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DA 6238 Vol 2, No 39
www.dhakatribune.com
SECOND EDITION
WT | BECOMING A MUM
Investigators arrive at the Narayanganj deputy commissioners office yesterday to probe allegations against RAB in the sensational abduction and killing of a city ward councillor, a senior lawyer and five others DHAKA TRIBUNE
Nur Hossain
Yasin Miah
Iqbal Hossain
Anwar Ashique
n Tribune Report
Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI) yesterday fixed the Bangladesh Standard Time in order to maintain a standard uniform time with the world and develop the e-governance system. The time set by using Rubidium Atomic Clock through Global Positioning System will be telecasted across the country through the National Data Centre situated in Bangladesh Computer Council Bhaban in the capitals Agargaon.
PAGE 2 COLUMN 6
This year, FBCCI demanded that the government increased the tax-free income ceiling to Tk2.5 lakh from the existing Tk2.20 lakh. However, during yesterdays meeting, Muhith advised the apex trade body of the country to not expect too much from him. The minister said he would consult with the prime minister and fix the ceiling for the next 10 years but hinted that there might not be any drastic change. l
INSIDE
Nation
6 Native freshwater fishes are going extinct in the water bodies like rivers, bogs, canals due to lack of navigability, use of insecticides and water pollution in Narsingdi.
Op-Ed
News
5 Dhanmondi playground continues to lose its open space as the Local Government Department and Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club Ltd goes on building concrete structures inside the premises, occupying the public space for their personal interests.
World
08 Islamic militants who have triggered international outrage over the kidnapping of more than 270 Nigerian schoolgirls opened fire on a busy marketplace, killing hundreds of people in a new spasm of violence.
11 A bank robbery captured headlines, incumbents amassed vast wealth, gold smuggling appears to be a regular trade, sale of adulterated foods is still rampant, rural hospital patients remain unattended, public exam question papers are leaked, tenders are manipulated, and violence dominates campuses. Surpassing all of this, human life has become cheaper as we can tell from the recent spate of abductions and killing of people.
Sport
14 Manchester City moved to the brink of the Premier League title with an emphatic 4 0 win over Aston Villa on Wednesday as Edin Dzeko scored twice.
Business
B4 Global business growth slowed to a sixmonth low in April as both services firms and manufacturers saw slower expansions in activity and a sales tax rise hit Japanese output, business surveys showed on Wednesday.
Business
B1 Finance Minister AMA Muhith suggested increasing taxes on SIM card, tobacco products and import of vehicles as these sectors could boost revenue collection.
DHAKA TRIBUNE
News
Members of Narayanganj Ainjibi Samity go on a hunger-strike protesting the abduction and killing of senior lawyer Chandan Sarker, in the city yesterday
DHAKA TRIBUNE
Lovely said there were some on-duty police personal in the area who she had approached for help. The police officials told me that those men were from RAB 10. They also showed their RAB identity card. Following the incident, she had gone to the RAB 10 office to enquire about her husband. But the elite force had denied picking up Sentu, Lovely said. On April 16, she filed an abduction case with Kotwali police station. Sentu is the vice-chairman of Sayedabad-Tongi Route Turag Paribahan. He also has rod-cement business in Sanarpar area of Shiddhirganj of Narayanganj. He resided with his family at his own house at Sanarpar. Lovely said her husband had business conflict with Saiful Islam Mahmud and Babu of Sayedabad Bus Terminal. She also alleged that lawyers assistant Shah Alam might have link with the incident. Finding no trace of her husband,
Lovely yesterday pleaded to the prime minister and the home state minister to bring back Sentu. When contacted, Firoz Al Jala, OC of Kotwali police, told the Dhaka Tribune that the investigation was underway. We are hopeful to find her husband. He also said the victims family had not mentioned in the complaint the presence of RAB and police members at the scene. Asked about it, Lovely alleged that when they had gone to the police station and wanted to file the case giving details of the incident, the on-duty police officer asked me to file the case with the court if I wanted to mention about the presence of law enforcers. So we filed the case dropping the line. Fazle Rabbi, operation officer of RAB 10, told the Dhaka Tribune that they knew nothing since no one had filed any complaint about the incident. This is totally baseless, he claimed. l
From now on, the standard time of Bangladesh can be checked visiting the website www.time.gov.bd. Industries Minister Amir Hossain Amu, while inaugurating the standard time at the BSTI auditorium, said: It is a historical event for Bangladesh. With the expansion of the use of information technology, trade across the globe has been increasing through the electronic system. So it is inevitable to harmonise the time with the world. Earlier, the Bangladesh Computer Council strongly urged the Information and Communication Technology Ministry to give responsibility to BSTI for fixing the standard time and broadcast it throughout the country. The European Union and the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation assisted the BSTI to fix the time. l
of being influenced by any quarter as our committee was formed on the instruction of the High Court. Earlier, the members of the committee held an emergency meetingat the committee chiefs ministry office. Several important decisions were taken in the meeting which Shahjahandenied disclosing for the sake of investigation. The other committee members are Public Administration Ministrys Abdul Kaiyum Sarker and AbulKashemMohiuddin, Law Ministrys Mostafizur Rahman and Mizanur Rahman Khan and Home Ministrys Shafiqur Rahman and Sayeed Mahmud Belal Haider. Abul Kashem Mohiuddin will act as member secretary of the probe committee. Mohiuddinyesterday issued a letter
to the deputy commissioner and superintendent of police of Narayanganjasking them to ensure the presence of all the family members of the victims at the DC office conference room at 10am on Saturday. The probe committee will take interview and exchange views with them there, he informed on behave of the body. On Wednesday, the public administration ministry constituted the seven-member probe body as per the High Court directive to investigate the abductions and killings of seven people in Narayanganj. The High Court on May 6 ordered the public administration ministry to form a probe committee for investigating the seven murders in Narayanganj. It also asked the ministry to submit a report within seven working days. l
He said the case is sensitive. Investigating such planned murder needs proper plan. It will take time to draw a conclusion. We cannot reach anabrupt end in such a short time. Seven people including Nazrul and senior lawyer ChandanSarker were abducted from the city on April 27. Six of their bodies were found floating in the Shitalakkhya river on April 29 while another body was found the following day The accused in the case are Nur Hossain and his close aides Haji Yasin Miah, general secretary of Siddhirganj Thana Awami League, Nazruls relative Hasmat Ali Hasu, also a BNP activist, Aminul Islam Raju, Swechchhasebak League leader, Anwar Hossain, general secretary of Sramik Dal and Iqbal Hossain, a realtor. In the latest development the law enforcers arrested three persons including a woman from Shibpur upazila. They are Mintu, Masuma and Tipu. The arrestees are not accused in the case and their details were not disclosed.
With this, a total of 15 people have been arrested in connection with the murders of seven people including Narayanganj panel mayor Nazrul Islam. Meanwhile, the SP said four police officials of Narayanganj had been transferred from the district for the sake of transparent investigation. The police officials are Akhter Hossain and Abdul Matin, officers-in-charge of Fatullah and Siddhirganj police stations and Mahbubur Rahman and Abdul Awal, OCs of the Detective Branch police. Of them, Awal who was probing the seven-murder case was replaced by Mamunur Rashid Mondol in the wake of a controversy over his alleged links with the prime accused Nur Hossain. OC Awal has been transferred to Barisal range. The new investigation officer of this case has already taken charge, the SP said. The transferred officers joined their new work stations yesterday. Akhter Hossian joined Munshiganj police station after he was replaced by Narshingdi Model police stations OC
Asaduzzaman. Nobody has been posted to the post of officer-in-charge of the Shiddhirganj police station. Abdul Matin has been transferred to Tangail. In another development, lawyers of Narayanganj Bar Association observed a one-hour token hunger strike onthe Narayanganj District Judges Court premises demanding arrest of the killers. On the other hand, son-in-law of Chandan Sarkar filed a murder case last night with Fatulla police station without mentioning any name. The DB police are investigating both of the cases.
According to police, Yasin Miah, an accused in the case, fled to Singapore under the excuse of his wifes treatment on April 28. Aminul Islam Raju lived at Mijimiji Dakkhin Para of Siddhirganj. He fled to India, said an official of the DB police. Hasmat Ali Hasu and Iqbal Hossain who live in the same area at Mijimiji also fled their houses. Locals said, soon after the bodies of the victims were found they put their houses under lock and key. l
3 RAB officials
PAGE 1 COLUMN 1
On May 3 police recovered a microbus and arrested 12 persons in a raid from Nur Hossains house at Siddhirganjs Shimrail and since then no family members of relatives of Nur Hossain found at homes. Besides, after the bodies of seven people were recovered local attacked the house and businesses of Nur Hossain several times which compelled his family members to leave Narayanganj.
Asaduzzaman said adding that they must be brought to book if found guilty. While talking to reporters at his Secretariat office yesterday, he said the ministry also sent a list of suspects of the seven murder incident to the airport and the border authorities concerned. They have been asked to take necessary action to prevent the culprits from fleeing the country. l
late 1990s. Nazrul was initially declared the chairman of the Siddhirganj union but Nur complained of vote rigging at a few centres. Following court orders, the union saw a re-election which Nur Hossain won. Interestingly, at that time Nazrul was an Awami League leader and Nur Hossain was from the BNP. Chandan Seal said a rivalry had since developed between them and a competition of establishing their influence and supremacy in Siddhirganj area. Both Nazrul and Nur were the contractors of the Roads and Highways Department, meaning their rivalry was also at the professional level. Seal said: If Nazurl got a work order for a big project in Siddhdirganj, Nur Hossain would be disappointed. Nur Hossain joined the Awami League between 2000 and 2001 when the party was in power and Shamim Osman was also the most influential ruling party lawmaker in Narayanganj. Nur had fled the country during
the 2001-2006 rule of the BNP Jamaat-led four party alliance and the military-backed caretaker government from 2007 to 2008 to evade arrest or harassment or any legal action. He returned when the Awami League returned to power in 2009. Similarly, Nazrul had left the country when the BNP came to power, said Seal. Both of them had negative reputation, he said. Chandan Seal said initiatives had been taken in the past by local Awami League leaders for the reconciliation between Nazrul and Nur Hossain, but nothing worked. When Narayanganj was declared a city corporation the electoral areas of Nazrul and Nur were automatically separated: Nazrul became the councillor of ward 2 and Nur of ward 4. But in the panel mayor election Nur Hossain contested another councillor Obaidullah to become number 1 panel mayor, but he lost the battle as Nazrul, who had contested for panel
mayor 2, won. Nazrul eventually started becoming a close aide of Narayanganj Mayor Selina Hayat Ivy. So, the rivalry between Nazrul and Nur never really minimised; it has rather intensified for many reasons, said Seal. Seal believes that Nazurls murder was the result of a fight between Nazrul and Nur Hossain over establishing and expanding supremacy in Siddhirganj and other parts of the city. Some sources said although Nur was known as an aide of Shamim Osman, he had gradually expanded his network within the Awami League and had been able to reach even the top level of the party and the government. Wishing not to be named, a local leading socio-political activist said Nur Hossain had gradually established close relations with some other Awami League lawmakers, ministers and even an adviser to the prime minister. This ambition of Nurs might become a threat to other local influential leaders of losing their supremacy in
Narayanganj to Nur. So, knowing well about the rivalry between Nur and Nazrul and Nurs desperate desire to eliminate Nazrul physically, some other group may have taken the chance, helping Nur commit the crime, anticipating that this would ultimately bring the worst results for both. Involving local RAB officials as a mercenary group in the abduction and killing might have also been part of a bigger plot, said a resident who closely follows socio-political development in Narayanganj. He said RABs revelation of Osman familys involvement, especially that of Nasim Osmans son Azmeri Osman, and use of his torture cell to kill Twoki after abduction annoyed this powerful family. Nasim Osman, elder brother of Shamim Osman and a Jatiya Party MP from a constituency in the port city, died last month under treatment at an Indian hospital. The Narayanganj resident said Sultan Shawkat alias Bhromor, an accused
in Twoki murder case, had confessed to a Narayanganj court in November last year revealing the whole incident and Azmeri Osmans direct involvement in Twokis murder. Bhromors statement said he had witnessed the incident as he was in Azmeris office at that time. RAB investigated Twokis murder and revealed Azmeris involvement and in March revealed to the media 11 names, including Azmeri, saying it had found their involvement in Twokis killing and would submit the charge sheet soon. The developments from Bhromors confessional statement and RABs preparation for submitting the charge sheet accusing Azmeri Osman prompted Osman family stalwarts to rush to the government high ups for preventing the charges against Azmeri, said a source. The source said the Osman family desperately pursued and tried to explore all possible avenues to refrain RAB from prosecuting Azmeri in the
Twoki murder case. Rab 11, which had shown the courage to reveal the involvement of the political clout in Twoki murder, has now come under huge criticism for its alleged involvement with the murder of seven people in exchange for crores of taka. Analysing these backgrounds and developments, some sources in Narayanganj expressed concerns about the fate of the Twoki murder case and its investigation. But Rabiul Huq, who has been with RAB 11 and investigated the case, told the Dhaka Tribune: Twokis murder was an isolated incident. The recent seven murder in Narayanganj will not have any influence into the investigation of this case. Our investigation into Twokis murder will continue in its natural course. It was a big sensational criminal incident, so we have to submit the charge sheet after ensuring all evidence with caution. So, it will take time to complete the investigation. l
DHAKA TRIBUNE
News
Ambassadors of the European countries address a press conference in the capitals Lakeshore Hotel yesterday to mark the Europe Day
DHAKA TRIBUNE
Lovely Akhter, wife of abducted Rahmatullah Sentu, speaks at a press conference demanding recovery of her husband at the National Press Club yesterday. Sentu was abducted allegedly by RAB from the capitals English Road area on April 9 MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU
DHAKA TRIBUNE
News
Financial irregularities have reportedly been running rampant within Petrobangla, with a recent audit finding discrepancies worth over Tk6,500 crore by the state-owned entity for the 2012-13 fiscal. A four-member team of the Commercial Audit Directorate went through the books of Petrobangla for two months to come up with the irregularities, most of which were related to international oil companies (IOC). The team submitted its audit report to the chief of the directorate on April 10. The report, a copy of which has been acquired by the Dhaka Tribune, read that irregularities were commited when Petrobangla paid cost recovery demands to IOCs without scrutinising their claims; securing illegal benefits from banks by keeping the funds acquired from selling profit gas in bank accounts instead of the government
treasury; and paying irregular advance income taxes (AIT) on foreign equipments bought by the oil companies. The payment of cost recovery claims without proper scrutinisation resulted in discrepancies of over Tk3,453 crore, the report read, adding that the IOCs did not submit any proof of their development works attached to their bills or invoices. For the 2012-13 fiscal, Petrobangla paid US-based oil company Chevron Tk2,801 crore for Bibiana gas field, Tk361 crore for Jalalabad gas field, while paying London-based Irish company Tullow Tk291 crore in cost recovery claims. According to the production sharing contract (PSC), Petrobangla has to pay all costs related to gas extraction and development works carried out by the IOCs as cost recovery. Each month the IOCs submit invoices to Petrobangla by mentioning the amount of the months produced gas and its price. Another observation by the audit
team said the government suffered over Tk3,118 crore in losses as Petrobangla violated existing rules by depositting the money collected from selling profit gas (Tk2,395 crore) and natural-gas condensates (Tk723 crore) into its own bank account, instead of the government treasury. According to the PSC, apart from the cost recovery, the surplus gas that belongs to Petrobangla is known as profit gas. The audit team also observed that Petrobangla incurred losses of over Tk11 crore for irregularly paying advance income taxes (AIT) for the purchase of equipment by the IOCs. According to the PSC, the IOCs are exempt from paying advance income tax for the import of equipments for oil or gas exploration and extraction; instead Petrobangla will need to submit the AIT on the companys behalf into the treasury funds within 90 days of
unloading the equipments. The audit report read that the discrepancy is created when IOCs pay the taxes during the unloading of goods and later bill Petrobangla for reimbursement. However, the reimbursement invoices only include a copy of the bank cheque, but no details on the imported equipment. The audit report recommended that necessary steps be taken for scrutinising the cost recovery claims, ensuring that funds from selling profit gas are deposited in the treasury funds, and for ensuring that the IOCs had paid AITs on behalf of Petrobangla. However, Petrobangla Chairman Hossain Mansour denied the allegations and told the Dhaka Tribune that all the procedures had been carried out without violating any regulation. Refusing to comment in detail, the chairman said he did not know how the audit team had found the irregularities. l
The real activists of Gonojagoron Moncho are those who were with Imran as they have been continuing the movement since February 5, 2013
Activists of the Kamal Pasha faction staged a symbolic execution of Sayedee. Speakers at the event blamed Imran for diverting the platforms activities into other direction persuaded by some evil forces. On the conflict, Imran at the other rally said the group led by Pasha had never been with the mainstream and was using the name of Gonojagoron Moncho. This platform was not created to fulfil the desire of any political party, he said. Imran also urged not to malign the image of the platform and asked them to stage greater movement together. Rights activist Khushi Kabir said: The real activists of Gonojagoron Moncho are those who were with Imran as they have been continuing the movement since February 5, 2013. She also urged the people to be aware of those who were trying to spread distorted image of the Gonojagoron Moncho. l
Three children draw pictures sitting on a roadside bench after attending school at Rajshahis Poba upazila. These children travel a noticeable distance everyday to attend school as their village does not have a proper educational facilities DHAKA TRIBUNE
Rickshaws clog the main road in front of the National Press Club during the morning rush in the capital yesterday MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU
DHAKA TRIBUNE
News
Concrete infrastructures are being built inside the Dhanmondi playground by Local Government Department and Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club yesterday youths mostly play football and cricket in the open field, but the sporting club has been constructing tennis, badminton and basketball courts on the playground. The club authority has been constructing the structures for their own reap, not for public, he added. He also noted that the activists went to the court due to get the court order in favour to public, but the High Court bench has repeatedly felt embarrassed to hear a petition seeking its directives to remove the structures built on the Dhanmondi playground. We have understood everything. Our movement would continue until the country passes its verdict, he added. The protesters are expected to gather in front of the Dhanmondi play-
ground at 9:30am today demanding immediate demolition of all illegal structures and halting all illegal construction on the public space. During a visit to the playground yesterday, the correspondent observed that two tennis courts, two badminton
courts and a basketball court were being built on the space. The playground now seems to be cut in half by establishments of the private sporting club. When contacted, Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club Sports-In-Charge Abdul Gaffar brushed off the protesters allegation and said there was no relation between the sporting club and Dhanmondi Club Limited and the two clubs were separate. Lt Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club Limited is registered sporting club while Dhanmondi Club Limited is a social club. Claiming that the protesters were mixing up the two clubs for their personal motives, he further added: We are not concerned over tomorrows (today) demonstration because the playgrounds authority is the city corporation and they will take steps. Following a petition filed by Bangladesh Poribesh Andalan and IAB in 2004, the High Court directed the then city corporation (now Dhaka South City Corporation) to free Dhanmondi playground from the illegal occupation of Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club. On April 24, DSCC authorities reopened the public playground after almost two years following protests and criticism from environmental activists, local residents and sports personalities. Meanwhile, several High Court bench had felt embarrassed to hear petitions filed by activists seeking directives to remove illegal structures on the playground. The petition, lodged on April 22, by six persons including architects Mubassher Hussain and Iqbal Habib, also sought the courts directive to ensure access of all people to public playgrounds. l
WEATHER THUNDERSHOWER
FRIDAY, MAY 9
DHAKA TODAY TOMORROW SUN SETS 6:31 PM SUN RISES 5:19AM FORECAST FOR TODAY
Dhaka Chittagong Rajshahi Rangpur Khulna Barisal Sylhet Coxs Bazar 39 32 44 39 40 38 30 32 28 27 31 26 28 28 24 28 Two workers prepare cricket bats near Rajshahi Bus Terminal yesterday. These bats are sold at Tk70 Tk450 per piece
DHAKA TRIBUNE
38.0C Rajshahi
Source: Accuweather/UNB
20.6C Sylhet
PRAYER TIMES
Fajar Sunrise Jumma Asr Magrib Esha 3:56am 5:18am 11:55am 4:33pm 6:31pm 7:54pm
Source: IslamicFinder.org
6
n Our Correspondent, Narsingdi
Native freshwater fishes are going extinct in the water bodies like rivers, bogs, canals due to lack of navigability, use of insecticides and water pollution in Narsingdi. Pabo catfish, stinging catfish, dwarf gourami, Mola carplet, spiny eel, scribbled goby, snakehead murrel, spotted snakehead are hardly seen in the local fish markers, locals and fishery officers say. The Meghna, Shitalakkha, old Brahmaputra, Arial Kha, Haridhoa, Paharea among some of the main rivers flowing through the district were once the lifelines for thousands of fishermen, they say. Those fishermen have now either switched to other professions or are still trying to do so because of poor catch in the rivers, they add. Lack of navigability and water pol-
DHAKA TRIBUNE
Nation
Growers sort out sweet gourd in Bypass area of Rajshahi to take those to different parts of across the country
Dhaka Tribune
KIDNEY SMUGGLING
A procession was brought out in Barisal city yesterday, marking the World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day
DHAKA TRIBUNE
DHAKA TRIBUNE
Long Form
n Garga Chatterjee
n April 19, bullets fired by unknown gunmen injured Hamid Mir an acclaimed Pakistani journalist, columnist and political talk-show host for Geo TV. His brother alleges that Pakistans intelligence agency ISI is behind the attack. Known to be a strong votary for democratic rule in Pakistan, and consistently against religion-inspired militancy, he has never been in the good books of the intelligence establishment. The subcontinent is a dangerous place, especially for people who consistently speak truth to power. This danger can often be in the form of threats to life, especially if you are in the media expressing the right thing at the right time. Since I write for daily and weekly newspapers in Pakistan, I happen to have acquaintances in Lahore and Karachi who have over time become close friends. I have met some of the journalists in danger. One of them is Raza Rumi.
A journalist is attacked to deny the peoples right to know the truth. What might be the kind of crimes that need to be hidden away from public view that the state agencies feel that it is worth the bad-press that comes from bloodying journalists?
My Pathan broadcaster friend, Wajahat S Khan, had introduced me to Raza Rumi. It was Raza who first welcomed the idea of publishing me in The Friday Times, the Najam Sethi-edited weekly. Raza still is a consulting editor for the publication. It is important to state that quite a view of my pieces published there have been quite critical of the human rights and civil liberties situation in Pakistan, and I believe that the editorial team is in no small measure responsible for that. Raza has been very active in Indo-Pak peace initiatives, and as the director of the Jinnah Institute, a think-tank, has been a key participant in Track 2 dialogues of all sorts, he has an ongoing love affair with all things Delhi, and especially revels in the bygone cultural space of North India that encompassed Delhi, and his favourite city and hometown, Lahore. He had recently published an exquisite travelogue, Delhi by heart. I was among the people he shared his manuscript with for comments before it was published. On March 28, I heard that Raza had been shot at by a group of unknown assailants. He survived. I suspect that his views, which have always been supportive of greater regional cooperation in South Asia, and especially between Pakistan and the Indian Union, are not entirely unrelated to the reasons of this attack.
After anchoring his television show, Raza Rumi was on his way to the Data Darbar shrine. That was when bullets rained on his car. His driver succumbed to the gunshots while his bodyguard was seriously wounded. For a long time, he has been one of the most vocal champions of secularism in Pakistan. He has stuck his neck out for the continued repression of the hapless religious minorities of Pakistan who have very few real supporters. Probably the most consequential stance vis--vis the attack on him, Raza Rumi has been one the staunchest critics of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other extremist Islamic groups that are directly opposed to his vision of a pluralist and harmonious society. Specifically, the Express Media group, for which he often writes and whose TV channel he does his show for, has been attacked five times with 3 staff members being killed in an attack earlier this year. Raza Rumi has appealed to the government to provide him security and prevent him from becoming the victim of an ideology asserted with bullets and bombers. Most TV channels in Pakistan basically underplayed the incident and conveniently reported about Srinivasan and the IPL. Now there is a feeling perpetrated by Delhi-based watchers and other peddlers of the idea of India that things are radically different on this side of the Radcliffe this is some kind of a safe haven for journalists and fearless reporting. Of course, the usual exceptions apply. Local journalists in disputed territories of the Indian Union have been paying with their life and limb for decades now. You can be beaten up with bamboo canes and dragged along the road by the Indian police and Central Reserve Police Force if you interview protesting students or take pictures that the powers-to-be dont want being taken as Azhar Qadri of Kashmir Tribune and Showkat Shafi, a Srinagar-based freelance photojournalist found out in painful ways. These are not exceptional events but simply illustrations. Delhi journalists who go visit these areas often enjoy embedded junkets masqueraded as reporting. Foreign journalists who might be critical are simply classified as persona-non-grata, and are denied entry into the Indian Union, as was the recent case with the famous American journalist David Barsamian. A closer look tells us that the threat to journalists is more widespread in the Indian Union, and is not only limited to separatist insurgency-hit areas. Strangely enough, or may be it is not that strange that fame works for you in terms of protection, and in terms of how long you hold out. If Raza Rumi were a local reporter in Swat or Waziristan, saying what he has been saying and also doing local reporting, we would have crossed his 10th death anniversary by now. Or he would have long left for the UK or the USA. Or he would have done what
most people end up doing simply shut up, change the reported subjects, change his views, change vocation. In the Indian Union, the complicity of media in sustaining abuse of power makes the powerful in media quite safe in this sense. Far from a life threat, they might even end up as parliamentarians. But for the honest and fearless reporter on the ground, things are often very different. Chhattisgarh ranks high in the list of areas where threat to reporters is very high. Unknown people on a motorbike shot Umesh Rajput, of Nai Duniya, dead near his home in Raipur. He had been receiving threats to stop doing the kind of reporting he was doing. In Dantewada, Bappi Ray of Sahara Samay was harassed after he interviewed a farmer who had been assaulted by the district collector. Naresh Mishra of Zee TV was badly beaten, and Azad Saxena and Venu Gopal were kidnapped, for hours, together, to prevent them from reporting from the village of Tadmetla. Surpiya Sharma of Times of India also faced the denial of entry. According to Reporters Without Borders, an international media freedom-watch organisation, police rammed the car of Bastar Impact editor Suresh Mahapatra and several other journalists. The disturbing commonality lies in the finger pointing at the police and other public security forces as being the criminals behind these crimes. A journalist is attacked to deny the peoples right to know the truth. What might be the kind of crimes that need to be hidden away from public view that the state agencies feel that it is worth the bad-press that comes from bloodying journalists? Chhattisgarh is not the lone bad apple, though the rot there is
The subcontinent is a dangerous place, especially for people who consistently speak truth to power. This danger can often be in the form of threats to life, especially if you are in the media expressing the right thing at the right time
particularly offensive. The killing of Shehla Masood, Right To Information (RTI) activist and blogger, in Bhopal created some furore, especially in light of the fact that she had been harassed by the police for sometime. On February 10, officers of the Indian Reserve Battalion at the Kangla Fort beat up Arindam Chaoba Sharma of Imphal Free Press ferociously. In recent times, reports of killings and grave assaults on journalists came in from Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Karnataka the list goes on. It extends even to the Andamans where the police have continuously harassed Denis Giles, the editor of The Andaman Chronicle, ever since he broke the now-famous story of poachers and outsiders sexually exploiting Jarawa women. At least eight murders of journalists have been reported in 2013. This was the year when the Indian Union slipped to an abysmal rank of 140 out of 179 countries in the Press Freedom Index issued by Reporters with Borders. However smug may be the claims of the power-elite in terms of freedom of expression, and hence, the freedom to express freely, this rank represents its worst point. As for a reality check, Afghanistan and Zimbabwe, two basket-cases in the Anglo-American world-view, do marginally better than incredible India. If this is the state of freedom of expression, a fundamental right under Article 19 of the constitution, then one should reflect very critically about what happens to this right when one drives 10 miles away from Mumbai or Delhi. If it is any consolation to a warped mind, Pakistan ranks 158 in the list. The neighbour has managed to make the power-centres unsafe too. As for India, Criminal organisations, security forces, demonstrators and armed groups all pose a threat to Indias journalists the Reporters without Borders report said. In that list, the security forces are the ones that have greatest impunity. Surely, the violator of liberties with the greatest impunity is the most serious threat to securing freedom of expression. Raza Rumi, in a public statement, appealed to the state for protection. Where do potential victims of state agencies in India turn to? If truths are security threats for the powers to be and security forces are engaged in curbing peoples right to know the truth, it is a sad commentary on state of the republic undergoing the worlds most elaborate exercise in representative democracy. Garga Chatterjee is a freelance contributor. He can be followed on twitter @gargac.
A policeman showing a bullet hole in the door of the car which belonged to Hamid Mir. Unknown gunmen on motorcycles opened fire and injured the reporter and television anchorperson in Karachi REUTERS
DHAKA TRIBUNE
World
Nigeria violence
More than 1,500 people have been killed so far this year in attacks blamed on the a radical group Boko Haram. Shown here AFRICA are major attacks attributed to the sect.
Detail
300 mi 300 km
Dec. 24, 2010: A series of bombs detonated in city of Jos Nov. 4, 2011: Militants shoot their way through the city of Damaturu Dec. 25: Christmas Day attack on a Catholic church in Madalla Jan. 20, 2012: Coordinated bombings around city of Kano Jan. 26, 2014: Main market bombed in Kawuri village Feb. 16: Militants gun down villagers in Izghe in Borno state Feb. 19: 1,500 homes razed, many killed Bama town Feb. 25: Students killed at a boarding school, Yobe state March 14: Giwa Barracks attacked, kills about 425 people in Maiduguri April 14: Massive explosion at the capital Abuja
AP
South Africas ruling ANC takes clear election lead n Reuters, Pretoria
The ruling African National Congress (ANC) took a clear lead yesterday in South Africas first Born Free election, featuring voters with no memory of the white-minority rule that ended in 1994. Election officials said they were investigating a shooting death in rural KwaZulu-Natal, the home of President Jacob Zuma. The incident was a rare blot on an otherwise peaceful vote. The ANC, the liberation movement that swept to power two decades ago under the leadership of Nelson Mandela, had 59.7% of the vote with a third of ballots counted, the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) said. Its nearest rival, the Democratic Alliance, held 26.7 percent, backing predictions the party would improve on the 16.7% it won five years ago as it gradually sheds its image as the political home of privileged whites. The ultra-left Economic Freedom Fighters, led by Julius Malema, a populist politician who was expelled from the ANC, was in third place with 4.3%. l
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AFP, Caracas
National Guard in riot gear dismantles a students encampment set up in front of the UN headquarters in Caracas yesterday
AFP
Venezuelan riot police detained 243 people Thursday as they dismantled four camps in the capital Caracas set up by students to protest the leftist government of President Nicolas Maduro, authorities said. Interior Minister Miguel Rodriguez Torres told reporters the clearing operation began at 3 am, claiming there was evidence the sites were "being used by more violent groups to commit terrorist acts." Lawyer and human rights activist Elenis Rodriguez said "very few young people were able to escape the onslaught." At least 41 people have died and more than 700 have been injured since students and other opponents of the government took to the country's streets in February to protest rampant crime, runaway inflation and shortages of basic goods. l
DHAKA TRIBUNE
World
n Reuters, Bangkok
Thailands anti-graft agency indicted former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra for negligence on Thursday, a ruling that came a day after a court threw her out of office and could kill off any hopes she has of staging an electoral comeback. Thousands of her loyalists were converging on the capital as the National Anti-Corruption Commissions announced its decision to press ahead with charges related to a financially ruinous state rice-buying scheme. The blows delivered on successive days by the commission and Thailands Constitutional Court are the latest twists in a struggle for power between Thailands royalist establishment and
Yinglucks brother, ousted former premier Thaksin Shinawatra. The committee has investigated and there is enough evidence to make a case ... We will now forward it to the Senate, the National Anti-Corruption Commission(NACC) president, Panthep Klanarongran, told reporters. If found guilty by the Senate, Yingluck could be banned from politics for five years. Several other members of the family and about 150 of Thaksins other political allies have been banned for five-year terms since 2007. Yinglucks removal from office by the Constitutional Court on Wednesday for abuse of power followed months of sometimes deadly protests in Bangkok aimed at toppling
her government and ending elder brother Thaksins influence. Thaksin, a billionaire former telecommunications tycoon who has won the unswerving loyalty of legions of Thailands rural and urban poor, lives in exile to avoid a 2008 jail sentence for abuse of power, but he looms over politics. The Constitutional Court, which removed two previous pro-Thaksin prime ministers in 2008, ruled that Yingluck and nine of her cabinet ministers had abused power in 2011 over the transfer of a security agency chief. However, the court left the Shinawatras ruling party in charge of a caretaker administration intent on organising a July 20 general election, which Yinglucks partywould likely win. l
AFP
Rahul takes on Modi, says Gujarat model no better than India Shining campaign
n Agencies
Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday took a swipe at Narendra Modi saying the Gujarat development model, touted by the BJP prime ministerial nominee, is synonymous with toffee model and Adani model. The Congress vice-president claimed that ever since he exposed the myth of the Gujarat model of development, Modi had stopped talking about it. While the Congress, he said, thought about all classes of people, for the BJP the nation belongs to one religion, caste or two-three businessmen. By taking 45,000 acre of fertile land of farmers, Modi gave it to the Adani company for a paltry sum of Rs 1 per sq metre, Gandhi alleged during an election meeting at Gopalganj. Due to largesses showered on Adani by Modi in Gujarat, the companys finance rose from Rs 30bn to Rs 400bn now, which is more than the budget of MGNREGA, he claimed. Gandhi said that Modis tall promises of empowering women and laying the blueprint for economic development of the country was no better than the NDA governments Indian Shining slogan. On Modis promise to give shakti (power) to women, the Congress leader referred to snoopgate. He spent all his shakti keeping track of the movement of a woman and
now he is talking of providing power to women, Gandhi said. Seeking to debunk Modis lofty assertions about fighting terrorism, the Congress vice-president alleged that Modi was triggering anger by telling lies. Official figures show that 22,000 people died due to terrorism during the five year rule of NDA which was 800 during the five year period of Congress-led UPA, Gandhi said. They criticise us for failing to fight terrorism and protect the honor of soldiers and say they will show how to fight against terrorism. Referring to Modis claim that the Congress did nothing since Indepen-
dence, Gandhi reminded him that that US President Barack Obama had said that his country feared only China and India. Listing MGNREGA, Right to Food law, land acquisition legislation, he said that the Congress sought a mandate to enact three more legislations. These were free medicare including cost of medicine and provision for operation, right to a concrete roof for poor and pension for the elderly. These three vital areas of concern, he said, he gathered after talks with rickshaw-pullers, coolies and other groups. Reeling out comparative statistics about NDA and UPA regimes, he said that the UPA government constructed almost three times more roads than NDA. l
China blames Vietnam for sea collisions, but calls for talks
n
Reuters, Beijing/Hanoi
China accused Vietnam on Thursday of intentionally colliding with its ships in the South China Sea, but called for talks to end a bitter row sparked by Beijings parking of a giant oil rig in contested waters. A senior foreign ministry official in Beijing demanded that Vietnam withdraw its ships after its southern neighbour asserted that Chinese vessels used water cannon and rammed eight of its vessels at the weekend near the rig. Hanoi said two vessels were badly damaged and six people were wounded in the worst setback to ties between the two Communist nations in years. China said the drilling operations were being carried out in its territory and it had acted with the utmost restraint in using water cannons in response to rammings it blamed on Vietnam. Yi Xianliang, deputy director-general of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Department of Boundary and Ocean Affairs, said China had only sent civilian vessels to the area while Hanoi sent several armed ships. Our aim, our only aim, is to guarantee our reasonable, legal, normal drilling operations, Yi said, adding China had no choice but to increase its security measures in response to what he said was Vietnams provocations. The operations by China in the waters off Triton Island in the Paracel Islands are Chinas sovereign right and have nothing to do with Vietnam, he told reporters at a hastily-arranged press briefing, referring to the part of the South China Sea where the rig has been operating. China has parked about 80 ships around the rig, Vietnamese officials have said, adding that seven of them were military. Its foreign ministry has shown reporters what it said were video clips of Chinese ships hitting Vietnamese Seaguard vessels. We dont care about what China said, Ngo Ngoc Thu, vice commandant of Vietnams coast guard, told Reuters on Thursday. We have been only doing our job which is protecting our territory and sovereignty. We only sent ships following the laws but China has missile ships supporting its civilian ships. Yis comments were a departure from earlier remarks by Vice Foreign Minister Cheng Guoping, who said he believed there had been no clash at sea, although he said he did not have detailed knowledge of what had happened. China was willing to try and resolve the issue with Vietnam via talks, but Hanoi had to withdraw its ships, Yi added. We can appropriately resolve this issue. We have the ability, the confidence and the wisdom to do so, he said. The two Communist nations have sought to put aside border disputes and memories of a brief border war in 1979. Vietnam is usually careful about comments against China, for which it relies on for political support and bilateral trade that surpassed $50bn in 2013. Still, Hanoi has strongly condemned the operation of the drilling rig, the first such action by Beijing in contested waters, and told the owners, Chinas state-run oil company CNOOC, to remove it. l
Gunmen kill Pakistan lawyer defending blasphemy case n Reuters, Multan, Pakistan
Gunmen posing as clients shot dead a prominent human rights lawyer defending a professor accused of blasphemy, officials said Thursday, underscoring the danger facing those trying to put an end to religious intolerance in majority-Muslim Pakistan. Wednesdays killing of Rashid Rehman in the southern city Multan of was the first time a lawyer has been killed for taking on a blasphemy case, police said. Rehman had been representing Junaid Hafeez, a lecturer in English accused by hardline student groups of making blasphemous remarks against the Prophet Mohammed in March last year. Hafeez had been in prison without being able to find a lawyer until Rehman agreed to represent him in February. Blasphemy carries the death penalty in Pakistan. The accused are often lynched or languish for years in jail without trial because lawyers are too afraid to defend them. Rights groups say the laws are increasingly used to seize money or property. Judges have previously been attacked in Pakistan for acquitting blasphemy defendants and two politicians who discussed reforming the law were shot dead. Rehman was shot dead by two gunmen at his office on Wednesday night. A junior lawyer and an assistant were wounded, police said. Rehman was at his office at night when two men came there posing as potential clients, asking for his help with a marriage case, police officer Shaukat Abbas told Reuters. l
Barbaric invaders
The days of... the barbaric invaders (on) the pure soil of our country have come (to a) close, Allah willing, due to your 13-year Jihad and sacrifices, it told its fighters. Afghanistans fighting season traditionally begins in April or May as snow recedes from the mountains, and the Taliban mark the occasion with an annual declaration to attack foreign forces and unseat the Kabul government. The offensive will consist of suicide bombings, insider attacks by Afghan soldiers and complex assaults on military facilities. l
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Editorial
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How to solve: Each number in our CODE CRACKER grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. For example, today 10 represents A so fill in A every time the figure 10 appears. You them in the appropriate squares in the main grid, then use your knowledge of words to work out which letters go in the missing squares. Some letters of the alphabet may not be used. As you get the letters, fill in other squares with the same number in the main grid, and the control grid. Check off the list of alphabetical letters as you identify them.
angladesh Banks announcement of a procedure to facilitate external borrowing by industrial enterprises, located in export processing zones, is a step forward to making more capital available for investment. Previously, there had been no clear procedure or encouragement available for this avenue of finance. However, much remains to be done to attract foreign direct investment at the levels which the economy needs to secure a sustainable path to long-term growth. The governments role is crucial as it controls or inhibits many of the factors which can help attract FDI. Leading businesses represented at the first meeting of the new Business Advisory Committee have rightly urged the government to do more to improve the supply of gas, water and electricity and to adopt policies which will enable lower lending rates for borrowing funds for investment. The provision of more land for setting up EPZs, in particular to house modern, compliant RMG factories, is an area in which the government can and must act fast, as state-owned enterprises control a significant amount of under-utilised land, which would benefit from investment and modernisation. Policymakers must also adopt more open market policies, as these offer the most cost-effective way to stimulate and attract investment, both from within the country and overseas. Removing double taxation, deregulating the historically counter-productive framework of exchange controls, and easing tariffs, where possible, must not be overlooked. Otherwise, the countrys potential to attract investment will be diminished.
Open market policies offer the most cost-effective way to attract investment
May 3 AlFateh1969 Kamaluddin Ahmed The Hottie and the Nottie shouldnt be in the What did the Indian censor board do? This type of distortion on Gunday should not have been promot- second spot. It wasnt a great movie, but it wasnt a bad one either. I bet 90% of those voters didnt ed by the Indians who played a vital role in 1971 War even see the movie. of Liberation.
CROSSWORD
ACROSS 1 Minute particle (4) 5 Mechanical man (5) 8 Spanish dance (6) 9 Leave out (4) 10 Cricket score (3) 12 Inventors grant (6) 13 Lace hole (6) 15 Nullify (6) 18 Fragrances (6) 20 Female swan (3) 21 Careen (4) 23 Maker of suits (6) 24 Foe (5) 25 Assert the negative (4) DOWN 1 Over (5) 2 Male cat (3) 3 Oily fruit (5) 4 Encountered (3) 5 Turns (7) 6 Naked (4) 7 Tinge (4) 11 Single entity (4) 12 Imposed punishment (7) 14 Time long past (4) 16 Nimble (5) 17 Place of ingress (5) 18 Church recess (4) 19 Single occasion (4) 21 Cover (3) 22 Offspring (3)
o add to poor rankings in surveys of transport and livability, Dhaka has recently landed at the bottom of a list of 50 most resilient cities in the world. The ranking was based on vulnerability to issues such as climate change, resources, infrastructure, and strength of community. As governance and the strength of institutions were among factors measured, it is easy to see why Dhaka would score poorly in this type of survey. The dysfunctional state of city management by the two Dhaka city corporations was recently highlighted by both the DSCC and DNCC denying responsibility for the Shukrabad, Farmgate and Indira Road areas because of a dispute over boundaries. A lack of accountability and mayoral elections may be one reason why the corporations resort to such an excuse instead of addressing residents concerns about the visible neglect of street maintenance, potholes and drainage systems. This leads us to despair that these issues are not likely to be solved anytime soon. While many of the sources of vulnerability, such as climate change, are beyond our control, there is much that we can do to improve the resilience of our city. Surely something as simple as better coordination between the two parts of the Dhaka city council would be a good place to start.
Better coordination between the two parts of Dhaka citys council would be a good place to start
SUDOKU
How to solve: 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.
CROSSWORD
PEANUTS
SUDOKU
DHAKA TRIBUNE
Op-Ed
11
n M Ehsanur Rahman
n a context where out-of-school children or primary school dropout students cannot attend formal schools because of its structured system, the flexibility in the Multi-Grade Teaching Learning (MGTL) approach of Dhaka Ahsania Mission (DAM) offers an answer for their access and learning. An MGTL class provides a flexible class environment to schoolage children, who could not enroll in school or have dropped out early for a wide variety of complex and often interlinked reasons. Catering to individual learning difficulties and facilitating learning by children at their own pace are the two basic features of DAMs MGTL approach. DAMs MGTL process as a contribution to the primary education in Bangladesh has been developed through the UNIQUE Project, which is being implemented with the support of the EU. At the backdrop of DAMs experience in Non-Formal Primary Education (NFPE) over the last three decades, the MGTL approach has been developed, tested, and scaled up as an effective NFPE process. In this article, the essential features and process of the approach are described precisely, with particular reference to the UNIQUE project.
A participatory teaching-learning and assessment technique is applied for better and effective learning of each child in the class. Therefore, self-learning, mutual learning, peer learning, one-to-one teaching, project learning, group works are ensured in the classes. The teacher follows fivetask process in conducting the class which are review, reading exercise, writing exercise, self-learning practice, and assessment.
In this approach, a teacher is required to address the learning need of each child in the class
Children are assessed at the time of enrollment in a process called base assessment to determine their subject-based state of competency. Besides, periodic assessment on weekly, monthly, and quarterly basis is done. However, higher grade promotion assessment (usually built-in periodic assessment) allows movement of the learners from lower to higher grades according to the attainment of competencies. There are three types of assessment techniques in the form of written, oral, and observation tests, which are held for each child.
I asked a senior friend, aligned with the Awami League, about the justification of holding power without public support. This government would correct many anomalies and take a lot of populist steps, he said. Sheikh Hasinas government, constrained by a shortage of revenue and sluggish investments, will try to accomplish what the president of the most powerful country often fails to do convince the people. That too, with serious democratic deficiencies and so much burden of backers and beneficiaries.
tunists question why the nave ones are so obsessed with the righteousness of actions in realpolitik the world has never been just. Cunning people are often short-sighted, forgetting that wrongdoers have never been spared either. We are witness to the downfall of a number of powerful rulers of the 20th century. Ferdinand Marcos of the Philippines, General Augusto Pinochet of Chile, Saddam Hussain of Iraq, and Muammar al-Gaddafi of Libya (dont forget HM Ershad!) ruled their
Sheikh Hasinas government will try to accomplish what the president of the most powerful country often fails to do convince the people
The government covertly boasts of backing from an influential external power, believing it to be enough to keep its rule unchallenged. What a way of building self-confidence in national politics, that too without the peoples involvement. Widening alienation of our dominant minority the ruling class from moral values, social norms, and political ideals has left the country unguarded and the citizens helpless. In a reign of injustice, too much compromise with immoral acts all around has metamorphosed many so-called good people into virtual cowards. Frustrated, restless, and rapacious, society becomes sullied while the elite seem resigned to the situation. Oppor-
countries for a long period, but history terms them simply as autocrats. Despite being elected twice, George W Bush has been ranked as one of the worst presidents of the United States for his wrong-headed policies. Babrak Karmal and Dr Najibullah of Afghanistan became presidents with Soviet intervention and they were treated as traitors by the Afghans. Lhendup Dorji, the chief minister of Sikkim during its merger with India, is widely referred to as a symbol of betrayal in his motherland. Apartheid South African rulers had kept Nelson Mandela in jail for 27 years but could not change his destiny as one of the best statesmen of his time. Israels Ariel Sharon had
confronted Palestine leader Yasser Arafat both in the battlefield and in politics, but the former was despised for his hawkish policy and the latter was loved worldwide for his cause. Nawab Sirajuddoulas army chief Mir Zafar Ali Khan was successful in ensuring the formers defeat in the battle of Plassey by collaborating with the East India Company, only to emerge as a permanent betrayer in history. Nisar Ali Titumir proved his mad love for his motherland by fighting from a fort made of bamboo against a far superior colonial army, embracing martyrdom in the end. Despite fighting a losing battle, Titumir is considered a hero. It is actually a matter of choice of a politician whether she/he wants to be nondito or nindito, Bangla words that sound similar but bear opposite meanings celebrated and condemned respectively. Sheikh Hasinas AL government will be remembered for the share market crashing twice, the Padma Bridge corruption case, the swindling of bank money (Hall-Mark and other scams), patronisation of godfathers, the BDR rebellion that resulted in so many unnecessary deaths, presidential clemency to murderers, the Sagor-Runi killing, politicisation of public institutions, late-night crackdown on Hefazat-e-Islam, a farcical election held to stay in power, extra-judicial killings, and political persecution. What else does the AL leadership, super-conscious of history, aim to add to the list before calling it a day? l Khawaza Main Uddin is Executive Editor at ICE Business Times.
The MGTL addresses the learning challenges of children at schools. It transforms the ways of teaching and learning in the classroom. In the whole process of teaching-learning, each child actively takes part, which helps every child to learn effectively and acquire competency at her/his own pace. Children of different grades with varying competencies learn in one classroom. One teacher works for all 25-30 learners by organising them into grade-based groups. Group-leaders and advanced learners play the roles of peer facilitators under the guidance of a teacher.
Teachers accountability
The MGTL facilitates restarting learning of dropout children from the level they stopped in formal schools. A learner may complete the course in less time and can move from one grade to another, based on periodic assessments of competencies acquired. Through this process, learners complete their academic cycle in a shorter span of time. UNIQUE experience shows that the children can complete the primary course in 41 months.
It is an undying fact that the teachers role is crucial in every learning situation. In multigrade class, teachers active engagement in the whole gamut of teaching-learning process has further been emphasised. In this approach, a teacher is required to address the learning need of each child in the class. Besides adapting the annual academic plan, the teacher prepares grade-wise lesson plans to meet diverse learning needs. The teacher facilitates childrens learning inside and outside the classroom. She/he also facilitates optimum use of the two writing boards. On a regular basis, the teacher has to make an assessment of the individual learning progress of each child.
Classroom management
If the BJP comes to power, it will complicate existing problems between Bangladesh and India
Addressing in Silchar in Assam in February this year, Narendra Modi drew attention to the fact that, during the rule of the BJP in 19982004, Hindus from Pakistan were accommodated in India. It was reported by The Times of India on February 22. This trend had also been reflected in West Bengal during the BJP campaign. Here too Narendra Modi has made it crystal clear that Bangladeshi infiltrators would be expelled from India afterMay 16, as if the BJPwould capture power this time while criticising the chief minister of
In a multigrade class, there are four grade based groups Beginners, Advanced, Skilled, and Independent. This represents whole cycle of formal primary schools. In the DAM NFPE programs the national primary education curriculum is followed. Apart from the national text books, supplementary reading materials or student generated materials are used to reinforce the learning process. In the class, there is an opportunity to interact with the teacher and the group-leader from each group. A student with advanced ability becomes the group leader in each table who sometimes helps a teacher to follow up the lower grade students. Learning-by-doing method is followed in the class while special attention is given to the slow learners. Project work on issue-based topic facilitates in-depth practical learning of the students. Moreover, co-curricular activities and activity in a big group in the beginning of each new subject stimulate childrens learning process. Apart from peer learning, group tasks, project works, use of mobile boards, extracurricular works, social learning, etc are done depending on subject requirements. The centre has two writing boards one fixed (big) and the other is mobile (small). The mobile board can be moved to any
As individual competency of each child is valued, those pupils who are fast learners can complete the cycle of primary education in less time, and are mainstreamed into secondary level. Flexible assessment helps to graduate earlier and make room to new pupils to enroll any time of the year rather than waiting for the beginning of the academic year. The out-of-school children scattered in different hard-to-reach areas are reached through community based Child Learning Centres (CLC). The most notable feature of (this) NFPE program, known to be the MGTL system is found to be an economic and reasonably effective arrangement. Some statistics may give an indication of the MGTL approachs effectiveness. During 2012 and 2013, 7,267 students and 3,359 students appeared in Primary School Certificate (PSC) examination of which the pass rate was 93% (6726) and 99% (3,342) respectively. In respect of access of children in the hardest-to-reach areas, a total of 14,088 children in Hill areas, 6,400 children in haor areas, 11, 219 children in char areas, and 14,358 children in coastal belt of the country have been covered under this approach (as of March, 2014) alongside the children in other areas of the country. A study report appropriately said: The flexibility of [MGTL] to reach children in isolated locations and in difficult conditions could be utilised in the mainstream education system. l M Ehsanur Rahman is Executive Director, Dhaka Ahsania Mission.
BIGSTOCK
12
DHAKA TRIBUNE
Entertainment
n Entertainment Desk
The second day of Bangladesh Rabindra Sangeet Shilpi Sangsthas National Rabindra Sangeet festival was enjoyed by a houseful audience at the Shawkat Osman Memorial Auditorium, Central Public Library, Shahbagh. Artistes of the organisation celebrated Kobigurus birth anniversary with renditions of his songs and recitations of his poems and writings. Professor Soumitra Shekhar spoke on Jugomanob Rabindranath at yesterdays programme. The theme for this years festival is Dibey Ar Nibey, Milabey Milibey, Jabey Na Phirey SADIA MARIUM
Bollywood megastars Amitabh Bachchan and his wife Jaya Bachchan are set to share screen in the upcoming film Leader. The first look of the film was unveiled by Big B and Gulshan Grover recently. The film is produced by Deepak Sawant and written and directed by Abhishek Chadha
haran depicts the final humbling of the man via his acceptance of his wifes talents. In the TV play featuring Momo and Niloy in lead roles, the male protagonist is sent to a hostel to study for his final exam by his father on his wedding night. His wife stays back with his parents. They keep in touch via Facebook. At one point, the husband returns to the house before his exam begins. His father keeps the love birds separated in two different rooms. l
TODAY IN DHAKA
Film
Captain America: The Winter Soldier (3D & 2D) I, Frankenstein Divergent Time: 10am 10pm Star Cineplex Bashundhara City
Cultural Programme
Dibey Ar Nibey Milabey Milibey Jabey Na Phirey By Rabindrasangeet Shilpi Sangstha Time: 6pm 9pm Shawkat Osman Auditorium Public Library, Shahbag Rabindra Utsab By Chayanaut Time: 6:30pm 9pm Chayanaut, Satmasjid Road Dhanmondi
n Entertainment Desk
Marking the 153rd birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore, Kamal Ahmeds solo album titled Bendhechi Amar Pran was released yesterday. This is the seventh solo album of the Rabindra Sangeet artiste and was launched under the banner of Laser Vision. A total of ten songs from the Nature, Devotion and Love sections of Tagores Geetabitan comprise the track
Theatre
Munir Chowdhury Theatre Fest 2014 Time: 7pm 9pm Experimental Theatre Shilpakala Academy, Shegun Bagicha
Dancers perform at the 9th Rabindra Mela organised by Channel i on their premises in Tejgaon yesterday. Noted artists, littrateurs, Tagore enthusiasts, cultural and media personalities with the Channel i family attended the event. The programme featured music, dance, art camp and a fair presenting 20 stalls which offered products of the cottage and handicraft industries, pansupari and traditional food
Other executive members include Ershaduzzaman of Artcell, Shafkat Ahmed Deepto of Oronno and Mohammad Ali Sumon of Pentagon, Ziaur Rahman of Shironamhin, Sheikh Shahed Ali of Gaach, Rashed Ahmed Tapu of Yatree, Jamshed of Powersurge and Romance of Six.
SADIA MARIUM
Sport
DHAKA TRIBUNE
13
14 100-goal City on
verge of title
14 Real stunned by
Valladolid equaliser
hopes alive
Russell so far exhibited poor performance in the on going Bangladesh Premier League
Skipper Biplob wants to make use of the positive energy in the team and come out with a win as he said, All of my players are charged and want to win the match. I feel the pulse of my players and I am hopeful of winning against Sri Lanka Air Force. After a treble winning last domestic season, Russell so far exhibited poor performance in the on going Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) but their experienced defender Hasan al Mamun said they are ready to wipe out the failure with a good result. The team has not performed well in the BPL, so there is a motivation to put a good show here and move to the next round. We want to win against Sri Lanka Air Force, said Hasan. l
Outgoing Bangladesh cricket team coach Shane Jurgensen cuts a cake during his farewell at the BCB headquarters at Mirpur yesterday I dont think there will be any such problem (transition). Jurgensen had some plans which we tried to execute but life never stops for anyone so we have to plan again and work according to that in future, said Mushfiq. Mushfiq also acknowledged the qualities of the 38-year-old Australian and pointed to his friendly relations with the cricketers besides also praising him for not reserving any special liking for any individual player. Mushfiq informed he had urged Jurgensen to reconsider his resignation, but upon knowing the personal reasons behind the decision, the Bangladesh skipper refrained from requesting him further. I have talked with him after he arrived and he requested me saying that
COURTESY
it was his personal decision and that his family was also involved in the decision-making so I had nothing more to say. I think whatever happens its good for everyone and at the end of the day we have to try to play with responsibility, Mushfiq added. l
RESULT
Sheikh Jamal
3 0
Mohammedan
Norde overjoyed
Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Clubs Haitian star Sony Norde appeared in a cheerful mood after they beat Dhaka Mohammedan SC convincingly at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday. Sony scored one while he played an instrumental role behind the other two goals and was undoubtedly the player of the day. Sony expressed happiness after breaking his two-match goal drought and said, I know there were talks about Sony not scoring goals. I feel happy to break the jinx but I believe not scoring individually is not important, win for Sheikh Jamal is important, we believe in team work. The perfect team man also brushed away any rivalry with his co-attackers in terms of scoring. Why should I think that? I have provided passes to Emeka Darlington that turned into a goal on many occasions, I dont play for scoring goals for me, scoring goals for Jamal is my motivation, he said. However, the Haitian thinks his opponents are always harsh on him after his glittering performance in the IFA Shield. I think the opponents attitude has changed a bit as the challenges are harder now, I have be careful in avoiding injuries. Meanwhile, Jamal coach Josef Afusi thought Mohammedan was outplayed by his teamwork. I am satisfied with the performance. A coach gets pleased when he sees the perfect teamwork, today the teamwork was good, though Wedson missed a couple of chances I believe it was not intentional. Every player wants to score a goal and Wedson is not an exception, said Afusi. He, however, cautioned his team about complacent and said, Sitting on the top of the table with a lead of 11 points is may be good, but there is a still a long way to go. We have to remain focused. Jose Rui Cappella Batista, the Portuguese coach of Mohammedan, admitted Jamal was the better team on the day. They played better, I missed the hardness in the midfield due to Damien Chigozie and Zahid. Moreover Jamal created five or six chances and scored three, my forwards created four to five chances and scored none, so it made all the difference, said Batista. l
with a solo effort. Kesto Kumar delivered a precise pass to Norde from almost the halfway mark and the Haitian skipped past a defender before launching a 20-yard effort between opposition defenders Mintu Sheikh and Baybeck and past the despairing dive of Titu. Darlington doubled the lead ten minutes later. Norde set up the goal with a long cross from the left flank for the unmarked Darlington and the Nigerian forward made no mistake placing
Sheikh Jamal forward Emeka Darlington (C) celebrates a goal against Mohammedan SC during their Bangladesh Premier League match at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday MUMIT M
14
Villarreal banana-throw fine too soft
The fine of 12,000 euros ($16,700) given to Villarreal after a fan threw a banana at Barcelonas Dani Alves was too lenient, according to Spanish sports minister Miguel Cardenal who is looking to hand out a stiffer sanction. Brazilian Alves received widespread support after picking up the banana and biting into the fruit as he prepared to take a corner during the April 27 La Liga match. The defender later told Brazils Radio Globo that Spain was very backward in its approach to racism. We will use our powers to appeal and we will also study it in the National Anti-Violence Commission, Cardenal told TVE television on Thursday. Reuters
DHAKA TRIBUNE
Sport
RESULTS
Man City
Dzeko 64, 72, Jovetic 89, Toure 90
4 0 2 0
Aston Villa
POINTS TABLE
Team 1 Man City 2 Liverpool 3 Chelsea 4 Arsenal 5 Everton 15 Aston Villa 16 Hull City 17 West Brom 18 Norwich City 19 Fulham 20 Cardiff City GP 37 37 37 37 37 37 37 37 37 37 37 W 26 25 24 23 20 10 10 7 8 9 7 D 5 6 7 7 9 8 7 15 9 4 9 L 6 6 6 7 8 19 20 15 20 24 21 GD 63 50 43 25 20 -19 -13 -15 -32 -45 -41 PTS 83 81 79 76 69 38 37 36 33 31 30
Sunderland
Colbeck 13, Borini 31
West Brom
Man Citys Edin Dzeko (C) celebrates scoring a goal against Aston Villa during their EPL match at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday
REUTERS
the table but, with a superior goal difference of 13, a draw would be enough for City to be crowned champions while Chelseas title hopes are over. At the other end of the standings, Sunderland guaranteed their Premier League survival when goals by Jack Colback and Fabio Borini sealed a 2-0 win over West Bromwich Albion which effectively ended Norwich Citys hopes
128 64 59 11 2
to win the title, just how quickly it can change. The only realistic way City can lose the title is if they are beaten by West
Ham and Liverpool take three points against Newcastle United. City have beaten the east London side three times this season, 3-1 in the league and 9-0 over two-legs in the Capital One (League) Cup, but Zabaleta refused to take victory for granted against a side who have secured their Premier League status for next season. We know West Ham are safe but they have very good players and can score at set-pieces, he added. It will be tough and we can not relax. We need to rest but I think the spirit is great. We have a great chance and you can see all the fans are excited. Hopefully, on Sunday, we can celebrate the title. l
The Premier League title will be decided on the final day for the seventh time in 22 season Sunderland have recorded four successive EPL wins for the first time since Dec 2000 Yaya Toure is only the second central midfielder to score 20+ goals in a single PL season (after Lampard in 2009 10) City are only the second team in EPL history to score 100+ goals in a single season (after Chelsea in 09 10) City have now scored 153 goals in all competitions this season, 110 more than Aston Villa Pablo Zabaleta has now assisted six PL goals this season, the only defender to have as many is team-mate Kolarov
RESULT
1 1
Real Madrid
Ramos 35
POINTS TABLE
Team 1 Atltico 2 Barcelona 3 Real Madrid 4 Athletic 5 Sevilla 15 Granada 16 Valladolid 17 Almera 18 Getafe CF 19 Osasuna 20 Real Betis GP W 36 28 36 27 36 26 36 20 36 17 36 11 36 7 36 10 36 9 36 9 36 5 D 4 4 6 8 9 5 15 6 9 8 7 L 4 5 4 8 10 20 14 20 18 19 24 GD 51 67 66 27 16 -23 -20 -30 -21 -31 -42 PTS 88 85 84 68 60 38 36 36 36 35 22
Real Madrids Cristiano Ronaldo (C) and teammates watch their Spanish La Liga match against Valladolid from the bench, at Zorrilla Stadium in Valladolid on Wednesday REUTERS
free kick after 35 minutes. It was not enough, though, as relegation-threatened Valladolid levelled when Osorio nodded home with five minutes left. We wasted a unique opportunity and we will now have to examine it calmly. With 10 minutes to go we relaxed and against a side battling for survival they are always going to make it difficult for you, added Ramos. The result opened the door for Barcelona, who know that a win in the final match of the season against Atletico would hand them the title providing they beat Elche away on Sunday. Real, who play Atletico in the Champions League final this month, were missing the injured Gareth Bale and Angel Di Maria played in as threepronged forward line as Luka Modric returned in midfield.
Valladolid set out to counter-attack using the pace and movement of Jeffren and Zakara Bergdich on the wings, and they caused problems for the Real defence with a Javi Guerra header going close in the opening minutes. Ronaldos injury seemed to affect the spirit of the Real players as they were too static and predictable in possession. Valladolid sensed the chance of an upset and linked up well again in attack with Oscar Gonzalez firing over inside the area. However, Ramos, who had earlier gone close with a header, was on hand to steady Reals nerves with the opening goal, his fifth in the last four games. As Real sat back after the break it invited Valladolid to come back at them and they got a deserved equaliser through Osorio. l
Premier League game of the season, away to Southampton, and there have been several reports in the British press that van Gaal will be announced as their new full-time manager next week. You (the media) are thinking Im the man but the most important thing is whether Manchester United are thinking that, van Gaal said. And he insisted nothing would distract him from guiding the Netherlands at the World Cup, having failed to qualify for the 2002 tournament in his first attempt at the role. l
PSGs Zlatan Ibrahimovic (L) and Marco Verratti celebrate with children on the field at the end of the French L1 match against Rennes in Paris on Wednesday. PSG loose 2 to 1, but won the French league title for the second successive season AFP
DHAKA TRIBUNE
Sport
15
Cook grateful for England support
Alastair Cook said Thursday the backing of his colleagues and team management had persuaded him to continue as England captain after he questioned his own position following a wretched Ashes series. Cook found himself under the spotlight after Englands recent 5-0 thrashing in Australia, a campaign where the opening batsman managed just 277 runs at an average of under 28. Team director Andy Flower resigned and one-day coach Ashley Giles was axed following Englands embarrassing defeat by the Netherlands at the subsequent World Twenty20 in Bangladesh. Disconnected star batsman Kevin Pietersen was sent into international exile but the England and Wales Cricket Board hierarchy remained strong in their support of Cook. I was asked about (my future) after Sydney and after a long, gruelling winter, I gave it consideration, Cook, speaking in Aberdeen, where England play Scotland in a one-day international on Friday, told reporters. Wed lost a lot of games and we hadnt played to the standard that side was capable of, and the stuff we were doing was not making a difference. l
Renowned sports organizer and the treasurer of Bangladesh Olympic Association Kazi Razibuddin Ahmed Chapal filed a general diary with the Motijheel police station seeking his life security yesterday. In the general diary, Chapal stated that he was a mediator of a family conflict a few days ago but the conflict was not resolved. However, an unknown person calling from the cellular phone number - 01934594693 threatened he would be receiving bullets if he didnt take the necessary steps to resolve the dispute. Chapal also stated that sports commentator Dr. Anupam Hossain also rang him about one hour later and urged him to do accordingly. It is worth a mention here in this regard that Anupam is related to the opposing party. Tribune Desk
Abahanis Osei Morrison (R) gets knocked over by BJMC goalkeeper Himel for a successful penalty shout during their Bangladesh Premier League match at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday MUMIT M
Abahani keeper Shahidul Alam Sohel made a decent save in 71st minute to deny Guinean striker Ismael Bangouras effort from inside the box. Osei Morrison squandered the easiest chance of the game two minutes later when the Ghanaian striker missed the target from two yards out following a low cross by Awudu Ibrahim from the right flank. BNJMC did finally score a goal which could only only reduce the margin of their defeat. In the last minute of the stipulated time, Ismail Bangoura headed home from a free kick by Samson Illiasu. Meanwhile, Feni Soccer Club and Chittagong Abahani played out a goalless draw in the days other game at the MA Aziz Stadium in Chittagong. l
30 MAN SQUAD
Goalkeepers (3) Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich), Roman Weidenfeller (Dortmund), Ron-Robert Zieler (Hanover) Defenders (10) Jerome Boateng (Bayern Munich), Erik Durm (Dortmund), Kevin Grosskreutz (Dortmund), Benedikt Hoewedes (Schalke), Mats Hummels (Dortmund), Marcell Jansen (Hamburg), Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich), Per Mertesacker (Arsenal/ENG), Shkodran Mustafi (Sampdoria/ITA), Marcel Schmelzer (Dortmund). Midfielders (15) Lars Bender (Leverkusen), Julian Draxler (Schalke), Matthias Ginter (Friburg), Leon Goretzka (Schalke), Mario Goetze (Bayern Munich), Andre Hahn (Augsburg), Sami Khedira (Real Madrid/ESP), Toni Kroos (Bayern Munich), Max Meyer (Schalke), Thomas Mueller (Bayern Munich), Mesut Ozil (Arsenal/ENG), Lukas Podolski (Arsenal/ENG), Marco Reus (Dortmund), Andre Schurrle (Chelsea/ ENG), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich) Forwards (2) Miroslav Klose (Lazio/ITA), Kevin Volland (Hoffenheim)
Watermelons with the carvings of (L to R) Argentinas Lionel Messi, Portugals Cristiano Ronaldo and Brazils Neymar are seen at San Raphael hotel in Sao Paulo on Wednesday. The 2014 World Cup will be held in Brazil from June 12 through July 13 REUTERS
DAYS WATCH
Sony Six 8:30PM Indian Premier League Bangalore v Punjab NBA Play-Off 2013 14: CONF SF 5:00AM Brooklyn v Miami 7:30AM Portland v San Antonio
Bangladesh Athletic Federation general secretary Ibrahim Changish receives the sponsorship money from Walton additional director AFM Iqbal bin Anwar Dawn at the BNS yesterday COURTESY
16
DHAKA TRIBUNE
Back Page
The commission has decided to hold Noldanga upazila polls in Natore on June 9. The last date of filing nomination is May 15 and the nomination will be scrutinised on May 17. The last date of withdrawing nomination is May 25. Besides, the commission has taken initiatives to inform voters about their voter numbers and polling centres through mobile SMS in Barisal-5 by-election scheduled to be held on June 12. l
Firefighters work to douse a blaze that erupted on the fourth floor of a five-storey building in the capitals Elephant Road area yesterday
MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU
cultural practices through technology such as power tillers. We still expect that the Department of Archeology will take an initiative to display it in the Patishar Museum but Naogaon district administration is yet
to take a decision, said Mamun. He has been collecting Tagore memorabilia since 2003 as a hobby. Among the Tagore memorabilia there is a six-page short biography of Tagore which has already been handed over to the Department of Archaeology.
the country, Tareq said. In these 11 years, Akhtar has taken a staggering number 34 chemotherapies, he said. A few months ago, doctors said she had got chemotherapy resistant, meaning that the treatment was not working anymore to keep the disease from recurring. She started losing weight fast. Then I consulted an herbal specialist. By the grace of the Almighty, she has been recovering well since, he said. Dr Mostafa Aziz Sumon, an oncologist from a private hospital in the city who has been treating Akhtar for a few years now, said she had proved everybody wrong. Her bravery in combatting a disease like cancer has inspired a number of other patients. To the wonder of physicians, she is having a surprisingly good health although it has been 11 years since she was diagnosed with cancer, said Dr Sumon, also a member of the Oncology Club. Rafe Sadnan Adel, organiser of the website cancerbd.com, told the Dhaka Tribune that: After fighting with ovarian cancer for more than two years, my mother died a couple of months ago. I do not want any mother to die from the disease again. That is why I have initiated the website to inform people about the symptoms and treatments of cancer. He also said this is the second time the World Ovarian Cancer Day was being observed in Bangladesh. l
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
Finance Minister AMA Muhith addressing 35th National Consultative Committee meeting at Pan Pacific Sonargaon in Dhaka yesterday
NASHIRUL ISLAM
meeting. Finance minister said the facilities to protect local industries will continue and called on the entrepreneurs to make the best use of those facilities.
Besides, the finance minister alleged that the businessmen were getting back the money which they had to pay as advanced income tax to NBR. Although the businessmen are en-
titled to have refund of their advance payment not used, they are not getting it. He called for creating a separate fund in this regard.l
Tofail urges Accord to pay RMG workers during remediation work n Tribune Report
Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed has urged the Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh to pay workers wages during factory closure or production suspension for remediation work. He made the call yesterday while holding a meeting with the representatives of Accord and Alliance, two platforms of the global retailers, at his secretariat office in the capital. The meeting was aimed at discussing the standards for Building, fire and electricity safety assessment of the existing RMG factories. As the Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety is paying workers wages during remediation, the Accord should also pay the salaries of the workers, Tofail Ahmed told the reporters after the meeting.
B3 COLUMN 5
B2
DHAKA TRIBUNE
Stock
DSE GAINERS Company
Closing (% change) 9.99 6.57 5.90 5.78 5.22 4.87 4.53 4.50 4.39 4.38
Eastern Cables-A Monno Stafllers -A Libra Infusions-A Midas Financing-Z BD Submarine Cable-A National Tubes -A ICB AMCL 1st NRB -A Usmania Glass -A Renwick Jajneswar-A Matin Spinning-N CSE GAINERS Company ICB AMCL 1st NRB -A GreenDeltaInsu -A Eastern Cables-A Usmania Glass -A Janata Insur -A Padma Islami Life*-N MBL 1st M. F.-A FAS Fin. & Inv. Ltd-B BD Submarine Cable-A Social Islami. B A
Average (% change) 6.77 4.81 5.87 6.25 5.97 3.48 2.90 4.27 3.35 0.30 Average (% change) 9.62 9.45 6.35 7.08 7.12 11.97 3.21 3.38 5.97 3.80
Closing average 128.14 330.16 429.12 23.80 191.44 152.08 29.77 161.52 326.22 46.73
Closing 131.00 335.70 429.10 23.80 193.40 152.90 30.00 162.50 326.00 47.70
Daily high 131.00 340.00 440.00 23.80 194.50 160.00 30.50 164.00 333.80 48.20
Daily low 121.90 315.60 408.10 23.80 166.40 140.00 29.00 151.00 321.00 44.90
Turnover in million 16.645 1.007 1.459 0.012 145.426 34.261 3.825 12.507 4.355 142.018
Latest EPS 2.03 4.15 4.20 -6.91 2.95 3.91 4.57 4.07 3.92 4.55
Latest PE 63.1 79.6 102.2 -ve 64.9 38.9 6.5 39.7 83.2 10.3
Closing (% change) 9.81 9.51 8.35 7.85 7.31 6.03 4.94 4.88 4.75 4.35
Closing average 29.05 90.90 128.37 163.99 23.46 73.90 8.36 16.84 190.73 12.02
Closing 29.10 91.00 128.40 164.80 23.50 73.90 8.50 17.20 191.80 12.00
Daily high 29.10 91.00 130.30 167.00 23.90 73.90 8.50 17.30 193.00 12.30
Daily low 29.00 91.00 124.00 159.90 22.50 73.90 8.10 16.30 185.10 11.70
Turnover in million 0.029 0.091 0.680 1.230 0.033 0.111 0.330 1.617 26.740 1.619
Latest EPS 4.57 3.00 2.03 4.07 0.59 1.10 1.48 0.48 2.95 2.08
Latest PE 6.4 30.3 63.2 40.3 39.8 67.2 5.6 35.1 64.7 5.8
(-) 0.45% (-) 0.20% (-) 0.70% (-) 0.34% (-) 0.52% (-) 0.50%
Traded Issues Issue Gain (Avg. Price Basis) Issue Loss (Avg. Price Basis) Unchanged Issue (Avg. Price Basis) Market Capital Equity (Billion. Tk.) Market Capital Equity (Billion US$)
Average (% change) -8.32 -8.22 -6.27 -2.96 -2.28 -3.94 -3.46 -4.21
Closing average 273.20 335.00 45.87 16.06 6.00 24.38 51.83 34.32
Daily high 273.20 335.00 50.00 17.60 5.90 26.50 53.90 34.30
Daily low 273.20 335.00 45.20 15.80 5.80 22.80 49.00 32.20
Turnover in million 0.027 0.865 19.355 0.326 0.018 4.054 48.396 0.228
Latest EPS 33.24 9.37 0.68 0.68 -1.33 1.90 4.36 2.77
-4.02 -3.91
-4.59 -3.67
55.49 68.79
54.90 68.80
57.70 70.20
52.00 67.70
53.017 0.963
4.40 1.10
12.6 62.5
Closing (% change) -29.41 -7.76 -5.65 -5.63 -5.26 -4.94 -4.60 -4.20
Average (% change) -29.29 -6.21 -9.48 -5.09 -5.42 -3.13 -3.60 -3.49
Closing average 12.02 45.91 20.82 21.80 16.23 342.88 25.17 22.95
Daily high 12.20 47.40 21.70 21.80 16.40 345.00 25.50 23.70
Daily low 12.00 45.00 21.70 21.80 16.10 336.50 24.80 22.80
Turnover in million 0.132 6.129 0.018 0.022 0.097 0.069 0.267 0.285
Latest EPS -0.92 0.68 1.63 1.52 -1.01 12.46 2.08 -0.13
-4.13 -4.09
-9.48 -3.49
23.20 51.77
23.20 51.60
23.20 52.70
23.20 51.30
0.012 3.029
0.80 4.36
29.0 11.9
ANALYST
SECTORAL TURNOVER SUMMARY
Sector Bank NBFI Investment Engineering Food & Allied Fuel & Power Jute Textile Pharma & Chemical Paper & Packaging Service Leather Ceramic Cement Information Technology General Insurance Life Insurance Telecom Travel & Leisure Miscellaneous Debenture
Plagued by some profit taking activities, it is apparent that market has decided to side walk before going for a rally
DSE TURNOVER LEADERS Company Grameenphone-A Meghna Petroleum -A BD Submarine Cable-A Matin Spinning-N LafargeS Cement-Z Olympic Ind. -A
Islami Bank BD - A
DSE Million Taka 466.86 131.26 124.65 330.55 249.44 381.67 1.68 313.60 475.57 0.25 69.80 19.41 24.36 250.64 36.49 44.62 68.29 388.73 21.65 81.67 0.29
% change 13.41 3.77 3.58 9.49 7.16 10.96 0.05 9.01 13.66 0.01 2.00 0.56 0.70 7.20 1.05 1.28 1.96 11.17 0.62 2.35 0.01
Million Taka 25.07 8.07 5.29 29.67 13.94 26.26 38.70 25.02 16.56 3.66 20.49 3.51 21.43 2.39 0.68 3.63 41.55 5.35 7.82 0.05
CSE
% change 8.38 2.70 1.77 9.92 4.66 8.78 0.00 12.94 8.36 5.54 1.22 6.85 1.17 7.16 0.80 0.23 1.21 13.89 1.79 2.62 0.02
Million Taka 491.93 139.33 129.94 360.22 263.38 407.93 1.68 352.29 500.59 16.81 73.46 39.90 27.87 272.07 38.88 45.29 71.92 430.29 26.99 89.50 0.34
Total
% change 13.01 3.69 3.44 9.53 6.97 10.79 0.04 9.32 13.24 0.44 1.94 1.06 0.74 7.20 1.03 1.20 1.90 11.38 0.71 2.37 0.01
Emerald Oil Ind. -N HeidelbergCement -A Golden Son -A Eastern Housing -A Orion Pharma-N
CSE TURNOVER LEADERS Company BD Submarine Cable-A
Volume shares 889,400 494,357 759,628 3,039,200 1,899,500 490,812 4,053,918 350,901 261,849 4,167,390
Value in million 243.31 146.19 145.43 142.02 130.22 119.49 106.37 97.93 89.45 75.00
% of total turnover 6.99 4.20 4.18 4.08 3.74 3.43 3.06 2.81 2.57 2.15
Daily closing 272.60 294.40 193.40 47.70 69.20 240.30 26.10 278.60 340.40 17.80
Price change -1.37 0.07 5.22 4.38 3.28 -0.95 0.00 -0.43 -0.41 -1.11
Daily opening 276.40 294.20 183.80 45.70 67.00 242.60 26.10 279.80 341.80 18.00
Daily high 278.00 298.80 194.50 48.20 69.60 246.00 26.40 282.00 346.00 18.30
Daily low 271.80 270.00 166.40 44.90 66.90 230.00 24.50 261.00 328.80 16.70
Daily average 273.56 295.71 191.44 46.73 68.55 243.45 26.24 279.08 341.59 18.00
Volume shares
Prepared exclusively for Dhaka Tribune by Business Information Automation Service Line (BIASL), on the basis of information collected from daily stock quotations and audited reports of the listed companies. High level of caution has been taken to collect and present the above information and data. The publisher will not take any responsibility if any body uses this information and data for his/her investment decision. For any query please email to biasl@bol-online.com or call 01552153562 or go to www.biasl.net
Matin Spinning-N Grameenphone-A LafargeS Cement-Z Appollo Ispat CL -N Orion Pharma-N AramitCementA Golden Son -A UCBL - A Meghna Petroleum -A Padma Oil Co. -A UNITED AIR A Bengal Windsor-A Square Pharma -A BEXIMCO Ltd. -A
140,200 363,600 53,800 163,500 384,600 111,220 133,500 97,000 204,395 18,444 15,100 373,901 75,400 12,510 125,843
Value in million
26.74 16.95 14.81 11.18 10.71 6.21 6.13 5.54 5.52 5.44 5.15 4.53 3.69 3.49 3.39
% of total turnover
11.09 7.03 6.14 4.64 4.44 2.58 2.54 2.30 2.29 2.26 2.14 1.88 1.53 1.45 1.41
Daily closing
191.80 47.60 272.50 69.10 28.00 55.60 45.20 56.50 26.90 294.30 340.20 12.10 48.80 278.90 27.00
Price change
4.75 3.93 -1.34 2.98 -0.71 -3.30 -7.76 -2.42 -1.10 -0.10 -0.44 -1.63 -1.81 -0.21 -0.37
Daily opening
183.10 45.80 276.20 67.10 28.20 57.50 49.00 57.90 27.20 294.60 341.70 12.30 49.70 279.50 27.10
193.00 48.00 277.80 69.50 28.30 57.30 47.40 58.10 27.40 299.90 345.00 12.40 49.80 280.40 27.50
185.10 44.90 271.90 66.50 27.50 55.50 45.00 56.20 26.80 293.60 340.00 11.20 48.50 278.10 24.50
Daily average
190.73 46.61 275.36 68.37 27.85 55.86 45.91 57.15 27.00 295.08 341.03 12.12 48.99 279.03 26.97
DHAKA TRIBUNE
Business
B3
PM: Keep shut n AFP, Harare new central bank chief on Ruposhi Bangla for Zimbabwes Wednesday said the countrys economy was weakening and the bank did renovation
B1 COLUMN 6
As per the new design, the number of guest rooms will be reduced from 272 to 231 but the size of the rooms will be enlarged from 26 square metres to 40 square metres. We also plan to arrange a rebranding program on 31 December in 2015, where the Prime Minister will be the chief guest, said Menon. Under the deal, InterContinental will take over the management of the five-star hotel after renovation works. InterContinental ran the iconic Dhaka Hotel from 1966 to 1983 before Sheraton took over operation and management. Sheraton was under the management of the hotel for 25 years till December 2008. l
Mutual Trust Bank Ltd recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Jamuna Resort Limited at a ceremony held at the banks corporate head office in Dhaka. Syed Rafiqul Haq, the banks deputy managing director and ANM Shahjahan, general manager of the resort signed the agreement that will allow the banks employees to enjoy up to 30% discount on room rents
The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited in Bangladesh has recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Dusai Hotel and Resorts Limited. As a result HSBC Select customers will enjoy special rates, facilities at the resort in Sylhet. The ceremony was attended by Nasser Rahman, chair and MD of Dusai Hotel and Resorts Limited and Andrew Tilke, chief executive of HSBC Bangladesh among others
He also urged the Accord to follow the rules of the land during factory inspection. The Alliance had earlier promised to pay 50% wages to workers for two months as salaries if productions are suspended due to the remediation works, but it had paid 50% salary of a single factory so far, which have been suspended for remediation work. Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) data showed productions of 31 factories were suspended due to structural flaws and nine of them could able to resume operation after necessary
remediation work. Although the closures are temporary, over 14,000 workers of those factories are worried about their jobs and wages during the remediation period. On February 20, the Accord, a platform of 150 European retailers, launched the first phase of inspection and inspected over 225 factories for fire and electrical safety and over 180 factories were inspected for structural safety. On the other hand, the Alliance for Workers Safety in Bangladesh had inspected 474 factories, of which four factories faced music for non-compliance. l
Panasonic recently distributed prizes to four contest winners of Panasonic Air Conditioner 'Beat the Heat' campaign in Dhaka.
Modhumoti Bank Limited recently held its statutory meeting at a city hotel. The banks chair, Humayun Kabir presided over the meeting
Muklesur Rahman, MD and CEO of NRB Bank recently signed an agreement with Kazi Saifuddin Munir, MD and CEO of ITCL at the banks head office in Dhaka. Under the agreement ITCL will implement Tranzware Card Management System for the bank
BRAC EPL Investments Limited (BEIL) has recently organised a road show on Dhaka Elevated Expressway PPP Project at a city hotel. Khaled Yusuf Farazi, CEO of BEIL inaugurated this event while guests from various banks and financial institutions attended the session
The photo shows players of Grameenphone, local winner of Standard Chartered Trophy 2014 who will be flying to UK today for participating in the final tournament that is to be held at Anfield
The 7th branch of National Bank Limited Money Transfer was recently launched at Seremban, Negeri Sembilan in Malaysia. Parveen Haque Sikder, the banks director and chair at its executive committee inaugurated the branch as chief guest
B4
n Reuters, London
Global business growth slowed to a six-month low in April as both services firms and manufacturers saw slower expansions in activity and a sales tax rise hit Japanese output, business surveys showed on Wednesday. JPMorgans Global All-Industry Output Index, produced with Markit, fell to 52.8 from Marchs 53.5 but held above the 50 mark that divides growth from contraction for the 19th month running. It remains at a level consistent with trend global growth, which would be a good outcome considering the likely contraction in Japan following the VAT hike, said David Hensley, a director at JPMorgan. Manufacturing activity in Japan contracted last month for the first time in more than a year as companies cut production immediately after a rise in the national sales tax. That was offset by better growth across much of Europe while activity in the United States stayed at a robust clip. The index combines survey data from countries including the United States, Japan, Germany, France, Britain, China and Russia. l
DHAKA TRIBUNE
Back Page
People walk past a display window of a clothing retail store at Ginza shopping district in Tokyo
REUTERS
Asia lags
Export growth was largely driven by demand from developed economies. Shipments to the United States jumped an annual 12% in April, a sharp pick-up from a rise of 1.2% in March and a drop of 11.3% in February. Exports to EU surged 15.1% last month, compared with 8.8% growth in March and a 14.4% drop in February. Emerging markets, including in Southeast Asia, lagged. Exports to ASEAN countries rose 3.8%, slowing from double-digit growth in previous months, and shipments to Brazil ticked up 3.7% from a year earlier. The trade data is expected to more accurately reflect actual activity from midyear, following last years crackdown
Japan's mobile communication giant Softbank president Masayoshi Son announces the company's financial result ended in March in Tokyo. SoftBank, which owns Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba, reported a record 5.18bn USD fiscal year profit as it raced past rival NTT Docomo to become the country's most profitable major mobile firm AFP
DILBERT
A forklift transfers a shipping container for export at a port in Lianyungang, Jiangsu province. China's overall trade is likely to gain momentum after May when high base effects fade off and data more accurately reflects the underlying picture, the commerce ministry said in a report on its website. Picture taken May 5 REUTERS