fellow BIMSTEC members, Myanmar and Thailand have much to offer Bangladesh to help develop better connectivity and economic integration with the economic powerhouses of South East Asia. It is imperative for our economy that the government maximise the potential of multilateral groups such as BIMSTEC and SAARC to lower trade barriers and increase economic opportunities. Looking eastwards to our closest neighbours beyond India is a natural place to start, but should only be the beginning. The government should encourage and negotiate mutually beneficial bilateral treaties and trade deals with as many different countries as possible.
Looking eastwards is a natural place to start, but should only be the beginning
PEANUTS
CROSSWORD
ACROSS 1 Bishops territory (3) 3 Matured (4) 6 Fruit (4) 7 Adhesive (3) 9 Purplish brown (4) 10 Vegetable (3) 11 Muslim leader (4) 13 Of the kidneys (5) 16 Biblical character (5) 18 Highland dagger (4) 19 School of whales (3) 20 Thunder god (4) 21 Mineral spring (3) 23 Prolonged pain (4) 24 Summit (4) 25 Respectful fear (3) DOWN 1 Sweetener (5) 2 Flightless bird (3) 4 Gloomily sullen (4) 5 Stain (3) 6 Apple of the eye (5) 8 Person under age (5) 9 Wan (4) 12 Disguises (5) 14 Eastern ruler (4) 15 Token of membership (5) 17 Gap (5) 18 Bird (4) 20 Beverage (3) 22 Animals foot (3)
SUDOKU
YESTERDAYS SOLUTIONS
Crossword
How to solve Sudoku: Fill in the blank spaces with the numbers 1 9. Every row, column and 3 x 3 box must contain all nine digits with no numberrepeating.
Sudoku
DHAKA TRIBUNE
Op-Ed
T I
11
E D E N
n Towheed Feroze
even or eight years ago when I first saw this drug, it hardly appeared to be capable of doing serious harm. It was pink! Obviously, each colour creates in our subconscious mind an image, so pink hardly conjures up devastation. Yet today, the capital as well as all major towns are hostage to the pink pill. Reportedly, when it comes to pinik or high, nothing comes near.Going back to 2007, yaba was a designer product with hardly any information available about it. To give its usage legitimacy, the fact that Hitlers soldiers were given the tablet to stay awake during prolonged wars, was widely used.
Today, the capital as well as all major towns are hostage to the pink pill
Nothing was spelt of the harmful sides. In Dhakas elite areas, the rise of abuse rose when it was found to be a powerful libido and stamina enhancer. That means one could be at it all night long and also carry on with normal work the next day, or the day after. Recently, a report caught my attention yaba is delivered at home by smart, well-spoken couriers. I am not shocked. I heard of such a system seven years ago where cycle-riding men threw tablets packed in plastic onto the verandah of users.Someone told me that for clients living in higher level flats, ropes were used to send up the tablets. Lovers addicted to the product and staying in the same apartment building use the same rope system to share a high reportedly, pink pills were wrapped in a love letter and tied to the rope. Talk about romancing on the deadly side. But laughs aside, yaba is now the top drug in major cities, slowly but treacherously making way into rural areas. The selling line is perhaps as old
as human civilisation take it and be the king in bed. Most fall for this because the desire to be the ultimate lover lies dormant in all. Interestingly though, in the initial days of abuse, sexual urge may see a surge, the nerves soon become numb, unable to feel anything in the latter days of addiction. Meanwhile, continuous nights of sleeplessness wreak havoc on health, creating pressure on kidneys on the side. But what many people do not know is that regular use of this makes a person short-tempered, morose, and desperate. If we refer to the killing of a police officer and his wife by their yaba addict daughter last year, we see to what level of crime yaba-induced recklessness can trigger. But beyond the surface of common drug related social problems lies a festering lower level where yaba is viciously acting out as the main catalyst in stripping society, especially women, of moral values. Lets shed the pseudo faade of morality for a minute: Prostitution had always been present around us, though kept under wraps through a carefully crafted air of discretion. Women working as sex workers mostly resided within a recognised quarter and lived almost their entire lives within a boundary. Not going into the argument of whether that is ethically right or not, brothels have followed this pattern for ages with little alterations here and there. However, as we became engulfed by consumerism and hard-core material values, the issue of paid sex insidiously crept out of a centuries old boundary to carve out a place within mainstream society, luring a large number of young women from the middle and the lower middle classes. These women have become carriers, sellers, and dealers of yaba, operating within the secure environment of five-star establishments, exploiting the safety offered by affluent commercial places to peddle drugs. From time to time, we hear of law enforcers busting yaba syndicates, though the main masterminds are never nabbed while top entertainment centres remain outside the dragnet. The solution to regulate the trade is simple infiltrate the entertainment industry to terminate insulated lines of the trade. It wont be surprising to find many
How long can we pretend that its all fine? ostensibly clean people involved. Just to give a personal anecdote a few years ago, I was having a conversation with a rising model/actress and at one point she bluntly asked if she and her friends can come over and use my place to take Baba (as yaba is commonly known). Having observed International Womens Day and acknowledging wholeheartedly the strides women have made in the last two decades, the murky side of gender empowerment, where many opt to dive into the world of crime to get rich quick, cannot be overlooked. These women, armed with their beauty and charm, prowl the Dhaka night spots with the sole aim of entrapping new victims either in their web of physical allure or within the confines of the pink pill. In some cases, victims fall for both If asked about the prospect of a reformed life, some will quickly put up an act of a martyr while the scarred ones will reject such a proposition outright. be overlooked, though yaba tolerance is not the one. Law enforcers have recognised the need to curtail this trade with the Bangladesh government making an official plea to Myanmar
BIGSTOCK
If there is genuine desire to control yaba, the inner layers of the scourge need to be addressed
Sorry for sounding unrefined: For them, its about making money which they seem to enjoy. Usually, talks about a straight life bore them. Perhaps, one side of the vice can
to take steps to crack down on yaba factories near the border. However, taking a lesson from the drug of rage in the 80s and 90s, Phensidyl, which came relentlessly
from the other side of the border with India despite countless futile appeals made from Bangladesh, expectations of cooperation from Myanmar should be realistic. If there is genuine desire to control yaba, the inner layers of the scourge need to be addressed, which means of course, baring a lot of unsavoury facts about society. Yes, many so-called closely held stereotypical beliefs will crumble, proving us to be just as decadent as many others. The question is do we carry on pretending as if nothing is amiss or, do we take a bold step and address a facet of the yaba menace which has been kept at bay? l Towheed Feroze is a journalist currently working in the development sector.
Basant manqu
T
n FS Aijazuddin
here are moments in a citys life when its performance sometimes equals its reputation. Lahore, once synonymous with learning and the arts, showed that when called upon, it can exceed expectations. The Lahore Literary Festival defied armchair pundits by being held at all, by being a success, and after it was over, by leaving its audiences gasping for more, which surely is the best measure of such an event. The LLF was spread over three days, an ambitious adventure considering that each day contained six one-hour sessions, almost back-to-back, starting from10.00 am until 6.00 pm, with musical entertainments on two evenings thrown in for those with any stamina left. The LLF commandeered not only the three auditoriums of the AlHamra Arts Complex but augmented its capacity by converting an unused lobby into an intimate baithak. For one shining, glorious weekend, the Al Hamra Arts Complex (which won the Aga Khan Award for Architecture in 1998) fulfilled the potential inherent in its imaginative design, as crowds milled through its open spaces, and famous names delegates basked in the soft winter sun on couches covered with shimmering yellow satin. This was the celebration of Basant that officialdom had denied Lahore.A young student watched open-mouthed as every famous name he had ever heard about or read about in class passed before him in the flesh. It would seem like namedropping to recite the names of the delegates. The accomplishments of each would take up many columns. But a few made the LLF especially memorable: Vikram Seth shorter than one expected, ineffably erudite, effortlessly brilliant; Zehra Nigah, a nightingale who trills poetry and has a gossamer-like temperament; Shobhaa De, the Talibans nightmare an educated, liberated, articulate female; Zia Mohyeddin, for whom the word timing was invented; Mira Nair, who loves Lahore only less than Lahore dotes on her; Shazia Sikander, who deserves to fed praise, not cups of hemlock; and Vali Nasr, the erudite bureaucrat turned academic, whose specialty is Af-Pak affairs, and whose multi-faceted versatility reminded his audience of Shashi Taroor, without the uxoriousness. elegant and articulate former foreign minister Hina Rabbani Khar, and Vali Nasr? They held their audience enthralled, and when their session ended, people wondered why the government does not surrender its foreign policy to them, rather than fumble with it itself. Where else could one have heard two South Asian designers exchange views Indias Rajeev Sethi and our own Noorjehan Bilgrami? Both have leapt out of their South Asian identities and become international names. Where else would one have heard a talk on the role of satire in society by Jugnu Mohsin Pakistans answer to Joan Rivers? And where else would have the wife of a serving chief minister Tehmina Durrani talk about her latest bookHappy Things in Sorrow Times? Some wondered whether the title had been a subconscious comment on LLFs contribution to our political circumstances. The final sessionon Sundayafternoon focused on the war on culture. The four member panel was moderated with a deft touch by the deceptively fragile Mishal Husain of the BBC. She in turn was introduced by the US Ambassador Richard Olson who found himself afterwards (certainly not for the first time in his career) having to answer barbed questions from young men two irrepressible voices from the back rows of FATA and South Waziristan. The LLF ended, borne aloft on a tsunami of goodwill and bonhomie. Crowds left the auditoriums and then milled about in the open areas, reluctant to go home. Could there have been a greater tribute accorded by Lahore to itself? Three brothers Razi, Fasih, and Attiq Ahmed headed the team of LLFs organisers. This fertile trinity gave form to a spirit, and to Lahore its lost Basant. l FS Aijazuddin, OBE, is the author of more than a dozen books. This article was first published in Dawn.
A painful choice
L
n Shazia Omar
ast week I travelled to Bandarban to understand the troubles of the extreme poor living in the hills. One lady who touched my heart was Aung Mei. She came to my attention because she has been struggling to graduate out of extreme poverty despite the assets she received from our partnering NGO. Our survey showed that she was unable to eat protein even once a month, so I wanted to hear from her about the obstacles she faces. She looks about thirty, with long straight hair and laughing eyes. She wears a traditional skirt that she wove by herself, and one might think that she leads a happy life just by looking at the brightness of her smile. Only upon closer inspection do you notice the quiver on her lips. Clinging to her leg is her four-year-old son, (not much bigger than my own three year old son). His name is Tututei. It is apparent from his vacant eyes and the numerous tabiz (amulets) on his neck that something is not right. Mei said she was born into poverty. Her mother died when she was an infant and that she was raised by her grandmother. Her father was a day labourer who had nothing to bequeath her when he died. She married at fifteen, and her husband was also a day labourer. They had two sons and were not planning to have a third. When her husband was struck by jaundice and was unable to work for four whole weeks, she and her sons took to the field. In such conditions of desperation she neglected her regular visit to the local hospital for birth control pills and soon after, she conceived. Within months of his birth, it became apparent Tututei was pagol (mentally retarded). Mei does not know exactly what his condition is and uses the generic term pagol no matter how much I try to probe. Mei has spent thousands of taka visiting witchdoctors. She showed the shrine of amulets hanging from a hook on her bamboo wall. Each one cost Tk3000Tk4000. I asked why she didnt visit a medical doctor. She explained that the hospitals were far from her home and required costly transportation and the opportunity cost of a few days of labour forgone. Furthermore, the few hospitals they had visited were meagerly staffed. Many hospitals had no doctors on a permanent basis, only ones that visited weekly. Those doctors only spoke Bengali and she was not even able to communicate her sons symptoms to them. I asked why she wasted money on witchdoctors when clearly the prayer necklaces had not worked. She indulged me with an explanation: At least the witchdoctor understood her and offered her hope. explained. She had bought it with a down payment of Tk1000 and a monthly installment of Tk400 which she would have to pay for 24 months. To me it seemed an impractical expenditure when she could barely eat. She explained that her second son, the bearer of all their hopes, had asked for the light so he could study after dark. I asked her what she dreamed of for her future. She wanted nothing more than for her second son to learn a bit of Bangla so he could secure a small job, perhaps at a garment factory, and live a better life than hers, one where he did not have to work as hard every day, as his father did. She said she loved all her children, but she did not have any dreams for the other two because this was the most she could afford.
The LLF defied armchair pundits by leaving its audiences gasping for more
Considering their individual expertise, each speaker would have had every right, once handed the microphone, to speak interminably, but it was a credit to their mature self-restraint that each spoke with economy, to the point and with riveting clarity. Each hourly session began on time, ended on time, and before each event there was an orderly queue of attendees. Lahoris could not have been better behaved. The range of topics that were tabled for discussion by more than a hundred Delegates drawn from all over the world could not have been more eclectic. Where else in Pakistan would one have been able to watch Shazia Sikander showcase her talent, or to see on a large screen her breathtaking installation, in which the horizon gradually fragments into starling-like shapes that sweep across the sky in changing shapes, and then disappear in an echo of colour? Where else could one have heard an informed civilised debate on Afghanistan by a panel consisting of a former ambassador to the US (Maleeha Lodhi), Ahmed Rashid whose textbooks on the Taliban are now mandatory reading, the
She loved all her children, but she did not have any dreams for the other two because this was the most she could afford
I asked about her other sons. She said her ten year old is in school and, as she said this, she beamed. Upon this boys shoulders were all her dreams. I asked how they afforded his school, as I had already learned that there were no schools in the area. She said her older son paid his fees. Her older son is sixteen and works as a bonded labourer a few miles away. The farmer he works for gives him food, shelter, and an annual income of Tk6000. I asked if she meant that was his monthly income. Sadly, she didnt. All his hard earned money went into his younger brothers education. She showed me a light switch on her bamboo wall and turned on a bright white light. Solar powered, she
From this trip, I have come to some dire conclusions. Poverty reduces people to inhuman conditions. Poverty denies parents the joy of giving and forces them to make heart-breaking sacrifices. Poverty strips people of their capacity to dream. Dreams are for the privileged. The joy of giving is for the privileged (those who can read, write and talk to government officials/ donors/NGOs). It is up to us to create a free and fair Bangladesh, one we can be proud of to call our own, one where all children are entitled to an education, where no mother has to make the choices my dear Mei has made. *Names have been anonymised. l Shazia Omar is Head of Advocacy at shiree.
12
DHAKA TRIBUNE
Entertainment
All the films will be screened at two venues, the National Museum Auditorium and Poet Sufia Kamal Auditorium of the Public Library, Shahbagh. On March 11 and 12, the films from home and abroad will be screened at 11 am, 2 pm and 5 pm at the two venues and the entire festival is open for all. Womens Film Society Bangladesh started its journey with a mandate to promote women in film with the consideration of learning the cultures of the society in Bangladesh. Its focus is on women as writers, directors, actors, and producers, in which to explore the aesthetic values of film and to develop interest in the technical skills of film video and media arts. l
Five days Television Brine Pickles launches Patchwork Pages Festival 2014 promotes n single episode plays
Mohammad Atiqur Rahman
n Shadma Malik
Charuniram Television Fiction Festival started yesterday and will run until March 13 at the Public Library. Organised by Charuniram School of Acting, the inaugural ceremony commenced with the showing of single episode plays including Shahid Minar, Phul Pori Rajputro Amittir Golpo, Dhoa Ghor and Koila Kobi. Todays screening schedule will include Chera Ronger Khoaab, Highway, Pataley Hashpataley and Tithi Tumi Bhalo Theko. Every day, four plays are listed for showcasing. Founder Director of Charuniram School of Acting, Gazi Rakayet organises this festival every year since 2008. With a host of talent at his fingertips, the versatile entertainer has popularised one hour single episode plays. In conversation with the Dhaka Tribune, Gazi said: We are losing the importance of hour-long single episode plays. The festival aims to promote the popularity of these dramas. In every festival so far, we have received good responses. This time, we will be screening twelve debut di-
Brine Pickles, an English performance literature group launched its second anthology on Saturday evening at Edward M Kennedy center in the capital. The anthology titled Patchwork Pages is a compilation of ideas, thoughts and challenges of the daily lived lives in Bangladesh. The compilation is comprised of prose, poetry and epiphany with sketches spread throughout the book. Hasan Ameen Salahuddin, coordi-
nator of Brine Pickles told the Dhaka Tribune that the compilation came into the publication after a two and a half years long journey of creative writing workshops and dialogues with mentors, which was supported by the American Center Small Grants Award (2011). Poet Professor Kaiser Haq of University of Dhaka, Niaz Zaman, Supernumerary Professor of University of Dhaka, and Professor Christopher Merill, director of International Writing Program, University of Iowa, were
the workshop coordinators and were involved with the publication. Haq and Zaman are the editors of Patchwork Pages, while Merill gave an introduction. Sabrina Binte Masud, project director of the creative writing grant received from the American Centre said: The book stands for what we do, promoting emerging creative writers of English and turning their works into performance pieces. The book launching was followed by performances of some pieces of the
writers of Patchwork Pages. The auditorium was full of audience and the show gave the audience an ambience of the rich Bangla culture. Two reviewers of Patchwork Pages Professor Fakrul Alam of University of Dhaka, a recipient of Bangla Academy Award, Professor Nurul Islam of Eastern University and MK Aref, Director, EMK Centre, were present in the book launching. Reviewers said that they found the book promising and experimental. l
TODAY IN DHAKA
Film
Enders Game Avatar 3D Aakash Koto Dure Thor: The Dark World 3D The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug in 3D Frozen in 3D Agnee Time: 10am - 10pm Star Cineplex, Bashundhara City Robocop, Gravity Captain Phillips, Elysium Time: 12:30pm 9:30pm Blockbuster Cinemas Jamuna Future Park Ka- 244, Pragati Avenue, Kuril
Exhibition
Fragments of the Unknown By Najma Akhter Time: 12pm 8pm Bengal Gallery of Fine Arts House 42, Road 16 (New) / 27 (old) Dhanmondi War and Colonies 1914 1918 Rare photographs of World War II Time: 3pm 9pm Alliance Francaise de Dhaka Conspiratual By Ra Kajol Shilpangan Gallery House 47, Road 13 ,Dhanmondi
Sport
DHAKA TRIBUNE
13
0 0 6
DAYS TO GO
14 Juventus go
14-point clear
15 Nadal survives
Stepanek scare
Bangladesh skipper Mushfiqur Rahim pose with the ICC World Twenty20 trophy during the captains press conference at Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium yesterday
DHAKA TRIBUNE
POINTS TABLE
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Teams P Abahani 9 Sk Jamal 7 Muktijoddha 9 Mohammedan 9 BJMC 9 Russell 8 Brothers 9 Baridhara 8 Ctg Abahani 9 Feni Soccer 9 W 5 4 4 3 3 3 2 1 1 0 D 4 3 3 5 3 3 4 3 2 4 L 0 0 2 1 3 2 3 4 6 5 GD Pts 7 19 8 15 6 15 5 14 5 12 5 12 -3 10 -17 6 -8 5 -8 4
The second transfer window of the top flight league will start form March 20 and will be open until April 5. The signing ceremony of the Independence Day Football, which is scheduled
to begin from March 20, will take place on March 5 though BFF did not disclose the sponsors name before the draw of the tournament on March 17. However, the date of the final will be decided later as it is will be held after the final of the ICC World Twenty20 cricket on April 6. Meanwhile the meeting also decided to send the case of Sheikh Russell coach Maruful Haque to the Disciplinary Committee of the BFF. Maruf a few days ago slammed the BFF for postponing the scheduled tie with Sheikh Jamal on February 28. He said the federation is biased towards the defending champions Jamal. On this account, the Professional League Committee sent a show-cause letter to Maruf on March 2 asking him explanation within three days. Maruf sought apology regarding the matter after which the committee sent the case to the Disciplinary Committee for final decision. l
Afghan girls play cricket on the grounds of a school in Herat yesterday. Womens sports participation in Afghanistan has increased since the 2001 fall of the hardline Islamist Taliban AFP
14
Stuttgart sack Schneider
Stuttgart have signed Dutch coach Huub Stevens to save them from relegation after predecessor Thomas Schneider was sacked on Sunday following a record run of defeats. Stevens, 60, becomes Stuttgarts third coach this season as Schneider, who had only been in charge for six months, was sacked in the wake of Saturdays 2 2 draw with Bundesliga bottom side Eintracht Braunschweig. Stuttgart are winless in their last nine games and suffered a club record of eight consecutive defeats under the 41-year-old Schneider, who replaced Bruno Labbadia in August. AFP
DHAKA TRIBUNE
Sport
RESULTS
Juventus
Asamoah 42
1 0 1 0 1 1
Fiorentina
Saturday Udinese
Di Natale 67
AC Milan Cagliari
Vecino 53
Catania
Lodi 62
But on this performance, Roma will have to hope Juventus who face Fiorentina home and away in the Europa League in the next 11 days suffer a major slip-up on what looks like a clear path towards a third consecutive scudetto. Claudio Marchisio stepped into Andrea Pirlos deep-lying midfield role as the Italy veteran served a one-match ban, while Carlos Tevez and Fernando
Juventus' Ghanaian midfielder Kwadwo Asamoah (L) is congratulated by teammates after scoring a goal during the Italian Serie A match against Fiorentina yesterday
AFP
RESULTS
Cardiff Chelsea
3 1
Fulham
Holtby 59
4 0
Tottenham
0 1 1 1
Southampton
Rodriguez 37
Stoke
Walters 73 P
Samuel Eto'o celebrates scoring during the EPL match against Tottenham at Stamford Bridge in London on Saturday AFP
It was fantastic. We knew it, because he was preparing something. I think hes amazing. The way he copes with the situation in the last cou-
ple of weeks, I think hes fantastic. And today I told him before the game: You are going to score for sure. In the clip broadcast on French television, which showed Mourinho in conversation with a Swiss businessman during a commercial event in Switzerland, the Portuguese said: The problem with Chelsea is we lack a striker. I have one (Etoo), but hes 32. Maybe 35. Who knows? Mourinho subsequently rebuked the channel for showing the footage, claiming that it showed a private conversation not intended for public consumption. Etoo, who laughed off the affair, has a birthday on Monday and when Mourinho was asked on Saturday which milestone the striker will celebrate, he replied: I think now hes 33. l
Atletico go top
This was the fifth straight win for Laurent Blancs PSG team since a 1-1 draw at Monaco in the league in early February and the team have racked up 16 goals in that period. Deprived of record-signing Edinson Cavani, held over in Uruguay for personal reasons, they even could afford the luxury of keeping centre-back Thiago Silva on the bench throughout the game ahead of Wednesdays Champions League last 16 second leg tie with Bayer Leverkusen. Although that tie looks to be nothing more than a formality having already won the away leg 4-0. Winning matches is always the best preparation, said Blanc looking forward to the Leverkusen clash. l
RESULTS
Atletico Madrid took advantage of Barcas slip up to move top of the table thanks to their better headto-head record against Real Madrid as a double from David Villa handed them a 2-0 win over Celta Vigo at Balaidos on Saturday. However, Real can retake their place at the top and move four points clear of Barcelona with victory over Levante at home on Sunday. Atletico, meanwhile, recovered from their own travel sickness as they put two consecutive away league defeats behind them in Vigo. After a first-half short on clear-cut opValladolid
Rossi 17
RESULTS
Bastia Guingamp Monaco Nantes
Gakpe 8, Djordjevic 76
1 0 2 0
0 3 0 1 2 1
PSG Evian TG
Cambon 49
0 2 2 0
Sochaux
Butin 83
Villarreal
Berbatov 6, Rodriguez 55 P
2 2 3 2 2 1
Ajaccio
Mostefa Sbaa 5, Si. Diarra 90+2
Toulouse
Reims
Aurier 75, Eden Ben Basat 79, Krychowiak 22 P, Ben Yedder 88 de Preville 35 P
Valenciennes
Dossevi 54, Waris 76
Rennes
Toivonen 48
portunities, Villa pounced on a defensive error from Jonathan Castro to fire low past Yoel Rodriguez just after the hour mark. The Spanish international then made the game safe barely two minutes later with another composed finish from Jose Sosas cut-back for his 15th goal of the season. l
Atletico Madrid's David Villa celebrates his goal against Celta Vigo during their Spanish La Liga match at the Balaidos stadium in Vigo on Saturday REUTERS
DHAKA TRIBUNE
Sport
15
Kohli reclaims No 1 ODI ranking
Indias Virat Kohli has reclaimed the No 1 position in the latest ICC rankings for One-Day International (ODI) batsmen released Sunday at the conclusion of the Asia Cup which was won by Sri Lanka. Kohli had entered the Asia Cup, trailing No1 ranked AB de Villiers by two points. Kohlis tournament aggregate of 189 runs in three innings, with 136 against Bangladesh as his series best, earned him 12 points which has put him ahead of South Africa ODI captain by nine points. Other Indian batsmen to head in the right direction include Shikhar Dhawan in eighth (up by three places), Rohit Sharma in 22nd (up by one place) and Ravindra Jadeja in 50th (up by 12 places). Jadeja and Ravichandaran Ashwin are the biggest gainers in the top 20 of the bowlers rankings. Jadeja earned four places and is now in fifth position after claiming seven wickets in four matches while Ashwins nine wickets in the series has given him a lift of seven places that has put him in 14th. India have been guaranteed to retain their No 2 position in the team rankings at the April 1 cut-off date. India finished with 113 points, just one ahead of third-ranked Sri Lanka, to walk away with a prize of $75,000. There was no other change in the table with all sides retaining their positions.l
Rasheda Chowdhury, the noted social worker and the mother of former BCB president and current member of parliament of Dhaka-9 constituency Saber Hossain Chowdhury, passed away due to old age complications at the Mount Elizabeth Hospital on Saturday. She is survived by three sons. Bangladesh Football Federation expressed deep shock over the death of Rasheda Chowdhury and prayed for the salvation of the departed soul. Tribune Desk
Former Iraqi international Ali Abbas has accused opposing players of racially, religiously and culturally abusing him during Saturdays A League Sydney derby, reports said Sunday. The claims made against unnamed Western Sydney Wanderers players are reportedly to be investigated by Abbass Sydney FC club. The furious Iraqi-born player protested vehemently to the referee in the final minutes of the volatile local derby, and later said his outburst was triggered by what he alleged to be racial slurs. We are not here to attack religion or culture; we are here to play football, Abbas told Fox Sports. I come from a different country, I respect everyone here. I should get it back. If I dont get it back, Im going to attack. Thats what happened. AFP
Rafael Nadal of Spoain celebrates breaking Radek Stepanek of Czech Republic during the BNP Parabas Open at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden on Saturday AFP
SEMIFINAL DRAW
At Bramall Lane, second-half strikes from Ryan Flynn and John Brayford caught second-tier Charlton cold, as the Blades became the first third-tier team since 2001 to reach the competitions last four. Midfielder Flynn put four-times
Cup winners United ahead in the 65th minute, when he sneaked in at the far post to nudge home from an awkward height a left-wing cross from Uniteds man-of-the-match Jose Baxter. One minute, 42 seconds later the home side doubled their lead. Jamie Murphys surging run down the left set up defender Brayford. Im just delighted for everyone were going to Wembley, United manager Nigel Clough, who was part of the Nottingham Forest side that lost the 1991 FA Cup final to Tottenham Hotspur, told BT Sport. Winning nine games on the spin, and to keep so many clean sheets, we deserve it, Clough added. l
Moroccan club Raja Casablanca were knocked out of the CAF Champions League this weekend just three months after finishing runners-up in the Club World Cup. The three-time African champions defeated Guinean visitors Horoya 1 0 at Stade Mohamed V only to lose 5 4 on post-match penalties. A dramatic finish to the first round qualifier in the premier African club competition saw Mouhssine Iajour net the lone goal just three minutes from time. But Horoya, regular but largely unsuccessful participants in CAF competitions, recovered from the disappointment to display greater spot-kick accuracy. Raja were among the favourites for the $1.5 million (1.1 million euros) first prize this year having greatly exceeded expectations in the Club World Cup hosted by Morocco last December. AFP
two day meet as the chief guest. In a press conference held at the hockey federation conference room yesterday, Maj. Gen. (rtd) Subid Ali Bhuiyan MP presented the meet to the press. BBF general secretary Nazrul Islam, executive director of Walton Zahid Hasan, additional director A. F.M.Iqbal bin Anwar Dawn, and Marcel head of marketing Mosharraf Hossian Rajib were also present on the occasion. l
DAYS WATCH
Star Sports 4 La Liga 1:00AM Osasuna v Malaga 3:00AM Real Sociedad v Rayo Vallecano
Rahmatullah Model High School celebrate their Health First Mini Rugby title at the Paltan Ground yesterday
COURTESY
16
DHAKA TRIBUNE
Back Page
ONCE IN A LIFETIME...
n Mohosinul Karim
The issue of sharing common river water between Bangladesh and India has remained unresolved for long as the ministerial level meeting of the Joint River Commission (JRC) has not been held for the last four years. It has also become difficult to protect the river banks from erosion along the border in Rajshahi, Rangpur, Kurigram and Sylhet districts as it requires solution at ministerial level JRC meeting, said the ministry and Bangladesh Water Development Board officials. However, an official of the water resources ministry the government had taken an initiative to hold the meeting soon. A foreign ministry delegation led by the foreign secretary will soon visit India to discuss the issue. Water Resources Secretary Zafar Ahmed Khan yesterday told the Dhaka Tribune: The foreign secretary will visit New Delhi soon to address the outstanding issues, especially water sharing and land boundary. We wish, it would be resolved soon. Admitting the issue of getting the Teesta River water less than any other period he said: Though we are getting expected water from the Ganges, the Teesta is getting less than previous. We have expressed our concern to India on the availability of water on the common rivers vital for irrigation in northern region of the country. The concern was expressed during the JRC technical committee meeting held last Friday and Saturday in Dhaka to review the water sharing of common rivers. The experts from both Bangladesh and India had attended the meeting. Later the technical expert team has gone to Kolkata to monitor and review the water sharing of the Ganges. Officials of the ministry and WDB said as per Mujib-Indira treaty in 1974 the midstream of the river constitutes the border of the two countries but due to river erosion three to four kilometres of Bangladesh land went into the Indi-
an side. On the other hand, heavy withdrawal of water in the upstream where India has constructed at least 13 tunnels for hydro-electricity production at dams resulting in very poor flow on the river Teesta flowing from Sikkim high above the mountains, they said. Zafar Khan said the unresolved water issues between two countries are being tried to be resolved through diplomatic and political channels. We hope that we would be able to solve the problem as we have reached closer to a consensus after the speakers recent visit to India. But its better to sign a treaty with a stable government. India has already announced its election schedule by next April 15. We would go forward after the new government will take its charges, he said. The sources said unwillingness of the state government particularly in West Bengal, posed the biggest problem for the central government of India so far to resolve the Teesta and land boundary issues. There are 54 common rivers between Bangladesh and India. Of the 54 rivers, India has signed only one treaty in 1996 for the Ganges water. The strategy to share the waters of the Teesta, Dharala, Dudhkumar, Monu, Khowai, Gomti and Muhuri rivers are still pending. The 37th JRC ministerial level meeting took place in New Delhi in March 2010 while the next was supposed to have been held in Dhaka in 2011. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh had asked their ministers to hold a JRC meeting three months before the Indian prime ministers visit to Dhaka in September, 2011. Despite repeated reminder by Bangladesh the Indian side is yet to fix any date for the meeting. JRC member Mir Sajjad Hossain met his Indian counterpart in New Delhi on August 27-28 and reminded him about the JRC meeting in 2012. l
A newly wed bride being carried on a palki to her new home while her groom rides a horse beside her in the traditional way yesterday. The photo was taken in front of the Curzon Hall in the capital SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN
Contempt rule issued against the daily Samakal and the Naya Diganta for publishing observation on the prothom Alo contempt matter
At the outset of the second day hearing, lawyer Rokanuddin around 2:40pm drew the attention of the court to the statements of DRU, Dhaka University Journalists Association, Jagannath University Journalists Association and Barisal Division Journalists Association against the lawyer. Rokan on Thursday said: There is no organisation to regulate the journalists. As a result, they write whatever they wish. They think themselves above the law. They discredit others after being bribed. They think themselves very powerful. Justice Naima Haider, during yesterdays hearing, asked whether it would be against the principle of natural justice if the same bench, against whom an alleged contempt committed, conduct could the proceedings of the matter.
EU Ambassador to Bangladesh William Hanna attends a programme on women in the RMG sector, at the capitals Cirdap auditorium yesterday RAJIB DHAR healthy conditions. The study also concluded that 42% of labours experienced a fire incident at least once during their career. Four workers are members of a trade union, however, their participation in the unions remain negligible. The government should introduce evening classes so that we can have access to an education. It will not hamper our work, said Manisha, an RMG worker. Another worker, Mariam, said: There should be a committee in every garment factory with at least 30 female workers. Then, others female labours will be able to share their problems easily. Raising voices against violence would be easier if there was a united female committee, she added.
Editor: Zafar Sobhan, Published and Printed by Kazi Anis Ahmed on behalf of 2A Media Limited at Dainik Shakaler Khabar Publications Limited, 153/7, Tejgaon Industrial Area, Dhaka-1208. Editorial, News & Commercial Office: FR Tower, 8/C Panthapath, Shukrabad, Dhaka 1207. Phone: 9132093 94, Advertising: 9132155, Circulation: 9132282, Fax: News-9132192, e-mail: news@dhakatribune.com, info@dhakatribune.com, Website: www.dhakatribune.com
Business
B4 A washing machine
factory tests Italy's industrial future
MONDAY, MARCH 10, 2014 www.dhakatribune.com/business
RMG subcontractors fear factory RMG owners burst out Accord and shutdown as CM charge not hiked Alliance inspection
n Ibrahim Hossain Ovi
The factories that make garments in sub-contracts fear factory closures as buyers have not increased making charges following the new wage structure was introduced. Payment of wages has become a difficult challenge for them, the owners said, adding supply orders have also fallen. The subcontracting factories cut and make garments in contracts and are paid for it, which is known as cutting and making (CM) charge. Of the payment made by the buyers for a manufactured product, the subcontractors get 40-50% while the exporters receive the remaining part. Around 1,200 factories do such jobs in Bangladesh employing nearly 10 lakh workers, said Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA). Wishing anonymity as a sub-contracting factory owner said the buyers promised to increase the CM charge after the implementation of the new wage structure,but they have not increased it so far. Apart from it the subcontractors were also suffering fall in orders compared to their factory capacity, he said, fearing the situation may even lead to the closure of some factories. I have not received any order this month yet, but I will have to pay the workers salaries, said another apparel subcontractors. If the situation continues, there will no choice left but shut down the factory where over 700 workers are employed, he said. While talking to the Dhaka Tribune,
Tofail tames them with assurance to form multi-stakeholder committee to solve the crisis
n Tribune Report
Apparel manufactures have come down heavily on the inspection being conducted by the Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh and Alliance for Bangladesh Worker safety as some of the factory owners fear shutdown of their units following their strict check-up. They came up with their anger at a meeting titled Sharing of Views on Current Scenario of RMG Sector at Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) office in the city yesterday. The meeting was aimed at exchanging views with Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed on the latest conditions prevailing in the countrys apparel sector. Tofail, however, tried to calm down the agitated RMG owners just saying: We would soon be able to sort out the crisis by forming a multi-stakeholder committee comprised of BGMEA, BKMEA, ILO and related ministries. He assured them that the committee will identify the real cause of the problems and find out solutions to the crisis a strategy policymakers always try. As I dont have all the power to solve the crisis, I can only cooperate you, please come to me and if necessary, I will take you to the finance minister with a request to hear your concerns, Tofail told the RMG makers. Assuring them to sit with Accord and Alliance, the minister said, We can also get good lessons from our foreign friends Accord and Alliance. Accord, a platform of 150 European retailers and Alliance another platform of 27 North American retailers has made commitment to improve fire and structural integrity of RMG sector. As of Friday, March 7, the Alliance has inspected over 240 factories while the Accord engineers inspected around 70 factories and following the inspection a review panel ordered to suspend production of two factories. They made it after the catastrophic incident at the Rana Plaza building collapse that killed over 1,100 workers. Accord will inspect 1,500 factories and Alliance over 600 factories following a common set of standards. Although the buyers did not increasethe prices as per their promise, they are shutting down our factories in the name of compliances, alleged SM Mannan Kochi, second vice president of BGMEA. A vested quarter is hatching a conspiracy to destroy this sector in the name of safety and security issue. It is feared that around 60% factory are likely to face shut down in the backdrop of the ongoing inspection conducted by Accord and Alliance and it is really difficult to get rid of this, said Nasiruddin Ahmed Chowdhury, first vice president of BGMEA. Managing Director of Patriot GroupMd. Iqbal Hossain alleged that the Inditex had wrongly classified his factory as risky even after a thorough inspection. Besides, the buyers pulled out orders from us as the Inditex sent a wrong message to all the buyers about our factory safety, which ruins my business. But, the BUET and American engineers after an inspection positively certified our factory just with an advice to remove the tinted-roof, said Hossain, who was seemingly crying for justice, protection and preventionform any sort of conspiracy. If the trade unionism is forcibly established in the factories in the name of compliance, it would be difficult to maintain law and order in the RMG sector, said Shafiul Islam Mohiuddin, former BGMEA president. After the Rana Plaza building collapse, we are under severe pressure on safety issues, while our competitors India and Pakistan are emerging as a threat to us, said a factory owner Dhali who also categorically mentioned that India imported huge machinery in a year whereas Bangladesh could not import such a bulk amount of machinery even in the in last ten years. l
Sub-contracting factories say the buyers have not increased the CM charge althouth they promised it a group ofsuch factory owners suggested three points to overcome the present problems. They include implementation of the government-proposed incentives, special utility service rate including gas, electricity and waterand continuation of incentives for searching new markets. The most important thing is to increase the CM as the production cost has increased substantially in last few years, they said. New wage has become a burden for the sub-contracting factory owners. We have urged the buyers to raise payment for products, said BGMEA president Atiqul Islam. He stressed the need to enhance workers productivity to minimise cost. The bank loans at low interest rate and government incentives can improve financial conditions of sub-contracting factories, said Atiqul Islam, He added a proposal in this regard had been placed for government consideration.
RAJIB DHAR
Currently, the subcontracting factories are not allowed to perform the job for the supplier without permission of the respective buyers. It is another problem for the makers in getting orders, said Shahidullah Azim, vice president of BGMEA. A good number of factory owners are on the brink of lay-offs, risking the jobs of around 8 lakh workers, he said. On November 21 last year, a minimum wage of Tk5,300 was announced for the garment workers, with 77% rise from the previous structure. l
B2
Stocks open week on back foot
n Tribune Report
Stocks opened week on the back foot yesterday with benchmark index edging lower with volatility. Like the previous session, the market swung between green and red throughout the session with the intra-day volatility hitting around 30 points. The benchmark index, DSEX was marginally down by 12 points or 0.3% to close at 4,687, extending the losses to two consecutive sessions. The Shariah-based index DSES rose marginally by 8 points or 0.9% to 1,019. The blue-chip comprising DS30 ended at 1,685, shedding 5 points or 0.3%. Chittagong Stock Exchange Selective Category Index, CSCX fell 48 points to close at 9,159. The large cap scrips continued to show strong performance, but their performance was overshadowed by the shed-off of small and mid-cap firms. The market breadth also remained negative as out of 293 issues traded at the DSE, 83 advanced, 185 declined and 25 remained unchanged. After three sessions of poor activity, the bourse observed some improvements in participation, pushing turnover up more than Tk500 crore, which was almost 24% higher than the previous session. For the last few sessions, the bourse maintained flat movements with some volatility. In terms of volatility and selective large cap movements, the session mimicked earlier sessions to some extent, said IDLC Investments in its daily market analysis. LankaBangla Securities said on account of market movement, some stocks seemed to lose investors appetite, while others were on the peak of choice. Previous days rout in heavyweight banking sector, which saw a 0.9% lose in market capitalisation on the closing of last week extended alongside headlong rush towards the manufacturing stocks, it said. Pharmaceutical, cement and textile sectors regained their poise with stocks continued to test new high. Cement sector shined with highest rally of over 4%, driven by Lafarge Surma Cement that gained more than 9% and topped highest turnover leader with shares worth Tk40 crore changing hands. It was followed by Square Pharmaceuticals, Square Textile, Bangladesh Submarine Cable, Grameenphone, Singer Bangladesh, Meghna Petroleum and Olympic Industries. Market lacked strength and suffered as index once again subsided down the line on the first day of the week, stated Zenith Investment in its analysis. It added: The main index and the blue chip index were seen to lose its steam faster than the Shariah-based stocks. l
DHAKA TRIBUNE
Stock
DSE GAINERS Company
Closing (% change) 9.68 9.30 7.31 5.86 5.06 4.88 4.73 4.50 4.44 4.43
GeminiSeaFood-Z LafargeS Cement-Z Progressive Life-A Square Textile -A Dulamia CottonZ Sonali Ansh -A Monno Ceramic -B Bata Shoe Ltd. -A Desh Garments -B Samorita Hospital -A CSE GAINERS Company Samata LeatheR -Z LafargeS Cement-Z Eastern Cables-Z Apex SpinningA Square Textile -A Monno Ceramic -B Envoy Textiles Ltd-N Samorita Hospital -A Bata Shoe Ltd. -A Orion Infusions -A
Average (% change) 10.91 6.32 7.88 5.54 4.14 4.64 4.44 4.98 4.78 4.10 Average (% change) 9.71 6.04 7.74 7.80 5.89 4.49 4.21 5.09 5.72 4.88
Closing average 177.45 45.61 157.90 117.64 8.30 141.86 35.08 944.75 101.24 95.73
Closing 177.90 47.00 157.10 119.30 8.30 141.80 35.40 940.50 101.10 96.60
Daily high 178.30 47.30 160.60 120.00 8.30 144.90 35.90 960.00 105.00 97.90
Daily low 170.00 43.00 140.00 109.00 8.30 135.90 33.80 880.00 95.60 85.00
Turnover in million 0.488 408.982 15.826 203.622 0.001 12.831 8.032 27.606 12.574 6.608
Latest EPS 6.44 2.19 2.30 6.40 -4.02 0.88 0.38 52.75 1.18 2.74
Latest PE 27.6 20.8 68.7 18.4 -ve 161.2 92.3 17.9 85.8 34.9
Closing (% change) 9.80 9.77 8.14 7.39 6.20 5.67 5.26 5.05 4.62 4.57
Closing average 26.88 45.30 132.37 91.87 118.66 35.17 53.50 95.63 944.82 43.64
Closing 26.90 47.20 132.90 91.50 119.90 35.40 54.00 95.60 935.00 43.50
Daily high 26.90 47.30 133.50 93.00 120.10 35.80 55.60 95.90 956.20 44.00
Daily low 26.50 42.60 129.00 90.00 112.00 33.90 46.20 95.20 831.30 43.00
Turnover in million 0.242 41.854 0.172 0.202 22.138 0.851 6.359 0.143 1.364 0.838
Latest EPS -0.04 2.19 1.40 1.85 6.40 0.38 1.12 2.74 52.75 1.78
Latest PE -ve 20.7 94.6 49.7 18.5 92.6 47.8 34.9 17.9 24.5
BANKASIA
The Board of Directors has recommended 10% stock dividend for the year ended on December 31, 2013. Date of AGM: 31.03.2014, Time: 10:00 AM, Venue: Dhaka Ladies Club, 36 Eskaton Garden Road, Dhaka-1000. Record date: 16.03.2014. The Company has also reported consolidated EPS of Tk. 1.92, consolidated NAV per share of Tk. 20.99 and consolidated NOCFPS of Tk. 15.17 for the year ended on December 31, 2013.
(-) 0.26% (+) 0.82% (-) 0.28% (-) 0.30% (-) 0.10% (-) 0.52%
Issue Gain (Avg. Price Basis) Issue Loss (Avg. Price Basis) Unchanged Issue (Avg. Price Basis) Market Capital Equity (Billion. Tk.) Market Capital Equity (Billion US$)
PUBALIBANK
Trading of the shares of the Company will remain suspended on record date i.e., 10.03.2014.
SINGERBD
Trading of the shares of the Company will remain suspended on record date i.e., 10.03.2014.
ULC
The Board of Directors has recommended 5% cash dividend and 10% stock dividend for the year ended on December 31, 2013. Date of AGM: 10.04.2014, Time: 10:00 AM, Venue: Trust Milonayaton, 545 Old Airport Road, Dhaka Cantonment, Dhaka. Record date: 18.03.2014. The Company has also reported net profit after tax of Tk. 266.42 million, EPS of Tk. 2.09, NAV per share of Tk. 16.98 and NOCFPS of Tk. 6.09 for the year ended on December 31, 2013.
Bank Asia -A
-4.17
Average (% change) -21.79 -10.00 -7.30 -5.71 -4.60 -3.94 -4.95 -2.98 -2.14
BSRMSTEEL
Closing average 59.58 57.60 128.55 56.44 29.05 19.50 8.06 61.48 34.22 Closing 58.10 57.60 126.40 55.40 28.60 19.00 8.00 60.30 33.90 Daily high 62.10 57.60 135.00 59.70 31.00 22.00 8.30 63.60 36.50 Daily low 57.80 57.60 125.40 55.00 28.40 19.00 8.00 60.10 32.00 Turnover in million 50.905 0.035 17.554 6.999 8.778 1.569 0.250 30.680 9.677 Latest EPS 3.33 -10.24 2.06 -1.00 2.09 0.40 -2.58 1.53 2.90 Latest PE 17.9 -ve 62.4 -ve 13.9 48.8 -ve 40.2 11.8
News: Normal trading of the shares of the Company will resume on 10.03.2014 after record date.
UNIQUEHRL
The Board of Directors has recommended
-2.25
18.67
18.40
19.50
18.00
4.857
1.92
9.7
CSE LOSERS Company IDLC Finance -A SonarBangla Insu. -A Kay & Que (BD) -Z H.R. Textile -A Rahima Food -Z B I F C -A BD Finance-A LankaBangla Fin. -A Bangladesh Welding -A Closing (% change) -23.92 -9.39 -6.91 -6.83 -5.83 -4.73 -4.50 -4.42 -4.35
Bank Asia -A
-4.23
Average (% change) -21.98 -9.39 -7.18 -7.02 -7.32 -3.98 -4.15 -2.45 -4.48
Closing average 59.40 25.10 17.45 34.05 55.61 16.18 19.18 63.64 22.19
Closing 58.20 25.10 17.50 34.10 56.50 16.10 19.10 62.70 22.00
Daily high 61.00 25.20 17.90 34.10 56.50 16.40 19.70 65.70 22.60
Daily low 57.50 25.00 17.00 34.00 55.10 16.10 18.00 62.00 22.00
Turnover in million 4.206 0.025 0.017 0.034 0.501 0.105 0.119 4.073 0.710
Latest EPS 3.33 1.85 -0.89 1.56 -1.00 0.13 0.40 4.36 0.57
Latest PE 17.8 13.6 -ve 21.8 -ve 124.5 48.0 14.6 38.9
-6.41
18.10
18.10
19.10
17.10
0.100
1.92
9.4
ANALYST
Market lacked strength and suffered as index once again subsided down the line on the first day of the week
DSE TURNOVER LEADERS Company LafargeS Cement-Z Square Pharma -A Square Textile -A BD Submarine Cable-A Grameenphone-A Singer BD -A
Meghna Petroleum -A
DSE Million Taka 449.26 208.90 77.14 559.38 219.06 522.32 12.95 607.49 636.56 0.79 17.85 127.85 19.37 600.35 35.46 46.89 391.72 360.26 54.16 158.23 0.53
% change 8.80 4.09 1.51 10.95 4.29 10.23 0.25 11.90 12.47 0.02 0.35 2.50 0.38 11.76 0.69 0.92 7.67 7.05 1.06 3.10 0.01
Million Taka 37.09 19.35 5.15 35.60 16.20 22.68 50.64 59.78 0.51 1.60 14.32 2.50 53.29 4.14 6.51 16.47 65.36 16.29 31.44 0.01
CSE
% change 8.08 4.22 1.12 7.76 3.53 4.94 0.00 11.04 13.03 0.11 0.35 3.12 0.54 11.61 0.90 1.42 3.59 14.24 3.55 6.85 0.00
Million Taka 486.35 228.25 82.29 594.98 235.26 545.00 12.95 658.14 696.34 1.30 19.44 142.17 21.87 653.63 39.60 53.40 408.19 425.61 70.45 189.66 0.54
Total
% change 8.74 4.10 1.48 10.69 4.23 9.79 0.23 11.83 12.51 0.02 0.35 2.55 0.39 11.74 0.71 0.96 7.33 7.65 1.27 3.41 0.01
Delta Life Insu. -A Padma Oil Co. -A Southeast Bank-A HeidelbergCement -A IFIC Bank - A
CSE TURNOVER LEADERS Company LafargeS Cement-Z
Volume shares 8,966,500 1,203,212 1,730,949 807,454 811,304 679,144 594,779 487,022 448,427 162,305
Value in million 408.98 344.31 203.62 183.29 176.97 176.32 167.69 107.61 103.38 101.39
% of total turnover 8.01 6.74 3.99 3.59 3.47 3.45 3.28 2.11 2.02 1.99
Daily closing 47.00 289.60 119.30 222.50 218.30 259.50 281.30 218.90 230.30 618.25
Price change 9.30 3.50 5.86 -2.41 1.68 0.74 -0.92 -2.28 -0.39 -0.92
Daily opening 43.00 279.80 112.70 228.00 214.70 257.60 283.90 224.00 231.20 624.00
Daily high 47.30 290.00 120.00 235.00 219.50 275.00 285.00 224.30 235.00 635.00
Daily low 43.00 265.00 109.00 208.10 212.00 249.00 260.00 210.00 220.00 616.00
Daily average 45.61 286.16 117.64 226.99 218.13 259.63 281.93 220.95 230.53 624.69
Prepared exclusively for Dhaka Tribune by Business Information Automation Service Line (BIASL), on the basis of information collected from daily stock quotations and audited reports of the listed companies. High level of caution has been taken to collect and present the above information and data. The publisher will not take any responsibility if any body uses this information and data for his/her investment decision. For any query please email to biasl@bol-online.com or call 01552153562 or go to www.biasl.net
BD Submarine Cable-A Square Pharma -A Grameenphone-A BSC A Square Textile -A Unique Hotel RL - A Singer BD -A UCBL - A AFC AgroBiotech-N Southeast Bank-A Appollo Ispat CL -N Olympic Ind. -A Apex Footwear-A UNITED AIR A
924,000 177,652 113,398 113,800 37,075 186,561 124,400 35,874 317,945 138,000 361,394 273,000 32,775 12,000 437,215
Value in million
41.85 40.55 32.47 24.80 23.22 22.14 9.74 9.31 8.82 8.49 8.25 7.92 7.22 6.94 6.55
% of total turnover
9.13 8.85 7.09 5.41 5.07 4.83 2.13 2.03 1.93 1.85 1.80 1.73 1.58 1.51 1.43
Daily closing
47.20 223.40 289.20 217.80 618.25 119.90 77.50 259.40 27.90 60.60 22.90 28.70 218.70 576.00 14.90
Price change
9.77 -2.06 3.32 1.73 -1.05 6.20 -3.25 1.25 -1.41 -3.96 -0.43 -2.71 -2.19 0.61 -1.32
Daily opening
43.00 228.10 279.90 214.10 624.80 112.90 80.10 256.20 28.30 63.10 23.00 29.50 223.60 572.50 15.10
47.30 233.00 291.00 219.00 636.00 120.10 82.00 263.50 29.00 63.40 23.00 30.00 224.70 588.00 15.20
42.60 210.00 255.50 214.00 615.25 112.00 77.20 234.00 26.50 60.10 21.00 28.60 217.00 570.00 14.00
Daily average
45.30 228.28 286.36 217.95 626.39 118.66 78.31 259.64 27.75 61.50 22.83 29.01 220.34 578.29 14.97
DHAKA TRIBUNE
Business
B3
Greece, lenders will miss March 10 deadline for rescue loan deal
n Reuters, Athens
Greece and its international lenders will miss a self-imposed March 10 deadline to clinch a deal that will release the next tranche of the countrys rescue loans, three senior Greek government sources said late on Friday. Greece and representatives of the European Union (EU) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) had hoped to conclude the latest review of the countrys reform progress under the terms of its international bailout by Monday, when euro zone finance ministers meet in Brussels. But the talks will not be over by then because the two sides are still at odds over a range of issues, mainly on structural measures to boost the economys competitiveness and over Greek lenders capital needs. The distance between us has narrowed but we will still have work to do next week, one Greek senior government official told reporters after a new round of talks with lenders. Greeces ongoing review has been dragging on since September, making it the longest ever since the countrys 237bn euro bailout began in 2010. Austerity-weary Athens has become increasingly defiant towards its lenders, who on their part are pushing
An executive seen displaying fabrics at a RMG backward linkage fair in the capital yesterday played a wide-range of garment accessories, packaging and related machinery including labels, zippers, tags, tapes, thread, ribbon, buttons, rivets, laces, hooks, transfer film, paper and ink. The displayed products also include pre-press equipment, mounted corrugated machine, sheet cutter and pressing, rotary cutting, creasing machine and trouser hooks fixing machines. It was a great relief for us to see some orders after a long break following an end to the countrywide political unrests, which had virtually pushed us out of business for couple of months, said Forhad Hossain, manager of Bangkor Trading Corporation. The show was aimed at showcasing
TAHMIDUR RAHMAN
the latest garment manufacturing technologies, yarn and fabrics and garment accessories and packaging under oneroof to attract countrys readymade garment (RMG) entrepreneurs. Total export of the garment accessories and packaging manufacturers amounted to $4.1bn during the last fiscal year. l
for reforms as the bailout is nearing its end. Greece has already obtained 218bn euros of rescue loans but may need further funds to stay afloat. Another two senior finance ministry officials said that the heads of the EU/IMF mission will return to Athens shortly after Mondays finance ministers meeting, with a view to clinch the deal by the end of March. Greece has no pressing funding needs before May, when 9.3bn euros of its bonds expire, the biggest refinancing hump the country will face in the next three decades. Were on a very good road for an agreement, one of the two finance ministry officials said. Greece is hoping to get euro zone finance ministers on Monday to make a statement that the talks have made good progress. l
GM must address recall Foreigners to be mostly kept out soon to avoid damage of Chinas privatisations to reputation n
Reuters, Shanghai
n Reuters
General Motors Co needs to get through its ignition-switch recall and the resulting federal investigation quickly to avoid any lasting damage to its brand, but the federal probe could keep the problem in the public eye for at least six months. Analysts and academics warn that a misstep by GM could leave it with a lingering headache, something Toyota Motor Corp experienced from 2009 to 2011 with recalls linked to sudden acceleration. The Japanese automaker was criticized for being slow to react to complaints and initially blaming the drivers. GM is currently interviewing employees dating back to the discovery in 2004 of the problem with the ignition switch, which has since been linked to 13 deaths, sources previously said. Meanwhile, US safety regulators have opened an investigation into whether the No. 1 US automaker reacted swiftly enough in its recall last month of more than 1.6 million vehicles. GM Chief Executive Mary Barra on Tuesday in a letter to GM employees said she deeply regretted the circumstances but was pleased with the companys response and the focus will be on customer safety and satisfaction. Moving past the recall and related fallout will be critical to ensure the Detroit company continues the rebound
since its 2009 bankruptcy reorganization, analysts said. They need to get past this as quickly as possible, said George Cook, a marketing professor at the Simon Business School at the University of Rochester. You cannot be reactive in dealing with the American car-buying public, added Cook, formerly an executive at Ford Motor Co for 10 years. You have to be proactive and I think theyll be forgiving if its not really, really serious. People have short memories about that stuff. GMs recall was to correct a condition that may allow the engine and other components, including front airbags, to be unintentionally turned off. GM has said the weight on the key ring, road conditions or some other jarring event may cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position, turning off the engine and most of the cars electrical components. GM has recommended that owners use only the ignition key with nothing else on the key ring. The company said last week that the initial replacement parts will be available in early April. Trent Ross, senior vice president of reputation and risk management at Ipsos Public Affairs, said GM needs to take ownership of the issue right away. Several analysts lauded Barra for her letter. l
As China embarks on a new wave of opening up state-dominated industries to private capital, foreign firms will largely be kept out and authorities are likely to look to institutions like domestic pension funds and insurers. State giants China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), Sinopec Corp and China Railway Corporation have said they were seeking investments from private capital and also social capital, or funds sourced from pension funds and insurance companies. I think those are going to be the key groups that the SOEs (state-owned enterprises) will first partner up with, said Sun Lijian, deputy director of the School of Economics at Fudan University. It will also fit in with Beijings strategy to diversify investment channels for its vast, locally managed pension funds. The move reflects Chinas desire to avoid adding further debt on to the federal governments books while injecting much-needed cash into vital sectors, but without ceding control. On Wednesday, Premier Li Keqiang said on the opening day of the annual parliament session on Wednesday that the fiscal deficit would be maintained at 2.1% of GDP in 2014, the same as last year. Analysts said recent announcements by some of Chinas largest state-owned
enterprises to diversify ownership provides a hint of Beijings public-private partnership model as it opens up its petroleum, railway, finance, power and telecom sectors to private investors for the first time. Investments by local insurers and pension funds will not only allow Beijing to tap into massive savings to fund investments as economic growth slows, but it will also allow these institutions to diversify their portfolio away from a dependence on bonds and other fixed income products. Assets under management in Chinas pension system totalled $1.2tn at the end of 2012, according to newspaper reports. Insurance companies had assets of 8.289tn yuan at the end of 2013, official data shows. Invested funds totalled 7.687tn yuan, of which 29% was in bank deposits, 43% in bonds, and 10% in stocks and related securities.
Opportunities in energy
For the energy sector, however, analysts said there would be more opportunities for foreign players in areas where they have technological advantages, particularly in the development of unconventional gas resources. In areas where the SOEs lack the technological know-how, they will open the doors to foreign companies, otherwise the priority is still local companies, said Michael Yuk, a senior
energy analyst at China Merchants Securities. Sinopec, Asias biggest oil refiner, said last month that it would sell up to 30% of its marketing arm, which owns more than 30,000 petrol stations, in a multi-billion dollar asset restructuring. While analysts said Sinopec could bring in strategic foreign players, such as Royal Dutch Shell or BP, executives at overseas energy firms are less sanguine. None (of the international energy companies) have the illusion that Sinopec will reach out to us in its divestment ... theres no such possibility, said an official with a global energy firm, adding that fuel retailing is a sector where Beijing wants to limit foreign participation. State-owned China Railway Corporation plans to seek private investment for a railway development fund that could be launched this year, the Shanghai Securities News reported on Thursday. Details of the investment fund are still being formulated and a framework may be established by the first half of this year, deputy general manager Peng Kaizhou was quoted as saying. Peng said the company was considering setting up a national rail development fund, with a fixed rate of return, or establishing an investment fund for specific projects. l
Bank Asia has provided higher studies scholarship to 7 insolvent meritorious students of Tarail Upazila of Kishoreganj district on Saturday as a part of its corporate social responsibility. M Irfan Syed, the banks director handed over the scholarship money to the students
Ispahani Teas two hundred retailers and their families from different parts of the country visited Cox Bazaar recently by air
Godrejs rolls out specialist insect killer aerosol HIT for the first time in Bangladesh
Prize giving ceremony of the 3rd Apex Childrens Art Competition took place at the conference hall of Apex Footwear Limited on Friday. Ex-dean of Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Dhaka and eminent artist Rafiqun Nabi chaired the ceremony
Dhaka Bank Limited Shariah Supervisory Committee held its 32nd meeting on February 27 at the banks head office. The meeting approved the shariah based product for stock brokerage under DBL Securities Ltd along with discussing other shariah related matters of the bank. The meeting was presided over by M Azizul Huq, chairperson of the committee
AKM Shafiqur Rahman has been appointed as managing director of National Bank Limited (NBL). Prior to his appointment, he was additional managing director of the bank. Rahman started his career as probationary officer in Bangladesh Krishi Bank in 1974 and worked as head of different branches and divisions till 1988. Subsequently he joined National Bank Limited. A K M Shafiqur Rahman holds M A with Honors in Economics. He completed a certificate course on Program on Investment Appraisal and Management from Harvard University, USA in 1999
B4
DHAKA TRIBUNE
Back Page
Two men work on a wall as preparations are under way for the CeBIT technology trade fair yesterday in Hanover, central Germany. In 2014, Great Britain is partner country of the fair considered as the world's biggest high-tech fair running from today AFP
A washing machine factory tests Italy's industrial future Flipkart, India's reply to n Amazon, sees $1bn sales
Reuters
The boxy white and grey factory of this rainy northern town makes fewer than half the washing machines it did when Italy joined the euro. It is one of the many symbols of Southern Europe's industrial decline. Currently, however, the Porcia plant is also a testing ground for the region's industrial future. Home appliance maker Electrolux, which owns the factory, wants to cut the salaries of some 5,000 workers at the plant and three other factories across Italy by up to 15% over the next three years. The Swedish company says lowering labour costs is the only way its washing machines, fridges and other home appliances can compete against rival products made in eastern Europe and Asia. labour costs and starve us," she says. "What about investing in developing better products for this factory instead?" The battle over Electrolux wages is at the heart of one of the most pressing dilemmas facing the battered economies of Italy and other southern European countries: The competing needs to both cut costs, and spark growth. Companies across Europe's southern rim struggle because wages and prices have risen higher than their products can justify. But euro zone countries can no longer depreciate their currencies to make their products cheaper in foreign markets. That leaves so-called "internal devaluation" - pushing down wages and prices - as the best way to stay competitive. Spain, Greece and Portugal have pushed through deep wage cuts and the other hand, makes reducing debt harder because money is more expensive. It also puts companies off borrowing and investing. That's a problem in Italy, which has 2tn euros in debt - the second-highest in the euro zone after Greece, as a share of Gross Domestic Product. "Pushing down wages is dangerous: The most worrisome consequence would be depressing consumption where there is already a demand crisis," said Carlo Devillanova, economics professor at Milan's Bocconi University. Luigi Bidoia, economist and cofounder of research firm StudiaBo, says that after the mid-2000s it made little sense to keep producing in Italy. "Other countries now offer the same skills and pay at a half, a quarter, a tenth in wages," said Bidoia.
Steady decline
In many ways the factory in Porcia mirrors Italy's economic rise and decline. It was built in the 1950s, just as the economic miracle that lifted Italy from the rubble of World War Two got started. Lino Zanussi, whose blacksmith
Electrolux factory workers participate in a union-led protest outside a factory in Porcia, northern Italy The Italian government, unions and workers say any wage cut would impoverish thousands of families who rely on the plant and its suppliers. "It's a matter of survival," says Annarita Licci, a 38-year-old mother of two, who moved to Porcia in 2000, the year after Europe introduced its single currency. Then, Italy was the leading world exporter of home appliances. Now it is ranked third, far behind China, which has grabbed more than one-third of the 100bn euro ($140bn) global market. Like many others, the Porcia plant has progressively downsized. Last year Licci's partner took a company buyout. If Electrolux cuts her 1,000-euro salary by 130 euros - in line with the ballpark reduction estimated by the company - Licci says she will no longer be able to afford monthly expenses, which include a 600-euro mortgage. "The company wants to lower its made it easier to hire and fire, allowing firms to trim the price of their goods. This has helped Spain's economy grow for the first time since 2011. Italy, where labor costs are still high, is flatlining. But there are risks. A squeeze on pay could choke off already feeble consumer spending because workers have less money to spend. And as producers lower prices, it risks triggering what economists call a "deflationary spiral" in which consumers no longer buy goods, in the expectation that prices will continue to fall - a belief that creates an ever deeper recession. The most dramatic recent example is the two-decade great deflation from which Japan is only just emerging. In Spain, there is growing concern that the effects of wage cuts on the country's feeble internal consumption could cripple long-term recovery. Inflation helps countries lower their debt by increasing the money at their disposal to pay it off. Deflation, on
REUTERS
Cutting wages is not the only way for Italy to compete. The southern economies would all benefit if Germany, the euro zone's strongest economy, boosted its internal consumption and encouraged more imports from its neighbours. The European Central Bank could also do more to try to stimulate southern European economies, allowing inflation to rise from its current 0.8%. So far, though, there are no signs of either happening. ECB President Mario Draghi has welcomed "relative price adjustment" - wage cuts - in Spain, Portugal and Greece. Such an adjustment has not happened in Italy. According to the European statistics agency Eurostat, unit labour costs rose 4.2% between 2000 and 2012 in Italy, against a fall of 2.8% in the European Union. Part of the reason is that Italy's labour laws make it difficult for companies to adjust pay and hours to fluctuations in the economy. The cost of employing workers is also pushed up by the high labour taxes and social contributions employers must pay. According to the OECD, those make up just under half the cost of employing a worker in Italy. In other developed countries they total 35.6%, on average. At the end of February when he first took office, Italy's Prime Minister Matteo Renzi promised to reduce the burden on companies, citing the Electrolux standoff as a key issue for his new government. Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne has criticized Italy's rigid labor market rules and in 2011 reached a deal with workers at the car marker's main factories, introducing more flexible conditions in exchange for investments.
"E-merchandise retailing sales stood at $1.6bn in 2013. By 2018, we think they will be $14bn and in 2023 they will reach $60bn," Saloni Nangia, president of leading consultancy Technopak Advisors, told AFP. While there were already Indian online sellers, Flipkart helped sales take off by allowing customers to pay cash-on-delivery, a move Nangia calls a "game-changer". An increasing number of Indians are going online but they are uncomfortable giving credit card details over the Internet. Others do not have a credit card and the Flipkart method allows them to place orders. "This cash-on-delivery system helped consumers gain trust in online shopping - they saw products arrive," Nangia said. Flipkart began selling books but then expanded to mobile phones, televisions, cameras, computers and home appliances. It has yet to report a profit in the fiercely competitive market with its nearest rival, eBay-backed Snapdeal, targeting $1bn turnover by mid-decade. The world's biggest online retailer, Amazon, also entered the market last June. More retailers are seen going online as real estate is costly "so it makes it hard to have bricks-and-mortar stores", said Nangia. India's vast young population, rapidly embracing the Internet, would "drive the e-tailing story", she added. l
father Antonio had started out making stoves and ovens in a workshop in Pordenone in 1916, used the plant to help transform Zanussi into a top European home appliance maker. Along with Germany, Italy became the world's leading exporter of home appliances. Porcia was a vibrant artery of Italy's industrial heartland. Locals in the Pordenone province called the area the "Manchester of Italy" for its huge output. By the 1980s, though, Zanussi had run into financial troubles and in 1984 the family sold to Electrolux. The Swedish firm kept a big presence in Italy until the mid-2000s when competition prompted it to move a chunk of its production to low-wage eastern Europe. Over the past 14 years, Electrolux has shed 71% of its workers in western Europe and 60% in the United States. At the same time, the company's staff in eastern Europe has risen by one-third to 8,480.
Better products
The other way to compete is to produce high-value products that warrant higher prices, innovating to create products that people crave. Italy already successfully makes high-end goods from luxury clothes to food and small electronics. But as spending on research and development has shriveled - Italy's is among the lowest in the developing world - the country has steadily lost out in other areas, including home appliances. In a speech last year, Bank of Italy governor Ignazio Visco singled out the sector as emblematic of the country's industrial decline. One example: Italy made two million refrigerators last year and 10 million in 2001. "A country like ours has to position itself as a maker of high-end products through innovation and research," said Claudio De Vincenti, a top official in Italy's economic development ministry recently appointed by Renzi. l
DILBERT